Most Stupid Motion and Vote of the Year made by the Lake Worth City Commission:
Public Hearing Ordinance 2014-10
With only 50 spaces negotiated with the County for residents only, a motion made by Commissioner Szerdi and seconded by Commissioner McVoy to ask staff to amend the ordinance to allow seasonal property owners (not residents) to purchase beach parking decals if they:
1) owned property in Lake Worth;
2) paid Lake Worth Utilities;
3) had a vehicle registration in the same name that corresponded with the same property owner or provided personal identification
4) increase the fee to $40 for residents and $60 for seasonal residents. (a resident in the chamber actually suggested charging $125 for a decal) The vice mayor doesn't think this is high enough. Most take that attitude who seldom go to the beach or are only interested in fleecing the residents and their one benefit they have had for decades.
50 spaces, negotiated for the residents, not property owners, now will be opened up to even more people than the 1,745 who purchased them in the 2013 year and they raised the price to boot! When the unlimited parking was eliminated by the County, it left only 50 spaces for residents. Since 1984, the city was able to accommodate property owners with decals but it all changed with the beach redevelopment.
Not now--not with this commission. Now, there is a less chance of finding a spot particularly on weekends, holidays and during the Winter Season. Now they say that they can sell 50 spots to a possible 12,000 property owners because they "were upfront with you" and are selling them on a first come, first serve basis. Are they off the hook for an immoral act? They definitely have made a decision based on economic advantage for them, at a huge one-sided disadvantage for the resident. During the Season, you will have to get there at the crack of dawn as Snowbirds come here for the beach!
A resolution amending the City’s Comprehensive Fee Schedule will be scheduled on April 15, 2014, to establish a seasonal resident fee as directed by the City Commission on March 18, 2014. The effective date of the resolution will be 10 days after approval of Ordinance No. 2014-10...just in time for the new decal permit year.
New decals go on sale May 1. Utilities Customer Service-- City Hall Annex-- 414 Lake Avenue. Get down there and get yours--they are unlimited...the entire city of residents AND non-residents can buy one as long as you live here for one year under a rental lease, or own residential property here.
**Although there are 50 spaces, the city's web site says: The Beach Parking Decal Program was created as a benefit for residents of the City of Lake Worth. There are 42 designated parking spaces at the Lake Worth Beach for decal holders. Click it on before it is changed. (and what's scary--they too can make a mistake and they are the ones in charge!) Beach Decals are valid between May 1st through April 30th of the following year - however may be purchased at anytime. On top of everything else that is stupid, the City had been pro-rating them! That has now been deleted from the Ordinance.
14 comments:
You told us in one of your blogs that there are only 38 decal spaces, and you told us we were lied to because we were told there were 50 spaces.
Whats up with that? Are there 38 or 42 or 50 decal parking spaces?
You haven't been paying attention, anonymous. That was answered. Ask city hall.
I do understand why many residents are upset over the change in the decal policy which limited residents to a lot and now we are unable to park anywhere with a decal. But, I also understand the reason for that change, we needed the county's money to complete the project and we also, frankly, need the parking revenue from each spot at the beach to pay off the project.
So, I also understand why opening up the resident stickers to property owners further angers people. But, again, I think we need to look at what we gain from this change, we gain more sticker revenue (and the snow birds won't be here most of the time so that is a gain with a short term pain). We also attract snow birds and non-resident property owners with these amenities. Snow birds are a favorite population of many, they pay more in property taxes and use less services, a win for everyone including year round residents.
I think the City responded appropriately to this issue. The beach/casino property is a wonderful addition to the city and more people want to go and it makes sense to make that available to property owners in general although I would have charged more for it. The casino/beach property was a big project, an expensive one for tax-payers so since the property is wildly different it makes sense to charge more for the sticker. Maybe that will also discourage folks from buying stickers who don't use them regularly opening up spots for people who do go every week.
we needed the county's money
As previously stated on many occasions, this was NOT the county's money. It was Bond money that we voted for in 2004 and a bond that we have been paying for all of these years. It was allotted to Lake Worth--our portion of the bond.
The County was plenty annoyed with Lake Worth back then and any further negotiation in this regard would have been for naught. they didn't care that a flim flam man was holding up our beach. It does not mean that we can't do something in the future once they pay the last half million they owe us.
I say screw the county. WE should be charging THEM. Palm Beach county was too short sighted and greedy to set aside beach access for their own citizens. And now Lake Worth has to bear the brunt of the counties short sighted history ? No way. This Commission bends over backwards for everyone but their own residents. It's all about part time snow birds. It's all about some fantasy FUTURE residents that MIGHT come here. I'm tired of being the 19 year resident that lives here ALL YEAR! that gets pissed on by this Commission. We really need to kick all of these bums out of office!
anony at 2:35. It was then all about revenue at the expense of the negotiated contract for residents only. You changed the rules for some screaming Canadians.
The Bond money that 'we' voted for in 2004 came from the whole county not just Lake Worth. It was not 'allotted to Lake Worth--our portion of the bond', it could have been allotted anywhere in the county.
The county was annoyed with Lake Worth because we didn't proceed with the beach project for which the county granted the $5,000,000. for infrastructure. After a number of years of our procrastination the county said use it or they would cancel the $5 mil grant and use it for another project.
IT WAS NOT, NOT, NOT a grant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4:46pm, so thats what happened.
4:49pm, If it wasnt a grant, then what was it?
A bond is an instrument of indebtedness ...It is a debt security... We have been paying on that bond for 10 years.
A grant is a gift and in many cases the government asks us to match it in order to get it. We don't have to pay the money back.
It's not the number of spaces. It's about the total disrespect that this Commission has for the citizens of Lake Worth. They are supposed to be REPRESENTING the citizens of lake Worth. This Commission has ignored our vote, ignored a neighborhoods concern about quality of life in favor of false promises of economic impact, made fun of citizens in a public meeting and failed time and time again to hold anyone accountable when mistakes (cutting down an almost century old tree in our plaza) are made. Not giving a report on any trips that the Commission has gone on (paid by the taxpayers)is just the cherry on top.
Then why didn't any of the winners on this blog challenge any of the commissioners?
That mistake won't ever be repeated again.
Anonymous at 10:50 AM - We heard before how many great candidates there are to challenge the incumbants. If you believe that, then you believe there are 613 decal parking places at the beach.
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