SACKETT’S SOFTBALL TOURNEY APRIL 8 SEE STORY, PAGE 3
ITID GETS NEW OFFER FROM IOTA CAROL SEE STORY, PAGE 7
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE Wellington Board OKs CVS And Provident Plans At Town Square
Volume 38, Number 12 March 24 - March 30, 2017
Serving Palms West Since 1980
RPB ROTARY HONORS SANTAMARIAS
Wellington’s Architectural Review Board approved design plans for new CVS Pharmacy and Provident Jewelry locations in the Wellington Town Square shopping plaza during its formal review on Wednesday, March 15. Page 3
Annual Hepzibah House Barn Dance Helps Fight Human Trafficking
Hepzibah House held its seventh annual Barn Dance & Family Fundraiser on Friday, March 17 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Agriplex. Tickets included Sonny’s BBQ, square dancing, a silent/live auction, pony rides for kids and more. Hepzibah House, a faith-based organization, offers recovery, restoration and release from the nightmare of human trafficking. Page 5
Second Annual ‘Par For The Horse’ Raises Money For Vinceremos
The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center held its second annual golf charity event, “Par for the Horse,” at the Wanderers Club on Monday, March 20. The morning and afternoon affair ended with a luncheon that saw awards given out for different categories to the golfers who participated. Page 8
OPINION Protect Yourself: Tax Time Is Also High Time For Identity Theft
Identity theft: the scourge of modern America, where criminals use our technological conveniences against us to steal money, steal credit and use our own information against us. It’s estimated that 15.4 million consumers were hit with some kind of identity theft in 2016. Take action to protect yourself. Page 4
DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 11 OPINION.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 6 PEOPLE................................. 14 SCHOOLS.............................. 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................31 - 33 CALENDAR............................ 34 CLASSIFIEDS................ 35 - 39 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
The Rotary Club of Royal Palm Beach held its annual citizen of the year tribute on Saturday, March 18 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center honoring Jess and Victoria Santamaria. After a buffet dinner, a long list of speakers offered a testimonial tribute to the Santamarias. Shown above are Royal Palm Beach Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas, Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, Mayor Fred Pinto, County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, honoree Jess Santamaria, Councilwoman Selena Smith and Councilman Jeff Hmara. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Lox Council Grants Final OK To Limiting Okee Commercial
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council on Tuesday approved the final reading of comprehensive plan amendments that constrain commercial activities on Okeechobee Blvd. The council approved the first reading of the ordinance on Jan. 17 to require that properties zoned commercial low and commercial low office be required to have frontage on and access to an arterial road, which in the Town of Loxahatchee Groves is only Southern Blvd. Okeechobee Blvd. is classified as an urban collector road. Planning Consultant Jim Fleischmann said the changes are oriented to better define the function and character of Okeechobee Blvd. within the town, and direct future commercial development to the Southern Blvd. corridor. After council approval in January, the amendments were sent to
the state agencies that are required to receive them and possibly comment on them. The agencies made no comment on the plans. The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Agency commented that it supports the town’s effort to maintain its rural character, Fleischmann said. The Florida Department of Transportation had no formal comments, but an official e-mailed that it is the department’s belief that Okeechobee Blvd. is in a better position to serve the commercial demands of town residents. “They also felt that keeping Okeechobee Blvd. two lanes would create greater demands on Southern Blvd. and affect Southern’s ability to handle traffic, but they didn’t have any formal objections or any formal comments,” he said. Palm Beach County did not object to the amendments, which include that Okeechobee Blvd. will remain a two-lane road. However,
the county did remind the town that Okeechobee is a county road and that any decision to four-lane the road would be the county’s, Fleischmann said. Mayor Dave Browning said the question of where to allow commercial development in Loxahatchee Groves goes back years before incorporation when the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association developed a Neighborhood Plan to submit to the county. “We have been kicking this around for years,” Browning said. The LGLA spent years trying to get the county to see what they wanted Loxahatchee Groves to look like, he said. “We said we would like the commercial to be on Southern Blvd. and not in the middle of our community,” Browning said, but pointed out that a county advisor at the time told them that they would not have the power to do that. “We See LOX COUNCIL, page 4
Royal Palm Beach Council OKs Variance For Tiki Hut Setback
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council granted a setback variance last week to a homeowner who had an unpermitted tiki hut installed by his pool. The variance was allowed after council members became convinced that the contractor had misled the homeowner that he did not need a permit. At the March 16 meeting, the council also granted a variance for Justin Bell’s property to take up more than 50 percent of the land area, which he said had been built prior to his purchasing the home. Bell, who lives on Queens Lane on a lot that backs up to Okeechobee Blvd., asserted that the tiki hut had to be built the way it was due to piping for the pool. Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien said staff recommended denial of the variance requests because Bell had continued construction on the tiki hut after code enforcement told
him that he needed to apply for a permit. The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission recommended denial 3-2. Bell’s attorney, Kevin Kennedy, said Bell had contracted Big Cypress Tiki Huts to do the work at his property, telling him that they did not need a permit because it was being done by the Seminole Indian tribe, which signed a treaty with the United States government in 1990, granting the tribe the right to build tiki huts anywhere regardless of zoning. “As far as Mr. Bell knew going into this, there were no issues that he needed to seek approval for,” Kennedy said. “Obviously, hindsight is 20-20. If he were going to put a tiki hut on his property today, he would have done things entirely differently, but that’s not the situation that we’re in at the moment.” Kennedy added that tiki huts are not mentioned in the village code, where many municipalities do refer to them, and Florida Statutes
state that tiki huts are exempt from the Florida Code. He said Bell also canvassed his neighbors for comment after the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, and they had no objections to the tiki hut. Kennedy also pointed out that the variance request is only for several feet at the back of the property, near the wall separating his home from Okeechobee Blvd. Mayor Fred Pinto said he was deeply concerned that Bell appeared to have been misled by the contractor on permit requirements. “That’s really a moot point,” Pinto said. “Right now the issue is that the investment was made, and the work was done. It seems like the work was pretty far done before any flags were raised, and it does not appear that any stop or desist order was issued at that point.” He added that with the setback being up to a wall that does not See VARIANCE, page 17
Indian Trail Board Extends Manager’s Contract Two Years
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors last week extended District Manager Jim Shallman’s employment contract for two years with the option for a one-year extension. At the March 15 meeting, Supervisor Ralph Bair made a motion to continue Shallman’s contract, which would have expired April 23. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Carol Jacobs, but Supervisor Gary Dunkley expressed his concerns. “I really feel that the district manager’s responsibilities and positions should have a checksand-balance system,” said Dunkley, who has had several serious disagreements with Shallman. “During Mr. Shallman’s tenure, he has made mistakes without any bit of accountability. No one oversees
his actions, or there’s no penalties for his mistakes, and I do feel that HR should be protected and also report to the board without being penalized.” Dunkley acknowledged that he probably did not have the votes to seek a request for proposals for a new manager, but said that there should be provisions for penalties if Shallman makes mistakes or does not adhere to his contract. “It’s not the fault of Jim, but it’s the fault of this board for not really looking at a checks-and-balance system, and this is why we’ve been going through district managers,” he said. “They get to a certain point that they feel that their word is the only word that counts. We have a responsibility to our constituents, but we also have a responsibility to ourselves.” Jacobs said that she values See SHALLMAN, page 17
AEGT FINAL CROWNS 2017 WINNER
The American Equestrians Got Talent 2017 Finale, hosted by Robert Dover and P.J. Rizvi, was held at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival pavilion in Wellington on Sunday, March 19. Cassie Ortiz was named America’s most talented equestrian and took home the $10,000 grand prize after two singing performances. Shown above are finalist Grady Lyman, winner Cassie Ortiz, and finalists Kylie Peitz, Alex Jones and Michael Boone. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19 PHOTO BY JACK LOWENSTEIN/TOWN-CRIER
Flavors Wellington Food Fest Returns To PBIEC April 7
By Jack Lowenstein Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s Flavors Wellington Food + Wine Festival will return to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Friday, April 7 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. This will be the 14th year for the Flavors event, where attendees are able to experience a little bit of everything that Wellington has to offer through food, drink and boutique shopping. “The event came about because we wanted to find a way to keep our restaurants and country clubs busy in the summertime when a lot of our seasonal people leave,” Wellington Chamber Executive Director Michela Green said. At Flavors, attendees will be able to sample fare from dozens of local restaurants, caterers and country clubs.
This year’s panel of judges welcomes Chef Clayton Charles Carnes, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and ALMA and a winner on the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen as the celebrity judge. Chukker.TV’s Michael Ferreira returns as event chair and judge. This year’s judges also include Wellington Chamber President Debbie Crompton, Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig, Stephanie Mitrione of Presenting Sponsor Florida Power & Light, Michael Pike of Valet Sponsor Pike & Lustig, Tiffany Rodriguez of Judges Table Sponsor Coast to Coast Pharmacy and WPTV’s Roxanne Stein. While enjoying dinner by the bite, attendees will also be able to watch live equestrian show jumping. “What better way to let people See FLAVORS, page 17
Keeping Wellington Safe Is A Community Effort
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report “Wellington is a safe place, but there’s always room for improvement” was the general tone as Wellington’s Public Safety Committee met Wednesday, March 22. A village-wide Neighborhood Watch meeting, Community Services Director Paulette Edwards said, will take place Wednesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center. Neighborhood Watch Captain John Schwiner, of Greenview Shores 1, provided a background on the value of neighborhood watch groups and CrimeStoppers. He explained the importance of the programs, and the advantages of letting the community know to
report what they see, but not get involved in anything that seems suspicious. Residents who observe something should call the PBSO’s non-emergency number, (561) 688-3400. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue District Chief Michael Arena said that there has been a slight increase in response times year over year. “We’re monitoring that closely,” he said. However, the increase does not always follow when broken down on a month-to-month basis. Arena compared the data. In December 2015, there were 452 calls with a response time of 6 minutes and 51 seconds, whereas in December 2016, there were
488 calls with a response time of 6 minutes and 51 seconds. “It was the same, even though the call load increased a little bit,” he said. January 2016 had 438 calls with a response time of 6 minutes and 43 seconds, while January 2017 had 476 calls with a response time of 6 minutes and 39 seconds. The calls increased, yet the response time decreased, Arena noted. “Even though we’ve seen a noticeable trend in increase in calls, it’s not like that every month,” he said. For example, in February 2016, there were 465 calls, and in February 2017 there were 435 calls, yet the response time only changed by See SAFETY, page 4
PBSO Lt. Eli Shaivitz, Wellington Community Services Director Paulette Edwards and PBCFR District Chief Michael Arena.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER