Martino: Groundhog Day in the Gardens

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After reviewing the Palm Beach Gardens January 14th agenda items,  Resolution 7, 2021 and Resolution 13, 2021, I felt as if I was experiencing the movie Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film. It centers on a weatherman that finds he is inexplicably living the same day over and over again while covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. However, I am really in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, not Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In my opinion, Resolution 7, 2021 and Resolution 13, 2021, are not a comedies but tragedies of transparency failures. Like the cynical weatherman in Groundhog Day I feel as if I, too, am in a time loop of repeated City Council public transparency, communication, and openness transgressions and failures.

Resolution 7, 2021 authorizes the issuance of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Public Improvement Bond, Series 2021, in an amount not to exceed $14,000,000 to finance construction of an 18-hole par-3 golf course and related facilities. According to the council meeting agenda the 18-hole par-3 golf course and related facilities will be discussed under Presentations by staff entitled “Western Golf Course Expansion” and during discussion of Resolution 13, 2021 which adopts a policy and plan for the expenditure of the proceeds from the Public Improvement Bonds – Series 2021 that were adopted by the approval of Resolution 7, 2021 earlier on the Regular agenda It approves the bond for a golf course in Avenir on 115 acres or so, of property owned by the City. This land was conveyed to the City by the Avenir developers as a condition of the development approvals.

What are the problems with the Resolutions above the City Council might ask? Many and varied I would respond. The lack of transparency, communication and openness with the Public are the main irritants.  To my knowledge, none of the above has been discussed in a public meeting by the City Council. Concurrently, the residents were not noticed or informed through advertised public meetings. Thus, we are ignorant of this extraordinary expenditure and massive new public project, plus, not knowledgeable of who hired the “consultants and experts” advising the City, as well as, the financial and contractual arrangements. We currently have a public municipal golf course on which we have budgeted and spent millions of dollars on new facilities and equipment in recent years. Is there a golfing capacity problem that has not been revealed? Why are we considering a new golf course in a private development? From my perspective, it is speculation and conjecture to state that various new western growth impact fees and revenues from this new course would cover the repayment of the bonds. The perpetual maintenance, future equipment needs and facility renovations, are future burdens that undoubtedly will have tax consequences to residents. This once again appears to be an Administrative and staff driven policy effort devoid of significant policy contribution by the City Council and with no consideration for information to the Public or input by us.

Why the Groundhog Day analogy?

• In 2013 and 2014 the City Council secretly began negotiations to allow for development of a $100,000,000 Major League Baseball stadium in the middle of prime residential areas of the City.
• In 2017 the City Council authorized a $30,000,000 loan for major City renovations to City buildings, new City facilities, and major recreational field and facilities, using the penny sales tax income as collateral.
• In more recent years the City Council has named a Park and City facility after Council members.
• In 2020 the City Council renamed the City Municipal Complex after the current City Manager.
• In 2020 the City Council, in a less than ideal location, allowed a prefabricated building to be placed in the beautiful Lake Catherine Park to be used as a restroom facility which ignored previous Council commitments to not allow any structures or facilities in the Park.

All of these City policy issues have a common thread, a repetitive loop, and déjà vu characteristics. All were quietly instigated by the Administration and staff with little to no City Council policy involvement until almost after-the- fact. In most cases there was little to no Public involvement, meetings, or input. All challenged the rights of the Public to transparency, communication, and openness. In most of these issues Gardens’ residents were canceled out.