town-crier newspaper march 4, 2016

Volume 37, Number 10March 4 - March 10, 2016Your Community Newspaper Serving Palms West Since 1980

TOWN-CRIERTHEWELLINGTON ROYAL PALM BEACH LOXAHATCHEE THE ACREAGE

INSIDE

DEPARTMENT INDEXNEWS ..............................3 - 12OPINION ................................. 4NEWS BRIEFS ...................... 11PEOPLE ................................ 17SCHOOLS ..................... 18 - 19COLUMNS ......................20, 31BUSINESS .................... 32 - 33SPORTS .........................39 - 41CALENDAR ...........................44CLASSIFIEDS ............... 45 - 48

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OPINION

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce celebrated 20 years of serving the community with its first ColorFest 5K on Sunday, Feb. 28 at Village Park on Pierson Road. Hundreds of run-ners, joggers and walkers had a great time while getting a bit messy thanks to colored cornstarch powder thrown at the participants. Shown here are Meredith Brown, Anthony Zasun and Jen Schultz. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 25

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

FUN AT COLORFEST 5K

By Ron BukleyTown-Crier Staff Report

Wellington officials conducted a topping-out ceremony on Monday for the new Wellington Commu-nity Center, scheduled for comple-tion in June.

Mayor Bob Margolis credited Councilman Matt Willhite for his persistence in following through on the execution and completion of the new building, which replaces the old facility, a retrofitted country club building that dated back to the 1970s.

Willhite credited numerous council members and community leaders who have supported con-struction of the new community center.

Mayor Margolis, thank you for those comments, but its not just me; its people like you, former Councilman Al Paglia, former Councilwoman Laurie Cohen, who made an investment in this community, who have been here a long time and have seen the future of what we need, Willhite said. But the future doesnt mean we forget our past.

Willhite recalled the old com-munity centers uses as a country club, a restaurant and many years as the villages meeting hall. It was a little somber when we tore the old community center down, but look at what we are building for the future generations of this village, he said.

The new building is the kind of facility that Wellington needs in order to stay in step with the times, Willhite said, adding that families need gathering locations and the village needed a more modern and efficient facility, rather than a building that had been remodeled many times in order to accommo-date the needs of the village.

The things that may happen in this building, the bar mitzvahs, the weddings, the receptions, are the legacy that they are going to leave for us and the memories they will have at this facility, said Willhite, who will be leaving the council in a few weeks due to term limits.

With the completion of the new

community center, all the villages facilities will be state-of-the-art, he said.

That investment will pay off for the future of this village, he said. I am so honored to be here today to mark the finish of what is going to be the focal point and center of this village, Willhite concluded.

Vice Mayor John Greene thanked everyone involved for seeing the project through.

This has been talked about for so long, and I think its really important, he said. You guys have done a great job. Weve done things the right way, and we continue to do things the right way. Were calling it a topping-off cer-emony, and I think its appropriate as I approach the end of my first term in office. Im so proud of what weve been able to achieve over the last four years.

Greene said some people have considered the villages projects to be wasteful spending.

Im sorry, I just dont see it that way, he said. I look at the tennis center, I look at this community center, I look at the programming that takes place over at the amphi-theater the money that is spent on these facilities are tax dollars, and Im so proud to be a part of taking that money and investing it back into the community. Theres no greater example than this com-munity center.

He said the new building will enable the village to continue to expand its programming.

Councilwoman Anne Gerwig was nostalgic talking about the old community center.

The first time I was at the old community center, my next-door neighbor invited us to breakfast there, she said. We held some really wonderful events there. That was a really good point that Councilman Willhite made about the efficiency of this new building. The first floor of the old building was originally a parking garage, and then it was enclosed. It was great for classes and things like that, but it had water issues and

Topping-Out Event Marks Milestone

At New Wellington Community Center

See TOPPING-OUT, page 9

Endorsements:Wellington BallotQuestions 1, 2 & 3Wellingtons Charter Review Task Force spent nearly a year going line-by-line through the villages governing document. After many hours of work, the task force proposed nearly a dozen changes to the docu-ment. Eventually, those were whittled down to six sent to the Wellington Village Council. The end result? Three ballot ques-tions are heading to voters, but only one came from the task force. Was the entire project a waste of time? Well let other observers make that judgment. Instead, we review the items ac-tually going to the voters. Page 4

By Julie UngerTown-Crier Staff Report

Loxahatchee Groves resident Todd McLendon is challenging incumbent Councilman Jim Rock-ett for Seat 2 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. The elec-tion is on Tuesday, March 15.

McLendon recently sat down with the Town-Crier to explain why voters should choose him for the council seat.

Born and raised in the West Palm Beach area, McLendon runs a business maintaining com-puterized air-conditioning control systems. He also raises parrots and other exotic birds. As his aviary collection grew, he moved to Loxahatchee Groves 10 years ago, since it was recommended as the best place in the area for bird breeders.

He moved to the community just prior to incorporation, and he was against the idea.

I was very concerned about local politics. I had no interest in being involved in politics before. Really dont have an interest, per se, in being in politics right now, but the situation has put me where I feel like I dont have a choice but to be involved with politics, McLendon said.

Shortly after the town incor-porated, a neighbor became dis-gruntled with McLendons birds and their noise, and began working toward getting him to leave the area. But McLendon said he had no intention of leaving.

Theres hundreds of years of agriculture in Loxahatchee Groves, he said, noting that there have been dozens of bird breeders in the community over the years. This is the first time that Im aware of that theres a neighbor this disgruntled about having an aviary next door.

Rules and regulations were

Todd McLendon Sees Need For Change On Lox Town Council

adopted by the town after incor-poration, McLendon said, particu-larly specific ones initiated by his neighbor, that the council used in an attempt to shut him down.

I came to find out that those rules and regulations were against Floridas constitution and they

See McLENDON, page 7


Incumbent Councilman Jim Rockett is being challenged by Todd McLendon for Seat 2 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council.

Rockett recently sat down with the Town-Crier to explain why voters should support him on Tuesday, March 15.

Rockett narrowly defeated McLendon in 2013 to earn a sec-ond three-year term on the council. He began his service to the town on the Financial Advisory & Audit Committee.

Holding a bachelors degree in accounting from Pace University, Rockett said his 40-year back-ground in accounting and financial planning with IBM and Siemens gives him unique qualifications to sit on the council.

Thats the expertise and ex-perience that I draw out as an

individual, he said. Nobody else on the council has that kind of background. Its kind of a burden to me because I look at it as, I bet-ter be checking that kind of stuff.

Rockett, a native of upstate New York, moved to Palm Beach County with his wife, Nancy, in 1980, and eventually settled in Loxahatchee Groves to work at his sons nursery. He has served on several association boards, using his financial expertise to help the organizations.

He believes that he is better qualified to serve on the council because of that background. I have lots of things that I can look to in terms of skills, and I really dont think my opponent has any of that, Rockett said. On the finance side, you dont spend 40 years in that kind of business and not pick up a few things.

Rockett said he is amused that people use the term activist to

Jim Rockett Stresses Financial Expertise In Bid For Third Term

describe his opponent.In my mind, [hes] somebody

whos complaining all the time or arguing all the time, but I havent seen any contribution to fix the problem, he said.

Rockett lists his top accomplish-ment in office as persuading the

See ROCKETT, page 7

Jim Rockett

Todd McLendon

ELECTION 2016: LOX GROVES, SEAT 2

Wellington Council HopefulsSpeak At Chamber Luncheon


The Wellington Chamber of Commerce staged a forum Wednesday, Feb. 24 to familiarize members with the candidates seek-ing seats on the Wellington Village Council in the election to be held Tuesday, March 15.

The forum was moderated by Wellington Chamber President Johnny Meier and included incum-bent Mayor Bob Margolis and his challenger, Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, as well as Vice Mayor John Greene and challenger Mi-chael Drahos, who are vying for Seat 1.

Councilman John McGovern and Councilman-Elect Michael Napoleone, who were unopposed

and will not be on the ballot, also attended the forum.

Margolis, a 33-year resident of Wellington, has a long history on the council.

I served on it before, and came back in 2012 to serve as your mayor, he said. I came back for a number of reasons, because Wellington, to me, is the best place to live, not only in Florida, but I believe in the whole world. Ive raised a family here. Ive been honored to sit on the council and make very difficult decisions. Some of them, you may agree with me, some of them, you may not agree with me; but thats what the people have elected me to do.

Margolis highlighted his lead-ership, particularly in financial

issues, such as when the council hired a new auditor.

Gerwig is a 26-year resident of Wellington with three children who were raised in the community. Her husband, Alan, is an engineer, and they started their own engi-neering firm in 1998. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to live, work and play right here in my great hometown, she said.

Elected to the council in 2010, her first six years in office were not boring.

Ive served on the council through some good times and through some tough times. The first couple of years, we got a lot accomplished Im very proud of the record that this council had,

See CHAMBER, page 9

The Village of Royal Palm Beach held its annual West Fest celebration from Friday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 28 at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. The event featured western-themed fun, music, activities, shows, vendors and more. Shown here, Tee Franzoso, Joey Secard and Linda Burrowes enjoy the music. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 26

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

WEST FEST AT RPB COMMONS PARK

THREE LOX CANDIDATES AT LGLA FORUMSEE STORY, PAGE 3

Topping-Out Ceremony Councilman John McGovern, Vice Mayor John Greene, Mayor Bob Margolis, Councilman Matt Willhite and Councilwoman Anne Gerwig at the entrance to the soon-to-be-completed Wellington Community Center.

PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

SWAT MOSQUITO TAKES AIM AT PESTSSEE STORY, PAGE 11

Lox Groves TownCouncil Reconsiders Flood Plain OrdinanceThe Loxahatchee Groves Town Council decided Tuesday to re-consider enacting an ordinance that would protect residents whose property might show as being in a flood plain when the new Federal Emergency Man-agement Agency flood maps come out next year. Page 3

Build-Your-Own-Bowl Eatery Bolay NowOpen On State Road 7Bolay restaurant held its grand opening Friday, Feb. 26. Owned by Tim and Chris Gannon, Bolay debuted its new build-your-own-bowl dining concept on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. The restaurant features food with fresh nutrients and bold flavors, including gluten-free and dairy-free selections.

Page 12

Okeeheelee NatureCenter Hosts PBCDark Sky FestOn Saturday, Feb. 27, the Okeeheelee Nature Center hosted Celebrate the Night, the Palm Beach County Dark Sky Festival, with children activities, stargazing, a movie screening, photo opportunities and nature hikes. Page 21

March 4 - March 10, 2016 www.gotowncrier.com The Town-Crier

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JEFF HMARA FOR VILLAGE COUNCIL, SEAT 1

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Political advertisement paid for and approved by Fred Pinto for Mayor of Royal Palm Beach, Jeff Hmara for Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 1 and Richard Valuntas for Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 3.

Vote Tuesday March 15

The Town-Crier www.gotowncrier.com March 4 - March 10, 2016 Page 3

NEWS


The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council decided Tuesday to recon-sider enacting an ordinance that would protect residents whose property might show as being in a flood plain when the new Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps come out next year.

Loxahatchee Groves Planning & Zoning Board Chair Dennis Lipp said he had invited Palm Beach County Building Director Doug Wise to speak about the maps after being informed by the town manager that the council did not plan to enact a flood plain ordinance.

Doug is going to talk to you about what the FEMA plan is and how the FEMA plan works, Lipp said.

Wise said something to think about is the cost to do a flood plain ordinance versus the benefit.

Youre not required to do a flood plain ordinance if you

dont want to, he said, but added that when the maps get adopted, it would be a benefit to some residents. It will affect me; it will affect everybody in Loxahatchee Groves. How it affects them is going to be different, dependent on whether you adopt an ordinance or not.

He said that if the town does not adopt a flood plain ordinance, it will require the building official, which is currently the county, by state statute to do certain mini-mum things on construction that is subject to the Florida Building Code under the National Flood Insurance Program.

The difference is if you adopt an NFIP-compliant ordinance, agricultural structures which are exempt from the Florida Building Code and other structures that are exempt from the Florida Building Code, would also be subject to compliance, he said. Let me be clear, the requirements for com-pliance are significantly different

Lox Groves Town Council Reconsiders Flood Plain OrdinanceWise said private insurance

policies are available, but they are more expensive. He added that the county has adopted an ordinance that requires slightly higher com-pliance rules than NFIP.

Currently, nobody in the town is in a flood plain, but that may change when the new flood maps come out, Wise noted.

He said that Randy Wertepny of Keshavarz & Associates, the towns engineering consultant, told him that based on appeals that had been filed, about 162 struc-tures in Loxahatchee Groves will be removed from the flood zone in the next version of the maps scheduled to be released next year.

Until we see those maps, all those originally identified are still in the crosshairs, he said, add-ing that Wertepny told him that 59 structures will remain in the flood plain. Thats 59 property owners. They will be required, if you dont do an ordinance, to get private flood insurance through

between residential structures and agricultural structures.

Wise said that his department approves many agriculturally ex-empt buildings each year that are in the flood plain.

We assist the residents and the builders to understand whats required, he said. We dont make them comply with the Florida Building Code because they dont have to. Theyre exempt under the Right to Farm Act, but we do make sure theyre compliant under the NFIP requirements.

Why should a community adopt an ordinance? Its really simple. Flood insurance, Wise said. Do you want federally backed flood insurance or dont you? Because if you dont adopt an ordinance that is at least minimum NFIP-compliant, anybody who currently has flood insurance in the Town of Loxahatchee Groves is subject to cancellation, which means there will be no flood insurance avail-able thats federally backed.

their mortgages, and it could be prohibitively expensive.

Wise pointed out that his staff works routinely with county resi-dents who have problems with their elevation certificates or insur-ance policies where their proper-ties have been misidentified and they are being charged too much for insurance.

In the last three months, weve saved three residents that I am aware of probably $1,000 a month on their insurance, he said.

Wise said it is not pleasant for him to have to tell a homeowner whose home is in the flood plain that he cant reroof his house un-less he elevates it.

The bottom line is FEMA is about an insurance program, he said. There are a lot of things that I like to do, but I will tell you flood plains are not one of the things I like to do. As a building official, its one of the hardest things to do.

Wise said that if the town choos-es not to write an ordinance pro-

tecting structures in the flood plain now, it will not be able to get into the program later.

Its a painful subject for all of us, he said. We dont like it; I dont like it. The federal govern-ment comes and tells us these things, but at the end of the day, whether we like it or not, the maps are coming. They will affect your ability to get federally backed mortgages, and theyll affect your ability to get financing.

Councilman Tom Goltzen asked Wise whether he would provide copies of the countys ordinance to use as models for the town to consider.

Councilman Jim Rockett rec-ommended having legal staff start working on an ordinance imme-diately. It sounds like something that we should be doing, he said.

The county has a web site at http://maps.co.palm-beach.fl.us/gis/floodzones.aspx where prop-erty owners can check their status in the flood plain.


The Loxahatchee Groves Land-owners Association (LGLA) host-ed a candidates forum Thursday, Feb. 25 in advance of the Tuesday, March 15 election.

Two seats on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council will be on the ballot, and three of four candi-dates seeking those seats attended the forum. Attendees included Seat 4 incumbent Mayor Dave Brown-ing and challenger Thais Gonza-lez, along with Seat 2 challenger Todd McLendon. Councilman Jim Rockett, the Seat 2 incumbent, did not attend the forum.

Browning, a Loxahatchee Groves resident for 37 years, served 11 years on the Loxa-hatchee Groves Water Control Board of Supervisors before be-ing elected to the council. He has served on the council for 9 years. He would like to continue.

Theres a lot of things up in the air; a lot of things going on, he said. It has taken a long time getting the ducks in order on things like the horse trails and were almost there. On a lot of other things, they just do not hap-pen quickly. I wish they did.

Gonzalez, a six-year resident of Loxahatchee Groves, moved here

to raise her family. She operates a horse farm with her husband.

I love this town, and I have been fighting for the rights of the citizens of this town, not as an elected official, but as a citizen. As an elected official, I think I could do much more, she said.

McLendon, a third-generation Floridian, has lived in Loxa-hatchee Groves for 10 years, mov-ing to the area in order to operate his aviary, where he raises exotic birds.

He moved to Loxahatchee Groves just prior to incorporation and was against the idea. The goal of incorporation, he noted, was to preserve and protect Loxahatchee Groves.

Were nine years into it, and I havent seen much preserving or protecting of Loxahatchee Groves, he said. Ive seen 7-Elevens that are 24/7 gas sta-tions being approved. Ive seen the largest not-for-profit kennel being approved right in the middle of Loxahatchee Groves. Ive seen two Dunkin Donuts being ap-proved in Loxahatchee Groves, and Im still trying to figure out what weve done to preserve and protect. If it was to preserve and protect developers, theyre doing fantastic at that.

Three Of Four Lox Council Candidates Take Part In LGLA Forum

the right to call another person and say, Youre wrong. I cant do that. Thats why we have legal counsel.

Gonzalez said that all citizens should be able to voice their opin-ions, no matter what the opinions are.

Now, perception is reality, she said. As a council, I believe we should do research to find out the facts. But I do believe that everybody should have the right to voice their opinion.

The candidates were asked if

If there is a possible conflict of interest, the candidates were asked at what point a council member should recuse himself or herself. All three candidates said they would recuse themselves early on.

The candidates were asked if it would be appropriate for an audi-ence member to raise an objection to a conflict of interest, and what sort of evidence they would need to show.

Obviously, anybody could raise any objection at any time about anyone. You just have to have elected officials who are up there to do the right thing, and not have to be pointed out that theyre making mistakes, McLendon said. If there is something they shouldnt be doing, they should take it upon themselves and po-lice themselves. We need council members up there who can do it for themselves.

Browning said anyone with information should have the op-portunity to speak.

If there is a violation, it is very important that the people know if that person refuses to recuse themselves, he said. Understand, I think everyone thinks we have a strong mayor system. We dont. I am a council member up there with everybody else. I dont have

they thought it was appropriate for council members to campaign for those up for election.

Gonzalez and McLendon said that it was not appropriate, prefer-ring neutrality. Browning, who has campaigned on behalf of others in the past, said that with age comes wisdom.

Ive realized over the years that it really is a bad position to take to support candidates for the coun-cil. Because whoever is elected, everybody has to work together. To campaign against somebody

who might be sitting next to you, I think, is a bad decision for the future council and for the citizens of the town, Browning said.

Public comment has a three-minute limit during meetings. Candidates were asked whether they think there should be a limit for council members, and if so, what sort of limit.

Gonzalez suggested a three-minute limit for members of the council.

I have been going to the coun-See LGLA, page 11

Dave Browning, Thais Gonzalez and Todd McLendon take questions from LGLA members.PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

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TOWN-CRIERTHETOWN-CRIER ENDORSEMENTS

Wellington Ballot Questions: Vote YES On 1 And 2, But NO On 3

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See LETTERS, page 22

JULIE UNGERNews Editor

Wellingtons Charter Review Task Force began meeting in the summer of 2014 and spent nearly a year going line-by-line through the villages governing document. After many hours of work by volunteers and paid village staff members, the task force proposed nearly a dozen changes to the document. Eventually, those were whittled down to six sent to the Wellington Village Council. The end result? Three ballot questions are heading to voters this month, but only one came from the task force. That would seem to be more than slightly insulting to the task force and its diligent work. Left on the cutting room floor were several important changes, along with a few bad ideas. Was the entire project a waste of time? Was it really a means to an end to get something else on the ballot? Well let other observers make that judgment. Instead, lets review the items actually going to the voters.

Question 1: Inclusion of the Equestrian Preserve Area Within the Charter. The charter currently makes no reference to the Equestrian Preserve Area, which was created after it was written. This proposed amendment the only remaining item actually drafted by the Charter Review Task Force would recognize the Equestrian Preserve Area in the charter and permit landowners to apply to be voluntarily included in the preserve through a majority vote by the council, but would prohibit removal of properties from the preserve without a four-vote supermajority. This was something that the task force, and those who attended its input meetings, felt strongly about. In reality, there arent a great deal of opportunities to expand the preserve, and shrinking the preserve is something that most Wellington residents (equestrians and non-equestrians) agree is not in the communitys best interest. For that reason, requiring a four-vote supermajority to remove land from the preserve seems a prudent measure. The Town-Crier endorses a YES vote on Wellington Ballot Question 1.

Question 2: Village Canvassing Board. The current charter provides that the election canvassing board be composed of those members of the council not running for reelection and the village clerk. This proposed

amendment permits the council to appoint, through a four-vote supermajority, a community member and an alternate to serve on the canvassing board when necessary. This idea was put together by the council as a largely housekeeping measure meant to safeguard against potential problems with the canvassing board, especially now that the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (originally considered a canvassing board member) has decided that it is inappropriate for her to participate as a voting member. In an election such as this years, when a sitting council member not up for election is seeking another seat, it is quite possible that there may not be enough members on the canvassing board. This change would account for that possibility. It is a prudent measure, especially after the 2012 election showed the importance of this largely symbolic panel. The Town-Crier endorses a YES vote on Wellington Ballot Question 2.

Question 3: Certain Land Uses in the Equestrian Preserve Area Prohibited. This proposed amend-ment would prohibit motels, hotels, condo-hotels and apartments in the Equestrian Preserve Area. This amendment is not a housekeeping measure, nor is it from the task force. This specifically targets one developer and one project, with the goal of stopping any potential similar projects. In our opinion, this is an abuse of the charter. The hotel component of the controversial Equestrian Village project would have already required a supermajority vote for final passage, which it never received. Further, the concept of a hotel in the preserve was not in and of itself a problem back in 2012. Most of the opponents were opposed not to the concept of a hotel, but the size and scope of what was proposed. To prohibit even the discussion of future hotel projects improperly ties the hands of future councils. Furthermore, many equestrians have voiced concerns about the broad language used in this amendment, which could be construed as prohibiting the renting of satellite apartments and guest houses on estates within Wellingtons Equestrian Preserve Area, which is a longstanding component of the equestrian lifestyle. This amendment is a bad idea. The Town-Crier endorses a NO vote on Wellington Ballot Question 3.

Bellissimo: Question 3 Is

DangerousYears ago, my family made the

decision to make Wellington our home. It was not hard to fall for Wellington and the opportunities of the future, and all the great things that come with being a part of this great community. Ill never be able to express how thankful I am for the way so many of you welcomed me and my family.

Prior to our ownership of the Winter Equestrian Festival, it was a small show operated as a private club for the enjoyment of a privi-leged few. It was not family friend-ly, nor was the public welcome. The show was losing money, and the venue, which was rented, had a decaying infrastructure. It needed a long-term private investment from those willing to take a risk to make our economy thrive. Thats what we did when we built a new venue from the ground up and christened it the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The families composing our partnership had a single primary goal: to create a welcoming, in-clusive, family-friendly venue that our community could enjoy and be proud of. But I have become worried that all our progress is in danger because of upcoming ballot Question 3.

Question 3 is an act of political trickery positioned as preservation, aimed at undermining our com-munity and making voters believe this is beneficial to us all. Question 3, in fact, would be detrimental to our thriving economy. Those who find themselves in a position of leadership in our community are willing to risk the lifeline of our equestrian economy to please their political patron, a patron whose desire for preservation is to isolate the family mansion and 300-acre estate from the rest of the community. All of the subject land already has commercial or residential designation.

This patron represents the fam-ily who is using litigation in an attempt to tear down one of our two equestrian venues, who tried desperately to fight incorporation, and then tried to fight Village Park, Wellingtons largest recreational facility. The village was forced to agree to no bike or walking paths in front of their mansion, speed bumps on Pierson Road, and the dangerous curve at Stribling Way and Pierson Road that the village is now using hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars to correct.

Wellington attracts visitors from 50 states and 43 countries. Many have purchased property, and some are calling Wellington home. These visitors pay taxes that benefit the villages infrastructure and operating costs. They dine at our restaurants, retain many of our professional services and shop at our stores. Ask any of your friends who run a local business about the beneficial impact of equestrian visitors. Their spending supports many of the businesses that we year-round residents value. And of tremendous significance are the contributions these visitors make to our Great Charity Chal-lenge. The GCC has raised and distributed more than $9 million to Wellington charities, Wellington schools and other Palm Beach County charities.

In addition to eliminating much-needed lodging options, a damaging element of Question 3 would be a prohibition of families renting out apartments on their property. Further, the more visitors

who have local accommodations, the less traffic there will be in and out of town. Most visitors must now travel from outlying areas on our roads. We can greatly reduce that traffic.

Stop the influence of special interest money. That is why Im urging you to vote No on Ques-tion 3. Defeating Question 3 will reduce traffic, strengthen local businesses and allow us to thoughtfully expand the season. Lets end the council infighting and strengthen Wellington by sending the message that this vil-lage is not for sale.

Mark BellissimoWellington

Editors note: Mr. Bellissimo is the managing partner of Welling-ton Equestrian Partners and CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions.

McLendon Wrong For Lox Town Council

Most people dont know can-didates through meaningful busi-ness, friendship, community and/or neighbor interactions. Cam-paign interviews, mailers and panel comments help inform vot-ers, but they need to be consistent with a candidates actions and his public record. Todd McLendon has too many significant litigation issues and losses that suggest bad judgment and disregard of our rural community.

McLendon filled in protected wetlands on his property to ex-pand the land area used for bird cages. He lost a multi-year legal challenge with the South Florida Water Management District and faces the consequences of a state court order that has found him in continuous and chronic contempt for not complying with the court judgment to restore the wetlands on his property.

Loxahatchee Groves held a workshop and provided several town council meetings for all residents to express their opinions regarding the location of a Palm Beach State College campus at corner of B Road and Southern Blvd. After this was done, and ordinances approving the college campus location were passed, Palm Beach State College pur-chased the new 75-acre campus property for $4.5 million. Mc-Lendon then tried to use a petition to call for a referendum vote to overturn the ordinances. He went further with state court actions to repeal the ordinances. While McLendons efforts failed, he was exposing the town (and taxpayers) to a well-publicized $4.5 million requirement to purchase the land from Palm Beach State College if it could not be used for the new campus.

After the towns special magis-trate heard evidence and ordered McLendon to correct a recurring nuisance noise code violation in the operation of his commercial aviary, McLendon unsuccessfully appealed the magistrates order in state court. Not satisfied with this result, McLendon sued the town in federal court alleging selective code enforcement and again failed. He continues to ignore the initial magistrates order to bring his property into compliance with the nuisance noise code. Likely, this will involve further hearings and town fines and enforcement proceedings.

In 2015, McLendon had a lit-igation dispute with the Palm Beach County Property Apprais-ers Office regarding whether his raising of exotic birds for sale as

pets qualified as an agricultural land use. The court decision was another loss. Essentially, the court held that McLendons aviary was a commercial exotic bird pet kennel that did not qualify as an agricultural land use. This court decision now jeopardizes aviaries that want to qualify for Floridas right to farm protections.

McLendons campaign sign slogan is keep it rural, but he is reckless rural with poor judg-ment involving litigation that has adverse consequences for many residents other than just Todd McLendon.

John RyanLoxahatchee Groves

Editors note: Mr. Ryan is a member of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors.

Louda Supports Todd McLendonIn two past Loxahatchee Groves

elections, I made very bad choic-es about who to support. That includes Ryan Liang and Jim Rockett. This election, Mr. Rockett is running for reelection, and given his actions surrounding the 2015 election for Mr. Liang, whether or not they were illegal in sensu stricto, they certainly stretched the envelop of ethics. Therefore, it must be known that the old web site of Mr. Rockett, which shows my and other endorsements from 2013, are being kept online against the demands of myself and others. This too bespeaks of his disdain for honorable conduct.

Todd McClendon, a resident aviculturist, is running against Mr. Rockett for Seat 2 on the Loxa-hatchee Groves Town Council, and I urge all my fellow citizens to get behind his election. Todds views on honesty and openness in government are at the forefront of the reasons I fully endorse his election. Please get to the polls on March 15, take your family and neighbors and vote for Todd McClendon for Seat 2.

Dr. Bill LoudaLoxahatchee Groves

Thoughts On The RPB Election

Let me see a show of hands: Who is tired of negative political campaigns? Dont be shy, raise your hand. Are you tired of candi-dates exercising their right of free speech at the expense of civility or competent substantial evidence? Based on some candidates state-ments, Royal Palm Beach is really falling apart. Whatever happened to running for office on your qualifications? Whether national or local, politics is the same.

Or is it? Locally, your vote has a much greater influence than nationally, state or even county. When I moved here in 1986, the mayor ran the whole village for his own benefit, and we had an absentee village manager. Then our mayor got a promotion, and the village hired a strong manager. Many, many decisions were made in those years that we are benefit-ing from today, and will continue to benefit from in the future if we dont mess it up.

Royal Palm Beach has millions of dollars in the bank, and the village is about to pay off the only debt. Another show of hands, please: Who wants to be debt free? We have a low and stable tax rate, more parks per capita than any other municipality in Palm Beach County, free events other communities charge for, a

great web site that alerts you to all things Royal Palm Beach, an annual strategic planning meeting open to all residents for input and much more. Do things take longer to get done sometimes that we might like, yes. But I have found that persistence pays off well. Can the village continue to improve? Of course.

So you ask, how do we keep this mecca that has been built over time, since apparently we are falling apart at the same time? The average voter does not have the time or energy to research all the sides of all the issues of any elec-tion, to determine for themselves what is fact, fiction or somewhere in between. Our brief encounters with those running for political office does not allow us to really know these people to determine for ourselves if they are genuinely going to support us, the residents, or if there is another agenda... So, its understandable why the voting public may feel frustrated and even tune out the elections...

So, you ask, whats a voter to do? Here are my Cliffs Notes on the Royal Palm Beach municipal election: Take a good look around you, your neighborhood, your village, your services (both public and commercial) and your police presence. If you like having mon-ey in the bank, great parks, low taxes, improving schools, ongoing comprehensive plan changes to regulate development, the ability to attend any council meeting and be heard because thats the first agenda item, watch all village meetings on TV or through the web site, walk your neighborhoods and feel safe because of the low crime rate, then you vote for the incumbents. However, if these things are not important to you and your family, or you disagree that these things are good things and you want change, then you vote for the challengers. Just keep in mind, its human nature to never appreciate what you have until you lose it. See you at the polls!

Jackie LarsonRoyal Palm Beach

Editors note: Ms. Larson is a longtime member of the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission.

RaceTrac The Ultimate

BetrayalI want to remind my neighbors

here in the Village of Royal Palm Beach of the consequences of the construction of the RaceTrac gas station at the entrance of our village that was approved by the Royal Palm Beach Village Coun-cil. We all know that it is going to bring more traffic, crime, noise and devastate the tranquility of our neighborhood. The large en-tranceway palm trees are coming down to make room for an extra turn lane. What already had dete-riorated into an unsightly corner with the trucks at the Royal Inn will become worse.

Always we thought our com-munity leaders would look to make this better for us. It is un-conscionable to know that they actually conspired over a full year to ruin all that we moved here to Royal Palm Beach for and all the investment that we have made in our homes. They did not listen; they will not listen. The Royal Palm Beach mayor and council betrayed us!

I want to remind you that the three incumbents Fred Pinto, Jeff Hmara and Richard Valun-tas ignored the voices of the

residents. Not once, not twice, not three times, but over and over again at council meetings, special council meetings and contrived workshops. They did not listen to us and turned their backs on our re-quests. Send them a message loud and clear that we heard them, and we are voting you all out on March 15. Vote for Martha Webster, Le-nore White and Selena Smith for a fresh voice and representation.

Jean ManciniRoyal Palm Beach

Margolis: The Real Education

CandidatePainted perceptions and care-

fully worded verbiage of political campaigning doesnt alter the truth. Bob Margolis is our ed-ucation candidate for mayor of Wellington. When Bob Margolis, John Greene and Matt Willhite were elected in 2012, a shift in the councils focus occurred, and our villages children became a priority again. Eliminated by the prior mayor and a previous coun-cil, grant money to support our students returned into the budget. At a June 2013 council meeting, Margolis opponent suggested implementing the program with $10,000 less per school. However, with Margolis leadership, our villages 11 non-Title 1 schools each currently receive $25,000 in much-needed grant money ear-marked for initiatives that promote student achievement. Data from the 2014-15 school year shows that more than 2,600 students were served by this grant, with 80 percent achieving gains in reading and 77 percent in math.

It is said that some people just talk the talk while others walk the walk. For some, I guess its easy to ride the coattails of successful initiatives and then pass them off as their own. Although understat-ed, Margolis has earnestly talked, walked and made a positive impact on thousands of our students. If it were not for his vision and commitment to our children, this grant money would never exist, potentially rendering thousands of our children without the help they need.

Our exemplary schools are the reason why thousands of us moved to Wellington. It is the reason why our property values have sus-tained. Regardless of other village concerns, our children should be our priority. A participant sits back and accepts the status quo; a leader rallies to affect necessary change. Our children matter. Vote for Bob Margolis.

Theresa VentriglioWellington

Why You Should Vote For HmaraI find it very rare and extremely

refreshing to have a government official whose only agenda is to help his community in any way possible. We are extremely blessed to have a man like Jeff Hmara be our voice on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council. He has brought his experience, hon-esty, intelligence, leadership and

management expertise, and his true love for his community to his position as a councilman.

Constituents are always com-plaining that our council doesnt listen to them. I know for a fact that Jeff listens to and hears every word. I watched him do his due diligence when investigating the possibility of a RaceTrac gas sta-tion coming to Royal Palm Beach. I asked him what his opinion was. He told me he couldnt have an opinion. He said he had to listen to what the community wanted, and he had to take the time to study the laws and guidelines pertaining to this new business coming here before he could determine how hed vote. And thats exactly what he did.

Thanks to Jeffs efforts, there were many changes made and many requirements put upon RaceTrac before the commercial project was approved. I believe we all owe him a big thank you for the work he did on the FEMA flood maps issue for our community. Thanks to his vast experience in his previous professional posi-tions, he was able to lead the effort to sit down with FEMA and prove that the plans they were working with were outdated and had to be redrawn. Thanks to Jeff, many of our homeowners are no longer in jeopardy of wrongly being forced to purchase high-priced flood in-surance because of outdated maps.

Jeff Hmara is a realist and knows that the majority of Royal Palm Beach residents dont and never will attend village meet-ings. But in an effort to keep us all informed, he started an e-mail blast outlining all topics and proj-ects happening in the village. He provides insight to their progress, the stated pros and cons of each project, and a timeline for action on said projects. We, as residents, have the ability to stay informed of what our local government is planning for the future of our community via these e-mails.

Sometimes Jeff Hmaras hon-esty and knowledge is seen by others as a hindrance or unwanted obstacle to their own agenda. As a Royal Palm Beach resident, I find it refreshing and know that our common good is being defended and protected. We know that Jeff is on top of all issues affecting Royal Palm Beach. We can trust him to listen, be honest, and to do his very best to help the council arrive at good, solid decisions from which all of its residents can benefit.

Donna A. BroderRoyal Palm Beach

Say No To Valuntas

We have lived in the Cypress Head subdivision located west of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. off Southern Blvd. for 17 years. We have seen many changes and also seen no changes. We voted for one of our neighbors, Richard Valuntas, for Royal Palm Beach Village Council on his promise that he would get the sand lot east of the Crestwood Publix that was supposed to be built when we purchased our homes in 1999 completed. Drive by any day and

BARRY S. MANNINGPublisher

DAWN RIVERAGeneral Manager

JOSHUA I. MANNINGExecutive Editor

SPECIAL NOTE ON LETTERSThe Town-Crier is currently receiving way more letters than we can possibly print, particularly as related to the March 15 election. We welcome your continued letter submissions, but please be aware that we will not able to accommodate all those that deserve publica-tion. Please keep letters brief. Submit letters, with contact name, address and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33, Wellington, FL 33414; or you can e-mail [email protected].

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Paid electioneering communication paid for by Taxpayers for Public Integrity,120 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 202, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

This is the real John GreenE...

John Greene...

Michael Drahos is fighting to restore credibility and return fiscal responsibility to Wellington.

...hadnt filed his federal income taxes for at least two years....took a prohibited gift from a contributor....accepted jobs, housing, and paid vacations from campaign contributors....voted the favor of campaign contributors.

John Greene gets the perks. Wellington families pay the price.

The FACTS ARE, Michael Drahos is......working to protect the equestrian economy.

...collaborating with equestrian leadership to end the constant and expensive legal battles....committed to revitalize and protect communities....returning Wellington to fiscal responsibility.

Michael Drahos Restoring Leadership in Wellington


NEWS


The Wellington Village Council last week approved a resolution supporting construction of a boat lift at an eastern water control structure on the C-51 Canal that will enable small boats to navigate from the Intracoastal Waterway as far as the water control structure on the south side of Southern Blvd. near State Road 7.

Village Manager Paul Schofield said that the project is part of a countywide trails program, includ-ing what he hopes will eventually enable boats to traverse the C-51 Canal from the Lake Worth La-goon to Lake Okeechobee.

The resolution, which had been added to the agenda, supports the countys Chain of Lakes & Trails Initiative, and a resolution by the

Town of Lake Clarke Shores and neighboring municipalities to proceed with improvements to develop the boat lift.

This particular one is from the Intracoastal Waterway from the Lake Worth Lagoon out to Lake Okeechobee, Schofield said, re-calling a grant the village received last year to build a path along Flying Cow Road, which is part of the same trail system. There are no village dollars committed to this, and there is no budgetary impact, and it does allow connec-tivity along the C-51 Canal bank for both pedestrians, bicycles and those types of things.

Schofield said that the resolu-tion supports the plan in concept. Were not committing funds to it, he said. Mostly its the states trail system.

Vice Mayor John Greene said he will support the resolution, but wished he had more background.

All of a sudden it hits our desk at an agenda review meeting, and its up for adoption the following night, Greene said. Somebodys behind it. Id like to do some due diligence, look at maps and under-stand the impact potentially down the road.

Schofield said that he had not had much longer than the council to look at it, but the trail system planning had begun in 2009, and Lake Clarke Shores and Boynton Beach had already approved res-olutions. State funding is not cur-rently available for the program, according to the countys web site.

The only reason that I ask to do it quickly is because theyre trying to get those resolutions in

front of the legislature for funding, otherwise it would have waited a couple of weeks, Schofield said.

Councilman John McGovern made a motion to approve the resolution, which carried 5-0.

The Palm Beach County Com-mission approved a resolution to support the effort in December 2015, asking for a legislative ap-propriation for engineering design and permitting costs of a naviga-tional structure linking the C-51 Canal with the Lake Worth Lagoon and the Intracoastal Waterway. The connection would most likely be a boat lift.

A feasibility study was also conducted by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. The boat lift would bring small boats up and around the control struc-ture at Lake Worth Spillway Park,

Wellington Lends Support To Boat Lift Project For C-51 Canalproviding navigational linkage between the canal and the lagoon.

The study was financed by the Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization as part of its effort to expand modes of transportation.

Although plans are not currently underway for a boat lift at the wa-ter control structure near Southern Blvd. and SR 7, Schofield said he expects that there will be at some point, as well as another structure at 20-Mile Bend, leading to what he hopes will be a complete con-nection to Lake Okeechobee.

Ultimately, if theyre going to implement the lagoon-to-lake trail system, theyre going to have to have those intermediate structures as well, he told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. What were sup-porting is the concept of having

the lagoon to the lake connection. The immediate parts of that are the trail system. We already did that in Wellington. We used a grant to connect Section 24 out to the C-51 Canal, which is all a part of that connectivity program.

Schofield pointed out that when he first moved to Palm Beach County, there were fewer than 300,000 residents.

Today there are 1.3 million, and youve got to find ways to get them back and forth and do some recreation with those facilities that we have, he said. The Lake Worth Lagoon has a rich history, and Lake Okeechobee does. They used to haul vegetables on barges from the lake to the coast. The C-51 is our version of the Erie Canal. It would be good to have that back.

McLendonSeeks

Change On Lox Council

continued from page 1were against general Florida law. I spent a lot of money trying to correct and come into compliance with the new codes that were com-pletely different than the codes that were under Palm Beach County, he said. I had to jump through a lot of hoops trying to ward off the Town of Loxahatchee Groves coming down on me.

If the rules were applied equal-ly to everyone, McLendon said, it would be one thing, but they arent.

They are applied in one cir-cumstance, and thats it. Some of these council members, they save themselves, they save their friends, and they save their rel-atives against these codes, he charged. When they want to apply them to somebody else, then they apply them to somebody else. That sort of behavior needs to stop.

McLendon said that he is cur-rently in compliance with state law and town codes, and bristles at attempts to paint him as a sin-gle-issue candidate looking only to protect his interests.

The council doesnt have a sword that they can hit me with anymore because of the years that Ive been fighting this. My busi-ness, and my occupation, is safe from the council as it stands right now. There is no benefit in that aspect to run for the council at this

point, he said. Im safe because I fought this battle for years and years trying to show that what they were doing was improper. And Ive been successful in that.

Moreover, he feels vindicated since some of those rules have been eliminated. In fact, theyve removed some of these codes and laws from the books upon the advice of their attorney, who said theyre violating Floridas consti-tution by having these codes in place, McLendon said.

McLendon ran against Rockett three years ago, narrowly losing to the incumbent. Now hes back and feels that he has a better case to make.

Jim Rockett is up there to serve himself and his family, McLen-don charged. He is not up there to serve the people.

McLendon believes that there is a need for change on the coun-cil, particularly when it comes to Rockett. He feels more confident now than he did in 2013.

There are a lot more disgrun-tled people this year than last time, he said, asserting that many of those who voted for Rockett in the past are ready for change. I know all of the issues in Loxa-hatchee Groves. Ive been here since before incorporation. I came to Loxahatchee Groves because I appreciated the rural, distinct char-acter Loxahatchee Groves had and what it offered. Theres not many people in the town who are going to stand up to these people Im willing to do that.

Some of the concerns from the public, he explained, stem from the unresolved bitterness of the 2015 election.

McLendon lists his two children as his top accomplishments, as well as proving that the towns rules and regulations against farms were contrary to state law. He is also proud of having encouraged others to become involved in town affairs.

According to McLendon, the top three issues in this election include the town management contract, problems with code enforcement and trying to get the road situation a deplorable mess straightened out.

Grant money, he suggested, could help alleviate, although not altogether eliminate, the costs as-sociated with road paving.

I dont see any way around that. The town cant afford, with the budget it has, to improve all these roads, he said. What weve gotten so far, with the OGEM proj-ects that have been done, is a mess. Its not a good situation at all.

The town has taken over re-sponsibility for maintaining roads that residents along those roads paid for, McLendon said, explaining that most people seem to want something other than dusty roads.

I think it should be up to the people who live on each road to make that determination, he said. I think each road segment should have their own say.

The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, he said, should not be independent, but rather should be dependent on the town.

The town is currently responsi-ble for over 70 percent of the roads in the town, he said. I think thats how it should continue, to take a piece at a time, let the town absorb

it, get used to it and move forward onto the next thing.

Currently, he said, the town does not have proper code enforcement, which is a service that should be provided. We have nobody enforcing any laws out there, he said.

McLendon hopes Okeechobee Blvd. will remain two lanes, with a decreased speed limit.

I have been pushing for a long time that the speed limit needs to decrease on it, he said. The town has the authority to change the speed limit on Okeechobee Blvd., and they have not done so since incorporation.

McLendon said that he has been working behind the scenes to decrease the speed limit and work to keep Okeechobee Blvd. from becoming commercialized, which would increase traffic. Commer-cializing some of it is only going to make that situation worse, he said. Any commercial you add on there will increase traffic.

Any commercial development should happen on Southern Blvd., he explained.

He is happy with the job being done by Underwood Management Services Group, but would prefer that the council give a priority list to the management company. Bill Underwood, the current manger, is an improvement over the previ-ous town manager, Mark Kutney, who had more of a closed door mentality.

McLendon said that he wants to keep the government as small as possible, suggesting that the code enforcement process be redone. The Unified Land Development Code is a mess, he said, and what

it cost the town in money, it would have been better adjusting the countys code, he suggested.

One of my biggest pet peeves is there is money in the budget to donate to nonprofit charities, and its almost like a slush fund for council members, he said. This money is given away to different entities. It just boggles the mind that they argue that they need to keep the millage rate a certain amount to run the town, but some-how they have a surplus in there to give away. I dont think that should be there; that should be removed immediately.

The council has not upheld the town charter by preserving and protecting Loxahatchee Groves, McLendon said when asked about his vision for the future of the town.

I think we need to protect whats in Loxahatchee Groves, McLendon said. We need to pre-serve and protect what we have.

When he ran three years ago, McLendon was aggressively fighting against the development of Palm Beach State Colleges new campus on Southern Blvd. However, the campus is now a done deal.

I hope Palm Beach State Col-lege succeeds, he said. I hope they do fantastic there. I hope theyre a good neighbor, moving forward.

McLendons top strengths, he said, include being very involved, knowing the history of Loxa-hatchee Groves and diligently checking the sources of informa-tion brought to the council.

His weakness, he said, would be time. I spend a lot of time

now, behind the scenes, lobbying things, McLendon said. I hope I have the time to do what some of these council members do I wont have a choice but to step up and do it.

However, McLendon does not think people should make a career of it. He favors term limits. We have some career politicians who would be there for 100 years, he said.

McLendon was sharply critical of his opponent, Rockett.

He cannot get along and look past his personal beliefs or feel-ings dealing with people. Town management is a prime example, McLendon said. He simply can-not work with town management, specifically Bill Underwood. Thats why he wants to get rid of Bill Underwood. It has nothing to do with whether theyre doing a good job for the town. He doesnt feel theyre doing a good job for himself. He needs to look past that.

However, he did give Rockett credit for using his background to help the town on financial matters.

Most of the things that he harps on are financial, and a lot of times he is correct on the financial issues, McLendon said.

Asked why voters should vote for him, McLendon said that he is a good listener.

I listen to the people. Whether I agree or disagree, I am willing to sit down with you and talk about it, McLendon said. My opponent will not do that. If he disagrees with you, he doesnt even want you in the same room. Ill work with anybody and try to come to a resolution.

RockettFocus On Financial Expertise

continued from page 1council to drop the tax rate in 2010.

For the next few years, we were able to fight off the desire to increase it, he said. This past year, I lost that battle, but only by one vote. I look at holding taxes down or reducing them based on need. If we have a need, then we have to consider where we have funds. If we dont have a need, and were sitting on two or three million dollars in the bank, more than the whole budget for a year, then I cant see raising taxes.

Municipalities raise taxes so they can spend more money, he said. If you need to spend more, lets justify it, and make sure we start at the expense side, Rockett said.

Rockett pointed out that the town actually gave money back to taxpayers in the form of a refund for solid waste collection, which was initially his suggestion. The only drawback was that they couldnt do it every year, so when the fees went back up, it appeared to be an increase. Some people have short memories and ask why it went up, and you have to explain it, he said.

Rockett said that part of his ex-perience is working with contracts, reading them and understanding them.

Weve had some problems in that arena, in my mind, that were not necessarily watching our

contracts, he said. If you write a contract, you should follow it. If you dont want a contract, dont write it.

Rockett considers the top issues of the campaign to be his expe-rience and what he has done for the town, as opposed to what he considers his opponent has done against the town, including several lawsuits.

I look at it as two very differ-ent situations, he said. Ive had the experience, Ive also made contributions to the town, and Im competing against someone who has tried to sue the town, and I think harm the town.

A year ago, Rockett said that he was considering not running again, until he saw that McLendon was going to run again. I couldnt walk away from what I had accom-plished, and go ahead and let this guy have this position, he said.

He said there are other potential candidates who share his view-points, but they have not come forward.

Rockett has been through a rough year. He was accused of being involved with the illegal use of absentee ballots to sway the reelection of Councilman Ryan Liang. He denies all accusations of wrongdoing.

A lot of the controversy comes from accusations, which is a little bit like, When did you stop beat-ing your wife? he said. The accusations have all proven false, all been dismissed, so when you say controversial, its because somebody is creating controversy. Im defending myself in that arena, and weve done fine so far.

The relationship between the

town and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District has been a contentious topic, and Rockett believes that the LGWCD should have an equal part in the towns dealings.

They have a specific role, and the town has a different role, he said. Sometimes the town is the overseer, but the roles are differ-ent, and I look at them to be the experts in terms of drainage and road maintenance. They should be equals until sometime when the need changes. Certainly, we are honing their focus to more drain-age and less road maintenance. Moving in that direction is fine; doing it too quickly is not good.

Rockett said that the town is willing to take over the districts dirt roads but does not have a mechanism in place to pave or maintain them.

At this point, I think we need to carefully walk forward with taking roads, he said. Once we have them resurfaced, that could be a point where we say, Well take that road. That should be done over a period of time.

Rockett believes that the town is providing all the services that it should, but that some of its ser-vices could be done better, such as maintenance on non-district roads. The district was really taxed because of the rain that we had, so what was already an aggravated situation became even more, he said.

Rockett cited a recent culvert collapse on C Road as an example of the district being overtaxed and not able to correct the situation immediately. They just werent able to help us out, he said.

With the town taking over roadways, he said the council re-cently reached an agreement with Bergeron Land Development to improve and maintain them.

In terms of the town roads, theyve brought in a lot of good fill, raised the level of the towns roads and have made suggestions to have better drainage, Rockett said. It should, in the long term, be less expensive to maintain the roads.

He would like to see Okeechobee Blvd. remain a two-lane rural parkway with a trail system on one side. The popular opinion is that it is going to be a four-lane road, divided in the middle, Rockett said. Thats not my vi-sion. My vision is that we figure out how we can keep it a two-lane road.

As for development along the road, he said the council recently agreed to reduce the floor-ar-ea ratio. What we have said along Okeechobee is low-impact non-residential as a potential of what you should put there, he said, adding that he would consider low-impact professional offices or other services that benefit the community.

Rockett credited the Western Communities Council, where he is the towns representative, with helping diverse government entities coordinate efforts to pres-ent a united front in managing development.

We only meet quarterly, but it has been an organization that worked hard on the State Road 7 extension and getting it through to Northlake [Blvd.], he said. We seem to be somewhat successful.

Loxahatchee Groves is putting in its two cents worth as far as the cost of that.

He thinks supporting the coun-tys effort for a connection to the Beeline Highway is the next nat-ural step to control future traffic.

Rockett doesnt believe that the town needs more commercial development. If there is more retail or industrial development, he said it should be along Southern Blvd.

A critic of the towns manage-ment company, Rockett said he wants Underwood Management Services Group to follow its con-tractual agreements more closely. He favored putting out a request for proposals for management companies when Underwoods contract was up for renewal, which resulted in two responses, but one was deemed unqualified and the other withdrew. The council ended up giving Underwood an extension, which Rockett opposed.

I have always liked the town manager and his staff as people, but I am concerned that they dont follow the contract, he said. In some recent developments, they are overpaying themselves.

He thinks the contract negoti-ation with Underwood was not followed as he would like to see it conducted, based on what he has seen in the corporate world.

Rockett noted that a contractual management company is relatively unusual in the way municipalities are run.

When you ask for people to do that service that way, and theres really not a demand for it, its very difficult to find somebody to step up and do it, he said.

Rockett said he would favor

having a separate manager with a contract, and either hired or contractual employees to attend to services, following more com-monly used municipal manage-ment models.

He believes there is a miscon-ception about the towns budget, and budgets in general, that be-cause the money is there, it should be spent.

Some people feel like if you have it in the budget, then you pay it. That is about as far away from the actual way budgets work as you can get, he said. You put money in the budget so you allow for certain things; you anticipate certain things. You dont know if theyre going to come to pass, but youve got your ducks lined up.

Rockett thinks that the con-troversy surrounding last years election, when Ryan Liang won a narrow victory over Keith Harris in which Harris alleged that the result was tainted by illegal absentee ballots and Rockett was involved is being generated by those who supported Harris.

I respond to allegations with facts, and theyre going to still cover the situation we have going on, but it doesnt drive me from my standpoint of seeking reelec-tion, Rockett said, adding that he is not aware of any ongoing investigations regarding him and the use of absentee ballots in the 2015 election.

Rockett believes people should vote for him because of his expe-rience and skills. I think you have to look at the two people and see what they have done for the town, not to the town, and what I could continue to do, he said.

Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds will come alive with a variety of music from Friday, March 11 through Sunday, March 13 at its Spring Music Jam.

The event celebrates traditional and world-class country, bluegrass and Southern rock live music. The lineup includes award-win-ning country singer-songwriter John Anderson, Southern rockers the Georgia Satellites and the ever-popular Leroy Van Dyke Country Gold Tour with Leroy Van Dyke, T-Graham Brown and T.G. Sheppard.

The Georgia Satellites a band that has packed houses around

the world with their blistering brand of Southern rock will headline Friday night at 7:30 p.m. Founded in 1985, the Satellites quickly launched into stardom with hits like Keep Your Hands to Yourself, Battleship Chains, Hippy Hippy Shake and oth-ers. Critically acclaimed albums and mind-bending performances earned the men a permanent spot in music history.

The Leroy Van Dyke Country Gold Tour is a show that has con-sistently captured fans when pre-sented at the South Florida Fair. It will headline Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The legendary, award-win-

ning classic country icon Leroy Van Dyke and friends take fans on a retrospective, nostalgic journey featuring Americas golden music. Reserved seats are available for this show for $10 per person.

John Anderson will headline Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. On his latest album, Goldmine, released on his own Bayou Boys label, he completed a long overdue record of original songs. He wrote or co-wrote 12 of the albums 13 tracks. Goldmine also is a record that could, like Cash and Haggard be-fore him, find a home amid lovers of authentic music of any genre. Though he would never compare

himself to his heroes, Anderson is now the standard bearer for tradi-tional country music. In his career, he has produced 23 albums, more than 60 singles (20 reaching the top 10), and a wealth of industry awards. Goldmine proves that theres still a lot of gold in Ander-son. Reserved seats are available for this show for $10 per person.

Event hours are Friday, March 11 from 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, March 13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $15 per person per day, or $35 admis-sion for all three days, and can be purchased online at www.south

floridafair.com/spring-music-jam. Kids 12 and under are free every day. Parking is free. Camping space is available for $35 per day.

The event, which will be held rain or shine, also will feature merchants, old-fashioned games for kids, food and beverages.

For information on sponsorship opportunities, call (561) 790-5233 or e-mail theresa@southflorida fair.com or [email protected]. Vendors offering products, services or crafts should call Lorie at (561) 790-5245 or e-mail [email protected]. For general information, call (561) 793-0333 or visit www.southfloridafair.com.

Spring Music Jam Set For March 11-13 At South Florida Fairgrounds

John Anderson

NOTICE OF MUNICIPAL AND REFERENDUM ELECTIONCALLED BY WELLINGTON, FLORIDAS COUNCIL

TO BE HELD MARCH 15, 2016The Village of Wellingtons Council will hold a Municipal and Referendum Election on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. The purpose of the Municipal Election is to fill the offices of Mayor and Village Council Seat 1 which are four-year terms. The Referendum Election is to consider the adoption of the proposed Charter revisions set forth in Ordinances #: 2015-16; 2015-17; and 2015-18 all of which, if adopted, will revise the Village Charter.

The Municipal and Referendum Election will be held March 15, 2016. The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Your polling location is listed on your Voter ID Card.

You must notify the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office if you move from the address listed on your Voter ID Card. If you are unsure of the polling location for your precinct, contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (561) 656-6200.

The ordinances pertaining to the proposed Charter revisions are published below in their entirety.

Rachel R. Callovi , Acting Village Clerk

Dated: February 10, 2016

PUBLISH: The Town-CrierFebruary 19, 2016, February 26, 2016, March 4, 2016, March 11, 2016

VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON REFERENDUM QUESTION NO. 1



Page 8 March 4 - March 10, 2016 www.gotowncrier.com The Town-Crier


NEWS

ChamberWellingtonCandidates

continued from page 1Gerwig said. We brought a lot of things on line. The pool was done; the amphitheater was done. We made some really good choices and were very fiscally sound.

However, the last four years under Margolis have been difficult, she said.

I understand a lot of it is not our fault, and not because of anything that has been done by this coun-cil. It is how it has been handled that is inappropriate, she said. I dont think our residents have been treated with respect. When theres disagreement, our residents have been told, Weve never seen you at a council meeting before. Things like that should not be said to our residents. Theyre coming to us, and theyre unhappy about something thats before us.

The current council, she said, has been argumentative with staff, resulting in the loss of key profes-sionals. That is something she will stop as mayor, Gerwig said.

Greene thanked the chamber for inviting him and noted that he has

seen a shift in the right direction with the organization, going from a political chamber to a business chamber.

Greene coached his three chil-dren in sports, enjoying everything Wellington has to offer with its schools and recreational activities. He said he is proud of his record on the council.

Im running on my record, he said. Im so proud of what weve accomplished in spite of a lot of difficult votes and a lot of controversy. Weve managed to do good things.

Greene works in real estate and has seen property values increase for the last four years. He also touched on controversies regard-ing the equestrian industry.

Weve managed growth re-sponsibly. This seems to be the one debate that we have every election cycle, he said. In spite of that, we understand whats important. Theres traffic concerns. Ill con-tinue to do the things that I think represent the growth of the sport and whats in the best interest of the sport, but not at the expense of selling out the values and the quality of life for the rest of this community.

Drahos founder of the Young

Professionals of Wellington and a member of Wellingtons Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board moved to Wellington as a child, going through the public school system before attending Florida State University.

I came back on a college break, took a job at Wellington Elementa-ry School and met my wife on the playground there, he said.

They attended FSU together, and he later earned a law degree. When they married, Wellington was the obvious choice for them to make a home together, Drahos said. Theres something about this community that I cannot let go of, and its the reason Im in this election, he said. I love Wellington. It has become a part of my family. When things are going wrong with Wellington, or if peo-ple say things about Wellington, its as if they are saying something about my family.

The equestrian industry, Drahos continued, drives commerce in Wellington, but the council has not been working well with the industry.

I think we can do so much better than we have in the last four years, he said. I believe the direction this council has taken us

in, in the last four years, has been irresponsible. I believe any respon-sible leader needs to work with equestrian leadership, not against it. What we have done in the last four years is put up every barrier we possibly could to progress.

During the forum, the can-didates discussed a number of issues, such as the importance of the equestrian community and its impact on local business-es, the housing market, and the importance of better integrating Wellingtons equestrians and the non-equestrians.

The candidates grappled with the future of the controversial K-Park property on State Road 7.

Margolis said it was purchased for a park either passive or active and believes it should remain a park, possibly with some entertainment aspect, but with the majority remaining as a park.

Gerwig pointed out that the 67-acre property is currently be-ing used for water retention and farming, and is not a park. Before the village should do anything, she said, there should be a vision for the property.

Greene said he fought to stop the sale of the land from going through and a proposed project from going

forward when K-Park was up for sale, he said.

Drahos said he sees K-Park as a future destination environment to take his family.

Asked about their goals over the next four years, Drahos said he is looking to restore credibil-ity and stability to the council, while Greene is hoping to main-tain an environment that allows

Councilman-Elect Michael Napoleone, Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, Councilman John McGovern, candidate Michael Drahos, Mayor Bob Margolis and Vice Mayor John Greene with Wellington Chamber President Johnny Meier.

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

the Equestrian Preserve Area to be protected and not exploited. Gerwig hopes to give the council a better, more responsive face, which will give Wellington a better reputation. Margolis suggested that voters look at results, rather than rhetoric. I want to make this the best village in the world, Margolis said. We are more than just the equestrian capital.

Topping-OutCommunity

CenterCeremony

continued from page 1all kinds of inefficiencies. Im looking forward to wonderful memories here.

Councilman John McGovern said that as the youngest council member, he can reflect on the old

Wellington Club and Wellington Community Center as it was when he was growing up.

It is just so exciting to be here today to see this new building come to fruition, he said. Just Friday, we were at the amphithe-ater with our children and a bunch of their friends, and they were all so excited to see this building coming up and being completed and doing things at this entire municipal complex area.

He complimented those attend-

ing for having the courage to get the community center done and bringing the village forward for the next 20 years, and thanked Pirtle Construction and Song & Associates for the design and construction of the building.

We are very excited for an on-time completion, and thank you particularly to village staff, McGovern said. Nothing in this village happens by accident, and it is to the credit of very hard-work-ing and dedicated people.

Vice Mayor John Greene and Councilman John McGoverntour the building with R.J. Madzi of Pirtle Construction.

Village Manager Paul Schofieldwith architect Young Song

of Song & Associates.

Councilman Matt Willhite, Vice Mayor John Greene, Councilman John McGovern, CouncilwomanAnne Gerwig and Mayor Bob Margolis inside the partially completed Wellington Community Center.

PHOTOS BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER


A magnet for investment, the Wellington Equestrian Preserve Area is a driving force in our local economy and the very trademark of our village. The preserve is a community asset we must defend from the temptations of overdevelopment and exploitation.

Because of its appeal and despite its beauty, the Wellington Equestrian Preserve Area is under the constant economic threat of over-development and exploitation. We see the proof of these pressures today as thousands of riders, horses, spectators and attendants are dangerously pressed into spaces meant for dozens. We see the evidence in the constant probing of our Village council to allow more and more encroachments, exceptions and exemptions for developers in and around the preserve.

More concrete and more traffic in and around our equestrian preserve is not a measure of our success here in Wellington, it is a testament to our failure. When we lose our preserve, we give up our identity, invite trouble and ultimately become just another crowded and angry South Florida city.

As a community, we absolutely must remain committed to the principles of preserva-tion and sustainability in the face of this constant pressure to abuse this resource. If we sacrifice much more of the green space and rural lifestyle in and around the pre-serve the very things we market to the rest of the world and make our community what it is today we will lose the very essence of our communitys success.

preserve. protect. defend.

We are fortunate to live, visit, ride and show in the most celebrated place for equestrians in the United States and the World Mecca for Winter Horse Showing the Wellington Equestrian Preserve Area.

Pd. pol. adv. paid for by Preserve and Protect Wellington, Inc., 11924 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 10A-335, Wellington, FL 33414

Its in our best interest to preserve our identity, protect our brand and defend the Wellington Equestrian

Preserve Area.

On March 15, Vote to SAVE THE EQUESTRIAN PRESERVE Vote YES on Charter Questions 1 & 3

VOTEYES

OnquESTiOnS 1 & 3

EPA Ad 4.123115.indd 1 1/20/16 5:23 PM


NEWS

By Jason StrombergTown-Crier Staff Report

Steve Jenkins will never forget the night he decided that he had to do something for his wife Eunice, who had been bitten by another mosquito. The 44-year-old Boca Raton resident remembers it like it was yesterday.

My wife has always hated mos-quitoes. She was the type where if there was a mosquito in the house, we had to turn the lights on and find it before we went to bed, Jenkins said. We wanted to solve an issue, and it ended up becoming a career and a successful one.

Jenkins is president and owner of SWAT Mosquito Systems & Outdoor Cooling. SWAT custom designs and installs mosquito mist-ing systems that eliminate the need for screened enclosures, candles, zappers or propane devices.

To this day, Jenkins is still amazed at how it all got started, yet proud of its success and longevity.

Just to solve our own family problem, thats how we got into business, Jenkins said. This system has been around since the 1970s, but it was for fly control. We took that system and started installing it as a mosquito control system.

Based in Broward County, SWATs territory ranges from Vero Beach to Marathon, and west to Naples. There are 20 employees on board, and there are opportunities for them to develop and be leaders in the industry.

Robert LeBlanc is one of them. As general manager, LeBlanc is

proud of the companys customer service. Our guys are going to do the system the right way, perfect-ly, LeBlanc said. Its all set up and ready to go. They dont leave your property until everything is 100 percent good to go.

If mosquitoes, no-see-ums and other biting insects are preventing you from enjoying your yard, pool or spa, its time to call the SWAT professionals. Their mission is to control and eliminate those pests.

Our custom-designed mos-quito misting system is complete-ly outside, Jenkins said. The nozzles are located underground throughout the perimeter of the landscaping and they mist two to four times a day. We fill up the tank, which is typically located on the side of the house.

When SWAT is finished with its installation, the typical response from each customer is youve changed my life, Jenkins said. You changed how we use the outdoors.

The threat of the Zika virus an insect-borne illness that is be-lieved to cause birth defects is a growing concern in South Florida. While SWATs product was not designed with Zika in mind, con-trolling the biting pests will help keep the virus away.

Our product will help get rid of the mosquitoes, LeBlanc said. The possibilities of getting the Zika virus are limited, as long as we take care of the mosquitoes.

Brent Ball, vice president of project management, wants his SWAT team to continue to stay

on top of its game. We want our customers to take control of their own home again, and we are succeeding in that process, Ball said. Our company offers a lifetime warranty, satisfaction guaranteed.

A privately held company, SWAT bills itself as the largest mosquito company in South Flor-ida. Its unique misting system uses an environmentally friendly, non-toxic substance.

We use pyrethrum, which is derived from the chrysanthemum, which gets rid of the mosquitoes, Ball said. The system is active at sunrise and sunset.

Each SWAT tank is refilled by the company whenever it needs it.

Customers dont have to call us to have us fill up their tank, LeBlanc said. Its a mathemat-ical thing. We know when to go to you.

town-crier newspaper march 4, 2016

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