League of Cities has new Executive Director

🫡 New boss at League of Cities

The Palm Beach County League of Cities has selected Amelia Jadoo, an attorney with the Torcivia, Donlon, Goddeau & Ansay law firm, as its new executive director.

Why it matters: The league advocates for the county's 39 municipalities by promoting home rule, addressing shared legislative issues and fostering cooperation among local governments. It serves as a unified voice on issues including growth management, taxation and transportation, playing a big role in the recent effort to initiate a countywide transportation master plan.

And she is with the city of Lake Worth's law firm and our Mayor, Betty Resch, is the city's liaison to the League of Cities.

Read more about the league and its new director at StetNews.org

— Joe Capozzi

Lake Worth Beach Mayor installed at League of Cities Annual banquet

Palm Beach County League Of Cities Installs Slate Of Officers For 2025-26

The Palm Beach County League of Cities held its annual Board of Directors & Executive Installation Banquet on Wednesday May 28 at the Kravis Center. The keynote speaker was Holly D. Smith, vice mayor of the City of Sanibel.

The honor of installing the 2025-26 president and board of directors went to Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Marino. In attendance were more than 250 elected municipal and county officials, state legislators and business partners.

Also installed were large city representative, Betty Resch, mayor of the City of Lake Worth Beach.

As a Legislative Policy Committee member, Resch will help develop the League’s Legislative Platform, which details priority issues that are most likely to affect daily municipal governance and local decision-making during the upcoming legislative session, as well as help League staff understand the real-world implications of proposed legislation.

Committee members are also asked to serve as advocates for local decision-making throughout the legislative process.

Read about it...

League of Cities and Mayor Betty Resch

GoTownCrier.com: "The Palm Beach County League of Cities held its annual Board of Directors & Executive Installation Banquet on Wednesday May 24 at the Kravis Center.

The keynote speaker was Rick Murrell, the current CEO of Saltchuk Logistics. The honor of installing the 2023-24 president and board of directors went to Palm Beach County Judge Bradley G. Harper.

In attendance were more than 300 elected municipal and county officials, state legislators and business partners.

Also at the installation banquet, the Palm Beach County League of Cities presented its annual William A. Cruickshank Scholarships to six recipients."

Large City Representative:
Betty Resch, Mayor of Lake Worth Beach

More on the dysfunctional Lake Worth (Beach) Commission Meeting

Racial equity program sparks latest fiery exchange on Lake Worth Beach commission

Read the article by Jorge Millian at the Palm Beach Post

It really was an unpleasant representation by Commissioner Hardy.

Lake Worth and Race Relations

Other than Dustin Zack's public comment that showed the contempt millennials have for just about anything (in this case, Commissioner Maxwell), this meeting didn't get intersting until they got to NEW BUSINESS.

You need to go to 1 hour and 3 minutes or so at the start of New Business regarding the REAL discussion and subsequent vote on the League of Cities program.

Commissioner Omari Hardy, who says the Black community here is "marginalized," pigeonholed Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso into not only getting it on the Agenda but voting for these professional services to conduct workshops with city residents and staff to hear about their horrible experiences with "systemic racism" and how all the rest of us can do better.

This is an unnecessary waste of public funds and resources to invent/create a problem that does not exist. If the three on the commission had voted against this, they would have been accused of racism or worse. There was no where to go on a political level. Omari, the only racist in our city, won this vote even though he fought it and wanted to change it and in the end didn't vote for it.

The first phase of this will run through June 15, 2021 and will cost $21,780. There are other components that will arise later for a vote.

PB County League of Cities has trendy meeting

You've heard about the guy who is always out to lunch--

"Palm Beach County League of Cities Convenes at LW Beach
Highlights The Cottages of Lake Worth

The City of Lake Worth was pleased to welcome the Palm Beach County League of Cities back once again, to host its July meeting. More than 180 officials and guests gathered at the City’s trendy Casino Building and Beach Complex where they mingled, enjoyed lunch and a packed meeting program.

To a backdrop of a video that showcased Lake Worth’s historical charm, arts and cultural flair and recreational offerings, Robert Shalhoub, League of Cities President and Mayor of Town of Lake Clarke Shores, facilitated the agenda."

Read about it... and all these people eating their little hearts out.

Did they get free parking too? Silly question. This is one reason why we will never get these guys out of office.  Can you imagine giving up these perks?

Click here for Agenda

Florida League of Cities Annual Conference

The Florida League of Cities is having its 90th Annual conference and the city commission will be voting for a delegate to attend.  At least it's in state. Normally, Scott Maxwell is the delegate and he will get to network with other Leaguers at the Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Florida if he is chosen at tonight's city commission meeting. Not too shabby.

Registration is $525, hotel is $182 a night and there is a charge for parking or valet. 

The tentative topics are:
Workshop Topics
They are planning a variety of informative workshops to provide the tools to help
your city navigate the current economic, technological and political landscape. The specific
workshop schedule will be posted to our website as soon as it is available, so check for
updates! Topics being considered include:

▶ Advocacy: How to Meet with Your Legislators
▶ Challenges of Addressing Mental Health Issues for Cities
▶ Preparing the Next Generation of Public Servants
▶ Rough Waters or Smooth Sailing: What’s Ahead for Municipalities
in Implementing 2016 Water Bill
▶ Florida Constitutional Revision Commission: What Cities Need to Know
▶ How Autonomous Vehicles Could Transform Cities
▶ Media Training for City Officials
▶ NASA Tech Transfer Program
▶ Public Records
▶ Resilient Redesign: Sustainability for Cities in Flood Areas
▶ The Sharing Economy
▶ Village Square
▶ Working with Your City Attorney

▶THEY ALWAYS FORGET ONE TOPIC, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL:
Listening to those they serve. That means treating everyone's opinion with respect.

This majority commission wants three year terms.  They don't want to entertain the possibility of giving up all those free lunches and perks earlier than necessary.  It's such a drag to get out there and campaign. And they want to ensure themselves more time in office in order to dream up ways to tax you.

Party Time for Lake Worth City manager and Commission

Comment Up

As previously reported, four out of five commissioners are in Nashville having a good time at the League of Cities convention.  The only one not attending is Ryan Maier.

The city manager is out there with them.  I'm sure it is all up and up and they're not talking about any city business. Now do you think that they will learn how to screw their citizens even more by attending this "party" time that they feel is well deserved on the taxpayer dime?

Michael Bornstein's Expense Sheet for "training" and travel comes to $2,643. Perhaps the majority of them signed up for an Ethics Seminar with Dolly Parton.

Lake Worth Commissioners to attend convention in Nashville

Comment Up

The regularly scheduled city commission meeting that was to be held tomorrow, November 3, has been cancelled and rescheduled to November 10 so that four of our commissioners can attend the National League of Cities convention.

The National League of Cites is holding its annual convention in Nashville on November 4-7 and Mayor Pam Triolo, Scott Maxwell, Christopher McVoy and Andy Amoroso will be attending. The League even gives them a sample "justification letter" to use. They say that attendees will have "days of networking, learning, thought-leadership, and of course some fun with friends and colleagues, old and new."

Basically, it's just a way to have a little mini-vacation on the taxpayer dime.

2015 National Municipal Policy Amendments and Resolutions.

There are 224 pages to this document and I am sure that they have read it all and understand it just like they do all of the back-up for Lake Worth city commission meetings.

Following are the preliminary expense reports minus some expenses that will be known after the trip.

Amoroso travel & reimbursement

Maxwell travel & reimbursement (no food submitted as yet)

McVoy travel & reimbursement

Triolo travel & reimbursement

The commission has worked hard for the residents of Lake Worth and probably deserve a day at the Grand Ole Opry--

• Trying to get a General Obligation Bond passed

• Not honoring the vote of the residents on downtown heights

• A sneaky ITN process to grab our casino complex for a developer

to name a few. Why is it that we NEVER get a report on any trip they take on our behalf other than Chris McVoy reporting back.

Solar and League of Cities

Comment Up

Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell is the past president of the Palm Beach County League of Cities and now the appointed liaison for voting purposes from Lake Worth. Andy Amoroso is on its board.

Now what do you suppose they think about the Florida League of Cities affirming its opposition to the solar power amendment  particularly since they just agreed to spend $23 million on Siemens that includes over $5 million in solar on our landfill.  Read about it...

League of Cities Conference

Comment Up

The Lake Worth Commission will vote tonight on who will represent their voting interests at the 89th Annual Conference of the League of Cities being held in Orlando on August 13-15. Vice Mayor Maxwell and commissioners McVoy and Amoroso will be attending this conference. The "visionaries,"( Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso) are usually the ones who love to travel to all points north and have no problem spending taxpayer money.

It used to be that each commissioner had a $3,000 ($15,000 total for the year) budget for travel and entertainment.  That was raised to $25,000 or $5,000 for each commissioner because they were just attending so many seminars and conferences to places like Washington, D.C.

I believe that we have already gone over budget..

Workshop Topics
They are planning a variety of informative workshops to provide  the tools to help cities navigate the current economic, technological and political landscape. The specific workshop schedule will be posted on the League of Cities website as soon as it is available. Topics being considered include:

• Avoiding Public Records Lawsuits (we have so many lawsuits that the city attorney can't/won't even get the list to me. Frankly, I don't believe they want the residents to know about them.)
• Best Practices for Economic Development (that one would turn them on)
• Civic Engagement (they need a lot of help on that one as they don't even honor the vote and engage in secret meetings)
• Council-Manager Relations (that's one they can skip..they need no help here--they are all in love with each other and won't take advice from some course instructor)
• Local Police/Firefighter Pension Changes (ooh, unsustainable retirement benefits have us in big do do)
• Social Media and Public Records (good one considering they now have a Twitter account and Facebook will be up soon.
• Tech Startups Showcase: Revolutionizing the Business of Government (good one as we can't even fix a pothole)
• Update on Takings and Property Rights Laws (ya gotta love this one as they are going to use eminent domain at the Park of Commerce...you don't own it, just take it)

Commissioner Andy Amoroso

Comment Up

Last night, Commissioner Andy Amoroso mentioned that he will be on the Board of the Palm Beach County League of Cities for 2015/2016. But he was way too modest when he also stated that he was on the National Policy & Advocacy board for the Gays & Lesbians. This is a constituency voluntary group of  local elected and appointed officials formed to encourage the active involvement and full participation of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender municipal officials, and their supporters, in the organization and programs of the National League of Cities

LGBTLO Bylaws

2015 Board of Directors

The LGBTLO Board of Directors is elected annually at the NLC Congress of Cities from the group's membership.  Each year, members are encouraged to submit their nominations for service on the Board.  For information about Board nominations and an application form, see the section about membership.

President		First Vice President		Second Vice President
LaWana Mayfield Councilmember Charlotte, North Carolina		Andy Amoroso  Commissioner Lake Worth, Florida		Tom Green  Commissioner Wilton Manors, Florida

Board Roster

Upcoming City Commission Meeting Schedule

Comment Up

It's light: With Scott Maxwell and Andy Amoroso off to Austin, Texas (known as the Live Music Capital of the World, the 2nd safest major city in the country in 2012 according to the FBI and its number of Fortune 500 companies), to attend the National League of Cities Convention, there is only one regular meeting this month and one in December.  With Turkey Day coming up and Santa Claus on the horizon, the city's business will have to be left to the city manager.

City Commission Meeting - Cancelled

When: Tue, November 18, 6pm – 9pm

Where: City Hall, 7 North Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, FL

City Commission Meeting

When: Tue, December 2, 6pm – 9pm

Where: City Hall, 7 North Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, FL

Description: Regular Meeting

City Commission Work Session

When: Tue, December 9, 6pm – 8pm

Where: City Hall, 7 North Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, FL

City Commission Meeting - Cancelled

When: Tue, December 16, 6pm – 9pm

Where: City Hall, 7 North Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, FL

Upcoming National League of Cities Meeting

New Business  B is on the agenda tonight to appoint a commissioner to attend the National League of Cities conference in Austin, Texas--just can't imagine who they will appoint.  If you think about it, all of them, other than Christopher McVoy, could benefit from the following course.  Whoever is the appointee, please come back to your constituents with a full report on how you can implement all those civil ideas. This commission has never given a formal report on any conference they have attended on the taxpayer's dime other than Christopher McVoy. His seminar cost $150 whereas this one will cost several thousand.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Finding Common Ground: Promoting Civil Discourse on Divisive Issues

Date: Friday, November 21, Track: Conference Workshops

In an ever more divisive national political landscape, cities are the place where people must still come together as a community. City leaders must engage with residents and each other in such a way that viewpoints can be shared and respected with the aim of finding common ground. This interactive session will open with a brief presentation on the fundamentals of mediation skills, finding common ground, and promoting civil discourse. It will be followed by moderated roundtables on specific current topics to allow city leaders of different viewpoints to share with and listen respectfully to each other with a goal of better understanding different dimensions of the issue.
Speaker: Stephanie Bell, Professor, Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA)

Travel and Lodging and Seminar fees for Lake Worth City Commission

Comment Up

During this past year, the Travel Budget totaled $24,500 that included registrations, travel and lodging. 

REGISTRATIONS
$1,500--Annual National League of Cities (3 attendees)
$   700--National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute (1 attendee)
$   600--U.S. Conference of Mayors in D.C. (1 attendee)
$1,170--National League of Cities Congressional Conference  (2 attendees)
$   100--Sea Level Rise Conference (1 attendee--you know the one that they condemn McVoy for)
$   530--Florida League of Mayor's Conference (1 attendee)

TRAVEL AND LODGING
$3,800--Annual Florida League of Cities (3 attendees)
$5,400--Annual National League of Cities (3 attendees)
$1,750--U.S. Conference of Mayors in D.C. (1 attendee)
$4,400--National League of Cities Congressional Conference  (2 attendees)
$    50--Sea Level Rise Conference (1 attendee--you know the one that they condemn McVoy for)
$   550--Florida League of Mayors Business Summit (1 attendee)
$   550--Florida League of Mayors Millenial Summit (1 attendee)
$3,000--PB County League of Cities October Meeting

The budget was $15,000 but now has been upped to $25,000 as it appears they over spent their budget in 2014.  Of course, the city manager approves of this and signs off on it. Right under $20,000 was for the vice mayor who was the President of the Palm Beach County League of Cities and a few other commissioners, to attend League of Cities business. We have had one formal report from one commissioner on his travel expense--Commissioner McVoy whose trip cost a whopping $150.00 on Sea Level Rise.  The mayor gave a brief minute from the dais to report on her trip to Washington, D.C and rubbing elbows with Lois Frankel. The rest of the meeting reports to the public by commissioners?  Forget about it.

The city commission doesn't mind spending and believe that this is for the greater good. Scott Maxwell is the past president of the Palm Beach County League of Cities and his travel costs for their events are picked up by you. We don't know the benefit to the City of Lake Worth for all of this "education." As said in previous blogs, the League of Cities teaches elected officials how to screw their constituents and the people they are supposed to serve.

Still on the 2014 horizon for the Leagues of Cities are the following:

NOVEMBER

13-14 Florida League of Cities Legislative Conference – Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport Hotel

18-22 National League of Cities Annual Congress of Cities and Exposition - Austin, TX

$25,000 is a lot of potholes.

Elected officials know better than those they represent

Comment Up

There are three citizen lawsuits against the City of West Palm Beach:  Rybovich Marina, Palm Harbor Marina and Chapel by the Sea.   Why?  Because West Palm Beach's elected officials have approved of massive  projects that developers want to build on the waterfront that will erase the skyline forever. Officials are not following their Comprehensive Plan several have charged. It is a pity that citizens have to use their resources to sue the city due to an elected mindset that only has half a mind when it believes that waterfront development and compromising principles for someone's gain is the only way a city can prosper.

Typical electeds' condescending lying political statement--(they must go to school for this--perhaps the League of Cities--Lake Worth uses this one too...the one they didn't use was anarchists wanting to hold the city back)
"Change is difficult. There are LOTS of people that would like to keep the city a sleepy little town. I appreciate that."
~ Mayor Jerry Muoio

Typical developer statement
"It will transform the Broadway corridor, just to the west, spurring a village of marine-related craftsmen that will improve the condition of the troubled and financially distressed area near Northwood."  (The city is giving him a waiver on density from 32 units an acre to 55)
~ Developer Huizenga Holdings

Networking goes a long way

Comment Up

Politicians have their own unique little club behind closed doors.  Usually it has nothing to do with even remotely caring about the will of the people--this tale is no exception.

Greenacres Mayor, Samuel J. Ferreri, has been involved in local government since 1982, and served on committees and boards prior to first being elected to the City Council in 1984. He served as Deputy Mayor from 1985 to 1988, and began serving as Mayor of the City in 1988. He has been re-elected into office since that time, most recently in March 2013.

Mayor Ferreri is very active in local government, community service and State and regional organizations. He currently serves on numerous boards including the Florida League of Cities, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, a group that wants to develop everything going, Intergovernmental Coordination Council and Issues Forum, Florida Municipal Insurance Trust, Palms West Chamber of Commerce, and Oasis Compassion Agency.

Mayor Ferreri previously served as president of the Florida League of Cities in 1997/1998, and Chairman of the Human Development Committee of the National League of Cities. He also served on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, and numerous boards of the Florida League of Cities and County organizations.

Scott Maxwell, president of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, an organization that teaches its members how to screw the people they serve, has reached out to him to stand by Lake Worth in its never ending pursuit of John Prince Park as a national baseball stadium. The residents adjacent to the park, all in Scott Maxwell's District, would like Maxwell to reach out to them.

League of Cities Legislative Action - more commissioner travel Days

Comment Up

Scott Maxwell was absent from the city commission meeting last night--more traveling for League of Cities business paid by the City of Lake Worth.


SCOTT MAXWELL

$1,045.00

Florida League of Cities Legislative Action Days-Tallahassee—Apr 1/Apr 2

Legislative Action Days

Event Location		Tallahassee
Start Date		4/01/2014 08:30 AM
End Date		4/02/2014 05:00 PM

Commission travel in Lake Worth out of control

Comment Up

Travel costs to the city of Lake Worth since January 20, 2014

PAM TRIOLO

$1813.84

US Conference of Mayors –Washington D.C.—Jan 21/Jan25

SCOTT MAXWELL

$1,575.72

Florida League of Cities Federal Action—Washington D.C.—Feb 10/Feb13

ANDY AMOROSO

$3,641.00

National League of Cities Conference—Washington D.C.—Mar 7/Mar 13

SCOTT MAXWELL

$2,535.00

National League of Cities Conference—Washington D.C.—Mar 7/Mar 13

SCOTT MAXWELL

$1,045.00

Florida League of Cities Legislative Action Days-Tallahassee—Apr 1/Apr 2

Commission Travel and Training budget

The new Budget began on October 1, 2013. Your representatives keep spending your money and now, they are over their budget of $15,000 a year for travel. They already spent over $6,000 in November going to Seattle for the League of Cities.  It makes you wonder for whom this benefits.  We are only 4-1/2 months into this budget year and they already have spent it all. The above travel totals $10,610.56 and none of them have given a report--they all feel entitled with their excuses that it really is for the greater good. But we haven't been told what that is.

Dinner for two at $88.17 not including $17 tip

 City Manager Michael Bornstein's credit card.
A typical dinner here is anywhere from $16 to $26
 and $10 for a glass of wine according to PJ Clarke's.

PJ Clarke's DC is located just down the street from the White House and is known for its vibrant mix of locals and politicos. It opened in 2010.

League of Cities Annual Conference

Comment Up

Our favorite national travelers are at it again. Andy Amoroso is in Washington, D.C. at the annual League of Cities conference.  Afterall, he is the Vice President of the Gay and Lesbian group of the League of Cities. Guess who else is there?  Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, president of the Palm Beach County League. These guys were just out in Seattle in November at the League of Cities national convention.. We would like to hear about the benefit to Lake Worth. We can't fill a pothole to last but spending money on conventions has become the norm as well as telling residents it's none of our business.

Can we take care of our local problems first, commissioners?

• Date: March 8, 2014 - March 12, 2014
• Location: Marriott Wardman Park, Washington, D.C.
• Category: Annual Conference

Overview

The Congressional City Conference brings together more than 2,000 elected and appointed city leaders to focus on the federal policy issues that are important to local governments. Your partnership with the National League of Cities ensures the nation's cities a seat at the decision-making table with members of Congress, the White House, and federal agencies looking for solutions to addressing the nation's most pressing challenges. Additionally, you'll learn about the federal programs, funding opportunities and resources available to implement the most innovative practices at the local level.