Saturday, March 10, 2018

Lake Worth District 1 Commissioner Scott Maxwell receives Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO endorsement.

And so did Lake Worth
Mayor Pam Triolo.


“Representing: Palm Beach  •  Martin  •  St. Lucie  •  Indian River  •  Okeechobee Counties”

Click on image to enlarge:
To find out more about Lake Worth Commissioner Scott Maxwell click on this link for his website,
or if you prefer, for Maxwell’s Facebook page
use this link.

Paid By Scott Maxwell for Lake Worth Commission, District 1


Click on image to enlarge:
From the Re-Elect Mayor Pam Triolo website: “Mayor Triolo is committed to sustainability, both financial and environmental. She has taken a city on the brink of bankruptcy and turned it around.”

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Pam Triolo for Mayor.

The Coastal/Greenacres Observer and
The Palm Beach Post both endorsed Judith “Judy” Dugo, the incumbent, in Greenacres’ Council District 3 race.


The race for Council District 4 in Greenacres, one could say, is an entirely different story.


Please continue reading to find out why one editor wrote some very harsh words about a candidate in the Greenacres District 4 race, a former elected official who should “never be considered for a position in the public trust.” Wow.

Before we get to that, learn more about Councilwoman Judith Dugo, who was endorsed by both the Observer and the Post, by clicking on this link. She is one of the four candidates on the ballot for two Council seats next Tuesday, March 13th. From the Greenacres’ municipal website:

Councilwoman Judith Dugo was elected into office in March 2014, and has been re-elected into office most recently in March 2016.
     Judith has been a Greenacres resident for 19 years.

If you’re holding a cup of coffee and/or eating something right now, you may want to put the cup down and not take another bite.

Because now it gets very, very interesting. In the Greenacres District 4 race, the editor at the Greenacres Observer wrote this about one of the candidates in the District 4 race:

He “[S]quandered tax dollars, depleted reserves, was untruthful from the dais and the list of ill deeds goes on. . . .”, and he “displayed enough dishonesty to never be considered for a position in the public trust.”

Pretty harsh words, huh?

Now let’s take a brief stroll back to 2016–2017, back in the day when the Post used to cover what was going on in Greenacres. By the way, The Coastal/Greenacres Observer (which is published by the same editor who publishes The Lake Worth Herald) has been covering the news from Greenacres quite extensively and thoroughly for many years now in both newspapers.

However, the same can’t be said for The Palm Beach Post. The Post got kicked out of Greenacres for good in March 2016 when they published this silly nonsense ‘ranking’ all the cities, towns, and villages in Palm Beach County.


Greenacres is ‘[A] lot of nothing’?
A ‘gumbo’ with an “[E]xtra dollop of Hispanic? One could say this attempt at satire’ fell flat in Greenacres. Why? Because in March 2017. . .

Mr. Joel Flores who was raised “by a single hard-working mother who is a teacher” and and is a “decorated 13 year Army veteran” became Mayor Joel Flores in the City of Greenacres.

Flores beat out Jonathan G. Pearce in March 2017 by a wide margin, 55% to 45%. The Post endorsed Pearce in that election race. Pearce, remember, was the former councilman in Greenacres who resigned his seat to run against Flores.

Before we proceed, take a moment to learn a little bit more about Mayor Flores.

Mayor Joel Flores was elected Mayor of Greenacres in March 2017. . . . [A] 13 year decorated Army Veteran, earned the Army Commendation Medal and Army Accomplishment Medal for his distinguished duty and service in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.


In the other March 2017 election race in Greenacres the Post endorsed Michael Albert. The Post got that one wrong too. Paula Bousquet, now Deputy Mayor Paula Bousquet, won that race by 53% to Albert’s 47%. That’s right, the editor at the Post was 0 for 2 in Greenacres.

A little information about the incumbent next Tuesday in the other race being held in Greenacres, District 4 Councilman Anderson Thelusme. From the city website:

On Monday April 17, 2017, at their regular City Council meeting, the City Council unanimously appointed Mr. Anderson Thelusme to the vacant District IV Council Seat. Councilman. Thelusme relocated to the City of Greenacres in 2009 following a visit to see a friend where he became fond of the City's charm and potential for growth and opportunity. . . . He also is an advocate for strong mentorship programs for our children and feels that civic engagement will ensure transparency in local government.


Now, without further ado. Let’s get back to the elections next Tuesday and the recent endorsements.

Please take note: The Greenacres Observer endorsed Councilman Anderson Thelusme in the elections next Tuesday and the Post endorsed the challenger, Jonathan Pearce.

See excerpts from the Greenacres Observer endorsements below. First, from the editor at the Post, their second attempt to get Pearce elected in Greenacres:


The Post endorses Jonathan Pearce to return to his former seat on the council. Pearce, who last year lost a bid to replace Ferreri as mayor, was a solid contributor as a council member when he wasn’t sparring with Ferreri. With Ferreri gone, the scuffles should be, too.

and. . .

     Incumbent Councilman Anderson Thelusme, who was appointed [unanimously] to the seat when Pearce stepped down to run for mayor [emphasis added], also sees his financial background as a plus for the city as well as representing “voices that are not being heard.”


One could say the editor at the Greenacres Observer has a different take on this race for District 4 in Greenacres:

Incumbent Anderson Thelusem was selected to fill a vacated Council seat. He has done an admirable job, thinking things through and protecting the money of the city. Challenger Jonathan Pearce held the seat and vacated it when he ran a failed campaign for mayor.
     In his terms as a councilman, Pearce squandered tax dollars, depleted reserves, was untruthful from the dais and the list of ill deeds goes on. During his campaign for mayor, he was photographed removing the signs of his opponent. Pearce has displayed enough dishonesty to never be considered for a position in the publics trust.
     Anderson Thulusme is the clear choice for the citizens of Greenacres.

So there you have it. Two different opinions from two different editors about the District 4 race. Once again, your choices in Greenacres next Tuesday, March 13th are:
  • Incumbent Judith Dugo or the challenger Brian Willever.
  • Incumbent Anderson Thelusme or the challenger Jonathan Pearce.

Once again, both the Coastal Observer and the Post endorsed Judith Dugo in next Tuesday’s election. Here‘s what the Observer had to say about Councilwoman Dugo:

Judith Dugo is being challenged by political new comer Brian Willever. Dugo has learned a lot about being a Council person and puts the people first. Her bacground in business (financial manager) helps when it comes to protecting the residents tax dollars.
     Willever sat on the Charter Review committee and has recently become involved with the workings of the City.
     Dugo has earned another term as a Council member and our endorsement.


We’ll find out what the voters decided after the polls close next Tuesday. Stay tuned as they say!

Friday, March 9, 2018

“The Inimitables”: Mary Lindsey and City Commissioner Andy Amoroso.


But first, before we get to “The Inimitables”, here is the video from last Tuesday’s Pride Flag Raising at City Hall in the ever-welcoming City of Lake Worth:




The word ‘Inimitable’ defined: “incapable of being imitated or copied; surpassing imitation; matchless.”
Photo from the Pride Flag raising at Lake Worth City Hall. Later in the evening at the City Commission meeting Mary was nominated to sit on the City’s Library Board. Commissioner Amoroso earlier this year was re-elected by default to a 3-year term; he had no opposition.


Lot’s of great things happened at the Lake Worth City Commission meeting last Tuesday. Read more about that in this week’s Lake Worth Herald.

Kathie Lee Gifford coming to the City of Lake Worth. News in yesterday’s print edition of The Palm Beach Post.


From the very same beat reporter at The Palm Beach Post who covers the women’s shoes and sneaker beat in the City of Lake Worth, Post reporter Kevin Thompson also features all the latest, breaking news and updates about the exciting and vibrant business scene in the City, e.g., the latest endeavors of Artsy Fartsy Décor & More (see latest news below).

Although the municipal elections are next Tuesday — and whomever gets elected will now serve a three (3) year term instead of two years — the future of our City didn’t make it into yesterday’s print edition. And the errors and omissions in last Tuesday’s paper have still not been corrected either.

Maybe that will happen in next Monday’s Lake Worth Very Very Special Monday Collector Print Edition (LWVVSMCPE).
However, in the paper yesterday on page B3 ‘Local’, above the fold, is this breaking news about the world-famous Kathie Lee Gifford:


Kathie Lee Gifford, the three-time Emmy-winning co-host of the fourth hour of “Today,” will be at Book Cellar on Lake Avenue on Friday [TODAY] from 6 to 7:30 p.m. as part of a “Happy Hour Mingle” to promote her latest book, “The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi.”

Tickets cost $40; what is usually charged for a similar event on Worth Ave. in the Town of Palm Beach. For more information click on this link for the Book Cellar’s website.

If you plan on going to the Book Cellar to see Kathie Lee Gifford and her new book today, please consider this suggestion:

Make a whole event out of it
& visit Artsy Fartsy too!


Get to Downtown Lake Worth early in the afternoon about 3:30 and go visit Artsy Fartsy Décor & More. Artsy Fartsy, or as they say in the art and furniture industry, ”Art Re-imagined” is located at 506 Lucerne Ave. here in the City. But just don’t take too long. Before long Artsy Fartsy will be packing up and leaving town for good.

Why? Artsy Fartsy’s planned move to Clematis St. in West Palm Beach ahead of SunFest didn’t pan out because the rents are much too high so he had to come back to our vibrant and affordable City and come up with another plan. So grab $5 or $8 and head on over to Artsy Fartsy this afternoon!

After your visit to Artsy Fartsy take a stroll through the Cultural Plaza to Lake Ave. and visit one of the City’s iconic restaurants or visit the City’s newsstand located at 601 Lake Ave. to pick up The Lake Worth Herald or scroll through The Cottages of Lake Worth hardcover book, then head on over to the Book Cellar bookstore and afterwards return to the Cultural Plaza for Evening on the Avenues that ends at 10:00!

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane: Happier times at Artsy Fartsy Décor & More.


Below is an interview from early in 2017 with Mr. Brian Schlitz published in a Lake Worth CRA newsletter titled, “Business Highlight: Artsy Fartsy Décor & More”. Mr. Schlitz said,
“Lake Worth’s top business assets are the public officials in place”.

Last year Mr. Schlitz invited me to come visit and take a seat on “The Big Chair”. So I hopped on down to our vibrant and charming Downtown and met and talked with Brian for a bit and then he asked me to take a seat in the big, REALLY BIG, red Adirondack chair in front of his store. To say I was honored is an understatement.

To put the chair in perspective, my shoes are
size 13 and Yours Truly is 6′5″:
Meet Wes! This photo reminds me of the character Edith Ann, played by Lily Tomlin on Laugh-In
in t
he 1960s.

Here are excerpts from the interview with Mr. Schlitz:

Tell us about yourself?
I was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. I came from a large family; my brothers, sister and I longed for a warmer climate and Florida was the answer. After originally making Boca Raton home, I stumbled upon this one of a kind, close knit and charming town of Lake Worth.
What made you choose Lake Worth?
Lake Worth is a very artsy, charming town and the perfect place for a specialized, fun décor store. The locals and tourists, alike, love our pieces and feel right at home.
What do you like best about having your business within the City of Lake Worth?
Lake Worth’s top business assets are the public officials in place, the downtown (two downtown streets running east/west which allows for double the amount of walkability and opportunity).


Thank you Artsy Fartsy for choosing our little City of Lake Worth. Everyone wishes you the best of luck setting up shop in your next beach town!

Please take note: Important information for all political candidates, campaign organizers and volunteer personnel.


If part of your campaign strategy is stealing the political yard signs of your opponent note that Sunday, March 11th at 2:00 a.m. is when Daylight Savings Time begins. So remember to adjust the schedules for your Sign Stealing Teams appropriately.

And remind all your personnel that stealing political campaign signs is serious business and not just for ones average “monkeywrencher” brought in from Sarasota for a few days. Theft and vandalizing of political yard signs IS A CRIME and is taken very seriously by local law enforcement.

And once again, in the interest of public education, Election Day is March 13th. Here is what you, as a member of the public, need to know about political Free Speech. Be very critical of political mailers!

Don’t hesitate to call a candidate or their campaign organization and say, “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!”


It’s that time again for the candidates and campaigns to begin sending out political mailers. Go positive? Go negative? How many puppies? Don’t forget the kids. And most importantly, timing is everything!

But! As you’ll find out below, mailers can
also backfire in a very big way.

There’s a lot of leeway and very few rules political mailers have to follow because political speech is FREE SPEECH, protected by the First Amendment. Except for requiring a disclaimer in small 6′ gray-scale type along the bottom below the union bug, “Political advertisement paid for. . .”, little else is required on a political mailer delivered to your mailbox.

Do they have to be true? No. Do mailers
even have to be factual? No.

Often though, mailers follow the logical fallacy,

A and B so therefore, C (see image below)

For example,

“Amoroso sent $5 million to an industrial park”
“. . . neighborhood roads fall to ruin”
Vote for . Don’t vote for Andy Amoroso.

This is an actual mailer sent out just prior
to the elections in March 2016.
Learn more about this mailer using this link.
This will go down as likely the silliest mailer in
Lake Worth political history. It was called
the “$5 million mystery”.

A few days after this mailer was dropped in mailboxes is when the fun started and people started asking things like, “Where’s Waldo?” about the $5 million. One of the jokes was Commissioner Amoroso buried the mystery money in the Park of Commerce, stuffing it down a Gopher tortoise hole. There were a lot of other funny jokes, too.

A week after this political mailer was sent out Amoroso went on to win his re-election by a huge landslide. And for several weeks afterward this “$5 million mystery” continued to draw laughs.

And the latest is. . .

Two years later Amoroso was unopposed in his 2017/2018 re-election bid. No one stepped up to challenge him and he’ll serve another term on the City Commission. However this time, following the referendum that passed in March 2017, Amoroso will serve a 3 year term instead of two years as it had been previously.

The lesson is this, political mailers can
backfire in a big way.

“Leading the Fight to Lower Electric Bills”?
In an ironic twist, because electric rates continued to spike after Cara Jennings was re-elected in 2008,
a lot of people switched over to clean, affordable,
and the Green choice: Natural Gas (for cooking,
drying clothes, and hot water too).

In conclusion. . .

Have you thought about natural gas service for your home? Call 888-765-4601 to contact Florida Public Utilities or use this link and “Ask4Gas”.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

TODAY at 4:00. “Boutwell Road Groundbreaking Ceremony”.

Boutwell Rd. is in the City of Lake Worth’s
Park of Commerce (POC).

Thank You for visiting the Lake Worth City Limits blog today, “Notes, News and Reviews unique to City and suburban areas.”

The POC has been an oft-told topic addressed quite frequently on this blog since 2006. However, there are many new and recently-new residents of this City who don’t know much about the long history of this area located within this little 6-square-mile City of Lake Worth.

I would strongly encourage everyone to read the blog post that follows this one (or click on this link) and hope to see a big turnout next week at this groundbreaking, one many of us have been waiting for a very, very long time.


Press/news media. Your contact is Mr. Ben Kerr, the City’s Public Information Officer (PIO): 561-586-1631; email: bkerr@lakeworth.org
The Boutwell Rd. Groundbreaking Ceremony will be held at the north-west corner of 4th Ave. North and Boutwell Rd. today (March 8th) at 4:00.*

The press release:

This project has been funded by an impressive EDA grant of $1,389,100 and will significantly improve Boutwell Road and make the Lake Worth Park of Commerce an even more attractive site for business growth.
     Mayor Pam Triolo along with members of the City Commission, City Management Team and Project Participants will be present to celebrate the start of this important project.
     Please contact Ben Kerr, the City of Lake Worth’s PIO, with any questions or comments.


*Located in Central Palm Beach County, Lake Worth is a dynamic, multi-cultural city with an individualistic style. People are drawn to the City by its acceptance of different cultures and lifestyles, historic districts, hip downtown and colorful arts district:

We are LAKE WORTH. A hometown City that is committed to delivering the highest level of customer service through a commitment to integrity, hard work and a friendly attitude. We strive to exceed the expectations of our citizens, our businesses, our elected officials and our fellow employees.”

The “Urban Chicken” in this City of Lake Worth is getting cooked.

With the looming elections on March 13th, just
16 days away, this would make for an interesting candidate question: “What is your position
on the urban chicken?”

If you didn’t know, our Urban Chicken groupies here in the City of Lake Worth always held up the City of Stuart as forward-thinking and on the cutting edge of “backyard chickens”. Well, there was very bad news last year for the all the fans of backyard chickens from Stuart, news from the TCPalm:

“No backyard chickens in Stuart after one commissioner rescinds support”


STUART — In late June, residents of single-family homes were told they could have up to two backyard chickens.
     That’s no longer the case.
     Commissioner Jeffrey Krauskopf on July 10 backtracked his approval, tipping the scale against backyard chickens, which had been narrowly approved last month.

Let’s take a look back. History of the ‘urban chicken’ here in our little City of Lake Worth.

Thankfully, this was an idea a former Lake Worth City commissioner kept “cooped” up: The Urban Chicken.

First, is raising chickens legal in the City? No. Raising chickens, aka “Urban Chickens” IS NOT allowed in the City Lake Worth.

Do you have a “chicken problem” in your neighborhood? Contact the Citys Code Enforcement.
Image from the Lake Worth Chickens Facebook page which then-citizen Ryan Maier founded. Mr. Maier later became District 4 Commissioner Maier in 2015 and opted not to run for re-election in March 2017.

The Urban Chicken idea is not a new one. In 2009 the City came very close to allowing chickens, ducks, and bees to be farmed for ‘personal’ use. If you can believe it, there was even a mayoral candidate (Rachel Waterman) who thought the Park of Commerce would be great for a large chicken breeding/egg production facility.

For some perspective, here is a blog post from the inimitable Tom McGow on April 18, 2009 titled, tongue-in-cheek, Farm Living Is The Life For Me. . . In the image below from Mr. McGow’s blog, notice item ‘C’ from the Lake Worth City Commission agenda back then:
 
“. . . fowl ordinance to permit chickens”

Then-commissioner Cara Jennings (2006–2010) was a big proponent of raising chickens. Below is one of Tom McGow’s classic photoshops, note the image of Cara Jennings (top right).

It’s funny but not really. Chickens in an urban environment are a major public health issue, especially so for young children.

Besides chickens needing much maintenance and coop cleaning, chickens spread viruses/bacteria and also attract predators. Raising poultry in an urban environment is a serious public health issue. In a City that is still plagued with blighted properties it doesn’t need one more thing to regulate. In fact, chickens are out of the hen house already as many readers can attest by sightings in their neighborhoods.

Why the big deal about raising chickens in Lake Worth besides the health, safety, and code issues? Because it’s a really bad idea that just won’t go away. Even after all these years there are still some in the City that want to make it legal to raise chickens in their backyard on the pretense that eggs are too expensive at Publix. Below are excerpts from a 2011 Post article about the “clandestine chicken army” that still struts.

     “There’s a whole clandestine chicken army out there,” said former City Commissioner Cara Jennings, who mother-henned the 2009 effort but is lying low this time.

and. . . 

     Freelance hairstylist Ryan Maier, 31, started a Facebook group called Lake Worth Chickens recently because of his interest in growing his own food.
     “I had never been on Facebook,” he said. But I saw what was going on in Egypt, so I decided to do something. [emphasis added]

Thankfully, the anti-chicken forces rallied. . .

     The anti-chicken organizer, Karri Casper, wrote that Lake Worth Chickens is just a subversive effort to stop development of the city and turn Lake Worth into farmland.
     “This is another plot from the Anarchists to distract us from the critical issues at hand,” the group’s Facebook page says. “For criminy sakes, this is NOT a rural area.

It would be reassuring if — once and for all — the urban chicken idea gets cooked for good. Especially considering all the important issues that face this City such as infrastructure, potholes, and fixing all our sidewalks. So. How to ‘cook’ the “Urban Chicken” idea once and for all?

At one the upcoming neighborhood candidate debates prior to the elections on March 13th ask all the candidates this question:


“What is your position on the
‘Urban Chicken’?”

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Several errors and omissions in The Palm Beach Post yesterday. Was there a correction issued today? Of course not.


In the Post endorsements published yesterday in the print edition, the editor duly noted the major successes here in the City of Lake Worth. That was good to see acknowledged in the Post.

But along with that good news there were several errors and omissions that needed to be corrected and/or clarified in today’s print edition.

But of course, as you all know, the Post rarely publishes “Corrections and Clarifications” especially when it comes to errors published about the City of Lake Worth. See some of latest errors and omissions published in the Post below.

First, the good news.

On the ballot next Tuesday, March 13th.

City of Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo
and District 1 Commissioner Scott Maxwell:
The editor wrote, “Long-neglected streets, water and sewer lines have at last begun to be upgraded thanks to a voter-approved $40 million bond issue. A solar farm is producing 2 megawatts of power on a former landfill . . .” and editor went on to note:

“[T]he city had more than 2,200 vacant, foreclosed and abandoned properties. With new codes enacted and enforcement improved, there were fewer than 500 in 2017. Crime rates, fueled by the heroin epidemic, too, have improved. The latest figures for the first six months of last year show a 13 percent drop.”


Now for the ‘bad news’ published by the editor, what should have been corrected in today’s print edition, but wasn’t.

Mayor Pam Triolo wasn’t first elected in 2009. She was first elected in 2011. And there is more:
  • It was falsely stated by the editor that “Incumbent Scott Maxwell, 59, has held this [District 1] seat for nine continuous years, and for two years before that.” November 2009 would be 8 years and 4 months ago; not “nine continuous years”. Maxwell was re-elected to the Lake Worth City Commission a second time in Nov. 2009 (and re-elected twice more).
  • However, after false reporting Mayor Triolo was first elected in 2009, it was accurately stated later by the editor that Mayor Pam Triolo has been mayor for “nearly 6½ years” [Why is that? In 2013, by referendum, elections were moved from November back to March in the City of Lake Worth which explains the nearly “½ years”].
  • Also, in a not-so-clever swipe at the Lake Worth Electric Utility the editor wrote, “the city-owned utility’s notoriously high electric bills are dropping a bit.” However, the Post’s “news partner” at NBC5/WPTV reported on Feb. 6th that, “In a brief press conference at city hall [Mayor Pam] Triolo said under this new agreement electric bills for residents in Lake Worth will be drastically lower.”
  • And also not mentioned in the endorsements — and it should have been reported by the editor — terms for elected officials were increased from two to three years by referendum in March 2017. This is very significant and it is anyone’s guess why this was not noted in the Post, a ‘paper of record’ in Palm Beach County.

And along with the errors and omissions in the endorsements published yesterday there was another error that had nothing to do with politics.

In ‘Local’ news in the ‘B’ section was this news report titled:
“LAKE WORTH — Annual rescue groups kick off adoption event”

This event in Downtown Lake Worth was to highlight, “adoptable dogs, cats, puppies and kittens, as well as ‘Name Your Price’ adoptions special for all approved adopters and giveaways.”

This event in Downtown Lake Worth was held last Saturday, March 3rd which was three (3) days before the ‘news’ was published in the Post.

Oooops.

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

“LAKE WORTH — Annual rescue groups kick off adoption event”


In The Palm Beach Post today (March 6th) on page B3 of the ‘Local’ section is an article promoting an event that is apparently already over and done with. Further confusing in the news today published in the Post, there is no date or time given for this event in the City of Lake Worth.

However, according to the North Shore Animal League America’s TOUR FOR LIFE website, “The world’s largest cooperative lifesaving adoption event”, this event was already held last Saturday, March 3rd; three days ago in the City:

Highlights include adoptable dogs, cats, puppies and kittens, as well as “Name Your Price” adoptions special for all approved adopters and giveaways.

This is a “Staff Report” so there is no reporter to contact. But to try and get this news updated or clarified you can try calling the news dept. at 561-820-4401 or send an email to: breakingnews@pbpost.com

Table Talk: “Another outstanding FREE program” in the City of Lake Worth.

Get Registered today!
Tonight is another community and family ‘Talk’ around the table. More details are below.

Register today to get your family a seat at the table, “Bringing Families Together” to talk about recent news in The Lake Worth Herald. “Table Talk” continues until March 20th but if the community interest and attendance remains high it’s very possible this free program will continue on past March.

To register call Miriam at 561-899-1652.
Please note and show your support for the
sponsors
(see below) of this family event.

“Another outstanding FREE program conceived and organized by Cindy Ruth Ansell, the Lake Worth Children’s Librarian: families are invited to come for dinner and a discussion. Each evening a different topic based on articles in The Lake Worth Herald (Lake Worth’s oldest business) will be read aloud during dinner and then discussed.
     Each family will be joined with a bi-lingual facilitator at their table to keep the conversations lively! Bringing back a wonderful tradition of families reading together and sharing interesting news in the community. Special Thanks to all the generous sponsors for making this happen!”

Sponsored by:

“Lake Worth’s Oldest Established Business —
Established in 1912”
To see the recent front page of the
Herald use this link.

“Worth Noting”: Lake Worth City Commission meets tonight at 6:00. . .

. . . and the Planning & Zoning (P&Z) Board
meets tomorrow at City Hall.

“How does Wes find this news all the time?”
It’s actually quite easy. All this news is right there on the City of Lake Worth’s website.

Click on this link and scroll down to download the full version of the “March 6 Regular Meeting” of the City Commission and further down on the City’s website is the March 7th “Agenda Package” at the P&Z.

Here’s a test!

See if you can “FIND” an item on the City Commission agenda.


On the City Commission “Consent Agenda” tonight is this interesting item:

Resolution No. 16-2018 - FIND Waterways Assistance Program grant application. . . . The resolution authorizes the submission of an application to the Florida Inland Navigation District (“FIND”) [emphasis added] for funding under the FY 2018–2019 Waterways Assistance Program in the estimated amount of $75,000 for Phase I of the Snook Islands Public Dock Facility project.

Thank You for visiting again today and
supporting this blog.

Check back tomorrow for more about what happened at this City Commission meeting and more about “Lake Worth City Limits: Notes, News and Reviews unique to City and suburban areas.”

Also from the City of Lake Worth’s official website . . .
meet your “Mayor & Commissioners”:
To sign up for the City’s “Worth Noting” newsletter click on this link.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Drew Martin: Spreading myths, mis- and disinformation for votes.


Drew Martin is running for mayor of Lake Worth. Yes. That Drew Martin. The same one who has been spreading myths that the City of Lake Worth removed mangroves along the Intracoastal, which is a very serious crime. No. The City never removed any mangroves at all.

Look. Almost everyone wants the renovation of the Gulfstream Hotel to begin and for a second hotel to be constructed on the vacant property to the west. And probably no one wants this to happen more than Mayor Pam Triolo.

But this is a very delicate situation right now as was first reported in The Coastal Star last November. And Mayor Triolo has to be very careful what she says. And so does every other elected leader, administration official, and staff member working for the City. There are two entities that are vying for control of the Gulfstream Hotel property. The last thing the City of Lake Worth needs right now is someone at City Hall saying the wrong thing and getting the City involved in this mess and maybe the City being sued as well.

The partners, owners, and interested parties entangled with the legal mess at the Gulfstream Hotel need to straighten this all out amongst themselves.

But Drew Martin doesn’t have the burden Mayor Pam Triolo has. Martin can say anything he wants whilst Mayor Triolo has to ‘bite her tongue’. Martin can say lie after lie and pretty much say anything he wants for votes. For example, Martin said,

“The City shouldn’t allow property owners to just sit on their property and not do anything with it.”

This ignores the fact that the building has a valid approval to renovate the Gulfstream Hotel and construct a new building on the western half of the property. When there is an internal legal squabble in the ownership of a property, the City can do nothing but sit back and wait.

And Martin said,

“I don’t know why they took out the pool. It was a popular place at one time.”

The hotel has been closed since 2006. Up until four years ago the pool was empty and unsecured, causing a nuisance and public health hazard to the neighborhood. It would not have taken much for some child or adult to enter that area and fall into the pool causing grave injury or death. It was also a serious nuisance due to mosquitoes and rodents as well.

Soon after the current owner acquired the property in 2014 the City made them take out the pool. Another pool at the Gulfstream Hotel is planned to be on the second floor above the extended kitchen that is part of the approved plans.

And Martin said,

“The current owners have owned the property for 10 years.”

Hudson Holdings bought the property in 2014 and we have the video on the steps of City Hall to prove it.

And Martin said,

“If it can’t be a hotel, it should be apartments and at least open the restaurant.”

The city badly needs hotel rooms so that ‘room nights’ are not lost to other cities around us during our festivals and other events. An assisted living facility would not provide the economic boost that a hotel would provide the downtown area.

And by the way, Martin is getting help from the editor(s) at The Palm Beach Post as well. Here are some excerpts from published ‘Letters to the Editor’:

“The Gulfstream Hotel should be taken back by the city. . .”

The City of Lake Worth cannot ‘take back’ a property it never owned.

“The Gulfstream Hotel and the seven years of neglect by Hudson Holdings, which is further delayed due to a lawsuit amongst the partners. A possible solution to look into could be eminent domain, where the city would take back the property. . .”

Once again, Hudson Holding bought the hotel in 2014. Four years ago, not seven years ago. And also once again, the City cannot ‘take back’ the Gulfstream Hotel, a property the City never owned.

“Some other points of interest that should be addressed are red-light cameras at intersections. Are they operational? If so, at what cost, and are they constitutional?”

The City of Lake Worth never had red-light cameras.

But did you catch the latest news about Artsy Fartsy!

Really now. Is anyone surprised
The Palm Beach Post is up For-Sale?
And was it true, as was reported in the Post in Jan. 2017, that the Gulfstream Hotel was sitting vacant because of Code Enforcement? No. That was absolutely false as well.

The “BBQ Meet & Greet” at scenic Sunset Ridge Park yesterday.


This event was hosted by the “Local Fire Fighters”
from Local IAFF 2928.
Meet City of Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo and District 1 Commissioner Scott Maxwell.

A view of the venue at Sunset Ridge Park.
Click on image to enlarge:
Event was catered by Callero’s. The BBQ ribs and chicken were spectacular and the staff was outstandingly courteous and friendly
(top left in this photo).

District 4 Commissioner Herman Robinson was in
attendance as well (on right, standing).
The BBQ began at 1:00 and ended at 4:00. Throughout the entire time people were coming and going. A well-attended event the entire time.