HEINL AND JORDANO SEEKING ITID SEAT SEE STORY, PAGE 3
LOCAL WOMAN PENS BOOK FOR KIDS SEE STORY, PAGE 4
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE Lox Groves Budget Includes Funding Share For Horse Trail On Okee
Volume 41, Number 22 September 11 - September 24, 2020
Serving Palms West Since 1980
FOOD TRUCKS IN THE PARKS
The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council gave preliminary approval to its budget for fiscal year 2020-21 on Tuesday, Sept. 8 after a long discussion on whether to continue pursuit of a cost-sharing grant approved by the Palm Beach County Transportation Planning Agency to build roundabouts, horse crossings and an equestrian path on Okeechobee Blvd. Page 3
Judge Jaimie Goodman Faces A Challenge From Attorney Adam Myron
It’s fairly unusual for a sitting judge to be challenged, but Judge Jaimie Goodman drew two challengers in his bid for a second term in the Group 30 seat on the bench of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County. While Goodman came out on top in the primary, it was not enough to avoid a runoff with attorney Adam Myron. Page 4
Despite Glitches, Superintendent Praises Successful Launch Of Distance Learning
Despite an initial overloading of the school’s computer system on opening day, Palm Beach County School Superintendent Dr. Donald Fennoy praised a successful opening of the school year with distance learning during a Palm Beach County School Board workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 2. Page 7
‘Twilight Green Market At Wellington’ To Debut Oct. 2 At Promenade
Festival Management Group and the Village of Wellington are excited to announce the launch of the “Twilight Green Market at Wellington” beginning Friday, Oct. 2 from 5 to 9 p.m. The event will continue weekly on Friday evenings through March 26, 2021 at the new Wellington Town Center Promenade. Page 10
Wellington Parks & Recreation launched its new series of events called “Food Trucks in the Parks” on Thursday, Sept. 3, featuring a rotation of favorite food trucks at various park locations throughout Wellington. The event will continue on Thursday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. Shown above, Rosalia Bledsoe, Diana Jacome and Marshall Estep of Tacos Veracruz prepare food for Shelly Watts and Nicky Watts with baby Brielle at Primrose Park. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 10 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Tina Polsky, Brian Norton Vie For State Senate District 29
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report The retirement of State Sen. Kevin Rader (D-District 29) has set up a race between State Rep. Tina Polsky (D-District 81) and businessman Brian Norton in the race to replace Rader as the state senator for a large part of central and southern Palm Beach County. With each Florida Senate seat representing about a half million constituents, District 29 covers all of Wellington, sweeping south along State Road 7 to take in all of Boca Raton and its western suburbs. Other areas include the Glades communities of Belle Glade and South Bay, as well as a small piece of northern Broward County. The area trends Democratic. Rader, who chose not to seek re-election, endorsed Polsky for the seat. She then defeated former State Rep. Irv Slosberg in the Democratic primary. Polsky, who gave up her seat in the Florida House of Representatives to run for the position, now faces Republican entrepreneur and business consultant Brian Norton in the
Fairgrounds Expo Center Hosts Ultra Con
Ultra Con was held at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center on Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30 featuring dozens of vendors, a cosplay contest and special guests, including Sam J. Jones of Flash Gordon fame. Page 15 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 22 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 PEOPLE.............................. 8 - 9 COLUMNS............................. 16 BUSINESS............................. 19 CLASSIFIEDS.................23 - 24 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council approved the first reading of a $101.6 million budget for fiscal year 2020-21. The property tax rate was kept steady at the current 2.47 mills. Property values in Wellington have increased by 2.9 percent to $8.9 billion, which means residents are likely to pay a bit more next year. The property value increase accounts for some $493,000 in additional revenue, or about a $17 hike on an average $300,000 homesteaded dwelling. The ten-year average of the village’s property tax rate is 2.47 mills, and it will remain at that figure, as the council previously pledged for five years. That pledge came before the COVID-19 pandemic reduced state revenue sharing for sales and gas taxes, and virtually eliminated parks and recreation fees and franchise fees. Another hit that the village budget has taken in recent years is a drop in the value of the Mall at Wellington Green, from about $250 million two years ago to some $90 million currently, due mostly to the changing nature of the retail industry nationwide. The total budget is $4.7 million
less than the current year, but still uses some reserves to have a balanced budget. “I have to say this is an extraordinarily conservative budget,” Councilman Michael Drahos said. “There is nothing to question. I teased about that earlier, but it is true.” Village Manager Paul Schofield said that village staff projects a recessionary period over the next five years that will likely require reductions of approximately $25 million. “We have $9 million in current projected cuts, and that leaves $16 million more to reduce over four years,” he said. Mayor Anne Gerwig agreed that budgetary concerns are likely to be ongoing for a while. “We expect to have budget challenges in the future,” she said. Councilman Michael Napoleone commended staff for being able to maintain a high level of service while reducing the budget. Councilman John McGovern warned against lowering taxes and then being left with an inability to operate properly. “We don’t reduce the 2.47 mills and then not have the money when we need it to maintain services,” he said, while staff stressed that See WELLINGTON, page 20
ACREAGE HORSE SHOW
Tina Polsky general election. Norton was unopposed for his party’s nomination. The Town-Crier spoke to both remaining candidates about their background and the qualifications that make each of them the best choice for the position. Tina Polsky — Polsky noted that she has lived in the district for 15 years and is a lawyer who is in practice as a professional mediator. “Two and a half years ago, I ran for my current State House District 81 seat, an area that does not in-
Brian Norton clude Wellington,” she said. “My background is legal, community based, and I now have the experience of two years in the House. I have relationships already built up across the aisle, and I have strong support among the members of my own caucus.” Polsky saw Rader’s retirement as an opportunity to expand her public service. “I have the opportunity to represent three times as many constituSee SENATE, page 20
Jim Carroll Takes On Incumbent Rick Roth In House District 85 By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Attorney Jim Carroll is challenging incumbent State Rep. Rick Roth for the District 85 seat in the Florida House of Representatives. The election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3, with mail-in voting getting underway at the end of September. District 85 covers The Acreage, Westlake, parts of West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach and North Palm Beach. Carroll, the Democratic candidate, said he is running because he gets satisfaction from making people’s lives better. “Especially now, with the threats that we face in the district, South Florida and the state, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to make people’s lives better,” he said. “I’m a husband, I’m an attorney and I’m a community leader involved in a lot of community
Wellington Expects Difficult Budgets In The Years Ahead
Jim Carroll
Rick Roth
activities. To me, this would be a full-time job.” Carroll noted that he has attended most of the Indian Trail Improvement District meetings for the past 15 months, some of them via Zoom. “I’m pretty familiar with the area’s issues and concerns, like
roads and mobility, infrastructure and incorporation as a municipality,” he said. “That’s an important issue that, unfortunately, didn’t make it very far through the last legislative session.” Carroll, 65, has been active during the COVID-19 pandemic See DISTRICT 85, page 22
The Acreage Landowners’ Association and Western Equestrian Shows & Trails (WEST) hosted their inaugural Buckle Barrel Series event on Sunday, Sept. 6 at the Nicole Hornstein Equestrian Park. Shown above, cloveleaf winner Kayleigh Gonzales gives Fancy a kisss. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
RPB Council Gives Preliminary OK To $50.7 Million Spending Plan
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday, Sept. 8 to a fiscal year 2020-21 budget of $50.7 million. The budget keeps the same property tax rate of 1.92 mills that the village has maintained over the past several years. However, due to rising property values, residents will pay slightly more in actual dollars. The tax rate is 4.97 percent over the rollback rate. Mayor Fred Pinto explained that the rollback rate is the millage rate that would take in the same amount of taxes the village levied the previous year, so the proposed budget for the fiscal year starting
Oct. 1 is 4.97 percent above last year’s baseline tax revenue. Finance Director Stan Hochman said the operating budget makes up 49 percent of the spending plan, while capital projects take up 44 percent, reserves are 4 percent and the stormwater fund is 3 percent. He noted that $2.6 million would be taken out of reserves to balance the budget. “Once again, property values are up,” Hochman said. Property values are up 8.6 percent, from $2.9 billion to $3.2 billion this year, he said, explaining that the owner of a home valued at $283,000 would pay $440 in ad valorem taxes to the village. Property taxes going to the See RPB BUDGET, page 22
Sheriff Bradshaw Faces Challenge From Lauro Diaz
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report This fall’s race for Palm Beach County Sheriff has four-term incumbent Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, a Democrat, being challenged by former Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Lauro Diaz, the Republican nominee. The election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3 with mail-in voting getting underway in late September. While Diaz is campaigning on a platform of transparency and fiscal responsibility, Bradshaw’s platform is based on his past perfor-
mance and decades of experience. Bradshaw advanced to the general election after defeating retired Riviera Beach Police Major Alex Freeman in the Democratic primary. Bradshaw took 61 percent of the vote to Freeman’s 39 percent. “That was based on the question, ‘Who do you want to make the best decisions for your family, your neighborhood and your safety?” Bradshaw told the TownCrier. “Do you want the person with the most experience, has done the job and has proven himself over 16 years as the sheriff and has executive experience in actually
running major law enforcement organizations? Or do you want someone who says, ‘I think I can do it, trust me?’ They want the experienced professional who has actually done it.” Bradshaw said the PBSO staff is satisfied overall about where the department is headed. “We provide them with the best equipment, the best training, the best technology, which translates into the best service for the public,” he said. He characterized this year’s campaign as people voting for the person who is best qualified See SHERIFF, page 20
Ric Bradshaw
Lauro Diaz