This is the month of JULY and a very important month in the history of this, our great country, the United States of America! On July 4, 1776 we got our INDEPENDENCE from Great Britain after very hard-fought battles, sacrifices, etc. of that period of time. No need to go into details because we all should know them … or do we? All those millions of illegal immigrants, do they? I don’t think they do. Yeah! I have a gripe.
I’m a WWII veteran, one of many million of us who served, and the popular saying afterwards was “If you value your independence, thank a WWII veteran.” That made me feel very good and was all the recognition and credit I needed. At that period of my life, I didn’t know or think I was fighting for anything other than my great country, its survival and freedoms we had earned by being lucky enough to have been born here.
That is all it took, “luck!” Of course, help and belief in my friend “up there” helped. At that time in our history, illegal immigration in the U.S.A. was under control. Now, in this time period, it is a daily subject...
God Bless You ALL! God Bless America!
Harvey Beaber
Deerfield Beach
Former mayor says her piece
Dear Editor:
I seem to have a penchant for collecting firsts in the city of Deerfield Beach. In 1969, I was the first woman to run a mayoral campaign for George Schott. In 1972, I was the first woman to chair a committee for an ad valorem bond issue referendum. I was the first woman ever to be chosen as chairperson for the Deerfield Planning and Zoning Board. I was the first woman to be elected city-wide as mayor for 13 years. I was the first woman to serve as chairperson for both the police and fire Pension boards when it was mandated. I was the woman chairperson of the recent Charter Revision Committee. Now I lay claim to being the first woman ever to be publicly humiliated and removed from an advisory board after serving three months.
Two of the commissioners who voted for my ouster have served 74 days. Commissioner Ganz, who introduced the motion, stated his reason was I neglected to call him after he demanded I do so to explain my actions. Commissioner Miller obviously did not read the material given him, when he claimed it would cost the city half a million dollars.
Then the commission insisted that the [city] manager be permitted to negotiate, although the union president had already stated the pension issue would not and had not been part of their negotiations.
What was up for consideration was an amendment to the existing pension ordinance to allow those employees with 30 or more years of service to retire without penalty, regardless of age. Only the commission can amend an ordinance NOT the city manager.
Jean M. Robb
Deerfield Beach
Publisher’s Note:
Contrary to Jean Robb’s statement, Commissioner Miller was correct. Her recommendation would have cost the city well over half a million dollars per year.
