The Park of Commerce is now
Vice Mayor Maxwell's Top Priority
It used to be Code Enforcement
Everyone has a Wish List and we all believe that the Park of Commerce needs to be developed. Read the PB Post article. But when you are talking about 11.05 million dollars in today's dollar value, it puts a big damper on the "wish" whose completion is not projected for 15 years out. What would all that 11.05 million really cost down the road? What would be our real cost for commitment "to go forward?"Vice Mayor Maxwell's Top Priority
It used to be Code Enforcement
Scott Maxwell put this on the Workshop Agenda last week to appease his political base. How many times do we have to hear the same presentation? How many times do we have to have this reminder? Amoroso asked about the city manager and her feelings on the Park of Commerce to imply that Stanton wasn't for progress and to justify her firing. Afterall, anyone against the Park of Commerce is out of touch and out of tune, right? Donna Brosner said that Stanton was against it but qualified it by stating that the past city manager was against it as well because of so many other priorities. I wonder why. Afterall, the price tag is hefty with us putting in all of the infrastructure and acquiring properties and we have NO money. NO MONEY. We had to reduce our Budget by $4.7 million this year because of the drop in property values and escalating Union costs. Stanton was right to "shelve" it.
On August 26, 2009, the City was awarded a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to develop an infrastructure needs analysis for the POC. The City used matching funds as I recall and the Study was done, (The Mayor doesn't like Studies) then put it on a shelf. Why was it put on a shelf? Because we HAVE NO MONEY.
Will Scott Maxwell ever admit that the timing is just bad right now to spend one dime on this? Or will he continue to pursue development and spending millions that we don't have in order to keep his political base happy. If he does, how will he pay for it? Commissioner McVoy asked that very same question. A special assessment? A General Obligation Bond? He's keeping that all secret for now.
Scott Maxwell wants the Park of Commerce to be a priority for Lake Worth. He said that he will come back with a financial plan and how to pay for it only if there is a consensus from the Commission to go forward. We don't have a pot to pee in but he wants to put the cart ahead of the horse, the very thing that he complains about on the Casino project. He says that we haven't been constant in our messaging so it's critical to find out what some of the costs will be and come together as a commission to make it happen. Funny, it is the Vice Mayor who is always bringing it to our attention about getting information before making costly decisions. He wants the commission to commit before knowing any of that.
How about giving us the financing plan first, Commissioner? That is the only thing that would make sense to go forward with the "wish" so that there are no little hang-ups in the way to get your consensus. Tell us how we are going to pay for all of this now and into the future.
According to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, the Park, with close access to the downtown, to I-95, public transportation and an international airport, canals and water features, Lake Worth can be positioned to be the best city to do business in South East Florida. An attractive place to do business and reinvestment, the Park can become one of the best places for small businesses to be hatched and incubated they said. Sure it will, and we have to buy the properties and come up with $11 million bucks.
There are three phases that are proposed: 1 to 3 years, 4 to 7 years and phase three will be in years 8 through 15.
At the end of the meeting, Maxwell supporters and all those behind the Park of Commerce and development in our city, no matter the cost, cheered.
11 comments:
I wasn't aware that we got the slum and blight problem solved. When did that happen? Over the last month?
Lynn, were you at the swearing in on 11/14?
Maxwell clearly stated his objectives as working on code enforcement by returning the energy conservation personnel to code department and he also stated that the city of lake worth should be recognized as being "open for business" as the park of commerce should be the number 1 priority with regard to economic development...
Would you be willing to affirm this if you were in atrtendance that day?
It is nice to know that the vice mayor has such loyal supporters. I don't take extensive notes as do you on everything that Maxwell says. What I heard him say last week was the the Park of Commerce was his number one priority. Also, as far as eliminating the conservation department, I hope that he gets all of the facts on this and perhaps listens to Becky Mattey as to why it is so important. Also, perhaps listen to Steve Carr, someone for whom he feels "comfortable."
I don't need a word game with Maxwell to understand his intent. Let's allow him to give us all explicit details on developing the Park and his financial plan. Don't keep it to yourself, Vice Mayor. You can tell him that as you are his #1 fan.
It's disappionting , when you consider that there are millions of SQ feet already biult all over this county with all the bells and whistle's at better loctations that are empty and some have never been occupied . And the fact that the current owner in the park can bearly pay their taxes now, technolgy is making labor and manufacuturing redundent , today we need less of both to produce what we need. Hopefully smarter heads will pervail because in the near future there will be less moeny not more money and if we do built this monster it will sit empty and unproductive. Cesar Figueroa
Let's go after Scott at every turn for everything because we don't like him. The guy is finally asking the right questions and getting answers. This isn't something that is going to happen tomorrow. We need to know what it will take to develope this property and how much it will cost. With no tax base to pay the bills we rely on our utility to subsidize the general fund. That has to stop for us to succeed. Every time we try to get something done we get stonewalled by a few folks with no vision. Give Scott a break on this one. Get over the fact that he fired Stanton.
If you are suggesting that I don't like Scott, that is 100% wrong. I just disagree with some of his "vision." It is just the same as when I disagreed with Stanton or anyone else. It does not mean that they should be fired. My blog is not to be a cheerleader for stupid no matter who is leading the charge.
Did you even read what he did? You approve anony at 10:39? How crazy is approving developing the park of commerce with no understanding of the cost just so developers can get wealthy off the taxpayers of this city.
This is all about tax base but who can assure us that we will ever get anything out of it but one big whopping bill? If you think this is having vision you are sadly mistaken. If you throw the costs over onto the owners in the park, they will end up going out of business.
Let's get out our magic wand and have 11 million fall into our laps. Is this a joke? You know, this has nothing to do with people in the way of moving forward. It has everything to do with just plain old common sense. Who will pay for it and how will they pay for it? Every town around is competing for the same businesses. The few folks with "no vision" as you put it, happen to have some damn sense. You want to tax people more so that a park can open in 15 or 20 years for a tax base that we may never re-coup? You want our present businesses to move out because you just bankrupted them?
He'll probably:
1. Try to get the Taxing District created
2. Try to get state/federal funds to match rev from a bond issue
At least, that's what I would do. But where do we get the money to pay the bonds? The POC won't generate rev for a few years. We might have to bite the bullet and pull some money from somewhere until the taxing district can repay. I don't see this thing getting off the ground any other way. Grant funding would have to be matched, so that's no solution.
I agree, if he has a big idea, he should reveal before demanding that the commission make a commitment that they will have to listen to him harp upon for the next two years. He's irritating that way.
I don't get the sense that he always has the best interests of the city at heart. He's much too political, even for a politician. While I appreciate the perspective he brings,I question his judgement and his motives.
sign me: Paying Attention Now
This is simply astounding. They haven't even fought the fire assessment yet as they promised and now want $11,000,000?
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