PB Post Gave Up To Easy
Posted by Sandy on June 6, 2021 · Leave a Comment
The Palm Beach Post wrote an editorial questioning why Mayor Keith James took so long to notify the public of the water contaminated by Blue/Green Algae and a health hazard to seniors, children and people with health issues, and finally don’t give city water to your pets. My comments in Italic.
Mayor James was upset with the editorial and notified the Post who printed a correction on 6/5/2021, and can be read below at the end of the story.
May 5, 2021 Blue/Green algae first appeared. 2nd Sample taken and algae disappeared.
May 17, 2021 Blue/Green algae appears again.
The time line was reported by WPTV (Chanel 5) and the entire story can be read below.
May 19, 2021 Results came back high.
May 24, 25, 26, 2021 The City wanted to make sure this was not an anomaly, so it tested again.
The City wanted to test for 3 consecutive days and based on the outside lab schedule the samples were collected on May 24, 25, and 26, 2021. 5/19/21 results came back “high” and nothing more was done until May 24. That’s 5 days! If not James who made the decision to test the water 3 days in a row?
May 27, 2021 Results were formally received at approximately 5 pm.
May 28, 2021 The city contacted the Florida Department of Health to inform them and begin the process of public notification. The city’s notification required approval from the Florida Department of Health which was received late Friday night.
Here are the players:
#1 Mayor Keith James
#2 City Administrator Faye Johnson
#3 Public Utilities Poonam Kalkat
#4 Penelope Redford Division of Public Utilities, Office of Sustainability.
Office of Sustainability | West Palm Beach, FL
Taken from the WPB Website:
“Public Utilities Billing & Payments; Report Damage by an Outside Utility Contractor; Backflow Prevention and Cross Connection; Water Quality Reports; Fats, Oils and Grease; Our Watershed; UV System and Water Plant; Grassy Waters Preserve; Customer Water Portal; Public Works. Sanitation; Pickup Schedule; Street Maintenance & Lighting; Request for Service; Sustainability.”
We have all heard Keith James and Poonam Kalkat on the water situation, why haven’t we heard from Ms. Redford who reports to Ms. Kalkat, who reports to Ms. Johnson, who reports to Mr. James.
The PB Post wrote an editorial on the contamination on the City’s water supply which obviously upset James and the Post issued a correction on 6/5/2021 apologizing to James and readers for the error. The Post also states:
“The Post cannot disprove the mayor’s explanation and has removed the editorial from it’s website”
If the Post placed a PRR (Public Records Request) for all emails, and especially text messages between James, Johnson, Kalkat and include Redford from May 5 through May 28,2021 that should show when James first knew about the water contamination. Taxpayer’s pay for their phones, so it makes it public record and I wouldn’t trust City officials to provide the information but would trust the report from the phone carrier.
I don’t believe the Post owe it’s readers an apology for the editorial, but do believe an apology is due for endorsing him for Mayor of WPB. Editorial Staff learn from your mistakes, and common sense dictates when James realizing the City Commissioner’s were upset concerning the way they learned of the situation, he publicly apologized to them saying “we need to do better” The Commissioners want a work shop on improving communication. Double click to enlarge “Correction”
In closing does anyone believe James didn’t know we had contaminated water until May 28. I don’t, and his lying miscommunication is what has me upset. Everyone dropped the ball but him. He thanked the PBC Sheriff office for lending WPB their plane to fly the water sample to Tallahassee. The WPB Police have a helicopter, and depending on the fuel tank, a helicopter can travel 955 mi.and it’s 832 mi. round trip.
The end.