Current News Topic
October 2022
Who Needs Village Volunteers?
Who needs our talented Village volunteers? Apparently not Village Manager Jerry Barberio. TMP has learned that he plans to inform the Board of Trustees at an upcoming work session that he has the authority and he plans to terminate the following volunteer boards and commissions -
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Flood Mitigation Advisory Commission
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Industrial Area Revitalization Committee
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Budget Committee
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Traffic Commission
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Water Quality Committee
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and not re-reinstate the following committees when they expire at the end of the year -
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Police Reform and Reinvention Committee
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Marine Education Committee
Mr. Barberio seems determined to turn the work of these volunteer groups over to paid employees. FYI - the Village Manager has direct control over all Village employees.
In addition, TMP has learned that the Village Manager plans to downgrade the Harbor Coastal Zone Management Commission ("HCZM") from an authoritative body to an advisory group.
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It is unclear if Mr. Barberio plans to hire additional employees to handle this influx of additional work.
Impact of These Changes
If these changes happen, decisions regarding the development of our harbor and coast will be handed over to staff without the authority of the HCZM to intervene.
And volunteers will no longer look out for resident interests on taxes, flooding and traffic.