GOSPEL CONCERT IN RPB ON NOV. 18 SEE STORY, PAGE 3
NEW OWNER AT ROYAL CROWN IN RPB SEE STORY, PAGE 7
THE
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INSIDE
ITID Board Refuses To Reconsider Removing Argue As Treasurer
Volume 38, Number 42 November 10 - November 16, 2017
Serving Palms West Since 1980
MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATER
The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors, in a special meeting last week, considered public input protesting a motion it approved in the wee hours of its Oct. 18 meeting to remove Supervisor Betty Argue as ITID treasurer. However, after receiving dozens of e-mails and listening to dozens of in-person speakers, none of the three supervisors who voted in favor of the motion would reconsider the decision. Page 3
Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith Celebrates New Office In Wellington
The law firm Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith celebrated the opening of its new Wellington office on Tuesday, Nov. 7 with a party at the Grille Fashion Cuisine. The lawyers were joined by friends, family, community and business leaders for the occasion. The new office is located in the Lake Wellington Professional Centre. Page 7
Annual Boys & Girls Club Golf Tournament Held At Wanderers Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County hosted its 36th annual Wellington Golf Classic on Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Wanderers Club to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club. The morning began with a continental breakfast after registration, followed by scramble-style play on the golf course. Page 13
OPINION
We Must Help Those In Need During This Thanksgiving Season
Elie Wiesel once said, “When a person doesn’t have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity.” Given that we are entering the season of giving thanks, Wiesel’s words are worth pondering. Before we start giving thanks for our own blessings, let’s try to show both a little gratitude for the good things in our lives, and help others who aren’t as fortunate. There are many ways to help out, both here locally and around the world. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 13 OPINION.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 8 PEOPLE................................. 14 SCHOOLS.............................. 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................27 - 29 CALENDAR............................ 30 CLASSIFIEDS.................31 - 34 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Standing Room Only Productions presented its popular Murder Mystery Dinner Theater on Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Wellington Community Center. The theme was “1987 High School Reunion.” When a mysterious murder occurred, it was up to each guest to piece together the clues and identify the suspect. Attendees dressed in 1980s themed attire. Shown above are Wellington staffers Michelle Garvey, Bruce DeLaney, Eric Juckett and Christine Jarriel. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Zoners OK Medical Building, Starbucks For Plaza On SR 7
By Jack Lowenstein Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board approved a comprehensive plan amendment and a development order amendment Wednesday, Nov. 8 allowing a medical office building and an additional fast-food restaurant at the Village Green Center, located at the northwestern intersection of State Road 7 and Stribling Way. The shopping plaza already has a number of buildings and fastfood restaurants in place, anchored by a Trader Joe’s grocery store. The comprehensive plan amendment would allow a medical office building within the shopping plaza, making it a permitted use and reducing the maximum allowable square footage for the overall project. The development order amendment sought to modify Building F from a bank with a drive-through to a fast-food restaurant with a drive-through, and to allow the medical use within Building D of
the site plan. As of now, the additional fast-food space is slated for a future Starbucks location. “We’ll be reducing the overall square footage in the project… and then adding the ability for the medical office in Building D,” agent Kate DeWitt of the planning firm Cotleur & Hearing said. “The request to modify Building F, from the bank with a drive-through to the fast food, is really a result of current market demands. In the last five years, the applicant has been trying to secure the bank tenant, and I think with just the current state of retail banking, it’s not as vibrant as it once was. So, that was really the impetus for the project that’s coming before you today.” The Starbucks is slated to have a one-lane drive-through in the proposed amendment. “All of the stacking distances that are required per the code have been met,” DeWitt said. “We’ve also met the requirements of the recently improved zoning text amendment that requires addi-
tional substantial landscaping to be provided where the drive-through is, so it provides screening in that area.” The staff report stated that there has been an increase in demand for medical space in the surrounding area since the initial approval of the Village Green Center. DeWitt agreed that the proposed medical office should be a welcomed addition to the plaza and the community. “When you look at all the medical users that have really come to this area, it’s becoming a hub for medical and healthcare,” DeWitt said. “You have Palms West, Wellington Regional, Joe DiMaggio, and we have the Cleveland Clinic occupying a bay on the same parcel as this — so, you have all this synergy that is really an opportunity to continue that medical growth within the village.” PZA Board Vice Chair Kenneth Kopp asked about the reduction in square footage and its main purSee PZA BOARD, page 4
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors accepted the resignation of Special District Services as its management company, effective immediately, at a reconvened meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 1, after District Manager John “Woody” Wodraska indicated he no longer wanted the position. Special District Services accepted the position four months ago after the board fired former District Manager Jim Shallman and former Finance Director Don Rinzel. Special District Services President and Jupiter Mayor Todd Wodraska, the son of Woody Wodraska, reminded the board that at its October meeting, it had
decided to enact a 60-day termination clause in its contract. “We didn’t really get into the legality of the transition with Woody leaving and what it would look like, although we had a little back-and-forth, and so I’m here to say that we, as a company, will do whatever you like,” Todd Wodraska said. “I know that he would like today to be his last meeting, and I’m here to tell you that we’ll happily sever our relationship today at no cost to the district.” Todd Wodraska said Special District Services would honor the contract and temporarily place another manager from the company, but the board passed on that offer. Supervisor Gary Dunkley said he would prefer to end the contract immediately. “I learned a lot from you while
you were here, and glad that we’re able to sever our relationship, as I suggested last time, early without any penalties or any other cost,” Dunkley said. “I agree with that and thank you for your service.” Supervisor Ralph Bair said he was grateful for the brief service that the company had provided. “I appreciate your setting us straight a little bit and going from there,” Bair said. Supervisor Betty Argue also thanked Woody Wodraska for his leadership in his brief time there. “I want to thank you, Woody, because I think that under tremendous circumstances, you have always remained professional, and you have provided some direction, Argue said. “I really appreciate that.” ITID President Jennifer Hager See ITID MANAGER, page 4
Divided Lox Council OKs Changes At Big Dog Ranch Site
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report In a 3-2 vote, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved amendments to the Big Dog Ranch Rescue site on Tuesday, Nov. 7 that allow the size of the nonprofit’s facility to increase by 8 percent — from 59,774 square feet to 65,077 square feet, or 5,303 square feet of additional space. Big Dog Ranch Rescue President Lauree Simmons requested modifications that she said will improve on the original design of the 33-acre facility at the southeast corner of Okeechobee Blvd. and D Road. “We at Big Dog Ranch Rescue are trying to set a standard for a rescue or a shelter, or how dogs are housed for the entire country, not to see dogs living in cages, coming from a bad environment or a kill shelter into another bad environment, but setting a gold
standard in dog rescue,” Simmons said. She said that three-quarters of phase one is almost complete. “We expect to have the front two buildings — the veterinary clinic and the visitor center — complete by the end of February,” Simmons said. “Most of our buildings where our dogs are housed are complete, with the exception of one, and one play yard. We’re building as we raise the money.” In using the facility, some changes have become necessary, she said. “Many things that we thought were in good places on our original site plan, we’ve realized that they really weren’t,” Simmons said, explaining that most of the changes are just moving buildings that were already approved to different locations on the site. “A few of the buildings are new, because See BIG DOG, page 17
MEDICAL OPEN HOUSE
Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches held an Open House Health Fair, hosted by Wellington Regional Medical Center, Thursday, Nov. 2 at its location on the WRMC campus. The event offered free health screenings and office tours. Shown above is MSPB CEO Elizabeth Strombom, Central Palm Beach County Chamber CEO Mary Lou Bedford and Wellington Regional Medical Center CEO Robbin Lee. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTO BY JACK LOWENSTEIN/TOWN-CRIER
Rotary To Pay Off ITID Dismisses Manager, Taps Delinquent School Robinson As Interim Manager Lunch Accounts By Jack Lowenstein Town-Crier Staff Report Children across Palm Beach County will benefit from the Rotary Club of Wellington’s latest endeavor — paying off delinquent school lunch accounts at the Palm Beach County School District’s School Food Service Department. Wellington Rotarians will attend the Palm Beach County School Board’s meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. to present a check for approximately $20,000, using money the club received through the 2017 Great Charity Challenge program. Public Relations Chair Larry Kemp said one of Rotary’s missions is to help children in the community, and paying off the school lunch deficits is a great way to help
school children in the Wellington community and beyond. “Every one of the school district’s schools, their [school lunch] debt will be wiped out with this money,” Kemp said. When families don’t qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits, the full price for meals range from $2.05 to $2.30 from elementary to secondary schools. There are cases where families cannot pay those costs, sometimes falling behind on payments. The School Food Service has a charge policy when families are unable to pay for a given meal, and sometimes, families build a debt they are unable to repay. “Some of the students, their parents can’t come up with that amount of money,” Kemp said. See ROTARY, page 17
Chamber Hears Plans For SR 7, Southern Blvd. Work
By Craig Campbell Town-Crier Staff Report The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce hosted an economic forum luncheon on mobility issues Thursday, Nov. 2, and the featured speakers were Nick Uhren, executive director of the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Dave Howard, chief executive officer of Brightline. The primary focus of Uhren’s talk was road expansion, such as State Road 7’s planned expansion to Northlake Blvd., and road widening, such as a planned project along Southern Blvd./State Route 80. These projects are expected to alleviate the impact of heavy traffic on everyone who lives in the western communities. The Palm Beach MPO is comprised of five county commis-
sioners, 15 elected officials from 13 cities and one elected official from the Port of Palm Beach. The MPO allocates approximately $20 million in federal funds toward various transportation projects in Palm Beach County. “We don’t operate anything. We don’t own anything. All we do is plan, prioritize and fund transportation projects,” Uhren explained. “All we do is allocate the dollars and services for transportation projects in Palm Beach County.” The organization is rebranding itself to become the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency going forward, he added. On Nov. 1, about 50 residents and officials attended a townhall style meeting at Palm Beach County’s Vista Center complex to learn about the final plans for the completion of SR 7 to Northlake.
After 20 years of planning, the missing road link finally seems to be coming to fruition, Uhren said. Uhren noted that construction is scheduled to begin in 2018 on the four-lane road, stretching from 60th Street north to Northlake Blvd. The road will include separate bike lanes and pedestrian paths. Completion of the project will help get drivers to stop cutting through side roads in The Acreage, he said. Another project that is garnering a lot of attention and discussion is the widening of Southern Blvd. The eight-lane — four lanes west of the Crestwood Blvd./Forest Hill Blvd. intersection — roadway has reached is maximum capacity to carry the traffic burden that it currently carries. One of the designs that the See MOBILITY, page 4
Dave Howard, chief executive officer of Brightline, and Nick Uhren, executive director of the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, were the speakers at the Nov. 2 luncheon. PHOTO BY CRAIG CAMPBELL/TOWN-CRIER