Boca Raton City Councilmember Fran Nachlas is betting $100,000 that she can win her race for mayor next March.
That’s how much Nachlas has loaned her campaign, according to fundraising reports for the three months ending June 30. Candidates can loan themselves unlimited amounts of money, so that personal contribution may increase.
If you subtract the loan, Nachlas and her opponent—Councilmember Andy Thomson—are on nearly equal terms. Nachlas received roughly $45,000 in contributions, compared to about $51,000 for Thomson. He has not made any loans.
For both candidates, most of their contributions come from city residents or entities that operate within the city. Each has received donations from members of the development industry, some of whom are hedging their bets by giving to both candidates.
Examples include Martin Heise, the principal of City Construction & Development. Another is Noam Ziv, who is developing Glass House, the luxury downtown condo. Each gave Nachlas and Thomson $1,000. So did philanthropist Christine Lynn. Thomson got $2,000 from the Dunay Miskel Backman law firm, which has become the go-to land-use team. Malcom Butters, whose company is building the racket facility at North Park, also gave each candidate $1,000.
One notable exception to this local trend is the $5,000 that Thomson received from GL Homes, which is based in Broward County. The money came in $500 increments through the company’s general counsel in the name of GL entities.
According to its website, GL Homes has no projects within Boca Raton. The company, however, is developing two communities just west of the city called Lotus Edge and Lotus Palm, with homes selling for between $1.5 million and $3 million. Though the land is within the county, GL is advertising the address as “Boca Raton.” The company bought the city’s former golf course—off Glades Road near the Florida Turnpike—in 2018 for $66 million. That land is outside the city.
I left voicemails seeking comment from Thomson and Steven Helfman, the general counsel. Neither was returned by deadline for this post.
Among Thomson’s other contributors are Larry Cellon ($100), who serves on the Planning and Zoning Board, and former Councilmember Constance Scott ($100.) He got $1,000 from developer Jeff Hollander, who serves on the Boca Raton Police Foundation. Architect Derek Vander Ploeg, who has designed many downtown projects, donated $500.
Nachlas’ contributors also include Eda Viner ($1,000), the founder of the eponymous scholarship program that helps students attend state universities. Philanthropist Richard Schmidt, whose family foundation is Florida Atlantic University’s largest donor, also gave $1,000. Former Councilmember Al Travasos and his wife each gave $250.
The next reports are due in early October. At this point, the mayor’s race is the only contested one on the March 17 ballot.
Here’s who’s running for Rob Long’s Delray city commission seat
Delray Beach also has just one contested city commission race next March. Judy Mollica and Dolores Rangel are seeking the seat held by Rob Long, who is running for the state House.
Mollica listed nearly $20,000 in contributions for the second quarter of the year. She got $1,000 each from two board members of Old School Square Center for the Arts and another $1,000 from one member’s husband. In 2021, the commission ended the group’s lease of the cultural center it founded.
Mollica also got $500 from former Commissioner Bill Bathurst and $100 from Nicholas Coppola. The longtime city activist finished second in a three-way race last year that returned Juli Casale to the commission.
Rangel, who entered the race later, did not file a report.
Boca Raton closer to hiring new city manager
After tonight’s city council meeting, Boca Raton should be one step closer to hiring a new CEO.
Council members are expected to decide which candidates they will interview on Aug. 12 to succeed City Manager George Brown. He is scheduled to retire on Jan. 4.
A search firm recommended seven semi-finalists for the council’s consideration. Among them are Deputy City Managers Jorge Camejo and James Zervis. Mayor Scott Singer has added four applicants whom he also wants the council to consider, and Councilman Marc Wigder has added another.
Council members likely will choose four or five finalists. I’ll have more on Thursday.
Boca downtown campus’ $12 million softball complex
Add $12 million to the public cost of Boca Raton’s downtown redevelopment.
That’s the expected price of a softball complex at Sugar Sand Park to replace the fields near City Hall that redevelopment of the area will displace. An agreement with the Greater Beach and Park District, which operates Sugar Sand, is on the council’s agenda tonight.
Though it’s a big number, the money will give softball players a much-upgraded venue. According to Brown’s memo, the project will include, in addition to the four fields, “dugouts, batting cages, bleachers, shade structures, concessions, restrooms, internal roads and walkways and new parking.” Brown notes that the complex, in Sugar Sand’s northwest corner, will not disturb conservation areas.
The district will have to approve the site plan. Though the city is financing the project, the district will own and operate it.
Additional downtown campus cost for satellite office
Still speaking of the cost of downtown redevelopment, also on the council’s agenda is the purchase of an office building for Boca Raton employees who won’t work in the new city hall.
Brown recommends approval of a deal to buy Meridian Office Center South, at 6551 Park of Commerce Blvd. It’s near the intersection of Clint Moore Road and Interstate 95. The cost would be $17.45 million.
According to Brown’s memo, the city chose this site from 15 that staff evaluated. After examining potential leases, Brown said, buying a building seemed more cost-efficient. To keep down the cost of the new downtown city hall, for which the city is paying, council members limited the building to about 30,000 square feet. Thus, the need for space elsewhere.
Brown said the Meridian building would require fewer improvements to accommodate employees and the public than other properties and is “comparably priced.” Longer-term, Brown said, the property “is valuable from a redevelopment perspective” because it’s near the Tri-Rail station and the El Rio Trail and “could be used to encourage mixed-use development.”
Boca homeowners will see a property tax hike next year
Most Boca Raton homeowners will pay more in property taxes next year.
That’s because the council at tonight’s meeting will set the preliminary tax rate for next year. According to the staff memo, the combined rate—for operating expenses and capital projects—will be essentially the same as for the current budget year. Because values have increased, overall bills will rise. Those with homestead exemptions, though, will have those increases capped at the rate of inflation.
In addition, the fire fee will remain at $155 for single-family homes. The money allows Boca Raton to direct money toward fire-rescue services without raising the tax rate. As with the idea that the new budget will have “no new taxes,” it’s a bit of an annual song and dance.
Boca city council to consider approval of new apartment project
Also on tonight’s agenda is approval of a 20-unit apartment project called Briskel Pointe in Boca Raton’s north end.
The site is a vacant, reverse L-shaped 2.17-acre property at 6800 N. Federal Highway. The application includes changes on three properties, to make the project compatible with neighboring homeowners and Arturo’s Ristorante. The site was sold in 2022 for $2.2 million.
Briskel Pointe would have eight, two-story buildings and one four-story building. The staff recommends approval.
Brightline trouble on the horizon?
Speaking of downtown redevelopment, Boca Raton has based the Terra/Frisbie project in large part on the presence of the Brightline station and the assumption that the service will be around for the city in perpetuity.
Last week, however, Bloomberg and the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that Brightline will miss a payment on bonds issued through the state. The missed payment reportedly will not amount to a default.
News reports indicate that Brightline’s Orlando service is gaining ridership, but it’s falling for the regional, South Florida service. No councilmember has raised the issue of Brightline’s future during discussion of downtown redevelopment. Is it time for one to do so?
A trend among FAU officials
Florida Atlantic University is getting quite a mass-incarceration industry component among its top officials.
New President Adam Hasner previously worked for GEO Group, the country’s second-largest operator of private prisons and detention centers. GEO Group Executive Vice President Pablo Paez serves on the board of trustees.
Then last week, the Seeking Rents website reported that a company called CDR Maguire got an $18 million contract to build the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center in the Everglades. CDR’s executive vice president is Tina Vidal-Duart. Gov. Ron DeSantis put her on the FAU board in January. The company has been a major Republican donor.
