FULL TEXT - Tyranny – Alive and Well in Lake Worth? By Wes Blackman, AICP

In the United States of America, we enjoy many freedoms made possible by our form of government. These freedoms spring from our Constitution. Being part of this representative democracy, we have the freedom to chose the degree to which we participate and engage in the process of governing ourselves. There are many that are so involved in the day-to-day activities of life, raising a family, pursuing a career or just getting by that choose not to involve themselves in the on-going affairs of civic life. This freedom allows those that choose not to engage the ability to let others take on the responsibilities of self-government.

It is therefore the rare individual that chooses to emerge from a group of people being governed and desires to take a role in creating an environment of how we will be governed. When this happens, it is something to be celebrated and encouraged.

Recently in Lake Worth, a group of nearly 30 people took the time to submit applications to serve on the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). These people performed the cost/benefit analysis that those who choose to serve the public must perform. Would giving time to benefit the city in which I live be worth the time and commitment it would take to serve? Those 30 people thought they'd like to give it a shot and try to make a positive difference. Probably most thought if they did not make it through the interview process, at least their effort to apply would be acknowledged by those making the appointments as a public service worthy of admiration in and of itself.

This group of 30 expressed a desire to serve on one of the city's volunteer boards – the Community Redevelopment Agency. In response to their application, they received notice that they would be interviewed by a group of elected officials who would appoint 6 of the 30 to serve their community in an effort to combat Lake Worth's slum and blight. These interviews were to take place on June 8^th of this year.

Due to a series of difficult-to-explain events, the applicants seeking a role in guiding the city of Lake Worth were turned around at the door. They were told that interviews were cancelled – some by just a note placed on the door to City Hall.

Those who enjoy the intrigue of past foibles on the part of the city might be interested in how this situation came to pass, but the principle message sent to those volunteer applicants was: “We don't know if we need you after all.” A poor message to be sent by the city to its most engaged citizens. Our elected officials then chose to discuss the very nature of the board these volunteers were applying to – perhaps eliminating their role in it entirely.

That discussion came to pass this past Monday night. Assembled in the City Commission's chambers that evening were many of the already sitting CRA volunteer board members and various interested members of the public. All were waiting to here the reasons for, yet again, the elected City Commission taking over this volunteer board. The previous attempt came as recently as last year.

Drawing from a quarter-of-a-century experience as a certified urban planner and one that has been primarily involved in redevelopment, the make-up of CRA boards reflects the unique characteristics of the community and the goals of the elected body of that community. In the history of the Lake Worth CRA, it has been both made up of the elected City Commission and an appointed board. It has been an appointed board much more than one made up of elected officials. The CRA relates to a “district” where there is a concentration of slum and blight. Having an all volunteer and appointed board is usually a way to involve those who live within, or have a business within, that district. The theory is that the people who have an interest, material and otherwise, in that specific area are the people that you want making decisions about its redevelopment. Another reason for an elected body to establish a board of appointees is to bring in professional redevelopment expertise that is offered free of charge and that may not be represented by the skills and expertise of those on the elected body.

We didn't hear that discussion on Monday night. What we heard was the need for “control and oversight.” This coming from an elected body whose record doesn't compare too favorably with the results of the volunteer CRA board – funding and improvements to our two major entrance corridors from I-95, application for $25 million in Federal money for a Neighborhood Stabilization Program in our most blighted neighborhoods, facade grants to local businesses, support of targeted code enforcement and police efforts and more.

Instead of being lauded for the volunteer board's work, we heard that the board is “out of control” with spending. What the Commission did not realize is that next year, due to the second highest decline in municipal property values in all 38 Palm Beach County municipalities, there will essentially be NO discretionary spending possible in what may be a $2.2 million CRA operating budget. This is down from the present $4.9 million operating budget of the current fiscal year.

We also heard that there is too much talk and criticism of the City Commission by members of the CRA and that this “has to stop.” One of our freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution is that of free speech and, associated with that, no required “blind allegiance” to those who appoint us. What was suggested here by the City Commission is that, if they admittedly didn't have time to do an adequate job of addressing slum and blight conditions themselves, they would like a “rubber stamp” board that they can count on for complete agreement in all matters. This is practically an impossibility, as no one person thinks exactly the same as another person on all matters.

Also associated with freedom of speech is the right to dissent and the right to express that dissent. According to parliamentary procedure, someone makes a motion, there is discussion (where consent or dissent can be expressed) and then there is a vote. Many times there are people who vote their convictions based on the information presented and end up on the losing side of the vote. Other times, they may find themselves on the prevailing side of an issue. This is a standard part of how we govern ourselves.

To expect complete adherence to the view of one, a majority or all members of the body that appoints you to act in the public interest, is not democracy – that my friends is tyranny. If we continue to have discussions in the Commission chambers were dissent and debate are discouraged, then we are missing an opportunity to explore a greater range of ideas, experiences and expertise that can make our city a better place to live, work and play. If not, Lake Worth will continue to be left in the dust of the other municipalities in Palm Beach County.

After Monday night, one is left to wonder if “blind allegiance” is all that is expected by a certain few of our elected officials – regardless of the impact that would have on our future.

This is the full text of the op-ed article which appeared in the Lake Worth Herald on July 30, 2009.