Commission postpones ITN for golf‑course clubhouse, directs staff to negotiate with Beach Club lessee

The Lake Worth Beach City Commission on June 16 voted to postpone the ITN process for the golf-course clubhouse/Beach Club and directed staff to resume negotiations with the current lessee, who asked to be present at the next discussion. Vice Mayor Mimi May moved to remove the item from the agenda for now and to have staff negotiate directly with the lessee; commissioners debated whether the ITN should be abandoned entirely or held in reserve as leverage.

Residents and employees packed the public-participation portion to urge the commission not to remove the ITN and to give the Beach Club a full opportunity to present its plans. "We have more than 1,300 signatures for a petition in support of keeping the Beach Club where it is," a Beach Club manager told the commission, arguing the operation provides jobs and community space. Several speakers said the venue is a low‑cost option for families and a place where locals find first jobs and community ties.

Commissioners split over whether the ITN serves as a necessary market check or an excessive step that risks harming a longstanding tenant. Commissioner Sarah Maliga said the city must be a good steward: "We have $1,800,000 in needs just in the irrigation system," she said, urging fiduciary responsibility and maintaining the ITN option. Other commissioners emphasized negotiations and asked staff to produce firm terms and a market analysis before any final decision.

The motion to postpone the ITN to the next available meeting and to have staff continue behind‑the‑scenes negotiations passed on a voice vote. The commission advised members of the public that those who wished to speak on the topic could still do so during the public-comment portion of the meeting on the postponed date.