A really really bad idea: A “C-51 Canal Advisory Committee” in Lake Worth on tonight’s (11/1) City Commission agenda

If you already read this please scroll down and as always, Thank You for visiting. At the end of this blog post added a video which will explain a lot about this very important topic:

To learn more about the Blueway Trail project use this link. The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) has this helpful information about the project. For inquiries about the Blueway Trail call the TCRPC at 772-221-4060.

This City Commission agenda item is at the end of this blog post.

Once the door is open what will the next 'Advisory Committee' be? An 'Advisory Committee' on Spring Training baseball in John Prince Park? Or how about a committee to oversee what the Town of Palm Beach is doing with their beaches? A handful of people are upset about the new LED lights in the City. Form an advisory committee? The mangroves along the Intracoastal, form an advisory committee to find out what Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management is up to? Construction along the FEC right-of-way have some people upset: form an advisory committee for that too?

Do we have to take a walk down memory lane: the "Citizen Review Board"? A year from now a lot of people who think this is a good idea will end up with "egg on their faces". If this advisory committee is formed those opposed to the Blueway Trail will do everything they can to get control. It will end up just another platform for high political drama. And the press will love it.

There are projects proposed all the time along with people who oppose them. Those opposed can form their own committees or even form PACs if they want to. They can organize their neighborhood and do other things to express displeasure. They can beseech elected officials here in the City and throughout the County as well explaining their position.

However, the City's taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill: staff time, money, free office space/equipment and a letterhead too.

Hopefully this idea will be discussed and the decision be not to go forward. And besides, with so many volunteer boards in this City do we really need another one? For more about that see the next blog post or use this link. Remember, the Sister City Board just had to lower its members from 7 to 5 because they couldn't reach a quorum and the Finance Advisory Board will be going from 7 members to 14 if the November 8th bond referendum is approved by the voters.

Below is an excerpt from this agenda item at next Tuesday's City Commission:

RESOLUTION NO. 56-2016 OF THE CITY OF LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF A C-51 CANAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the Palm Beach County’s “Chain of Lakes” is a boater’s paradise already used by tens of thousands of boaters, kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders; and
WHEREAS, the 30-mile stretch of connected freshwater lakes comprised of West Palm Beach’s Pine Lake at the north end, Lake Clarke in Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Osborne and Lake Eden in Lake Worth, and Delray Beach’s Lake Ida at the south end; and
WHEREAS, the Palm Beach County Commissioners recently voted to support efforts to get the State legislature to pay for a boat lift on the West Palm Beach Canal at the Lake Worth spillway, where water from the freshwater canal drops into the lower brackish water of the Intracoastal and Lake Worth Lagoon; and
WHEREAS, the State legislature has funded an engineering and feasibility study; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission desires to create a C-51 Canal Advisory Committee with the task of monitoring and reviewing the results of the state’s engineering and feasibility or any other subsequent studies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA:
Section 1. That a five member committee is hereby created for the purpose of monitoring and reviewing the results of an engineering and feasibility study or any subsequent studies related to the C-51 Canal.
Section 2. That the C-51 Canal Advisory Committee shall be comprised of the following:
1) One member to be selected by the Mayor; and
2) One member to be selected by each City Commissioner.

For the entire agenda item use this link and go to pages 39–42. Here is the video cited above: