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HomeMy Public PortalAboutPRR 14-159310/24/14 Patsy Randolph verbally asked Kelly Avery for a copy of the Mayor's letter that went out this week. TOWN OF GULF STREAM COMMISSIONERS SCOTT W. MORGAN, Mayor ROBERT W. GANGER, Vice -Mayor JOAN K. ORTH WEIN THOMAS M. STANLEY DONNA S. WHITE October 22, 2014 Dear Gulf Stream Residents, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA Telephone (561)276.5116 Fax (561)737.0188 Town Manager WILLIAM H. THRASHER Town Clerk RITA L. TAYLOR I am pleased to report that the South phase of our electric underground wiring project has been completed. All residential electric in the South section of Gulf Stream is now connected to the underground system. Landscape and streetscape repairs will be completed by the contractor within 30 days, and the final as -built construction drawings will be submitted to FPL, a requirement for FPL to remove their poles. Underground wiring for telephone and cable remains to be completed, however, as we await scheduling dates from AT &T and Comcast. The North half of the project will begin shortly. We expect a proposal from FPL by the end of the month, and then Gulf Stream can evaluate bids to complete this final phase of the underground project. By way of update on our legal challenges, the Town of Gulf Stream is currently defending 12 Public Records lawsuits brought by Martin O'Boyle (or related entities) and 20 Public Records lawsuits brought by Chris O'Hare (or related entities) and 1 lawsuit brought by both O'Boyle & O'Hare. In addition, we have been sued in 8 other lawsuits by O'Hare and /or O'Boyle for, among other things, alleged slander and civil rights violations. Deposition testimony has been taken of several Town representatives, as well as a lengthy all -day questioning of Mr. O'Boyle. The transcripts of testimony will shortly be posted on -line at our Town website so that anyone interested in these matters can easily have access to the testimony. Mr. O'Boyle's deposition was also videotaped, and we will be posting either that video in total, or a link to the video, on the Town's website. Legal fees charged by the Jones Foster law firm since January 2014, total approximately $370,000.00. Legal fees charged by special counsel Robert Sweetapple, Esq., total approximately $102,000.00. The Jones Foster fees include some typical legal services for Commission and ARPB meeting advice but the overwhelming bulk of those fees went toward defending the many O'Boyle and O'Hare lawsuits and on advising the Town regarding issues created by O'Boyle and O'Hare (including, but by no means limited to, control over intracoastal canal mooring; "sober house" and disabled person accommodations; security equipment and procedures for staff protection; regulating the private use of Town property, especially parking lots; and addressing indoor air quality complaints about Town buildings). Our attorneys have 100 SEA ROAD, GULF STREAM, FLORIDA 33483 also rendered legal advice and services on defamation lawsuits filed by O'Boyle against Town officials (including one against our attorney, Robert Sweetapple) and in trying to protect a number of our residents, whom O'Boyle has, in my opinion, tried to intimidate and harass with subpoenas for the taking of their deposition testimony. I have asked the attorneys to take every step necessary to protect our residents from what seems to me to be an execrable attempt by O'Boyle to involve them in his lawsuits. Regarding the above - mentioned security equipment, the Town unfortunately has been forced to install an automatic door lock with audio /video monitoring on the doorway into staff offices. In years past, one of the wonderful things about Gulf Stream was the ease with which any resident could just walk into Town Hall and speak with the clerks. Now, as a result of Mr. O'Boyle's repeated disruptive behavior inside Town Hall, and because of reports of O'Boyle's inappropriate behavior toward some of our female staff, we felt it necessary to add security measures to protect our employees and to preserve some level of order and office decorum. As a result, you now will need to be announced and electronically buzzed into the offices to speak with Rita Taylor or Bill Thrasher, to submit documents, obtain vehicle stickers, or conduct any other public business. I am truly sorry this step had to be taken but am certain all of you understand and appreciate the reasons why. During the litigation of several of the public records cases, our lawyers learned that O'Boyle's public records requests and lawsuit activity have primarily been conducted through a law firm and non - profit company, which, in their opinion, was acting fraudulently and in concert as part of a money - making scheme. The public records lawsuits filed against Gulf Stream look to be part of a larger pattern of lawsuits being filed against municipalities, other government agencies and contractors across the state. Our attorneys' legal opinion is that the actions of O'Boyle and others violate the United States federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ( "RICO "), and so on October 10, 2014, the Town Commission unanimously retained the law firm of Richman & Greer, an experienced commercial litigation firm, to file a class action RICO lawsuit against all appropriate defendants in federal court. The action will seek certification of a class of plaintiffs led by Gulf Stream to recover all damages, including legal fees, against these defendants. I believe that a favorable judgment in this lawsuit will end the threat posed by these two men and allow our Town to return to normalcy. Very truly yours, ?d Cott Mor TOWN OF GULF STREAM PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA Delivered via e-mail October 24, 2014 Patsy Randolph [mail to: patsyrandolph@gm ail. coin] Re: GS #1593 (copy of Mayor's letter) Would like a copy of the letter from the Mayor that went out this week. Dear Patsy Randolph [mail to: patsyrandolph(a.email.coml, This letter provides you with the full production of public records you have requested on October 24, 2014. Your original request can be viewed at the following link: h_ttp://www2.gulf- stream. ore /WebLink8 /0 /doc /26788/Paee l . aspx. The responsive documents can be found at the same link. We consider this matter closed. Sincerely, Town Clerk Custodian of the Records