Statewide amendments on ballot made easy

Click title for link to an article authored by yours truly that appears in the South Florida Blade.

Utilities, codes, beach take center stage in Lake Worth

John Paxman, moderator, introduces the candidates at last night's candidate forum. Click title for link to PB Post article.
Commissioner Jennings at the Playhouse addressing the audience, answering one of the questions posed last night.

If you read the article from the PB Post, you will learn about the high drama last night when John Jordan revealed that 12 years ago one of the candidates had a DUI incident. Mary Lindsey offered an appropriate and classy response to the accusation. One would have thought that would have been all of the story. But, then, in his summary statement, John Jordan accused Commissioner Cara Jenning's team of giving him that information to reveal. Commissioner Jennings denied any involvement and chastised John Jordan for "blaming someone else for his actions." I didn't catch Mr. Jordan's summary statement, but here is how this unfolded:

Commissioner Dave Vespo on Permitting and Inspections in Lake Worth

From last night's Neighborhood Associations Presidents Council forum at the Lake Worth Playhouse.

Commissioner Dave Vespo's Intro Speech at the LW Playhouse Candidate Forum

Commissioner Vespo reviews his accomplishments and introduces himself to the audience last night at the Playhouse Forum sponsored by the Neighborhood Associations Presidents Council.

Explanation of Question 2 on the Lake Worth Ballot

This is from the Playhouse Candidate forum last night put on by the Neighborhood Presidents Council. Carla Blockson gave an explanation of the second Lake Worth question on the ballot concerning a 99 year lease for the organization "For the Children, Inc." You can also call 561 493 1190 for more information or follow this link to a website: www.FTC-Osborne.org

Florida voting rolls contain dead people, duplicates, ineligible felons

I try to understand why some people have blogs...

and not allow people to comment. What are they afraid of?

Estimated Waiting Times for Early Voting Available Online

Persons wishing to take advantage of early voting in Palm Beach County can find out beforehand how long the estimated waiting time will be by going to pbcelections.org and clicking on Early Voting Wait Times on the right side of the screen.

Approximate waiting times at each of the 11 official early voting sites are updated at least every two hours.

Eligible voters should bring a photo ID and signature ID with them. Early voting continues through November 2.

From last week's Commission meeting...

A couple things stood out during public comment on non-agendaed items. One concerned customer service at the utility department and the other concerned inspections/code enforcement when people are working on their homes. I listened to it last week on Wednesday during the day. The specifics may not be all there, but this is what I remember hearing.

It is really sad, on both counts.

A gentleman got up to the podium and told a story about how he was something like $100 behind on his electric bill. He had been talking with utility customer service, saying that he would be able to pay the amount by a certain date so that he could maintain his utility service. On that day, he came in and paid the past due balance, only to be notified by someone at home that the city came out and turned the power off about an hour after he made the payment. Follow-up calls to customer service were made and generally unresponsive to the resident's complaints. Someone even told him that if he hadn't made the payment, his power would still have been on - no one would have been sent to disconnect it. Furthermore, he had an elderly relative at his house who occasionally needed oxygen and it was a big deal to prepare him to move somewhere else other than their house if he needed it. This was suggested - go find someone with power or got o the fire department - both unworkable solutions for this resident.

To their credit, the Commission and Mayor were compassionate with the resident and directed staff to rectify the situation. But, this is just one example...how many others just like this, better or worse, were perpetrated that same day or week? Why does it seem impossible to get a straight answer from anyone in that department? Why does the attitude exist that the resident/customer is always wrong and the city is omnipotent - never being wrong? Why the defensiveness? Where is the compassion?

Now on to the next "little shop of horrors" - the building department. This is only the latest example of many that I have heard from those doing work on their homes, places of business, etc. Seems that a homeowner on C street has taken on a real project of a house and is making wonderful progress - visually. He passed around a picture for members of the Commission and the Mayor to see. All were impressed. However, the homeowner, after a lot of work he has put into the property, has put his property up for sale. Why? Because every time he calls for an inspection it's something else he has to do - and usually not inexpensive items. Windows, electrical, structural etc - it never seems to end. Again, the Commission extended their sympathies, but whether anything was followed up on, who is to say?

We have to realize, as I did when looking for a home in Lake Worth in the summer of 2000, that our housing stock is older. Tastes and family types have changed since the time most of these houses were built. It is very likely that anyone buying a home here will be wanting to do some sort of improvement to it - usually involving something major like an addition/expansion of bathroom or living space - or the very common kitchen upgrade.

Why do we make it so difficult? Why is it so "us against them"? Why are the inspectors inconsistent from one inspector or inspection to another?

I am convinced we can do better, but for some reason we aren't. Is it the City Manager - or lack thereof? I am also surprised that more people are not talking about this, with some exceptions, on the campaign trail.

And where are the pictures of our Mayor Jeff Clemens and his cell phone number that were to be posted at every customer service desk in the city? If you had poor or rude service, you were to have a hot-line to the Mayor. I guess chalk that up to another empty campaign promise. This is an area where the public has direct interface with the city. Lasting impressions are made during this interaction - why can't it be a positive one? It would be great to hear, "Welcome, how can I solve your problem?" waft through the halls of the City.

What are we waiting for?

Something to get us in the mood...

November City Meetings

I am checking to see if this means that there is no CRA meeting in November. I don't think that's the case.

Follow-up - There will be a CRA meeting and the date is being determined. There might be a special CRA meeting for a specific action item, as well. I'll keep you posted.

"Reelect Jennings, Vespo" - So sayeth the Palm Beach Post

The Palm Beach Post re-affirms their love affair with Cara Jennings - selling papers is very important these days. I am pleasantly relieved that they endorsed Dave Vespo.

The download on politics: The Internet has changed how national and local campaigns are run

"Approve Lake Worth leases" - PB Post Opinion

Click the above title for link to opinion piece on the Lake Worth ballot questions. While I agree with the PB Post's opinion on question #1 - the Snook Islands lease to the county for 99 years, I am less supportive of voting for the 99 year lease related to "For the Children."

Why? The first question would allow a 99 year lease to the county for the recently created Snook Islands natural area. This area is about to be improved with a series of boardwalks, day docks and fishing facilities that will allow the residents of Lake Worth and the county in general to better enjoy and access the Lake Worth lagoon over the long term. A 99 year lease protects the public resource in ways zoning and land use designations cannot. It also allows leverage for grants and other funding sources that see a 99 year lease as long term security for an environmental resource like this one.

Regarding the second question, while the efforts of "For the Children" are admirable and needed, especially in this area of the city, I am concerned how the PB Post and others' eyes gloss over the phrase "non-profit organization" They seem to be all to quick think that anything a "non-profit" does is automatically good or in the public interest. We have already seen many blurred lines between another non-profit - the Lake Worth Community Development Corporation and the city. Now we have have another one in our midst that will be benefiting from the value of public property in order to leverage future fund raising opportunities. In my mind, this is how this should be presented. I personally have not seen anything from the organization about what this will enable them to do that they cannot do now and how this will reduce the need for the city dollars to support their operations in the future. And, will they even be around in 99 years?

Let's be a little more critical of "non-profits" and not immediately assume that they share a public purpose in common with that of the city as a whole.

Florida Land Use Law: 4th DCA - No Repeal Referendum for Small Scale Amendment and Rezoning (take that Blackner!)

Florida Land Use Law: 4th DCA - No Repeal Referendum for Small Scale Amendment and Rezoning (take that Blackner!)

A Sarasota land use attorney's take on the Sunset case ruling.