Sunset Lounge CRA Meeting 7/25/2022
There are 2 item’s for discussion: (1) Sunset Lounge Operations & (2) 314 Clematis St; ended the meeting.The entire meeting ran for 1:07:57, and it’s included at the end of the story. Please take the time to listen to nearly 50 min. of conversation on the Sunset Lounge. Listen to the Mayor push his agenda, and the 2 Commissioners (Fox & Warren) who refused to be pushed and stood strong. Commissioners Lambert & Ward joined James, and made the vote 3 -2 to move forward with MadMen.
Commissioner Peduzzi was absent from this important discussion.
6/27/2022 CRA Meeting Discussion on Sunset Lounge. The vote on which company would receive the contract. Commissioners Fox, Lambert, Ward and Warren voted for Vita LLC, a local company owned and operated by African Americans. James and Peduzzi voted for MadMen LLC from Miami.
7/12/2022 Local group disqualified from operating Sunset Lounge for violating rules, city says. 15 days after Commissioners approved Vita LLC James found a way to disqualify them.
7/25/2022 28 days to overturn the vote. 13 days later, back before the Commissioners
What this meeting was all about is James wanting the Commission to vote to move forward with MadMen, and I honestly never saw the man push so hard to make his point, or Commissioners find it tough to stand their ground.
If you are inclined to listen to the meeting Commissioners asked questions and again Commissioner Warren had a problem with residents in attendance not being able to comment. James assured her when it was brought back before the Commission for a vote to approve a contract with MadMen that is when residents have 3 minutes to comment and share their thoughts. And I assure Commissioners and residents if it is brought back for a vote and 5,000 African Americans showed up to speak it would be to late. At this point it’s a done deal, and MadMen have the contract.
As predicted, Vita LLC has filed a lawsuit against the City of WPB, and Channel 25 (WPBF) who realized the importance of the Sunset Lounge, had their camera rolling at the meeting. Investigative Reporter, Terri Parker reported the story and below are excerpts. The entire story can be read below.
“Vita Lounge LLC files lawsuit against West Palm Beach for disqualifying it from running historic Sunset Lounge
Vita Lounge LLC, a local company that was abruptly disqualified from running the newly renovated Sunset Lounge after winning the bid, has filed a lawsuit against the city of West Palm Beach.
Vita Lounge LLC says it was improperly removed from the agreement to run the historic Black jazz club and is also preparing an emergency injunction asking a judge to stop any negotiations with other companies.
Meanwhile, in a special Community Redevelopment Agency meeting, commissioners decided to move forward with negotiations with the runner-up — Mad Room Hospitality, a Miami company that some local residents from the largely Black northwest community don’t want.”
There is hope the court’s involvement will bring some justice to the African American community.
Sunset Lounge is located in the Historic Northwest section of the city, and this is important as readers will be made aware of at the end of the story.
The Sunset Lounge was owned and operated by African Americans, a place of their own in which they had a great amount of pride and still do. The more I research, the more I learn. Let me share.
Thelma Starks, who died in 2018, often shared memories of the Lounge with the media. “My husband always insisted you dress properly at the Sunset,” she told a reporter, in 2002. “You didn’t come in looking like you were going to a picnic. He wanted you to come in with a coat on, a tie on and no hat. …When Louis Armstrong performed, more whites than anyone else turned out to attend. Everyone dressed up to go there. It was so glamorous.” With its 16-foot-high ceilings, polished wood walls and red drapes, the Sunset sought to rival whites-only ballrooms in its scale and elegance. Its sense of propriety extended to guests’ behavior. As longtime patron Emmett Cooper recalled to the Palm Beach Post in 1990, “There were certain things you just did not do at the Sunset, like swearing or using profane language and things like that.” Click picture to enlarge,
The picture is a list of upcoming weekly meetings being held in the City. BKJ (Before Keith James) the list was automatically sent to residents who signed up to receive them and made it easy to mark your calendar if you wanted to attend. If a meeting was cancelled you also received notice. I draw your attention to the only meeting dated for today 7/28/2022 @ 5:30PM. “Education Advisory Committee” Click to enlarge picture.
While I was looking for information on the City website I ran across this notice listed under ‘Events” July 28 Historic Northwest Community Meeting 6:00PM It has the word “Meeting” in the title, so why is not listed in the weekly meetings, afraid the black community would attend? Another event noticed for Aug.4,2022 “National Black Business Month Community Mixer” Is there no end to the City’s hypocrisy? Click to enlarge picture.
Chanel 25 (WPBF) Terri Parker Story https://www.wpbf.com/article/vita-lounge-llc-lawsuit-against-west-palm-beach-disqualifiying-historic-sunset-lounge/40711215
CRA meeting held 7/25/2022 can be seen & heard below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEG39fp1EPA
The end?
Need Abuse-Visit City Hall
Update 7/27/2022 @ 11:42AM
The next story was intended to inform WPB Watch readers on the CRA meeting held July 25,2022 @ 3:00PM, which I attended, and was off to a bad start soon after I entered City Hall.
I walked into City Hall, went through security to attend the CRA meeting and the discussion on the Sunset Lounge.
For those of you that are not familiar with City Hall let me set the stage.
After entering the building, City Commission Chambers are located at the first right. Walk a few feet down the corridor and you will notice a table where the agenda’s are laid out, and residents pick one up, and if they park in the city garage a machine will validate their parking ticket.
The second door on the right you will find the City Clerks office where they are responsible for distributing the agenda’s. When a larger than usual crowd attend a meeting they may run out of agendas, which they did.
I walked back and started for the clerks office to inform them and ask for the agenda when I heard screaming. I stopped and someone was screaming at the front door. There were a few people standing around, couldn’t see any fighting so I continued into the office. Next thing I know a PSC guard is standing next to me yelling I was supposed to be at the meeting, not the clerks office. Told him I was there for an agenda. The clerk was in the process of printing up more when the guard approached him and demanded he not assist me.
He came back to me and started yelling again which I didn’t hear half of what he said due to the mask he was wearing but decided to ignore him. He left and next thing I know there is a WPB cop standing next to me asking what was going on. I explained to him what had occurred when the clerk walked up and handed me an agenda, left the room to place the others on the table.
So when the PSC storm trooper guard couldn’t stand being ignored or stop the clerk from doing his job, he ran and got a real cop who listened to my explanation and handled the situation easily. No problem.
I learned the guards name is Brandon, from another employee, after he refused to give me his name, stating it “wasn’t my concern” a tall man of color, and built like he could put a bull down and sporting a beard under the mask. He should not be assigned to city hall. He has no idea how to interact with residents and I learned it was me he was yelling at from the front door. Not professional. There are cameras all over and his actions should be investigated. Brandon may be more suited for a city park where he could bully and intimidate the homeless.
Story on the CRA meeting will be posted later today or tomorrow.
The end!
Sunset Lounge
Updated 7/23/2022
Mayor James and the 5 City Commissioners oversee the CRA, and it’s similar to the City Commission with Administration (James & Johnson) directing staff to sell a particular project to insure the Commissioners make the right decision, many times not being told the entire story, or what could possibly go wrong.
Where administration run into trouble is when companies make a presentation in order to be selected for a project for example the Sunset Lounge.
Channel’s 5 (WPTV) and 25 (WPBF) have both reported on this very important issue. Much of what you are about to read are excerpts from media stories, and the story links can be found below.
Let’s begin with a little history.
“The Sunset Lounge was one of the premier African American entertainment venues in the South during the 1940s and 1950s and featured such notable artists as Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Ike and Tina Turner, Nat King Cole, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and James Brown to mention a few African American entertainers who appeared.”
“Often dubbed as the “Cotton Club of the South,” the Sunset Lounge is a historic music and entertainment venue located in the Historic Northwest District in the city of West Palm Beach, FL.”
“I have been in West Palm Beach since 1962, and that was the only place that persons of my ethnicity were allowed,” recalls Ike Robinson, former city commissioner of West Palm Beach. “We couldn’t go to the Breakers. We couldn’t go to Bradley’s. We couldn’t go to the Everglades Club. A lot of people think the Sunset was the entertainment mecca, and it was,” Robinson adds. “But I think the Sunset was the cultural equator. The Sunset provided for the community to come together, intermingle, socialize and learn. I’m talking about the bougies, the potentates, the workingman, the people who serve the people in Palm Beach.” Mr. Robinson’s quote can be found below in the bocamag and I encourage readers to read the entire piece. Readers now have an idea of how important the Sunset Lounge was, and still is to the African American Community.
City (Procurement) issues RFP (Request for Proposals) F/ Sunset Lounge
Two companies responded, Mad Room Hospitality and Vita LLC, made their presentation at the CRA meeting on 6/27/2022, and the City did not allow enough time for both presentations, questions and answers. The regular City Commission meeting on 6/27/2022 started at 5:00PM and Commissioner Lambert asked for the CRA meeting to continue immediately following the City Commission meeting. Both CRA meeting are included with the story, and I ask readers to view:
CRA Meeting 6/27/2022 Discussion on Sunset Lounge Part 1
Commission Chambers where the majority of residents were African Americans. After the meeting progressed and the camera panned out many more African Americans can be seen in the back of the room. If you want to see/hear James condescending and demeaning remarks please listen from time frame 6:15 to 12:26. 6 min & 11 sec. of trash talk and don’t let his facial expressions go unnoticed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBkN7lEwlUk
The City Commission Meeting ran for 2:50:27 and when Commissioners returned to the CRA meeting much of the audience had left.
CRA Meeting 6/27/2022 Discussion on Sunset Lounge Part 2
Part 2 contains questions and answers and the vote on which company would receive the contract. Commissioners Fox, Lambert, Ward and Warren voted for Vita LLC.
Mayor James and Commissioner Peduzzi voted for Mad Room Hospitality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecu0PkVn_BA
Who are these two companies?
Mad Room Hospitality operates in the heart of Miami’s most vibrant and cultural neighborhood, Little Havana, and appears to have filed a $27.9 million dollar lawsuit against the City of Miami in 2021
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/florida/flsdce/1:2021cv23485/600932
Vita Lounge LLC Is a locally owned and operated minority company, and I searched the web for lawsuits and any disparaging news and found none.
Congratulations to Vita LLC and the 4 Commissioners who voted to award them the contract.
Not the end!
Channel 25 Terri Parker reports:
West Palm Beach cancels agreement with local company to run historic Sunset Lounge
“Just two weeks after Vita Lounge LLC won the bid to operate the historic Sunset Lounge in West Palm Beach’s largely Black northwest neighborhood, their agreement has been abruptly canceled.”
In a statement to WPBF 25 News, the city writes:
”Vita Lounge LLC blatantly violated the anti-lobbying provisions of the RFP (request for proposal)”
“According to a city procurement investigator, before the vote, Vita supporters posted an appeal on Facebook and sent emails to residents, asking them to email the city recommending they choose the locally based Black-run company rather than the competing company from Miami.”
“Send emails asap to [email protected]. Let’s get them across the finish line and keep the sunset in our community where it belongs.”
“Not everyone was convinced – Commissioner Joe Peduzzi and Mayor Keith James voted for the other company.”
“The last thing I want is to be here two, three years from now with somebody saying we just can’t do it,” James said. Is James saying a local black company isn’t capable of successfully fulfilling their contract? Is he dooming them without giving them a chance? What’s wrong with residents emailing their Commissioners?
Recently Posted on the city website:
“Bids List Important: Contact by a Bidder (or anyone representing a Bidder) regarding any active or pending solicitation with the Mayor, any City Commissioner, officer, or City employee other than an employee of the West Palm Beach Procurement Division is grounds for disqualification.”
I wondered how James would get around to eliminating Vita from competition, and here you have it.
This reminds me of a story I wrote for WPB Watch in Nov. 2021 Let’s review.
Tent Site:
The Tent Site is a piece of city owned property that has been dormant and a terrible eye sore for 24 years, until the Cohen Brothers has a vision to build “West Palm Point”
8/17/2020 City commissioners, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board, voted unanimously for the West Palm Point project to rise on the 2.4 acre property at the corner of Okeechobee Boulevard and South Dixie Highway.
8/17/2021 Planning Board recommended approval.
In my opinion Administration did not want Developer Charles Cohen anywhere near this property and did everything possible to discourage them.
City Commission Meeting held to discuss Tent site:
Commission President Peduzzi heads the meeting due to James absence. It’s the end of the meeting and Commissioner Peduzzi asks the City Clerk if there are any comments emailed to the City. Well, yes there are. In fact there are 77 comments to be read. Due to the amount the Clerk is advised to just read the names and addresses, and if they are in favor or opposed to the project. I listened and wrote every name and address down.
All 77 comments were opposed to the Cohen project, and if that’s not surprising to readers this should be. The vast majority who opposed live in my area, District 2, called the Villages and live many miles from the Tent Site.
Someone please explain to us why it was OK for 77 residents to email the city and oppose the Cohen Brothers project, but emailing the city to ask for their support for a black owned company Vita LLC disqualified them.
City Commissioners:
In my opinion you listened to residents and made the right vote to approve Vita.
What do you do now? I know of 3 commissioners who opposed James and all 3 decided not to seek re-election. That speaks volumes to me.
https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-west-palm-beach-sunset-lounge-vision-historic/40459091 channel 25
https://www.bocamag.com/into-the-sunset-the-story-of-the-sunset-lounge-in-west-palm-beach/ Ike Robinson’s quote
https://wpbwatch.com/2021/11/tent-site/
My money’s on the belief James action in cancelling the Vita contract will bring another lawsuit to the City. Keith’s not worried, it’s only taxpayer’s money. Readers judge for yourself the leadership of WPB and decide if you want to continue with the status quo and give James another term as Mayor of WPB
The end!
Homeowner fined $50.00 /day for placing artificial turf in her front yard!
A story on channel 5 (WPTV) tells the story of Judy Barron, a homeowner, who is being fined by the City of WPB $50.00/day for placing artificial turf in her front yard, and when you are done reading the story you will read who has not been fined for the same violation. Below are excerpts from the story and you can read the entire story below. My comments in Italic
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —” During these hot summer days, keeping lawns green can mean higher water bills, prompting some residents to turn to artificial turf. But not every city is on board with this decision.
Homeowners don’t have to water it, put down fertilizer or cut it every week. It’s similar to what you see at sports stadiums.
But in West Palm Beach, as good as it may look, there are restrictions.
Judy Barron loves her artificial turf lawn.”It’s very comfortable on my feet, like walking on carpet,” Barron said. Stretched across the front of her house on Alpine Road, it has the look of a well-manicured golf course.
Lush and green, she said she often gets compliments but not from City Hall.
“Oh yes, $50 a day I’m being fined since the end of March,” she said.”
Elsewhere in the city, in public places, it seems artificial turf is allowed. WPTV spotted it in areas in and around Rosemary Square.” Rosemary Square is owned and operated by Related Group, Real Estate Developer, the City’s favorite developer for high rise buildings.
Barron said she plans to keep on fighting the fines.” Between 3/31/2022 and July 15,2022 there are 106 days X $50.00/day = $5,300.00 in fines and growing.
On June 30, 2021 WPB Watch posted a story on the subject titled “Artificial Turf Has Residents Damn Mad.”
The City allows homeowners to place Synthetic grass in the back yard, and both sides of their home. The City does not allow Synthetic grass in the front of their home. To my knowledge the City does not explain it’s reason.
Synthetic lawns help in saving the surrounding air and soil from further pollution of harmful chemicals that usually come along with keeping a well-manicured, natural lawn.
Water conservation: Synthetic grass makes it easy to comply, dramatically reducing water usage without sacrificing aesthetic standards set by homeowners’ associations. Conserving water is not only Eco-friendly, it’s budget-friendly, in a big way.
Non-allergenic, Synthetic grass doesn’t grow. Goodbye, grass pollen.
No harmful chemical residues. Synthetic turf requires no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers to remain beautiful and bug-free.
That’s safer for your family, and safer for the environment. thanks to eliminating the expense of ongoing lawn care. After that, it’s all savings. Plus, an attractive grass lawn boosts the resale value of your home.
City Commission Meeting held on June 28, 2021 residents waited for a chance to address the Mayor and City Commissioners and complained about Code Enforcement filing complaint’s against homeowners for installing Synthetic grass in their front yard.
City Commissioner Lambert after listening to residents, asked the Mayor to set a workshop to discuss the issue. The audience applauded her realizing someone not only heard their concerns, but was willing to discuss it. Good for her. Over a year later was the workshop scheduled, or did it fall through the cracks?
A fine against a business on Clematis St. who removed three tree’s without a permit was fined a total of $37,500.00. Double click picture to enlarge.
The City of West Palm Beach will hold a General Municipal Election on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 to vote for the mayor of WPB. That’s less than 8 months away, and someone will step up to challenge Mayor James and if he is re-elected it’s not by the people who voted for him, but by the people who didn’t cast a ballot. Please think about that.
The end!
City Honors WPBFF
On June 27, 2022 the City of West Palm Beach honored our Fire Fighters with a presentation for Surfside Remembrance and Recognition for the Champlain Towers South Condo collapse in Surfside, Florida.
Below is a list of the brave men and women who volunteered to aid in the search and rescue for survivors and then a secondary search to locate any unaccounted-for victims.
FF Bryan Bartlett, FF Michael Beets, Lt. William Charbonneau, FF Elizaveta Clavijo, LT. Jacqueline Curtis, FF Jennifer Collins, FF Stephen Diaz-Lies, Lt. Brian Dolan, FF Josh Forbes, FF Luis Gonzalez, Driver/Engineer Iris Hernandez, FF Robert Jacques, Driver/Engineer Travis Kolb, Lt. Brett Koning, FF Nolan Lynch, FF Gil Mendez, Lt. Wilmer Morales, FF Alejandro Moreno, FF Richard Murphy, Lt. Jason Ramirez, Capt. Gregory Rogers, FF Benjamin Shultz, FF Daniel Valentin, Capt.
Adam MacKillop and his K-9 Phire (pronounced Fire) who is a female Black Labrador Retriever. Capt. MacKillop and Phire searched the collapsed rubble for victims. She is a live search K-9 who looks for live victims. Dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than a human and play a key role in search and rescue. These USAR canines are highly trained and tested to National standards regularly. She was one of dozens of canines used in the response.
“Canines’ Role in Urban Search & Rescue: Canine search teams play a critical role in supporting local and state response efforts with the capability to locate disaster survivors and human remains using canine teams (dog and human handler).”
https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/frameworks/urban-search-rescue/canines
Fire Chief Diana Matty also responded to the collapse and got to witness the selfless service of the firefighters involved in this mission, which lasted for 28 days. Chief Matty proudly said that with the robust response from the local fire departments in Dade County the State of Florida USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) Teams, and FEMA ( Federal Emergency Management Agency) the remains of all 98 victims were able to be located and returned to their families.
“The Surfside condo collapse: An operational play-by-play, from deployment to AAR. (After Action Review) Detailing the US&R (Urban Search & Rescue) system in Florida, challenges faced by SAR crews, and lessons learned from the catastrophic incident”
After the presentation I met the Fire Fighters in the City Courtyard and thanked them for their service and what they did for Champlain Towers and one firefighter remarked they followed the lead of their Fire Chief Matty and remarked she was a great leader. I regret not asking for his name.
K-9 Phire: Was also at the presentation and I asked permission to pat her and it was granted. I approached her and she immediately laid down, rolled over on her back and looked at me as if to say well I’m ready, are you going to rub my belly or not? I rubbed away.
Channel 5 (WPTV) SURFSIDE, Fla. — “On the one-year mark since the Surfside condominium collapse, first responders are reflecting on their time spent working at the collapse site. West Palm Beach firefighters recall grueling search in aftermath of Surfside condo collapse. Firefighters feel sorrow for those they couldn’t save”
West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Lt. Jason Ramirez and Lt. Jacqueline Curtis spoke to WPTV and told their stories of sorrow at not being able to save more people.
Another hero was Anthony Zorbaugh “We knew that people needed to eat,” he said. “So the biggest thing for us was to come down there with our product, with what we had, and be able to serve food. So the amount of chaos and the devastation that you’ve seen down there is life-transformational for our staff that was there.” Read the story below.
You hope you never need the assistance of the WPB Fire Department, but if you do they are ready and willing to put it all on the line for us and then deal with the aftermath.
In your travels if you see these hero’s out and about, please take the time to thank them for their service and watch the smile come across their faces. Always good to know your appreciated!
The end!