STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS BY MAYOR LOIS FRANKEL
WEDNESDAY, JANURARY 12, 2005

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Good Morning West Palm Beach,

When Henry Flagler came to town in 1893 he had a vision:
Palm Beach would become the most grandiose resort in the world.
The wilderness across the lake would become a commercial city for his help.

This past year, West Palm Beach celebrated our 110th birthday.
And what a life journey it has been…
We have been transformed from the living quarters of Henry Flagler’s servants, to the business and cultural capital of Florida’s 4th largest county.

We have seen marshy waters replaced by beautiful homes and condominiums..
We have survived booms and busts…
the hurricane of 1928 and hurricanes of 2004.

Two hurricanes later and 21 months into my first term as Mayor, I am honored to deliver my second state of the city speech.
I enthusiastically present to you today a picture of optimism and eager anticipation for a city that … after 110 years…
is stronger than ever.

With that said, I am constantly reminded that we live in a world that has recently witnessed enormous tragedies..
and in a country that is at war.
Here with us today, returned safely home from overseas are city employees West Palm Beach Police Officers Marine Sgt Francisco Reyes, and Army Sgt First Class Regina Bell, and City Planner Army Captain Randall Granberry.
Welcome home and thank you for your service.
Also, I am pleased to greet here today some of our local military families, including the family of Yamil Bravo, one of our Sanitation Equipment Operators.....
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
We appreciate your family’s sacrifice.
It helps us to put our own challenges in perspective.

Friends.....
today, as I present to you the picture of our city I ask you to measure it against what is relative and not what is perfect.
I feel blessed everyday that I live in this community and am privileged to be your mayor.

September 2004 is a month that we will never forget.
Not one, but two full-blown hurricanes shook us through the night.
First, I want to thank the thousands of citizens who reached out to friends and neighbors, helping them put up shutters, cut down tree limbs, or sharing that precious commodity of electricity.
The local Red Cross, led by resident Steve Mayans, assisted 5,000 families.
United Way led by resident Scott Badesch brought comfort and aid to hurricane victims throughout the county.
We proved that we are a community that cares about each other.

Next I want to thank my city employees whose performance pre- and post-Jeanne and Frances was Herculean and drew cheers from residents, businesses, and visitors.
We were not perfect.
But most roads were free from flooding, toilets flushed, and our water remained drinkable.
Streets were cleared of debris as the winds died down and sanitation crews worked long hours picking up thousands of tons of trash and vegetation.
One such worker was Bridgette Dorsey a City truck driver and mother of five, whom despite losing many of her family belongings from the floods of Frances, never missed a minute of work.
Please greet and thank Bridgette Dorsey and other utility workers who worked through personal losses with unselfish dedication.
Jeanne was a faster, more forceful hurricane.

What a terrifying night for families, throughout our area, huddled in their safe rooms.
The Ortiz family on Putnam Road,
…… after moving from one room to another, called our emergency 911 as water poured through their collapsed roof.
At 2 a.m., at the height of the storm, the West Palm Beach SWAT team rode through a blackened city and rescued a very appreciative family.
Please help me thank Captain Dennis Crispo and his fellow officers for their fearless efforts.

The same leadership team that responded with dedication and professionalism during the challenges caused by last year’s storms is the same team serving West Palm Beach today.
Despite hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, they haven’t run away, or retired, or left for jobs that pay more money....
Our workforce of 1400 is committed.
City staff turnover has been consistently low for the last decade.
Our 15 departments are led by experienced managers and administrators who deliver services to the estimated 350,000 people who are in our city each day.
It is a team that I am proud to work with side by side.
Please stand to be recognized.
(Ask all city employees to rise)

When I took office in March 2003, our city was facing a budget deficit.
We tightened our belts and even brought our millage to the lowest rate in 13 years.
Today, our operating fund is in the black....
Bond ratings are better than ever....
Property values are higher than ever...
Our community redevelopment bonding capacity is greater than ever...
Our emergency fund more solid than ever....

But don’t just take my word for it.....
Yesterday, Standard and Poor’s raised our city’s bond rating stating, (and I quote) “this is based on continued solid fiscal performance, characterized by consistently strong reserve levels; strong fiscal management, resulting in the recent adoption of conservative formal policies and contingencies; and continued rapidly expanding economic and tax bases.”

I know that everyone in West Palm Beach shares my deep commitment to have a good quality of life on every block in every neighborhood of our city.
Most West Palm Beach neighborhoods are flourishing...
From the suburban like paradises of Ibis and Riverwalk, to the historic areas of El Cid and Old Northwood.
In our older neighborhoods, we continue to replace sewer and water pipes and improve drainage systems.
This past year we completed a citywide analysis of our entire above ground infrastructure and we will be formulating a plan of action for repairs and improvements.

New parks continue to be added and upgraded through-out our city serving 500 children daily.
A special thanks goes to the Meruelo family who has pledged $1.5 million to upgrade Curry Park.
It is the largest donation in the city’s history.

This month I will be bringing to the city commission an overdue proposal for a new fire station west of the turnpike on Okeechobee blvd.

Although our property values are at an all time high, there are too many families still living in deep poverty.
That is why such efforts as the community outreach and job programs of Vickers House North and South are so important.
Even in our prosperous community we still have blighted garbage-strewn neighborhoods that breed disrespect and corruption.
I pledge to you that this city is committed to major revitalization efforts in these areas with sensitivity towards the people that live there now.
We are targeting Pleasant City, our oldest Black neighborhood where streets named Beautiful and Happy are anything but that.
Then, watch us as we tackle Coleman Park and the greater northwest.

Long-term systemic changes can occur with education, economic, and community development.
I will propose using a portion of the revenues generated by new downtown and north-end development to do this.

And because our neighborhoods are our lifeblood, I am creating an Office of Neighborhood Services.
This office will house neighborhood liaisons and serve to enhance coordination of city services with residents and businesses so that our neighborhoods will continue to be stronger than ever.

When I spoke with you a year ago, I spoke of the city commission's decision to buy the D & D block and build a new city center with a state-of-the-art library, photographic museum, and city hall....
and to take down the old library and create a city commons and waterfront park along Flagler Drive.
Today, I can report that we are well on our way to making that vision a reality.
A world-renowned architectural team headed by Song Associates and Michael Graves and Associates has been chosen to design city center.
This month, we are entering the design phase of the project.

Following a competition among a dozen internationally known teams, the lineup headed by CH2MHill was chosen to master plan and implement our waterfront park and city commons.
Stakeholder and public meetings with the design team will begin shortly.

West Palm Beach should be the magnet for arts and culture.
Continuing in that direction, we have decided to build and own a 350-seat theatre to be operated by the award winning Florida Stage Company that has delighted audiences in Manalapan for many years.
It will be housed on the ground floor of Opera Place, one of our many beautiful condominiums scheduled to break ground this summer near CityPlace.
The expected 100,000 patrons a year audience is projected to have a ten year economic impact of more than $90 million dollars for local businesses.

Good News!!!....
The money to build the library, museum, theatre, and waterfront commons, as well as housing in our blighted neighborhoods will come from revenues generated from new downtown development that, under the state Community Redevelopment Act, is legally required to be re-invested into the downtown.

Moving slowly, to a less pleasant subject.....
yes, I’m mad too. I will comment on road construction.
I think that we can agree that too much was done at one time and it has taken too long.
As a result some business owners have suffered serious economic losses and we have all been agitated.
Dixie and Olive are State Department of Transportation projects.
But, I promise you that the city continues to apply as much pressure as possible on the D-O-T to get these jobs done.
On the horizon is a small step for mankind; the D-O-T has informed us that downtown road construction will be completed this year.
However....
there is always a however to D-O-T progress....
the widening of I-95 will mean disruption on many of our east / west connector roads as well as Congress and Australian Avenues.
This is the price we continue to pay for living in one of the most desirable locations in the world.
At least we don’t have to maintain snowplows! No question that Hurricanes

Frances and Jeanne caused financial losses of varying degrees for some businesses and many individuals.
But as a whole, our community fared much better than the rest of the nation in our economic growth these past two years.
According to the Palm Beach County Business Development Board:
West Palm Beach has been ranked by the nationally known INC. Magazine as one of the "top five large metro areas in the nation for entrepreneurs".
The area's labor force grew by 60,000 jobs over the last two years....
Airlines are increasing flights into Palm Beach International....
Hotel occupancy rates in the County are up for every month of this year, which was a record year for tourism dollars spent...
And the demand for goods and services related to construction and development has skyrocketed.
Commerce has been vibrant in CityPlace, along Palm Beach Lakes, and the south end’s Antique Row and Hispanic business district.
New interest in the Northwood and Broadway business area is creating an exciting buzz.

And do not write an obituary for Clematis Street.
The real mayor of Clematis Street, George Greenberg, will tell you that his family owned business of 93 years, Pioneer Linens, just had its best year ever.
Take a walk down the street, you will see new venues taking life.
Clematis should come back strong once downtown road projects are completed and new housing units come on line.
City Commons and City Center will add a spectacular dimension to our historic business corridor.

We were on our way to a record all time low for homicides last year until an awful two-week period in November when bloodshed erupted.
There is too much violence in our city that causes us sadness, anger, and frustration.
Just ask the family of Angel Brooks who is with us here today. We are so sorry.
I want to personally thank Chief Bush for her strength and leadership during difficult times.
The West Palm Beach Police Department is aggressively responding in conjunction with multiple law enforcement agencies.
They have stepped-up investigations and made confiscating guns a priority.
We are committed to bringing the perpetrators of these shootings to justice.
But we continue to need the help of the public....
Encouragingly, this past Monday, an anonymous citizen called police to let them know the whereabouts of a person wanted for a December 29th murder.
Detectives responded to the location and took a suspect into custody.
Witnesses must continue to come forward.
We must all send the message that we are fed up with drug sellers and violent criminals.

26-year-old Nicholas Gentile works in the Comeau Building as the operations manager for RBA Insurance. When Nicholas came to West Palm Beach a year and a half ago, he was drawn to the downtown lifestyle and looked for a home that he could afford on his $40,000 a year salary. Like many in his generation, Nicholas could not find housing near his place of business.
Today, the median price of an existing home in Palm Beach County is more than $320 thousand.
That means that secretaries, retail clerks, waiters, nurses, government workers…
the fabric of our workforce is excluded from our area housing market.
If industry is to grow, we must offer reasonable housing opportunities to working men and women.
To that end, the City is working with non-profit organizations and developers to encourage workforce and affordable housing.
This is a difficult challenge and it must be done in a way not to compromise the private sector’s willingness to build housing in the first place.
But this is a challenge we must not ignore.

Our planning and building departments have been busy working at an extraordinary pace!
That’s because East of I-95 we are about to experience an infusion of private development investment estimated to be more than $1.2 billion dollars.
This is a figure unmatched in the history of our city….
and we welcome it with open arms.
What was a sleepy town just a few years ago is about to take on a new vibrant dimension that is nothing short of amazing.
We will become a 24-hour city that is safer and livelier, the urban hub of an important county.
Hold on to your seats and take a quick ride into the future.....
Development in West Palm Beach is stronger than ever.

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Quite amazing...
And believe it or not...
there are even more big announcements of projects coming soon.

Building a city is much more than just cement and steel girders.
It’s about mentoring a child....
Sunday morning church choirs....
and runners training for a marathon.
In every corner of this city volunteerism and fellowship is alive.
Just come down to Flagler Drive on any given Saturday morning and you will see hundreds of people walking to raise money to send a kid with cancer to camp...
or an outreach worker to an AIDS patient.
All total, this city is home to 479 non-profit and religious organizations.
Raising an educated child is as important as raising a tall building.
Both create economic prosperity.
Our city is fortunate to have schools filled with dedicated teachers and children eager to learn and we want to be their partners in success.
We have continued our Principal for a Day initiative, which links business and non-profit partnerships at school sites.
Library volunteers are reading each week to 1,155 children at the Pleasant City, Westward, and Roosevelt Elementary Schools.
Last month we launched a program with the School District at six community centers and public library that allows parents to use city computers to link up to their child’s classroom.
As a result of these kinds of efforts, I am proud to report that our City has received the Public Sector Gold Award from our Palm Beach County School District.

Last April city staff and local fitness trainers launched City Fit, a program to encourage exercise and healthy eating habits.
One of the participants was chamber staffer Peter Kane who lost 28 pounds and conditioned himself for our first ever marathon.
Congratulations Peter.

The Marathon of the Palm Beaches was the dream of Iva Grady.
And the perfect way to end our year.
In November 2002, while standing in a very chilly line to register for the New York Marathon, she thought to herself "why not West Palm Beach?"

Two years later, on November 14th, just a month after two hurricanes covered our streets with debris, West Palm Beach welcomed thousands of visitors from 42 states and 17 countries who came to compete in the first Marathon of the Palm Beaches.
And what a glorious day of achievement it was, for the runners, the organizers and a great city stronger than ever.

We have many outstanding assets in our city, but the most valuable is the rich diversity of our community.
Join us at Clematis by Night or SunFest or Latin Fest and you will see people of all ages and colors, gay and straight.
Kaleidoscope, our celebration of cultures around the globe, has again received international recognition as the world’s Best Educational and Community Event.
The city’s diversity committee explores new business opportunities that will enable small businesses to enjoy economic prosperity.
We remain stronger than ever because we embrace and promote our differences.

To Dennis Grady, Paul Krasker and the Chamber, thank you for being such an enthusiastic partner and bringing us together today.
To my City Commissioners....
thank you for your patience with me and our shared love for our city.
And to each of you...
thank you for being here today.
I invite each of you to take advantage of an opportunity to partner with the city on one of our special programs or events.

I would like to close today on a personal note.....
The greatest blessing in my life has been my son, Ben.
He was born at Good Samaritan Hospital 27 years ago and grew up on the ball fields of South Olive and Phipps parks.
He graduated Suncoast High School and the University of Florida.
Four years ago he entered the United States Marines as a commissioned officer.
Since then, like thousands of other young men and women, he dedicated his life to standing up for the values we cherish so dearly.
He has never complained.
His requests have been as simple as a bottle of shampoo.
I believe that it is our job, as public officials and citizens, to give Ben and others like him…..
a great place to come back to.
And we are doing that with people like our truck driver, Bridgette Dorsey...
Red Cross president, Steve Mayans...
marathon organizer, Iva Grady....
and each and every one of you.

Henry Flagler would be amazed.
Those servant quarters over the bridge 110 years later, are now stronger than ever.

Thank you and God bless you West Palm Beach.