By Margie Plunkett
Steven Abrams made his “12-city tour” in May, introducing himself as the new Palm Beach County commissioner for District 4 — the successor to former commissioner Mary McCarty, who resigned after public corruption charges.
“It’s been a very smooth transition on the County Commission,” Abrams told Delray Beach commissioners, continuing with what became a common refrain during his visits: “The training we get in local government has served me well. Sometimes I tell people I went to this very elite prep school called Boca Raton — and now I’ve graduated to college. And boy did they train me well.”
The lawyer served as a council member for Boca Raton from 1989 to 2008 and as mayor for three of those years. He was mayor in October 2001 during the anthrax threat that started at the AMI building, which gained him national exposure and acclaim. Abrams was awarded a distinguished service medal from the Israel National Police for leadership.
Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Abrams in March to fill the position left vacant after McCarty’s resignation in January; the term ends in November 2010. McCarty pleaded guilty in March to honest service fraud after claims that she voted on bond deals involving her husband Kevin’s firm; influenced Delray Beach bond work to her husband’s employer; and accepted free and discounted hotel rooms.
Kevin McCarty was sentenced to eight months for not reporting Mary McCarty’s crime; she is scheduled for sentencing in early June.
Abrams mentioned to Delray commissioners one of the things he looks forward to in working with the city: When, as mayor of Boca Raton, he sometimes came to Delray Beach to eat dinner, he “was inevitably ratted out.” Someone would recognize him and question, “What are you doing here?” he said. “Now I can call it my district and come to Delray legally and officially.”
The commissioner said he is moving forward with the $90,000 trolley system in downtown Delray Beach and with other commitments made to the city.
Different conversations marked different visits by Abrams to the other municipalities in his jurisdiction. In Gulf Stream, for instance, the conversation turned to McCarty.
“I thought Mary did a good job for our community,” Gulf Stream Mayor William F. Koch Jr. said. “It’s a sad occasion in many respects. The whole thing is a tragedy.” Abram noted efforts to restore confidence in the county commission.
And in his comments on the county Web site, Abrams said, “I am ready to address the difficult challenges in our community such as restoring economic prosperity and transparency in governmental policies and procedures.”
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