The "FOR" Development crowd
Not all of Lake Worth Beach loves WMODA: Developer spends $6,000 to counter opposition's 'disinformation campaign'
Excerpt from Joe Capozzi's article
"Though WMODA’s rebuttals have been endorsed by the city, project opponents insist their concerns are backed by information in the development agreement, the public private partnership agreement and other public records.
Opponents say they’re just trying to protect taxpayers and promote a better quality of downtown development.
“This is a real David and Goliath situation,’’ said Kim Stokes, who lost a city commission reelection bid in 2024 to Commissioner Mimi May, a WMODA supporter.
“We don't have the money, we don't have the marketing, we don't have the professionals,’’ Stokes said. “We are up against an established professional large-scale development group with access to lots of funds who is willing to attack anyone who expresses concern.’’
Those attacks have extended to the dais where opponents say Mayor Betty Resch and Commissioner Sarah Malega have sought to silence Commissioner Chris McVoy, a vocal WMODA critic, at times leading to tense public clashes.
McVoy has been the loudest, and for the past month, the only voice of WMODA dissent on the commission. A majority — Resch, Malega and May — has embraced the project and its promises of long-term economic benefits, including $7 million in taxes paid by the museum and apartments over the first 10 years and millions in revenue from downtown visitors.
The CRA donated to WMODA 1.78 acres of prime downtown land worth $3.3 million (an amount opponents say is higher).
Read Joe's article
Our city has always been prime for developers and we, once again, have a city commission that loves development--parking garage, this project, and there are even eyes on our golf course. They can't even find the money to clean our sidewalks or repair garbage trucks.
