Tuesday night's discussion on our pool was quite a fiasco. It seemed as if only Omari Hardy and Herman Robinson could figure it out. I can't even write about it as is was the most confusing discussion item that I can remember in years. I think only half the dais had read the back-up and therefore some got confused as to what they were even voting on that had to finally be explained by Juan Ruiz, Assistant City Manager.
Some residents in the chamber were Tom Copeland supporters who spoke all with negative comments towards our pool at the casino. Even Tom, who was not there, turned in a comment card, read by the Mayor. It was right out of his failed campaign.
Commissioner Herman Robinson reminded everyone that the campaign was over and said, "...clearly the community wants a community pool. We deserve an amenity that we should have...staff is in a difficult position because it's not a dynamite income generator...staff has taken the position that the pool is difficult." Herman was being kind. Staff does exactly what Bornstein approves.
Finally, after much confusion and much discussion (as well as the assistant city manager having to tell them what they were there to vote on...can't emphasize that enough), a motion was made to commit to an $82k study by the design firm, CPZ Architects. It passed on a 4/0 vote...Commissioner Maxwell was absent.
If you recall, Chris Zimmerman, Owner and President of CPZ Architects, a Broward County firm with a local staff of 10 employees, 3 of which are registered Architects, was awarded the design contract from the City of Lake Worth about one year ago.
The pool will stay at the beach. Who knows how much money will be spent or what it will look like--the public now has to run down to city hall to read the back-up as it's no longer on line. The dollar figures of $6, 8 and 10 million were mentioned.
Thanks to many who spoke in favor of our pool--a few were sensational like Betty Resch who did not hold back in her comments as to why our fabulous pool has failed.
Glad to know the pool will stay at the beach.
ReplyDeleteThis is the biggest waste of tax payer money in the history of Lake Worth.
ReplyDeleteYes to a pool.
NO to having it in a location that is hard to get to by those who could use it the most. That would include the people who can't afford a pool in their own back yard and therefore can't afford or won't want to pay $3.00 per hour to park or endanger their and their children's lives by riding a bike across the bridge to swim in a fresh water pool right next to the salt water ocean.
So the minute we cut the ribbon to this new grand facility spending MILLIONS of our penny sales tax money that could be spent on more pressing infrastructure issues and filling it with West Palm Beach water, we will all have to divvy up at least $1,000 per day to cover what it doesn't take in.
Couple the fact that when the original pool was built, the population was a 10th of what it is today and there were many more options for beach goers and only the well off could afford pools in their back yards. Even the bridge was not as high making it easier to cross on foot or on a bicycle.
Put the pool where it can be accessed by the population that can and will use it. Anywhere near the center of town, West of the tracks for example to help spur development of that area. It will still lose money but more people will take advantage of it.
Spend the money to expand parking (especially resident parking) at the beach which is by far our biggest money maker which can help offset the deficit of a pool in a more logical location.
As the population of Palm Beach County continues to grow, the need for access to central Palm Beach County's beach, our's, will continue to grow. We would benefit from increased tourism for our BEACH with places for those tourists to park and our residents would have the benefit of more spaces, more conveniently located.
PLEASE somebody give any good fiscal reasoning for rebuilding the pool at that location. It is not historic unless you count basic municipal design from the '70's makes you all nostalgic.
This is nuts.
Market it correctly, maintain it, and it will be a winner once again. This city failed (on purpose) and let our pool go to hell.
ReplyDeletehey, tom, what are you doing up so early at 8:34?
ReplyDeleteThe pool is an amenity. It doesn't have to make money anymore than the Osborne Center or Bryant park. Get a grip, anony at 8:34. Listen to Herman, the guy who beat you.
ReplyDeleteTom can speak for himself. Market it correctly? Pray tell what that means. Maintaining it will not affect the cost to us tax payers of at least $1,000.00 per day of operation over what it takes in.
ReplyDeleteI agree the pool is an amenity. I agree it doesn't have to (and will not under any circumstances) make money. The amenity doesn't HAVE to be at the beach. I have enough of a grip anon @ 9:57. It is my money you are spending too.
Let it lose money over here where more people can enjoy the amenity and let us utilize our most valuable property, our beachfront to draw tourism dollars that will pay for the boondoggle face lift of the casino building that leaves us to pay for the amenity of 5000 square feet of prime ocean front storage space. I know, storage shouldn't have to make money.
This is nuts.
I was there the night that the engineering firm told the Commission that the pool was in pretty good shape and could be totally rehabbed for right around 500,000. Maxwell looked like he was going to throw up and Triolo and Amoroso just looked like deer in the head lights.The pool needs to stay at the beach. Period. And damn Scott Maxwell,Pam Triolo , Andy Amoroso and the City Manager for spitting in the face of the tax payers and DESTROYING our pool ON PURPOSE ! TERM LIMITS NOW ! What ever happened to the results of that pool charette put on at the old shuffleboard courts?
ReplyDelete@10:42--Your opinion. If the pool is not marketed correctly, it will lose money anywhere it is located. You have no sense of history. Calling everyone nuts for wanting to keep the pool where it is, is what's NUTS.
ReplyDeleteYou lost the election. Let's move on and get our pool operational. No collusion. No obstruction. :)
Take Richard Guercio's advice on the parking cost for members of our pool. It's a good one. Try a new business plan, one that will work.
The irony is that if and when the pool is ever restored in its' present location, nobody that responds to this blog will be alive to see it.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the current youth getting all excited about a city pool.
@11:55...the pool is not going to be "restored. It will be a brand new facility.
ReplyDeleteThe "current" youth in this city can't even speak English and probably don't get excited about anything but their cell phones. But who will get excited is our important tourist industry along with Americans who live here and in the county.
P.S. You are one POS. And I'm being serious.
11.55 give our youth of today a little more credit than your small brain can muster.in fact why don't you ask some of them their ideas and be surprised by their intelegence.after all they are going to be here longer than most of us
ReplyDeleteHaha, Anderson snapped showing her nasty colors, what a looser as everyone knows. Lol! Sad!
ReplyDelete@2:08--Learn how to spell. LOSER.
ReplyDelete2.08 is just a dem loser.face it we won
ReplyDelete