Town-Crier Newspaper March 2, 2018

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MEET WELLINGTON SEAT 3 CANDIDATES McGOVERN & NOVACK PROFILES, PAGE 3

WEST FEST FUN RETURNS MARCH 9-11 SEE STORY, PAGE 7

THE

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

Your Community Newspaper

INSIDE

ITID Board Approves Letter Objecting To Westlake Comp Plan

Volume 39, Number 9 March 2 - March 8, 2018

Serving Palms West Since 1980

NRI HOLDS GRADUATION CEREMONY

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors agreed last week to send a letter objecting to the City of Westlake’s comprehensive plan, which will be up for review at a Westlake City Council meeting on Monday, March 12. Page 4

Garden Of Hope A Key Part Of Acreage Park Expansion Plan

With Acreage Community Park’s southern expansion underway, Garden of Hope President Tracy Newfield made a presentation of its progress to the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Newfield has spearheaded the Garden of Hope project, which will be a place at the park for relaxation and contemplation. Page 7

The NRI Institute of Health Sciences in Royal Palm Beach graduated 28 nursing students and five diagnostic medical sonography students on Saturday, Feb. 24 at a ceremony held at the original Wellington Mall. Shown above are graduates Renese Theophile, Changlaise Alcida and Tia McKay. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

ELECTION 2018: ROYAL PALM BEACH VILLAGE COUNCIL, GROUP 3

RPBHS Holds Fourth Annual Cruisin’ With The Wildcats Car Show

The fourth annual Royal Palm Beach High School Cruisin’ with the Wildcats Car Show took place on Saturday, Feb. 24 in the high school parking lot. The fundraiser will benefit the Parent Teacher Student Organization, and money will be used for a new LED sign. The Asphalt Angels Car Club sponsored this event. Page 9

Panther Ridge Hosts Walk On The Wild Side Fundraiser For Big Cats

The Panther Ridge Conservation Center in Wellington held its eighth annual Walk on the Wild Side fundraising event on Thursday, Feb. 22. Housing exotic species such as cheetah, jaguar, leopard, clouded leopard, panther, ocelot, serval and caracal, many of the big cats found at Panther Ridge have been rescued from abuse, neglect and abandonment. Page 22

DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 15 OPINION.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS.................... 8 - 9 PEOPLE................................. 16 SCHOOLS.............................. 17 COLUMNS............................. 18 BUSINESS..................... 28 - 29 SPORTS..........................35 - 37 CALENDAR............................ 38 CLASSIFIEDS................ 39 - 42 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Wellington OKs Engineering Work For Park Projects

By Dani Salgueiro Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council voted Tuesday, Feb. 27 to authorize a contract for the engineering and architectural services of Kimley-Horn & Associates for the Greenbriar and South Shore park projects. The renovation of South Shore Park, previously called Wellington Community Park, was already in the planning stages, while the Greenbriar Park project was approved by the council in January. At the Jan. 23 meeting, the council decided to begin both projects concurrently in order to get additional recreational fields in use as soon as possible. “Getting these two parks done and getting them done quickly and to Wellington standards is something that is important to us,” Vice Mayor John McGovern said.

The projects will be funded with money from the one-cent sales surtax approved by voters in 2016. Since the last council meeting, Kimley-Horn came up with a new and innovative design for what a future South Shore Park may look like. Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes explained that the new design maximizes all possible usage of the space available. The design incorporates the existing six fields and supporting facilities, such as restrooms and concession stands, as well as the sketch of a future gymnasium. Barnes also detailed some of the ideas, as well as potential issues, regarding the Greenbriar Park project, after Kimley-Horn visited and evaluated that park space, which is located adjacent to the Wellington Dog Park. Barnes noted the potential need See PARKS, page 4

DANCE MARATHON

Roman Stresses Community Experience In RPB Council Bid

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Businessman Sam Roman is challenging incumbent Councilwoman Selena Smith for the Group 3 seat on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council. The election will be held Tuesday, March 13. Roman, 48, was born and raised in Salinas, Puerto Rico. He is a U.S. Navy veteran of six years, four years active and two years reserve, where he served in Operation Desert Storm on the USS Kitty Hawk. He is married to wife Tara with three grown children and three adopted children. He has lived in Palm Beach County for 16 years and currently owns two businesses. “I am founder and owner of Applied Advertising Solutions, which is a printing and direct mail company. I’ve been involved in the printing business since I was discharged from the Navy,” he said. “I also have a security agency where we provide armed and unarmed

guard services for HOAs, faithbased organizations and retail.” He is also an active community leader as the past president and current chairman of the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “We meet in order to help each other’s businesses flourish, and learn how to maneuver the business atmosphere when it comes to contracts with the county and government contracts, how to get certified and things of that nature,” Roman explained. He has served on the boards of several community organizations, including the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. He is also past chair of the Small Business Administration of Palm Beach County, the Small Business Assistance Advisory Board, a board member of Boys Town USA, a board member of the Selective Service System of Palm Beach County and serves on the Palm Beach County Construction Industry Licensing Board. “I have a beautiful wife who

Sam Roman puts up with everything,” he said, explaining that many of his board meetings are monthly. “I like to be involved.” He highlights his top accomplishments as being a successful business owner and community leader. “I like to be involved with See ROMAN, page 21

Smith Puts Focus On Seniors, Business And Transparency

By Dani Salgueiro Town-Crier Staff Report After serving on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council for two years, Councilwoman Selena Smith is seeking re-election to the Group 3 seat on Tuesday, March 13. In her bid for a second term, Smith faces a challenge from businessman Sam Roman. Smith’s work on the board of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce caused her to fall in love with Royal Palm Beach and eventually influenced her to move to the village in 2009. Smith’s community involvement has rapidly expanded since relocating to Royal Palm Beach. Smith served on the board of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber for three years, was president of the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club and was a founding member of the Western Business Alliance. She graduated from Leadership Palms West in

2010 and Leadership Palm Beach County in 2012. “I have spent most of my time in Palm Beach County working with local businesses and being involved in the area and the community,” Smith said. “I have a really good understanding and appreciation of the western communities.” Smith was elected to the council in 2016 and said she has spent her time advocating for the matters she said she would tackle if elected: the senior community, local businesses and government transparency. Shortly after being elected, Smith was influential in the creation of the Senior Ad-Hoc Advisory Board, to which Smith served as council liaison. The board studied senior issues and issued a report with recommendations. Smith noted that the council has committed to enacting many of those recommendations, such as putting money toward improve-

Selena Smith ments in senior transportation. “I first came [to South Florida] when I was 10 years old and lived with my grandparents, so I have a huge affinity for the older population,” Smith said. Smith works closely with the See SMITH, page 21

Palm Beach Central High School’s National Honor Society hosted its fifth annual Dance Marathon on Saturday, Feb. 24. Hundreds of Palm Beach Central students danced from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. raising funds for children suffering from pediatric diseases. The participants raised $63,672.42, setting a new record high for the school. Shown above are participants Julia Cesar and Alyssa Smith. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 10 PHOTO BY DANI SALGUEIRO/TOWN-CRIER

LGLA Forum Hosts Three Lox Groves Council Candidates

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association hosted a candidates forum Thursday, Feb. 22 featuring the three candidates seeking Seat 1 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. More than 100 residents were on hand to hear from incumbent Ron Jarriel and challengers Phillis Maniglia and Neil O’Neal III. The election will be held on Tuesday, March 13. Maniglia has been a resident of Loxahatchee Groves since 1989 and lives in one of the town’s oldest homes. “I have had many jobs in my lifetime, which I feel definitely benefit me in becoming a council member,” she said. “I have been fortunate enough that I am very particular in that when I learn something, I want to learn it well and excel in it.” She is currently a Realtor working in the community, where she drives the roads regularly. “I’ve lost a few pounds lately from driving up and down these roads,” Maniglia said. “I would like to say I used to be there with you guys, and I am passionate

about my community. I have been involved in going to the meetings, going to the committees and speaking up about my concerns about this town, and they’re probably the same concerns you all have.” Jarriel is a 57-year town resident who has served for nine years on the council, which followed nine years on the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a retired firefighter. Originally an opponent of incorporation, he has come to see the benefits of having a municipality to look after local interests. “My accomplishments on the water control board that I’m very proud of is the North Road project where we put in fire hydrants every 500 feet. We excavated and replaced all the culverts with concrete culverts,” he said. “The county did that at no cost to the residents, and that’s what’s great about it. We had a few people who didn’t want the county to come through Loxahatchee Groves, but it paid off.” While his work on the council is challenging, Jarriel said he See LGLA FORUM, page 7

Royal Palm Hopefuls Spar At Candidates Forum

By Betsy LaBelle Town-Crier Staff Report The Town-Crier newspaper hosted a candidates forum on Monday, Feb. 26 at the Royal Palm Beach Village Meeting Hall for residents to hear from the candidates seeking seats on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council. On Tuesday, March 13, incumbent Mayor Fred Pinto is being challenged by former Councilwoman Martha Webster, while incumbent Councilwoman Selena Smith is facing challenger Sam Roman for Seat 3.

Retired WPTV news anchor Jim Sackett moderated the nearly twohour forum with questions posed by Town-Crier staff members and the public. Each candidate provided an opening statement before answering a series of questions. Pinto noted that he has served the village since 2003 when he was initially elected to the council. He is wrapping up his first two-year term as mayor. “We have a tremendous village here and a tremendous program in place, and we want to make sure we stay on the right track and

continue to move in a forward and positive direction,” he said. Webster recalled her five years of service on the council and her two decades living in Royal Palm Beach. “I have served as vice mayor. I represented you well on community boards, including the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the League of Cities,” she said. “I was here for the development of Commons Park. I helped with State Road 7. You are See RPB FORUM, page 21

Fred Pinto, Martha Webster, moderator Jim Sackett, Selena Smith and Sam Roman before the forum. PHOTO BY BETSY LABELLE/TOWN-CRIER


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