DELRAY BEACH — Gayl Laymon Brown passed away peacefully on Feb. 5. Gayl was a fixture in the Delray Beach community for over 60 years, having moved there with her family at the age of 12.  She was born Jan. 21, 1937, in St. Joseph, Ill., to Dr. Gayle and Margaret Laymon, and spent her early childhood in Champaign, Ill. 
    After attending Seacrest High School, Stephens College and the University of Florida, Gayl met Air Force Lt. Harvey L. Brown on a blind date, and they were married six months later on June 11, 1955, at the First Presbyterian Church in Delray Beach. Harvey and Gayl made a life and raised their family in Delray Beach, where Gayl devoted her time and leadership to many organizations, including Unity Church of Delray Beach, The Delray Beach Historical Society, and as a sustaining member of the Junior League of Boca Raton. 
    Gayl was an avid and talented bridge player, and cherished the many friendships she developed through her love of the game.
    She was predeceased by her loving husband and parents, her siblings Richard Laymon, Sally Hofling, Daniel Laymon and Linda Perkins, and her son-in-law Robert Long. Gayl is survived by her three children, Susan Long, Anne Pugliese (James) and Harvey Brown Jr. (Marilyn), and the true lights of her life, her grandchildren, Caroline, Catherine and Andrew Pugliese, and Robby and Isabel Long. She will also be greatly missed by her beloved dog, Luke.
    A celebration of Gayl’s life was held Feb. 12 at Unity Church of Delray Beach. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Unity Church of Delray Beach or the Delray Beach Historical Society.
— Obituary submitted by the family

    COUNTY POCKET — Krishna Gibson Espanet, a shining light of a million stars, passed away on Feb. 23 after a short but intense battle with cancer. Krishna was born in Boynton Beach Nov. 25, 1971, to Wendy Baldridge Christie and the late Danny Gibson.
    Krishna’s radiant personality and infectious smile gained her a plethora of lifelong friends. She  spent time growing up in Florida, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.
    In 2002, Krishna returned to Boynton Beach and shortly thereafter met her perfect match, Eric Espanet.
    In October 2007, they were married in a beautiful beachside ceremony and their little home nearby was always filled with love, friends and family — the very things that meant everything to her.
    To know her and be around her was an absolute privilege. She was selfless and cared for those she loved above all else.
    Krishna’s life was celebrated Feb. 26, with visitation at Scobee-Combs-Bowden Funeral Home in Boynton Beach.
    Krishna was vivacious; she filled her life with color and in keeping with her spirit, attendees were asked to put aside that black outfit and wear something bright and happy, something that would make her smile — as she did for us all of these years.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Ron Hayes

    OCEAN RIDGE — Some of us yearn for a little more spice in our lives.
    Hugh McCormick Jr. was born to a world filled with it, and spent his working days spreading the flavors and fragrances far and wide.
    In 1885, Mr. McCormick’s great-uncle, Willoughby McCormick, began selling flavoring extracts and fruit syrups door to door from a cellar in Baltimore. Seven years later, he added spices, and today McCormick & Co. is an international company with 8,000 employees.
    Hugh McCormick Jr., “The Spice Man” to family and friends, died peacefully on Valentine’s Day. He was 96 and had lived in Palm Beach County since retiring in 1983, first in Highland Beach and, since 2005, in Ocean Ridge.
    “He used to come home from work smelling like spices,” recalled his son, Hugh McCormick III. “They had a big concrete building on the inner harbor in Baltimore. Everyone called it ‘the plant,’ so as a kid I thought they actually grew all the spices down there from a plant.”
    Hugh Perry McCormick Jr. was born Aug. 5, 1920, in Baltimore. He graduated from City College High School as a center on the state champion football team and captain of the swim team and then earned a degree in economics from Johns Hopkins University.
    After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mr. McCormick enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as second officer on the U.S. sub chaser SC-525 in the Mediterranean and a skipper of the SC-1369 in the Pacific. Following the war, he served another 20 years in the Naval Reserve, retiring in 1967 with the rank of commander.
    In 1938, Mr. McCormick met Alice Joy James, of Newton, Miss., at a Baptist summer camp in Ridgecrest, N.C. The couple began a seven-year courtship that ended in 1944, when they were wed while the groom was between Navy assignments. They were married for 60 years, until her death in 2004.
    “Now that Dad’s passed on, I’ve started going through their correspondence and found about 700 letters from their courting days,” his son said. “He’d saved them all.”
    Mr. McCormick began work at the family business as a salesman, driving 50 miles each day to sell spices and extracts out of his car. In time, he was promoted to tea taster.
    “He’d have a whole tray of samples and swish them around and spit it out like wine,” his son said. “His AOL address was ‘teabag.’”
    Mr. McCormick spent his middle career as credit manager for the company, then became head of the government supply division, providing spices for U.S. military bases throughout the world.
    In that capacity, he traveled to Asia like a modern-day Marco Polo, buying spices and coordinating sales in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan.
    In Highland Beach, the McCormicks lived in an oceanfront home designed by his son, an architect. Mr. McCormick enjoyed golf and tennis and was a member of The Ocean Club of Florida, The Country Club of Florida, and the Manalapan Yacht Club. He attended the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach.
    “He was a very loving father, and a modest and gracious man,” his son said. “He didn’t have a lot of bombast or any arrogance to him. He was charitable and unassuming, but he had a twinkle in his eye.”
    In addition to his son, Mr. McCormick is survived by two daughters, Mary Meyer and Alice Meiners, both of Ocean Ridge, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
    A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. March 31 at University Baptist Church in Baltimore.
    In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the ALS Clinic or Division of Endocrinology at Johns Hopkins Hospital; Building Families for Children of Columbia, Md.; or the Brother’s Brother Foundation of Pittsburgh.
    Lorne & Sons is in charge of arrangements.

By Jane Smith

    Boynton Beach wants to stop out-of-towners from being buried at its city cemetery because it is running out of space.
    In early February, the City Commission approved new rules that would allow only full-time residents, their immediate families and direct descendants to purchase grave sites at Boynton Beach Memorial Park.
    Former commissioners and mayors also were given burial-access rights, along with military veterans.
In addition, exceptions were made for former residents who moved away after living in Boynton Beach for at least 10 years.
    Vice Mayor Mack McCray brought up the issue in December when he heard about a nonresident using a Boynton Beach church address to be able to save money at a city cemetery.
    Previously, the city charged residents $525 and nonresidents $1,125 to be buried at Memorial Park. Following the February change, the city will collect only the resident fee.
    “Ours is more economical than Broward County and if we don’t do something they’ll be coming from Broward to be buried in our cemetery and we just can’t do it,” McCray said.
    The cemetery sits on 12.3 acres at the southwest corner of Seacrest Boulevard and Woolbright Road.
    The land remained in private hands until the 1950s, when the city acquired the cemetery from the developer of High Point. The cemetery first ran out of space in 2004, but it was replatted three times since then.
    More than a year ago, the City Commission directed staff to replat the cemetery by eliminating internal roads and buildings. That created 410 plots for a total of 820 gravesites.
    Other nearby cities, including Delray Beach and Boca Raton, restrict burial in their cemeteries to residents.

A passive park has replaced the old dive shop at the Boynton Beach Marina.

Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Jane Smith
    
    The last piece of the Boynton Harbor Marina will soon be finished, and a ribbon cutting is set for March 31.
    The latest completed portion of the boardwalk project includes seat walls, Adirondack chairs, landscaping, roadway realignment and lighting. It is part of an overall $20 million marina redo by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
    “We’re at the punch list stage now,” Michael Simon, interim executive director, told CRA board members.
    The project came in under budget at $892,357, Simon said at the Feb. 14 CRA meeting. The agency had set aside $820,612 plus a 15 percent contingency fee for a total of $943,704, he said.
    “Hats off for a job well done,” said CRA Vice Chairman Mack McCray.
    But the project did not finish on time because of unforeseen problems the contractor found and CRA staff-initiated changes during the construction, according to Simon.
    Six signs, costing $358, were installed in late December to say: “Boynton Harbor Marina. Businesses open while improvements are being made.”
    The boardwalk sits next to deep-sea fishing and scuba diving charters, and personal watercraft and boat rentals. At the eastern end are two waterfront restaurants: Banana Boat and Two Georges.
     “I’m glad they are finished. It looks absolutely beautiful and is absolutely useless,” said Lynn Simmons, who rented space in the old dive shop that was demolished to make way for the walkway.   
    She has since moved her scuba diving operation, Splashdown Divers, and opened a sandwich shop, Marina Bites, next to each other in Marina Village at the Boynton Harbor Marina.
    CRA board member Joe Casello voted against the walkway project last summer because he wanted to see the dive shop building reused. But in mid-February, he said, “It really came out nice.”

Work continues on the site of the planned 500 Ocean complex,

including the corner of Southeast Fourth Street and East Ocean Avenue.

Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Jane Smith
    
    The 500 Ocean apartment developers received a five-month extension to Dec. 31 to complete the luxury rental complex that sits at the Ocean Avenue and Federal Highway intersection in Boynton Beach.
    LeCesse Development Corp., one of the project’s partners, sought approval from the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency because the developers will receive taxpayer subsidies after the apartment complex is finished. The CRA will give the developers a total of $4.4 million spread over 10 years.
    In a Feb. 8 letter to the CRA, a LeCesse representative said the development team needed the extra time because of three problems: a shortage of skilled construction labor, unforeseen off-site underground conditions for utility placement, and complex coordination among the staff of the general contractor, architects and the city.
    500 Ocean was supposed to be finished by now. The CRA is hoping the six-story building will jump-start the downtown.
    Earlier in the Feb. 14 meeting, resident Susan Oyer, whose family owns commercial buildings across Ocean Avenue from the apartment construction project, brought in some pieces of construction debris. She said she found them while cleaning the property two days before.
    The items she found were a 2-foot length of rebar and a 1-foot piece of wood, about 3 inches wide, with two nails sticking out from it.
    “The 500 Ocean doesn’t secure its site,” Oyer said. “You can go in there and take any kind of construction materials you want. Guards are nowhere to be found.”
    Oyer, a middle-school teacher, theorized that “someone was obviously looking to create mischief” with the wood and nails “because you don’t put that out there on the pavers without the intention of damaging someone’s tires.”
Vice Mayor Mack McCray said he was in favor of giving the extension, “but I want something in return: Better care of the construction site.”
    John Flynn, acquisitions director for LeCesse, promised he would do better. “We do have a third-party general contractor,” he said. “As soon as I walk out of the building, I will be on the phone to him.”
    Mayor Steven Grant asked for a celebration when it’s complete.
    Flynn agreed.
    When finished, 500 Ocean will have 341 luxury rental apartments in one- to three-bedroom units. It also will have 20,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor. It will offer tenant amenities that include a clubhouse, fitness center, theater room, bowling center, cyber café/game room, summer kitchen and a pool. A separate garage will have 664 parking spaces. None of the parking has been allocated for public use.

A light rain did not spoil a family event at the club. Holly Wamser and daughter Libby talk with Taylor Morris.

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Gary Tapella and Robin Beamish share a laugh.

By Brian Biggane

    The combination of changing demographics and having a neighboring club going through extensive renovations has helped prompt St. Andrews Club of Delray Beach to launch a summer membership program for 2017.
    St. Andrews introduced a limited summer program last year highlighted by what General Manager Robert Grassi called an informal “Grillin’ and Chillin’” cookout every Wednesday night.
    It went over so well that Grassi and the board of directors have decided to keep the club open through the summer and offer memberships spanning May 1 to Oct. 31.
    “The membership said, ‘We really like this. Can you do more of this?’” board member Mark Mayer said.
    “And Robert’s thought was, well, we’ve got a beach, pool, a golf course we take care of, tennis courts, fitness center, croquet. We should stay open not only because we have more members here year-round, but there are just more people in the area in the summer than there used to be.”
    Further incentive was the fact the nearby Gulf Stream Bath & Tennis Club is undergoing extensive, multimillion-dollar renovations this summer and its year-round members have reciprocal privileges at St. Andrews.
    A bad break with the weather resulted in what Mayer now considers only a small setback for the plans. The club invited 15 families for an introductory look-see on Jan. 29, which turned out to be a raw, rainy day on which temperatures never rose above the 50s. With the Super Bowl set for the following Sunday, there was no chance to reschedule.
    “So we went ahead and did it, and what we heard was, ‘We never knew this was here.’ So we at least got to show off the property,” Mayer said. Another family day, by invitation only, is set for March 5.
    Few other clubs in the area can even approach what St. Andrews has to offer. Located on both sides of A1A just north of The Little Club and adjacent to the county-owned Gulf Stream Park, St. Andrews has an 18-hole, par-54 Pete Dye golf course that has been recognized as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, a world-class croquet court, a family-friendly beach area, state-of-the-art fitness center, guarded pool and several dining rooms.
    The Little Club, open year- round, has also extended an invitation to Bath & Tennis Club members to use its facilities this summer only.
    Long-standing member Donna Ayers, who owns one of the 136 apartments on the grounds of the St. Andrews Club, said she’s seen a remarkable transformation in membership from older adults to younger families in recent years.
    “It’s become much younger,” Ayers said. “It’s amazing what has happened to this club in the last five years.”
    Mayer said that, while the pool remains popular, families with children more and more head for the beach.
    “Every year they ask, ‘Can we get more lounge chairs?’” he said.
    Ayers credits head lifeguard Connie Case for much of the surge in younger families. Case plays guitar when the club stages bonfires on the beach and organizes events for the kids.
    “She’s amazing,” Ayers said. “She’s brought in activities. She’s got the kids playing tennis, golf, out on paddleboards, teaching them about turtles. It’s a great program.”
    The prominence of the croquet program was underscored when world champion Stephen Mulliner of England paid a recent visit. David Bent, who is onsite pro for both the tennis and croquet programs, is ranked nationally and internationally in croquet.
    As for the par-3 golf course, legendary course architect Dye, who redid the greens and tees two years ago, came by to play a round in early February. Both electric and pull carts are available. Tee times are not required.
    New club members must have one existing member sponsor.

    For more information about the summer membership program, contact GM Robert Grassi at 266-5714 or email robert@standrewsclub.org.

Delray Beach author and developer Frank McKinney addresses an open-house crowd

from atop his latest effort, a micro-mansion being offered at $3.95 million.

The 4,042-square-foot home is near the beach in Ocean Ridge and is being represented

by Pascal Liguori of Premier Estate Properties.

Jerry Lower/ The Coastal Star

By Christine Davis

    The Greater Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted its Key to Success Business Awards Gala in January. The Business of the Year Award went to Senior Helpers, owned by Michael and Leann Mohl. The Nonprofit of the Year Award was given to the YMCA of South Palm Beach County. The Young Professional of Boynton Choice Award went to Elissa Erman, owner of Universal Coaching Services. The Health Care Initiative of the Year Award was given to Bethesda Health. The Women’s Business of the Year Award went to Debra Slobodow, owner of Primerica. The New Member of the Year Award was given to Rick Maharajh, owner of RM Logitech. The Harvey Oyer Jr. Community Service Award went to Robert Taylor Jr.
                                
    Karen Granger, president and CEO of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, welcomed 130 members and supporters to the chamber’s annual membership luncheon and installation of officers in January.
    Cathy Balestriere, general manager of Crane’s Beach House Boutique Hotel & Luxury Villas, was sworn in as the chamber’s chair of the board. Others installed include Bill Branning of BSA Construction as advocacy vice-chair; Jesse Flowers of CenterState Bank as finance vice-chair; Kelli Freeman of Hamilton House Oceanfront Condos as government affairs vice-chair; Sarah Martin of Experience Epic, LLC as programming vice-chair, Christina Morrison of Carmel Real Estate & Management as economic development vice-chair, Noreen Payne of Northwestern Mutual/The Ruhl Financial Group as membership vice-chair; Rob Posillico of The Scirocco Group as the 2018 chair elect; and Suzanne Spencer of The Crossroads Club as education vice-chair.
    The Delray Beach chamber’s 2017 board of directors are Mark Bryan of Delray Medical Center; Daniel Castrillon of The Scirocco Group; James Chard of Human Powered Delray; Lee Cohen of Carner, Newmark & Cohen, LLP; Sarah Crane of The HOW Foundation; Neal de Jesus, interim city manager of Delray Beach; Mark Denkler of Vince Canning Shoes; Evelyn Dobson of Delray Beach Community Land Trust; Sophia Eccleston of Florida Power & Light Co.; Charlene Farrington of Spady Cultural Heritage Museum; Casey Flaherty of Delray Honda; Roger L. Kirk of Bethesda Hospital East; Connor Lynch of Plastridge Insurance Agency; Jeffrey Lynne of Beighley, Myrick & Udell, PA; Jeff Perlman of CDS International Holdings Inc.; Scott Porten of Porten Cos.; David Schmidt of Simon & Schmidt; Barbara Stark of The Milagro Center; and Rob Steele of Old School Square. Stephanie Immelman of the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative was named ex-officio board member.
At the luncheon, Sarah Martin and Rob Posillico won Director of the Year Awards; Sally Areson was named Chamber Ambassador of the Year; and Simon & Schmidt received a special award as a 50-year member.
                                
    Year-end market statistics for Palm Beach County have been released from the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches.
    For townhouses and condos, year over year, closed sales were 13,106, down 6 percent. Median sales were priced at $157,000, up 11.7 percent. The average sales price was $239,426, up 2.8 percent. Inventory was listed at 6,205, up 6.1 percent.
    For single-family homes, closed sales were at 17,501, down 3.4 percent. Median sales were $306,953, up 7.7 percent. Average sales were at $471,710, up 6.1 percent, and inventory was listed at 7,127, up 6.6 percent.

Not a record by Manalapan standards, but the property at 920 S. Ocean Blvd. was just sold for $28 million.

Photos provided

                   
    A new contemporary-style spec oceanfront home at 920 S. Ocean Blvd. in Manalapan sold for $28 million, according to the deed recorded by the Palm Beach County Clerk’s office. The three-story, eight-bedroom house with 17,719 total square feet was sold by its developer, Farrell Building Co.
    The buyer listed on the deed, JSEJ LLC, is a limited liability company with an address in Philadelphia. Broker Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate handled both sides of the sale.

A record sale in Gulf Stream of $18.5 million for an estate at 3333 N. Ocean Blvd.

                               
    A deed recorded Feb. 7 shows that Doris and Neil Gillman sold their 1.3-acre oceanfront four-bedroom estate at 3333 N. Ocean Blvd., Gulf Stream, for $18.5 million. A pocket listing, it was advertised at $19.95 million. The buyer is Sea Turtle Haven LLC, a Delaware company. It was listed and sold by Corcoran Group agents Nicholas Malinosky and Randy Ely, who say it’s a record breaker for Gulf Stream. Previously, 1511 N. Ocean Blvd. sold for $17,667,500 in March 2007. According to a deed recorded on Feb. 14, Doris Gillman bought a newly constructed home at 300 E. Key Palm Road in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club for $12.42 million. The 1,774 total-square-foot, five-bedroom home was recently completed by SRD Building Corp.
                                
    A residence at 1255 N. Ocean Blvd. in Gulf Stream, listed by Malinosky and Ely for $16.45 million, sold for $15 million on Feb. 7. It was built by Mouw Associates Inc., designed by Gary Eliopoulos and decorated by Phoebe Howard. The sellers bought the house in June 2008 for $5.5 million.
                                
     Lang Realty hosts its sixth annual Open House Extravaganza from noon to 4 p.m. March 19. It offers an opportunity to tour a selection of single-family homes, condos and waterfront estates from Boca Raton to Port St. Lucie. Visit www.LangRealty.com for a list of participating properties.
    Lang Realty announced sales of more than $1 billion for 2016. Also, this year the company has launched a rebranding campaign. Lang Realty has more than 400 agents with offices in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Manalapan, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and Port St. Lucie.
                                
    Royal Palm Properties will host its “Showcase of Homes” on March 26. The open house will feature 25 homes in the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club. Broker/owner David Roberts has been hosting this annual event for more than 30 years.
                                
    In January, Equity One, a North Miami Beach and New York-based REIT, sold the 164,980-square-foot Lantana Village Square shopping center at 1201 and 1301 S. Dixie Highway and 457 Greynolds Circle to Lantana SDC LLC, an affiliate of Miami-based Saglo Development Corp., for $10.2 million. Casey Rosen of CBRE brokered the sale and debt was provided by BB&T.
                                
    On Jan. 25, at a Delray Beach Site Plan Review and Appearance Board meeting, Kolter Group unveiled plans for a four-story, 150-room hotel and 116-space parking garage to be located on a 1.169-acre parcel at 135, 145, 169, and 185 SE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach. The project has been underway since August 2016, as stated in the town’s video of the meeting.
    While compliant with the city’s code and design guidelines, the project is adjacent to the Marina Historic District, and neighbors complained that they had not been kept informed. They expressed concern about the impact of traffic as well as the building’s architecture. In light of this, the board postponed making a decision.
                                
    Research faculty members at Florida Atlantic University rank 24th in the world for their intellectual contributions to the real estate industry through their publications in top peer-reviewed journals, according to the Journal of Real Estate Literature.
    FAU ranked No. 32 in the latest ranking of Best Online Graduate Business Programs (non-MBA) from U.S. News & World Report. Online programs at the university include master of accounting, executive master of taxation, and executive master’s in health administration.
                                
    The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs has awarded Palm Beach State College accreditation of its bachelor’s level supervision and management programs. Offered on the Lake Worth campus, as well as online, the programs include general management, entrepreneurship, health management and project management.
                                
    Delray Beach resident Allison Turner, CEO and owner of BCoSF Inc., was appointed vice president of Network Professionals Inc.’s Palm Beach Gardens Get Connected Chapter. Network Professionals Inc. consists of business people, one in each professional category, who network through exchanging business referrals.
                                
    Katz & Associates promoted Jon Cashion to senior director of leasing and investment sales, Paige Eber to vice president, and Donny Moskovic to director. The company’s Boca Raton office is at 2300 Glades Road.
                                
    NAI/Merin Hunter Codman, Inc. named Lesley Sheinberg its 2016 Broker of the Year after she completed 250,000 square feet in commercial transactions for that year. Sheinberg specializes in office leasing and investment sales for institutional and private equity clients that include JP Morgan, Equus CapitalPartners and Lionstone Investments. NAI/Merin Hunter Codman’s Boca Raton office is at 951 Yamato Road.
                                
    Anne Lacombe, vice president of public relations for The Corcoran Group, has taken over Corcoran’s Delray Beach market public relations efforts.
                                
    Steven G. Rappaport, Esq. was appointed to the board of directors of the Fair Housing/Equal Employment Board of Palm Beach County, for the term from January 2017 through Sept. 30, 2019.
                                
    Scott Field of Realty Associates was installed as president of The Realtors Commercial Alliance of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. Other officers installed for one-year terms include: Ken Duke of Illustrated Properties Commercial as president-elect (for 2018), Robert Goldstein of Hospitality Consultants as secretary, Christina Morrison of Carmel Real Estate and Management as treasurer, and Douglas Rooks of Century 21 All Professional as Treasure Coast chairman.
    In addition, Arnold Broussard of Realty Group of the Palm Beaches, Michael Golieb of American Property Exchange, Erik Johnson of Genesis Commercial Group, Gretchen Krise and Blair Lee of Lighthouse Realty Services, and John Schmidt of Cornerstone Realty will serve as 2017 directors.
                                
    Palm Beach Travel’s new service led by Kandace Philosophos, Palm Beach Art & Travel, will showcase post-war and contemporary artists in functions such as popup shops within galleries. Call 515-5411 or visit www.palmbeachtravelandart.com.


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

Frank Gonzales, top, and Fernando Aciento, bottom, paint the original wooden-brick head

inside the rebuilt playground of Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park.

The playground is expected to be completed this month.

Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Visitors to see ‘wow factor’ at reopening

By Steve Plunkett
    
    Something new is coming to Boca Raton this month — a four-level playground accessible to children of all physical abilities via ramps from bottom to top.
    Construction of the refurbished Science Playground at Sugar Sand Park is scheduled to wrap up March 18.
    “From what we’ve learned and what we’ve seen, this will be one-of-a-kind in the United States,” said Arthur Koski, executive director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District, which operates Sugar Sand. “Once it’s opened, it’s going to [have] a wow factor. It’s going to be great.”
    Citizen volunteers built the playground, at 300 S. Military Trail, with wood in 1995. “They came down with hammers and nails,” Koski said.
    Safety concerns closed the aging structure in June 2015. By then, district commissioners had decided to make the playground more accessible, partly on the prodding of Sandra Gottfried of the city’s People With Disabilities Advisory Board. The entire facility now meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  
    “All areas are going to be accessible by wheelchairs — I think that’s the major difference,” District Chairman Robert Rollins said. “That’s what makes the playground extra special.”
    Koski said, “It’s the finest thing the district has done.”
    The old version’s wooden decks were supported by telephone-type poles. They’ve been replaced with composite material.
    “But not circular like a pole — it’s square,” Koski said.
    The different shape meant finding a different way to attach the floors to the posts and extra scrutiny of the finished work.
    “We’ve got workers crawling all over it,” making sure, for instance, that the heads of bolts are recessed enough that a child’s fingers won’t snag,” he said. “We want to make sure that every single element is safe. Every one of the patrons deserves that.”
    Gone is the mulch that covered the ground around the structure, replaced by a rubberized mat more suited to wheelchairs and baby strollers.
    “We modified all the designs to accommodate children with any sort of disability so that the entire facility is accessible to everyone,” Koski said.
    And not just children. If old age or infirmities someday put Koski in a wheelchair, “I’ll be able to take my grandson up to the fourth floor,” he said.
    The entire project, which includes new playground equipment and improved access for buses and pedestrians, cost $2.4 million.
    Like the original playground, the refurbished version offers hands-on experiences that demonstrate scientific principles such as a space station, a giant head and DNA-coded walkways.
    “Everybody that came to the playground before was impressed by the structure. It was a community effort,” Rollins said.
    But the layout was modified to improve lines of sight for watchful parents.
    “Once your children [went] into the playground, the old one, you could lose track of them,” Rollins said.
    In late February, beach and park officials were still planning events to celebrate the playground’s opening. They hoped to have a homecoming of sorts for the volunteers who built the original structure.
    Gottfried attended a district meeting in November to urge commissioners to educate the public on what to expect at Sugar Sand and to set up “play at the park dates” to encourage parents to bring children with disabilities.
    “As I have told you before, we will be transforming a whole generation through play,” Gottfried said. “When these kids reach adulthood, they will be better people because of their experiences in the playground.”

By Steve Plunkett
    
    Boca Raton wants a judge to dismiss a lawsuit by a group seeking to invalidate an ordinance that reserves city-owned land along the Intracoastal Waterway for public uses only.
    The suit by ForBoca.org Inc., whose leader is former Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce chief Mike Arts, “is filled with conclusory and inconsistent allegations,” the city says in a motion filed Jan. 30.
    ForBoca.org calls the initiative ordinance city voters approved by a 2-1 margin Nov. 8 a “land development regulation” and a “development order” in its lawsuit.
    “In fact, the Initiative Ordinance is neither,” the city says in its motion. “Instead it is an administrative directive establishing how the City will operate and manage its own lands and facilities in its proprietary capacity as a governmental landowner.”
    Even if the ordinance were a development order, a challenge to its validity would be decided by an administrative law judge, not in circuit court, the motion says.
    Circuit Judge Joseph Marx scheduled a hearing for 1:45 p.m. March 24 at the County Courthouse in West Palm Beach for both sides to present arguments.
    “No one is going to tell you that your vote doesn’t matter,” City Council member Scott Singer told residents at a candidate forum last month. “That’s why I vigorously opposed the [ForBoca.org] lawsuit, and that’s why the city has filed a motion to dismiss.”
ForBoca.org Inc. says the ordinance limits the use of city land — and the Wildflower property in particular — in a way that is “wholly and patently inconsistent” with Boca Raton’s comprehensive plan. The ordinance also violates a state law that prohibits using an initiative or referendum process to change zoning, the group says.
But outside counsel Daniel Abbott and Adam Schwartzbaum argue in the city’s motion that ForBoca.org has no standing to make either claim because the group does not show it has suffered a “special injury” or that it was “substantially affected” by the ordinance.
In 2009 Boca Raton paid $7.5 million for the 2.3-acre Wildflower parcel, at the northwest corner of the Palmetto Park Road bridge over the Intracoastal. The city had been negotiating for several years to lease the parcel to the Hillstone Restaurant Group for a restaurant there, along with a waterside walkway open to the public.
In July the City Council changed the land-use designation of the northern part of the site from residential to commercial and rezoned it from single-family residential to local business district. The southern portion was already zoned local business.
Meanwhile, a petition drive that neighbors launched to overrule the plan gathered 700 more signatures than the 1,030 required and put the referendum question on the November ballot.
The vote was 29,378 in favor of keeping the land for public use only, 14,484 against.

By Steve Plunkett

    The city’s plans to renovate Rutherford and Lake Wyman parks — revised to appease their Golden Harbour neighbors — have new opponents: the two new commissioners of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District.
    Commissioners Craig Ehrnst and Erin Wright, who took their seats in January, were dismayed to learn the proposal includes adding two double boat ramps at Rutherford with a parking lot for 38 boat trailers.
    “I would just hate to see a boat ramp put into that natural habitat there,” said Wright, who frequents the park with her two young sons. “I think it would throw off the whole vibe back there.”
    Ehrnst also was critical.
    “Putting all that concrete and a boat ramp in there — I just have a lot of hesitation to do something that is so permanent,” he said.
    Jennifer Bistyga, the city’s coastal program manager, updated the beach and park commission Feb. 6 and asked members if they would finance part of the $6.5 million project. The district had agreed to contribute $250,000 for the earlier plan, which would have cost $3.5 million, with all but $500,000 coming from the Florida Inland Navigation District and Palm Beach County.
    Commission Chairman Robert Rollins said the Beach & Park District has since committed millions of dollars to potentially acquiring the Ocean Breeze golf course, installing artificial turf at Patch Reef Park and building a new community center at the Swim and Racquet Center.
    “We have a lot of projects on our hands already,” Rollins said.
    Vice Chairman Steve Engel agreed.
    “I don’t see how we can, given what’s on our plate right now,” he said.
    City Council members endorsed building the boat ramps in October.
    The ramps are the biggest change to the Lake Wyman proposal. Gone in the revised plan is a seagrass basin that would have been scooped out of a spoil island that FIND owns. Among other concerns, Golden Harbour neighbors feared the project would bring seagrass-munching manatees too close to boats docking at a proposed day slip.
    “We don’t want to submerge it anymore, but we want to create a coastal hammock,” Bistyga told the beach and park commissioners. “We haven’t gone too far into what we do there, but it will be all upland, there will be no submerging of lands.”
    The revised plan still calls for removing invasive plants, restoring wetlands and a mangrove habitat, restoring and expanding a canoe trail, and extending Rutherford’s boardwalk to Lake Wyman Park.
    At a Feb. 27 workshop, City Council members were loath to take money from FIND. Any project FIND finances must be open to residents of all 12 coastal counties that pay its taxes.
    City residents “are eager to see us do the improvements. They’re not eager to share them,” council member Robert Weinroth said.
    Arthur Koski, the Beach & Park District’s executive director, said commissioners may have money to put toward everything but the boat ramps by 2021, “anywhere from zero to $2 million,” if the city can wait until then. Bistyga’s timetable has construction starting in 2019.
    Bistyga also updated commissioners on the city’s waterfront master plan. Fort Lauderdale-based EDSA Inc.’s first task was to visit all city-owned waterfront parcels and the district-owned Ocean Strand property.
    “Now they’re going to develop ideas that could be passive park ideas, maybe additional boat launch facilities — not motorized boats but kayak and paddleboards — looking at even just enhancing components of Red Reef east [of A1A], maybe some pavilions,” Bistyga said. “So the consultant now is looking at everything.”
    The second task is public outreach, and Bistyga said she hopes something is scheduled in March. EDSA will take that public input and develop conceptual plans for Spanish River, Red Reef and South Beach parks and Ocean Strand.
    The city is also looking to turn its Wildflower property into a passive park, she said.

    The city of Boca Raton’s municipal election will take place March 14, as five candidates will compete for two seats on the City Council. The winners will serve three-year terms.

Profiles compiled by Steven J. Smith

Council Seat A

Patti Dervishi
    Personal: 70; attended Florida International University in Miami; Boca Raton resident for 30 years; unmarried, no children.
    Professional: Was a flight attendant for 20 years with Northeast Airlines and Delta Airlines; worked as a commercial restaurant equipment factory rep.
    Political experience: No political offices held, but worked as a volunteer in the last four presidential elections and for former City Council member Anthony Majhess. Worked as a citizens’ advocate for the City Council for 10 years on development plans.
    Positions on issues: Concerned with planning and zoning issues; believes limits should be placed on development; interested in preserving parks and beaches.
    Quote: “I would like to see that the zoning and planning board become elected officials instead of appointed by the City Council, because I think it’s a conflict of interest. I think our citizens’ rights should come first. The City Council always votes in favor of developers. The current City Council has been in bed with developers for the last 10 years.”

Scott Singer
(incumbent)
    Personal: 40; Harvard University, A.B. cum laude, Government; J.D., Georgetown Law; Boca Raton resident for six years; married, two children.
    Professional: Served as a business lawyer with law firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Davis & Gilbert before founding his own practice. Previously was a strategy consultant for Monitor Company, now part of Deloitte. 
    Political experience: First elected to the City Council in 2014; also serves on the state Sober Homes Task Force and policy committees for the League of Cities at the state and county levels.
    Positions on issues: Continue to give Boca residents a seat at the table through outreach and partnership with residents; guard against overdevelopment; protect neighborhoods; enhance green space and waterfront parks and properties; foster innovative solutions for traffic and congestion; keep taxes low; expand support for local schools; maintain public safety; expand economic development efforts; cut red tape.
    Quote: “I’m proud of my work in partnering with residents and bringing needed change to Boca on development and planning issues and look forward to continuing to work together to improve our quality of life, protect neighborhoods, enhance green space, support schools, create more high-paying jobs and ensure a brighter future for Boca Raton.”

Council Seat B

Emily Gentile
    Personal: 65; attended SUNY Suffolk and participated in a management program in IT at Grumman Aerospace Systems; Boca Raton resident for nine years; engaged, two adult children and two grandchildren.
    Professional: Executive business consultant in the financial arena for such companies as Chemical Bank, Chase Manhattan, American Express, Discover Card and Bank of America.
    Political experience: No political offices held, but a current officer of the Beach Condominium Association of Boca Raton and Highland Beach since 2015 and a former president of Children’s Home Society (2001-2004). Also a past chair of the Business Improvement District steering committee, vice-chair of the Downtown Advisory Committee and a member of the Historical Preservation Board. In addition, she currently sits on two committees at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.
    Positions on issues: Wants to focus on growth management and traffic congestion in the city; maintain the integrity of local beaches and parks; continue art in public places; encourage business development in the city; keep local labor pool talent local; keep millage rate and taxes low.
    Quote: “I was just endorsed by Councilman Michael Mullaugh, whose seat I’m running for, as well as the firefighters and paramedics. I’m also being honored by Women in Communications for my city and community leadership. My tagline is, ‘Together we can make Boca better.’ That’s what I’m focusing on.”

Andrea Levine O’Rourke
    Personal: 69; B.F.A. in graphic design from Florida Atlantic University; Boca Raton resident for 37 years; married, one child and one grandchild.
    Professional: Owned a desktop publishing and communications business before being tapped by the Chamber of Commerce to be director of communications. Was also director of student services for Harid Conservatory.
    Political experience: No political offices held, but served on the Downtown Advisory Committee (2010-2017). Also served as secretary, then chairman, of the Federation of Boca Raton Homeowners Associations (2011-2017) and was on the board of the Boca Raton Police Department Crime Watch in the early 2000s. Has also served as captain for the Boca Raton Bowl, based at FAU, since its inception in 2013.
    Positions on issues: Concerned with traffic congestion and population density.
    Quote: “I’m interested in responsible, sustainable growth. I think residents need a voice at City Hall. I’ve been a spokesperson for the residential community and I consider myself to be an advocate for the residents of Boca Raton. The officials are the caretakers of our city and I want to make sure that we move forward with responsible, sustainable development and growth for the legacy we leave in the future.”

Andy Thomson
    Personal: 34; B.S. in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech, J.D. from University of Miami; Boca Raton resident for one year; married, three children.
    Professional: Business litigation lawyer with Baritz and Coleman.
    Political experience: No political offices held, but has served as a board member for the Metropolitan Planning Organization since 2016.
    Positions on issues: Public safety — wants to make sure first responders have all the necessary resources and training; preservation of beaches and parks; keeping taxes low.
    Quote: “I am a big believer that elected officials are elected to represent all of their constituents — not just their neighbors and friends, but everyone. It’s my pledge to represent all 90,000 people in Boca. I believe strongly that we are one city with one voice. That’s how I plan to govern.”

    The city of Boca Raton’s municipal election will take place on March 14. The winners will serve three-year terms.

Mayors Forum
    The Boca Raton Tribune will host a forum March 10 for residents to meet and learn more about the two candidates running for mayor. The forum will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wayne Barton Study Center, 269 NE 14th St., Boca Raton.

Profiles compiled by Steven J. Smith

Mayor

Susan Haynie
(incumbent)
    Personal: 61; graduate of Lynn University with a degree in liberal arts and holds a certification in traffic engineering studies from Georgia Institute of Technology and Northwestern University; 45-year resident of Boca Raton; married, five adult children.

    Professional: Former engineering analyst for the city of Boca Raton; licensed general contractor for the state of Florida; active in the construction industry.

    Political experience: Elected mayor of Boca Raton in March 2014; current president of the Florida League of Cities; chair for the Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization advisory council since 2013; past president of the Palm Beach County League of Cities (2006); gubernatorial appointee for the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (2001-2007); Florida representative for the National League of Cities Presidential Task Force (2016-2017).

    Positions on issues: Continue to advocate for quiet zones as trains on the Florida East Coast Railway line pass through Boca Raton; promote economic development and the retention of jobs; continue to increase levels of service for public safety following the addition of new police and fire rescue personnel in this coming year’s city budget; continue to advocate and secure funding for transportation improvement.

    Quote: “I’m running on my record of effective leadership and solutions. Our city has achieved so much in the last several years and I want to continue to address what is left to be done — transportation improvement, planning for our new municipal complex, investing in our waterfront parks and making them attractive for ecotourism and enhancing our security by providing our first responders with the personnel and tools they need to keep us safe.”

Alfred “Al” Zucaro
    Personal: 68; B.A. in economics from Fordham University, J.D. from Nova University; Boca Raton resident for nine years; married, no children.
    Professional: Published a local blog, BocaWatch; served on Palm Beach County’s Planning and Zoning Board, the Tourist Development Council and the Film and Television Commission.
    Political experience: West Palm Beach city commissioner (1995-2002).
    Positions on issues: Concerned with over-development, traffic congestion, a lack of parking in Boca Raton, balancing the budget and green space preservation — and the City Council’s reluctance to rectify these problems.
    Quote: “Our council has approved zoning variances allowing developers to reign, in terms of profit maximization on their build-outs, instead of putting up resident-friendly build-outs. I refer to a 10,000-square-foot-building that went up on the east side of A1A, actually on the beach where turtles nest. The City Council needs to exercise accountability and transparency and they need to hold the city manager responsible for not getting the budget done, instead of kicking the can down the road.”

By Steve Plunkett

    Mayor Susan Haynie painted election rival Al Zucaro as a visionless complainer; Zucaro in turn said that under Haynie’s watch, problems in the city never get resolved.
    And so it went at a candidate forum Feb. 6 sponsored by the Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Associations, which also featured questions to the five candidates running for two City Council seats.
    Haynie said her efforts had brought millions of dollars to Boca Raton from the federal, state and county governments, particularly on Interstate 95.
    “I can guarantee you, once that Spanish River interchange opens [on I-95 this fall], we are going to see real solutions in our community,” Haynie said.
    But Zucaro attacked the planning behind the project.
    “That interchange will be a failed roadway the day it opens. It will have more trips on it than its capacity can handle. This isn’t good planning,” he said.
    Zucaro, an immigration lawyer and former city commissioner in West Palm Beach, said he began watching politics in Boca Raton in 2009 shortly after he married local philanthropist Yvonne Boice and moved here.
    “The politics in Boca Raton are really pretty ugly,” he said, recalling the 2012 race in which four City Council members, Haynie among them, appeared in a TV commercial supporting colleague Anthony Majhess’ opponent.
    Haynie said her tenure on the council had led to strong relationships with former Boca Raton mayor and current County Commissioner Steven Abrams, with former council member and current state Rep. Bill Hager, and with U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, who in 2007 defeated Zucaro to keep her job as mayor of West Palm Beach.  
    Zucaro said Boca Raton needs to do a better job of attracting Fortune 500 companies to the city.
    “There is no story teller as to the greatness of Boca Raton, and it is a great city. That’s one of the things I would absolutely do to increase employment, to increase economic viability and to increase the attractiveness of this community as a relocation [site] for jobs,” said Zucaro, who stepped aside as publisher of the BocaWatch blog to run for office.
    Haynie said the council had hired an economic development officer and was pleased to hear her opponent say he loved the city.
    “We are the envy of many communities because of the wonderful things that we have here,” Haynie said.
    Scott Singer, the only incumbent in the council races, called himself “a leader who listens.”
    “I stood alone when necessary to protect residents’ interests,” Singer said, citing his stances against increasing density in the proposed University Village project by Florida Atlantic University and against a 45-year lease of the Wildflower property on the Intracoastal Waterway.
    His opponent for Seat A, Patty Dervishi, a real estate agent and vice president of the Golden Triangle Homeowners Association, said she was running to break up the party being thrown by and enjoyed by council members and developers.
    “Together we will bring the power back to the people,” Dervishi said.
    The race for Seat B to replace Michael Mullaugh, who is term-limited out, pits Emily Gentile, an officer of the Beach Condominium Association and former chairwoman of the city’s Business Improvement District task force, against Andrea O’Rourke and Andy Thomson.
    “As far as we know, I’m the only candidate from the barrier island in about 30 years,” Gentile said. “I am your candidate from the beach, but I’m willing to serve all the citizens — all 90,000 citizens in Boca Raton.”
    O’Rourke, a graphic designer, president of the Golden Triangle HOA and former editor of the BocaWatch website, said she was “a voice of reason” who has taken stands against overdevelopment and for green space.
    “I know so many of you, and so many of you have heard me speak. I will focus my attention on the residents of Boca Raton,” she said.
    Thomson, an attorney, calls himself “a product of Boca Raton”: His parents met as students at FAU.
    “There’s a charm and a character to Boca that is so unique. But growth is going to happen. We have to have rules in place to make sure that the growth that will happen is reasonable, sustainable, structured, so that our city can succeed,” Thomson said.
    The forum was recorded and is being rerun Mondays and Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturday mornings through March 13 on Comcast local government Ch. 20, AT&T U-verse Ch. 99 and Hotwire Ch. 395.
    The election will be held March 14. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

By Rich Pollack

    Highland Beach voters will be visiting a new polling place when they select a mayor and two commissioners on March 14, and they’ll see more names on the ballot than they have in recent memory.
    In a town where candidates — especially incumbents — often run unopposed, the 2017 municipal elections mark a vivid departure from the past.
    Three candidates, Melissa Ebbs, Carl Gehman and Elyse Riesa, are vying for a two-year commission seat that opened up when Commissioner Carl Feldman decided to make a run for mayor.
    Feldman is running against former Vice Mayor Ron Brown for the mayor’s seat, which becomes opens this month when Mayor Bernard Featherman steps down due to term limits.
    In a race for a three-year term on the commission, incumbent Rhoda Zelniker is facing a challenge from architect Barry Donaldson.
    With the appointment of resident George Kelvin last month to fill the seat of Commissioner Lou Stern, who died on Feb. 8, residents are now assured of seeing at least two new faces on the commission and possibly four.
    One reason for the increased interest from candidates this year may be that there are two seats — the mayor’s seat and Feldman’s commission seat — that won’t be filled by the incumbent.
    But Feldman said he is intrigued by the additional interest.
    “I don’t understand this election at all,” he said, trying to explain why so many candidates are running this year. “The town is in great shape.”
    Feldman cites as successes the tax cuts residents have enjoyed for two consecutive years as well as a more collegial attitude among commissioners.
    But Brown, his opponent, thinks the increased interest may be a reflection that some in town are seeking change.
    “I think this commission has pursued a path different from what residents want,” he said.
    Perhaps the biggest change residents will notice when they cast ballots this month is a switch in the polling location.
    As a result of a dispute between Gehman and leaders of St. Lucy Catholic Church, which has hosted the town’s only polling location for many years, town commissioners decided to move the election to the town library.
    To maximize available parking at the town’s municipal complex — which includes the library and Town Hall — town leaders are taking steps to reduce the inconvenience, including limiting the number of town offices open during the election.
    The decision to move the polling place came after church leaders revoked permission to use the facility because of a verbal skirmish with Gehman, who said the church was supporting another candidate. He was upset that a meeting he requested to ask for equal time was canceled at the last minute.
    Church leaders later reversed course and sent word that voters would be welcome, but town commissioners decided to stay with a plan to move the polling place to the library.
    The church came under fire from some residents again last month amid complaints that signs favoring certain candidates were allowed in front of church property and visible to A1A. In response, church leaders asked that all signs be taken down.Ú    
The Highland Beach municipal election will be held on March 14 at the town’s public library, 3618 S. Ocean Blvd. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the town of Highland Beach is bringing back its Spring Fling community event with food, entertainment and a variety of vendors.
    Set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 25 in the Town Hall parking lot, the free event will also offer residents an opportunity to securely shred important documents, register pets with the Police Department should they get lost or stolen, and hear a musical performance at 12:30 by soloist Errol Dante. There will also be craft-making opportunities for children.
    Commissioners will be cooking up hot dogs and soft drinks will be available, all at no cost to residents. There will also be samples from local restaurants.
    Close to 20 vendors, including Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market and Florida Power & Light, will be on hand to offer information and items for sale.
    To find out more, call Town Hall at 278-4548.

—Rich Pollack

By Rich Pollack

    Highland Beach town leaders last month appointed George Kelvin, an active Highland Beach resident and a commission candidate in 2012, to fill the commission seat that opened with incumbent Lou Stern’s death in early February.
    “George is a man who is very low-key, ethical and honorable,” Mayor Bernard Featherman said.
    A regular at commission meetings since running against Stern five years ago, Kelvin, 89, has served the town on the Code Enforcement Board and the Board of Adjustments and Appeals.
    “He’s put his time into this town and knows the town,” Commissioner Carl Feldman said.
    In nominating Kelvin to fill the vacant spot, Vice Mayor Bill Weitz pointed out that Kelvin has said he had no plans to run for office after serving the one year left in Stern’s three-year term.
    An artist who earned an international reputation as a science and medical illustrator, Kelvin came to South Florida almost two decades ago from Long Island, where he worked with magazines such as Scientific American, Fortune, Science Digest and Hospital Practice.
    A veteran who was drafted in 1945 during the tail end of World War II, Kelvin last year created a flag for Highland Beach that recognizes veterans and their contributions to the country as a whole.
    “I felt that as a community, it’s important for us to recognize the sacrifices of veterans every day, not just on holidays,” said Kelvin, who donated his time and expertise to the project.
    Kelvin said he will focus his energy in the next year on “serving the best interests of our community” and keeping the town beautiful.

By Rich Pollack

    Civilian employees in Highland Beach, in a 9-5 vote, agreed to form a union and be represented by the Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police.
    During an election Feb. 2 in which 18 civilian town employees were eligible to vote, four workers chose not to cast their ballots, according to the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, which oversees the process.
    Fraternal Order of Police state representative Joe Puleo said the union is now able to begin contract negotiations with the town on behalf of all the eligible civilian employees.
    “Everyone in the bargaining unit will get the benefits of the contract, but no one is obligated to join the union,” Puleo said.
    Among the employees included in the collective bargaining unit are some in the public works, finance and building departments as well as some working in the public library, the town clerk’s office and at the water treatment facility.
    The Tallahassee-based Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police currently represents the town’s police officers, but Puleo said the two bargaining units would negotiate separate contracts.
    Town civilian employees initiated steps to form a union last summer during budget discussions in which town commissioners agreed to make changes to health insurance coverage and other benefits.
    Puleo said he expects contract negotiations with the town to begin shortly.

By Mary Hladky

    Crocker Partners was hoping for quick action in December when the developer asked a city board to approve ordinances that would set the stage for 2,500 rental units and a Tri-Rail station at Midtown just east of the Town Center at Boca Raton.
But its ambitions for a “live, work, play” transit-oriented development have since slowed.
    Crocker was to present the Planning & Zoning Board with more information on Jan. 19 but asked for a delay until Feb. 9, after neighboring homeowner associations voiced objections. The developer made no presentation at that meeting, and the board canceled its Feb. 23 meeting.
    As of the end of February, the city and developer could not say when Crocker would appear again before the board, and two public hearings have not been rescheduled. City Council approval also is needed.
    Crocker Partners managing partner Angelo Bianco and Michael Marshall, a shareholder with the GrayRobinson law firm who represents Crocker, said the city decides when matters are placed on meeting agendas.
    City spokeswoman Chrissy Gibson said the city is awaiting additional information from Crocker.
    Politics undoubtedly plays a role. Voters will decide who will fill the mayor’s and two City Council seats in the March 14 election, and development is a big issue in the campaigns. BocaWatch, a citizens group that opposes what it perceives as city overdevelopment and endorses candidates, has voiced objections to such a large number of rentals.
    Crocker, meanwhile, is reaching out to nearby residents to win their support and get their input. About 300 people attended a recent meeting the developer held at the Crocker Center.
    “There will be a lot of outreach,” Marshall said. “Our client is trying to come up with a development program that will fall under the zoning the city is processing. That is what we are reaching out to the neighbors for.”
    Crocker has not put forward a development plan. Rather, it is seeking city approval of ordinances that would allow a transit-oriented development and residential units in an area where they are not now allowed. If that happens, Crocker could move ahead with a plan.
    One reason Crocker wanted to move quickly was that Tri-Rail had set a March 17 deadline to commit to additional funding for the proposed new commuter rail station that is critical to the developer’s vision of Midtown.
    But with zoning changes sought by Crocker not yet approved, the developer may miss that deadline to show it can achieve a transit-oriented development.
    “We haven’t heard anything final from Tri-Rail,” Marshall said on Feb. 22. “Hopefully, there is going to be an opportunity to secure funding. Right now, it is a hope.”

    The race for Highland Beach mayor pits Ron Brown against Carl Feldman. The winner will serve a three-year term.

Profiles compiled by Steven J. Smith

Mayor

Ron Brown
    Personal: 70; graduated from Indiana University with a degree in business management, then graduated from Troy State University with a master’s degree in international relations; 16-year resident of Highland Beach; married, one child.

    Professional: Fighter pilot in the Air Force from 1972-1996; commercial pilot for United Airlines from 1996-2006. Now retired.

    Political experience: Vice mayor of Highland Beach from 2012-2015.

    Positions on issues: Replace town walkway; improve commission’s relationship with town employees; improve drainage system; improve the use of advisory boards and committees; negotiate for land that would be converted into a passive park; replace town signs; preserve green space.

    Quote: “I look forward to hearing the concerns and solutions of our residents so that we can protect and beautify Highland Beach. I want our commission to be a more active listener as far as improving our residents’ quality of life.”

Carl Feldman
    Personal: 77; graduated from the Massachusetts Apprentice Program with a degree of journeyman tool and die maker and tool die designer, then received a degree in manufacturing and engineering from Northeastern University; resident of Highland beach for 17 years; married, two children, four grandchildren.

    Professional: In 1980 he formed Millstar, Izar and Galaxy Technologies, three tool manufacturing companies, with distributors in the United States, Asia and Europe. He sold those companies in 2000.

    Political experience: Served on Highland Beach Town Commission since 2013; member of the town’s Planning Board from 2005-2007. Served on the Cultural Board from 2007-2008.

    Positions on issues: Security and safety; community enhancement; financial stability; infrastructure maintenance; having a strong town administration.

    Quote: “I want to continue the fine job the commission has done over the last couple of years. It’s your town, your money, your vote. As mayor, I want to improve and maintain the focus of our town as a first-rate beachside residential community. I intend to provide excellence in government and service. We have well-trained and responsive employees and a large base of volunteers and leaders who are dedicated to our residents. I will continue to maintain all that is needed to ensure the high value of properties that we now experience.”