Dinner, dancing, live music, entertainment and the theme ‘Under the Palms’ highlight an evening of celebration and support for the expansion of foster care services for Place of Hope at The Leighan and David Rinker Campus in Boca Raton. Time is 6:30 p.m. Cost $300. Call 483-0962 or visit www.placeofhoperinker.org. ABOVE: (l-r, front) Melissa Bonaros, Linda Taylor, Sue MacDonald, Rebecca D’Emic, Polly Jackson, Angela Santos, Patricia Saffer, (back) Paul Bonaros, Sue Heller, Trisha Wegman, Katharine Moss, Jennifer Hernandez, Dr. Anjali Noble, Trisha Bachman, Rachel Lopez, Mary Randolph Scott, Shari Parson and Neil Saffer. Photo provided by Kelly Wagner/Coastal Click Photography

Pay it Forward celebrates the numerous philanthropic events in South County. Events are current as of 9/29. Please check with organizers for any changes.

OCTOBER

Friday - 10/4 - American Association of Caregiving Youth’s Hearts & “Soles” Casino Night at Boca Country Club, 17751 Boca Club Blvd., Boca Raton. Double down at one of several gaming tables to help the nonprofit carry out its mission of ensuring support services for young caregivers and their families. 6-10 pm. $175. 391-7401 or aacy.org.

10/4 - Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum’s Toasts, Tastes & Trolleys at Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Tour downtown venues while sampling dinner by the bite and specialty drinks at every location, all to benefit education programs. 6-11 pm. $125. 395-6766 or bocahistory.org.

Saturday - 10/12 - Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics’ Angels for Angels Charity Ball at St. Andrews Country Club, 17557 W. Claridge Oval, Boca Raton. Support drug development to treat and ultimately cure a rare disease that affects the nervous system, delaying development and causing intellectual and physical disabilities. 7-11 p.m. $175. 954-776-1999, Ext. 222 or cureangelman.org/angelsforangels.

Thursday - 10/17 - National League of American Pen Women’s Boca Raton Branch’s New Membership Luncheon & Silent Auction at Indian Spring Country Club, 11501 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach. Meet artists, composers and writers, enjoy a lavish lunch and bid on fabulous items to benefit scholarships for creative youths. Noon. $35. 737-5544 or bocapenwomen.org.

10/17 - Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee at The Harriet Himmel Theater, 700 S. Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach. “Bee” a part of the buzz and compete in the 28th-annual fundraiser for programs that teach literacy throughout the county. 6 pm. $300-$1,000. 279-9103 or literacypbc.org.

10/17 - Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton’s Securing our Future Soiree at The Addison, 2 E Camino Real, Boca Raton. Enjoy an experience-driven social with culinary stations, handcrafted cocktails and lavish auction items. 6:30-9:30 pm. $250. 683-3287 or bgcpbc.org

Friday - 10/18 - Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s Go Pink Luncheon at Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Listen to multitalented actor, comedian, producer, writer and physician Dr. Ken Jeong give the keynote speech at the 16th-annual affair that benefits breast-cancer detection and treatment initiatives. 11 am-1:30 pm. $175. 955-7100 or donate.brrh.com/gopink.
Saturday - 10/26 - The Witches of Delray’s Witches Ride beginning at Delray Beach City Hall, 100 N.W. First Ave. Put on a witch costume, decorate that bicycle and join the eighth-annual, fun-filled cruise down Atlantic Avenue to benefit Achievement Centers for Children & Families. 7:30-11:30 am. $25-$30. 266-0003 or witchesofdelray.org.

NOVEMBER

Friday - 11/1 - Best Buddies Champion of the Year at PGA National Resort & Spa, 400 Ave of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens. Celebrate eight local philanthropic leaders who have engaged in a 10-week fundraising campaign to raise money and awareness for Best Buddies inclusion programs. Guests will be joined by Super Heros as they enjoy a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner and live entertainment. 7-11 pm. $250. 972-5312 or bestbuddies.org/palmbeach

Saturday - 11/2 - Place of Hope’s Hope Bash Boca at Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton. Enjoy an evening of dining, dancing, live music, entertainment and the theme “Under the Palms” to support the expansion of foster care services at the Leighan and David Rinker Campus. 6:30 pm. $300. 483-0962 or placeofhoperinker.org.

Monday - 11/4 - Bethesda Hospital Foundation’s Women of Grace Luncheon at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. Celebrate philanthropy and volunteerism by honoring four local women whose outstanding service has enriched and inspired the community. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $200. 737-7733, Ext. 84428 or bethesdahospitalfoundation.org.

Tuesday - 11/5 - Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night at Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel, 2000 N.W. 19th St., Boca Raton. Take pride in Palm Beach County’s only NCAA-sanctioned football bowl game at a casual, open-to-the-public night filled with food, fun and fundraising for Spirit of Giving Network. 6-8:30 pm. $50 in advance, $60 at the door. 362-3661 or spiritofgivingnetwork.com.

Thursday - 11/7 - The Crossroads Club’s Inaugural Gratitude Luncheon at The Seagate Country Club, 3600 Hamlet Drive, Delray Beach. Buy a ticket to benefit, celebrate and recognize the progress made in fighting addiction in the community. Noon-2 pm. $175. 278-8004, Ext. 106 or thecrossroadsclub.com.

11/7 - Faulk Center for Counseling’s Community Impact Awards at Broken Sound Club, 2401 Willow Springs Drive, Boca Raton. Help raise proceeds that will impact more than 2,000 South Florida adults and children through individual- and group-counseling programs. 6 pm. $125. 483-5300 or faulkcenterforcounseling.org.

Friday - 11/8 - Junior League of Boca Raton’s Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon at Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Help celebrate local women and recognize nonprofits throughout Palm Beach County during a Saks Fifth Avenue fashion show by designer Andrea Lieberman. 10:30 am. $150-$250. 620-2553 or jlbr.org.

Friday - 11/15 - Boca Center’s “Jingle All the Way” at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton. Watch the inaugural tree-lighting, listen to holiday performances by local choirs and take photos with Santa while benefiting Junior League of Boca Raton and Spirit of Giving Network. 5:30-7 pm. A new, unwrapped toy for general admission, $45 for VIP seating. 620-2553 or jlbr.org.

Thursday - 11/21 - Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s Read Together Palm Beach County Finale Event at The Harriet Himmel Theater, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach. Wrap up the 11th-annual campaign, in which adults read the same book at the same time, with the author of The One-in-a-Million Boy, Monica Wood. 6 pm. Free. 279-9103 or literacypbc.org.

Friday - 11/22 - Unicorn Children’s Foundation’s Community Inclusion Awards at Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton. Recognize unsung heroes and those who go above and beyond on behalf of special-needs children and their families. 11:30 am. $125. 620-9377, Ext. 304 or unicornchildrensfoundation.org.

By Amy Woods

Delray Beach’s Old School Square will be the site of Picnic in the Park, an Oct. 20 fundraiser where businesses, clubs, families, friends and organizations can each throw a picnic on a 12-by-12-foot square.

Making its debut, Picnic in the Park will run from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and raise money to feed homeless children.

For $250 apiece, groups get a designated spot on the Old School Square lawn and are encouraged to choose an international theme, create cuisine that matches the theme and then wear costumes keeping with the theme.

Groups can bring tables, chairs, blankets and tents, as well as decorations and even musical instruments to accent the fun.

“The picnic is an America classic where people get together and have fun,” said Maura Plante, founder of Living Hungry, which has partnered with the Delray Beach Homeless Task Force on the event. “It’s all about having a fun afternoon and raising money for a good cause.”

For more information, call 573-5092 or visit www.livinghungry.org.

Nonagenarian to be honored for his service

A 91-year-old man is helping alcoholics and drug addicts into recovery in Delray Beach.

For such efforts, Tony Allerton, executive director of The Crossroads Club — a nonprofit founded in 1982 — will be honored at Crossroads’ inaugural Gratitude Luncheon at noon Nov. 7 at the Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach.

“We are so pleased to honor Tony Allerton for his 60 years of service to our community,” said Delray Beach Deputy Vice Mayor Bill Bathurst, co-chairman of the event. “Through his compassion and experiences, he has touched the lives of countless individuals and serves as an inspiration to all who meet him.”

Every day, Allerton, who has been sober longer than most of his clients have been alive, helps those he sponsors overcome addiction. In 2006, he spearheaded renovations at an old city-storage building to create The Crossroads Club’s current home, which offers more than 150 meetings a week.

Tickets for the luncheon are $175 and can be purchased at www.thecrossroadsclub.com or by calling 278-8004, ext. 106.

Food delivery to needy cut due to loss of aging truck

Boca Helping Hands has raised nearly $35,000 from the community, and an anonymous donor has committed to match the next $25,000 that comes in, but even if that is generated, another $65,000 will still be needed to replace a large truck used to deliver food to needy people.

The 25-year-old truck regularly picked up items at Feeding South Florida and had the capacity to carry 10 pallets of food. Some of that food was delivered to elementary schools in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach for children to take home in donated backpacks so they had meals for the weekend. The truck also brought pantry bags to a satellite location that distributed them directly to families.

“With the loss of this truck, we’re having to use multiple vehicles to fill these needs, resulting in double the fuel and paid drivers,” said Greg Hazle, the organization’s executive director, noting that the Thanksgiving Box Brigade program might be in jeopardy if the vehicle is not replaced in time. “We are asking for the community’s help to replace this truck.”

For more information, contact Karen Swedenborg, development manager, at 417-0913, Ext. 202 or karen@bocahelpinghands.org.

Community Foundation welcomes three to board

Michael Bracci, Beth Neuhoff and Jeffrey Stoops have been elected to serve on the board of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

Bracci, president of Northern Trust’s Palm Beach and Treasure Coast regions, leads all aspects of the bank’s wealth-management business in the area. Neuhoff, CEO of Neuhoff Communications, is known for brand-building strategies both locally and nationally. Stoops, CEO of SBA Communications Corporation, oversees nearly 30,000 wireless sites in 13 countries.

“We are pleased to welcome these outstanding business leaders and community representatives to our board,” said Bradley Hurlburt, the foundation’s president and CEO.

Arc program aims for national recognition

The Arc of Palm Beach County has developed a model to improve acceptance for those with disabilities.

Stand Up is a leadership-training program that matches high-performing teens with same-age peers at the nonprofit.

“One of our goals at the Arc is to create positive experiences for the people we serve and open the minds of those who interact with them,” said Kimberly McCarten, the Arc’s president and CEO. “The interactions that happen in this program bridge differences, highlight varied communication styles and establish lasting bonds.”

The Arc adopted Stand Up in 2018. It has been nominated for an award and is on its way to getting implemented on a national level.

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

The Tuscan-style estate boasts a grand scale (more than 1.5 acres), complete privacy and 383 feet of waterfront.

This palatial estate with 72,934 square feet of lot, known as Serena Magi, commands a breathtaking vantage point on a tranquil lagoon leading onto the Intracoastal Waterway. It is a stately villa with 16,301 +/- total square feet and six bedrooms, eight and one-half baths, a three-car garage and state-of-the-art amenities throughout.

Inside, the dining room’s chandelier and the library’s hand-carved mahogany mantel are among the mansion’s treasures curated from around the world. The dining room has a 2,500-bottle, climate-controlled wine cellar and butler’s pantry. A chef’s kitchen features a pecky cypress coffered ceiling, custom cabinetry, granite counters, butcher block island and professional grade appliances.

Hand-carved mahogany doors open into the impressive foyer with a 35-foot frescoed ceiling, mosaic inlaid floors and a butterfly staircase.

The two-story living room stands beyond the reception hall and features a baronial styled fireplace and a window wall overlooking the Intracoastal.

Served by an elevator, the master suite has a large bedroom and sitting room with a fireplace, built-in bar and armoire, a private waterfront balcony and lavish his-and-hers baths. Separate staff quarters have their own living room, kitchenette, bedroom, bath and double balconies.

Particular details outside include a summer kitchen and cabana bath, well-appointed poolside loggia, gazebo bar and infinity-edge pool with spa and tiered fountains.

The property overlooks the lagoon. An elegant garden terrace surrounds the pool and grounds, which are privately walled and gated. The palm-lined entry is served by a Chicago brick circular drive and elaborate fountain. A private dock on the Intracoastal completes this extraordinary waterfront estate.

Offered at $7,999,000 by Pascal Liguori, Premier Estate Properties, 561-278-0100, premierestateproperties.com

A few of the decorations at Death or Glory are not for the faint of heart. Bloody Mary mix served from an IV is intended to chill your soul. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

They’re getting spirited in more ways than one at Death or Glory in Delray Beach. A Halloween pop-up has overtaken the bar, where all things spooky are being celebrated through the end of the month.

The bar known for craft cocktails is decorated throughout with All Hallows’ Eve pieces, from skeletons holding hands to skull garlands gracing doorways.

Annie Blake, a partner in the gastropub, says Halloween is a perfect match for the establishment. The pop-up began in mid-September, she said, extending the party.

“Halloween is a stress-free season, without family dinners, presents, or the hope of the often elusive Valentine,” she said. “Our guests are having so much fun with the extension of this whimsical holiday that turns its nose up to all things serious or depressing.”
The menu, changing as it goes along, has 13 cocktails for “ghouls and boys,” some inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. There’s a pineapple-cucumber-Orgeat syrup and green pearl onion “Nevermore.”

A dehydrated apple floats on top of an Apple Jack, grenadine, smoked cinnamon bitters affair called “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
There’s a pumpkin-infused rum called “Premature Burial,” and “The Raven” with gin, pineapple, crème de cacao, mint and a black orchid garnish.

Guests are getting a kick out of all the puns and presentations — some in tiki mugs, others a bit more creative, Blake said.

“The Dead on Arrival communal bowl, which we serve in a ‘blood’ bag, and the Buddy of Christ, which looks like it’s served in a prayer candle but rather than focusing on Jesus, features our mascot, my doodle Buddy Marie, have gotten the biggest chuckles.”
Food follows suit, with names for common favorites referring to scary movies or people. The Birds is chicken wings, It’s Alive is octopus, Children of the Corn is cannelloni with corn succotash, and Pumpkin Head is chopped root vegetables with a vinaigrette.
The pop-up continues through Halloween night, when the band Spider Cherry will perform.

Death or Glory is at 116 NE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach. 808-8814; deathorglorybar.com.

A Palm Beach County institution has been reborn. Tom’s Place is now open in the Boynton Beach Mall.

The barbecue place that first opened on Dixie Highway near Glades Road in Boca Raton in 1977 and has had several iterations is under the management of the family of the original owners, Tom and Helen Wright. Their daughter, Belinda Wright, and her brother Kenny have led the effort to reopen.

On Dixie Highway, the place was known for wood-pit-smoked ribs that drew crowds lining up for takeout; the only seats were picnic tables outside. Celebrities waited alongside construction workers on lunch breaks, and moms picked up dinner after work.
Tom Wright expanded the place slightly, putting in long communal tables. The Wrights eventually moved Tom’s Place to a bigger location on North Federal Highway with indoor seating and table service. It closed after Tom had a stroke in 2004. An outpost opened for a few years in West Palm Beach.

Tom’s BBQ Sauce became a souvenir and would find its way into northbound luggage.

The Southern fare that became a major draw is repeated on the menu at the mall location in the former Buca di Beppo. Ribs and pulled pork, napped with their namesake tomato-based sauce, fried catfish, smothered chicken, pork chops, mac ’n’ cheese, muffins, collards and black-eyed peas are here, as are the house-made desserts: red velvet cake, pound cake, sweet potato pie. A full liquor bar is in place in the bar room from Buca di Beppo.

Decor is modest with red-checked tablecloths and wood chairs with leatherette. The walls are peppered with memorabilia such as photos of family and the original Tom’s.

Old customers have found it, reminiscing on social media and eagerly following announcements of the opening. It was delayed a month for inspections and licenses.

The new Tom’s was at first closed on Tuesdays. That is Belinda Wright’s recovery group meeting day; she is a former addict and was briefly jailed following a drug probe involving her ex-husband.

Now sober, she works with others in recovery and participates in the Crossroads Club in Delray Beach, a support program for people with substance abuse problems.

The mall store is now open every day. Takeout and catering are available.

Tom’s Place BBQ, in the Boynton Beach Mall, 801 N. Congress. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Monday, Noon-4 p.m. Tuesday, Noon-6 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. 843-7487.

Green market season opens this month and runs through spring. The Boca Raton Greenmarket starts its 23rd year and will remain at City Hall. Last season, the market moved from its original home in Royal Palm Plaza to alleviate parking problems.

The Saturday market, held 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will begin Oct. 26 with its roster of vendors selling fresh produce, seafood, bakery foods, local honey, dog treats, plants and fresh flowers, prepared foods, and home and garden items. It continues Saturdays through mid-May.

It’s a dog-friendly market, and has live music.

The Delray Beach Green-Market also opens Oct. 26 and marks its 23rd year. It was started by the Community Redevelopment Agency as a downtown draw.

It now resides at Old School Square Park on Northeast Second Avenue. Also dog friendly, the market has farm fresh products such as raw milk, local honey, fresh eggs, cut flowers, artisan cheese and locally grown produce from the 65-plus vendors.
Nurseries bring native plants. Seafood vendors have local fish, and fresh citrus comes from Florida groves.

The market is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through mid-May.

The Lake Worth Farmers Market under the bridge will be returning this year on Oct. 19 without its founder. Peter Robinson, longtime greenmarket organizer in Palm Beach County, is retiring. His assistant will now oversee the Saturday market by the bridge at A1A that has fresh produce, plants, prepared foods and bakery items, and artisan products for sale.

A return to the stoves: Chef Bruce Feingold, longtime chef at DaDa in Delray Beach, moves east on the avenue to take over Deck 84 kitchen. He says he’ll work with owner Burt Rapoport to put his stamp on the menu, including dishes such as coconut marinated half chicken with a maple, gochuchangn pineapple and kim chi fried rice. Give it time: Changes will evolve beginning late October.

In brief: Tourism was knocked sideways while Hurricane Dorian made up its mind. Because of that, some restaurants in Flavor Palm Beach are extending the program to Oct. 8 or beyond. It features multicourse meals from $20 to $49; check https://flavorpb.com for details. …

In Delray Beach, 50 Ocean’s Great American Road trip had to detour because of the storm, so Oct. 11 is the next date for the dinner series. Calle Ocho is the inspiration for a Cuban-themed dinner with Latin jazz, cuisine and hand-rolled cigars to finish. Find details at www.50ocean.com. … 50 Ocean chef Tom Op’t Holt won the first round of Culinary Kombat over chef Adam Brown of the Cooper in Palm Beach Gardens. The contest runs Thursday nights (except Halloween) through Nov. 7 at Salt7 in Delray Beach and benefits the Milagro Center.

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

Bobby Campbell (in front) with (l-r) Michael Walstrom, Terry and Jerry Fedele and Dyana Kenney. Photo provided by Gina Fontana

The red carpet was rolled out for Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton’s fashion-forward countdown to the fifth-annual Boca Raton Mayors Ball. As an exciting prelude to the main event, set for Nov. 16, the club welcomed committee members, honorees and sponsors amid displays of ball gowns and men’s formal wear.

After rising from firefighter to fire chief for the city of Boca Raton, Kerry Koen has returned to his first calling, photography.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Margie Plunkett

The autumn colors are at full peak in Boca Raton, displayed in forests of brilliant trees, on mountains and in valleys — courtesy of Kerry Koen and the Boca Raton Public Library.

Koen is the photographer who produced the downtown library exhibit “Autumn in New England,” a collection of scenes from Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. His images depict everything from farmhouses, covered bridges and country roads to lighthouses and sunrises.

“It’s such a beautiful part of the country and very friendly,” Koen said. “People are always appreciative of you coming to visit their trees and foliage. They’re very proud of it.”

Some might know Koen, 75, better as a firefighter and former fire chief of Boca Raton and Delray Beach. But photography has been part of his life since his days at Seacrest High School. He went to Southern Illinois University to study commercial photography, but became interested in government and earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Memphis. Koen is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy, has an associate’s in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University and has done master’s coursework at Florida Atlantic University.

During high school, Koen shot photos for the school newspaper and yearbook. In college, he worked on local newspapers and was a stringer for the UPI wire service. He’s used photography in his profession and as a hobby ever since.

“The technology has changed so much from the time I started until now. Nothing that I learned in photography school exists anymore,” he said. “Not just the fact it’s all digital, it’s the technology of printing — and the camera itself is a computer.”

There was a time when Koen shot in black-and-white film because color was expensive. “Now you get color for free,” he mused.

While one of his favorite cameras was a Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex, today he uses his phone’s camera for everyday photographs. He also has a Nikon with telephoto lens.

Koen enjoys food and travel photography. Most mornings he frequents Boca Raton beaches to capture the sunrise. The city’s website is showcasing one of those photos.

Exhibits he’d like to curate include Chicago architecture — near where his daughter lives.

The library exhibit is Koen’s first. The images were taken during mid-October trips he and his wife, Lynne, made. They stayed in Woodstock, Vermont, and traveled from there. Among his favorite spots: Cadillac Mountain in Arcadia National Park and Bar Harbor, both in Maine.

Koen has learned from talking to exhibit visitors that his photos stir memories. “I realized this was not for me, it was for them. They had found something in it for them, mostly a memory or two.”

Autumn in New England will be on display at the downtown library, 400 NW Second Ave., through Oct. 25.

The Plate: Five wings

The Place: Smoke BBQ Boca Raton, 555 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 430-3348 or www.eatbbqnow.com.

The Price: $5.99

The Skinny: It was rainy, and every side street in Boca Raton seemingly was underwater.

And I was feeling a bit peckish — hungry, but not starved. Then I remembered that Smoke BBQ had opened an outpost across from Mizner Park, so I decided to get something to nibble.

The order of five wings was a perfect snack. The meaty chicken was smoked until pink, then flash-fried until crisp on the outside, complete with a savory rub that complemented the smokiness of the meat. Good, if not good for you, and that crispy skin was amazing.

And the jalapeño cilantro potato salad ($2.50) I ordered on the side was creamy, with just the right amount of kick from the peppers.
It’s counter service here, so we won’t call it fine dining; just good eating — very good eating.

—Scott Simmons

Candace Tamposi and David Barninger. Photo provided

Monsignor Tom Skindeleski, a member of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller’s Florida Commandery, was the man of the hour at a fundraiser that generated more than $15,000 for a project in western Palm Beach County that will result in a children’s development center at the First Haitian Baptist Church of Belle Glade. Hosts were Matt and Thais Piotrowski, and among the guests was Toni Mastrullo, commander of the order.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Weinroth, Eric Shaw, Boca Helping Hands Development Director Karen Swedenborg and Hazle. Photo provided

Boca Helping Hands raised a record $16,000 on behalf of area children’s charities during the 13th-annual event that involved more than 200 boys and girls served by the participating nonprofits. ‘We love the synergy and collaboration amongst our charity partners, and we’re beyond thrilled that these amazing kids got to spend an afternoon simply having fun,’ said Greg Hazle, executive director of Boca Helping Hands. ‘That’s what this event is truly all about.'

Lantana Mayor David Stewart, Lantana Town Manager Deborah Manzo and Palm Beach Mayor Gail Coniglio. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood is this year’s book for Read Together Palm Beach County, a Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County initiative. The story revolves around a friendship between a 104-year-old Lithuanian woman and an 11-year-old Boy Scout. The title was unveiled during the initiative’s 12th-annual gathering of local leaders.

Manalapan Town Manager Linda Stumpf with Town Clerk and Library Director Lisa Petersen. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

By Steve Plunkett

Developer Robert Comparato is offering $67.5 million to buy Ocean Strand, 15 undeveloped acres straddling State Road A1A from the ocean to the Intracoastal Waterway.

In an unsolicited proposal to the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, which owns the property, Comparato says he “holds or will hold” contracts to purchase 2500 and 2600 N. Ocean Blvd., two beachfront parcels that were denied variances this year to build four-story residences.

Comparato proposes exchanging the two parcels for Ocean Strand and giving the district $51.5 million in cash—enough, he says, to build a new golf course, expand and renovate the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, and create a new “Parks for All People” inside Spanish River Park.

A five-star 171-room hotel, 110 condominiums, 30 villas and 35 boat slips would be built at Ocean Strand in Comparato’s plan. The purchase price would be reduced on a per-unit basis if his Compson Boca Group LLC were not able to win needed government approvals.

The Ocean Strand property east of A1A would be “deed restricted so as to prohibit any use thereof for purposes other than beach related uses and beach access,” the proposal states.

Beach and Park District Chairwoman Susan Vogelgesang, who received the proposal Sept. 11, passed out copies to commissioners at the end of their meeting that night. She said she would also forward copies to the City Council.

“I have not read it,” she said. “I don’t think that this is for us to agree on right now. I think it should be something that the city sees, and we negotiate with the city.”  

Commissioner Steve Engel, who in the past has said Ocean Strand would be privately developed “over my dead body,” immediately repeated his opposition.

“It’s got to be rejected out of hand,” Engel said.

The district and the City Council will meet jointly to discuss the district’s proposed Boca National golf course at 5 p.m. Sept 12 at 6500 Congress Ave. Council members have offered to take over building an 18-hole course if the district does not raise its tax rate 36 percent.

District commissioners Sept. 11 lowered their proposed millage to $1.0519 per $1,000 of taxable value, a 19.4 percent increase over this year’s rate.

Comparato’s figures set aside about $27 million for the golf course and about $24.8 million for Gumbo Limbo. He is valuing 2500 and 2600 N. Ocean Blvd. together at roughly $16 million.

His $67.5 million offer nearly matches the $67.6 million private appraisal the Beach and Park District got for Ocean Strand in June. District commissioners asked for the appraisal with the thought of selling the property to the city and using the funds for the golf course and Gumbo Limbo.

The district bought Ocean Strand in 1994 for $11.9 million.

A proposal in 2010 to build a private cabana club on the site sparked a firestorm of resident outrage.

Coastal communities breathe collective sigh of relief

Debris washed up onto A1A in Manalapan as wind and rain from Hurricane Dorian exacerbated king tide effects. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Ron Hayes
and The Coastal Star staff

Harry Woodworth built his house along the Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton Beach to survive a Category 3 hurricane.
He installed impact windows that could shield him and his wife from winds up to 129 mph.
But confronted with Hurricane Dorian, grinding away a mere 100 miles east of his Northeast 15th Place home, with winds threatening to remain Category 5, the retired Motorola project manager turned to his evacuation plan.
He filled the tank on his RV with enough gas to reach the Alabama state line.
And then he did the unthinkable.
“I got nervous and put up shutters on top of the impact windows.”
And then he took them down again and started cleaning the garage and porch.
“We really, really got lucky,” he said.
As did we all.
From South Palm Beach to coastal Boca Raton, as Hurricane Dorian sat on the Bahamas, residents and local governments did what they could to prepare for the worst, hoped or prayed for the best, and sighed with relief when the storm turned north.
“By the grace of God, we were spared,” South Palm Beach Mayor Bonnie Fischer said. “We should all count our blessings today. It could have been much worse.”
Despite Palm Beach County’s evacuation order, not everyone in town heeded the warnings.
“I know quite a few stayed.” the mayor said. “We’re going to get a better idea of the numbers later.”
Her initial impression was that beach erosion was minimal.
“From my overview I’d say we’ve done pretty well,” she said. “I don’t want to say we’re perfect until I can get out and see more.”
In Ocean Ridge, residents responded to the evacuation order promptly, said acting Town Manager Tracey Stevens.
“For the most part, our residents were cordial and understanding and made plans based on the information given,” Stevens said. “Therefore, evacuation went very well.”
Other than beach erosion, the town suffered no observable damage, she said.
Manalapan Town Manager Linda Stumpf said she hoped everyone did as well as her municipality did.
“We lost a palm tree on private property — that’s it,” Stumpf said.
Highland Beach lost a few tree limbs and had some minor street flooding, Police Chief Craig Hartmann reported. The storm, along with the normal king tide, sent water over the seawall to flood a parking lot across from the Delray Sands resort but created no problems on the roadway, he added.
Flooding was common most everywhere.
On Marine Way in Delray Beach, Genie DePonte borrowed a neighbor’s kayak Sept. 3 to paddle down the street she’s lived on for 30 years.
“My boots are not tall enough,” she said. “The water is in my crawl space.”
Neighbors without a crawl space were no doubt flooded by the 3-foot flooding.
At the Atlantic Crossing project at the corner of Federal Highway and East Atlantic Avenue, holes dug for an underground garage were filled to the brim, Delray Beach native John Miller noticed.
Even the mobile homes of Briny Breezes were spared wind damage and only inconvenienced by the waters.
“My sense is we came through it very, very well,” Alderwoman Kathy Gross reported. “We had minimal damage, mostly from king tide and storm surge.”
Streets flooded, Gross said, but no homes suffered water damage, and while some brave residents chose to stay in their mobile homes, most evacuated.

Delray Beach resident Michael Kanneli exits the beach at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton with his surfboard in two pieces thanks to the fierce waves spawned by the hurricane. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

As Dorian skirted the coast on Sept. 3, surfers celebrated the waves.
In Boca Raton, parking is prohibited along State Road A1A, but cars lined the highway beside beachfront parks.
After finding the waves at Deerfield Beach “too much,” brothers Brandon and Nathan Sectaello found the shore at Red Reef Park more approachable.
“It’s not too often they’re bigger than 3 feet,” Brandon said, eager to ride the 4- to 6-foot swells.
Boca Raton officials reported no damage and no power outages.
Gulf Stream Mayor Scott Morgan also said everything went “very well.”
“No incidents at all to my knowledge,” Morgan said.

The Meinbach and Sirhal families came to Lantana Public Beach on Sept. 4 in hopes of finding seaglass and shells that washed ashore from Dorian. However, all they found was a closed beach and limited view from the staircase. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Wednesday, life was returning to normal.
“Lantana returned to 100 percent operation Sept. 4, including garbage and trash,” said Mayor Dave Stewart.
Apart from nuisance flooding and some minor damage to two boardwalk stairways, the town had no significant damage.
“We didn’t suffer any facility damage, infrastructure status is normal and all personnel are safe,” director of operations Eddie Crockett reported. “Overall, we fared very well.”
For two days that often felt like a week, coastal residents waited, and once the forecasters were proved right and the disaster that might have been had passed, life returned to normal quickly and residents were eager to celebrate.
At the popular Dune Deck restaurant in Lantana, owner John Calomiris took down the awnings, stored away the furniture and closed for two days.
“We are blessed on our side that nothing happened bad,” he said when the awnings were up again, the furniture back and diners dining.
“I got some holy water and sprinkled it into the ocean. I’ve done that every time a hurricane is close for the past 29 years,” he said. “And it works.”

Oh, Abaco. Beautiful, friendly, carefree Abaco. I’m sure there will still be sunrises and sunsets, but now there will be very little in between. Even the sandy beaches and crystal clear waters are holding horrors — the remnants of homes and dreams and loved ones whose bodies will never be found.
Jerry and I own a vacation cottage on Abaco. By the whims of wind and powers beyond comprehension, our tiny settlement saw little physical damage.
Our neighbors who remained are safe, but cut off by impassible roads. And as is the nature of Bahamians, they are feverishly seeking ways to help their friends, family and neighbors who have lost everything — all as they search for any news of people still unaccounted for.
The connection between Abaco and our South County area is strong. Many of you have second homes in the Bahamas. Maybe you keep a boat there, take your boat across the Gulf Stream to fish, or fly over to vacation when you can.
Marsh Harbour is only 180 miles away, after all, and it’s less than 90 miles to Freeport: closer than Disney World, closer than Key West.
These really are our neighbors who are suffering under conditions we simply can’t fathom. So what can we do to help?
Our friends at Pete’s Pub in Little Harbour have posted the following organizations they’ve vetted (this is especially important in the Bahamas) for relief aid and assistance. I’ve added a couple more I know to be trustworthy.
You may have others you are planning to organize or know about that are already collecting items for relief. Feel free to send information on them to me and I’ll post them on our website.
Once this first critical wave of relief arrives, the most important thing we can all do is not forget Abaco and Grand Bahama. Their economy is based almost exclusively on tourism. So a year from now, or maybe two, plan to book your vacation to this beautiful island nation.
If you have a home or boat there, hire Bahamians to make the repairs, regardless of what other resources you might afford to pull from other places.
The people who live on these islands will need jobs to rebuild their lives. They’ll need our tourism to survive. Don’t forget them — this year, next year and in all the years to come. Help them be #BahamasStrong.

Mary Kate Leming, Editor

You can help

Below is a list of verified and trusted relief organizations compiled by Pete’s Pub in South Abaco.

• Air Unlimited/Florida Paints: www.helptheabacos.com
• Atlantic Aviation: www.atlanticaviation.com
• Atlantic Yacht and Ship: 850 NE Third St., No. 114, Dania Beach, FL 33004
• Global Empowerment: www.globalempowermentmission.org
• Head Knowles: www.oasisbahamas.com/headknowles
• Ed Hinckley is accepting donations at his hanger at 2633 Lantana Road, Hanger 508, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33462
• Neil Hingle, pilot, is accepting donations to fly over: 55 Pine Tree Lane, Jupiter, FL 33469
• Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue: www.htvfr.org

For broader Bahamas relief, please consider:
• Chef Andres’ World Central Kitchen: www.wck.org
• Food for the Poor: www.foodforthepoor.org/newsroom/…/crisis-dorian.html

Hamid Hashemi called delays in Delray Beach an important factor in iPic’s financial trouble. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Related Information: Delray Beach iPic incentives

By Jane Smith and Mary Hladky

One week after iPic Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, company founder and chief executive Hamid Hashemi stood before the Downtown Development Authority attempting to conduct business as usual.
Hashemi wanted the board to approve a restaurant on the third-floor terrace of his newest theater, which opened in downtown Delray Beach in March.
Board members peppered him with questions: Would the restaurant solve iPic’s financial problems? Why was Hashemi backtracking on previous assurances that the theater would not have a restaurant? When would iPic move its headquarters from Boca Raton to Delray Beach as promised?
As he responded, Hashemi lamented the six years it had taken to complete negotiations with the city and build the theater, causing cost increases that contributed to iPic’s financial woes.
“In 2013, when we signed up to do this project, it was a $30 million project,” he said. “Now it’s a $60 million project with 40 additional public parking spaces. We gave 8 feet of alley away.
“We gave and gave and gave. … This has been the most disappointing experience of my life.”
The DDA board approved iPic’s restaurant by a 4-3 vote on Aug. 12 on the condition that iPic appear before another city advisory board to make sure its complex has adequate parking.
But even if other city boards and the City Commission approve, that restaurant’s opening and iPic’s corporate office relocation are in doubt.
Seeking bankruptcy protection allows iPic to restructure its debt or find a buyer. If it’s unsuccessful, the company could liquidate.
While iPic is searching for investors and buyers, it will ask a bankruptcy court judge at a Sept. 11 hearing to approve an auction of its assets.
It’s not known if iPic will emerge from the process in a position to continue its expansion plans, refurbish existing theaters or absorb the cost of a corporate move.
But for now, iPic says its 16 theaters in nine states will continue operating and vendors will be paid.
In South Florida, other iPics are in Boca Raton and North Miami Beach. The company has planned to open iPics in Fort Lauderdale and Sunrise next year.
The Boca Raton theater and adjacent Tanzy Restaurant in Mizner Park opened in 2012. Unlike in Delray Beach, which gave incentives to build the theater, Boca Raton offered no incentives and the project was not controversial.
When iPic launched in 2010, it offered a new concept: luxury theaters with reclining seats, quality food and drinks brought to patrons, and pillows and blankets.

Troubled waters
But in the years since, theater patronage has decreased nationwide as people opt to stream movies in the comfort of their family rooms. At the same time, larger theater chains copied iPic’s dine-in option and reclining seats.
Trouble has been brewing at iPic for some time.
The company completed an initial public offering on Feb. 1, 2018, that raised $15.1 million from shares priced at $18.50, far less than the $30 million to $50 million Hashemi hoped for.
In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing earlier this year, iPic reported operating losses in 2017 and 2018 and said it expected losses to continue for the next several years as it continued building up to 25 theaters in the U.S.
Yet its officials were optimistic, with plans to build theaters in Saudi Arabia, which in 2018 announced it would allow commercial movie theaters to open for the first time in more than 35 years.
But iPic’s financial problems worsened during the first quarter of this year, when revenues dropped to $30.2 million compared to $38.7 million for the first three months of 2018.
In a May 20 conference call with investors, Hashemi said company officials were “surprised” by the decrease. He attributed it to the lack of a blockbuster movie in the first quarter, the government shutdown in January that affected iPic theaters near Washington, D.C., and in the Northeast, and a brutal winter that kept audiences at home.
Warning signs flashed red when iPic missed a $10.1 million interest payment due July 1 to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Alabama and the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, which had lent iPic $205 million.
In a July 26 SEC filing, iPic warned it might have to seek bankruptcy protection, triggering a stock price plunge to just over $1.
On Aug. 5, iPic did just that. The company’s filing in Delaware bankruptcy court lists $290.9 million in debt, mostly owed to the Alabama retirement systems, and $157 million in assets.
A spokeswoman for the retirement systems declined to comment.

Delisted and up for sale
IPic’s stock was delisted on Nasdaq on Aug. 14, and it traded on the over-the-counter market at 45 cents per share as of Aug. 30.
IPic can keep going for now because the pension funds lent it an additional $16 million to cover operating expenses and costs associated with its bankruptcy case.
The bankruptcy court proceedings are moving rapidly. A slew of motions filed by iPic will be heard Sept. 11. The company, which is seeking to sell to the highest bidder, has asked the court to approve an Oct. 17 asset auction and an Oct. 25 sale hearing to authorize the sale of assets.
IPic’s hunt for investors and buyers is on. Its investment banker, PJ Solomon, has contacted 64 potential investors and buyers, of which 31 had signed nondisclosure agreements and six were negotiating agreements to see confidential company information, according to an Aug. 15 iPic filing in the bankruptcy case.
IPic has cited several reasons for its financial problems, including delays in building out its theater chain, the high cost of capital, and depletion of funds “before the company was able to reach critical mass.”
But Hashemi pointed to the difficulties in building the eight-screen Delray Beach theater as a major issue for his company.
“Importantly, delays related to the Delray Beach location resulted in unforeseen costs and a significant slowdown in circuit-wide development and new grand openings,” he said in announcing the bankruptcy filing.
Mayor Shelly Petrolia pushed back against ideas that the city bears the blame for iPic’s woes, and that iPic did all the giving in its dealings with the city.
“We gave as much as we could,” said Petrolia, who has consistently voted against iPic’s requests. In May, “my colleagues allowed (Hashemi) to regain the public terrace space to open a restaurant … without giving back something to the public in return.”
Former Mayor Cary Glickstein, who voted for iPic’s waiver requests, believes the city is not responsible for the project delays.
“I think Hamid is cherry-picking his facts when blaming the city for the delays,” he wrote in an email.
Glickstein did fault the way the land sale to iPic was handled. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency wrote the sale contract.
“The CRA — its board, executive leadership and attorney, as well-intentioned as they were — was not equipped to underwrite a project of this magnitude and complexity,” he wrote. “Incomplete documents create ambiguity. … A far more comprehensive contract could have reduced much of that.”
The CRA approved the sale of prime downtown public land to iPic, the winning bidder, in 2013, but the City Commission didn’t approve the project until 2016. Disagreements over building height, setbacks and parking contributed to the time lapse.
Even then, not all issues were resolved. Most recently, iPic asked to add the restaurant even though it had agreed earlier to use the space as a terrace open to the public.
IPic attorney Bonnie Miskel told the Sun-Sentinel in June that iPic was responding to public demand for a restaurant. The restaurant, she said, also would bring in revenue to help defray the cost of complying with city demands that have led to a doubling of the initial cost of the project.
The project, now known as 4th & 5th Delray, was controversial. Some residents thought the project — which includes office space, retail and a parking garage just south of Atlantic Avenue between Southeast Fourth and Fifth avenues — was too big and would generate too much traffic.
But many city leaders liked the idea of a movie theater as a way to diversify an area dominated by restaurants and bars.
After lengthy delays, iPic closed on the sale of 1.6 acres, paying $3.6 million in late April 2017. A few weeks earlier, a new entity called Delray Beach 4th & 5th Avenue paid $2.3 million for .14 of an acre to provide a loading zone at the city’s insistence.
The same day the 1.6-acre sale closed, Hashemi’s Delray Beach Holdings sold the land to Delray Beach 4th & 5th Avenue. That entity’s joint venture partner is Samuels & Associates of Boston and its investor partner is American Realty Advisors, based in Los Angeles. Hashemi retains a small stake.
Incentives given by the CRA to get the iPic deal done included paying iPic $400,000 of taxpayer dollars to offset iPic’s cost of providing 40 additional parking spaces in the garage. This ignored the CRA’s rule that it not provide incentives to businesses east of Swinton Avenue.
The CRA also agreed to pay iPic $75,000 annually for maintaining 90 public parking spaces in the garage.
In contrast to the drawn-out wrangling in Delray Beach, two Boca Raton City Council members recall no issues before iPic in 2012 to opened its ninth theater, in Mizner Park, where Hashemi already had an office. IPic replaced another theater that had closed.
“I think people were very happy to have a theater there, to have it revived,” said council member Andrea O’Rourke, then president of the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association, who won election in 2017. “At the time, it was very exciting. It was the first theater like it.”
“IPic wasn’t just the cool new thing when they opened,” said Mayor Scott Singer, first elected to the council in 2014. “They continue to be the cool new thing. I don’t think anyone is doing it better than they are.”
In 2000 Hashemi, then a Muvico executive, built the Palace 20 theater by the Boca Raton Airport.
IPic’s landlord in Boca Raton is Brookfield Property Partners, the owner of Mizner Park. A Brookfield official did not return calls requesting comment.
A March loan modification agreement between iPic and the Alabama pension funds shows that the company was saving money by halting a planned $4.1 million renovation of the Boca Raton theater. The money was to be used for operating expenses instead.

Compiled by Jane Smith

The iPic movie theater sits just south of Atlantic Avenue, between Southeast Fourth and Fifth avenues. The downtown Delray Beach movie theater has received incentives from the city and its Community Redevelopment Agency.

December 2013
IPic Entertainment wins the bid for 1.6 acres of public land for $3.6 million. The property is part of the city’s Community Redevelopment Area. The vacant land housed the city’s library and Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. The property held nearly 100 free public parking spaces.

August 2015
After a city advisory board turned down iPic’s waiver requests, the City Commission approves them for a building height above 48 feet tall and allowing a movie theater. The commission also ignored its own rule and gave away a north-south alley to the project.
Other waivers were given to allow the project to follow its own setback needs and to have darkened windows along Southeast Fifth Avenue, also known as Federal Highway.
In addition, city staff allowed iPic to use a shared parking plan for the garage, instead of following the rules that would require more parking spaces for the theater. iPic added only 211 spaces for its theater, instead of the 880 spaces required by the city’s rules.

March 2017
The city’s CRA agrees to give iPic $400,000 of taxpayer funds, ignoring its own rules of not providing incentives to businesses east of Swinton Avenue. The money was requested by iPic to offset the cost of providing 40 extra public parking spaces in the garage.
The CRA also agrees to pay $75,000 annually for maintaining 90 public parking spaces in the garage. The amount will increase annually and be payable by the city after the CRA sunsets in 2040.

April 2017
IPic needed eight deadline extensions to close the CRA deal on April 25.
The same day iPic purchased the land from the CRA, the property was flipped to a new entity, Delray Beach 4th & 5th Avenue LLC. Samuels & Associates of Boston is the managing partner and American Realty Advisors, based in Los Angeles, is the investor. IPic retains a small share through Delray Beach Holdings LLC.
The nearby Martini land — $2.3 million for .14 of an acre for a loading zone — was included in the sale to Delray Beach 4th & 5th, making the total sale price $5.9 million.
The parking and taxpayer incentive agreements are now held by the new entity.

SOURCES: Delray Beach City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency meetings

By Rich Pollack

Along the barrier island, leaders in Ocean Ridge are trying to determine if it’s time to seriously consider hooking up to the regional wastewater treatment facility, through neighboring Boynton Beach.
Most of the homes in town are either on septic systems or are served by package plants, which are small facilities that treat sewage from multifamily communities.
To figure out if it makes sense to connect to a regional system, Ocean Ridge has created a Septic to Sewer Citizens Advisory Committee. It is researching what exists in town and the experiences of other municipalities that have replaced septic systems with connections to regional facilities.
So far, 14 package plants have been identified in town.
The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County is unable to provide an estimate of how many individual septic systems exist in Ocean Ridge and surrounding communities because some of those systems were installed more than half a century ago.
Department records, however, show that from September of last year until late last month, seven new septic systems were installed in Ocean Ridge. Four of those are advanced or aerobic treatment systems.
Although it is very early in the process, it is likely that converting from septic to sewer in Ocean Ridge will be disruptive and costly — if it ever does happen.
During the committee’s first meeting, in July, representatives from the city of Boynton Beach presented preliminary plans for what the conversion could look like.
To get sewage from the barrier island, Boynton Beach would install two large pipes under the Intracoastal Waterway.
In Ocean Ridge there would be either a traditional gravity and force main system or a vacuum collection system. The latter would require vacuum pits possibly shared by homes and then several central vacuum tanks throughout the town.
With a traditional gravity and force main system, pipes would be run under the roadways and lift stations would be installed.
Boynton Beach in its preliminary proposal said the gravity and force main system seemed to be the most cost effective for five condominiums south of Woolbright Road, while the vacuum collection system seemed the most cost effective for the remainder of Ocean Ridge.
For the five condominiums at the south end, based on conceptual plans, the cost is estimated at $2 million with the gravity and force main system; and for the rest of the town, the cost is estimated to be a little over $20 million.
There would also likely be additional costs to homeowners, including connection fees and the expense of decommissioning existing septic systems.
To help with costs, the advisory committee is exploring what government or private grants might be available.
The advisory committee is scheduled to meet again at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 18 at Ocean Ridge Town Hall.

Tana Callahan, who works with Howe Inc., the property manager at the Crown Colony Club in Ocean Ridge, checks on the package plant on the west side of the community. The treatment plant also serves Colonial Ridge and Ocean Manor. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

There was an audible gasp in the room when residents attending a meeting of Ocean Ridge’s Septic to Sewer Citizens Advisory Committee last month heard that sewage effluent from one of the more than 14 “package plants” in town was going directly into the Intracoastal Waterway.
What most of those in the room probably didn’t know is that the effluent meets very high state standards and the plant, like all other package plants in town, is closely monitored with testing and reporting required on a regular basis.
Package plants are similar to larger municipal facilities — but on much smaller scale. They are highly regulated, mostly onsite facilities that treat sewage coming from a condominium or multi-unit community.
While there is rarely testing of effluent coming from septic systems in single-family homes, package plants are continuously monitored.
At most plants, systems are checked for nutrient levels — such as nitrogen — and fecal coliform bacteria at least once a month, says Gary Cook, owner of Aqua Data Inc., which services many of the small sewage treatment plants in Ocean Ridge.
Contractors like Aqua Data have certified operators visit the plants either five or six days a week — depending on the requirements from the Florida Department of Health or Florida Department of Environment Protection.
The operators take readings and fill out reports on a regular basis during a visit of 30 minutes or longer.
In the case of the effluent pumped into the Intracoastal, the sewage goes through the standard treatment process and is chlorinated to state standards. It is then treated again with another chemical to remove the chlorine before it is released.
Two of the plants that Cook’s company services put treated water into the Intracoastal, but the majority put the treated effluent into drain fields where it percolates into the ground. One client used deep-well injection.
Deep-well injection of the treated effluent also occurs at the Colonial Crown Manor Disposal Systems Inc. plant, the largest of the package plants in town.
Serving 290 units, the plant treats sewage from three communities — Crown Colony, Colonial Ridge and Ocean Manor. The plant, built in 1969, has a capacity of pumping 100,000 gallons a day and is operated and maintained by U.S. Water Inc.
In peak season it will treat about 65,000 gallons of sewage a day.
The expenses that come with maintaining older plants are passed along to residents as part of monthly fees.
Users of the Colonial Crown Manor package plant pay $45 a month, but Ron Kirn, president of the association that oversees the plant, sees that dropping soon to as low as $30 a month, thanks to changes in key vendors, tighter cost controls and a focus on keeping the plant running smoothly.
“We instituted preventative maintenance on key operational components, which reduces failures,” he said.

Debra Boyle, Ocean Ridge’s first dedicated community policing officer, talks with Susan Ezekiel while on patrol. Ezekiel’s dogs are Cody and Jessie. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Margie Plunkett

The Ocean Ridge Police Department sent an SUV full of school supplies to children in the care of Palm Beach County in August, a delivery that included 150 book bags, binders, paper folders, glue sticks and composition books.
“We want to make sure children going back to school are successful,” said Officer Debra Boyle, the department’s community policing officer. “Every child needs to have a smile on their face regardless of their circumstances.”
Boyle was the officer behind the department’s successful community school supply drive that ended in early August. As community policing officer, she helps look out for Ocean Ridge residents. She’s been with the department for 21/2 years, but nobody knows her as Officer Boyle. “Everybody knows Debra,” she says.
The 46-year-old Boynton Beach resident helps the community in many ways — checking on elderly people, setting up a CPR class. She might be out informing residents on how to stay safe entering their cars, or teaching them how to protect themselves against scams.
“I enjoy working with the residents and doing for the community,” Boyle said. “I have a passion when it comes to children. I definitely love helping out — with the elderly, too. If they need something from across the bridge, I’ll pick it up for them, or I’ll transport them there.”
Boyle was chosen as Ocean Ridge’s first dedicated community policing officer, a position created last year with the goal of having “a true community partnership that makes folks not only feel safe and secure, but makes a difference in the lives of those we serve every day,” explained Police Chief Hal Hutchins.
While police work keeps her busy, Boyle does have a life outside the job. She and her husband, Doug, have four children and two grandchildren. In her spare time, Boyle enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
Hutchins called Boyle a “passionate professional in her work and caring person who uses her passions to be a great police officer.”
She is able “to bring people together and develop relationships, fixing little issues before they become larger. She is a true community ambassador.”
Boyle was drawn to law enforcement by her desire to “give back to the community in a positive way,” she said. She went to a law enforcement program in Athens, Georgia, and Florida’s St. Petersburg College Law Enforcement Academy, where she was certified.
While in Georgia, she worked in the juvenile court system. It influenced her decision to conduct both the most recent school supply drive and last year’s Christmas toy drive on behalf of the children under county care.
“I felt this was the way to go because these kids are away from their families” or they’re with their families but working through a plan with county supervision, she said. There are 1,600 to 1,700 children under Palm Beach County care, from birth through age 18, in situations including foster homes and group homes, according to Boyle.
“The donations were delightful” for the school supply drive, Boyle said. Those still wishing to give can look for the start of this year’s toy drive in October.
Hutchins said the school supply and toy drives were Boyle’s idea, along with coordinating beach cleanups conducted with Florida Atlantic University and the town’s Garden Club. “I think her efforts were a huge success on many fronts,” he said.
“She has helped raise awareness of the needs of some of our less fortunate community members. She has brought the community together for a common cause,” Hutchins said. “Most importantly, she has built a network that opened a candid dialogue with a lot of residents, not just from Ocean Ridge, but from Briny Breezes, the County Pocket and other surrounding communities.”
What’s most significant to Boyle so far in her experience working in Ocean Ridge? “Just the love and support from the community,” she says. “How everybody pulls together.”

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Send a note to news@thecoastalstar.com or call 337-1553.

Part Three: Rising seas threaten wastewater systems | Gulf Stream: Town wants to know price of putting in sewers

Part One: Cities rush to fix aging sewer systems | How sewage flows | Boca Raton's multi-year project targets older underground pipes | Editor's Note: Sewage disposal issues leave no time to waste

By Rich Pollack

When it comes to sewage treatment in Florida, septic systems get no respect.
One of the most basic forms of treating sewage, septic systems have long been used in Florida, with estimates of close to 2.8 million systems statewide and more than 50,000 in Palm Beach County alone.
In the coastal areas of South Palm Beach County, septic systems are common and used by the majority of single-family homes in Ocean Ridge, Manalapan and Gulf Stream.
As populations, especially in urban areas, continue to grow, conventional septic systems are coming under fire from environmental advocates and others who say that nutrients found in water coming from septic tanks and going into the ground are creating ecological issues at an increasing rate.
“Septic systems leach into the ground water and surface water,” says state Rep. Mike Caruso of Delray Beach, whose district includes much of the barrier island in South Palm Beach County. “We’re creating the perfect environment for blue green algae growth.”
Caruso, a Republican, is so concerned that he teamed with Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, to introduce legislation last session that would have required routine inspections of septic tanks. The legislation died in committee.
“We can’t continue the way we are,” Caruso said.
In fact, science and technology have helped make septic systems more environmentally friendly for decades.
“Septic systems get a bad rap because what we think about are conventional systems,” said Roxanne Groover, executive director of the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association. “We have gotten a lot better because people are working together to reach higher standards.”
Advanced systems have been developed to help reduce nutrients — including nitrogen and phosphorus — in the effluent coming out of septic systems. “We’re smarter now,” Groover said. “As we get smarter, we get more responsible.”

Impact on coastal waters
Still, older conventional systems are likely to be the most common in South Florida, and the often nutrient-rich effluent coming from those systems is having an impact on the marine environment, said Dr. Brian Lapointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
“We’re increasingly seeing problems in coastal waters that are the result of nutrient enrichment from human activity,” he said. “Sewage can be a major contributor to nutrient pollution.”
Both leaky municipal sewage systems and septic systems contribute to algae growth.
In the case of septic systems, effluent percolates through the soil and makes its way into groundwater, which then goes into canals. Water that is rich in nutrients, especially nitrogen, can feed the growth of blue green algae in waterways. It can also reach the ocean and feed the growth of red tides and brown seaweed, Lapointe said.
There was a small blue green algae bloom in the Lake Worth Lagoon in 2016, and a brief flare-up of red tide occurred along much of the South Florida coast in 2018.
In a 2008 study reported in a paper produced by University of Florida IFAS Extension, researchers found that almost 40 percent of the state’s septic systems were located in coastal areas. Sandy soil in those areas allows for “rapid transport of contaminants into the groundwater,” especially during the rainy season when the water table is high.
“Everybody has been led to believe that all the nutrients are coming from farms,” Lapointe said. “There is more than 21/2 times more nitrogen from sewage than from fertilizer going in the groundwater and feeding algae blooms.”
Although the scientific community agrees that nitrogen feeds algae blooms, skeptics question whether sewage is the primary source.
In addition to nutrients, conventional septic systems could be a source of fecal coliform bacteria getting into groundwater and estuaries, said Lapointe, who was the lead scientist on a fecal bacteria study in the mid-1990s at Jupiter Creek. The study, funded by the Loxahatchee River District, led to the conversion from septic to sewer in that area.
Another study in an area near Florida’s Suwannee River, conducted for the Florida Department of Health and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration several years ago, found a significant reduction in fecal coliform bacteria in canals leading to the river once a regional treatment plant, which replaced onsite treatment systems, was built and operated. In the river, however, no significant reduction of fecal coliform was found.
Lapointe said there is evidence that fecal coliform bacteria is reaching coastal waters and the ocean, especially during periods of heavy rain when salinity — which the bacteria don’t like — is reduced.
Still, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County said there is no link between beach closings and bacteria from septic systems that the department is aware of.
One of the challenges for people hoping to gauge the impact of nutrients and fecal bacteria from septic systems is that there is really no routine testing of effluent coming from conventional systems. Advanced systems, however, do often require additional oversight, including annual inspections.
“Testing for nitrogen, fecal coliform and other components is only done during special research projects, such as research projects performed by department staff, contractors for the department, or other researchers,” a spokesman from the Florida Department of Health wrote in an email.
There are special circumstances where water samples are required by the department of health and there are annual inspections required for commercial uses and in special cases. Routinely, however, the department inspects only the construction of new systems, existing system modifications and repairs and tank abandonment.

Two types of systems
While septic systems are often painted with the same broad brush, the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association’s Groover says that not all systems are the same and that many variables can determine the quality of effluent from those systems.
Essentially there are two types of septic systems, the conventional anaerobic system and the more advanced aerobic treatment system.
In the conventional system, wastewater from a home flows into a buried septic tank. In the tank, solids settle to the bottom. Bacteria that thrive without oxygen — anaerobic bacteria — inside the tank get to work on organic material in the liquid, breaking it down and producing the effluent.
The effluent then leaves the tank and is dispersed through pipes into a drain field. It then continues to percolate through a thin layer of bacteria that digest some of the excess nutrients as well as fecal coliform bacteria and viruses.
More advanced septic systems use oxygen to break down the organic matter in the tank. In these aerobic treatment units, wastewater from the home enters a tank where solids fall to the bottom. The remaining wastewater flows into a separate treatment unit where oxygen is added through an aerator. Strengthened by the oxygen, the aerobic bacteria break down the organic material faster and more effectively than in a conventional tank.
These systems are also more effective in removing nutrients, such as nitrogen, than are traditional systems because the effluent has less organic material. Different types of aerobic treatment systems are designed to meet even higher standards, with some using additional processes.
A homeowner who has an aerobic treatment system must get an operating permit from the state and have a maintenance contract with an approved company. In some cases, homeowners can be trained to do their own maintenance.
Aerobic treatment units are usually required of new-home builders who want to reduce the footprint of the system drain field, need a reduced setback, or want to build a larger home than the lot size would otherwise be allowed to support. Lab samples are required in these instances.
Aerobic treatment systems are more expensive than traditional systems. People in the business estimate the cost to be twice as much, somewhere around $10,000 for products and installation. Costs vary depending on the system.
How well a conventional septic system works depends on variables ranging from the size of the property to the size of the home and the number of people living in it. Rural areas, where homes are spread far apart, may be better-suited for traditional septic systems than urban areas, especially those near water, where it’s important to make sure that the system is working properly.
Age is also a factor, with older systems more likely to fail because of leaks in the septic tank or an aging drain field no longer allowing effluent to percolate through the soil.
“Just because you can flush, doesn’t mean your system is working and just because it’s working, doesn’t mean it’s treating properly,” Groover said.

Mandate from the state
There are no state mandates for communities in Palm Beach County to use advanced aerobic systems with every new septic installation or to convert to centralized sewage treatment systems.
The state Legislature did, however, impose a mandate on the Florida Keys in 1999 — when every part of the Keys was required to have advanced wastewater treatment or the best available technology installed within 11 years. Septic tanks and cesspits were no longer acceptable.
The result was a series of regional plants as well as some municipal plants at a cost of about $1 billion.
For the Keys, the mandate was as much about economics as the environment. With a tourist-based economy, improving near-shore water quality was essential.
To fund the project, the Keys looked to the federal government and the state, which both helped — though not as much as had been promised. Monroe County also used an infrastructure sales tax, in addition to assessments, to help cover the costs.
“It was absolutely the right thing to do,” said Kevin Wilson, an assistant Monroe County administrator. “It’s hard and expensive but it can be done. It just takes commitment and persistence.”
In a few other scattered areas of the state, homeowners are required to use advanced systems when replacing or installing new septic systems.
Groover says that she and her association are not averse to reasonable mandates, but says they need to be tailored to individual situations.
“One size doesn’t fit all,” she said. “You have to assess the needs of each community.”
Caruso, the state representative, says he believes there could be a statewide mandate within 10 years that could affect South Florida coastal communities. If so, he says, it would most likely have to be phased in over several years.
Standing in the way, however, could be a lack of political will, with legislators reluctant to pass bills that will financially burden their constituents and communities.
That reluctance, Caruso says, is why the septic tank inspection bill went nowhere. Still, he says, he plans to introduce the legislation again next session.
“We should no longer sit back and ignore science,” he said. “We as individuals can’t fix the sugar industry, we can’t fix the dairy industry and we can’t fix Lake Okeechobee. What we can fix is what’s in our own backyards.”

Officials hope to raze this Place Au Soleil house and sell the land. Photo by Town of Gulf Stream

By Steve Plunkett

A Place Au Soleil house that rang up $1.89 million in code enforcement violations over the past 10 years is now the target of a foreclosure action by the town.
Gulf Stream officials hope to demolish the house, put in sod and a sprinkler system, and sell the parcel to someone who will turn it into a neighborhood asset.
“What we want there is to ensure that a home is built that is very attractive to Place Au Soleil,” Mayor Scott Morgan said as the Town Commission approved taking legal action Aug. 9.
Real estate broker Zac Mazur, epresenting the estate of deceased homeowner Richard Lavoie, said he had a contract to sell the property at 2775 Avenue Au Soleil for $420,000 if commissioners would agree to reduce the lien. Potential purchaser Oceana Properties planned to renovate the house and offered to pay Gulf Stream $20,000.
Lavoie’s 10 heirs, mostly cousins, apologize on his behalf, Mazur said. “There isn’t much they could do to fix what’s been done in the past, and they’re just asking for, you know, as much leniency as possible,” he said.
Trey Nazzaro, the town’s staff attorney, said an outside appraiser valued the property at $610,000 in its current “very poor” condition and at $760,000 if it had been kept in average shape.
Commissioner Donna White, who lives in Place Au Soleil, said the property had too many problems to repair.
“From what I’ve heard, the ceiling is broken — you know, down,” White said. “From my understanding of the condition of the house, I can’t see any renovation. I think that they’re going to have to take it down.”
Mazur said the planned renovations would substantially improve the property, which began receiving notices from the homeowner association in 2002 for having a dead lawn.
“There would be a new roof going on, there would be new windows. I mean, it would be renovated to, comparable to the rest of the community. I would say perhaps that would probably be better than some of the homes that could use some updating over there,” he said.
But Morgan said Oceana’s offer was far too little.
“Frankly I don’t know that you could come up with a proposal that would be acceptable,” he said. “The offer of $20,000 shows a lack of seriousness and encourages further delay in this process.”
Commissioner Joan Orthwein “wholeheartedly” supported Morgan’s position. “It’s been such a drag on this town for so long,” she said.
Lavoie died on March 4, lifting the homestead exemption on the property that had prevented Gulf Stream from foreclosing sooner. The home is the first thing people see after they pass the gatehouse to the community.
Nazzaro reviewed the history of the town’s troubles with Lavoie for commissioners, noting that the file contained 150 pages of records. The Place Au Soleil Association complained in two 2002 letters to Lavoie about his lawn and landscaping not being maintained. Lavoie testified at a special magistrate hearing in April 2005 that he had installed new sod and an irrigation system the week before, after receiving two letters from the town.
Gulf Stream sent a repeat notice of violation that August after the grass died again, and a month later a special magistrate fined Lavoie $4,000.
A December 2005 letter noted code violations including “tall grass, dead trees, a pool that was completely black and a collapsed pool screen,” Nazzaro said. After two more letters and another special magistrate hearing, Lavoie cleared the debris and erected a temporary fence around the pool in April 2006.
In July 2006 he was fined $200 for again neglecting his lawn. And in April 2009 Lavoie was fined $500 a day, again over the status of the lawn and because the temporary pool fence had collapsed. His heirs notified the town the week before the Aug. 9 commission meeting that they had erected another temporary fence, Nazzaro said.
Lavoie also owned property in Massachusetts that commissioners said they will seek to foreclose on.
“I think this is one of the most egregious examples of a resident totally ignoring code requirements not just to the detriment of the town but more importantly to the quiet enjoyment of the residents of Place Au Soleil,” the mayor said. “And not doing this for just a period of months or a year but well over a decade and a half.”