I know what you're thinking--you can't put all of the blame for the ungodly amount of trash strewn around on our city streets and sidewalks located in the CRA district on the CRA and you are right. It is the responsibility of all of us. Besides, certain members of that Board would get highly defensive and we would have to hear about the "phenomonal" job they are doing at spending 23 million and attracting more poor folks to Lake Worth at near zero interest loans instead of cleaning up the blight.
The downtown has become a disgrace. Every single restaurant and or bar has created a big problem of slum and blight. First of all, they have no cigarette ashtrays on the outside tables. Many of them have no trash containers in front of their stores or any container to put out a cigarette. Management does not check the sidewalks often enough throughout business hours nor do they sweep up. Many places are pigsties. The Cultural Plaza has been a disgrace more often than not.
With even the streets full of trash and leaves, you have to wonder where are the street sweepers and how often are they used? Some shopkeepers, when they do sweep, are sweeping the butts and trash onto the streets that in turn are swept down city drains during this monsoon season...a "no no" for all the obvious reasons.
One of the City Manager's published goals for 2012 was to work to ensure a better working relationship with Downtown Business Owners to promote a cleaner downtown and get the problem corrected, once and for all, by December 2012. The city manager was to meet with the CRA, Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Cultural Alliance (DCA) members to discuss and develop solutions to clean up our city in order to rid it of slum and blight. Instead, the situation has gotten worse.
Barbara Jean Weber, doing her part to help pick up trash, is one of the handful of residents who will help in our downtown and carry it to a trash container. Commissioner Amoroso heard through an employee of his that she dropped off some of it at his downtown store and accused her of such at a public meeting. Ms. Weber denies the impeachment but it sounds like a plan to me. Perhaps if enough of us take action, we might get our city cleaned up.
7 comments:
I think you may be somewhat confused as to the difference between slum and blight and good old trash. Blight can be observed at 1624 North Dixie Hwy. Slums can be seen at many locations in the Tropical Ridge area and in the southwest neighborhoods.This is the area where NSP2 is doing the most good. To blame the CRA for trash in the downtown may be a strech but it does rally the troops against the positive accomplishments they have done. The city does share in some of the responsibilty as I believe the CRA subbed out the maintence of the downtown to the city,( I could be wrong on this ) which does not have the manpower to keep up. The business owners need to have more pride in their city and their business. They need to show an example and commitiment of their willingness to prosper and succeed.The residence also share in the effort to keep the city clean. Good for Barabra Jean. Just putting it in the trash containers makes a big statement to others who may be watching. No sense in dumping it at another location, just to be picked up again. Seems like a waste of a good effort just to make a point. Use the energy for positive actions.
Yeah, I'm "confused" and have dementia.
Lynn, thank you for writing about the responsibility of the business community and what they can do to set the tone for citizens regarding keeping our beautiful city beautiful! Truly, it does not take a lot of effort – But it does take a little on a daily basis.
Commissioner Amoroso and I are in simpatico about the condition of the downtown. At the first meeting in August in response to my public comment about visible trash on the street, I recall him saying, in essence, ‘a grown person should not have to be reminded to throw away trash’.
Regarding the Commissioner’s comments at the last meeting, obviously there is confusion somewhere. I do not know what prompted my personage to be associated with such an action any more than I know what trash I supposedly brought… Was there an armful left on the counter, was it dumped on the floor, was it cups and paper or cigarette butts, was it in a bag or loose?
For the record, any disrespectful or harmful action is not quite my style.
I am certain Commissioner Amoroso was just rightfully concerned and repeated what he was told by his staff because he did not want it to happen again. Perhaps it would have been better to speak in private; but I understand the desire for immediacy. For the better part of two weeks, as a businessperson, he was led to believe I disrespected him and his business. If I were in his shoes, I too would want to settle the matter in a hurry!
Anyway, as always there is a silver lining! If this matter helps in bringing awareness to the needed cleanliness in this city, then all is well and good.
amoroso did not handle that well. In fact, he was flat wrong.
Th cRa has diverted from its mission of cleaning up slum and blight. TRNA is a mess. Other areas in their control are full of slum and blight. They all love free government money, one of the reasons why this country is morally bankrupt. I think instead of passing the buck as to whose fault it is, just clean up this damn town.
There are 2 new model street sweepers, bot with that ridiculous wrap on it. Imagine the cost of that? They dont just sweep the streets to make them look clean. They main purpose of the sweepers are to keep the debris from being wash down the storm drain, and eventually pollute the inter-coastal waterway and lake Osbourne from contaminants. Federal laws require all east coast Florida cities to follow the strict NPDES procedures.
The whole sweeping operation is PAID for from your Stormwater taxes on your property tax bill not out of the General fund or Refuse fund. It is a separate entity.
They do not sweep your condo complex Lynn, Nor Lake Osbourne Drive.
Gee, thanks anonymous. The streets where I live are private. We do not have slum and blight out here. Lake Osborne Drive is a County road so, of course, the city sweepers don't sweep it. I believe that I was talking about the CRA District and the downtown...but set me straight.
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