New Delray Beach City Commissioner Mitch Katz is sworn into office March 31 alongside his family,
(l-r) son, Hayden, wife, Heather, and daughter Shayna.
Mayor Cary Glickstein is sworn in for a second term. With him are his children, (l-r) Jack Glickstein, 16, Madison Rothmar, 23, and Lily Glickstein, 16.
Photos by TimStepien/The Coastal Star
By Tim Pallesen
Two city commissioners want Delray Beach to terminate its $1.5 milliion contract with Oceanside Beach Service to rent chairs and cabanas on the city beach.
City Manager Don Cooper had recommended that the city terminate its contract after Oceanside didn’t respond to his Feb. 17 notice that it breached its contract.
But Cooper backed off from that recommendation at a March 31 city commission meeting, suggesting that Oceanside be “allowed one more chance.” Only Mayor Cary Glickstein and Commissioner Shelly Petrolia were ready to terminate the contract at that meeting.
Cooper said the company that rents chairs and cabanas at the city’s beach wasn’t cleaning up debris and litter within 50 feet of its concession area as its contract requires.
The city manager followed his Feb. 17 letter to Oceanside owner Michael Novatka with another two days later accusing him of raising rates without city approval.
An investigator with the Palm Beach County Inspector General’s Office was sent to the beach to confirm that allegation. Cooper said Oceanside quoted the undercover investigator an $11-per-hour price to rent two lounge chairs with an umbrella or cabana. Oceanside’s contract limits the price to $10 per hour.
“I’m tired of dealing with Oceanside,” Glicksten said.
“It hasn’t been anything but a headache since when these guys started with us,” Petrolia agreed.
Oceanside’s contract first became controversial shortly after Glickstein and Petrolia were first elected in March 2013 pledging to put all city contracts out for competitive bidding.
The cabana contract became the first when Commissioner Al Jacquet joined Glickstein and Petrolia to order competitive bids in May 2013. But only Oceanside submitted a bid.
Commissioners accepted Oceanside’s bid of $1.5 million to operate the beach concession for five years in October 2013. The vote was 3-2, with Glickstein and Petrolia voting against.
Oceanside also provides beach concessions for the neighboring cities of Boynton Beach and Boca Raton.
Delray Beach Election Results
Mayor – Seat 5
Percent Votes
Tom Carney 46.71% 3,266
Cary D. Glickstein 53.29% 3,726
6,992
Commission Member Seat 3
Bruce Bastian 21.55% 1,480
Mitch Katz 33.25% 2,283
Christina Morrison 28.57% 1,962
Josh Smith 16.63% 1,142
6,867
Source: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections
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