PBC Commissioners at It Again
The old proverb “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” pertains to the weather. Just this once I wish to reverse it to say “If March comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion.” Why the change? It’s all do to three stories written on March 24, 25 and 27, 2025 and all stories relate to the PBC Administrator, Verdenia Baker, and Seven County Commissioners, Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Joe Abruzzo, Rick Asnani, founder and president of Cornerstone Solutions, who ran the campaign for the successful election of the mayor and five City Commissioners of WPB. Developer Stephen Ross the CEO and Chairman of Related Ross who changed the image of WPB and the opinion of many not for the better.
I believe the three stories were thoroughly investigated, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I read. This was reporting as I remembered it years ago. I will start with the Stet News pull the highlights and hopefully you will open the link and read the entire story. It’s worth your time. My comments in Italic.
Stet News March 24, 2025 Joel Engelhardt
“Clerk Abruzzo at center of search for new administrator”
Commissioners Bobby Powell and Maria Sachs wanted no limits on academic or job experience when they expressed their thoughts
“To me the only qualification you need is an American citizenship and an interest,” Sachs said.
Powell pushed through a selection plan that did not suggest any criteria for the job and required candidates to submit applications in less than two weeks.
“Similar to Commissioner Sachs,” he said, “I simply believe that what’s outlined in statute as well as someone being a citizen here in the United States of America would qualify.”
Behind the commission’s unusual approach is a push to put Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Joe Abruzzo in the job.
Mack Bernard’s role
The three commissioners on the losing end of the vote— Woodward, Gregg Weiss and Mayor Maria Marino — told Stet News they heard about Powell’s approach from Mack Bernard, a former county commissioner who now serves in the state Senate.
They didn’t see a formal presentation of the plan until they returned from a lunch break last Tuesday to find a three-page memo with no letterhead and no signature at their desks.
Bernard did not return phone calls and two commissioners on the winning side, Sachs and Joel Flores, said Bernard had not talked to them. Powell, a close friend of Bernard’s, and Commissioner Sara Baxter did not return phone calls. Powell and Baxter feel no need to explain their actions. What are they trying to hide?
“I don’t understand this rush,” Commissioner Marci Woodward said in an interview. “The only thing that makes sense to me is they have a candidate picked out and all of this is a show.”
I share Commissioner Woodward opinion and thank her and Commissioners Weiss and Marino for using common sense which tells me and others the residents of Palm Beach County need protection from developers who do not have residents’ best interest at heart. Please stand strong, you are not alone.
There is so much more to the story and I encourage readers to read the entire story in the link below.
https://stetnews.org/2025/03/24/clerk-abruzzo-at-center-of-search-for-new-administrator/
Sun Sentinel March 25, 2025 Editorial Board
Stop this bad backroom deal in Palm Beach County
Four of seven county commissioners appear ready to quickly hand the job to Joseph Abruzzo, the elected court clerk and a career politician, without conducting a nationwide search or demanding serious professional and educational qualifications.
To their credit, three commissioners want a deliberate, nationwide search: Mayor Maria Marino and commissioners Gregg Weiss and Marci Woodward.
“Marino, Weiss, and Woodward told the Stet News reporting site that they learned about Powell’s proposal from state Sen. Mack Bernard, D-West Palm Beach. The Palm Beach Post also cited Bernard’s backstage involvement from Tallahassee.”
“Bernard works for a political consulting firm, Cornerstone Solutions, whose clients include the development firm Ross founded. The stylish Related logo is featured prominently on Cornerstone’s client list.”
Cornerstone Solutions is the consulting firm that is responsible for electing WPB Mayor, Keith James and all 5 City Commissioners, Fox, Lambert, Peduzzi, Ward and Warren. Cornerstone will also represent Commissioners Lambert (running for Mayor-WPB) and Peduzzi running for County Commissioner. I was surprised to learn Cornerstone also represents Stephen Ross Related Group, the firm responsible for, in my opinion, the overbuilding in WPB and the problems that come with it. The WPB City Commission has always been a good friend to Related and has no problem voting in unison to give him what he wants.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/03/25/stop-a-bad-backroom-deal-in-palm-beach-editorial/
PB Post March 27, 2025 Mike Diamond PB Post Staff Writer Alexandra Clough contributed to this report.
Why developers say they see better days ahead with Palm Beach County Administrator gone
Two mega developers say business climate will improve with the retirement of County Administrator Verdenia Baker, but her replacement had not even been discussed when they made the comments.
Key Points
Some Palm Beach County developers are anticipating a more business-friendly environment following the retirement of County Administrator Verdenia Baker.
These developers have been engaged in disputes with Baker over land valuations and bidding processes for major projects.
The process to replace Baker has been marked by controversy, with some commissioners pushing for a swift appointment of County Clerk Joseph Abruzzo without a national search.
Critics, including Commissioner Marci Woodward, have expressed concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest in the selection process.
The backers of Transit Village, 99% owned by Miami-based BH Group, look at Baker’s retirement as a positive change. Transit Village LLC is involved in a contentious lawsuit with the county over what it should pay for 6 acres in West Palm Beach.
A spokesperson for Transit Village declined to comment when asked whether it supports the hiring of Abruzzo or had any involvement in the NAACP’s claim that a move was made to fire Baker before her retirement. Silence is golden when you don’t have an answer.
In a usual move, Maria Sachs called on County Attorney Denise Coffman to place on the county agenda a move to strip Baker of the ability to develop the county budget. She suggested that Abruzzo take over that function. Sachs never shared the memo with fellow commissioners. Appears to me Sachs is pretty damn sure Abruzzo has the job.
Commissioner Sara Baxter tries to take on role in Transit Village lawsuit
In another recent unusual development, Commissioner Sara Baxter called for the commission to meet privately to discuss settlement offers related to the Transit Village lawsuit. Coffman took to the dais and called such a meeting improper, noting that state law does not allow for such closed sessions.
Baxter wants to meet privately. Does that mean behind closed doors where it was first discussed to fire County Administrator Verdenia Baker and replace her with Joe Abruzzo, who would be a friend to developers? Am I the only one that feels an investigation is warranted for Sachs and Baxter? There is so much more to the story if you choose to read it.
To those new to the area who may appreciate a little history of PBC & WPB, these 2 stories are for you.
PB Post Oct. 20,2016 Eliot Kleinberg
After the 2000 election, it was about confused voters. But in a four-year stretch that started in earnest 10 years ago this week, Palm Beach County earned a new nickname: “Corruption County.”
Liberti & Exline 2 WPB City Commissioners
Masilotti, Newell, McCarty and Koons 4 County Commissioners.
These six movers and shakers were removed from office and shaken into Federal prison.
PB Post July 29, 2017 Lawrence Mower
The local Democrats he was referring to are Powell, County Commissioner Mack Bernard and state Rep. Al Jacquet, a close trio who combined forces to win their August races by generating unusually high turnout in absentee ballots. In some precincts, Bernard and Jacquet won nine of every 10 absentee ballots cast. Powell and Bernard have been friends for many years.
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2017/07/29/bring-in-fbi-candidate-says/7041395007/
Stet News, Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and PB Post a sincere thank you for shining the light on PBC and its very questionable decisions and what appears to be backroom deals. I believe in the power of the press, and when the one shining the light is held in a reporter’s hand great things can happen.
There will be a PBC Commission meeting being held on Tuesday April 1,2025 @ 2:00 PM. The public can speak on any topic they wish. Hope to see you there because Woodward, Gregg Weiss and Mayor Maria Marino can use our support.
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Are African Americans better off than in 1923?
Update 3/17/2025 Including Henrietta Farms. A special thank you from readers remining me of the injustice by the City of WPB toward residents who were both black and hungry.
The PB Post has published a story, and the link is included below. Hopefully you will be able to open and read the story and if not possible I have included a quote from Mayor Keith James.
“West Palm Beach city planning proposals from 1923 reveal the city’s intention to segregate and underserve the city’s historic Black neighborhoods”
“West Palm Beach city documents from 1923 were unveiled on March 10, 2025, that show the city had planned to segregate the Black population by confining them to certain sections of town — Pleasant City and the area around Tamarind Avenue, both north of downtown and west of Dixie Highway. “Let this sink in, everyone,” Keith James, the first Black mayor since the city moved to a strong-mayor system in 1991, told meeting attendees after the documents had been displayed. “This was part of the city’s master plan back in 1920. … This is intentional, institutional. So when people talk about the lack of progress in some of these communities, that was designed.”
Lets look at how Mayor James has helped the black community since being sworn in on April 5, 2019.
What former Mayor Jeri Muoio accomplished, and Mayor Keith James moved swiftly to undo.
https://wpbwatch.com/2023/01/james-record-as-mayor-2019/
The Sunset Lounge which opened in 1926, is extremely important to the black community and has been for nearly 100 years. It’s part of their heritage. The Lounge needed a company to manage the iconic lounge. The choices were: Vita LLC. A black owned business located in WPB Fl. The residents were pulling for Vita. Mayor Keith James did not want/allow Vita to manage the Sunset lounge.
Mad Room Hospitality out of Miami, was James choice. here comes the lawsuit.
7/20/2022
https://wpbwatch.com/2022/07/sunset-lounge/
8/ 12/ 2022
https://wpbwatch.com/2022/08/sunset-lounge-starting-over/
3/24/ 2023
https://wpbwatch.com/2023/03/vita-wins-lawsuit-against-the-city-of-wpb/
4/2/2024 Story in the PB Post. Entire story in the Link below
“As renovated Sunset Lounge sits idle, leaders assure they have a plan, reopening timetable”
“The Sunset Lounge, a 1920s-era supper club extensively restored with $16 million in taxpayer money, has sat idle for two years since its renovation, validating the complaints of some that West Palm Beach should never have purchased and rebuilt the iconic venue.”
If the Sunset Lounge isn’t bad enough, let’s see how James treated the black youth of WPB.
Goodbye PAL. (Police Athletic league) Highlights from the story. Entire story can be read in the link below.
“The City of WPB allocated $100,000.00 a year to the Pal program to pay for equipment, uniforms, transportation and other expenses.”
“4/4, 2019 Keith James sworn in as mayor of WPB and a few months later the PAL program lost its city funding, and the program was in trouble and near an end.”
“I met with Rams president Donovan Murdock and Vice President Corey Tate and learned the city sold the helmets, shoulder guards and training pants to them for $2,000.00 and I also learned the helmets must be inspected every 2 years. When the inspection took place most of the helmets had seen better days and would not protect the small heads that wore them. The cost of a new helmet at the time was $125.00/ea.
How badly did the city need the $2,000 Mr. Mayor? Why were the kids left stranded after practice and left parents scrambling to pick them up, Mr. Mayor?”
https://wpbwatch.com/2024/03/goodbye-pal/
Henrietta Farms
Mr Stewart Bosley, worked tirelessly to start the farm, was sent a letter from the City informing him the lease would not be renewed. The present lease will expire on 10/16/2021.
9/24/2021 (Fri.) Mr. Bosley had a crew of volunteers to work on the farm that weekend, and when they arrived they found their locks were cut off and replaced with new ones. A week end of work gone when the lease didn’t expire for 2 more weeks.
https://wpbwatch.com/2021/09/henrietta-farms-early-lock-out/
11/18/2021 This will be the last story on Henrietta Farms as Mr. Bosley has removed all equipment from the acre and a half piece of land the City leased to him seven years ago which allowed him to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in an effort to feed the poorest of the poor
Below is the link for previous WPB Watch stories. If you open the link, please go to “Archives” for stories published.
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