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There has been much complaining about Lake Worth's electric rates over the years. Everyone knows that $10 million is taken from our Utility in order to operate our city and the city says that it still does not have enough money to do all that it wants to do because of the drop in ad valorem. Staff has even suggested that we rob from a trust fund to keep our library opened.
No one has ever known whether Lake Worth Utilities has been operating efficiently...it is the Black Hole. In order to try and get a handle on it all, this new Visionary City Commission, after much persuasion behind the scenes, led the way and voted on establishing a Utility Board comprised of people with absolutely no knowledge of municipal power companies. They were politically appointed for the claimed purpose to advise the City Commission, on behalf of and for the benefit of the citizens and residents of the City of Lake Worth, on electric utilities policies, plans and programs.
They will probe around, ask questions and demand a lot of support documentation to present a case of some sort. I am assuming that they want to ascertain if the former city manager, the former Utility Director or anyone else at the Utility has absconded with funds, spent our money inappropriately and where all the money went. Sort of like the beach fund that we had years back during Boyer's employment with $3.5 million in it that just went "poof." Monies were transferred here and there, spent on legal fees for various cases, who knows.
The mission statement says that the Board will offer advice to the City Commission on the establishment of fair and equitable policies, plans and programs that are consistent with customer needs, legal mandates, public policy, operational requirements and the long-term financial stability and viability of the electric utilities. Personally, an advisory board consisting of no qualified people to offer this sort of advice is incredible. It is there to serve a political purpose and has an agenda of which is unknown to most of the citizens.
Part of that agenda, I would suppose, is to find a way to lower rates to make Lake Worth more attractive to businesses and future development, something they feel is the key to Lake Worth's prosperity, heights and all. They believe that the Conservation program, as did the Financial Advisory Board, is unnecessary and once we exit All Requirements with FMPA, that department will most likely be history and save an immediate $1.5 million.
The description on the Lake Worth web site further states that the board shall meet at least once per month. A seven member board composed of at-large appointments by each of the four District Commissioners (that was changed when certain commissioners could not find people to volunteer from their District), one appointed by the mayor, one City business owner, and one at large member representing Lake Worth Utilities. However, the Ordinance reads that there will be one At-Large member appointed by the City Commission representing the utility service area of or in a portion of the Village of Palm Springs. This appointment was made.
In the meantime, where is our new highly qualified Internal Auditor who was going to concentrate on the Utility as his first focus? Why is this dragging on?
22 comments:
The Electric Utility Advisory Circus was created to reward those who helped the new Commission members' campaigns!TRUTH!Take a good look at the cast of characters,bitter,useless ever complaining creatures.Never contributing one single constructive solution to our problems.
Citizens with extensive thorough knowledge of our Utility collected in 21 years, with technical information( printed info on all generation capacities) would be by passed for that total unqualified element EUACircus,of campaigners for the new Commission majority members.Fellow Lake Worth taxpayers our money is being used to create corruption.The new Internal Auditor is shoved under the rug, to cover its' negligence of going after the thieves who took off with our money, and to avoid responisbility for thorough disciplined oversight of ALL departments!Raging bitches,with disillusioned lives, do not make a good professional Board!
The Lake Worth Beach T shirt Company,opened with 26 years rent paying to the City, by Barry Freedman(Lake Worth home owner more than 30 years) has been given bad press, by new Commission seat occupant Amorosa,before his opening, to sabotage Mr.Freedman's business, who deposited $46,000,- towards the lease.MrFreedman is paying the highest rent per sq.ft.$30,00) and Amoroso took that as a target for his malicious,base attack on a new business,obviously trying to kneecap this highest rent per sq,ft. lease!Amoroso could not follow this$46,000.-deposit act proving substantial finances.Nor could he produce a tenant at that rent level.Our Commission seats are for Citizens who must improve our quality of life,raise our economic standard, not undermine Lake Worth businesses. Greater Bay,also proved incapable of producing proof of funding in 90 days(Nov. 06-Febr. 07) as their Contract mandated.This Commission seat occupying person where I occasinally buy my newspapers on the Lake Avenue news stand, from occasionally,claims to help promote Lake Worth businesses.
An excellent Italian Restaurant
Fiorentino, and many previous ones at same location went out of busines, costume shop,out of business,Pink Hibiscus,out of Business,Celebrity nails,Subway rest.of the Wall shop just learned going Out of business with help of Amoroso,Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce?Never saw necessary publicity for those,only the recent malicious,unethical undermining attack of tne newly opening Lake Worth Beach T shirt Co.
Lake Worth Citizens with fooled claims and promises,
put anything in our Commission seats and are bringing the City down.The less concrete statements,the less achieved to save City propeprties and Land the
and prevention of further overdevelopment the more qualified Candidates are pushed in the Citizens non-thinking minds.
Don't understand why Dee is so upset. You guys had the majority on the dais the last 4 years and what happened? Nothing good. She should sit back watch and learn how a city is run.
"you guys?"
Actually everything good happened during that period--RO, beach casino, getting out of FMPA, etc. other than Clemens, Vespo and some horrendous decisions from some of "you guys."
Don't forget that among the good things you forgot to mention is the Greater Bay law suit that is costing us hundreds of thosands of dollars, property values that fell to the lowest levels in the county and Dixie Higway looking like hell because no business will invest here with the highest utility rates in the state. Great job.
...any truth to the rumor that a lawsuit was filed against the City and Barry?
Oh, yeah...sorry I forgot to mention--
1. The Greater Bay Law Suit. This suit NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED if "you guys" had not grabbed the contract from the mayor and signed it unread that eventually caused us to be in a law suit because of lack of performance by a majority commission that never did its D&D.
2. Property values fell big time throughout the country. Didn't you get the memo?
3. Dixie Highway. Where were the developers all these years? Why haven't they built. There was ample opportunity particularly when heights were 65 feet. Where were they? This is just a BS excuse.
4. It is not our electric utility rates that is the cause for a slowdown in businesses to relocate or start-up here. It is the economy in general. We are still in a recession. We have MANY businesses moving into Lake Worth. Again, didn't you get that memo either?
not the Greater Bay Lawsuit...the lawsuit filed over Barry's Lease.
Yes, I understand what you are talking about. I haven't heard anything at all about a law suit.
Barry's lease is for 5 years. He has 4 Options to renew at 5 years each. There may be some problem with the Options. This is different than the GB lease which was for 20 years minus one day.
I would seriously doubt if anyone would file a law suit over that but there are a lot of nutty people out here.
am hearing corruption charges against connick, barry & city staff...looks like commission was not given all the information that was available...
Well, anonymous...I only post rumors when they come from reliable sources. Is yours? What exactly DO you know?
The facts,only the facts,please!!!
In my possession is a copy of the exact Greater Bay Lease,handed me by the then do nothing one of many,City manager who negotiated the profit sharing with Lake Worth,out of OUR Casino revenue.
He meant it as a galant gesture.
It contains two 20 years minus 1 day terms,
and an indetermined period for construction,adding to more than 43 years, is commentator knows how to count!I suggest not to comment on facts we not have and therefore cannot mention.
It makes us look like idiots!
Corruption charges?? Is that the signal you're picking up through your tin foil hat?
Surely, it must be the fault of McVoy and Mulvehill. Did you hear that yet? No? Well, put on another layer of tin foil and turn down Jerry Springer.
1. The Greater bay lawsuit NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED if Mcnamara and Mcauley didn't file their frivolouos laawsuit. See there's "YOU GUYS".
2/3. Property values fell throughout the country. Let's compare a little closer to home. Lake Worth had the highest % of property loss in PALM BEACH COUNTY. A waterfront city. Meanwhile Golden/Jennings/Mulvehill/Stanton (THERE'S THE YOU GUYS AGAIN) were cutting code enforcement to the bare bones. There's not many businesses that want to invest in a ghetto. They don't even have to build new just open a business.
4. Other cities in PB County are attracting new businesses every day. Viable businesses that will provide decent paying jobs. The "best commission ever" never lifted a finger to attract any new businesses to the city, only tried to delay, delay, delay. (There's the "YOU GUYS" again)
5. Some of us did see that mickey mouse list of busiensses that opened in Lake Worth recently. Mulvehill provided that to you right? (ther'es the YOU GUYS again)
You can't keep using the RO plant aa a positive. The cost to operate it is way higher than projected, the city still can't produce as much water as they need, the rates are astronomical (unless you don't pay water bills) and there's no light at the end of the tunnel. In 5 years theh RO plant is going to be a $40 million drain on the taxpaers.
If the beach leases don't work out the casino you claim is going to save the city is going to be a drain on the taxpayers. "YOU GUYS" put those bad deals together.
How's that for a big does of reality?
You continue to throw out all this stuff. What about specifics?
Go back and read your fantasy novel. Next, stop listening to "those guys" who drum up shit who are the biggest bunch of cry babies around. They look at the glass half empty all of the time. It's a real downer and bad for the City. ):
4:22 FU*&KING CRAZY WHACKO YOU GUYS BLOG POST. Please, go immediately to 45th Street and check in. Or better yet, give your name so that someone can call PBSO, get you picked up on a Baker Act. Are you absolutely nuts? People like you are extremely dangerous and really should be committed. Maybe a mugger will get you. You are wrong on every charge and a psychopathic and neurotic person with two screws loose, perhaps more.
These comments sound as though they are coming from a bunch of high school girls. Stop pandering to each other and come out and do something good for your city.
Please find the adults and get them back in charge of our city.
Anon at 4:42 - Jesus....cut down on the caffeine.
Anon @4:22 has made completely valid points - to say that those points are completely without merit, is myopic to an absurd and ignorant degree.
Looking at the glass half empty is/was simply an accurate view of LW's situation.
Seeing it half full and applauding the RO plant when the town could never afford it in the slightest...yes, rose colored glasses all around for the last Commission majority...
I don't understand your argument that we could not afford the RO plant. Please be more precise. It was going to be more expensive going with PB County water.
There was a chart at last week's Commission meeting that showed PBC's cost of water as being cheaper than LW's bill rate.
We are just now finding out all the costs of completing the RO plant and the additional costs to run it.
We are talking here about the cost of just getting the water to our tap--the infrastructure costs--NOT what they are charging some city out there for a gallon.
Can we all PLEASE get real?
It was a proven FACT by Finance that going to PB County for our water supply was millions more than building our own RO.
You say we are just now finding out the costs for completing the RO. What are they? When were they all revealed? What is the story?
Please, no more comments, rumors (that ALL have been false so far) until you have FACTS that you want to share.
You keep listening to the naysayers and believing them. Why is that?
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