This has been a memorable political year for Tracey and Michael Caruso of Delray Beach, but not in a way they likely will remember fondly.
In March, Tracey Caruso lost her challenge to Mayor Shelley Petrolia despite heavily outspending the incumbent. Though Caruso was a first-time candidate, she had considerable fundraising help from her husband, who represents Delray Beach in the Legislature.
And now Caruso will be giving up that seat, which he has held since 2018. It isn’t by choice.
Caruso’s District 89 includes Boca Raton, much of Delray Beach and coastal areas north to Palm Beach. Republicans drew it to elect a Republican. Caruso is just the latest GOP legislator to hold the seat.
The new statewide House map, however, creates one district for Boca Raton—91— and another for Delray Beach and Boynton Beach—90. Because neither district includes that affluent, heavily Republican slice of the coast, each sets up better for a Democrat.
So last Sunday in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Caruso formally announced what insiders had known for weeks: he’s running for the new District 87. Though it starts in Lantana, it will include most of northern Palm Beach County west to the Florida Turnpike. The north end is the most heavily Republican portion of the county.
To do so, however, Caruso must establish residency in the district. The Carusos have lived for seven years in an oceanfront home valued at roughly $1.7 million. An accountant, Mike Caruso had long record of civic involvement in Delray Beach before running for office. Caruso’s filing documents for District 87 list his Delray Beach address.
County Commissioner Maria Sachs faced this issue as a state senator. Redistricting forced her out of the seat in which she lived—she owns a home in West Boca—and Sachs listed her address as a condo in Fort Lauderdale, within the new district boundaries. After news reports that she rarely was there, Sachs changed her address to an apartment in Delray Beach.
Since Republicans dominate the Legislature, it’s unusual to see new maps affect a GOP legislator this way. It could be that House leaders wanted districts to be more compact. For Boca Raton and Delray Beach, they are.
It’s worth noting, though, that Caruso angered some Republicans when he endorsed a Democrat, Katherine Waldron, for another House seat in Palm Beach County. Last month, the executive committee of the county’s Republican Party censured Caruso for that endorsement.
He explained to the committee that he meant the endorsement only for the Democratic primary. He made the endorsement, Caruso said, because of work he and Waldron—who serves on the Port of Palm Beach Commission—did to get hurricane relief supplies to The Bahamas.
Both new seats could go to Democrats. District 91, which also includes Boca West, Century Village and Highland Beach, performed five points better for Joe Biden than for Donald Trump.
Andy Thomson, a Democrat who serves on the Boca Raton City Council, has filed for the seat. So have two Republicans: Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a Highland Beach commissioner, and Christina DuCasse. Her filing information lists a Delray Beach address.
Delray Beach and Boynton Beach are more traditionally Democratic areas. Democrat Joe Casello, a former Boynton Beach commissioner, already represents a House district that includes part of the city. He has filed for District 90 along with another Democrat and one Republican. Qualifying for all legislative races begins on June 13 and ends on June 17.
Menin and Clique “transition”
Delray Beach-based Menin Development has “transitioned” to a new relationship with Clique Hospitality, said Menin President and former City Commissioner Jordana Jarjura.
Previously, Clique had been operating Menin’s restaurants in the city. Jarjura told me Wednesday that Clique now is in a “consulting” role, with Menin operating the venues.
“I have great respect for (Clique founder) Andy Masi,” Jarjura said, “but he lives in California and Las Vegas.” Menin’s hospitality division is growing so quickly, Jarjura said, that it made more sense to have it overseen “by us, since we’re here every day. It’s too hard to manage day-to-day from far away.”
The first Menin-Clique restaurant was Lionfish, which opened in September 2020. The most high-profile venue is Delray Beach Market. This week, Menin had a soft opening for Michelin-starred chef Akira Back’s eponymous restaurant at The Ray Hotel.
“I must be crazy,” Jarjura said, “to open all these restaurants in the middle of a pandemic.” Menin has faced the same problems as all companies, especially those in the hospitality industry—supply chains and staffing. Jarjura said she has been waiting on a furniture shipment from Mexico for two weeks.
Now, though, Jarjura said Menin is “fully staffed” at The Ray and all restaurants. Delray Beach Market’s mom-and-pop vendors, she said, face the biggest challenges.
“They’re the cashier and the chef,” Jarjura said. Menin can afford to offer higher salaries and more flexible work schedules. Small operators can’t.
“We’re all waiting,” Jarjura said, “for when COVID isn’t an excuse for everything. Maybe next year.”
O’Rourke reimbursement
The Boca Raton City Council was prepared Tuesday night to approve $1,625 to reimburse Andrea O’Rourke for legal fees she incurred for representation in response to a complaint last year with the Florida Elections Commission.
Such reimbursements are normal when a complaint is dismissed, as this one was. But O’Rourke asked that the item be pulled.
A city resident filed the complaint after O’Rourke endorsed Yvette Drucker and Monica Mayotte in last year’s council races. The complaint alleged that O’Rourke had improperly used her city email address.
O’Rourke asked for the delay so that the city’s legal department can check with local and state ethics panels what elected officials say on public sites.
Short and sweet
That Tuesday meeting lasted barely 20 minutes. Combined, the council’s three meetings on Monday and Tuesday lasted roughly an hour. City Manager Leif Ahnell previously had said that agendas heading into April would be more crow
Thanks to Mrs. Wold
I wrote this week about Wednesday’s groundbreaking for the tower at Boca Raton Regional Hospital named for Gloria Drummond. The deaths of her children led Ms. Drummond to found the hospital.
The item prompted an email from Jerry Fedele, who was the hospital’s CEO until 2019. “While Gloria deserves so much credit for turning an unbearable personal tragedy into something that has positively impacted the lives of millions of people,” Fedele said, “there are other selfless community supporters of the hospital who have made Gloria’s dream thrive.”
Fedele cited longtime philanthropist Elaine Wold. She donated $5 million to renovate Boca Regional’s emergency department. “What the casual observer may not know about Mrs. Wold,” he added, is that she later donated $10 million toward the Gloria Drummond Rehabilitation Institute and $25 million toward the patient tower.
“While Gloria Drummond will forever be remembered for changing the landscape of Boca Raton,” Fedele said, “Elaine Wold should be honored for her selfless donations in honor of her friend Gloria Drummond.” Good point.
