Good morning West Palm Beach. Thank you for being here.

And Grand Bank and Trust for hosting us today.

This breakfast is just one example of how the Chamber of Commerce keeps area businesses informed. I am proud to work with Dennis Grady and his staff and I want to thank him and each one of you who believe and invest in our City. I thank you for the jobs you create and your generosity to local charities.

Again, I congratulate the Chamber for showcasing our beautiful City in the Marathon of the Palm Beaches. This year’s event provided a pre-marathon venue for more than 2,000 children who participated in activities and learned the value of fitness and fortitude.

I know that Clint Glass has all ready introduced our City Commissioners and other elected officials. I thank each of you for your dedication to our community.

Even with all the blessings in our own lives, we know that we are a country at war, and our hearts and minds are always with the brave service men and women who serve our nation. Please join me in welcoming Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jose Antonio Matos, Marine Corps 1st Lt. Francisco Reyes and a very special marine in my life, my son, Captain Ben Lubin. Sitting with my son, is my lovely mother, Dorothy, who taught me about unconditional love, which is what I feel for my family and for this City. She also instilled in me the ability to laugh whenever possible, which is a job requirement. I am pleased to report to you that the impressive young woman who introduced me at last year’s breakfast is now a Dean’s List student at Florida State University. Through Take Stock in Children, I have a new mentee in my life. Please meet sixth grader Aaliyah Burford.
You’ll notice on the big screens a promotional ad for the City of West Palm Beach dating back to 1928. It reads, “Behold your City… a City’s greatness depends upon the vision of its people.” This past year, we lost a beloved member of our community who was just a young boy when this ad was produced. George Greenberg was a man of vision and our City’s best cheerleader. Almost every day for countless years, visitors to downtown would be greeted by the always dapper man who was affectionately dubbed the Mayor of Clematis. Like Mayors before me, I never resented for one moment sharing the title with him. George had lived a life that taught him never to give up. His family suffered financial losses during the land bust in 1926 and the Hurricane of ’28. His father Max reinvented and moved his business to Clematis Street. A business that George would eventually take over and build to become one of the premier linen shops in the world, Pioneer Linens, now operated by his family who are with us today.

George understood that sometimes bad things happen in good places. But because he was a man with a sense of where he was going, he lit a candle instead of cursing the darkness. Five years ago, with the downtown confronted by State road construction and too many saloons catering to underage drinkers, George became a frequent visitor to my office offering suggestions on how to turn things around. He spoke about the future as if he was a young man. He was persistent with his enthusiasm. He became the leading proponent of our new downtown projects without a hint that he might not be around to see them completed. He left our community a legacy of resiliency, perseverance and optimism.

“Behold your City…a City’s greatness depends upon the vision of its people.” I believe that is true for every generation. Whether it was rebuilding after the great storm of ’28 or revitalizing the downtown in 2008, it is impractical to think that all of us can agree on all things, at all times. But, we can find common ground in our shared values and forge a vision based upon those basic principles.

We all want a City where we feel safe, where government is ethical and efficient, where the workforce has opportunities, where neighborhoods are vibrant, where the air is clean and the water pure and where there are those special places where people from all walks of life can come together to bump elbows.

Today, I will report to you our progress on achieving these important goals… and share with you current initiatives, some unveiled today for the first time, that address our toughest challenges.

Public safety is at the top of our agenda. Our Okeechobee fire station opened this summer and the Ibis station will open in March. Do you realize that means, for the first time in our City’s history, we will be first responders for all our residents and that help will arrive even faster? This year we fulfilled our promise to add 25 new police officers to our streets and even added private security to downtown and Northwood Village. We expanded our downtown curfew bringing family crowds back to City Place. Our police department’s Emergency Communications Center is now nationally accredited, an honor achieved by less than 1% of centers nationwide. We have become the first City in Florida to use civil injunctions against gang members. Now, many other communities are following our lead.

Our crime rate continues to decline, now 50% less than 10 years ago. Thanks to the smart work of Chief Delsa Bush and her team, while homicides spiked all around us, I am encouraged to tell you that in 2007, the murder rate in West Palm Beach dropped to the lowest level in 5 years and 2nd lowest in 15.

Some of those responsible for our department’s success are with us today. Please welcome our police Investigator of the Year, who combined good old fashion police work with sophisticated forensic evidence to solve the horrific Dunbar Village case, Detective David Lefont. Sitting with him is our Officer of the Year who is recognized for his outstanding performance as a member of our Community Response Team, Robert McGinley.

Once again, I direct you to our screens where you will see some of our cutting edge technology in action. This is one our new digital cameras strategically located throughout the City. You are now looking at a video of Tamarind Avenue captured by one of these cameras and transmitted to central dispatch and officers in their patrol cars who can move the lens in any directions. This gives police a birds-eye view when and where they need it the most and creates video taped records for future evidence. But our innovative policing program doesn’t stop there. I am pleased to announce today a brand new anti-crime initiative. It’s called City Cam. Through our police department, a business owner or neighborhood organization may purchase a compatible camera for their location that will be linked to our police network. Where eligible, grants will be available.

City law enforcement has increased in numbers and has become technically advanced. But we cannot just police ourselves out of crime. That’s why programs like our Police Athletic League are so important. And now we have a new initiative that is changing even more children’s lives for the better. Listen as 15 year old Devan Killian tells us what it means to her.

Devan is here with us today and I think she deserves a round of applause don’t you? Devan is one of 260 teens active at the Northwood Youth Empowerment Center where tutoring, job preparedness, and recreation are offered weekends and afterschool.

I have two more important announcements: Later this year, joining forces with the School Board, Northwood Center will open its doors during school hours to keep suspended students off the streets and out of trouble. And, by the end of this year, we will serve an additional 300 young people with a new Empowerment Center at Gaines Park.

Our common vision includes a City where government is efficient. Going up, on Quadrille and Banyan, your new City Hall at City Center. Today, key departments are scattered in 7 separate buildings, miles a part. The Graham and Daves administrations made consolidating City services into one location a top priority. Isn’t it time to get it done? Under one roof in the center of downtown, it will be easier to access your government. Your new City Hall is designed for energy savings and water conservation. You will enjoy one-stop shopping for City permits, payments, and services.

But we are not waiting for our new City Hall to be more customer friendly and effective. This past year, West Palm Beach again placed in the top ten among cities our size for having the most advanced technology. A construction task force has made recommendations on how to streamline permitting to save you time and money. We must find a way to improve the process while protecting public safety. And to make our services easier to access I am announcing today that we are bringing on-line a City Hotline: 822-2222. Residents, businesses and visitors can call 24 hours a day to report non-emergency City issues or find out important information.

Behold our City, where our common vision includes the opportunity for a person of any race, religion, gender, or gender orientation to work at a job that pays a livable wage. In 2007, Inc Magazine again placed the West Palm Beach metropolitan area in the top ten large best cities to do business in America. This will only improve as The Scripps Research Institute matures in our region. Our City is the governmental, financial, legal, and cultural center of our county.

But, we are not without obstacles. A downturn in the housing market, high fuel costs, and a tightened credit market are affecting the American economy. While much of that is out of our control, the promise of our City keeps new development and business interest actively engaged. Some highlights: CityPlace Office Tower opens in March with the prestigious Cleveland Clinic and the financial giant, Intech; the 400-room Convention Center hotel breaks ground this spring with five more downtown hotels on the drawing board; Northwood Village is coming to life and attracting new interest.

A healthy business climate is affected by the predictability of government. On that note, I want to talk about a pending legal matter. In November of 2003, after years of public discussion the City Commission voted to relocate our library and City Hall to the old D and D site. That was followed by land acquisition, design competitions, the expenditure of millions of dollars, and dozens of official actions. Legally unable to stop the building of the project now known as City Center, opponents waited three years and crafted a petition initiative aimed at stopping the move into the buildings. Now, some are even suggesting that we turn the new library into a private office building adding competition to an already stressed market.

The question raised in the courts is whether citizen-initiated referendums should be subject to timeliness. We believe that answer is yes, that there must be a point when individuals and businesses alike can rely on a decision made by a governing body without reversal through a citizen’s petition. This is an issue much greater than a move to City Center. It could be a fire station or a project like Scripps. It's about whether a municipal charter can allow a referendum process that radically hinders the economic well-being of a community. I want to thank the Chamber and The League of Cities for standing with us on this important question headed to the Florida Supreme Court.

Many of our residents are with us this morning. And, we can all agree that keeping our neighborhoods in good physical and social repair should be an on-going commitment. And it is.

Over the past several years, this City has embarked on more than 200 capital improvement projects. The periodic road construction you encounter reflects our progress in replacing 100 year-old water and sewer pipes. Other important projects underway include the long-awaited street improvements in our Broadmoor district championed by Commissioner Bill Moss, a face lift for Windsor Avenue and a new community center for Gaines Park.

We have recognized the importance of our historic neighborhoods and are vigilant in maintaining their integrity in our planning decisions and fight against airport expansion.

I’m sure by now I must be viewed as the meanest woman in office for supporting the ban on distributing free food at Centennial Fountain. So, let me set the record straight: we do not prohibit feeding the homeless in West Palm Beach. Throughout the City, there are other more appropriate locations like the Lord’s Place with food programs and much more. In fact, one – St Ann’s – is just 2 blocks north of the fountain. Our own Vickers House serves thousands of disadvantaged people every year. Efforts include a program that keeps our elderly from losing their homes and another that has now reunited almost 500 homeless people with their families who live elsewhere.

While most of our neighborhoods are flourishing, poverty is pervasive in others and people need our special help to realize their potential. For that reason, the revitalization of our most blighted areas is a priority. We are well on our way to restoring vitality to our oldest neighborhood, Pleasant City. Just ask Catherine Odom, a resident for 51 years.

The rebirth of Pleasant City will include grants for façade improvements for qualified homeowners like Mrs. Odom, MerryPlace, a mixed income housing development priced for ordinary workers and retirees, renovations to dilapidated Housing Authority properties and new utilities, landscaping and an aesthetic buffer along the F.E.C. railroad tracks.

New public art will highlight the Pleasant City Multi-Cultural Center where important life skills are taught. And, you want to hear something really terrific? Pleasant City has been chosen to become the county’s first wireless neighborhood. Thanks to a multi-agency partnership, low income families will be able to log-on to the internet and have free access to a new world of information. And there’s even more good news: last year, Pleasant City Elementary rose from a “D” to an “A,” joining 9 other A-rated elementary schools that serve West Palm Beach children. Aren’t those kids awesome? Please join me in recognizing the principals that were instrumental in this accomplishment: Andrea Peppers and Jacqueline Perkins.

And that’s not all. The MerryPlace development will be the first certified green affordable housing community in the state of Florida. That “green” designation is something for all of us to be proud of.

Developing sustainable practices must be part of our common vision. Historically, our City has been through a roller coaster of economic changes and we have survived in large part because of the allure of our weather and natural resources. But this is no longer a given. Some of our greatest challenges come from the stress placed on the environment by population growth, diminishing water resources and global warming.

That’s why I signed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement along with 754 other mayors. The agreement promotes numerous strategies aimed at reducing a City’s overall carbon footprint and practicing environmental conservation.

The City of West Palm Beach is taking action such as planting new trees, encouraging green development, purchasing flex-fuel vehicles and protecting one the City’s most valuable assets: our 20 square mile Grassy Waters Preserve.

What a way to spend the day, in harmony with nature. West Palm Beach’s hidden jewel, Grassy waters preserve, is part of the vast Everglades ecosystem. It is the home to thousands of species of plants and animals and the source of our drinking water. Our Grassy Waters Preserve Park program in conjunction with a non-profit by the same name is engaged in a multi-year campaign to protect the Everglades environment and teach the public about environmental conservation.
We have all gained a new appreciation of water as we experienced recent hurricanes, serious drought conditions, and boil water notices. Two and a half years ago, the City undertook a complete analysis of our water system. We are now in the process of evaluating a 20 year plan. We have already begun improving the existing water plant and pump stations with new procedures, equipment and professional independent oversight. An important promise I make today is to get our current system in good working order and the agreed upon plan in progress.

New technology and improved equipment is necessary, but equally important is a commitment by all of us to conserve water every day. Maintaining lawn watering restrictions can reduce our City-wide water usage by 30%. But there’s more to do.

Later this year we will kick off City Green, an initiative to engage City stakeholders in the implementation of the Mayor’s Climate Agreement. I invite each of you to work with us so that we are remembered as the generation who protected our planet for our children and grandchildren.

As we behold our City we know that without honest behavior at every level of society, our vision will be blurred. It hurts when people we trust let us down. It also hurts all of us when honest people who serve their community become the object of unfair innuendo and accusations. But let’s face it; the illegal behavior by certain of our elected officials has created a climate of doubt about our political system. That’s why I know that we can all agree that government must constantly strive to be more open than ever before. Based upon the recommendations of a citizen task force, we instituted new procedures and new laws that improve the transparency of dealings by elected officials and those who do business with the City. Our cable TV channel 18 and web page give all of you a 24 hour window into our actions. I pledge to you that we will continue to take every possible measure to provide the honest government you expect and deserve.

Behold our City, with a great downtown, where our diverse population can come together to celebrate life.

We’re working hard to revitalize the downtown to be what you want and deserve. The new downtown master plan encourages creative architecture, distinctive neighborhoods and walkable streets. With your new state-of-the-art library and the internationally renowned Palm Beach Photographic Centre, we are activating an entire blighted block in the downtown core. A ribbon cutting is slated for spring of 2009. It is this City Center and the promised revitalization of our waterfront that has businesses moving back to Clematis. Listen to what the new owner of Roxy’s, John Webb has to say. Thank you John.

Immediately after Sunfest this year, you can watch all the excitement as we begin to transform our waterfront into a unique destination with a stunning new view from Clematis, public docks with a dynamic community pier, a hot beach, cool and shady trellises, a magnificent lake pavilion and magical water gardens.

This will be your downtown West Palm Beach, a downtown that fills the City with life. As I close, I want to thank you for coming today or for watching on TV. It is an honor to be your Mayor. Yes, we have tests and we have critics, but few worthwhile things come easy. Working together with respect and humility our common vision can make this a great City. And, while there are always things we can do better, there are lots of things we are doing right. So when you leave here today, please take the megaphone that George Greenberg left us and spread the good news.

Behold our wonderful West Palm Beach. On a balmy day in January, where would you rather be?

» Click here to learn more about Mayor Frankel.