3 STATE AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT SEE STORY, PAGE 3
ITID QUESTION 5: DEVELOPMENT ISSUES SEE STORY, PAGE 7
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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INSIDE
Election Puts Spotlight On A Little-Known Environmental Agency
Volume 35, Number 43 October 24 - October 30, 2014
Serving Palms West Since 1980
WELLINGTON HOSTS FALL FESTIVAL
Palm Beach Soil & Water Conservation District Group 5 incumbent Eva Webb is being challenged by libertarian Karl Dickey in the Nov. 4 general election. It is a race that is putting the spotlight on a little-known board focused on countywide environmental programs. Page 3
Royal Palm Beach Council Hears Update On Aquatic Weeds
The Royal Palm Beach Village Council heard an update last week on the status of aquatic vegetation maintenance in the village from Public Works Director Paul Webster. Page 7
Wellington held its Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Village Park. The event provided familyfriendly Halloween fun with food trucks, bounce houses, trick or treating, a haunted house and more. Shown here are friendly witches Abbie O’Brien and Alahna Otrola. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Western Business Alliance Hosts First Networking Social
On Thursday, Oct. 16, the Western Business Alliance, a new business networking group held its first social at the White Elephant restaurant. There were raffles, snacks and drinks as dozens gathered to create new relationships and rekindle old. Page 9
Sunrise Adult Day Care Offers Stimulating Activities For Seniors
Sunrise Adult Day Care Center, located on Forest Hill Blvd. in Greenacres, is the place to go for seniors who are in need of companionship and socialization during the day. Page 10
OPINION
Endorsement: Elect Michelle Santamaria To The County Commission
This race features three candidates: Democrat Melissa McKinlay, Republican Andrew Schaller and independent Michelle Santamaria. It’s not often in today’s hyper-partisan atmosphere that voters have a chance to choose an independent-thinking, highly skilled candidate who isn’t controlled by a political party, yet still has a chance to win. In the District 6 Palm Beach County Commission race, that candidate is Michelle Santamaria. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 10 OPINION.................................. 4 CRIME NEWS.......................... 6 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 8 PEOPLE................................. 15 SCHOOLS.............................. 16 COLUMNS.......................18, 27 BUSINESS..................... 28 - 29 SPORTS..........................31 - 33 CALENDAR............................ 35 CLASSIFIEDS................ 36 - 39 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
FLORIDA STATE HOUSE, DISTRICT 86 SEAT
Mears Seeks To Be A Voice For Teachers In Tallahassee
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Republican Stuart Mears is challenging incumbent Democrat Mark Pafford for the District 86 seat in the Florida House of Representatives. District 86 includes Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves, along with other communities to the east. A fourth-generation Floridian, Mears grew up in the area, graduating from Lake Worth High School in 1992 before enlisting in the U.S. Army. Mears, 40, graduated from Palm Beach Community College with an associate’s degree, and from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a certificate in peace studies. He taught at Grassy Waters Elementary School for five years
before returning to college, where he earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He then took an administrative position with the Palm Beach County School District. “For the past six years, I have been in adult and community education, which primarily focuses on ESOL students as well as GED for non-traditional students who maybe want to give it another crack,” he said. Mears lives in Wellington’s Olympia neighborhood with his wife and three children. An educator by profession, he also has a real estate license to supplement his income.“That has helped me weather the storm to continue to provide for my family over the last 10 years,” he said. Mears believes his top accomplishments are being a teacher and
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report State Rep. Mark Pafford hopes to remain two more years in the role he has held since 2008, as a Democrat representing District 86, which covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and Loxahatchee Groves, along with several communities to the east. With three terms under his belt, Pafford wants to remain in his seat for one more term, before he is set to retire due to term limits. “There’s a lot of work to do, especially in terms of education and on environmental issues,” he said. Should he defeat Republican Stuart Mears on Nov. 4, Pafford is set to become minority leader, leading the Democratic caucus in the Florida House of Representatives. Originally from Miami, Pafford moved to the area in 1993. He
is married and has two children who are attending the University of Central Florida. Pafford earned a degree in public administration from Florida International University. He has spent most of his career working with nonprofit organizations. He currently serves as CEO of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation for the Everglades. Pafford’s top three issues of the campaign are healthcare, education and the environment. “They all have an impact on the average person,” he said. The environment, and especially clean water, is a top issue for Pafford, who places great emphasis on his support for nature. “It’s a public commodity,” he said. “This isn’t privately owned, and yet Florida has basically abandoned taking care of that incredible resource. We’ve spent a lot of money trying to get companies from out of the
Stuart Mears giving back through education. “I’ve always taught in Title 1 schools,” he said. “Those kids are See MEARS, page 21
Pafford Wants Florida To Do More For Floridians In Need
Mark Pafford state to come here, and give them tax breaks, but we haven’t paid attention to the most essential thing See PAFFORD, page 21
Lox Council OKs Work On Light At Okee And D Road By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report In a 3-2 vote, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved a resolution to design a traffic signal and road improvements at Okeechobee Blvd. and D Road on Tuesday, over objections that the signal will have to be torn down when the county eventually widens the road to four lanes. The town selected traffic engineers Simmons & White to do the project about two years ago, finally giving them the go-ahead to proceed this week. “It has been on the council’s radar and budget for approximately two fiscal years, and we are now at the point where we are prepared to move forward,” Town Manager Bill Underwood said. The engineering design will cost $57,806, and the council has
budgeted almost $291,000 for the total design and construction. Councilman Tom Goltzené reiterated his opposition to the project. “I’ve spoken extensively about this in the past,” Goltzené said, explaining that he did not think it was appropriate to spend the town’s money to put up a light on a county road. Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel said the light is needed to give traffic gaps so residents can get onto Okeechobee Blvd. safely. “I feel, like most of the residents of Loxahatchee Groves, that we need that red light,” Jarriel said. “We’ve got to have a stopping point to give our people a break to get on Okeechobee Blvd.” Jarriel added that morning and evening rush-hour traffic has become unbearable for residents See LIGHT, page 21
HORSE COUNTRY RUN
The Wellington Runners Club presented the Wellington Horse Country 10 Miler and Sebastian’s 5K Walk/Run at Tiger Shark Cove Park on Sunday, Oct. 19 to benefit the Kids Cancer Foundation of South Florida. Shown here are Jason Jaworski, Sarah George and Grace Parsons with Riley. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington’s 40th Street Renamed Gracida Way
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council unanimously approved a request last week to rename 40th Street South as Gracida Way in honor of the late Carlos Gracida, who died following a polo accident in February. Equestrian activist Victoria McCullough, who lives on 40th Street South, made the request. “The reason I would like that, and I think the community would also, is that one of the greatest polo players in the United States and in the history of the sport had a premature death, as we’re all aware of,” she said. “His farm was on 40th Street along with his brother, Memo Gracida.” She pointed out that the community has other streets named after famous horses and equestrians, such as Gene Mische Way.
“We have to do something special for Carlos Gracida’s departure because there’s just no one like him,” McCullough said. “I learned to play at those fields, and those farms have been in existence for so many years, and there are very few residents, four of us, on 40th Street presently. There’s no objection. Everyone has told me they would be thrilled. It’s where his farm and his brother’s farm were for 30 years, and it is still to all of us where Carlos lived and where his parties and functions were.” McCullough felt it would be a small but important gesture to rename the street Gracida Way. “It would be really tremendous if the council would consider allowing the renaming of 40th Street to Gracida Way,” she said. Mayor Bob Margolis asked if there was a format they needed to See GRACIDA, page 10
Minto West’s Density Increase Heads To Key Vote
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Minto West’s petition for increased density comes up for a binding vote before the Palm Beach County Commission on Wednesday, Oct. 29, with additional time allotted on Thursday, Oct. 30 in anticipation of a long meeting. After a seven-hour meeting in August, with lengthy staff and developer presentations and public comment, mostly against the density increase, Minto received transmittal approval from the commission on a 5-2 vote. Minto is requesting a comprehensive plan text amendment that would allow consideration of plans to build 4,549 homes and up to 2.1 million square feet of non-residential uses on the 3,735acre site. The land is currently approved for 2,996 residential units and 235,000 square feet of non-resi-
dential use. The previous owner, Callery-Judge Grove, received the approval under provisions of the Agricultural Enclave Act, which was tailored by the state legislature for that specific piece of property. It entitles it to an intensity of development similar to what has grown up around it — namely, The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves. Due to recent changes in state law, the transmittal request in August would have gone to the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity — formerly the Department of Community Affairs — for review even if the county commission voted against it. Wednesday’s commission vote is expected to be the final determination for the proposed density increase. The Palm Beach County Zoning Commission recommended approval of the project’s increased density on Oct. 10 in a 6-2 vote. The Palm Beach County Planning
Commission recommended denial in a 12-1 vote. The project has met with widespread public opposition, although some community leaders have shown interest in cooperating in order to reach a better bargaining position. In mixed decisions, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee Groves and the Indian Trail Improvement District approved resolutions opposing the density increases. ITID approved a resolution opposing the increased density in a 4-1 decision where Supervisor Michelle Damone said she would prefer working with the county on a regional approach to widespread large-scale development plans for the area, including GL Homes west of The Acreage, Avenir on Northlake Blvd. and Highland Dunes on Southern Blvd. Although ITID is officially opposed to the expansion, some supervisors say they would like
to be in a position to get Persimmon Blvd. off the map as a future thoroughfare should the project go through. ITID has contracted a team led by attorney Marty Perry, who has adopted a regional approach from the ITID standpoint of its effect on roads, drainage and recreation, which are the primary responsibilities of the district. At the zoning commission meeting, Perry said ITID has no problem with the currently approved density but is concerned about the requested density increases’ effect on traffic. The Town of Loxahatchee Groves approved a resolution opposing the Minto West density increase in a 3-0 vote with one member absent and another recusing himself. During the Royal Palm Beach discussion of the resolution opposing the increased density, Vice Mayor Dave Swift said he would
like to be in a position to negotiate for increased use of 60th Street as opposed to Okeechobee Blvd. through the village. Royal Palm Beach has long expressed concern of the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s consideration of overpasses on Okeechobee Blvd. if traffic increases to a certain point. Wellington considered a resolution opposing the expansion, but in a 3-2 decision neither endorsed nor opposed the project. Minto representatives have said the development would remain 55 percent open space and that they would be able to offer significant drainage and water supply capacity to the surrounding area. They’ve also said there are plans to donate several hundred acres for recreation and other public uses. If approved, the project will provide $50 million in proportionate share impact fee payments, $29 See MINTO WEST, page 4