Last week, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer finally waved the white flag.
For months, Singer had fixated on the idea of a new flag for Boca Raton’s centennial. The city will mark it on the 25th of this month, but events are taking place throughout the year. Boca Raton has hired an outside firm to market the centennial.
A “flag redesign” page was on the city’s website. On March 31, a “News Flash” said, “We Need YOUR Input” on a redesign. After consulting with the North American Vexillological Association—”the largest association of flag enthusiasts and experts in the world”—Singer offered prototypes, emphasizing colors and designs to highlight the ocean.
According to the Boca Raton Historical Society, Singer is right that the flag misrepresents the city. Along with stripes of blue, white and green, the flag includes the city seal. It features a Spanish galleon and “Boca de Ratones.” That’s Spanish for a craggy inlet (or, as local lore says, “rat’s mouth). It supposedly represents the Boca Raton Inlet. But the original “Boca de Ratones” was not here. It was in what was then Dade County. Despite the inaccuracies, the city council adopted the seal in 1978.
Try as he might, though, Singer had no more success in building support for a new flag than Sheldon Cooper did in getting people to watch his “Fun With Flags” videos during episodes of “The Big Bang Theory.” Residents speaking on other topics at council meetings would gesture toward the proposed redesigns and add that they were lousy.
So, during last week’s council workshop meeting, Singer asked his colleagues for their opinions. He got no takers.
Councilwoman Yvette Drucker said a new flag was “not a priority.” She said some residents saw the March 31 post as “an April Fools’ Day joke.” Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas and Councilman Marc Wigder said residents seem to take pride in the current flag, inaccuracies and all.
Because the city is hawking centennial-related merchandise, Singer suggested that his campaign helped to “sell a lot of swag. I consider this a success.”
Nachlas and Thomson to face off in mayoral race
Two current council members will run against each other in March to become mayor of Boca Raton.
Nachlas filed Tuesday, joining Thomson. As I hinted might happen earlier, Wigder has filed for a second, three-year term in Seat B; Wigder and Nachlas use the same consultant. A poll has been out for several weeks testing support for Thomson against other incumbents.
With Thomson making his mayoral run official, Robert Weinroth has filed to run for Thomson’s Seat D. Weinroth served on the council from 2014 to 2018 before being elected to the county commission. After he lost a reelection bid, Weinroth filed to run for the school board, withdrew and ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year in the Republican primary.
Because Nachlas’ Seat A will come open, I would expect multiple candidates to file for it. Drucker also must leave her seat in 2026 to run for the Florida Senate.
Boca double murder case proceeds
Though an April 21 status check was postponed, the case of the man accused of murdering two people last September in Boca Raton is proceeding.
De’Vante Moss also is accused of attempted first-degree murder in the incident that happened at an oceanfront hotel. Moss, who lives in Boynton Beach, fled and was arrested in Georgia. He has been in the county jail ever since.
According to a department spokeswoman, Boca Raton police investigators have turned over their findings to the state attorney’s office. Depositions are being scheduled. Prosecutors have said they will not seek the death penalty, even though Moss is charged with premeditation in all three shootings.
One reason for the status check being delayed until July 27 likely was a motion Moss filed himself with the Florida Supreme Court. The writ of mandamus—which I am quoting as Moss wrote it—asked the justices for “all government staff on my case … on the behave of collecting all personal files unit assignment referring to Boca Raton Police Department of disciplinary action found sustained or unsustained and will also like to get (BWC) of Boca Police Department and any other government involved in my case.”
Moss filed the request under the state law covering complaints against law enforcement officers. “I am indigent,” Moss wrote, “due to incarceration.” The public defender’s office is representing him.
The court did not rule on the motion. The justices sent it back to the trial judge, who has not held a hearing.
Former Delray commissioner named CEO of Urban Abundance
Former Delray Beach City Commissioner Ryan Boylston has been named CEO of a company that wants to help people grow their own food.
Urban Abundance provides design, installation and maintenance for produce gardens, whether residential, commercial or community. Boylston started 2TON, a Delray Beach-based marketing company. He served on the commission from 2018 until 2024, when he lost for mayor to Tom Carney.
After that, Boylston told me, he started shopping his company. He still consults for the new owner, but he had been looking for something new and happened to be speaking with Jayson Koss, who founded Delivery Dudes. As it turned out, Koss had been considering an investment in Urban Abundance. Koss and Boylston then bought the company, after Koss insisted that Boylston run it.
Boylston has been an avid plant gardener. Food required some learning. But he’s excited about spreading the word that food doesn’t come from a store.
For the last three years, Boylston said, he’s gone to Career Day at his children’s school. He went first as a city commissioner, then as a graphic designer. This year, he went as a farmer. “By far, the kids found it the most interesting.”
Boca P&Z Board to consider townhouse project
On the agenda for tonight’s meeting of the Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board is a proposed townhouse project on two adjoining lots near Silver Palm Park.
The developer wants to build seven units on the vacant properties at 450 and 468 E. Royal Palm Road. Though single-family homes are on either side, the staff report calls the project “contextually sensitive” to the residences. In recommending approval to the city council, the staff also notes the proposed 30-foot setbacks. Another multi-family project is across the street.
Because the developer seeks a land-use change from residential low to residential medium-high, approval by the council would require four votes, not the usual three.
A quiet Boca Bash
Happily, last weekend’s Boca Bash was uneventful.
Last year’s gathering in Lake Boca featured criminal charges against two juveniles for dumping trash from their boat as it went through the Boca Inlet. Because of their age, records about the case remain sealed. May 27 is the next status check in the case of a man accused of strangling his girlfriend at Boca Bash 2022.
