By Dan Moffett
The close relationship between South Palm Beach and Lantana has gotten a little closer with the approval of a new working relationship between the two towns’ police departments.
South Palm Beach Town Council members unanimously approved an interlocal agreement on Jan. 28 that allows the town to hire Lantana police officers to step in and provide support during manpower shortages.
With only eight uniformed officers, South Palm Beach could find itself in a bind because of illness, injury or other emergencies.
Under the agreement, Lantana would provide an officer or officers to fill in and perform “occasional, routine police service” and then charge the town an hourly rate.
“I was concerned that the agreement not be open-ended, and it isn’t,” said Vice Mayor Joseph Flagello. “We pay their cost and what they’re billing us is fair and equitable.”
A similar arrangement South Palm Beach had with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office expired last year. Town Manager Rex Taylor said the agreement is peace of mind for the town.
“We may not have to use it,” Taylor said, “but we have it in case we need it.”
The working relationship between the two towns has been mutually beneficial, according to Mayor Donald Clayman.
When the Lantana Bridge construction kept Lantana police patrols from coming across the Intracoastal Waterway, South Palm Beach picked up the slack.
“We covered for them and never charged them for it,” said Clayman. “It’s what friends do for friends.”
In December, the Town Council approved a $1,000 payment to Lantana as partial compensation and a thank-you for the fireworks celebration that marked the bridge’s grand opening.
The town sends Lantana a $1,500 contribution each year to help with expenses for its July Fourth fireworks shows.
“They have a wonderful mayor in Dave Stewart,” Clayman said, “and a great new town manager (Deborah Manzo) who’s very capable. We have a very good relationship and get along very well.”
In other business:
• Council members unanimously approved a 1.5 percent salary increase for town police, accepting the recommendation of Special Magistrate James Brady that was ratified by the police union as part of the collective bargaining agreement.
• Incumbent Town Council members Stella Gaddy Jordan and Robert Gottlieb have received campaign packets from the town clerk, and both said they are committed to running for re-election. They have until noon Feb. 11 to file their completed forms to enter the race for the two-year positions.
Comments
I don't know whether the TOWN has informed the residents that they are being sued by me - if they have not it's about time they did.
This TOWN has been run against our Charter since 2003 by allowing illegally constituted Boards such as the Planning Boards to illegally vote on the redevelopment of our only commercial site the Oceanfront Inn and anything else for that matter.
On March 28, 2006 they voted and passed Ordinance 235 which changed our Towns Form of Government, and instead of having a Weak Major/ Strong Manager which is what the Town Residents had voted for in 2001- the Ordinance changed it to Strong Mayor/ Weak Manager. This move was approved by Mayor Jacobson and the Councils at the time and has continued up until at least 2013 even though the problems were pointed out by me; Ordinance 235 created their own little 'Fiefdom'.
They have misrepresented themselves and abused the rights of the good residents of the Town of South Palm Beach and I am shocked to hear that Stella Jordan and Richard Gottlieb have the gall to think of running for a seat back on the Council!
The Case Number in District Court West Palm Beach is 9:13-cv-81203