That was my parting remark last night to the three commissioners who were conducting City Board interviews. Scott Maxwell was not there and Mayor Waterman, as you know, is in Orlando for the League of Cities Annual Conference to learn how to screw the citizens. Normally I don't give the commission a whole lot of negatives but last night they all deserved it when it came down to the Recreation Board and our shuffleboard courts.
I attend every board interview meeting and every time I am so impressed with the level of talent and expertise we have in our community. I can't even imagine that any city has so many smart and engaging people. Of course they do but it is still hard to imagine.
Last night we had people ranging in professions and degrees from an attorney who was highly qualified for the Community Relations Board. He stated that he believes in tolerance for all walks of life and stated that the CRB should be equal when judging and concern should be impartial. He did not get chosen. We had a woman with a Divinity Degree, trained in conflict resolution. She did not get chosen. She gave up her house to her daughter and son-in-law who are temporarily living there while waiting for their NSP2 grant to conclude. She lives in a neighboring town but she must physically live here to serve on a Board. The Commission appointed Panagioti Tsolkas, a passionate guy who doesn't trust the police and actually has been arrested a number of times and someone who, in my opinion, would not be impartial.
Cara Jennings was chosen for the Planning and Zoning Board--no surprise there. She is highly qualified. Gael Silverblatt also was chosen for that Board. She was wonderful on our Tree Board.
The Finance Advisory Board will have three highly qualified people with Leanne Evans who is Treasurer for the PB County School Board and is on the Finance Committee for Palm Beach County. The Commission finally chose someone from the Lake Osborne area, Bill Cherenekoff and Bill McAusland was chosen who had a career in State government and who dealt a lot with budgets. Perhaps the Board will now find a secretary.
The "winning" appointment for the Recreation Board was John Hanscom who is a personal trainer as well as Fitness Director at the Palm Beach Country Club. A lot of his experience has involved working with middle aged to the senior population and he suggested ideas for our Shuffleboard Court. When told that it was on the demolition block, his face fell. So did mine. I was still hoping that the city would at least compromise and save half the courts and give one hot damn for the elderly.
Recreation is a big thing in Lake Worth. There are various programs for children such as basketball, tennis, football, soccer and swim lessons. Most of our parks have been improved and are in tip-top shape. It has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars upgrading parks. The City prides itself on what it offers for children. But there is nothing now for the Seniors who make up a healthy percentage here. The only things we had were aerobics at the pool (the pool has been closed first because of finances and second because of the casino renovation), and shuffleboard. Last night Mr. Hanscom was told that the courts were being demolished because "no one used them."
Now let's tell the truth, commissioners.
- No one used them when you turned over the Shuffleboard Court property to The Mentoring Center. They trashed the property.
- Illegals walked on the courts and put out their cigarette butts on them. They urinated on them.
- Illegals were rude to the Seniors who tried to play there. I had one who was very rude to me. I should have called the cops or maybe the Community Relations Board. On the other hand, that would have been a bad idea because its concern is about the "rights" of illegals, not the citizens. Seniors were scared to come back.
- The City does not want to spend the money resurfacing the courts. It is cheaper to get rid of them. It was the City that ruined them by allowing the illegals to trash them.
Truth be known, the shuffleboard courts were always active and it was the one sport that Seniors had, not to mention again that the courts are part of our history. They have always been located next to or close to City Hall. The City wants to make this a park so that the inner-city can once again hang out there. It is my opinion that this was the quid-pro-quo with Staff--vote to get rid of that horrible Mentoring Center and we will give you a park for your immigrants.
There is nothing left to add to this long list of amenities taken away from the Seniors unless, of course, you want to add that the commission believes that we are all stupid. All recreation for seniors is now gone. We have been sacrificed supposedly because of money and now deception has been added to the mix.
27 comments:
Lynn it isn't very often that I agree with you, but your absolutely right about the shuffleboard Courts. Our Seniors deserve thier own recreation facility. They haven't torn them out yet so it's not a done deal. I'm positive that there are enough good people in this town who don't always agree, that will get behind this cause. Perhaps you could write up a petition and circulate it around town, and I'd be glad to help. Now get crakin, and let me know when it's ready!
Last night's F.A.B.interview was not about decreasing the Lake Worth only, 10 millage rate, by creating revenue to help reduce Citizens' residential taxes, but creating more theorizing by bureaucrats,some from the County. Why are they in Lake Worth? Are we the receptacle of the County's rejects?'Lake Worth needs to make more money with their own, unused resources,I know of 5 with total tremendous revenue producing potential!
Not one of the 3 Commmission members who showed up last night for the interviews
knew them.Working with clever F.A.B members those 5 can be made a reality and our poor can get fiscal relief!
2 intelligent, professional Members quit
the previous boring talkatons.
Sylvia--I was just talking this morning about the fact that Seniors do vote. They do care about the city and they never complain. I have heard from many who have now left for the Summer who want the courts. If I were feeling better and if I were younger, I would probably get active in that fashion. The best I can do is write about it. I even left the door knocking to younger folks this last election. Time to pass the baton--but anything is possible.
Peter Tsolkas was appointed to a city board?
Cara Jennings was appointed to a city board?
While in your estimation quality people were not chosen for various boards?
Who does the selecting?
Any talk of a group of people, progressives, anarchists whatever you want to call them taking over the city is a bunch of paranoid hooey. Any talk of an anarchist alliance on the dais is hogwash.
Lynn, thanks for the recap of last night's special meeting. It is so sad that the commissioners can't seem to look beyond politics to choose the most qualified candidates for these volunteer boards.
Both the applicants you mentioned for the Community Relations Board would have been outstanding assets, but instead they chose Peter Tsolkas who is definitely not impartial. I heard the woman with the Divinity Degree actually owns a home in Lake Worth since 2003, is registered to vote in LW and lists her LW address on her driver's license. According to the PB County Property Appraiser, she is homesteaded in LW and pays LW taxes. What further definition of a resident is needed! And her daughter and son-in-law are working to become residents of LW. Clearly the three commissioners in attendance had made their selection before the meeting and were just looking for excuses to exclude applicants other than Tsolkas.
The addition to the Recreation Board is definitely a positive. I agree about coming together to save the shuffleboard courts. There are enough voices in this community that we should make it happen.
Where was Scott?
City Board appointments ARE political...always have been. There must have been a lot of IOU's that needed to be paid, HOWEVER. That one appointment of Panagioti alone will cost them. I would love to read the form letter to Attny. Dustin Zacks that he just didn't quite cut the mustard and perhaps he can join the C.O.P. program instead.
Well, The Commission has taken a definite turn with the appointments of Jennings and Tsolkas....
I can't say I'm that surprised, although I didn't think the commission would be so transparent about the direction they want the city to take.
They say Mary Lindsey is too controversial to be on a board..?
How about these two activists?
It's a real shame and the city will suffer for it.
Bummer.
Where was the Mayor? She made a point of saying she was driving to Orlando for the League of Cities meeting early Friday morning just so she could be at this special meeting on Thursday, August 11th. I guess she didn't want to be tainted by the behavior of the the Cara 3.
Wait, I thought they were going to demolish the courts but I just saw this in the City Managers Report:
Grants Update
Funds provided by FEMA were used to install new windows and doors at the Lake Worth Community Center (Shuffleboard Courts Building).
They are keeping the parking lot and building but demolishing the courts for more green space?? Color me confused!
YES--You got it. They are keeping the building which will house the Recreation department. They are demolishing the shuffleboard courts and will put in a park for all the illegals to hang out!
In other words, taking out a recreation in exchange for loitering on green at a recreation depatment building. No wonder you are confused.
Lynn when will you accept the fact that Golden, McVoy and the Mayor by way of Cara need to keep the illegals in our city. Nothing has been done to help business, seniors or mainstream citizens. So long as property values stay low this group will have the votes to elect and control this city. If the illegals move out and hard working folks return they are outvoted. Cara' s one sided look at the world is just what we need on P & Z. Peter represents all our interests. Wake up seniors your getting screwed Ike the rest of us.
First sentence--ALL of the commission that was elected by the residents to serve their best interests need to do that. Illegals should get the heck out of here.
Second sentence--Look at the national economy. Stop blaming all of this on our commisison.
Third sentence--Wild idea.
Fourth sentence--Illegals do NOT vote.
Fifth sentence--Cara wants to get the LDR's completed and get our Comp Plan moving. She wants to retain low height limits. She will be an excellent member of P&Z. There are many highly competent people on the P&Z who will not allow any hanky panky. She is one vote.
Last 2 sentences--Peter represents my interests in the environment. His concerns are justified. He tries to call attention to them by protesting, as elected officials do NOT listen and have done a lot to screw it up. This is gotten him in some hot water. I don't approve of civil disobedience and going to jail, etc. Seniors are getting screwed here as far as the trolley, Senior Center, shuffleboard, etc. I will agree to that one. Seniors vote. That is one way they can have a voice. If organized, it would be a force to be reckoned with.
IF you believe that Cara wants what's good for lake Worth or that Peter knows what's best stop complaining about what's happening to seniors. Every time someone mentions the economic mess our city is in you go back to the state of the economy. That's a cop out. Lake Worth was in bad shape before the recession. We can't get a tax base to come to our city or Dixie Highway. Now it's worse but it's so much worse here. Cara's gang has used you and many seniors. Now you can expect to pay as they laugh and enjoy communal living on C Street paid for with no taxes and against our code. Oh can't forget how Cara destroyed the code department and almost did the same to the Police Dept. Wake upp seniors your being used.
Obvioulsy you are as opiniated as I. The only difference is you do not stand behind your opinions by using your true identity. This is not admiarable in any sense of the word. You are just another cyber-attacker.
Personally, I believe you over-react to what is really the truth. You have deperately tried to find someone to blame. The best of what you offer is not convincing.
Cara no more destroyed Code than you did.
The truth is the city is seeking a grant to take out the courts. Once that happens, look to see the immigrants there learning English and using computers and doing much the same things they did before. The difference this time is that little kids will be going there not just seniors trying to get a little sport to exercise coordination. Little kids will be co-mingling with the illegals. Grreat stuff.
There should be some sort of rules for city boards. No jail birds for a starter. No self proclaimed anarchists. How can any commission appoint someone in and out of trouble with the law? DUMB.
Just can't believe that the shuffleboard is on it's way out. This building could be a very important part of the CRA LULA district. As to demolishing it, that does not make sense. I recently, within the last two months saw them put in new windows. Who has money like this to rehab a building while it is scheduled for demolition.?
It is ONLY the courts, NOT the building that will be demolished.
Cara and Golden did everything they could to stop Code from going after the illegal rental of private homes to groups of men. They did everything they could to encourage the illegals to settle here. To say that Cara is not to blame for our lack of code enforcement is wrong but we can also blame Golden for helping this social agenda. What family would buy a home in one of these neighborhoods? That's why we are in such a mess. What business would invest here whenso many of our residents are illegal. Not many. Guess who did settle here: Peter and Cara's buddies. Wonder why?
Cara and Joanne--what specifically did they do? Name all of them please otherwise shut the hell up. If you wanted to know the truth you could find out easily enough that we have a lot of new businesses in lake worth. People are buying houses. You know nothing but to be a SOB.
Cara and Golden did everything they could to encourage the City Manager not to enforce code against the illegals. They tried to stop the PBSO, they brought a Quat Prncess to the city and Cara's friends went to Quatammala and encouraged settlement in our city. Property values came down faster than any other city as utility rates skyrocketed. Houses are selling for almost nothing and the tax based was destroyed in more than half of the city. If any of this is not true give us the facts. There's a party on C Street tonight I bet your going.
Anon at 1:51...
cara and Joanne take a serious stand about the illegal immigrant situation here. And they work toward furthering their goals regarding this subject.
Paving the way for the illegals to come here and stay here is a cause they believe in.
Do you have the facts to back up your statement that businesses and home buyers are coming in to town with any kind of regularity? Do you have a list of the businesses that have closed and continue to close?
Referring to "a lot of new businesses coming to town" - are these companies that will bring people to LW??
I never heard that story, that's a good one. A Guatamalen princess????? Too funny. Why would Cara and her friends have so much influence on Guatemala? Sounds wild to me. The Code department was restructurted because it was totally ineffective.
I was at City Hall when the Princess was brought in and cara's friends made a presentation to the commission. It's all true. Code was ineffective because Cara and Golden wanted it that way. Since it was restructed we now have less code officers and a city in decay. Do you really think our code department is effective now. Wake up.
As of 10 months ago, this was the scenario per Wayne Bergman:
"Our Code Compliance staff is comprised of 9 employees and includes an Interim Code Supervisor, 2 secretaries, 5 zone inspectors, and a permit / licensing technician. We are hiring two additional inspectors to be paid by the recently awarded JAG grant. These two new inspectors will assist the PBSO in targeting properties involved in criminal activities. We are currently understaffed in the field, with 1 open Code inspector position and another soon to be open inspector position, although we are actively interviewing applicants."
Now, I don't want to do a bunch of research, but I would say that we have one less code officer than before.
We never had enough code officers given the thousands of illegals that were moving into housing that was also illegal. The system was overrun. So what did we do. Golden opens a day labor center and kicks out the seniors. We spend thousands of our tax dollars to fix the building for the illegals only to have it trashed. The center brought in more illegals and the decline continued. No one was looking after the interests of the taxpayers and as a result many moved or walked away from their homes that were now worth nothing. Cara's freinds moved in to set up shop in our town and claimed victory. The code department has done nothing to address the illegal living conditions in many of our neighborhoods because the CM and commission don't want it done. Instead we build parks for the illegals to crap in.
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