South Palm Beach Mayor Bonnie Fischer (center) chats with residents who attended a Feb. 10 candidate forum. She joined Vice Mayor Monte Berendes and Council members Sandra Beckett and Elvadianne Culbertson in meeting prospective voters. Brian Biggane/The Coastal Star
By Brian Biggane
What was initially billed as a “Meet the Candidates” night instead turned into a “Meet the Incumbents” event as the mayor and three South Palm Beach council members up for election met with their constituents on Feb. 10 at the Barclay condominium.
The program, hosted by moderator and Barclay resident John Stillpass, lasted just under 90 minutes. It allowed the incumbents — Mayor Bonnie Fischer, Vice Mayor Monte Berendes and Council members Sandra Beckett and Elvadianne Culbertson — to show their support for the Town Hall project, while correcting what they said were misconceptions about financial issues and responsibility for badly needed repairs to the sidewalk along the west side of State Road A1A.
The four are running in the March 10 municipal election, being challenged by mayoral candidate Rafael Pineiro and council candidates Francesca Attardi and Adrian Burcet, all of whom declined to attend. Pineiro has said the three spread their message by meeting residents at several of the town’s condos. The League of Women Voters dropped its sponsorship when advised both sides would not be represented.
Resident and retired property manager Richard Haggerty voiced an opinion heard throughout the event regarding the Town Hall situation, saying, “It’s a pretty simple thing: The cost to renovate is too expensive and doesn’t do anything for the long term. They expect (the cost) to be $1.8 million to do the renovation, and that was in 2018. It would be $2 million or $3 million by now.”
“I put my full faith in their decision,” Kim Redmond added. “They’ve done a lot of research on it and have made some very judicious choices.”
The fact that only a handful of residents typically attend the monthly Town Council meetings brought some in search of more information about the project, which has been in the works for nearly 10 years and is expected to break ground in a matter of months. One of those was relatively new resident Kim Rayner.
Before the meeting, Rayner had doubts, saying, “I’m against it until I learn more. I’d love to hear other ways to resolve the issues other than building a new facility.”
Afterward she said, “If they have the funding that’s fine. I have to go to the Town Council meetings to learn more.”
Lantana Mayor Karen Lythgoe and County Commissioner Marci Woodward, whose district includes South Palm Beach, were on hand to support the incumbents.
“We already work together,” Lythgoe said. “It’s important neighbors get along, so there are no adversarial relationships.”
Stillpass solicited questions from the audience, about half of which involved the deteriorated condition of the sidewalk. Berendes explained that the council has been working with the Florida Department of Transportation, while Beckett said a plan toward repairs is in the works with the help of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.
That wasn’t enough for resident Georgette Betts, who said, “They need to use their influence to push harder. That needs to be a priority.”
When it was over the incumbents professed confidence the meeting had served its purpose and the election would go their way.
“I’m not cocky, but I’m confident,” Culbertson said. “I don’t think our competition is strong at all.”
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