March 17th Council Election – Candidate Profiles
Posted by PBG Watch on February 2, 2020 · 2 Comments
In March, as you go to the polls to vote in your party’s Presidential Primary, Palm Beach Gardens ballots will also have an election for the City Council Group 3 seat.
Three seats were up for re-election this year, but Mayor Mark Marciano in group 1, and Vice-Mayor Rachelle Litt in group 3 were un-opposed at the end of the qualification period, and thus re-elected by default.
In group 3, incumbent Councilman Matthew Lane is being challenged by alternate Planning and Zoning board member Chelsea Reed.
To help you make sense of who these candidates are and what they would do if they win, we asked each of them to describe themselves to our readers by answering 5 questions:
- Why do you want to be on / stay on the Council?
- What do you see as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Palm Beach Gardens now and in the near future?
- What involvement have you had in the issues that the council has faced over the past few years?
- What is your “vision” for the city?
- What else would you like the voters to know about you and your candidacy?
Further information and links to their websites can be found in our online voters’ guide, and a printed copy of these profiles can be had at the [PRINT] link to the right of the title (above).
The following is how they responded:
| Group 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
 Matthew Lane |
 Chelsea Reed |
|
| 1. Why do you want to be on / stay on the Council? | ||
| Matthew Lane: It has been my honor and privilege to serve on the Palm Beach Gardens City Council during the last three (3) years. During my term in office, the Chamber of Commerce named us the “Top City to Live in Florida.” This is the result of the efforts of our Council, and years of hard work by the Mayors and Council members who served before us. I want to continue the work that we have done to make Palm Beach Gardens the exceptional place that it is. | Chelsea Reed: I love everything about my beautiful hometown of Palm Beach Gardens, since I am 50 and our City is 60 years old, we grew up together. We face tremendous development, and as a council member I will contribute with experience AND heart, as I have already been involved in bettering our city and county as a leader on impactful boards and committees. I will be an advocate for what residents and businesses deserve: expanded mobility, safe connected streets, sustainable growth and a prosperous economy with a clear view of our needs. My appointed board positions on PBG Planning, Zoning & Appeals as well as my seat as Vice-Chair of the County Transportation Planning Citizen’s Advisory, combined with my life-long local history of raising a family, and running businesses here, makes me the best choice for this election. I will represent our citizens’ needs and voices, providing thoughtful, authentic, and consistent communication. | |
| 2. What do you see as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Palm Beach Gardens now and in the near future? | ||
| Matthew Lane: We need to keep the leadership team in place that made this City so special, and retain our excellent police, firefighters, administrators and staff. | Chelsea Reed:
Strengths
Our strength is reflected in our recent #1 ranking as ‘Best Cities to Live In’ on the State Chamber of Commerce list. From our 12 Golf Courses, new North County District Park and extensive athletic programs, to our attractive and growing PGA Corridor; our City is one of the most welcoming places to live. Combining these amenities with our award-winning public safety departments, our city staff, lauded for exceptional planning, effective budgeting and dedication to quality – we are even more attractive. The Chamber ranking showed our quality-of-life metrics such as commute time, median earnings and percentage of degree-holders in the state are among the best. Our population’s poverty level is one of the lowest in the entire state of Florida. Weaknesses:
Our weaknesses are potential byproducts of our strengths. Growth brings problems that are nice problems to have, but the city needs to be proactive in anticipating future needs and implement the necessary solutions well in advance. As we continue to attract new residents, we face issues with access to all levels of housing, education, and public safety with increases in traffic. Our essential service and first responder workers need to be able to live nearby, not only for the pleasure of enjoying our #1 rated City in Florida, but to also allow them to be community stakeholders, increase neighborhood safety and decrease commuter traffic. Opportunities:
Forward thinking about the next few decades will help us grow. Working together with the city manager and PBG staff, our County and State agencies like TPA, DOT, combined with input from our residents, we can implement responsible budgeting and maintain the character of our Tree City and green space. We must focus on our PGA Corridor becoming a connected urban environment, while mitigating traffic issues in our growing western communities. Our Mobility Plan, combined with the opportunity for a future Tri-Rail Station, and adoption of ‘Vision Zero’ will all provide ease of access to transportation, helping us get around with a beneficial effect on future traffic pressure points. Threats:
The challenge for Palm Beach Gardens is growth. The city must prepare and plan meticulously. We have to anticipate traffic before it arrives with our increasing population, we must assess safety needs well ahead of natural disasters, and we absolutely must consider our actions’ effects on our environment. I believe in rewarding and encouraging forward thinking, and buoying businesses that combine growth with environmental stewardship. Merging economy and sustainability will help us secure a healthy future for our City, our water and our air. |
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| 3. What involvement have you had in the issues that the council has faced over the past few years? | ||
| Matthew Lane: As a member of Council, I have been directly involved with all the people and all the issues that the Council has faced during my time in office.
I voted: My greatest pleasure has been the extensive constituent service that I have performed during my term in office. |
Chelsea Reed: As an appointed Board Member of Palm Beach Gardens PZAB, I vote on all issues that will then go to City Council, and thus have tremendous experience in development petitions, variance requests and appeals made to our city on issues regarding land development regulations. As Vice-Chair of the Transportation Planning Agency (TPA) Citizens Advisory Committee, I represent all of District One and I am directly responsible for providing the TPA with a “citizen’s eye” view of all transportation, mobility, street and road concerns in Palm Beach County.
I am honored to be Palm Beach Chamber North’s “Volunteer of the Year,” which shows my support of commerce, a prosperous economy and local business development. I have chaired or founded several Chamber Committees which have direct and positive impact on Palm Beach Gardens, such as the Sustainability Subcommittee, Healthcare Committee and Artigras Recycling Committee. Lastly, I assisted our Palm Beach Gardens Fire Department in the development of their Strategic Plan. Recent ride-alongs with Fire Department 63 and tour of our PBG Police Department further reinforced my belief that safety and resilience must always be our first consideration. |
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| 4. What is your “vision” for the city? | ||
| Matthew Lane: As Council members, we need to preserve the quality of life that we currently enjoy in the City of Palm Beach Gardens. We need to maintain our standard of excellence in the police, fire, planning and zoning, finance, and recreational services that we provide. Good is not sufficient. Excellence is our standard in the services that we provide and the constituent service that we perform. | Chelsea Reed: Much like families and individuals make plans for their future as they mature, we must plan similarly for our maturing 60-year-old city, creating a vision for what we’d like to see in a 90-year-old Palm Beach Gardens. We can’t predict the future, but can look to other busy and prosperous cities to see what has succeeded. This educated approach, merged with preserving the beautiful culture of our area, is the answer. We need robust business, sustainable growth, proper traffic planning, and our primary focus must always be on our safety and our health. | |
| 5. What else would you like the voters to know about you and your candidacy? | ||
| Matthew Lane: As your Councilperson, I am known for:
a. exceptional constituent service (usually within 24 hours) I am proud to announce I have received the endorsements of: FORMER MAYOR JOE RUSSO For more information about me, please visit my website at www.votemattlane.com |
Chelsea Reed: The best part of running for office has been knocking on thousands of local doors. I have listened to the hopes, frustrations, and dreams our residents have for our City, and I sincerely want to help make things even better! My focus on others and my sincere desire to connect, will add an accessible component to our Council. I believe in the voice of our community and I want our unparalleled city to stay beautiful and always maintain the character of my beloved home. As a local business owner, parent, and volunteer, my life is woven into the fabric of my hometown. I offer a depth of history and an inspiring vision for the future of Palm Beach Gardens. | |
Here are my endorsements so far, more to come this week!
Congresswoman Lois Frankel
Florida State Senator Lori Berman
Florida State Representative Joseph Casello
County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay
County Commissioner Gregg Weiss
School Board Member Erica Whitfield
Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO
Sierra Club- Loxahatchee Group
Palm Beach Shores Mayor Myra Koutzen
Jupiter Inlet Colony Mayor Dan Comerford
Greenacres Mayor Joel Flores
Westlake Council Member/Vice-Mayor Katrina Long-Robinson
Boynton Beach Council Member/Vice-Mayor Christina Romelus
North Palm Beach Council Member Debby Searcy
North Palm Beach Council Member Susan Bickel
Wellington City Council Member John T. McGovern.
Riviera Beach City Council Member KaShamba Miller Anderson
West Palm Beach Council Member-elect Christy Fox
West Palm Beach Council Member Kelly Shoaf
Port Commissioner Joe Anderson
Port Commissioner Katherine Waldron
Former West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio
Former Ocean Ridge Mayor Jim Bonfiglio
Former Palm Beach Gardens Mayor Eric Jablin
Former West Palm Beach Council Member Paula Ryan
Additional Endorsements for Chelsea Reed –
Palm Beach Post
Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO
Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance
Florida Alliance of Retired Americans (FLARA)
Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group Political Committee
Equality Florida Action PAC
SEIU Florida
Congresswoman Lois Frankel
Congressman Alcee Hastings
Florida State Senator Lori Berman
Florida State Representative Joseph Casello
Florida State Representative Tina Polsky
County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay
County Commissioner Gregg Weiss
School Board Member Erica Whitfield
North Palm Beach Council Member Susan Bickel
Jupiter Inlet Colony Mayor Dan Comerford
Greenacres Mayor Joel Flores
West Palm Beach Council Member-elect Christy Fox
Haverhill Vice-Mayor Lawrence Gordon
Palm Beach Shores Mayor Myra Koutzen
Westlake Vice-Mayor Katrina Long-Robinson
Wellington City Council Member John T. McGovern
Riviera Beach City Council Member KaShamba Miller Anderson
Boynton Beach Vice-Mayor Christina Romelus
North Palm Beach Council Member Debbie Searcy
West Palm Beach Council Member Kelly Shoaf
Port Commissioner Joe Anderson
Port Commissioner Katherine Waldron
National Organization for Women (NOW) National Board Member Meredith Ockman
Former Ocean Ridge Mayor Jim Bonfiglio
Former Palm Beach Gardens Mayor Eric Jablin
Former West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio
Former West Palm Beach Council Member Paula Ryan