Copy and paste and sign and send, fax petitions to 305-861-1302 and 305-376-5287:

Surfside residents and all citizens who care about government running wildly irresponsible and brazenly abusing public office:

• We object to your intention to close the Surfside Library.
• We know that the cost of continuing the operation of the Library is far less than the cost of the Charette,
• We know that the cost of “take home cars” is more than the cost of the Library.
• We know that the cost of in-house and outside attorneys is far more than the
cost of the Library.
• We regret and object to the needless demolition of the Surfside Community Center
without a vote of the people.
• We know and respect that the people of the Town have repeatedly rejected having the
Town go into debt of any kind.
• We know that elected town officials pay themselves with taxpayer money $500
per month plus “expenses” even though the Town Charter specifies that they will
be paid only $1.00 per year.
• We know that despite any decrease in property values, the Town will actually
receive 25% MORE total revenue next year than it did five years ago, and
that while there is no actual budget crisis there is a spending crisis and a waste crisis.
• We know that the Town has paid millions of dollars to one single outside contractor
that has been given dozens of contracts mostly without any bids, and we know
that town officials have made many transfers of town savings funds into town operating
accounts just to keep their spending habits going. The town reserve has been siphoned.
• We know that town officials have refused the public pleas of town residents for a
forensic audit of town expenditures from 2006 – 2009.
• We object to the improper priorities of town officials and we petition for a reversal
of course on all of these items including the planned imminent closure of the Library.
• We urge all town officials to stop their ill conceived plans and to end the red ink spending, end the waste, and keep the library open.

Marc Imberman uses the same tactics over and over again as if no one is on to his game. He misstatesYou events in his zeal to criticize and blame others for the results of what he himself has done.the Commission’s actions. As long as Marc and his colleagues continue with such nonsense they will lack credibility.

While it is true that the prior town commission members worked hard, were open and honest, and produced numerous positive results including several major projects and having all budgets balanced and building a prudent town savings reserve fund, Marc Imberman and his cohorts cannot cough out the truth because it shines in stark contract to their own performance. The Marc Imberman gang has destroyed the Community Center, depleted the town’s savings, run awash in red ink, chased off dozens of honorable town employees, filled jobs with political hacks and cronies, put the town into jeopardy of facing bankruptcy, and deceived the residents. Surfside went from outstanding government to histerical, irresponsible government and that is the legacy of Marc Imberman, Charles Burkett, Howard Weinberg, Steve Levine, and Elizabeth Calderon, they plunged the town into a crash that will be harmful for generations to come.

Intellectual honesty, at least, would require Marc Imberman to acknowledge that his finger pointing and accusations are always far from accurate. Sadly, for the shabby cabal at Surfside Town Hall these days, this is nothing new. They misuse town resources, newsletters, mailings and money to spread their misinformation and lies.

For example, Marc Imberman claims that Commissioners were always paid. Not true. Public records show his lies. The Town Charter specifies ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR and until his group got into office that was all any official ever got. Now he gets a paid for cell phone, internet, and plenty of other perks. Now the Commissioners get $500 per month without ever showing a receipt of any kind, its just a salary that is against the Charter. They don’t care. According to Marc Imberman town officials never had to submit receipts for reimbursement of expenses. Not true. Public records show his lie. Before his gand all expenses incurred by any town official had to be fully documented, reviewed, and audited. Marc Imberman’s bunch do not like audits so they have not had a comprehensive independent audit done of town finances since they day they got into office three years ago. No audits, not receipts, no review, they literally sign their own checks. But Marc Imberman will claim that he exposes others — when he is so very exposed himself. Exposed for being seen as the ultimate hypocrite that he is.

Poor pathetic Marc he complains that he is defined by the actions of others … look in the mirror! Truth is that Imberman and Burkett and Weinberg and Calderon and Levine are surely defined by their own actions and decisions and at the bottom line by their amazing incompetence and immaturity and irresponsibility.

Mirror mirror on the wall who is the shadiest Marc of them all? After seeing you are town meetings and talking to you at town events it is obvious that you cannot see yourself through the maze of self contratulations that you heap upon yourself all the time.

Enjoy the internet and phones and gadgets and travel and meals Marc but the taxpayers, well we do not have to like paying your bills. And having such horrendous consequences to your “service” in office.

Surfside Community Center bond issue is the biggest scam of the Town’s history. They set up money to flow but get nothing done for the Town. Watch that flow.

If a candidate running for Surfside office would have told the voters that their plan for improving the town was to:

- demolish the community center

- deplete the town of it’s entire savings account

- raise taxes and all garbage, sewer and water fees

- spend $3.5 million just for consultants and lawyers

- not accomplish a single project they proposed from their charette

they would have been the laughing stock of Surfside.

Instead, we the voters are the fools.

The “breath of fresh air” we were promised was at best “hot air” and at worst a corrupt attempt to profit from no bid contracts and bond issues.

The hole in the sand we are left with is a glaring reminder of the utter incompetence of the commission that has been in office since 2006.

Our economy is in shambles. Even without the bond issue for the community center, we are all going to pay more taxes in 2009 to the county, school board and Surfside. The bond issue vote was conveniently scheduled in July before the commission discloses how much it will raise taxes for next year and to take advantage of low voter turnout in the summer.

We must vote NO on July 14th. We cannot allow runaway tax increases at this time and a plan that depletes the entire town reserve just to pay for one project.

The worst incompetence and worst corruption. Sinking such a nice place. Lower and lower they take us for their benefit.

This seems like a very limited problem (Hills. County). Elect better officials or stop complaining

These officials made a series of horrendous decisions over the last few years and now they want to bail themselves out with a bond issue and charter changes that would expand their power over the future of Surfside, raise taxes, and sink the town into a deep hole of debt. Town officials are scheming to put bond debt and charter changes onto a unique summer election – when many residents will be unaware of the election or out of town. And they are rushing to get it all set up as quietly as possible. Town officials with personal agendas that are ruining the community with shady plots and deals.

Town residents are struggling to make ends meet. Surfside officials are so out of touch with the residents and taxpayers that they continue to siphon off the town’s savings and push ahead with plans that harm rather than serve the public interest. Town officials remain oblivious to the economic crisis. While other cities are scaling back capital projects and non-essential expenses, Surfside officials are spending more and more even though many town departments are already running into red ink. They cover it up but many departments are already in deficit. No wonder the 5 looks for a bond bailout. Its part of the coverup. There should be a forensic audit to find out why and how this group of town officials have taken a financially strong and stable community and crashed its finances into the ground … where did it all go? – its disgusting.

Surfside’s spending on projects that show no results, and its incredible legal fees, consultants, and dozens of quiet, no-bid, big money contracts, are a lead weight that is sinking the town. Current town officials created the biggest & most bloated budget in town history. They constantly try to impose debt upon the residents, change the charter to up their own power, and change the zoning code to open Surfside to overdevelopment.

After raising combined taxes, water, sewer and garbage bills this year to the highest level ever and decreasing service levels (pay more & get less) town officials now plan to deplete the remaining reserve funds that were saved up over many years – and plunge the town into tens of millions of dollars of debt that will raise taxes and the burden on residents for decades to come. Surfside has never had any debt! And once they get approval for the first bond, the hook is in, and cost “overruns”, staffing, insurance, furniture, equipment, utilities, etc. will force the town into additional debt just to try to finish the project. It’s a sink hole!

The Community Center bond scheme does NOT disclose the expense of the bond issue (fees and expenses and commissions) and it does NOT disclose the amount needed to insure, staff and operate any new Community Center and it is an iceberg with most of it hidden from the public by —- public officials.

Property taxes up 11% for 2009
Sewer bills up 37% for 2009
Water bills up 41% for 2009
Garbage bills up 59% for 2009
Stormwater bills up 114% for 2009