Palm Beach Politics

Republicans don't have a candidate to challenge Congressman Ted Deutch

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:07:04 GMT

U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, may get a pass from the Republicans in this year's election. The only Republican who'd expressed an interest in challenging him said Tuesday she was dropping out, and Palm Beach County Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein said he doesn't know of another candidate who will attempt to topple Deutch. "We don't have one at this point," he said. Potential candidates looked at the 37 percent of the vote Republican Joe Budd won in 2010 "and said he did a lot of work and a lot of fundraising and that's all he got." Robert Watson, a political scientist at Lynn University in Boca Raton, said the political makeup of the district and Deutch's style would make it difficult to unseat him. "Ted Deutch has been successful, effective, and he's very popular," he said. "It's hard to find anybody who doesn't like Ted Deutch." The new 21st Congressional District includes most of the territory between Southern Boulevard in Palm Beach County in the north to Atlantic Boulevard in Broward County on the South and mostly between Military Trail on the east and the Everglades on the west. The territory – with 61 percent of the voters living in Palm Beach County – is overwhelmingly Democratic. Voters there went 64 percent for Barack Obama and 63 percent for John Kerry in the last two presidential elections and 62 percent for Alex Sink in the 2010 governor's race. Dinerstein said those voters are exceedingly difficult to pry away from the Democratic Party. "Those are Delray Democrats, and not Florida Democrats. That means they're not interested in listening," he said. Anna Trujillo, a Coral Springs resident who's never run for office before, had been running as a "local unemployed mom." She dropped out after failing to attract attention or raise money. Continue reading Republicans don't have a candidate to challenge Congressman Ted Deutch

Spending priorities, debt plan urged for Palm Beach County budget

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:57:21 GMT

Better debt planning and setting spending priorities are among the recommendations in Palm Beach County’s annual fiscal report card from Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock. Bock, the keeper of the county checkbook, on Tuesday made her sixth "State of the County Address" to the County Commission. The struggling economy tempering property tax revenues combined with lingering debts from past county spending continues to leave the county facing year-to-year budget shortfalls. Bock contends that her review of 2011 county spending shows the County Commission needs to do a better job of strategic planning and establishing spending goals in order to get a grip on costs. "Priorities must be set by you, the policy makers, so that direction regarding funding priorities can be fully vetted before each budget year," Bock told county commissioners. "The transparency brought by establishing spending priorities will enhance public trust." Bock’s recommendations to the County Commission include: 1.Implement a long-term financial plan for issuing debt. The county still owns about $1.4 billion. That’s about 47 percent more than what the county owed in 2002. Much of that increase comes from money spent to attract The Scripps Research Institute and other biotech industry. 2.Create a new policy for reserve funds that would more clearly define the county’s available fund balances. Government watchdogs have criticized the county for keeping too much money in reserve, while raising tax rates to offset budget shortfalls. Bock’s idea is to clarify how much of that money is actually “spendable” and how much is committed to other long-term expenses. 3.Cut costs by using technology improvements such as an automated time and attendance system as well as purchasing cards for travel expenses. 4.Develop commission-directed financial priorities that would guide budget decisions.

Delray Beach Public Library hosts Advocacy Gala

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:48:32 GMT

The Delray Beach Public Library will host the first Advocacy Gala of the Palm Beach County Library Association at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday May 16. The gala is expected to raise awareness for county libraries and showcase their importance to residents in tough economic times. Wine, beer, soft drinks, and hors d’oeuvres will serve as backdrop for an evening of networking, speaker presentations by several area State Representatives such as Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth and Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton. The event is free for members of the Palm Beach County Library Association and elected officials, but there's a suggested donation of $10 for non-members. Guests will have the opportunity to join PBCLA too, and to make donations to support future causes. The Palm Beach County Library Association is a county‐wide professional library advocacy group that supports the advancement of libraries and those interested in library service. For more information visit http://pbcla.info. to RSVP email vp@pbcla.info

Palm Beach County tourism fund to help pay for presidential debate

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:25:30 GMT

Palm Beach County proposes to chip in $150,000 of public money to help turn a presidential debate into a Chamber of Commerce opportunity. The County Commission on Tuesday is being asked to give $150,000 of tourism tax money to help Lynn University in Boca Raton host the nation’s final scheduled presidential debate, planned on Oct. 22. The goal is “generate national and international exposure for Boca Raton and all of Palm Beach County," according to the proposal. Hosting the debate at the Wold Performing Arts Center is expected to cost about $4.5 million. University representatives are counting on donations and corporate sponsorships to cover the expense. In exchange for helping cover the cost, images for the event would say, "Welcome to Palm Beach County and Lynn University in Boca Raton," according to the proposal. The event is expected to draw 1,000 journalists and planners envision needing at least 3,000 hotel rooms for those drawn to the debate. The $150,000 comes from county taxes on hotel stays. That revenue is reserved for investing in tourism efforts such as putting sand on eroded beaches and advertising campaigns that try to lure vacationers. The debate funding proposal goes before the County Commission at its 9:30 a.m Tuesday meeting, at the county governmental center, 301 N. Olive Avenue, in downtown West Palm Beach. The debate, the last of three scheduled presidential debates, is expected to be a key moment in the campaign. It's also an opportunity for Palm Beach County to try to keep repairing an election image scared by the disputed 2000 presidential election, where "butterfly ballots" and hanging chads made the county a national punchline.

Palm Beach County charter changes could be losing support

Mon, 07 May 2012 22:57:00 GMT

Palm Beach County staffers are recommending against major charter changes that would shift the local balance of power more toward the County Commission. County commissioners are considering asking voters in November to change the county charter, which is like the constitution for local government. Among the possible charter changes commissioners have floated is consolidating local government by changing the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser and supervisor of elections from independently elected officials to appointees of the County Commission. Those moves were billed as a way to give the County Commission the ability to do away with overlapping agency duties in order to cut the budget. But critics called it a power grab that threatened to take away the public’s say in who runs the other branches of government. The County Commission on May 15 takes up the charter change debate again, but County Administrator Robert Weisman has started informing commissioners that his staff will not be recommending changes to the charter. Despite the staff recommendation, it’s up to the County Commission to decide what goes on the November ballot and then voters would get the final say. The County Commission has until August to decide whether to put any charter change proposals on the ballot. Other potential charter changes already ruled out by the County Commission include shifting to nonpartisan commission elections and switching to countywide elections instead of having seven commissioners elected by voters in different geographic districts.

Palm Beach County budget outlook brightens

Thu, 03 May 2012 21:54:41 GMT

Palm Beach County’s looming budget deficit may only be half as bad as anticipated, county commissioners learned Thursday. The county now projects a less than $15 million shortfall for the budget that kicks in Oct. 1. That’s down from the $30 million funding gap estimated earlier this year. That could make it easier for the County Commission to find the spending cuts it needs in the $4 billion budget to avoid raising the property tax rate for the fourth year in a row. "While there has been good news and bad, time has provided answers to a number of critical questions," County Administrator Robert Weisman wrote in an email to commissioners Thursday. Palm Beach County government has been struggling with budget shortfalls ever since the South Florida housing boom went bust. The shortfalls are blamed on property tax revenues slumping amid the struggling economy combined with the lingering debts of past county spending. According to Weisman, the budget outlook improved this year because: -The state’s required retirement fund contribution rate was lower than expected. -The sheriff’s proposed $471 million budget, though $4 million more than this year, wasn’t more than expected. -The county cut back on construction projects. -The county plans to delay some vehicle purchases. The county gets a clearer budget picture in June, when projected property values are due. The commission holds its first budget workshop at 6 p.m. June 12 and must approve a new spending plan by the end of September.

Sheriff pushing budget boost

Wed, 02 May 2012 21:36:16 GMT

As Palm Beach County faces another budget shortfall, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw proposes boosting his department costs by $4 million. Bradshaw on Tuesday released a $471 million budget proposal. That would just be about a 1 percent increase from this year, but it comes as county commissioners look for cuts to avoid raising property tax rates again. "We are at the functional floor of funding to maintain required levels of service," Bradshaw wrote in his budget proposal. Even after raising property tax rates for three years in a row, the county faces a $30 million shortfall next year. That’s blamed on the still-struggling economy tempering tax revenues as well as lingering debts from past county spending. The sheriff’s expenses account for more than half of the county’s operating budget, which in past years prompted budget standoffs between commissioners and the county’s top law enforcement officer. The County Commission has to sign off on Bradshaw’s budget total, but can’t tell the sheriff how to spend the money. If Bradshaw and commissioners can’t agree on a budget total, the sheriff can appeal to the Florida Cabinet, which could require the county to approve the money. So far this year, the County Commission hasn’t requested Bradshaw to cut his budget by a specific amount.

Palm Beach County upgrades troubled vote-counting computer system

Tue, 01 May 2012 20:12:34 GMT

Palm Beach County commissioners on Tuesday agreed to upgrade vote-counting software, just over a month after a vote-counting mix-up in the Wellington city council election. The software improvements cost $117,450 in a deal with Dominion Voting Systems, Inc. Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher had the deal in the works before the Election Night problems in Wellington. Bucher in March initially blamed software problems for her office naming the incorrect winners in two Wellington races. The software upgrades and other procedural changes are supposed to iron out any problems like those that occurred in Wellington and speed up Palm Beach County’s traditionally slow vote counting. Palm Beach County has blamed geography for often ending up as one of the last counties to post election returns on Election Night. Palm Beach County is Florida’s largest county and the largest county east of the Mississippi River. Waiting for poll workers to deliver vote-recording cartridges from far-flung poling sites to the tabulation center in Riviera Beach hampers the county’s ability to post results sooner. The county this year planned to start using modems to electronically transmit vote totals, but in March dropped those plans because many of the polling site phone lines were incompatible with the modems.

Fighting gangs means fewer crimes, sheriff says

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:49:52 GMT

When you talk about crime in Palm Beach County, the problem is pretty clear-cut to Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. “When it comes to violent crimes, it’s gangs, plain and simple,” Bradshaw said Tuesday. “They are a significant portion of the violent crime that exists in Palm Beach County right now.” The latest Florida Department of Law Enforcement numbers released Monday show crime decreased in the county in 2011 for the fourth straight year. Bradshaw said the work of the countywide gang task force is bearing fruit. “We had a 50 percent reduction in the homicides associated with gangs,” Bradshaw said. “Nobody’s done more than we have and we continue to do … We’re going to keep on pushing on them.” However, Bradshaw said police agencies can’t take complete credit when crimes drop. Often, he said, economic conditions and other factors – even the weather – can play a role in the amount of crime. To see the 2011 crime report for Palm Beach County and local municipalities, click here.

Boca Raton’s Visions 90 finally finished

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Twenty-four years ago, Boca Raton came up with Visions 90 – as in 1990 – a plan for road, landscape, drainage, streetlight and other improvements to the city’s downtown. Ruby Childers, the city’s downtown manager, says that vision is finally complete, and that’s what she’s including in an annual report to downtown property owners due out May 1. Visions 90, initially approved in 1988, was talked about as a 10-year plan for putting in place the needed infrastructure to make the city’s decaying downtown competitive with developments being built to the west. It took a little longer than expected to complete the 24 projects included in the plan, Childers said. The finishing of the downtown promenade last fall was the final piece to that plan, she said. “Good [visions] take a long time. We want it to be done right,” said Childers, who was not with the city when the plan was approved. “I think it was worth the wait.”

Marcus angling to block Ag Reserve land swap with GL Homes

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:42:13 GMT

GL Homes’ push two years ago to acquire publicly-owned land preserved for farming in Palm Beach County’s Agricultural Reserve faded away under public pressure, but hasn’t disappeared. GL Homes in 2010 shopped the idea of trading the county 5,000 acres in Loxahatchee for the chance to build on 910 acres of the prime farmland west of Delray Beach. That land was bought with voter-approved bond money intended to protect property from development. Two years later, one of the biggest opponents of the land swap – County Commissioner Karen Marcus – faces term limits and she contends that GL Homes is “waiting for me to go” before trying again. "The Ag Reserve is gone if you put that many (new) homes out there," Marcus said Tuesday. "I’m not willing to sacrifice the public’s investment." GL Homes is “not presently pursuing” the land swap, but hasn’t given up on the idea, GL Homes Vice President Kevin Ratterree said Tuesday. "We never drop anything we think is a good idea," Ratterree said. The County Commission would have to approve the land swap, and so far commissioners haven't been willing to do so. County Commission Chairwoman Shelley Vana said she hasn’t been directly approached by GL Homes about trying to revive the proposed land swap; a deal she acknowledged "would be very controversial." "All of us are very sensitive to the need for agricultural land," Vana said. Palm Beach County voters in 1999 approved using $100 million in bonds to buy up land in the Agricultural Reserve – 21,000 acres of prime farmland west of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach that has been getting gobbled up by developers through the years.

Florida's tax collectors converge on Delray Beach

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:06:29 GMT

Florida’s tax collectors are hitting the beach this week, but they say it has more to do with improving their work than having fun in the sun. The Florida Tax Collectors Association has converged on Delray Beach for four days of training and networking, along with the chance for some oceanfront entertainment. Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon is hosting the group’s spring conference, being held from Sunday to Thursday at the Marriott Delray Beach, complete with spa and beachfront access. More than 100 people, including about 50 of Florida’s 67 county tax collectors, are attending, organizers said. Group representatives insist this is a necessary business trip, not just an opportunity to the hit the beach on the public’s dime. "This is not to get together and have a party. This is to get together and learn," said Tim Qualls, executive director of the Florida Tax Collectors’ Association. State law requires ongoing education for tax collectors, some of whom are elected and others appointed. The conference includes educational seminars and updates on changes to state law as well as government vendors showcasing their wares.

Super-majority push strikes out with County Commission

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:48:18 GMT

A second try at requiring super-majority votes on the Palm Beach County Commission for public land issues came up short yet again. County Commissioner Karen Marcus proposed requiring a super-majority vote of the County Commission before publicly-owned property could be sold or otherwise altered from its intended use. That would have required at least five of the seven commissioners to approve getting rid of or developing conservation land and other public land. But Marcus has twice come up short – first on April 3 and again on Tuesday – in her effort to get four votes on the commission to support the super-majority measure. Marcus said the measure would provide an extra safeguard to keep future county commissioners from messing with planned uses of land voters approved buying for conservation and recreation. Term limits force Marcus from the commission this year and that’s one reason she says the super-majority protection is needed. "Down the road, we won’t be here," Marcus said. Commissioner Priscilla Taylor said term limits are no reason to start tinkering with the commission’s usual majority-rules policy. Imposing a super-majority requirement would unnecessarily “remove the flexibility” of future commissions, Taylor said. Taylor also questioned by Marcus hadn’t pushed for this type of requirement until Marcus was being forced out by term limits. "Is it felt that this particular board can’t make these types of decisions?" Taylor asked. Marcus and commissioners Paulette Burdick and Jess Santamaria supported the super-majority proposal. Taylor and commissioners Shelley Vana, Burt Aaronson and Steven Abrams opposed the super-majority proposal. Requiring a super-majority vote would make it easier for one commissioner to block proposals, according to Abrams. "It creates minority rule," Abrams said.

Wage theft fight goes back to County Commission

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:25:53 GMT

After more than a year of delays, Palm Beach County commissioners on Tuesday will be asked to revive a proposed "wage theft" law. The wage theft proposal is intended to help low-income workers, cheated out of pay, recover overdue earnings without have to wait to go to court. A coalition of 25 congregations, known as People Engaged in Active Community Efforts, or PEACE, has been pushing for the Palm Beach County Commission to approve a wage theft law, despite resistance from business groups. The County Commission last year delayed action on a wage theft proposal, citing a lingering lawsuit against a similar Miami-Dade County measure as well as potential action by the Florida Legislature. Last month the lawsuit was dismissed and the Legislature this year failed to take action on wage theft. Business leaders have opposed the measure, saying it adds unnecessary regulations at a time when they can least afford them. “I hope they have the courage to pass it,” said the Rev. Chip Stokes of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach said about the County Commission. “Clearly this is about people being exploited.” Wage theft law backers contend that lower-income workers – such as those on construction sites, in agricultural fields or on hotel cleanup crews – can’t afford to wait for a backlogged court system to help them recover promised pay they rely on to pay for their homes and feed their families.

Palm Beach County awaits Florida Supreme Court term limit ruling

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:15:30 GMT

The future of Palm Beach County term limits hinges on legal challenges that went before the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday. The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday disputing the constitutionality of voter-approved term limits on the Broward County Commission as well as whether Sarasota County term limits should be enforced. How the high court rules in those cases likely determines whether Palm Beach County’s voter-approved term limits on the county commission remain. If local term limits statewide get squashed, that opens the door for long-serving Palm Beach County commissioners Burt Aaronson and Karen Marcus to run again this year. "This is the case," said Philip Blumel, who pushed for the Palm Beach County term limit measure voters approved in 2002. "If the politicians win this that will greatly curtail the citizens’ right to home rule in this state."

Live coverage of President Barack Obama in Palm Beach County

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:25:36 GMT

For continuing, updated coverage all Tuesday afternoon, click here. Republican leaders slam Obama and president's South Florida visit President Barack Obama’s coming. So what’s a Republican to do? President Obama again seeking campaign cash in South Florida

Bell plaza opens celebrating Palm Beach County's 100th

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:02:29 GMT

Palm Beach County on Monday rang in a belated 100th birthday, three years late, with the dedication of a centennial bell and plaza in downtown West Palm Beach. Delayed by funding problems amid the county’s budget squeeze, the garden-lined plaza opened Monday after an infusion of private fundraising helped pay for a portion of the $400,000 project. The new plaza is located between the restored 1916 Courthouse and the County Governmental Center located along North Olive Avenue. It includes walkways lined by sea grapes, palm trees and other native plants that lead to the bronze bell. An open-air shelter with a glass tile “green wall” is intended to evoke the imagery of the natural landscape. Project backers envision the plaza becoming a public gathering space for educational programs, meetings, press conferences and even protests. County Commission Chairwoman Shelley Vana called the plaza a "beautiful, functional place" that is "celebrating all that’s good about Palm Beach County." When the county’s budget strain put the project on hold, private donors raised about $100,000 for the bell. Proceeds from bonds used to finance county infrastructure improvements covered additional plaza costs. "Hopefully 100 years from now … they will come to this place (and) it will be an important part of our community," said Michael Bornstein, chairman of the county Centennial Committee that championed the plaza project.

Palm Beach County Commission differs on tougher restrictions for public land

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 20:11:42 GMT

Palm Beach County Commissioner Karen Marcus wants to make it harder to build on or sell off public land set aside for conservation or open space. Marcus proposes requiring a super-majority vote of the County Commission before publicly-owned property could be altered from its intended use. That would require at least five of the seven commissioners to approve tinkering with public land. But so far, Marcus is having trouble getting a regular four-member commission majority to agree with her. On Tuesday, the super-majority proposal failed when a short-handed commission was split three to three on the proposal. Marcus and commissioners Shelley Vana and Paulette Burdick voted for imposing the super-majority requirement. Commissioners Steven Abrams, Priscilla Taylor and Burt Aaronson voted against the super-majority proposal. Commissioner Jess Santamaria was absent. Aaronson said the county shouldn’t add the extra hurdle of requiring a super majority vote when it comes to dealing with public land. "I think majority rules," Aaronson said. Marcus and other supporters contend it should be harder to change the uses of land acquired with taxpayer money. "This is different. These are lands that are purchased with public dollars," Burdick said. Marcus said she plans to try again at a future commission meeting when Santamaria can attend. Drew Martin of the Sierra Club supported the super majority proposal, calling it "added protection for the environment."

Election over, Boca Raton City Council all smiles

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:45:01 GMT

It was all smiles in the Boca Raton City Council chambers Monday morning, even as Councilman Anthony Majhess was sworn in to a new three-year term despite the rest of the council having backed his opponent in the March election. Majhess was given his new oath by the Rev. Ricki Gardner, formerly of Boca Raton, who is now with St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Boynton Beach. Gardner had sworn in Majhess three years ago after his first election victory. Councilwoman Constance Scott was also sworn in to a new term, although she didn’t face voters because no one filed to run against her. Rabbi Boruch Shmuel Liberow of the Chabad Student Center in Boca Raton administered Scott's oath of office. The council decided not to shake things up on Monday during its reorganizational meeting, re-appointing Susan Haynie as deputy mayor, Scott as Community Redevelopment Agency chairwoman and Majhess as CRA vice chairman. One Majhess supporter at the outdoor gathering after the swearing-in ceremony took Councilman Mike Mullaugh to task for making the motion to have Haynie continue as deputy mayor instead of Majhess, who received the most votes in the recent election. Mullaugh said the council is under no obligation to award the deputy mayor's position to the top vote-getter and he thought it was important to keep things steady on the council and CRA.

Budget crunch stalls plans to use Palm Beach County's vacant Airport Center

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:19:27 GMT

First Palm Beach County couldn’t find any government takers for its empty, five-story Airport Center building. Now the Tourist Development Council is willing to move in, but the county can’t afford proposed renovations expected to cost more than $11 million. As a result, the building is expected to remain mothballed as the county spends the next five to seven years saving up to make improvements that could turn the vacant office building into a visitor center and Tourist Development Council headquarters. "We have the location. The only problem is we don’t have the money for it now," County Commissioner Burt Aaronson said. In December 2009, budget cuts stalled renovation plans and prompted the county to close the building off Australian Avenue, across from Palm Beach International Airport. At that point, renovations were thought to be two to five years away. Since then, the Tax Collector has turned her nose up at moving into the building and helping with renovation costs. County officials have opted not to try to sell the building, maintaining that it will help meet future government office space needs. On Tuesday, the County Commission called for moving the Tourist Development Council and its tourism-related, spin-off agencies into the vacated building once renovations can be made. That would mean trying to extend the lease on the Tourist Development Council’s current home on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard until the Airport Center repairs can be completed. The TDC’s current lease expires in 2014 and costs about $483,000 a year. County negotiators are aiming to lower that cost while agency waits out the proposed move to the Airport Center.

Delray Beach City Commission welcomes new face, and a familiar one

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:29:33 GMT

The Delray Beach City Commission welcomed a new member to the dais Thursday when it sworn in Commissioner-elect Al Jacquet. Commissioner Angeleta Gray, who was re-elected in March, was also sworn in at packed commission chambers with standing room only. The ceremony was historic in that it’s the first time in the city’s 100-year history that two black commissioners seat on the dais at the same time. Jacquet, 32, is the first black commissioner in Delray Beach to hold a seat other than Seat 4, now held by Gray. Although there are no districts and elections are citywide, Seat 4 has historically been held by a black commissioner beginning with Charlotte Durante in the 1970s. “We turned that upside down in this election,” said Mayor Woodie McDuffie. “We pride ourselves in embracing diversity in Delray Beach.” The Commission also appointed Commissioners Tom Carney and Adam Frankel as vice mayor and deputy vice mayor respectively. Carney's appointment was also significant because he could possibly serve as mayor from January until March, if Mayor Woodie McDuffie, who is running for Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, gets elected to that office.

Palm Beach County finalizes one-year ban on Internet cafes

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 21:37:06 GMT

Palm Beach County commissioners on Thursday gave final approval to a year-long moratorium on new Internet cafes, also called sweepstakes cafes, that allow casino-style gaming while avoiding state gambling oversight. The temporary moratorium is aimed at buying the county time to craft rules for the gaming facilities spreading to area shopping centers. Rules could include limits on where the cafes are allowed, restrictions on prizes and regulations aimed at ensuring fair play. "It allows us to work with … cities to make sure our rules are the same," said Commissioner Karen Marcus, who pushed for the moratorium. There are more than a dozen Internet cafes in Palm Beach and Broward counties, an about 1,000 across the state. The Florida Legislature this year balked at imposing rules on the gaming cafes. The county opted for its own temporary ban, with commissioners Steven Abrams and Priscilla Taylor voting no. "I really don’t wee why we need to act on this," Taylor said. At the cafes, customers pay for Internet time or phone cards and then can win cash or other prizes by playing casino-style games. Some of the games are computerized and others look like a regular slot machine or other casino game. Palm Beach County's moratorium only applies to new gaming cafes seeking to open in areas outside city limits.

Boynton Beach may pay for city manager job candidates' travel

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:11:59 GMT

In Boynton Beach, the search for a new city manager continues nine months after former City Manager Kurt Bressner retired. When faced with no designated money in the budget to fly in prospective candidates at an estimated cost of about $4,300, officials considered interviewing applicants via Skype or similar technology. An initial list of 57 applicants has been whittled down to six. Additionally, Interim City Manager Lori LaVerriere is in the running. But Commissioner Steven Holzman insisted that interviews be done in person to hire "the most important person in this staff" and that unreliable technology shouldn't be used. The city risks not being taken seriously if candidates aren't flown into the city for interviews, he said. "This is someone who is going to usher us into the future," Holzman said. Even though Holzman pointed to a $2,373 savings the city has already seen during the temporary vacancies in the mayoral and District 2 commission seats and a $20,000 savings the city risk manager reported Tuesday, fellow commissioners still did not want to pay for all six applicants to come to Boynton Beach. Candidates live in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Maryland and Michigan. One other applicant is from Pembroke Pines. "We have the money and it won't touch our services to our citizens," Holzman said, "I think this is a no-brainer." Fellow commissioners shot down his motion, but did opt for conducting phone interviews by mid-April and further reducing the number of applicants who would be brought to Boynton Beach for public interviews. Officials did not decide on how many applicants they would pay for. Commissioner Mack Mccray said: "I like to put it in a handshake. This is serious business. If we’re gonna do it, let's do it the right way or not at all." But he and Mayor Woodrow Hay voted against paying for any candidates to travel to Boynton. Hay said he didn't want to spend any money on travel when he believed LaVerriere should have the job. Local candidates aren't interested in the job “because they see the commission acts irrationally,” Holzman said Wednesday. "We should be rolling out the red carpet," he said.

Palm Beach County requires new underage drinking warnings

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:39:54 GMT

Trying to dry up underage drinking, Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to start requiring new signs that warn against illegal alcohol sales. Signs forbidding selling alcohol to those under 21 years old are now required at restaurants, liquor stores, golf courses, fraternal organizations and other Palm Beach County establishments that sell alcohol. The new signs must include phone numbers to report underage buyers and those illegally selling alcohol and list the potential punishment – up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. The new signs are worth it "even if it’s just to save one life," County Commissioner Burt Aaronson said. The sign posting requirement begins June 1. The sign-posting requirement applies to areas outside city limits, but could be expanded to any of the 38 cities, towns and villages that endorse the county measure. Signs are required to at least be 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches. Business groups objected to the need for the signs as well as the potential cost of having to comply with the county’s new rule. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association likened the Palm Beach County measure to requiring banks and gas stations to post sings saying it’s illegal to rob them. "Creating one more government mandate will not change the law or improve its enforcement," Lynne Montgomery Hernandez of the association wrote in a letter to the County Commission. "We can become so redundant it becomes ridiculous." But the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition countered that the new signs will be a "cheap and easy" way to help stop underage drinking. County Commissioner Paulette Burdick cast the only vote against the sign requirement. She called the signs ineffective and objected to creating another cost for local businesses. A serious reduction in underage drinking requires focusing on the alcohol that those under 21 get at home, Burdick said. Another sign at a local business "is not where we need to attack the problem," Burdick said.

New Highland Beach commissioners to be sworn in Wednesday

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:58:59 GMT

The date for the swearing-in ceremony for newly elected Highland Beach Commissioner Lou Stern and Vice Mayor Ron Brown has been changed to March 21st. It will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Town Hall, 3614 S. Ocean Blvd. No other town business will be conducted during that meeting. With 62 percent of the vote, Brown Tuesday defeated longtime incumbent Miriam Zwick, who had served on the commission since 2004. Brown, a retired commercial and military pilot, is serving in political office for the first time. Stern, also a political novice, replaces outgoing Commissioner John Pagliaro, who chose not to run for a second term. The retired jeweler beat George Kelvin with 71 percent of the vote. The five Town Commission members serve three-year, at-large terms.