[RP TownTalk] FW: Public Service

Mon May 16 02:20:13 UTC 2016

Interesting, I do not have a recollection of seeing the message dated 28
April, with the 09:49 time stamp and I do not have it in any of my folders.
Thus I conclude I never saw it.

Thank you for this note and the link to the message in question and the
feed.

sincerely,
bob smith

On 5/2/16 7:38 PM, Jonathan Ebbeler wrote:
> The message was being held due to the number of recipients.  Please read
> below
> 
>  
> 
> *From:* Jonathan Ebbeler
> *Sent:* Monday, May 2, 2016 7:35 PM
> *To:* 'varcher at riverdaleparkmd.gov' <varcher at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; Alan
> K. Thompson <akthompson at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'David J. Lingua'
> <djlingua at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'Christopher Henry'
> <chenry3240 at verizon.net>; 'crichardson at riverdaleparkmd.gov'
> <crichardson at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'Alejandro Silva'
> <alejandro.silva.1955 at gmail.com>; 'towntalk at riverdale-park.org'
> <towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
> *Cc:* 'Chief David Morris' <dmorris at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'LEONARD
> ADDISON' <laddison at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'Sara Imhulse'
> <simhulse at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; Jessica Barnes <jbarnes at riverdaleparkmd.gov>
> *Subject:* Public Service
> *Importance:* High
> 
>  
> 
> All
> 
>  
> 
> Whenever there is major news, I like many of you, wonder what the real
> story is.  I have always prided myself in 5 years of being in office of
> welcoming dialogue, being impartial, open, transparent, and never pulled
> any punches.  No one had to guess where I was on an issue or the reasons
> behind it.  I was always willing to jump in the fray to provide
> information, to debate, to listen, and to adjust my position. 
> 
>  
> 
> When I turned in my paperwork to serve a third term last year, I didn’t
> sign up for what came my way including the Mayor refusing to administer
> the Oath of Office to me two days after my daughter was born, or the
> latest failed attempt to declare the seat vacant and the Mayor’s
> admitted extensive lobbying efforts to remove me.  I did not sign up for
> a mid-term structural change in government that moves the Mayor from an
> observer to an active voting member who by representing everyone
> represents no one and removes his responsibility for the current
> financial and budget issues.
> 
>  
> 
> Let me be abundantly clear on one point, this is not a matter of sour
> grapes.  I have said from the start that I have nothing against the form
> or structure of government, just in how it is being slammed down the
> throats of the town and with recent disclosures by the Mayor answers the
> ‘why now’ and ‘why this way’ questions many of us asked from the start. 
> I fervently respect the democratic process and traditions in that even
> if I vote against something and am in the minority I move past it
> without holding political vendettas.  I am fine being the sole minority
> vote against the structure and I would have no issues if there was a
> more thoughtful approach towards the legislation.
> 
>  
> 
> It is deeply troubling that the legislation never made its way into the
> Legislative Committee.  We have standing committees to deal with issues
> like this so that information is presented, shared, discussed, and
> refined.  Bypassing standing committees defeats the due process reason
> they exist in the first place.  It is also unprofessional and
> disrespectful to the deliberative body as a whole. 
> 
>  
> 
> Fundamentally, beyond moving the Mayor into a voting role on Council, it
> does one core and primary thing – it buries the responsibility the Mayor
> currently has for the financial matters in town.  The Mayor’s Executive
> Order, that had no legal basis according to our Charter, was premised on
> a supposed ‘fact’ that turned out to be less than truthful; our taxable
> base for FY17 is higher than it was in FY15 due to the overall aggregate
> growth in tax assessments in town .  The truth we continue to ignore is
> that we are running a structural deficit and balance our budget on
> phantom one-time revenue items like bond proceeds we may or may not
> collect while ignoring our long-term under/unfunded Pension and OPEB
> liabilities of $3mil.  It was disappointing to be removed as a Pension
> Trustee after bringing to light our significant liabilities despite
> being the only Councilmember with professional experience in this field.
> 
>  
> 
> I am ok with losing a vote, having seats taken away from me etc.; I am
> not ok with being part of an organization that shifts blame of a
> financial situation from whom the law says is responsible, the Mayor and
> Council, onto professional staff that have no legal responsibility.  I
> am not ok serving in a position where requested information is
> obfuscated.  Knowing about, and not disclosing a financial situation for
> months, and introducing legislation that by its merits shifts who the
> finger gets pointed at for financial troubles is fundamentally not how
> leaders lead.  They Mayor and Council are solely responsible for the
> budget, not professional staff.  If we created the problem, we should
> fix this.  The reason and rationale behind ‘why’ we need to do this are
> specious.  The Town Administrator is already, by law, our Chief
> Operating Officer.  The Mayor should have allowed her to do her job and
> not micro-managed the day-to-day operations.  The Mayor should have done
> what our Charter requires, and paid more attention to the Mayoral
> responsibility of the financial management of the town than passing
> legislation that creates an inherent scapegoat.       
> 
>  
> 
> I am, however, not ok having my reputation impugned through no fault or
> actions of my own.  During the Jey’s Auto legislation, the Mayor hid
> information from Council and reported to the public that despite his
> best attempts to negotiate a deal, the land owner refused to either
> accept our offer or provide a counteroffer.  The landowner, during a
> meeting when this was reported, got to his feet and called us all
> liars.  He is right.  Council was lied to, the public was lied to, Jey
> was lied to.  Jey negotiated and very fairly countered $650k to our
> $500k.  Real Estate agents are required by law to present every offer
> made to their clients, it was troubling that the Mayor made a unilateral
> decision that because our offer was not accepted, decided that no
> counteroffer needed to be disclosed, going even further to claim none
> was made; until of course we were all called liars. 
> 
>  
> 
> It is deeply troubling that despite a clear policy directive and five
> years later, through 4 unanimous votes on Resolutions/Ordinances in
> 2011-2013, the Mayor has yet to implement what the vote required –
> acquisition of the land.  This is, of course, a policy choice.  We can
> have a brand new Town Hall or we can act to do something about derelict
> properties.  We cannot do both without a significant tax hike.
> 
>  
> 
> It is troubling that although I did what was required by the law in
> terms of getting resolution after resolution passed, the Town Hall
> process did not follow the law.  Resolution 2009-R-10 required a
> committee be created to evaluate the possibility and potential of this
> expansion and draft a report with consensus opinions for Council by May
> 2010 with vetted options, locations, etc.  Public Hearings were held,
> but staff can produce no such report.  We have proceeded forward blindly
> since then.  We did however, move very quickly in 2010 to put the policy
> of rebuilding Town Hall into motion;  if only the same expediency was
> supported by the Mayor on Jey’s Auto maybe Riverdale Park would not be
> the only major municipality without significant redevelopment on the
> Route 1 corridor.  It is quite frankly embarrassing that a municipal
> building that costs millions is a bigger priority than improving the
> economic health of our town.
> 
>  
> 
> For me however, the final decision came when I read through a lawsuit
> filed against the town last week by Gregs Towing.  In it, there were
> significant accusations of unfair business dealings and overt charges of
> racism.  The local business and procurement legislation I authored, was
> created and implemented to avoid this exact situation.  We just settled
> one lawsuit with Gregs Towing.  I cannot and will not be associated with
> a town government where charges of racism are made.  I want to be judged
> through the actions and deeds of myself, not those of an administration
> I have some significant concerns with and no longer trust.
> 
>  
> 
> Moreover, the Mayor and CM Thompson met with UMD officials without any
> professional courtesy to inform or invite me to a meeting that has clear
> implications to my role as Chair of Economic Development.  Despite the
> obvious policy differences with the Mayor, I have always routinely kept
> the Mayor and all members of the Economic Development Committee and
> Council informed as to progress being made.  I sincerely hope that the
> town does not lose potential deals that are 100% lined up at this point,
> just requiring the town to say yes to grant requests for monies already
> appropriated in our current budget:
> 
> 1)      Bikram Yoga wishes to expand to take up 100% of the 2^nd Floor
> 
> 2)      Town Center Market wishes to expand and improve their Patio for
> seating
> 
> 3)      Janish Brewery wishes to open a Brewpub at Town Center
> 
>  
> 
> These are deals and relationships I have worked hard to make happen over
> the last few years, there is nothing for the town to do further other
> than to say yes to the grant requests.  Please do so in this budget year. 
> 
>  
> 
> Every decision, every vote, every policy, every piece of legislation
> written was done so with the interests of the town in mind.  I have
> always tried to do the right thing despite any disagreements.  In the 5
> years I have been on Council, there has been a significant change in the
> trajectory of the town for the better.  That being said, it is time for
> some fresh people and ideas and this doesn’t mean a Councilman Archer or
> Mayor Thompson.  It is obvious to me, with the lack of direct engagement
> by CM Thompson on his legislation, and the continued dismantling of most
> of the things the Mayor knows I care about, that my effectiveness would
> be limited at best for the next year.    
> 
>  
> 
> I have no interest in sitting in a seat to keep a title.  I sat in the
> seat to make a difference, to change policy, to change the direction of
> the town.  When the legislation I authored is being reversed and with
> little hope of being supported on future efforts, I would prefer to
> focus my energies on things that matter to my businesses, my family, and
> other organizations I support rather than beat my head against the wall
> for the sake of calling myself a Councilman.  I sincerely hope that
> those interested in public service come out and challenge for the seats
> next May.  I have enjoyed my time serving the Town of Riverdale Park but
> my wife and I have decided to move onto bigger challenges elsewhere.
> 
>  
> 
> Effective 8pm EST on 2 May 2016 I resign the seat of Councilman, Ward 1
> of the Town of Riverdale Park.
> 
>  
> 
> The Honorable Jonathan W. Ebbeler
> 
> 
> 
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