If you recall, during the bond referendum and the mayor's Palm Beach Post publicity, she complained that "Some of our roads aren't even paved."
Nearly one year ago, and six months after the La Joya Villages project was approved, Palm Beach County and the City entered into an Interlocal Agreement for the 7th Avenue South Right-of-Way Improvements Project. The Grant was for an expenditure of $450,750 setting the terms. The city now says that it needs $30,000 more for design and installation of water mains and appurtenances, bringing up the total cost to $480,750 for the road project on 7th Avenue South that will include new road base, installation of curbs and gutters, asphalt roadway, concrete sidewalks, sod and restoration of areas that they mess up during the project.
When you receive CDBG funding, you must develop and follow a detailed plan that provides for and encourages citizen participation usually in the area where residents will be affected. The process is specific and the plan must provide citizens with reasonable and timely access to local meetings; an opportunity to review proposed activities and program performance; provide for timely written answers to written complaints and grievances; and identify how the needs of non-English speaking residents will be met in the case of public hearings where a significant number of non-English speaking residents can be reasonably expected to participate.
Many people contacted Commissioner McVoy about the proposed project that will affect where they live. They had no prior knowledge of the project that would change their street to something less than desirable in their minds as their kids play there in safety on what is a majority of unpaved roadway from A to F Street. I haven't seen Commissioner Cara Jennings in nearly two years and she was there defending the concerns of the residents who had not had a chance to weigh in on the city's proposed changes. Also, former commissioner Jo-Ann Golden turned in a card to speak. There were three or four cards turned in by Commissioner McVoy without the person in attendance and Scott Maxwell, leading the meeting that night, referred to the city attorney for an opinion to accept.
According to the LW Herald, it seems now that the city is putting out the word that it had about four prior meetings for the public to participate and about 30 people attended each meeting. It is condemning the people because they didn't know one thing about it and also blaming others who they believe are behind this dreadful conspiracy as well as for a "beach disaster" that only exists in the mind of one commissioner. I didn't know about it either but I don't live in the neighborhood.
The Herald's advice to the commission is for them to ignore "the late tactics so this city can move forward." This is not about "blocking progress" as the news editor states but public participation is mandated by law. What this is about, however, is installing a paved road to accommodate La Joya Village, low-cost affordable rentals on the railroad tracks so that it will have better access to get to I-95. 6th Avenue South is impossible to cross and there are no lights other than at A Street.
All people should matter. Their opinions should count and not be condemned. But some in Lake Worth disagree. The item will come back again to the commission.
4 comments:
Can they prove they notified all those effected by mail? I've gotten letters from the city when someone pulls a permit to do something to their property that effects me.
30 people reminds me of 30 pieces of silver! How many were staff, 'non-resident stakeholders' or repeats of the usual & customary 'watchers' that show up at a lot of the meetings...?
These former commissioners always spoke for the people and always were concerned about their needs. This commission should stand up and take notice.
Can we please replace these morons that are on the Commission now ? Peter Timm was right-they only think of us as walking wallets. They dont care about neighborhoods or the people in them. Now they want to create roads that the residents don't want, and they won't maintain the roads that we already have and that the residents want maintained !!!
I've been to many charretts recently where it is just commissioners sitting in the audience telling staff what they want and not listening to public comments. I've seen staff put stars next to comments by commissioners and ignore comments by the public. When are these commissioners going to learn to listen instead of push their own agenda?
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