Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Last Night's Commission Meeting

Comment Up
decay and neglect--our legacy after 100 years?
NO--it is a broken pump

Green algae will usually rear its ugly head immediately following a hazy condition in the water from a lack of proper filtration and/or sanitation and in Lake Worth's case, a pump broke causing all the green, slimy stuff. Now the city is scurrying around hunting up the money to buy a new pump, I think.

The main item on the agenda was the approval of the 3 story, 216 rental units on Boutwell and Lake Worth Roads. I can agree with Commissioner Szerdi that it is a good location for them--west of town and not a NIMBY situation, although the traffic congestion will be tremendous in spite of the contractor's traffic projections. I disagree that competition will indirectly force rental home owners to improve their properties. Slums are slums and slum landowners don't change.

Yesterday the developer/contractor gave me renter estimated target incomes of between $60 and $80 thousand a year but the back-up says the targets are $36 to $48 thousand a year. This is affordable housing even if Scott Maxwell says it isn't. He doesn't want to understand the lack of distinction of affordable and workforce housing.

All Realtors are giddy with anticipation (usually you get a 10% commission on rentals), particularly the real estate agent who sits in the front row. She was even allowed to make personal attacks and mock me when she spoke at the lectern. Civility is subjective with this commission and discarded when she speaks. She had announced earlier that she will not be reapplying to the Historical Planning board; her term ends this month. Perhaps we won't have to see any more Venus Cafes pulling a fast one (she recommended that they be allowed to have a COP license and once they got it, closed their doors and the place has gone to blight on Lake Avenue) or we might be less likely to see a monstrous home being approved on N. Lakeside Drive being built right next door to a small cottage. She finally sat down and called me "evil" again, one of her favorites. One thing that is not confusing for her is her lack of politeness...she thinks she is still attacking me on my blog anonymously.

My only point, which the Mayor chose to miss as well as our favorite Realtor, is approving seven buildings without knowing or caring what any other completed project from this contractor/developer looks like today. Many times affordable rental projects attract the undesirable or they go to seed. I asked if they did any D&D or had seen any other developments by this contractor..no one answered the questions.  If you are building a home, before contracting with a builder, you usually visit other houses to visually inspect his work...normal operational procedure.

As you only are given 2 minutes to make a point, my comparison of this project to Greater Bay was not an apples to apples comparison but it was only to point out the lack of due diligence on GB and how it negatively impacted our community. In fact, the vice mayor was highly annoyed that anyone with a different opinion could have the nerve to even raise a question. He threatened to walk out of the meeting if anyone else on the dais had anything "negative" to say about it. He did not want to hear Commissioner McVoy or any point he had to make and was shockingly discourteous. He then called the question to stop the debate. The bully dais continues and their friends are allowed to be obnoxiously rude at the lectern..

These buildings, once built, are here to stay. We will have to live with them for at least 40-50 years. No one can say that this project will be a positive effect in our western neighborhood. The commission is flooding the city with affordable housing and more rentals when their goal has always been more home ownership believing that is the only way to raise the city from the slum and blight.

Everything is expendable when you have such a strong desire to develop the Park of Commerce at any cost (Maxwell's catalyst) and fulfill campaign promises--or you are looking at a tax base of an estimated $145,000 a year that will be totally diminished by the cost of services.

28 comments:

  1. That is good news. No more Mrs. Sharpe with her caustic mouth. I guess she is still smarting from losing the last 2 elections and getting fined by the Florida Elections Commission. What a big blow to the city's biggest blowhard.

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  2. Scott Maxwell has a real estate license. He needs to disclose that every time anything of this nature comes before him.

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  3. Bye, bye Loretta, don't let the door...

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  4. The project on L.W. road and Boutwell is not city property.

    If it is within the zoning and building codes, does the city have the right to vet the owner/developer and contractor?

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  5. this is the first project in 2 and a half years. what do you mean by flooding the city with affordable housing. 9:42 you sure are in the running for biggest blowhard.

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  6. I am thrilled about this new project as it could help to convince Publix to hopefully stay in the Town and Country Shopping Center just east of the new rental project. Publix has looked at this area as a no growth area but these units are potentially 400 plus new customers for that center.

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  7. Chris-After they changed it to Sabor and spent a lot of money re-designing, do you really think they had no intention of staying there? Do you have ANY personal interest in that center? I shop there so I would certainly hope it will be there. This new affordable RENTAL project will definitely give them a lot of new business, if not all.

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  8. 11:33--why not? Have you ever seen projects that stopped in mid-stream and were left unfinished? Ever hear of that? What do we know about them? Have you ever heard of financing drying up? Does anyone know that they can finance and complete this project? We will be paying a small fortune for infrastructure and services. I believe that we would want to feel comfortable with whomever is building there. We definitely do have the right to ask questions anonymous at 11:33.

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  9. Lynn, I do have a business interest as the previous owners have been my clients for 15+ years. I do all of the leasing there which we have maintained at or near 100% occupancy even during the recent hard times. I also just sold the center two weeks ago and the new owners have retained me for leasing services. I was involved with negotiations to keep Publix there a couple of years ago after they threatened to leave. Sales have dropped due to the new store on Dixie and even though Publix and the previous owners spent money on the Sabor change over, Publix has certain levels of sales it must keep or they close no matter how much was spent. These new apartments should help tremendously!

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  10. When will they get the new pump?

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  11. Everyone needs to understand that this is private property that is zoned for multi family use. That means that the commission could not stop a multifamily complex from going up on this lot. If the commission voted against it the owners could modify the plans and build one hell of an ugly complex. The commission would be powerless to stop it. So here we got over $500,000 in extra community benefits that will make this project look so much better than the empty lot that sits there now. The tax revenue will also help as will the renters who hopefully will spend money downtown. Yes, I wish that we could have a different use for this land such as some great new stores but we can't control how private property is used. I found it interesting that Commissioner McVoy voted against it because he wants more single family homes but at the same time he wants to allow vacation rentals on a nightly basis in our residential neighborhoods. So he is against multifamily apartments on land zoned for them and in favor of business on land zoned residential. Something is wrong with that logic.

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  12. Katie, you should have done some research on problems at the pool before going with the conspiracy theory. Are you a member of the pool group or just a lone gun. Quit complaining and do some good.

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  13. I think he had concerns about more affordable housing when we have so much already and the fact he knew nothing about this company.

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  14. Usually people who never put themselves out there and run or serve on a board blow the most hot air. Eh Helen.

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  15. You have no idea what I do or have done for the city but that's ok. Stick up for your unpleasant friend. She needs all the love she can get.

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  16. The city needs to keep the public informed. That would end the conspiracy theories. By less transparency and keeping us in the dark, we will think the worse.

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  17. Conspiracy theory? That is all very possible when the commission is not even informed about what is going on and until lately, the city has said all along that they want to close the pool. The CM continues to be silent never giving a report and that apparently is okay with the commission. We used to know what was going on within the departments but we haven't been informed in over a year. I think the CM is finally realizing that there is public support for the pool.

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  18. they dont want the pool because of the trashy people and they just put alot of money into the cassino

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  19. What conspiracy theory? Our pool is green with algae. It is disgusting. And it's the fault of the city that it looks this way. As for "doing good" , rattling your cage is enough good done for one day. Your irritation makes me smile. Katie Mcgiveron

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  20. In no way is this comment meant to criticize. I think you get close to outing our gov. on a lot of issues but do not follow through. Maybe you go with the flow of commenters and your post gets lost in peoples attacking and irrational comments. I suggest following the money trail as to expenditures, and you might see why we cannot come up with 24 thousand to open the pool. I think misuse of the utility, legal fees out the roof, hundreds of thousands on studies, huge packages for upper level staff are bankrupting the city. The people who are paying for all of this are talked down to and left in the dark. If we could just forget banners, heights, and the few people who misled us and look to staff and the dais and hold their feet to the fire. So, I look forward to your exposes. Do you agree that last nights meeting is what we do not want in decisions and knowledge of issues.

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  21. Lyn, don't worry about the little woman with the white hair. You give her a reason to get up in the morning. Lynn, you care about the people of Lake Worth. The little woman with the white hair cares about herself.

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  22. Thank you for your comments. YES, to your last question. We can hold their feet to the fire but they don't care. We can expose this, that and the next thing, and they go on their merry way to just do another deed or whatever turns them on or the next cover-up. We have a vice mayor who is a bully and leads them on. We have a commission that now wants to lead us into massive debt and one that doesn't demand enough from the CM. I would love to follow the money trail but we just are not told about all the expenses anymore. The biggest problem we have as a city are the unfunded liabilities...these could bankrupt us right now and pension benefits continue to escalate. I would like to know where the money is we have been making on recyclables and the savings we have had on dumping. These are small things but they are never talked about. I want to see department heads giving reports and knowing that they are within their budgets. I would like to see a lot more openness.

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  23. I'm still waiting for Loretta's apology to the citizens of Lake Worth for the illegal banner on the Gulfstream...

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  24. Perhaps everyone really needs to understand that $500,000 in extra community benefits IS New Speak for "PAY to PLAY in Corruption County".

    Scam FYI: The Green Building Codes are from an INTERNATIONAL NON Government Organization and the groups that PUSH IT LIKE DRUGS - their websites read like the yellow pages! They change our laws to do what they think is best for us - gotta love those HARMFUL MERCURY LADEN SUBSIDIZED Light-bulbs! Wait till we see the REAL Price of those suckers!

    Can you create commerce and then charge for it?

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  25. the pool looks like the city--dirty and not taken care of---how about going after the busineses on dixie that are not taken care of and dirty looking---go after them code---what good are they---they dont work they just drive around--that is all--i see them everyday

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  26. Get the pool fixed and opened and paint the building so it matches the Casino. Our new beach/Casino/Park is so awesome and popular it is a shame to have this eyesore in the middle of it.

    As for the rental project, I agree its good to ask questions. I, for one, am tired of all the realtors and developers that serve on the boards, the City should not have been able to kick off the non professionals. There is too much pay to play and back door deals going on.

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  27. I read your blog Lynn with the response from big mouth Loretta.
    She has been the cheerleader for every crook coming to Lake Worth. She always has had bad advice for Lake Worth
    Look at her own life, still working in her old age. Home is foreclosed, unpaid debt to Lake Worth for bills not paid for her son and her business at the golf course restaurant. Her son and her investment in restaurant in Central America, advising Retha Lowe to take money from Southern Waste that sold her own neighbors health out. Could go on and on with more but you can see what value her advice has.

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  28. no they dont need a pool there --they have a pool there its called the ocean---if they want a pool to swim in go to a friends house---we cant afford any more trashy people or plain trash in the city---put your efforts to all the drug dealers in this city---that and rehabs are taking our city down--and investigate the rehabs that are operating now---and you will see what i mean---until then enjoy the run down city and the trash that walks downtown---open your eyes people and take a look at the people hanging in our downtown---low life or no life at all

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