Town-Crier Newspaper June 28, 2019

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LOX COUNCIL: SPEED UP DRAINAGE FIX SEE STORY, PAGE 3

NEW THEATER GROUP IN WELLINGTON SEE STORY, PAGE 7

THE

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

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Local Robotics Team Seeks Funding To Help Conquer The World

Volume 40, Number 26 June 28 - July 4, 2019

Serving Palms West Since 1980

WELLINGTON ROTARY CLUB DINNER

When you think of the western communities today, “swamp” may not be the first word to come to mind. But for Darcy Murray and her son Aiden, being a Child of the Swamp is a fact — and fortune — of life. Aiden is a rising sophomore at Suncoast High School, where he’s an active member of an award-winning robotics team called the Children of the Swamp. In April, the team traveled to the FIRST Championship Houston, a worldwide robotics competition in which they won fourth place. Page 3

Planning Congress Discusses Issues With Sustainability

About 60 members of the Palm Beach County Planning Congress met Wednesday, June 26 at the Lake Worth Casino to discuss planning challenges for 2019, including the responsibility placed on taxpayers after developers build a community. Page 4

The Rotary Club of Wellington held its 39th annual installation dinner on Saturday, June 22 at the Wanderers Club. At the event, Don Gross was installed as the club’s president for 2019-20. Also that evening, Dr. Carmine Priore presented the club’s prestigious Frank T. Gladney Award to Tom Wenham for his past and present service to the Village of Wellington. Shown above are Marie and Dr. Carmine Priore with Tom and Regis Wenham. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 10 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Tuttle Gets Zoning Board OK For Smaller Single-Family Lots

Young Elvis Singer Matt Stone Entertains Wellington Seniors Club

The Wellington Seniors Club held its monthly luncheon on Wednesday, June 19 at the Wellington Community Center. After a boxed lunch by Panera Bread, it was time to enjoy some music. Wellington’s own Matt Stone sang oldies by Elvis while the seniors swayed in their seats, singing and clapping. Page 5

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission gave Southern Boulevard Properties a favorable recommendation Tuesday, June 25 for a special exemption approval for a 33.75-acre site plan, conditional upon approval of three variances. The measure, which staff recommended be denied, is for Pod 4 of the Tuttle Royale development south of Southern Blvd. and just west of State Road 7. The pod is slated for 102 single-family homes. To curry approval of adjacent neighborhoods, developer Brian Tuttle did not seek an RT8 zoning designation that would allow townhomes, asking instead for RS 3 zoning, but his company needed smaller lots than permitted to ac-

commodate the 102 single family homes on the site. The property includes an FPL easement that prevents building on more than one-third of the land. The variances are to allow lots that are 45 feet wide, where the village requires 55-foot lots, allow a smaller percentage of landscaped front yards (55 percent compared to the required 75 percent), and to permit smaller overall lot size (4,500 square feet versus the required 5,000 square feet), with smaller setbacks on corner lots. The board spent a long time discussing the narrower lots. Special circumstances not caused by the developer is the criteria for a variance. “What is the hardship?” Chairman David Leland asked. “The hardship is $18 million in offsite improvements,” Tuttle

replied. “Every unit is desperately needed… The density is needed to make the numbers work.” “Not to be a killjoy, but economic hardship is not one of the criteria,” Development Review Coordinator Kevin Erwin added. Ali Palmer of Urban Design Kilday Studios explained that the fact that so much of the property can’t be developed because of FPL easement is the hardship they are claiming. Commissioner Ray Nazareth made a motion to deny the request, which died for lack of a second. Commission Alternate Gary Specht made a motion to approve, which passed 4-1 with Nazareth dissenting. As the board began to discuss the smaller landscaped yards, Commissioner Philip Marquis See RPB ZONERS, page 16

PBCFR EMS Chief: Protocols Have Survival Rates On The Rise

By Gina M. Capone Town-Crier Staff Report Richard Ellis, division chief of medical services for Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, visited the Royal Palm Beach Village Council on Thursday, June 20, explaining the growing services his agency provides to residents in need. “One area under my section medical services is EMS,” he said, referring to PBCFR’s emergency medical services arm. “We currently run about 140,000 calls per year in Palm Beach County. About 110,000 of these calls are medical calls, which come under my jurisdiction.” These calls are handled with award-winning professionalism, he noted. “You should be very proud to be served by Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue,” Ellis said. “I know that I am proud to work for them. We have some of the very best paramedics in the county, and the best medical director in the state, Dr. Ken Scheppke.” Ellis focused on time-sensitive emergencies like stroke, acute myocardial infarction (a severe heart attack also known as STEMI), sepsis and trauma alerts, which require rapid identification, diagnostic testing and treatment for improved survival. “In Palm Beach County, there are two Level 1 trauma centers serving the area. Royal Palm Beach residents go to St. Mary’s Medical Center,” Ellis explained. St. Mary’s Medical Center and Delray Medical Center are the two designated trauma centers in the county. These two centers provide specialized hospital care and rehabilitation for trauma victims. St. Mary’s provides coverage

for trauma cases that occur in the northern part of Palm Beach County, while Delray provides coverage in the southern part of the county. However, when time is critical, many emergency services are also offered by more local facilities. “Palms West Hospital and Wellington Regional Medical Center both are certified STEMI centers. Wellington Regional just about a year ago became a certified stroke center,” Ellis said. “So, we are able to provide that level of care to the residents of Royal Palm Beach.” In Palm Beach County, there are nine STEMI hospitals and six comprehensive stroke centers, according to Ellis. “Recently, ER at Westlake opened as a standalone emergency room off of Persimmon Blvd. This is another way to serve the residents of Palm Beach County,” Ellis said. ER at Westlake is an extension of Wellington Regional Medical Center. It is staffed around the clock with an ER physician and other medical staff capable of treating general emergency cases from cuts and bruises to heart attacks and strokes. “Cardiac arrest cases are running at about a 35 to 40 percent ROSC rate,” Ellis told the council. ROSC stands for “return of spontaneous circulation.” Across Florida, the ability to get a pulse on average is only 17 percent of the time when a cardiac patient is trying to be revived. Since 2015, Palm Beach County EMS has been improving the statistic. “That means, if someone has a cardiac arrest, there is a 35 to 40 See EMS CHIEF, page 16

WESTLAKE ADVENTURE PARK GRAND OPENING

Loxahatchee Groves To Seek Bids For Solid Waste Pickup

Seminole Ridge Quarterback Goolsby Is A Man On A Mission

Seminole Ridge High School senior quar terback Shane Goolsby is on a mission for the Hawks this summer, and it is evident in his commitment to the team. Goolsby has played in the shadows of standout graduate Kaimyn Castilla for the last two seasons, but Goolsby has used that time to contribute when needed, while honing his craft. Page 17 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 PEOPLE................................... 8 COLUMNS............................. 14 BUSINESS............................. 15 CALENDAR............................ 16 SPORTS..........................17 - 18 CLASSIFIEDS................ 19 - 20 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council decided to put out a request for proposals (RFP) on its solid waste contract at a special meeting on Tuesday, June 18, rather than grant a one-year extension to its current provider or join in a hauling contract with the Solid Waste Authority. The item had been tabled from the council’s regular meeting on June 4 after several potential bidders spoke to the council about their interest in bidding on the contract. Mayor Robert Shorr said the council was meeting to decide one of three options: negotiate an additional year with its current provider, Waste Pro; utilize the Solid Waste Authority’s service area agreement with Area 2; or ask staff to prepare new bid specifications for an RFP. “These are our three options,” Shorr said. “Everybody’s had a month to discuss and think about them.”

Assistant Town Manager Francine Ramaglia asked council members to think about what it would look like if the town renews its contract, versus what it looks like if it does an RFP. Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia said she was concerned that the current provider had recently developed an interest in manure pickup. “I’m seriously not happy with what happened with the franchise last year, and I don’t think it was really thought out. I think things happened that we were not expecting, and I’m a little nervous about bringing them into manure.” Maniglia pointed out that if they wanted to get into manure collection, they could simply get a permit from the town, “and be part of that program just like the other guys.” Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said any hauler, including the town’s contracted hauler, that meets the qualifications to haul manure is eligible to apply for a permit from the town, but it would

not be inclusive of the solid waste hauler’s RFP. Shorr asked if the manure haulers are charged a fee, and Ramaglia said they pay a nominal fee annually. A written statement from Councilwoman Lisa El-Ramey, who was not present at the meeting, suggested that the RFP exclude the solid waste hauler from eligibility for manure pickup. Ramaglia said they had included El-Ramey’s statement in the proposed RFP, but the RFP also stated that the hauler could make an alternate proposal on manure hauling. She added that town staff had drawn from more than 10 surrounding municipalities to use as a model for the RFP. Shorr reminded the council that the discussion was about three options. “The Solid Waste Authority said take it or leave it,” he said. “There’s no negotiating that contract.” Titcomb explained that the SWA See LOX RFP, page 16

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration were held for the new Westlake Adventure Park on Saturday, June 22, and residents of the surrounding areas were invited to tour the 15-acre recreation site and enjoy the new amenity designed for Westlake residents. Shown above, Dovile and Isabella Vergin enjoy the face painting and balloon artist. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY GINA M. CAPONE/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Thanks Retiring New Horizons Principal

By Gina M. Capone Town-Crier Staff Report It was a celebratory event when retiring New Horizons Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Cardozo was asked by Mayor Anne Gerwig to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the Wellington Village Council meeting on Tuesday, June 25. At the meeting, Cardozo was honored for her long career in education. Cardozo has been principal at New Horizons for 15 years, and she has been an educator for a total of 41 years, with 39 of those years in Palm Beach County. She has been an elementary school teacher, a school counselor, an assistant principal and principal. She steps down this month, handing the

reins at her Wellington school to incoming Principal Dana Pallaria. The council approved a proclamation to honor the principal that read, in part, “The Wellington Village Council hereby recognizes Mrs. Elizabeth Cardozo on her retirement and for her dedication and commitment to Palm Beach County schools and the Village of Wellington, and extends their best wishes as she begins her retirement.” At the podium, Cardozo addressed the council with her husband seated behind her in the audience, as well as other educators in attendance for the proclamation ceremony. “I am overwhelmed,” Cardozo said. “It has been my honor to

serve the community of New Horizons for the last 15 years as principal. To finish 41 years as an educator just seems like it flew by. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the members of the council, as well as the Wellington Education Committee, for your support of the schools in Wellington over the years. It really does make a difference in the lives of the students. I am looking forward to this new adventure. I know I am leaving the school in very capable hands.” The council members personally thanked Cardozo and wished her luck in the future. “Thank you so much for your continued commitment and the fact that you are going to continue See CARDOZO, page 4

The Wellington Village Council honors retiring Principal Elizabeth Cardozo. (L-R) Councilwoman Tanya Siskind, Councilman John McGovern, Mayor Anne Gerwig, Elizabeth and John Cardozo, Vice Mayor Michael Napoleone and Councilman Mike Drahos. PHOTO BY GINA M. CAPONE/TOWN-CRIER


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Town-Crier Newspaper June 28, 2019 by Wellington The Magazine LLC - Issuu