Mayor Kreps Claps Back

This is the unedited email received by dozens today in our Village.  I have invited her to post here, unedited, since 2010, and finally she did.  (Special note:  I do not seem to have the email that provoked this but will update if I find it.) 

Connie Leon-Kreps	5:21 PM (2 hours ago)
to Alvin, janeblake, me, Richard, CNoriega, Jose, Andreana, Eddie, al/laura, Bert, Norman

 Good Afternoon Everyone, As Village residents, current and former elected officials, we all should work together for the betterment of our Village.  Therefore, I feel it is my duty to respond to Mr. Blake’s statements and to urge everyone to personally get involved and obtain unbiased information.  Our Commission meetings are streamed and the minutes of all of our meetings are also available online.  Therefore, resorting to a blog as a method to obtain information is just ridiculous.  It is also a sure way to obtain  fake news. 

So let me take the time to point the instances where Mr. Blake and others have tried to turn an apple into a banana and peel away the misinformation. 

1.         The Special Commission Meeting held on Monday, January 29, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. concerning Dr. Hornsby’s qualifications to serve as a Commissioner under our Village’s Charter was publicly noticed on the afternoon of Friday, January 26, 2018.  The notice was included on the Village website and marquees.  The Village Clerk also delivered the notice directly to each Commission Member on the 26th.  It is clear that notice was not an issue because Dr. Hornsby, his lawyer, members of the press and several other people attend the Meeting.  So for Mr. Blake to even suggest that there was an illegal meeting is false.

 2.                 Since I moved our Commission to terminate the former Village Attorney at the end of the November meeting, I have publicly stated that I did that because I did not have any confidence in his legal services.  As a former Commissioner, Mr. Blake should be well aware of the provisions of our Charter concerning the hiring and firing of the Village Attorney.  He should also be well aware that the Village Attorney is not an elected official and does provide legal representation directly to the residents.  Instead, the Village Attorney’s role is to be the legal advisor to me, the Village Commission and Village staff.  Mr. Blake’s invitation to list or outline all of the reasons why I lost confidence in the former Village Attorney’s legal services for his and the public’s benefit is not required and could result in another lawsuit that he would be quick to highlight.

 3.                 Last Spring, Dr. Hornsby alleged he was the victim of threats, blackmail and extortion. I have no personal or professional knowledge of the status of any investigation. I regret that a neighbor and former commissioner feels it's appropriate to throw around such serious accusations.  Mr. Powell handed out his legal opinion concerning the Hornsby matter for the public and also read it into the record.  So, for Mr. Blake to act surprised  that the Commission followed his well-researched memorandum and legal opinion concerning Dr. Hornsby’s qualifications is ridiculous.  I have attached the Village Attorney’s opinion so that everyone can read it for themselves.  The sad fact is that Dr. Hornsby did not disclose that he was removed as an elector last year and was ineligible to serve on the Commission.

 4.                 The former Village Attorney advised the Commission that we must vote on a Vice-Mayor after filling a vacancy.  In fact, after Dr. Hornsby was appointed, the Commission voted Mr. Lim as our Vice-Mayor.  Therefore, I placed the Vice-Mayor item on the agenda and the Commission voted its' will.  Mr. Lim’s behavior at the last Commission meeting speaks volumes as to why he is no longer our Vice-Mayor.

 5.                 The Village Attorney reported on the five court cases involving the Village.  Dr. Hornsby filed a frivolous lawsuit on Monday.

 6.                 In the years Mr. Rollason served as Village Manager, nothing changed!  That is a fact.  He left the Village after hours with the assistant manager and his executive assistant with no notice.  So to make excuses for his unprofessional behavior is also ridiculous.

 7.       It seems that Mr. Veriker, Mr. Blake’s news source of choice, also has a problem with the difference between an apple and a banana.  I placed the Commission item concerning the Commission’s appointment of a Vice-Mayor on the agenda.  Mr. Lim requested the deletion of that agenda item and there was an objection.  If there is an objection, Mr. Veriker, a vote is required.  In the past, generally items that are deleted are removed from the agenda without objection from another Commissioner. Mr. Veriker’s blogs are available to online and anyone who has the misfortune to read them can plainly see that his comments are simply ugly and mean spirited.  He can’t make his point without resorting to name calling and personal attacks. 

So Mr. Blake as a former commissioner and someone who professes to want the best for our Village recommending Mr. Veriker and his hate filled rhetoric cannot further any of those professed desires.  As they say, tell me who your friends are? 

But frankly, I truly find Mr. Veriker, Mr. and Mrs. Blake, and Dr. Chervony’s  continued personal comments about Mr. Powell’s intelligence, competence and personal attacks simply inappropriate, unprofessional and racist.  So I have attached Mr. Powell’s amazing and exceptional qualifications so everyone can read them and then draw your own conclusions. 

What I find so troubling is that, like you Mr. Blake, I have lived and served here for years and I have never in all those years heard you or any of your latest bed fellows comment on the competency or qualifications of any of our former Village Attorneys or staff for that matter.  The fact is that at Mr. Powell’s first meeting, Mrs. Blake pointed to our Village Clerk, Ms. Jackson, and Mr. Powell, who are all Black, and stated that “something does not look right.”  Later that evening Mr. Blake sent our former Village Manager an e-mail questioning Mr. Powell qualifications and competency. At the next meeting, Mrs. Blake continued with the personal attacks. 

The latest is that Mr. Veriker, continues to comment on Mr. Powell’s competency.  Well, the fact is that in the time that I and many others in this Village have had the pleasure of dealing with Mr. Powell, there is absolutely no doubt that he is by far superior to what our Village’s legal representation has been in the past and is a welcomed and much needed change.

I truly hope that people like you who think that contributing to the public discussion is by resorting to ugly, nasty and vitriolic tactics do not cause him and others to move on.  Mr. Powell represents the professionalism, class, and quality you lack and that our Village needs.  So spend your idle time blogging away and commiserating on Facebook.         

8.       Last, Dr. Chervony all I can say is that you are a despicable and contemplable man.  I read your monstrous Facebook comments about Vice-Mayor Jackson and you’re encouraging that kind of filth saddened me.  Our Community will take a stand against that type of disgusting behavior, especially every woman who has been treated in that manner by people like you.  I have printed your disgusting Facebook remarks and at our next Commission meeting I will personally and publicly apologize to Ms. Jackson on behalf of our Village for your disgusting behavior and I will ask our Community to take a stand against monsters like you who encourage this type of treatment.  You are a disgrace. Our Commission, Village and residents will strive for better; and, I am confident our Village will move in a positive direction.  We will soon hire a professional manager who will bring fresh ideas and work on our Village’s priorities.  I encourage everyone to personally get involved.  

Respectfully,

Connie Leon KrepsMayorNorth Bay Village1666 Kennedy CausewayNorth Bay Village, Fl 33141Tel:  305 756.7171Cell: 786 877. 1163cleonkreps@nbvillage.com “There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self”Henri Frederic Amiel

Posted Verbatim
Kevin Vericker
Feb 16, 2018