Well, we are out of the RO business. Thanks to Mayor Clemens, Commissioner Lowe and defeated Commissioner Vespo, and our own City Staff, the Palm Beach County Commission voted 3 to 3 today. The tie vote defeated the motion to end our option to even negotiate.
Commissioner Golden spoke before them asking them to consider a renegotiation of the Contract and said “Water is not owned, it is managed and we as governmental entities are asked to manage this diminishing resource wisely.”
Commissioner Koons, Aaronson and our own Addie Greene refused to even consider that Lake Worth got screwed because our Mayor did not want to drink West Palm Beach water. He mentioned that it was almost a year now since we signed the Contract, implying we got back to them way too late. Aaronson even brought up the $5 million bond money for our beach. I gave him my quiet “boo” in protest. He needs to retire and start playing shuffleboard.
As their own staff advised them, if we got out it would cost PB County customers more. Their cash reserves were the big issue, staff saying that they needed $50 to $60 million at all times. It never revealed the amount of reserves it has now. It did say that the County can NOT absorb any losses and if they renegotiated with us that it might set a precedent. They were not sure on that but mentioned it twice. On April 15, 2008 they incorporated a 15% surcharge on potable water and wastewater. Staff recommended that although this was to be sunsetted in one year, that it stay in affect but go down to 11.75%. If LW was allowed to get out of the contract, it would have to stay at the 15%.
Commissioner Addie Greene never said a word during the process, selling Lake Worth, a city in her District, down the tubes. So, now we will be paying a fortune for PB County water. We might just as well give them everything we own. Hasn't that been the idea all along? Right now they have our police; next it is the Fire; they have Snook Islands on a 99 year lease; they want to control our beach.
Katie has a great idea. Charge a non Lake Worth resident $20 to park at our beach. Charge them to use our boat docks. We, as residents, pay the same as we always have. And--NO negotiation!
Guess whose