Westlake’s next City Council Regular Meeting is Tuesday October 6, 6PM at the Lodge. NOT TO MISS: PBSO will be on scene with a quick Communications Engagement presentation. We’ll learn about PBSO’s stats, response times, and the general dispatch process from beginning to end. Come learn a little and support PBSO who works hard to keep Westlake safe! (I already have so many questions: like can they change the traffic signals??? Who are the worst drivers/offenders who hold them up on their way to an emergency?)
1) 211 HELPLINE – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, so 211 Helpline Community Relations Specialist Patrice Shroeder stopped by to give a quick presentation on their services. (Psst, Westlake has painted the town purple and teal this September in celebration.)
As per Ms. Schroeder: 211 is a free, confidential, 24/7 resource available to Palm Beach County residents when there’s concern of self harm by yourself or of a loved one. BUT 211 Helpline provides many other services, too! Like:
- “Sunshine” daily calls to those over 60 years old, the homebound or disabled, and caregivers for checking in and providing reassurance and support;
- MYFLVET provides support and resources for veterans AND their families! As a vet, if you have any concerns, questions, troubles, about anything really, you can call 211 for information, referrals, and emotional support.
2) SILVER LAKE – is Westlake’s second 55+ (aka active adult) community! I’m kind of surprised since Westlake’s first 55+ community, Cresswind, is still not sold out going on six years…
Silver Lake, a GL Homes community, is coming to Westlake’s most southeastern corner. This community will have all sizes of lots, including 48′, 50′, 62′, as well as attached lots, for a total of 976 lots. That’s a big ‘hood!
Silver Lake will have their own amenity center, like a pool and community center and tennis/pickleball courts! And look at this sick sign package they have designed! (“Sick” in the positive sense!)
3) WESTLAKE FIELDHOUSE – Ground breaking for Westlake’s Master HOA Fieldhouse is expected to begin Q1 of 2027. Construction could take a year (plus a few months). Great care is being taken to make the Fieldhouse and property exceptionally beautiful and perfect! So let’s plan a party for summer 2028!
4) PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE (PBCFR) – Recently-promoted Chief Amanda Vomero is still showing up to our City Council meetings to keep us all in the know! As always, PBCFR has great response times for Westlake thanks to Station 22!
Chief Vomero recently gave a presentation to Indian Trail Improvement District (ITID) proposing an emergency-only gate at the “intersection” of Westlake’s Persimmon Blvd E and 140th Ave N. This gate would only be opened by PBSO and PBCFR , for emergencies. But ultimately this decision is up to ITID as this gate would access their roads.
This gate (see the yellow star below) could shave 6-8 minutes off of average response times in the area. In fact, Chief Vomero told of an incident in which it took Station 26 sixteen minutes (via Orange and SPW) to get to a fire at the back of Westlake when the gate would’ve meant about a four minute response time. Vomero says those first few minutes of a fire are critical to their outcomes.
Chief Vomero feels that public safety should be everyone’s priority. Agreed!
Still, Westlake is so lucky to have a less than 7 minute response time to calls! Literally feels like these guys have worm holes around town.
5) PBSO – stopped Westlake drivers in August 144 times! Of those 144 stops, 40 of them were citations, 104 were written warnings (i.e., educational). There were 7 accidents, with no injuries. A Trauma Hawk ride was for an accident in Loxahatchee.
But good news, crime is back down to, basically, zero with kids in school. (Grimace face emoji.)
E-Bikes. Great news, as per PBSO, kids are wearing helmets! Even I noticed this! Truly. Bad news, kids are wearing headphones. Which means they can’t hear cars, horns, etc. It’s a HUGE ask to make your kids wear helmets with no music or podcasts or whatever, for a most boring ride… but we’ve got drivers out here on their phones and what not.
My mom used to tell me it wasn’t my driving she worried about, it was everyone else’s. I bought that. Maybe give it a try?
Finally, PBSO is adding a therapy dog to our district. PBSO responds to A LOT of violent crimes out in western Palm Beach County, because: guns. And so, while there was some skepticism on PBSO’s part in the therapy dog program early on, they’re finally signing up for the therapy dog program. This way, the children of those who have completed suicide or the family members of a homicide victim can have a furry friend to hold on to and to keep them present. Once our doggo is installed, we should be able to meet them at a City Council meeting.
6) REDSPEED® SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS – There were a LOT of opinions, questions, and concerns (about privacy and abuse, for example, thank you Vice Mayor Greg Langowski) about these cameras coming to our town.
This topic really needs its own post. But for now: Redspeed cites civil infraction tickets to vehicles going 11+ over the posted speed limit during school days: that would be 31mph during the 20mph school arrival and departure speed limits; and 56mph during the 45 mph limit in between the arrival and departure times. I didn’t realize this latter part, I thought the cameras were only active during arrival and departure.
What I think is interesting, and didn’t really find the chance to mention it, is that PBSO admits that traffic during Seminole Ridge High School is so congested during arrival and departure that there is little opportunity for drivers to speed (more likely in the afternoon though). So the cams would be catching 11+ during the couple of hours in a school day that traffic isn’t at a terrible standstill. I think the theory is that these cameras pay for themselves essentially, but is it all worth it for Westlake now, with only one school?
Also, Redspeed® is providing the traffic study that would inform the City Council as to whether or not these cameras would be effective. ??? Best as I understand. I would think the study by an uninvolved third party would be more appropriate.
Lastly, these citations are civil violations only. So, ultimately, the worst case scenario is financial. These can’t go on your record or result in any kind of revocation of tags or driver’s licenses.
But Mayor J.P. O’Connor stands by his feeling that “safety and security are paramount in this city above everything else.” So expect these cameras to come soon.
Councilman Erik Gleason, our council “cop”, assuaged any concerns about privacy by pointing out that there are now auditing AI tools built into these systems to identify irregular usage. That said, Redspeed deletes all data 30 days after ticket adjudication.
7) NEW DIGITAL RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE PLATFORM? – Mayor O’Connor would like for Westlake’s Manager Howard W. Brown, Jr. to research and send out some RFPs to companies that can build Westlake an AI-type, 24/7 computer/phone service for whenever we have questions or concerns, like: What day is bulk trash pick-up? There’s a dangerous pothole needing filled! How do I pay my water bill? What is the HAPPY Program? etc.
I personally had to get out of my car in traffic this weekend to fold in the chain link fence at the Mavis Tire and Brake construction site because the fence was NOT secured and had blown into the service road leading to Publix. Didn’t want to call anyone’s personal phone on the weekend, would’ve been nice to have an interface like this to alert or ask about it.
8) 9/11 25 YEARS LATER – We all remember; we will never forget. And so Westlake is hosting a 5K Saturday September 12th with an eye to support Tunnels to Towers Foundation.
The festivities begin at 730AM. Be there or be square!
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