FOUNDATION SUPPORTS BACK TO BASICS ITID QUESTION 3: ACREAGE ROAD PAVING SEE STORY, PAGE 3 SEE STORY, PAGE 7 THE
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County’s Longtime Public Defender Faces An Election Challenge
Volume 37, Number 31 August 12 - August 18, 2016
Serving Palms West Since 1980
BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, incumbent Palm Beach County Public Defender Carey Haughwout faces a challenge from attorney William “Bill” Abramson. Haughwout has held the countywide office for nearly 16 years. Along with her staff, she makes sure that criminal defendants have proper representation. Page 3
Royal Palm Beach Expo Provides Valuable Information For Seniors
Royal Palm Beach held its second annual Senior Expo on Friday, July 22 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The event was presented with support from Humana, Bethesda Health and Metcare. There were many senior activities on hand. Page 5
Six Republicans, Three Dems Battle In Crowded Congressional Race
Nine candidates have lined up to compete in primary races in Florida’s 18th Congressional District. Three Democrats and six Republicans will appear on the Aug. 30 primary ballots, with the winners advancing to the Nov. 8 general election. Page 7
Harry Potter Party At Barnes & Noble Store
Author J.K. Rowling’s new book Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was released to fans during the Harry Potter Countdown to Midnight Party at Barnes & Noble in Wellington on Saturday, July 30. Page 8
OPINION
Parents Can Help The Transition As Students Head Back To School
This Monday is the first day of school for thousands of Palm Beach County students, and the final high school opening day for those graduating in the Class of 2017. This week we focus on a few ways for parents to make life easier for students transitioning from the lazy-hazy days of summer break to the helter-skelter days of school. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 12 OPINION.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 6 SCHOOLS.............................. 13 PEOPLE..........................14 - 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................29 - 31 CALENDAR............................ 32 CLASSIFIEDS.................34 - 37 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
The Village of Wellington held its annual Back to School Block Party on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Tiger Shark Cove Park. Despite some rain, families enjoyed a night out with food, a bounce house, music, vendors and more. Thanks to sponsors, attendees received backpacks with school supplies and new shoes to head back to school in. Shown above, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies Martin Casarez and Daniel Delia hand out safety information. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Two Democrats Compete For District 29 State Senate Seat
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report There are two Democrats seeking the Florida State Senate seat in District 29 in the Tuesday, Aug. 30 primary election. Democratic Party activist Mindy Koch faces State Rep. Kevin Rader (D-District 81), who is seeking a promotion. Because no one else filed for the race, the Aug. 30 contest will be a universal primary, open to all voters in District 29, a newly drawn seat including much of western and southern Palm Beach County. The largest concentrations of voters are in the Wellington and Boca Raton areas. The race for District 29 was originally expected to include incumbent State Sen. Joseph Abruzzo. However, he decided to run unopposed for Rader’s current seat instead. Rader has been a member of the Florida Legislature for six years and owns a small business, an independent insurance agency
in Boca Raton. He has lived in Delray Beach since 2007. Rader and his wife, Rabbi Amy Rader, have four children between 14 and 19 years old. “I have a proven track record and experience of fighting for my district. I brought over $30 million for the western communities — the Glades community — in the last number of years, not only with Sen. Abruzzo and County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay,” he said. “I’ve worked well with the other side of the aisle, and I’m looking to get a promotion to the State Senate based on all that I’ve done.” If elected, Rader wants to continue working toward getting teacher pay to the national average of approximately $50,000 a year. Each year, he said, that teacher pay bill is the first bill he files. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to get something like that done,” he said. “I’d love to get Bright Futures fully funded to the 100 percent
level that it used to be many years ago, where students who want to continue their education, they don’t really have to worry about the tuition — the good students at our finer public universities in the state.” Rader also wants to continue the discussion and fight to expand health insurance for the working poor. “It’s a Medicaid expansion bill that expands Medicaid to allow it to cover folks who can’t afford it. If you make $25,000 a year, and married with two kids, you’re not spending $1,200 a month, $1,500 a month, on family health coverage,” he said. “There’s federal dollars there. Left-leaning and right-leaning states have all done this to help the working poor. Approximately 1 million people in the State of Florida would be covered.” Rader believes that his proven track record, the appropriations he See DISTRICT 29, page 4
Wellington Zoners OK Changes For Bed & Breakfasts
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board approved amendments for bed and breakfast operations Wednesday. The changes had been rejected by previous board members and were remanded to the newly configured board by the Wellington Village Council. The amendment was initiated by resident Mimi Hockman, who wants to start the village’s first bed and breakfast. Although bed and breakfasts are a permitted use in the current land development regulations, strict restrictions are placed upon them. Senior Planner Cory Lyn Cramer said that the changes will make the code friendlier to bed and breakfasts. However, there will still be significant restrictions. Proposals will require the more restrictive Development Review Committee approval, rather than
a special-use permit, which only requires staff-level approval. Cramer explained that after the request was denied by previous PZA board members, the council remanded it to the new board for reconsideration. “It’s a new board, so some of you are hearing it for the first time,” she said. “There are some changes that have taken place from the previous amendment based on the further analysis of staff and also based on some direction and discussion at the council meeting, so we have modified some things from what you have all seen.” Cramer said most of the changes are in the general village standards, whereas there are currently more restrictions in the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District. The minimum lot size would be 2 acres, with the maximum number of bedrooms at eight. There are currently no minimum lot size or See PZA BOARD, page 17
CAFCI TALENT SHOW
CAFCI presented its 2016 Youth Talent Showcase “Stars of Tomorrow” on Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The youths entertained guests with singing, dancing and musical performances. The evening ended in a parade of the performers and awards presentations. Shown above, Naomi Cohen sings the national anthem. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Lox Groves Council Paves The Wellington Approves Way For Road Improvements Budget Resolutions
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report At the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting last week, Vice Mayor Tom Goltzené said he felt an explanation was needed to voters for one of the town referendum questions that will appear on the Aug. 30 ballot asking voters whether they want to remove a town charter provision prohibiting Loxahatchee Groves from taking out loans that require more than three years to pay off. At the Aug. 2 meeting, Goltzené explained that the express purpose of removing the requirement was to use gas tax money as collateral to take out a long-term loan to make road improvements. “Without raising anybody’s taxes, we will be able to borrow
that money, repay that with money that comes from sources other than local taxation, and then be able to use that money for the benefit of the people of Loxahatchee Groves,” he said. “If it does not pass, we will not do that.” Goltzené said he would like to run ads in local media and on the town’s web site informing voters of the stakes at hand. Town Attorney Michael Cirullo said it was OK to educate, but not to advocate. “It has to be stated objectively, as far as educate folks on what it means,” Cirullo said. Goltzené said his intention was to get feedback on whether people wanted their roads paved or not, and said he had no intention of paving people’s roads if they did not want it, but did not want
to have to hold a referendum on each road. Cirullo said the charter amendment would remove the requirement to go to a referendum each time the town paves a road, and that taking out general obligation bonds does require a referendum. Since there would not be another meeting before the referendum, Town Manager Bill Underwood suggested that his staff put together an announcement. Goltzené made a motion to let town staff write the announcement, but Councilman Todd McLendon said he did not want to send out an announcement without seeing the final product. “I’d have no problem had we done this a month ago, but I don’t See LOX ROADS, page 17
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council on Tuesday approved five resolutions adopting the 2017 budgets and assessment rates for the Acme Improvement District, solid waste collection and the Saddle Trail Park South neighborhood road improvements, as well as budgets for the Lake Wellington Professional Centre and the village’s water and wastewater utility. All the budgets were essentially unchanged from previous budget discussions. Director of Administrative & Financial Services Tanya Quickel said that the proposed budget for all funds is $89.5 million, which is $4 million higher than the 2016 budget. The two largest increases are in the general fund of $2.5
million, primarily due to new positions for building maintenance as part of the new Wellington Community Center, returning to a five-day workweek, a 2 percent increase in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office contract that includes two additional deputies, and moving neighborhood parks from Acme back into the general fund. Another big increase is $1.9 million in water and wastewater projects, primarily due to increased major maintenance, new positions and the replacement of the Peaceful Waters boardwalk. There is no change in Acme’s proposed $230 per unit assessment, for a total of $6.9 million. The water and wastewater rate is also unchanged for a total budget See BUDGET, page 17
Ceremony Opens New Wellington Community Center
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The Village of Wellington held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Wellington Community Center on Saturday, Aug. 6. The community came out for tours of the facility as residents learned about the many activities and rental opportunities available there. Mayor Anne Gerwig began the event as the morning sun illuminated the building. “What better way to mark a 20th anniversary of the Village of Wellington’s incorporation than with a brand-new Wellington Community Center?” Gerwig asked. “This community center was built for all of us. The fantastic activities that are going to happen here are going to be a part of this community starting today. We are so proud to have this accomplished.”
Gerwig pointed out several current and former village officials in the audience. “I want to mention, whether they’re here or they’re not here, that the past councils have made the best decisions possible for this village, and I want to thank them for the hard work that went into it,” she said. “This was not built with a loan. We did not bond anything. This was built because the village has been so responsible with spending, and we had the money to do this facility over.” Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes brought plans for a new community center to the council when Gerwig was first elected six years ago. Those plans showed that the former community center had been repaired and bandaged but was nearing the end of its lifespan, Gerwig recalled. “That was one of the first things See OPENING, page 4
Mayor Anne Gerwig cuts the ribbon on the new Wellington Community Center surrounded by current and past members of the Wellington Village Council.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER