Reply #7: Kind of old news [View All]

This newspaper artice was written by a lazy reporter that did not even check into the published articles on his background when he was running for commission.(The Ledger, The Winter Haven News Chief) and several TV stations in the Tampa Bay area.

We knew about his background and his past. We also knew of his service to the community in other positions and his desire to attempt to change the reckless spending of the city commission that failed to keep the city manager in check and allowed Mr. Otte to by pass the commission on many projects. Mr. Otte was fired for cause for donating city property and services to private citizens and organization without asking the city commission. Check with the Polk County Florida clerk of court to review a court case 2009-CA-008871-0000-00 in which the City of Lake Wales is being sued by the airport operator for diverting insurance settlements and FAA grants to rebuild airport buildings and hangers destoryed/damaged by the 3 hurricanes. Mr. Otte spend 2-3 million dollars for a firewell at the airport for fire control(you don't fight a plane fire with water, you use foam.)

Thanks to John Rogers, who led the fight to stop the fire assessment fee of $149 a year on every piece of property in the city limits including orange groves and parking lots. That would have been in addition to property taxes.