Related: Obituary: David Allen Hutchins
Filling commission vacancy — Ocean Ridge town commissioners plan to discuss in July the filling of a vacancy on the commission created by the death of Commissioner David Hutchins on May 18.
Commissioner Hutchins was appointed to the board in 2024, won election to a two-year unexpired term that same year and was elected without opposition this year to a full three-year term that runs until March 2029.
During the commission’s June 1 meeting, Mayor Geoff Pugh said commissioners will begin identifying potential candidates and discuss them at the board’s next meeting, scheduled for July 8.
The commission can appoint someone to fill the position — or it can remain vacant — until the March 2027 municipal election.
The March 2027 election will be for a two-year unexpired term. Anyone appointed to the seat — or anyone else — wanting to run for the unexpired term would have to file for the seat during the November qualifying period.
Keeping the community beautiful — The Ocean Ridge Garden Club is marking 60 years of beautifying and preserving the coastal town.
Founded in 1966, the club allows residents to share a love of nature while supporting conservation initiatives in the community. The group hosts monthly meetings and educational events for residents.
“We really appreciate everything the garden club does, not just the beauty that they bring to the town, but also the community you create inside your organization,” Mayor Geoff Pugh said at the Town Commission’s May 4 meeting.
Traffic safety review — Speeding in Ocean Ridge is raising safety concerns among residents, and Police Chief Scott McClure agreed to study an area of concern.
Matt Fronzaglia, who lives on Oceanview Drive, made a public comment during the May 4 Town Commission meeting about speeding issues on Oceanview and Douglas Drive, which are connected one-way roads between State Road A1A and Old Ocean Boulevard.
The resident said delivery drivers and ride-sharing workers who may be unfamiliar with the area either miss the 10-mph speed limit sign off of A1A or ignore it. Because the streets don’t have sidewalks, pedestrians are forced to share the space with vehicles.
“It’s a matter of time before something happens there,” Fronzaglia said.
He sent letters to other homeowners, with 15 responses in favor of requesting a traffic safety review to which McClure agreed.
— Sephora Charles
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