Monday, April 4, 2016

Appropriately, an effort begun in Lake Worth on April Fools' Day; and, joking aside, this sign raises a lot of serious questions:

Joking aside about the "April Fools", who are the Residences of Lake Osborne representing? Certainly not all of the Lake Osborne community in Lake Worth. Why doesn't the sign have a proper disclaimer informing the public who paid for this?
Here is the link to the Residences of Lake Osborne (ROLO) website and to see their blog use this link. Here are the boundaries of their organization and who they purport to represent, ROLO includes:

". . .the north side of Lake Osborne on the East side of Detroit Street and the South side of Lake Worth Road, West of I-95 and the east side of Lake Osborne Drive South to Lake Geneva Drive and part of Nanette Court on the East Side of High Ridge Road."
This map shows a partial area of the ROLO neighborhood. Is ROLO implying ALL of these "residences" oppose a Spring Training facility in the County's John Prince Park? If so, that is false.
Note that Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell represents this area of the City and he resides in the ROLO neighborhood. He is a big supporter of the Braves baseball organization having a Spring Training facility in John Prince Park. ROLO is not the voice of Scott Maxwell and also not the voice for a lot of other people in this neighborhood as well. Here are two of the Board of Directors at ROLO:
  • Robert Waples, President 
  • Katie McGiveron, Vice President
Did the ROLO neighborhood association pay for or contribute to this sign in any way? Either money or in-kind contributions? Are they a 501c3? Are either of Katie McGiveron's PAC's, Save Our Neighborhood, Inc. or Citizens Against Unfair Taxation, a part of this effort? And. . . does the movable sign have a proper disclaimer informing the public who paid for this political message?

More questions:
  • The name on the sign "Residences of Lake Osborne" implies endorsement and the word "STOP" is trying to influence the political process. Is ROLO being transparent?
  • How many of the "Residences of Lake Osborne" agreed to "STOP" this proposed project? Was a vote ever taken? 
  • Is someone using their own money to make the implication that all of ROLO is opposed? If so, should ROLO make a statement to clarify their position for the entire neighborhood?
That sign is raising a whole lot of questions. The Palm Beach County commissioners should demand answers from ROLO. And so should the Lake Worth City Commission this coming Tuesday: answers especially from the ROLO president and vice president.