GOLTZENÉ SEEKS NEW LOX COUNCIL TERM SEE STORY, PAGE 3
JOE BARRY CUP FINALS SUNDAY AT IPC SEE STORY, PAGE 19
THE
TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE MPO Traffic Study Invites Residents To Offer Project Input
Volume 35, Number 4 January 24 - January 30, 2014
HORSING AROUND AT THE FAIR
The Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization is conducting a survey of residents to see what they think is needed, or not, in the county’s transportation plan. The Directions 2040 survey is part of a 25-year forecast based on regional needs to project travel demand. Page 3
WRMC Honors MLK Day With Ceremony
Wellington Regional Medical Center held a ceremony Monday, Jan. 20 to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ervin Owens from Christ Fellowship Church led an invocation, and local students recited the “I Have A Dream Speech.” Page 5
The South Florida Fair opened Friday, Jan. 17 and will run through Sunday, Feb. 2. Now in its 102nd year, the theme is “New York City: Be A Part Of It!” Fairgoers will be welcomed with the sights and sounds of Manhattan. There are plenty of events and attractions planned this year. Shown here in the horse arena are Princess Miss Rodeo Palm Beach County Alex Ortiz with Payton Bristow and horse Little Boy Jones. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Country Star Hunter Hayes To Perform At GCC In Wellington
Gun-Slinging Good Time At The Wild Wild West Show In Wellington
The Wild Wild West show was held at Equestrian Village in Wellington on Friday, Jan. 17, offering guests some exciting western fun. There were performances by rodeo clowns, trick riders, trick ropers and gun slingers, as well as a barrel racing exhibition. Page 9
OPINION Sochi Controversies Risk Spoiling Spirit Of The Olympic Games
For more than 100 years, the Olympic games have brought nations together to celebrate the spirit of competition, captivating audiences across the world with amazing stories of success and heart-wrenching moments of failure. But the climate surrounding the 2014 Sochi Olympics has changed. The Olympic story of glory and defeat has been overshadowed by the political overtones of the location. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 11 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS .........................6 NEWS BRIEFS........................ 8 PEOPLE ............................... 13 SCHOOLS ............................ 15 COLUMNS .....................16, 25 BUSINESS .................... 26 - 27 CALENDAR .......................... 30 SPORTS ........................ 31 - 33 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 33 - 37 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Country music star Hunter Hayes will top off an evening of charitable giving on Saturday, Feb. 1 as the 2014 FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments distributes more than $1.75 million to 34 local charities. Hayes, a multi-platinum recording artist and four-time Grammy nominee, will perform a full concert during the event, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Tickets cost $35, a parking pass costs $20, and both are available online by visiting www. equestriansport.tix.com. “Hunter Hayes is a great entertainer and is very generous in taking time out of his busy schedule to support this event,” Equestrian Sport Productions CEO Mark Bellissimo said. In its fourth year, the Great Charity Challenge is offering more money to more charities than ever before. Founded in 2010 by Bellissimo, wife Katherine and daughter Paige, the event has distributed more than $4.2 million to more than
90 charities in Palm Beach County. The event pits teams of three riders against each other in a relay race. Each team is sponsored by a local family or organization and paired with a charity. The fastest team puts one of the charities in the running for $150,000 in prize money. The remaining funds are distributed on a sliding scale, with each participating charity guaranteed at least $15,000. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the event will offer plenty of activities for families, including a petting zoo, magicians, street performers, face painters, carousel rides, a children’s fair and more. Currently, the event is slated to distribute $1.75 million, but Bellissimo said that number could be larger by Feb. 1. “With the addition of Hunter Hayes as a performer, we may even beat $1.75 million,” he said. Additionally, some grants will be offered to several charities up for the wild-card slots — two charities will be picked on the day of the event to compete for the prize money. “We’ll be giving away
Hunter Hayes about $75,000 to some of the charities in our list of candidates for the wild-card slots,” Bellissimo said. Bellissimo said he asked Hayes to perform as a way to highlight the event and the great work of the numerous charities. “The event has been well-attended in the past, but we wanted to bring more energy this year,” See CHARITY, page 20
Attorney General’s Office: No Comment On Minto West By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report An opinion from the office of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in response to a recent request from the Town of Loxahatchee Groves on Minto West’s interpretation of “surrounding communities” puts the onus on Palm Beach County to ask that question. The 3,800-acre Minto West property north of the town has been determined to be an Agricultural Enclave, which grants it the ability to develop in the same manner as communities that have grown up around it, with conditions. Loxahatchee Groves residents and members of the town council, however, have taken umbrage that the developer has reached as far as Royal Palm Beach and Wellington to include in its definition of
“surrounding communities,” while ignoring the low-density, rural character of Loxahatchee Groves, next door to the south. Minto West is preparing to ask for up to 6,500 homes and about 1.4 million square feet of workplace and community-serving commercial uses. The land currently has a future land-use approval for up to 2,996 dwelling units and up to 235,000 square feet of nonresidential uses. The town council, after discussion at its November meeting regarding Minto West’s plans, decided to have its legal staff write a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking for the state’s legal definition of “surrounding communities.” The office’s response was that it was inappropriate to respond to Loxahatchee Groves because the
county is the jurisdictional entity for Minto West. A letter to Town Attorney Michael Cirullo from Senior Assistant State Attorney Gerry Hammond stated, “After reviewing the information you have submitted, it does not appear that this is a matter upon which this office may comment.” Hammond wrote that the attorney general is statutorily limited to providing legal advice and opinions to governmental agencies and officers on questions relating to their own duties and responsibilities, and the issue the town raised — that the owner of a parcel of land and a local governmental entity are to negotiate in good faith to reach consensus on the land uses and intensities of use that are consistent with the surSee MINTO WEST, page 20
Serving Palms West Since 1980
Wellington Could Reconsider Water Fluoridation Policy By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report An old debate has been rekindled in Wellington as council members prepare to discuss the necessity of fluoride in the village’s drinking water. On Tuesday, Jan. 28, council members will discuss a resolution to eliminate fluoridation of Wellington’s public drinking water supply. The village has added fluoride to its drinking water since 1999, when council members at the time voted to install equipment and fluoridate the water. Council members directed staff last week to put the issue on the agenda following comments from the public about the necessity of fluoride in the drinking water. “I think the issue merits public discussion,” Vice Mayor Howard Coates said. The issue of fluoridation in public drinking water has long divid-
ed communities across the country since the idea was introduced in the 1940s. Fluoridation has been supported by many major health organizations in the United States, including the Centers for Disease Control, the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association. Proponents argue that adding fluoride to the water is beneficial for teeth and helps reach populations that do not regularly receive dental care. Other organizations, such as the Sierra Club and other citizen groups, have opposed fluoride, claiming it could have unintended consequences, introduces unnecessary additives into the water and is unnecessary in affluent communities where the population typically can afford dental services. According to a Wellington staff report, the village’s utility departSee FLUORIDE, page 7
BUCK OFF TOURNAMENT BENEFITS VINCEREMOS
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Eques Solutions hosted the first preliminary round of the 2014 Vinceremos Buck Off & Texas Hold’Em Poker Tournament on Thur sday, Jan. 16 at White Horse Fashion Cuisine. Shown here, the Enchanted Amigos team of Meghan Watt, Kya Endreson, Jaime TopinkaNunn and Rachel Chowanec get ready to compete. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Margolis, Greene Drop Request For Election Money By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis and Councilman John Greene have dropped their pursuit of repayment for legal fees incurred in the aftermath of the 2012 municipal election, but discussion of the issue raised questions about how much council members can participate in endorsing and supporting candidates when also expected to sit on the Wellington Canvassing Board. A similar issue will be raised again next week when the Wellington Village Council will consider whether to repay both Greene and Margolis for legal costs accrued as they defended ethics violation complaints as sitting council members. Last year, council members voted to seek outside opinions before deciding whether to repay legal fees stemming from the March 2012 election. Last week, Councilman Matt Willhite noted that both Margolis and Greene decided to withdraw their requests. “I’d like to thank both the mayor and Councilman Greene for withdrawing their requests,” he said.
The issue stems from the March 2012 election, which saw the wrong voter tallies assigned to candidates on election night. The votes were certified before an audit of the votes discovered the discrepancy. After Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher said state law would not allow her to perform a hand recount without judicial intervention, lawsuits were filed and several candidates sought legal representation. The hand recount resulted in Margolis, Greene and Willhite being certified as the victors, but each hired legal representation for the matter. Willhite did not seek reimbursement. The council had originally voted to seek the opinion of the Florida Attorney General’s Office, because Margolis and Greene were not sitting council members when the fees were incurred. “They had to get legal representation to make sure that the residents who voted for them would be represented by them,” Willhite said. “I thank both of them for withdrawing [their requests for See ELECTION, page 20
RPB Might Allow Earlier Sale Of Alcohol On Sundays By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council decided last week to place an item on its next agenda to change its ordinance prohibiting the sale of alcohol before noon on Sunday for off-site consumption. Village Manager Ray Liggins said the council had placed the item on the agenda after Costco representatives had requested the change in hours for the sale of alcohol after noticing changes in Greenacres and Delray Beach. “Alcohol sales are regulated by the state,” Liggins said. “They
have hours established by state law, but they also allow cities to establish their own hours if they want to do it differently than what the state allows.” The state regulates the sale of alcohol, prohibiting sales from midnight to 7 a.m. “If you want to do times different than that, you have to have your own ordinance, which is permissible,” Liggins said. “Our current ordinance prohibits the sale of alcohol for consumption on or off property Monday through Saturday from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m., and on Sunday from 2 a.m. to noon.
Costco had requested that the Sunday time be moved back to 10 a.m. to be the same as the other six days of the week in Royal Palm Beach.” Liggins provided a summary of hours for alcohol sales in surrounding areas. “It’s a little bit different for every city, and the county is a little bit different than that, but I would say as far as Sunday morning is concerned, Wellington and Royal Palm Beach seem to be the strictest as to the prohibition of purchasing it prior to noon.” During public comment, former Councilwoman Martha Webster
said a similar request had been made three years ago. “At that time, the council as a whole denied it, but I think that times have changed, and as we begin to look at the way the village grows and the region grows, we see things change,” she said. “I think that looking at this now, something that’s very important is the health of our village and our tax base, and the success of our businesses is important. I don’t believe that two hours would make a difference in the perception of our village.” Councilman Fred Pinto, however, wasn’t sure about changing the
hours. “When this came up several years back, we really didn’t discuss it,” he said. “I have very mixed thoughts on this request.” Pinto said that if it was going to be a convenience for citizens, he would favor it. “If people come to Costco to shop at 10 o’clock when they open, and then choose to buy alcoholic beverages while they’re on a shopping trip at Costco, this is a convenience for them to not have to go to another store or not have to wait until noon to do that part of their shopping,” Pinto said. He added that he would not See ALCOHOL, page 4