The Commission Workshop beginning on Tuesday at 9am will discuss the following "housekeeping" items:1. Length of commission meetings
2. Nine Charter Amendments to be discussed some of which are: Term of office; run-off elections; salaries; and the sale of our beach property only by Referendum.
It is unbelievable that the city manager is pushing for discussion of these Charter Amendments. It may be good practice to review the Charter but not change the will of the people every time it is inconvenient. You have to ask yourself who will gain from any change? Securing longer terms for a commission that votes in lockstep with the city manager's goals is certainly advantageous. Longer terms are then desirable. Does Johnny Longboats want a 40 year lease or something? I'm not sure that I want that restaurant at all.
Back in 2004, Save The Waterfront and Town did a ballot initiative that won with over 80% of the vote to save our public land from being sold unless there was a vote of the people. In 2005 they were behind the charter amendment to disallow any lease that was for 20 years or more.
The City Manager says it is good to bring charter amendments up for discussion every ten years for housekeeping and to address areas of concern. Well, again, that's her opinion. All of these amendments that are up for discussion are less than ten years in effect, some not even four years on the books.
The deadline to bring forth a ballot initiative is past for this election cycle. So, why bother even wasting a day discussing this?
11 comments:
There are some housekeeping issues that could be looked at. The police/fire chief residency requirements thrown in our face each time we brought up the Internal Auditor requirement comes to mind.
Term limits were soundly defeated at least two time I can remember.
The 20 year lease is probably being looked into for the same reason John G's wanted a 30 year lease when he renovated his space with all new equipment.
We broke a 20 year (minus one day) lease with Greater Bay which is probably part of their suit against us.
I guess it has to be hard to find anyone interested in dealing with a shifty anti-development city unless you have a good long lease that they can't break without causing a financial urgency.
First of all, I disagree with you when you say that we are an anti-development city. What we want are for people to follow our codes, our laws and our charter.
The police/fire chief residency in the Charter is not hurting anyone. Who is to say that we won't have one or both back one of these days. Fire very easily could be under the City in 10 years and at that time, I want our Fire Chief to reside in this city.
We broke the deal with Great Bay because of their failure to perform. It should be interesting to see what the Court says on this. We had a commission in power at that time that agreed to "give away" our beach on what was really a 40 year lease, not 20 years minus a day. A Commission of 3 people should never have this much power on an asset belonging to the City.
You are 100% correct on that one. Jennings, Mulvehill and Golden had that much power on an asset belonging to the city and look at what a mess the ENTIRE beach project is now.
These 3 commissioners can't be held responsible for turtle lighting. Someone, obviously did NOT do their job. We have staff that is staying gee, Johnny Longboats wants to stay opened until 1am...we failed to consider what lighting and security will cost. Now, they are putting the cost all back on YOU, the owner of this property, the citizens of Lake Worth even though the City says you do NOT own a damn thing all for a one tenant that will make a lot of money on our beach. The Commission is up there wrenching their hands...what to do, what to do.
Off subject.Your posted photo. Lynn you have to do something with
that hair and get a new dress.They are not going to let you in the Commission meeting looking like that.
How many times do we have to vote against longer terms, why would this issue come up again? We've voted against longer terms, we've voted against changing when we vote. Leave it alone, focus on the big issues (1) blight (2) code enforcement (3) raising property values (see 1 and 2) so we have some money to do some things without imposing illegal assessments.
Does no one else have an issue with all the workshops and special meetings being held during the day, essentially eliminating the working population from participating? I realize no one on the dias has a job, and it is convienent for the CM. Oh, I get it...they don't want our participation!
You got it. Workshops are only for the CM to manipulate the Commission to her point of view. We, the public, can't comment anyway. We need more citizens watching the store so the few of us who are retired, etc. need to take the time and stay involved. Otherwise, we will really lose the farm.
This is the CM involving herself in politics. I would like to see the commission making a policy that it is only they that can bring forth something to put on the agenda. And let's stop these weekly one-on-ones out of the sunshine unless, of course, they start recording these sessions.
if she can convince these commissioners to promote selling our beach she will have an entire year to find a buyer. Another headache off her shoulders and another example of getting rid of everything we own. What's next? The Utility?
As you said, getting ready for next year.
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