By Henry Fitzgerald
Menorah and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies. More community events. A waterfront gazebo at Town Hall. Enhanced beach preservation. Various beautification projects.
At the South Palm Beach Town Council’s visioning workshop held July 21, council members expressed these and other “visions” for the future of their town.
Ideas ran the gamut, from the long-standing desires to improve Town Hall, repair an aging wastewater lift station, and improve the State Road A1A corridor, to boosting residents’ engagement in town affairs through social media and enhancing public spaces.
Through the entire two-hour discussion, one thing was clear: It’s OK to dream big.
“These are priorities, specific goals and initiatives we are dedicated to executing for the community,” Mayor Rafael Pineiro said. “This being a workshop, it’s really the only opportunity we have to talk to each other. The whole concept is to be able to have a discussion, an open discussion, so we can build up agreement and have a plan going forward.”
Overall, Pineiro numbered four areas upon which to start: critical infrastructure, having a transparent government, financial prudence and having an inclusive community.
Not surprisingly, critical infrastructure includes the fate of Town Hall. Pineiro, Vice Mayor Fran Attardi and Council member Adrian Burcet were swept into office in March on the promise of refurbishing Town Hall, in stark contrast to a plan by previous council members to raze it and build a new one.
Pineiro’s vision echoes the five-point plan on which he ran for office, which includes: stopping Town Hall work and then determining if it can be renovated; building a new master lift station; working with the Florida Department of Transportation to upgrade the sidewalk running along A1A; and working with Florida Power & Light to bury power lines in town.
These were echoed by other council members, but each also pitched his or her own ideas.
Council member Ray McMillan said when he was elected more than six years ago, his No. 1 thing was “trying to get more greenery, more trees planted,” he said. “And of course the sidewalk problem, which has been chronic for years and years.”
“Regarding the Town Hall, I believe we’ll be able to get where we need to get with the new council members to keep the existing building and be able to resurrect it. I believe we can really make this building work.”
Attardi says she sees South Palm Beach in five years as one of the most welcoming, engaged and desirable coastal communities in Palm Beach County.
“I want us to be known not only for our beautiful location, but for our strong sense of community, transparent government and exceptional quality of life,” she said. “I want South Palm Beach to be a town where people feel connected to their neighbors, participate in town events and take pride in being part of the community.”
Additionally, she said she’d like to establish annual traditions such as holiday celebrations, pet-focused events and community gatherings.
“Let’s have something for lighting a menorah, putting up a Christmas tree, or a Halloween event where we get our local businesses involved,” she said.
Council member Sandra Beckett said her priorities are the lift station and Town Hall renovations, but she doesn’t want to forget about budget priorities, especially if the state property tax amendment passes in November and affects the town.
“We need to consider the impact, and we may need to modify and revise some things later if that passes,” she said. “Considering that, it’s important for us to be cautious with funding additional projects that would be very expensive. A huge priority is for us to continue to monitor and manage our monies responsibly.”
For Burcet, he wants the town to focus on environmental stewardship such as protecting coastal areas and the beaches.
“We should also focus on the amount of litter on the beach,” he said. “We all enjoy our beaches, but I’m seeing cans, I’m seeing cigarette butts. We’re a nesting area for sea turtles, so it’s very important that we work together to upkeep our beaches and protect our wildlife as much as we can.”
Plans for a few of these items on the wish list have already been put in motion. The town plans to launch an updated website soon, and preliminary meetings and discussions are already taking place for Town Hall, the lift station, the sidewalk and burying the power lines.
“We believe that if we fix critical infrastructure, if we practice financial prudence, if we ensure a transparent government, then that protects and enhances the quality of our lives,” Pineiro said. “As an outcome, we inherently drive up property values and ensure South Palm Beach remains a premier residential community in the Palm Beaches.”
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