Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as Applied to Lake Worth RE-POST (This is the #1 most visited post of any on this blog!)

This is a re-post of an item first posted in February of 2009. It happens to be the blog's top most called for item according to my tracking software.  We have to have security and safety as a foundation so that we can attract economic growth here.


I am sure most have heard about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I've provided a link if you haven't or if you require a refresher course. Essentially, the core concept is that you must meet your basic needs (indicated as the levels at the base of the pyramid) before you can attain higher goals of human aspiration and achievement. We have experienced an example of this happening in our social microcosm that we refer to as "Lake Worth" recently. Apparently, there are those that have issues with it, so please allow me to explain.

I have reported earlier on the CRA's action to contribute $90,000 this year for a full-time police officer. Last year, at the urging of Commissioner Jennings, the CRA increased its contribution to the former City of Lake Worth Police Department to about $140,000. This level of funding went for overtime pay for officers in addressing crime, which the community perceived to be "out of control." Commissioner Jennings then used this in her campaign's promotional materials as an accomplishment - that she increased funding of the police force by not touching the general fund and used CRA money instead. This money was spent and will never be seen again. Did we see a benefit from it? Following that direction, and with the on-going perception of crime being "out of control", the CRA adopted a budget for 08-09 that almost doubled that contribution to $340,000.

During August of last year, the City Commission on a vote of 3-2 with Commissioners Golden and Jennings dissenting, elected to have the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office takeover police operations in the city. The majority argued that that coverage and resources would be greatly improved, there would be savings in pension expenses and that most of our existing officers would stay. The dissenting side argued that the Sheriff would be much more expensive, we would lose local control, reforms could be made in our police department and that future years' percentage cost increases were unlimited.

When the CRA adopted its budget in September, not a lot was known about how or if the Sheriff department would provide the same arrangement as our own police department vis-a-vis the CRA contribution for extra policing. It was also not known what impact the Sheriff take over would have on the streets. Had the side to keep the police prevailed, the CRA would have spent $340,000 in overtime expenses through the Lake Worth Police Department, period.

Once the dust settled, in January, the CRA acted to reduce this budgeted contribution for extra policing to $90,000. The board felt that this was possible due to the increased visibility and presence of law enforcement officers seen in the city of Lake Worth and in the CRA area specifically. I might add that the CRA board not only believed that but it is a belief shared by most in the city. There are some notable exceptions. That $90,000 contribution in this year's budget is less than last year's contribution by $50,000 and is less that what was formerly in the current year's CRA budget to the tune of $250,000. This bears repeating: Savings this year from the CRA's budget as it relates to making a contribution for additional policing within the CRA district represents a real savings this year of $250,000 made possible by the merger with the Sheriff's office.

Now there are other costs associated with the merger and it really still needs to be sorted out what all of these general fund costs are and what the other dollar and non-dollar benefits are, as well. When the motion was made at the CRA, I remember saying something to the effect that when the final analysis is done on the pluses and minuses of the merger with the Sheriff's office, this $250,000 in savings needs to be part of the equation.

As a result, I have already reported about Commissioner Jenning's reaction to this as being an example of excessive spending - even though had the city stayed with its own police department (her desire), the $350,000 would have been spent in this CRA budget year on overtime and she would have used that as an achievement in her next round of campaign materials. And, after this year, that money would be gone forever - would we have even seen a benefit from it?

So, what is the CRA able to do now that it would have found more difficult to do without these savings? That's where we get back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Now that our safety needs are better met (not perfect, but a significant improvement) - the second lowest level in the pyramid - we can allocate CRA monies to higher levels of the pyramid. Now we can talk about esteem, achievement, beauty, form and about the city's own self-actualization and that of its residents. That money is now directed towards activities that we promote the city of Lake Worth as an artist-friendly destination city, help establish studio and affordable housing for artists and help revitalize what could be a 30 block area of the city within the CRA district. All put together in an effort to be true to the CRA's mission - the elimination of slum and blight.

There are some, traditional supporters of Commissioners Jennnings, Golden and Mulvehill, that are troubled by efforts made by the city, its boards and residents, to make this a better and more attractive place to live. One need to look no further than the City Attorney's report that appears on the 2/17/09 City Commission agenda. It appears below:


This report is repaired in response to questions about how the city selects legal counsel. The very people and associates that are mentioned in the memo (supporters of the "new" majority) are the ones that are questioning the selection of legal counsel - perhaps because almost universally the city has prevailed in these actions taken against it. It would be like a basketball coach being able to pick the players on the opponent's team that match up best against his or her team. Is that fair? Of the above actions, all have been decided in favor of the city, one has been withdrawn and one has yet to be decided.

What the report doesn't indicate is the amount of taxpayer dollars that have been expended in defense of the city. It also doesn't report about the missed opportunities, the negative connotations created about doing business in the city of Lake Worth and the not-so-veiled threat of litigation. What it does say is that there are people with resources - time and money - that can and do dwell in a land of fear of change - essentially security issues related to the maintenance of the status quo in Lake Worth. They are increasingly finding ways to manipulate the system so that the concept of self-actualization will remain an unreachable goal here in our city.

When you read opinions from residents that come from a "fear of anything new" perspective, keep in mind the opportunity cost. Also keep in mind that the rest of the world refuses to stand still. We do have the power to achieve our self-actualization - it will just be more difficult to do if we carry out the fight in the lower levels of the pyramid.

Just last month in his Inaugural Address, President Obama stated that we are judged by what we build, not what we destroy. Let's do our best on a local level to make sure we are true to his sentiment.