Voters pan mayor’s proposal to add a year to council terms

By Mary Hladky

In a sharp rebuke to Mayor Scott Singer, voters soundly defeated a measure that would have increased City Council terms of office from three years to four.

With only 9.8% of registered voters casting ballots in the March 14 city election, the final vote against the referendum was 3,943 to 2,712, or 59% to 41%.

Singer proposed the city charter change and actively sought support for it in emails to residents.

His final missive hit inboxes at 7:15 a.m. election day, describing the charter change as “responsible election reform” that did not affect the existing two-term limit on how long council members can serve.

In making his case, Singer said that of the state’s 25 largest cities, Boca Raton is the only one that does not have four-year terms.

Longer terms would give council members more time to bolster their expertise on city matters. And because they would stand for election less frequently, they could focus on city issues rather than campaigning, he said.

The Palm Beach Post, Sun Sentinel and Boca Raton Tribune editorial pages supported the change.

“The voters spoke. We’ve got work to do, and I’m excited to move forward with my new colleagues,” Singer said after the results were in.

Opponents argued that residents had not called for such a change.

They also said it was a waste of city money to spend about $250,000 to hold an election that would draw little interest because no council candidates would be on the ballot. Singer, Fran Nachlas and Marc Wigder, who was to be sworn into office on March 31, won election without opposition.

Singer countered that the change would save money over time, since it would result in fewer elections being held. His idea got off to an uncertain start when the council narrowly voted 3-2 to place it on the ballot.

Deputy Mayor Andrea O’Rourke, whose final council term ended March 31, rejected the rationale that longer terms would make council members more effective. Nachlas said she could not support a change that benefited her with a longer term.

The issue soon was enmeshed in political intrigue when opponents and supporters of the change used political committees to send mailers to residents that obfuscated who was behind those efforts.

Only a few residents spoke out against the charter change at council meetings, but opposition brewed on social media.

BocaFirst, the successor to the BocaWatch blog that frequently criticized city officials, blasted Singer and council members Monica Mayotte and Yvette Drucker, who supported holding a onequestion election, saying that only council members would benefit from the change.

Florida Jolt, owned by conservative former political consultant Jack Furnari, echoed all the criticisms and called the charter change a “slimy and selfish power grab at the taxpayers’ expense.”

A small group of Boca Raton residents, including unsuccessful 2021 council candidates Brian Stenberg and Josie Machovec, also urged residents to oppose the change.

Stenberg said he was “just floored” when three council members agreed to hold an election only to decide a charter change. “Why would you go forward with something like this?”

He sees Singer’s political future as the answer to his question since Singer would benefit from his extra year in office.

“It is easier to run for another office if you can say you are mayor,” he said. “It is so much easier to remain politically relevant when you are in office.”

Stenberg, who said he has no plans at present to seek office again, also sees a scenario playing out where Singer has a great deal of say on who is appointed to replace him if he resigns as mayor to run for another office.

Singer did not respond to a request for comment about Stenberg’s statements. He recently changed his politicking email address from scott@ singerforboca.com to Scott@ ScottSingerUSA.com.

Machovec, who served as campaign manager for Marci Woodward’s successful run for County Commission last year, said she got involved to increase awareness and didn’t think that “this was a good use of taxpayer dollars.”

Machovec, who also said she has no plans at this time to stand for election again, said she did not object to putting the matter before voters but not when it was the only item on the ballot.

The mailer urging residents to vote against the charter change came from the Parents Taking Action political committee. Stenberg acknowledges raising about $6,500 for mailers and using the committee, saying he did so to have an entity that could accept money, pay expenses and handle reporting requirements. Another political committee, All for One, which has a Plantation address, distributed mailers urging voters to support the change.

It is unclear who was behind that effort. Recent contributors are not from Boca Raton and don’t appear to have any connection to the city, but the state’s election database does not contain up-to-date information.

No one answers All for One’s phone, and a recording says no one “is available.” Chairperson Matt Feiler could not be reached for comment.

Singer said he does not know All for One, Feiler, or Aston Bright, the previous chairperson.

The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections billed the city almost $145,000 to hold the election, less than the $255,000 the city had budgeted largely due to about 26,000 fewer ballots cast by mail this year than in 2021. The cost is not based on the number of items on the ballot as long as the ballot does not exceed one page. Those who contended a oneitem ballot would limit the number of voters going to the polls were right.

A total of 6,655 voters cast ballots. In 2021, with two hotly contested council races, nearly 13,000 voted. Nearly 14,800 voted the previous year, when Singer had one opponent. Ú

Ocean Ridge