The City Commission agenda for tonight’s (2/7) meeting and how to watch Live Streaming.

How to watch this meeting Live Streaming:

• At 6:00 use this link.
• Look in the right-hand column of the City’s website for “Video of Public Meetings”.
• Click on that link and video will begin streaming.
• No video? Wait a few minutes and try again (sometimes meetings start a minute or two late).

To go over the agenda here is how you do it:

• Use this link and scroll down for “Agendas & Minutes”. Click that link on the City’s website.
• Then scroll down for “February 7, Regular Meeting”.
• Then click on “Agenda & Backup” to download the agenda.

Agenda item 5, Presentations, is very interesting: “A. Proclamation for Deputy Zuchowski”, “D. Creative Corridor Plan update by the Cultural Council”, and “E. 2nd Ave South Roadway Project—Federal Hwy to Dixie Hwy design plan”.

Herman is running for the “Open Seat”, District 4, in the City of Lake Worth.

Please Take Note: All voters in the City of Lake Worth vote for all district commissioners. An “open seat” election is one in which there is no incumbent.

To contact Herman call 561-352-4252 or email: hcrfla99@yahoo.com

For more information about Herman’s priorities use this link for website:

• Ensuring we have a vibrant downtown. Create a “lifestyle” atmosphere: sustainable growth, implement smart parking; creative, cultural activity with a job creation component.
• Promoting interlocal partnerships with neighboring municipalities; Transit Oriented Development (TOD).
• Finding solutions to the proliferation of sober homes.
• Maximizing our underutilized assets: Casino, pool, Gulfstream Hotel development, South Federal Highway, Dixie Highway.

Community Involvement:

• Lake Worth Historic Resources Preservation Board, Chair, 2016; member 2013–2016.
• Lake Worth Planning and Zoning Board, member, 2004–2007.
• Neighborhood Association Presidents’ Council (NAPC), member.
• Bryant Park Neighborhood Association, past President (6 years); Board Member, helped establish the annual “Great American Raft Race” and annual “Derby Day” events.
• Kiwanis Club of Lake Worth, past President; member.
• Owner, Lake Worth Chocolate Company, 2003–2008.

To make a contribution to Herman’s campaign use this link or write a check (send it by mail or drop the check off if you wish).

Make checks payable to:
Herman Robinson Campaign Account
114 Ocean Breeze
Lake Worth, FL 33460

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Herman Robinson for Lake Worth City Commission District 4.

The Answer to “The Challenge”: That “NOWHERE” quote in the Post about the mayor’s State of the City Address on January 31st.

“Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing or summarizing a story.”
—Quote from the Society of Professional Journalists, Revised.

Did Mayor Pam Triolo say in her State of the City Address, “Lake Worth is nowhere it needs to be”? No. She did not.

Definition of the word “nowhere”: adverb: 1. in or at no place; not anywhere. 2. to no place. noun: 3. the state of nonexistence or seeming nonexistence. 4. anonymity or obscurity. 5. an unknown, remote, or nonexistent place or region. adjective: 6. being or leading nowhere; pointless; futile.

First a short background for those of you who need a refresher.

On January 31st Mayor Pam Triolo gave her State of the City Address to a “packed Casino Ballroom” as reported by The Lake Worth Herald on February 2nd. I was there to record the event and was also given a copy of the mayor’s prepared remarks.

The mayor’s speech was extraordinarily uplifting and positive. One of my personal observations was the speech was one of Triolo’s best ever. Her focus was the “new Lake Worth” vs. the “old Lake Worth”.

On Thursday, February 2nd, The Palm Beach Post article by reporter Kevin Thompson came out about the mayor’s State of the City Address. Then the phone calls started: “Did the mayor say that?”. After reviewing the text of the speech and watching the videos on YouTube, “The Challenge” began soon after.

Here is the line in the Post that confused some and angered others:

“Triolo said Lake Worth is nowhere it needs to be in turning the city around and still has a way to go.”


The reference in the Post that Lake Worth is “nowhere it needs to be” was taken completely out of context. From page 12 of the mayor’s prepared remarks is this excerpt (take special note of the highlighted text below):

     Another festival that is coming back to Lake Worth the Midnight Sun Festival. It is a re-establishment of what used to be the Finnfest and celebrates Finnish Culture and its relationship and impacts on Lake Worth. I have been working with staff and encouraging the Finnish community on this effort for the past several years and am proud to come through on a promise to bring this event HOME! The event will provide an opportunity for everyone to enjoy Finnish music, food, dancing and fun. Midnight Sun Festival will be the beginning of renewed efforts on our part to bring our Finnish friends back to Lake Worth to invest, visit and continue as an important part of our community.
     I can’t talk about festivals in our City without talking about the one event that has consistently given Lake Worth a positive reputation as a place that values art. Of course I am speaking of the Street Painting Festival! After 10 years of being the world’s largest street painting event, we are excited to enter into a renewed relationship with the organizers. No other event draws as many people and gives them a chance to experience our cool, artsy, unique downtown and City. The over 400 artists who participate literally put us on the Arts World Map and we thank the organizers for continuing to value being in Lake Worth. It is truly an expression of confidence in our City.
     As we take on the sense that we are the New Lake Worth, I recognize that we are not where we want to be with so many things. There is still much work to be done and things that I and my fellow Commissioners want to see happen. We know that the City organization is working hard to find ways to keep up with the increasing demand of the activity we are seeing. We want to give them the training and the tools so they can provide good customer service. After all, they are responsible for current capital projects and new ones starting soon that total more than $116 million. Yes that’s right, $116 million in infrastructure investments – and that too is another huge reason we are the New Lake Worth.

Focus on the yellow highlighted text in the mayor’s speech above. Is the line, “Triolo said Lake Worth is nowhere it needs to be” an accurate reporting of what the mayor said. No.

“not where” ≠ “nowhere”

Dated February 2nd was a City press release likely a direct response to the “nowhere it needs to be” line reported in the Post article:

On Tuesday, January 31st, Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo gave the annual State of the City address to a full house in the Lake Worth Casino Ballroom. The theme of the address was Lake Worth had “turned a corner” and in doing so “was no longer the old Lake Worth” and “that the State of [the] City is good”.

What the City of Lake Worth deserves is a correction, or at the minimum a “clarification” printed in The Palm Beach Post. But that will never happen. That’s the sad part of this whole story.

Important news from the City of Lake Worth

One of your most important sources for news in the City of Lake Worth IS the City of Lake Worth. For example, on the City’s website this morning (2/6), scroll down for “Special Announcements” and here is one of the press releases listed:

Press Release from the Water Utilities Department
1900 2nd Avenue North
561-586-1719
From: Judith Love, Water Distribution and Sewer Collection Manager
Email: jlove@lakeworth.org
Subject: Precautionary Boil Water Notice

Date: February 6th, 2017.

A precautionary boil water notice will be issued for the area served by the Lake Worth potable water distribution system described below. The reason for this notice is:

New six inch water main tie in. Water will be turned off from 9 A.M.to 2:00 P.M.

Therefore, as a precaution, the Utility is advising that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. This notice affects (51) customers and includes the following addresses:

North J Street 901, 905, 909, 911, 915 (2) units 919, 921, 925, 931, 1005, 1007, 1009, 1017, 1021, 1025, 1031, 1101, 1105, 1109, 1117, 1121, 1125, 1131, 1221, 1225, 1231.
N. Dixie Hwy: 902, 906, 908, 910, 920, 924, 928, 932, 1002, 1014, 1032, 1102, 1104, 1114, 1132, 1200, 1230.

This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.

On agenda at tomorrow’s City Commission meeting: “2nd Ave South Roadway Project - Federal Hwy to Dixie Hwy design plan”

This meeting is at City Hall beginning at 6:00. Check back tomorrow to learn how to watch meetings Live Streaming. Commissioner McVoy should pay particular attention to the highlighted text (see below), considering his comments at the Commission meeting on January 24th, from the minutes of that meeting:

“He [McVoy] reported that people had complained about speeding through the neighborhoods and had a concern that speeding would increase when the potholes were repaired.”

Let’s try to follow McVoy’s illogical sweeping generalization/cum hoc fallacy to its conclusion: the City’s potholes create traffic calming. So when potholes are fixed drivers will speed up. Potholes serve a community benefit. So. . . should potholes be designed into new road construction?

I know. It’s absurd. Just as absurd as McVoy’s suggestion the City isn’t forward-looking enough to address traffic calming when constructing new roads:

DEPARTMENT: Public Services (Felipe Lofaso)
SUMMARY: Staff is bringing forward the design plan for the 2nd Ave South Roadway Project – Federal to Dixie for discussion with the Commission and Public
BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION: The 2nd Ave South corridor from Federal Hwy to Dixie Hwy is one of the worst rated roadways within the City’s 116 mile road network.
     The project was brought forward as a high priority candidate for reconstruction in the fall of 2016 and the Commission and public were in favor of the project as a high priority for the City.

[and. . .]

Staff conducted a neighborhood outreach meeting on January 19th with the local residents and stakeholders of the project. The goals of the residents and stakeholders, to maintain sufficient on-street parking, calm the traffic speeds [Hello, Commissioner McVoy, PhD], and create a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists to fit into the City’s future downtown corridor improvements are in alignment with the current design.

District 2 Comm. McVoy (far right) is the only elected official up for re-election this year. District 4 Commissioner Ryan Mair (beaming, blue shirt) is not seeking re-election. Mayor Pam Triolo stands next to Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell and Commissioner Andy Amoroso (on left).

Look what I found on the door this morning!

Click on image to enlarge: 

For Omari Hardy’s website use this link.

On the back of the door hanger:

“Omari Hardy is a 4th generation educator, teaching civics and world history at Roosevelt Community Middle School. He was born and raised in South Florida and educated at the University of Miami, where he earned a degree in economics in 2012. He is deeply involved in his community and has the right ideas to move Lake Worth forward.”

Omari’s Priorities:

1. MAKE LAKE WORTH SAFER by adding more PBSO deputies, prioritizing community policing in high crime areas, and encouraging greater cooperation between PBSO and the city’s code enforcement department.
2. IMPROVE OUR ROADS by ensuring that the bond proceeds deliver the improvements intended and expected, and using Lake Worth’s share of county infrastructure funds to repair any roads not covered by the bond.
3. STIMULATE SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT by lowering fees and changing regulations to strike a better balance between burden and benefit.
4. REFOCUS CODE ENFORCEMENT to better align with the city’s priorities and fulfill the department’s stated mission: to improve the safety, health, and welfare of all people within the city’s jurisdiction.

Lake Worth food review by Post business reporter: “Unique dishes, friendly service at Café Tecun”

Food recommendation for big game later on today. . .

Jeff Ostrowski’s latest Lake Worth food review is below. But first, two things you need to know if you’re trying to get your business, event, or neighborhood news published in The Palm Beach Post:

1. Advice from newspaper Business Editor, Antonio Fins: “. . . the trick is reaching to the right journalist.” For example, if you’re not having any success getting the attention of beat reporter Kevin Thompson, have you tried to contact Jennifer Sorentrue? Eddie Ritz? Alexa Silverman?
2. Lake Worth is still reeling after the departure of New Times’ food reporter Nicole Danna. Drop her a message and ask her to visit us again. Her editor, Chuck Strouse, sent Danna south to cover the Miami food scene. Very regrettable. She’s been missed.

Without further ado, below are excerpts from the food review:

Café Tecun

• 7 North ‘L’ Street in Downtown Lake Worth
• 561-260-3404
• Hours daily: 6:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.

“Café Tecun serves Guatemalan and Mexican food. There are tamales, tostadas, tacos, burritos, salads and sandwiches. The ceviche is the most expensive item, at $12. Everything else is $10 or less.”

ATMOSPHERE 

“Friendly and casual. This tiny eatery took over the space long occupied by Taco Lady. There are a few tables inside and a few more outside on the sidewalk. We ate with plastic utensils.”

OUR FAVORITE FOOD/PRICE 

“The Guatemalan tamale ($4) was surprisingly filling for such a modestly sized dish. Wrapped in a banana leaf, the tamale had a fluffy corn filling around a piece of chicken with the bone in. I also liked the avocado shake ($5.99), and the tres leches cake ($5) was phenomenal.” [emphasis added]

SERVICE 

“Friendly. The owners were working during our visit, with the husband taking orders while his wife cooked. Our server took time to explain the menu, spelling out the difference between Guatemalan and Mexican tamales and talking up the smoothies.”

To contact Jeff Ostrowski use this link and thank him for taking the time to promote our City’s restaurant scene. 

Next week. An exciting meeting. The structure at 431 North L Street. An item before the Historic Resource Preservation Board (HRPB).

Soon will have more information about this important historical structure here in the City of Lake Worth.

If you’re excited about things like historic preservation in Lake Worth then the HRPB meeting next week is one you should attend. The meeting is on Wednesday, February 8th, and begins at 6:00. One of the properties on the agenda is 431 North L Street, the first item on the agenda.

I wrote a blog post about this property in June 2008 you will be interested in reading. There were many other blog posts as well. 431 North L Street, in a word, is “significant”. Below are just a few excerpts from that blog post cited above written almost 9 years ago:

My introduction to this property was when it appeared on a Nuisance Abatement Board agenda. At the same meeting, we also dealt with another property at 431 N. K Street which happened to occupy the exact same location on the block immediately to the west, the southwest corner of the intersection at 5th Avenue North. Both were owned by the notorious Joe DiMauro. We heard evidence of code enforcement issues while the properties were occupied. Apparently, these two properties acted in tandem to terrorize the Mango Groves neighborhood, both through their blighted conditions and the sorts of tenants housed on both properties. I remember hearing a series of frightening tales being told by responsible residents in the vicinity that helped us in our decision making.
     Based in part to our action on the Nuisance Abatement Board, the City was able to eradicate the nuisance and obtained title to both properties. The property at 431 N. L Street became the City’s responsibility in July of 2006.

[and. . .]

Depending on the source, the property has either 10 units (City) or 9 units (County) apparently all legal. However, it was originally designed as a 4 unit walk-up, you can check out the original blueprint above for the 1st floor plan. And guess who it was designed by? G. Sherman Childs.
     Mr. Childs worked as an architect for Addison Mizner and did a lot of of designs for buildings in Lake Worth. He was the architect for the Municipal Auditorium that we now use as City Hall, the [former] Casino building, City Hall Annex, the Birthday Cake house, etc. Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Childs are listed as Lake Worth pioneers (that can be found in the City Hall conference room. And after World War II, Edgar Wortmann, who redesigned the Casino building and was architect for the City Library, did the work to make the original four units into eight. The other units are in the out buildings to the west of the main structure).

[images from the blog post in 2008 follow]

G. Sherman Childs.

More photos taken from November 2007:

Front of building showing central walk-up entrance.

Corner of 5th Avenue North and L Street.

Example of inadequate protection of the structure, open windows, partially boarded. North facade.

Northwest corner of main building, characteristic Lake Worth gable over door.

Out-buildings approved for demolition. Alley to the west.

City news, follow-up [Have you taken “The Challenge” yet?]

For “The Challenge” click on the newspaper clip in right-hand column or use this link.

For more information, questions or comments please contact Ben Kerr, the City of Lake Worth’s Communications Specialist:

• 561-586-1631
• Email: bkerr@lakeworth.org

Press Release dated February 2nd. Mayor’s State of the City Address – 2017 (Follow up)

On Tuesday, January 31st, Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo gave the annual State of the City address to a full house in the Lake Worth Casino Ballroom. The theme of the address was Lake Worth had “turned a corner” and in doing so “was no longer the old Lake Worth” and “that the State of [the] City is good”.
     In addition to the mayor, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, Vice Mayor Pro Tem Andy Amoroso, Palm Beach Sherriff’s Office, Lake Worth Fire Rescue and representatives of many City Departments were present to meet and interact with local residents in attendance. The event was also live streamed through the City’s Website and the Lake Worth Casino Facebook page for the benefit of those residents who could not attend.
     The transcript of the speech and a video can be viewed on the City’s Website.

Located in central Palm Beach County, Lake Worth is a dynamic, multi-cultural city with an individualistic style. People are drawn to the City by its acceptance of different cultures and lifestyles, historic districts, hip downtown and colorful arts district.

If it’s true the media’s role is “The Fourth Estate”. . .

. . . serving a vitally important function between the government and the public, there to report on important news for communities and decision-makers in Palm Beach County, then why has this news gone unreported in the local media thus far? News from 17 days ago, January 18th:

Found this news anywhere? If so, look in the right-hand column for my contact information and will post it on this blog.

UPDATE: Five more blog readers think they solved “The Challenge”!

Think you did too? Email me at wesblackman@gmail.com

The challenge began last Thursday at noon and was extended until Monday at noon. A lot of people need more time to review the material (see below). 

From page B2 in last Thursday’s (Feb. 2nd) print edition of The Palm Beach Post. UPDATE: There may be multiple winners of the challenge!

THE CHALLENGE: Try to find anywhere in Mayor Pam Triolo’s State of the City Address on January 31st where the mayor says anything even close to resembling this line:

“Triolo said Lake Worth is nowhere it needs to be in turning the city around and still has a way to go.” 

Here is the backup material to work with:

• The first video of the mayor’s speech (28 minutes): Use this link.
• The second video (continuing) of the mayor’s speech (9 minutes): Use this link.
• For the text of the mayor’s speech use this link and scroll down for “Mayor Pam Triolo’s State of the City Address 2017” and look for “PDF Transcript”.

Good luck.

Local business reporter has article published in the Tampa Bay Times, the winner of 12 Pulitzer Prizes.

Post reporter Jennifer Sorentrue had this article published in the Tampa Bay Times datelined yesterday, February 2nd, the first 3 paragraphs follow:

PALM BEACH — Regardless of what you think about President Donald Trump, Palm Beach County leaders say his frequent trips to his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago club will be a boon for the local tourism industry.
     Trump is set to arrive at Palm Beach International Airport on Friday to spend the weekend at his lavish resort, bringing the attention of the international media along with him. The spotlight, tourism officials say, will help raise the county’s profile as an vacation destination for both domestic and international travelers.
     “The Palm Beaches have long been a preferred leisure destination for heads of state and commerce, dignitaries and celebrities,” [emphasis added] said Jorge Pesquera, president and CEO of Discover the Palm Beaches, the county’s official tourism marketing organization.

Meet Jorge Pesquera, president and CEO of Discover the Palm Beaches:

TOMORROW: The 8th Annual Lake Worth “Daddy-Daughter & Mother-Son Date Night” at the City’s Casino at the BEACH

The event this year is tomorrow (Sat., Feb. 4th). For the City of Lake Worth’s event page use this link.

The details:

• Tickets are $30 per couple and $15 per additional guest.
• Tickets can be purchased at the door.
• Complimentary free parking.

To purchase tickets today:
City of Lake Worth Leisure Services
501 Lake Ave. in the Downtown (across Lake Ave. from the Cultural Plaza)
Call 561-533-7363

“Don’t blame me! I’m just the editor. It’s the clerks fault!”

Palm Beach County Empty Bowls is today at 141 S. County Rd. in Palm Beach. For more information and directions to St. Luke’s Catholic Church for the event tomorrow use this link.

“We’re not the ‘old’ Lake Worth any more”. Another quote from the mayor’s State of the City Address on Jan. 31st.

Please Note: Commissioner Chris McVoy’s “conspicuous absence” at Mayor Pam Triolo’s State of the City Address was especially noticed during this portion of the mayor’s speech. As many of you know, McVoy has a PhD from Cornell and he reminds everyone all the time about that.

“It turns out that after studying and developing detailed computer modeling, the Gulfstream Current is at its closest and in a most consistent strength offshore of. . . you guessed it. . . Lake Worth.
     As an ocean-front community our Electric Utility can receive the power generated offshore. However how do we get it from out there to in here? Well it turns out we also have an old abandoned sewer outfall that goes ¾ of a mile off shore and we have applied for a grant to study and engineer a way to pull a cable through it to connect to the test site. Here’s where we take a former environmental scar, like our landfill, and make lemonade out of lemons!
     The grant is for $400,000 from the State of Florida Alternative Energy program. SNMREC [Southeastern National Marine Renewable Energy Center] has also filed for another $400,000 grant for the study to locate the mooring 3 miles out and develop the connection back to our cable.
     Power will go into our grid and provide the companies who come here to test with a viable customer to prove their concepts work. We may become the place in the world that makes ocean current power a reality.
     We are also looking to change state law to be able to create an Efficient Energy Economic Zone in the City to encourage the companies to locate here and bring jobs. In many ways, this is about clean renewable energy and economic development.
     Coupled with increasing the availability of feeding renewable energy into our grid for use in the City, we may be able to add power from the Gulfstream to our solar and one day have the highest level of renewable energy of any city in the state or even the country. This is a strategic approach the old Lake Worth would not have been able to imagine much less make happen.”