Lake Worth Beach City Limits: 2014-07-20

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Editorial: Florida surgeon general should show leadership on... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Shameful example of the use of politics to fan the flames of ignorance and fear. In this editorial, the Palm Beach Post names names and good for them. Let the light of truth shine and blot out the darkness. Click title for link. From the editorial:

Because of the often angry and occasionally racist rantings from protest groups attempting to block the immigrant children from being moved, it’s not difficult to understand why the Obama administration might chose to avoid advertising the children’s movements.
A sampling of the dozens of letters Scott has received from Floridians on the subject indicates a rising level of hysteria and xenophobia.
The letter-writers, many claiming tea party affiliation, refer to the children’s arrival as an “illegal invasion;” they describe them as “burglars, rapists, murderers, terrorists.” The chairman and vice chairman of the Highlands Tea Party, for example, warned Scott on July 14 that Florida children going back to school in August might find themselves exposed to ebola if put in contact with the immigrant children.
“These illegal immigrant minors entering the U.S. are bringing serious diseases — including swine flu, dengue fever, ebola virus, tuberculosis, chicken pox, measles,” wrote John Nelson [Highlands tea party Chair] and John Drozinski [Highlands tea party Vice Chair].

Handy summary of county grants received by neighborhoods in Lake Worth...

This is put together by the South Palm Park neighborhood association and shared on their blog. Here is the list:

Some of the items in the Grant include:

- Neighborhood Association President’s Council, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $2,100 to purchase items for the Front Porch project
- Lake Worth’s College Park Homeowners Association, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,600 to purchase items for a neighborhood watch project
- South Palm Park Association, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $3,300 to construct butterfly gardens and install association banners
- Cottages of Lake Worth, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,800 to purchase printing services for neighborhood maps
- Royal Poinciana Neighborhood Association, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,800 to purchase signs, solar security lights and banners
- Residents of Lake Osborne Heights, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,000 to purchase pet waste stations and neighborhood banners
- Lake Worth Eden Neighborhood Association, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $400 to purchase vinyl community banners
- Pineapple Beach Neighborhood Association, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,300 to purchase printing services for banners, signs and other items for a community awareness project
- Neighborhood Association President's Council, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $4,000 to purchase street banners

Wet rainy season to blame for all the roaches shutting down S. Florida restaurants? - wptv.com

This segment aired last night concerning eating establishments being over-run by cockroaches, partly as a result of the rainy weather we've been having. Our biggest local celebrity, Greg Rice, gets some air time at about the 1:05 mark in the video. Click title for link.

Critical Mass Fort Lauderdale Is Happening Tonight: Here's How to Join the Ride and Avoid Trouble | New Times Broward-Palm Beach

This went off last night in Broward County, as did one in West Palm Beach. Both happen on the last Friday of the month. There has been some controversy and "dust ups" with previous events like this, but it sounds as if things are getting under control now. I understand that there is one in Lake Worth coming up this Friday so stay tuned for more information. Click title for link. From the article:

The important thing to remember is that this isn't a race, nor is it a gathering to rail against the man. [emphasis added]
It's a bike ride with lots of people who love bike riding and who want to promote and celebrate bike riding safety. [emphasis added] Critical Masses are about promoting safety, particularly in South Florida, where bike accidents happen pretty frequently and where drivers and cyclists have a history of not liking each other very much.
So, it's important to keep in mind that there are rules involved [emphasis added] in being a part of the fun.
Some of the key rules -- outside of basic common sense -- include not overriding the group by sticking to the pace, wearing no headphones, making sure your bike has the proper safety lights (per Florida law), communicating with your fellow riders (if you're gonna pass someone, give them a holler), and if you need to stop for any reason, making sure you pull off away from the rest of the cyclists.

An important reminder about the Citizens Against Unfair Taxation PAC...

It was formed as a Palm Beach County, not a Lake Worth, political action committee. Their treasurer is not a Lake Worth resident. Their causes are not specific to Lake Worth. Be CAUTious when approached by one of the members of Citizens Against Unfair Taxation.

Here's their original filing paperwork. Note there is no mention of Lake Worth, only Palm Beach County. Do you want people that are only concerned about County issues to tell you how to vote in a Lake Worth election?

Friday, July 25, 2014

Happening today in our downtown...

The real story comes out...

Left as a comment under the "Pitiful" post:

"Last month pinkie the saggy faced revisionist blogging clown posted a story about denesh desousa's latest anti socialism patriot movie and announced she was on her way out the door to see it. I posted asking her if she was going to use her social security money to pay for the movie ticket, sneak in the popcorn she bought with her government issued food stamps and if she happened to get sick from the popcorn use her government provided health care at the emergency room.
After that she stopped taking anonymous posts. It wasn't Wes. Sorry about getting everybody blocked."

Forest Service searching for people who placed spiked rebar in the roads - ABC15 Arizona

More shenanigans being play out at the cost of property and innocent people. Click title for link. Here EF! describes the practice and gives DIY information.

West Palm Beach to do online “town halls” on budget | West Palm Beat

Innovative idea coming from West Palm Beach on a virtual Town Hall program. Click here for an example of how it will be used. The two topics being covered now are the budget and the Grassy Waters project. Click title for short article.

Pitiful

The other blogger says that she is no longer accepting anonymous comments to stop me from posting them. Problem is, I haven't been to her blog in two years and can't remember the last time I posted there. She is using the excuse that I am "bullying" her to squelch dissent to her opinion. And then she says I'm jealous of her. Is this a narcissist complex of some sort? There is treatment available.

Last night at Barton Elementary - LW2020 Presentation to Community Leaders

Thursday, July 24, 2014

The truth keeps marching on...

In order to combat John Rinaldi's (owner of the Sabal Palm House Bed and Breakfast which is on the market, see previous post) claim that only 30% of the streets will be rebuilt under the Lake Worth 2020 plan, Bob Lepa researched that claim and posted his findings on Facebook. Here is what Lake Worth resident Bob Lepa determined after consulting with the city:

I guess some clarification is needed on one of my posts and I thank John A. Rinaldi for bringing it to my attention...
I had stated 90% of the roads would be paved/replaced with the $63 Million dollar bond. It turns out 72% of the CITY OWNED roads will be replaced/repaved.. The other 18% has already been done in the past couple of years on a piecemeal basis.
However John did say his figures showed only 30% of the roads would be done. His figures include County, State and Interstate roads... once they are subtracted from City ownership we are up to 72% that will be done and 90% when you count what has been done in the past several years.
Who knew the County and State had such a strong presence in the City and the maintenance of the the roads??
You see folks, numbers do lie,,,, we just need to check and recheck... Thanks John for having me check again for better accuracy...

So, the moral of the story is to always check claims being made and the motivations of those that make them.

West Palm Beach City Commissioner Shanon Materio 07/25 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Politics Podcasts

Join your host Wes Blackman as he welcomes once again West Palm Beach Commissioner and Lake Worth small business owner Shanon Materio to the High Noon in Lake Worth studios. You might recall that Ms. Materio was appointed to fill former Commissioner Bill Moss' seat upon his unexpected death soon after re-election. Within a year, she had to run a campaign to keep her seat and successfully defeated her challenger. No challenger filed to run in this past March's West Palm Beach election, so Shanon is enjoying her first full, two-year term as Commissioner. She and her husband Phil own the award-winning McMow Art Glass studio on Dixie Hwy. in Lake Worth and live in the southend of West Palm Beach. Commissioner Materio is joining me to talk about potential improvements to the C-51 canal (ultimately designed to make the canal navigable), the potential redevelopment of the Palm Coast Plaza property and what will happen to the vacant land which borders the north side of the canal across from the Arbor Plaza in Lake Worth. I am sure we will talk about city infrastructure, the Lake Worth 2020 ballot issue, All Aboard Florida and how West Palm Beach plans to do to fund its future infrastructure needs.

Click title for link for live show at noon on Friday, 7/25 or after the live show for the archived edition. We plan on an hour-long show. Leave questions as comments below.

West Palm Beach Mayor: Make Pine Ridge “colored hospital” a museum | West Palm Beat

Talk of a new museum in one of West Palm Beach's historic structures. The city is considering its purchase. Click title for link to Eliot Kleinberg's article.

A black history museum at the site of the vacant and shuttered former Pine Ridge Hospital? Great idea, Mayor Jeri Muoio says. All we need is the money.
The former “colored hospital” at 1410 Division Ave., which operated from 1916 to the mid-1950s, had been converted to apartments but has been vacant for a year and a half.
After The Palm Beach Post reported this week on its condition, a broker reported it’s for sale. City Commissioner Sylvia Moffett — the site is in her district — called on colleagues Monday consider buying the place.

The latest Citizens Against Unfair Taxation treasurer's report

The latest treasurer's report from the Citizens Against Unfair Taxation (CAUT) was made public yesterday. CAUT is the PAC formed by Katie McGiveron and Atlantis resident Dennis Dorsey. This report, their fifth, shows NO contributions for the dates 7/12/14 to 7/18/14, but this report can always be amended. The only expenditure item was $644.48 for campaign signs. That probably amounts to 200 signs. When and if you see one, take a picture and contact me ASAP. I will be on the lookout when biking around town too.

The PAC formed by Katie McGiveron and Atlantis resident Dennis Dorsey was formed on 6/1/14 and curiously the most ardent and vocal critic of the City's bond plan, John Rinaldi, has contributed nothing; no money and no in-kind contribution.

Now the analysis: Contributions to the CAUT PAC formed by Katie McGiveron and Atlantis resident and former Mayor Dennis Dorsey gets interesting. Their PAC was formed on 6/1/14. The last report covered up to 7/18/14; that is 48 days. If you do not include the contributions from Katie McGiveron (PAC Chair) and Atlantis resident Dennis Dorsey (PAC Treasurer) AND do not include contributions outside the Lake Worth zip codes (33460/33461) their PAC has raised $1400 from within the city boundaries. That ends up being around an average of $29.18/day.

Out of that $1400 nearly 50% comes from 5 people. The top contributor is Lynn Anderson, an elderly woman on a fixed income. She has contributed, to date, $250. Her total property tax in 2013 was $217. She has paid more to this PAC in contributions in protest to "unfair taxation". Due to the low value of her property, she will likely not be paying for the new millage anytime soon if it passes.

Other contributors include Lawrence and Dieudionnie McNamara, Jo-Ann Golden, and Suzanne Squire at $100 each.

Make your own conclusions about the PAC of Katie McGiveron and Atlantis resident Dennis Dorsey. These documents are filed with the county and not the city, by the way.

Here is Ms. Anderson's property tax information:

Ms. Stanton on Transparency: Greenfield, CA

For Sale: Sabal Palm House Bed and Breakfast Inn

Lake Worth, FL Offered for sale at $1,349,000

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A half mile from the beach on the southeast coast of Florida, Lake Worth is Palm Beach County's jewel by the sea. Minutes from the Breakers Hotel, golf and historic downtown with restaurants, antique shops, and jazz clubs. Guests can explore all the sites of Palm Beach. A AAA, 4-Diamond inn voted Number 1 on TripAdvisor.

The inn consists of 7 rooms with owners quarters. Views of the Intracostal Waterway and golf course located across the street from the inn.

Property Details

7 Guest Rooms
7 Guest Room Baths
Has Owner's Quarters
Built in 1936
Last Renovated in 1998
Opened in 1998
Building is 6,500 SQFT
Lot is 0.25 Acres
Photo Gallery
Property Website

Financial Details

Offered for sale at $1,349,000
Occupancy Rate: 46%
Average Daily Rate: 174

Contact Information

To learn more contact John Rinaldi
Email: mrbsph@aol.com
Phone: 561-582-1090
Phone 2: 561-329-6653
Contact Website

Here is the link to the advertisement of InnShopper.com.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Yesterday on Facebook...

Respectfully, a thread on Facebook yesterday needs to be addressed. This concerns the LW20/20 bond vote on August 26 and fellow Lake Worth citizen, business owner, and P&Z Chair: Mr. John Rinaldi. Mr. Rinaldi asserted that our City, Lake Worth, is not financially viable and claims, therefore, the bond should be rejected. The information Mr. Rinaldi cited was unsourced and uncredited. I was able to find the source and here it is:

From: Guidebook For Project Implementers and Policy Makers in India [Note: not Indiana in the United States; India, as on another continent and the second largest country in population worldwide]

Click here for link to document.

Note these words about "City Financial Viability" in India:

Here is a sample of the information Mr. Rinaldi used without credit or citation to assert Lake Worth is not "Financially Viable":

I will address these in full later as many of this principles are covered in the bond issue and LW2020 Plan

This information you will find on page 105 of the link noted above. Interestingly, on the very next page, page 106, you will find these prescient words:

"Without major change, these service gaps will continue to worsen over the coming decades due to the anticipated growth of urban populations. Demand for urban infrastructure services will most likely increase [...] depending on the sector."

"[This] highlights an incredible challenge for local governments to develop infrastructure that serves both the backlog and future growth needs."

Under the heading, "Not Investing Enough Money" there is this: "About half of the projected capital investment requirements is needed just to cover the backlog of infrastructure projects to reach basic standards; the remaining investments would serve additional demand."

And...

"On this path, current services will continue to deteriorate, even if cities were to stop growing right now."

On THIS continent, in THIS country, in THIS one of fifty States, in THIS--one of the most underperforming city's WITH SO MUCH POTENTIAL, the paragraph above could be written this way:

"On Lake Worth's decades-long path, current infrastructure will continue to deteriorate, even if Lake Worth were to miraculously stop growing right now, the City will continue to deteriorate."

Clarification from the City about how the LW2020 bond issue would work in the CRA district.

Thank you for your question regarding Lake Worth 2020. In response to your question about how the payoff of the bond would work within the CRA district. All property in the City will be effected by the bond based on the taxable value as determined by the County Property Tax Assessor. There is no distinction between properties within and outside the CRA district.

For more direction answers to your questions you can email the city directly at this address: lw2020@lakeworth.org

PBSO to stop holding immigrants for ICE without court order | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

This represents somewhat of a sea change in the way the Sheriff's office will operate. They will not detain people for immigration status without a court order. With some education, it may allow people that were previously afraid of law enforcement to more easily report crime and avail themselves of the law enforcement services. Click title for link. From the article:

After facing pressure from local civil rights groups, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that it will no longer hold inmates simply at the request of federal immigration officials.
The holds allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to consider deporting people picked up for petty crimes. The sheriff’s office pays the costs of incarceration for up to two days on behalf of ICE, but it no longer will take that action unless ordered to do so by a judge, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a statement.
At a private meeting June 24, a local consortium of faith-based groups — called PEACE, or People Engaged in Active Community Efforts — pressed Bradshaw to drop the holds. He asked for 30 days to consider their request, the groups told The Palm Beach Post. This month, the American Civil Liberties Union delivered legal arguments to the sheriff explaining why the policy exposed the department to legal liability.

The latest from Greenfield, CA - Leopards do not change their spots

A little communication goes a long way, Ms. City Manager.

Two reporters, same meeting.....but different numbers?

On Tuesday, July 22, two reporters covering the Palm Beach County Commission meeting on the county's tax rate had slightly different stories.

Joe Capozzi at the Palm Beach Post in a story titled, "Most property owners to pay more in taxes under rate set Tuesday", wrote:

"The tax rate of about $4.97 per $1,000 of taxable property approved by commissioners for the 2014-2015 budget year is roughly a penny lower than the 2013-2014 rate of $4.98 per $1,000."

Andy Reid at the Sun Sentinel in a story titled, "Palm Beach County holds the line again on property tax rates", wrote:

"Commissioners for the fourth year in a row held the line on the tax rate, agreeing to cap the potential operating budget tax rate at $4.78 per $1,000 of taxable property value."

After a little poking around, it appears that Mr. Reid at the Sun Sentinel wins the award for most accurate reporting.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

From Yesterday: West Palm Beach's All Aboard Florida Station

Current Conditions in a Portion of District #1 - SW part of city

Town of Palm Beach - Lake Trail Closure for the Lining of the E-3 Force Main

As a follow up to the Town’s May 29, 2014, press release, Lake Trail is closed from Plantation Road to Via Marila through November 1, 2014, for the E-3 Force Main Project contingent on delays due to unforeseen conditions. The work involves rehabilitating the existing force main and manholes along Lake Trail.

Residents are asked to enter and exit Lake Trail at Plantation Road (south) or Via Marila (north).

The Town will issue periodic updates during the project to notify residents of the status of the trail.

Please use caution and read all construction signage when traveling along or near Lake Trail.

All questions and/or comments should be directed to contact the contractor representative Chase Rogers at (561) 640-3503 at Hinterland Group. The Town’s representative is Michael Roach, P.E., Project Engineer, who can be reached at (561) 838-5440.

Note: This is the bike/pedestrian trail that runs north of Royal Poinciana along the west side of Palm Beach Island along the Intracoastal Waterway. It is a popular destination for off-island people as well.

Coming this Friday!

Creepy in this day and age...

I appreciate the City Manager's forthright response. Watch the news report below.

This is portion of the city of Fruitland Park's homepage on its website with an ironic message.

The city is located north of Orlando, near the Villages. The Villages is a super-planned unit development filled with retirees.

Graphic from a devoted reader...

Margaret Thatcher

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't.”

Monday, July 21, 2014

Mayor Pam Triolo's Weekly Message on Facebook

Seth Bramson, FEC Historian and Lake Worth Memorabilia

Selected Pictures from the West Palm Beach All Aboard Florida Station Unveiling

Michael Reininger, All Aboard Florida

Station architects presenting their plans.

West Palm Beach Mayor Muoio, Michael Reiniger, Palm Beach County Mayor Priscilla Taylor

Combination of Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach Commissions, Commissioner Materio right front

Courtesy of Former Commissioner JoAnn Golden and others...

GOP chair: Dis-inviting Human Rights Council president not gay... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Rand Hoch, PBCHRC President, is right on both counts, by the way. Click title for link to a few political blurbs from the Post. This one is amusing. Click title for link.

Opposition to the $787 billion federal stimulus bill of 2009 helped galvanize the tea party movement.
So it was odd to see the Palm Beach County Tea Party endorse Republican Calvin Turnquest’s congressional bid and mention that Turnquest, one of the group’s board members, was “instrumental” in bringing $3 million in stimulus money to Tequesta in 2009 for a bridge project.
Turnquest objected to the stimulus reference and had it removed from the endorsement write-up on the Palm Beach County Tea Party website.
Tea party activist Fred Scheibl said he wrote the three-paragraph endorsement message by using past Turnquest statements. In the June 2009 edition of the Tequesta village newsletter, for example, a “From the Desk of Calvin Turnquest” column says: “I am pleased to inform you that thanks to stimulus money for infrastructure, The Village of Tequesta has been approved for $3,000,000 towards the replacement of the bridge.”
[later...]
Turnquest last week said he didn’t write the materials Scheibl relied upon and wasn’t aware that the bridge money came from the stimulus.
“Most times, we have an assistant to write those things and I sign it…Maybe I should have taken the time to read over it carefully,” Turnquest said.

Excerpts from the Lake Worth Herald Editorial, July 17, 2014:

"It is unfortunate for some the cost of floating a bond will weigh heavier on them than others in the beginning. Their property values will rise and so will the amount of taxes they pay. At the same time, properties with taxable values below the taxable threshold will see their value increase and become contributors to the tax base. This will spread the burden of bond payments among a larger pool of contributors and ease the pain for some of the larger tax payers."

[later...]

"The city is asking voters to approve a General Obligation bond of approximately sixty three million dollars. This is the total, worst case scenario for the financing of the infrastructure revamp. The money will not be borrowed all at once, but spaced over three borrowings, enabling the city to supplement the cost with grants and reduce the total bond obligation."

[and...]

"Lake Worth spent a ton of money to build a Reverse Osmosis water treatment plant to provide some of the best water in the state to the citizens. When the water leaves the water plant it probably is the best water in the state. After traveling through mineral deposits in the existing pipes, the water in no longer near the best water in the state.
The water lines will not be paid from the bond, there is money in the utilities fund to cover the cost of replacing the older water lines. This work will be done at the same time as the road work to facilitate tearing the road up only once."

To read the entire editorial, the current news about Lake Worth, and the clever musings of "Pelican Pete", go to: LWHerald.com.

Singing Karaoke last night - South Shore After Rafter Party

Dolly Parton

"If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader."

Today's Selection from the Tom McGow Archives

Sunday, July 20, 2014

A comment worthy becoming a post. From Ebb, consider this a prayer request...

"I have a hangnail on my pinkie and the pain is excruciating. I also have an anal fissure. I wouldn't have these problems if PBSO showed more of a presence in our city. I asked for mayo on my Publix sandwich and the sandwich maker put mustard on also. I only asked for mayo. I did not even mention mustard. How did that happen? I know Captain Silva is involved somehow."

Elections coming up in Greenfield, CA

Remember this from November 2009? From the Tom McGow archives...

This owner of Nature's Way soon went out of business after the incident. The story is a good example of the "herd" thinking that was promoted at the time and led to a series of bad and expensive decisions in our city's government.

Christie commentary: Voters deserve primary debate between... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Christ should debate Rich. But he likely won't. This is more of a sad story about the state of Florida's Democratic party infrastructure. I like reading Palm Beach Post editorials now. Click title for link.

Some party faithful may beg to differ. Has his heart changed on 10-20-Life, the sentencing law derided by Democrats but supported by him as a Republican attorney general? Is his heart with the Treasure Coast or South Florida on the proposed All Aboard Florida high-speed rail project? Is his heart now heavy after appointing two of the most conservative justices on the state Supreme Court?
There’s no doubt that these are all questions Crist could answer deftly in a single debate.
He’s doesn’t have to do it to win the Democratic primary. Even Rich seemed to sound a conciliatory tone at the Florida editors meeting, saying: “I am a Democrat. … Despite the fact that I don’t like the way I’ve been treated, I will be supporting the Democratic nominee.”
Charlie Crist should debate Nan Rich. There, I said it again.