Many people have told me about this particular episode, but up to now I had never seen it. I just found out that it was available through the South Park website.
There are some parallels. Rumor has it that one of the creators of South Park grew up in Lake Clark Shores. Coincidence?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
EDITORIAL: Keep the city above water
Click title for link to PB Post article.
One of the lessons we need to learn from our water debacle is the need to work cooperatively with other municipalities and the County. Once your reputation is tarnished by going back on agreements or by mismanaging your established relationships and responsibilities, it's difficult to build that back. And, once those relationships start going south is when you usually need to rely on them more and more. So the city's strategic position gets worse and worse; we end up begging for scraps or forgiveness, hat in hand.
When was the last time the city ever negotiated from a position of strength? The County has no incentive to deal with us on the water contract - after it was signed and they acted on good faith to fulfill their responsibilities, we stiff them on a required $6 million payment. Don't think for a minute that the County won't back down on this agreement, no matter how "amicable" we try to make it. Think of the precedent it would set with other local governments that have similar agreements with the County - for water or any other service. Then, imagine you are a County Commissioner and here come representatives from Lake Worth into your office. In one hand, they carry a marked up copy of the County water agreement and in the other hand they carry the "site plan" for the beach. Wouldn't you say to these Lake Worth reps, "Why don't you honor your agreement, and we'll honor ours - and maybe then we can talk about extending the deadline on the $5 million for the beach project?"
I think it is a grave situation when political theater and the goals of an extremist group (Jennings and her supporters) imperil such a valuable resource such as the city's water supply. West Palm Beach has a history of problems with its water supply and will eventually have to switch from its surface water source to another - over the span of ten years. Our 80% plus water fee increase scheduled over a five year period and draconian water restrictions are a result of poor leadership - but unfortunately some revel in the fact that we have this problem as a ready made excuse to stop any kind of re-investment or redevelopment. Why isn't anyone talking about how REGRESSIVE this sort of fee structure is for such a basic human need - water?
One of the lessons we need to learn from our water debacle is the need to work cooperatively with other municipalities and the County. Once your reputation is tarnished by going back on agreements or by mismanaging your established relationships and responsibilities, it's difficult to build that back. And, once those relationships start going south is when you usually need to rely on them more and more. So the city's strategic position gets worse and worse; we end up begging for scraps or forgiveness, hat in hand.
When was the last time the city ever negotiated from a position of strength? The County has no incentive to deal with us on the water contract - after it was signed and they acted on good faith to fulfill their responsibilities, we stiff them on a required $6 million payment. Don't think for a minute that the County won't back down on this agreement, no matter how "amicable" we try to make it. Think of the precedent it would set with other local governments that have similar agreements with the County - for water or any other service. Then, imagine you are a County Commissioner and here come representatives from Lake Worth into your office. In one hand, they carry a marked up copy of the County water agreement and in the other hand they carry the "site plan" for the beach. Wouldn't you say to these Lake Worth reps, "Why don't you honor your agreement, and we'll honor ours - and maybe then we can talk about extending the deadline on the $5 million for the beach project?"
I think it is a grave situation when political theater and the goals of an extremist group (Jennings and her supporters) imperil such a valuable resource such as the city's water supply. West Palm Beach has a history of problems with its water supply and will eventually have to switch from its surface water source to another - over the span of ten years. Our 80% plus water fee increase scheduled over a five year period and draconian water restrictions are a result of poor leadership - but unfortunately some revel in the fact that we have this problem as a ready made excuse to stop any kind of re-investment or redevelopment. Why isn't anyone talking about how REGRESSIVE this sort of fee structure is for such a basic human need - water?
Friday, June 19, 2009
Back at it...6/20 @ 10 a.m.
My A/C adapter to my laptop blew up today. New one coming tomorrow. More news later on this same station. This comes via my BlackBerry.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Public Information Request - Casino Building
I have made a public information request for the city's bid package and any amendments related to the Casino building shoring project - plus all 10 or so responses to the RFP package.
At the end of the City Commission meeting, the City Manager reported that there were 10 respondents and that all came in over the estimate. There were no comments from the Mayor and Commissioners. I am not surprised, but am interested in seeing the results myself. It's an indication of the uncertainties involved with a building such as this one and is a forecast of the over-runs and change orders if rehabilitation of the building is pursued.
There is supposed to be a meeting next Tuesday to discuss the beach in detail. No announcement is available on the website and it might be one of those sneaky 2:30 p.m. meetings.
Note: The latest audio of a Commission meeting available on the city's website is June 9th. The latest set of minutes available is from early April.
At the end of the City Commission meeting, the City Manager reported that there were 10 respondents and that all came in over the estimate. There were no comments from the Mayor and Commissioners. I am not surprised, but am interested in seeing the results myself. It's an indication of the uncertainties involved with a building such as this one and is a forecast of the over-runs and change orders if rehabilitation of the building is pursued.
There is supposed to be a meeting next Tuesday to discuss the beach in detail. No announcement is available on the website and it might be one of those sneaky 2:30 p.m. meetings.
Note: The latest audio of a Commission meeting available on the city's website is June 9th. The latest set of minutes available is from early April.
Metro Times - Rolling on the Riverwalk
Metro Times - Rolling on the Riverwalk
This comes to me from a good friend of mine that works for the State of Michigan - sometimes as a volunteer, apparently.
"The MI Nat. Resources Trust Fund helped pay for this project. I got to shake the Governor's hand the day after she cut 6 days pay from my income via "furloughs"! This park area is not patrolled by Detroit PD, but private security co. 24/7/365 security cameras, panic phones marked by blue beacons every 8th mile or so. No serious crimes, ever, with this system in place! Gave me the creeps! However it is an improvement; but the little veneer of redevelopment here and there still covers the great rot that is the rest of the city. 60% of the City is vacant; I mean NO buildings, infrastructure, etc. The "prairies" near City airport have the highest pheasant densities per square mile in the State. A series of articles last year, which I will send to you, super-imposed the maps of San Francisco, and Boston over the map of Detroit. All 3 of these Cities have similar populations of around 800,000 to 900,000 people. Yup, you guessed it: Detroit's incorporated area is about 3 times larger than the other two. Of course mere comparison takes a lot of things out of context, but the fact remains that most of the vacant land in Detroit is land nobody wants to develop."
This comes to me from a good friend of mine that works for the State of Michigan - sometimes as a volunteer, apparently.
"The MI Nat. Resources Trust Fund helped pay for this project. I got to shake the Governor's hand the day after she cut 6 days pay from my income via "furloughs"! This park area is not patrolled by Detroit PD, but private security co. 24/7/365 security cameras, panic phones marked by blue beacons every 8th mile or so. No serious crimes, ever, with this system in place! Gave me the creeps! However it is an improvement; but the little veneer of redevelopment here and there still covers the great rot that is the rest of the city. 60% of the City is vacant; I mean NO buildings, infrastructure, etc. The "prairies" near City airport have the highest pheasant densities per square mile in the State. A series of articles last year, which I will send to you, super-imposed the maps of San Francisco, and Boston over the map of Detroit. All 3 of these Cities have similar populations of around 800,000 to 900,000 people. Yup, you guessed it: Detroit's incorporated area is about 3 times larger than the other two. Of course mere comparison takes a lot of things out of context, but the fact remains that most of the vacant land in Detroit is land nobody wants to develop."
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Just added a "Share This" button, which will appear on every post...
So, if you are part of a social networking site - like FaceBook - you can share individual posts with your friends. I had these blog posts on an automatic feed to my FaceBook profile and, with the changes in FaceBook, suddenly they were all appearing on all my friends' home pages. These might be interesting to find if you live in Lake Worth, but if you live in DC, Paris, LA and you're not a planner - you may not be that much into what is happening in our little city.
Feel free to use this new tool to help spread the word!
Feel free to use this new tool to help spread the word!
Fans gather to share a pint and read from the book of ‘Ulysses’ in Lake Worth
This happened last night - perhaps City Commission meetings are like trying to read "Ulysses."
This is the organization responsible, also a recipient of a CRA grant recently.
This is the organization responsible, also a recipient of a CRA grant recently.
The event was put on by Blue Planet Writers’ Room, a local nonprofit organization founded a year ago by Cora Bresciano and Susan Gay Hyatt. Blue Planet will offer free tutoring and writing workshops for students from 6 to 18, and hopes to find a permanent home in downtown Lake Worth.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Click for live link to City Commission meeting - 6/16
These are some rough notes taken while listening to the meeting.
Lisa Wilson, director of the Resource Center, is about to give her presentation - this is the group that runs the operation in the city's shuffleboard court building. She is talking about "stimulus grants." The Energy Efficient Jobs Block Grant is the program - training in green jobs and then placement in green jobs. Training will be for all Lake Worth residents and in two or more languages. Benefits: Green Workforce. Classes would be in the shuffleboard court building. Trained, tested and certified - then some can go into the small business development center after that. Percentage of funding from city would leverage other funding - she is asking for city money here. She estimates that "a lot more" jobs would be created.
Costs: Training certification $50,000 - 45 Lake Worth residents could take class. Have to train the instructor $1,500 - then the balance could be used to create energy auditors. Plus another $20,000 for administration 57 green jobs ready for Lake Worth residents. She is talking with PBCC.
Questions: Jennings - total number of residents in database now that are seeking employment 1,200. How many people are you placing? Increasing month over month, from February through end of April 300 jobs, some full time permanent. "Can't live off a day job." How would you determine who would be one of the 57 people that could take part of the program? She has to give it a lot more thought - might have a Spanish and an English only class. Mulvehill - demand for jobs placed - 100 a month, are there categories that are hiring - there is no trend. Most are residents from around the County that need a helping hand at home. Is there green job demand? This is part of a vision. They have looked at Richmond (this came from Jennings) - she says its coming. Lowe: Employers are coming from all over - are the people that you are helping Lake Worth residents - it's a prerequisite for people looking for work - must be Lake Worth residents. Mayor Clemens - Would like a presentation on what is going on there, not just to talk about a grant program. That was his expectation when he asked for a presentation earlier. Questions about recruiting and marketing - most recruiting is done by volunteers at the center. The Center would also use a "training company" that would participate in the grant-related program. Mulvehill - market to get job placement rather than recruitment. It's a "multi-service" center - this would allow recruitment to all Lake Worth residents, that hasn't really been done yet. Jennings: Apologizes for having her focus on the grant program and not their current functions (smokescreen?) Funding from city - looking for money from city beyond the rent, utilities etc that are already subsidized. Free to the participants.
They're going to be talking about it later in the agenda under New Business.
Nothing was pulled of the Consent Agenda - approval was unanimous. The item on the Gulfstream (yet another appeal by Charles Celi) that was on the agenda was postponed to next Monday, the last day of the 90 period to hear the appeal.
There are two grants that would go in for Block Grant money - one for the Resource Center and one for the utility department - "pre-paid meters." Mayor is asking if partial funding would be o.k. for the center - like $35,000.
Lisa Wilson, director of the Resource Center, is about to give her presentation - this is the group that runs the operation in the city's shuffleboard court building. She is talking about "stimulus grants." The Energy Efficient Jobs Block Grant is the program - training in green jobs and then placement in green jobs. Training will be for all Lake Worth residents and in two or more languages. Benefits: Green Workforce. Classes would be in the shuffleboard court building. Trained, tested and certified - then some can go into the small business development center after that. Percentage of funding from city would leverage other funding - she is asking for city money here. She estimates that "a lot more" jobs would be created.
Costs: Training certification $50,000 - 45 Lake Worth residents could take class. Have to train the instructor $1,500 - then the balance could be used to create energy auditors. Plus another $20,000 for administration 57 green jobs ready for Lake Worth residents. She is talking with PBCC.
Questions: Jennings - total number of residents in database now that are seeking employment 1,200. How many people are you placing? Increasing month over month, from February through end of April 300 jobs, some full time permanent. "Can't live off a day job." How would you determine who would be one of the 57 people that could take part of the program? She has to give it a lot more thought - might have a Spanish and an English only class. Mulvehill - demand for jobs placed - 100 a month, are there categories that are hiring - there is no trend. Most are residents from around the County that need a helping hand at home. Is there green job demand? This is part of a vision. They have looked at Richmond (this came from Jennings) - she says its coming. Lowe: Employers are coming from all over - are the people that you are helping Lake Worth residents - it's a prerequisite for people looking for work - must be Lake Worth residents. Mayor Clemens - Would like a presentation on what is going on there, not just to talk about a grant program. That was his expectation when he asked for a presentation earlier. Questions about recruiting and marketing - most recruiting is done by volunteers at the center. The Center would also use a "training company" that would participate in the grant-related program. Mulvehill - market to get job placement rather than recruitment. It's a "multi-service" center - this would allow recruitment to all Lake Worth residents, that hasn't really been done yet. Jennings: Apologizes for having her focus on the grant program and not their current functions (smokescreen?) Funding from city - looking for money from city beyond the rent, utilities etc that are already subsidized. Free to the participants.
They're going to be talking about it later in the agenda under New Business.
Nothing was pulled of the Consent Agenda - approval was unanimous. The item on the Gulfstream (yet another appeal by Charles Celi) that was on the agenda was postponed to next Monday, the last day of the 90 period to hear the appeal.
There are two grants that would go in for Block Grant money - one for the Resource Center and one for the utility department - "pre-paid meters." Mayor is asking if partial funding would be o.k. for the center - like $35,000.
Environmental Justice Conference
On Saturday, June 20, the School of Urban and Regional Planning is co-hosting an Environmental Justice Conference at the Broward County Main Library Auditorium. During the Conference we will discuss the progress that has been made with regard to the 2001 Economic and Environmental Equity Program Management Plan that was part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. In addition, we will discuss how we can make sure that the needs of low income and minority communities will be addressed in the future. Attached is the invitation for the event, please feel free to distribute to others that you think might be interested.
When: Saturday, June 20 from 10 am to 3 pm
Where: Broward County Main Library Auditorium, 100 South Andrews, Fort Lauderdale
Parking: For Environmental Justice Conference Free Parking, take Broward Blvd. east to Andrews Ave. turn left and go one short block and turn right.
For more information, please call Linda Foster at 954 762 5652.
I look forward to seeing you on Saturday,
Cordially,
Jaap Vos, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director
School of Urban and Regional Planning
111 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1009C
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline
VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline
Shared via AddThis
This next video presents scenes from the 1967 riots that gripped Detroit - just two years after the promotional video was made for the Olympic bid. Later parts of the video show widespread evidence of disinvestment and urban decay. What once was a city of 1.8 million people and an industrial powerhouse is now a shell of its former self. Click here for link to informative site on the effect of urban sprawl, automobile based land uses and urban flight over time in terms of population and location in the Detroit area.
Click here for a Detroit transit website called "A Desire Named Streetcar." At one time, in the first half of the 20th Century, Detroit had a very large and successful streetcar system. What do you think the auto companies thought of that?
Shared via AddThis
This next video presents scenes from the 1967 riots that gripped Detroit - just two years after the promotional video was made for the Olympic bid. Later parts of the video show widespread evidence of disinvestment and urban decay. What once was a city of 1.8 million people and an industrial powerhouse is now a shell of its former self. Click here for link to informative site on the effect of urban sprawl, automobile based land uses and urban flight over time in terms of population and location in the Detroit area.
Click here for a Detroit transit website called "A Desire Named Streetcar." At one time, in the first half of the 20th Century, Detroit had a very large and successful streetcar system. What do you think the auto companies thought of that?
Monday, June 15, 2009
"A masterwork in fiction..."
Welcome to the world of Lynn Anderson. This is her Intervenor filing to the Department of Community Affairs against the finding of the land use plan amendment for the Sunset property to be IN COMPLIANCE. Look this over and add comments, questions, etc. Over the next couple days we will dissect this and expose the hyperbole and the twisting of reality we have come to expect. REMEMBER - Click on the image for larger view.
Some gems of information from the current City Manager's report...
This is part of the agenda tomorrow night at the regular second City Commission meeting of the month. I've cut out some of the more interesting topics that are covered in the report. I think it's great that we have a City Manager that takes the time to put this together and share information with the public. I just hope it is a sustained effort and the secrecy that we have known all too well in the past doesn't re-appear.
Above is a set of clues about coming attractions at future City Commission meetings. One is the expansion of Snook Islands - the dredge and fill environmental project that has roundly been acknowledged as a success but was vociferously opposed by a group of people - some that are still very active on the political scene. These people are the same ones that are usually vociferously opposed to many worthy projects and have gained politically in recent times. The passive park issue is about allowing soccer to be played in places like Bryant Park and brings up all sorts of issues some people don't like talking about - like excluding classes of people from playing a recreational game in one or more of our parks. The noise ordinance issue meeting is supposed to be a "field trip" of sorts, with the Commission being led around downtown with someone working a noise meter. That will be one not to miss! And, then, the shot across the bow we heard last Monday when the City Commission refused to interview 31 people for the CRA so that the City Commission could take over that function (yes, the brain trust we know as the City Commission.) will have its own meeting where the Commission can take the action. Stay tuned for that one.
This is about the trip to Tallahassee taken by Stanton, Bach and Mattey. Need to read the tea leaves a little bit here, but it sounds like DCA thinks public input is more important than those that pretend to "speak for the people." Also, we see what's going on with the Sunset property - or do we? More to come on that as I just got all the information on the Department of Administrative Hearings docket for the objections still being raised by those rarely satisfied by any compromise.
Here we have the city addressing customer service issues with the City Manager taking part in the training exercise. Great idea!! Let's keep going down this path, but there is a long row to hoe.
Not exactly one of the burning issues of our time - music on hold when you call city hall - but Commissioner Golden is good at bringing up these sorts of issues. At least the conversation got around to having it be another way to get information out to the public, which in my mind, is one of the more important functions of local governments.
Looks like the bidders on the shoring of the Casino Building needed more information in order to adequately make a bid to to the work. Hmmm. No surprise here. The deadline is tomorrow at 2 p.m. The estimate was up to $100,000 - we'll see what the bids come in at. This whole thing started as a result of a threat to close the building and oust the tenants by March 31 - the heavily subsidized and politicized tenants revolted, contributed heavily to Commissioner Mulvehill's campaign and got their way by instead having one of the city's most recent building officials "relieved of his duties" - in what seemed like a middle-of-the-night operation. Anyway, with this work being done, it was argued that at least attempts were being made to make the building safer - after multitudinous reports prepared by licensed structural engineers cited grave failings in the building - especially in areas where the public gathers.
This item concerns the shuffleboard court building - another one of the ill-maintained public buildings and properties under control of the city of Lake Worth. It needed many repairs as well - before the "Resource Center" went in, according to the same building official that mysteriously disappeared. But since that rattled the proponents of the center, rules were over looked - both zoning and building - and the center was allowed to begin operation in a substandard building. If any other private entity tried to accomplish the same thing in Lake Worth, they would still be doing the work and waiting for the day their Certificate of Occupancy would be issued. By the way, Lisa Wilson, the "Resource Center" director will be making a presentation before the City Commission at tomorrow night's meeting. I am sure the "echo chamber" will resound with how well the center has done since its opening.
Click title for link to full report and click on images for better viewing.
Above is a set of clues about coming attractions at future City Commission meetings. One is the expansion of Snook Islands - the dredge and fill environmental project that has roundly been acknowledged as a success but was vociferously opposed by a group of people - some that are still very active on the political scene. These people are the same ones that are usually vociferously opposed to many worthy projects and have gained politically in recent times. The passive park issue is about allowing soccer to be played in places like Bryant Park and brings up all sorts of issues some people don't like talking about - like excluding classes of people from playing a recreational game in one or more of our parks. The noise ordinance issue meeting is supposed to be a "field trip" of sorts, with the Commission being led around downtown with someone working a noise meter. That will be one not to miss! And, then, the shot across the bow we heard last Monday when the City Commission refused to interview 31 people for the CRA so that the City Commission could take over that function (yes, the brain trust we know as the City Commission.) will have its own meeting where the Commission can take the action. Stay tuned for that one.
This is about the trip to Tallahassee taken by Stanton, Bach and Mattey. Need to read the tea leaves a little bit here, but it sounds like DCA thinks public input is more important than those that pretend to "speak for the people." Also, we see what's going on with the Sunset property - or do we? More to come on that as I just got all the information on the Department of Administrative Hearings docket for the objections still being raised by those rarely satisfied by any compromise.
Here we have the city addressing customer service issues with the City Manager taking part in the training exercise. Great idea!! Let's keep going down this path, but there is a long row to hoe.
Not exactly one of the burning issues of our time - music on hold when you call city hall - but Commissioner Golden is good at bringing up these sorts of issues. At least the conversation got around to having it be another way to get information out to the public, which in my mind, is one of the more important functions of local governments.
Looks like the bidders on the shoring of the Casino Building needed more information in order to adequately make a bid to to the work. Hmmm. No surprise here. The deadline is tomorrow at 2 p.m. The estimate was up to $100,000 - we'll see what the bids come in at. This whole thing started as a result of a threat to close the building and oust the tenants by March 31 - the heavily subsidized and politicized tenants revolted, contributed heavily to Commissioner Mulvehill's campaign and got their way by instead having one of the city's most recent building officials "relieved of his duties" - in what seemed like a middle-of-the-night operation. Anyway, with this work being done, it was argued that at least attempts were being made to make the building safer - after multitudinous reports prepared by licensed structural engineers cited grave failings in the building - especially in areas where the public gathers.
This item concerns the shuffleboard court building - another one of the ill-maintained public buildings and properties under control of the city of Lake Worth. It needed many repairs as well - before the "Resource Center" went in, according to the same building official that mysteriously disappeared. But since that rattled the proponents of the center, rules were over looked - both zoning and building - and the center was allowed to begin operation in a substandard building. If any other private entity tried to accomplish the same thing in Lake Worth, they would still be doing the work and waiting for the day their Certificate of Occupancy would be issued. By the way, Lisa Wilson, the "Resource Center" director will be making a presentation before the City Commission at tomorrow night's meeting. I am sure the "echo chamber" will resound with how well the center has done since its opening.Click title for link to full report and click on images for better viewing.
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