Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization re: Bicycle Public Survey

Click title for link to survey.  These have to be returned via e-mail or by hand by May 7, 2010.  You can also save and e-mail the form back to the MPO by that date.  To do this and save the information on the form, you will need this freeware program CutePDF.  You can download that program by clicking here.  You will also need to refer to this chart to fill out information in the survey.  Filling this out will help determine the need for bicycle facilities and help in funding decisions.

My Most Favorite Country Music Star!

Narrow Political Focus?

Ha!  That is the claim of another local blogger, something she thinks I possess, I guess.  It was she that called out two of her most highly favored Commissioners, but this of course was not being "political."  From one of her latest entries:

When the forensic study report came in and it was professionally determined that the building was structurally sound, the vote came in to restore on a 4 to 1. The past Commission made this decision. It was with the hope of obtaining an historical designation. Costs estimates that were given showed that it would be cheaper to build with certain elements still standing such as the fondation.


First of all, there was nothing "forensic" about the structural engineering report.  No crimes were committed, at least not yet, in the structural condition of our beloved Casino building.  All the report said is that the building didn't need to be "red tagged" - but there were still structural issues that needed to be addressed. If the blogger could provide the meeting minutes of when this item was decided upon, it would be extremely appreciated by me and many of my loyal readers.  Likewise, if she could produce the "forensic" cost estimates that show it would be "cheaper to build with certain elements still standing such as the fondation(SIC)", that would be most welcome as well.

Lest she becomes known as someone who does not adequately report realities.

forensic

Google Model Your Town Competition

Click title for link.  These 3-D simulations were done by using Google Sketch-up.  One of the finalists happens to be our neighbor to the north - West Palm Beach.  Others cities/individuals are in the running too.  You can vote for your favorites and view other YouTube videos of the entries.  Makes me want to learn how to do this for our fair city.  This can be a great urban planning tool.

Warning to those that are sensitive to building height.  Some of the buildings you will see are over three (3) stories tall.

2010 Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative Speaker Series

Dear Friend of the Lake Worth Lagoon,

The Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative’s Public Outreach Working Group is pleased to announce the Lake Worth Lagoon 2010 Speaker Series. We are highlighting one presentation each month that relates to the Lagoon. View the brochure (PDF file) athttp://www.lwli.org/pdfs/PublicOutreach/LWLSpeakerSeries_2010.pdf

or go to news and events at www.LWLI.org.

The next presentation in the Lake Worth Lagoon Speaker Series is:

FERTILIZE SMART! BEST PRACTICES FOR A BEAUTIFUL YARD
Date: May 1 (Saturday)
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Presented by Bill Schall, Horticulture Extension Agent, at the UF/IFAS Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service, Clayton Hutcheson Building,
Exhibit Hall A, 559 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach.

Questions? Call (561) 233-1725.

Learn how to protect the Lagoon and other water resources while creating and maintaining a beautiful yard.

Please share with others who may be interested.

All the best,

Alyssa

Alyssa Dodd

Environmental Analyst, Public Outreach

Lake Worth's 2010 Taxable Property Value - Expected to be greatest percentage drop in valuation of all 38 Palm Beach County municipalities:

This is in the latest City Manager's report (4/23).  Last fiscal year we were the second highest decrease - second only to Loxahatchee Groves.  This has implications for our general fund budget, of course.  There is talk about going with the "roll up" rate, rather than the "roll back" rate.  The "roll up" rate would allow the same revenue generation from property taxes as the current fiscal year - which means the millage rate would increase.  Keeping the same millage rate, the "roll back" rate, would generate less revenue based on the lower property tax valuation.

We need to ask serious questions about why, with our prime location as a coastal community in the middle of Palm Beach County, we continue to experience the largest declines compared with other Palm Beach County municipalities.

See related Palm Beach Post article:  Appraiser: Lake Worth prop values fall 23 percent; county average down 12 percent - also check out the comments.

A local blogger with a twisted view of reality...

"Soon we will be moving forward with restoring the Lake Worth Casino. Our citizens "lucked out" (or was it sheer brilliance from the dais by two commissioners, Jennings and Mulvehill?) when the "favorite" architect became REG, as he, with his design, will help with historical designation, getting financing, obtaining grants and incorporate green features. We never would have been able to get valuable historical designation in an art deco design. Preserving our past is very important. Historical designation is a distinction that will give this building world appeal."
The above was posted by another Lake Worth blogger. It contained so many half-truths, I couldn't let it pass without some correction.  I am not sure how or when "sheer brilliance" played out on the dais.  The city was lucky to get the sorts of responses from a number of highly-qualified architectural teams.  REG was in my top group, but they were not the team that received my "first choice" status.  My favorite happened to be Beilinson/Gomez - the only firm that expended the extra effort to get word from the state of Florida Historic Preservation Office about the preferred approach in the rehabilitation of this building.  The letter confirmed that the preferred restoration project would be the existing "International Style" design - misidentified above as "art deco."  There is no guarantee that REG's design will achieve success in a National historic designation and that alone will not give the building "world appeal."  Other key members of the team, just as if not more important than the architect, are a construction manager at-risk, a quality contractor and knowledgeable oversight on the part of the city.  This will be a very complicated project.

We, the residents, also never received an adequate cost/benefit analysis of what a new building versus a rehabilitated old building would cost.  We, as a community, also have to go through the charrette process to determine the ultimate design.

If you purport to supply information to the public, let's at least try to be close to reality.

An e-mail received from a loyal reader...

At the risk of pouring gasoline on the fire, here it is.  This is without editing on my part, including the colored highlights.  Ms. Hayes is a property owner in the southwest part of Lake Worth and has tried unsuccessfully rezone her property. She is an intervenor with DCA regarding the finding of our Comprehensive Plan being found "in compliance."  She is now of the radar screen of those who have an interest in making sure the Comprehensive Plan stays "as is" - with draconian height restrictions and returning the Sunset property to a County land use designation.  Also, at the City Commission meeting this week, under Public Comment on Un-Agendaed Items, a property owner adjacent to the cemetery said that she has tried to get the city to fence the area around the private homes that border the cemetery.  Just last week she was burglarized again and the perpetrators came from the cemetery.  At the end of her comment, the One High Vice Mayor, Commissioner Golden yelled at her, "And it costs $_____" I couldn't hear the amount she blurted out.

South Pine Street Saga - Part One

Whee, Lynn is "out there" too assumptive and speaks on issues she has no knowledge of.  Loves to use me as her example.  She did NOT attend any of my meetings with the city...neither did Katie...

BTW, my neighbors signed more than one petition, in support of the requested zoning change and attended Creation of Master Plan , Stk. Holder, SAC Meetings & Submitted Residential Input.  Both on S. Pine st. and neighboring Ridge St.  I think on Royal Palm too, if my memory serves me correctly.  Also, one of my neighbors requested me to insert apartments into the Petition.  So, I did.. The City Did invite all residents living with in 400 ft. of my property, to attend a meeting and express Any comments.  NOT one person who attended voiced they Didn't Want the zoning change.  They WANTED or were OK with the change!

For the record: I request to make the re-zoning of S. Pine St. MF20 (not mixed use), I requested to, make my project condo-town homes (single family residential) - reality, just attached together SF 7 etc..) I also, offered/requested for my property to be 100 per cent owner occupied w/ a clause for No renters/sublet for min 5 years or longer at the cities leisure... and language to be in the change, inserted for the rest of S. Pine St. to reflect in essence the similar manner.

She misquoted me, re: including "B" St. in the zoning change.  At one time, few yrs. ago; I wanted, to include "A" St. because; of Commercial Type Uses' at either end of Pine Crest Cem.. A Nursing Home on Royal Palm and a Trailer Park on 12th Avenue S.  Also, there was an interest by a large developer to purchase all of "A" and S. Pine ( they wanted to redevelop the whole area and create a beautiful, asticily pleasing, safe area ) All this within walking distance to a State Park and Barton Elem., Lake Worth High, Tri-Rai, L.W. Trolley and a Publix w/in a 1 1/2 mile either direction.
Also, at one time during the creation of the Master Plan (map); all of the Barton Rd. area was ear marked SF TF 14.  Some how it is not reflected now.  I missed the part where it disappeared..didn't get the memo on that one (he he).

My statement in re: to Commish. Mtgs, Crirminal Activity in the area needs to be clarified (was clarified w/ city @ meetings)

A majority of the the CRIMINALS lived/live in Single Family Residential Units (HOUSES). NOT duplexes, apartments, condos or town homes inthe S. Pine St. area.  In the 600 blk of S. Pine was/are HOUSES THAT ARE RENTAL UNITS, Property Appr. refects  owner occupied re; homestead.  But, the owners Rent the (Houses) out and claim/ed homestead.  This where most of the Drug Dealing, Crime and Criminal Activity came/comes from. that, affected owner occupied residents.

Another area for that type of activity came from the UNPROTECTED Cemetery ( Needs a Dam* Fence!).  It has been used for many rs. for all kinds of criminal acts including (MURDER).  All but, one of the  homes on the cemetery are (owner occ.) 1 is a duplex,(not included), have been robbed multiple times.  Guess what; the robber who was aventually caught lived in S.F. 7 Residence ( HOUSE) on "B" St.  We also, suspect he was the same person who STRONG ARM ROBBED my neighbors wife behind my property.  Lets not forget My eldest son found and picked up the Gun used in the S/A Robbery, while helping a neighbor clean up their lawn. (they live on the cemetery). So, the robber robbed the property behind me and ran past my yard across S. Pine through the cemetery and then home to "B" St. after ditching the Gun on my neighbors property.

There is one particular house on S. Pine (problem property) has been used a distribution point for (Drugs and "Criminal Hang Out") for years ( the responsible owner, attempting to clean up the area & wanted to redevelop it ) but, incurred the same problems, I have w/ the city.  He eventually sold the property to Church People.  The wanted to build a Church there, but, same thing; no cooperation w/ city.

Saga to be continued...

Wes, Please feel free to  republish if you feel it warrants.

Thank You
Ms. Hayes

From Reef Rescue: Gulf oil spill could threaten Florida’s reefs and beaches

Click title for link to Reef Rescue blog.

From my beach visit this morning...

Not sure where the sound went on the video - it was just background noise generated from the bar at the west end of the pier. Oh, back on.

UPDATE: House passes ‘Corruption County’ priority ethics bill, Senate committee OKs tougher approach

Hmmmm, there is hope after all. Click title for article.  From the report:
One of the harsher measures would make it a crime for any public official to knowingly withhold information about a financial interest in something on they vote or cause to take place. It would would also require disclosure of financial interests that could benefit a family member.

Ethics panel faults Lake Worth commissioner for financial disclosure lapses

Click title for link to the Jennings' Ministry of Information (aka Palm Beach Post) article.  In a form true to their propagandist role, no name is used in the headline - so it could be any Lake Worth commissioner if one did not read the entire article.  I find it disheartening that the fourth estate in Palm Beach County produces this quality of news.

Happy Earth Day!

Some observations about the Commission on Ethics finding "probable cause" that Commissioner Cara Jennings violated financial disclosure requirements.

Regardless of where you stand in your support of Commissioner Cara Jennings, it is never appropriate to celebrate an apparent ethical violation by a public official.  Like it or not, Commissioner Jennings represents all of the residents in Lake Worth and is identified as a Commissioner in Lake Worth on the press release issued by the Commission on Ethics.  Many who read this press release will not have the benefit of knowing the extenuating circumstances uttered by Commissioner Jennings in her statement at last night's City Commission meeting.  One wonders when the Ministry of Information, aka the Palm Beach Post, will pick up on the finding of probable cause.  Do not look for it in a banner headline above the fold.

Let's take a step back and look at some of the underlying circumstances here.  I think we all can agree that one of biggest investments we will have in our lives are our houses and the land on which they are built.  As such, most people have to borrow money over a long period of time in order to keep their property, pay taxes and afford their living expenses.  It is probably the largest loan, or loans, that anyone will have in a lifetime.  So, where the public trust is involved, it is important that an elected official disclose the basic information about from where that money comes.  In this case, it was a loan that came through the Lake Worth Community Development Corporation.  One of Commissioner Jennings' mates on the the Commission is project manager for that organization.  There is nothing "untoward" about that fact, but it is a material fact that needs to be disclosed.

The original amount of that loan was $15,000.  By way of comparison, the maximum campaign contribution allowed per individual or per entity in the state of Florida is $500.  By order of magnitude, the original loan amount is 30 times as large as the maximum allowed campaign contribution.  Commissioner Jennings likes to point out political campaign contributions and encourages their disclosure during voting if someone who contributed to any sitting City Commissioners' or Mayor's campaign will benefit from the action.  A former Commissioner was reported to the Florida Elections Commission, not the Commission on Ethics, for not including the proper address for one or more, not sure, $500 contributions.  She was levied a fine and the matter was resolved.  Certain supporters of Commissioner Jennings at last night's City Commission meeting were some of the first to proclaim the violation by this former Commissioner in accepting this campaign contribution as one of the more severe signs of corruption in our City.  They were eager to excuse this latest news as an unintentional, non-material gaff.

Yes, the form is complicated and vague.  It is trying to protect the public by showing who is owed what by whom and how much, identify business relationships, etc., while still providing for some degree of privacy for the public official who fills out the form.  That's a tough balancing act and it leads to some gray areas on the form.  There are instructions and they are in plain English.  If you read them, you will be able to get a basic understanding on how and what information is needed on the form.

This is where I have a hard time believing that Commissioner Jennings, who is known for and prides herself on reading everything that comes across the Commission's dais thoroughly, had trouble understanding what was required to disclose.  She is also known for what seem to be, at times, never-ending questions - some qualifying as very insightful.  So claiming a "mistake on a form?" - that part just doesn't make sense to me.

To her benefit, her openness, once this came to light and her actions to correct the reporting after the fact, is commendable.  But, at the end of the day, it was still a violation - thus we have the decision of the Ethics Commission.

Click here for link to Commission on Ethics Press Release re April 16th meeting