Boynton Beach might want to annex, but move must be sensible to city, county residents
When I was growing up, my mother used to remind me to “cross that bridge when you come to it.” Her wise words came to mind recently when I read the Post’s story about the possibility of the City of Boynton Beach annexing communities to the west of its existing boundaries. Those neighborhoods all receive city services such as water, sewer or both. The Post’s story touched on the reaction of a few residents who are worried they might have to pay more if they became a part of a city someday, or that the services they receive wouldn’t be what they are used to.
I’d like to assure these residents that it’s way too early for those concerns. We aren’t even close to crossing that bridge. The city is in the early stages of a feasibility study that will help us answer a lot of fundamental questions.
Boynton Beach wants to annex and grow: A closer look at the 38 communities Boynton Beach is looking to annex
Is the city capable of expansion? Would its departments and services be able to continue the excellent level of service that city residents, as well as some county residents, now enjoy? Would annexation be financially prudent for the city and residents? How exactly would it look when it comes to public safety? What would be the timeframe for annexation? How can we expand services to ensure a seamless transition? The answers to these questions, which may be different for each property, are critical to determine if the city will, or even can, move forward.
Some residents have heard strong push-back from county departments that see annexation only in terms of money and how much of it they would lose. The county needs only to look at its own plan — the Palm Beach Municipal Future Annexation Areas map — to realize that the annexation idea isn’t only a potentially good one, it’s an expected one. The map, which resides on the county’s website, was updated in 2020 and shows virtually every municipality expanding westward over time. Indeed, counties weren’t envisioned to provide services to so many residents.
My mother also said that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I believe that wholeheartedly and I can promise that, depending on the results of the feasibility study, which may take a year to complete, the City of Boynton Beach will do it right.
We will listen to residents, we will talk specifics, and if annexation seems to be the right road to take, we will show you how we will provide excellent service at a fair cost. But let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.
Dan Dugger is the city manager of Boynton Beach.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boynton Beach annexation: Palm Beach County residents push back
