Town-Crier Newspaper August 28, 2015

Page 1

WELLINGTON APPROVES ACME BUDGET SEE STORY, PAGE 3

URBAN LEAGUE HELPS HOMEOWNERS SEE STORY, PAGE 7

THE

TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

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INSIDE

Michael Stone Urges Wellington Business Leaders To Visit Tryon

Volume 36, Number 33 August 28 - September 3, 2015

Serving Palms West Since 1980

TEXTING AND DRIVING SIMULATION

Michael Stone, president of Equestrian Spor t Productions, was the main speaker at Wednesday’s Wellington Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Wanderers Club. Stone shed light on plans for the upcoming Palm Beach International Equestrian Center season, while updating chamber members on the Tryon International Equestrian Center, located in rural North Carolina. Page 3

Open House Welcomes Visitors To Temple B’nai Jacob In Wellington

Temple B’nai Jacob of Wellington held an open house on Sunday, Aug. 23. It was a chance to meet the clergy, sign up for religious school and learn about the temple’s new youth group. The temple is located in the original Wellington Mall. Page 15

TWBA Hosts Social At The Wild West Diner In Royal Palm Beach

The Western Business Alliance held its monthly social event on Thursday, Aug. 20 at the Wild West Diner in Royal Palm Beach. Members gathered to mingle, make friends and build business relationships. Page 17

OPINION

It’s Time For Florida To Have An Independent Redistricting Panel

The embarrassing failure of the Florida Legislature to craft new congressional districts in accordance with a recent order by the Florida Supreme Court has once again demonstrated that such a nakedly political body cannot craft the “fair districts” now called for in Florida’s constitution. Therefore, it might be time for Florida to follow the lead of other states and hand restricting power to an independent commission. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS................................. 3 - 9 OPINION.................................. 4 CRIME NEWS.......................... 6 NEWS BRIEFS....................... 11 PEOPLE................................. 12 SCHOOLS.............................. 13 COLUMNS.......................14, 21 BUSINESS..................... 22 - 23 SPORTS..........................27 - 29 CALENDAR............................ 30 CLASSIFIEDS.................31 - 34 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, Wellington’s Community Services Department and the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club held a texting and driving informational session Tuesday, Aug. 25. PBSO representatives educated attendees about the dangers of texting and driving before PBCFR officers performed an extraction from a car that had been in a simulated accident due to a distracted driver. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

RPB Seeks To Annex Enclave Near Southern And SR 7

By Paul L. Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report Wheels are turning for Royal Palm Beach to involuntarily annex nearly 98 acres of residential land in an unincorporated enclave at the village’s south end. The proposal was approved on its first reading by the Royal Palm Beach Village Council on Aug. 20 and by the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission, meeting as the Local Planning Agency, on Aug. 25. That starts the process of determining whether 21 parcels of land at the southeast corner of State Road 7 and Southern Blvd., totaling 97.94 acres, will be added to village jurisdiction. Both boards unanimously approved the proposal. The council will readdress the topic at its Thursday, Sept. 3 meeting. If the proposal is approved there, it will go to voters in the affected area via a mail ballot in October. The property is located in un-

incorporated Palm Beach County, behind the Lowe’s Home Improvement store. According to Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Administrator Bradford O’Brien, the property is zoned for single-family residential. The village has already approached Palm Beach County officials regarding a required urban services report. O’Brien said that the annexation request meets statutory requirements set by the county. At the council meeting, several people spoke in support of the involuntary annexation proposal. “I appreciate the council picking this up,” said Brian Tuttle, a landowner in the affected area. “This is the best way to get rid of this enclave. We don’t have to worry about the county serving certain areas, and it can make for better planning in the area.” “We are in favor of the annexation,” said Sharon Willcox, on behalf of her mother, who is an area

landowner. “The time has come for that area to be developed.” Willcox questioned whether a vote — if the proposal advanced that far — would be for residents in the entire village, or just those in the affected region. Village Attorney Jennifer Ashton said that all registered voters in the 21-parcel area would be afforded the opportunity to cast ballots, including renters, family members and property owners. The council unanimously approved the proposal at its first reading. Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas said that the proposal is a good one for the future of Royal Palm Beach. “It makes a lot of sense,” Valuntas said. “An enclave is not a good situation, and this lets the people decide. It will make for better planning, and make things more consistent.” Ashton said that while it is called an “involuntary annexation,” the See ANNEX, page 16

Council Ponders Process To Review Schofield’s Contract

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council decided Tuesday to look into the methods other municipalities use to negotiate their managers’ contracts, at the recommendation of Mayor Bob Margolis. The council historically has appointed one council member to negotiate, as was done by former Councilman Howard Coates the last time Village Manager Paul Schofield’s contract was renewed. “I was going to talk about the appointment for someone to negotiate Mr. Schofield’s contract tonight,” Margolis said during council comments. “But instead, I’m going to just ask the council to consider some things and not make that discussion tonight for a couple of reasons. I had the opportunity to do a lot of research in the last couple of days on what other municipalities do, and I will share

that research with you through staff, if that’s appropriate.” Margolis said that he has been involved in three manager contract negotiations. “It’s kind of difficult to do, and kind of rewarding, but historically, and the times that I’ve been involved in them, I’ve always got some constructive criticism from my fellow council members, which I expected to get, and I’ve appreciated it,” he said. “When Mr. Coates was on council, I think he also got constructive criticism.” Margolis said other councils’ methods vary widely, from discussing the contract at an open council meeting, having legal staff negotiate, or picking two council members to negotiate separately with the manager in order to avoid Sunshine Law violations. “That gives other council members a perspective; it gives them two sets of eyes and two opinions, versus just having one person ne-

gotiate the contract, which we’ve done in the past,” he said. Some municipalities appoint a panel with one or more council members, a human resources attorney and other members of staff, Margolis noted. “I thought that was kind of unique and kind of bizarre at the same time,” he said. “I’m not advocating any one of them. What I’m saying tonight is that maybe there is another way that we should be or could be looking at this. I’m not saying our way is wrong, but in researching what other municipalities do in the State of Florida, I found a lot of different options.” Margolis said that he has not completed his research, but that so far, he had found that Wellington’s process of using a single council member to negotiate the contract is not common. “It comes back to us anyhow, so See CONTRACT, page 7

Severn Trent Backs Out Of Lox Groves Management Job

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council’s choice out of two respondents to be the town’s new management firm has backed out of its offer to replace the current management company. Severn Trent Management Services sent a letter to Town Attorney Michael Cirullo and Mayor Dave Browning on Monday stating that it was no longer interested in providing management services to the Town of Loxahatchee Groves. Severn Trent is also the management company for the Seminole Improvement District, which is the special district serving the Minto West/Westlake development. “Due to other contractual obligations in neighboring communities, we believe that there may be significant portions of the scope of work from which we would be precluded from performing due

to ethical obligations and even perceived conflicts of interest,” Severn Trent General Manager Bob Koncar wrote in his letter. “Additionally, given the public opinion presented through various residents at the town’s last council meeting, we believe that it would be in the best interests of the town for Severn Trent to withdraw so that the town may pursue an agreement with another entity.” The only other responder to the town’s request for proposals was Larry Tibbs, who did not meet the town charter’s requirement that the manager be certified. Tibbs was also embroiled in a high-profile inspector general investigation stemming from his time as finance director with the City of Lauderdale Lakes in Broward County. The current management company, Underwood Management Services Group, did not submit a See LOX GROVES, page 4

HEALTH & WELLNESS EDUCATION DAY

Ultima Fitness & Wellness, in cooperation with the Village of Wellington, Walgreens and Wellington The Magazine, hosted a free Wellington Fitness & Wellness Education Day on Saturday, Aug. 22 at Ultima. As part of the event, Ultima and the village collected back-to-school donations. Shown here, Alyssa Yanoss gets her body mass index (BMI) measured by personal trainer Brittany Wallrath. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Residents Meet To Discuss Trump Phenomenon

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report At the invitation of former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, several dozen area residents attended a meeting at the original Wellington Mall on Friday, Aug. 21 to express their opinions about the rise of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. While many have been surprised by the Trump phenomenon, Santamaria said that he was not, attributing it to a negative reaction by the public to the continued dysfunction of government and mistrust of elected officials. It is a rebellion, he said, against the belief that most politicians are beholden to special interests. “His message has been my message for more than 40 years,” Santamaria said. “It was the reason that I decided to run for county commission. The real root of all

evil in our political system is campaign funding. The great majority of elected officials are not working for you or me. They are working for special interests. They’ve been bought. Even if they have not received money under the table, even through the money over the table in campaign funds, they have been bought. What has happened here in Palm Beach County is happening in Tallahassee, and it’s happening in Washington.” He asked residents to share their opinions on the issue. “I’d like to know what it is right here in our community,” he said. “I’d like to hear from my friends and neighbors, what their thoughts are for or against or indifferent.” Featured speakers included Maureen Glasheen, former general counsel to the Secretary of State of New York, who spoke about disSee TRUMP, page 16

Wellington Keeps Close Contact With Manure Haulers

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report Last Thursday, representatives from the Village of Wellington, including Projects Manager Mike O’Dell, gathered with local livestock waste haulers for their third annual meeting to discuss hauling issues in relation to Wellington and the surrounding areas. The meetings began when O’Dell started with the village. The goal was to curtail problems with illegal dumping. “It was pretty obvious that Wellington, in my opinion, was getting a black eye because of all of the illegal dumping that was going on. Regularly, we were making the newspaper and the TV news,” he said. “It wasn’t good for Wellington, it wasn’t good for the

equestrian industry as a whole, and it certainly wasn’t good for our neighbors.” O’Dell told the Town-Crier that he orchestrated the first meeting with haulers to open the lines of communication with these working in the area to educate them about the negative environmental impacts that occur with illegal dumping. That original meeting took place in 2013. “It was something less than cordial,” O’Dell recalled. “We’re out there doing the best we can, and we don’t have a lot of places to get rid of the material. Organized disposal sites that were properly permitted were few and far between.” Currently, there are five Florida Department of Environmental Protection-approved disposal

locations: Atlas Peat & Soil, the Solid Waste Authority, Florida Crystals, McGill-Brighton and U.S. Sugar Corp. “We started to understand from the haulers’ perspective the fact that they’re working 12 to 16 hours a day, seven days a week all through season, that they’re trying to keep up with it… [and] moving it outside Wellington, but the impacts outside of Wellington are also negative to our overall region,” O’Dell said. At the time, he said, Loxahatchee Groves was having issues because some haulers were bringing waste into that community illegally. Since then, ordinances have been enacted to stop that. “What came out of that was U.S. Sugar stepping up and opening up

some of their fields,” O’Dell said. “It was a means of disposal.” They’ve done some testing, O’Dell said, and one of the unknowns is how long it will take to compost the waste mixed in with the soil. Typically, he explained, depending on moisture content and heat, it is a 30-day to 60-day process. However, those numbers have yet to be determined. The theory behind using the livestock manure is that less fertilizer would be needed, since the soil will be enriched, and less water will be needed. “I think that the jury is still out on that,” O’Dell said. Since that first year, hauling to U.S. Sugar has become organized; haulers are no longer coming at all hours. The waste is put onto a field,

laser-leveled, then left to bake under the sun for a few weeks. Then the field is planted. One of the best outcomes from the meetings, O’Dell said, is that illegal dumping has been dramatically reduced, and haulers are making their businesses more sophisticated. For a few years, the haulers have been publishing rates on their web sites and standardizing fees. Loosely, they’ve begun organizing. “We have started to see that. We started to see that the haulers are realizing that there is a true cost to this,” O’Dell said. The difference of sending livestock waste to U.S. Sugar — they take approximately 80 percent of the waste and, by not charging tipSee HAULERS, page 7


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