Updated: 10:35 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015 | Posted: 9:32 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015
By Alexandra Seltzer - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
BOYNTON BEACH —
As of Tuesday night, there are six Boynton Beach residents who will serve on a new advisory board to the five commissioners when they sit as the Community Redevelopment Agency board.
The agency works to redevelop blighted areas in the city, including on Federal Highway and in the Heart of Boynton Beach.
Advisory board members will make recommendations on programs, activities and funding issues affecting the CRA plan, according to city documents.
Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick couldn’t attend Tuesday’s meeting. He will appoint the seventh and final member at a future meeting.
Vice Mayor Joe Casello, who recommended the creation of the committee, said this could lead to a CRA board of all residents.
“The CRA advisory board can be anything it wants to be. As powerful as it wants to be,” he said.
The appointed members are:
• Linda Cross: Boynton resident; a retired CPA.
• James DeVoursney: Boynton resident; physician.
• Brian Edwards: Boynton resident; works in marketing and development.
• Thomas Murphy Jr.: Boynton resident; firefighter.
• Robert Pollock: Boynton resident; works at the U.S. Postal Service and is a retired Army veteran.
• Christina Romelus: A Boynton resident; adjunct professor, business owner.
Romelus is also running for District 3 commissioner in the 2016 March election against incumbent Fitzpatrick and James Brake.
Before this, the CRA board was made of the five commissioners and two members of the public, Woodrow Hay and James “Buck” Buchanan. Vice Mayor Joe Casello recommended the move to the commission-run board and remove Hay and Buchanan. The move received some push-back. He then presented the idea of the advisory board.
The move came after comments made at the September CRA board meeting. Buchanan and Hay disagreed with Casello during a discussion over the performance of Vivian Brooks, the CRA’s executive director.
Casello said having the commission-run board will be beneficial because the officials are elected and are held to a higher standard. He said having the advisory committee would bring in diverse opinions and get more people involved.
On Tuesday, CommissionerDavid Merker questioned the creation of the advisory board and why Buchanan and Hay, and all members of the public, were removed from the actual board.
“This board is a joke. It shows no respect to the people of Boynton Beach,” he said.
The city received 10 applicants for the advisory board. The others who applied are: WM Todd Jackson; Paula Melley; Genevieve Morris; and Edward Tedtmann, according to city records.
