Municipal elections in Royal Palm Beach are coming up on March 12, and there is no better choice for Village Council Seat 4 than the current incumbent, Vice Mayor Fred Pinto.
Fred has served on the council for 10 years, and through all of that time has demonstrated his caring and concern for this place we call home and for all of us lucky enough to reside here. In all of his actions, Fred has demonstrated his goal of doing what is best for Royal Palm’s residents and keeping things on track for our village. If you are not familiar with all of the accomplishments that Fred can take credit for, I’d like to mention a few.
Fred was a prime mover in the decision to put our village’s safety in the hands of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office six years ago, thereby ensuring reliable and experienced law enforcement and enabling us to maintain the good quality of life that we have. He was instrumental in making the wise business decision that our village needed to get out of the water business. Royal Palm Beach’s water service district, which extends well beyond the village’s boundaries, was sold to the county with the provision that Royal Palm Beach gets 10 percent of every dollar that the county takes in for providing water to the area. Few investments today pay that kind of return!
Fred is an ardent advocate for all children. He worked to increase the number and dollar amount of scholarships from four to six and from $500 to $1,000. Furthermore, he ensured that at least two of those scholarships would go to graduates of Royal Palm Beach High School. Fred’s devotion to keeping our youth involved has been demonstrated in his volunteering his time to activities such as coaching recreation baseball and football. It is clear that Fred’s commitment extends beyond our own community, as is evidenced in his having served on the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Palm Beach County Fair Housing/Equal Employment Opportunity Board, to name just a few.
[Residents are concerned] about a proposal for industrial and commercial enterprise infringing on what we currently consider safe surroundings for H.L. Johnson Elementary School. I share your frustration with the strident, uncompromising behavior of one of our council members. That person’s behavior results in council meetings that resemble a civil war! There is one obvious solution to this turmoil and misrepresentation of constituent wishes. That is the election of Dave Swift to Village Council Seat 2.
Dave’s record of service to our village speaks for itself. He has served 20 years. He voted to reduce taxes, sell the village’s water utility plant to the county thereby generating $73 million in reserve funds, beautify Royal Palm Beach Blvd., and construct many village parks, to mention just a few of his accomplishments. His caring for our residents and especially our youth is demonstrated in his opposition to commercial development in the former water treatment plant near our school, and his support for recreational and cultural centers, soccer fields, bicycle paths and other initiatives that make life in our village the enjoyable experience that it is. His commitment and achievements have been recognized by the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association and the Professional Firefighters/Paramedics of Palm Beach County, who have given Dave their endorsements.
While it is clear that Dave will listen to and represent all of us, we have to question whom his opponent represents, when approximately three-quarters of her campaign contributions come from individuals, corporations or businesses located outside of Royal Palm Beach. Where do you suppose her loyalties lie? And while she purports to speak for women who need greater representation on the council, I would suggest it is not gender but good sense, civility, fairness and experience that really count.
Go to the polls on March 12 and cast your vote for Fred Pinto for Council Seat 4 and Dave Swift for Council Seat 2.
Arlene Olinsky
Royal Palm Beach
The above letter sounds to me like a simple campaign ad for two of the candidates. One of the candidates has been there for many years and hasn’t done much of anything over the past two. I’m glad he coaches softball, so do many others, but that’s not a recipe for making things better for Royal Palm Beach. It is time for a change in leadership.
Endorsement for a patriarchial council. There’s no room for women, only men.
Look at the behavior of Willhite and Greene on the Wellington council. Make sure they don’t get an endorsement for the civil war they create in the Village of Wellington.
Women deserve to be a part of the process. Favoring males over females is par for the course and these endorsements come from….males!