Plans to renovate the historic John F. Kennedy bunker on Peanut Island in Palm Beach County have stalled following a conflict within the Palm Beach Maritime Museum.
The Port of Palm Beach is the owner of the Kennedy bunker dating back the Cold War era as well as a former U.S. Coast Guard station located on Peanut Island. The port has leased the buildings to the museum for $100 a year since 1992.
Engineering firm CH2M reported in February that the property was in poor condition due to problems including mold and termite infestation.
Port attorney Greg Picken said he notified the museum of lease violations after the June meeting of the port commission.
But the Palm Beach Post reported that John Grant, president of the Palm Beach Maritime Foundation, apparently is disputing the composition of the museum’s board membership.
“It’s hard to know who to deal with right now,” Picken said.
The Palm Beach Maritime Foundation filed suit Thursday in Palm Beach Circuit Court against the Palm Beach Maritime Museum, alleging that the foundation has legal cause to remove four individuals from the museum board. The suit seeks removal of the four, who have refused to surrender their board seats. [Palm Beach Post] — Mike Seemuth