Not in decades has Boca Raton held an election with more potential for change.
This year, the fight over the proposed Terra/Frisbie downtown redevelopment project has shaped the council races. In two of the three, candidates break down between those who favor it and those who don’t. The mayor’s race, which I previewed last week, is the same.
Two incumbent seats came open, which is unusual. Councilmember Andy Thomson left Seat D to run for mayor. Vice Mayor Fran Nachlas left Seat A after one term, also to run for mayor. The four races could bring four new members, some of them with little or no relevant experience. And Councilmember Yvette Drucker’s Seat C will come open early this year because she’s running for county clerk.
The candidates are:
Seat A – Accountant Michelle Grau, lawyer Christen Ritchey and Bernard Korn
Seat B – Meredith Madsen, Save Boca founder Jonathan Pearlman and incumbent Marc Wigder, a real estate lawyer
Seat D – Larry Cellon, Stacy Sipple and former council member Robert Weinroth. The winner will fill out the last year of Thomson’s term and could run for two full three-year terms.
SEAT A
Michelle Grau
She is part of the Save Boca slate that also includes Pearlman and Sipple. When Grau heard about the scope of the Terra/Frisbie project, “I kind of freaked out.”
With her husband, who chairs the city’s Financial Advisory Board, Grau has examined the project and concluded that the financials don’t favor the city. The Graus’ accounting firm specializes in government audits. The terms are so favorable to the developer, she said, that the deal amounts to “a garage sale.”
But unlike Pearlman and other Save Boca members, Grau does not insult city staff. City Manager Mark Sohaney is “amazing. He wants to help the town,” she says.
As Pearlman has alienated former allies by pushing for a new petition that would undermine the vote on Terra/Frisbie that he wanted, Grau has distanced herself from Save Boca. “I have their endorsement, but I’m running my own campaign.”
Grau wants to re-establish regular meetings between the council and the Beach and Park District. “I want to get some stuff moving.” If Terra/Frisbie fails, the city should “do it on our own,” even if that means raising property taxes for a bond.
Christen Ritchey
Her Boca Raton-based legal practice specializes in family law. Ritchey served on the Planning and Zoning Board until last year, when she resigned to run for the council. That background gives Ritchey what she calls “a unique perspective.” Her training as a mediator, Ritchey added, would help as the council debate contentious issues and handled quasi-judicial hearings on development.
Though Ritchey will vote for the Terra/Frisbie project, she said, “I’m not hyper-focused on one issue.” She supports the public vote on the project, and Ritchey is glad that it has been “downsized” from the original version.
Ritchey likes the city’s leadership team. Sohaney is “a great addition.” Ritchey served with City Attorney Josh Koehler on the planning and zoning board and calls him “very smart.”
She rejects the idea that the city has fast-tracked bad development. “We have a lot of great projects,” Ritchey said. She does think the city needs to make them work better together through “connectivity” and use artificial intelligence to synchronize traffic lights and avoid backups.
Bernard Korn
He has run four times previously, never getting more than 11% until pulling 23% in a race against Drucker.
I had questions about Korn’s residency, since the property appraiser’s office shows him with a homestead—primary residence—outside the city. Korn said he gave up the exemption before he first ran in 2018. The appraiser’s office confirms that but added that Korn still could benefit from the exemption.
I asked the owner of the property where Korn is claiming residence why Korn is using it. The owner said, “I don’t know.” Korn has a real estate broker’s and real estate training license. Both list the property outside the city as the address.
Korn regularly gives meandering, off-point responses to questions. He filed to run last April, but outside of a $5,000 loan has raised just $400.
Note: Grau and Ritchey both will vote for the bond program for a new police station.
Analysis
Grau and Ritchey have remarkably similar backgrounds. Each has been in the city for about 40 years. Each graduated from what is now St. John Paul High School. Each runs a business. Their businesses are in the same building.
“We talk,” Grau said. “We have some of the same friends.” Absent the race, “We’d probably be best friends.”
The divide, of course, comes over the Terra/Frisbie project. Ritchey also has endorsements from the fire and police unions and the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, which supports the Terra/Frisbie project.
Ironically, given the hostility of some Save Boca supporters to council members who back the project and live in gated communities far from downtown, Grau lives in a gated community far from downtown. Ritchey is an east-side resident, in the Harbour East neighborhood.
SEAT B
Meredith Madsen
She founded Sunshine & Glitter, which sells biodegradable skin care products. Madsen came to Florida in 2005 and moved to Boca Raton seven years ago.
Madsen calls herself the “moderate” in this race. She opposes the Terra/Frisbie project, but she has broken with Save Boca over Pearlman’s latest petition push. “I was on that team,” she said. Many early supporters, however, “have been excommunicated” in recent weeks. Pearlman’s actions “are why I’m still running.”
But Councilmember Mark Wigder, Madsen said, “never goes against the developers.” She believes that the council has been “trying to shove West Palm Beach down Boca’s throat.”
Still, Madsen understands that developers are playing by the rules Boca Raton has written. The next council will oversee a rewrite of the rules for downtown development. “That’s the real conversation.”
Madsen also would not come in looking to make massive staff changes. “The people at City Hall are great,” she said. “They’re offering steady leadership.”
Jonathan Pearlman
Who, really, is this man who emerged last summer to lead the campaign against the Terra/Frisbie project?
Pearlman attended the K-12 Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City. He graduated from Harvard in 2012 after playing No. 1 singles on the tennis team. According to the Save Boca website, Pearlman moved to the city after a “brief” semi-professional tennis career.
Records show that in 2017 Pearlman and his wife started Mission Lean, which provides online workout videos. Though the website says Pearlman and his wife “have established their roots here in Boca,” no other evidence of that shows up until he moved into his house in late 2024.
Pearlman has a real estate license. It lists his Boca Raton address and that of a mansion in Palm Beach near Mar-a-Lago that appears to be owned by his grandmother. Pearlman reportedly “now works in investment management.”
For months, I have tried to ask Pearlman about his background, especially the source of the money that allowed him to build a nearly $7 million house with a tennis court. Mission Lean charges $20 a month and $120 a year. The house is listed in the name of his trust.
In addition, Pearlman has largely self-financed Save Boca with $140,000 through Feb. 13. Records show $17,000 worth of in-kind contributions from Pearlman to the committees that organized petition drives for an ordinance and charter change that a judge tossed off the ballot.
With one brief exception, though, Pearlman has refused to answer questions.
Mark Wigder
He moved to Boca Raton 17 years ago and started Greenhouse, which rents office space to small startup firms. Wigder ran unopposed in 2023. He cites his “breadth of experience,” public and private, in seeking another term.
Wigder has been a vocal supporter of the Terra/Frisbie project. His main argument has been financial. Wigder points out that the Legislature is all but certain to restrict property taxes for homeowners. Boca Raton, he said, needs a way to make up that revenue to keep the level of services high. Mizner Park, Wigder said, still provides $5 million annually.
In response to criticism about overdevelopment, Wigder—one of the most well-prepared council members for meetings—says the rate of new projects during his term “actually is trending under” the rate of population growth.
“I evaluate every project on how it relates to the comprehensive plan,” Wigder said. “I think what we’ve had has been responsible growth.”
Wigder said he and Madsen had “a nice conversation. We’re aligned on many issues.” As for Pearlman, Wigder says he “tore down four houses” to build his own, yet talks about needing to protect “the character” of Boca Raton.
Note: Wigder will vote for the police station bonds. Madsen said she will not. Pearlman, as noted, did not respond, but he has criticized what he called a “monstrous” station.
Analysis
Madsen had raised just $600 through the end of 2025. Money isn’t everything, but it seems clear that this is a race between Pearlman and Wigder, with Madsen maybe pulling some votes from discontented Save Boca supporters who won’t support Wigder because of development.
Pearlman’s singular focus on the Terra/Frisbie project has led him to call Mizner Park “a bad deal”—can anyone imagine the city without it?—and to criticize the land donation that led to Blue Lake Elementary School. Outside of leading Save Boca, he seems to have done no preparation for the many issues that can come before the council.
Wigder said the differences between him and Pearlman “couldn’t be more stark.”
SEAT D
Larry Cellon
The retired general contractor spent a decade on the Planning and Zoning Board before resigning to run for the council. Previously, he served on the Community Appearance Board for 27 years.
Cellon sees many things going right in Boca Raton. “The city does everything so well,” he said, “down to the guys picking up your trash. The problem comes with development.”
Because of his background, Cellon said, “I would be in a unique position to guide” the city toward “smart development,” a term that almost every candidate uses.
Unlike other candidates, though, Cellon has some ideas. Boca Raton, he said, should levy a fee on development projects to pay for public art, as Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach do. He would expand the downtown Boca Connect shuttle program. He points out that the shuttle program from the Tri-Rail station to employers in the Park at Broken Sound is a proven alternative to commuting.
Cellon would like the city to provide free Wi-Fi at Mizner Park. “Let’s give people a reason to stay there.” He also would bring back the sea turtle rehab program at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, even if it meant the city paying for it.
Cellon is voting against the Terra/Frisbie project. “It started as a great idea, then got turned around.”
Stacy Sipple
Her grandparents, Sipple said, came to Boca Raton in the late 1940s. She spent her professional career as a pharmacist, though she hasn’t worked professionally since leaving town to care for her ailing father.
When she came back after a year and half, “I had no idea” what had happened with downtown development. “It looked like everything had been leveled. It did not look the same.” The council has approved “excessive variances” and is “representing developers and their interests.”
As other Save Boca members moved away when Pearlman pushed the second petition, Sipple lent her name to it. Though the proposed ordinance could nullify the referendum on the Terra/Frisbie project, Sipple said that it’s necessary because of “mistrust” of the council.
Sipple said she is “not familiar” with the city’s management team and thus could not comment. She said the police department is “understaffed,” but there are only 15 vacancies among the 220 sworn positions.
Boca Raton, Sipple said, should provide more notice on development projects. Now, alerts go to those within 500 feet. When the council updates downtown development rules, she wants a three-story height limit. “I know that sounds crazy.”
Robert Weinroth
He served on the council from 2014 to 2018, then ran successfully for the county commission. He failed to win a second term in 2022, after which he filed for the school board, withdrew and ran unsuccessfully in a Republican congressional primary two years ago.
Though he has been away from the city for eight years, Weinroth said, “I have not unplugged. I am not out of touch. I have followed the goings-on” by speaking with current council members and others.
He’s “very excited” about Sohaney’s arrival. Deputy City Manager Jorge Camejo will be “essential” as the council writes new rules for downtown development. Camejo was downtown director during his previous stint with the city.
Weinroth wishes the original plan for a restaurant on the Wildflower property had held up. “It was a great opportunity to activate” the site. It became Wildflower Park, which few people had been using except the homeless.
“Density must be part of the equation,” Weinroth said, if Boca Raton is going to address the housing affordability problem. “There are opportunities” for that in the northwest and in University Village, planned for the vacant 80 acres on Spanish River Boulevard.
Note: Sipple said she will vote against the police station bonds. Weinroth will vote yes. Cellon did not respond by deadline for this post.
Analysis
Cellon is well-prepared and full of ideas, but he has neither the Save Boca endorsement or Weinroth’s money ($83,000) and endorsements, from the first-responder unions and the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. Cellon has raised $15,000.
When Weinroth and I first spoke, he pronounced himself “torn” on the Terra/Frisbie project. I asked Monday for an update on his position and did not hear back by deadline. I will update with his and Cellon’s responses when I get them.
Update on election finances
Speaking of the Boca Raton election, mayoral candidate Mike Liebelson now has spent almost $200,000 on his campaign for mayor.
The new numbers are in campaign finance reports for the period from Jan. 1 to Feb. 6. Liebelson added $140,000 to the $50,000 he had loaned himself during the last three months of 2025. He has just $10,000 from other sources.
Liebelson has stated often that he won’t take money from developers. He is aiming squarely at fellow Republicans, advertising on Fox News and sounding like Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia when he claims that Boca Raton’s property taxes are too high. In 2026, Liebelson has spent as much as he has raised.
Vice Mayor Fran Nachlas, one of Liebelson’s opponents, has raised $14,000 in direct contributions this year. That brings her total to $223,000. Nachlas got $4,000 in this cycle from Accesso Partners, which recently bought an office building in the Park at Broken Sound.
Councilmember Andy Thomson’s latest report is not posted.
