Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 Workshop Meeting Compass Community Center 6 p.m. (4/07)

If you can make it tonight, and especially if you live in the area west of City Hall and then north and south of there, you should come to this meeting to hear about the NSP2 $23 million grant program.  This is an ambitious program that has the potential to substantially improve an area of the city in need of stabilization.  There are those that get uncomfortable with that, namely Commissioners Jo Ann Golden and Cara Jennings.  Commissioner Golden questioned the CRA about going for the grant saying that we know how to spend money better than the Federal government, then she used it as an accomplishment in her campaign literature.  There are communities that would fall all over themselves about the prospect of what this money would do for their housing stock and residential neighborhoods..

If you can't make this meeting or are more interested in historic preservation, you can take in the Planning and Zoning Board meeting.  They will be talking about possible separation of the functions of the board - Planning and Zoning pealed away from Historic Preservation duties.  Former PZHRPB Chairman Frank Palen and author of the city's historic preservation code will be doing a Power Point presentation that explores the nitty grtty of local historic preservation and where Lake Worth should fit in to the bigger picture.  The PZHRPB meeting is at the same time as the NSP2 meeting and is in the Commission Chambers.

Town workers plead with Council: Don’t ax pensions

Interesting read from the Palm Beach Daily News (Shiny Sheet) regarding changes in pensions for Town of Palm Beach employees.  Click title for link.  In her most recent City Manager Report (April 2), Ms. Stanton uses the Town of Palm Beach example of how to potentially model changes for Lake Worth.  The article recounts a Town Council meeting that dealt with the topic and they heard employees reactions.

Click here for live stream from City Commission Chambers - 4/06 (6 p.m.)

Two items came up under public comment which are of interest and supported by Commissioner Maxwell. One was the solicitation of workers to count for the Census by the City's Complete Count Committee (Annabeth Karson and Company.)  The person commenting asked about the legality of that, since it involved advocating for a cause in addition to collecting Census forms.  This gave Commissioner Jennings an opportunity to say that she is for immigration and this group is working to count areas of the city that have been difficult to count before.  She was not a member of the "Florida New Majority" - but she shares their views and goals.  Commissioner Golden echoed the same thoughts and indicated full support of Ms. Karson.

The other matter related to Commissioner Maxwell's pulling the meeting minutes from 1/12 Special Meeting - the one that concerned the previous matter and the selection of the group to head up the Complete Count Committee.  Near the end of that meeting, Commissioner Jennings said that she meant to mention that Annabeth Karson contributed to her campaign and she would like that inserted into the section where the discussion of the item took place.  Discussion tonight settled on whether it was alright to change the order of events in a meeting.  The minutes reflect the following wording:

This gave Commissioner Jennings a chance to say that she went "over and above the law" to declare campaign contributions related to certain agenda items.  

Unfortunately, whether or not someone contributes $5 or $500 shouldn't influence whether you vote for or against someone who contributes to your campaign.  If  it does, then our problems are deeper than we suspected.  The real conflicts come, and this is state law, where there is a familial or business or contractual relationship where a gain or a loss would be experienced either by the person voting or a person or organization one has an on-going relationship with you as a voting member of an elected or appointed body.  Now, with Planning and Zoning, if there is a specific property involved and a specific owner, and they contributed to your campaign, that should be voluntarily disclosed.  

Think about how many in-direct impacts there are on a wide variety of topics in the city.  Think also about needing to review each campaign report for each decision.  I just don't think the cost is worth the benefit.

Remember how no one seemed to have a problem with Commissioner Golden interviewing her employer for a CRA position.  Now that is a real conflict, but it was waved on as not needing to be declared a conflict.  Oh well.

City Commission Meeting Agenda 4/06

It's been a while since we had a regular City Commission meeting since the second one in March was cancelled. Here is tonight's agenda.  Click here for link to agenda with back-up material (click on line items once the agenda appears)

Schools Sing Haters Away - Westboro Baptist

Click title for link to article.

3rd Shade Tree Give-Away

It's time for the 3rd Annual Shade Tree Give-Away!
The Lake Worth City Tree Board will be giving away native trees on Saturday May 1st from 8:30am till noon at the City Hall parking lot at 7 North Dixie Hwy.
Also the Highland Elementary School will be at the parking lot selling plants to support their garden projects.
Only residents with in the city limits are eligible to receive a free tree so bring your proof of residency such as a current utility bill or drivers license.

Tell your neighbors and everyone you know living in Lake Worth to stop by and get a tree.

The two previous posts are part of the Prelinger Archives - Click here for link

"Man of Action" (1955) - The same forces are still at work - both good and bad!

From the liner notes:
Subject: The Devil Meets the Average Homeowner
This animated film features an average fellow who meets the Devil (or his envoy, anyway), who has a plan to turn his nice neighborhood into a slum. The devilish character tells the homeowner all about the recent transformation of Paradise Gardens, a housing development that the homeownerâs grandfather used to live in, from a suburb to a slum, and how the homeownerâs neighborhood is right on schedule in his slum transformation book. The homeowner bucks the devilâs urban planner by stealing his book and going to the city council to try to get them to take steps to prevent the creation of further slums. Predictably, the council thinks the guy is a crackpot and throws him out, while the landlords buck for no change at all. However, when the homeowner uses the stolen book to accurately predict the fall of an old decrepit factory chimney, he gets public support, and the whole town ends up working together to drive the devil's envoy out of town by fixing up their neighborhoods. This is a fun film to watch because the animation is well done, the visuals, especially of slums, are dark and striking, and the story is lively. It predictably oversimplifies the problems of urban renewal, but at least it emphasizes the importance of collective action being essential for any real change to happen, which is a change from many films of its period, which tend to blame individuals. The film has historical value in documenting the attitudes promoted by the early urban renewal movement.

1955 "Where the Sun Reigns" Miami Tourist Film

Happy Easter!

Well, now I guess you know that we can visualize "Whirled Peas"...

...but bringing it about and making it happen in real life is a different prospect.  I was surprised how many fell for my little April Fool's story.  But that means it wasn't thought to be that impossible and that it could actually happen one day.  The sticking point is that the actors involved are not known for their ability to compromise their extreme positions.  If someone compromises their position it ends up being a challenge on how they can take a more extreme position - away from coming together toward agreement.

Anyway, I hope you had a fun April Fool's Day. Carry on!

Boy, did I get a surprise today!

I happened to be sitting in my courtyard, taking some sun - which has been rare the past few months.  It must have been a little past 2 p.m. or so.  In the midst of reading and catching up opening mail and stuff, I look up and two people were heading towards me on their bicycles.  I greeted them warmly and asked them to sit down so that we can chat.  I went in the house and got a pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge, distributed ice-filled glasses and we settled in to talk.  Apparently that was their purpose for the visit.

They both started out by saying that they had seen the light and that they, up until now, misunderstood where I was coming from.  They said they had really come to respect my insight and that both of them get a lot out of reading the blog.  I sat there with my mouth open, half rubbing my eyes in disbelief.  They said that they wish they could have the last two elections that I was in back -- that they really understand what I would bring to the Commission.  The one with a basket on her bike said that she had come to respect my planning and historic preservation knowledge.  She also apologized for over-stepping her bounds about her Census duties.  The other one complimented me on pointing out all the hypocrisies and that, through me pointing them out, she  has become a better person and more consistent in her decision making.

I thanked them for all their compliments and I told them that we need to work together to make Lake Worth a better place to live - that we could do it if we get others to join with us.  There is so much that we have in common.

They stayed about 40 minutes.  The rest of the time we talked about our loves, life's passions, our favorite foods and Mars and Venus came out and we played with them too. At the end, we all hugged and sang some choruses of "Michael Row the Boat Ashore."  They then mounted their bikes, all of us wiping tears from our eyes and we waved and waved and waved until our arms hurt and we couldn't see each other anymore.

I went back in the house, shaking my head and immediately took a nap - as laying down of swords takes a lot out of a person.

Any guess who they were?

Historical Weather Information from Channel 5's Steve Weagle via FaceBook

"This was the coldest January-March in recorded history, with the records going back to 1888. We were 6.1F below normal in the last 3 months."

"This ended up being the second coldest March on record, with an average temp of 64.1F. The coldest March was almost a hundred years ago in 1915! We were 6.5 degrees below normal last month."

Early "Plat of Lake Worth Municipal Casino" - Beach area

Click title for link to city website for clear pdf of the image above.  It turns out that the city uploaded their plans of record for the beach and these are accessible by clicking here.  They are revealing in that they generally show very little detail - assuring that much of the building remains a mystery.  Also note the original eastern shoreline of the Lake Worth Lagoon - about where the loop road begins today.