It Must Feel Good

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While riding his bicycle up to women and groping them, a guy was arrested in Lake Worth today. The last groping incident happened on 7th Avenue North and Dixie. Carlos Cocuy, 46, was arrested on three felony counts and sent to jail.

Today on Dixie, another groping took place. The entire Commission was groped along with the City Manager while Compass pursued its full measure of happiness. What should have been a simple business decision back then was not. They never are in Lake Worth especially with not-for-profits. It was just another give-away from the City. Personally, I don’t know if Compass is justified to come back and ask us for more money because the building was not up to snuff when they leased it for $1,000 a year with them making the improvements. However, what originally was approved in October, a give-away of $600,000, got whittled down to $250,000 to Compass.

It was discovered after they started renovation, that the building had some asbestos, some mold and the a/c went defunct immediately after they took occupancy. Also the Interim building inspector at the time, kept giving them a costly hard time to ensure that the building was up to Code. They went over their budget by $1 million and wanted the city to pay for some of those capital improvements. They never once went to the Commission when it was discovered that severe deficiencies had to be addressed and as Cara Jennings stated, the Commission is the very entity that controls the purse strings.

Compass supporters spoke and one, a school teacher, even tore at your heartstrings. None of these pleas had anything to do with a clear-cut business decision that was entered into when the Lease was signed. None of this has to do with a tenant coming back and asking for a quarter of a million dollars because they are about to go belly-up and can not get a line of credit. What will they ask for next year? Will this set a precedent with all tenants that pay little to nothing?

Susan Stanton said that our budget was tight—suggested taking money from the beach fund, or the billboard fund (have those guys EVER paid us?) and moving that money to the Capital improvements fund. She also said that she never would have allowed Compass to make improvements without knowing what they were. Why not? It was their Lease and they were responsible for all capital improvements per their design. Stanton also said that the City should be responsible for the maintenance of all its buildings. She made no exception for leased public property. Why would we want that cost and responsibility when someone has leased our property for 20 years at $1,000 a year and it was stated in the Lease that they are responsible.

Look for a Resolution on the matter on Monday.

We are a partner of sorts with Compass. I certainly am aware of their dilemma...and it's not that the City does not use the building from time to time for special meetings...BUT it just continues to get crazier and we continue to get groped. I dunno. It must feel good.