By Joe Capozzi
Nothing brings neighbors together in South Palm Beach like a good party. That’s the idea behind a plan to honor the town’s most senior resident with a celebration at Town Hall in August.
Who will the guest of honor be? That’s what town officials want to know. They’re asking residents to help them identify the oldest person in town.
“We need to find them and celebrate them,’’ said Vice Mayor Bill LeRoy, whose idea for the party, pitched at a June 14 Town Council meeting, was met with enthusiasm by his fellow council members.
“It’s just another event for the town to bring everyone together,’’ he said.
LeRoy has long been a proponent of the town hosting community events where residents, the majority of whom live in condos, can mingle and meet neighbors.
Happy with the success of two public events hosted outside Town Hall this year — a Memorial Day celebration and a wine-and-sliders party — LeRoy said he wants Town Hall to host more public gatherings. “Otherwise, you never see each other,’’ he said.
One day in June, LeRoy said he was chatting with a golfing buddy. “He happened to ask, ‘Who is the oldest person in South Palm Beach?’ And I said, ‘I have no idea but we need to find out. And we need to have a party for them.’ I was also looking for a good reason to bring the people together in August.’’
If the inaugural birthday celebration is a success, LeRoy wants to make it an annual event.
“We can do the tent, get a big cake and some beverages, a lovely event to bring us all together.’’
To identify its most senior resident, the town plans to spread word through social media and in notices posted in condo lobbies.
Someone at the June 14 meeting jokingly suggested reaching out to Al Roker, the Today show weatherman who offers tributes to centenarians, but LeRoy said he’s confident residents will be able to identify the guest of honor.
“Somebody has got to know who the oldest person in town is. We need to find them, get them out and celebrate them,’’ he said.
In other business, the council in July will review Town Manager Robert Kellogg’s budget proposal for 2022-23. Property values in town are expected to exceed half a billion dollars, a 12.7% increase Kellogg said would generate an additional $193,900 in revenue for next year’s budget under the current tax rate.
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