UPDATE:
In our interview, Pinkney told me he had been working in "utilities," so we asked him to expand on that...
"Okay, umm, water treatment. I'm in the water treatment. I worked for the city of Boynton Beach for 28 and a half years. I retired from the city of Boynton Beach back in 2014."
What Pinkney left out is that he is currently listed as the "Water Treatment Plant Superintendent" for the City of Riviera Beach, which is in the middle of controversy over water quality.
The mayor recently announced that E. coli and fecal matter got into two city wells last summer and that the Florida Department of Health says the bacteria did get into the drinking water, despite the city's utilities department claiming that was not the case.
Based on Pinkney's response to my question, w had reported that he was a retired public works employee. We always want to make sure the facts get reported.
ORIGINAL STORY
Lake Worth Beach's electric utility has come a long way. That's according to City Commissioner Sarah Malega, who is running for re-election in District 1.
"We're $17 per 1,000 kilowatt hour cheaper than FPL."
She says vast improvements have been made to the utility and the city's power grid since she's been on the Commission.
A voter-approved bond has been used to invest in the infrastructure to harden the system and the city has created its first ever emergency storm fund as well as a fuel reserve fund to ward off hefty hikes in residents' monthly electric bills when fuel costs spike.
Malega says that while things are not perfect in Lake Worth Beach, they're getting better.
"We had to hire a new city manager, which some people just abruptly fired a month ago. We've been through a lot in the City of Lake Worth Beach but all in all we are moving the city forward. We are in the best financial situation we've ever been in."
The Commissioner is being challenged by longtime Lake Worth Beach resident Melvin Pinkney, a retired public works employee and current church pastor.
"What got me to put my hat in the ring was I felt like my District could use some better representation in my area."
District 1 has its fair share of minority residents. This is the first election in Lake Worth Beach where the races are 'single-district,' meaning only residents of that particular district may vote for Commissioner, while all voters may vote in the city's Mayoral race.
Pinkney's biggest complaint about the incumbent is that he claims she isn't responsive to residents...something she denies.
"I don't think the transparency...I know the transparency is not there because myself, I have tried to make an attempt to call her. And with me being a pastor in the community, I didn't see where she responded back to me."
As a reminder, Monday 2/20 is the deadline to register to vote in the March 19th Presidential Preference Primary, if you're not already, and that includes the municipal elections.