Glen Torcivia is Highland Beach's new town attorney.
By Steve Plunkett
Glen Torcivia, who represents Sewall’s Point in coastal Martin County as well as Palm Springs and Belle Glade, is the town’s new attorney.
He replaced Tom Sliney, who had been Highland Beach’s attorney since 1973.
“I felt a good connection with all the commissioners. They believe in public service; we believe in public service,” Torcivia said after a morning round of one-on-one interviews followed by the special Town Commission meeting that selected him.
Torcivia, 57, said serving the public was a fundamental concern of his law firm.
“You’ve got to make a living, but you don’t have to put your values aside,” he said.
Also competing for the job were Tom Baird, town attorney for Jupiter; Brad Biggs, town attorney for South Palm Beach, Golf and Royal Palm Beach; and Ken Spillias, town attorney for Ocean Ridge.
“I truly feel that all are competent, and unfortunately we can only select one,” said Commissioner Dennis Sheridan, whose review of Sliney’s contract led to the search for someone else.
Mayor Bernard Featherman said the four competitors were “sterling” law firms. “It’s a very difficult decision to reach,” Featherman said.
Commissioners cast “secret” ballots that became public record afterward. In the first round, Vice Mayor Miriam Zwick chose Baird, Sheridan and Commissioner John Pagliaro picked Spillias, while Featherman and Commissioner Doris Trinley selected Torcivia.
Biggs was eliminated for receiving no votes. Commissioners kept the same choices in the second round, which eliminated lowest vote-getter Baird. Zwick cast her third ballot for Torcivia.
“I know they’ll do a great job for us,” Trinley said.
The town will pay Torcivia $195 an hour to attend meetings of the commission, Planning Board, Board of Adjustment and Appeals and Code Enforcement Board, and for general legal services. Sliney was given a monthly retainer of $9,000.
Torcivia earned his law degree from Union University in Albany, N.Y., in 1979 and started a law firm after a five-year stint as an assistant Palm Beach County State attorney. He also was the Palm Beach County Health Care District’s first attorney.
Sliney ended his 38 years as Highland Beach’s attorney giving opinions at the Dec. 6 commission meeting on who’s responsible for trimming royal palms (“It depends on where the trees are actually located”) and what to do about bicyclists riding four abreast on A1A (“It’s a state highway”).
Featherman presented him with a plaque: “In Grateful Appreciation for your many years of Dedicated and Loyal Service to the Town of Highland Beach.”
“This is very nice,” Sliney said. “Representing the town all these years has been one of the real highlights of my legal career. I’ve got a lot of memories.”
Former Mayor Arlen Voress recalled how Sliney had negotiated a $36 million judgment against Highland Beach down to $5 million.
“I think the town owes him a lot of respect,” Voress
said. Ú
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