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May 16 - May 22, 2014
The Town-Crier
www.gotowncrier.com
OUR OPINION
It’s Graduation Time Again: Our Advice To The Class Of 2014 Next week, hundreds of young men and women will walk across a graduation stage and bid goodbye to the life they have long known. The community will come together to celebrate this meritorious occasion as the Class of 2014 joins the world of adulthood and responsibility. The four public high schools serving the western communities will host graduation ceremonies at the South Florida Fairgrounds next week, starting with Royal Palm Beach High School on Monday, May 19, followed by Seminole Ridge High School on Tuesday, May 20. Palm Beach Central High School graduates Wednesday, May 21, while Wellington High School will celebrate commencement on Thursday, May 22. Whatever the future has in store for you, Class of 2014, graduation is a time to reflect back on lessons learned and look toward a prosperous future. It’s an opportunity for a clean slate, a fresh start and a new lease on life, no matter what your past contains. As we do every year, the Town-Crier offers some advice to our graduates with hopes that it will help as they walk down the road of life. • Strive For Balance — Whether your plans after high school include college or university, a technical school, entering the military or the workforce, you may suddenly be struck with the freedom of choice between work or play. Gone are the days of high school teachers nagging you for homework, and your parents probably won’t be looking over your desk to make sure you’re studying. It is easy to cast off responsibility in favor of a fun time, but it’s equally possible to get so bogged down in work that your life becomes monotonous and devoid of pleasure. In life, and in your career, you must learn to balance obligations with personal enjoyment. Learn early to set and meet deadlines, to work diligently now so you may relax later and to value experience as much as knowledge. Future employers will want to see a well-rounded job candidate with experience, as well as good grades and great recommendations. Similarly, people with real life experience are often better prepared in the workplace and in life, and it will certainly make you a more interesting conversationalist. • Do What You Love, But Also What You’re Good At — “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That old saying couldn’t be more true. But in today’s economy, it’s not uncommon for graduates to get locked into a job they don’t enjoy. You don’t want to be one of those people. At this stage in your life, you may already know what your passion is. If you don’t, your young adult
Hope, Faith & The Future
As a soon-to-be 80-year-old, I have worried about our youth and nation’s future. This Saturday, I was bringing home a BBQ grill for my friend when one of the tie-downs in my truck broke and the grill fell partly over the tailgate while we were on Southern Boulevard! There was no way I could pick it up alone, and immediately a young man in a large, high pick-up truck stopped behind me, put the grill back into the truck, retied it and said “have a nice day.” He was gone before I knew who he was. With young men like this, we need not worry about our future. So, at this point, I shall try to “pay it forward.” Peter Granata Wellington
Minto Had This All Planned Out
Do you think Minto expects to get approval for 6,500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of commercial, really? They already had it planned out (most likely with some key supporters on the Palm Beach County Commission) for what they will actually get approved for before they even purchased the property! They will “begrudgingly” get backed down to somewhere around 5,000 homes and about 700,000 square feet of commercial. This is still way over what the land has been approved for. Our commissioners will make it look like they did us a favor not approving their original request, and we should be grateful to them for it, too! I wish we could push back and request Minto truly blend in with 5-acre sites on top of Loxahatchee Groves, then moving out to 2.5 and 1.5 acres as they move up and out toward The Acreage, along with some scaled back commercial along Seminole Pratt. That would be a true friendly neighbor who blends in with the surrounding communities, and not shove a whole traffic-jammed small city down our throats! Or at least follow the previously approved plan for the property.
years are the perfect opportunity to discover what it is you love. Take classes that interest you, pick up new hobbies, volunteer, travel and try to find something that you not only love, but also succeed at. Employers want to see talent, but also passion from their employees. Find something that lets you show off both. • Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions — No one expects you to have all the answers, especially not as a young adult. While society may expect you to behave with maturity, you are not expected to know everything there is to know about striking out on your own, your new job, your classes or even how to get around a new town. There is no shame in asking questions, and the ability to ask and learn from others is an important life skill. You may feel pressure in school or on the job to be perfect, but don’t let that stop you from continuing to learn and grow. That said... • Be Confident In Your Abilities — As you continue to learn new skills, the day will come when they’ll be put to the test. But while many graduates may have the know-how, it is those who display their skills with confidence who will find success. A big part of this is believing in yourself, but there is some wisdom to the old adage, “fake it until you make it.” The more confident and adept you act, the more confidence others will have in you. The self-perpetuating cycle can help boost your own self-esteem and lead to greater success. While you don’t want to misrepresent yourself, there is no harm in a little showing off. • Plan Ahead — This is something young people often struggle with, used to living in the here and now. While you probably have spent months thinking about your immediate future, it’s important that each new venture you take on is carefully thought about. Will this class you want to take get you closer to your goal? If you take a new job, will it get you closer to your ideal career? Ideally, every step you take in your educational and professional career should be giving you necessary experience for the job you ultimately wish to pursue. But this advice is prudent for more than just your career. All actions have consequences, and it’s easy to forget what your decisions could mean long term. Wherever your road takes you tomorrow, remember to enjoy today. The carefree days between graduation and your job, educational pursuits and other responsibilities are some of the last truly free days you’ll have. Enjoy each and every moment with your family, friends and community. Things may never be the same, but the future is brighter. Congratulations, Class of 2014! We wish you the best.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We will soon see who Minto’s friends are by paying attention to the comments and votes of our commissioners. Then we need to “vote” accordingly! Robert Austin Loxahatchee Groves
Fight The Foreign Intruder
Those of us living here in Palm Beach County’s western communities chose to settle here for a number of reasons. For some it was the small-town feel of Royal Palm Beach. For others it was the rural environment of Loxahatchee and The Acreage, where their kids could grow up surrounded by green space and raising the animals they love. However, all of that is being threatened by outsiders who are attempting to decide the future of our beloved western communities. First among these intruders is a foreign company, Minto Inc., a large Canadian corporation. It purchased the 3,791 acres formerly known as Callery-Judge Grove, agricultural land that was once allowed 380 homes and no commercial development. Using political connections in Tallahassee, that got increased to almost 3,000 homes and 235,000 square feet of commercial building. Greed didn’t end there. The company is now using its political clout with the Palm Beach County government to further increase the density to 6,500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of commercial development. Second among the outsiders are the residents of Dade and Broward counties, Cocoa Beach and other communities deceptively hired by Minto to occupy seats during public meetings to pretend they support Minto’s attempts to increase density to 6,500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of commercial buildings. These pretenders have been observed tossing their “Yes to Minto” shirts in the trash after the meetings. These outsiders don’t live in our area, don’t know the issues but do like the money Minto pays them. Third, the Canadian corporation (Minto) is now working on getting at least four Palm Beach County
commissioners, whose districts are outside of the western communities, to approve of its outrageous proposal. And given that some on the Palm Beach County Commission appear to be ignoring the unanimous vote of their own planning commission to deny Minto any further expansion beyond the already approved 3,000 homes, one could speculate that some past and future campaigns have seen and likely will see financing from Minto, its paid lobbyists, consultants, lawyers and others. We in the western communities refuse to accept this betrayal; we demand the right to decide on our own future. Arlene Olinsky Royal Palm Beach
Commissioner Taylor’s Tantrum
At the Palm Beach County Commission meeting held Monday, April 26, Commissioner Priscilla Taylor’s tantrum can only be described as outrageous conduct unbecoming of an elected official. That was not the first time she has done this. Outbursts like those do not belong in chambers. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the position of chairperson has gone to her head. Taylor tried unsuccessfully to shut up two of her fellow commissioners, Paulette Burdick and Jess Santamaria. Kudos to them both for refusing to be intimidated. She should apologize immediately. I think she belongs to “the group of four” commissioners who tends to vote together and was instrumental in overlooking Santamaria for the post of chairman. He certainly must have touched a raw nerve when he suggested that Minto West’s final public hearing was purposely rescheduled as a ploy to vote on the project after he leaves office. If that was not the case, then why the outburst? Most commissioners are jealous of Santamaria’s vast experience and achievements. He should remind them of it more often. He gives back to the community far more than he should, donating his entire wages to many worthy causes. For some of the other commis-
sioners, it’s all about taking the taxpayers for all they can get. The disrespecting of Santamaria started with Shelley Vana, was continued by Steve Abrams and is being concluded by Taylor. Ms. Taylor, you should stop your personal vendetta. As a commissioner, I doubt very much that you would pass the smell test. Alma Sato Wellington
So Much For The Comp Plan
The Palm Beach County Planning Commission is made up of concerned residents dedicated to serve the public and appointed by the Palm Beach County Commission. They demonstrated their respect for the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Plan by not approving to initiate the Minto text amendment changes to the agricultural enclave provisions. No one believes the Minto group and its hired hands didn’t approach most of the Palm Beach County Commissioners and their staff. The Palm Beach County Planning Commission wasn’t considered by the Minto forces as a player that needed to be reckoned with. This was obvious in the Palm Beach County Planning Commission’s vote — it was unadulterated and steadfast to resist self-serving changes to the comprehensive plan. The Palm Beach County Commission approval to initiate the Minto text amendment changes and forward them to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity does convey a willingness to accommodate the petitioner. A non-approval result by Palm Beach County would have sent a clear intent to the state to leave the comprehensive plan alone, unchanged at this time. Furthermore, if the petition reached the state another way, this also would have sent a negative tone to the state regarding the county commission’s reluctance to change the comprehensive plan. Some of the Palm Beach County commissioners believe they must move Minto’s interests forward to discover the full intent of the proposed changes to the compre-
hensive plan. They don’t want to realize the threat to the Acreage/ Loxahatchee culture and believe the issues the residents make of it are not significant. The Palm Beach Planning Department should already know the heartbeat of the majority of the residents living in the community. They should already know the significant and quantifiable public benefits the community wants and will use. The department wants and needs another analysis to make an informed decision based on facts, then the department should be replaced. The Palm Beach Planning Commission didn’t need another analysis to make an informed decision. If the Palm Beach County Commission had not approved the Minto text amendment, what would be their loss from the potential gain by approving it? The future is that your community is next. Prepare yourselves says the watchman. Bob Sommer The Acreage
Aristocratic Municipalization Of Private Land
Wellington owns 70 acres for which it has no use and has leased it to a farmer. The inconvenient truth is that this administration not only forgot to advise the property appraiser of a change of address, but also either forgot or did not know that the village had to apply for an agricultural exemption on the land. It cost taxpayers an extra $125,000, and no one has been held accountable. The village also spent $5 million to go into the office rental business. With certain specific exceptions,
the Florida Constitution forbids municipal governments from engaging directly or indirectly in private commercial ventures for profit and restricts them to participating only in public services and governmental activities. Acquiring 70 acres to sell to developers clearly violates the law, and in an attempt to circumvent the intent of the law, the administration claims that the leased office building will be used to house future municipal offices — like the “taj mahal” that now houses the administration is not big enough. If Wellington needs an even larger staff to conduct affairs, how much higher will taxes be in the future to support a Titanic-sized administration? Rather than more land, more offices and more personnel, perhaps a better idea would be a leaner government that is more efficient. This administration spent $175,000 on meals and refreshments, and according to the inspector general, $30,000 was not spent on “official business.” Actually, unless this administration is in the catering business as well, perhaps the entire $175,000 is waste that could be cut from the budget. There are 30,000 Wellington taxpayers. Each of them could have been fed three meals a day for a year on the money this administration spent on “refreshments.” As consumer prices continue to rise, especially for necessities, villagers may be less willing to pay for refreshments for this administration. Perhaps a good strategy for this administration will be to get out of the real estate business, snack at home and lower taxes next year. Frank J. Morelli Wellington
SEND IN YOUR LETTERS
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OPINION
Now That There’s A Mini Pacemaker, What Other Tiny Device Is Next? I read the story, I processed it intellectually, yet still found it hard to believe. Already in use, a miniature, self-contained wireless device, the approximate size of a quarter, that does all the work of a standard pacemaker. It is inserted into the heart without surgery!
Footloose and... By Jules W. Rabin
In one recent case detailed in the media, the “Nanostim” was routed into the patient’s right ventricle using a catheter inserted in the femoral vein of the leg. The procedure took 20 minutes. The patient went home the next day and was back to work in a couple
of days. After a bit of time, scar tissue grows on the implant and seals it. The Nanostim insert is currently for patients who require a single chamber pacing, or some 20 to 30 percent of patients who require a pacemaker. The average age of
patients receiving the device in Europe, where it has been in use for a period of time, is 77. There are other new, miniaturized medical devices, including pill cameras and a “bionic eye,” already functioning in the United States.
Many others are on the drawing board to continue the trend where small size will make a difference. For the record, more than 4 million patients around the world have pacemakers, and some 700,000 receive a new one annually.
ment that we’re making and the effort put in by everyone involved, we all benefit from that,” he said. “It’s a benefit to everyone in Wellington.” He asked how the program would be promoted. McGovern said the village would put out a letter through the Community Services Department that will specify the program each school is promoting.
She also said she hopes to expand the program in coming years. “We want to start small here, but I promise we’ll be back next year with an idea that might do a little bit more,” McGovern said. “We are starting with [kindergarten through fourth grades], but we want to step it up to include middle school and high school.” Council members voted unanimously to support the initiative.
NEWS
Summer Ed
Reading And Math
continued from page 1 and practicing their math. We’d like to market it as much as possible.” Currently the program targets children in kindergarten through fourth grades. According to a
staff report, a letter to be sent to parents would encourage 60 to 120 minutes of reading per week, as well as completing math activities, such as problem-solving games, online. Councilwoman Anne Gerwig said the program would benefit all of Wellington. “I see this as a great way to get the elementary [students] to stay interested, but I’d like to see us engage the
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middle school [children],” she said. “Publix does a math night for some of the schools. Maybe we could lead this into our older children, who get pretty bored in the summer.” McGovern said that when the committee approached principals about the program, it seemed to motivate them. “They probably had summer programs that they were planning
on organizing, but it made them step it up because we’re doing this as a village, all together,” she said. “I think that the more we continue to partner with our schools, the more progress we’re going to make overall.” Vice Mayor John Greene said Wellington’s schools are a large reason families choose to live here. “When you look at the invest-
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