Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss is asking the county’s inspector general to investigate several City of West Palm Beach business dealings. He said Tuesday that he wants an independent review of how public money is spent and how deals and contracts are awarded.
Weiss named the Sunset Lounge, a land deal involving a private school, a city transportation contract and a tennis facility. He also questioned how much public notice the city gave for some deals. Weiss said he learned about the Elisabetta’s deal only five days before it appeared on a commission agenda, even though the Community Redevelopment Agency had worked on it for more than a year.
Weiss stopped short of calling the matters corruption or criminal. He said the inspector general should determine the facts and that any problems should be corrected.
West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James called the allegations “misleading and baseless false accusations.” He said the city follows applicable laws and public oversight, and he criticized Weiss for not raising concerns at the public meetings where the decisions were made.
The dispute also involves former City Commissioner Christina Lambert, who is running against Weiss for mayor. James said Lambert volunteered with the mayor’s office for about two months without pay or authority. Lambert said she had no role in city policy, and the city confirmed she attended an April 8 meeting with representatives of E.R. Bradley’s, Related Ross and city staff as a private citizen.
