A reminder: The Lake Worth CRA monthly meeting is tomorrow.

The Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meets at The HATCH located at 1121 Lucerne Ave. The meeting begins at 6:00. Meetings are open to the public and everyone is encouraged to follow the rules and be charming. More details about this meeting follow.

Oooops.
“Due to unforeseen
requirements from FDOT. . .”

Please! Before we proceed. The Lake Worth CRA does a spectacular job. Kudos to Executive Director Joan Oliva, the dedicated staff, appointed liaison Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso, and all the volunteers that serve on the board.

For just one example of their efforts is what will soon become major real estate news in Central Palm Beach County, a housing project called “The Mid” on N. Dixie Hwy.

But sometimes as they say, ■■■■ happens. Read more about that below, an item on next Tuesday’s CRA board meeting agenda. This is an excellent example of how complicated work can be to change and upgrade arterial roads like Dixie Hwy. and delves in nicely to Lake Worth Commissioner Omary Hardy’s observations at the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council about “our City’s ‘good grid system’ and ‘arterial’ challenges”.

But unfortunately, it’s going to take a bit longer
to find our way to “Wayfinding”:

 Click on image below of Wayfinding
in this little City of Lake Worth:

Wayfinding is “branding”. It defines for the public, visitors, investors, and consumers WHAT and WHERE the unique City of Lake Worth IS.

And very briefly — before we get to the “Ooooops” and about when “■■■■ happens” and finding our way to Wayfinding too — Guess what! There has been a major development at The Palm Beach Post. The editor(s) have officially recognized “suburban Lake Worth”, that vast area in Central Palm Beach County, a region with many communities and neighborhoods that lie west of this City of Lake Worth:

Click on map of eastern coastal
Central Palm Beach County to enlarge:

To learn more about this latest development by the editor(s) at the Post click on this link.

Back to the Lake Worth CRA, finding our way to Wayfinding and about their monthly public meetings:

Regular meetings of the Lake Worth CRA are the second Tuesday of every month and are held at The Hatch.* The CRA is,


[R]esponsible for formulating and implementing projects to assist in revitalizing and redeveloping portions of the City of Lake Worth. As an independent board, the CRA maintains its own website which may be viewed by clicking here. Volunteer members of the CRA board serve four year terms.

Without further ado. . .

Item V. Consent Agenda: Wayfinding — Extend Contract with Don Bell Signs, LLC.

Memorandum.

To: Chair, Vice Chair and Members of the CRA Board.
From: Chris Dabros, Deputy Director.
Date: August 14, 2018.
Subject: Wayfinding — Extend Contract with Don Bell Signs, LLC.


Explanation: In 2017, City and CRA Commissioners reached consensus to allow the fabrication and installation of new Wayfinding signage throughout the City with a design that incorporates water, sun, vibrant colors and an art deco style typeface. The purpose of a good Wayfinding signage program is not only to provide attractive welcome signs, but also to guide individuals from Point A to Point B in the quickest, safest and most efficient way possible.

In November 2017, the CRA and City advertised IFB #18-108 [Wayfinding Signage Project†] to provide professional signage companies the opportunity to fabricate and install new signage throughout Lake Worth. The scope of this bid included up to 150 new signs of varying shapes and sizes that will be placed along major thoroughfares and in neighborhoods within the City. The IFB resulted in seven bids being received from local and national sign manufacturing companies.

After thorough review and consideration, CRA and City Staff selected low-bidder, Don Bell Signs, LLC, to enter into a construction agreement for signage services, not to exceed $561,069. Funding of this project has been budgeted by both the CRA and City of Lake Worth Public Works Department prior to the start of this fiscal year.

The consultants and Staff have been carefully reviewing each sign and value engineering the project. This should result in a significant reduction of signs and overall savings to both the City and CRA. Unfortunately, the original agreement with Don Bell Signs will expire at end of this month [August 2018]. Due to unforeseen requirements from FDOT we have not been able to obtain all necessary permits to begin fabrication. [emphasis added] For example, FDOT has requested an increase in the size of the sign text lettering, elimination of ‘butterfly’-type signs along FDOT streets and the need to enter into Community Aesthetic Feature (CAF) agreements for all welcome signs.

Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) District 4 oversees Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties.

SHS  =  State Highway System. For more information about FDOT and CAF click on this link. Dixie Hwy. is part of FDOT’s SHS.

[Memorandum continues. . .]

These conditions did not come to the attention of the CRA, City or our consultants until immediately after we executed the contract with Don Bell Signs in February. Regrettably, we cannot with assurance know how long FDOT will approve the complete Wayfinding signage package.

This first extension [Exhibit A‡] to the agreement will give Don Bell Signs until the Summer of 2019 to have the project substantially completed.

Request: Staff recommends the Board allow Staff to extend the agreement with Don Bell Signs, LLC to provide fabrication and installation of City-wide Wayfinding signage. The price of the contract will continue to not exceed the original agreed price of $561,069.

End of memorandum.

*Note: Public comment at the CRA is limited to three (3) minutes. Please remember, always be nice, charming and respectful to the officials and CRA volunteer board members.
†For more information about the CRA board meeting on February 13th, 2017 and IFB #18-108, “Wayfinding Signage Project” click on this link.
‡Attend the upcoming CRA board meeting (Tues., August 14th) to examine Exhibit A.