The president of the North Miami Beach Civic Association, Mary Hilton, did not like my “critique” of her “comment” that I’m in the pockets of lobbyists and politicians.

Apparently, it’s perfectly okay for her to attack anyone she pleases.

It’s just not okay for them to respond in kind.

Hilton again sent out a blast email to her mailing list, including me this time, stating:

“Stephanie Kienzle’s latest blog below critiquing a comment by Mary Hilton, President of the NMB Civic Association, Looks like Stephanie is in Donner and Georgie Porgie’s pockets.” In Stephanie’s anger she goes on the attack claiming residents and business owners in the area are liars regarding their statements that the TECO Gas site was a blood bath. Then she even considered suing me for libel??? She then goes on to attack Charles Baron and calls him a liar too regarding the site next to Greynolds Park.

Regarding the TECO gas site luckily those same residents incensed over the deaths of Osprey, Bald Eagles, and other endangered and non-endangered species proven to inhabit this area and the blood bath that ensued with the carelessness of the clean-up contacted DERM and had them attend a Community Meeting for Former TECO-PGS Site, December 11, 2012, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., City Hall 4th Floor Conference Room by the sites developers and attorneys.  To date DERM has shut the site down to further clean-up activity until it can be done right and not just capped like was approved for Biscayne Landing and we all know what a fiasco that turned out to be.

No Stephanie definitely did not do her homework on this blog feature as the residents around this area have documentation on all of the Brownfields areas in NMB, the TECO gas sites years of being highly contaminated so much so that previous owners who tried to fill in the lake on this property were stopped and DERM wouldn’t even let them remove the soil already filled in as it was so polluted, the remains of the Oak Trees that were downed should still be on this site along with the other trees and shrubs that were downed, and so forth and so on.

No Stephanie it isn’t the residents and business owners around this site that got it wrong we live here and know what is happening in our neighborhood. Then again unlike you we don’t believe that we live in a ghetto and honestly,  I didn’t really think that you did either.  Mary”

Oh, where to begin?  I guess at the beginning, of course.

For starters, is there anyone out there who doesn’t know who ghostwrote this rambling essay?  Just saying.

As for “Hilton’s” accusations, she claimed I went “on an attack” in “anger.”  Really?  Not even close.

Let me tell you what makes me angry.

Voter fraud makes me angry.
Elected officials who abuse their power make me angry.
Government waste makes me angry.
Crooked politicians who get away with corruption make me angry.
Child abuse, elder abuse and animal abuse make me angry.

Accusing me of being in someone’s pocket makes me laugh.

I’m not quite sure what Hilton’s definition of “anger” is, but if she thought my column showed “anger,” she is obviously unclear on the concept.

Even the mayor, who does have a sense of humor, wrote me, “Omg I’m so disappointed you aren’t in my pocket! LOL!”

Sorry, George.  Wasn’t me.  Must’ve been the pistol.

LOL! Of course.

Ms. Hilton also claims I called her a liar.  Not true.  I merely wondered why no one has ever seen the photographs of the “bloodbath” at the TECO “slaughter” site.  If such a “slaughter” occurred, why wasn’t the media contacted?  Why didn’t those pictures make headlines?  Why are they being kept from the public?  This would be a HUGE news story!  I’d love to get my hands on those photos and publish an exclusive!

An even bigger story would have been a video showing flocks of suicidal “osprey and bald eagles” standing in the path of bulldozers waiting to be mowed down instead of merely flying away, as birds are wont to do.  These particular winged creatures must have had a death wish.

Still, the “residents and business owners” have “documentation.”  Great!  Let’s see it.

While we wait for that “proof” to appear…

Moving right along, in response to Hilton’s claim that I considered suing her for libel, this is also a falsehood.  The truth is that The Webmaster thought her comment was libelous and at his suggestion I merely asked a lawyer friend what he thought.  That lawyer agreed with me that no libel was committed.  Unlike Hilton’s buddy Charles Baron, I’m not the litigious type.  I don’t file frivolous lawsuits, especially over sticks and stones.  I loathe going to the Courthouse and tend to avoid it if at all possible.  It’s infinitely more amusing to laugh at idiots than to look for a parking space downtown.

This is not the first time that Ms. Hilton has hurled false accusations at me.  Years ago when I was the president of the North Miami Beach Little League, she had the audacity to accuse me of misappropriating (read: pocketing) donated funds.  As anyone who knows me (and especially who served on the board of directors with me) will tell you, I am a stickler for accountability.  Under my administration, not one penny of those funds was spent on anything other than official Little League business.  NOT ONE PENNY!  I took my duties and responsibilities as a Trustee of a Non-Profit Organization very seriously.  The Little League’s financial statements and tax returns are a matter of public record.  Unlike the fabled pictures of the TECO Bloodbath, anyone can ask for and receive actual proof and documentation of the Little League’s fiscal accountability.

Hilton’s accusation that I was a thief made me angry.  Yet, I somehow managed to refrain from filing a lawsuit.  (Note:  That was sarcasm.)

The North Miami Beach Property Owners Improvement Association, Inc., a/k/a the North Miami Beach Civic Association (even though no Fictitious Name is filed with the state), is a non-profit corporation formed in 1995.  For years this group was made up of the “movers and shakers” of North Miami Beach, but by 2003, it had lost momentum.  In April of 2004, an amended Annual Report was filed, Mary Hilton became the new registered agent, and an entirely new board of directors was formed.  The same six people have been running the corporation for the last five years, and the same two people have alternated as president.

By law, non-profit corporations are prohibited from endorsing or campaigning for individual candidates, but during election time everyone knows the Civic Association’s candidates of choice.  It’s also common knowledge that whatever candidate they support for office any given year, next time around they will try to get him or her voted out.  Nothing makes them happy and no one is ever good enough.  They couldn’t wait to get rid of Mayor Mishcon.  Until Ray Marin got elected.  Then the Civic Association pitted Myron Rosner against Marin, but two years later (with good reason, I might add), the Civic Association threw their support behind George Vallejo.  Now, two years later, they complain about George.

They loved Beth Spiegel.

Until they hated Beth Spiegel.

They loved Barbara Kramer.

Until they hated Barbara Kramer.

They loved Marlen Martell.

Until they hated Marlen Martell.

They even loved Frantz Pierre, if you can believe that!

As far as I know, they still do.  Go figure.

Not sure where they stand on Phyllis Smith or Tony DeFillipo, but give them time.  They’ll hate them sooner or later.

They loved me.

Now they hate me.

WhatEVer.

Complaining seems to be what Hilton & Co. do best.  They apparently like to complain about the status quo, but just try and change the status quo and they’ll complain about that.

Their solution to every problem is a resounding “NO.”

New development?  NO!

Redevelopment?  NO!

New parks?  NO!

Renovation of existing parks?  NO!

Code enforcement?  NO!

More police protection?  NO!

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Can anyone name even one new project in the last decade, or maybe even ever, that received the blessing of the Civic Association?  Any project?  I can’t.

Like I said, plenty of complaints, but no solutions.

So, yeah, I didn’t exactly get angry or lose any sleep over Hilton’s accusation that I’m in a pocket.  It did, however, tickle my sarcasm bone.

Now where’s that rat’s ass I could give?

Stephanie Kienzle