Who is minding the Store?

And I worry about someone like Mary Demers getting money from the CRA.

Last night, Mary Demers of 501 S. B Street came back to the CRA for another handout. Although a whole lot less than last time, she was still asking for money from the taxpayers. It would have been more money but our horticulturist never returned her call about landscaping that she wanted so desperately. Poor Mary. It's not really her fault other than just being greedy and taking advantage of a program that was there for her entitlement. That’s what is wrong with government programs and government in general, in a society that believes more and more that it is “all about me.”

Mary now has the distinct honor of virtually ending the Residential Rehabilitation Grant. She is going to be the last homeowner to receive any money off the blood, sweat and tears of Lake Worth taxpayers in the CRA district unless the program is revived at some future time. When I spoke against her for the third time last night, she glared at me like I was the one who was panhandling. And that’s the problem with these Grants. Very few people ever say thanks. She didn't. Often times government money does not go to the really needy. There are always some people who are a little more knowledgeable of the system while others suffer and we have programs that don’t close the loopholes. That’s the trouble with all government welfare programs.

This Residential grant program has said, "Come to Lake Worth and be a deadbeat. Because you live in what is considered a blighted area, we will even pay you to buy that new hot water heater and have it installed." The entire message is just flat wrong. Now we won't see anymore Mary Demers and that's a good thing.

The entire CRA Board has resigned itself to the possibility that the City Commission will take it back. The "three year turmoil" reference by Commissioner Golden was misunderstood by this Board. Golden was not talking about turmoil between the members of the CRA but rather its decisions to waste money and the displeasure of many residents regarding those costly projects. It also has a lot to do with the disrespect of some CRA members towards our elected city commissioners.

The Mayor got racked over the coals last night for canceling the interviews for the CRA at the last minute of the day of the interviews even with one member, Wes Blackman, going so far as to inquiring whether it was all done in the Sunshine. Good question. The City Commission should have really come down hard on the Mayor for doing what he did. They Didn't. Chair, Mark Ricards, even brought up the fact that the CRA had notified the City Clerk nine months ago about the lack of staggered terms and to change it but the Mayor just kept giving the excuse that he was not aware of the problem and that he did not think 5 minute interviews was enough time. Nothing the Mayor said last night would have been accepted by that Board or the public at large for what he did. I did point out to him that the P&Z interviews are at 5 minute intervals and he said that would be changed.