Thursday, June 22, 2017

“Shotspotter”, random notes and observations from the City Commission meeting last Tuesday.


Commissioner Herman C. Robinson provided some intel on the upcoming July 4th Raft Race: the Eden Place Neighborhood raft “is one to be reckoned with.” This Sunday at 5:00 is a very important meeting for everyone involved in the Raft Race at Blue Front BBQ. Jon Faust’s presentation to the Commission on the status of the Raft Race was, well, spectacular.

Expect to hear news some time in the near future about Shotspotter. The homicide last week occurred in Commissioner Omari Hardy’s District 3 here in the City (use this link for the article in the Post about that murder which opens with an update on the “popular Netflix series” Orange is The New Black).

Commissioner Hardy contacted the management at Shotspotter for more information about this new technology and we learned Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell is also a big fan of this idea. And so is PBSO Cpt. Todd Baer. The problem is this is a subscription service and quite expensive. However, a lot of people are working on some sort of solution. Stay tuned.

The biggest applause of the night was when Laurie Milano came up to the podium to accept the proclamation for Code Enforcement Officers Week. Am sensing a growing backlash against all the negative harping on the Code Enforcement Dept. Take note you-know-who.

More random notes and observations in no particular order:

  • Because of a closed-door session previously, the meeting started a bit late and ended at 7:00. Fifty minutes. A new record? Maybe.
  • Congratulations! Banyan Printing received a proclamation for 40 years in the City of Lake Worth. This is a front page story in The Lake Worth Herald this week.
  • City Manager Michael Bornstein on the interview process for a new director of the Electric Utility: “Promising candidates and maybe a decision soon.”
  • Bornstein on the pool: RFQ’s and RFP’s are going out. More and more talk lately about the City needing a new pool. Just not at the Beach; somewhere else where more of the public can have access.
  • Hardy attended the recent Central County Chamber meeting and welcomed Best Hand Therapy & Physical Rehabilitation opening on 1609 North Federal Hwy.
  • Maxwell is working with West Palm Beach and studying their “Landlord Training Program”. Expect this to be a program here in the City. It’s working terrifically in West Palm.
  • The City of Lake Worth was the only city to have ALL OF ITS ELECTED LEADERS at the Equality Rally in West Palm Beach last Saturday.
  • The City extended public comment to 3 minutes on nonagendaed items on the Consent Agenda. No one got up to speak and say “Thank You”. Only in Lake Worth.
To watch this meeting yourself use this link. The next Commission meeting isn’t until July 18th; however there is a Budget Workshop on July 11th and a Work Session on July 25th.