delray beach referendum - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-28T22:30:40Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/delray+beach+referendumElection results: Delray Beach Referendumhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/election-results-delray-beach-referendum2024-03-20T00:14:23.000Z2024-03-20T00:14:23.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12402599472,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12402599472,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="12402599472?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p>
<p>Unofficial results</p>
<p><em>Source: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections</em></p></div>Delray Beach: Long ousts Casale; Burns beats Gray; $120 million in bonds approvedhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-long-ousts-casale-burns-beats-gray-120-million-in-bo2023-03-15T03:14:44.000Z2023-03-15T03:14:44.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By John Pacenti</strong></p>
<p>Delray Beach voters handed Mayor Shelly Petrolia a major defeat on Tuesday – and she wasn’t even on the ballot.</p>
<p>The electorate – roughly 6,900 out of more than 46,000 registered voters – rejected the candidates Petrolia supported in favor of two candidates who promised to return Delray Beach to an old way of doing business, eschewing controversial decisions and trumpeting civility. </p>
<p>Those who showed up to vote also approved $120 million in two bond measures, which are slated to pay for a potential new police station, for renovations of existing fire stations and for park improvements.</p>
<p>Businessman Rob Long defeated one-term Commissioner Juli Casale for the District 2 seat – 53% to 47% -- with a margin of 377 votes.</p>
<p>Angela Burns, a former teacher and community organizer, defeated former Commissioner Angie Gray for the District 4 seat, 52% to 48% – or by 213 votes.</p>
<p>She takes the seat vacated by Commissioner Shirley Johnson, who could not run again because of term limits. Johnson often voted with Casale and Petrolia on key issues.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Results shift power on commission</span></p>
<p>The election very much leaves Petrolia playing Don Quixote against a stacked commission. </p>
<p>Long said the election was a repudiation of Petrolia, who once called for his removal from the Planning & Zoning Board when he criticized the city’s water quality. “I think this election was a referendum on the mayor's leadership style and the decisions that have been made over the last couple of years,” he said.</p>
<p> “That being said, I hope the mayor and I can find common ground and work together to serve our residents at the end of the day. That's all that matters.”</p>
<p>A 13-year resident of Delray Beach, Long serves as the chairman of the Palm Beach Soil & Water Conservation District.</p>
<p>Casale was a political neophyte in 2020 who came to office after fighting a development in her Sabal Lakes neighborhood.</p>
<p>"The residents are either far more pro-development than I thought or far more apathetic than I thought," Casale said in a text message on Wednesday. "Either way the result is the same."</p>
<p>Burns campaigned as the only non-politician running, saying that the people’s voices weren’t being heard at City Hall. “Our community has spoken loud and clear and it’s proof our message resonates,” Burns said.</p>
<p>Gray could be reached for comment on Tuesday. Neither could Mayor Petrolia. </p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">The Long and Burns connections</span></p>
<p>Burns and Long hired the same political consultant and at public forums agreed on nearly every issue.</p>
<p>Both talked about bringing civility back to the City Commission after recent years brought a water quality scandal, an ousted city manager and the removal of the longtime nonprofit that ran Old School Square – Old School Square Center for the Arts, Inc.</p>
<p>But their victories may bode something else as both have said they want to return the running of Old School Square to the ousted nonprofit and wrest control of the Community Redevelopment Agency from the commission – decisions that won’t come easy.</p>
<p>The commission voted just last month to hand over the reins of the city cultural center to the Downtown Development Authority.</p>
<p>The commission also took over an independent CRA in 2018 after it said the CRA repeatedly ignored the needs of businesses west of Swinton Avenue, instead supporting more affluent areas. Commissioners now hold five of the seven seats on the CRA’s governing board.</p>
<p>“My goal is to bring unity to the city to start more or less a healing process to bring civility and professionalism back to the dais,” Long told <em>The Coastal Star</em>.</p>
<p>He acknowledged, though, that the election was close and the city remains divided, adding, “I’m here to serve every resident, not just my supporters but my opponents’ supporters, too, because in an election this close I want to represent the entire community.”</p>
<p>The Long victory will be seen by his opponents as a win for developers as he sat on the Planning and Zoning Board that greenlighted many of the new high-end developments that are under construction or in the pipeline.</p>
<p>During the day on Tuesday, the Casale campaign team expressed worry that Long in an 11th-hour robocall portrayed himself as against overdevelopment, fearing that could turn the tide.</p>
<p>The <em>South Florida Sun-Sentinel</em> reported in January that a lawyer representing developers funneled business to Long’s grassroots outreach business, Door 2 Door Strategies. Long voted on one project in question based on the advice of an assistant city attorney who said he didn’t have a conflict of interest.</p>
<p>The Long-Burns quinella was also a win for Commissioner Ryan Boylston who is said to be angling for Petrolia’s job. He threw his support over the weekend to Long and Burns, deriding the “toxicity” of the commission and said “I for one want the ‘Delray Way’ back.”</p>
<p>Certainly, Delray Beach’s old guard will be happy – five former mayors supported Long.</p>
<p>Police and fire unions will also be happy. Casale had pivoted recently to calling for an audit of the Fire Rescue Department and investigating overtime abuses in the Police Department. Both police and fire unions endorsed Long and Burns. Long said at public forums that it was critical to have good collaborative relationships with first responders.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">State-ordered audit is city’s latest drama</span></p>
<p>On Monday, the state Legislature’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee unanimously approved a request by State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R-Highland Beach) for the auditor general to examine what Delray Beach has charged Highland Beach for fire service the last six years. </p>
<p>The city and town are fighting over what is owed and the audit underlined what Long and Burns characterized as continued chaos. </p>
<p>Team Petrolia upending the apple cart the last three years did produce drama. </p>
<p>The firing of the nonprofit running Old School Square for lack of accountability and mismanagement occurred at a commission meeting where it wasn’t even on the agenda. </p>
<p>The firing of former City Manager George Gretsas made sure the city ran through more city managers than Spinal Tap does drummers.</p>
<p>Both the nonprofit and Gretsas have sued the city.</p>
<p>The city also agreed in November 2021 to pay $1 million to the Florida Department of Health for water safety violations – the foremost being that reclaimed water was making its way into the drinking water system.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Two bond issues approved</span></p>
<p>In a vote that almost certainly has more long-lasting implications, voters overwhelmingly approved a $100 million public safety bond and a $20 million parks bond. Both bonds received support from more than 60% of voters.</p>
<p>City spokeswoman Gina Carter said the parks bond will bring much needed improvements. </p>
<p>She said the public safety bond “will allow our police and fire departments to grow. It will enable state-of-the-art technology and hurricane hardening to be central to our public safety infrastructure.”</p>
<p>Carter added the bond will also add a dedicated Emergency Operation Centers, which will serve the city during storms and emergencies.</p>
<p>At a forum on the bonds in February, the city said $80 million would be allocated either for building a new police headquarters or a major renovation of the existing structure. The rest would go to help renovate its aging fire stations.</p>
<p>The $20 million for parks will include improvements to Catherine Strong Park, such as covered basketball courts, a covered practice field, walking trails and improvements to restrooms and lighting.</p>
<p>The general obligation bonds will be paid for by revenue from property taxes. The city is required to levy enough property tax to pay for the debt service on the bond.</p>
<p>The estimated cost over 30 years to a resident with a home having $1 million in taxable assessed value would be $428 for the first year of the public safety bond. That amount would decrease to $360 annually when the city retires two previous bonds next February.</p>
<p>The parks and recreation bond is a separate cost. The 30-year estimated cost will be an additional $88 annually for a home with a $1 million taxable assessed value.</p>
<p><em>Unofficial vote totals updated as of 10 a.m. March 15.</em></p></div>Delray Beach: Public safety, park referendums seek $120 million in new property taxeshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-public-safety-park-referendums-seek-120-million-in-n2023-03-01T15:41:19.000Z2023-03-01T15:41:19.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Related story: </strong><a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-balance-of-power-on-ballot-in-commission-elections">Delray Beach: Balance of power on ballot in commission elections</a></p>
<p><strong>By John Pacenti</strong></p>
<p>If Delray Beach voters approve a $100 million public safety bond referendum March 14, $80 million of the proceeds will be used to pay for a new Police Department headquarters — or to cover the cost of a major renovation and expansion of the existing headquarters on West Atlantic Avenue.<br /> The remaining $20 million is targeted for the renovation of aging fire stations, but there have been no specific details released as to how those dollars would be divided.<br /> The police station priority was unveiled to voters at a Feb. 23 town hall meeting at the Old School Square gymnasium, just three weeks before Election Day.<br /> The public safety bond is one of two referendums on the election ballot for voters to decide. The other is a $20 million parks bond, with most of its money going for improvements at Catherine Strong Park. Some money would be used at Miller Park and others in the city.<br /> Residents at the town hall expressed dismay at the lack of information about the bonds since they were announced in September. Some thought the amounts sought were outrageous; others wondered if the money would be enough.<br /> The fire department last year gave renovation estimates of $50 million for its headquarters at 501 W. Atlantic Ave., Station 115 on Old Germantown Road and Station 114 on Lake Ida Road. The city has said the proposed general obligation bond would also pay for renovations for Station 112 on Andrews Avenue and the Ocean Rescue headquarters on Ocean Boulevard. <br /> But apparently Station 114, the youngest of the bunch, is off the table. Last year, the fire department said it needed $4.6 million to renovate it.<br /> At the meeting, Fire Chief Keith Tomey also addressed concerns voiced repeatedly about a proposal that would move Station 112 to Anchor Park, combining it with Ocean Rescue. Residents said they were worried about the noise or the fate of the playground.<br /> “We are so far away from anything actually breaking ground that there’ll probably be more thoughts and ideas and concepts before we actually decide,” Tomey said.<br /> The city’s literature is clear: The plan is to renovate existing fire stations, not build new ones. <br /> Information was added to the city’s bond referendum website at the end of February to tell voters that the money wouldn’t be used to build new fire stations at Anchor Park or Atlantic Dunes Park on the barrier island. <br /> Friends of Delray, an outspoken nonprofit group that has been critical of city leaders, dedicated a podcast in mid-February to the two bonds, with guests addressing how voters have been kept in the dark.<br /> Former Mayor Jay Alperin said on the group’s webcast that he couldn’t get answers from the city when he asked for specifics earlier this year.<br /> He noted that in the 1980s he was involved in a bond issue where city officials canvassed neighborhoods for months to tell people what was proposed. <br /> “This is a whole different way of handling a bond and it scares me that people won’t know in time to get really specific on what they are going to get for an increase in their taxes,” he said.<br /> But City Manager Terrence Moore told residents at the town hall that the city’s quality of life would be greatly impacted if the bond initiatives don’t pass.<br /> “Then we are back to the drawing board, so to speak. All the needs and all the projects will be delayed,” he said. The city has simply outgrown its current infrastructure with populations increasing from 47,748 to 66,911 since 1990, Moore said.<br /> Some voters said that the electorate wasn’t ready to make such a big commitment. <br /> “Most people haven’t heard about this yet and we are supposed to vote on it in a few weeks,” said Karen O’Neill. “And realistically, the concern is, are we ready to vote on this?”<br /> Susan Hansford wanted more specifics on why voters needed to approve such a large amount. “They cannot ask us for this kind of money,” she told <em>The Coastal Star</em>. “It’s asking us to sign a blank check.”<br /> A general obligation bond is paid by revenue from property taxes. The city is required to levy enough property tax to pay for the debt service on the bond.<br /> The estimated cost over 30 years to a resident with a home having $1 million in taxable assessed value would be $428 for the first year of the public safety bond. That amount would decrease to $360 annually when the city retires two previous bonds next February.<br /> The parks and recreation bond is a separate cost. The 30-year estimated cost will be an additional $88 annually for a home with a $1 million taxable assessed value.<br /> The taxable assessed value on a home is almost always less than its market value.<br /> The parks bond is specifically geared to Catherine Strong Park at 1500 SW Sixth St., to pay for covered basketball courts, a covered practice field, walking trails and improvements to restrooms and lighting.<br /> A question was raised at the town hall about whether the money can be used to renovate the city’s golf course. Moore said it could not because the course is a “de facto enterprise.”<br /> Police Chief Russ Mager painted a bleak picture of his current headquarters.<br /> “Roof leaks, tons of leaks,” he said, adding that the department has started converting closets into office space.<br /> The city is contemplating whether to raze the police headquarters and start with a new floor plan, or to add floors to the existing structures.<br /> Tomey spelled out the needs of the fire department, saying many of the existing stations were built 30 years ago when the department had fewer firefighters, fewer vehicles and a nearly all-male staff. Women now make up 20% of the operational staff of the department, he said.<br /> “We’re not quite as bad as the PD where we got people in closets but we’re getting pretty close,” Tomey said. </p></div>Delray Beach: Four candidates vie for two seats on commissionhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-four-candidates-vie-for-two-seats-on-commission2023-02-01T17:15:19.000Z2023-02-01T17:15:19.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10952713892,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10952713892,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="10952713892?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p></div>