Tuesday, December 7, 2010


Add/Delete for City Commission Meeting - 12/7

Click here for back-up material.  Item 9 (b) is the emergency item that was not acted on last week.

Announcement from City: City of Lake Worth 45th Annual Holiday Parade

December 11, 2010 The City of Lake Worth 45th Annual Holiday Parade "Light Up The Night" will begin at 6p.m. at the corner of Lucerne Ave. and Federal Hwy. come out and celebrate this Holiday season. For any questions call Recreation at 561-533-7363.

Calling out the Other Blogger

This is a portion of the comment section on the other blogger's post regarding the Mayor.  In it, she made it seem that Rene chose to post his announcement on a "friendly" blog - mine and here I correct the record.
Why I am sharing this is that the other blogger is apparently trying to prove that somehow she accepts anonymous posts.  There have been some other recent instances, since I made the pronouncement that this is the only blog that accepts anonymous posts, where there are comments from anonymous.

Here are snapshots of her policies as it relates to commenting on her blog:
 
So either she has changed her policy or she is pretending to accept anonymous posts to make a point or something else...who knows?  Since we have been talking recently about the importance of letting yourself be identified here when you comment, I thought it was an observation worth sharing.  I know that many people have offered comments that never saw the light of day since they didn't fit with her editorial leanings.  If you go there, read comments or try to comment, proceed at your own risk.

Historian Donald Curl, an original FAU faculty member, dies at 75

Click title for link to PBP obituary of Dr. Kurl. Dr. Kurl was the foremost authority on Mizner architecture - the person responsible for the predominant Mediterranean Revival architecture we have in South Florida. We had an opportunity to meet when I was working at Mar-a-Lago. For those of you who don't know, I was involved in the restoration of the estate and conversion to a private club. I remember being intimidated initially when he took part in one of my tours of the estate and grounds, but at the end of the tour he reported to me that he thought I did a good job. It's a shame to lose a person that had such a command of local history. A kind and gentle man, he will certainly be missed.

Don't think we've heard the last about chickens...

Click title for link to article from the Herald-Tribune regarding Sarasota's planning board reviewing a proposal to allow chickens in residential neighborhoods.  Our progressive Commission is sure to get a whiff of this.

And, in an unrelated topic, I hear that there is "news" regarding the casino building.  There is a presentation by the beach "team" scheduled for the December 14th Commission work session - has been for a while.  Will we learn more then?

Monday, December 6, 2010

City of Lake Worth Annual Bicycle Raffle

The CRA and the City of Lake Worth are collecting donations for the City’s second annual bicycle raffle.  Raffle tickets are given to the first 300 children to attend the event that is scheduled for Saturday, December 11th @ 4pm prior to the City’s 45th Annual Holiday Parade.  We encourage you to make a donation in an effort to meet our goal this year. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Juan at the City at 533-7359 or Emily at the CRA at 493-2550. Thank you for the consideration.

We really need your help. If you can donate, please stop by the CRA office and drop off cash or a check so we can assist the City and purchase the bicycles. Staff will be going to the store this Thursday to pick them up.

Announcement from Mayor Rene Varela:

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,

As most of you were instrumental in my initial desire to campaign for the office of mayor, I thought it best to write to you at this moment regarding an important recent decision that I have made. 

For the past several months Tanya and I have been faced with the troubling reality of her employer making poor business decisions and his worsening professional treatment of her. Rather than continuing to accept this treatment, I asked Tanya to begin seeking other employment. However, given her specialty and fairly high standing in her field, job openings in close proximity to Lake Worth were non-existent. Within the past two months, Tanya was courted by quite a few prospective employers and just three days ago, we decided on the one where Tanya will work... and we will eventually call home. As it turns out, this excellent opportunity will require us to move to Maryland. Tanya will begin working there within three months and I will follow her after I finish my term as Mayor and sell our home.

This of course means that I will not be seeking a second term as Mayor of the City that I love. And while this is a point of great disappointment for me, I will certainly be much more content placing my family first, within their proper place. While I may not have shown it at every moment in the past 13 months, I have the deepest admiration and respect for each of you and the residents of this City. The next 11 months will be spent by me making sure that I reengage with each of you and begin to force the much needed changes within our community/government, that up until now I have patiently shepparded. Now there won't be a moment to waste!

Tanya and I look forward to seeing each of you in the coming days and months to personally express our gratitude for the love, friendship, and trust that you have shown us.

Until then, I wish you all well.
  
Yours truly,

Rene'

Rene' A. Varela, MS, VMD, MPH

Click here for Winter 2010 Lake Worth CRA Neighborhood Newsletter

Sunday, December 5, 2010

PARROT COVE GENERAL MEETING HORTICULTURIST BUD MARTIN – FLORIDA GARDENING

Tuesday, December 7, 7:00pm
St. Andrews Church, 100 North Palmway

This year’s final meeting will be a presentation by a commercial grower of bromeliads and orchids in Florida who will teach us what works, or doesn’t work, in south Florida gardens.

He will present an overview of the three easiest orchid genera to grow with lots of easy growing tips.  He will also explain which bromeliads are best for the soil, sun and oceanfront conditions in Parrot Cove and will show some everyday and holiday designs featuring both types of his favorite plants.

Bring your questions for the expert!  There will also be a raffle of two items donated by Bud.

Bud has written articles for Southern Living and other publications, spoken at garden clubs throughout Florida and teaches the bromeliad course for Master Gardeners in Seminole County.  He bought his first bromeliad in 1968 while looking for landscaping material for his garden in Orlando. Bromeliads soon moved from hobby to career.  He bought land in Sanford and began growing bromeliads on a commercial level in 1974, adding orchids in 1985.

The general meeting is open to everyone, you don’t have to be an Association member or live in Parrot Cove to attend.  In addition to Bud’s presentation, we will get an update from Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and review 2010 events.

Agenda for December 7, 20010 City Commission Meeting

Click title for link to agenda and back-up.  Does anyone else find it strangely odd that the City Commission will be approving 12 sets of minutes dating from July at the December 7th meeting?

Here is the list:
If you're running as an incumbent, it makes it easier to hide from your record if there is no published record.  The Sunshine Law requires that minutes be available in a timely basis.  You can decide if this is timely.  Last year, the special City Commission meeting minutes where Commissioner Golden said that the city didn't need the $23 million dollar grant and chastised the CRA for making the application, suddenly appeared on the first regular meeting after the election.  The meeting was held July 20th.   The minutes only show her acknowledging that the CRA had applied for the money.  She had used the $23 million grant in the list of her accomplishments on campaign materials.  The term "let the record show" means something different in Lake Worth apparently.

Transparency?  Click here for audio from the special July 20, 2009 meeting.

Plastic foam’s days may be numbered in Highland Park — Highland Park & Highwood news, photos and events — TribLocal.com

Highland Park is an enclave within the city of Detroit. It's peak population was 52,000 in 1930. The 2009 Census estimate is 13,000. It was the former home of Ford and Chrysler manufacturing plants.

Could former Congressman Foley overcome sex scandal to win West Palm city hall?

Click title for link to PBP article.It would be an interesting race to watch if it comes about.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Breaking News: Rachel Smithson leaving

Within the month, Rachel Smithson will be leaving for Charlotte, North Carolina.  She has been Assistant to the City Manager here and lead person for the city on the beach project, among others.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Tropical Ridge Neighborhood Association - Garage Sale - Last Chance!

Greetings everyone!

Just one last reminder that this Saturday, December 4th at 7am the Tropical Ridge Neighborhood Assoication will be having a garage sale on the corner of Lucerne & North F St. Given the location, I suppose it's actually a yard sale!

We can really use some donations! Clothes, toys, books, dvds, holiday decorations, etc. If you can't drop it off Saturday morning, we can come pick it up from you tomorrow.
Stop buy bright and early and help us sell, sell, sell!

Email: jessica@tropicalridge.org or ryan@tropicalridge.org for details! See you Saturday!

This is the comment that caused me to remind everyone how I allow anonymous comments.

And you used the beach tenant contributions Ad nauseam. 

Come on Wes, are your telling me that if Blockson and Maxwell were elected you would be posting the same report on them? 

Answer truthfully! 
O.K., if I answer truthfully and say "Yes" I would be accused of not being truthful and if I said "No" I would be accused of doing just what you thought I would do.  That's why I didn't post this comment.  

As far as using the "beach tent contributions Ad nauseam" - the whole beach project was used by McVoy and Mulvehill Ad nauseam during the campaign - how it's going to lead us out of our recession and that all is good and great with this rehabilitation project.  Good luck to those who ran on that platform and let's see how long the wheels stay on that wagon.  I would be pleased to be proved wrong.  In the meantime, consider your posting a comment here a privilege Mr/Ms Anonymous and trust my judgement in what I choose to publish and what I choose not to.  If not, there is another blogger in town that would love to have your readership.

The "beach tenant contributions" seem to have hit a chord.  It's like Commissioner Golden saying we shouldn't be focusing on the fact that Lake Worth has had record decreases in our assessed value for the past two years - more than any other municipality in Palm Beach County.  It seems not to matter to her - we have to get used to living in a ghetto according to her.  No one wants to be reminded of the REALITY here.  That is why I keep doing what I do.

Fort Worth streetcar discussion shows need for improved public process | Editorials & Opinion...

This is an op-ed piece by Joel Burns, City Commissioner in Fort Worth, Texas on a Modern Streetcar program being initiated and administered by the city of Fort Worth. You might remember Joel from his recent 15+ minutes of fame regarding "It gets better..." and his experience with bullying as a gay teen and a response to all the bullying that has and continues to go on in our country. Business goes on in Fort Worth and in this piece for the Star Telegram, he explains the importance of public involvement in the decision making process. I found his commentary eerily similar to what I would say about the importance of public input and how to change the process for the better. So, maybe we can take a lesson from Fort Worth, Texas as we at least we both share half of the same name. Click title for link. By the way, they have a representative Commission where there are at-large and district commissioners. The district commissioners represent only those in that district. They also have no Sunshine Laws in Texas that I am aware of - he speaks to his fellow Commissioners in the article which is not allowed in Florida.

Reminder to Everyone - this is still the only place that you can post a comment anonymously in Lake Worth.

I edit, but have a (very) light touch.  Please don't abuse the privilege.  The PBP doesn't count.

Lake Worth waste truck runs on vegetable oil — and smells 'like egg rolls'

More public purposes for John Gs - grease from their deep fat fryers can go to fuel our Vegomobile!  Vice Mayor Suzanne Mulevhill can head up the effort.  Click title for link.

Here's one for you: Northern Kentucky lands Noah's Ark park Tax breaks, donations to help fund creationism-themed amusement park

From the article - click title for link:

Ark Encounter developers seek to recover under state tourism development laws up to 25 percent of the project's cost by recouping sales tax revenue paid to the state on tickets, lodging and other goods.
While state support of a religious-themed project is probably not illegal, attorney Ed Kagin, called it questionable, said the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“They’re implicitly endorsing this project, and I think that is improper,” said the American Atheists board member.

From Wikipedia re "The Spoils System"

In the politics of the United States, a spoil system (also known as a patronage system) is a practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party—as opposed to a system of awarding offices on the basis of some measure of merit independent of political activity.

Click here to read more.

What we have lost in Lake Worth is any measure of objectivity.  One would hope that at the advisory board level, appointed members would be able to objectively evaluate matters that come before them and their recommendations to the ultimate authority, the City Commission, would be free of bias and not be a result of a lack of independent thinking.  What is happening here is that people are being told how to vote, what issues to raise, who to be against by the very people that are elected by the residents.  New ideas and ways of doing things are discouraged - creativity abhors a vacuum.  There is little fresh air in the system so things stagnate.  Look about you.  Myths perpetuate themselves and are spewed at all doorsteps during election seasons.

One place where objectivity and professional experience is important too is at the city staff level.  Unfortunately, anyone that questions the direction of the City Commission or administration (City Manager) on a matter based on "best practices", fiduciary responsibility, professional opinion or established process seems to be shown the door - or they leave on their own accord.  In their place, we get "yes" people who do what they are told in order to survive in the system.  Objectivity ceases to exist and the right questions are never asked. At least we don't have city staff contributing to campaigns - that we know of.  Until we allow objectivity and reason back into the process, things at 7 N. Dixie Hwy. will continue to be like:

Adjusted - Suzanne Mulvehill Special Interest Campaign Contributions - 2010

This is an adjusted tally of Suzanne Mulvehill's campaign contributions.  I added her modest contributions to her campaign and deducted them from the total to determine the percentage of special interest contributions.  Strangely, these included under $10 worth for admissions to the pier.  I can't think of how this related to the campaign other than perhaps photos being taken for campaign literature and the like.  I also added contributions made by Laurel Decker - I described her relation to this faction in the post on Christopher McVoy's contributions.  Gael Sliverblatt, Chair of the Tree Board also gave a modest amount to both campaigns - I think $40 to each.

Adjusted - Christopher McVoy Special Interest Campaign Contributions - 2010

This chart probably does a better job at showing the proportion of special interest contributions in Christopher McVoy's campaign.  He lent the campaign over $4,600 of his own money.  Including that in the calculation throws off the actual percentage that comes from special interests or people with special access or ties to the candidate.  It ends up being about 1/5 of the total amount raised from other people and entities.  In this version, the duplicate Shauna Coolican contribution is removed.  Also, something I didn't mention before, Cary Sabol is current Chair of the CRA.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Note: McVoy lent a significant amount of money to his own campaign. I will back that out and revise the tally. The percentage will increase.

Christopher McVoy's Special Interest Campaign Contributions - 2010

Here we have the tabulation of Christopher McVoy's special interest contributions.  This is through the G4 report and the termination report is due later on, early in 2011.  But we do know that while now Commissioner McVoy was consistent with the party line on how great the current beach and casino building rehabilitation is, he didn't gather as much support from the tenants there as did Commissioner Mulvehill.  He did gather some and you can be sure he will be erring in favor of the tenants when decisions are made related to their interests.  He could surprise us and be more evenhanded, but that would indeed be a surprise.  I will be updating Commissioner Mulvhehill's special interest contributions as well to include Laurel Decker as she is a member of the Finance Advisory Board.  Ms. Decker has long lurked in the ranks of Golden and Jennings supporters and usually supplies "in kind" campaign finance software for campaigns such as these, as is the case here.  She also was a strong supporter of the casino financing proposal put forward by staff that uses the city's "cash portfolio" for interim funding of the casino rehabilitation project.  No one has yet identified where the permanent funding is coming from.  Shauna Coolican, pals with Annabeth Karson, shows up on the list and had a contract with the city to perform the Total Count Census effort this year.  Both are known political operatives within this camp.  Commissioner Golden appears on this list, along with her housemate and members of her extended family.  She serves as staff to the Lake Worth Community Development Corporation (CDC).  The CDC leases/leased (?) a city building near the Osborne Community Center that could be used for after-school and other programs needed in the area.   Likewise, Kathy LaCroix (staff) and Edward Grimm (Board Chair) serve on the CDC.  Mr. Grimm is also an appointee to the CRA and was interviewed and voted for by Commissioner Golden, an employee of the CDC, despite an apparent conflict of interest.  Lynda Mahoney, current Chair of the P&Z has worked for Commissioner Golden's campaigns and served as chair of the CDC for a while, as well.  Other contributors on this list appear on Commissioner Mulvehill's as well.

Editor's note:  I counted a $48 contribution twice for Ms. Coolican and will fix that later.