pay - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-28T14:23:03Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/paySouth Palm Beach: Council OKs negotiations with Titcomb to take town manager’s jobhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/south-palm-beach-council-oks-negotiations-with-titcomb-to-take-to2023-03-29T14:44:57.000Z2023-03-29T14:44:57.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>By Joe Capozzi</strong></p>
<p>Former Ocean Ridge Town Manager Jamie Titcomb has emerged as the Town Council’s choice to be South Palm Beach’s next manager. Now the council must decide whether to allow him to serve as an independent contractor or a full-time employee.<br /> Titcomb, the town manager in Loxahatchee Groves from 2019 until last June, wants to be South Palm Beach’s town manager as an independent contractor for $12,000 a month. <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11007367485,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11007367485,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="102" alt="11007367485?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>Although he said he does not want a full-time position because of family obligations that led him to retire last summer, he suggested there could be a scenario that would satisfy the council. <br /> “I’m not necessarily your long-term solution,’’ he told the council at a special meeting on March 6. “I just retired last year. I’m kind of being pulled back out of the mothballs.’’ <br /> At the council’s direction, Town Attorney Glen Torcivia was expected to begin negotiations in late March with Titcomb, who would replace departing Robert Kellogg.<br /> Kellogg announced his retirement in November, a day after council member Ray McMillan made an unsuccessful motion to fire him. Kellogg wanted to retire at the end of March but has agreed to stay on until the council finds a replacement. <br /> Torcivia is expected to give the council an update on the negotiations on April 11. <br /> “The most recent conver-sation I had with the attorney is, he believes if I am going to come here and stay for any duration that I’ll probably need to be an employee of the town,’’ Titcomb said in an interview after the March 14 meeting. <br /> But Titcomb did not indicate this would necessarily be a deal-breaker.<br /> He told the council he could serve in “a transitional” capacity for a while, allowing the council to later seek “a long-term traditional manager.’’<br /> “I have a lot of energy and expertise left in me,’’ he said. “The longer term prospects of this has yet to be seen.’’ <br /> Under Titcomb’s proposal, he would make $144,000 a year, assuming he worked 12 months. And since he is a contractor, the town would not be responsible for paying him any benefits. <br /> Kellogg, who has served as a town manager and South Palm Beach employee since 2019, is making $110,250 a year. <br /> When the search process for a new town manager was first discussed at a special meeting Jan. 30, council members agreed it should be a full-time position. <br /> Titcomb attended that meeting and told the council he was not interested in a full-time job but was available to offer advice. But he said that in the days and weeks after that meeting, several council members reached out individually to him and encouraged him to apply. <br /> He also attended the March 6 meeting, which started out with council members preparing to discuss the search process. When McMillan suggested the town save time and negotiate with Titcomb, a majority of the council agreed. <br /> One resident said the town should conduct a general search. But council members, noting how they’re trying to expedite long-debated plans for a new Town Hall, directed Torcivia to negotiate with Titcomb.<br /> “I am more inclined to go with a work-agreement contract versus being a full-time employee of the town because of the flexibility and my circumstances at this time,’’ Titcomb said March 6. <br /> “I didn’t come forward thinking I am looking for a long-term assignment for years to come,’’ he said. “I know this is a full-time scenario in the sense that once you have the mantle and responsibility and the title, you’ve got to be there for the town as needed. But the details of how that plays out can well be articulated in the agreement to everyone’s satisfaction.’’ <br /> Mayor Bonnie Fischer, a South Palm Beach resident since 1976, said she can’t recall any time when the manager wasn’t a full-time town employee. <br /> Titcomb has applied for the South Palm Beach town manager’s job before, in 2015. But he wound up accepting the town manager post in Ocean Ridge, where he worked from October 2015 to March 2019. <br /> Titcomb lives in Atlantis. </p></div>Boca Raton: Boca’s starting pay for police is tops in statehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-boca-s-starting-pay-for-police-is-tops-in-state2022-03-02T15:35:06.000Z2022-03-02T15:35:06.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>By Mary Hladky</strong></p>
<p>The Boca Raton Police Department has increased its starting salary for officers to $75,216.<br />That amount is the highest of any police department in the state, according to the most recent salary data available from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.<br />Police departments across the country are experiencing great difficulty hiring and retaining officers for reasons that include the greater scrutiny they are facing over use-of-force cases, negative public attitudes about police and a difficult work environment because of an insufficient number of officers.<br />As a result, departments are actively recruiting and, when possible, raising salaries and offering other benefits.<br />“Thinking about a career in law enforcement?” the Boca Raton Police Department asked on Twitter in early February. “The City of Boca Raton is not only a great place to work, but also a great place to live and enjoy life.” The tweet also noted the new starting salary.<br />Police Chief Michele Miuccio declined a request for an interview. But the department and the city’s communications and marketing manager said the department realized in 2018 that salaries needed to increase after it experienced high turnover that left it with about 25 or 30 vacancies.<br />A big pay increase at that time was intended to “greatly assist the recruitment of new police officers to the city,” City Manager Leif Ahnell wrote in a memo to the City Council. Subsequent yearly increases have been 3% to 3.5%<br />The department, which has 217 sworn officers and 110 civilian employees, now has 11 openings, representing 5% of its officers.</p></div>Delray Beach: Commission votes itself large raisehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-commission-votes-itself-large-raise2020-09-02T22:22:40.000Z2020-09-02T22:22:40.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>By Jane Smith</strong><br /> <br />Delray Beach city commissioners narrowly agreed on Aug. 18 to give themselves hefty pay raises.<br /> They all said it was not the proper time to raise their pay in the middle of a pandemic. The vote was 3-2, with Vice Mayor Ryan Boylston and Commissioner Adam Frankel voting no.<br /> “I don’t disagree it’s bad timing,” Mayor Shelly Petrolia said. “But if we don’t do this now, we will have to wait another 2.5 years.”<br /> The raises will take effect after the March 2021 elections, according to the city charter. That means Petrolia, Boylston and Frankel would have to be re-elected to receive the new salaries.<br /> The commission salary increased from $9,000 annually to $24,000. The mayor’s annual pay will go from $12,000 to $30,000.<br /> Staff surveyed the annual salaries paid to elected officials in Boynton Beach and Boca Raton. Both cities pay their elected officials much more than Delray Beach does.<br /> In Boynton Beach, commissioners are paid $20,000 a year, and the mayor’s annual salary is $24,000. In Boca Raton, council members receive $28,000 annually and the mayor makes $38,000.<br /> Commissioner Juli Casale voted yes, as long as the pandemic situation eased at the beginning of next year. <br /> Petrolia said they could vote to postpone the raises for six months if that was still the situation.<br /> “The timing is bad,” Boylston said. “We are freezing raises, looking at layoffs.”<br /> Interim City Manager Jennifer Alvarez said the city is not freezing raises. The city has a hiring freeze, she said.<br /> Retired teacher Yvonne Odom told the commission “to vote your own conscience. That’s what you were elected to do.” Odom runs youth sports programs with her husband and is the grandmother of teen tennis star Coco Gauff. <br /> “Make sure essential workers are paid well,” Odom said. “But I’m not in favor of cutting personnel.”<br /> Frankel agreed with his fellow commissioners that they are “woefully underpaid” when he voted for the salary increase Aug. 11 on the first reading. He also said he wanted to think about it and changed his mind when voting Aug. 18.</p></div>Pay it Forward: Impact 100 plans ‘virtual’ votes to award much-needed grantshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/pay-it-forward-impact-100-plans-virtual-votes-to-award-much-neede2020-04-01T17:56:00.000Z2020-04-01T17:56:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Amy Woods</strong></p>
<p>While Impact 100 Palm Beach County will not have the Grand Awards on April 15, it plans to distribute every dollar donated by its members to five nonprofits serving South County.</p>
<p><br /> The meeting previously set to take place at Lynn University in Boca Raton has been canceled amid coronavirus concerns, and as of press time, contingencies had yet to be finalized.</p>
<p><br /> “We’re not going to hold the live event like we have in the past, but we are still going to announce our finalists and award the grants,” President Kathy Adkins said. “That’s the good news.”</p>
<p><br /> Last year, Impact 100 gave five organizations in five focus areas $100,000 grants. An additional $43,000 was divided evenly among five semifinalists. This year, the goal is to raise $600,000, enabling the organization to provide additional funds to the semifinalists.</p>
<p><br /> “There’s so much need in the community, and that’s why we’re continuously trying to grow our membership,” said Adkins, noting that more than 100 applications seeking the financial aid were submitted. “People think that our area wouldn’t typically have these needs, but they exist right in our backyard.”</p>
<p><br /> Members agree to donate $1,000 when they join as well as attend one meeting — the Grand Awards — at which they cast one vote. The vote follows presentations by each of the five finalists about the program or project they want funded.</p>
<p><br /> The five focus areas are arts, culture and historic preservation; education; environment and animal welfare; family; and health and wellness.</p>
<p><br /> “The needs include everything from feeding underserved people, getting them the resources that they need, to helping our environment and our coastal areas,” Adkins said. “There’s everything from trying to provide music and art and education for children to the health and wellness piece.”</p>
<p><br /> When, where and how the vote will take place is something the executive committee will have to decide.</p>
<p><br /> “Our team has been hard at work, creating a virtual version of our Grand Awards event for our 2019-2020 grant cycle,” Adkins wrote in an email blast announcing the cancellation. “This will allow us to safely still fulfill our promise to our community to award five $100,000 grants to our local nonprofits.</p>
<p><br />For information, call 561-336-4623 or visit <a href="http://www.impact100pbc.org">www.impact100pbc.org</a>.</p></div>Pay it Forward: Bethesda Hospital CEO to make debut at Bethesda Ballhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/pay-it-forward-bethesda-hospital-ceo-to-make-debut-at-bethesda-ba2020-03-03T21:30:00.000Z2020-03-03T21:30:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Update: Bethesda Hospital <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/bethesda-hospital-cancels-bethesda-ball" target="_blank">cancels</a> Bethesda Ball</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>By Amy Woods</strong></p>
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<p>The Bethesda Ball turns 65 this month, but this will be the first ball for the new CEO of Bethesda Hospital.</p>
<p><br /> Nelson Lazo took the reins in December following a nine-year stint as CEO of Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables.</p>
<p><br /> “I am very excited to attend the ball to meet community members and supporters of our hospital,” Lazo said. “That is what the night is all about.”</p>
<p><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960934301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960934301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="182" height="273" alt="7960934301?profile=original" /></a>The event will take place March 14 at The Breakers in Palm Beach, where attendees will enjoy cocktails, dinner, live music and an exclusive auction featuring a European cruise and a Mediterranean yachting excursion, among other items.</p>
<p><br /> “The funds this year will directly support Bethesda Hospital’s greatest need,” Lazo said, noting that he expects upward of $600,000 to be raised. “I envision the funds being used for projects like the emergency room, registration areas, the women’s center and more.”</p>
<p><br /> He plans to unveil key highlights of the hospital’s $300 million capital campaign, Vision 2030, and its impact on Bethesda West Hospital.</p>
<p><br /> “It is a growing community, and we feel that investing in our west facility long term is a very smart investment from our end,” Lazo said. “Plus, it would provide a main expanded service to that community.”</p>
<p><br /> Among his goals as CEO, in addition to enhancing and improving operations at both Bethesda East and Bethesda West hospitals, is to change the format of the ball in 2021. He favors fun over formality.</p>
<p><br /> “I am a strong believer in having a good time,” Lazo said. “You can still wear your tux, but let’s dance, let’s have fun, and let’s have an after-party.”</p>
<p><br /> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>If You Go</strong></span><br /> What: Bethesda Ball<br /> When: 6:30 p.m. March 14<br /> Where: The Breakers, 1 S. County Road, Palm Beach<br /> Cost: $650<br /> Information: 561-737-7733, Ext. 84428 or <a href="http://www.bethesdahospitalfoundation.org">www.bethesdahospitalfoundation.org</a></p></div>Pay it Forward: Philanthropic events in South Countyhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/pay-it-forward-philanthropic-events-in-south-county2019-10-01T19:30:00.000Z2019-10-01T19:30:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960900856,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960900856,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960900856?profile=original" /></a></em></strong><em>Dinner, dancing, live music, entertainment and the theme ‘Under the Palms’ highlight an evening of celebration and support for the expansion of foster care services for Place of Hope at The Leighan and David Rinker Campus in Boca Raton. Time is 6:30 p.m. Cost $300. Call 483-0962 or visit <a href="http://www.placeofhoperinker.org">www.placeofhoperinker.org</a>. ABOVE: (l-r, front) Melissa Bonaros, Linda Taylor, Sue MacDonald, Rebecca D’Emic, Polly Jackson, Angela Santos, Patricia Saffer, (back) Paul Bonaros, Sue Heller, Trisha Wegman, Katharine Moss, Jennifer Hernandez, Dr. Anjali Noble, Trisha Bachman, Rachel Lopez, Mary Randolph Scott, Shari Parson and Neil Saffer. <strong>Photo provided by Kelly Wagner/Coastal Click Photography</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong><em>Pay it Forward celebrates the numerous philanthropic events in South County. Events are current as of 9/29. Please check with organizers for any changes.</em></strong></p>
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<p><em><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>OCTOBER</strong></span></em></p>
<p><em><br /> Friday - 10/4 - American Association of Caregiving Youth’s Hearts & “Soles” Casino Night at Boca Country Club, 17751 Boca Club Blvd., Boca Raton. Double down at one of several gaming tables to help the nonprofit carry out its mission of ensuring support services for young caregivers and their families. 6-10 pm. $175. 391-7401 or aacy.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> 10/4 - Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum’s Toasts, Tastes & Trolleys at Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Tour downtown venues while sampling dinner by the bite and specialty drinks at every location, all to benefit education programs. 6-11 pm. $125. 395-6766 or bocahistory.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Saturday - 10/12 - Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics’ Angels for Angels Charity Ball at St. Andrews Country Club, 17557 W. Claridge Oval, Boca Raton. Support drug development to treat and ultimately cure a rare disease that affects the nervous system, delaying development and causing intellectual and physical disabilities. 7-11 p.m. $175. 954-776-1999, Ext. 222 or cureangelman.org/angelsforangels.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Thursday - 10/17 - National League of American Pen Women’s Boca Raton Branch’s New Membership Luncheon & Silent Auction at Indian Spring Country Club, 11501 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach. Meet artists, composers and writers, enjoy a lavish lunch and bid on fabulous items to benefit scholarships for creative youths. Noon. $35. 737-5544 or bocapenwomen.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> 10/17 - Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee at The Harriet Himmel Theater, 700 S. Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach. “Bee” a part of the buzz and compete in the 28th-annual fundraiser for programs that teach literacy throughout the county. 6 pm. $300-$1,000. 279-9103 or literacypbc.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> 10/17 - Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton’s Securing our Future Soiree at The Addison, 2 E Camino Real, Boca Raton. Enjoy an experience-driven social with culinary stations, handcrafted cocktails and lavish auction items. 6:30-9:30 pm. $250. 683-3287 or bgcpbc.org</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Friday - 10/18 - Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s Go Pink Luncheon at Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Listen to multitalented actor, comedian, producer, writer and physician Dr. Ken Jeong give the keynote speech at the 16th-annual affair that benefits breast-cancer detection and treatment initiatives. 11 am-1:30 pm. $175. 955-7100 or donate.brrh.com/gopink.<br /> Saturday - 10/26 - The Witches of Delray’s Witches Ride beginning at Delray Beach City Hall, 100 N.W. First Ave. Put on a witch costume, decorate that bicycle and join the eighth-annual, fun-filled cruise down Atlantic Avenue to benefit Achievement Centers for Children & Families. 7:30-11:30 am. $25-$30. 266-0003 or witchesofdelray.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>NOVEMBER</strong></span></em></p>
<p><em><br /> Friday - 11/1 - Best Buddies Champion of the Year at PGA National Resort & Spa, 400 Ave of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens. Celebrate eight local philanthropic leaders who have engaged in a 10-week fundraising campaign to raise money and awareness for Best Buddies inclusion programs. Guests will be joined by Super Heros as they enjoy a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner and live entertainment. 7-11 pm. $250. 972-5312 or bestbuddies.org/palmbeach</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Saturday - 11/2 - Place of Hope’s Hope Bash Boca at Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton. Enjoy an evening of dining, dancing, live music, entertainment and the theme “Under the Palms” to support the expansion of foster care services at the Leighan and David Rinker Campus. 6:30 pm. $300. 483-0962 or placeofhoperinker.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Monday - 11/4 - Bethesda Hospital Foundation’s Women of Grace Luncheon at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. Celebrate philanthropy and volunteerism by honoring four local women whose outstanding service has enriched and inspired the community. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $200. 737-7733, Ext. 84428 or bethesdahospitalfoundation.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Tuesday - 11/5 - Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night at Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel, 2000 N.W. 19th St., Boca Raton. Take pride in Palm Beach County’s only NCAA-sanctioned football bowl game at a casual, open-to-the-public night filled with food, fun and fundraising for Spirit of Giving Network. 6-8:30 pm. $50 in advance, $60 at the door. 362-3661 or spiritofgivingnetwork.com.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Thursday - 11/7 - The Crossroads Club’s Inaugural Gratitude Luncheon at The Seagate Country Club, 3600 Hamlet Drive, Delray Beach. Buy a ticket to benefit, celebrate and recognize the progress made in fighting addiction in the community. Noon-2 pm. $175. 278-8004, Ext. 106 or thecrossroadsclub.com.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> 11/7 - Faulk Center for Counseling’s Community Impact Awards at Broken Sound Club, 2401 Willow Springs Drive, Boca Raton. Help raise proceeds that will impact more than 2,000 South Florida adults and children through individual- and group-counseling programs. 6 pm. $125. 483-5300 or faulkcenterforcounseling.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Friday - 11/8 - Junior League of Boca Raton’s Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon at Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Help celebrate local women and recognize nonprofits throughout Palm Beach County during a Saks Fifth Avenue fashion show by designer Andrea Lieberman. 10:30 am. $150-$250. 620-2553 or jlbr.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Friday - 11/15 - Boca Center’s “Jingle All the Way” at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton. Watch the inaugural tree-lighting, listen to holiday performances by local choirs and take photos with Santa while benefiting Junior League of Boca Raton and Spirit of Giving Network. 5:30-7 pm. A new, unwrapped toy for general admission, $45 for VIP seating. 620-2553 or jlbr.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Thursday - 11/21 - Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s Read Together Palm Beach County Finale Event at The Harriet Himmel Theater, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach. Wrap up the 11th-annual campaign, in which adults read the same book at the same time, with the author of The One-in-a-Million Boy, Monica Wood. 6 pm. Free. 279-9103 or literacypbc.org.</em></p>
<p><em><br /> Friday - 11/22 - Unicorn Children’s Foundation’s Community Inclusion Awards at Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton. Recognize unsung heroes and those who go above and beyond on behalf of special-needs children and their families. 11:30 am. $125. 620-9377, Ext. 304 or unicornchildrensfoundation.org.</em></p>
<p></p></div>Highland Beach: No agreement yet on regional planning council’s billhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/highland-beach-no-agreement-yet-on-regional-planning-council-s-bi2019-05-29T14:37:04.000Z2019-05-29T14:37:04.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>By Rich Pollack</b></span></p>
<p class="p2">Weeks after Highland Beach officially canceled its consulting contract with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council following the defeat of a multimillion dollar bond referendum, the two organizations are still at odds over who owes money to whom and how much.</p>
<p class="p3">In an April letter to the planning council’s chair and executive director, Highland Beach officials said they were disappointed and not only did not want to pay $44,000 the town owes, but also wanted back some of the $103,000 it had already paid.</p>
<p class="p3">The town hired the planning council to help create conceptual plans for three Complete Streets projects that would have been done in conjunction with Florida Department of Transportation improvements on State Road A1A and to shepherd those projects through.</p>
<p class="p3">In a May letter, Thomas Lanahan, the council’s executive director, disagreed with Highland Beach’s assertion that it failed to meet expectations and asked the town to pay $23,000 for work the council did.</p>
<p class="p3">Late last month, Lanahan and Town Manager Marshall Labadie spoke and expressed hope that differences could be resolved amicably.</p>
<p class="p3">In the April letter, Highland Beach claimed that it was misinformed about a tight deadline for when the FDOT wanted a financial commitment for the Complete Streets projects.</p>
<p class="p3">For months town officials had been told they needed to have the conceptual plans for the projects — which included a stormwater improvement project, improvements to the Ocean Walk multiuse corridor and surrounding areas, and installation of underground utilities — to the agency by late March. They later learned that the up to $45 million project could be postponed for a year. </p>
<p class="p3">Lanahan, in his response, said the planning council was not aware that the deadline had changed.</p>
<p class="p3">“We disagree that the council in any way failed to keep the town informed or misled the town about FDOT’s deadlines,” he wrote.</p>
<p class="p3">Lanahan said that during a meeting with FDOT officials in November, representatives from the town and the planning council raised the question of the deadline.</p>
<p class="p3">“Relief was sought from FDOT but they insisted on a March 31 deadline and also required a firm commitment for funding on the town improvements,” Lanahan wrote. “Our work took place on that basis.”</p>
<p class="p3">Lanahan said the FDOT on Jan. 25 again told council staff that there was no flexibility on the deadline. A few days later, however, agency officials agreed to a one-year extension.</p>
<p class="p3">“Council staff immediately informed the town manager of the new deadlines,” Lanahan wrote. “Any decisions on how to proceed at that point were up to the town.”</p>
<p class="p3">Town commissioners, in a controversial 3-2 vote, agreed to go ahead with the referendum.</p>
<p class="p3">In seeking additional money from the town, Lanahan pointed out that the council has not been paid for some work that was done before the referendum.</p>
<p class="p3">“It was never assumed that the project would move forward past the Town Commission and referendum and payment to the council was not contingent on final approvals,” he wrote. <span class="s2">Ú</span></p></div>Highland Beach: Town seeks refund from referendum consultanthttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/highland-beach-town-seeks-refund-from-referendum-consultant2019-05-01T14:39:36.000Z2019-05-01T14:39:36.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>By Rich Pollack</b></span></p>
<p class="p2">Highland Beach wants some of its money back from the organization it contracted with for help with three major improvement proposals that failed to get voter approval.</p>
<p class="p3">Following the overwhelming defeat of an up to $45 million bond issue referendum in March, town commissioners have fired off a letter to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council saying Highland Beach will not pay the remaining $44,000 owed and asking for the return of some of the close to $103,000 already paid.</p>
<p class="p3">In the April 10 letter, the town expressed concerns over the work done by the planning council, which was contracted to help create a conceptual plan for the three projects and help shepherd them through a state approval process.</p>
<p class="p3">The work, which included a stormwater improvement project, improvements to the Ocean Walk multiuse corridor and surrounding areas, and installation of underground utility wires, would have been done in conjunction with Florida Department of Transportation improvements to State Road A1A.</p>
<p class="p3">“Because the town did not get all that it bargained for and appears to have been misled, the town will not be making any further payments,” the letter said. “In fact, the town is hereby requesting the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council refund a portion of the fees already paid.”</p>
<p class="p3">Town officials made it clear they were not satisfied with the services the organization provided.</p>
<p class="p3">“The town put a great deal of faith in the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, primarily because of purported expertise in this area,” said the letter, signed by Mayor Rhoda Zelniker. “The town is very disappointed in how the project was handled.”</p>
<p class="p3">Highland Beach also contended that it was misled regarding a very tight deadline imposed by the state in which to do improvements.</p>
<p class="p3">For months town officials had been told they needed to have the conceptual plans to FDOT by late March, but they later learned that the project could be postponed for a year. </p>
<p class="p3">Thomas Lanahan, the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council’s executive director, defended his team, saying it did its best to meet the town’s requirements under a tight timeline. He also disputed that the town was misled regarding the deadline.</p>
<p class="p3">“The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council staff and our consultants worked very hard to explore and develop the concepts that the town engaged us to pursue on the very tight deadline established by the FDOT and the town’s need to hold a referendum,” he said. “Contrary to the assertion in the town’s letter, we notified the town immediately when we learned of FDOT’s decision to change the deadline late in the process.”</p>
<p class="p3">Commissioner Peggy Gossett-Seidman, who favored asking for money back, was an opponent of spending money on the three projects and has been outspoken in her concerns about the performance of the regional council.</p>
<p class="p3">“We contracted with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council for a service and instead they provided a disservice,” she said. “They perpetuated proven false and misleading information which cost the town dearly in time, money and credibility.”</p>
<p class="p3">Highland Beach did not specify how much money it would like to get back from Treasure Coast but offered to meet to hammer that out.</p>
<p class="p3">“In the spirit of cooperation, the town would suggest a meeting with the appropriate representatives in an effort to amicably resolve this matter,” the letter said.</p>
<p class="p3">Lanahan said he too would like to see the issues settled.</p>
<p class="p3">“We look forward to a constructive dialogue with the town manager on a wrap-up to the project,” he said. </p></div>Manalapan: Town OKs pension plan in boost for policehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/manalapan-town-oks-pension-plan-in-boost-for-police2019-01-02T17:27:59.000Z2019-01-02T17:27:59.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960838461,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960838461,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960838461?profile=original" /></a><em>Manalapan has begun staffing the redesigned guard gate to the Point section of town with a private security firm after moving police dispatch to Town Hall. <b>Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>By Dan Moffett</b></span></p>
<p class="p2">Manalapan’s plan for an ambitious expansion of its Police Department got a significant boost on Dec. 11 when town commissioners unanimously approved defined retirement benefits for employees.</p>
<p class="p3">The defined pension benefits, under which the town promises specified retirement payments based on an employee’s earnings history, replaces a 401(k) plan and allows Manalapan to keep and recruit more qualified, experienced police officers, Mayor Keith Waters said.</p>
<p class="p3">“Congratulations to this commission,” Waters said. “We are now moving in the right direction and getting the right kind of employees with the right kind of benefits.”</p>
<p class="p3">After a spate of stolen cars in late 2017, Waters and the commissioners decided to expand the Police Department by 50 percent, from eight uniformed officers to 12. But Chief Carmen Mattox said the marketplace for hiring qualified officers in South Florida has grown more competitive, particularly in the wake of the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last February. Schools, sheriff’s offices and municipalities have been aggressively hiring since the Parkland tragedy.</p>
<p class="p3">Waters said offering defined benefits will make Manalapan competitive with leading law enforcement agencies. All of the town’s full-time employees will be eligible to participate in the plan.</p>
<p class="p3">In all, the town plans to spend about $630,000 more in 2018-2019 than in the previous fiscal year on police and security. Besides the new hires, officers’ starting salaries will increase about $5,000 to $51,200 a year, with current officers getting a $4,500 raise. The department has moved its dispatch operations from the gatehouse on Point Manalapan to the second floor of Town Hall. The town has hired Miami-based SPERE Security to station guards at the gate house.</p>
<p class="p3">Mattox said he intends to have three patrol cars on the streets at all times.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>In other business</b>, Manalapan won’t need an election in March but will get a new town commissioner anyway.</p>
<p class="p3">Vice Mayor Peter Isaac, who has served on the commission since 2013, is required to step down because of term limits. Town Clerk Lisa Petersen said Isaac’s replacement will be Stewart Satter, who qualified to run for the at-large seat but is unopposed.</p>
<p class="p3">Three commission incumbents — Mayor Waters and Commissioners Jack Doyle and Hank Siemon — also qualified and are unopposed.</p>
<p class="p3">Satter, 60, is a partner at City Light Capital, a venture capital firm. He also is director of Carnegie Hill Development Corp., a real estate company that designs and develops waterfront homes in Florida, several of them in Manalapan. </p></div>Pay it Forward: Funnyman Flynn to headline 11th-annual Laugh with the Libraryhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/pay-it-forward-funnyman-flynn-to-headline-11th-annual-laugh-with-2017-01-04T01:00:00.000Z2017-01-04T01:00:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960699099,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960699099,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960699099?profile=original" /></a><em>Nancy Dockerty and Caron Dockerty are the event’s new chairwomen. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>By Amy Woods</strong></p>
<p>Laugh With the Library turns 11 this year. The signature showcase of comedy that sells out every season has raised more than $1 million to promote reading among children and increase programming at the Delray Beach Public Library.<br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960699277,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960699277,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="83" alt="7960699277?profile=original" /></a> On Feb. 3, a night of food, frivolity and fun will take place, featuring the sarcastic stylings of Kevin Flynn.<br /> “He is so funny and so wonderful,” Co-Chairwoman Caron Dockerty said of the standup artist who has appeared in films and television shows, hosts a weekly radio broadcast and serves as executive director of the Nantucket Comedy Festival.<br /> Dockerty and her family spend their summers on the island, and it has become a tradition to attend the big gig.<br /> “I knew he was philanthropic, and I knew he would appreciate helping out the library,” she said. “I knew it was a really nice fit.”<br /> Not only did Flynn agree to headline Laugh With the Library for half his regular talent fee, he also booked the warm-up act, Richie Minervini, of New York’s East Side Comedy Club fame. The evening will kick off at 7:30 with an open bar and dinner-by-the-bite.<br /> “It is the most fun charitable event we attend every year, and we go to several,” Dockerty said. “Everyone looks forward to this night.”<br /> She is organizing the fundraiser with her sister-in-law, Nancy Dockerty.<br /> “Co-chairing with Caron is really fun and a great experience, and she’s the first person I thought of when I said, ‘Oh, I’ll do this,’ ” Nancy Dockerty said.<br /> The two have taken the reins from the dynamic duo of Heidi Sargeant and Becky Walsh, the original co-chairwomen.<br /> “We are hoping to follow in their footsteps,” Nancy Dockerty said. “We want to maintain the level of fun at the event. We want to maintain the level of comedians they’ve gotten over the past 10 years.”</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>If You Go</strong><br /> What: Laugh With the Library<br /> When: 7:30-11 p.m. Feb. 3<br /> Where: Delray Beach Marriott, 10 N. Ocean Blvd.<br /> Cost: $200<br /> Information: Call 266-0798 or visit delraylibrary.org/laugh</p></div>Boca Raton: Proposed council pay raise will go to votershttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-proposed-council-pay-raise-will-go-to-voters2016-02-03T20:23:34.000Z2016-02-03T20:23:34.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>By Sallie James</strong><br /><br /> Boca Raton voters will decide in August if their elected officials should get pay raises that more than quadruple their salaries.<br /> City Council members in January approved the proposed referendum 4-1, saying higher salaries might help attract a wider slate of candidates.<br /> “It’s almost a full-time job — about 20 to 30 hours,” said council member Mike Mullaugh, who proposed the salary hikes. “Passing this is the best way to get the people you don’t like off. If you want to change what is on the council now, increase the salaries and encourage more people to run and you can find the kind of person you want.”<br /> In Boca Raton, pay raises must be approved by voters through a charter change.<br /> The ordinance links Boca salaries to those of the Palm Beach County Commission, with the mayor’s salary equal to 40 percent of a county commissioner’s salary, or $38,550, and council members’ salaries equal to 30 percent of a county commissioner’s salary, or $28,766. <br /> It also provides for annual increases.<br /> According to the ordinance, if Palm Beach County commissioners’ salaries are raised, Boca officials’ salaries will be raised the same amount.<br /> The ballot measure will be added to the Aug. 30 primary election so voters can approve or disapprove the proposed salary hikes. If approved, the pay hikes would become effective in October 2017.<br /> Boca’s mayor currently gets $750 a month, or $9,000 a year. Council members earn $600 a month, or $7,200 a year. Previous attempts in 2004 and 2006 both failed. <br /> Council member Scott Singer has opposed the measure from inception and continued to do so, saying he believes the idea of salary hikes should originate with voters, not the elected officials it would affect.<br /> “I continue to think that a charter amendment to increase salaries should start organically with the residents,” Singer said. He suggested that residents circulate petitions seeking support for the salary hikes to amend the charter as a city initiative.<br /> “I thought it should start with the people to garner enough support for the measure based on two previous (unsuccessful) attempts to pass this,” Singer said.<br /> Mayor Susan Haynie said Boca officials serve on more than 13 state, regional and county boards in addition to the time spent preparing for Boca’s meetings. In August, Haynie will also take on the role of president of the Florida League of Cities. Her message was simple: The jobs of elected official are very time-consuming and the pay is low.<br /> “We are just voting to put this before the people. I do think it will open up the availability of individuals who would like to serve here,” Haynie said.<br /> Council member Robert Weinroth said higher salaries will make it easier for people to serve in a position that is so time-consuming and might increase the field of people willing to serve.<br /> “This will allow other people to come out and run for election,” Weinroth said. “I think it’s time to put this before the electorate.<br /> “I am sure whether it is voted up or down, that none of us is going to make a decision whether we are going to run for the position based on the salary,” Weinroth said.<br /> City activist James Hendrey voiced support for the measure but didn’t want anyone on the current council to be eligible for the salary hike because of the way sitting council members seemed to favor development.<br /> “I think this is an important move to get more people engaged in the process,” Hendrey said.</p></div>Boca Raton: Council postpones pay raise discussion, may put on August ballothttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-council-postpones-pay-raise-discussion-may-put-on-augu2015-12-30T17:54:10.000Z2015-12-30T17:54:10.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>By Sallie James</strong><br /><br /> The Boca Raton City Council postponed discussion of an ordinance that would give city lawmakers a raise, planning to address in January the possibility of setting the wage level at a percentage of Palm Beach County Commission salaries and putting the question to voters in August. The city’s elected officials say they’re underpaid and need a raise, but how and if they will ever get one is a complicated process that depends on voters.<br /> City Council members last month spent nearly an hour discussing a proposed ordinance that would have tied council salaries to those of state legislators. They also considered linking salaries to those of the Palm Beach County commissioners.<br /> In the end, however, they decided to postpone the issue and take a fresh look this month.<br /> “The reason to do this is simply because it is the right thing to do, not because we absolutely need to,” said City Council member Mike Mullaugh, who proposed the ordinance but wouldn’t be affected by it because he cannot run for office again because of term limits.<br /> Is this a good idea and how do you feel about attaching it to the salary of other elected officials, he asked.<br /> Council member Robert Weinroth lauded Mullaugh for proposing the issue, adding that council members “certainly understand (they) signed on for this job at a salary that is modest.”<br /> Weinroth liked Mullaugh’s proposal but wanted the measure to be considered by voters in March 2016 instead of November 2016. <br />After much discussion about when the proposal should be placed on the ballot, council members favored August. They instructed the city attorney to draft a new ordinance for consideration that ties council raises to a percentage of the salaries of Palm Beach County commissioners; establishes those percentages of 40 percent for the mayor and 30 percent for council members; and sets the ordinance’s effective date as Oct. 1, 2016.<br /> As part of the discussion, city activist Glenn Gromann voiced strong support for pay hikes, calling elected officials’ existing pay scale a sort of “archaic indentured servant situation.” Resident Kevin Meaney also favored raises, saying they would enable more people to run for office who otherwise could not afford to.<br /> Mullaugh suggested tying pay hikes to those of other public officials because any change to Boca’s salaries must be done by referendum. Boca’s elected officials haven’t had a pay hike since 1984.<br /> Boca’s mayor is paid $750 a month, or $9,000 a year. Council members earn $600 a month, or $7,200 a year. Attempts in 2004 and 2006 to get voters to approve raises both failed. Mullaugh suggested a referendum seeking pay hikes in the hope of encouraging more candidates to run for office. <br /> The job, considered part-time, often requires 20 to 30 hours a week, because elected officials have to attend city workshops, council meetings, Community Redevelopment Agency meetings and a variety of other municipal events in addition to studying meeting materials to understand the issues, he said.<br /> Under Mullaugh’s proposal, the annual salary of the mayor would be equal to the salary of the Florida Senate president/speaker of the House, with the annual salaries of council members equal those of state legislators.<br /> The current salary for the Senate president/House speaker is $41,181; the current salary for Senate/House members is $29,697.<br /> An alternate suggestion was to link Boca salaries to those of the Palm Beach County Commission, with the mayor’s salary equal to 40 percent of a county commissioner’s salary, or $38,550, and council members’ salaries equal to 30 percent of a county commissioner’s salary, or $28,766.<br /> Because voters have twice rejected pay hikes, council member Scott Singer wondered if the measure would fare better if it started with voters.<br /> “If there is a cry in the community to increase the pay and perhaps encourage more candidates to run, I think it should start there,” Singer said. “If you want to enhance the likelihood of its passing, I think it should start more organically.”<br /> City Council member Jeremy Rodgers disagreed that a “signature-based introduction” was necessary to ask voters to consider council raises. <br /> “I have heard quite a bit of support for it and I’ve heard some support against it,” Rodgers said. He quipped, “If this was an hourly job we would all have lawsuits because we are not getting paid minimum wage for the time we put in.”<br /> Mayor Susan Haynie said the proposed pay hikes have the support of the Federation of Boca Raton Homeowners, which represents all Boca homeowner associations.<br /> The new ordinance is expected to come up for review sometime in January.</p></div>Highland Beach: Less hours, same pay for policehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/highland-beach-less-hours-same-pay-for-police2012-02-01T18:18:05.000Z2012-02-01T18:18:05.000ZDeborah Hartz-Seeleyhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/DeborahHartzSeeley<div><p>Town police will work 5 percent fewer hours but keep their same pay under a new contract proposal.</p>
<p>“So that is essentially a 5 percent [pay] increase,” Town Manager Kathleen Weiser told town commissioners at their January workshop.</p>
<p>Commissioners scheduled the three-year pact for a Feb. 7 vote. Officers will also be eligible, as other town employees are, for yearly merit raises up to 5 percent.</p>
<p>Under the proposal, police will work six 12-hour shifts and one 8-hour shift every two weeks, Chief Craig Hartmann said.</p>
<p>Officers will also take “voluntary” physicals each year instead of “mandatory” ones.</p>
<p><span> </span> <i>— Steve Plunkett</i></p>
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