ITID BOARD DISCUSSES FLOOD CONTROL CLEARING IRMA DEBRIS WILL TAKE TIME SEE STORY, PAGE 3 SEE STORY, PAGE 7 THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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INSIDE Royal Palm Rec Board Gets Overview Of New Oversight Duties
Volume 38, Number 36 September 29 - October 5, 2017
Serving Palms West Since 1980
ROTARY PEACE DAY IN WELLINGTON
The Royal Palm Beach Recreation Advisory Board was briefed Monday, Sept. 25 on its new role as the village’s Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Committee. As this new committee, the rec board members will ensure that all money received by the village through the recently enacted sales surtax is used properly. Page 3
TKA Breaks Ground On New Science And Technology Building
The King’s Academy held a groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction on the new Boswell Science & Technology Center on Tuesday, Sept. 26. The new two-story facility will include a chemistry lab, three life science labs, four flexible design STEM classrooms and four offices. Page 5
Wellington’s American Legion Post 390 Hosts Annual Golf Tournament
The Wellington American Legion Chris Reyka Memorial Post 390 hosted it’s seventh annual golf tournament on Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Wanderers Club. The proceeds benefit local youth, patriotic and veteran support programs, as well as the Future Heroes Scholarship Fund. The golf format was an 18-hole, four-person, best-ball scramble. Page 11
OPINION
Arrest Brings Closure To Infamous Wellington ‘Clown Murder’ Case
Usually, when Wellington makes national news, it’s related to an equestrian event, a celebrity visiting the area, or success in sports or reality television. But this week, Wellington was in the national — and international — headlines because of an event that took place 27 years ago. At long last, there was an arrest in the infamous “clown murder” case of Wellington resident Marlene Warren — the most famous unsolved murder in Wellington’s history. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 11 OPINION.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 6 PEOPLE................................. 12 SCHOOLS.............................. 13 COLUMNS.......................14, 21 BUSINESS..................... 22 - 23 SPORTS..........................25 - 27 CALENDAR............................ 28 CLASSIFIEDS................ 29 - 32 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
The Rotary Club of Wellington held a World Peace Ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 24 at Wellington Rotary Peace Park on Royal Fern Drive. At the event, the club presented awards to student contest winners and gave its annual Community Peace Award to former Wellington Mayor Kathy Foster, founder of the nonprofit Wellington Cares. Shown above are Wellington Councilwoman Tanya Siskind, Councilman Mike Napoleone, Mayor Anne Gerwig, former Mayor Kathy Foster, Vice Mayor John McGovern and Councilman Mike Drahos. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN /TOWN-CRIER
Groves Council Agrees To Take Over Remaining LGWCD Roads
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report On a 3-2 vote, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved a quit claim resolution last week for the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District’s remaining 13 miles of roads that had not been previously transferred to the town. At the Sept. 19 meeting, Town Manager Bill Underwood said the resolution will accept the remaining easements that the LGWCD is offering the town. Councilman Todd McLendon made a motion to approve the resolution, which would finalize a years-long process to transfer all district roads to the town. The motion was seconded by Councilman Ryan Liang. Councilman Dave DeMarois asked Town Attorney Michael Cirullo why the town was going with interlocal agreements pertaining to the roads, relating to gas tax money that the town has paid previously for maintenance of roads designated as district roads. Cirullo said the town had been paying the district to maintain roads designated as district roads. “They’re all public roads, and the town has the responsibility to
make sure these public roads are maintained,” Cirullo said. “You basically contracted with the district to take care of the roads that were designated as district roads dating back to incorporation of the town.” DeMarois said his understanding when he was on the district board was that the town had insisted on claiming the roads in order to get the gas tax money. Cirullo said there was concern at the Palm Beach County League of Cities, which distributes the gas tax money, that the town was claiming roads that are actually the district’s and are not eligible to receive gas tax money. “Changes had to be made to the interlocal agreement to ensure that there wasn’t any designation of ownership toward the district,” he said. DeMarois said he had asked Underwood at a recent Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee meeting whether the town had budgeted enough money to take over maintenance of the remaining 13 miles, which would cost $600,000 to $700,000. “We’re going to be able to afford whatever the council wants,”
Underwood said, adding that what is not included in the budget is the more than 1,100 truckloads of fill necessary to bring roads up to grade. DeMarois said he’d prefer delaying the transfer for a year to see if the district follows through on becoming dependent to the town, explaining that it is considering an assessment increase to cover costs of possible equipment leasing to continue maintenance, if needed. “Let them keep the roads for another year and let them become a dependent district and spend the money wisely rather than indebt ourselves,” he said. “We’ve had people come to us already and say we’re not taking care of Collecting Canal and D Road. I’m not supporting it. It puts us in a precarious position.” McLendon noted that the town had just slashed its budget because of a dramatic increase in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office budget. “I guess my issue is we thought it was so important to not raise taxes, and now we’re telling [the LGWCD] to raise the acreage assessments $10 an acre townSee ROADS, page 15
Indian Trail Agrees To Hire A Strategic Planning Consultant
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors approved hiring a strategic planner last week at a cost of about $10,000 despite initial opposition from two board members. At the Wednesday, Sept. 20 meeting, supervisors Gary Dunkley and Carol Jacobs said they preferred to keep strategic planning in-house, rather than hire another consultant. “I don’t see the necessity of this expense,” Dunkley said. “I believe we are a water district. We have our premise and what we have to accomplish with our maintenance of our roads, drainage and infrastructure. We’re not a city, and
strategic planning, to me, is more for a city. We already have our prime objective that we need to achieve. We don’t need a planner, especially at these prices.” Supervisor Betty Argue, who brought the idea forward, said she was surprised to hear opposition, given that the discussion of hiring a strategic planner has been ongoing for months. “I am just astounded to hear this from Gary tonight,” Argue said. “Was it not you, Gary, who said we need a business plan? That’s what this is. You have been arguing for a business plan, and that’s exactly what strategic planning is.” “A business plan made up by the board,” Dunkley replied. “This is not made up by the board.”
“This is us working through the process with a strategic planner, creating a strategic plan by the board to give direction to the district staff,” Argue countered. Special District Services CEO Todd Wodraska, who was filling in for his father, ITID Manager John “Woody” Wodraska, said the goal of the consultant would be to have someone to serve as a facilitator to hash out what the board wants staff to be working on. “It seems to me there is a disconnect, in my short time working here, about what staff should be working on versus what they feel like is important,” Wodraska said. “While this isn’t like putting a comprehensive plan together, it’s See ITID PLANNER, page 4
Wellington Urges Lawmakers To Add Teeth To Texting While Driving Ban
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday, Sept. 26 to urge the Florida Legislature to enact legislation that would make texting while driving a primary offense, as opposed to its current status as a secondary offense. “Hearing from residents, it really is a concern that drivers have had,” Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig said. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Rolando Silva and Deputy Scott Poritz were asked their thoughts on the issue. “Right now, we don’t have a position on it. From working the roads, it’s just like the seat-belt tickets many years ago,” Poritz said. “They were a secondary of-
fense, and it took a while for it to become a primary offense. What you have is more of a distraction driving.” Poritz said that distracted driving is not only the use of cell phones behind the wheel. “On average, 11 people a day die from distraction driving,” he said. “One in five accidents is caused by distraction driving. It’s not just the texting alone.” State Rep. Emily Slosberg (DDistrict 91) provided an e-mail request to Gerwig in August asking that Wellington pass a resolution supporting legislation that would make the act of texting while driving a primary offense, joining the City of Boca Raton and the Miami-Dade County Commission. “Texting while driving has See TEXTING, page 7
‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ BALLET
The Wellington Ballet Theatre presented Beauty and the Beast on Saturday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 24 at Wellington High School. The show was choreographed by the theatre’s Melissa Waters, with artistic direction by Rocky Duvall and scenes designed by Chris Gay. Shown above are principal cast members Macy Leitner, Daniela Braun, Devan Solomon, Jordan Anderson, Halle Schwartz, Samantha Garboden and Julian Wilson. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 17 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN /TOWN-CRIER
RPB Zoners Approve Plans For Cypress Key Senior Housing
By Jack Lowenstein Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission approved architectural and landscaping plans Tuesday, Sept. 26 for the senior housing facility planned at the Cypress Key Town Centre on Southern Blvd. “It is an attractive building,” Development Review Coordinator Kevin Erwin said. “It has multiple projections and recessions. It has varied roof heights. It has some pitched roofs, as well as some mansard roofs, with some parapets, as well as banding, color change and material change throughout the elevation.” Special attention was given to the east elevation, which faces the residential Cypress Head neighborhood.” “They’ve given special attention to that façade, to make sure that it has an attractive appearance,
because it is a little bit higher than the adjacent residential structures,” Erwin said. The north side of the building faces the townhome development in Cypress Key, while the south side will face Southern Blvd. “The east and the south will be covered with buffer as well,” Erwin said. “There is landscaping within the right of way that’s fairly dense, that is part of the State Road 80 (Southern Blvd.) widening project that was installed many years back. So, that elevation will be well screened.” Commissioner Jackie Larson was concerned about the policy for the backup generators in the facility, specifically because of the recent tragedy in Broward County where a number of seniors died at a rehabilitation center after Hurricane Irma. Gov. Rick Scott has put an See CYPRESS KEY, page 7
Live360 Aims To Turn Mall Into A Community Catalyst
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report As shopping evolves, the Mall at Wellington Green is evolving in response to what shoppers need and want. Mall at Wellington Green Marketing Director Rachelle Crain and Community Liaison Meghan Buser spoke at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon Wednesday, Sept. 27 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Buser creates, organizes and facilitates special events, activities and meetings at the mall. “This is an exciting program,” Crain said. “We’re delighted to bring it here to the business community, as well,” Crain said.
The mall is owned by Starwood Retail Partners, which owns 30 shopping malls and is the fifth largest shopping center owner in the country. “We want to be a part of the community. We want to be engaged with our community. We want to utilize our space for the community,” Crain said. As a result, a new program was started at the Mall at Wellington Green in the beginning of 2017 called Live360, which is a community-driven program transforming the mall into a gathering place for groups, focusing on three pillars: connections, imagination and community experience, Crain explained. The project kicked into high gear in June.
Live360 is a result of community input. Last October, a town hall meeting was held, Buser said, with roundtables on fitness, healthy eating, art programs and more, where mall officials asked the community what it was interested in. “We even had one-on-one meetings,” Crain said. Officials met with businesses in the community focusing on fitness, health, art, eating and other topics, and conducted a test program, “The Art of Living Locally,” in which 43 events took place over the course of three days. The only two Starwood malls to participate were the Mall at Wellington Green and a mall in Ohio. As a company, event data was See MALL, page 4
The Mall at Wellington Green’s Meghan Buser and Rachelle Crain speak at Wednesday’s chamber luncheon.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER