Lake Worth to discuss Charter Amendment Initiative on Saturday

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Options for Commission consideration:

• Approve the ordinance on second reading;

• Approve the ordinance on second reading after noon on August 10th but during the 60-day consideration period will result in a special election between 90 and 180 days of the approval date

• Deny the ordinance during the 60-day consideration period will result in a special election held between 90 and 180 days of the denial date.

• Take no action within the 60-day consideration period will result in a special election held between 90 and 180 days from the 60-day consideration period ending.

MOTION:
I move to approve/disapprove Ordinance No. 2012-30 on first reading

Follow the Money

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Sometimes it is good to follow the  money.

Kavasutra Inc. is a Florida for profit corporation based in West Palm Beach. They registered with the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations on Sep 22, 2008.

Dylan Harrison, the guy who was just arrested by the DEA for selling and manufacturing synthetic substances and is co-owner of the Kavasutra in Lake Worth, could be sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. He also contributed to Commissioner Amoroso's campaign 2011 for t-shirts. Value was $441.42. I know of one citizen who warned Amoroso about Harrison saying it would not be wise to accept any contribution from him but Commissioner Amoroso ignored his advice.

Go to Amoroso's Q2 Treasury Report.

Also, several downtown businesses knew of Dylan's exploits and business dealings so it would be unusual if Amoroso did not know as he is a shop owner and was in charge of the Downtown. He is the one to turn to when you need any information as to what's happening in downtown Lake Worth. He is the guy "in the know."

And just to bring it up, as no one made any complaint last year about insufficiently filled out Treasury Reports, the information on these reports needs to be complete along with addresses (no post office boxes) and profession for anyone contributing over $100 in value.

Sometimes, if you follow the money, it makes it easier to understand a candidate.

Romney versus Obama

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Small towns; Small hotels

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Casa Madrona in Sausalito, California

The city charter gives the commission 60 days to adopt an ordinance after a sufficient number of verified signatures of city voters have been gathered in support of a ballot question. The commission could wait and bypass the Nov. 6 election, but that would trigger a special election that would cost city taxpayers about $30,000.  Read more...

Besides the usual arguments and/or exagerations from those seeking development at the expense of our low rise city and for our favorite planner saying the only way to build is "UP" as he knows the rest of the city is built-out, the argument now is that we all have stopped the development of any hotel in Lake Worth. This argument, along with all the rest hurled at us, won't wash.

The residents said, and in no uncertain terms, they did  not want the downtown landscape to change.  We agree that some development is a very good thing. We have an entire Park of Commerce that cries "develop." This is where we will make our money. We have the Dixie Corridors.

To extend the present Gulfstream Hotel property by building adjacent to the present historic structure,  is an option and a good one. We look forward to a buyer who will do just that.

Many cities across the U.S. and the world at large preserve their small town feel. 

91 rooms, 14 suites -- A country inn adjacent to the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area

 and the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club.

The only obstacle in Lake Worth are elected officials who are "sell-outs" and who will not recognize the value of staying a low-rise city and who are convinced by special interest friends that we need to grow vertically for the tax base.

First Quarter Moon

Respectful Planning PAC petitions OK

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Supervisor of Elections

Certifies Petitions

Height restrictions for our downtown will be on the ballot.

Local Kava Bar owner gets Busted

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Three Palm Beach County men are facing federal charges for allegedly distributing the controversial substance known by names such as “Mr. Nice Guy” out of several stores in Palm Beach County.

Dylan Harrison, John Shealy and Michael Bryant have been investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement administration since March 2010, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Tuesday.

Harrison had his first court appearance on Wednesday, and is set to be arraigned Aug. 8. It is not clear from federal documents when Shealy and Bryant will have their initial court appearance. Read more...

Kavasutra’s voice mail message sums up kava fairly succintly:
“Kava is a beverage made from the root of the kava plant, harvested from various Pacific islands, perfect for relaxation, conversation, insomnia, muscle relaxation or just getting bombed. There’s no age restrictions on kava, and kava never shows on a drug test or breathalyzer.”
“Business has been good,” said Dylan Harrison, co-owner of the Kavasutra in Lake Worth. He said he is also eyeing expansion elsewhere in the county, but declined to say where" Source: PBPost May 11, 2010.

Past mug shot of Dylan Jessee Harrison

for a concealed weapon without a permit.

I will always remember this man when he came into Michelle Bell's store, 531 East, a few years ago and bragged about this stuff. I couldn't believe my ears!

The Lake Worth Pool

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It has been reported that the pool is damaged. Morganti, the casino contractor, says, "It's not I. I had nothing to do with any damage and I've got a video of the pool before and after the casino construction...don't pin that on me." The city is trying to come up with ways to keep our pool permanently closed and so far we don't know the extent of the damage or the cost to repair. City Manager Bornstein is mum.

When asked about it, the city manager said, "The first step is to find out what's wrong with the pool from a structural standpoint.  Operationally, while I am skeptical it can pay for a significant portion of its costs, I am always open to new ideas and options."

Mr. Bornstein, not everything we have has to pay for itself.   That's why people pay taxes. That's why cities provide services and amenities. Does any park we have pay for itself?  Does the gym?  Do some of our city buildings being leased out for a song pay for themselves?

This is what it looked like on Monday--a little bit dirty and messed up with some construction debris on the pavers. Other than that, it looks good!

Morganti said it was using our pool as one of its staging areas.

One half million into repairs and improvements

not to mention the $200,000 to Cory O'Gorman, the
project manager

and our pool has a problem now?

Let's start using some imagination and get our pool operational and stop dumping costs for the beach over into the pool account. Kids use this pool. Grannies use it for water exercises. The SEALS use it for training.  We could grab national meets from Wellington. Who wouldn't want to be at a Meet on the Atlantic Ocean?

DEA raids synthetic marijuana center

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Nationwide crack-down by the DEA on synthetic drugs. Many arrested in Palm Beach County and it has been highly suggested that it might affect people in Lake Worth who sell synthetic marijuana who have a business on Lake Avenue.

Read more...

Tonight's Sun

  Something a politician can't ruin--a beautiful setting sun.

Message from Lake Worth City Manager Bornstein on petitions

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From: Michael Bornstein
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 4:56 PM
To: Andy Amoroso; Christopher McVoy; Pam Triolo; Scott Maxwell; Suzanne Mulvehill Cc: Elaine Humphreys; Pamela Lopez
Subject: Saturday Meeting - Ballot Issue

The Ballot Issue is currently scheduled to be heard on first reading this Saturday after the interviews and selection of the interim law firms. Additionally, the 2nd Reading of the Ordinance will be advertised for the August 7th Regular Commission Meeting. Setting the agenda and advertising this way allows for the complete range of possible Commission actions including meeting the Supervisor of Elections deadline or consideration of a longer process as allowed by the Charter.

Facts:

• Once the petition is certified by the Supervisor of Elections, it will go on the ballot.

• The language cannot be changed

• Names cannot be removed from the petition once submitted to the Supervisor of Elections 

Issue:

1) Does the Commission want to meet the Supervisor of Elections August 10th Deadline in order to have question on the November General Election ballot, or,
2) Does the Commission want to follow the timeline in the Charter and have a Special Election at another date, including the March 12th municipal election date?

Staff has worked diligently to provide a legally correct and flexible process to allow the policy board the latitude necessary to make decisions and provide direction. If you need further clarification or information please let me know.

Let America be America Again

This is one of the better political advertisements for 2012 Election.

The Petitions after Certification

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Why this city is in a mess--

Michael Bornstein, who knows with whom to play ball, has just stated the following regarding the petitions:

Two policy issues have been presented to me.  1)  the cost associated with having a special ballot if the issue is not in November, and, 2)  the support to move elections to March should be reflected in having this ballot question go a March election cycle as well.

Number 2 is really a dumb idea. What if the electorate vote March elections down. When they are certified, there is no reason to delay this other than a stall tactic by this majority commission that has   already said they don't give a hot damn what the people want. They got our vote but won't give us the right to vote on heights in our downtown.

With the upcoming fall election, the Supervisor of Elections has set a deadline of August 10 in order to get it on the November ballot. The Commission would have to act on the ballot Ordinance with a first reading and second reading/adoption prior to the deadline. There is a state requirement that the second reading/adoption meeting must be advertised no less than 10 days prior to the meeting.

Will the "visionary" gamble on this, still fight the citizens and continue to play games? If the required number of signatures is met and certified by the Supervisor of Elections office, then this item should  be placed on this Saturday's agenda post-haste.

Lake Worth beach redevelopment

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Yup--I'm going to be bitching about this for a very long time. It is an unbelievable mess right now but to even imagine that 162 spaces in our upper level parking area are GONE, is unimaginable.

People do go to the beach to GO TO THE BEACH...not to play on the grass and they want convenient parking. Greg Rice, saying he would have no problem walking up the dune, is one of the few exceptions. Just imagine thousands of people trampling on the grass and what it will look like a short time down the road.The City and its elected officials can screw the resident with the belief that eventually we can get used to just about anything--think Lucerne.

1/3rd the spaces at the top--higher cost--close the pool on some ridiculous reason--but the Atlantic Ocean is still free to swim. Now we're going to have people driving through a parking lot at the upper level with cars backing out onto them on both sides. Give that architect the Genius of the Day award.

Our beach property should have gone to a vote of the people.

Thanks Cara. Thanks Rene.

Money was burning in their pocket.

But even when issues go before the electorate, not everything is the will of the voter--not when you get new administrations and elected officials in place who have no idea of our history and/or don't care. SWAT did a referendum in 2005. It went to the ballot and won approximately 60/40 to save the Old Bridge property and dedicate this land as a city park. The city never spent one dime to improve this asset. They wanted to sell it to a developer for a highrise condo.

Now the city wants to turn over Old Bridge Park to the merchant's employees at the Casino so that they can park their cars and charge them $40 a month for each merchant vehicle with a special decal. Staff must have confused the word "park with "parking" lot.  Fishermen (the public and among those we petitioned for) get 5 spaces. Residents with decal stickers get 55 spaces down near A1A. The worst part of this deal is that Palm Beach County has control over our beach for thirty (30 years) even though we have been paying on this Recreational Bond since it was voted in. It's our money but taxpayers of Lake Worth have ALL of the costs.

Unless you have an all terrain vehicle or precision 4-wheel drive, don't venture to the upper level for awhile...hazardous to your wheels and very possibly, your frame of mind.

Senator Louise Lucas--WHAT A DOPE

How do we ever elect people like Senator Louise Lucas of Virginia. 

Read more... about this "racist."

Just when you get to thinking you've come a long way baby, someone like Louise pops up to play the race card. What a dope.

Wasting Away

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We are constantly talking about high electric and water bills. Here is one reason--waste-- located near the front of the new Casino. Where is our maintenance crew?

Miami is in a pickle

A 2½-year investigation by federal authorities has concluded that the city of Miami misled investors about the city's financial health as it sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of bonds dating back to 2007. Read more...

This is why we keep harping on transparency in government. This is why we don't understand why the vice mayor could not negotiate with Robert Marksmeier, the appointee for Lake Worth internal auditor, an extremely highly qualified individual or why the negotiating process took over two months and ended up in a dead zone.

From now on, the commission needs to have a skilled negotiator when it comes to contracts.

Quote of the Day - Charlie Crist

"If we don't speak out against these abuses, we may soon learn the hard way the danger of that double standard." He further stated that "meddling with voters rights is meddling with democracy.


~ Charlie Crist

In today's Palm Beach post there is an editorial by Florida's 44th governor, Charlie Crist, entitled Florida in danger of purging democracy. I felt that this op-ed piece fit in nicely with Respectful Planning Pac's objective--to allow the residents of the great city of Lake Worth to vote on heights in our downtown.

The Pac's objective is so simple and as Charlie would say, meddling with voting rights is "a line we should not cross." Our Commission "visionary" team of Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso did the unthinkable--they trampled on our freedom and our right of free speech. And even when they had the chance to place the referendum language on the ballot, they gave a resounding "no" full of disrespectful and abusive epithets hurled at the petitioners.

We don't have Kings and Queens in this country and we sure don't want them in Lake Worth.

Fire victims get help from a lot of Lake Worth Heroes

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Mark Parrilla was recently in the news for offering help, as so many others have, to the couple who lost their home in a fire. He, along with others from our city are all Lake Worth Heroes donating time, money and staples to Paul and Carol Allen of Hypoluxo.  Lake Worthians are reaching out beyond our borders. Mark sent out his accounting to all the local blogs but in order to avoid redundancy, please read Wes Blackman's blog for Mark's rendition on the volunteers who have been giving so much.

The Allens lost everything in this home fire. One thing was their prosthetic devices. Barbara Jean Weber went into action and contacted Dr. Manoj Patel who had advertised in Milton's Magazine, and he said "yes."

Mark says, "I hope you share the news of these blessings that are a direct result and answer to prayers and reaching out to neighbors in Lake Worth. We live in an AMAZING CITY! I am so PROUD THAT LAKE WORTH IS OUR HOME!"

Article of July 17

Article of July 18

Article of July 15

Manoj Patel D.D.S.

Another Hero

Respectful Planning PAC's Chair on News tonight

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Laurel Decker, Chairman of Respectful Planning PAC, to be on Channel 25 News tonight 5pm and 6pm. Tune in to listen to the interview.

All petitions are now in the hands of the Supervisor of Elections and the count should be finished by the end of this week. We will know if we have the required number or if we need to go out and get a few more.