Town Crier Question #3: What are your thoughts on road paving?

We are an equestrian and agricultural residential community. Dirt roads are part of our community identity. They also are their own traffic-calming measure. Many of the paved roads in The Acreage already need repairs and the shoulders of the roads require being built up. The focus of the district regarding roads should be on a prioritized list of paved roads that have the greatest impact of traffic in our community. These roads should be evaluated to consider whether repairs are sufficient or whether they require reconstruction to a higher standard.

With increased development approvals surrounding our community and the potential for cut-through traffic, it is vital to consider development impact on our roads and not to just spend money improving roads, paving more roads and adding traffic calming on paved roads. Such measures will not keep outside development traffic off our residential roads, which are built and maintained on behalf of our residents. This will only lead to more traffic, speeding, increased taxes and, more importantly, impact the safety and security of our residents.

ITID needs a comprehensive roads plan that will properly address these issues and meet the needs of our residents while protecting the assets of the district. I propose a series of public workshops wherein the residents from all parts of the district participate in drafting a comprehensive roads plan by bringing their concerns, ideas, wants, needs and vision for our community to the discussion. After all, it is our community, and decisions made should reflect what our residents want.

To read all the candidate answers for both Seat 2 and Seat 4, please click here Town Crier Question #3

League of Women Voters

Early voting countdown

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Here are my answers to the League of Women Voters questions.

What experiences and skills qualify you for this position?

Honesty, integrity, as well as a legal understanding of The Acreage and surrounding communities, ITID’s Charter, the County’s Comprehensive Plan and State Statutes is imperative to serving as a Supervisor for ITID. Proven track record of commitment to serving The Acreage community.

What would you like to accomplish in this office?

Preserve and protect the assets of Indian Trail Improvement District and The Acreage residents, improvement of drainage and canal infrastructure, improvement and connection of equestrian trails with surrounding communities, the establishment of term limits and oversight by the Inspector General.

All candidate responses can be found on the link below.

http://www.vote411.org/ballot?street=16886%20West%20Alan%20Black%20Blvd.&city=LOXAHATCHEE&state=Florida&zip=33470

Palm Beach Post Survey

The Palm Beach Post sent out a survey to all candidates that was due July 8th. Despite the fact I was on vacation, I made a point of answering their survey. Here is the link to all candidates. Note the incumbent couldn’t be bothered to complete the survey. Below are the questions and my answers.

“Can you work with the new city of Westlake on traffic and other issues to ensure quality of life in the Indian Trails Improvement District?

The County has limited control over the City of Westlake. Most of the roads within ITID are not County roads. Once ITID roads are open to Westlake on their eastern border, what prevents them from increasing the number of homes? I have been involved with advocating against the over-development that Minto West represents since the beginning. The incumbent for seat 4 has been in favor of Minto’s development since the beginning, refusing to sign a resolution against their development and advocating for them at ITID meetings. This has culminated in a refusal to take legal action to protect the works of the District. Apparently, this was based on a naïve belief that Minto would not incorporate. I believe the residents of the Acreage want someone to represent their interests. I will work with ITID and the City of Westlake on these issues, always representing the best interests of ITID and the Acreage residents.

Some people in the Acreage are talking about the possibility of also incorporating as a city. Do you think this is a good idea?

I believe the incorporation discussion is important and I would support the will of the people. The PLAN group is interested in preserving the rural lifestyles of the Acreage and self-government. Residents want their taxes invested in our community. In order to collect gas taxes, our roads would have to be public. Incorporating enables access to sales taxes and grants from the state. Most importantly residents need to consider property taxes, duplication of services and levels of service. Residents considering incorporation should look at the various models around the county. Royal Palm Beach has no special district. The Town of Loxahatchee Groves has a water control district which operates independently. In the City of Wellington, Acme Improvement District is dependent on the city. I am not in favor of creating another level of government.If incorporating meant eliminating ITID, I would personally consider it. Municipalities have oversight by the Inspector General which I do favor.

Do you think Soil2O is a good solution for controlling dust on dirt roads?

According to ITID staff, ITID has 370 miles of unpaved roads, 20 miles are higher traffic roads (200-250 cars per day) and have shell rock material. The dust problem is from cars crushing the shell rock creating a fine powdery dust. ITID has recently approved a policy for residents wanting dust control using Soil20. The cost is $8,400 per mile, per year with weekly applications. It also requires the conversion of a water truck to apply the Soil20. Application of Soil20 reduces the need to water the roads by 50% and is the most environmentally friendly solution of all that were presented to the Board. ITID should consider removing and replacing the shell rock base with the original dirt/sand base. Dirt roads foster the equestrian lifestyle instead of moving away from it. Dirt roads are also a traffic control. An equitable solution should find a balance between cost, underlying community needs and wants, as well as long term goals.

 

Click here to see all candidates answers.

My thoughts on development plans

The second question the Town Crier asked and published on July 22, 2016

What are your thoughts on development projects planned in areas adjacent to The Acreage? What can or should ITID do regarding these planned developments?

My answer:

“ITID has no control over County decisions regarding planned developments. ITID does have control over our roads but has failed to assert its authority. The County has claimed rights on our roads that it does not have. Should 60th Street and Persimmon be extended to Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, they will become major thoroughfares as busy as Northlake, benefiting developers and to the detriment of ITID residents and roads.

The City of Westlake could increase their number of homes and commercial with no accountability to ITID, surrounding communities or the County other than a check to the County for impact on County roads only. GL Homes and Delray Linton Groves have asked for an increase in residential units and commercial space. They need our roads. ITID must defend its rights and protect our roads. It is crucial to consider all options to mitigate impact, protect our roads and residents. I will work in concert with the other supervisors to achieve that. Most importantly, ITID residents should not bear the financial burden of development impact. This can only be accomplished by an active, not passive, Board.

I have been at the forefront opposing the Minto development. Our residents deserve to be respected, not trampled. Do you trust the person who has supported and advocated for Minto, voted against protecting ITID rights, as well as turned over ITID roads to the County giving up ITID control during her 16 year tenure, to protect ITID rights now and in the future?”

To see answers from all candidates for Seats 2 and 4, please click here

Why am I the most qualified?

The Town Crier will be asking a series of questions until the primary election on August 30th.

This is the first question they asked and published in an Article on July 16th, 2016

“What makes you the most qualified candidate to sit on the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors? What changes would you like to see at ITID over the short term and the long term?”

    My answer:

“Seat 4 needs a fresh, creative, open-minded perspective from someone with knowledge of The Acreage and the surrounding communities, ITID’s charter, the county’s comprehensive plan and state statutes. I am that person. I have experience and education in real estate, law and business. I am firmly committed to The Acreage and the surrounding communities through my service as the PTO president of Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School, committee chair of my sons’ cub scout troop, and as a founding member and president of Alerts of PBC.

My unwavering commitment to community has been demonstrated in the various community meetings that I have consistently attended or viewed over the past several years, seeking discussions from residents with varying opinions, continued research and a quest for innovative solutions for issues facing the community. I will represent and respect all residents of The Acreage, even when we may disagree. ITID needs someone who is not firmly entrenched in an agenda to urbanize The Acreage or to jump in bed with the first option presented.

Prioritization of ITID’s responsibilities are crucial to the health and well-being of all residents, with roads and drainage infrastructure clearly the most important priorities, while balancing improvement of parks and development of horse trails bolstering our rural equestrian lifestyles. I think it is important to return to fiscal and contractual responsibility, accountability, oversight and transparency, including the objective involvement of the inspector general. In the capacity of ITID supervisor, I would serve all residents of the district with honesty and integrity.”

To see answers from all candidates for Seats 2 and 4, please click here

Four candidates File for Seat 2 on the Indian Trail Board

Town Crier Article July 1, 2016

“Four candidates have filed to seek Seat 2 on the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Supervisor Gary Dunkley will face challengers Ryan Bernal, Steve Roberts and Tim Sayre on the Aug. 30 primary election ballot.

Three candidates, incumbent Supervisor Michelle Damone and challengers Betty Argue and Keith Jordano, are vying for Seat 4.

If a candidate in either election does not receive more than 50 percent of the votes on Aug. 30, the top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election ballot. Candidates who receive more than 50 percent of the votes on Aug. 30 will be elected outright to a four-year term.”

Races Heating Up For Seats on Indian Trail Board

Excerpt from the Town Crier Article on June 17, 2016

“Argue, a founding member of ALERTS (Acreage Loxahatchee Engaged Residents Taking a Stand) of PBC said she is running because she believes the board needs people who care about protecting and preserving The Acreage lifestyle.

“I have noticed that that doesn’t seem to be taking place. The people managing our money are not necessarily doing it with the right priorities and responsibly,” she said. “Roads and drainage are ultimate priorities. I think that parks are important, but we spend an awful lot of money on parks, and we seem to have priorities kicked down the road with respect to drainage. I don’t think that we are where we need to be with respect to drainage.”

Argue believes that ITID is wasting money with traffic calming, which she feels is ineffective.

“I think that it’s being done a little bit prematurely,” she said. “Development is coming, but I think that there needs to be discussion with the developers in making them pay for whatever traffic calming that we think we need on the roads as a result of their traffic, not the residents having to bear the financial burden of the development that’s coming.”

Argue said she has been involved with ALERTS since its inception.

“I fought against Minto’s approval,” she said. “In particular, we fought and are still fighting against Minto having the use of our roads, our Indian Trail roads, owned, maintained and paid for by the residents, where the county thinks it can just come in and open up these roads and turn them into major thoroughfares. It’s not what our residents thought would happen, and I think that our residents are not very happy about that, and certainly they’re not being compensated in any way.”

She also has problems with extending State Road 7 to Northlake Blvd. without controlling new development.

“That has kind of opened up the ability for the county to… put the traffic on these roads because it’s a direct line to the State Road 7 extension,” she said. “I don’t think there is enough resistance or trying to find other solutions.””