Manufactured panels untested against storm surge, council hears

The proposed two-story South Palm Beach Town Hall is about 11,000 square feet. A consultant told council members that making it smaller would require another design on a project the town has been studying for almost 10 years BELOW: A side view of the planned Town Hall. Renderings provided

By Jane Musgrave 

When South Palm Beach Town Council members began imagining what a new Town Hall would look like, they agreed they wanted an eye-catching building constructed with energy-saving pre-fabricated panels.

After spending more than three years hashing out various details of the estimated $6.5 million project, they learned last month that their two goals were incompatible thanks, in part, to rising sea levels.

“It’s a beautiful building, but it doesn’t lend itself to typical SIPS construction,” architect Joe Barry told the council on Oct. 14, using the acronym for structural insulated panels.

Council members agreed with Barry’s assessment of the nearly 11,000-square-foot art-deco-style building that will feature large half-circle windows, curved corners and a flat roof.

“The building is absolutely gorgeous,” Vice Mayor Monte Berendes said.

They also agreed that neither money nor time would be saved by using the panels. They opted instead to use traditional reinforced masonry and poured concrete for the building that could be completed in early 2028.

That timeline could change if the council at its November meeting opts to send Barry and his team at the Fort Lauderdale-based CPZ Architects back to the drawing board to reduce the size of the building.

Echoing the sentiments of many town residents, Berendes again questioned whether the town really needs an 11,000-square-foot headquarters when its current building is just 7,000 square feet.

“It’s very large and I would like to look at the costs,” Berendes said. “From 7 to 11 is an awful lot. I see us in the 9 to 9½ range.”

Barry warned that shaving some 2,000 square feet off the building would require a “significant” redesign. Still, he agreed to calculate the costs of the additional work for the council’s consideration.

Already, his firm crunched the numbers to determine whether the SIPS construction was feasible and cost effective.

One of the problems with using the panels is that they haven’t been tested to determine how they hold up against storm surge from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, Barry said.

“There’s no way to know how these panels will perform in those conditions,” he said. 

That would mean the panels could only be used on the second floor — and because of the large windows, their use on the second floor would be limited. The panels typically are used on buildings with conventional rectangular windows, he said.

Estimates his team made showed that the building would cost about $6.41 million if built out of mortar and poured concrete, about $70,000 less than if the panels were used. Any time saved by using the panels would be minimal at best, Barry said.

Rising sea levels also forced the council to reconfigure the office space in the building. To comply with FEMA regulations, the first floor of the building would have to be about 7 feet higher than the existing one, Barry said.

However, if no offices are located on the first floor, it could be just 4 feet higher than the current Town Hall. That would make it more accessible and slightly less expensive, he said. 

The council agreed to move the office for the Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies to the second floor with other town offices, meeting rooms and the council chambers. The first floor would be used for parking, storage, a small lobby and a cafe.

While hopeful that the building size and cost could be shrunk, Berendes said he can live with the building as currently designed. “If we can’t, I think we’re OK,” he said.

Earlier this year, the council shaved about $1 million off the project cost by eliminating a proposed third story that would have added about 1,700 square feet of space.

Town Manager Jamie Titcomb reminded the council that the building will be part of the town for decades. It’s important to build for the town’s future growth, he said.

“If we build it, we will fill it and use it,” he said. 

South Palm Beach Town Hall timeline

1976: South Palm Beach’s current Town Hall is built as a public safety building. It contains 3,320 square feet.

1993: A 1,354-square-foot expansion is completed, allowing town offices and town meetings to be moved to the building from the fire station.

1996: A second, 2,016-square-foot expansion is finished, bringing the building to its current 6,690-square-foot size.

2016: The Town Council hires Alexis Knight Architects with a $50,000 contract to study the building and the town’s needs.

2017: Alexis Knight Architects proposes a $6 million plan to replace Town Hall with a five-story structure. The council unanimously rejects the plan as too extravagant and costly.

2018: North Palm Beach architect John Bellamy, hired to advise the town for $5,000, recommends ’adaptive reuse’ of the building. He said despite many of the building problems that were uncovered in the Alexis Knight report, the building can be upgraded and repaired.

2020: The council decides to focus on the Bellamy report, but the pandemic scuttles the town’s efforts.

2021: The council reconsiders whether to renovate or rebuild. In October, the council hires the Synalovski Romanik Saye architectural firm with a $63,000 contract to do a feasibility study.

2022: Synalovski Romanik Saye presents a $6.5 million design proposal. A few months later, Mayor Bonnie Fischer shows off an alternative construction material — SIPS, or structural insulated panels — that she saw during a trip to Georgia. Fischer said the SIPS construction method would cost only about $2 million — leading the town to change its focus to the new construction style.
Later in the year, the council launches another round of solicitations and selects yet another design firm, Slattery & Associates. But at its next meeting, the council tables consideration of the $15,000 contract so staff could do more research on the firm’s capacity to design a SIPS structure.

2023: The town puts out a new design bid for a SIPS building and only one company responds, leading the council in October to order two new requests for bids — one for designing and building the project and the other for hiring a representative to oversee the construction.

2024: The council signs a design contract with CPZ Architects of Fort Lauderdale for a SIPS structure, after four months of fruitless negotiations with Moonlight Architecture of Cincinnati, which was the council’s first choice. The town seeks a $4 million budget, which CPZ says will force the building’s size down from a proposed 10,000 square feet to about 7,000-7,500 square feet.

2025: CPZ Architects present options for a two- or three-story building, with a cost estimated in February at $6 million for the two-story structure and $7 million for the three-story one. The architects tell officials using SIPS construction will not produce substantial savings and hasn’t been tested in storm surge situations, leading to the council’s October decision to go with a two-story building using traditional construction methods.

By Jane Musgrave 

When a Tallahassee-based state appellate court in September ruled that Florida’s 1987 prohibition on openly carrying firearms was unconstitutional, gun rights activists cheered.

But even though open carry became the law of the state on Sept. 25 after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier refused to challenge the decision, there remain few places where gun owners can publicly exercise what they — and now the courts — have said is their Second Amendment right.

“It’s important to know that the open and concealed carrying of firearms remains restricted in numerous places,” Boca Raton police officer Jose Martinez said in a Facebook video, explaining the far-flung limitations.

Explaining that it is a “founding belief” to follow all laws, Publix is one of the few major retailers that said it would allow customers to carry firearms. Winn-Dixie, Walmart, Costco, Target and Trader Joe’s are among the vast majority of big retailers that said they would not allow guns to be carried in their stores.

Firearms will also remain off-limits in city, county, state and federal government buildings, including during public meetings. 

It is still illegal to carry guns in police departments, jails, courthouses, polling places, airport terminals and schools, from elementary through college, including at athletic events. That prohibition extends to professional sports. Bars, including bar areas in restaurants, remain gun-free zones.

Private landowners also continue to have the right to ban firearms. Homeowners associations can vote to prohibit the open carrying of guns at meetings and in common areas, like clubhouses. 

Likewise, the owners of banks, office buildings, shops, amusement centers, museums, places of worship and golf courses can prohibit people from carrying firearms and have violators charged with trespassing.

In the video, Martinez said basic rules remain in place. People must be at least 21 years old to purchase a firearm and over the age of 18 to possess one. Further, those with felony convictions or people who have been stripped of their ability to possess firearms by court order remain unable to carry guns in public. 

A special election to fill the seat of former state Rep. Mike Caruso will be held March 24, four days after the Florida Legislature is scheduled to adjourn for 2026. In setting the timetable, Gov. Ron DeSantis also said a primary election for the House District 87 seat would take place Jan. 13.

District 87 includes most of Manalapan, the eastern part of Lantana, plus South Palm Beach and points north to Juno Beach.

The governor picked Caruso, a Republican, to be Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller in August, after then-Clerk Joseph Abruzzo was hired as county administrator.

Announced candidates for District 87 include two Republicans — Lake Clarke Shores Council member Jon Maples and real estate agent Gretchen Miller Feng — and two Democrats: small-business owner Emily Gregory and comedian Laura Levites.

— Steve Plunkett

By John Pacenti

Ocean Ridge commissioners passed the town’s new $14.8 million operating budget smoothly — a contrast to recent years, when elected officials clashed with the town manager and the math didn’t add up.

Now Ocean Ridge is in the era of Michelle Heiser, the new town manager brought on in May. 

The budget approved Sept. 15, though, is hefty by Ocean Ridge standards, representing a 9.6% increase over the fiscal year 2025 budget. It is also more than $1 million higher than what Heiser originally proposed back in July.

The budget includes $4.36 million allocated for capital projects, with a notable focus on infrastructure improvements. These include potential design and construction of changes to the town’s aging water pipe system in the southern part of town to address hydrant-related challenges.

All this will be done with 4.7% less revenue, in part because of the sunsetting of a local sales tax initiative that expires in December, Heiser said. Gov. Ron DeSantis also vetoed a $600,000 state grant for the town’s water main replacement program.

Operating expenses have increased by 7%, driven by contract obligations, insurance costs and utility expenses. 

Which brings us to property taxes — the money coming directly from residents. Let’s play good news, bad news.

The good news is that the tax rate is staying the same, at $5.40 per $1,000 of taxable property value. The town is using almost $2 million from its reserves to balance the budget and cover the added capital projects.

The bad news is that residents’ taxes are still going up, thanks to a 10.14% increase in property values.

Homesteaded properties aren’t seeing more than a 3% increase thanks to the Save Our Homes state law. The increase for commercial properties and non-homesteaded residential properties is capped at 10%.

Heiser said the extra $1 million added to the budget from estimates in July is due to the commission’s decision to address the water main issue and an emergency caused by poor hydrant pressure along State Road A1A from Ocean Avenue south to Thompson Street.

In July, she said, a $13.3 million budget estimate for 2025-2026 fiscal year reflected that the town was just going to design what is called Phase 4 of the project, but now shovels will pierce the ground in January. 

By John Pacenti

Delray Beach Vice Mayor Rob Long proposed a charter amendment that would restore a four-vote supermajority requirement for removing the city manager, potentially returning to a governance model the city abandoned years ago.

Long argued at the City Commission’s Oct. 14 meeting that the current three-vote simple majority standard has led to organizational instability and a “revolving door” for the city manager. He suggested putting the issue decision directly to voters in the March 2026 election.

“Delray Beach ran best when removing a charter officer took a consensus, not a faction,” Long told his colleagues.

He incorrectly noted that neighboring cities like Boynton Beach already use a supermajority standard. A charter review committee in Boynton Beach has recommended requiring a supermajority when hiring or firing the city manager or city attorney, but no decision has been made on whether to put a charter amendment proposing such a change on that city’s March 10 election ballot.

Long emphasized his proposed amendment would not shield current staff from accountability but would force a broader consensus before city leadership would be destabilized. The final decision would ultimately rest with Delray Beach voters.

The proposed charter amendment is expected to be reviewed in upcoming commission meetings, with potential placement on the March 2026 ballot.

The commission reached a consensus to direct staff to draft the amendment language, with Mayor Tom Carney and other commissioners expressing support for exploring the change. The proposal would require four votes instead of three to remove top city officials hired by the commission.

However, Commissioner Juli Casale brought the issue back up at the commission’s Oct. 21 meeting, saying Carney and Long misrepresented that other cities in Palm Beach County have a supermajority requirement. 

Both Long and Carney interrupted Casale repeatedly as she tried to address the issue, noting City Manager Terrence Moore’s recent uneven evaluation and the reason that voters got rid of the supermajority in August 2014.

At that time, City Manager Louie Chapman Jr. was found by the Palm Beach County Inspector General to have misled the commission about a $60,000 trash bin purchase made without the commission’s consent. 

Chapman was suspended for 90 days, but the commission could not fire Chapman under the supermajority rule because two commissioners stood by the embattled city manager. Delray Beach taxpayers ended up having to pay Chapman nearly $70,000 in a buyout settlement.

Carney did say that at the previous meeting, some statements were made “without a lot of basis in fact.” He said the issue will be put on the Nov. 4 agenda for discussion. “We will have a very lively conversation,” he said.

Casale, after the meeting, said she didn’t know why the commission is trying to address an issue decided by voters 11 years ago. “Especially now, when our current city manager is so challenged. Residents shouldn’t be stuck with a failing city manager,” she said. 

City manager changes

Here is a look at what’s happened with city managers hired in Delray Beach since voters in 2014 approved a charter amendment lowering the number of commissioners needed to fire a city manager from four to three.

Don Cooper: Started on Jan. 1, 2015; resigned for family reasons on Dec. 30, 2016.

Mark Lauzier: Started on Nov. 6, 2017; fired on 5-0 vote on March 1, 2019.

George Gretsas: Started on Jan. 6, 2020; fired on 3-2 vote on Nov. 20, 2020.

Terrence Moore (current city manager): Started on Aug. 2, 2021. 

Summer construction anticipated as county, town end long feud

By Rich Pollack

The decades-long battle between Highland Beach and Palm Beach County over development of Milani Park could be ending thanks to a compromise reducing the initial number of parking spots — with the county planning to put shovels in the ground as early as next summer for the $8.6 million project.

The town and the county have squared off for almost 40 years as the town fought to stave off the 5.6-acre park straddling State Road A1A at its south end with everything from legal action to residents packing a County Commission meeting.

In September, however, County Commissioner Marci Woodward and County Administrator Joe Abruzzo met with Highland Beach Mayor Natasha Moore and Town Manager Marshall Labadie and came up with a plan to address one of the most contentious concerns: too many parking spaces on the park’s west side.

While county leaders’ hands were tied by a 2010 settlement agreement that requires 100 parking spots on that side of A1A, the county and town leaders agreed to the installation of just 46 spaces in the park’s first phase of construction. The remaining 54 spaces would be part of a second phase that’s left up in the air to a time to be determined by the county.

“This agreement appears to be bringing a resolution to a decades-long battle between the county and the town,” said Woodward, whose commission district includes Highland Beach. “It is a collaborative agreement to bring the most palatable option for a small, peaceful park in a small, peaceful town.”

The agreement signals what could be the end of Highland Beach’s long effort to prevent the property — which the Milani family in 1987 sold to the county for $3.9 million — from becoming a park.

The town, since being notified in the summer of 2023 of the county’s plans to move forward with park construction, stepped up its efforts to stop the park, hiring consultants and lawyers and even proposing the county sell the property for housing development.

An acceptable compromise
Moore, however, said it became clear at some point that the county was not going to halt plans to move forward and that reaching a compromise on the number of parking spaces was a step in the right direction.

“It’s the best outcome we could get based on the circumstances,” she said. “Continuing to battle was a frivolous endeavor.”

Labadie sees the reduction in the number of parking spaces as an acceptable compromise.

“Nobody wants the park, but a parking lot with less spaces is more palatable,” he said.

The idea of compromising on the number of parking spots was not new when county and town leaders met in September and agreed on the 46 spots.

A similar compromise was first proposed in 2022 by then-Mayor Doug Hillman and it was once again brought up by Woodward in 2024 when she heard from residents in a contentious meeting.

It was shelved, she said, after town leaders passed a resolution opposing any park.

After hearing at a recent meeting from residents — including members of the Milani family, who asked for less parking — Woodward went back to county staff to see if a compromise on the number of spaces was feasible.

“The parking has always been the most contentious part of this,” she said.

Less parking, less traffic?
The challenge facing the staff was to find a way to reduce parking without having to reopen the 2010 settlement agreement, which contains more than 40 conditions agreed to by both the county and the town.

The plan the staff came up with includes green space on the western portion of the parking area.

“It’s going to be a large grassy area,” Woodward said. “It will be open space with trees all around it.”

Of the 46 parking spaces, four will be for people with disabilities, four will be for staff and 38 will be for general parking.

Ron Reame, on the board of Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina, which borders the park property, believes some of the area’s outspoken residents might find the reduced number of parking spots acceptable.

“I think this could quiet the turmoil to some degree,” he said. “This solution is certainly more palatable to the residents of Boca Highland.”

Reducing the number of parking spots initially, Woodard said, makes sense since there’s still no way of knowing how much use the park will get.

“Our parks people say that they think 46 spaces will be enough but we just don’t know,” she said.

Labadie says he believes reducing the number of parking spaces could address another concern of residents: traffic.

“One could reasonably deduce that less parking will mean less traffic,” he said.

Park design almost done
Moore said that as the fight to stop a park dragged on, it became clear that the county was not going to relent.

“There was a certain point where there was no opportunity to avoid a park,” she said. “It then became a question of how do we collaborate and cooperate.”

The mayor said that she and a few residents were brought in by Woodward to look at early designs and provide feedback.

“It was important that we were at least involved in the planning,” she said, adding that one of the upsides to the process has been an improved relationship between leaders of the two governments.

Woodward said that the County Commission has approved the budget for the park and that the design of both the west and east sides is almost done.

She said plans are for the heaviest of the construction to be in the summer when fewer residents are in town. She also sees the current plans as helping to preserve the east side of the park’s historical and archeological significance.

“The park is still going to happen, and I believe this will be even better for the residents of Highland Beach,” Woodward said.

Delray Beach Vice Mayor Rob Long has proposed allowing community groups to post “Know Your Rights” flyers on city bulletin boards, providing Constitutional information for residents potentially confronted by federal immigration officers.

Long, discussing the initiative during the Oct. 14 City Commission meeting, said the one-page flyer from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center offers five basic Constitutional reminders and is available in multiple languages. He said he got the flyer from Florida Rising, a statewide voting rights and grassroots organizing group, after meeting with Haitian-American community leaders.

After confirming with the city attorney that these flyers can be legally posted on city community bulletin boards, Long emphasized the importance of providing accurate, neutral information to residents.

“This is a simple public service step allowing advocacy groups to share accurate information about Constitutional rights that apply to everyone, regardless of immigration status,” Long said.

Long noted the proposal comes in response to increased federal and state enforcement actions in Florida this year, which have created anxiety among local immigrant communities.

Long stressed that the flyers are informational and nonpartisan, designed to ensure residents understand their basic Constitutional protections when interacting with immigration authorities.

The initiative aims to provide accessible, clear information to help residents feel more informed and secure, regardless of their immigration status.

— John Pacenti

Related: Along the Coast: Scenes from big surge 

By Rich Pollack and Mary Hladky

More than 7 inches of rain soaked Palm Beach County’s southern coast in just four hours overnight Oct. 26, stranding motorists, flooding the lobby of The Boca Raton luxury resort and sending Boca Raton first responders to as many as 100 calls for help throughout the city.

The Boca Raton Airport was shut down for more than seven hours beginning at 11:30 p.m. Oct. 26 as crews scoured the property to ensure it was clear of any water and debris so the aircraft operations could resume safely. The airport reopened at 7 a.m. the next day.

Boca Raton police said they received calls from stranded motorists — some needing rescue from their vehicles. City officials estimated more than 80 cars flooded. One car reportedly stalled out on the Camino Real bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. No serious injuries were reported.

In Highland Beach, fire rescue crews and police officers also responded to several reports of disabled vehicles.
In the Por La Mar section of coastal Boca Raton, standing water on Northeast Wavecrest Way remained ankle deep in the morning of Oct. 27, several hours after the rain had halted.

“It was unpassable,” said Katie Barr MacDougall, president of the Riviera Civic Association, which includes the Boca Raton neighborhoods of Por La Mar, Riviera and Sun and Surf.

Closer to the coast came reports of condominiums being flooded by the rain, according to Emily Gentile, president of the Beach Condo Association of Boca Raton, Highland Beach and Delray Beach, with greatest impact being felt in Boca Raton.

At the Mayfair Condominium on South Ocean Boulevard, board members said that more than 2 inches of water had flooded the lobby, Gentile said.

Street flooding, which was severe in the downtown area where photos showed some cars with water almost to their hoods, seemed to no longer be an issue by mid-morning.

“Our storm water system functioned exactly as planned,” said City Manager Mark Sohaney.

At The Boca Raton, cleanup was still taking place into the early evening of Oct. 27 after water flooded the lobby, destroying furniture and toppling planters. One video posted online showed what appeared to be about 2 feet of water in the hotel’s lobby; another showed what looked like muddied water covering the lobby floors.

A spokesperson for the resort said crews responded quickly — and that guests and meeting attendees checked in without delays.

Boca Raton city officials, concerned the ground was already saturated, urged motorists in the event of more rain to be cautious if they see water on the road ahead. “Turn around, don’t drown,” the city posted on its website.

At the Boca Raton Airport, officials said they were continuing to monitor weather conditions and would notify the public and airport users of any operational updates.

The volume of water that fell in two hours was enough to fill 25 to 30 football stadiums, said Zachary Bihr, the city's public works and engineering director. 

By Patrick Sherry

Bicentennial Park will be closed for eight months starting next year after the Lantana Town Council approved entering into a grant agreement to improve the sea wall there.

The council at its Oct. 27 meeting pushed forward with the agreement with the Florida Inland Navigation District. The town will match FIND’s contribution of $900,000, for a total of $1.8 million, to be used for the Lantana Seawall Hardening Project. 

“Virtually this grant, in addition to the other grant that we got, will cover almost the entire construction cost,” Town Manager Brian Raducci said, referring to a previous $200,000 state grant that the town will match. “This money will expire if we don’t go after it now. You’ve got to get it while you can — it’s only going to get more expensive.”

The grants will cover the rehabilitation of the 2,100-foot sea wall around the park along the Intracoastal Waterway directly adjacent to high-density multi-family housing, commercial structures and Ocean Avenue. In addition to rehabilitation, workers will raise and widen the sea wall. 

Some council members were concerned about closing the park for such a long time. Doing so would cause the town to lose a space for events and parking.

“We’re going to lose a lot of parking — that’s our main staple — where everyone goes, aside from the beach,” said Council member Jesse Rivero. “It’s a very popular area, especially this time of the year. I’m not thrilled about the eight months. … That’s huge for this little town.”

Staff members explained that they need to close the park for safety and cost reasons. Work has to be done from the land side to adhere to environmental regulations. Contractors also need the parking area to place equipment and materials.

Leaving parts of the park open would increase the cost of the project significantly. 

To try to limit the impact of the park closure, the council agreed to look for other places to hold events and locate parking. 

The town is expected to begin construction in January, and Bicentennial Park will be closed for the entire duration. Construction will be done in two phases, with the north side first and the portion closer to the Ocean Avenue bridge second. 

The Delray Beach City Commission, at its Oct. 14 meeting, approved a $28.5 million contract with NMP Golf Construction Corporation to renovate the city’s historic municipal golf course, originally opened in 1926.

The course is one of few in the country featuring designs by both Donald Ross and Dick Wilson, renowned golf architects. The project will restore the nine original holes designed by Ross. The course grew to 18 holes in 1950, with the addition of the holes designed by Wilson. 

The renovation will include new practice facilities, an updated irrigation system, improved parking, bridge replacements, a new maintenance barn, and cart paths. The golf course will close on Nov. 3, with the driving range remaining partially open. 

The clubhouse will stay open until Jan. 3, when it closes for renovations. The course and clubhouse are expected to reopen in November 2026.

Public Works Director Missie Barletto highlighted the project’s significance, noting NMP Golf Construction’s extensive experience with over 300 golf course projects nationwide, including recent work at Quail Ridge in Boynton Beach and the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando.

The comprehensive renovation aims to restore the course to its original design while adding modern amenities, preserving its unique architectural heritage.

At their Oct. 21 meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a $33 million bond issuance for the renovation, marking a significant milestone after years of delays.

Financial adviser Jay Glover from PFM told commissioners the bonds would be sold competitively in November, with the city maintaining its strong credit ratings.

“I’m just thrilled we’re getting it moving,” Mayor Tom Carney said, noting the project’s lengthy journey. “They won’t let me play there anymore because I am not a good golfer, and after the renovations, they’re not going to want me out there again to re-divot the entire place for them.”

— John Pacenti

Delray Beach is warning that an email scam targeting residents, developers and others looking to get on the agenda of the Planning & Zoning Board has been detected.

Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services director, revealed during the Oct. 20 board meeting that scammers are sending emails impersonating department staff, claiming recipients must pay outstanding fees to remain on meeting agendas.

“Some of our customers are getting emails that say they’re from us, and in order to remain on the agenda, you need to remit some outstanding fee in several thousands of dollars,” she said.

She emphasized that the department will never request payments through Venmo or demand last-minute fees. 

“These emails contain typos and mistakes, but could easily trick someone not familiar with the department’s processes,” Gianniotes said.

This is the second such targeting of Development Services customers, underscoring the growing threat of digital impersonation scams, Gianniotes said. 

The department has already taken preventive measures, including removing staff email addresses and phone numbers from public agendas. The legal team is actively investigating the attacks, which Gianniotes noted have become easier with advancing artificial intelligence.

• Development Services customers are advised to:

• Verify any suspicious emails with their project planner.

• Forward fraudulent emails to Development Services.

• Never pay unexpected fees without direct confirmation.

— John Pacenti

Police seek volunteers — The Delray Beach Police Department is encouraging residents to become members of one of its volunteer patrol teams. The teams act as goodwill ambassadors by welcoming visitors and residents alike and answering questions people may have. 

Some teams patrol Atlantic Avenue from Swinton Avenue east to the beach. Other locations include shopping centers along Linton Boulevard and along the east side of Military Trail from Linton Boulevard to Lake Ida Road.

Volunteers must be at least 19 years old, fill out an application and submit fingerprints for a background check. Patrol shifts are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

The program is run by Barry Tantleff, who holds the title of volunteer major. For more information, contact Tantleff at 561-243-7869.

— Larry Barszewski

The Pride intersection in Delray Beach in August, before it was painted over by FDOT. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

After Gov. Ron DeSantis declared war on painted intersections and crosswalks statewide, Delray Beach began exploring ways to honor its LGBTQ community in a different way after it saw its Pride intersection eradicated by the state Department of Transportation. 

After giving up its fight with the state over the intersection in September — only after the state had come in on two consecutive nights to paint over and then sandblast the rainbow colors from the city-owned streets — the City Commission held two meetings about what would replace the intersection. A community engagement forum took place on Oct. 1 and a workshop on Oct. 14.

Yet, the city is nowhere near a solution.

“I want to let the community kind of decide what they want,” Mayor Tom Carney said.

He then opened up the forum for public input. It did not go well.

Some residents urged the commissioners not to spend any taxpayer money on a Pride symbol, whether it be street signs, banners, a mural, or even a sculpture to replace the iconic and beloved rainbow-painted intersection at Northeast Second Avenue and Northeast First Street in downtown’s Pineapple Grove.

After hearing some of these objections, resident Nicholas Coppola — a member of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council — told commissioners, “I could assure you, Jesus would approve of the flag, the rainbow flag, because it is inclusive. It welcomes everybody.”

A man in the commission chambers then shouted, “Not true at all!”

So much for love your neighbor. 

Countering Coppola during public comments, resident Steve Blum said, “How much longer are we going to discuss this issue? And the gentleman who came up and said all the Jews would like it (the rainbow intersection). Bullshit. They wouldn’t like it. OK? They don’t care about it.”

Carney corrected Blum: “I don’t think he mentioned Jews. I think he said, ‘Jesus.’”

Though, if the mayor considered it, Jesus was Jewish.

The two meetings took place after the commission, which briefly considered taking DeSantis to court in September before backtracking, instead decided that the city would replace the intersection with another symbol celebrating LGBTQ residents.

Whose dollars, property?

The original rainbow intersection had been paid for through $16,000 from the Human Rights Council in 2021, and much of the debate at the commission workshop focused on whether the city or the private sector should pay for what comes next.

Vice Mayor Rob Long said that he would compromise on the private funding route but would not relent on the symbol, whatever it may be, being on public property.

“We lost something that was on public property,” he said. “If it’s not on public property, then we are not doing anything. And to me, that’s not what we discussed.”

Commissioner Juli Casale said if the new Pride symbol is on public property, the city could still find itself in the crosshairs of DeSantis or GOP lawmakers who have shown animus toward the LGBTQ community. 

“We still expose ourselves if this is on public property,” she said. “I think that the best thing to do is to allow the private funders and the private property owners to work together to figure out a way.”

Some public comments at the workshop argued against a new Pride symbol, saying it prioritized the LGBTQ community over, say, veterans and “Christian and faith-based communities.”

Resident Connor Corzine called out the hypocrisy of not only those critics but some commissioners, as well: “We have a 100-foot Christmas tree. Is that publicly funded completely? We have a St. Patty’s Day Parade. Is that publicly funded completely?  We have Veterans Park. Is that a publicly funded Veterans Park?” 

The Coastal Star has moved to our new office on A1A, 4600 N. Ocean Blvd., Suite 102, Boynton Beach, FL 33435. The entrance is to the right, at the building's north end.

A couple of months ago, I was bemoaning the fact that we were going to have to move our office to a new location. Our landlord had different plans for our comfortable space, and we were no longer part of them.  

For the third time in 16 years, I was about to rent a truck and help move the computers, chairs, file cabinets and countless records that go with running a small business. 

I knew it would be a simple move, just a few blocks south to a slightly nicer office. At least it would be easy to tell a guest that we are now just across the street from Nomad Surf Shop on State Road A1A.

In the same time frame, I was also reminded of changes shared by a couple of old newspaper friends. Their big-city paper was about to stop its printed edition after 157 years, and continues to trim the staff to be “online only.” I'm grateful The Coastal Star is still able to publish both in print and online.

Reasons to be thankful
I am thankful that we had our last office for more than a dozen years in a building that Matt Gracey owns. A generous and tolerant landlord, he embraced our newspaper’s mission in the community — and our casual office decor. We wish him luck as he pursues his artistic talents and converts our old space into his painting workshop.

As I helped unpack boxes into the new office, our reporters, editors and ad sales staff were all striving to complete their parts in the jigsaw puzzle that makes our community newspaper.

I am thankful to be surrounded by such a talented group of professionals who embrace our shared mission of presenting some of the most accurate and balanced journalism in the state.

During the move, I was working on the display of the stories in this month’s Philanthropy Season Preview, an uncomfortable reminder of the tremendous needs of some people in our community — but also a heart-warming testament to the generosity of our neighbors.  

I am thankful, and happy, to publish a newspaper that honors philanthropy — promoting charitable giving well beyond my own family’s modest means.

So, as we head into November, the month of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all this and more.

— Jerry Lower,
Publisher

Show your support for Delray Beach’s first responders this season by joining Chuck Halberg and friends for the 11th annual Delray Beach Citizens Thanksgiving Day Dinner Distribution for Fire & Police. 

Halberg, president of Delray Citizens for Delray Police and owner of Stuart & Shelby Home Builders in the city, rallies the community to pack up complete turkey dinners from the Boys Farmers Market and deliver them to five fire stations, plus one to Ocean Rescue and two meals to the Delray Beach Police Department (one for each shift).

“Sliced turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green beans, pies, drinks, plates, we give them everything,” Halberg said.

It’s “a community thing” that started with cookies years ago, Halberg said. When he delivered the cookies, the firefighters were cooking their own Thanksgiving meal. 

“I thought it was kind of crazy that they had to cook,” he said. So, the next year, Halberg decided to do it for them. 

His tiny idea has blossomed. In 2024, Halberg raised $16,000 from 160 local families and businesses. These days, donations exceed costs so any overage goes to local charities that help feed people. 

These include Eat Better Live Better, a nonprofit that provides access to fresh produce, healthy groceries and nutrition education, and Emanuel “Dupree” Jackson’s EJS Project’s annual Thanksgiving Drive-Through Giveaway that distributes turkeys and food baskets to local families.

 The balance goes to the Delray Beach Police Department’s annual toy drive. 

“Last year we had 24 cars in the caravan. I would love to have 50 or 60 people show up to deliver, to show our support for police and fire because they are key to our city,” Halberg said.  

A donation of $100 is requested and those who donate are invited to deliver meals to first responders on Thanksgiving Day. The parade of cars will leave from a central location at noon Nov. 27 and visit seven sites where everyone helps unload the goodies. 

It’s a great time to show your appreciation for the people who serve the city every day, Halberg said. The caravan finishes up around 2 p.m. 

Donations can be made by Venmo to @Charles-Halberg or by Zelle to 561-809-1266. 

Checks should be made out to Chuck Halberg and mailed or dropped off at Stuart & Shelby Development, 1116 SW 10th Ave. Suite C, Delray Beach, FL 33444. 

For more information, check Halberg’s Facebook page at facebook.com/chuck.halberg or call him at 561-809-1266. 

— Janis Fontaine

Gail Speckamp of South Palm Beach holds a photo of her late husband, Rudy, a Vietnam veteran, alongside a table of her creations. Speckamp bakes for hospitalized veterans on an almost daily basis as her way of showing appreciation for their sacrifices. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

For many at the VA hospital in West Palm Beach, the homemade cookies, tarts and occasional pie slices offered up at celebrations and special events serve as a reminder that the veterans are not forgotten.

For Gail Speckamp, making the sweet treats is a reason to get up every morning.

Trapped in her home by the pairing of a bacteria-driven disease and a severe immune deficiency that makes coming in contact with another person perilous, Speckamp is the founder of Baking for Veterans, a nonprofit she started to give back to vets like her husband, who suffered from a Vietnam War-related illness that led to his death in 2017.

“It was meant to be,” she says of her decision right after the pandemic to start baking for vets. “God gives everyone special gifts; mine is baking.”

Baking for veterans, she says, is her way of showing her appreciation for the service they gave to the country but also to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Speckamp is provided with full benefits — including coverage of costly medical treatments — in large part because she is the widow of a Marine who died from war-related injuries.

The decision to start baking for veterans, she said, was born out of her determination to not just sit at home and be unproductive.

“I had to think of something to do in order to stay busy,” she said. “That’s when I came up with the idea of baking.”

Brainstorming with a few of her neighbors at their Dune Deck Condominiums in South Palm Beach, Speckamp arranged to have supplies delivered to her door and baked goods picked up by a gentleman who works at the VA hospital.

Soon the head of volunteer services at the hospital reached out to Speckamp asking her to bake for celebrations and special events, sometimes requesting as many as several hundred baked goods at a time.

That turned out not to be a problem for Speckamp, who is not your average at-home baker. She and her late husband, Rudy, owned a restaurant in Maryland for more than 20 years. Speckamp was the perfect sidekick to Rudy, a master chef who was later recruited to train others.

Speckamp, 73, is quick to reject the label of pastry chef — something she isn’t — but her baking skills bring her pretty close.

Among her creations, some based on Rudy’s recipes, others collected over the years, are Romeo and Juliet cookies with grated parmesan cheese, guava paste and chocolate chips, and chocolate chow mein cookies. She even adds an occasional cheese cake or Key lime pie to the mix.

“They’re all delicious, one after the other,” says neighbor Reinette Saleeby, who serves as taste tester along with one of the staff members at the condo. “Her banana bread is just so delicious and natural.”

All Speckamp’s creations — including dog treats — are made with natural ingredients.

“She makes everything like she is making them for kings and queens,” Saleeby said.

Speckamp doesn’t just bake the sweet creations; she is also a master of packaging. All of her offerings are individually packaged with a label that lists the name of the item and all of the ingredients.

The labels also note that the sweets are made in a “cottage food operation,” meaning they are not made in a commercial kitchen and are low-risk foods not requiring refrigeration.

“She loves to bake and she loves when the veterans love it,” said Saleeby, who has bestowed the moniker “The Queen of Love and Giving” upon her friend and neighbor.

She says that baking does wonders for Speckamp, who could easily spend her days thinking about the challenges ahead. Instead, she thinks about what creation will come up next.

“Baking is helping her in such an extraordinary way,” Saleeby said. “It gives her a purpose.”

Speckamp had been baking for veterans for a year or so before she decided to launch her nonprofit organization to help offset the cost, which she estimated to be about $1,000 a month.

The organization has a website: bakingforveterans.org.

Speckamp says that once she accepted that her ability to leave her condo was limited, she focused on what she could do.

“Now I get up every morning and say, ‘What am I baking today?’” 

NOMINATE SOMEONE TO BE A COASTAL STAR
Send a note to news@thecoastalstar.com or call 561-337-1553.

Town challenges state’s sand transfer plant plan — When it comes to the sand transfer plant in Manalapan, it might as well be a four-letter word. Many in town blame the plant at the Boynton Inlet for depleting the town’s beaches as it sends sand south — though it’s a matter very much up for debate.

Now Manalapan is asking for an administrative hearing after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection moved to renew a 10-year agreement with Palm Beach County without consulting the town.

Town Manager Eric Marmer said at the commission’s Oct. 14 meeting that a resident alerted the town to FDEP’s unilateral move to proceed with the plan. In response, the town will seek a stay to evaluate the proposed agreement, he said.

“We talked to them. I thought they were gonna include us more. They did not,” Marmer said.  

“They were trying to negotiate something that was less formal, but I’m not really happy with the fact that they were doing that without consulting us at all,” he added.

Even though the sand transfer plant is not as harmful to Manalapan’s beaches as initially believed, Marmer emphasized that any project affecting the town warrants municipal input.

Town Attorney Keith Davis is preparing to file a notice of intent challenging FDEP’s approach. 

Town rethinks beach-raking strategy — Manalapan is considering a major overhaul of its beach maintenance approach, potentially replacing traditional beach raking with a more targeted trash collection method.

Town Manager Eric Marmer proposed at the commission’s Oct. 14 meeting using part-time town employees with a side-by-side vehicle to conduct beach cleanup two to three times weekly. 

The plan aims to reduce the costly and potentially invasive beach-raking services, which currently run around $275 to $300 per session.

“We saw so much trash getting picked up while the beach raker was out there,” Marmer told town commissioners. “I got a text from a resident asking why there’s so much trash on the beach even when the beach raker is working.”

The proposed strategy would keep beach raking as an option for significant sargassum accumulation, but significantly reduce its frequency. The town would retain the flexibility to call private beach rakers when necessary.

By using part-time staff and a side-by-side vehicle, Manalapan hopes to create a more efficient and cost-effective beach maintenance program, while keeping municipal employees engaged.

A detailed plan is expected to be presented at the commission’s Nov. 4 meeting.

In April, town officials tried to get to the bottom of which mechanical beach-raking company was leaving deep ruts near turtle nests. The two companies that clean the beach of debris, though, pointed the finger at each other.

Residents sign up for iguana eradication plan — Well, for those old enough to remember, as the cartoon icon Yosemite Sam used to say, “Varmint, I’m a-gonna blow you to smithereens!”

Manalapan Police Chief Jeff Rasor says approximately 25%-30% of residents have agreed to allow a police sharpshooter with an air rifle onto their property for iguana eradication. 

The town decided in September to move away from an outside vendor and have a police officer give it a go.

“We’ve gotten a very positive response from the community,” Rasor said at the commission’s Oct. 14 meeting.

Residents interested in participating in the iguana removal program are encouraged to contact the town’s Police Department for more information.

Sgt. Tracey Merritt, the Police Department’s firearms range master and expert, will be tasked with trying to efficiently kill the iguanas. Signs will be posted at the guard station on Point Manalapan — which is the iguana beachhead, per se — to inform residents when Merritt will be on the property.

New garbage hauler selected — Manalapan has chosen Waste Pro as its new waste collection provider after a competitive bidding process. At the Oct. 14 Town Commission meeting, officials approved moving forward with negotiations for a contract with the waste management company.

Town Manager Eric Marmer reported that a selection committee reviewed three proposals and ranked Waste Pro as the top vendor. The initial first-year contract price is set at $53,731, with future years to be negotiated based on potential cost-of-living adjustments.

“But I wouldn’t negotiate a contract that we would, you know, go from $53-to-$100,000 the next year, or something like that,” Marmer said.

Waste Pro services similar coastal communities, including Ocean Ridge, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Hillsboro Beach. 

The commission authorized Marmer to continue contract negotiations, with a final agreement expected to be presented at its Nov. 4 meeting. The proposed contract would have an initial five-year term.

Less trouble to install emergency generators — Manalapan town commissioners on Oct. 14 took the first step to simplifying the permitting process for residents seeking to install emergency generators, eliminating the need for architectural review and creating a more direct administrative approval path.

The commission approved, on first reading, an ordinance that would allow emergency generator permit applications to bypass the town’s Architectural Commission. 

Instead, these applications will now receive an administrative review before moving directly to the building department for permitting.

Town Attorney Keith Davis said the ordinance aims to expedite the process for residents seeking to install emergency generators. 

The ordinance will return for final approval at the commission’s Nov. 4 meeting.

— John Pacenti

Cove neighbors say long docks would ruin their views — A Point Manalapan resident seeking to build a dock extending out into Manatee Cove withdrew his permit application just before his variance request was to be heard on Oct. 14 by the Manalapan Town Commission.

Many neighbors of the property at 1400 Lands End Road, purchased in April for $4.5 million by Adam and Ana Bersin, said they face similar problems to the ones the Bersins are experiencing — shallow waters that sometimes make it impossible to launch a boat into the cove.

However, the neighbors said they were all aware of the cove’s limitations when they bought there — and did so because they knew that would limit boat traffic. The cove is in the Intracoastal Waterway but sees little boat traffic because of its shallowness.

Nearby homeowners, writing to the town in opposition to the variance, feared that if the variance was approved, more dock-extension variances would be requested in the future. They said they do not want to see their idyllic views turned into a marina vista with 25-foot dock extensions into the cove.

Adam Bersin told The Coastal Star he decided to withdraw the application at this time, but may consider reapplying in the future.

— Larry Barszewski

I live on the barrier island in Delray Beach and recently experienced 19-minute police response time (18:49 to be exact) after calling 911, confirmed by my phone records and surveillance footage.

At a recent City Commission meeting, a commissioner and the city manager publicly disputed this fact without evidence and Commissioner Juli Casale stated that she was “fairly certain” that my claim “wasn’t accurate,” followed by City Manager Terrence Moore saying, “not accurate at all. … We’re doing great.”

This delay and lack of police presence on the barrier island is unacceptable and puts all barrier island residents at risk.

Furthermore, when city officials publicly challenge verified claims, it undermines trust in our local government.

I respectfully urge the city to allocate adequate police patrols here. Residents pay significant property taxes and deserve reliable public safety and honest communication.

For privacy reasons, I request that my name be withheld from publication.

— William,
barrier island resident
Delray Beach

Editor's note: An event report obtained from police by The Coastal Star shows the call was received at 5:01 p.m. and the first dispatch was 8 minutes and 16 seconds later. No time is listed for when the officer arrived. The report said the suspicious incident reported turned out to be an Instacart delivery.

When I joined the commission in 2020, we were talking about the aging waterlines, constant water main breaks and the rising cost to Ocean Ridge of owning the waterlines.

A comprehensive plan was discussed to:

A) Get money from Boynton Beach to address water main repairs, since we are paying the same exact rate Boynton Beach residents do while Boynton Beach maintains the waterlines at that same price. We basically pay more for the water although on paper it is the same.

B) Find a long-term solution where Boynton Beach either takes over our waterlines as part of its service — or, what really was the proper way — to discuss sewer service along with water service from Boynton Beach.

The problem was that the very people who were trying to negotiate with Boynton Beach and discuss the greater picture were rudely cut off by the current seated commission and all discussions ended.

In fact, Ocean Ridge does not have a current contract with Boynton Beach for water service; the expired contract is simply being extended automatically month after month.

Taking money from the reserves for capital projects like this leaves the town vulnerable to emergency needs. The $2 million should have been funded a long time ago through added property taxes specifically for a water/sewer fund.

This commission, however, is incapable of looking at long-term solutions and would rather use fix-a-flat instead of replacing a tire that has no tread left!

Not properly budgeting for the improvements you need to make is about the same stupidity as cutting Medicare and Medicaid from 40 million people so 500 billionaires enjoy tax cuts.

Ocean Ridge enjoyed low taxes for decades and did not budget for 70- to 80-year-old waterlines we all knew were failing soon. Time to pay the piper.

The residents of Ocean Ridge deserve better from their government.

— Martin Wiescholek,
former town commissioner,
Ocean Ridge

By Patrick Sherry

Lantana Town Council members like the idea of holding more town-sponsored food truck events as long as local restaurants aren’t hurt by the competition. 

At their Oct. 10 workshop, council members discussed potential revisions to the town’s food truck regulations. Their biggest fear was seeing food trucks take business away from established restaurants. 

“These restaurant owners are investors in our town, and if we’re going to allow these food trucks to come in here, we are taking away from investors who put their time and money — maybe even their savings — all into owning a restaurant,” Council member Chris Castle said. “If they leave, then what do we have for our people?”

Council members said they want to protect the restaurants while still allowing for food truck events that are popular in the community.

Currently, food trucks are only allowed on public property during town-sponsored events. Food trucks on private property are limited to three hours of operation at any given time and must have the written consent of the property owner. Other venues where food trucks are stationary in one location and operate like a standard restaurant must follow normal restaurant regulations.

Council members agreed to maintain their current stance on only allowing food trucks on public property for town-sponsored events, but they were open to implementing more events to improve community involvement. 

As for food trucks on private property, officials will consider increasing how long the trucks are allowed to operate at any one time, how they will dispose of their waste, and other potential permitting changes. 

After researching the possible options, town staff will bring back recommendations for the council to consider at a future date.

“This is all about resources for the community,” Mayor Karen Lythgoe said. “It’s got to not hurt the neighbors on the next street over.” 

The Town Council is preparing to hold more workshops on a regular basis. No formal decisions can be made at them; instead, they serve as a time for preliminary policy discussions where council members, through consensus, can give direction to staff on what they want to see brought back to them for official action. 

The council tentatively announced its next workshop will take place on Nov. 21.