Homelessness=Criminal?
#9 Public Hearing and Second Reading of Ordinance No. 4919-20 amending the City’s Code of Ordinances to prohibit certain conduct that threaten the aesthetic beauty and public health and safety in the Cities Downtown and Northwood Area.
Mayor Keith James and Commissioner Lambert ran for office with the promise of working on the homeless problem which is estimated at 400 people. 4919-20 is James solution and residents witnessed his frustration while attempting to bully the commissioners into approving the Ordinance.
James started by stating “This ordinance is not a criminalization of homelessness,” and repeated his statement several times. The Ordinance carries a penalty of a $500.00 fine or 60 days in jail. Not one commissioner asked the question does the city impose fines and jail people who are not criminals?
Channel 5 had their cameras in chambers and their story can be read below I will include a few excerpts and my response in Italics. “But the debate over camping/sleeping in public areas began to weigh on commissioners Cory Neering and Joseph Peduzzi. Both questioned whether it was the smart thing to include in the ordinance to Mayor James’ frustration.” Two commissioners who used common sense, but in my opinion should have tabled the item until a later date when they could have investigated the matter further.
“I think you should specify what it is you are trying to work on,” James said.” When James wants to make change he tells staff to “make it happen” and if they want to keep their job they will say and do what is necessary to insure a yes vote from City Commissioners. Staff stands before the commission and make their presentation’s and spin their tale, and this is the only time commissioners can ask questions of them. If a commissioner has a question on a particular item 3 days before the meeting they are NOT allowed to ask the question and possibly investigate staff’s answer.
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/west-palm-beach/west-palm-beach-restricting-homeless-activity-downtown
The PB Post wrote a story on Ordinance No. 4919-20 and can be read below and I want to bring to readers attention The Lords Place who has worked tirelessly for more than three decades and have devoted themselves to the Homeless population. My comments in italics.
“The homeless are people who are choosing the streets because that’s all they know, or all they have,” Diana Stanley, CEO of The Lord’s Place told the commission. Her organization had a contract with the city to provide outreach to the city’s homeless until it was terminated a month ago.” The city terminated the contract and cant be bothered with the homeless except to hide or move them from sight due to their aesthetics not blending in with the mayors definition. Definition of aesthetics “a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty” So why did James not renew the contract with The Lords Place? https://thelordsplace.org/
I agree urinating and defecting in public is 100% wrong but where are the homeless to go? I know city parks have restrooms and a friend helped me locate a few public parks with facilities. Here are pictures of 3 such parks, each one locked 24/7.
Now this is criminal restroom in Drayer Park!
Restroom in Phipps Park: Can’t even get a drink of water, never mind using the facilities.
Gaines Park: Witnessed a group of young men playing basketball, and asked them what they did when they had to use the facilities. One young man said restroom is never open. I asked him “what do you do?” His answer: Lady don’t ask. I smiled and left them to their game. Gaines Park is near The Lords Place, and homeless can be seen waiting for their lunch, probable their only meal of the day.
If anyone should understand homelessness it should be Mayor Keith A. James. He has had 3 foreclosures, case # 19970211085, 20130486593 and 20150106271. Multiple tax liens, to many to list, and had his City Commission paycheck garnished case # 20180394843. Readers can verify this with the PBC Clerk of Courts, and this is the man elected to run the City Of WPB.
https://www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/records/court-records
In closing I must ask where was Commissioner Lambert during this very important meeting and vote?
We sat and listened to City Clerk Carson read into the record residents who wanted their views known and there were approximately 25 cards, and I didn’t hear one that asked the commissioners to pass the Ordinance. The entire time the statements were read Commissioner Fox looked down, and I thought she may be texting, in fact I’d put $$ on it. Commissioner Fox, very disrespectful to Ms. Carson, other commissioners the audience and the opinion of the people who submitted their cards and If I didn’t know better I would believe your mind was made up on how you would vote.
The end.
One Failure After Another
For the record I believe City Administrator Faye Johnson is doing the best job she can while answering to Mayor Keith James who lives by the motto “my way or the highway” and “get it done”. When she accepted the position as City Administrator is this how she pictured her position or does she have any regrets?
Aug. 2019 Joined the city of WPB as Assistant City Administrator.
Oct. 2019 Promoted to Interim City Administrator.
Jan. 2020 Promoted to City Administrator.
The City Charter calls for the City Administrator to live within the city limits.
Faye Johnson lives in unincorporated PB County, and she has the responsibility of leading the talks between the WPB Fire Dept.(IAFF) and the WPB Police Dept. (formally PBA now represented by Fraternity Order of Police (FOP) and as of today no agreement has been reached with either first responders.
City claims money is tight and cuts must be made which will start with city employees either furloughed or laid off. If employees either resigned or retired we were told positions would not be filled meaning employees had their responsibility plus the extra work of their missing co-worker. If an employee was represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) they were given a 3% raise. Not a union member, no raise.
At the commission meeting held 11/30/2020 item # 9 passed unanimously. Here it is:
Resolution no. 350-20 (F) authorizes the creation of three (3) full time equivalent (F.T.E.) positions and personnel detail within the 309 Series 2020 General Obligations Bond Fund to support the completion of Park Bonds projects: and
Resolution No. 351-20 (F) reallocates budget appropriations and within Fund 309 from professional services to Salaries and Benefits to fund the positions. That is how the 2 resolutions reads. Here is what it means: Mayor Keith James decided to hire three (3) people and pay them a salary of $875,000.00 over three (3) years.
How did previous Mayors handle the Park Bond without the positions listed above? They can’t find the money for first responders but can find close to a million dollars for 3 new positions.
Mayor James found $9,045,086.50 for a five (5) year contract for his good pal Willie Perez from PSC Security Company. PSC received the raise so no more money left for our first responders.
Ms. Johnson depends on the Palm Beach County Firefighters and Sheriff’s Dept. to protect her life and property, and if she lived within city limits she may view the talks differently.
If she lived on No. Flagler she would understand the problems the area has with severe flooding for the past 20 years.
If she lived on So. Dixie Hwy. she would have a better understand of the residents concern on what is developed on 8111 So. Dixie. At one city commission meeting James made the statement the land belongs to all WPB residents, not just the southend and I agree with him, but he should be aware whatever is constructed will not effect me and the area where I reside but will effect the southend residents.
If she lived in my area she may better understand our concern of the traffic situation around 45Th.St. and Village Boulevard with the new construction of over 300 apt’s. on Village Blvd. and 374 on 45th St. along with a 150 room hotel. Development will not effect 8111 or No. Flagler flooding, but will indeed impact residents in my area.
Below is the article written by PB Post Joel Engelhardt and I have included it for readers. Below is a sampling of the article. Read who was the City Attorney, and what politician wanted Grand Jury testimony silenced. The city put the residents of Waterview Towers through hell for years. FYI “staff recommended approval.”
“WEST PALM BEACH — Sometime in the distant past, the city made a mistake, a simple unforeseen slip in a complex series of agreements. The city made money off that mistake. Now, the city could be forced to pay millions.
A still-unfinished proposal floated a year ago to resolve all the issues surrounding the Palm Harbor Marina and its adjoining condo tower on Flagler Drive calls for the city to pay the condo owners $2.5 million to buy the rights to a sidewalk the city already owns.”