News

By Mary Thurwachter

    After allowing the Lantana Nature Preserve Commission one last time to meet, the Town Council voted on April 25 to abolish the group.
    The council agreed that there was no longer a need for the commission, since that group and the Friends of the Lantana Nature Preserve frequently duplicate efforts. Some members were on both committees.
    Nature Preserve Commission Chairman Paul Arena, now president of the Friends, said that the commission, at its April 5 meeting, voted to support the dissolution. The Friends also asked the town to have a liaison attend their meetings, and for use of a town facility to hold meetings.
    “We want to hold two meetings a month here and one at the preserve,” Arena said.
    Town Attorney Max Lohman said the town was trying to protect itself and members of the two groups from getting into trouble with the Sunshine Law regarding open meetings. The Friends of the Lantana Nature Preserve is an independent organization, not subject to the Sunshine Law as the Nature Preserve Commission had been.
    The nature preserve, a coastal hammock between The Carlisle senior living facility on East Ocean Avenue and the Intracoastal Waterway, was created in 1997. The Carlisle pays the town $40,000 a year to maintain the park. No money comes from the town’s general fund to pay for its maintenance.
    In other action, the council voted to:
    • Support an effort to bring the Atlanta Braves spring training facility to John Prince Park, a county park in Lake Worth. The council said having spring training in central Palm Beach County would be a boost to the economy.
    • Add one position to the Police Department’s uniform patrol division at an annual cost of $23,070.
    • Add a recreation coordinator position to the Operations Department at an annual cost of $20,050. The coordinator will organize, implement, promote and supervise programs at the sports complex with a soccer field and three baseball fields. A ribbon cutting for the new complex, on the northeast corner of the former A.G. Holley property, was held on April 28.