The meeting was held at the South Florida Water Management District headquarters, from approximately 10:30 am to 11:45 am on May 10,2016.

Pete Antenucci, Executive Director of the Water Management District, made a brief visit to welcome the Coalition to the District headquarters and to express the willingness of the District to continue participating and assisting in the effort towards making a boat lift adjacent to the S- 155 Control Structure a success.
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The following topics were discussed:

  1. Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
    Kim Delaney outlined the timetable and deliverables that are currently being discussed and negotiated with the Department of Economic Opportunity. The contract between DEO and TCRPC will begin in early July and conclude in June of 2017. The Request For Proposals will likely be issued by TCRPC in July, followed by a selection process concluding in August, in the hopes of starting actual engineering and design work in September. The Cities of Lake Worth and West Palm Beach were asked to participate by having someone from their respective engineering departments serve as part of a review and selection committee within TCRPC.
  2. Boat Lift Working Group
    Chuck Collins explained the pros and cons of different types of lift apparatus and which would be most appropriate and compatible with the Flood Control Structure. To-date, a lift similar to one currently in operation at Bellalago in central Florida, has attracted the most attention from the working group. Additional conversation focused upon providing for the portage of canoes and kayaks and paddleboards. This included a "beach" landing area on the west and east sides of the control structure and a walk path connecting the two.
  3. Fishing Piers
    The fishing piers on the north and south side of the C-51 are currently closed due to disrepair. The prospect of repairing the south side dock for temporary use for fisherman was rejected by the city officials from Lake Worth. Discussion regarding the future location and configuration of the docks concluded in agreement to maintain their current location with perhaps a wider platform as well as a floating dock portion for safer release of fish back into the water.
  4. Communications and Community Outreach
    John Studdard from Big Couch Media was introduced and recognized for his willingness to form and lead a new working group which will focus upon the overall communications and social media for the Blueway Trail. The working group will also serve to coordinate all future community outreach as well as requests for information about the Blueway Trail initiative. Review and suggestions of the current video, web site and marketing materials, will also be undertaken by the working group.
  5. Blueway Trail Connectivity
    Discussion about how to receive official "blueway trail" designation from the State, resulted in the agreement that connectivity to other water bodies and greenway trails in Palm Beach County would need to be considered. Riviera Beach Councilwoman Dawn Pardo agreed to chair a working group whose goal would be to begin linking conceptually the Chain of Lakes to the waterways and greenways between Lake Worth and John D. McArthur State Park.
  6. Misc.
    The City of Lake Worth formally requested a Blueway Trail presentation at an upcoming City Council Meeting.

The date of the next meeting was set for Friday, June 24th.

ATTENDEES
Dan Clark, City of Lake Clarke Shores
Chuck Collins, MIA PBC
Laura Corry, SFWMD
Lucine Dadrian, SFWMD
Kim Delaney, TCRPC
Felicia Goldstein, Cong. Lois Frankel
Dorothy Gravelin, Town of Cloud Lake
Jeff Green, West Palm Beach
Elaine Higgins, Rep. Dave Kerner
Mark Hightower, WPB Fishing Club
Jim Karas, Keith & Schnars
Delores Key, Lake Worth
Comm. Shanon Materio, West Palm Beach
Jean Mathews, PBC Parks Dpt.
Richard Pinsky, Akerman, LLC
Melissa Santoro, Senator Clemens
Joseph Sophie, PBC Leg Affairs
John Studdard, Big Couch Media Group
Teri Swartz, SFWMD
Mayor Pam Triolo, Lake Worth