Town-Crier Newspaper February 1, 2019

Page 1

SCHOOL DISTRICT HIRING MORE POLICE SEE STORY, PAGE 3

2019 FAIR HEADS TO FINAL WEEKEND SEE PHOTOS, PAGE 17

THE

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

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Western-Area Growth Pains A Hot Topic At McKinlay Town Hall

Volume 40, Number 5 February 1 - February 7, 2019

Serving Palms West Since 1980

ART FEST ON THE GREEN

Roads, traffic, gunfire in the community and mom-and-pop businesses that have evolved into large commercial operations were issues brought up by residents at a town hall meeting Tuesday, Jan. 29 organized by County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay at the Wellington Community Center. Page 3

More than 50 artists displayed works featuring every medium imaginable on Saturday, Jan. 26 and Sunday, Jan. 27 when the Wellington Art Society held its 13th annual Art Fest on the Green at the Wellington Amphitheater. Even though the weather did not always cooperate, patrons and artists came out to enjoy this unique experience. Shown above, Tatiana Bantovskaja, Leslie Pfeiffer and Sasha Drosky model some of Bantovskaja’s unique jewelry. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5

Grand Opening Event Welcomes The New Fairfield Inn & Suites

A grand opening and ribbon cutting for the new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott near the Mall at Wellington Green took place Thursday, Jan. 24. Guests were welcomed by live music and stunning décor. Since the hotel is also dog friendly, special guests included pups from Big Dog Ranch Rescue. The area’s newest hotel is located at 10616 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. Page 10

PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER

Lox Groves Council Approves Agreement With New Manager

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report After much discussion at a special meeting Tuesday, Jan. 30, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council hired former Palm Beach County League of Cities Executive Director James Titcomb, currently manager of the Town of Ocean Ridge, as its new town manager. In a separate resolution, the council also approved the transition of Underwood Management Services Group out of its current contract management position. Consideration of the hiring of Titcomb came about as a result of a discussion led by Councilwoman Anita Kane earlier this month after chatting with Titcomb at a recent event. Kane said she has received criticism that the council had not gone through a formal request for qualifications (RFQ) process before hiring Titcomb, but Town Attorney Michael Cirullo said the town does not have a set process

for hiring a manager. “You have the right to hire a manager as you see fit,” Cirullo said. Councilman David DeMarois asked if a background check had been done on Titcomb, and Cirullo said the hiring could be subject to a background check. Titcomb said he has a full background check from the Town of Ocean Ridge that can be made available to Loxahatchee Groves. Titcomb noted that he has been in government for 25 years, including 13 years as executive director of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, where he helped steer the town through the incorporation process. “This is an interesting situation, and I look forward to it,” Titcomb said, also thanking Town Manager Bill Underwood for his service. Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia asked Titcomb what he felt are the most urgent issues for the town. “We’ve been a town for over 12 years now,” Maniglia said. “What

The Seminole Ridge High School girls basketball team hosted John I. Leonard High School on Thursday, Jan. 24, coming away with an impressive 50-34 victory. The win marked the second victory against the Lancers this season and improved the Hawks’ win streak to 10. Page 21 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 PEOPLE................................... 8 SCHOOLS................................ 9 COLUMNS............................. 16 CALENDAR............................ 18 BUSINESS............................. 19 SPORTS......................... 21 - 22 CLASSIFIEDS.................23 - 24 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report The Village of Wellington’s popular Great Neighborhoods grant program is now seeking applicants. An informational meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will explain how grant recipients can receive up to $15,000 for qualifying home projects. The Wellington Village Council has approved $250,000 in Great Neighborhoods grant matching funds for residents who want to provide repairs or upgrades to their homes in 2019. Designed to assist low- and moderate-income residents of the village, the dollar-for-dollar matching grants are available to income-eligible homeowners who meet specific criteria, including residing in the property as their primary residence for at least 18 months, living there for at least eight months out of the year and

who are planning to stay for at least five more years. “The mission of the program is to maintain Wellington as the great hometown that it is,” Community Services Director Paulette Edwards said. She explained that many village residents are aging, and many are on a fixed income. Both situations make keeping up with maintenance a challenge. “We want them to stay in their home, and we want to keep it affordable,” said Edwards, who added that a new roof, air conditioner or updated windows, circuit breakers and other code requirements all help in lowering energy costs. Edwards said that the program helps to ensure home values are sustained and the homes keep up to date with current standards. So far, most of the grants have gone to recipients who had hurricane hardening projects. “The grant allocation is a use-it-

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington held its second of three workshops on options for an expanded Wellington Town Center that could replace the aging Lake Wellington Professional Centre. Residents gathered in Wellington’s Village Park gymnasium and were divided into groups to discuss adding features to the Town Center area, currently anchored by the Wellington Community Center, the Wellington Amphitheater and other amenities. The goal of the breakout workshop was to get public opinion on various features the public favored or not, in order to form a consensus for the locations, uses and features for the area. Options offered for the interior of the park included open space, walking trails, shade structures, shaded walkways, adding a splash pad to Scott’s Place playground, adding a parking structure, altering the Wellington Amphitheater to create a profit-driven venue, and using the area as an open play or picnic area. Other options included relocating the public pool or perhaps replacing the public pool with a family friendly, zero-entry-type pool. Suggestions along Ken Adams Way included adding retail or restaurants, walking trails, adding seating, adding offices and other uses, such as ice cream shops and cafés or restaurants.

Another option was for a performing arts center and banquet hall, noting that the location would have limitations as to the size of the venue. The workshop broke into groups to ponder the options offered and add their own ideas. One group favored better access to and expansion of Veterans Park, no added water features, no splash parks, and favored features such as gazebos, noting concerns of public safety by adding some of the suggested features. The group was divided on the idea of cafés and unsure of canoeing off a floating dock, noting concern for parking, lifeguards and the cost. Another group favored green space and no parking structure, but parking adequate to accommodate some additional features of the park. The group also favored a performing arts center, but not at the Town Center site. It was against retail shopping along Ken Adams Way but liked the idea of an executive suite along Ken Adams Way owned by a private entity. Still another table favored walking trails along the waterfront and additional play equipment and non-motorized boat rentals, but no dining facilities. The group favored shade structures, enlarging Scott’s Place playground, no parking structure and favored an open play area. One group voted down a splash park at Scott’s Place and relocating See TOWN CENTER, page 4

James Titcomb would be your initial move as manager?” Titcomb said that the town currently has a lot of competing interests that will require attention. “I haven’t looked at all the parts and pieces of what you do have in place in terms of priorities,” he See TITCOMB, page 4

Wellington Earmarks $250,000 In Grants For Home Upgrades

Hawks Basketball Girls Continue Streak With Win Over Lancers

Wellington Seeks Resident Input On Town Center

or-lose-it situation,” said Edwards, who added that the council decides each year whether or not to reallocate money for the program to continue. “So, we want people to use the grants.” Community Services Project Manager Gloria Kelly said the program began in 2018 and has already helped 12 homeowners with projects ranging in cost from $8,000 to the full $15,000 grant. She stressed that the process is lengthy, but can be rewarding to grant recipients, and that the majority of those who applied so far have received grants. “The process may seem tedious to collect all the paperwork necessary, but it can be worth it,” Kelly said. She said that the homeowner fills out the application and a village-contracted inspector checks that the property meets all current building codes, or the owner agrees to update any deficiencies. See GRANTS, page 4

Participants take part in one of the breakout sessions.

PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

JUSTWORLD HOSTS ‘SWEET 16’ GALA

Celebrating its 16th year, JustWorld International held a “Sweet 16” birthday gala at Belle Herbe Farm on Friday, Jan. 25. Presented by the Palm Beach Masters Series and Caryl Philips and Frank Zeiss, more than 700 people attended the event, which raised money to support JustWorld’s partner locations serving children around the world. Shown above are Chad Volbert, Janice McInerney, Maverick Veitch and Mei Mei Newsome. MORE PHOTOS, PAGES 15 PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER

RPB Zoners OK Changes At Village’s Oldest Church

By Denis Eirikis Town-Crier Staff Report Few buildings in the western communities are as iconic as the beautiful little church with the soaring white steeple near the south end of Royal Palm Beach Blvd., formerly known as Royal Palm Covenant Church. The church was built in 1960, shortly after the Village of Royal Palm Beach was incorporated. But hurricane damage to the building and mounting debt caused Royal Palm Covenant Church to move out several years ago, and the property was bought in 2016 by Wellington businessman and entrepreneur Sheldon Mickelson for $1.8 million. Last week, the Royal Palm

Beach Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval for a site plan modification and architectural approval for the 1.22-acre site that significantly upgrades the church’s grounds and landscaping. “The cost of the board’s recommended landscaping and outdoor upgrades will be about $113,000, which is in addition to the approximately half a million dollars I already spent on interior upgrades and refurbishing,” Mickelson explained. In its early days, as the village’s first house of worship, the modest building that holds about 200 worshipers was lent out to other local area congregations and synagogues until they could

build their own places of worship. The church fell on hard times after hurricanes Jeanne, Frances and Wilma did roof and steeple damage. The culturally diverse congregation, cash strapped during the lean years, was unable to afford maintenance and repair. Before moving, the church was the site of one of the area’s busiest food pantries, dedicated to serving the neediest residents for the prior 15 years. Mickelson currently leases out the property as a chapel and offices for a Missouri-based megachurch with six locations and attendance of up to 28,000 a week, making it America’s 53rd largest church, according to its web site. The pastor of the Royal Palm Beach chapel is

the 29-year-old son of the Missouri church’s founders. The Planning & Zoning Commission also recommended approval of new signage outside the church that will advertise the present occupants, Amazing Grace Family Church Inc., as FaithChurch.Com Chapel. The village required the owners to upgrade landscaping along its southern property line, create a planted buffer between the church and the neighboring daycare center, and make color changes to the iconic columns outside the chapel, which Royal Palm Beach Development Review Coordinator Kevin Erwin said, “At present, they don’t look See RPB CHURCH, page 18

The church building dates back to 1960.

PHOTO BY DENIS EIRIKIS/TOWN-CRIER


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