The chamber has always been a bone of my contention but now that they owe the City of Lake Worth $3,509.83 for 120 days or more, what should the City do about it? Continue to provide them electric? Do you think that you or I could get away with that? I know for a fact that if a resident did not pay they would cut off the service in a New York minute. The City just did that to an old lady in my building who is a snowbird...she said her mail was never forwarded. Are commercial accounts treated differently?
Others on the past due list are Dave's Last resort owing $1,254 and Tropical Food Market with an outstanding balance of over $12,000. Would someone go to Dave's and buy a hamburger or something?
The City Manager says: The City is continuing to experience a number of situations where bills for City services have not been paid even after months of re-billings and contacts with the businesses that have not paid. Amounts showing in the 120 day and over columns are typically past due for 12 to 36 months. The City has selected a new Collection Agency to collect these and the accounts remaining unpaid will be forwarded to the agency before the end of the month.
Recap of all 120 day accounts
In an effort to resolve the dispute with the Regional Sewer customers, the City and Customers agreed to request the Florida Auditor General review the records from 2005 to 2011 to help determine an equitable settlement for past due amounts. The Auditor General staff has been on site for the past 6 weeks and is expected to remain on site for another 6 to 8 weeks performing this review.
Regional Sewer Accounts
They will all blame it on the rates being too high. What if they stopped paying their rent? Do you think a landlord would just say, oh whoa is me, Dave's is late. What ever will I do?
ReplyDeleteThey must be treated differently. A collection agency for a business not paying for 120 days or more even over a year? Only in Lake Worth.
ReplyDeleteI thought we had a progressive commission now in place that wanted every poor person here to get everything free while those who work for a living pay for everyone else who does not. Isn't that the way it is? Is this some sort of policy that allows merchants to continue having electric even though they don't pay for it? I would bet that the residential rate reflects all these people and businesses that do not pay. We are paying for every single one of them. Guaranteed. Now we have to spend money for another collection service. DOES IT EVER GET BETTER? All governments had better start getting smart. Cut costs. Do not raise taxes. Stop stiffing the people. Look for waste. Cut salaries at the top. Cut, cut, cut. Stop spending money on foolish things.
ReplyDeleteFrom an Independent
The Chamber has gone downhill ever since Tom was forced out. Say what you want about Tom but we had a great Chamber when he was involved.
ReplyDeleteWhy was he fired?
ReplyDeleteThe Chamber became too political. Tom did a good job on membership drives. He was supposed to give back to the businesses somehow. The economy tanked and the downtown emptied. Instead, he made a commission off of every membership. He was probably the highest paid President of the Chamber than anyone before him or anyone since. The last director was a disaster.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell? A couple of years ago we had our electric bill on automatic bill pay. THE BANK SCREWED UP!! and the money was pit into a different account. My family and I ,of course, didn't know anything about this until a guy from the utilities dept showed up on our doorstep with a notice saying that the bill ahd to be paid by 5:00 THAT DAY or,POOF, no more electric for us!Our account was ONE DAY PAST DUE!!!! If I had not gone into work late that day, my family would have come home from school and work to a dark house! I had to call off work that day to fix the problem and go back and forth between the bank and the city.Lake Worth can terrorize it's citizens,but it turns a blind eye to businesses and organizations that are thousands behind in THEIR bills. Sick.
ReplyDeleteIf Tom was smart enough to have it in his contract to receive a commission on each membership why is this a political thing. Most recruiters for any organization receives a commission.
ReplyDeleteOne thing for sure, Evening on the Avenues was 150% better under Tom even if he did kick me off the street for petitioning. :)
ReplyDeleteNo way would a residential account get away with not paying for 120 days, I think we all know that.
ReplyDeleteI think if you have a good long history of paying the City will let you slide 15 days or so. I know I missed a bill when traveling but since I've been in the City since 1999 and have never not paid my bill they did not terminate service. Of course, I was on hold for 2 hours with customer service.
But I've had service terminated on our rental properties (because tenant did not pay) within 5 days of being late.
The Chamber has no money since Ramiccio left. Why is that? Why do all these non-profits that pay no taxes, stop paying their elec bill?
ReplyDeleteEven a more precise question would be, why does the City allow the commercial accounts to not pay what they owe? Slap a judgment on them and whatever it takes. Just love the Tropical Market owing all that money. Isn't this the little market that caters to all the illegals?
ReplyDeleteBecause politically it would not look good for them to shut down the utilities on a commercial Bldg.
ReplyDeleteIf even more storefronts go dark, how might the election go?
Now we know why Beth left town! The Chamber was a sinking ship she couldn't profit off of!If so much of the Chamber money had not gone to defeating Amendment 4,maybe they could have paid their electric bill!!Lynn see if other Chambers around the state have over due bills! Maybe the Chamber should ask their developer friends to bail them out!
ReplyDeleteHow about the Community Development Corporation that occupies City property yet pays no rent? I understand the CDC also hasn't paid any utilities or water bills since 2007. That is a lot longer than 120 days. I guess the CDC gets a pass because of its connection to the City Commission.
ReplyDeleteThe CDC which Golden was Director of from 2006 until February of this year and they have NOT paid for utilities since 2006 and they are still not paying nor do they have a legally ratified lease with the city but they continue to get service. I guess if Golden were Director of the Chamber this would not be an issue!
ReplyDeleteThe ole boys club has some girls as members as well!
Mark A. Parrilla
Can you send me the facts and the proof?
ReplyDeleteLynn the facts are in the pubic record. In January Mayor Varela submitted a memo to the CM directing her to investigate why the CDC was omitted from a study request of ALL the city owned property's that were being leased. Conveniently the CDC was the ONLY city owned property that was occupied that was NOT on the report. It was also entered into public record at that 1.4.11 mtng. that the CDC HAD NOT paid for any utilities since 2006 nor did the CDC have a legally signed lease since 2006 as well. Put on that journalist hat and go to work Lynn the proof is out there for anyone who is interested in the TRUTH.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Mark A. Parrilla
You got the facts, let's see them otherwise my pant leg is getting pissed on. :)
ReplyDelete