Even by Delray Beach standards, it was a weird moment.
In late July, Mayor Tom Carney stopped at the scene of a traffic incident. Police and firefighters had responded. After a police officer tries to direct him away from the scene, Carney tells the officer, “I’m the mayor of Delray Beach.”
According to the body camera video I obtained, the officer then becomes deferential. Carney says, “I’m wondering why we have seven firefighters.” The officer attempts to explain, but Carney cuts him off, saying, “Excuse me,” and again complains about what he claims is an excessive firefighter presence.
“I’m not too sure how they work,” the officer says, referring to the fire department.
Carney says of the commission, “We’re in a big budget fight.” Trying to sound diplomatic, the officer responds, “Oh, I’ve heard.” During that “fight” over setting the city’s property tax rate, Carney criticized the previous commission’s approval last year of what he considers an overly generous contract with the firefighters’ union.
Carney makes his grievance specific. “I have no issue with the cops. [Police Chief Russ] Mager and I are buddies.” The officer says, “I’m not allowed to say anything.” Certain departments, Carney says, are “overreaching.” It “costs all of us money, including you guys.”
The mayor goes on to tell the officer that he “should have been a fireman.” Because of the contract, “You’d already be retired going to another department. I’m just a lawyer and a banker, and I wish I was a fireman.”
Carney then mumbles once more, “I should have been a fireman.” The tape ends with Carney rambling about the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman” after the officer says that he wanted to be a fighter pilot.
I hoped that Carney would explain his side of this strange incident and his involvement, which is unlike anything I’ve heard about previous Delray Beach mayors. By deadline for this post, he had not returned a phone message and an email.
Lingering issues between city and firefighter union
Even before Carney’s encounter, that firefighter contract had become a big political issue. It continues to be one.
The union—Local 1842 of the International Association of Firefighters—endorsed all four commissioners who approved that contract in November of last year. The union did not endorse then-Mayor Shelly Petrolia, who abstained.
Though the staff memo said the new agreement would be “materially unchanged” from the previous three-year contract, there was one major change. Firefighters went from 24 hours on and 48 hours off to 24 hours on and 72 hours off.
According to the memo, the change was necessary to keep Delray Beach competitive with neighboring departments. Boca Raton and Boynton Beach have similar shifts. Those cities also have special fees to help finance fire-rescue services.
Delray Beach will have to pay for any added costs from the extra staffing through property tax revenue. City Manager Terrence Moore and new Fire Chief Ronald Martin are seeking ways to minimize the impact of the contract.
In this year’s election, the union-backed slate lost. The new majority—Carney and commissioners Juli Casale and Thomas Markert—thus have no ties to the union. Holdovers Angela Burns and Rob Long have defended the contract, with Long at one meeting criticizing what he characterized as the majority’s near-obsession with the contract.
Union President Craig Mahoney entered the debate with a recent email to the commission. In it, Mahoney claimed that the department is losing firefighters despite the shorter shifts and higher pay in the new contract.
The reason, Mahoney said, is the “contentious rhetoric within the commission and about the fire department.” It has created “a toxic environment that affects not only those employed but also potential new hires.”
Mahoney added, “The perception that the fire department is caught in the crosshairs of political discord has deterred qualified candidates from staying, even after accepting offers.” Three of 12 scheduled to start Oct. 1, Mahoney said, withdrew. Though members of the majority have asked, the city can’t change the current contract.
Martin, Mahoney said, “has the potential to help mend these fractures and foster an environment that supports the growth and success of our department. However, his efforts will only go so far without the cooperation and support of the commission. It is essential that we all work together to create a more unified and constructive atmosphere that benefits not only the fire department but the entire community.”
Still no agreement between city and Delray police union
Speaking of labor contracts, Delray Beach still hasn’t reached agreement with the police union and the union that represents non-public safety employees. Those deals expired on Sept. 30, the end of the budget year.
Moore told me, however, that negotiations are not at an impasse. If either or both sides took that step, the issue would go to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which would choose a list of special magistrates to oversee the talks.
Delray to start cracking down on quality-of-life violations
Delray Beach has begun a crackdown on quality-of-life issues, such as dogs on the public beach.
On Oct. 1, officials started issuing warnings for that and other violations, such as littering and excessive noise. The latter is a continuing good/bad problem from the success of East Atlantic Avenue redevelopment. On Nov. 1, the warnings will end. Violators then will get civil citations.
Cities issue them instead of making arrests. The maximum fine will be $500. Moore said the program is a response to complaints that date to his first year on the job—2021. After a certain period, Moore said, the city will “review the effectiveness” of the program. Though police officers can issue citations, Moore said they also can come from code enforcement officers and other employees.
Delray commissioners to discuss in-lieu parking for new developments
The Delray Beach City Commission will hold a workshop meeting today at 3:30 p.m. to discuss changes to the program that allows developers to pay the city a fee rather than provide parking spaces at their projects.
Known as in-lieu parking, it dates to a time when Delray Beach was desperate for private investment downtown. The program considered the difficulty of providing parking in urban areas with limited space.
These days, of course, some complain that there’s too much development on and around East Atlantic Avenue. In addition, the fees don’t match the current cost of parking garages.
City staff have proposed adjusting the program to lure development where it is most needed—West Atlantic Avenue, where fees actually would drop. The goal, according to the staff memo, is to “limit this alternative method of meeting off-street parking requirements to projects that maintain the moderate scale of the downtown, provide for adaptive reuse, support historic preservation efforts, or help revitalize the West Atlantic Neighborhood by implementing the West Atlantic Master Plan.”
Four review boards unanimously recommended approval. The chamber of commerce also sent comments. Executive Director Stephanie Immelman said the group’s main concern is how the rewrite would affect “small businesses.” I’ll have more after the meeting.
Fact-checking Boca tax claims
It’s time for my annual fact-checking of Boca Raton’s claims about taxes.
On Monday, Mayor Scott Singer emailed residents that this budget year will be the 12th straight without an increase in the property tax rate. He also claimed that the rate “has decreased again,” but that’s not accurate. Property owners again will pay $3.68 per $1,000 of assessed value.
They also will pay more overall. Boca Raton can keep the rate low—and expand programs—because property values keep rising. Even if the rate stays the same, bills go up.
Then there’s the bar graph on a mailer to residents favorably comparing Boca Raton’s tax rate to rates in other South Florida cities. According to the graph, Boca Raton’s rate is lower even than Fort Lauderdale’s $4.37.
But the graph doesn’t explain that Boca Raton residents also pay a rate of $1.08 per $1,000 of assessed value to the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District. The city and the district combine to offer recreation facilities and programs.
Overall, it’s a low rate—one that Carney would want Delray Beach to have. But it’s not quite what Singer claims.
