By John Pacenti
Maybe the most telling moments at the Beach Property Owners Association forum for two Delray Beach City Commission candidates happened before it even started. That was when Mayor Tom Carney met with the camps for Realtor Judy Mollica and land use attorney Andrea Keiser at the Feb. 11 event.
The fact that Carney is looking for a possible ally could switch the dynamic on the dais. Fellow Commissioners Tom Markert and Juli Casale have not supported his positions on the budget, the Downtown Development Authority, and — most recently — suing the Lake Worth Drainage District over a banyan tree on the municipal golf course.
The March 10 vote is to fill the commission seat vacated by Rob Long, who is now a state representative for District 90.
At the Opal Grand Resort & Spa, Mollica and Keiser answered questions on growth, budget, traffic, parking and noise. Both demonstrated their ability to do the job. A third candidate, Delores Rangel, was sidelined by the flu.
Keiser and Mollica are establishment candidates in different ways. Mollica has endorsements from the police and fire unions. Keiser has put in $102,000 of her own money into the campaign and for two political action committees — but when pressed on them wouldn’t give details.
Although the race is non-partisan, the issue was a topic of discussion among some BPOA forum attendees. Keiser and her family contributed $3,000 each to the campaigns of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for governor and Attorney General James Uthmeier, both Republicans.
Mollica and Rangel are former Republicans, defecting to the Democrats because of the policies of President Donald Trump. Keiser said her donations are a non-issue in a non-partisan race.
A number of coastal residents said they were still undecided as they left the forum.
Keiser — a mother of three young children — came across as polished but modest, while Mollica used humor to ease the tension.
Mollica framed her candidacy around longtime community service and preservation, emphasizing local roots, volunteer leadership and a desire to “preserve the character, charm and livability” of Delray Beach. She highlighted her service on the Planning & Zoning Board and civic organizations, and stressed making the city easier to live in for residents, including seniors.
“Leadership isn’t about being the newest voice. It’s about being the right voice. I believe in using common sense,” Mollica said. “Common sense tells me that if the city raises our parking rates for minimal revenues, our visitors will go somewhere else to dine and shop and get out of the habit of coming to Delray Beach, and that’s not going to be very good for our businesses.”
Keiser cast herself as a policy-and process-oriented candidate with legal and public-service experience. The daughter of an immigrant, Keiser emphasized technical expertise in land use, budgeting and government operations.
On development, Keiser urged strict adherence to existing height and zoning limits, as well as the protection of beaches and dunes. “Any future development in Delray Beach has to respect the neighborhoods,” she said.
The absent Rangel, who spoke to The Coastal Star previously, has not come across as a polished public speaker but knows the issues probably better than any other candidate, having spent 27 years as an administrative assistant in the city manager’s office.
When asked about barrier island issues, Rangel said, “Our beach is our jewel — maintaining it will always be a top priority, but we must continue to explore methods other than renourishment to preserve it. … There are street flooding issues and residents want better enforcement of the No Wake zone on the Intracoastal. I will work with the Beach Property Owners Association and coastal residents to address these issues.”
If barrier island residents at the candidate forum were concerned about development, Mollica most likely didn’t put their minds at ease. “I think that our city needs to have a mix of residential and business, and we need more businesses to sort of help pick up the tax base that’s going to even that out,” she said. “Our city should make it easy to do business.”
The forum occurred before the commission was about to tackle a new noise ordinance. Mollica emphasized vehicle noise as a major problem on the barrier island. Keiser also mentioned the growing issue of regulating gas-powered leaf blowers — another issue championed by Carney.
Mollica mentioned the DDA helps businesses thrive. The mayor has cast the DDA at times as committing fraud for failure to obtain receipts for some purchases and has instigated two audits — one city and now one state — of the organization.
When it came to budget and spending, Mollica criticized a tax rollback in 2024 spearheaded by Carney, saying it “didn’t quite work out.” Keiser talked about efficiency and an “opportunity to cut down on waste” — another refrain from Carney.
Keiser also called out Carney’s nemesis on the dais, Commissioner Juli Casale, on a vote that denied a request from the Old Palm Grove neighborhood to block access from the public. Carney lives in the neighborhood and recused himself on the issue along with Long.
Keiser, as an attorney who used to live in Old Palm Grove, represented the neighborhood residents. Interestingly, Mollica was present at the October meeting, sitting right behind the podium for public speakers on the issue.
Yet, Keiser dropped Casale’s name so demurely and sweetly that it showed she could be a tonic to the bickering — and shouting — that now infects the current commission. “I hope we can agree to disagree respectfully,” she said.
Casale was one of three yes votes on Oct. 21 to deny the request to block access to the road. She asked at the candidate forum to interject to give her side, but the crowd shouted her down.
A contentious yes/no question from an audience member about whether the city police should cooperate with federal immigration authorities was also shouted down.
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