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.”

    There are two commission seats to be filled in Highland Beach in this election. Barry Donaldson and Rhonda Zelniker are running for the three-year seat, while Melissa Ebbs, Carl Lee Gehman and Elyse Riesa are running for the two-year seat.

Profiles compiled by Steven J. Smith

Three-year term

Barry Donaldson
    Personal: 67; graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in architecture; 15-year resident of Highland Beach; married, two children.

    Professional: Architect with his own firm, Donaldson Group Architects, which he formed in 1989.

    Political experience: Chair of the Board of Adjustment and Appeals for four years.

    Positions on issues: Work with the DOT on flooding on A1A; bike safety; traffic density on the turn lane for Linton Boulevard; advocate for A1A walkway improvement and wants to see it expanded into a linear park; wants Milani Park put back into the control of Highland Beach; wants to acquire additional property for future needs of the town; volunteer boards need to strengthen their criteria for appointments; more support for Friends of the Library; advocates Private Art in Public View, a project to elevate town’s status and visibility.

    Quote: “Over the next three years, the Town Commission is going to be asking the residents to consider various issues affecting green space, planning, zoning, code enforcement. My question is why would you not want an architect on the Town Commission representing your best interests in those discussions?”

Rhoda Zelniker
(incumbent)
    Personal: 70; attended Hofstra University; resident of Highland Beach for 17 years; married, two children, five grandchildren.

    Professional: Worked for 25 years in the corporate furniture industry with managerial experience including budgeting and finance, operations management, showroom design, personnel and public relations.

    Political experience: Two and a half years as Highland Beach town commissioner; president of the Regency Highland Condo Association Board.

    Positions on issues: Keeping taxes and millage rates low; wants town services improved; supports a line item budget review; pushed for the water-sewer project; supports code enforcement; concerned with flooding on A1A; advocates for improved roads, bike paths and crosswalk lighting; wants to preserve green space.

    Quote: “I would like to see the inclusion of more people in the political process. I stand for voter input and the right of our residents to be heard. I would like to have more old-fashioned town meetings in accessible places within the community, where residents can tell us the issues and problems they have.”

Two-year term

Melissa Ebbs
    Personal: 36; graduated from the University of Miami and the University of London, where she received a bachelor’s degree in surgery and her M.D.; 31-year resident of Highland Beach; married, no children.

    Professional: Internist practicing only in London, England, several weeks a year.

    Political experience: None, but has served as a member of the Highland Beach Code Enforcement Board.

    Positions on issues: Protecting green spaces; ensuring safety; wants to be involved in the upcoming streetscape project; maintaining financial stability; wants to introduce more community events; wants to organize health seminars at the library; wants to keep beaches and coastal waterways beautiful.

    Quote: “I’m passionate about preserving our beautiful town. I want to engage with the community and address the needs of its residents. I also want to improve communication between the residents and Town Hall, which has been pretty poor.”

Carl Lee Gehman
    Personal: 68; attended two years of Lancaster Business School, Lancaster, Pa.; four-year resident of Highland Beach; married; four children, seven grandchildren.

    Professional: Served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam (Purple Heart); was a sales and marketing manager for 30 years; invented and currently markets the Roller Tanner, a device used to apply oils, creams, medications and cleaning agents.

    Political experience: None, but served as president of Highland Beach Villas Homeowners Association from 2014-2016; member of the Code Enforcement Board from 2015-present.

    Positions on issues: Maintaining pristine beaches, walkways, seascape; wants to buy back Milani Park from Palm Beach County.

    Quote: “We have the most beautiful town in America and I want to give back to the community and be the voice of Highland Beach. I want Highland Beach to be one of the most fun and enjoyable towns to live in. I want to preserve our seascape and shores and protect our wildlife.”

Elyse Riesa
    Personal: 65; graduated from Queens College with a bachelor’s degree in education and got her master’s degree from George Washington University in government program management; 10-year resident of Highland Beach; married with two children.

    Professional: Managing director and global vice president for AT&T (1972-2001); vice president of sales and development for CableOrganizer (2001-2007); CEO of Value Tech Supply (2007-2012).

    Political experience: None, but was a member of the Beaches and Shores Advisory Board from 2011-2015. Member of the Planning Board.

    Positions on issues: Preserving Highland Beach quality of life; maintaining beautification and continuing streetscape projects; advocates beach cleanup efforts; supports code enforcement; wants to maintain low tax base in effect for last two years.

    Quote: “I have been the team leader of the town’s Community Emergency Response Team since its inception and have attended commission meetings regularly. I’m a strong advocate for continuing to advance town policies of lowering taxes and increasing services to its residents, including beautification of its walkways and promoting cleaner beaches.”

By Rich Pollack

    HIGHLAND BEACH — Lou Stern loved making a difference.
    A Highland Beach town commissioner when he died Feb. 8 at 82, Mr. Stern was someone residents called on when they needed a friend in their corner.
    “Lou fought for residents and he fought for the town,” said his wife of 54 years, Carol. “He loved being a commissioner in Highland Beach, he absolutely loved it.”
    Along with being an advocate for individuals, Mr. Stern was a strong advocate for causes in which he believed.
    For 36 years, he served on the board of the National Council for Adoption, an organization serving as a national voice for adoption concerns, working on behalf of children, adoptive parents and birth parents.
    The father of an adopted son, Mr. Stern served as chairman of the organization’s board five times for a total of 13 years and was the only person to receive three of the organization’s highest honors. The last of those honors, and the one of which he was proudest, was the Ruby Lee Piester Adoption Award, a lifetime-achievement recognition presented to him and Carol in November 2015.
    A man who earned a reputation for being the voice of reason, Mr. Stern became involved in Highland Beach soon after he and his family moved here in 1997 from Philadelphia, where he had been a manufacturers’ representative for several jewelry lines.  He was active in his small homeowner association in the Camino Cove community, serving for many years as its president, and first got involved in local government when drafted by then-Commissioner Doris Trinley to apply for a position on the town’s Planning Board.
    Mr. Stern served on that board for six years, becoming its chairman. After being forced to leave due to term limits, he made an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the Town Commission, losing to Dennis Sheridan. The two would later become close friends. In 2012 he tried again and won. He was re-elected in 2015 without opposition.
    “Lou loved being involved in the community,” Carol Stern said. “He had good ideas and people listened to them.”
    Though he served on the commission during some tumultuous times, Mr. Stern fought for civility and unity.
    “He was kind, generous and straightforward,” his wife said. “He liked to laugh and he was just fun to be around.”
    In addition to his work with the town, Mr. Stern was active in the local Republican Party.
    He drew praise from fellow commissioners, who are making plans to honor his memory. Ideas being discussed include putting his name on a bench near his home and creating a collage of photos to be placed in Town Hall.  
    “Lou did a lot of constructive things for the town,” Commissioner Carl Feldman said. “He was just a great guy and we all loved him.”  
    In addition to his wife, Mr. Stern is survived by two children, Lawrence Stern and Natalie Kolton; a granddaughter, Danielle Kolton; and a sister, Sally Epstein-Piccone.
    In lieu of flowers, make a donation to the National Council for Adoption, 225 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 or to a charity of your choice.

By Emily J. Minor

    BOCA RATON — Dr. Stela Tudoran, a longtime ear, nose and throat doctor in Boca Raton who began her career in the United States after escaping communist Romania with her 4-year-old daughter in 1968, died Feb. 20 after a brief illness. She was 81.
    Born Dec. 5, 1935, in Arad, Romania — close to the eastern border of the former Yugoslavia — Dr. Tudoran practiced medicine under the Communist Party in Romania before packing very few belongings, taking her little girl and escaping with doctored papers into what is today Serbia.
    Her husband, Gregory, joined them in Italy a few weeks later after hatching his own dangerous escape plan.
    At the time of her death, the couple had been married 54 years.
    “She was a very strong woman,” Gregory Tudoran said. “She had courage to go through such danger.”
    For Daniela Tudoran, today a dentist in Boca Raton, that mother-daughter journey almost 50 years ago has always been part memories, part family lore.
    “I do remember her praying and praying,” she said.
    According to daughter and father, Dr. Tudoran and Daniela traveled as another man’s wife and daughter — altering the photos and stamps on the family’s non-Romanian passport to look as though they were a family. Daniela, of course, was too young to realize she should not speak. Not one word.
    Her Romanian jabbering would have blown their cover.
    So her mother gave her a sleeping pill.  “[Stela] was so worried because [Daniela] slept for so long,” remembers Gregory Tudoran.
    As it turned out, when it was their turn to be questioned, a skirmish with other travelers diverted the guard’s attention and Dr. Tudoran and Daniela slipped through without questioning. Gregory Tudoran said his wife always believed that stroke of luck was God’s work.
    Once in the U.S., the family settled in Chicago while Dr. Tudoran worked on her American medical training and residency.
    In 1976, after visiting Florida, the couple opened her medical practice in Boca Raton. Except for a short time in Pompano Beach, they’ve always lived in Boca Raton.
    Daniela Tudoran said she remembers the professional challenges her mother faced when she joined the local hospital staffs in those early years.
    “She had to change in the nurse’s room,” Daniela Tudoran said. “She was a foreigner. She had an accent. And she was a woman.
    “People weren’t always very nice to her.” But her patients were devoted, and they loved her, Daniela Tudoran said. Although she stopped doing surgery about 10 years ago, she was still seeing patients, her husband said.
    In addition to Dr. Tudoran’s husband and daughter, a son-in-law and four grandchildren survive her. Daniela Tudoran said the only thing her mother loved more than her patients were her grandchildren.
    Services were Feb. 25. She was interred at Boca Raton Cemetery & Mausoleum.
    The family asks that memorial donations be given to First Care Women’s Center, 3965 Jog Road, Lake Worth, FL 33467 or Boca Raton Community Church, Romanian Missions, 470 NW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton, FL 33432.

By Sallie James

    The hot-button issue of building height and how it affects residents who live on the barrier island near East Palmetto Park Road is cooling off.
    City Council members at their meeting Feb. 28 approved an amendment that establishes a 30-foot height limit on future construction in the area’s business district east of the Intracoastal Waterway and adjacent to East Palmetto Park Road. The amendment was crafted to quell residents’ fears that towering new buildings would mar the area’s unique ambiance.
    Specifically, the 30-foot height limit would apply to all structures east of the Intracoastal Waterway. Buildings west of the Intracoastal could rise to a maximum height of 50 feet if city officials determine the additional height is “not injurious” to surrounding property.
    The amendment was approved about three months after plans for the Chabad of East Boca to build a sprawling orthodox synagogue and museum in the area were halted in the wake of a series of court rulings. Height was a hotly contested aspect of the proposed worship center and museum.
    The synagogue/museum project came to a grinding halt after the 4th District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach declined to hear an appeal to allow the proposed 18,000-square-foot project, at 770 E. Palmetto Park Road. Chabad of East Boca had filed the appeal after a lower court in June ruled the city erred in allowing the project because zoning in the area did not permit a museum.
    Residents on the barrier island protested the synagogue and museum because of the project’s size, parking concerns, and proposed height, nearly 41 feet.
    The newly approved height limits along East Palmetto Park Road were established to eliminate similar conflicts in the future.
“This is sort of a very resident-friendly amendment to the ordinance,” said Glenn Gromann, a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board, which also reviewed and recommended the height amendment.
    Resident Kevin Meaney was thrilled with the city’s action.
    “I live on the barrier island and my main concern is the barrier island and the homes adjacent to the B-1 [zoning]. I would like to support this being passed to protect those residents on either side of the road,” Meaney said.
    “We’ve come a long way,” he said at the Feb. 28 meeting.

Beachgoers walk by dredging equipment on South Beach Park. The beach renourishment project

between the Boca Raton Inlet and Red Reef Park has resumed after a nine-month hiatus.

Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

    City officials hope to move sand that has shoaled in the Boca Raton Inlet back north to the partially renourished beach it came from, but Hillsboro Beach officials claim the state mistakenly issued a permit for the work.   
    The town, just south of Deerfield Beach in Broward County, says Boca Raton’s plan will disrupt the natural flow of sand south and wants the Department of Environmental Protection to revoke its approval.
    Boca Raton City Council members at their Feb. 14 meeting approved spending $2.4 million to move 80,000 cubic yards of sand north to the renourishment area between the inlet and Red Reef Park, and 100,000 cubic yards south between the inlet and the Broward County line.
    City Manager Leif Ahnell asked council members to waive normal purchasing procedures so he could hire Weeks Marine Inc. to do the inlet dredging without going out to bid. Weeks returned in February to finish the central beach renourishment project it started in March 2016 but stopped in late April. The city’s permit does not allow dredging between May 1 and Nov. 30 to protect nesting sea turtles.
    “This is not original work intended for the contractor,” Ahnell said. “Sand has flowed down from the central beach project to the inlet and this is to remove a large portion of that.”
    Hurricane Matthew contributed to the erosion, he said.
    Councilman Scott Singer elaborated.
    “So, it’s right to say that we had sand fill up in the inlet faster than expected, we’re taking steps to remediate that quicker than expected, we have to spend more money and that was all because of weather events and the waves and tides pushing sand where we didn’t expect it,” Singer said.
    The central beach renourishment will cost about $11.3 million. The state and county will pay about $4 million. The city and the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District agreed to split the remainder, about $3.7 million each. The project will make about 1.45 miles of beach between Red Reef Park and the inlet 170 feet wider.
    Jennifer Bistyga, the city’s coastal program manager, said Weeks would finish the 2015 renourishment project first, then work on the inlet shoaling provided the DEP permit stands. All work must end April 30.
    Boaters have been complaining since last summer about the Boca Inlet being dangerously shallow.
    “The use of the ebb shoal for beach renourishment aids the boaters in addition to renourishing the beaches,” Bistyga said.
    Ken Oertel, a Tallahassee-based attorney for Hillsboro Beach, told that town’s commissioners their protest would stop Boca Raton from moving the sand dredged from the inlet north.
    “It’s pretty well-known that Hillsboro Beach doesn’t believe Boca Raton is passing enough sand,” Oertel said.
    The Department of Environmental Protection dismissed Hillsboro Beach’s petition on Feb. 23 but gave the town 15 days to refile its challenge. The petition did not explain how Boca Raton’s proposed dredging would affect the town’s environmental interests, the DEP said.

By Steve Plunkett

    The sale of the Ocean Breeze golf course to the public and the addition of more sports fields at De Hoernle Park have official blessings from the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District and the City Council.
    Meeting together for the first time in 21 months, council members told district commissioners they support negotiating with Lennar Inc. to buy the golf course, which is inside city limits and surrounded by the Boca Teeca condominium complex.
    “This is a deal that the city and the district will not pass up,” Beach & Park District Commission Chairman Robert Rollins said.
    The two boards also agreed to move forward on building more grass fields at city-owned De Hoernle. The district will pay all construction and maintenance costs.
    But at the council’s regular meeting following the joint session, Council member Jeremy Rodgers said he wanted to replace one of the proposed soccer-sized sports fields with four beach volleyball courts with a shelter and restroom. Council member Scott Singer said the park also needs a lighted pickleball court.
    The two boards will meet again April 24 to decide how much to offer Lennar for its golf course.