Editorial: Here are The Palm Beach Post picks for Delray Beach Commission
Delray Beach has a lot on its plate. Longtime growth has transformed this one-time "Village by the Sea" into a popular destination, bringing with it the people, traffic and development that puts pressure on aging infrastructure.
This year's election cycle also has seen a political dogfight with allegations flying in hopes of forcing two challengers in particular out of their respective races — Anneze Barthelemy and Tennille DeCoste. The city has already gone through a tumultuous 3-2 split on the commission, and at times the current campaign seems more of a distraction than a step toward addressing real community concerns.
With a growing government spending, a notably high ad valorem rate and several big-ticket capital improvement projects, budget oversight and financial stewardship should be the real focus as the city moves forward. The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board believes three candidates in this election would best serve that aim, which is why, on March 19, we urge voters in Delray Beach to choose Thomas Carney for mayor, DeCoste for Seat 1 and Juli Casale for Seat 3.
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Elect Thomas Carney for mayor
Mayor Shelly Petrolia cannot seek re-election due to term limits, and three candidates with city commission experience are in the race to succeed her. The Post recommends voters choose Carney for the city's top job.
A former mayor and commissioner, the 69-year-old attorney and principal of a title insurance company is knowledgeable enough on city budgets, public finance and tax exempt bond financing to provide direction in overseeing city spending and monitoring the city's ongoing water treatment plant, police headquarters, fire station and park improvements projects. If elected, he would work to reduce taxes, assess the availability of affordable and workforce housing in the city and push to curb downtown noise and traffic congestion.
Ryan Boylston, 41, the city's vice mayor and owner of a web design studio, and former Commissioner Shirley Johnson, 77 are also in the race. Both have had notable achievements on the commission, but given the need to ensure the city's finances are best tuned to meet the demands of the city, we think Carney is the best choice.
Choose Tenille DeCoste for Seat 1
Commissioner Adam Frankel faces term limits, and three very qualified candidates hope to succeed him. The Post recommends voters choose DeCoste. She promises to be a good fit on the commission, bringing a fresh face, an independent voice and ample municipal government experience that will help her set policy on the dais.
DeCoste, 47, has more than two decades in local government, currently working as human resources director in Boynton Beach and having once held a similar post in Delray Beach. It's that knowledge we believe will be an asset for her in addressing city needs. If elected, she would prioritize addressing affordable housing, local infrastructure needs, downtown traffic and parking issues, while finding ways to lower the city's millage rates.
Former Commissioner Jim Chard, 79, and Thomas Markert, 66, a former corporate executive who runs a public-private partnership that protects critical infrastructure, also are quality candidates. Unlike Chard, Markert is a relative newcomer who should deepen his community involvement before making another run for office.
Elect Juli Casale for Seat 3
Before her first election to the commission, Casale, 55, cut her teeth in civic affairs by opposing an outsized development project in her neighborhood. The Post feels her concerns about overdevelopment, and her priorities in improving the oversight of city finances give her the edge to succeed Boylston, who is running for mayor.
As a commissioner, Casale would follow the city's Land Development Regulations as a way to curb overdevelopment. She'd also hold developers more accountable in providing workforce housing in the city. She supports the proposed Atlantic Avenue Historic District to preserve the city's downtown and she'd prioritize water issues, including ensuring the completion of the city's new water treatment plant.
There are two other candidates in the race. Anneze Barthelemy, 44, a regional and clinical care coordinator making her second run for the commission, and Nicholas Coppola, 58, a journeyman electrician who chairs the nonprofit Compass Community Center. He's making his first bid for public office.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach Post Endorsement for Delray Beach Commission
