Delray Newspaper | November 2017

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Don’t miss local youth in Cinderella (12) Stay zit free (19) Chamber honors these leaders (23) Peek inside The Atlantic (44)

DELRAYNEWSPAPER.COM NOVEMBER | 2017

CRA chair scrutinizes funding $1 million for tennis tournament, board OKs expense By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor Board members of a Delray Beach agency say they are tired of footing the bill for the city’s tennis tournament, but the group agreed to pony up the money anyway. Next year, the board says the funding level for the 2019 Delray Beach Open will be on their terms not the city’s. For a decade, the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency has helped the city fulfill its contractual obligation for the annual ATP tennis tournament by contributing money as a sponsor. The city is also fighting the validity of the 25-year-contract in the court system. This upcoming fiscal year, the agency has signed off on spending $1 million to help the city pay for the 2018 event that is set for Feb. 16-25. Downtown Delray Beach and the Downtown Development Authority invite you to Shop Small on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25. Photo courtesy of the DDA.

Delray Beach selects new city manager By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor Delray Beach has selected its next city manager. In an unanimous decision, commissioners agreed Mark Lauzier was the right candidate for the city’s top job. He edged out Edward Collins who was the city’s other finalist for the job. “I believe they both could do a good job,” Commissioner Jim Chard said. “I believe Mark could do a better job.” Lauzier is currently the assistant city

commissioners. manager for Tacoma, Wash. The Delray job will bring him back to a place he is familiar with, South Florida. He has worked for the cities of Pompano Beach and Parkland. “I want to come home,” he told commissioners. “I have been preparing my entire professional career for this job.” Lauzier started his career as a police officer and has overseen large budgets for different cities. His experience with Florida law was a positive for

Mayor Cary Glickstein said he would be a “terrific fit” for the city. Commissioner Shelly Petrolia ultimately supported the decision to select Lauzier, she said her first choice was Collins. She said she liked that he opened up the city’s budget and dove into it. He has experience with budgets and served as a city manager several times. She noted his even[CONT. PG 2] keeled personality as a

Your stay includes private beach club

But that decision was not made easily. Two board members voted against the amount. Others said they wanted to fund less in previous public discussions, but ultimately the full amount was approved in a 5-2 vote. “At some point we need to draw the line in the sand about this tennis tournament and how much we are going to fund it,” board member Dedrick Straghn. said. “We need to decide when we are going to do it, if we are going to do it and we need to stick by it. Don’t give the money and then complain. No, dont give it, it is that simple.” Board chair Annette Gray called her fellow board members hypocrites for supporting the full amount of $1 million after the board had previously supported funding $850,000. Some said they wanted to see the amount reduced to $550,000. “We had the opportunity to send a clear message to the city commissioner and we kicked it down the road another year,” she said after the board [CONT. PG 2]


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