Friday, May 23, 2014

West Palm DDA chief apologizes for tone of email to county... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Raphael Clemente, director of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority sent an e-mail to County Engineer George Webb that, he later admitted, may have gone a bit too far. He was upset that the county wasn't sending anyone to a walkability event in downtown next week. Celmente's original e-mail made it seem that the county's poor record of pedestrian safety was due in part to Webb's office. George Webb has been County Engineer ever since I can remember. Anyway, after some ruffled feathers, it seems that cooler heads prevail. Click title for link. Here is the last part of the article:
 Reached Tuesday afternoon. Webb said he had not read Clemente’s latest email. Webb also said he has been aware of “the issue about pedestrian and bike safety in Palm Beach County for a long time. It has not been pretty.’’
Webb said his main issue was Clemente’s suggestion that actions by the county Engineering Department might have contributed to those problems.
As for the May 27 presentation on the city’s Walkability Study, Webb said there’s a chance County Administrator Bob Weisman might attend.
County Mayor Priscilla Taylor and County Commissioner Mary Lou Berger came to Webb’s defense Tuesday during a county commission meeting.
“I was really disappointed to see such harsh comments made about our county engineer,’’ Berger said.
Berger said she thinks the county will be represented at the city’s presentation next week because Nick Uhren, executive director of the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, plans to attend.