RPBHS SENIOR JOINS SCHOOL BOARD SEE STORY, PAGE 3
LOCAL BANK EXECUTIVE AN LGBT ALLY SEE STORY, PAGE 7
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Loxahatchee Groves Agrees To Contract For Code Enforcement
Volume 40, Number 33 August 30 - September 5, 2019
Serving Palms West Since 1980
SEND-OFF PARTY AT TREE’S WINGS
The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council agreed last week to enter a code enforcement contract with CAP Government Services on a piggyback agreement with the City of Lake Worth Beach after a long period with no code enforcement services in the town. Page 3
Young Swimmers Compete At End Of Summer Invitational
Last weekend, the Wellington Aquatics Complex hosted the Wellington End of Summer Invitational, where swimmers showed up and pushed through their best racing times while enjoying the friendly atmosphere. Page 8
Elected Officials Visit The Addington For Senior Citizens Day
National Senior Citizens Day has been celebrated in the month of August every year since 1988. This year, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, the Addington at Wellington Green honored some of its own residents with help from Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig, Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay and Wellington Councilman Michael Drahos. Page 11
Palm Beach Central Football Has Rough Start In Season Opener
The Palm Beach Central High School football team hosted Palm Beach County powerhouse Atlantic High School on Friday, Aug. 23 and fell 40-13 in the season opener. Page 17 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SCHOOLS................................ 9 COLUMNS............................. 14 BUSINESS............................. 15 CALENDAR............................ 16 SPORTS..........................17 - 18 CLASSIFIEDS................ 19 - 20 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach hosted a send-off party Tuesday, Aug. 27 for the team headed to the 2019 National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, N.Y., over Labor Day weekend. Tree’s Wings is one of 25 specially selected competitors from across the United States and beyond. Shown above, team members Ashley Mondragon, Tony Daddi, Chase Brandine, Erin Townsend and Kauwela Perreira received new hats, name tags and aprons. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
RPB Zoners Refuse Variance For Town Southern Tower Sign
By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission voted 3-2 against proposed sign variance requests for the Related Group’s Town Southern apartment complex recently completed on the south side of Southern Blvd. west of State Road 7. The application requested three main items: a variance to allow a third sign for the residential development, a variance allowing the sign to be at a height of 21 feet instead of the code requirement of seven feet, and to slightly reduce the setback from the road. While such variance requests are nothing new to the committee, and tall signage exists elsewhere in Royal Palm Beach, village staff had a serious issue with the request — the 21-foot tower structure and sign had already been built without the necessary approvals.
“Staff is recommending denial of the variance request,” Development Review Coordinator Kevin Erwin said. “Staff feels as though the criteria for granting these variance requests have not been met since the applicant constructed the sign and tower before obtaining the proper permit. At this point, it would be difficult to move, and that the granting of the variance request will confer on the applicant special privileges that are denied to other lands, buildings and structures similarly situated.” Attorney Ellie Halperin was there representing the Related Group. “The sign was built, which was unfortunate and was done in error. It was not done with an intent to deceive. There was a situation that went on during the approval process, which resulted in the sign being built,” Halperin said. “The sign was shown on the tower on
the original approval. There was then a master plan modification done, and in that modification, there is the modified sign with the increased height, not attached to the tower at that point. The master plan modification was approved. The construction company thought that approval meant the approval of the modified sign. Modification of the sign was not specifically called out in the justification.” Erwin explained that his staff is explicit in their instructions for minor site plan modifications. “We instruct them that all the changes need to be itemized in your request. What staff has done over the years is specifically state in our approval letter that only the changes that you specifically enumerate and call to the staff’s attention, whether they are on the plan or not, are approved by this application, and that no other apSee TOWER, page 4
Incumbents Eye New Terms On The Wellington Village Council
By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report Three seats will be up for election on the Wellington Village Council next March, and in all three races, incumbents first elected to their current posts in 2016 plan to ask voters for a second term. Incumbent Mayor Anne Gerwig, Vice Mayor Michael Napoleone and Councilman Michael Drahos have all opened campaign accounts and begun their reelection bids. The election will be held Tuesday, March 17, 2020, on the same ballot as Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary. Candidates used to have until February to qualify for the ballot. However, due to changes in state law and corresponding requests from the Supervisor of Elections Office, the qualifying period is now two months earlier, with candidates needing to decide by late this year. Gerwig served for six years on
the council before being elected mayor in 2016. She is now seeking a second four-year term. “I’m most proud of the fact that the village council is functioning in a way that benefits our residents, and I’m proud to be a leader in the community,” Gerwig said. “I’ve been encouraged by the residents the entire time I’ve served. That’s one thing I have to say about Wellington — even if people don’t agree with every single point, they are really thankful to have leaders who care about the community.” Gerwig said that she is all about the big picture and looking at the village as a whole, instead of catering to any one specific sector. She sees the current council as a respectful team that works well together. “I still have a focus on Wellington to be a live, work and play community. That is one of the concepts I have always believed strongly in,” she said. “We want people not to have to travel out of
the village just to work. I’d like to see us encourage more businesses and office space. We need to build the economic diversity that protects the village in the long run.” Gerwig said the goal should be to encourage more economic and business growth in the area in ways that give back to the community and boost the local economy, keeping the progress local. She encouraged all residents to become informed on the issues and vote during the March 17 municipal election. “Our races quite often have a good turnout from the community on election day,” Gerwig said. “It’s a very good thing.” Seat 4 incumbent Napoleone was elected to the council in 2016 without opposition. If he draws an opponent in 2020, it will be his first time facing the voters. He said that he has enjoyed his time serving on the council far more than he expected. “What we have right now is a reSee ELECTION, page 16
Wellington Council OKs PBSO Budget With More Deputies
By Gina M. Capone Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council approved a law enforcement services agreement with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Aug. 27 totaling $9,997,360 for the upcoming fiscal year. The total includes a two percent increase over the current year, in addition to money for a staffing increase. The two percent increase added $190,832.04 to the PBSO contract, while the additional staff added $264,925.96, for a total increase of $455,758. The council heard from PBSO Capt. Rolando Silva, who described the Village of Wellington’s 2020 Law Enforcement Service Plan and what had changed in the budget. Silva’s presentation focused on three main issues: vehicle
crashes, juvenile matters and crime statistics. Silva noted that two new deputies will join the department. “One is a community service aide who is a traffic specialist,” Silva said. “They are actually better at doing crash investigations than 95 percent of our deputies. This is exclusively what they do. So, when they show up on the scene, they are experts. I call them the ‘force multiplier’ because what they can do is free a bunch of deputies who are trying to manage the scene.” After a crash, the community service aide will do all of the follow up. “When victims get transported to the hospital, they can do the investigations at the hospital,” Silva explained. “We place a high emphasis on traffic crashes; reducing them and keeping them down. See PBSO BUDGET, page 4
VOLUNTEER FAIR
Wellington’s Community Services Department hosted its first Senior Volunteer Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at the Wellington Community Center. Local nonprofits and community partners were in attendance to share volunteer opportunities with local senior citizens. Shown above are Kim Cafaro, Lucille Puglisi, Mayor Anne Gerwig and Community Services Director Paulette Edwards. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 7 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
ITID Director Calls For Better Rec Programming
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Indian Trail Improvement District Executive Director Burgess Hanson made a presentation on parks and recreation at last week’s meeting of the ITID Board of Supervisors, calling for a reorganization and revitalization of the department. At the board’s Wednesday, Aug. 21 meeting, Hanson said he wanted to restore some of the events that occurred in the past and instill new life in the department. “I do have a lot of background in parks and recreation,” said Hanson, who came to the district in June from Deerfield Beach, where he served as city manager. “That’s part of the reason that I’m doing this tonight. There is a saying, ‘It starts in parks.’ Very much like the school system, the parks system is meant to be a benefit — a safe
and fun environment for not only children, but even adults.” Hanson said that ITID’s staff has ideas on how to improve the programming, but he wants to get public input. “It’s really what the residents want at the end of the day, because they are the end users,” he said. “We will be talking about the future of park facilities and amenities. It’s something that the residents want to see long term, and really try to restore some of the equestrian events and things of that nature that used to happen in the past.” Part of that will also be determining the level of district involvement with the Acreage Landowners’ Association and the Acreage Athletic League. Hanson added that ITID staff, the legal department and the board should determine what policies See ITID REC, page 16
Gerwig Addresses Wellington Chamber At Luncheon
By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon Wednesday, Aug. 28 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach featuring a “State of the Village” address by Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig. Gerwig noted some of Wellington’s recent honors. These include being one of the “Best Cities to Live in Florida,” one of “Florida’s 50 Safest Cities” and Money magazine’s list for both the “Top 100 Places to Live in the U.S.” and “8 Best Places to Retire in the U.S.” These titles, Gerwig said, add to Wellington already being known as “the Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.”
“One of the things that we do is focus on the quality of life,” she said. “That’s why when I go anywhere in the country, or even in the world, I talk about Wellington, and I’m just very proud of the quality of life we have here.” Gerwig spoke of how the village provides schools in Wellington with $33,000 a year to explore ways to assist students scoring in the lowest 25 percent for both math and reading. She noted that this has led to many collaborative efforts between local schools. “The amazing thing to see is how they come together and talk about the types of things they’ve invested in, and the things that worked really well,” Gerwig said. “And once in a while, they’ll tell
us, ‘We tried this. It didn’t really have the effect we wanted.’ So, what it’s really doing is having all of our schools work together.” Gerwig shared about other education programs supported by the village, including Read for the Record, which Wellington has won two years in a row among other municipalities in the county, Civics 101 with high school students and the SWAG (Students Working to Achieve Greatness) internship program offered through the Community Services Department. “We take six students from Palm Beach Central and Wellington high schools, and we place them in [different offices]. County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay See CHAMBER, page 16
Mayor Anne Gerwig addresses the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on the “state of the village.”
PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER