The city has, obviously out of the sunshine, admitted it can't take care of or doesn't want to be bothered with anything in this city that would take effort to solve or one penny to fix, at least that's my guess. Even though at the two charettes conducted at the Shuffleboard property, the majority of the people wanted all of the courts saved and refurbished. The rest of them wanted at least one-half of them saved. It is not to be.The city, once again, has taken the easy way out.
How many courts will be retained? NONE.
The City plans on leasing the property to the CRA for 15 years for a Cultural Facility. The CRA already gave $750,000 for arts. Heaven knows we definitely need some culture in this city with people hanging clothes on bushes and all but more than that, we need some respect for the people who wanted to save our courts, courts that have been around for multi-decades--almost as long as this city has been in existence. And a little respect for the Seniors who have always used these courts until the illegals trashed them and the city would not fix them. Seniors have no power--who cares about their needs, right? Who cares about what the people want? Who cares about our history, after all, the 100th celebration is over on July 4.
The amount of rent paid to the City? NOTHING--ZERO, ZIP.
What can the CRA use the land and property for? It is all unrestricted...anything it chooses.
The City will pay the CRA the following:
$37,500 to the CRA so that they can apply for a State cultural grant.
Why didn't the city apply for a grant? We have a grant writer.
The City pays charges for...
water
electric
gas
cable
trash pick-up and removal
and any other utilities.
Why hasn't the CRA developed the 1000 Lake Avenue property? I thought this was to be a cultural center?
What does the city get out of this deal?
Never having to think about it...it is just another thing off their table. They are good at that. We're lucky to be a sovereign city and just plain lucky to still be in control of our beach/casino property, our water supply and our power plant. Of course the city wants to pave in our Olympic pool. This will be an on-going struggle.
The transfer of rights of our shuffleboard court property (which is a BIG DEAL) is on tonight's agenda...at the last minute...against their own rules.
24 comments:
If the city cannot afford to maintain the building and courts, how can we afford to pay the utilities and not charge rent.
This is all about juan ruiz and what he has recommended. This is all about the WCE and WCME.
What is WCE and WCME?
most recreation programs lose money. no matter how the city moves expenses around to different line items to make it appear self sustaining these programs are not. when the city wants to ice a program like shuffleboard they move every expense they can back on it. programs that make it have the most vocal lobby, like swimming. remember golf is also a big loser, donot be fooled.
The city commission is under the FALSE assumption that everything has to be self-sustainable. NO IT DOES NOT. This is an amenity. They are going to hand over our property to the CRA for something that they consider a more important amenity--arts. We just can't have too much of that.
The city is dumber than dirt.
At least the CRA will do SOMETHING with the property that will benefit the Western part of Lake and Lucerne. The building will be modified on the interior and will tie into the Arts Lofts nicely.
It will provide an area for teaching classes for the seniors and children, areas for displays and gallery.
We need to expand the downtown westward. This is a step in the right direction and the CRA has proven it can accomplish things that the city cannot.
When was the last time the facility was utilized to half of its potential? This will also give Tropical Ridge and Royal Poinciana neighborhoods a central place to meet and promote community.
Maybe at least the CRA could offer daily shuttles- our trolley would be perfect to bring seniors from the Towers and elsewhere for art and other "cultural" programs, sponsor day trips for them, "museum without walls" programs, etc... grants could be used for many things. I would rather see something happen rather than watch it deteriorate waiting for the city.
Several years ago, a group of people spent a tremendous amount of time, energy, and their own money to get a football league started in this town. After it was established, all the equipment bought, transportation, and fairly organized the city insisted on taking it over, couldn't keep up with the expenses- even though they assumed all the equipment, and now i hear there may not be a league anymore. The point is, the city has too little funds, too little staff, and sometimes it's better to try to look out of the box for alternatives
10:44 Helen do you ever post anything that is the least bit useful.
If the city can't take care of its assets, then perhaps we need new management. If the city can't listen to its residents, perhaps we need a new government. The only thing that the CRA has accomplished is building more affordable housing with government money. What about the damn slum and blight that they have actually caused more of in our city by catering to the poor?
Dear Anonymous--sorry. I made a big mistake. You should have been included in that dumber than dirt statement. Thanks for recognizing the error.
@11:22. awwh gee...someone is actually thinking about the Seniors in this city? Well thank, God... at last. We will be forever in your debt--the city took away the trolly, took away the senior center, took away the shuffleboard courts plus the building where we all congregated for crafts and cards. Now we should all be so lucky because the CRA is going to jackhammer the courts. Thanks a bunch. But putting sarcasm aside, the city had no intention of fixing up this building or refurbishing the courts. There is a constant charade being played on the people. The CRA wanted the property so it could be a selling point for the Lofts that no one is buying. Once those Lofts were built, it was just a matter of time for the shuffleboard court building to be in their hands that the city has allowed to languish for years. The city management took the easy way out.
WORST COMMISSION EVER,,,
WORST CITY MANAGER EVER
"We're lucky to be a sovereign city and just plain lucky to still be in control of our beach/casino property, our water supply and our power plant. Of course the city wants to pave in our Olympic pool. This will be an on-going struggle."
That about sums it all up.
The CRA is the the problem, it is controlling all and should really be abolished. It has for 20 years of more not done what it was put together to do, address blight in the CRA district. It is delinquent in its duty. It should be eliminated or abolished and the city leaders need to control and address better the blight. They have this city in some of the worst conditions ever, the blight and crime are so bad, we allow boarded up buildings, overgrown properties, fines for $20K+ that never get collected, the city looks like a dump or hell hole, what is the city, manager, elected officials, CRA, and PBSO, P&Z and Code Board doing to to clean up this city? We will never see progress until the city CRA is disbanded and abolished. They are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the citizens here who want a nicer looking and safer city.
Anon @ 12:16. Leave Helen alone. She has a right to speak her mind in the way she sees fitting.
Uhh the mayor has supported the pool from day one. Where do u get this stuff?
The CRA stinks, what do they really do about blight, why do things look so bad? Lynn, if you want to see a "mess of the week," go to 204 North E Street, this place takes the cake, been like this for 2-4 years now, all overgrown, garbage everywhere, abandoned, just a huge mess and the city does nothing about it. I feel bad for all the neighbors that have to live next to this blight, I am sure there are rats nests in all that high grass, what a sin. And then Andy and the rest will wonder why they don't get re-elected, they do nothing about these dumpy properties that have been the signature of our city for way too long, what an embarrassment! Our city taxpaying homeowners deserve better from its leaders and elect. officials. Thanks for your blog and bringing all of this to their attention so they know we are "watching."
11:24--I did not mention the mayor in this blog not "wanting" the pool. Wanting and getting are two different things, however. It looks like the CM runs this city anyway after last night.
"I feel bad for all the neighbors that have to live next to this blight, I am sure there are rats nests in all that high grass, what a sin."
You and the neighbors have a way to help out this very Saturday. A community clean up is scheduled where you can participate and get the neighbors involved in cleaning up their neighborhood.
All you need to do is SHOW UP.
Everything you need to make a huge difference in your block will be handed to you. There will be several dozen people, volunteers, to help clean up trash.
1405 Lake Ave. 8:30 to 11:00. Lots of bags, gloves, water. You will probably want to use sun screen. You can make a difference! Hope to see you there!
Thanks anonymous, yes, these cleanups are nice and I have done hundreds over the years, but they prove to be ineffective long-term, their is no sustainability on the city's part to keep things looking nice, it always goes back to being a mess within a few days, week or month, the city and codes needs to do more and their part too to really have the bigger impact here. I agree that neighbors need to help neighbors, but some abuse that, take the 1306 Lucerne property, this clean up crew will go over there too this Sat. and clean that up when really the slum wealthy owner should be making sure that boarded up overgrown place is keep clean, but he doesn't we help people who do not even help themselves, enabling, continuing to allow and overlook someone who is famous that is allowed to keep a boarded up and blighted property bringing the city and its appearances down. The city needs a long-term sustainable action plan put in place where they are consistent about addressing blight, slums, ghettos, trash, dumping, codes, overgrown lots, etc. Until the city leaders, both CM and elected put a better system in place we will have these ineffective cleanups in these neighborhoods for another 20 years, never really amounting to anything, just helping slum owners and irresponsible people and the city who are not keeping their end of the deal up for all the rest of us who live here. I think each individual owner makes the great difference by keeping up his/her own property and then we do not have to have these cleanups to begin with that are never really effective long-term. Yes, it is nice to help others, but educate them too, teach them to be responsible, teach them to care about themselves and the rest of us and the world. The real difference starts with each one of us first being responsible. Thanks for all you do and for caring!
""I feel bad for all the neighbors that have to live next to this blight, I am sure there are rats nests in all that high grass, what a sin."
You and the neighbors have a way to help out this very Saturday. A community clean up is scheduled where you can participate and get the neighbors involved in cleaning up their neighborhood.
All you need to do is SHOW UP.
Everything you need to make a huge difference in your block will be handed to you. There will be several dozen people, volunteers, to help clean up trash.
1405 Lake Ave. 8:30 to 11:00. Lots of bags, gloves, water. You will probably want to use sun screen. You can make a difference! Hope to see you there!"
Will the mayor, CM, and all the comm be at the clean up this weekend? Who is sponsoring it?
I assume that all of our recreational programs lose money. I would further assume that the CRA isn't going to be making any money on this cultural center either.
Do we need this center, is it a better use of the space than the courts I really don't know. I do know I've lived in this City for 15 years and I've never used the Courts but that is also true of the ball fields and also true of the golf course (although I've enjoyed walking on the course and enjoyed the club house, I've never played the course). We should have recreational opportunities for various demographics including our seniors, our kids, sports, leisure, etc.
I can't say whether the shuffle board courts should be retained but I wonder whether we need more arts space between the LW Art League, the PB Cultural Center, but then again maybe we should be focusing our efforts on expanding this so we are know for it?
As for neighborhood clean ups, sure I join in, but why the heck is the City not enforcing its codes, it could one collect needed funds and two help clean up the city.
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