“Thank you so much to everyone for all your support. . . .

. . . At the end of qualifying I was re-elected without opposition as your School Board Member for PBC District 4. I truly love this work and I am beyond honored to be able to continue. Thank you.”

Congratulations, Erica!

A message to the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee (REC).

Click on this link for the REC website which explains to the public, “WHO WE ARE”.

Just recently there was a Republican running for Governor of Florida buying TV ads in Palm Beach County (PBC) on the platform of being ‘against sanctuary cities’.

• There are no ‘sanctuary cities’ in PBC.
• There has never been a ‘sanctuary city’ in PBC.
• There has never been in the history of Florida a so-called ‘sanctuary city’.
• Even if a city in PBC wanted to become a ‘sanctuary’ it could never, ever happen (at least not in this Century).

This nonsense from a Republican Party carpetbagger needs to stop and it needs to stop now.

Cities in this County like Lake Worth and the Town of Jupiter have worked too hard to eliminate that divisive term from our political lexicon. Boynton Beach was recently the target of that ‘sanctuary’ nonsense and take note: those troublemakers failed miserably.

Question? How is it possible to be against
something that does not exist?

Heading into the August Primary and General Election in November no one from the Republican Party or Democrat Party should stoop so low here in this County as to try and frighten the public about this ‘sanctuary’ nonsense. Just stop it.

The City of Lake Worth is a proud “Welcoming City”. If you have a problem with that then go at it. But our City was never, ever a ‘sanctuary city’. And neither was Jupiter. And neither is Boynton Beach or any other village, town, or city in Palm Beach County.

Huge front page LOCAL news in this week’s Lake Worth Herald!

The front page news story beneath the masthead today is incredible LOCAL news about Lake Worth High School and educators Ms. Tiffany Cox and Mr. John Weatherspoon:

“Two LWHS Educators Nominated for GRAMMY Awards”

Check back later on for excerpts from this LOCAL news published above the fold today or go Downtown and pick up the print edition. Hurry up before all the papers get sold out.

The Herald today is all LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL community news including recent and upcoming events and club meetings and so much more cool stuff!

Support LOCAL small town journalism.

Pick up today’s print edition at the City’s
newsstand in the Downtown at 600 Lake Ave.
And the Herald is still just ¢50.

Click on this link to see all the front page LOCAL headlines today in The Lake Worth Herald and the Coastal/Greenacres Observer. Now go Downtown and pick up today’s Lake Worth Herald. To become a subscriber, have LOCAL community news, or want to learn more about advertising rates then contact the editor at 561-585-9387 or send an email to: Editor@lwherald.com

As a public service. The video below was posted to YouTube on September 10th, 2017 by the City of Lake Worth’s PIO.*

But first, this is also very important: Do you have a public alleyway behind your home, condo, or apartment?

Please make sure this public right-of-way IS ALWAYS clear of debris and/or obstructions.

“While times have changed [since incorporation in 1913] — deliveries may no longer take place in alleys and garbage collection takes place out front — many of Lake Worth’s water and electric lines are still located in the alleyways.”

—Excerpt from Worth Noting, dated Sept. 2015. To sign up and receive the latest news and important updates from the City of Lake Worth click on this link to begin receiving news that is “Worth Noting” in this little City.


Besides being access for the City’s Electric Utility, that PBSO needs these alleys to patrol and cut down on crime, and to eliminate habitats for feral cats and other vermin, these alleyways need to be clear following a major storm so that power can be restored as quickly as possible.

The last thing anyone from the public wants to hear is there is a delay restoring power because a garbage truck and crew needs to be requisitioned from the City’s Public Works Dept. — or just as likely that a 5-man crew in a heavy-duty work truck loaded up with chainsaws and a chipper in tow — needs to clear the alley so an emergency crew can repair the electric lines in your neighborhood.

Without further ado. . .

A video from seven months ago:

*PIO  =  Public Information Officer. The City of Lake Worth’s PIO is Mr. Ben Kerr.
     As if this City needed to be even more “Quirky with a capital Q”, Mr. Kerr is also a very good bagpipe player. Click on this link to learn more about Mr. Kerr and his playing of the bagpipes at the City’s Veterans Day Parade last year.

Another one.

No blaming of Zombies this time.

The City needs to explain this to the public and fast. Last night’s power outage follows two previous ones
on April 9th and May 20th.

Remember, the City of Lake Worth has only one tie line connecting to the electric grid. Once that line goes down the City is unable to power the entire City until it gets repaired. There is no backup.

Unverified photo of repairs from early this morning:

This photo is from Facebook.

Just by coincidence, the last Electric Utility Advisory Board meeting was on Monday, June 18th.

It’s Summer and it’s Hurricane Season:

Event Tomorrow. Planning Challenges: Retail, Facts and Fiction.

A message from the Palm Beach County
Planning Congress, Inc.*

“Join us on June 22nd in the former Macy’s space in City Place, West Palm Beach, as we explore the future of retail and the retail spaces that inhabit our landscape. This full-day event will feature local and national leaders in the retail industry as we explore how retail is changing and the implications for our communities.”*


Below is more information about this upcoming event and how to get registered.

The keynote speaker is Bob Gibbs, founder of the highly respected Gibbs Planning Group, a leading thinker on retail development and author of the groundbreaking book Principals of Urban Retail Planning and Development on “[D]evelopment of sustainable and community-oriented strategies to improve retail spaces and our cities.”

Other notable speakers include:

• Tony Carvajal, Executive Vice President, Florida Chamber Foundation.
• Dana Little, Urban Design Director, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.
• Dale Scott, Southern Division Lead, International Council of Shopping Centers (“ICSC”).
• Also hear from municipalities on their strategies: Cities of Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach and Village of Wellington.

For more information — including the list of sponsors which include the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council — click on this link (note: 7.0 AICP-CM credits to be applied for).

The cost is $60 for this full-day event (7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) on Friday, June 22nd and includes breakfast and lunch. To register click on this link or contact Seth Behn at the Palm Beach County Planning Congress for more information: call 561-602-3771 or by email at sbehn@llw-law.com


*The Palm Beach County Planning Congress, Inc. meets on a regular monthly basis and features a variety of topics that are both current and of interest to our members. Meeting formats vary and include presentations, panel discussions, field trips, tours, and/or a combination of formats depending on the topic.

SFWMD Governing Board Vice Chair Melanie Peterson said last week, “So I’m just wondering. . .”

“. . . I’m just wondering at what point do we have a serious discussion, a high level discussion about relocating a small contingent of an endangered species to where they belong so that we can get along with the restoration projects as well as flood control for eight million people.”


The entire quote by Melanie Peterson from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board meeting held on June 14th is below and at the very end of this blog post is a question.

At issue is what to do with an endangered species of bird that nests near the ground. This little bird has become a very big topic of discussion vis-à-vis public safety, water management, flooding, and wildlife protections here in South Florida.

That very big issue in need of a solution is about an endangered bird called the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow. To learn more about this sparrow click on this link for the species profile.

This issue is not a new one by any means. Click on this link to learn more about what happened in 2017 as was reported in The Palm Beach Post about SFWMD:


     District spokesman Randy Smith, said the district had hoped to avoid the back pumping [into Lake Okeechobee] by opening flood gates that would allow excess water to flow south into Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
     But that option has so far been blocked to protect the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, [emphasis added] Smith said. “The obvious solution, the quick solution, is to open the gates and let it go into the park,” Smith said.
     “That is the logical thing to do to provide immediate relief, but so far we’ve gotten no response from U.S. Fish and Wildlife.”


This problem came to the forefront once again this year after the heavy rainfall in May that caused the water levels here in Palm Beach County to rise so high. Those rainfalls were 300% above normal and very early in the Wet Season as well. The problem comes down to how best to get the water moving south through Broward and Miami-Dade counties and then through Everglades National Park and into tide at Florida Bay. Besides being in Wet Season this is also Hurricane Season.

SFWMD has a lot of control over where water flows. But that control ends when up against the U.S. Dept. of Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. And that’s where the little endangered sparrow comes into play.

The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow was a topic of discussion at the SFWMD Governing Board meeting last week and what we’ll focus on is what was said from the 2 hour and two minute mark to the 2:10 minute mark. For reference click on this link for the video from that Governing Board meeting.

To start things off board member James Moran had a comment followed by a question:


We often mention the bird here, Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, which during certain times of the year prevent water from flowing south. In our discussions at high level like in Washington [D.C.] are we mentioning that conflict between trying to save that one species of bird at the sacrifice of hundreds of millions of dollars in these fixtures and projects we’re building and as we weigh the salvation of the species of the bird against flooding in people’s homes and ruining the agricultural industry in southwest Dade, is that on the table?

Briefly, before we get to the remarks from Vice Chair Peterson, here is a map of how water flows from Palm Beach County to the Broward/Miami-Dade county line.


Click on image to enlarge:

Note the Palm Beach/Broward county line
and the Water Control Areas (WCAs) in
Broward County (light green).

Here is a close-up of WCA 2 & 3:

Click on this link to read more about these WCAs, information from SFWMD.

Now back to the SFWMD Governing Board meeting last week. Chair Federico Fernandez asked the Board if anyone else had any comments to make on the topic of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow. The Vice Chair Peterson had a lot to say.

The issue of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow goes way beyond South Florida. It goes to the issue of the role of the Federal Government vs. the States. To the role of the Jacksonville Army Corps of Engineers and determining when to begin water release east and west from Lake Okeechobee and how SFWMD manages those water releases. And it filters down to how the SFWMD coordinates with Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and other counties here in South Florida. It is a very complicated issue.

And one of those very big issues right smack in the middle is that little sparrow. Without further ado, in response to the Governing Board Chairman Federico Fernandez asking if there were any more comments from the board, the Vice Chair said this:


So in the discussions that you’re having in [Washington] D.C., and I appreciate the initiative and the activity that’s happening not only with Ernie* and the Chair, but we have some WRAC† members that have been talking to the Congressional delegation about the specifics of the constraints in the system, the constraints with implementing CEPP‡ and so I appreciate them and their diligence and their time in doing that.
     But I’m just wondering, because it’s my understanding that the [Cape Sable Seaside] sparrow nests that we’re working and spending millions and almost billions of dollars to circumvent wasn’t even . . . that area isn’t even a natural habitat for them, it’s sort of like a home away from home. They kind of moved there because their home got flooded and then now they’ve established there and the DOI§ is kind of hellbent on shoring up that area and keeping that nesting area strategic in their habitat and my question is has anyone discussed the possibility of relocating this habitat, these birds, to where they belong so that we can implement this system, because I think it’s really crazy to think that we’re spending millions and nearly billions on diverting water around an artificial area that they were never meant to nest in the first place.
     So I’m just wondering if relocation of this species is even on the table because as we know — we’ve talked about this, Terri‖ and I’ve talked about this extensively — if the water rises the birds will move. We’ve shown that throughout our whole system. We’ve shown where birds have proliferated in our STAs¶ because we’ve created habitat that is more conducive to them. They were never really there before. Now they’re there.
     We’ve seen on the lake [Lake Okeechobee] a major resurgence of wading birds because we’ve made that right.
     So I’m just wondering does anyone really think that birds will just stand still and drown? It’s a silly question but I’m just wondering at what point do we have a serious discussion, a high level discussion about relocating a small contingent of an endangered species to where they belong so that we can get along with the restoration projects as well as flood control for eight million people.


So as to the question, is Vice Chair Peterson right about relocating the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow? And as Governing Board member James Moran pointed out, should this endangered sparrow be relocated to another habitat to resolve the “conflict between trying to save that one species of bird at the sacrifice of hundreds of millions of dollars . . . the salvation of the species of the bird against flooding in people’s homes”?

Stay tuned as they say. And don’t be surprised to hear about some “high level discussion” in Tallahassee and in Washington, D.C. to try and resolve this vexing issue here in South Florida so we don’t have to risk a repeat in 2019 and beyond.

Save The Date: A good place to make your voice heard is at the next WRAC meeting to be held on August 2nd at the main headquarters of SFWMD located at 3301 Gun Club Rd. in suburban West Palm Beach. WRAC public forums begin at 9:00 a.m. and Recreational Issues Forums begin at 5:00 p.m.


*Ernie Marks, Executive Director of SFWMD (click on this link for the Executive Management team at SFWMD).
†WRAC  =  Water Resources Analysis Coalition.
‡CEPP  =  Central Everglades Planning Project.
§DOI  =  U.S. Dept. of Interior.
‖Terri Bates, Water Resources, SFWMD Executive Management.
¶STA  =  Stormwater Treatment Area.

Video of last night’s Lake Worth City Commission meeting is below.

A view of the chambers and dais early on. . .

Stay tuned for more slides from the PBSO Update:

The crime “heat map” from last night.

A good place to start before we get to the not-so-good stuff would be the PBSO update by Cpt. Todd Baer and that begins at the 6:00 minute mark in the video below. The wheels didn’t begin to fall off the bus until later on at the Commission meeting.

To sum it up and put it mildly, it was not a good night for our City Commission vis-à-vis First Reading of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs):

Item 10C. Ordinance No. 2018-10 - First Reading - Amending Chapter 23 “Land Development Regulations” including amendments to Section 23.3-6 Use Table and setting the Second Reading and Public Hearing for July 17, 2018.


What I can say after attending last night’s City Commission reading is that the changes contemplated for the LDRs were passed on First Reading last night with some sections removed. However, it was not without very raucous deliberation and confusion related to a motion and calling the question.

The City was quick to put up the video; it was available to the public at 6:00 this morning. If you have time, I encourage you to watch the entire discussion which lasts about 1½ hours (beginning at the 2 hour and 11 minute mark to 3:42).

The action, the really contentious part, is from 3:18–3:24.

At second reading, which is scheduled for July 17th, we should get a review of where things stood after the action taken last night. The good news is that certain critical items that were project-specific (e.g., people waiting for changes allowing projects to move forward) ending up passing. In retrospect, the confusing items should have been uncoupled from the larger package of changes and dealt with on an individual basis in order to expedite the process.

The other ‘housekeeping items’ confused the City Commission and the public and that’s why the discussion got derailed last night. In conclusion, expect a lot more Workshops in the future to avoid more situations such as this in the near future.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Official Committee Update From NAPC: 2018 July 4th Great American Raft Race.

For more information contact Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents’ Council (NAPC) President Jon Faust and/or the Dir. of Communications, Ryan Oblander.

Email: napcinfo@gmail.com

First, before we get to the press release (see below) there is very important information to report. This year’s Top Three T-Shirt Logo Contest winners are:

• 1st Place: Ellie Frost ($100).
• 2nd Place: Debra Robert ($50).
• 3rd Place: Brent Bloodworth ($50).

Congratulations everyone!

This year’s theme is: “Race To The Zoo”:

OFFICIAL NAPC PRESS RELEASE.

“Lake Worth Neighborhood Association Presidents’ Council Holds 17th Annual July Fourth Raft Race”:

LAKE WORTH, FL — For the 17th year in a row, residents in Lake Worth will celebrate the July Fourth holiday with a parade down Lake Avenue starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by the Great American Raft Race at Bryant Park, all encompassing this year’s theme, “RACE TO THE ZOO.”

Originated 17 years ago by Herman Robinson and the Bryant Park Neighborhood Association, this annual Maritime Fun Fest, a parade, show, and race, continue to surprise, inspire, and entertain all.

The parade will feature homemade floats from the local neighborhood associations that make up the Lake Worth Neighborhood Association Presidents’ Council (NAPC), along with local businesses and other organizations.

The parade begins at 11:30 a.m. at the intersection of Lake Avenue and J Street. It will head east to Bryant Park, where participants will then get ready for the Great American Raft Race at 1:00 p.m.

What makes the Lake Worth NAPC Great American Raft Race so unique is that it’s “a race with no rules”, or at least almost none. No manufactured hulls or engines. You have to wait to Start, go around the marked course, and cross a Finish line. Of course, jumping out, falling out, or sinking are just part of the fun. Don’t be shocked if there is an attack of pirated kayaks with super soakers that appear, or a sinking Port-O-Let, or the City Commission looses their steering and crashes into competitors (two years). Anything and everything can happen and usually does.

Before racing begins many of the participating racing crews and parade participants will show off their own unique performances that shouldn't be missed along the dock.

During the raft race, representatives from each neighborhood and the city will compete in their own unique creation, homemade rafts to see which vessel comes in first. Besides the winners trophy, known as The Grundge Cup, trophies are also awarded for Crowd Pleaser, Most Decorated, Run Aground, among others.

The parade and raft race aims to bring members of the Lake Worth community together. Each year, the events attract more and more people, as the NAPC aims to show the solidarity and excitement of the city.

“July Fourth is a day when we celebrate America and we want to celebrate the great city where we live as well,” says the president of the NAPC, Jon Faust.

“With so much going on in our world, the raft race gives us a chance to have fun and remember it’s the people and all of their different personalities that make up our country!”

End of Official NAPC
Press Release.

Post reporter Scott McCabe on Lake Worth High School: “Project Lake Worth turns diversity into strength”.

This series about Lake Worth High School published in The Palm Beach Post is divided into four parts on this blog, Excerpts #1–4. Below is Excerpt #2. After reading this excerpt scroll back up and click on this link to read Excerpt #1 which will answer a lot of questions, e.g., “Who exactly is Scott McCabe?”

This series about Project Lake Worth is more than just about Lake Worth High School but about all our schools here in this City and pondering the question: “Is it time for Project Lake Worth II?” And what role does City government have in spurring more interest in our schools from the earliest levels through High School?

Consider this: The City of Lake Worth has a number of volunteer advisory boards, e.g., a C-51 Canal Advisory Board, an Electric Utility Advisory Board, a Library Board, a Recreation Advisory Board, and even a Tree Board too.

But guess what this City doesn’t have? A board tasked with coordinating and working with our one charter school, the four public elementary schools, Lake Worth Middle, Lake Worth High School and the private school at Sacred Heart Catholic. And how many other private and faith-based schools are there in this City? Does anyone even know?

The C-51 Canal Advisory Board has only met one single time since being formed in November 2016. Don’t you think it’s time for something like a school advisory board to bring all the schools together in a common forum to discuss problems and the successes as well?

Whilst you ponder that question, two short quotes from the news in the Post:


“When Principal David Cantley canceled Homecoming, ‘not a single mom called to complain.’ ”

and. . .
 

“For what had begun six years earlier as a search for a way to save the high school had flowered into a movement to save the city itself — Project Lake Worth.”

Another quote about Project Lake Worth in
The Palm Beach Post: 

“Despite the rumors of Project Lake Worth’s imminent demise, Joe Egly, its former president, vows to keep it alive — no matter what it takes.”

More from former Post staff writer Scott McCabe datelined:

Sunday, February 14th, 1999.

Click on newspaper clipping from 19 years ago:

 From the timeline. 1990: “Twice-a-year citywide cleanups begin.” 1995: “Residents rally, march
and protest to school board.”

Excerpt #2 from McCabe’s
news article:

  
     “People are wondering, ‘Have we done our job? Yes,’ ” said David Dale, Project Lake Worth’s president. Dale himself says he won’t serve another term after this one runs out in May. No one has lined up to replace him.
     “But there’s so much more to do,” Dale said. “We need fresh blood.”
     Despite the rumors of Project Lake Worth’s imminent demise, Joe Egly, its former president, vows to keep it alive — no matter what it takes.
     He doesn’t want to see the city return to the way things were in 1989, when Lake Worth was at its nadir.*
     Older residents were dying off, and families migrating west. Homes were being taken over by absentee landlords who stuffed them with immigrants afraid to make waves. Downtown storefronts were 70 percent empty then.
     The rot had spread to the schools.
     The 63-year-old Southgrade Elementary was turned into an alternative school for kids with behavior problems. Its twin, Northgrade, was on the verge of closing. Highland Elementary School was dubbed “Portable City.”
     Lake Worth High School was worse. Once packed with about 3,000 kids, enrollment had dwindled to 1,400, many of whom couldn’t speak English.
     And the building, the oldest public high school in the county, was falling apart. When rains weren’t flooding the “Mole Hole,” the school’s north building, stray cats were chasing rats through its science classes.
     When Principal David Cantley canceled Homecoming, “not a single mom called to complain.”
     “Literally, we were dying,” Cantley said.

Check back next week for another excerpt about Lake Worth High School and Project Lake Worth.

As always, Thank You for visiting today and please scroll back up to the first paragraph in this blog post for the link to Excerpt #1.

And one last question, “Why not ask the members of the C-51 Canal Advisory Board if they would consider becoming the City’s School Advisory Board instead?”

Remember. This volunteer board has only met

one single time since November 2016:

In the meantime early this year was the formation of Blueway Trail, Inc., a 501c3. Click on this link to learn more.

*“Nadir”, definition: “the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair.”

Attention all Millennials and young people interested in politics: Make a difference and gain experience too.

Run for election on the November 6th ballot this year.

The one-week Qualifying Period begins TODAY! Learn more below.

Both of the elected bodies listed below are non-partisan in the upcoming General Election (which means these seats WILL NOT be on the August 28th ballot). Please Note: the five-day Qualifying Period to get your name on the ballot begins today at noon and ends on Friday at noon.

Run for seat on Northern PBC
Improvement District.

Seats up for election on Palm Beach Soil & Water Conservation District.

Learn more about these “non-partisan” elections below. For more information about the Northern PBC Improvement District click on this link.

For more information click on this link for the Supervisor of Elections (SOE) website. If you have any further questions or have difficulty finding the information you need visit the SOE at 240 S. Military Trail in suburban West Palm Beach or call 561-656-6200 on Monday–Friday from 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Details and how to get your name on the ballot. . .

Election Date: November 6, 2018.

Term Begins: January 8, 2019.

Qualifications: Registered voter in Palm Beach County.

Term of Office: 4 years.

Electorate: Registered voters of the district.

Qualifying Period: Noon, June 18, 2018 through Noon, June 22, 2018.

Qualifying Fee: $25.00 (May be paid by personal funds).

Method of Qualifying:

Qualifying fee.

Filing Documents: Statement of Candidate (DS-DE 84).
AND
Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (DS-DE 9).*

Qualifying Documents: Candidate Oath – Non-Partisan (DS-DE 25) AND Form 1 – Statement of Financial Interests 2017.


*Pursuant to 99.061(3) a candidate who does not collect contributions and whose only expense is the filing fee is not required to appoint a campaign treasurer or designate a primary campaign depository.

Very big news. Item 9A on tomorrow’s City Commission agenda:

“Purchase of Automated License Plate Readers and Surveillance Camera System”.

Also on the agenda tomorrow is Item 5A: “Quarterly PBSO Presentation given by Captain Todd Baer”.

Excerpts from Item 9A are below.

To download and look over the entire agenda click on this link and scroll down for “Agenda & Backup” for June 19th Regular Meeting, 6:00 at City Hall.

[PLEASE NOTE: Next Tuesday’s City Commission meeting WILL NOT be Live Streaming on YouTube and neither will any other public meetings in the foreseeable future. However, meetings will be available on YouTube the very next morning for the public. Only the Live Streaming is affected. Click on this link to learn more.]

ITEM 9A:

Executive Brief: Authorization for the Purchase of Automated License Plate Readers and Surveillance Camera System and for the City Manager to execute necessary purchasing documents or Interlocal Agreement.

Summary: The Authorization provides for the use of $332,012 in surtax funds for the acquisition and installation of Automated License Plate Readers and Surveillance Cameras throughout the City to be monitored by the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.

Background and Justification: The City of Lake Worth has been chosen to be part of a pilot program for PBSO’s Real Time Crime Center. Analysts, dispatchers and alternate duty deputies are currently utilizing a limited number of surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers (“ALPR”) to communicate real time crime information to deputies on the street. The use of the ALPR has resulted in hundreds of arrests since the initial deployment throughout PBSO’s service areas. In total the City will be installing twenty-two (22) ALPR and twenty (20) surveillance cameras. The additional ALPR and surveillance cameras will enable PBSO to install them at all ingress and egress points in the city which will greatly assist in further reducing crime in the City.

The cost for the twenty-two (22) ALPR is two hundred forty-nine thousand twenty dollars ($249,020) which includes installation costs, the cost for the twenty (20) additional surveillance cameras is eighty-two thousand nine hundred ninety-two dollars ($82,992), for a total cost of three hundred thirty-two thousand twelve dollars ($332,012).

In April 2016, the City Commission entered into an Interlocal Agreement with Palm Beach County and the School District of Palm Beach County to support a one-cent infrastructure surtax. In November 2016, the one cent sales tax was approved by 56.63% of the voters of Palm Beach County. As a result, the City will receive approximately $21,675,296 million dollars over a 10-year period to identify and complete projects that meet the surtax ordinance criteria. The surtax funds can be used by the City to acquire, finance, plan, construct, reconstruct, renovate and improve needed infrastructure such as property, buildings, equipment, roads, bridges, sidewalks, streetlights, signalization, parks, recreational facilities, drainage, wastewater facilities, and public safety vehicles and equipment that all provide a public purpose and benefit for a minimum of five years.

The City has received a sole source letter from the manufacturer and installer of the ALPR and will be utilizing PBSO’s specifications for the purchase of the equipment necessary to build and install the surveillance cameras. Both purchases will qualify as sole source purchases under the City’s Procurement Code. However, the City is currently working with PBSO to determine the best contractual vehicle(s) to efficiently make the purchases either through direct purchases by the City or an Interlocal Agreement with PBSO for the City to transfer the funds to PBSO to make the purchase. Authorization to the City Manager to sign off on the finalized purchasing documents or Interlocal Agreement will provide flexibility in accomplishing the purchases.

MOTION: I move to approve/disapprove the purchase of automated license plate readers and surveillance cameras in the amount of $332,012 and authorize the City Manager to execute necessary purchasing documents or Interlocal Agreement.

Whilst on the topic of crime. . .

Have a tip to help solve a crime?

Stay anonymous and call 800-458-8477.

“No tip is too small. Your tip may be the missing piece of the puzzle that helps to solve or
prevent a crime.”

Below is a message from PBSO District 14:

“Working together, we can better address crime and quality of life issues, as well as build relationships and a foundation for future success.”

Calling All Hip Senior Citizens and Hipster Millennials too! Have you been to World Thrift yet?

Please Note: Have you seen the new signage at World Thrift? The new signs look spectacular! The BIG DAYS at World Thrift are Monday (when all the really great new stuff comes out) and Wednesday (Senior Citizen Day). So you’ll want to get in line early on those days. World Thrift is closed on Sundays. Do you like to plan ahead? The 3rd Annual Día de los Muertos in the City of Lake Worth falls on November 3rd this year!


Did you know the City of Lake Worth (aka, “LDub”) is THE ONLY “Hipster Haven” in Palm Beach County? It’s true. But there are many imitators and pretenders to the throne, e.g., West Palm Beach is one and Delray Beach is another mimic. So. What finally tipped the scale for this City of Lake Worth?

It happened when the hugely popular, trendy, and hip World Thrift opened up three years ago. And things have never been the same.

World Thrift, if you didn’t know by now, is located at 2425 N. Dixie Hwy in Lake Worth, open Monday–Saturday, 9:00–6:00. Call 561-588-4050 for more information. Use this link to see some of the incredible fashion and garments available for MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN!

Remember, EVERY Wednesday is
Senior Citizen Day.

Following your shopping experience pack your stuff in the car and walk across the street for lunch or dinner at Tacos Al Carbon. It’s the new hot spot everybody is raving about in Central PBC and the latest stop on the Taste History Culinary Tour!

CALLING ALL HIPSTER MILLENNIALS!

Make your home in L-Dub. The one and only Hipster Haven in all of Palm Beach County.

Following wave after wave of good news coming from our little City the philosophy of Apatharchism has firmly taken hold here. Adherents include former 60’s-style Anarchists, Millennial-Anarchists, Anarch sympathizers, and affinity members once focused only on the bad news, doom and gloom, and the “Wolf at the Door” that never appeared.

Take for example the City’s bond referendum that passed overwhelmingly in November 2016. Those few blocks of the City once occupied by Anarchists and inaccessible by pogo stick, skateboard, and unicycle will soon have new roads! Areas that already have LED street lighting, new water lines and fire hydrants, upgraded parks and Greenways is fomenting the Apatharchist rebellion. “The roads are new in Lake Worth”, the Anarchist holdouts will observe, not quite enthralled as living conditions improve all around them.

As far as all the other Millennials go, not quite enamored with the Anarchist lifestyle. . .

Are you a Millennial Hipster looking for a place that’s “up and coming”? Do you want to stand out? Make yourself noticed? By definition a Hipster is born about 1980, and is attracted to up-and-coming cities: that’s Lake Worth, Florida!

Having World Thrift located here makes all the sense in the world now. The New Times rated World Thrift one of the best thrift stores ever:


[I]t remains the only place in town to score a vintage silk kimono, a $3.99 collection of mint-condition '70s-era teen magazines, a plethora of options for the next ugly Christmas sweater party, and a White House Black Market dress with the tags still on for ten bucks, all in one afternoon.


However, the looming question remains: are Hipsters really hip and why do they all seem to look alike? Or are they really raging non-conformists who have all conformed?

There are other options as well. You can take another path like the Anarchist Millennials:

Look closely at the written instructions on how
and when to empty the poop bucket. And who
knows, you might even catch an Anarchist
‘musical’ while you’re in town.

Stay tuned. The little Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow is about to become a big story.

To say that the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) meeting last Thursday of the Governing Board was significant for Palm Beach County would be a huge understatement. Two words used quite frequently were “operational efficiency” and coordinating with the Federal Government to quickly get the water levels down in South Florida following the massive rains last month. The video of last week’s meeting is not yet available but click on this link and check throughout the week for when it is uploaded for the public.

Some of the major topics of discussion were “deep injection wells”, how to get more water south into Everglades National Park and into tide at the Florida Bay, and how the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow fits into the equation. For some background and more information please continue reading to find out what happened last year.

PLEASE NOTE: The blog post below is from June 2017.

Click on this link for the news from Palm Beach Post reporter Kimberly Miller headlined, “Water can flow into endangered sparrow territory”. An excerpt from the article:

Water will be allowed to flow south out of swollen water conservation areas to alleviate flood concerns and save wildlife in the Everglades, but the move could damage nests of the endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow.
     The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had barred the opening of flood gates into the sparrow’s nesting area through July 15 [2017] — the end of nesting season.
     But Ken Warren, a spokesman for the service, said Tuesday that the Army Corps of Engineers was given the green light to open the gates if it’s “absolutely necessary.”
     “The corps feels like this has evolved into a human health and safety issue because they see the potential for levies to be compromised due to the high water,” [emphasis added] Warren said.


To read the previous news story from June 2017 by the reporter titled, “Emergency Lake Okeechobee back-pumping granted to save wildlife” use this link. And below learn more about the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow as well.


The South Florida Water Management District was granted emergency permission today [June 23rd, 2017] to back pump clean water into Lake Okeechobee to save animals and plants in bloated water conservation areas.
     District spokesman Randy Smith, said the district had hoped to avoid the back pumping by opening flood gates that would allow excess water to flow south into Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
     But that option has so far been blocked to protect the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, [emphasis added] Smith said.
     “The obvious solution, the quick solution, is to open the gates and let it go into the park,” Smith said. “That is the logical thing to do to provide immediate relief, but so far we’ve gotten no response from U.S. Fish and Wildlife.”

The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow.

Learn more about SFWMD’s “Tremendous Progress on Kissimmee River Restoration Project” and why a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee is such a terrible idea.

Fundraising T-Shirts: “L-Dub Local 91” is the logo on the front.

This year’s Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station #91 T-shirts are in. All proceeds go to charities within this City of Lake Worth. Pick up your L-Dub* shirt for $15 at the City’s PBCFR Station #91 at 1020 Lucerne Ave.

“HELPING OUR FIREFIGHTERS

HELP THE LOCALS”

*L-Dub  =  City of Lake Worth. ‘L’ is for “Lake”. ‘Dub’ is slang for double-‘u’ as in letter W. Very important: “L-Dub” refers to the actual City of Lake Worth, not one of those cookie-cutter ‘communities’ out west somewhere with a Lake Worth zip code.

Mr. Neil Stegall from the Scottish Rite at the Lake Worth City Commission.

The information provided by Mr. Stegall on June 5th was very important community news. So much so there will likely be public workshop scheduled in the near future between the City, the public, and this crucial nonprofit. Just the idea of the Scottish Rite structure being razed and replaced by condos is unthinkable for many of you reading this.

You can watch and listen to Mr. Stegall for yourself in the video below at Public Comment. Briefly, the nonprofit Scottish Rite of Lake Worth needs support from the community and they also want to work with the City to help save their amazing 5½ acre, 40,000 s/f facility at 2000 North ‘D’ St. But the Scottish Rite membership has been dropping year after year as is the case for many fraternal organizations. They are at a fork in the road, so to speak.

The Scottish Rite is being approached by developers who would most likely tear the building down and construct new housing or condos. Yes. This City needs more housing but at what cost? Losing a historic treasure? Losing the Grey Mockingbird Garden and one of our traditional voting locations and so many other things our community has counted on for so many decades?

Click on this link to see photos of the inside and outside of the Masonic Center.

The list of things the Scottish Rite has done for this City is impressive. I could regale you with stories over the years about what they’ve done for this City, communities, and neighborhoods. And they never ask for anything in return. But now after all these years the Scottish Rite is asking for help.

This community organization has been located in the City of Lake Worth for one hundred continuous years.

One idea brought up by Mr. Stegall was a workshop with the City and that looks like it is going to happen watching the reactions on the Commission dais. Another idea was considering a co-op public-private partnership where the City of Lake Worth could gain by having access and use of the Scottish Rite property and facilities while at the same time preserving the structure. All of these ideas will be considered and many others as well.

Stay tuned for more information about this very important topic.

Click play to watch the video: