By Steve Plunkett

In a surprise move, Briny Breezes Town Manager Bill Thrasher dropped his proposal to raise town taxes 98% and instead proposed keeping the property tax rate the same as this year, at $3.75 per $1,000 of taxable value.

The Town Council agreed and adopted the rate and accompanying $5.3 million budget Sept. 25.

The revised budget for fiscal year 2026, which started Oct. 1, also includes 5% raises for Thrasher and Town Clerk Sandi DuBose.

Thrasher had talked for months about a tax rate of $6.75 per $1,000, detailing the proposal at council meetings and on the Briny Breezes in-house TV channel.

But on Sept. 3, the town’s consultants on its sea wall and stormwater system upgrades sent an email “informing me that the town’s loan will not occur in FY26 or perhaps only late FY26,” referring to the fiscal year. 

“The state revolving loan fund will not accept construction loan application before August 2026,” Thrasher continued. “This may change to an earlier date, but the uncertainty caused the change.”

In short, he said, if the town doesn’t take out a loan, it doesn’t need to raise taxes to pay for one.

As recently as the Aug. 28 council meeting, Thrasher gave a PowerPoint slide presentation demonstrating that the $6.75 rate would have raised one resident’s overall tax bill by $394 — or 18% if all other taxing agencies kept their rates level and the resident’s property appraisal stayed the same.

But the town’s assessed property values rose 10%, one of the top increases among municipalities in south Palm Beach County.

Even keeping the same $3.75 per $1,000 rate will raise taxes the town receives 9.97% more than the rolled-back rate. That levy, $3.41 per $1,000 of taxable value, would have given the town the same tax revenue as this year, except for taxes from new construction.

At the Sept. 11 public hearing on the then-tentative tax rate, Thrasher said the new $3.75 per $1,000 rate is equivalent to roughly $2 per share in the Briny Breezes Inc. co-op. Mobile homes in Briny Breezes have differing shares based on lot size and location.

Briny Breezes Mayor Ted Gross hears lots of complaints from residents upset about the town’s permitting process — and he might easily have joined their chorus recently after his unit was plastered with a failed inspection notice.

But he didn’t.

The failure was because neither he nor his contractor showed up for the inspection, Gross told his fellow aldermen at the Town Council’s Sept. 25 meeting. One of the responsibilities for the contractor he hired to install hurricane windows on his unit was to coordinate the permit process for him, the mayor said.

“So, I called my contractor, and my contractor gave me all kinds of complaints,” Gross said. “The town this, the town that, the town this.”

The contractor told the mayor he had expected the town to call and alert him to the time and date of the inspection, so the mayor checked things out with Town Clerk Sandi DuBose.

“I ended up seeing the correspondence that our town clerk ends up sending to contractors. And to me, it was so clear and concise,” he said, applauding DuBose for the quality of her work.

“Everything that they were telling me was a lie,” Gross added. “They were just blowing smoke, is what they were doing.”

— Larry Barszewski

Related: Downtown plan’s fate is up to voters, mayor says

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton voters will decide in the March 10 city election whether to approve a $175 million bond issue to finance construction of a new police headquarters.

City Council members unanimously voted to place the matter on the ballot at their Sept. 22 meeting.

The new headquarters, on 19 city-owned acres adjacent to the Spanish River Library, would replace the antiquated one that now sits across Northwest Second Avenue from City Hall, near Palmetto Park Road.

That facility, built in 1986, is in poor condition and has reached capacity to store evidence and equipment.

At 35,000 square feet, it is too small to house the entire department, requiring the city to locate various functions in seven buildings, city officials say.

While the building is now located in the city’s 30-acre downtown campus, officials say the proposed relocation of the headquarters is unrelated to the city’s effort to redevelop the property through a public-private partnership with Terra and Frisbie Group.

Rather, planning for a new headquarters started long ago and officials decided about two years ago to build it by the library at the intersection of Spanish River and Broken Sound boulevards.

The current headquarters is on 4.4 acres, which officials say is not enough land to accommodate bringing in all of the police operations or to allow for future growth.

Further, the new location takes into account that most of the city’s population growth has taken place in the western parts of the city and thus is more centralized than if it continued to be in the downtown.

And since the city already owns the land, it need not spend money acquiring a new site.

City officials are promising residents that the new location will not reduce police services or response times in the downtown. Plans call for a police substation to be located in the downtown campus.

The estimated cost of the project is $190.2 million. The city is proposing to fund about 8% by using $15.2 million of the balance in the city’s general fund, which now stands at $34.5 million.

The city would fund the rest by issuing $175 million in tax-exempt general obligation bonds for a 30-year term. Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Jim Zervis told the council that is the cheapest way to finance the project.

Taxpayers, though, would see a property tax increase with an additional tax rate for debt payments of 26 cents per $1,000 of taxable value, or $123.74 a year on a property with a taxable value of $475,000.

As a result, the current tax rate of $3.66 per $1,000 of taxable value would increase to a combined $3.92 per $1,000 rate. But in an effort to avert a public outcry, city officials stress that Boca Raton’s tax rate still would be well below that of other cities.

For example, Fort Lauderdale’s currently is $4.37 per $1,000 of taxable value and West Palm Beach’s is $8.19 per $1,000.

If the project goes forward, construction would start in 2027 and be completed in 2029.

Family of the late Robert Ganger has sold the historic Vanderbilt home in Gulf Stream (above) for $21.6 million. An adjacent property once part of the estate sold in 2023. Photo provided

By Jane Musgrave

Five months after businessman-turned-historical activist Robert Ganger died, a pedigreed Gulf Stream mansion that he helped rescue and which became his decades-long home sold in September for $21.6 million.

The sale, confirmed by Ganger’s son and namesake, marks the second time in two years that part of the oceanfront estate that was built in 1928 for the granddaughter of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt has changed hands.

In 2023, a trust belonging to Quebec home product distributor Jean Aucoin paid $16.65 million for the smaller, northern part of the estate at 1465 N. Ocean Blvd. that was also once owned by Lila Vanderbilt Webb before it was divided into two parts in the 1930s.

Robert Ganger, who spent much of his childhood at first his grandfather’s and then his father’s home at 1443 N. Ocean Boulevard, called its sale “bittersweet.”

“It’s been in the family for more than 50 years,” said Ganger, 57, an event producer in Tallahassee. “It’s been the beacon and the rock. My sister and I adore the house. We’re definitely going to miss it.”

But, he said, with nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms spread over three buildings on nearly an acre of land, the estate was simply too much for him, his sister or his father’s widow, Anneli Ganger.

Dubbed Miradero, Spanish for “vantage point,” the nearly 7,000-square-foot estate with a pool was designed by noted architect Maurice Fatio, who left his mark on dozens of houses from Palm Beach to Miami. It sold for roughly $3.4 million less than its nearly $25 million asking price.

The estate needs work, Ganger said. Thankfully, he said there are strong signs that the new owners will show as much care for it as did both his father and grandfather.

Ganger declined to identify the buyers, as did listing agents Pascal and Antonio Liguori of Premier Estate Properties in Delray Beach. But, Ganger said, “on paper, at least, they’re a perfect match.”

“The family is hopeful that the new buyers will stick to their plan to refurbish the house and restore it to its full glory,” he said. “My dad would be happy with who it is and may have had a hand in it if you believe in that sort of thing.”

In a 2018 interview with The Coastal Star, the senior Ganger recalled going with his father to look at the house on Easter Sunday 1969. Left to Good Samaritan Hospital in a will, it had been vacant for years, he recalled. 

A developer had an option to buy it and the one to the north and tear both down. Instead, the senior Ganger said he and his dad found a buyer for the other house and convinced the hospital to accept their offers.

After his father died in 1991, the senior Ganger and his wife moved into the house and began restoring it. They researched Webb’s plans and followed her wishes. 

Correction: The younger Robert Ganger's profession has been corrected from that shown in a previous version of this story. He is an event producer.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton has scrapped its plan to change the beach parking system.

On ice are the addition of new technology and eliminating beach park gatehouses.

Residents still will be able to get a sticker to attach to the lower left-hand corner of their windshield that shows they are permit holders as they enter Spanish River, Red Reef and South Beach parks.

The cost is unchanged at $85 for city residents and those living within the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District for the year that began on Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30, 2026.

The daily flat parking rate for non-permit holders driving cars, motorcycles and minivans remains at $35 on weekdays and $50 on weekends.

The city had proposed changes in June that were intended to make it quicker and simpler to park at beach parks. Instead, they caused confusion and anger.

The problems started with a memo from then-City Manager George Brown to City Council members in early summer that sought their authorization to establish a parking meter zone for the beach parks.

Residents thought that meant parking meters would be installed, parking permits would be eliminated and they would lose some parking access while non-residents would gain access.

Many feared the changes would allow for hourly parking, making the spaces more desirable to out-of-towners who otherwise would have to pay the higher-priced daily rate. City officials said that was not going to be the case.

Officials tried to clarify that residents would not lose parking and parking permits would remain.

The city simply wanted to improve parking technology by installing meters that could tell who was a permit holder and who was not, with non-permit holders charged the daily parking rate.

Eliminating gatehouses, officials said, would allow residents to enter the parks more quickly.

But the widespread confusion prompted Mayor Scott Singer to pull the matter from the June 10 City Council agenda so that city staff could better explain the plans to residents.

He said the council would consider the proposed changes later in the summer. That never happened.

Instead, city staff took steps to streamline the system to make it easier for residents to get both information and the permits, such as improving how residents can get permits online.

Since then, the city has gotten no complaints. “It’s been going great,” said a city spokeswoman. 

By Mary Hladky

When Boca Raton officials in 2009 purchased the land that now is Wildflower Park, they envisioned it as the perfect spot for a waterfront restaurant.

A citizens’ group, however, had a very different idea. Members wanted a public park, and voters overwhelmingly endorsed that in a 2016 ballot initiative.

What followed was a long, tortured process to make that happen. The City Council made numerous design changes, some to rein in spiraling costs and others the result of council members micromanaging every detail.

The park finally opened to fanfare in 2022, but very few residents used it. The homeless, though, were drawn to it, giving residents another reason to stay away.

After sporadic talk for more than a year by current council members about solving the problem, officials now are serious about “activating” the park, located along the Intracoastal Waterway at 551 E. Palmetto Park Road. That is city-speak for giving residents a reason to use it.

City staff outlined ideas at a Sept. 8 council workshop meeting. What they boil down to is trying different things to see what works, and then doing more of that.

Council member Yvette Drucker said that there’s little to do at Wildflower. “There has to be a purpose to go to this park,” she said.

Tiffany Lucia, the city’s deputy recreation services director, agreed, saying that the park should attract people with fun activities.

“We need to get bolder and move faster,” she said. “It is time to get moving.”

City staff wants to focus on programming additions centered on health and wellness, art and community experiences, Lucia said.

The ideas include music events, food trucks, recreation options such as games, pop-up events and adding to playground amenities.

“We want something happening every day,” she said.

The city also must communicate with residents about what is available at the park. That could include a schedule of events posted online or with signage.

New activities will begin soon and will be evaluated to see if they are popular. If so, the city will do more similar events. If not, something different will be tried.

The city also is improving the Palmetto Park Road bridge underpass that connects Wildflower with Silver Palm Park to the south of the bridge.

The bridge was being painted in mid-September, and color-changing lighting was in the process of being installed. Four murals will be added to the bridge columns between the two parks. The work was expected to be completed by the end of October. 

TOP: ADMA Biologics won the heavyweight division in the second annual Boca Helping Hands Corporate Challenge Hunger Games. L-R: Ryan Bertalotto, Jomarie Ramirez, Cassandra Hugelmeyer, Marie-Chantale Simard, Joel Robinson, Christina Odai, Patricia Fox, Majdulin Dawad and Kaitlin Kestenberg. MIDDLE: Woolbright Development won the middleweight division. Standing, L-R: Yitzy Rosenberg, Tara Patel, Makarena Osorio, Kerry Silver, Tracy Rosario, Cristina Stiller Johnson, Jo-Anne Roggin, Rich DiChiara, Jason Wisgo, Pablo Ramos, Avery Archibald, Yailen Chenlo, Liz Hoyer and Sophia Scroggie; kneeling, L-R: Luis Ramos and Mauricio Abela. BOTTOM: SouthState Bank won the bantamweight division. Back row, L-R: Lauren Nanni, Rachel Ritter, Lisa Rodriguez, Lisa Rabinsky, Sadith Isla, Evelyn Madera, Simone Politakis; front row, L-R: Sanja Langley, Michelle Adams, Kayla Stellabotte and Sean Chaderton. Photos provided  

By Christine Davis

Thanks to Boca Helping Hands’ second annual Corporate Challenge Hunger Games and the 11 local businesses that took part in the July competition, more than 19,000 additional meals were made available to local families in need.

“We had 22,879 pounds of food that we wouldn’t have had,” said Bill Harper, senior director of operations at Boca Helping Hands.

“Food drives are plentiful in the spring and fall,” he said. “People want to help us out. But every summer, our donations go down. Because people go on vacations, we don’t get food drives from churches, synagogues and mosques. We don’t get them from schools, and for businesses, with people going on vacations, they don’t think about it.”

The Hunger Games challenge started last year to fill the gap.

To get it going, Harper contacted 76 businesses this year. In 2024, seven businesses rose to the challenge. This year, 11 took part. “Next year, we’ll get more because of how popular it was this year,” he said.

Harper tied the theme of the challenge to wrestling, focusing the competition on businesses gathering food for Boca Helping Hands during July.

“In wrestling, there are weight divisions: bantamweight, middleweight and heavyweight. And we had three different size businesses. Companies with 50 employees or less would be in the bantamweight. Companies with 51 to 100 employees would be in the middleweight, and in the heavyweight division were companies with 101 employees or more.”

The Corporate Challenge bantamweight winner was SouthState Bank. The middleweight winner was Woolbright Development. The heavyweight winner was ADMA Biologics.  

Boca Helping Hands was formed 27 years ago. The new competition will help the organization in its mission to serve more than 35,000 people in South Florida.

Its programs include hunger relief, job training, health care, emergency financial assistance, child care, and weekend meals for Palm Beach County schoolchildren.

In 2024, Boca Helping Hands distributed 5.2 million pounds of food to local families, Harper said.

“This year, we were down 40 percent going into this summer. We are still struggling and running 35 percent down from last year and we are heading into the holidays.”

According to Harper, one in nine individuals in Palm Beach County is experiencing food insecurity — about 160,000 individuals.

Boca Helping Hands has these events in October:

• Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat, 5-7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Town Center of Boca Raton. Halloween-costumed children will bring nonperishable food donations to participate in various fun events.

• Thanksgiving Box Brigade includes preparations during October to provide Thanksgiving meals to families.

Individuals interested in donating items, delivering meals or becoming sponsors may visit bocahelpinghands.org/thanksgiving.

Boca Helping Hands is also open for donations at 1500 NW First Court, Boca Raton, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

***                             

Glades 95th Owner LLC, a partnership among Schmier Property Group, Giles Capital Group, Rosemurgy Properties and Wheelock Street Capital, sold Uptown Boca for $118.5 million.

Uptown Boca is a 194,927-square-foot shopping center at 9536-9704 Glades Road, west of Boca Raton.

The buyer was an affiliate of Stockbridge Capital Group. Uptown Boca is fully leased to tenants that include Whole Foods Market, REI, HomeSense and Sephora, with Life Time Fitness to open soon. JLL Capital’s Danny Finkle, Jorge Portela and Kim Flores represented the seller.

                           ***                              

The Adrian and Mary Sandra Zaccaria 1988 Family Trust, with Mary Zaccaria and son Justin Zaccaria as trustees, sold the 11,799-square-foot home at 166 W. Alexander Palm Road in the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton, for $17.5 million. 

The new owner is KM Revocable Trust, with Kelly Martin as trustee. The seven-bedroom, nine-bath home along a canal leading to the Intracoastal Waterway features a bar, an elevator, a summer kitchen, pool, putting green, an outdoor fireplace and a dock. 

The late Adrian Zaccaria was an executive with the Bechtel Group Inc. The home last traded for $10 million in 2018.

Matthew Quattrociocchi of Century 21 Tenace Realty represented the seller in the deal. Marcy F. Javor of Signature One Luxury Estates worked with the buyer.

***                             

Derek M. Ettinger, as trustee of the 2021 Tennis Trust, sold his six-bedroom, 9,022-square-foot residence at 311 E. Key Palm Road in the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton, for $16.5 million. 

The purchasers were Philip and Alyssa Bonadonna. The deal included $6 million in seller financing, plus a $495,000 second mortgage from Royal Palm Properties LLC. The deal was brokered by David W. Roberts of Royal Palm Properties. 

The home, built in 2015 on a 0.45-acre site, last traded for $12 million in 2021 as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors and a prior owner.

Prosecutors said Brian H. Sperber bought the home under his wife’s name in 2020, in part with proceeds from a pandemic-related scam, selling personal protective equipment that didn’t exist and pocketing the money.

Sperber pleaded guilty in May 2024 in federal court in Atlanta to conspiring to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced in February to two years and two months in prison and ordered to pay $14.2 million in restitution. 

The 2021 sale of the Key Palm Road home to Ettinger netted about $4 million, which was to go to victims of the scam, officials said.

***                             

The Amy & Noreen Team at Lang Realty has undergone some recent changes.

Paige Mercado is now its director of business development. Agent Gimena Dimilta has joined the team and Kerry Doyle Waite is in the process of obtaining her real estate license. Namrata Israni, an agent with social media expertise, is also part of the team. 

“We are thrilled to celebrate Paige’s well-deserved promotion and to welcome Gimena, Kerry and Namrata into these expanded roles,” said Lang Realty agents Amy Snook and Noreen Payne.

***                             

Arts Garage, in Delray Beach, recently appointed art advocates David Plaza and Paula Tishok to its board of directors. 

Plaza is a managing director and wealth management adviser with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Tishok has held senior roles in financial operations and strategic planning at Westin Hotels, Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Tenet Healthcare.

***                             

Delray Beach resident Chuck Halberg, founder and president of Stuart & Shelby Home Builders and president of Delray Citizens for Delray Police, received the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation’s 2025 Catalyst Award. 

Halberg is also the founder and member of Impact 100 Men of Palm Beach, past chair and current director of Arts Garage and creator of the charity event Flat Stanley Rides a Harley for Kids and Cops.

He has been involved with  Milagro Center, Achievement Centers for Children & Families, Miracle League of Delray Beach, The Spady Museum, and Roots and Wings.

***                             

Three startups joined the Global Ventures incubator program at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University. They are: Standard Space Antennas, a company originally from Argentina that creates high-performance antennas for satellites and space missions; Inaam Botanical Sodas, a company that makes a no-calorie soda; and Milagro AI, a coding company for the medical industry.

***                             

Lisa Brown, a teacher at Lake Worth High School, will be one of the recipients of the 2025 outstanding holocaust educator award given by Florida Atlantic University’s Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education.

Recipients will be recognized Oct. 30 at the 16th annual awards dinner, at the Marriott Boca Raton.

For more information about the awards dinner, contact Ellen Sax at 561-297-0849.

                             ***                              

FAU recently began constructing its Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building, which is slated to be completed fall 2026. 

Kurt Wallach died in 2021, a year after he and his wife, Marilyn, made a $20 million gift to the university to create the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Institute for Holocaust and Jewish Studies, with a portion used as the lead gift to construct the building. 

Within the 22,000-square-foot Wallach building will be Florida Atlantic’s Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education; Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs; the Leon Charney diplomacy program; and the Center for Peace, Justice and Human Rights. 

Also, lectures and exhibits will be offered.

***                             

Roots and Wings raised more than $35,000 at its “Hats Off! to Teaching Children to Read” event, which was held in August at Eddie V’s Prime Seafood in Boca Raton as part of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s Festival Days.

The money raised will support Project UpLift, Roots and Wings’ free after-school reading program for local students in need of literacy help. To learn more, visit rootsandwingsinc.org.

***                             

The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a Hot Topic Luncheon, “Insights from Tallahassee,” with state Sen. Lori Berman  and state Rep. Anne Gerwig. 

Berman, a Democrat, is minority leader of the Florida Senate, where she represents the 86th district, stretching from Hypoluxo to Boca Raton. She was first elected in 2018 after serving four terms in the Florida House of Representatives. 

Gerwig, a Republican, was elected to the Florida House last year after serving as mayor of Wellington from 2016 to 2024 and a previous six years on the Village Council. 

In Tallahassee, she represents Wellington, Greenacres and parts of unincorporated Palm Beach County, and serves on the Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight. 

The luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 22 at Fountains Country Club, 4476 Fountains Drive, Lake Worth Beach. Cost to attend is $40 for league members and $45 for nonmembers. The deadline to register is Oct. 15 at lwvpbc.org.

Christine Davis writes about business and can be reached at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

Driver Engineer Kyle Pavelka (l-r) and firefighters Alex Lutz and Alex Ayerdis demonstrate the use of the epoc Blood Analysis System now being used on emergency medical calls by Highland Beach Fire Rescue. The department is the first in Palm Beach County and only the third in Florida to implement the system. Photos provided

By Rich Pollack

Firefighters and paramedics in Highland Beach have a new technology at their fingertips that can help them better understand a patient’s medical condition on the spot, speeding up treatment in some cases and in others, helping to avoid unnecessary hospital trips.

Highland Beach Fire Rescue is the first in Palm Beach County and only the third in Florida to implement a portable blood-analysis system that provides critical information that fire rescue personnel can use to provide enhanced care for patients.

“They can make a lot of decisions quickly based on the 13 elements in the lab results,” says Fire Rescue Chief Glenn Joseph. “The new technology has the potential to eliminate a lot of time in the emergency room and some of the cost.”

Joseph and Assistant Chief for Operations Tom McCarthy say first responders using the system can provide test results to emergency room personnel on their way to the hospital or once they get there. That gives the ER staffers a heads-up on what they’re dealing with and eliminates — in some cases — the need for similar tests once patients arrive.

Often, Joseph said, it could take quite some time in a busy emergency room before a patient’s blood is taken, sent to the lab and the results are seen by a doctor.

With the new epoc Blood Analysis System, the results arrive with — or even before — the patient.

In addition, Highland Beach Fire Rescue is working out some connectivity issues, but plans to implement a telemedicine system where paramedics will be able to reach a doctor by phone and forward the test results, as well as provide video of the patient.

Joseph and McCarthy say the new system can also help patients decide whether they want to go the emergency room — or need to — by providing more detailed information.

“We can determine the seriousness of a call more objectively,” Joseph says.

Take, for example, a case of the flu.

A patient complains of having flu-like systems and when paramedics arrive, they see flu-like symptoms.

“You look like you have the flu but this tests to see if something else is going on,” Joseph said.

That something else could be severe dehydration or even a more concerning infection.

The results could also show that the patient just has the flu and can decide to stay home and get rest rather than be taken to the hospital.

McCarthy is quick to point out the blood test is not a substitute for all the other steps first responders take to diagnose a patient’s condition and says that it is done simultaneously so as not to interrupt the normal protocols.

“The lab results are just part of the puzzle,” he says.

Since the department implemented the system in early September, it has been used to help diagnose patients complaining of chest pain, breathing issues, general weakness and abdominal pain, among other issues.

The system is minimally invasive with a small amount of blood taken that is placed on a card which is then put in a reader. Results are provided within three and a half minutes.

“You can show the results to the patient and help them make an informed decision about their care,” Joseph said.

Cost of the readers and some of the other equipment, about $20,000, was covered by the Highland Beach Police and Fire Foundation.

While the system has benefits to Highland Beach residents, Joseph sees it having broader impact by reducing the number of folks going to the emergency room and by reducing the number of rescue trucks taking people to the hospital.

He sees more fire rescue departments, and perhaps even emergency rooms, using the system as its reliability continues to be proven.

“This gives us one more peg in the hole to make a clear decision,” he said.

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach town commissioners gave final approval Sept. 18 to a new $32.2 million budget that includes approximately $6.6 million in town-wide capital projects while at the same time holding the tax rate steady.

The total budget for the new fiscal year that started Oct. 1 reflects an increase of about $4.5 million over the previous year’s estimated $28 million.

The general fund portion of the budget that covers the cost of running the departments — including police and fire rescue — is expected to increase by about 5.6% in the new fiscal year, or about $1 million, and will come in at about $19.5 million.

Still, thanks to an increase in property values, town leaders were able to keep the town’s tax rate at the same combined $3.58 per $1,000 of taxable value as last year. Homeowners who saw an increase in their property’s taxable value will see an increase in the taxes they pay.

This year, a home with a taxable value of $500,000 will pay about $1,790 in property taxes to Highland Beach. The Town Commission approved an operating tax rate of $3.41 per $1,000 of taxable value and a debt service rate of 17.1 cents per $1,000.

About 75% of the town’s general fund revenue will come from property tax dollars, an expected $14.1 million, or a 6.8% increase over the current year. Public safety makes up about 63% of the general fund expenses, with fire and police each costing just over $6 million.

The total budget also reflects an increase in water and sewer rates of about 5%, while the building department fund anticipates a reduction in permit fees of about 12%.

An estimated $675,000 from the water fund will be used for capital improvements while $2.15 million from the sewer fund will be used for capital projects, including a long-awaited sewer lining project.

Funding for construction of a fire station annex on the site of the old fire station, with a potential price tag of about $1.3 million, is also included in the budget.

By Mary Hladky

City Manager George Brown’s long tenure as a top city administrator is coming to a close.

Brown, who announced in April that he would be retiring at year’s end, attended his final City Council meeting on Sept. 25 and became City Manager Emeritus four days later.

In that role, he will be available to provide his deep knowledge of Boca Raton and its operations to his successor. His retirement is effective on Jan. 4.

Mayor Scott Singer thanked Brown for his outstanding service and presented him with a key to the city as a token of gratitude.

“We appreciate your leadership. We appreciate your dedicated service,” he said.

Brown said he had attended about 2,100 public city meetings during his time with the city.

“It has been my honor to work for the city and to feel that I have made a difference,” he said.

His successor is Mark Sohaney, who retired as a captain from the U.S. Navy in 2024. He officially started the job on Sept. 29.
Sohaney is the former chief executive officer of Joint Air Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii and previously served as chief executive officer of Naval Air Station Key West, but has no experience running a city.

The City Council hired him on Aug. 12, saying he brings executive experience and a fresh perspective on moving Boca Raton forward. Under his employment agreement with the city, Sohaney will earn $300,000 a year, or $10,000 more than Brown. As is standard, he will get a car allowance, health and life insurance and will participate in the city’s executive retirement plan.

Brown’s career with the city spans 43 years. He joined the building inspection division in 1977 and rose through the ranks to become assistant city manager. He left for about five years, but was recruited to return and became deputy city manager in 2004.

He has handled many of the city’s most complex matters, including the sale of its western golf course in 2021 and the lease of city land in Mizner Park that cleared the way for construction of the Center for Arts and Innovation. That project fell apart early this year when TCAI was unable to meet city-set fundraising deadlines.

Most recently, he has steered the city as leaders are attempting to create a public-private partnership with Terra and Frisbie Group to redevelop 30 city-owned acres in the downtown campus where City Hall and the 17-acre Memorial Park are situated.B

But that project has drawn strong opposition from vocal Save Boca activists who want it scrapped.

The Boca Raton has agreed to take the lead on refurbishing the century-old fountain on East Camino Real just outside the resort’s main entrance. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Mary Hladky

The orphan fountain outside the entrance to The Boca Raton will be refurbished early next year.

State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Palm Beach County Commissioner Marci Woodward, resort president and CEO Daniel Hostettler and other resort officials met on Sept. 8 to discuss making improvements.

Gossett-Seidman dubbed it the “orphan fountain” because no one seemed to know who was responsible for it. It turns out that the resort has been paying for its water and electricity usage and doing maintenance even though it isn’t on resort property.

It sits in a roundabout on East Camino Real, a county road, just outside the resort’s main entrance. Its age is uncertain, but Boca Raton Historical Society records show it was in place in 1930, and possibly was built by the resort’s second owner, Clarence Geist.

Gossett-Seidman, whose district includes Boca Raton, heard from nearby residents that the fountain needed some tender loving care and made it her mission to get that done.

While specifics including funding are still being worked out, “everyone (at the meeting) agreed on a path forward,” she said. “It is just a great outcome.”

The resort, which will celebrate its centennial next year, is taking the lead on the project, she said.

Hostettler did not provide details, but said in a statement that “we are working with the county and the state on enhancements to the fountain as part of celebrating three important milestones — our 100th anniversary, the city’s centennial and the nation’s 250th.”

“This beautiful landmark has been part of Boca’s 100-year history, and I was excited to learn more about the enhancements coming soon!” Woodward told constituents in a Sept. 17 newsletter and posted on social media. Through her staff, she said she had no further comment.

According to Gossett-Seidman, the fountain won’t be changed significantly, but will be enhanced.

Upgrades will be made to the electrical system and plumbing so that water will shoot higher into the air. Lighting will be installed and colors can be changed to recognize events such as the Fourth of July. Landscaping will be significantly improved.

“It is a win-win-win, really,” she said. “It benefits every-body.” 

The Residences at Martin Manor is finally rising from the ground.

Years of effort to replace the dilapidated Dixie Manor public housing complex bore fruit on Aug. 25, when a groundbreaking ceremony was held for three apartment buildings that will provide 95 units on the 10-acre site at 1350 N. Dixie Highway in Boca Raton.

Construction of those buildings — the project’s first phase — is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026.

The complex in the city’s historic Pearl City neighborhood has been renamed in honor of Lois Martin, a community leader and educator who died in 2022.

With that groundbreaking milestone reached, the Boca Raton Housing Authority is moving ahead with plans for the project’s second phase, which is to include two additional buildings with 105 units.

When finished, Martin Manor will more than double the previous 95 public housing units on the site.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended approval of the second phase on Aug. 21. It goes before the City Council on Nov. 4.

“This redevelopment reflects more than just new construction — it symbolizes our unwavering commitment to the families we serve and to the historical legacy of Pearl City,” housing authority Executive Director Ashley Whidby said at the time of the first-phase groundbreaking,

“We’re honored to bring forward a modern, service-rich community that truly supports our residents’ potential for long-term success.”

One of the complex’s original buildings, dating to the 1940s, will be preserved to serve as a museum and for other community uses.

The first phase will cost $52 million, funded by $7.1 million from the Florida Housing Finance Corp., $640,000 from the city, equity from First Horizon Community Investment

Group and a construction loan financed by Citi Community Capital.

The housing authority is partnering with Atlantic Pacific Companies on the project.

— Mary Hladky

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton’s tax rate will remain virtually unchanged for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1.

The 2025-26 property tax rate, approved unanimously by the City Council on Sept. 25, is $3.66 per $1,000 of taxable value, or 1 cent less than the previous fiscal year’s $3.67 per $1,000.

Residents owning a home with a taxable value of $450,000 will pay $1,649 in ad valorem taxes, slightly less than last year’s $1,655.

The $155 fire assessment fee for residential properties is unchanged.

The city prides itself on maintaining a low tax rate, which has held steady since the 2015-16 fiscal year.

Even though the tax rate is stable this year, many property owners will see higher tax bills because taxable values in the city increased 7.5% this year.

To avoid that, the city would have had to lower its tax rate to $3.49 per $1,000 of taxable value, an amount known as the rolled-back rate.

But Boca is a growing city, with a population now topping 103,000, and the rolled-back rate would hamstring its need to add employees, buy or replace equipment and upgrade facilities, while also paying the increased cost of materials and supplies, city officials say.

Most homeowners, though, are shielded from the brunt of higher tax bills because state law caps the taxable value increase for homesteaded properties at 3%. Non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10%.

In outlining the estimated tax rate and budget to City Council members in July, Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Jim Zervis noted that the city’s taxable property values rose to $40.2 billion this year and new construction added $729 million to the tax roll. Both are higher than in any other Palm Beach County city or town.

The new fiscal year’s operating budget, also approved by the council on Sept. 25, is $794 million. That is down slightly from last year’s $794.3 million.

The new general fund budget, which pays for most of the city’s day-to-day activities, is nearly $255 million, up from last year’s $247.4 million.

Most of the increase is due to higher costs for employee pensions, salary increases and cost of living adjustments.

Overall, the city is adding 16 new employees in the new fiscal year.

Two new recreation services employees, one police traffic infraction enforcement officer, and half the cost of a customer service representative in financial services will be paid out of the general fund budget while the rest will be paid out of other city fund categories, such as water and sewer.

Most user fees will remain unchanged in the new fiscal year, but there will be a few changes.

The monthly residential solid waste, special pickup and commercial collection fees as well as water, sewer and stormwater rates will go up 3.1%.

Ballfield rental fees will go to $32 per hour, up from $30. Small fee increases will be made to basketball, volleyball, tennis and pickleball courts per-hour costs and the Explorium Science Camp. The Ocean Rescue junior lifeguard program will go up to $300 from $250.

Boca Raton Regional Hospital was recently recognized as a Comprehensive Resuscitation Center of Excellence, a statewide initiative launched in 2022 as part of the Florida Resuscitation Center Committee’s mission to improve survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest. 

In addition to meeting clinical requirements, Comprehensive Resuscitation Centers of Excellence aim to strengthen community partnerships, expand CPR training for the public and support patients and their families throughout recovery. 

Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com

Leaders of the Boca Raton Junior League gearing up for the Nov. 21 awards luncheon include (l-r): Julie Ott, Dr. Kathy Schilling, Namrata Israni, Racheal Petullo, Carrie Rubin, Victoria Matthews, Shakira Sarquis-Kolber, Maureen Mann and Robin Mautino. Photo provided

Nonprofits from across South Florida have thrown their volunteers’ hats into the ring for the prestigious Woman Volunteer of the Year Award bestowed by the Junior League of Boca Raton.

The 40 nominees are:

• Peg Anderson
• Helen Ballerano
• Christine Barclay
• Regine Bataille
• Clara Bennett
• LeAnn Berman
• Abby Bernstein-Henderson
• Cathy Datwani
• Michelle Hagerty
• Rebecca Heatherman
• Arlene Herson
• Patty Jones
• Catherine Kasten
• Zoe Lanham
• Daniela Levenson
• Jodi Lippman
• Fernanda Macedo
• Marjorie Margolies
• Geneive Brown Metzger
• Marcia Mithun
• Jeannine Morris
• Stephanie Newell
• Mary Owens
• Noreen Payne
• Martha Pinzon
• Lisa Rabinsky
• Tandy Robinson
• Karen Ruben
• Ana Sasmiresan
• Judy Simon
• Kirsten Stephenson
• Mary Stern
• Jennifer Sullivan
• Lisa Talley
• Keely Gideon-Taylor
• Samantha Vassallo
• Kelly Warsaw
• Susan Weinblatt
• Judith Anne Wong
• Dawn Zook

The 38th annual awards luncheon will take place Nov. 21 at The Boca Raton. Carrie Rubin is the honorary chairwoman, and Namrata Israni and Racheal Petullo will serve as event co-chairwomen.

“We are so pleased to honor these 40 outstanding women,” said Victoria Matthews, league president. “Their volunteer work makes a tremendous difference in our community.”

For more information, call 561-620-2553 or visit wvoy25.givesmart.com.

Bowling for Bread benefits kids, Boca Helping Hands

Boca Helping Hands’ annual Bowling for Bread took place at Lucky Strike in Boca Raton, bringing youths from local children’s charities to the no-cost activity.

They enjoyed a day of bowling and food in support of the organization’s weekend meal program for students in need. Sponsors included the Gary Peters Family Foundation and the Lee Pearlson Steinberg Foundation.

“Being part of the fun and seeing the kids enjoy themselves is something I look forward to every year,” foundation trustee Lee Steinberg said. “My mom Pearl’s love for children’s causes inspired me to support Bowling for Bread in her memory. It’s a wonderful way to honor her legacy.”

For more info, call 561-417-0913, ext. 202, or visit bocahelpinghands.org/ty-for-attending-bowling-for-bread.

FAU’s nonprofit summit to give philanthropic advice

The School of Public Administration within the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University is welcoming guests to the two-day “Driven by Cause” philanthropy summit.

Set for Oct. 16 and 17 at FAU’s Student Union in Boca Raton, the gathering is designed for local nonprofit leaders and volunteers who want to expand their impact, deepen community engagement and strengthen organizational sustainability.

“The event will feature more than 20 nationally recognized speakers who are redefining success in the nonprofit world and who are changing the way nonprofits grow, lead and make an impact,” a news release says.

For more information, call 561-297-2595 or visit arreva.com/2025-arreva-philanthropic-summit.

Eda and Cliff Viner are the benefactors behind the 'Secure Our Legacy Matching Gift Campaign' at B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton. Photo provided

Couple’s donation to B’nai Torah launches campaign

Boca Raton’s B’nai Torah Congregation has announced a $1 million gift from longtime congregants Cliff and Eda Viner, along with the couple’s promise to match every gift of at least $360 through March 2026.

The “Secure Our Legacy Matching Gift Campaign” aims to galvanize support for the future vision of the institution so it remains a vibrant center of Jewish life for generations to come.

“It is more than a donation campaign,” B’nai Torah Congregation President Scott Frank said. “It’s a call to build not only for today but for tomorrow to ensure that our children and our children’s children inherit a community filled with Torah, joy and meaning.”

For more information, call 561-392-8566 or visit btcboca.org/matching-gift.

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net

Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce staff members (l-r) Judy Sowards, Sarah Mears, Stephanie Immelman, Carolina Rush and Lynn Van Lenten are looking forward to another successful installment of Do Good Delray. Photo provided by MasterWing Creative Agency

By Amy Woods

From the “Disco Inferno Party: A Night to Give” to the “International Safari Dinner,” charitable events fill the month as the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Do Good Delray gets underway.

A total of 24 fundraisers will unfold at venues throughout the city in an effort to create awareness of — and raise money for — the philanthropic community.

“The whole concept is that we pair profit organizations with a nonprofit,” said Lynn Van Lenten, the chamber’s program director. “It furthers the footprint of the nonprofit because now a new world begins between those two organizations.”

The chamber’s promotion of each event through email blasts, press releases and social media aims to boost attendance and forge fresh alliances.

“We always believe that the relationship comes first — and the money follows,” Van Lenten said. “I think this whole process is slow and steady wins the race.”

Among the partnerships are the Soup Kitchen and Warren American Whiskey Kitchen with “Savor the Hope,” the YMCA of South Palm Beach County and Bounce Delray Beach with “Bingo,” and Wayside House and Charity Dynamics & Auctions with “Turning Over a New Leaf.”

 The HERD Foundation and PNF Accountants & Advisors will present “Fall at the Farm,” and the Delray Beach Youth Tennis Foundation and JACKET Sunscreen will present “Sun & Serve.”

“Each one has its own story,” Van Lenten said. “That’s what I love about this.”

Do Good Delray kicked off in 2021 and so far has raised more than $276,000. The chamber’s Nonprofit Council conceived the idea.

“They said, ‘It’s time for us to do this, and we need that next step,’” said Van Lenten, who has led the council for 10 years. “They were right.” 

Do Good Delray

What: October fundraisers at 24 venues in Delray Beach to support philanthropic causes

When: Through Oct. 30

Cost: Event prices vary

Event info: 561-278-0424, ext. 103; for event schedule and locations, go to chamber.delraybeach.com/events/calendar/2025-10-01

ABOVE: (l-r) Michele Katzman, David Katzman and Elaine Zimmerman. Photo provided by Colby Kessler

JARC Florida, a nonprofit based in Boca Raton that provides programs and services to educate and empower those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, raised a record-breaking $53,400 at its 15th annual event. Nearly 200 guests came out for an evening of celebration and philanthropy. ‘We are beyond thankful for everyone who continues to support this program, which not only provides valuable employment and vocational training but also builds confidence and independence in our clients,’ CEO Jeff Zirulnick said. 

ABOVE: (l-r) Society President Denise Alman, Zook, committee member Laura Malone, Executive Director Mary Csar and committee member Lori Saunders. BELOW: (l-r) Victoria Matthews, Dorothy MacDiarmid, Fabiola Hooker and committee members Reilly Glasser and Ashley Huxhold. Photos provided

The Boca Raton Historical Society delighted supporters with its signature sold-out soirée, treating them to an evening of libations, cuisine and landmarks. The progressive tour kicked off with a reception, after which everyone boarded a colorful fleet of vintage Molly’s Trolleys and set off for five destinations. ‘This event reflects everything we love about Boca — community, culture and curiosity,’ said Dawn Zook, who chaired the event committee. ‘It’s a joy to connect our guests with the hidden gems and rich history all around them.’  

TOP: (l-r) Marcia Mithun, Doug Mithun, Arlene Herson, Emily Grabelsky and Teri Wolofsky. MIDDLE: (l-r) Amy Seidman, Zoe Lanham, Bonnie Halperin and Nicole Flier. ABOVE: (l-r) Holli Rockwell Trubinsky, Kristina Gregg and Joe Trubinsky. Photos provided by Gina Fontana

More than 250 civic, business and university leaders along with health care professionals, community advocates and medical students gathered for the annual fundraiser benefiting Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. Now in its 15th year, the signature tradition celebrated the college’s newest class of future physicians while raising money to expand scholarships. ‘It is through the success of this annual cornerstone fundraiser that we can continue to strengthen student education and clinical programs, expand community partnerships, and cultivate donor opportunities that drive positive change today and for generations to come,’ said Dr. Lewis Nelson, college dean. ‘Each donor’s investment is paying remarkable dividends because we are not just funding medical education, we are building the future of health care.’ 

October offers a bevy of food and drink events as the new season gears up. The Delray Beach GreenMarket is set to open Oct. 25 at Old School Square. Photos provided

By Jan Norris

No fall leaves here, and the thermometer dips only slightly, but South Florida still celebrates with the beginning of a new season in October. Look for pop-up Oktoberfests for all your beer and wurst needs, green markets reopening for everything veg-able, and Halloween parties for spooky hauntings.

For those wursts, hit up Biergarten, 309 Via De Palmas #90 in Boca Raton. Along with 24 draft and craft beers, the menu has several German favorites, including the much-touted giant pretzel with liptauer käse (the buttery Austrian cheese spread that’s pink — thanks to paprika), fried pierogies, onion and cheese spaetzle, and the wurst platter.

The platter will get you brats, franks and kielbasa, served with kraut and potato pancakes. Be authentic and order braised red cabbage as the side.

The American German Club in Lake Worth Beach will present its annual Oktoberfest Oct. 10-12 and Oct. 17-19.

For the big Oktoberfest — one of the largest in Florida — it’s the American German Club, 5111 Lantana Road in Lake Worth Beach. The fest is still cranking for a 51st year. 

It is over two weekends, Oct. 10-12 and Oct. 17-19. Members take care of most of the food served here: thousands of franks, bratwursts and currywursts. For authenticity, give the German platter a try, and you can get a brat, a frank and leberkäse — think of it as a pork meatloaf, only a finer grind. Or choose kassler — a smoked pork chop.

The clubhouse menu indoors (we recommend it) features sauerbraten, schnitzel, goulash and roast pork — all made by the members.

German bands and dancers perform, the beer flows — it is a true festival.

For information on parking, tickets, performances and more, go to oktoberfestflorida.com.

The Blue Anchor Pub’s ghost makes for a frightening Halloween. 

A good ghost story

Looking for a good haunt for Halloween? Go no farther than the Blue Anchor Pub in Delray Beach.

The 160-year-old pub, built in Victorian London, was dismantled after 100-plus years running, shipped to New York, and finally reconstructed at its present location in 1996 on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Palm Square.

During its heyday on Chancery Street, it saw the likes of Winston Churchill and his peers, who frequented the pub for a pint after court. Journalists from Fleet Street also drank there; that history would repeat in the U.S. when it became the watering hole for the National Enquirer staff of Lantana.

Now the dark side: Two of Jack the Ripper’s victims were seen in the pub on the nights before their slashings; their bodies were found on nearby doorsteps.

And there’s the murder, which brings us to the ghost story.

The young wife of a sea captain was caught in flagrante delicto with her lover by her husband at the pub. He purportedly shot the pair dead on the spot.

The woman, Bertha Starkey, is said to still haunt the pub, roaming about and tripping people, including the co-owner, Peggy Snyder. 

“Oh yeah, she’s tripped me, taken things from my hands,” she said. “She’s here.”

Bertha’s famous, sort of. Snyder said mediums come in all the time to check it out, and are able to see or sense her spirit.

At 10 nightly, they ring a ship’s bell — the time Bertha allegedly walks overhead and her footsteps can be heard.

Make time for the market

It’s green market season, and Delray Beach celebrates its 30th year with its market opening Oct. 25. 

More than 50 vendors will set up stalls to sell fresh vegetables, eggs, breads and more at the Old School Square green from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through May. 

Vendor spaces are still available, including rotating ones for those who can’t commit to a full or half season.

SNAP benefits are matched at most fresh food stalls.

For more information, including vendor applications, go to downtowndelraybeach.com/green-market. 

In addition to Delray Beach, the Lake Worth Beach Oceanside Farmers Market returns Oct. 4, while the Boca Green Market returns Oct. 5.

In brief

Brule Bistro in Delray Beach’s Pineapple Grove has a new moniker: Brule Gastro-Kitchen, representing an expanded menu and a better description of the new decor and style, said owner Suzanne Perretto. She said the restaurant has moved beyond the bistro, and wanted to avoid any mixed messages for diners. 

Motek in Boca Raton’s Restaurant Row east of the mall has become the “it” spot for now. The Miami-based mini-chain (there are seven) opened this spring, bringing modern Mediterranean/Israeli dishes to the area. Indoor-outdoor seating fills quickly, especially for brunch where the mezze platters are everywhere.

Feeding South Florida, the county’s central food bank and distribution program operating out of its kitchens in Boynton Beach, is in need of volunteers. People are needed daily in two shifts to pack food and meals and help cook. Monetary and food donations via food drives are welcomed as well. For more information about how to help, visit feedingsouthflorida.org. Click on the “Ways to Give” tab. 

Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.