Remarks by Marsha Matson
70 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 3
- Play at 1:32:50
“Could I respond to the council's, Councilman Cody's comments?”
Village Council · Jul 20, 2026
- Play at 1:32:55
“Please, let me just do it before I forget. Okay, so just in terms of what I propose, I'm very proud of it. They're such tiny amounts of money, it makes fee waivers look tiny, truly. So far, from what I can calculate that's been on the manager's checkbook, you've cost the village about $54,000 in your lawsuits or ethics complaint, the ethics complaint you filed against me. My programs are no more than $5,000 each, and they haven't even begun to be spent. I don't know, just a handful of people have adopted a pet. I mean, it's a pittance compared to what bill you're running up.”
Village Council · Jul 20, 2026
- Play at 1:33:40
“The other thing I'd like to say is that I accept, and all the other council members accept council decisions, but you file lawsuits when you disagree with a council decision. When you do something stupid and illegal, yeah. Point of order.”
Village Council · Jul 20, 2026
- Play at 1:59:48
“Well, I supported the last stormwater fee increase. I think there's infrastructure... controlling flooding, protecting residents' property and homes. I've always been for that. I mean, I'm all into the environmental aspects of our village, and this is a stormwater tax that will protect every home. So, yes. And I would also like to include the tree aspect of it as well, because That's such an important aspect of stormwater and flooding. It really is. And you came up with a terrific program, and I'm ready to support it. So yeah, to me, this is one of those things like police services,…”
Village Council · Jul 20, 2026
- Play at 28:50
“I'm interested in what the tree board talks about, which is generally they talk about citizens, private citizens installing the trees that they have mentioned that giving away more trees, Currently, we do it once a year. We could do it several times a year and then having the residents be responsible. That would considerably cut costs, would it not? And I guess that's a question. And then is that feasible for this kind of program to mainly have it a private program in terms of planting trees only?”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:03:04
“Yes, thank you. You're welcome. I'd like to know how the manager and the public services director, their reaction to this.”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:06:21
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:09:12
“I just would like to congratulate the Vice Mayor. This seems to include a number of proposals or laws that we have, the land development plan, the resiliency action plan, the conversation from the tree board, conversation from the resiliency committee. I would say this is a really good plan in terms of incorporating ideas from all of them. And I want to congratulate you on that. That's really good. I do have some question about Where the money comes from, it strikes me that this comes primarily from the stormwater fee. And that right now we're talking about the millage rate, but that's…”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:20:44
“Yes, I did. Well, okay. My initial request of the manager was to break down what part of this proposed program is paid for by the stormwater fee and what part would be paid for by the property tax. That's what I'd like to see. If you can do that, I'd appreciate it. And I just want to respond to the councilman's comments hey stop that trees have always been part of the stormwater program actually this is nothing new and we just haven't really emphasized them or we haven't really i've been attending the tree board for years and they are always distressed over the fact that the environment is…”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:43:54
“Well, I'm going to congratulate Vice Mayor Merwisser. He's coming up with some interesting novel ideas. So thank you very much. This is an interesting one. And I do have five questions. So I hope you'll indulge me in my five questions. If all ad valorem revenues go to the police district, how will the village fund future increases in parks, roads, and administration?”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:45:31
“Okay, so my philosophy of government is that government was set up to protect people, and so public safety to me is always number one priority, followed by infrastructure, especially in Palmetto Bay flooding, and then the environmental aspect of it. So I'm very interested in this idea. But I also want to make sure that other aspects can be funded as well. So if non ad valorem revenues decline, can the council reestablish a general operating village?”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:47:40
“But you can give the general operating budget to the police if they need it. Is that what you're arguing? Correct.”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:47:48
“All right. What is the projected district millage for 2027 through 2031 with the police district?”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:54:54
“Okay. I would just like to ask the major, our new major, and the manager what they think about this.”
Village Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 17:50
“And thank you so much for putting up with me. I appreciate it. I work all the time, early in the morning, late at night, weekends, holidays, and I send a lot of questions and comments, and I appreciate your response. I really do. It's been a pleasure working with you. Many of you for eight years, some of you for less, but you've been great. You're wonderful. Thank you so much.”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 56:54
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 1:17:53
“Yes, I'd like to say that The manager and I have quite a vigorous discussion over this survey. And I did object to this survey, the reason being that it's not a scientific survey. And what that means is unless it's a scientific survey with randomization, validity tests, and reliability tests, it doesn't mean anything. And the greatest danger of a survey like this is that people will take it to be the expression of the people of the village, and it's not. It's like if I just threw a bunch of surveys out of a helicopter and then gathered them up, like whoever answered them. That's not the way…”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 1:45:40
“Now, in this presentation and the budget workshop, I only heard the Vice Mayor talk about cutting expenses. So I'm going to ask you, is there any plan to cut expenses?”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 1:56:13
“that i had been told that people feel are wasteful so that's where i'm at tonight and i'm looking forward to the discussion thank you well this is it this is the discussion uh council member fiori no councilman matson yes i looked over this budget very carefully the manager and i have had uh communication back and forth about it the two main issues are Our legal costs are skyrocketing. They're going to be over a million dollars. One of them has to do with a case that has been ongoing since I've been on council eight years, and it should not be continued. And the other one is a part of that…”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 2:18:55
“Councilwoman? All right, so a question for the Vice Mayor. Would this then be one millage rate that would appear as the sheriff's, the municipal district, sheriff's municipal district, and there would be no millage rates then for the rest of the budget of Palmetto Bay. We would finance the rest of the operations of Palmetto Bay with our other revenue sources, including sales tax, utility tax, and so on. So there would only be one millage rate, and it would be keyed to the police contract. Is that the case?”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 2:31:28
“Yes, I think we do need more information because at this point, I'm not quite sure whether we're having two millage rates or one millage rate in which the police get the part of the millage rate that is their contract. And then we adjust the rest of the village millage rate to the police millage. In other words, there needs to be more explanation. And I would also like to see a prepared projection showing the combined millage for the next five years with and without the district. So that would be helpful. And whether any other entities in Florida do this kind of thing. And what has been the…”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 2:36:35
“Is the motion to go to a COW or to defer and go to a COW? Or what's the motion?”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 2:39:20
“And it was something that I put forward.”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 2:43:22
“Councilman Manson. All right, this ordinance came about because a resident who is Muslim, requested that a notice for a holiday, Islamic holiday called Eid al-Adad, was denied by the village. And I looked at it. I didn't agree with the denial, and I thought that we should really take this to council and discuss it and get an official village-enabled notice. policy for village communications regarding notification of religious observances. So let me start by saying, before I talk about the ordinance, let me start by saying that in Palmetto Bay, we have diverse religions. Right across the…”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026
- Play at 2:56:05
“May I ask you a question about what you're saying?”
Village Council · Jul 6, 2026