Next Tuesday, November 27th, 6:00, at the Lake Worth City Commission: “Work Session Ballot Issues”.

The question below (see ordinance) will most likely be put to the voters on March 12th, 2019. There will be two more public meetings to discuss renaming the City of Lake Worth to become the “City of Lake Worth Beach”.

Thus far there seems to be very little opposition to renaming this City. Of course there is some apprehension which is to be expected. However the general public mood is to let the voters decide.

Coming up on December 4th and the 13th this item will be discussed by the City Commission, to consider all the options for ballot language, and then forward this question to the PBC Supervisor of Elections to be on the ballot next March. More details about these upcoming public meetings will be forthcoming.

Thus far there are a total of three ballot questions being considered next year. To look over all of them click on this link and scroll down for “November 27 Work Session” to download the agenda.

On October 30th, three weeks ago, the City Commission took a straw poll and voted unanimously to put this issue to the voters.

For more background on this topic, once you’ve finished reading the proposed ordinance below, please scroll back up and click on this link.


Without further ado. . .


AGENDA DATE: November 27, 2018 – Work Session

DEPARTMENT: City Commission

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Title:

Proposed Ordinance No. 2018-XX – Ballot Language for Name Change to the City of Lake Worth Beach


Summary:

This Ordinance proposes the ballot title and summary for a referendum question on the March 12, 2019 General Election ballot to change the name of the City to the “City of Lake Worth Beach”


Background and Justification:

The City’s eastern municipal boundary is generally from the City’s property at the municipal beach and along the western border of the Intracoastal waterway. The City’s western municipal boundary is generally adjacent to the eastern borders of E-4 Canal (also known as the Keller Canal), John Prince Park and Lake Osborne. Despite these boundaries, the City of Lake Worth often gets lumped in with surrounding unincorporated areas of Palm Beach County (i.e., surrounding areas that have not been incorporated into a municipality). For example, there are only two zip codes within the City’s municipal boundaries (33460 and 33461); but, the United States Postal Service associates seven (7) other zip codes with the physical municipal address of “Lake Worth”. In addition, parts of unincorporated Palm Beach County are often referred to as “Lake Worth” in descriptions of various locations, news reports and a variety of population and criminal statistics. The City desires to distinguish itself from these surrounding unincorporated areas and eliminate confusion regarding the City’s municipal boundaries.

 
The ballot title and summary are:

NAME CHANGE TO THE CITY OF LAKE WORTH BEACH

IN ORDER TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF FROM SURROUNDING UNINCORPORATED AREAS, SHALL ARTICLE I, SECTION 1 OF THE CITY OF LAKE WORTH CHARTER ENTITLED “CITY CREATED” BE AMENDED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE CITY FROM THE “CITY OF LAKE WORTH” TO THE “CITY OF LAKE WORTH BEACH?”

 
YES _____

NO _____