Lake Worth will become First Tier City

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Who is Mike Palar?

He wrote a biting Letter to the Editor this morning dissing Vice Mayor Suzanne Mulvehill for her public comments on conservation and said that our city is second tier. He mentions that his neighbors are watering their lawns on a daily basis and blames that on lack of code enforcement. No, Mike, blame it on all your neighbors who live around you on North Palmway who believe that laws do not pertain to them. Blame it on all those selfish "me first" types.

What the Vice Mayor has done for Lake Worth is to start a rain barrel rebate program; she has implemented Energy Monitors that you can check out through our Library that will help you reduce your energy consumption by 10%; the backyard composting program started in May and now that it has been successful, the City will provide composting bins at a reduced rate beginning in 2011. Conservation audits are provided by the City of Lake Worth.

As far as the many properties that are overgrown that may or may not be in foreclosure, when I see one that needs attention, I call Code Enforcement. Not once have they ever not responded or my complaint ignored. Perhaps, instead of complaining, take some action and call Code or get a stronger neighborhood association like Tropical Ridge that gets out there and takes care of some of these problems themselves. We do have limited resources, or haven't you noticed?

To say that Lake Worth is not friendly to residents or businesses and that our city commission "runs the city like some sort of social experiment" is absurd. It is being run like a business now that Susan Stanton has been our City Manager and this Commission is in place. In mid 2011, ground will break on our new Casino. Our beachfront property will be re-designed. Our golf course is making money and the entire course is being refurbished. We have a public works department that is on top of maintenance and keeps our parks in tip top shape. We have funds budgeted for road repairs and sidewalks and some will be done through the NSP2 Grant through the CRA.

The real problems in Lake Worth, Mike, have been caused by past waste and the overall financial crisis that every city has faced across the country: falling property values and the high cost of operating our city because of Union wages and benefits that have sucked us dry.