Now Commissioner Gonot wants to lower the water rates. Where was he in 2003 when the city manager assured the residents that Century Village would pay the same fees as all other multi-family units when the city took over the maintenance of the Village’s water and sewer lines? Commissioner Gonot was a member of the 2004 commission, along with Mayor Capellini, who chose not to insist on equity. If they had insisted on everyone paying the same rate, the city would have earned an additional $1,811,520 total from what we were told. There would have been no shortfall in 2008, and no need for the outrageous rate hikes to be borne by the other users, while the Village still pays less per unit than any other multi-family unit in the city. Gathering from previously published figures on the issue, the Village is paying 5.26 cents per unit costing the city $44,767.86 monthly and annually $537,214.32.

If Commissioner Gonot really wanted to lower rates without loss of income, he would insist on the Village paying the same monthly rates as all other multi-family units. But just like in 2004, there is another municipal election on the horizon in 2009.

Mary Avery

Deerfield Beach

City needs to deal with abandoned properties

To the Editor:

On April 1 of this year, I addressed the City Commission, asking them to take a proactive approach to the foreclosure problem in Deerfield Beach. Specifically, the rapidly growing problem of the maintenance of abandoned properties.

At that time there were 214 foreclosures in Deerfield Beach; today, according to RealtyTrac, there are over 640. It is too late now to be proactive. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the all-too-familiar position of taking a reactive approach. But any action, proactive or reactive, is better than no action at all.

Once again, I ask the City of Deerfield Beach to review and pass an ordinance similar to the Abandoned Property Registration and Maintenance Ordinance which was passed in Murrieta, Calif., on 2/19/2008.

This ordinance requires that after a default (not a foreclosure) occurs, the lender must inspect the property monthly for signs of abandonment. If the property is deemed abandoned, they then would have 10 days to register this property with the city. The cost of this registration would be a set annual fee that would be used to offset the increased cost of Code Enforcement. The lender would then be required to inspect, maintain, and secure the property through a property management company. The property would be posted with the name and the 24-hour contact number. Heavy fines would occur for failure to register the property with the city. This registration would put the properties on the radar before they become a problem. An amendment to this ordinance should also be passed to set the civil penalties for failure to comply, thus assisting in its compliance.

While some lenders try to be good neighbors, the majority of these properties are not kept up to community standards. In the cases where they are not good neighbors, lenders would face fines on an increasing scale if their properties slip below acceptable standards.

Please take immediate action to help us maintain the quality of our neighborhoods during these trying economic times.

And for the record, I have no affiliation with any property management company nor am I in the real estate business.

Bill Ganz

President

Deer Isle Homeowners Association

Grannies say “Bring home the troops”

To the Editor:

As has been done in many other cities, the Deerfield Raging Grannies and I have been trying for approximately a year and a half to get the City Commission to vote for a straw ballot, which will call for the immediate end of the occupation of Iraq and bring all of the troops home now.

With the help of some Grannies, I have asked the mayor and commissioners every month to allow the people of this city to be given the opportunity to vote their opinion on the Iraq war. We have already missed three elections; let’s not miss the fourth, which is a presidential election.

Here is everyone’s opportunity to perform a charitable action. Call, write, and or e-mail Mayor Capellini and all the commissioners. Demand that they vote now so that the anti-war straw ballot will make the November elections. Support the troops by bringing them home while they are still alive.

Barbara Miranda

Century Village

Enjoys reading essays online

To the Editor:

Even though I don’t live there anymore and don’t get the paper, I am a big fan of the History of Deerfield. I grew up in Deerfield during the early ‘60’s through ‘70’s and knew and remember all the people David Eller writes of, including Marlin’s Company at the west end of Pioneer Park. My dad had a restaurant there during that time, named “Phil’s Restaurant”, on NE 2 Ave. (Dad’s name was Phil, mother’s name was Josephine “Jo” Tudisco).

David is doing an excellent job with the essays. I wonder if he remembers on Al Capone’s business cards? It said he dealt in used furniture.

Anthony “Tony” Tudisco

Oneonta, Alabama