Why are some people so angry? They're not angry some of the time but all of the time. You never see them happy or smiling about anything. I used to think of this city as friendly but not so anymore. Why do some constantly complain? If it's not the high cost of electric and water, it is the casino, the beach, the golfcourse --wanting to get rid of it all in order to save PBSO, a service that is unaffordable, their latest rallying cause.
Electric rates are high because we have to keep this city operating. Yesterday we found out that the Utility Director will be lowering rates through a study that was done. The Unions have grabbed all the cash through contracts approved by former politicians and bad administrators. We pay the fire fighters $1.72 of payroll in benefits. That is absolutely ridiculous and unsustainable. Public Safety takes over one-half of our budget and the PBSO Contract was the worst contract ever written. Water rates are high because we have to pay for our water source whether it was developing our own Reverse Osmosis Plant allowing us to remain independent or buying water from Palm Beach County at $3.5 million dollars more. But these people aren't happy no matter what. Finding fault is their euphoric orgasim. They even hate studies.
Yesterday at the all day and night special meeting, Commissioner Maxwell voted "no" to the Annual Budget Amendment, voted "no" to the contract with Willdan Homeland Solutions for a study on our Fire Services, complained about the Audit and voted that down too. He dissed the Finance Department, the best and most efficient department we have had in years because they didn't cross a T somewhere. This City has never had the ability to do what it has done as far as generating reports and getting data delivered on time. Steve Carr is the best as is the entire department under him and Susan Stanton.
We also found out that the Tax Appraiser predicts three years of flat values. Lake Worth had predicted a drop of 15% in property value and it will only be 4.8%. Watch the "no" people get all over the Finance Department for not projecting correctly instead of being happy about the news.
I get a kick out of Scott Maxwell. He is really having fun with his vote "no" on everything. He believes that he was elected to represent a handful of people out here, some whose goal is to bring down the city. He has one researcher who doesn't even live here. He must believe, that by being a bully on the pulpit, that he is displaying leadership...a citizen's watchdog, if you will. But a watchdog must have some teeth.
Taking one step at a time, Lake Worth is building cement blocks here in Lake Worth, not sandcastles. And we are rising again with all the blocks being placed in all the right places due to three on the commission along with superior staff.
11 comments:
Scott's baby photo?
He's a cute little guy right now, a teddy bear.
BJ
Lynn,
I see that you are interested in Commissioner Maxwell's out of city adviser, as if that is some type of a negative. I suspect that he lives in a neighboring town, but you seem to imply that if Commissioner Maxwell does not receive his research info from a local resident, then the information is somehow invalid.
Well...........maybe you can answer a couple of questions.
Isn't the Willdan Group a California based consultanting firm? And aren't they advising the City Manager on both the Police and Fire Department implementation? Are you saying that they should be banned from assisting the CM just because they do no live in the city?
Isn't Mark Beauchamp a Michigan based consultant? And isn't he working on the rate study and advising the City Manager with regard to electrical rates? And are you saying that he should be banned from assisting the Utility Group simply because he does not live in the city?
Now if you are able to answer those questions without sounding a bit like a hypocrite, then maybe you would want to elaborate on just why it is that Commissioner Maxwell should be prohibited from contacting outside sources for information that he may not be an expert on. And just because Commissioner Maxwell does not send out an RFP for information does not mean that he cannot contact experts in any given field and ask for a consultation. This would seem both prudent and intellectually sound to most people.
Grasping at straws, as you seem to be, simply because you do not like a particular Commission is not becoming of a lady of your stature.
I just made a statement about him using an out of town researcher. Pretty touchy, aren't you? I made a factual statement so suck it up. You think that I am grasping at straws? You are as funny as Maxwell. Oh, that's right...you are his adviser. :)
Jack, Mary, whoever. Scott's too busy to do all that research. Besides, that was one unimportant sentence in the blog. Must be Jack.
Bullies usually start when they are very young.
Not touchy. Just wondering why you cannot "suck it up" and answer the questions? Could it be that you are allowing your dislike for Maxwell to get way ahead of your common sense?
But you got it wrong--I LOVE Scott Maxwell. I just hate to see him making silly mistakes, that's all.
Scott Maxwell is the poster boy for going to district by district voting. HE DOES NOT represent the people of district 1.First Retha Lowe and now Scott.No wonder that 99% of the people in this city don't care about who is elected. It doesn't really matter when the candidates never care.Crooks or weenies-what a wonderful choice to vote for!
As far as sucking it up and answering your questions, the point was in the blog to show that Maxwell relies on "friends" to advise him, one being an "outside" adviser. It is up to others to determine whether he is getting good or bad advice.
I am rather sure that his advice is not picked apart to the degree that you pick apart professionals who have been hired to do studies for LW. Professional studies are done by people who are paid to do a service with no particular pony in the race. You, on the other hand, are POLITICAL, and a "no" person in this City.
I saw Maxwell guiz the Willdan Group the first go around and they made him look foolish. Start giving him better advice. That would be mine.
Great blog. Thanks. It is refreshing when someone will write the truth around here.
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