By Jane Musgrave

Palm Beach County residents will have to get annual passes to park for free at 12 county parks, including ones in Gulf Stream, Ocean Ridge and Boynton Beach.

The passes will allow county residents to avoid a $4-an-hour parking fee that will be collected beginning Oct. 1.

While the details are still being worked out, County Administrator Joe Abruzzo said the passes will be easy to get. But, he said, without them county residents will have to pay to park or risk getting tickets.

Parks in the southern part of the county where passes will be needed are: Ocean Inlet Park in Boynton Beach, Ocean Ridge Hammock Park in Ocean Ridge and Gulfstream Park in the County Pocket. 

The passes won’t be good at the county’s South Inlet Park in Boca Raton and R.G. Kreusler Park near Lake Worth Beach, which both have had parking fees in place for decades.

The annual parking passes were approved after county residents flooded Commissioner Maria Marino with emails, blasting the commission’s plans to make them pay to go to the beach.

Marino was the target of their ire because she pushed for the parking fee. While other commissioners said the fees were unfair to cash-strapped county residents, they bowed to her wishes because seven of the 12 beachfront parks are in her north county district.

On July 14, Marino reversed course, saying the 2,000 emails she received convinced her that county residents should continue to enjoy county beachfront parks for free.

“Our residents have spoken,” Marino said, urging the commission not to charge county residents to park.  

The commission had suggested giving county residents a 20% discount, which would have shaved 80 cents off the hourly rate. But, Marino conceded, that concession wasn’t enough.

The parking fee was first proposed to help the commission balance its proposed $2.2 billion spending plan. If all beachgoers were charged $4 an hour, it would have generated $10 million annually. After the commission agreed to give county residents a discount, that amount dropped to $7 million.

By only charging out-of-county residents, the county will pocket about $3 million, Abruzzo said. He said he would take $4 million out of the county’s emergency fund to make up the shortfall.

The county years ago imposed parking fees at South Inlet Park in Boca Raton and R.G. Kreusler Park, which is adjacent to Lake Worth Beach Park.

Boca and Lake Worth Beach officials demanded it. They worried that revenues at their nearby parks would plummet if beachgoers could park at the county parks for free. 

By Patrick Sherry   

Owners of a Pelican Lane home on Hypoluxo Island say that worsening flooding leaves them without road access. They are asking Lantana officials to allow them to keep an access road to give them another route to South Atlantic Drive.

Harry Ehrlich and Heather Brookman, owners of 701 Pelican Lane, halted work on the project after recently receiving a stop-work order from the town. They already built a small access road from their driveway across the nearby town-owned right-of-way adjacent to their property, creating an emergency route during floods. 

At the Town Council’s July 27 meeting, Ehrlich apologized for not getting a permit from the town for the project, but he wanted to work with staff to find some way they could get a permanent easement, license, or variance to keep the access road.

He is still awaiting a decision from the town and is working with town staff to find a solution to the problem. 

When the area floods, the water can block the only route to and from their home. “We had the best of intentions: create safe access, help reduce flooding on Pelican Lane for the benefit of all, update tired landscaping and install a new sprinkler system,” Ehrlich said. 

According to documents submitted to the town, former owner Bob Fritts privately maintained the right-of-way for 40 years. Neighbors have submitted 12 letters in support of the project. 

However, other neighbors were worried about losing more green space on Hypoluxo Island. 

“We’re dealing with a reduction, dwindling of canopies, vegetation, trees and natural open space that helps with drainage,” nearby resident George Huguely said. 

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach residents as well as anyone passing through town on State Road A1A are likely to see some additional safety improvements soon thanks in large part to an appropriation of $375,000 from the state.

Construction is expected to start this month on the town’s Pedestrian Safety Traffic Improvement Project, which includes major upgrades to the 3-mile walking path on the west side of A1A as well as the installation of in-ground lighting on eight pedestrian crosswalks.

The walking path project will include milling, regrading and repaving the shared use walkway at a cost of $263,260. The town will use $180,420 of state money for the project and supplement it with $82,840 of budgeted town funds.

The improvements to the widely used walking path are much needed, according to Town Commissioner Judith Goldberg.

“There’s a lot of activity and it will now be safer for everyone,” she said.

Part of the problem with the path as it is now, Goldberg said, is that there are a lot of uneven spots that can make it easy for someone to fall.

She knows firsthand about the fall risk, having taken a tumble not too long ago on the uneven surface.

“I was very shaken up,” she said, adding that although she wasn’t seriously hurt, she avoided walking on the path for some time.

The commissioner said that town leaders had hoped that improvements to the walking path would have been made by the state Department of Transportation during a two-year A1A resurfacing project.

When that didn’t happen, the town sought the help of state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a Republican who Goldberg said was instrumental in helping get legislative approval for the two projects and helping them avoid the veto of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Pedestrian crosswalk safety has long been a priority for the town, and the addition of embedded pedestrian-activated lights will enhance the effort that has already included flashing beacons — and orange flags that walkers can carry — to improve visibility.

The new embedded solar lights will come with a price tag of $283,920, with $194,580 coming from the state appropriation and the remainder coming from the town.

“The lights will certainly enhance the safety and beauty of our town,” Goldberg said. “Drivers won’t be able to miss them.”

The Highland Beach appropriations were co-sponsored in the state senate by Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat who also co-sponsored a successful $1 million appropriation request for improvement to the intersection of Swinton and Atlantic avenues in Delray Beach and $375,000 in funding for water line improvements in the Riviera community in Boca Raton.

This headstone of a World War II veteran is nearly obscured by leaves. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Patrick Sherry 

Delray Beach officials are working to make several improvements to the city’s cemetery, but some residents say the city is not doing enough to fix longstanding problems there.

Sam Metott, director of Parks and Recreation, presented the City Commission with recent improvements and upcoming plans for the Delray Beach Memorial Gardens Municipal Cemetery at their meeting on July 14. 

City Manager Terrence Moore scheduled the presentation after complaints about the state of the cemetery — which goes back more than a century and includes the burial locations of many Black and white town pioneers  — surfaced at a June commission meeting. Some residents criticized the poor upkeep and some said they were not able to find the graves of family members.

The cemetery has experienced maintenance issues for decades. Officials used to outsource operations for the property, but have since brought them back in-house. Plot purchases used to be handled through the City Clerk’s Office, but continued problems led the city to hire a full-time cemetery manager to oversee the tasks. 

“In 2018, the city decided to take a little bit more proactive approach rather than a more managed area, and we brought in a consultant who helped us rewrite some policies and procedures,” Metott said. “But also, in a really big way, we hired a cemetery manager for the first time in the history of the city.”

Since then, officials have contracted with a landscaping company to provide more consistent maintenance and started a respectful cleanup initiative at the cemetery, 901 SW 10th St. They are also planning to construct two new mausoleum buildings that would add more than 2,000 crypts and cremation niches. 

Whatever the city’s doing, it’s not enough, said several residents during the public comment period at the July 14 meeting. They were still unhappy with how the city was managing the cemetery. Many complained of struggling to acquire grave spaces for family members and issues working with city staff. “The problem with [the cemetery] is poor planning,” resident Dedrick Straghn said. 

In response to residents’ concerns, the commission added a discussion item to its Aug. 18 meeting to consider how to address operational and maintenance issues at the cemetery. 

By Patrick Sherry

Days before Delray Beach’s Fourth of July Celebration, city staff had to scramble to find a way to put on the city’s fireworks show after finding out the barge for launching the display would not be available.

Local leaders blamed issues with contractors for this year’s short fireworks show — but praised staff for being able to get even the smaller display into the air. 

City officials planned the celebration for months, but on July 1, contractors Beyel Brothers and Zambelli Fireworks informed them the barge was a no-go. 

City staff spent the next couple of days trying to find vendors and get approvals to prevent the show from being canceled. 

“A lot of good work was executed on part of staff…. I applaud them — I compliment them — and quite frankly, I’m very proud of them,” City Manager Terrence Moore said during a discussion of the event at the City Commission’s July 14 meeting. “I think you should be, too, because we were treated god-awful and poorly, and I continue to remain upset about it.”

The city does not own a barge or have any offshore islands to launch fireworks on, so staff pivoted to firing them from the beach. With the short notice and limited supply from vendors, the show lasted several minutes. 

Commissioners wanted to hold the contractors accountable for the mishap. However, City Attorney Lynn Gelin said their only option is to cancel the contract. 

“There’s nothing [in the contract] to say that if they don’t perform the way that they promise, that somehow we get reimbursed or we can issue a fine,” she said. 

But the city was able to get some money back. The city paid $95,000 for the fireworks and received a $47,500 refund July 22, half the total cost, city spokeswoman Gina Carter said.

Commissioners agreed to include a penalty clause in future contracts and look into hosting fireworks shows at a different location.  

“We should be considering other places that are on land that we could plan for, where we wouldn’t have to be dependent on a barge,” Commissioner Tom Markert said. “I think we should look at it, and then we should bring it back to the public and let people know what our options are.” 

By Mary Hladky

Penn-Florida Companies is facing new lawsuits filed by both the group of lenders and the construction manager for the Mandarin Oriental condos that are being built in Boca Raton on Federal Highway a few blocks north of Camino Real.

In its July 17 complaint filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, Via Mizner Lender 1 LLC, the administrative agent for a group of lenders, wants to foreclose on a mortgage Via Mizner Owner III, the Penn-Florida affiliate building the condos, secured in August 2023. It seeks $417.7 million to repay the original $270 million loan plus interest, advances and fees.

Penn-Florida stopped making interest payments on the loan in June 2024 and failed to pay off the full amount as promised in September 2025, the lawsuit says.

The unfinished Mandarin Oriental condominium building, to the left, and the hotel, to the right, as seen in May. Larry Barszewski/The Coastal Star

And in a July 6 complaint also filed in Circuit Court, Strategic Group Builders is seeking $24.1 million that it says it has not been paid for its work, as well as interest, costs and attorneys’ fees.

The lawsuit names as defendants Via Mizner Owner III and four project lenders that the lawsuit says stopped making monthly payments to Strategic Group without giving notice.

Strategic Group, which has offices in Miami and Boca Raton, recorded a lien against the property when Penn-Florida and the lenders stopped paying. The lawsuit seeks to foreclose on that lien. Its five-count complaint includes a breach of contract claim.

The lawsuit also notes that Strategic Group stopped providing labor, services and materials at the condo site prior to May 6.

Separately, a Palm Beach County Circuit Court judge has ruled in favor of a couple seeking return of a $1.98 million deposit they made on a Mandarin Oriental condo unit.

Judge James Sherman’s June 29 ruling states that Douglas and Debra Jacobs can demand payment from the title companies holding their deposit money.

But attorney Robert Sweetapple, who represents Via Mizner Owner III, has filed a motion for rehearing.

In that pleading filed on July 9, he contends that Sherman made legal errors that include contract misinterpretation.

Sherman’s analysis of the case found that arguments made by Via Mizner Owner III — concerning why the Jacobses are not entitled to get back their deposit — are erroneous, insufficient or without adequate evidence.

Sherman’s ruling came shortly after Nilesh and Liliana Undavia settled their legal case against Via Mizner Owner III following an arbitrator’s determination that they were entitled to compensation and interest, according to court records.

The Undavias, who had placed a $1.65 million deposit on a condo unit, are to be paid by Jan. 7, or within 30 days of Via Mizner refinancing or obtaining additional financing for the condo construction.

If that doesn’t happen, they will be entitled to a consent judgment for breach of contract for the amount due to them.

Eight other buyers also have settled their lawsuits against Penn-Florida, but the settlement amounts are confidential. The Undavia case was the first to reveal settlement terms.

But the lenders’ foreclosure action seeks also to undo any claims by what it calls “purported junior lienholders” including Strategic Group Builders and “purported contract purchasers” of condo units including the Undavias.

“The mortgage is a lien superior in dignity to any prior or subsequent rights, title, claim, lien, or interest arising out of borrower,” its lawsuit argues.

Yet another legal case, this one concerning the Mandarin Oriental hotel that is under construction next to the condo building, is underway in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Penn-Florida affiliates Via Mizner Owner II and Via Mizner Pledgor II filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last December after they were unable to repay lenders about $210 million at loan maturity. Under an agreement with their senior secured lender, TIG Romspen, the affiliates have been given time to seek refinancing or recapitalization and they sought to push back the date of the property auction.

On July 7, the date of the property auction was extended to Aug. 14 and a hearing to approve the sale was extended to Aug. 21.

Steve Plunkett contributed to this story.

Workers lay asphalt in Gulf Stream’s Core area on July 27. The work is part of a two-year capital improvement plan. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

Just as Roadway Construction LLC was about to lay the final asphalt on streets in Gulf Stream’s Core area, town commissioners were looking ahead to paying for similar work in Place Au Soleil.

Meanwhile, town commissioners for the sixth consecutive year set the tentative property tax rate at $3.67 per $1,000 of taxable value for the upcoming fiscal year.

The capital improvement plan “continues to drive the budget with the transition from analyzing the impacts of the two-year project here in the Core to planning for the engineering work and construction of the Place Au Soleil project,” Town Manager Trey Nazzaro told commissioners July 10.

The tentative tax rate will generate $7.53 million, up about $544,000 from the current year, Nazzaro said. Taxable property values rose 7.9% to $2.05 billion.

Commissioners spurned the rollback rate — the rate that would have collected the same amount of taxes as this year, except for new construction — that would have generated $6.99 million.

“I think it’s important to maintain the millage rate as it is,” Mayor Scott Morgan said. “We have been financially responsible for over a decade (and) more now, building reserves without raising the millage rate.”

Nazzaro said Gulf Stream now has $6.7 million in undesignated reserve funds.

The roadwork in the Core area still had $1.4 million left to pay. The Place Au Soleil construction will cost an estimated $2.8 million. 

In addition, Nazzaro will take $1.2 million from the water enterprise fund to pay for a planned connection with Boynton Beach’s water plant, which he said will take place in spring 2027.

The town now anticipates completing both projects without having to borrow money.

Nazzaro also proposed a 4.5% cost-of-living raise for the town’s general employees to match the step raise being given to police officers.

“Investing in quality personnel and maintaining them is of utmost importance to the town to continue our efficient provision of services,” Nazzaro said in a memo to commissioners.

Under the tentative tax rate, the owner of a house with a $1 million taxable value would pay $3,672 in town property taxes in addition to county, school and other levies.

Commissioners can lower that tax rate but not raise it at public hearings they scheduled in Town Hall for 5:01 p.m. Sept. 11, after their 4 p.m. monthly meeting, and for 5:01 p.m. Sept. 23. 

By Rich Pollack

Barring last-minute changes, Highland Beach town leaders will keep their tax rate for the next fiscal year the same as it has been for the past four years.

Town commissioners in July approved a maximum tax rate of $3.58 per $1,000 of taxable value, a rate that has been the same since 2023.

That rate will generate $14.7 million in property taxes, about $900,000 more than for the current fiscal year, or just shy of a 5% increase. Those tax revenues cover about 73% of the town’s $20 million general fund budget,

The total proposed budget of $30.3 million includes the water and sewer funds as well as the building fund.

Town Manager Marshall Labadie said that he and the town staff kept in mind the possibility of revenues falling in the beginning of the 2028 fiscal year, should a proposed increase in the homestead exemption get 60% statewide voter approval this November.

“The preliminary FY 2027 budget reflects a balanced and conservative financial approach focused on maintaining service levels, preserving reserves and preparing for potential legislative changes that may impact municipal revenues in future years,” he wrote in his monthly communication with residents.

While the town’s tax rate remains the same, most property owners will likely see an increase in their municipal taxes due to an increase in property values, with the town seeing a 4.1% increase in total property values.

Labadie said that the town’s tax rate is the third lowest in Palm Beach County.

He also pointed out that a large portion of the town’s overall costs go toward staffing and maintaining the police and fire departments.

“The budget prioritizes public safety, employee retention, infrastructure maintenance and long-term financial sustainability,” he wrote. “Public safety, including police and fire rescue, represent about 67% of the general fund expenditures, reflecting the town’s continued commitment to resident safety and emergency services. The town continues to keep a mindful eye on the increasing costs of providing public safety services.”

The proposed budget shows the Police Department expenditures at $5.55 million, a slight decrease from the current year, while the Fire Rescue Department budget is $530,409 over the current year’s $6.93 million in expenditures, or up about 7.6%.

The town continues to maintain a significant amount in reserves, with a total fund balance in the general fund projected to be a little more than $12 million, an increase of about $500,000.

In his budget message to residents, Labadie explained that should the proposed constitutional amendment — Amendment 3 — get 60% voter approval, the town would lose about $1 million a year in 2028 and $1.5 million beginning in 2029. The legislation would increase the homestead exemption — currently at a little more than $50,000 of a property’s assessed value— to $150,000 in the 2028 fiscal year budget and $250,000 in 2029.

He said the town’s “strong reserves, conservative budgeting practices and five-year financial forecast place the town in an excellent position to adapt to these changes while continuing to protect the quality of life our residents enjoy.” 

By Patrick Sherry

Residents of Delray Beach could see the city’s tax rate rise for a second straight year — following a dozen years of dropping tax rates that culminated with a “no new taxes” budget in 2024. 

Officials attributed the proposed increase to rising operating costs and the years of reduced rates.

Commissioners voted 4-1 at their meeting on July 21 for a tentative operating tax rate of $6.4371 for every $1,000 of taxable value, a 4.5% increase from the previous year, to support a proposed $219.8 million general fund budget. 

City property owners will also pay taxes to cover debt from bond issues previously approved by voters, for a tentative total city tax rate of $6.446 per $1,000 of taxable value, up 4.1% from the current rate.

The owner of a home valued at $451,411, who receives a homestead exemption, would pay about $2,578 in city taxes, an increase of about $175.

Except for 2024, when the commission approved that year’s rollback rate that meant no new taxes except for those from new construction,  the commission’s decision to slight tax rate reductions in other years still led to tax increases for most residents because of rising property values. City officials said government operational costs and inflation continued to rise, so they needed to bring in additional revenue.

“As our taxable values kept increasing, we lowered the millage rate to offset some of that increase, so that the actual taxes paid by the citizens were less than just the increase in the real estate values,” Chief Financial Officer Henry Dachowitz said at the budget workshop.  “Now we’re working to try to catch up from where we have been.”

The proposed budget shows salaries and benefits increasing  by 8.8%, to a total of $131.4 million, including $1.9 million for employee cost-of-living raises. The city will be increasing firefighter pension contributions by $589,000 and police pension contributions by $724,000. Operating expenditures will also be growing, with public works street maintenance increasing by $500,000 and fleet fuel and lube costs by $370,000. To balance the budget, staff proposed drawing from the city’s reserves. 

The proposed budget was also put together with an eye to November and the possibility voters in the state will approve Amendment 3, which will slash property taxes for homesteaded properties, leading to reduced tax revenues for municipalities, counties and other taxing agencies. 

“We are trying to balance not just for this year, but also looking forward. … It’s also positioning us well in case the referendum passes,” Dachowitz said at the workshop.

The city could lose about $7.4 million in tax revenue in 2027 if the amendment passes and nearly $12.8 million in 2028. To mitigate revenue loss, additional fees to residents — including fire and EMS fees — may be implemented in the future. City staff will be conducting studies and fiscal impact analysis exercises to see where they could recoup some of the lost revenue if Amendment 3 is approved. 

“The only legal avenue above and beyond increasing the millage rate to the extent that [municipalities] possibly can, would be to consider fee-based revenue streams, and it is straight regressive,” City Manager Terrence Moore said at the workshop. “That’s a bit of a downside. Nevertheless, municipalities don’t have any other choice if there’s an interest in maintaining the level of service and covering operational expenses.”

Commissioners may lower the maximum property tax rate before a final rate is approved during public hearings scheduled for Sept. 8 and 22. 

Larry Barszewski contributed to this story.

By Larry Barszewski

In a desire to open Boynton Beach’s waterfront along the Intracoastal Waterway to greater public access and to more water-related businesses and activities, the City Commission has approved new zoning rules to encourage such growth.

The Marina Overlay District, as the city is calling it, stretches along the west side of the Intracoastal from Gateway Boulevard to south of Woolbright Road. It was approved unanimously at the commission’s July 7 meeting.

New developments along the water in the overlay district are required to provide a minimum 12-foot-wide promenade accessible to the public. The idea is eventually to create continuous stretches of public walkway along the water by linking promenade spaces on adjoining properties.

City Planner Tyler Tornese spoke about the motivation behind the district at the commission’s June 16 meeting, saying the idea emerged from a joint City Commission/Community Redevelopment Agency workshop in November.

“We want to encourage marine uses. We want to attract new businesses. We want to — most importantly — activate that public waterfront along the Intracoastal,” Tornese said.

“We do not want to focus on dense residential development,” he said. “We want to focus on commercial uses with accessory hospitality and recreation uses,” such as hotels or marine-oriented businesses. Heights would be limited to a maximum of 60 feet to 80 feet, or roughly six to eight stories. 

The new regulations also allow for more intense development — increased square footage of buildings on site and up to 20 feet higher buildings — on properties that provide more waterway benefits. Such properties would be those that do at least three of the following:

• Have a portion of the promenade be wider than the required 12 feet;

• Provide public docks, fishing piers, or kayak/paddleboard launches;

• Include public plazas or space for events and public gatherings;

• Implement environmental restoration features, such as a living shoreline; and/or

• Have a water taxi or ferry stop, including floating docks, boarding areas, seating, shade structures and lighting.

The district also offers eligible developments reduced on-site parking requirements of up to 30%, but those spaces would have to be replaced by shared parking agreements and valet services — and the development would have to include public waterfront access amenities.

While the overlay district does not apply to residential zones, a major goal behind the city’s effort is to step away from the dense residential developments that have been attracted to the area. For instance, it allows hotels but drops the maximum allowed height from 150 feet to 60 feet, a 60% decrease.

It also permits enclosed dry docks for boats in the overlay district, while prohibiting auto dealerships, automotive repair shops and new merchandise developments such as supercenters, discount and department stores and pet care spots.

The overlay district doesn’t automatically rezone any properties, offer density bonuses for residential development, or reduce any environmental protections or regulations, officials said.

It encourages mixed-use commercial developments that activate the waterfront for the public, including marine-oriented businesses and industries, and it promotes private investment in the city’s waterfront infrastructure, officials said. 

By Mary Hladky

The owners of the Town Center at Boca Raton want to demolish the former Sears store that has been closed since 2018 and redevelop 31.6 acres in the northwest corner of the mall to create a “live, work, play” destination.

Under plans presented to the city in May, the Simon Property Group proposes an eight-story, 197-key hotel, a 374-unit luxury multi-family building, 157,170 square feet of retail and restaurants and a 629-space parking garage. The seven-story residential building would sit atop ground floor retail.

The project would create “a transformative, vibrant, walkable and high-density environment where residents and visitors can live, work, play, stay, and shop within a single, cohesive campus,” the application states.

The “heart of the redevelopment” would be a walkable “Main Street” that would connect the hotel, residential, retail and restaurants. It would also feature an open plaza with water features and shaded arcades.

The former Sears building footprint would become green space.

The redevelopment generally would be located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Glades Road and St. Andrews Boulevard.

Simon’s application follows a trend among mall owners to reinvigorate their properties with mixed-used development that drives traffic to the mall stores.

The proposal is in the initial stage of the city review process, and no hearings are yet scheduled before the Planning and Zoning Board or City Council.

The council got an early look at the plans at a February meeting. 

Stuart Kerr of Highland Beach with his wife, June. Together, they created AppealArmor, a free tool that drafts formal appeal letters for people who have been denied health insurance claims. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

An entrepreneur and sales and marketing executive for software companies for many years, Highland Beach resident Stuart Kerr has a passion for business. So, why quit working? 

He didn’t. After retiring three years ago he dove into ChatGPT and created an AI strategy consulting business. 

In addition, he and his wife, June, sponsor a dozen women in Asia who are attending college through the charity U-GO University.

He also runs a team of volunteers to provide AI training to 10,000 scholars through U-GO University, which funds higher education scholarships to talented women in low-income countries.

His latest venture: Kerr, with June, launched AppealArmor in July, a free AI-based tool that arms consumers to fight insurance claim denials. 

“Fewer than one in 500 denials are ever appealed,” he said. “So, by definition, when the insurance company denies you, it wins. It’s a claim not paid — a great deal for the insurance company, a terrible deal for people who pay their health care benefits and then can’t get the health care they expected, especially while they’re going through a health scare. 

“We essentially built a solution that takes your denial letter through a sort of AI-based jujitsu, where we take all the insurance company’s arguments against doing it, and build an entire argument that shows why their denial was wrong. And while you’re at it, you can go one step further and escalate an appeal to file a complaint with your state’s insurance commission. That will put the insurance company on notice and force it to actively reconsider and respond to your appeal letter in a timely fashion.”

He began building AppealArmor a year ago, based on his and his wife’s experience in dealing with denial letters over many years. When Stuart, 62, and June met 25 years ago, she was a single mother with 10-year-old triplets. Rachel, Zoe and Matthew just celebrated their 35th birthday. 

Actually, the babies were quads, born so early that about 27 doctors were in the delivery room. But a daughter, Erica, developed a staph infection and died within 48 hours.

June was caring for preemie triplets while mourning the loss of Erica. That’s pretty unthinkable. But preemies often have body challenges that come with not being carried to term, and the triplets have totaled 16 surgeries.

Before marrying Stuart, June had already navigated 10 of those surgeries and was expert at dealing with insurance denials.     Recently, a friend who was denied a claim asked June for help. “She said to me, ‘I’m done with this. There is no good solution when a person gets denied. We need a system to fight back, and you’re someone who can help.’”

In response, Stuart built AppealArmor.com.

Here’s how it works. After you upload a photo or PDF of your denial letter, AppealArmor makes a package that includes a draft of an appeal letter citing specific legal and clinical guidelines that insurers respect. It generates a state regulatory complaint letter and calculates appeal deadlines, then delivers a ready-to-sign, ready-to-mail packet in minutes that otherwise could take hours to compile manually.

He estimates an appeal’s success rate to be 40-60%, because you can be denied for legitimate reasons, he said. “The thing to remember, ‘one in 500 people appeal,’ so your odds are infinitely better than zero.” 

AppealArmor is free to use for consumers and takes five minutes. The system uses different AIs to validate information, and the tool is secure. “Your information never leaves your side of the web browser,” Stuart said. 

— Christine Davis

Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?

A. Cherry Hill, New Jersey, just outside Philadelphia. My family helped run a local soda company, Frank’s Soda, and that business taught me early on what it means to be part of a community. You knew your customers, you showed up for your neighbors, and you understood that a business could be a way of serving the people around you, not just a way of making money. I went on to get my MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, but that hometown lesson never left me.

From there, life took me to Chicago for 20 years, where I met my wife, June — she’d recently been through a divorce and was raising 10-year-old triplets, Matthew, Rachel and Zoe, on her own. We built our life together on Long Island, raising the kids there until they left for college, and 11 years ago we moved to Highland Beach, which has been home ever since. It’s a long way from Cherry Hill to Highland Beach, but that same instinct — show up for the people around you.

Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?

A. I got my start in sales and marketing for software companies, and that background shaped everything that came after — you learn early how to read a room, tell a story with data, and understand what a customer actually needs versus what they say they need. That grew into more than 30 years as an operating executive and entrepreneur. 

Over that time, I’ve helped build more than a dozen software companies — including taking two of them public, Vitria and Fleetmatics, both of which reached valuations over $1 billion. I’ve also helped sell five companies and served on the board of four more. More recently I founded ISO Vision LLC, where I help enterprises use AI to automate business processes. 

But if you’d asked me a year ago what I was proudest of, I’d have given you that corporate answer. Today it’s different. My wife and I just launched AppealArmor.com, a free AI tool that helps people fight back when their health insurance denies them care. 

Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?

A. Don’t chase the job title — chase the problem. 

Q. How did you choose to make your home in Highland Beach?

A. We landed here about 11 years ago after our kids headed off to college and June and I found ourselves with a chance to choose our next chapter together. Part of it was family — my parents, Burton and Hope Kerr, were in West Palm Beach, and June’s parents, Bob and Elaine Eisenberg, were in Boynton Beach, so Highland Beach put us close to both.  

Q. What is your favorite part about living in Highland Beach?

A. Honestly, my favorite part is watching June swim. She’s an active open-water ocean swimmer — she’ll walk out our back door and swim several miles in open water, several times a week. There’s something amazing about a town where your backyard is the Atlantic Ocean and your spouse gets to live her passion just by stepping outside. 

Q. What book are you reading now?

A. I just finished a phenomenal book called There Was a Time, written by a colleague of mine, John Lipsey. It’s coming out later this fall.

Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?

A. When I need to relax or feel nostalgic, it’s ’80s music — Sting and The Police, that whole era. When I’m heads-down working, I put on progressive house — no words, just a groove, so it doesn’t pull my attention away from the screen. 

Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?

A. “You only have one shot at life — don’t spend it living somebody else’s.” I’ve always paired that with Steve Jobs’ idea of being a maverick, of trying to make a dent in the universe. The point isn’t ego — it’s that we’re only here once, and we owe it to the people we love to actually make an impact while we can.

Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions? 

A. My heroes aren’t in a boardroom — they’re in my house. My wife, June, and our kids.

Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?

A. George Clooney, hands down. I grew up watching his career, and years ago I actually got to be an extra on ER while it was filming — I’ve felt an affinity for him ever since. And hey, it doesn’t hurt that he’s a pretty great actor, too.

By Patrick Sherry 

A proposed townhouse-style condominium development on North Federal Highway will return to the Delray Beach City Commission for reconsideration after being denied approval in July. 

Commissioners voted 3-1 to allow the applicant to come back with new evidence to support the application for 47 three-bedroom townhouses in the 2400 block of North Federal, adjacent to the town of Gulf Stream’s Place Au Soleil single-family home community. Mayor Tom Carney recused himself from the vote on the application because of a brother’s investment with the project. 

Neil Schiller, a lawyer representing Ultra Luxury Townhomes LLC, asked the commission for reconsideration during the public comment section of the commission’s July 21 meeting after the project had failed at its July 14 meeting on a 2-2 vote. 

“If we do have the chance to come back, we will make a salient, concise presentation, and proffer conditions of approval that make the project a little bit more compatible,” he said. 

The 4.25-acre commercial site has been vacant for 20 years, with the former commercial buildings having been demolished. Developers submitted an application to build 39 two-story and eight three-story townhouse-type condo units with two-car garages on the property. 

“It will not hinder development or redevelopment of nearby properties,” Jeff Costello, land planning and development consultant at JC Planning Solutions, said at the July 14 meeting. “This is a redevelopment initiative, and a redevelopment area that needs attention and investment.”

The property is near Federal Highway’s northern gateway into the city, where officials have been encouraging redevelopment of vacant and underutilized properties. Gulf Stream officials supported the project. 

“We believe the current proposal is a thoughtful, appropriate, and far better outcome for both the surrounding neighborhoods and the city than the previous application,” Gulf Stream Town Manager Trey Nazzaro said at the July 14 meeting, reading from an email sent by Gulf Stream Commissioner Robert Canfield, who lives in Place Au Soleil. 

Delray Beach commissioners who supported the proposal said there is no commercial activity on the site, so redeveloping it into a residential area could be the next best option. 

“I campaigned in favor of keeping businesses, and I hate to think of something where business could go to residential,” Commissioner Judy Mollica said on July 14, before voting in favor of the project along with Vice Mayor Angela Burns. “However, this particular parcel has sat there for 20 years, and no business seems to want to go on there.”

Commissioner Juli Casale, who voted against the project with Commissioner Tom Markert, disagreed. She pointed out the City Commission had approved multiple residential projects that have not been built yet and wanted to preserve commercially zoned land. 

“Because that area is going to flourish and develop, with all the development going around it residentially, that commercial is necessary,” she said. “I very much worry about not protecting and preserving our commercial tax base.” 

Casale said she agreed to the reconsideration motion as a courtesy to Burns, who made the motion, and to Schiller, who said new evidence would be forthcoming — but she did not indicate her opposition to the project had changed. The reconsideration is scheduled for the commission’s Aug. 18 meeting.

While Carney recused himself from the discussion and vote on the project, he had come under criticism earlier for reaching out to some Planning & Zoning Board members — prior to that board’s 7-0 May vote supporting the project — regarding the development that he previously represented and which his brother now has a stake in. 

By Christine Davis

Lang Realty marked National Bring Your Dog to Work Day on June 26 by celebrating dogs owned by Lang agents that ride along to showings, keep their owners company during late-night contracts, and quietly anchor the workday from their owners’ home offices. 

Amy Snook’s doodles, Stormie and Addison, are fixtures by her side from morning coffee to late-night emails. “They may not know a contingency from a closing date, but they know exactly when I need a break,” said Snook. “Having them around reminds me to slow down and enjoy the little moments.” 

For Joanne Loud, working from home has always included her “co-worker” Miss Roxy, a quiet, steady presence through calls, contracts and client emails. When the workday runs long, Roxy handles the reminder: It’s time for a walk or a lunch break. 

Blake Morris’s “co-worker” Teddy, a terrier mix, doesn’t know anything about real estate, Morris says, but he knows exactly how to make a client feel at ease. “There’s something about having a dog around that just lowers the pressure and makes people feel at home.” 

Maria Kovachev, an advocate for both dog and cat rescue, shares her home with four German shepherds, all adopted from local rescues. “When we give a little love to these four-legged sweethearts, they shower us with love right back,” Kovachev said.

Snook works out of the east Delray Beach office. Loud works out of Lang’s east Boca Raton office, while Morris and Kovachev work out of the central Boca office. Lang’s community outreach initiative Lang Cares makes animal welfare a priority. Lang agents volunteer at shelters, collect supplies and direct resources to no-kill rescues throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties. 

*** 

WeatherTech founder and CEO David F. MacNeil has been busy amassing nearly 8 acres of ocean-to-Intracoastal property in Manalapan for a combined $136 million.
In the latest transaction, MacNeil paid Ralph and Mary Gesualdo $36 million for their 1.88-acre estate at 1920 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. The Gesualdos bought the property from Billy Joel for $10.3 million in 2020.

William Raveis agent Jack Elkins represented the sellers, with Premier Estate Properties agent Margit Brandt representing the buyer. MacNeil already owns the estate to the south at 1940 S. Ocean Blvd., which he purchased for $68.3 million in February. In June, it was also reported that MacNeil and billionaire Larry Ellison were splitting the 4-acre lot at 1960 S. Ocean Blvd. between their properties, with MacNeil purchasing the northern half closest to his home for $32 million.

Ellison’s expected $35 million purchase of his portion of the split lot, on top of the $173 million he paid for the adjacent 2000 S. Ocean Blvd. lot in 2022, would bring the total for his contiguous lots to $208 million.

***

Building.Florida.Home LLC, managed by Gabe L. Newell, the Seattle co-founder of game developer Valve, paid $70.85 million for a Manalapan estate at 1660 S. Ocean Blvd. Manalapan. Morgan Stanley Private Bank provided him with a $46.05 million mortgage. The sellers, Ronald G. McMackin, the president of Pan-Pacific Mechanical, and his wife, Town Commissioner Cindy L. McMackin, paid $38.88 million for it in 2020.

Situated on a 2.06-acre property with 150 feet fronting the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, the seven-bedroom home features a wellness wing, 240-bottle wine cellar, eight-car garage, guest apartment, a private beach tunnel under A1A, a fitness room, a summer kitchen, a beach cabana house, an office, a game room, a bar and staff quarters.

The McMackins were represented by Premier Estate Properties agent Margit Brandt. They listed their new address on the deed as 1860 S. Ocean Blvd., a nearby mansion under construction.

Katie Casali of Ocean Sotheby’s International represented the buyer.

***

G. Robert Sheetz, through the 1992 Royal Palm Way Trust, sold his homestead property at 1992 Royal Palm Way in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club for $24 million. Sheetz bought the property in 2020 for $6 million. Sheetz’s family owns the Sheetz convenience store chain, which has more than 700 locations.

The new owners are John H. Slavik and Kathleen A. Slavik. The four-bedroom, 6,200-square-foot home is sited on 0.39 acre along the Intracoastal Waterway. David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties represented both sides in the deal.

***

Paul and Catherine Stile sold a home at 481 Thatch Palm Drive, in the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, for $15.5 million to the 481 Thatch Palm Land Trust, with attorney Thomas U. Graner as trustee. Situated on a 0.39-acre non-waterfront lot, the five-bedroom, 8,525-square-foot home was recently completed by SRD Builders. David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties represented the sellers. Michelle Smith of PenderWhite Properties represented the buyer.

***

The Jean C. Marston Revocable Trust, with Jean C. Marston and Benjamin Lee as trustees, along with Benjamin Lee and Jeffrey Lee and Amy Lee, sold the property at 3070 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, for $15.1 million. The new owner is 3070 South Ocean LLC, managed by Antony Hine in Boca Raton. Shelly Newman of the Corcoran Group represented the sellers, while Steven Presson of the Corcoran Group worked with the buyer. Marketed as a land sale, the ocean-to-lake 1.2-acre lot offers 140 feet on the ocean.

***

Sigalit “Siggy” Flicker, formerly a main cast member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and her husband, Michael Campanella, an auto dealer, paid $10.5 million for the home at 443 E. Alexander Palm Road in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club. Axos Bank provided them with a $9.9 million mortgage.

The sellers were trusts that included the Frank P. Diassi 2009 Revocable Trust and the Marianne D. Diassi 2010 Revocable Trust. David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties represented the sellers in the deal, while Joyce Schneider of Castles by the Beach Realty worked with the buyers.

The five-bedroom, 8,246-square-foot home, on a 0.37-acre site along a canal, features a summer kitchen, a pool, a dock and a bar.

Flicker hosted the VH1 series Why Am I Still Single? and was a featured cast member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey from 2016 to 2018.

The late Frank Diassi was an investor and executive in energy and chemical companies.

***

The Boynton Beach Chamber of Industry and Commerce has appointed four member volunteers to new leadership roles. Tammy Sirmons, CEO of Gracefully at Home Caregiving, is the director of new member relations. She will connect new Chamber members with an experienced Chamber member as a mentor for the first six months. Raquel Hernandez, owner of Clutter Crusher, and Bethany Castro, founder of The Stretch Concierge, were named as operations coordinators. Hernandez will support the planning and execution of Chamber events and assist with weekly member communications. Castro will focus on developing and refining best practices for the Chamber’s Ambassador Program and the social media program.

Dennis Paul, founder of Chronic Wellness, is the new chief strategy officer, focusing on initiatives that align with the Chamber’s goals for organizational growth and long-term impact.

Also of note: Roz Kodish, owner of Everything Logo, was named the Chamber’s ambassador of the month for April. Carol Petroski, property manager of Nexus Workspaces Executive Suites and Office Rentals, was named ambassador of the month for May.

***

Robert Loredo was recently named the executive director of Florida Atlantic’s Center for Quantum Technologies. In this role, Loredo will lead the university’s quantum computing efforts. Loredo brings more than two decades of experience in quantum education, curriculum development, and large-scale workforce training initiatives. His appointment, which began on July 1, comes as the university continues to build out its on-campus quantum computing infrastructure in partnership with D-Wave Quantum Inc.

***

Tal Ziv, daughter of developer Noam Ziv, has joined the sales team of Glass House Boca Raton as a sales executive with Douglas Elliman Realty. She has followed the project from its earliest stages. Before earning her real estate license, she worked in engineering and product development positions with GE Aerospace, Sierra Space and Spin Master. She holds a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Purdue University and recently transitioned into luxury real estate.

***

Samuel Cifuentes is now an intern at the nonprofit Institute for Regional Conservation through the Florida Atlantic University School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability Internship Program. Cifuentes, majoring in biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University, is interested in environmental science and ecological restoration. The IRC is a nonprofit dedicated to the protection, restoration and long-term management of ecological diversity.

***

The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County is launching Every Vote Counts!, a nonpartisan campaign of voter registration, education and candidate engagement for the statewide primary on Aug. 18 and the national general election on Nov. 3. Components will include voter registration and education events, VOTE411 voters’ guides, Election Expo, Meet the Candidate forums, Hot Topic luncheons, and how-to handcards. These can be accessed at LWVPBC.org.

***

Eau Resort & Spa presents Red, White & Eau, offering a getaway in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. When reserving two or more nights between now and Sept. 30, guests will receive a $250 resort credit, a custom welcome gift and daily valet parking. To book, call 561-533-6000 or visit eauresortandspa.com/packages/red-white-eau.

***

The Delray Chamber Education Fund is offering local businesses the opportunity to advertise on four highly visible billboards along I-95 exits (Linton Road north, Linton Road south, Congress Avenue north and Congress Avenue south) while helping fund programs and resources for students in all eight Delray Beach public schools serving grades K-12.

For $3,500 per quarter, each business receives billboard advertising that generates more than 1.1 million drive-by impressions every three months.

Every sponsorship helps fund programs benefiting students in STEM and technology programs, arts and cultural enrichment, early literacy initiatives, and wellness and support services, among others. To take part, email Info@Delrayeducation.org.

***

Alina, of Boca Raton, was selected as one of seven luxury residential communities in the country to participate in a new program developed through a collaboration between FirstService Residential and Atelier CX, the consulting division of Forbes Travel Guide. The program is designed to bring hotel-caliber service standards to residential communities through customized service, staff training and workflow assessments focused on consistency, personalization and service excellence.

***

Plastridge Insurance Chairman Emeritus Tom Lynch received the Florida Association of Insurance Agents’ Mitchell Stallings Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lynch served on the citizens board of governors in 2009 and was reappointed in 2011.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Lynch served as mayor of Delray Beach from 1990 to 1996, chairman of the Palm Beach County School Board and the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, on the boards of trustees for both the Delray Beach and Boca Raton Chambers of Commerce, and as a board member of the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County.

Send business news to Christine Davis at davis9797 @gmail.com.

By Patrick Sherry

The Delray Beach City Commission is hitting the brakes on creating an ordinance with safety rules for e-bikes. 

At the commissioners’ meeting on July 14, they agreed to wait until Palm Beach County passes its own ordinance addressing e-bike safety before they move forward with creating their own. Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers passed a bill that created strict regulations for e-bikes statewide. Gov. Ron DeSantis later vetoed the approved legislation. 

Local communities are now considering whether to create their own rules to address safety issues with the growing mode of transportation. 

“If the commission wants to go further, we can either draft our own ordinance … or just wait for the county to adopt theirs,” City Attorney Lynn Gelin said.

Most on the commission wanted to wait until county commissioners pass a countywide ordinance. They believe county rules would create uniformity between different communities and improve enforcement. 

“I personally think we would be best suited to be in alignment with our neighbors,” Commissioner Tom Markert said. 

County commissioners are expected to consider an ordinance on e-bike safety in August. 

By Jane Musgrave

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison wasn’t going to plunk down $35 million to add roughly 2 acres to his 16-acre $173 million estate in Manalpan until he was assured town officials would let him have four tunnels under State Road A1A and wouldn’t balk at other planned improvements.

The 81-year-old billionaire, one of the world’s richest men, got what he wanted on July 14 when town commissioners agreed to waive building codes so Ellison could have a fourth tunnel and could make other improvements, including the construction of what he termed an “engineering building.”

The commission’s approval will spur Ellison to follow through with plans to buy half of a lot immediately north of his estate at 2000 S. Ocean Blvd., said architect Roger Janssen, who represented Ellison. “The property will close within the next month or so,” Janssen told commissioners.

David MacNeil, founder of WeatherTech, in June paid $32 million for the other half of the roughly 4-acre lot that was owned by former Manalapan Mayor Stewart Satter. MacNeil plans to use the land to put a 20,578-square-foot addition onto the 17,558-square-foot house he owns to the north, town records show. When Ellison bought the former Ziff estate in 2022, it had three air-conditioned pedestrian tunnels under A1A. While the town code allows only one tunnel for each property, he was allowed to keep the existing tunnels.

However, the land he agreed to buy from Satter also has a tunnel. He needed assurances he could keep it as well.

Commissioners approved the request and another that allows him to build the engineering building near the Intracoastal Waterway on the land he agreed to buy from Satter.

The Ziff estate has a botanical garden with nearly 1,500 tropical species, a butterfly garden, tree house, swimming pool, tennis court and multiple guest houses. 

City going to rollback? — Boynton Beach property owners will receive preliminary tax bills showing the city plans to keep its tax rate the same — but city commissioners expect the final figure they set in September will reach the lower rollback rate.

Commissioners have said they plan to approve the rollback rate — basically a no-new-taxes rate — that amounts to a 4.1% drop from the current tax rate and would mean a drop of just under $100 in city taxes for a home with a taxable value of $300,000.

The city plans to offset some of that impact on city spending by raising its fire assessment fee $25 for a single-family home, bringing it to $170.

The city’s tentative tax rate is $7.75 for each $1,000 of taxable value. The rollback rate is $7.4257 per $1,000. 

— Larry Barszewski

By Henry Fitzgerald

Menorah and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies. More community events. A waterfront gazebo at Town Hall. Enhanced beach preservation. Various beautification projects. 

At the South Palm Beach Town Council’s visioning workshop held July 21, council members expressed these and other “visions” for the future of their town. 

Ideas ran the gamut, from the long-standing desires to improve Town Hall, repair an aging wastewater lift station, and improve the State Road A1A corridor, to boosting residents’ engagement in town affairs through social media and enhancing public spaces.

Through the entire two-hour discussion, one thing was clear: It’s OK to dream big. 

“These are priorities, specific goals and initiatives we are dedicated to executing for the community,” Mayor Rafael Pineiro said. “This being a workshop, it’s really the only opportunity we have to talk to each other. The whole concept is to be able to have a discussion, an open discussion, so we can build up agreement and have a plan going forward.” 

Overall, Pineiro numbered four areas upon which to start: critical infrastructure, having a transparent government, financial prudence and having an inclusive community.

Not surprisingly, critical infrastructure includes the fate of Town Hall. Pineiro, Vice Mayor Fran Attardi and Council member Adrian Burcet were swept into office in March on the promise of refurbishing Town Hall, in stark contrast to a plan by previous council members to raze it and build a new one. 

Pineiro’s vision echoes the five-point plan on which he ran for office, which includes: stopping Town Hall work and then determining if it can be renovated; building a new master lift station; working with the Florida Department of Transportation to upgrade the sidewalk running along A1A; and working with Florida Power & Light to bury power lines in town. 

These were echoed by other council members, but each also pitched his or her own ideas.

Council member Ray McMillan said when he was elected more than six years ago, his No. 1 thing was “trying to get more greenery, more trees planted,” he said. “And of course the sidewalk problem, which has been chronic for years and years.”

“Regarding the Town Hall, I believe we’ll be able to get where we need to get with the new council members to keep the existing building and be able to resurrect it. I believe we can really make this building work.”

Attardi says she sees South Palm Beach in five years as one of the most welcoming, engaged and desirable coastal communities in Palm Beach County. 

“I want us to be known not only for our beautiful location, but for our strong sense of community, transparent government and exceptional quality of life,” she said. “I want South Palm Beach to be a town where people feel connected to their neighbors, participate in town events and take pride in being part of the community.”

Additionally, she said she’d like to establish annual traditions such as holiday celebrations, pet-focused events and community gatherings. 

“Let’s have something for lighting a menorah, putting up a Christmas tree, or a Halloween event where we get our local businesses involved,” she said.

Council member Sandra Beckett said her priorities are the lift station and Town Hall renovations, but she doesn’t want to forget about budget priorities, especially if the state property tax amendment passes in November and affects the town. 

“We need to consider the impact, and we may need to modify and revise some things later if that passes,” she said. “Considering that, it’s important for us to be cautious with funding additional projects that would be very expensive. A huge priority is for us to continue to monitor and manage our monies responsibly.”

For Burcet, he wants the town to focus on environmental stewardship such as protecting coastal areas and the beaches.

“We should also focus on the amount of litter on the beach,” he said. “We all enjoy our beaches, but I’m seeing cans, I’m seeing cigarette butts. We’re a nesting area for sea turtles, so it’s very important that we work together to upkeep our beaches and protect our wildlife as much as we can.”

Plans for a few of these items on the wish list have already been put in motion. The town plans to launch an updated website soon, and preliminary meetings and discussions are already taking place for Town Hall, the lift station, the sidewalk and burying the power lines. 

“We believe that if we fix critical infrastructure, if we practice financial prudence, if we ensure a transparent government, then that protects and enhances the quality of our lives,” Pineiro said. “As an outcome, we inherently drive up property values and ensure South Palm Beach remains a premier residential community in the Palm Beaches.” 

South Palm Beach officials are discussing changing the Town Council meeting time from 2 p.m. to a later time of day. 

The potential move, they said at a July 21 workshop, will help make it easier for people in the town who work to attend the meetings and may even make it more appealing for residents who might consider running for office. 

South Palm Beach has historically held meetings at night, Mayor Rafael Pineiro said. From 1955 to 1969, they were held at 8 or 8:30 p.m. From 1970 to 2010, they were held at 7:30, and from 2010 to 2020, they were held at 7. The time was changed to 4 p.m. in 2020 during COVID-19, then to 2 p.m. in 2023 to accommodate board presidents and condo managers.

“When I was campaigning, this came up at every one of the meetings we had with people: What many people wanted was to move the meetings to later,” Pineiro said. 

As council members were unable to vote on the issue at the workshop, they chose to bring it up for more discussion and a possible vote at a future meeting.                          

— Henry Fitzgerald

Grants sought for lift station — The South Palm Beach Town Council passed a resolution on July 14 to allow for a grant application to Resilient Florida for a new wastewater lift station. Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said the grant would provide $2.5 million in funds, roughly half the total cost of the project.

Titcomb also said that the town is having conversations with lobbyists in Washington D.C. to try to secure federal grants. He said that if things went right on that front, the project could potentially see a full reimbursement over multiple years. 

Town affirms waterfront permitting powers — The council passed a resolution that affirms the town’s permitting jurisdiction over docks, sea walls, piers and other waterfront structures within its boundaries. 

“This resolution reinforces our home-rule powers and commitment to processing these permits locally,” Mayor Rafael Pineiro said. “Which will allow our friends from Brittany, Concordia ... to proceed with their dock projects.”

A related ordinance was also read after the council passed the resolution to codify the process in which licenses would be granted. The ordinance passed on first reading.

Sea wall markings update — A public safety ordinance announced in June was given tentative approval at the July 14 council meeting. The ordinance would require condominiums facing the ocean to be marked with their address numbers to make it easier for emergency services to accurately locate beach emergencies.

Updated sheriff’s contract approved — The council approved a new contract with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office. The new $1.2 million contract is a 3% increase from the current year. The agreement is for the fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1. 

— Robert Haughn