MAKING GOVERNMENT IN OUR DEMOCRACY WORK
Lew Crampton has dedicated his life to public service, actively seeking the challenges of making a complex undertaking like governing in a democracy work the way it should.
He takes pride in the gains made by our town, thanks to the hard work and collaboration of our Town team: The committed staff, the 50 or so appointed members of our Boards and Commissions, and, of course, the Mayor and Town Council members who work together every day to meet challenges imposed by outside forces.
"We don’t always make perfect decisions, of course, but we are an exceptionally well-managed Town. Our natural beauty is complemented by our cultural and recreational opportunities, our vibrant dining and shopping scene, our public safety policies and personnel, and our responsive government. My responsibility – my commitment - has always been to put the interests of our residents first, and I will continue to do so."
ALLEVIATING CONGESTION: A SIX-POINT PARKING PROGRAM. Palm Beach became a different town in the wake of the COVID pandemic. One of the major impacts of this change was a significant loss of mobility, traffic and parking advantages for residents, so Lew and his Town Council colleagues got to work.
One year after initiating the process, a Six-Point Parking Plan evolved and was approved by the Town Council. Highlights include (1) Free parking for town residents at any legal spot after purchase of a sticker at nominal cost; (2) Parking fee payment by ParkMobile for nonresidents; (3) Free 30-minute "in-and-out" spaces on Worth Avenue; (4) Increased Police Department review of valet operators’ permit applications; (5) Coordinated signage design to eliminate confusion; and (6) Preliminary planning to evaluate need for a downtown parking facility.
PUBLIX PARKING LOT: PUTTING RESIDENTS FIRST. During one of his regular office hours sessions, Lew met with a resident concerned that the Publix parking lot was full of interlopers, crowding out the “real” customers.
Working together with Lew and the Town team, Publix store management agreed to repaint the fire lanes and to hire Palm Beach PD on detail to begin a stepped-up enforcement program. Mayor Danielle Moore sent warning letters to nearby hotels and restaurants that valet parkers could not use the Publix lot for their guests. Over the course of one year, Palm Beach PD issued more than a thousand tickets to illegal parkers and Palm Beach residents once again come first as they shop for groceries.
SAND ON OUR BEACHES: THE “ONE TOWN” SOLUTION. In 2013, the Town Council was facing a major decision: Who would pay for an estimated $80 million in sand placements to combat accelerated beach erosion? The choices were assessing beachfront and other near-shore property owners or billing the whole town.
As a beachfront resident and president of the Citizens Association of Palm Beach, Lew worked with legendary Shore Board leaders Lee Goldstein and Jerry Frank to lobby for townwide payment of sand placement costs. The Council voted to support townwide cost accounting for beach renourishment, and by 2027 the program will be complete Townwide. Funding shortfall will be paid primarily from excess revenues from the Town’s Marina project, not any additional assessment on residents.
UNDERGROUNDING UTILITIES: GETTING TO YES. Today, undergrounding of Town utilities is seen by most residents as an unqualified success.
The Town is more attractive now that poles are being removed, and reliability statistics show improvement in every sector of town once conversion is made. As president of the Citizens Association of Palm Beach, Lew worked with the PB Civic Association, Town staff and citizen groups to persuade the Council and referendum voters to support the project.
UNDERSTANDING TOWN FINANCES: THE DASHBOARD. When Lew first ran for office in 2018, Town finances were experiencing turbulent times. Many residents were confused about the Town's financial health and the complicated nature of existing financial reports did little to inform those who wanted to know more. Working with the Town Manager and staff, Lew proposed and facilitated development of an easy-to-read, colorful synopsis of data, a Palm Beach Dashboard that used charts, graphs and flash numbers to describe trends in key aspects of the Town's financial performance. The Dashboard was published quarterly for four years until most of its features were incorporated into the Town’s current reporting system.
Watch this space for more discussion of the critical issues facing our Town and how Lew has helped so many residents find solutions that benefit their lives - and ours too.