News

By Tim O’Meilia
    
Briny Breezes has a new deputy town clerk — again.
Cindy Lou Corum, the assistant town clerk in Loxahatchee Groves for the past two years, was hired Dec. 20 by the Town Council as the town’s only employee. Well, not exactly employee. The town’s only independent contractor.
“I like the small town feel,” she said after observing at the December Town Council meeting. “Very personal, a homey atmosphere.”
Officially, Corum is the deputy. Officially, Alderman Nancy Boczon is the town clerk pro tem.
But, make no mistake, Corum will do the work, including the town’s bookkeeping. Her first major chore will be managing the town’s March council elections in which four seats will be on the ballot.
The job is part-time, 20 hours a week. Corum will earn about $26,000 a year, although the council can adjust that by assigning her additional tasks.
Corum, 55, worked full-time as the assistant clerk in Loxahatchee Groves, Palm Beach County’s newest municipality, until the council there decided this summer to replace the management team and hire a new firm to handle the fledgling town’s affairs.
She replaces Shari Canada, who is leaving Jan. 6 to take a full-time deputy clerk’s position with the town of Lake Park. Canada worked for Briny Breezes for seven months and council members said they were sad to see her leave.
Corum is familiar with small-town affairs. Before Loxahatchee Groves was incorporated, she served on the citizens’ incorporation committee.
Before becoming deputy clerk, she also served on the town’s finance committee and on an advisory committee.
She is pursuing municipal clerk certification.
“I like the casual atmosphere, very low-key. People show up for meetings in shorts and flip-flops. Right up my alley,” she said with a laugh.
Her second task may be more daunting even than running an election. She’ll finish Canada’s job of converting Briny Breezes’ documents-in-a-brown-box style of record-keeping to government in cyberspace.
In other business, the Town Council:
• Gave final approval to an ordinance allowing owners of property in Briny Breezes, not just residents, to serve on the town’s planning and zoning board.
• Approved rules for public comment at town meetings, including a three-minute limit for speakers on one subject.
The rules also ban personal attacks and applause or booing from the audience.