The local Chamber of Commerce is always getting into the political act. It says "it is not political," words right out of the mouth of its Director, Beth Johnston. Now it is encouraging residents as well as out of towners to come to the meeting on March 1 and speak out for keeping the politically appointed CRA as an independent body.
Here is Ms. (non-political) Johnston's message:
Dear Chamber Members,
In the past week, the Chamber has received many requests for information concerning the function of the Lake Worth CRA. A CRA works on eliminating blight, creating a sustainable downtown and encourages economic growth.
The Chamber supports the work of the Lake Worth CRA, and below, we have listed recent accomplishments. At the March 1st City Commission meeting, there will be a discussion about the dissolution of the independent CRA Board. The Chamber encourages you, as business people in Lake Worth and the surrounding area, to come to the City Commission meeting and support retaining the CRA board in its current state. Successful cities have a Chamber, Independent CRA Board and City Government that work cohesively toward progress.
She then goes on to list the CRA's "accomplishments."
16 comments:
I disagree with you on this one Lynn.Should the CRA be taken over by the City Commission is up for discussion on March 1st. If I were a commissioner I would want to hear the concerns of the Chamber of Commerce on this issue. Who cares if you label it political or not. It's an issue that directly affects the downtown business community and the Chamber should take a position on it. What good is a chamber that has to say silent on issues that affect it's members. I say, lets here from everyone so the commission can make an informed decision.
The downtown business community is a small part of the CRA District. Everyone already knows how the Chamber thinks on just about everything. Their concerns are all about them and the rest of us be damned. There are many businesses that have benefited directly from Tiff money. Let the Chamber do what they should be doing--attracting businesses to Lake Worth instead of blaming their falling down on that job on everything else like high utility bills or poor commissions. The Chamber is there to collect membership fees just like a Union and to use the taxpayers in any way they can.
I am quite confident that our Commission can make an informed decision without hearing from Beth Johnston and how she is telling her members to think on this issue. What a crock.
"Everyone knows how the Chamber thinks" not true. You don't own a business in this city and therefore you have no idea what the business community thinks or really wants. The Chamber represents me and my interests. That's why I pay my dues as a business owner. I want the voice of the chamber heard and based on what your saying, you don't. The Chamber of Commerce should shut up and ignore the mess the city is in. As I see it, a non business owner's opinion on this issue as it relates to business is irrelevant.
I am not being told what to think. I am being told what the Chamber thinks is best for the city. I can support that position or not. Some of us are far to busy trying to survive to understand all the issues. The Chamber has a duty to tell it's members what it wants to tell it's members. If you disagree so be it. It's time we respect every groups right to be heard on important issues.
You need to get over Amend. 4. and relax. The commission will do what it wants regardless of what any of us think or say.
John, guess what? I don't need to "get over" anything. Be a sheep. Follow the Chamber. Glad and very happy to know that you think for yourself. Now you want others to respect every group sort of like how you respect the commisissn? Sorry, I really do think for myself. :)
Lynn, you need to read carefully what I said. I did not say you needed to respect any or all groups. I said you need to respect the right of a group to be heard. That is very different to respecting the group and what they stand for. I did not say that you needed to follow any group like a dumb sheep. You have every right to your opinion but so does the Chamber. You are clearly still angry on the amend 4 issue and that's what you need to let go of. If you want to keep it than go ahead.
I have spoken to the commission on many occassions and I have never been asked to sit down or critized for my actions. I have told the commission how I disagreed with them. The illegal day labor center in the middle of town was a prime example. Cara's social agenda was another. I have never been disrepectful but I have followed the rules allowed by the chair. Since the rules were lax I did take advantage of it. The city is in a depp financial mess and the Chamber of Commerce's opinion on the CRA is important to me and many others. Saying that they should shut up on this issue was in my opinion wrong.
OK--just one more thought on this subject and then I will SHUT UP. What is her complaint that the CRA should be in the hands of the city commission? It will still exist but the money will be controlled by elected officials. What is the problem as you or as she sees it? Do you think that the commission just might be MORE ACCOUNTABLE regarding taxpayer dollars and might not just dish $$ out like candy? The Commission will still have to follow the rules and guidelines that are in place. Johnston over-stepped her bounds, something she has done since she has been hired.
I trust the CRA, a board made up of fellow citizens and tax payers that serve on a voluntary basis with no campaign contributors to have to pay back, no political party whos line they have to tow, and having been appointed by the very people we elect in order to diversify the members and make sure they have expertise in areas of planning, construction, law, business and finance that the commission does not possess.
The current commission can't even take it upon themselves to understand what our own City Charter says about an Internal Auditor, why it is needed, and who the position answers to.
I was going to try to e-mail Dr. McVoy hoping he won't just take Cara's position, but the city still lists Cara as the commissioner for that district with her e-mail address. Suzanne was the swing vote last time this was proposed. Her reasoning was that the commission did not have the extra time to be the board for the CRA. She already has enough on her plate. What has changed since then?
Lynn, how can you site accountability as the reason you want the commission to control the CRA programs when you've seen what they can do for illegal immigrants in our city buildings, call the near total demolition of the casino a "renovation" and then give special consideration to campaign contributors, not question the City Manager for how she's handling law suits we are losing, and on and on?
The city commission would interject politics into the CRA staff with pressure that would move our obvious revolving door of managers to a new agency. The CRA Exec Director is one manager who is doing what she was hired to do without having to worry about being bullied by the City Manager.
Ya, we need to change that.
I don't agree with everything the CRA does, but they have made many good and noticeable improvements in our infrastructure, streets and neighborhoods. In time, these improvements are designed to help the abutting neignborhoods.
They have not included local contractors in plans to help with the NSP grant. Some of the for profit "partners" are questionable and some of the programs through some of the non-profit partners are socialistic.
I think this is all an effort in futility as their minds are already made up, they have the votes. I will still show up to voice my opinion that the board should remain independent with the commission retain it's ability to appoint people with expertise they don't have.
Wow--you know more than I. I have no idea if they have the votes. Why do you think so?
The Commission would be responsible and this is the way it should be. The staff on the CRA would stay the same and they can continue to make all these "wonderful" decisions on how to spend the money. The Commission would be there to agree or disagree, elected people in charge.
I can't get into the other arguments as I have written about all of them before.
You could be right, Lynn. I also thought they had the votes last time when Suzanne turned out to be the swing vote. That was, however, the last time she parted with the cabal.
It is disturbing that Dr. McVoy doesn't have any way for his constituents to contact him. Maybe Cara passes the messages to him.
One of my main points above was that the staff would most likely NOT stay the same. There is already noticeable friction between the CM and the CRA Exec Director. This is just conjecture, but I think Joan wouldn't stay around if she had to "negotiate" with Stanton. So let's play this out.... Commission takes control of CRA, Stanton gets rid of Exec Director and puts someone who can help her utilize more of the $23 million for "Budget & Management" costs so the burden isn't so high on the taxpayers. This jeopardized the funds and now who's accountable? Not he commission b/c they had the CM taking care of this. Not the CM b/c she was doing what the city needed to do to stay afloat. bla, bla, bla.
It's simple Lynn, just follow the money. It's always follow the money.
That's right. It's always about the money and that is where I have the problem.
I thought the CM like Olivia. See what I know?
McVoy is reachable: cmcvoy@lakeworth.org or call him on his cell at 398-6115. It is disgusting that the web site is not up-to-date...all those over-worked union employees have to cut corners now.
One more thing that I didn't address--the way I understand it is the $23 million can't be used for anything for which it was not intended. The CM can't grab THAT cash but it will end $25,000 to Paradisio as an example...a good thing.
Yes, the Chamber is very political and so are the HOA and NA in this city, we received this the other day from ours and Ryan Anderson:
Hello,
Over the past week I have been receiving a lot of questions from TRNA members regarding the Lake Worth CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). These questions range from "How are CRA members selcted?" to "What has the CRA done for me lately?". Recently Beth Johnston, the Executive Director of Lake Worth's Chamber of Commerce, sent an email to members of the Chamber. This email doesn't answer everything you may want to know about the CRA but it'll give you a good start. Enjoy...
--
Dear Chamber Members,
In the past week, the Chamber has received many requests for information concerning the function of the Lake Worth CRA. A CRA works on eliminating blight, creating a sustainable downtown and encourages economic growth.
The Chamber supports the work of the Lake Worth CRA, and below, we have listed recent accomplishments. At the March 1st City Commission meeting, there will be a discussion about the dissolution of the independent CRA Board. The Chamber encourages you, as business people in Lake Worth and the surrounding area, to come to the City Commission meeting and support retaining the CRA board in its current state. Successful cities have a Chamber, Independent CRA Board and City Government that work cohesively toward progress.
CRA Accomplishments
1. Awarded $23.2M in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds from federal government after partnering with over 20 local profit and non-profit partners
2. Completed the Transit Oriented Development Master Plan
3. Completed and are implementing the Bicycle Network Program
4. Attracted a Publix to downtown Lake Worth
5. Created the Cultural Renaissance Program – which led to the attraction of the headquarters for the Palm Beach Cultural Council
6. Development of a much needed parking area on Dixie Highway – 812 Dixie Highway
7. Redeveloped the Gateways – 6th and 10th, providing all new infrastructure to the City and pay on-going maintenance
8. Pay for maintenance of the downtown
9. Purchase and plan future redevelopment for 1000 Lake Ave. – a blighted and underutilized, historic structure
10. Through a partnership with Adopt-a-Family developed and implemented a residential rehabilitation program
11. Provided funding for existing and start up businesses over the years through façade and tenant improvement grants
12. Sponsored many local events including the Tree Festival, Street Painting Festival, Bike Night, Holiday Tree Lighting and many more.
Sincerely,
Beth Johnston
Executive Director
Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce
501 Lake Avenue
Lake Worth, Florida 33460
Phone: 561.582.4401 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 561.582.4401 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: 561.547.8300 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 561.547.8300 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
beth@lwchamber.com
The politics, the corruption, greed, power grabs, control, it is a real and true problem here, it is all so political, if only we could see more definitive results and improvements in this city by all these leaders and groups. Is this really democracy? I thought HOA and NA were not supposed to be so political?
Sorry, I didn't know the CRA forced the owner of Paradiso to take money he was not entitled to or didn't meet the qualifications to receive. My bad.
Seems to me that if the CRA offers grants to businesses to use to upgrade their facade, and I'm a business that meets the criteria, and I jump through the hoops to apply for the funds and in many, if not all cases "match" the funds, and appear before the board to quantify the need and benefit to the surrounding area..... that they should go ahead and GRANT the funds.
Your criticism seems to be about the wisdom of the grants to begin with or you just don't like the restaurant. (to be sure, I know the owner and don't like him, but he has the right to the grant if offered and he qualifies)
The $23 million IS to be used for the intended purposes. You possibly didn't get my drift as to how Stanton can get her hands on that money when the City takes over the CRA, won't it make sense to have our own "OMB" handle the funds? Hmmmm?
The feds say you can use a portion of the funding to administer the grant????? Who's to say how much that costs? I'm sure there can't be any waste in the granting of these funds.
The CRA has guidelines under which to operate, legal council, and rules whether the commission or an independent group of qualified appointed citizens controls them.
I have witnessed the commission making rules for appointing board members to boards which they didn't follow. Where's the accountability? Oh ya, we can elect someone else, much like they didn't re-appoint members of the board that they don't agree with.
Again... this is our system. It works. It is why each time they took control of the CRA, they end up giving it back to an appointed board.
Politics is the way two people who disagree can decide an issue. So in essence everything is political when your trying to solve a problem or get something done.
I GIVE UP, I GIVE UP, I GIVE UP, I GIVE UP.
The Chamber sucks. If they want something, then I don't. Taken over or not, the CRA needs to be redistricted OUT of our downtown area and INTO the blighted areas that need their help.
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