Residents press Lake Wales commission on dangerous intersections and a tree dispute

Several residents used the meeting’s public-comment period to press the City Commission of the City of Lake Wales on local safety and property concerns.

Cassandra Richards told commissioners that there have been repeated crashes near Highway 60 around the Hunt Brother intersection and warned that congestion will worsen when nearby housing is occupied. She asked for speed bumps or other traffic changes and requested the mayor call her to follow up.

Robert Luce of 102 Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard said he mailed certified documentation to the city about a tree adjacent to his property and that after paying roughly $1,600 to trim the vegetation he learned the tree may belong to the city. Luce presented copies of certified-mail receipts, described the sequence of events, and directly accused the city manager of ineptitude, saying the manager "should be fired." The claim went unanswered in the meeting record.

Bridal Loz (self-identified) described visibility problems at the intersection where schoolchildren wait for buses, saying the overgrown tree creates a hazard for drivers and students and asked the mayor to address it.

Commissioner Williams said the commission is willing to help residents in Highland Park Manor pursue speed bumps with the county’s cooperation. The city manager said he would review the tree situation.

Next steps: City staff said they will review the materials provided by residents and follow up. No formal binding action was taken during the meeting on these public comments.