The Explainer. Road construction in City of Lake Worth: Neighborhood Road Bond and CDBG funding.

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Below is a press release from the City of Lake Worth about the 2nd Ave. South project that began this week. 

This is very, very important:

“Just a point of clarification and I hope people understand, 2nd Ave. South is not part of the Neighborhood Road Program. It’s not part of the bond issue.”
—Quote by Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein at a City Commission meeting on January 16th.

The 2nd Ave. South project is funded by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Palm Beach County Department of Economic Sustainability.

The short quote above by Bornstein would have been all that was necessary in a story published in The Palm Beach Post last month. But instead the public was left scratching their heads because that Post story did not clearly explain the difference between the Neighborhood Road Bond and CDBG funds. They are two completely different sources of funding for infrastructure.

Without further ado. . . the City’s press release:

Between February 26th and July 1st construction will be underway on 2nd Ave South between Dixie Hwy and Federal Hwy.
     This extensive project will involve a full roadway reconstruction including the sidewalks, ADA ramps, traffic calming measures, decorative pavement and more. As such the road will be restricted to “Local Traffic Only” during construction.
     Residents will still be able to access their property throughout the project however they may occasionally be impacted by work occurring in front of their property for which they will receive specific notice.
     This project was funded by a Community Development Block Grant from the Palm Beach County Department of Economic Sustainability. If you have any questions regarding the project please feel free to contact Public Services at 561-586-1720.

And one last thing. . .

Here is a verbatim quote by Lake Worth Commissioner Omari Hardy, his comments made at the City Commission meeting on January 16th:

“You [Commissioner Hardy addressing Water Utility Dir. Brian Shields] and the rest of the team [Public Services Dir. Jamie Brown et al.] are doing a really fantastic job. There might have been some disconnects here and there but I think overall you guys are doing an amazing job and I’m really glad that you’re on board while we’re going through this.
     I want to thank the commissioners who have been sitting on this dais longer than I have for having the courage to go for this twice.* And I want to thank the voters who approved this. Because this is really going to transform our City.
     We talk about ‘curb appeal’ all the time. The street is the part that we have ownership of and we’re finally taking responsibility for that. So I appreciate everybody who was involved with the decision-making in this process and I appreciate all you doing such a great job in the execution of it.”

*This is in reference to the first Neighborhood Road Bond referendum in August 2014 that failed by just 25 votes. In November 2016 the second bond referendum passed “by a whopping 69%”.
     Commissioner Hardy is quoted above saying, “I want to thank the commissioners who have been sitting on this dais longer than I have. . .”. He is referring to Mayor Pam Triolo and two other members of the City Commission: District 1 Commissioner Scott Maxwell and District 3 Commissioner Andy Amoroso.

To see the entire City Commission click on this link.

District 2 City Commissioner Omari Hardy and District 4 Commissioner Herman C. Robinson were both elected in March 2017.