Lake Worth Beach Election Certification and Swearing in Ceremony March 16, 2021

Lake Worth Beach, FL-- On Tuesday, March 16, the City of Lake Worth Beach will certify the results of the election, swear-in the newly elected commission, and authorize a run-off election for district 2. This important afternoon will take place as follows:

• 4:30pm - City Hall - Special City Commission Meeting to certify the Election Results. 

• 6:00pm - Bryant Park - Newly Elected Commissioners Swearing in followed immediately by a Special City Commission Meeting to set the ballot for the March 23, 2021 Municipal Run-off Election for district 2.

The ceremony and both meetings will be livestreamed for the public to view on the City Website, https://lakeworthbeachfl.gov. Members of the public and press may attend the swearing in ceremony and follow up meeting being held in Bryant Park but should follow social distancing and mask wearing guidelines.

Results of Lake Worth Beach Municipal Election 2021

Welcome Mayor Betty Resch, District #1 Commissioner Sara Malega and District #3 Commissioner Kim Stokes. 

Note that there will be a runoff election in the District #2 race between Carla Blockson and Chris McVoy on March 23rd. Stay tuned for more updates. 

 

The municipal pool at the Lake Worth Beach was shut down 10.5 years ago. Why? Not enough money in City budget.

A previous City administration discovered in October 2010 that having an Olympic-sized lap pool at the Beach wasn’t economically feasible. Then something very interesting happened the very next year.

But first, enjoy this video:

Our precious pool wasn't making enough money to stay open. So it was shut down in 2010. . .

So revenue was a concern, you see. Or was. The city manager back then was Susan Stanton. She was fired in 2011 and a few months later Michael Bornstein was hired to be the city manager. Now fast forward to 2015 following all the pressure that was put on Bornstein and the City to reopen the pool, which it was, but guess what happened next? A surprising turnaround. Learn more about that below.

 Some former electeds and administration official

responsible for this mess at the Beach:

From L to R, facing: Joann Golden has her hand on Suzanne Mulvehill’s shoulder, Chris McVoy, PhD, Susan Stanton (former city manager), and Cara Jennings (on far right).

The surprising turnaround. . .

The very same former commissioners from that prior administration who closed the pool in 2010 all of sudden in 2015 were no longer concerned the pool complex was losing money to the tune of $123,000 that fiscal year. It was now an ‘amenity’ that must remain open no matter what the burden or shortfalls in City budgets.

Here are the numbers to keep the pool
open three years ago:

Then came the cry, “Just increase the pool hours to make up the shortfall!” But with every increase in hours comes with it an increase in cost. The shortfalls don’t go away because of additional hours open.

If we are to conclude that a pool at the Beach is a precious amenity that must remain open then why did a previous administration close it? Looking out to future City budgets if the pool was losing $300,000 or $500,000 every year who would be tasked with footing the bill? Would the nearby well-heeled residents in the Town of Palm Beach help with the shortfalls funding this ‘precious amenity’?

The point here is the pool was ignored as an amenity for many years even though its value was used to compute the percentage of the ‘renovation’ to the Casino building. But the so-called renovation wasn’t a renovation at all. It was new construction. The pool was just the distraction.

The IG had a thing or two to say
about that back in 2011.

Click on image to enlarge:

So. Still think constructing a new pool
at the Beach is a good idea?

This won’t take long. Doesn’t the Greater Bay plan in 2009 for our Lake Worth Beach look really good right about now?

However, the public was never allowed to see this plan. Why? Because a previous administration (see the “happy” photo below) thought they could come up with a better plan than Greater Bay did.

Because the contract with Greater Bay was broken that later cost the City a $1.6M settlement (how many potholes could that money have fixed?), countless bills for lawyers, embarrassment for the City of Lake Worth and “egg on our faces” as Mayor Pam Triolo, first elected in 2012, likes to say.

Note the location of Casino. The Greater Bay plan included a parking garage with a new pool facility to the north plus ample access for the handicapped and emergency/commercial vehicles.

The majority elected in 2012, Triolo, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, and Commissioner Andy Amoroso were left to pick up all the pieces.

In 2010–2012 “. . . it appears some corners were cut”, said the editor(s) at The Palm Beach Post. You ain’t kidding.

When Commissioner McVoy comes knocking on your door asking for your vote again, just say “I think I’ll pass.”

Commissioner McVoy, PhD (beaming, next to former City Manager Stanton) was once so pleased with himself. He was first elected in 2010. Are you ready to give McVoy a raise and 2 more years on our City Commission?