BRINY BREEZES — The Town Council can enforce traffic citations given on private streets, under a resolution passed in April. The council passed a revised resolution that will be presented to the corporation at a previously scheduled special meeting. Council and corporation said they had not previously formalized their understanding on traffic enforcement, but found that increasing name recognition of Briny Breezes following the proposed sale of the park has boosted traffic as well as illegal parking.
“We will have police coverage,” Alderman Nancy Boczon warned. “Parking tickets will be given out. We’re even going to get a little stricter.”
— Margie Plunkett
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By Linda Haase
Residents and businesses in Briny Breezes, Ocean Ridge and parts of Hypoluxo will be hit with higher water bills beginning this month.
The Boynton Beach City Commission voted April 21 to raise rates for 96,000 customers in the city, unincorporated areas to the west, Briny Breezes, Ocean Ridge and parts of Hypoluxo.
The majority of the hike will be in the fixed-base rate — which will more than double — from $6.05 to $13.47 for residential customers outside the city limits, which includes Briny Breezes and parts of Hypoluxo. Ocean Ridge residents, who pay in-city rates, will pay a base rate of $10.77, up from $4.84.
Businesses outside of the city will pay a base rate of $26.93, up from $12.10; in-city rates will increase to from $12.10 to $21.54.
The increases, the first since 1994, cover water consumption and the base rate for waste water and waste-water consumption rates.
An Ocean Ridge resident who uses 5,000 gallons of water per month will see an increase of about $7. Briny Breezes residents, who pay out-of-city rates and also receive waste water services from Boynton Beach, will see an increase of about $15 (based on 5,000 gallons used). Briny Breezes property owners are billed based on their share in the corporation.
Most of Hypoluxo’s customers receive only waste-water services, where the base rate will increase from $15.04 to $20.68 and the commodity rate will increase 19 cents per thousand gallons used.
The changes will provide a higher percentage of revenue from base rates to offset the dwindling proceeds from water consumption sparked by mandatory water restrictions and a decline in development.
“There’s never a good time for an increase,” said Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor. “No one wants to increase rates, but it is costing us more to produce than we are taking in.”
Monthly water rates for residential customersBriny Breezes and parts of Hypoluxo Base rate: $13.47 Consumption charge: $1.90 (per thousand gallons up to 9,000 gallons)
Ocean Ridge and Boynton Beach Base rate: $10.77 Consumption charge: $1.52 (per thousand gallons up to 9,000 gallons)
Delray Beach Base rate: Inside city: $15.72 Outside city: $19.65 Consumption charge: $1.94 (per thousand gallons for 4,000-20,000 gallons
Manalapan Base rate: Ranges from $33.66 to $521.73 depending on size of meter (5/8 inch to 4 inches) Consumption charge: $1.85 per thousand gallons 20 percent surcharge added for Hypoluxo customers
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The Lantana Town Council set the stage for The Cenacle’s transformation from an Intracoastal spiritual retreat to a luxury resort and spa that would offer repose and tranquility to a new set of patrons.
Despite the objections of neighbors, the council passed an ordinance April 27 to change the land use from residential to commercial, which would open the door for development of the $90 million resort and spa. The sale of the retreat at 1400 S. Dixie Highway, operated by the Catholic Cenacle Sisters, to Palm Beach Resort Partners LLC has not been completed yet, conditioned on the land-use change. The developer promised wary residents a deed restriction that would limit building to the upscale hotel if the sale closes.
The approval of the amended comprehensive plan map begins a 31-day appeals period, followed by public hearings on a zoning change.
Neighbors of The Cenacle crowded into Town Hall during two public hearings — Mayor David Stewart counted 103 for the second hearing — to argue against the change. Many didn’t oppose the hotel, but raised concerns about the process, wanted guarantees that the hotel would be built rather than a different commercial project, and expressed fears that the development would generate noise, traffic and environmental damage. The developer’s representatives gave Lantana residents a preview of the resort, a concept described as a 300-room hotel with restaurants, bars, ballroom, sandy beach and pool on the 10-acre waterfront property and would probably be a four-star resort. The plan itself has not been submitted to the town and isn’t yet under consideration by council.
“We believe the project will provide an enormous boost to the town of Lantana, which under the current conditions is in sore need,” said attorney Al Malefatto of Greenberg Traurig, representing the developer. The project, with buildings ranging from one-and-a-half to five stories, would mean 300 full-time local jobs and $300,000 in tax revenue annually from a property that is not now taxed.
“We want to work with the neighbors to make this fit in, so it’s an asset to Lantana,” Malefatto said. The lawyer promised a deed restriction that would allow only the upscale hotel use after residents voiced fears that if the deal collapses, a strip shopping center or big-box retailer could be built instead.
Greg Kino of Casey Ciklin Lubitz Martens, who spoke on behalf of neighbor James Place residents, said the developer was putting the cart before the horse by enticing residents with the preliminary project yet limiting their comments to the land-use change. He argued for a process that would allow the land-use change and resort plan to be reviewed at the same time. And he added, “The land use is totally incompatible.”
Town Attorney Max Lohman reiterated, “This town does not do concurrent processing. It’s illegal.” Resident Mary Smith said she failed in attempts to confirm whisperings that the resort was going to be part of a W development, owned by Starwood.
“But when I called them, they said they have nothing on their desk about coming here. “It seems like we’re having the wedding before we’ve met the bride,” she said. “If this doesn’t happen, what then?” Mark O’Donnell of James Place said at the second hearing some things could stop the developer: financing, and approval to build above 35-foot height restrictions. “If they don’t get that, they won’t want to build it. If they don’t want to build it, we’re stuck with C1 property.” Noise could be another problem, O’Donnell said, as noise frequently travels across the Intracoastal. Ann Marie Zabroski just bought her South Lake Drive home “because it’s a nice quiet town.” Zabroski, who works from home, said had she known about coming construction, bars, restaurants and added traffic, she would have reconsidered. “It’s just changing the overall nature of the town,” she said. “I think it should stay a low-key Florida town.”
Other residents wondered if there was something special in the resort plan for Lantana residents, like the Ritz in Manalapan where there is a special club and residents are allowed to use the facilities without charge, said resident Judy Black. After each public hearing, Malefatto answered the crowd, noting that the developer doesn’t plan to drive traffic down South Lake, it has all access planned for U.S. 1. Residents will have opportunities at many hearings to weigh in on the resort plans, he said. “All you have to do is say no during the site plan process.”
Malefatto tried to alleviate worry that something other than a high-end resort would go on the property. He pointed out that the value of the property — what the sisters will sell it for — wouldn’t make practical many uses, such as convenience store or an inexpensive motel.
One council member voted against the land-use change after the second public hearing: Vice Mayor Cindy Austino. Elizabeth Tennyson, who was absent for final approval, had voted against it on first reading. Tennyson said during the April 13 meeting, “I’m listening and feeling some of the same issues myself. I don’t really have any assurance of what’s going to happen here.”
While a hotel could be “a really wonderful thing” for a small town like Lantana, Tennyson wondered why they couldn’t consider the land-use change and the hotel plan concurrently. Those who voted yes said they supported a project that would bring jobs in an unforgiving economy and new tax revenue from a previously exempt property.
“Something’s going in there, whether we like it or not,” council member Lynn J. Moorhouse said. “I’d like to see this as much of a class act as it could be,” adding that while he wasn’t supporting the project simply for income, “every town up and down the coast is financially strapped.”
Mayor Stewart said after the final approval of the land-use change, “I feel confident if they don’t do what they say they’re going to do, we can send them home with their tail between their legs.”
As residents filed out of the first public hearing, conversations echoed disappointment, including one voice drifting from the crowd: “I lost all faith here tonight.”
The Cenacle Sisters, who have operated the Cenacle Spiritual Life Center retreat for more than 40 years, are selling because their numbers are declining and the costs of operating the property increasing, the Florida Catholic reported in August. The property was valued at $20 million, the publication said. The Florida Catholic said the sisters were looking for another location in the area.
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By Mary Thurwachter
When people find out how dedicated Tom Honker is to shell collecting, they assume he frequently lingers on sandy shores. But that’s not the case.
“I don’t spend much time on the beach,” the Delray Beach conchologist said. “Mostly I’ve been 30 feet or more from the beach diving.”
During a discussion on local shelling at The Sandoway Nature Center on April 23, Honker said “what is found on the beach these days is dredged by beach renourishment and is in very dead to semi fossil condition. Having come through the dredge pipe, the shells are, well, worn to say the least.
“Fifty to 100 years ago, decent quality shells could be found on beaches in South Florida but beach collecting here never compared to that of the west coast, particularly Sanibel Island.”
Florida’s west coast beaches are better for shelling because it has a very sloping bottom where shells collect. On the east coast, the shoreline drops out very fast. But if you’re willing to dive 30 feet out, beautiful living shells can be found.
Good places to shell, outside of Sanibel include Tampa Bay and Apalachicola Bay, Honker said. But our area has some plusses, too. The Bahamas protect our shores from big ocean swells from the Atlantic, which is why surfers typically head north toward Melbourne.
Honker remembers beach collecting in Delray and Boca as a child 60 years ago. “That's how I first got interested in shells,” he said.
Some folks don’t mind the imperfections of shells battered by a dredge pipe, but Honker, who buys and sells shells from all around the world, seeks unblemished beauties found further from shore and deep beneath the sea.
The Pennsylvania native and his wife and dive mate Paula have lived in Delray Beach for 45 years. They delight in a dive trip that results in beautiful shells and good food (from the shells).
Among their favorite treasures are spiny oysters and one of the world’s best collections of those pretty scallops can be found in 150-foot-deep water off the coast of Palm Beach and Broward Counties.
“They’re hard to see because they’re covered with sponge and algae, but they are delicious to eat, too.”
Each of the shells takes about an hour to clean, he said. First the animal has to be taken out, then the shell is dropped in bleach and the calcium is scraped off. Finally, the shells are treated with acid and preserved.
Two of Florida’s most famous shells are the Lion’s Paw and the Junonia. Lion’s Paws can be found on both coasts of Florida, but you won’t find the Junonia, the pride of Sanibel Island, on Florida’s east coast.
You can, however, see both of them at the Sandoway House Nature Center.
See sea shells by the sea shore!
Can’t find what you’re looking for while combing the beach? Need inspiration for your own shell collection? Check out the world-class collection at the Sandoway House Nature Center in Delray Beach.
Gulf Stream resident Linda Becker Dean inherited a collection of 10,000 shells from her aunt and uncle, Albert and Ann Becker, and then donated it to Sandoway several years ago. This year, with the help of a $10,000 Recreation Assistance Program grant acquired through the Palm Beach County Commission, Sandoway has added a new room to display the shells.
For more information, call (561) 274-7263 or see www.sandowayhouse.com.
Mary Thurwachter is a West Palm Beach freelance writer and founder/producer of INNsideFlorida.com (www.innsideflorida.com)Read more…
By Vicki McCash Brennan
People have been sharing stories since the beginning of time. We know myths, legends and fairy tales only because people long ago passed them from generation to generation and place to place.
Although today we have many electronic ways to communicate with each other, people are still telling stories in decidedly low-tech ways.
“Sharing stories across a kitchen table is a wonderful way to start,” said Mij Byram, who coordinates the Palm Beach Storytelling Guild, an informal group that meets monthly in Delray Beach.
“It’s not about technology,” she said. “It’s real. It’s the real thing: looking eye to eye with one person or with an audience and connecting.”
Everyone has a story to tell.
“Storytelling is a human legacy. We all do it,” says Caren Neile, director of the South Florida Storytelling Project at Florida Atlantic University. Neile’s work takes her to hospices and Alzheimer’s day care centers, schools and libraries, storytelling groups and into the university, where she teaches two storytelling classes every semester. She also helps coordinate and promote professional storyteller performances in South Florida.
Neile teaches plenty of educators and librarians about telling stories to children, but her real passion is in cajoling adults to start sharing their own stories.
“I encourage people to form reminiscence groups,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be something that’s ready to be made into a major motion picture.”
All a story really needs is a beginning, a middle and an end.
“Be as vivid as possible,” Neile said. “Include the sights, the sounds, the sense details.”
An easy way to get started is to attend storyteller Glad McLeod's session, “I'll Tell You Mine if You Tell Me Yours,” at Palm Beach County’s Hagen Ranch Road Library in Delray Beach the first Friday of every month.
McLeod, who lives in South Palm Beach, said she likes to keep the group informal and non-threatening. “There’s no applause. We just say thank you. That way if feels less like you’re performing.”
Sometimes McLeod chooses a theme, such as “the time I was happiest” or “love stories.” Or she will tell a story from her own life to kick things off and spark other stories.
“It’s a natural process,” Neile said. “One person tells a story, and then another person says, ‘Oh, I have a story like that one,’ and on it goes.”
That’s what usually happens at a monthly storytelling competition called Vox, held the last Saturday of the month at Gizzi’s Coffee Gallery in Delray Beach.
In February, professional storyteller Rosalind Breznick-Perry, a part-time resident of Deerfield Beach, surprised the crowd by kicking off the evening with a story that involved the disposal of a Mrs. Goldberg’s cremated remains. Several other stories about grandmothers and cremated remains followed, topped by Boca Raton resident Peter Byron’s hilarious story about a time when, as a student pilot, he participated in a botched effort to scatter remains from a small plane.
The storytellers at Vox and other events are not professionals, and many stand up to tell a story for the first time, inspired by a story that came before.
“Just hearing all the stories inspired me,” said Gina Longo of Delray Beach, who won February’s Vox with a story she had never told before about her grandmother, whose “personality was about eight feet tall.” Longo remembered being “always the brunt of my grandmother’s advice and pearls of wisdom.”
Storytelling events attract all ages, but McLeod especially likes to encourage the over-60 crowd to open up and start telling. “We, as seniors, are living libraries. If we don't start sharing our stories now, we’re going to lose them forever,” McLeod said. McLeod, Byram, Neile and other storytellers emphasize that storytelling doesn’t have to be formal or intimidating. It’s something that comes naturally in conversation. The only difference with a storytelling group is that the audience is there to listen and tell, rather than to converse.
“I like to say it’s magic, but it’s not,” Byram said. “We’re all storytellers. We just have to realize it.”
Rules for Reminiscence Groups
• One person tells a story at a time, usually three to five minutes long.
• The group applauds or thanks the teller.
• A short time is allowed for questions.
• The Vegas Rule is enforced: What happens in the story group stays in the story group.
• A facilitator is helpful, but not necessary.
To find a professional facilitator, contact one of the people listed here.
SOURCE: Caren Neile, director, South Florida Storytelling Project, FAU
For More Information
• Palm Beach Storytelling Guild Mij Byram, on the Web at www.mijbyram.com, or e-mail mijbyram@aol.com
• Storytelling Facilitator Glad McLeod Call 516-582-9047
• South Florida Storytelling Project, FAU Caren Neile, cneile@fau.edu or 561-297-0042
NOTE: For upcoming storytelling events, please check the Community Calendar.Read more…
Local authorities in the town of Briny Breezes can now issue traffic citations on private streets. With the unanimous passing of a resolution at March’s Town Council meeting, the town acknowledges that it will accept and exercise traffic control jurisdiction over private streets within the town. Mayor Roger Bennett explains that there was a never need for this type of resolution before, because there wasn’t much of a problem with traffic issues on private roads. However, it is now imperative, he says, as the increasing name recognition of Briny Breezes — since the proposed sale of the park sparked public interest — has led to an increase in traffic and illegal parking. The Briny Breezes corporation will handle the resolution in its April board meeting, passing whatever is needed to give the town police power over the roads. The passing of the resolution led to discussion about a possible reduction of speed limits. Currently, local police cannot ticket anyone going under 25 miles per hour. While it is not certain that this will change, residents got the opportunity to voice their opinions. “That’s one of the main problems in Briny Breezes,” said Bennett. “With the tiny streets, 25 miles per hour looks a lot bigger.”
In other developments from the March 26 Town Council meeting:
• Frank Barba was appointed to fill the vacant alderman seat for a full two-year term. “Us guys are gaining,” Mayor Bennett joked as Barba took his seat with the all-female council. Kathleen Bray was appointed town clerk pro tem and Sharon Kendrigan was appointed council president, both for one-year terms.
• The Department of Transportation is looking into the issue of people running red lights as a safety issue on state road A1A. The Boynton Beach Police Department, meanwhile, is looking at different vendors for red-light cameras, and will keep the town of Briny Breezes posted on its investigation. “It enhances the safety aspect,” Town Attorney Jerome Skrandel said of installing a red-light camera, “but I don’t think it’s a safety thing in and of itself.”
– Florence Kizza
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Renny Reynolds and Jack Staubs. What aren’t those two into?
The part-time Manalapan residents also own Horatulus Farm Nursery in Wrightstown, Pa., a 100-acre 18th-century farmstead with 30 acres of formal gardens hosting up to 75 garden and touring groups a year. Yes, they are busy. They come to Florida to relax, or so they say …
Just to give some background …
Landscape architect Renny Reynolds, founder of Renny & Reed, with locations in New York City and the Jupiter Island Club in Hobe Sound, was, in his previous life, a party planner extraordinaire – arranging presentations for Yves St Laurent and Diana Vreeland, birthday parties in Turkey and Hall of Fame dinners. He’s written The Art of the Party and, since passing his design business to his nephew, Reed McIlvaine, he’s returned to his first love, garden design. His house and garden designs have been featured in Architectural Digest, House & Garden, W and Town & Country, to name a few.
Although an author of numerous gardening books, grass doesn’t grow under Jack Staub’s feet either. His latest book is 75 Exciting Vegetables For Your Garden, a unique primer of the world’s most beautiful vegetables. He’s a playwright, too. In March, his play, Running Out, was part of the Florida Stage New Works Festival. His earlier pursuits include soap-box acting, bartending and a career in advertising.
Committed to South Florida? You bet! These two not only own two charming homes in Manalapan, but they entice their back-east friends to become their neighbors!
10 Questions for Renny Reynolds and Jack Staub
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
RR. I grew up in St. Louis, Mo., in the heart of the Midwest in a family where strong work-ethic values were important. I was lucky to go to a small private school, where the art program and the personal attention greatly influenced my life.
JS. Litchfield and Stamford, Conn., where I was a product of the Greenwich Country Day and Choate schools; they give me both a broader education and a more expansive view of the world.
Q. What is your favorite part of the work you do?
RR. The creative process of working with clients to beautify their living environments.
JS. In my role as playwright, working in collaboration with a talented director and cast, who breathe things into your words you have not possibly imagined.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
RR. Try to find work in an area that you really enjoy and can hopefully be passionate about. And then look for and take advantage of all the opportunities that come along.
JS. Ditto. Use heart and head. Don’t be irresponsible, but follow your dream with unwavering certainty.
Q. What inspires your creativity?
RR. The excitement of visual aesthetics in every realm. JS. Surrounding yourself with other talents and entering an unknown garden for the first time.
Q. What has been the highlight of your professional career?
RR. The happiness and satisfaction that it has given me.
JS. Being part of Florida Stage’s First Stage Festival this year has certainly been one of them. Completing my edible gardening trilogy another.
Q. How did you choose to have a home in Manalapan?
RR. Finding a house on the water that we loved and knew that we could create a fun and welcoming home for our families and friends.
JS. Sheer animal luck. We thought we would end up in the north end until our Realtor hauled us down to Manalapan and our little house on the lake.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in Manalapan?
RR. It is a very special and secure island with a great community feeling, beautiful birds, super security, and great beauty.
JS. The funky Key West-iness of our greater town of Lantana, yet just moments from Worth Avenue, and our view down the lake.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
RR. Elton John, Tina Turner, Willie Nelson, and Patti Labelle.
JS. Aaron Copeland’s Appalachian Spring. Crosby Stills & Nash’s version of Woodstock. Chris Botti’s trumpet.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
RR. “Consult the genius in the place in all.” Alexander Pope
JS. “Stifle, Edith.” Archie Bunker
Q. Who/what makes you laugh?
RR. Whoopie Goldberg, Robin Williams.
JS. The Society section of the Palm Beach “Shiny Sheet.”
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By Cynthia Thuma
DELRAY BEACH — When the Sandoway East Handicap golf tournament was first announced in December 1934, its creators hoped the match-play event would blossom into one of the nation’s most prestigious amateur events.
The first year’s event took place in early March 1935, and its results tended to confirm the rosy outlook for the event. Michiganders, like the city’s pioneer settlers, figured prominently in the results. William McWane, from Birmingham, shot 75 to win the qualifying round, including a hole-in-one on the Delray Beach Golf Club’s eighth hole.
Roger Keeney, of Grand Rapids, won the second flight, defeating Mike Blank, of Delray Beach, 4 and 3 in the final round.
The event’s top prize — first prize in the championship flight — was won by a scion of the Roosevelt family, Oliver W. Roosevelt, a winter resident of Delray Beach and cousin of the president. Roosevelt defeated local attorney C.Y. Byrd in the final round.
In the consolation flight, Fred Bascom, of Chicago, defeated J. Leslie Brown, owner of the Sandoway East lodge and cottages.
Roosevelt actually retired the cup, by winning the tournament in its second year, 1936, as well. The tournament continued through World War II, then faded to black.
More than six decades later, Alieda Riley, a board member and volunteer at the Sandoway House Nature Center, happened across some stories about the tournament.
“I was researching something else and came across them,” she said. Riley discussed what she’d found with Sandoway House staff. “One thing led to another,” she said.
A decision was made to resurrect the tournament as a fund-raising event for the nature center, starting in 1999.
The distinctive original silver cup, which had over the years disappeared, was replaced by one donated by tennis great Jeanne Evert Dubin.
IF You Go
This year’s event is scheduled for April 17 on the Breakers West’s Rees Jones course. The day’s activities start at noon, with registration and a box lunch. The field heads out to the course with a shotgun start at 1:30. After the round concludes, the social events begin at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, buffet and awards ceremony.
The cost to participate is $225 per golfer or $900 per foursome. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Player and sponsor registration forms are available at the Sandoway House’s Web site, www.sandowayhouse.comRead more…
By Mike Readling
It only takes a short trip along the Intracoastal to see the beauty and elegance of some of the docks and decks that line the waterway. Colorful woods in various designs, small piers jutting out from the sea walls and boats of numerous sizes and classes catch your eye at every turn. It is one of the things that make the Intracoastal such a peaceful, meandering ride during any summer sunset.
What you don’t see during your dusk float is the destruction many of those decks, docks and boats are causing: environmental effects that have ramifications not only in Manalapan and Ocean Ridge, but throughout the entire state of Florida and even into South America.
The problem, during this time of more green-concious living, is that eco-thinking hasn’t taken hold in the marine industry. Yet.
But there are several local businesses that are trying to change the way waterfront dwellers and mariners think when it comes to upgrading their docks, repairing sea walls, or simply taking the boat out for a quick trip. The key words are renewable and recyclable. And we’re not talking the bottle of wine you finished last night, or the soda cans and newspapers that are so dutifully put in the blue and yellow bins by the curb.
It’s more global than that. For the time being, it’s also a little more expensive.
Dock construction
Ken Gidney is the president of Anchor Deck and Dock in Boca Raton. He has been building docks and decks for nearly 20 years, and is on the leading edge of area builders who are embracing a more environmentally sensitive movement in their business.
Gidney recently completed a course toward becoming LEED-certified. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and teaches builders techniques and alternatives to current methods, instilling the value and importance of protecting the environment.
“The biggest issue is wood,” Gidney said. “Don’t use Brazilian hardwood, because it’s coming from the rain forests in Brazil. They’re taking trees that are thousands of years old and cutting them down in less than a minute so we can all have pretty decks and docks.
“You [also] have to think locally when you’re building. If you’re going to put in concrete walls or pilings, use concrete you can buy locally. It takes a lot of fuel to haul concrete from far distances.”
Wood is the most popular deck and dock material. But wood has its advantages and disadvantages.
First, it fits into the rapidly renewable and recyclable category in that it can be broken down and mixed with recycled plastics to form a composite that can be used on docks and will last much longer.
However, wood also contains chemicals designed to make it last longer in the harsh marine elements. Until about five years ago, that chemical was arsenic. Then the government realized the large amount of arsenic in the Florida Aquifer was the result of seepage from all the docks in the state. Copper was the mandated replacement, though no one is entirely sure how that element will affect the state’s water system.
“Is it more carcinogenic that arsenic? We have no idea,” Gidney said. “Honestly, the best way to go is with concrete pilings. They last forever and there is no environmental impact at all.”
Overall, Gidney said, the best way to build a new dock or deck is to use Forest Stewardship Council certified wood or concrete and stainless steel attachments, and make sure you’re not damaging the sea life under the dock. FSC-certified means the wood is not stripped from a rain forest and shipped thousands of miles, but rather part of an approved method for improving forestry practices.
Some cities — Fort Lauderdale, for example — are requiring the placement of rip rap (basically broken rocks and rubble) under docks that extend more than eight feet from shore, ensuring a habitat for sea life. Gidney has seen an increase in environmentally sensitive building orders, but that’s not necessarily because people are thinking correctly.
“Are people thinking green? No, they’re not,” Gidney said. “People are doing this stuff because they don’t want the maintenance and the green solutions are much longer lasting and durable.”
Boat handling
But, what about the boats that are tied to those docks? Every time someone cleans a boat, or runs a bilge on the way offshore, something falls in the water. Whether it’s marine soap, industrial cleaner or the slosh-over fuel or other contaminants that pour out of the bilge, something that’s not environmentally safe hits the water. And that, according to Jena Bradley, is bad. Bradley is the dockmaster at Palm Beach Yacht Center and she sees thousands of boats a year doing something that is not only bad for the environment, but usually against Coast Guard regulations.
The biggest offender? People who are fueling boats.
“Boaters need to pay better attention when they are fueling their boats. I see them leaving the nozzle unattended while they’re down below fussing with their wife or kids,” Bradley said. “It’s probably my biggest pet peeve. They’re just so uneducated that when they get to the dock they go crazy.”
Uneducated and usually illegal. The Coast Guard regulation states that when you’re fueling your boat you must attend to the nozzle 100 percent of the time. And the Coast Guard backs up its rules with some pretty hefty fines. Any spillage over 10 gallons is reportable by law. Any clean-up that’s required will be covered by the boat owner, or the person responsible for the spill. That’s a bill that can add up quickly: The regulations state that, besides the $5,000 fine for negligence, the owner will also be fined $50 per teaspoon of fuel that hits the water.
Hull cleaning
Wendy Jackson and her husband own Pro Boat Clean, a boat cleaning service out of West Palm Beach. Pro Boat Clean is a 100 percent environmentally sensitive and completely non-abrasive way to maintain boats. Having moved from England two years ago, where the marine green movement is years ahead of the United States, the couple owns the franchise for the entire state of Florida.
“The upper end of the market has been more keen on it,” Jackson said. “It’s a little bit more expensive than wet sanding and compounding, but it works out over the course of the year. A 30-foot boat, for us, takes 3 to 4 days, where a regular guy could do it in a day. Once it’s been clean and protected by us, though, it’s a once-a-year process, rather than every three months. So, it’s the same price through the year. The advantage is you don’t have your boat worn away. You’ll still have your Gelcoat left. The boat will be the same as the day you bought it.” Typically, a wet sander and compounder will clean the boat by basically rubbing off the top layer of Gelcoat and then waxing the boat to maintain its cleanliness. Much of that Gelcoat and leftover compound goes right in the water. After about three months, the wax goes soft and the process has to be repeated. With Jackson’s Pro Boat Clean method, they use environmentally safe chemicals that seep into the deck and draw the dirt and grime out. There is no grinding or wearing away of the hull, which means not only does the boat remain intact, nothing harmful works its way into the water.
“It is completely environmentally sensitive. The animals are able to drink it if they happen to come into contact with it,” Jackson said. “We are completely green. We don’t use any of the bleaches that many of the companies use. Those bleaches are really harmful to the environment, and they’re also wet sanding so you have all those fragments flying all over the place.”
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DELRAY BEACH — When she lived on Vista Del Mar, Margaret Rockefeller’s home was affectionately known to friends as “Chez Margo.”
The nickname was a testament to a woman whose life balanced irrepressible wit with a serious devotion to both animals and art.
“She was just always full of surprises,” recalled Marilyn Brown, a friend of nearly 10 years. “She was interesting, and funny, and you never knew when she was going to come out with one of those zingers.”
A longtime resident of Delray Beach, Mrs. Brown died March 5 at Harbor’s Edge, where she and her husband, Godfrey, moved last year. She was 81.
Born August 9, 1927, in Bronxville, N.Y., Mrs. Rockefeller was a graduate of Garrison Forrest High School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She had worked for the Bonwit Teller department store before her marriage in 1956.
Mrs. Rockefeller was a great advocate for both animals and the arts, having worked with the British naturalist Gerald Durrell to help establish the Wildlife Preservation Trust. She was also a longtime patron of the Miami City Ballet, and served many years on its board of directors.
“You could just tell she had a well-lived life, and had really enjoyed that life,” Brown said. “I don’t think she left a lot out.”
In addition to her husband of 52 years, Mrs. Rockefeller is survived by her daughter, Caroline R. Spencer of Willow, Creek, Mont.; and her son, Parker B. Rockefeller of Arnold, Md., as well as her sister, Caroline K. Bloy of Topsham, Maine, and many grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on March 9.
Donations in Mrs. Rockefeller’s name may be made to the Miami City Ballet, 2100 Liberty Ave., Miami, FL 33139.
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NOTE: With so many Summer Camps offered in our area, we selected those located between the Boca Raton Inlet and the Port of Palm Beach. We kept our listing east of I-95. Not all Summer Camp schedules have been set. Please check back next month for additional information as it becomes available. If your organization offers a camp not listed, please send your information to thecoastalstarcalendar@gmail.com.
SOUTH AREA
e-soccercamps: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Age 6-17. Soccer skills instruction for all ability levels. Day camp from 9 am-3 pm. Half-day camp from 9-11:45 am (Mon-Fri); June 8-12, June 15-19, June 22-26, and Aug. 3-7. $115 half day, $225 full day. Residential & commuter programs are offered June 13-17 (ages 13 and under) & June 27-July 1 (ages 14-18). 297-3743 or www.e-soccercamps.com.
Exploring the World Through Art: Boca Raton Museum of Art School, 801 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton. Ages 6-11. This camp is designed to develop students' appreciation and understanding of the visual arts. Classes are geared toward each student's individual level of achievement and offer three age-appropriate levels of learning. 9 am-4 pm, extended care available. Mon-Fri, June 8-July 31. $250/week, Individual and Dual Museum Members receive a 5% discount off tuition and Contributing Museum Members or higher receive a 10% discount off tuition. Discounts for multiple kids. 392-2503 or www.bocamuseum.orgFAU-Goal To Goal Soccer Camps: 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Soccer Program camp is designed to teach a sound foundation for the beginning players, as well as to refine and implement the skills of the competitive/travel team player. Specifically designed for the soccer enthusiast who would like to participate in soccer training for the entire camp. The morning session consists of techniques and skills along with small side games. After lunch and pool-time the campers will have a chance to play more competitive games in a tournament format. The 'Soccer Plus Program' includes soccer in the morning and teaches fundamental technique/skills and small side games, it also gives campers the opportunity to play Day Camp activities in the afternoon such as dodge ball, flag football, soccer tennis, kickball, capture the flag, relays, and pool-time. There will be a different activity each afternoon. Half day programs 9 am-Noon, full day 9 am-3 pm. Mon-Fri, June 8-Aug. 14. $115/week half-day, $225/week full-day (full day includes lunch & pool time), Also offered: Advanced Training Camps for age 10-14 and age 15-18. Call for details. 297-3711 or www.goaltogoalsoccercamps.com or email Coach Kos Donev: Donev@fau.edu.
FAU Summer Arts Camps: 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Camps offered are piano and creative writing camp; junior band camp; junior choral camp; ballet, tap and creative movement camp; acting camp; theatre performance workshop camp; and musical showcase camp. Each camp is divided by age. 9 am – 4 pm. June 15-July 31. $260 per week. Application fee of $10. 297-3820 or www.fau.edu/tops.
Performing Arts Summer Camp: Sol Children's Theatre, 3333 N. Federal Highway, Suite 5, Boca Raton. Sol Children Theatre, is one of South Florida's most rapidly growing children's theatre companies. With instruction and guidance from locally and nationally recognized professionals from theater, film and television, campers will be trained in vocal music, acting and dance, as well as other aspects of theater. No previous theater experience necessary! Sol's Summer Camp fills quickly, so please register early. Lunch, snacks, show t-shirt & DVD are included in tuition:
Session 1: The Lilliputian Opera Company: A zany musical revue based on an actual touring company of midgets who performed hilarious scenes and musical numbers from classic operas such as Carmen, The Barber of Seville and Madame Butterfly. 9 am-3 pm. Mon-Fri, June 8-June 26. $725 (3 week session)
Session 2: For the five-week session, campers will perform a classic piece of musical theatre: Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland, the classic Disney film musical brought to life in a unique way. 9 am-3 pm. Mon-Fri, June 29-July 31. $1200 (5 week session) www.solchildrentheatretroupe.orgSaint Andrew's School Day and Sports Camps: Saint Andrew's School, 3900 Jog Road, Boca Raton. Summer fun for ages 4-14. Four two-week sessions from June 8 - July 31. Weekdays 8:40 am - 3:10 pm, after camp care (by reservation) available 3:45-5:45 pm. Camps offered: Day Camp, Adventure Camp, Sports Camp and Sports Travel Camp. Prices $750-800 per session, depending on the program, and includes lunch. All program/registration fees must be paid in full by May 22. Call Camp Director Mike Jacobs: 210-2100 or www.saintandrewsschool.net.
Summer Youth College: Palm Beach Community College, 3000 St. Lucie Ave., Boca Raton. A summer program for ages 8-14. Students pick their classes and enjoy a unique college experience that's full of fun and learning without the pressure of grades, homework or tests! Mon-Thur, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. $59 per class (each class is 2 hours per week for 6 weeks.) 862-4730 or www.pbcc.edu.
YMCA Camp: Peter Blum Family YMCA of Boca Raton, 6631 Palmetto Circle South, Boca Raton. Campers will enjoy field trips, entertainment, arts and crafts, swimming, sports, recreational games, fitness and friendships. Three different camps are offered: Explorer Camp is designed for children who have completed kindergarten through 2nd grade; Challenge Camp includes 3rd-5th grade; Teen Camp is for 6th-8th grade. Nine one-week sessions (June 8-Aug.12) and one half-week session (Aug.9-Aug.12). Explorer/Challenge fees: $225/session (member); $325/session (non-member). Sibling rate: $203/session (member), $293/session (non-member). Camp fees for teens: member $255/session (member), $355/session (non-member), sibling rate: $230/session (member), $320/session (non-member). $50 nonrefundable deposit required to hold a spot for each week and will be applied to one weekly fee. 395-9622 or www.ymcaspbc.org
CENTRAL AREA
American Heritage Summer Day Camp: Summer fun for ages 3-13. American Heritage School, 6200 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach. Cabins for ages 3-5 are co-ed, while ages 6-13 have separate boys' and girls' cabins. Each age level enjoys age appropriate sports, arts, games and other activities. All cabins are air-conditioned. Four two-week sessions June 8 - July 31 and one one-week session Aug. 3-7. Weekdays 8:30 am - 3:30 pm, with a Junior Program (ages 3-4) from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm. Early dropoff is available at 8 am and extended day care is available until 5:30 pm. Prices are $840 per two-week session, $345 per one-week session, and $690 per session for the 1/2 day Junior Program. For more information, visit http://ahschool.com/BocaDelraynew/summercamp/summercamp.html or contact Sally Schleifer at 637-2440.
Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department Summer Camps: Recreation department summer camps provide children with a safe place to play with plenty of playmates, new things to do every day and a place to cool off when summer sun gets too hot. Schedule for all recreation department camps. Hours: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm, Monday–Friday, June 15 ‐ Aug. 7:
* Gilligan’z Island Adventure Camp. Ages 9 – 12. Boat Club Park, 2010 N Federal highway. 736‐9372
* Happy Dayz Camp. Ages 6 – 11. Intracoastal Park Clubhouse, 2240 N Federal Highway. 742‐6650
* Care Bearz Kinder Camp. Age 5. Civic Center, 128 E Ocean Avenue. 742‐6240
* Bustin’ Looze. Ages 5 – 12. Ezell Hester Community Center, 1901 N. Seacrest Boulevard. 742‐6550
* Good Timez. Ages 5 – 12. Carolyn Sims Center, 225 NW 11 Avenue, 742‐6550
* In Living Colorz. Ages 6 – 12. Art Camp. Art Center, 125 SE 2nd Avenue. 742‐6221
Cost: $440 (residents), $550 (non-Residents), Art Camp: $550 (residents), $688 (non-residents). www.boynton-beach.orgBucky Dent's Baseball School: 490 Dotterel Road, Delray Beach. Baseball Instructional Program (Ages 7 & up) 9 am-3:00pm, Mon.-Fri. Students will go through classes in: hitting, bunting, three days of defensive classes, infield and outfield training, pitching, catching and numerous special baseball drills. Special technique sessions are instructed on: sliding, baserunning, run-downs, and proper throwing mechanics. Students will play in games, take extra batting practice and pitchers will work off the mound. Students also go through proper stretching routines and arm exercises. It is a complete week of great baseball instruction! Weekly class sessions starting June 14, 2009. $275/week, discounts for additional weeks.
Rookie Camp (Ages 5-7) 9 am-12:30pm, Mon-Fri. A half day program for those who are new to the baseball world. A low student/instructor ratio assures extra attention for developing the skills taught. This program includes lunch. Enrollment is limited each week. Weekly camp sessions starting June 7, 2009. $175/week. 265-0280 or www.buckydentbaseballschool.comCamp Shalom: JCC of the Palm Beaches, JCC Hockman Branch, 8500 Jog Rd., Boynton Beach. Camp Shalom offers a well rounded traditional day camping experience. In addition, Camp Shalom, Jr. is offered for preschool campers; a teen travel program with options for older campers, and Special Needs camps that are consistently regarded as the community’s archetype of inclusive and dynamic day camp programming. Camp dates June 15-Aug.7 (no camp July 3), Jr. Camp June 15-Aug.14), 9 am-4 pm. Pricing available online or calling branch: 740-9000 or www.campshalom.orgDelray Beach Summer Camp: The Delray Beach Parks & Recreation Department is holding Summer Camp registration for Delray Beach Residents. Registration will be accepted for all three camp sites (Community Center, Pompey Park, and Pine Grove Elementary). Parents registering their child(ren) are required to bring: a completed Registration Application, a $25.00 one time registration fee, first payment of $110.00 made by cash, check, Master Card or Visa, a headshot photograph of the child(ren) & a copy of the child(ren)’s birth certificate. The City’s Summer Camp program will be held from June 15 - August 7. Cost for eight (8) week program is $465.00. Contact Tonya Smith at 243-7249 or email Tonya at smithtc@ci.delray-beach.fl.us. www.mydelraybeach.comFOTOcamp: Palm Beach Photographic Centre, 55 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach. If you are between the ages of 10 and 17, have an interest in photography and/or computers, are inquisitive and like adventure, then check out FOTOcamp. Here’s an opportunity to gain knowledge in all areas of photography, beginning with the basics of picture-taking using Canon SLR digital cameras and progressing to state-of-the-art digital imaging, at your own rate of speed. 9 am-3 pm. Mon-Fri. June 15-26, July 6-17 & July 20-31. Each two-week session is $595 (members) and $645 (non-members.) Fees include the use of cameras and lenses, some paper for digital printing, field-trip transportation and admissions. 276-9797 or www.workshop.org.
Gulf Stream School Summer Camp Programs: Gulf Stream School, 3600 Gulf Stream Road, Gulf Stream. Gulf Stream School offers a variety of summer programs for children of different ages. Starting at the close of School in June, the school offers two one-week sports camps. One of the weeks is devoted to many different sports and the other focuses on basketball. During the summer, for Lower School students there is a camp which combines a variety of both on-campus and off-campus activities. A camp for Pre-Kindergarten students provides an opportunity for educational play in a safe environment. For further information: 276-5225 or www.gulfstreamschool.org.
Ocean Discovery Summer Day Camp: Sandoway House Nature Center, 142 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. Ocean Discovery Summer Camp is a fun-filled week long adventure for ages 7-12. Children will enjoy sea kayaking and snorkeling to sunken ships and artificial reefs plus beach scavenger hunts, nature crafts and games as we explore nature together through Florida’s habitats and the center’s exhibits and aquariums. June 8-12 for ages 7-9. June 15-19 for ages 10-12. Monday - Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. (Limited to 15 children per week). Fee is $350 per child per week - includes snacks, beach rentals, field trips off-site plus a t-shirt. (561) 274-7263 or www.sandowayhouse.comSt. Joseph's Episcopal School Summer Camp: Join us for a summer of Arts & Athletics for ages 5-12. St. Joseph's Episcopal School, 3300-B S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. Pre-registration prices through 4/15/09: $200 per week for SJES (St. Joseph's Episcopal School) Families; $225 per week all others; Prices after 4/15/09: $225 per week (SJES Families), $250 per week (all others). Aftercare: $10 per hour. Registration fee (waived for SJES Families) is $30 per family. Camp is June 22 - Aug. 14, 8 am - 4 pm with Aftercare from 4 - 6 pm. For more information: 732-2045 or www.sjsonline.org.
Summer Acting Camp: Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th Street, Delray Beach. Now in its sixth year, the Delray Beach Playhouse summer camp has built a superior reputation among parents and children for providing a safe, engaging and self-esteem building experience. The camp’s staff combines a blend of humor, music, and personal attention, creating a climate that motivates campers to better themselves as artists and individuals. June 8 - Aug. 14. $190/week (before May 1st), $210/week (after May 1st). 436-9554 or www.delraybeachplayhouse.comSummer Vacation Bible Camp: Church of The Palms, UCC Congregational, 1960 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. For children ages 6-12. Older children are welcome to volunteer to be team leaders. Kids will discover the untamable nature of God as they visit Discovery Sites throughout Wildwood Forest. 9 am - 3 pm. July 20-July 24. Cost per child is $55. Snacks will be provided but each child needs to bring their own lunch. To register, contact Violet Currie, Christian Education Coordinator: 276-6347 or 294-8143
YMCA Camp: DeVos-Blum Family YMCA of Boynton Beach: YMCA Summer camp is for children age Kindergarten through 5th grade. DeVos-Blum Family YMCA Boynton Beach, 9600 S. Military Trail, Boynton Beach. Weekdays 7:30 am - 6 pm. Campers should arrive by 9 am. To register, stop by the Member Services Desk or call (561) 738-9622. www.ymcaspbc.org/main_contact.html
NORTH AREA
The Breakers Jr. Golf & Tennis Camp: 1 South County Road, Palm Beach. Age 6-13. Camps feature morning golf instruction, focusing on essentials of the game, and afternoon tennis instruction and competition. All camp sessions include lunch at The Beach Club Restaurant or The Ocean Grill, a supervised swim, arcade games, arts & crafts, and other activities. 9 am-4 pm. Mon-Fri. June 8-Aug. 14. $495/week. $125 registration fee. Discounts for siblings and multiple weeks. 659-8474 or www.thebreakers.com.
Crime Investigation During the Gilded Age: Flagler Museum, One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Grades 6-8. Explore the forensic and investigative techniques used to solve crimes during the Gilded Age (1865 -1929). Collect physical evidence, test their observation skills, learn fingerprint analysis, blood-typing, footprint analysis, and hair and fiber examination, through hands-on exercises. 9 am-4 pm. Extended hours available until 5 pm., Mon-Fri., June 15-19. $200 (members), $225 (non-member). Bring lunch & snacks. After-care available. 655-2833 or www.flaglermuseum.us.
Inventions that Changed the World: Flagler Museum, One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Grades 6-8. Campers will engage in hands-on learning about the inventions of the Gilded Age (1865 - 1929) that forever changed the world. Campers will discover the inventor within themselves by conducting experiments, building working models, making field trips, and learning about the inventors who shaped the modern world. July 6-10. $200 (members), $225 (nonmember). Bring lunch & snacks. After-care available. 655-2833 or www.flaglermuseum.us.
Lake Worth Playhouse Summer Performance Camp: Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. Summer Session 1: "Disney's Alladdin." This three-week half-day camp includes performance classes (singing/dancing/acting), cast rehearsals, and participation in a full-scale musical production on the Playhouse main stage. Age 5 and up. June 8-27, Mon-Fri. 1-5 pm. Performance dates ; June 23,24,26 & 27. $400.
Summer Session 2: "Enchanted Sleeping Beauty." Performance camp, Mon-Fri. 1-5 pm. July 20 - Aug. 13. Performances: Aug. 14 & 15 @ 1p.m. $450. Additional weekly classes are available. Voice Class: July 20-24. Movement for Stage: July 27-31. Costumes/Make-up: Aug. 3-7. Acting/Comedy: Aug 10-14. Classes may be taken separately for $125 each or for only $100 each if staying all day. All 4 weeks of classes and performance camp: $800. Supervised lunch will be from 12 noon – 1:00 pm for students continuing on from their weekly classes into the Camp.
Magicians and Magic in the Gilded Age: Flagler Museum, One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Grades 6-8. Campers will explore the art and science behind some of the world's greatest magic tricks. They will learn about Gilded Age Magicians while interacting with modern performers. Campers will add new tricks to their repertoire everyday and boost their own performance skills by creating a personalized magic show to showcase their talents. 9 am-4 pm. Extended hours available until 5 pm, Mon-Fri., July 20-24. $200 (members), $225 (nonmember). Bring lunch & snacks. After-care available. 655-2833 or www.flaglermuseum.us.
SCUBA Camp: The Scuba Club, Inc., 4708 North Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Minimum age is 12. Complete Open Water Scuba certification, including all equipment, and five open-water dives. 9 am-4 pm. Mon-Fri., June 15-19, June 22-26, July 6-10. July 20-24 and Aug. 3-7. $300. 844-2466 or www.TheScubaClub.com.
South Florida Science Museum Summer Camp: 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach. Ages 6-11. Each week will offer hands-on exploration for young scientists aged 6–11 on specific topics in science. The days are packed with science lessons, laboratories, crafts, and outside activities led by our expert science educators. 9 am-4 pm. Mon-Fri. Extended hours of structured activities available from 7:30 am-5:30 pm. June 15-Aug. 14. $200/week (members), $225 (nonmembers). 370-7708 or www.sfsm.org.
Summer Sail Camp: Palm Beach Sailing Club, 4600 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Age 7-15. Instructors will teach the basics of sailing. The emphasis will be on water safety, boat handling, capsize recovery, crisis management, team work, sportsmanship, and most importantly, FUN! Sailors will be classified by age, weight, and skill level. Class sizes are limited. Basic swimming skills are required, and each sailor will need to bring a life jacket. Camp is held rain or shine. In the event of bad weather, sailing related activities will be taught indoors. Half days 9 am-12 pm, or 1 pm-4 pm, or full day 9 am-4 pm. Mon-Fri., June 8-Aug. 14. Half Day camp $165 (members), $195 (nonmembers). Full Day camp $260 (members), $325 (nonmember). $20 registration fee, free registration before May 1. 881-0809 or www.pbsail.orgSummer Zoo Camp: Palm Beach Zoo, 1301 Summit Blvd., in Dreher Park, West Palm Beach. Join us for a wild and memorable Summer Camp Safari experience. Every week has a unique wildlife theme and participants will experience zookeeping and educational zoo activities. Each day is filled with up-close animal encounters, animal exhibit visits, crafts, games, interactive fountain time, and much more! Zoo Camps for ages 5-10, June 8 - Aug. 7, $200/week (members), $225/week (non-members.) Jr. Zookeepers for ages 11-14, June 22–26, July 6–10, July 20–24, August 3–7. $250/week (members), $275/week (non-members). 533-0887, Ext. 229 or www.palmbeachzoo.org
By Florence Kizza
“It should be an interesting next few years,” says Steven Abrams, fresh out of his swearing-in ceremony as Palm Beach County District 4 commissioner at the end of March.
Abrams, the former mayor of Boca Raton, replaced Commissioner Mary McCarty, who resigned in January amidst a federal probe.
Abrams brings with him familiarity with the movers and shakers in the district.
“I represented District 4 for several years as a board member of the Palm Beach County League of Cities,” he said.
“Between that and the fact that as mayor of Boca, I attended all of the meetings involving the mayors of all the 12 municipalities in the district, I’m very familiar with them all, and I really look forward to serving them.”
In fact, Abrams plans to retain the existing staff in the District 4 office, citing their knowledge and energy.
“They certainly know the lay of the land better than anyone,” he said. “The residents will be seeing a lot of them, as well as me. We’ll be getting out of the office.”
With a motivated staff behind him, Abrams has several ideas for the district. First up is a revival of the Mayor-Town Manager meetings that used to be held every few months, but with some new twists.
For one thing, Abrams wants to meet with the municipalities both individually and all together.
“It’s a good interchange,” he asserts. “You can learn how what’s happening in one community can affect the others.”
Secondly, resident involvement is a goal.
“One of my plans is to do a series of open houses in the municipalities to meet with elected officials, an opportunity for residents to come by and get to know what issues are on the forefront.”
Abrams tells The Coastal Star that he understands the issues affecting District 4’s coastal communities.
“Over the years, I’ve worked closely with elected officials, both past and present, in the coastal communities,” he said. “There are longtime elected officials in those communities who I’ve known for years. I’ve been in their shoes and think we'll be able to work very well together.”
For example, on the issue of deepening and widening the Boynton Inlet, Abrams said, “It’s all interrelated. It’s almost like dominoes — sometimes what happens on one town’s beach or waterways can affect others. You do have to bring in the experts and the neighbors when talking about coastal management issues.”
And on the development of Briny Breezes, insomuch that the proposed developers were based in Boca Raton: “The location of the developers would not shade my view on any project. I’d discuss with all the affected parties and come up with my own position.”
Abrams has said he plans to run for the District 4 commissioner seat in 2010, when his current term runs out, and he might have competition.
Former League of Women Voters President Pamela Goodman, Boca Raton Councilwoman Susan Haynie and Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Jose Rodriguez have all expressed interest in the position.
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By C.B. Hanif
Adam Frankel, Delray Beach’s new Seat 4 commissioner, noted that in the March 10 municipal election he won the only race in which there was no incumbent. Voters also returned Commissioner Gary Eliopoulos to Seat 1 and elected Woodie McDuffie mayor.
“It seems to me the public felt comfortable with what they’ve done and wanted to give them two more years,” Frankel said.
As for the insider-outsider undercurrent that had hinted at upset possibilities, “There will always be an ‘old Delray,’ but there is also a new Delray, and it is up to us to reach out to everyone and go forward with their issues,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to do — listen to the people’s concerns and evaluate them and act appropriately. I think that message was really effective, and I’m going to stick to it.”
For mayoral challenger Chuck Halberg, “The results were disappointing, pretty amazing. It’s sad when 5,100 people vote out of 42,800. Apparently the people of Delray are fine with what’s been going on the last couple of years. I’m not.” Although he had “kept addressing the issues,” he said, “and I had the new business community behind me, my opponent had the good old boy network and prevailed over the new people.”
Going forward, the big pressing matter will be the budget. According to Eliopoulos: “How to get through without a whole lot of casualties such as layoffs affecting core services is going to be one of the biggest challenges.” Key will be contracts with the police and fire-rescue unions, which did not endorse the incumbents.
“I have been opened-minded and listening to all who have been calling me,” Eliopoulos said. “The election is behind. I don’t look back at who was endorsed by whom. My job as a commissioner is to look at what the citizens can afford.” And although he said he “would love to do a three-year contract, because of the dynamics of the economy, we’re trying to do one year at a time.”
His opponent, Shelly Petrolia, “did what she needed to do: give people an option,” he said. “She had to go with that approach as an outsider with a fresh set of eyes, not locked in to anybody. For me, it is not a question of being an outsider or good old boy. Goodness, I’m from Massachusetts. I’m Greek. So no, I’m not a part of the system. I’ve just been involved.”
Petrolia, meanwhile, plans to stay involved. “I’m hoping the city goes forward in a positive way. We’ve got that huge issue of the budget coming up. I felt the need for the average person, not networked, to have a voice in the workings of the city. So I will not be fading into the background.” Moreover, notwithstanding the tragic loss of her stepson on the eve of the election, she “felt very positive about my showing, considering that I was in the race for seven weeks, was a complete outsider and got 35 percent of the vote.”
Like her, Halberg sees the no-harm, no-foul results of the city’s bond-contracts investigation leaving the implication that City Manager David Harden placed the city in an embarrassing position. “I don’t feel right about the way investigation was done and I will continue to say that,” he said.
Eliopoulos, however, said: “I believe the commission did the best thing, the best way possible. That’s not to say that our policies and procedures don’t need help.”
So should the city be looking to get new city manager? “You never want to do that under this kind of environment,” he said. “Plus, David Harden has been here more than 20 years, and Delray has not been a failure. It has been a very successful career.
“Having said that, we may need look at changing the manager in order to step up. The example I use is the Miami Dolphins’ Don Shula is a legend. But there comes a time to change the coach. So I would look to see where we are and what we need.”
He also noted the four votes needed to select a new manager, a requirement that he said dates to a time when “every year, every election was about the city manager, and we went 10 years with 10 city managers. Clearly that is not what good government does.”
Halberg said he had heard there had been a meeting of people wanting to come together for healing in the city. “I wish people would get involved. But I think until changes are made in management, I don’t think it will happen. It will be business as usual the next two years; that’s my feeling.”
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BOYNTON BEACH — Latte at the library?
It could happen this summer at the long-awaited café at the Boynton Beach City Library.
The 800-square-foot café moved one step closer to reality on March 17 after city commissioners approved a contract with Ellie’s Catering to operate the eatery.
The catering firm, part of the venerable Ellie’s ’50s Diner, will sell coffee, salads, wraps, baked goods and other beverages, said library director Craig Clark.
“They are known for their good food,” he said. “And having a café will make the library more of a one-stop place for people, especially if they are studying or looking for a job (on a computer). When they want to take a break, they won’t have to drive to get a cup of coffee or a bite to eat.”
Although the first-floor café doesn’t have design theme or layout yet, it will evoke the same warm, comfy feeling as the rest of the new 63,000-square-foot library, Clark said. Its operating hours will be determined closer to the opening date.
The café, which Clark hopes will be “quiet and relaxing,” overlooks a patio with a seahorse-shaped fountain. Outdoor seating will also be available.
— Linda HaaseRead more…
By Thomas R. Collins
A bill in Tallahassee is causing buzz again about a topic that can make even the most laid-back seaside residents here grow tense: Briny Breezes development.
The consideration of the bill by state lawmakers has conjured the not-too-distant memories of two years ago, when a developer’s bid to buy the 43-acre mobile-home town — and make the 1,000 residents millionaires — spawned dreams of new lives, criticism from neighbors and eventually lost hopes when the deal died.
The Senate bill, SB 360, would allow the biggest developments in Palm Beach County and the other largest counties in the state to remain free of review by state planners. It would also abolish the need for roads to keep up with new development in those counties, a concept called traffic concurrency.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Mike Bennett, an electrical contractor from Bradenton, made it through all three of its committees with almost no opposition — two votes were unanimous and the third was 14-3. A companion House bill has not yet been considered.
Terry Brown, a commissioner in Ocean Ridge, which borders Briny Breezes, said he’s worried that the bill would make it easier for development of the small town to sail through.
“You don’t just throw away concurrency and common sense,” Brown said. “That’s the thing that’s a concern. You can’t just squash on your neighbors to develop.”
Briny Breezes Mayor Roger Bennett said he was aware of the bill, but town officials had no role in trying to get the legislation approved.
“We haven’t done any lobbying,” he said. “We don’t have a lobbyist.” He said he didn’t know whether the town’s corporation, a separate board from the town officials, has had a role in the legislative process, but said “I don’t believe” it has.
Bennett said that even if state review of a Briny Breezes project were not required, that wouldn’t mean that it would get approved easily, because there would still be local critics.
“The local opposition would probably be much more restrictive than the state would be,” Bennett said. If it were to pass, the law would create a new development category called a “dense urban land area.” Any county with a population of at least a million people, such as Palm Beach County, would qualify.
Those counties would be designated a traffic concurrency exception area, leaving developers there free of the requirement that roads be built to accommodate the traffic caused by their projects.
Traditionally, large developments known as “developments of regional impact,” or DRIs, have to be reviewed by state planners because their character, size or location would have a “substantial effect” on the residents of more than one county.
But under SB 360, developments in “dense urban land areas” would be exempt from that state review.
Still, bills that would make daring changes to growth rules are an annual rite in Tallahassee but frequently die, and the fate of this one is far from certain.
Robert Ganger — president of the Florida Coalition for Preservation, which opposed the last proposal for development of Briny Breezes — has voiced concern that the bill could mean easier passage of development there.
In 2007, 80 percent of Briny Breezes residents voted to sell their land to Ocean Land Investments for $510 million, or about $1 million per lot, making way for 12, 20-story towers with 900 condos, plus 300 time shares and a 300-room hotel.
The plan fell through after opposition mounted. An Ocean Land executive said a critical review by state planners was the “trip-wire event” that led to the implosion of the deal.
Ocean Ridge Commissioner Brown said such a project is still unfit for a “low-density seaside, village-type area.”
“It would impact the human environment and it would impact the natural environment tremendously,” he said. Paul Sullivan, president of the Briny Breezes corporate board, said he wasn't familiar with the proposed legislation and that no one with the corporation has anything to do with it.
“I’m very interested in taking a look at it,” he said.
He said that discussions with potential developers have cooled.
“There’s been no contact with any type of developer since early last summer,” he said.
Still, Bennett said development proposals are bound to keep coming.
“This is such a lucrative spot of real estate here,” he said. “We will undoubtedly continue to have offers.”
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Just shy of its sixth-month anniversary in Plaza de Mer, Epicurean Gourmet Market has closed.
A phone message to customers lays out numerous problems the store’s owner, Jacob Schlesinger, had with the plaza lease corporation. Air conditioning, flooding, leaks and parking issues were cited as reasons the store could no longer continue to operate in the plaza at S.R. A1A and Ocean Avenue in Manalapan.
Schlesinger has filed suit against the plaza owners to recoup money he says the store spent and lost while roads were torn up around the plaza and parking was taken over by the Ritz-Carlton; the plaza owners have countersued for a broken lease agreement and $32,000 back rent, according to court records.
Schlesinger’s phone message indicated he would reopen somewhere in Palm Beach, but a phone call to him for comment was not returned by press time.
Epicurean got off to a slow start without signs or a fully stocked store, opening last October. The patio area, a coffee bar and a bakery case proved popular with coffee drinkers, and busy diners who used the prepared food case like a take-out restaurant.
The store had taken over the spot occupied by the Village Marketplace, another gourmet-wine store that lasted four years in the plaza.
— Jan NorrisRead more…
By Thomas R. Collins
WEST PALM BEACH — Mary McCarty, who for 18 years represented the southern coastal area on the Palm Beach County Commission dais, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.
With sentencing set for June 4, the former commissioner is facing a federal prison term that could last five years.
The once-verbose politician said very little, wearing a more muted outfit than her last court appearance. Her neatly bobbed blond hair bore a darker, reddish hue.
McCarty, who told the judge she had taken a Xanax to try to calm down before the hearing, sat quietly as prosecutor John Kastrenakes outlined her crimes — her “three schemes” — for U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks.
There was the plotting with her husband, Kevin McCarty, to award county bond deals to firms for which he worked, and the failure to disclose her conflict before public votes.
“She personally profited because their money was shared with each other,” Kastrenakes said.
Kevin McCarty has been sentenced to eight months in prison for not reporting his wife’s crimes.
Prosecuters alleged there were bond deals she helped engineer for Kevin McCarty’s firms in Delray Beach, where Mary McCarty used to be a city commissioner, which coincided with conversations with Delray Beach officials on how the city should spend money she gave them out of her commission discretionary account.
Then there were gifts she was given by Ocean Properties even as she cast votes for that company to be the developer of a now failed convention center hotel project.
The gifts, Kastrenakes said, were mainly free or “ridiculously discounted room rates not available to the general public” at Sunset Key Cottages, an Ocean Properties resort.
Commissioner Warren Newell also received the gifts.
“The evidence would show that they agreed not to disclose the receipt of these gifts,” the prosecutor said.
McCarty listened to it all and, the corners of her mouth turned down, agreed that it was correct, then pleaded guilty.
All told, she received at least $272,000 in ill-gotten gains, which she has repaid to the government.
Jody Tagaris, who ran unsuccessfully against McCarty in the Republican primary in 2002 and is one of her fiercest critics, said she felt “nausea” as she watched, because she thinks the possible sentence is too light. “My stomach’s not sitting too well, but I’ll take what I can get.”
Tagaris moved from Delray Beach at the end of 2007 to Jupiter, she said, in part to leave what she sees as a tainted region. “I moved to a cleaner area,” she said, “if there is such a thing.”
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BOYNTON BEACH — The city faces a budget shortfall of $10.5 million to $16 million, and there’s no easy fix, city commissioners were warned at their March 17 meeting.
“That's a reduction of 15 to 22 percent," said Barry Atwood, the city’s finance director. “I fear it’s going to be toward that higher amount, if not higher, and that’s too much money to come from one area.”
Instead, the city needs to find ways to increase its revenue while reducing expenses, he told commissioners.
Although the news was dire, commissioners say they are determined to avoid layoffs, suggesting that alternatives like four-day weeks, wage freezes and early retirement packages for employees should be considered.
Other suggestions discussed included reducing library or recreation programs, increasing the annual fire assessment for residences and selling land and property the city isn’t using.
“Sixteen million dollars is a lot of money to find in any budget,” said Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Jose Rodriguez.
- Linda HaaseRead more…
The Delray Beach City Commission moved closer in March to changing the name of the Nassau Street Historic District, adding properties to the district and expanding its period of significance.
A resurvey report before the commission recommended correcting the name to the Nassau Park Historic District and expanding its historic period of significance to 1935-1964 from the previous 1935-1943. Five properties would be added to the district, which includes lots on Nassau Street between A1A and Venetian Drive. The resurvey report also recommended that an application be submitted to the National Register of Historic Places for the district.
The commission passed an ordinance accepting the report by RJ Heisenbottle Architects Inc. on first reading at the March 17 meeting. A second public hearing is planned at 7 p.m. April 7.
– Margie PlunkettRead more…
