It was reported in the Town-Crier’s June 14 issue that Wellington was offered $10 million for the K-Park property.
Is this the same property that some members of our previous council wanted to give away for nothing? If so, I hope this council plans to stay on the job awhile.
This proposal is a $1.5 million profit, and some members of the council want to entertain more proposals. I like this council.
Alfred R. Longo, Wellington
The purchase price of $10 million would require the Village to pay for significant infrastructure improvements at taxpayer expense. If one were an accountant or a simple businessman one would realize that the $10 million dollar offer is not really a $10 million dollar offer. This is why uninformed voters often vote for the wrong reasons. This is why unless voters in this County and Village are better informed politicians will conduct business as usual in Palm Beach County; namely padding the pockets of their supporters with sweet deals, negotiating back room deals for their friends, and spending taxpayer money on really bad ideas.
In the latest disaster for the K-Park land, Council members Wilhite and Margolis voted to give Mr. Jack Van Dell, an equestrian village opponent, an exclusive right to negotiate a purchase of the K-Park land. The Palm Beach Post reported that Mr. Van Dell donated $500 each to Mr. Wilhite and Mr. Margolis. An informed voter might have incorporated these facts into the high praise for these council members.
In fact prior council decisions regarding the K-Park land were also disastrous and were right under the noses of uninformed constituents. Unless voters do the research and look into matters deeper than their coffee table discussions at Hillary’s, our representative form of government will not function efficiently or honestly.
In 2007 the Wellington Council turned down an offer for 15.5 acres of the the K-Park land of $8.65 million dollars and a commitment by the purchaser to build a 200,000-square-foot live science research park, not at taxpayer expense.
In 2007 the Council spent $116,000 on designs for what they called their “signature” park on the land. But construction did not proceed because the money spent on the research did not show how much the project would cost taxpayers in the long run. One would think that before spending that kind of money the council would have expected that question to be answered.
The $10 million is the offer, but the property has not been appraised. An appraisal will affect the offering price. Do not be fooled.
The council will make a terrible mistake by giving the frontage along SR7 to the ‘developer’. Wellington should keep control of Kpark frontage.
What are the residents of Wellington hearing? That whatever the equestrians do not want in their area; will be dumped on this Kpark land. Councilman Greene has suggested that since the equestrian preserve owners do not want RVs on their land/farms that those Rvs be dumped on the Kpark site. And where will the horse trails be placed to link the commercial Kpark land to the equestrian preserve trails? Wellington residents will no doubt foot the cost for putting in these trails. (How about putting sidewalks along Pierson Road from South Shore to the Village Park so the rest of Wellington residents can safely ride or walk to the largest park in Wellington?)
The dice have been cast. The Kpark land will be sold. Mayor Margolis has given some indication, hint that the monies received from the sale will be applied to road rebuilding and improvements along South Shore in the Equestrian area!
Everything revolves around equestrians and their needs. Everthing for the equestrians, the rest of us get bupkis.