Palm Beach Civic Association Newsletter

This Week In Palm Beach

November 6, 2019 Edition - The News Palm Beachers Need to Know

Three Weeks To Go

and the Atlantic Is Quiet

The week begins with this encouraging graphic from the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane season ends December first. Though the east coast saw no major damage, 2019 is being described as a ‘hyperactive’ season, with 30 named storms, 24 hurricanes and 16 major hurricanes, worldwide.

It has been nine weeks since Hurricane Dorian churned across the Northern Bahamas, less than 80 miles from Palm Beach. Winds topping 185 miles per hour, three feet of rain and a storm surge of 25 feet, killed at least 65 people, likely many more, and leveled or damaged 13,000 homes inflicting 7 billion dollars worth of damage.

Sargassum is Gone

But not for Good

For those of us who spent the summer in Palm Beach, it was the season of Sargassum.

Millions of tons of the smelly, sometimes hazardous seaweed soiled our beaches for weeks. Then, the wind and waves came up, and it was gone.

The prolific weed’s explosive growth, say experts, was spawned by the confluence of the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers, creating a soup of nutrients from agricultural runoff in increasingly warmer water. These nutrients fed the normally manageable quantity of sargassum, causing it to multiply into unnatural, overwhelming loads of the seaweed we saw this summer.

Currents drove the Sargassum onto hundreds of miles of shoreline in the Bahamas, the Caribbean and the Southeast. For those committed to the safety and health of sea life and humans this summer’s explosive bloom raises concerns.

(Click here to see full video)

Our Gardens

Treasured Tree Removed,

Homeowner May Take a Hit

A Local resident faces big fines for taking down an historic specimen tree without town permission. Its called a Lancepod Tree, a legally protected tree, and the only one of its kind on the island. Now, with the tree down, the clock is ticking before the fines kick in.

The home owner, resident Sunny Sessa, has until January 15, 2020, to replace the Lancepod tree with two trees of the same species, or face a 5,000 dollar fine.

The Garden Club of Palm Beach oversees the specimen tree program. The Towns facilities manager says it is up to homeowners to know what is growing on their property.

(click here to view full video)

Crampton Throws Hat in the Ring

He'll Run for a Second Term

Lew Crampton is the first of the incumbent members of council to announce his intentions.

He cites his backing of the Town's massive under-grounding project, and the aggressive rebuild of the Town Marina, as indicative of his forward thinking approach to governing.

The next step is the December 3 Town Caucus, where he must be nominated.

The two-year terms of Councilwomen Maggie Zeidman and Bobbie Lindsay are also up in March.The Town of Palm Beach election is March 17 ^th .

Councilwoman Maggie Zeidman

Signals a Run For a Third Term

Now, Councilwoman Maggie Zeidman indicates she'll run for a third round on the Palm Beach Town Council. She announced her intent Tuesday November 7, to seek re-election for a third term as the Group-2 representative on the Council.

Zeidman has served on the Town Council since 2016, and is currently the Chair of the Public Safety Committee. It was Zeidman who launched an investigation into the Town's competitiveness regarding salaries and benefits for first responders, resulting in significant boosts in salary and benefit packages for police and fire fighters.

Maggie Zeidman is a retired medical professional and a valued member of the Palm Beach Civic Association's Healthcare Committee.

Late Breaking News -

Bobbie Lindsay is in Too

Councilwoman Bobbie Lindsay makes it three for three.

She is the third and final of the three Town Council members whose terms expire in March, to announce her bid for re-election. Lindsay has just filed all necessary papers, and the Town has notarized them, so it's official.

This will be her third two-year term, for Councilwoman Lindsay, who serves on the Town's Landmark Preservation Commission and is an active and valued member of the Palm Beach Civic Association's Environmental Committee.

Strategic Planning

Kicks off its 2019-2020 Season

It was 'opening day' for our Strategic Planning Forum. This morning, Wednesday, 11/8/2019, Chairman Harvey Poppel welcomed a full house of Committee members to the first meeting of the 2019-2020 Season.

The purpose of this dynamic committee is to look into the future... to "Inform and help Town officials, residents and businesses to develop plans to deal with transformative issues."

To learn more about what's in the pipeline for the Strategic Planning Forum, and some of their early predictions for life on Palm Beach in the future, watch our interview, as we sit down and chat with Chairman, Harvey Poppel.

(Click here to See the Full Video)

Holidays Come Early

and the Town is the Winner

What better way to raise funds than to toss in a taste of the holiday spirit.

The goal of the Garden Club of Palm Beach is to further beautify this beautiful island .

The Holiday Boutique that will be set up at the Society of the Four Arts, will offer a pre-Thanksgiving array of stocking stuffers, or full blown presents for under the tree.

The Details:

Thursday November 14, 2019 and Friday November 15, 2019, 10am-4pm

WHERE: The Society of the Four Arts

The Johnson Auditorium

The Dixon Building

CONTACTS: Co-Chairwomen

Katie Alexander ( k2alexan@gmail.com )

Jennifer Lazzara ( jenniferlazzara@gmail.com )

Offerings include Gorgeous Christmas décor, variety of Christmas ornaments, wrapping paper, Ohana floral scissors, hand blown glass hummingbird feeders, native plants, orchids, porcelain diffusers, agate candles, tulipieres, cain wicker hurricane vases, kitchen items, placemats, cocktail related gifts, flour sack towels, rattan trays, gift tags & place cards, stationery, watercolors of The Four Arts Gardens, clothing, jewelry from all over the world, accessories, assorted dog treats and accessories, handbags and footwear, backgammon boards, toys & puzzles. Something for every stocking!

Young Professionals Meet and Greet

at Adelson Cavalier Gallery on Worth

The date is set for November 15th, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The place is the visually stunning Adelson Cavalier Gallery on Worth Avenue.

Come meet and Mingle with Palm Beach's young professionals, Palm Beach Civic Association members and Directors. Cocktails and light bites will be served. Hope to see you there!

(Click here to see full video)

90% of the Hedges on Palm Beach

are Ficus

If you are thinking of replacing your ficus hedge to avoided the dreaded white fly, we'll give you the

definitive list of

native plant alternatives approved by the

Palm Beach Garden Club

Coming Thursday, Nov. 7

in our newscast

"This Week in Palm Beach"

visit our website: www.palmbeachcivic.org

Save These Dates!

November 15 , 2019

Young Professionals Reception

Adelson Cavalier Gallery

November 19, 2019

Directors Meeting and Dinner

Palm Beach Zoo