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The on-street parking issue that has emerged is now part of the agenda - comments on that item will be taken when the Commission discusses it.  Apparently, the city staff has put together a map showing areas where on-street parking will not be permitted in residential areas.  This issue has taken many by surprise.

Commissioner Jennings is voting against the sheriff's contract due to the city's inability to control costs.  The Mayor pointed out that the amendment to the agreement allowed for the reduction in cost this year.  Commissioner Maxwell pointed out the the decision to go with the sheriff was made without the foresight of knowing that property taxes would plummet like they have and that the sheriff has reduced their contract.  Commissioner Jennings believes that keeping our own department would give the Commission better control over cost.  She, and all others, had nothing but good things to say about the sheriff's level of service and reduction in crime.  If you were spending a certain amount of money with our own department and not getting the results for it that money was being wasted.  Apparently Commissioner Jennings doesn't think that lower crime is worth spending incrementally higher rates for that service.  "Effectiveness" doesn't seem to matter and public safety is something that isn't of paramount importance to her.  How about working on the other side of the ledger - like finding ways to attract private investment to Lake Worth?

Now they are talking about the city fire truck going to Haiti - again, some more.  The ambulance has been shipped, but Commissioner Golden has a problem with sending a pumper truck to an unstable country.  They moved the issue to the Sister City board to follow through.

Many people are upset about the storm water fee on their tax bill - many from the Park of Commerce and others with commercial properties.  No one can determine how their fee was calculated.  This is a "catch-up" fee from 2004 and is being made up now.  According to the City Manager, this was a mistake by the property appraiser's office.  Joe Kroll is doing his best, as requested by the Mayor, to answer the questions.  They tabled the item until next week.

They are now talking about the parking restrictions in residential areas - and there are a lot of people there to speak on the issue.  A flier was distributed about this matter over the weekend by concerned residents.  After a lengthy explanation by Joe Kroll and everyone saying that this is not ready to come to the Commission yet and nothing is being done about on street parking prohibition.  Commissioner Jennings used this as an opportunity to say how different things were now - that maybe before there might have been decisions made without neighbor and resident input, but we are beyond that know and that any decision that is made now is done with public input.  (burp)  Much back-peddling happening now on everyone's part - saying it's not a priority, it's a third or fourth tier problem, etc., etc. Commissioner Maxwell asked if this opens the city to liability issues - "Can the door be closed once it is open?" - Mayor.  Commissioner Golden, "It wasn't an issue until it was an issue."  Brilliant.

Just a quick note here - the largest crowd that I remember ever for a Planning and Zoning Board meeting was when revision of the recreational vehicle storage part of the code appeared on our agenda.  We chose not to pursue any changes.  Any issue like this is guaranteed to pack a room.

People are using this opportunity to talk against parking meters in the downtown too.

City Manager: "The money just is not there.  You are looking at a situation where the economy and the tax base in this community have deteriorated over the past 10 years."