Sunrise’s Newest Deal: A Garbage Dump
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Sunrise residents need to ask Commissioner Don Rosen this question:
Why do you appear so intent on shoving a garbage “dump down our throats?
Don Rosen
I didn’t call it a “dump, Don. It’s your colleague Commissioner Joey Scuotto who publicly accused you of trying to put a “dump in Sunrise.
Scuotto called Rosen’s lobbying for the “dump” a “thunder storm” and predicted Rosen would face the wrath of the public when they learned “Sunrise is considering a dump.”
Scuotto is vehemently against the project.
Of course, promoters of the deal don’t call it a “dump. They call it a “waste transfer station.
A transfer station is typically a collection point for waste, which stays at the station there until it is transferred to a landfill or incinerator.
This one would funnel garbage trucks down Sunrise’s streets. The project is west of Hiatus Road in the industrial zone, but trucks could be expected to travel on Nob Hill and Pine Island, too.
The station would be next to a mosque and a school.
The staff turned them down.
There are no zoning provisions for such a project in Sunrise, according to the discussion at the Sunrise City Commission January 12.
It was because of Rosen that the issue was even being discussed. He brought it up although it wasn’t on the agenda and the staff was against it.
But Rosen ran into fierce opposition from Scuotto and Commissioner Sheila Alu.
Alu warned that construction of a transfer station would be “in direct violations of the city’s contract with Republic Services. Republic has a contract for waste hauling.
Sunrise residents need to stay vigilant.
Despite the opposition, Mayor Roger Wishner and Rosen moved the deal forward. Wishner was once in the medical waste business and has a wide range of industry contacts.
There will be a discussion on January 26 whether it is proper for commissioner to overrule the staff and place items like permitting the “dump” on the agenda.
This deal smells to me. And I’ve got a simple question:
What benefit would Sunrise residents get from a garbage transfer station?
January 22nd, 2010 at 5:39 am
Rosen is just a fluky. Watch Wishner. He is the key to this.
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:02 am
It is January 26th that it is supposed to be on the Agenda.
Also, here is some background:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2009-05-07/news/a-secretive-slush-fund-has-big-plans-in-sunrise/2
Go to http://sunrisefl.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=99 starting at 26 minutes until 29:43. Then, 2:38:10 – 2:51:50.
The property identified:
http://www.bcpa.net/RecInfo.asp?URL_Folio=494118070031
http://66.55.51.198/default.htm?cmd=ZOOMPARCEL&folio=494118070031
See also for other reporting and public opinion/commentary: http://www.browardbeat.com/sunrises-wishner-alu-rosen-and-sofield-votes-themselves-a-raise-will-now-get-1750-2186-per-meeting/
Go to March 29, at 8:53 Entry: ” Feeley and Green Now LLC seem to be on their way to getting their new garbage transfer station in west Sunrise now. Feeley is Wishner’s drinking buddy, Rosen’s employer and big time supporter of their election cause, TV ads and contributions. He was heard at Rosen’s victory party stating he has his first municipal contract. Several guests were offended at the gesture by him and asked if that was what the whole campaign was about.
FROM BUDDY: Very, very interesting!'”
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:09 am
Republic Services had better watch out. Ace, Waste and others want to steal Sunrise from Republic piece by piece and this looks like the first step.
A lot of money has been donated to the campaigns and will be donated between now and the November to grease this. Rosen is thelynchpin since he has no employment other than what is thrown his way. Scuotto is in Republic’s camp, so he is against this. Alu is the only one with nothing to gain.
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:24 am
Where are they gonna put this trash dump? Next to a school or mall or church?
Who owns the property and what are the connections to the Commissioners?
Cant be for Sunrise garbage because isnt there a cooperative agreement amongst all he cities for such things? Hersch or someone was in charge of that re-negotiation?
So, who is this gonna benefit?
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:40 am
Stop your whining. Who cares about another dump? Better here than in another city for very important reasons. Top Ten Reasons for why you should be for this imaginative project:
1. Employs lots of high paying high-tech, highly skilled and educated jobs 7 days a week, 24-7;
2. Uses a piece of property that is vacant (and no sense leaving a piece of property undeveloped);
3. Increased traffic flow means that police and FDOT get better chance to write tickets on the trucks for violations of garbage falling out of trucks, wrong turns, and all the good money generatig tickets, thus increasing revenue to the city;
4. Opportunity to teach kids about garbage (different smells and things like that)
5. Opportunity to teach kids about weather patterns (“Hey, that means the wind is blowing this way because we can smell it”);
6. With the Mosque so close, they can pray for relief for all of us and we wont be forgotten;
7. Any spillage on the site could get the city a stimulus package from the EPA for the environmental damage, thus producing more jobs in the future;
8. Opportunity to interact with our neighboring towns in a new and important way (“Say, hey neighbor, like that smell and all those trucks”). More communication always better;
9. Allows all you who think that our local government is broken the comfort of continuing to believe money wins out over good judgment and avoids having to go to expensive therapy when the City does something strange like say no to a garbage dump;
10. And, finally, if you dont live near the dump, it gives you an advantage when trying to compete with real estate sales in that part of the City. Your real estate agent can say to the potential buyers, “You dont want to look over there, there is a dump that when the wind blows, p-u. Look at this house over here”
So, stop being so reactionary and think about the advantages before rejecting a dump.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:08 am
6:40 missed the real point. As a city struggling to meet economic problems, smart economic development is garbage. Sunrise can become a haven for other dump owners and eventually we could really boom. (forget the fact we said that about tao too).
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:09 am
How much you want to bet not on the Agenda on 26th? Good work Buddy.
FROM BUDDY: It isn’t on the January 26 agenda as of early Friday a.m.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:12 am
If someone actually has evidence that Rosen is working for them or did work for them, they should come forward with the evidence.
FROM BUDDY: A well-placed source outside of Sunrise told me this, but it there are documents proving it, they should be sent to Browardbeat@hotmail.com.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:19 am
Hey Buddy, how come you changed my post on the correction — give some credit at least. 😉 Keep up the good fight!
FROM BUDDY: A comment — I guess from this person — pointed out that the next discussion of the dump was on January 26 rather than in February. I changed it. Thanks for catching that mistake.
Buddy
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:26 am
What did the staff say the reason was this was not permitted?
FROM BUDDY: According to Alu, they told her that dumps aren’t permitted under the code.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:51 am
Maybe if we play our cards right we can have the biggest mountain of garbage in South Florida. It would be bigger than Coconut Creek That would really put the city on the map!
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:06 am
Bond Deal. Levy. Goldman Sachs. WISHNER. Hmm……
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Gonzo has got is right. There is more because the connection is Ilene Lieberman, the garbage queen and law partner to Stuart Michelson, her husband and city attorney who will be interpreting the law on whether to allow the dump.
Have you checked, Buddy, whether Michelson’s law firm clients include garbage firms?
January 22nd, 2010 at 3:07 pm
This is going to be something bigger than it looks right now I suspect. Let the public records requests fly! Chaz, where are you?
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Look at the transfer station in Lantana. Its fifty acres sits in the middle of a beautiful residential area that sometimes smells so bad you cannot go outside all day.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Also, I don’t think transfer stations pay property tax on their land at all.
January 23rd, 2010 at 5:33 am
Does anyone have a list of garbage transfer stations in the state of florida? Do they have to be registered or something with the State?
FROM BUDDY: A list is available from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:22 am
Don Rosen doesn’t have an original thought in his head. He is totally controlled by the mayor Roger Wishner. Wishner, Ilene Lieberman, Stuart Michelson and Sheila Alu got him reelected by campaigning for him and raising money for him and I bet Alu is sorry now.
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:20 am
Chaz is here and can’t get past that picture of Commissioner Rosen.
Dear Lord. Did he eat paint as a child?
January 23rd, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Chaz, please, do your best. Read beyond. Buddy has some interesting stuff in there and the posts are intriguing.
January 23rd, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Just because not specifically on the Agenda does not mean it could not be raised and discussed somewhere in the meeting, does it? I mean, it sounded like the issue was for the City Attorney to give some advice to the Commission. So I guess could be raised in the City Attorney’s report? Or, under old business? Or, under Commissioner reports? Or, under new business? Dont think they could vote on anything important but never know.
Maybe someone can ask Rosen if he is going to try to discuss it or the attorney representing the owner or whoever it is who wants the dump?
January 25th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Little Birdie says “It is back on the Agenda and guess who asked for it to be on the Agenda at the last minute?”
January 25th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Little Birdie says again: “A commissioner has asked for this to be put on the agenda and it will be discussed tomorrow night”