Adoption of Lake Worth Budget and Millage - First Public Hearing

Comment Up

Chair Ron Exline of the Finance Advisory Board asking "where are the reserved seats for the Board?"

Last night’s city commission meeting should have been cut and dried—set the millage; adopt the capital improvement plan; make other resolutions on the changed revenue estimates in the budget; and rescind the deferred retirement Option Plan. This Commission had already been through full days of budget workshops...30 hours or more. By the time this meeting had started, they knew full well how they were voting on everything, unless, of course, they were all brain dead, The downtown parking pay station issue in city parking lots had an hour of discussion. Even though the public had negatively commented on the idea in the past and a few downtown business owners showed up last night, the Commission voted 3/2 (Jennings, Varela, Golden) to install pay stations downtown. In addition to the “business friendly atmosphere” the three commissioners have now created, they want to shorten the hours of street parking from four hours to two hours. As one member of the public said, to go downtown and watch a football game, have dinner, etc. would be virtually impossible. One merchant pointed out the 40-45% vacant stores in our downtown and suggested that paid parking could create more. The Commission was unphased. Cara Jennings was for raising the millage rate as the solution if downtown parking pay-stations were eliminated. The Mayor was so adamant about it that he said “I will fight to the death” to have paid parking also saying it is just a few blogs that are against it as most cities ALL have parking meters. The only death might very well be that of our downtown businesses. Maxwell’s position was “over his dead body.” Commissioner Golden suggested valet service for the Seniors, etc. These three commissioners literally screwed the residents one more time. Although not a tax, it is. They screwed the downtown businesses for unguaranteed parking revenue. They know that people will still visit our downtown. What they don’t know is how it will affect what has always been the draw to downtown Lake Worth--free parking. This is a prime example of commissioners NOT listening to the public and "knowing what's best" for us. They eliminated the Internal Auditor saying they couldn't afford someone to point out minor things. Scott Menke was paid $50,000 in the past but now the position was going to cost $134,000 (I guess they didn't ask Menke what he would charge) which justified not filling that important position. Staff did not like Menke's past results when he pointed out corruption and financial mistakes even going so far as to suggest that a Finance Director should be prosecuted and pursue civil and criminal remedies for CCNA violations. I want more audits, not less. And once again, where is the forensic audit on the Utility, Mayor? The Commission did approve striping for $50,000. The Mayor voluntarily took a 10% pay-cut and Steven Carr, Finance Director, asked him to put it in writing. Personally, I believe that the commission should have a 150% raise and that still would be small potatoes. After everything was voted on to come back for a second public meeting (September 21 and 22), the Mayor allowed commissioner comments. He did not follow his own agenda....did not follow the rules. The meeting should have adjourned right after the last vote. He then got mad at the city manager. He got mad at Commissioner Maxwell for asking for staff time for his special projects as he had at the Osborne center. He said it was against our Charter and being a scientist he was into rules and proper procedure, or words to that effect. He slapped down his hands on the dais and said “You just don’t get it Commissioner; you had problems before on the commission. You were not elected to be King.” The meeting continued to be adversarial when Commissioner Maxwell accused Commissioner Mulvehill of campaigning from the dais because she agreed with him on NO downtown parking pay-stations. The Chair of the FAB did not have to worry about reserved seating. No one from the Finance Advisory Board was there other than he. What is the use? The Commission has not listened to one recommendation of theirs, has never requested a meeting, and has never even asked for a clarification on a position. The only recommendation they passed last night is rescinding the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP).