City's "three clicks and you're there" website needs work...

During my report on the Historic Resource Preservation Board to the City Commission, I pointed out that there were three vacancies on our seven person board. I later find out that two members' terms were about to expire. So to print out a volunteer board application to give to someone interested in continuing on the board, I went to print one out from the city's website.

You get to the home page. There is no link to "Advisory Boards" there so you have to hit the "City Hall" link - as if that is intuitive. Then you see at the top of the list of potential links along the left hand side of the page "Advisory Boards". After clicking that, there is a cheery question below the first paragraph on the page that asks: "Interested in serving? Click here to learn more. And you come to a page that looks like this.

After reading a lot of irrelevant information, if you are looking for an application in answer to the question "Interested in serving?", you might chance to see an Application link at the bottom of the box in the upper right hand corner. If you click on that, BEWARE. You are taken to what can best be described as Dante's Inferno of web pages. 

At the top of this page you see a title saying "Forms and Spec Sheets". There must be at least one hundred (I didn't bother to count) of every Lake Worth city form imaginable from all the city departments. Remember, we are on a mission here to find a form because we are "Interested in serving?" At this point, if you don't throw up your hands and check the latest on Facebook instead, you have to read down the entire page until you get to the bottom. 

There, the second item from the bottom is the Holy Grail - what we have been searching for. This is what you get when you click on the Advisory Board Application. 

Eureka! You are there. I count six clicks to get there. And we wonder why we don't have more applications for advisory boards? 

Mixed messages at the Lake Worth beach...

There are signs like this here and there, scattered about our beach property. I brought this up under public comment at the Commission meeting when they were setting rates and other policies for the beach. This particular sign is on the south part of the property, near the new bathroom building and right by the southern drop-off circle. I cropped it from this picture. Especially pay attention to the penalty: $500 fine or 60 days in jail.

Look what is in the background.

That's right. In the left side of the picture that is a bike parked at one of the new bike racks right off the asphalt "sidewalk or pedestrian walkway."

Signs like this are called "sharrows" and appear along this asphalt path (below). In this location, it means that the pathway is supposed to be shared with pedestrians. If you see it on regular road, it sends a message to drivers of vehicles that bikes are present and you are sharing the road with them. There are others like this around town and at the beach.

Are you satisfactorily confused yet? There's more. These are bike racks installed at the southern extent of the sidewalk that runs along the entire area alongside the beach. There is a bike being stored there when I took this picture.

Whoever parked their bike there violated the bike ban on "sidewalks and pedestrian walkways." Did I mention I happened to be on my bike at the time too? Well, I was. And another gentleman was on his bike, on the sidewalk, just out of this picture to the left. This is another sharrow that is north of the pier on the same asphalt path.

Here is another set of bike racks near the pavilion and the children's play area. To use these, you would need to have your bike on the sidewalk.

My suggestion would be to remove the current red and white signs and eliminate bicycles from the prohibited items with rolling wheels. I believe the intent is to stop those other things with wheels from using railings and outdoor furniture as ramps and obstacles to jump over. If they don't, the city is sending a mixed message to bicyclists (there is also a bike rental now on the weekends on the SIDEWALK in front of the pool building) and pushing them to ride behind parked cars that are facing-in, through the parking area. This is probably one of the most dangerous areas to ride a bike - behind a parked car at a 90 degree angle where the driver has an obscured view of what is to the left and right behind the car.

Then there is this. The asphalt that runs in front of the bathroom pavilion on the south part of the property is already being pushed up by roots from the adjacent silver buttonwood trees. This asphalt may be a year and a half old, about the same age as the trees.

I hope that this makes it on somebody's punch list.

Charles Dickens

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some."

Excerpt from the Lake Worth Herald, June 5, 2014

Excerpt from the Lake Worth Herald, June 5, 2014, in an article titled: “Voters to Decide Bond Issue Goes to Polls August 26th” (to read entire article go to LWHerald.com or you can purchase the paper at many locations including 600 Lake Ave just west of Starbucks):

“McVoy [Commissioner Christopher McVoy] said he didn't think we were ready to put this before the voters. McVoy has stated all along he believes the city should first assess its vulnerabilities to climate change and the impending sea level rise that could have a detrimental effect on millions of dollars of improvements.
     Commissioner Andy Amoroso produced a report from 2009 studying the possible effects of climate change. The commission in 2009, which included JoAnn Golden didn't find the results of the study ALARMING ENOUGH TO TAKE ANY SPECIAL MEASURES [emphasis added] when rebuilding the casino building.
     Former Commissioner Golden stood before the commission and echoed McVoy's sentiments about not moving forward until a study was done and both McVoy and Golden suggested following the lead of Hoboken, NJ.”

Sounds good to me!

The article goes on to cite Commissioner John Szerdi, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, and Mayor Pam Triolo who along with Commissioner Andy Amoroso voted 4 to 1 to approve the bond referendum on August 26th.

Images that emerge when you Google search for "Pinkie the Blogging Clown"

Received: An interesting e-mail this morning from a loyal reader. It includes a test.

Remember this post/quiz? It's from back on May 23rd. I published a comment this morning that I had held off until the results were in as it would give the author away. Here is how the tally went through various e-mails and phone calls.

McVoy = 12
Dorsey = 0
Rinaldi = 7
McNamara = 2
Golden = 0

None of the above wasn't an option, but two people expressed that choice in their vote. The real answer, as it turns out, is John Rinaldi from one of his many entries on the other blog. The winners get a free can of Mr. Nice Guy. Just come by the house to pick yours up. You all have been notified :)

Here is a quiz for you, Mr. Blackman, blogger extraordinaire and noted gentleman. Following are two observations by an opponent of the Lake Worth 2020 project. These observations, written within a year of today, entirely contradict this person's recent stance on the issue. After the two observations we have a test. A multiple choice test. We challenge you to choose the correct person. Read carefully:

“If our roads, water system, and sewer systems are falling apart because no former commissions spent a dime to upgrade them what do you suggest we do? As you point out, we only have 28 million to run the city. Why don't we have 40 million? The answer is simple. No one will invest here. They go to other cities where they see a stable environment to grow. I wish that we could all agree to face this reality and come up with alternative solutions if you disagree with the commission. Instead here in lake Worth we attack each other personally, year after year and as a result we have little to show for it.”

and...

“We all want the city to succeed but we differ in how we should do that. I keep seeing all these personal attacks that folks inflict on good people in this city and I really believe it is counter productive to solving our problems. So if you believe we should not borrow money to fix our roads and infrastructure then state what we should do and where we will get the money to do it.”

Who said this? Was it:

A. Lake Worth Commissioner Christopher McVoy
B. Atlantis resident Dennis Dorsey
C. Lake Worth Business owner/P&;Z Chair John Rinaldi
D. Former Lake Worth P&Z member Lawrence McNamara
E. Former Lake Worth Commissioner JoAnn Golden

We can start working on the prize for the winner. How about a old, rusty and patched "custom" 2 inch water pipe delivered to your dwelling, signed by Lake Worth Water/Sewer Utilities Director Larry A. Johnson?

Of course, yours truly is not eligible to compete.

Post by Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management.

You gotta hand it to Larry the Lenz...

Boy, does he have connections! He just lined up a supply of Mr. Nice Guy for me and him to try out. He should be careful on how much he drinks though. Each can weighs more than he does!

We'll let you know within a few days what we think of this beverage.

Another $710,000 from Quantum Foundation for PBC health

Homebound and food insecure seniors in Lake Worth will soon be helped by the expansion of Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches (MOWPB) services, thanks to a grant from local health funder -- Quantum Foundation.

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (May 28, 2014): The board of Quantum Foundation, under the chairmanship of local businessman and philanthropist William A. Meyer, approved six new grants totaling $710,000 at its board meeting held on May 22, 2014. The private foundation based in West Palm Beach funds projects that tackle health problems in fresh and innovative ways. Every dollar the foundation grants, about $7.5 million every year, stays in Palm Beach County to benefit local communities. 

Quantum Foundation’ latest grant recipients include:

Alzheimer’s Community Care ($60,000)
This grant seeks to improve care for families living with neuro-cognitive disorders by creating a nationally-recognized community-based model for patients and family caregivers.

Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches ($70,000)
This grant aims to fund the expansion of the organization’s food delivery system to include homebound seniors to the Lake Worth area.

Place of Hope ($100,000)
This grant helps bridge the gap for young people aging out of the foster care system by providing support and services, including career and employment training and housing assistance, at the organization’s southern campus – The Haven.

Center for Family Services ($125,000)
This grant provides financial support to assist the organization in its work to strengthen families through counselling, education and homeless intervention.
Florida Atlantic University Community Health Center ($205,000)
This grant supports the Health Center in providing comprehensive, culturally-sensitive primary health care services to the community while enriching student learning and faculty research and scholarship.

Legal-Aid Society ($150,000)
This grant funds the Society’s work to ensure access to the justice system for low-income, disadvantaged and traditionally underserved residents of the county to ensure they are represented in issues of medical relevance such as access to benefits and access to quality care.

Quantum Foundation is West Palm Beach’s largest health-related grantmaking organization with 100% of funding dollars staying in the county. The foundation has assets of approximately $140 million and since its inception in 1997 has awarded over $115 million to hundreds of grantees in Palm Beach County. 

The 12-member board unanimously approved the grants which will provide much needed services directly aligned with the foundation’s mission. One of this grant cycle’s funded projects helps Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches (MOWPB) better care for local homebound seniors by providing the nutrition they need for their personal optimal health.

Meals on Wheels Expansion Project
Founded in 2010, Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches (MOWPB) has focused on reducing the number of malnourished and food insecure seniors in the county. According to the Health Consequences of Senior Hunger in the United States study, food insecure seniors are 50 percent more likely to be diabetic, twice as likely to report fair or poor general health, three times more likely to suffer from depression, and nearly 14 percent have high blood pressure. The Quantum Foundation grant will enable MOWPB to expand its service, currently offered in West Palm Beach, to the neighboring Lake Worth area. In 2013, volunteers of MOWPB delivered more than 13,000 hot nutritious meals in West Palm Beach and now the organization plans to deliver 4,000 more to seniors in Lake Worth.

“We’ve identified downtown Lake Worth as an area in great need for our services,” said MOWPB Executive Director, Charles Ring. “We’re also starting to move into parts of Riviera Beach and other key areas where there is a high percentage of aged and homebound seniors. These people are often hidden away because they have limited mobility. Most can’t drive or cook safely anymore. We don’t want them to be forgotten. Often Meals on Wheels is a lifeline for these seniors. Our volunteers represent their food, and often their only companionship or human connection for the day. It’s very gratifying work and Quantum Foundation’s grant will help us do more of it.”

Quantum Foundation’s President Eric M. Kelly said: “Health is multi-faceted and means different things to different people. While the foundation has always worked to ensure a robust health workforce for the county and funded the county’s community health center system, we clearly acknowledge that without meeting people’s basic needs, it’s impossible for them to be healthy. Good nutrition, health education, exercise – all these are the building blocks of good health and assisting our senior with the most basic need of wholesome food is the motivation behind the Meals on Wheels grant.”

Quantum Foundation welcomes letters of inquiry/grant applications from non-profit organizations working directly within its focus areas. For more information, please visit the organization’s website at www.quantumfnd.org  

***
Background: 
Quantum Foundation is a private grantmaking organization that funds approved charities and certain government agencies serving Palm Beach County, Florida. The organization’s mission is to inspire and fund bold initiatives that improve the health of Palm Beach County. According to the latest data compiled by the Florida Philanthropic Network (FPN), Quantum Foundation is the largest Palm Beach County-based health funder with 100% of grant dollars used to support local communities. 

A late addition to the Consent Agenda from Tuesday night's Commission meeting (6/3)

This item was placed on the Consent Agenda as Item D on the add/delete sheet. No comments were made regarding the possible transfer of this city-owned property to the CRA for a future "West Village" and "Luna Park" project. This will assist the CRA in applying for grant monies to fund the project and do something about this white elephant of a property that the city has owned for years. Here is the property as it sits today. Photos courtesy of Larry the Lenz.

Larry set up a special gizmo so he could get a "hands free" picture of himself.
He's a ham, but a resourceful one to be sure.

This is the conceptual site plan that will be part of the grant application. This property is immediately north of the Armory Annex (housed in the Shuffleboard Court building) and just east of the Lake Worth Artist Lofts. I'm sure the creative juices of the CRA will turn this into a cultural asset with the assistance of grant/foundation monies.

Around Town: Forget the blues: Bamboo Room owners looking for buyers with green - The Coastal Star

Nice round-up by the Coastal Star on our area's music and entertainment scene. It includes a write-up on the probable sale of the building containing the Bamboo Room, with this reflection on what it has meant for our community during its existence. Click title for link.

For nearly a decade and a half, the Bamboo Room has been Russ Hibbard’s musical sandbox. With the exception of being shuttered during the economic blues from 2008 to 2011, the club, beautifully decorated and filled with musical memorabilia, has been a haven for lovers of live music since 1999. But times are changing. Hibbard and wife and co-owner Karen McKinley are preparing for retirement in a couple of years and want the freedom that goes with it. They want to make a clean break from the club. But rather than just drop it, they want to find a solid buyer before that transition begins.
    “Several people are interested; two of them are club operators,” Hibbard said, brimming with optimism.“We had four showings in one day.”
    But leaving won’t be easy. Every time he comes across an old clipping, he gets nostalgic about the entertainers he met and the customers he served. “It had an amazing run,” he said. “I hope someone will buy it and keep it going. I would hate to have to auction all of this off.”

Point of View: Righteous indignation over All Aboard just a... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

The political power of class, money  and privilege is exposed in this Op-Ed piece from the Palm Beach Post. Most definitely worth the read. Click title for link.The new disease in Florida, COI (Convenient Outrage and Indignation) is now out of control!

Today, the disease of convenient outrage and indignation has raised its ugly head again. Now it seems the residents of Jupiter Island are opposed to the planned All Aboard Florida high-speed train that will link Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. The train doesn’t even go onto Jupiter Island. And what better way to express our convenient outrage and indignation than to drag out our beloved firefighters? The train will impede emergency vehicles. And what about a trauma on the island? “The closures will shave precious moments from the famed Golden Hour where expert treatment of a traumatic injury is most likely to save lives,” according to Jupiter Island Mayor Harry Charleston.
Again, strangely, all of the fire stations that respond to Jupiter Island are east of U.S. 1 and the railroad tracks are just west of it. Also, any trauma on Jupiter Island would be flown to a trauma center and helicopters don’t care where the train tracks are. I would be surprised if Jupiter Island has more than one trauma call every five years and that, more likely than not, wouldn’t be to a resident of Jupiter Island but to the Guatemalan who fell while trimming his trees.

Deal reached between express and commuter lines for FEC access | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

It might be 2020 now that we can experience local passenger train service on Tri-Rail's Coast Link which will share the same right-of-way with All Aboard Florida. An operating agreement has been reached now on how the two entities will interact with service and pricing. All Aboard Florida will be operational first and will be for the traveler going longer distances, at higher prices. The Coastal Link will be less expensive and stop everywhere there is a station between Miami and Jupiter to provide local service at commuter rail prices. Click title for link to article.

A stalemate over running commuter trains along the FEC Railway tracks was resolved last month with an agreement that avoids competition between All Aboard Florida’s express service and the proposed Tri-Rail Coastal Link.
The deal is a milestone in negotiations, which can now move forward to how much it will cost Tri-Rail to use the FEC tracks, said Steven Abrams, a Palm Beach County commissioner and representative on the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority board.
“We’re very pleased with the outcome,” Abrams said.

PBSO Heroes - Outside the City of Lake Worth, but a Lake Worth address

Keepin' it Classy in Greenfield, CA

Suri - Soft Opening Last Night - 707 Lake Avenue

We were invited for the second seating. As we came in, people coming out were already raving about the food and the service. Got to meet the owners John and Maureen who really have a nice space to create a successful restaurant. Their Grand Opening is Saturday, June 14th. The small plates started coming out which included two salads - one with a goat cheese and pistachio ball, yum! My favorite was the tuna tartar with a little crab meat on top. Next came a scallop (sorry, allergic I am) but Bill said that it was perfect. Chicken and biscuit, then a little bit of meatloaf and some divine mashed potatoes. Dessert was to be S'mores, but we passed on that. Instead, we enjoyed mixing with people that dropped by our table and enjoying the night air. It is amazing how easy it is to get to downtown Lake Worth from College Park on a bike, with lights front and rear, of course. Very nice evening and a big welcome to a new business in our historic downtown!

Here's their full menu:

Check out our new mural downtown - just west of Mar-Tiki

This is on a vertical wall. Look above the storefronts. Cool illusion.

Tall Tower Debates Could Use Less Dogma, Better Design | Planetizen: The Urban Planning, Design, and Development Network

Attention all height demagogues! Read this thoughtful article and click title for link.

Well, I guess if you are a demagogue, you probably aren't going to change your mind by reading it and likely won't take the time. That is the trouble with demagogues. They are known for being closed-minded on the issues they wish to use to divide the voting public. The author, Brent Toderian is an international consultant on height and density of buildings, of which there is a relationship between. And it seems to be a balance, based upon location, surroundings and other factors related to design. He argues that height should not be the driving issue in the high-rise debate. He does mention one extreme critic who says there is a special place in hell for architects that design buildings over six stories, but clearly this is the outlier and not the sort of inflexible way of thinking that helps come to grips with the issue.

The article is longer than usual, but really worth the read since we went through a period where height was THE most important consideration in Lake Worth. Perhaps if that condominium on Lake Osborne Drive was on the 21st story, it would command a higher value and actually contribute to the city's general fund. The article points out that units on higher floors traditionally command a premium over lower floor units. He also gets into the psychology of high-rise versus "earth bound" living, which was probably the real reason for the debate in our community. Just a thought.

Commission's discussion after public comment on the Lake Worth 2020 plan - 6/3 meeting

Commissioner McVoy reacts during the first five minutes. Most notable is Commissioner Maxwell's emotional response that starts around the 18 minute mark.

Public Comment on Lake Worth 2020 Plan from Tuesday's Commission meeting (6/3)

Lifeguards use pier jumping technique to save lives - wptv.com

Lake Worth beach and its lifeguards are featured in this Channel 5 "must watch" video. Click title for link. It seems that people ignore the riptide warnings and instead swim right out into them.

Synthetic marijuana maker Mr. Nice Guy back with ‘relaxing’ drink | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Click title for link to article on a new product associated with some familiar faces, two who are still behind bars.

VanTassell [Ron VanTassell, Mr. Nice Guy's new co-owner] said the drink is designed to provide a relaxing sensation and help people unwind at the end of the day. He said they worked closely and carefully to make sure the product has legal levels of all the ingredients, but he said they pushed it to the max to make it as potent as possible. It contains melatonin and some ingredients found in nighttime teas, among others.
The product has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but the ingredients have been given the green light.
The FDA does not have to approve dietary supplements with approved ingredients before they go on shelves, but companies are required to pass on reports if it creates an adverse effect on consumers, FDA spokeswoman Theresa Eisenman said. If a product proves to be unsafe, it would be removed from distribution.
When the drink was first released, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office had it tested and found no trace of illegal substances, spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.

City News for College Park residents

The City has advised the College Park Neighborhood Association that they will begin trimming the trees and other vegetation around the power poles in College Park in July. Because alley access is so limited in this neighborhood, crews will only have access to the poles by going through our yards in most cases. To SCHEDULE a day and time that's convenient for you so the crews can come and trim up around your power poles, please call the system ops line at (561) 586-1695. The City will issue the work order to the contractor, Davey Tree Trimming.

Please do not attempt to trim tree branches, palm fronds or vines around the power lines yourself. These are high voltage wires! There is NO CHARGE for this service, but keep in mind that the City only trims trees and vegetation around the power poles - not all the trees on your property. If you have any questions, please call the Energy Delivery Manager, Robert Beckel at (561) 586-1705 or by email atrbeckel@lakeworth.org Remember, this will start in July. Another notice as we get closer to July will go out to all neighbors via email, and through our website and Facebook page.

If you don't schedule a specific day and time for this service, the City will still try to notify neighbors with flyers a couple days before the crews are set to work on your block. It would be greatly appreciated if neighbors next to each other could coordinate days and times so more work can be done in less trips.

The City coordinated this effort with CP last year and the effort paid off with more power lines than ever being cleared. Let's make this year even more successful!

http://www.collegeparklakeworth.com/

First part of the Lake Worth 2020 ballot language discussion from the 6/3 Commission meeting

This is the first half hour of Item 12 (a) New Business: Resolution No. 29-2014 - call for a bond referendum election on August 26, 2014.

After a brief introduction by the City Manager, the City Attorney responds to questions about establishing a special assessment and how that would be difficult in a built-out city where some would benefit and some would not benefit as much. He said that the scope of the project and the number of infrastructure systems that would be improved: water, roads, sewer, sidewalks, street-lighting all would be difficult to quantify and apply fairly. This would open the city to legal challenges and he mentions how the city is trying to prevent legal challenges in a proactive way. He made it sound like this was counter to the way things were handled in the past.

Commissioner McVoy presents his concerns about the degree to which climate change and sea level rise were incorporated into the plan and shares a PowerPoint presentation outlining his concerns. He thought it was premature for the city to go ahead with this program as he has not seen evidence that this was looked into. He couldn't support it going on the ballot at this time. Commissioner Szerdi responds that it is difficult to predict how sea level rise will impact Lake Worth and to identify the sorts of projects that would be affected by such a change. He points out that there are baffles that can be installed in drains to prevent back-up of sea water at high tides. He is comfortable with the plan going forward.

Public comment begins right at the end of this first video on the discussion.

Rise and shine

Sung at Lake Worth Rotary today...

The more we get together,
together, together,
the more we get together,
the happier we shall be.
For your friends
are my friends,
and my friends
are your friends.
The more we get together,
the happier we shall be.

Commission Responses to Public Comment (6/3) from last night's meeting

Public comment on unagendaed items from last night's (6/3) Commission meeeting

Commission Comments and Liaison Reports from last night's (6/3) meeting

Parrot Cove NA Presentation at last night's (6/3) Commission Meeting

Who Commissioner McVoy listens to...

Antwerp over the past 100 years, then and now...

I thought this was interesting for us in Lake Worth to look at as it spans roughly the same time period as the life of our city. Many people have problems dealing with the abstraction of the next 30 years. This may provide some comfort, or not, about the permanence of our built environment. Click here for more information on Antwerp, Belgium and the beginnings of World War I.

Lake Worth puts $63.5 million bond on August ballot | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Click title for link to Eliot Kleinberg's report on what happened at last night's meeting. I expected more people to attend and talk on the topic. There will be a video of the discussion up soon if you weren't able to catch the meeting live. Here is a bit from the article:

The city would tack the bond costs onto residents’ property tax bills: an extra $1.66 per $1,000 of a home’s taxable value for each of the first two years, $2.33 in years three and four, and $3.18 in year five.
Residents would continue to pay after that, but the per-year amount could be reduced, or any of the bonds even paid off early, if the city is able to refinance them or get some grants, or if revenue rises as property values continue to recover. The full payoff is estimated at $130 million.
Tuesday’s lone “no” vote: Commissioner Christopher McVoy.
“I don’t think we’re ready to put this before the voters,” McVoy said. He said the city should first assess its vulnerability to climate change and sea-level rise and how that could, in the long run, counteract the millions in improvements.

Commissioner Szerdi had some good responses to Commissioner McVoy's concerns. He pointed out that the Casino building was not built on pilings and is just laying there on the sand to be washed away in a big storm. It's behind a seawall of questionable integrity. It once had a tunnel that linked the building to the beach. That didn't seem to be a problem to Commissioner McVoy at the time, nor does it now. Huh, so much for resiliency.

The fate that awaits our Casino building?

And let me say this too. Commissioner McVoy has a Phd from Cornell and works with large water/soil projects, so it would seem. He surely is around civil engineers. Those civil engineers are licensed by the state and certified so that they can seal civil engineering plans. By doing so, they put their very livelihoods on the line. Remember too that the city's existing infrastructure was designed to what 1940, 1960, 1980 standards? Who knows what engineering assumptions were made years ago for our aging, existing infrastructure. Even if it were designed to a certain standard, does its current condition still allow it to do what it was originally designed to do?

If you were a licensed, certified civil engineer involved in a public infrastructure project of this scope for a community in south Florida, you surely would take into considerations current data and projections in the design of your infrastructure. It would certainly be better than who knows what we have been designed to right now. Doing nothing would not improve our position in terms of increased chances of more and stronger storms, for example. Commissioner McVoy knows this. He has to. But he continues to beat this drum since it plays to his peeps. His protestations are really disingenuous.

Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean

Five charged with robbing Lake Worth brothers at knifepoint | www.palmbeachpost.com

Note to self: Do not walk down Congress Avenue at 3 a.m. in the morning and kick up a conversation with a group of five people asking for cigarettes. Check out the record of the worst offenders. Click title for link.

Teixeira , 32, has been arrested in Palm Beach County 15 times since 2002, court records show. He was sentenced to 20 months in state prison after being found guilty of burglary and grand theft in May 2013.
Kier, 34, has 11 felony arrests in Palm Beach County dating to 2003.

How is the first guy out walking around if he was sentenced in May of 2013 for a term of 20 months? This crime happened outside the Lake Worth city limits. Crime does happen elsewhere too, by the way. Just want to be sure everyone is aware of that. Here's some more crime in Greenfield, California:

Breaking & Entering
06/02/2014
800 Block EL CAMINO REAL
Assault with Deadly Weapon
06/01/2014
300 Block 11TH ST

Lake Worth apartments sell for $12.9 million | Real Time

This property is just within the city of Lake Worth and consists of 120 four bedroom units. It last sold in 2011 for $7.8 million. That is a 65% increase over three years, about a 22% increase per year. These are not far from the Villages of Lake Worth being built right now at the northwest corner of Boutwell and Lake Worth Roads. Click title for link. This property is within the area that is considered part of the Park of Commerce.

Click here for link to the Property Appraiser website. The property contributes $39,000 to the city's general fund now with a taxable valuation of $7.2 million. Total ad valorem taxes were $171,644 this tax year.

Recreation Board Presentation from last night's (6/3) Commission meeting

Presentation by State Representative Bill Hager from last night's (6/3) Commission Meeting.

Part of the back-up for the Lake Worth 2020 plan found in tonight's agenda packet

Proposed Lake Worth 2020 Ballot Language - On tonight's City Commission agenda

Sage Advice

“Most cities try to insulate their City Manager from city politics and encourage them to plant roots in the community. In Lake Worth, real estate brokers have usually tried to give me friendly advice not to purchase property or sign long term rental agreements.”

Former City Manager Susan Stanton from her self evaluation at a city workshop on 4/4/2011

Armory Annex at Lake Worth | Armory Art Center

The Armory Annex is now open at the Lake Worth Shuffleboard Court building. Click title for link to their website where you will find a schedule for classes and tuition fees.

Fort Lauderdale bicyclist arrested - Sun Sentinel

More details emerge from the "take down" incident that happened during the "Critical Mass" bike ride in Ft. Lauderdale last Friday. Click title for link. From the article:

Littell ignored orders to park his bike, made an obscene gesture at the officers and said, "Go ahead and hit me," the affidavit states.
Littell could not be reached for comment.
In an interview Littell gave to WFOR-Ch.4, he said he was sore after the arrest. According to the TV report, he admitted to riding in front of the patrol car to "calm him down, slow him down."
Littell was charged with obstruction/resisting arrest without violence and failure to obey law enforcement — both misdemeanor offenses — and with non-criminal traffic citations for making an improper lane change; failure to yield and riding a bike two or more abreast to impede traffic.

Palm Beach group asks Scott to stop port project | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Palm Beachers are doing everything they can to stop the Port of Palm Beach widening and deepening the Palm Beach Inlet. Click title for link.

Hazy this morning...

Palm Beach County Coastal Hazard Statement Statement as of 3:42 PM EDT on June 02, 2014

...High rip current risk remains in effect through Wednesday evening...

* timing...through Wednesday evening.

* Impacts...hazardous swimming conditions will affect the East Coast beaches of South Florida...especially around piers or jetties where currents can be stronger.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

There is a high risk of rip currents.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore...which occur most often at low spots or breaks in The Sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards and the beach patrol. Pay attention to flags and posted signs.

If you become caught in a rip current...do not panic. Remain calm and begin to swim parallel to shore. Once you are away from the force of the rip current...begin to swim back to the beach. Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current. Even a strong swimmer can become exhausted quickly.

The hasty retreat from getting rid of PBSO - 2011

Something to remember...

To the Point, Sunday, June 1, 2014: The debate over 'All Aboard Florida' - wptv.com

Click title for link for a video from the "To the Point" Channel 5's Sunday news program where the representative from All Aboard Florida is interviewed by Michael Woods and is joined by a representative of the opposition that has formed in Martin County. The program aired on June 1st.

West Palm Beach faces legal fights in each of three... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Some obstacles to overcome in the courts prior to shovels hitting the ground in some larger projects approved by the West Palm Beach City Commission. Click title for link. Here is what Mayor Muoio says:

Mayor Jeri Muoio, in her Wednesday weekly news briefing, said, “We have very excellent planners who are very knowledgeable. I believe that we’ve done what we needed to do (and) comfortable that we have followed our own rules.
“Change is difficult. There are lots of people that would like to keep the city a sleepy little town. I appreciate that,” the mayor said. “If you want services, we have to increase tax dollars somehow. Where is that money going to come from?"

Windy morning at the beach...

Picture courtesy of tropric.com.

Beware rip currents; 6 pulled from surf, swimmer missing near... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Click title for link. Swimmer still missing near Juno Beach.

Palm Beach County Coastal Hazard Statement Statement as of 8:03 PM EDT June 01, 2014

...High rip current risk in effect through Wednesday evening...

The National Weather Service in Miami has issued a high rip current risk...which is in effect through Wednesday evening.

* Timing...through Wednesday evening.

* Impacts...hazardous swimming conditions will affect the East Coast beaches of South Florida...especially around piers or jetties where currents can be stronger.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

There is a high risk of rip currents.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore...which occur most often at low spots or breaks in The Sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards and the beach patrol. Pay attention to flags and posted signs.

If you become caught in a rip current...do not panic. Remain calm and begin to swim parallel to shore. Once you are away from the force of the rip current...begin to swim back to the beach. Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current. Even a strong swimmer can become exhausted quickly.

A warm-up to what is coming on the Park of Commerce...

Crime tsunami continues in Greenfield, California

Assault
05/31/2014
1100 Block HEIDI DR & ELM AV

Theft
05/30/2014
900 Block WALNUT AV & 10TH ST

Dawn breaks at the Lake Worth beach...

WPB commissioner James settles election probe | West Palm Beat

I think there are laws to regarding the use of leftover political committee monies. I hear a case like this is working through the system now. Stay tuned. In the meantime, click title for link to how this matter was resolved in West Palm Beach.

Fort Lauderdale Cops Tackle Critical Mass Cyclist on Video | New Times Broward-Palm Beach

A Critical Mass bike ride in  Ft. Lauderdale got a little out of hand last Friday night. It depends which side of the story you want to believe, but it appears that the group of bicyclists was preventing car traffic from going past them, the police got there and then there was a take-down. The last part was caught on video. Click title for link and make sure to read both pages as the other side of the story is part of a comment that appears on the second page.

Later, I found this video on YouTube of one of their Broward Critical Mass rides from last June. They use both traffic lanes and send people to block traffic until they are out of the intersection. No wonder they had a brush with the law.