Click here for live audio from Special City Commission meeting on City Manager recruitment

Mr. Bressner is there.  Click here for meeting back-up material.

I did not listen intently to the entire meeting - it started at 10 and was going on at least until 1 p.m.  The voted down a national search - both McVoy and Mulvehill wanted one.  They voted down Kathleen Margoles becoming an interim - McVoy and Mulvehill wanted that.  The voted to go with the "range rider" assistance through the ICMA in recruiting a City Manager and are looking for an interim City Manager until a permanent one is found who will not be eligible for the final position.

Correct me if I am mistaken, please.

Let the people pee!

Click title for link to Shiny Sheet article. Palm Beach is ponying up for bathrooms at Midtown Beach.

"Sounds of the Season"

Tomorrow night in the Cultural Plaza, yours truly will be hosting the "Sounds of the Season" holiday event starting at 6 p.m. dressed sort of like this (pic from last year.)  I'll be reading "When the Grinch Stole Christmas" and sing "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch" during the evening.  Hope to see you there!

Pics from my bike ride to the beach today...

I went on a bike ride today from my house to Southern Boulevard, down South Ocean to our beach and then back to my house - about 12 miles.  I stuffed my camera in my pocket in order to get some pictures of our beach, the casino building construction and miscellaneous other things.

I think these two pictures, above and below point out something that I think is a missed opportunity. In our rush to save the building with Suzanne Meulvehill's "Circle of Light" - which we ended up not doing in practice but only remains in the minds of a few people - we forfeited the chance to open up a view of the ocean as you come over the bridge.  We have essentially walled off the ocean from public view which is what developers have been doing since the early 20th Century in South Florida.  Where can you get an unobstructed view of the ocean as you head east?  If you know, please share.  I am having trouble thinking of one nearby.  We had what could have been a "blank slate" and placed the building anywhere on the 19 acre property and still have the required parking according to the County grant.  And, Commissioner McVoy, the almost 700 parking spaces make this more of a public parking lot for the beach, rather than 19 acres of park property.

Coincidentally, I am reading Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmstead by Justin Martin.  Mr. Olmstead, rather serendipitously, was one of the main designers and integral in the development of Central Park in New York City.  He also established the notion of landscape architecture as a profession.  I encourage you to read it if you are interested.  I just read a part last night how in 1859 he had to figure out how to plan for space for the horse carriages that would traverse the park when they weren't being used.  He assigned a paved area that he referred to as "carriage rests" which was the precursor to the ubiquitous "parking space" of the future.

I have always liked these coconut palms in the median leading to the beach.  A city crew was there today trimming them back.

This storage container lays in "Ye Olde Bridge Parking Lot" and is apparently part of the GreenMarket that operates there on Saturdays.  With this sort of signage, it would make the general public ask what is exactly open this Saturday.  The storage container?

I would like an explanation from the project architect on how the building will meet the city's current height restrictions.  The height definition is to the highest point of the building, including any ornamentation.

Interesting pieces of history within staff report on Casino-related expenses...

In a December 13, 2011 memo from Steven Carr and Kathleen Margoles that is part of the item related to casino expenses which will appear on the 12/20 City Commission agenda, some puzzle pieces are put in place about the progression of development on our beach property - as well as this particular section of the barrier island.  It also details the the situation regarding West Palm Beach water utilities and the previous arrangement with our former tenants.  From the memo:


Water:


While no drawings exist from the installation of the water lines at the Beach Casino, a review of
events at this site give a fairly good picture of when the lines were installed. The Lake Worth
Beach was originally developed in 1912, with no potable water facilities. When the Beach
Casino was constructed in 1922 (opened 1923) the pool was salt water (filled from Atlantic and
drained to Intracoastal). There are no records to indicate from where, or if, drinking water was
available at this time. However, since at that time the Casino was the only structure from what
is now Sloan’s curve to Manalapan, it was likely supplied by an onsite well.


In 1937 the old wooden bridge that connected the mainland to the beach was replaced by a
concrete bridge. At the same time this bridge was being constructed, Lake Worth was moving
the water facilities (one well and a tower) from the Shuffleboard Court site to the Utility
Campus off A Street. The new site had pumping facilities and an assumption can be made that
the construction of a bridge attached 6-inch cast iron water main was installed at with the bridge
construction. This also correlates to the Casino rebuild of 1938. This 6-inch main ran up the old
route of Lake Avenue into the Casino property and then down the west side along what I now
the western part of the loop road.


In 1971 The City started the replacement of the old saltwater pool with the current pool. At the
same time FDOT was replacing the old concrete bridge with the current Bastille Bridge (done in
1973). Because of the latter the water line that crossed the old bridge needed to be abandoned.
By this time there was another source of water along the barrier island that was operated by
West Palm Beach and supplied water down to South Palm Beach. With the abandonment of the
City of Lake Worth water source, a connection to the property from West Palm Beach was
made.


In 1979 the concession stand / bait shop on the pier were expanded to what now houses Benny’s
When this was done, a 2-inch line was run to the pier to supply water to the restaurant and to the
showers along the sea wall. These lines were installed by Public Services staff.


Based on these dates, the 6-inch cast iron lines on the beach property date from 1938-1940 and
the 2-inch PVC and galvanized steel are lines from 1979. West Palm Beach’s main from A1A
and the meter were installed in 1971. At around 70 years of age the cast iron lines are due for
replacement especially in the corrosive salt water ground that they sit in at the beach.
To ensure adequate service and proper fire protection, both of which are goals of long range
water supply planning, the water lines at the beach / casino are candidates for replacement. The
estimated cost of replacement, in conjunction with the ongoing project is $400,000. Since the
water is supplied by a third party (West Palm Beach), the rate structure developed for Citysupplied
service is not a viable alternative for costing water service for the beach. Previous
tenants received water and sewer service as part of the rental agreements and the West Palm
Beach water cost were paid by the General Fund. In order to adequately collect in the future, all
facilities will be individually metered and billed by the utility. Consequently, the Utility will
assume payment of the WPB water costs. The rate consultant has been asked to develop a
special overlay district for the beach / casino water. This cost will cover the cost of service
incurred by the utility for O&M and billing, the cost of the WPB water service, and the capital
improvement necessary to ensure a high standard of service. The rate development kick off
meeting is scheduled for January 2012 and the Beach overlay district will be the first task to
accomplish.

Lake Worth Municipal Golf Course

Here, here! I am not a golfer, but it's nice to read a positive write-up on the Golf Course. Click title for link.

Peter Elwell reappointed town manager

Click title for link to Shiny Sheet article. Believe me, there are GOOD city managers out there and Mr. Elwell is one of them. I had positive interactions with him during my tenure at Mar-a-Lago - many of them sensitive situations. I could always count on his unflinching professional and polite demeanor - apparently his bosses recognize this too.

"Mad Dash Food Collection"

Dear Friends of Lake Worth and our Charitable Partners,

 

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martine Counties collected this box of food for a neighbor in need and has graciously allowed us to distribute. We currently have two families that could use a basket of Non-Perishalbe foods to ease the financial burden and keep their cupboards full, hopefully making their holiday a more Joyous Occasion. 

 

So we would like to ask our Local friends to help us Double this box so we can give a great gift to both families! If you would like to participate please send email to nhnproject@gmail.com for the Lake Worth area or call 909-8708 and I can pick up. if you want to help with pick up and bring to Lake Worth that is greatly appreciated! This is the "mad dash food collection" as we want to distribute this This Sunday December 18th. Thank you to all our friends at Community Foundation for your generous donation!

 

Thank all of our wonderful volunteers and partners for the many blessings that you have given us through your charitable hearts and giving all year long!

 

Please note that we have one family that does not even have a stove in thier home.  If you have a used gas stove that can be donated.....here is the message back from our family.

 

"the space can take an apartment sized stove up to a regular sized - 36" I believe.  The gas hook up is about 5 inches out from the wall by the kickboard.  I hope that helps you in determining the stove. "

Look no further for shiny objects...

Portion of City Commission Work Session 12/13

This is regarding the elimination of the fire assessment and other possible adjustments to the current fiscal year's budget.

South Palm Park Neighborhood

THERE HAVE BEEN 3 ATTEMPTED BREAKINS TODAY ON SOUTH PALMWAY AND LAKESIDE.  THE DESCRIPTION OF SUSPECTS IS: BEIGE OR CREME COLOR SUV- GENERAL MOTORS WITH A FOR SALE SIGN ON IT AND 2 BLACK MEN DRIVING.  IF YOU SEE ANYONE MATCHING THIS DESCRIPTION YOU ARE ASKED TO CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPT. ASK FOR DEPUTY VAUGHN MITCHELL.

FOLLOW UP...ATTEMPTED BREAKIN AT 920 S LAKESIDE, 2 BLACK MEN SEEN REMOVING SCREEN FROM WINDOW, RUN OFF BY LAWNMAN, THEY RETURNED IN A BLACK MUSTANG WITH SILVER OR WHITE ART DESIGN ON SIDE PANELS WITH A WHITE FEMALE DRIVER.  PLEASE WATCH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOOD, THESE INDIVIDUALS APPEAR VERY BOLD!

The Miami Bike Scene: Broward B-cycle launches in three cities December 14

Click title for link. Information on Broward County's new bike rental service.

Signed Stanton, McVoy, Mulvehill, Jennings, Karson, etc.

What "we" thought about last night...

There really was no protest last night.  Someone did work the phones to get the media there so they thought there was a story here.  I am sure that transgender peppered every other sentence in their delivery.  I had a talk with one of the protesters who thought that Ms. Stanton should have had a review and been written up if there were things that the Commission didn't like.  I pointed out that would have been to fire her "for cause" and that the Commission's action was just to change course - and according to her contract, she could be let go for no reason.  This protester thought it was good how Ms. Stanton kept the developers at bay to which I responded there were no developers during her tenure.  Then we got in to the beach and this protester thought that the beach was the greatest thing.  I pointed out the Greater Bay lawsuit that the city has spent, at least, $600,000 in an attempt to defend its position and still could be required to pay millions in the form of a judgement.  I also pointed out the the City Manager did her best to hide the real cost of the beach project.  She thought that this was all spawned from Maxwell's aversion to the City Manager and that somehow this represented a bigoted act.  At this point in the conversation, I said that I was gay and am offended by the insinuation that this was somehow about the former City Manager's gender.  It had nothing to do with it.

The "protesters" didn't make it to the actual meeting, that I could see.  Once the meeting got started, we were treated to the grim history of the Park of Commerce.  We were told about all the potential there (see my blog from the meeting) and how the whole notion has been plagued by fits and starts over the past 15 or so years.  The CDM group, who prepared the latest study on infrastructure needs for the Park of Commerce, was there for free last night.  The study was paid for by an Economic Development Administration matching grant of $250,000, with $250,000 from the City.  This grant was issued with great fanfare two years ago but our most recent and former City Manager did all that she could to not put up the matching money, until she finally caved.  It appeared that it wasn't exactly the current City Commission's priority and that she had other things that could be done with $250,000.  She eventually saw the light, but the city was in jeopardy of losing the grant.  Now the study "sits on the shelf" and the property owners in the Park of Commerce are getting tired of empty promises from the city.  It is clear that whatever happens next has to mean something tangible or the whole notion could be abandoned.

What I found striking about the budget discussion is this point was danced around, but missed.  That is the former City Manager and the previous City Commission had made their mind up that they would have an assessment for fire pension BEFORE any examination of the budget realities.  That is what Commissioner Maxwell was getting at.  And it points to the weakness of the former City Manager's it-is-my-way-or-else attitude.  That, in the end, was the source of her demise - nothing else.

I will have a video later of some of the feistier discussion during the budget cut portion of the agenda.  It became clear that the former City Manager had not integrated information requested by the new members of the City Commission in these budget cut recommendations and I am sure that contributed to the last week's outcome as well.  The Mayor made a point about looking at Commission and senior staff salaries to see what money would be generated by a 10% cut in each area.  McVoy ridiculed the notion saying that a 10% cut in Commission salaries would amount to $7,000 and that we had $1.4 million to go.  Commissioner McVoy -  have you heard of the concept of a symbolic gesture?  You are asking the public to make a sacrifice so you, in turn, make a sacrifice.  While not materially important, it is symbolically important.  And many times when the Mayor would mention items that she had asked the City Manager to prepare - for informational purposes - both McVoy and Mulvehill made it seem like her mind was made up to go through with those suggestions when she maintained she needed to see that information BEFORE she made any decision.

One of the most telling parts of the meeting last night was when Mr. Bressner with the ICMA mentioned that being fired on a 3-2 vote, something that he experienced, is a difficult thing.  But he said that it is also difficult for the community and for staff.  He implored this Commission that "it was time to come together."  I didn't see much evidence of that last night.  I thought that lip service might be paid to the notion, but I didn't hear that either.

Commissioner McVoy chatting it up with the media while the meeting goes on...