With the deadline for qualifying only six weeks away, there were no official candidates for the three available seats on the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors listed this week on the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections web site.
Seat 2, currently held by Supervisor Patricia Farrell, and Seat 5, currently held by Supervisor Michael Johnson, are in play — as is Seat 1, now held by ITID President Elizabeth Accomando.
After the qualifying period in June, contested ITID elections will take part in this fall’s election cycle, including the primary election in August (if necessary) and the November general election.
Accomando, who was elected in 2022, announced last year that she will not seek a second term on the board and instead is running for the Palm Beach County Commission in District 6.
Farrell told the Town-Crier this week that she will seek re-election.
“I’ve put a lot of time and hard work into this, and would like to continue it,” said Farrell, who also was elected in 2022. “I’ll be putting my name in shortly.”
Johnson, a former board president who won Seat 5 in 2018, could not be reached for comment. However, sources close to the situation said Johnson does plan to seek a third term this year.
Among possible candidates, Charlie James, an ITID resident since 1996, said Wednesday that his decision is “still up in the air.” James is a retired utility worker and a member of ITID’s Equestrian Trails and Infrastructure Advisory Committee.
Former Supervisor Joni Martin, who served on the board from 2018 to 2022, said she believes the ugly rhetoric and aggressive campaign tactics seen in several recent races has deterred many from seeking office.
“I can’t imagine anyone wanting to run in that kind of climate,” she said. “Unfortunately, that’s the way it is these days. I think it has ruined it for a lot of people.”
However, Martin did not absolutely rule out a run.
Contacted this week, former Supervisor Keith Jordano did rule out another campaign. He served one term and was defeated in 2024 by Supervisor Richard Vassalotti.
Jordano said the “corrupt influence” of developers has created an uneven playing field, even in local races. “I can’t compete with the big money,” he said.
Some have suggested that no one has jumped in to fill Accomando’s Seat 1 because she could drop out of the Republican primary race against incumbent Sara Baxter and file for re-election.
However, Accomando said Wednesday that she already has resigned from the ITID seat, effective when she takes office as commissioner, or at the end of this board term, whichever comes first.
“I am 100 percent — I am 200,000 percent — committed to the county commissioner race,” she said. “It’s the only way I can help people of the district better by moving up to that level.”
As of Wednesday, Baxter had outraised Accomando $145,650 to $34,598, according to the latest figures on the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Election web site.
Much of the money in Baxter’s war chest comes from business and corporate donations. In the first quarter of the year, out of 40 donations, 27 were for $1,000 each. During the same first quarter, out of 57 donations to Accomando’s campaign, four were for $1,000 and 10 were for $25 or less.
“I don’t travel in circles of developers and galas,” Accomando said. “I appreciate the businesses and others who’ve given to me. But the person who gives me $10 means more to me than any of it because I know that’s all they have to give.”
Accomando said she recently filed just enough signatures to get on the ballot, though with a 22 percent rejection rate, she’ll need to continue seeking signers. In the end, whether she gains the needed signatures or must pay the $8,200 ballot fee, she’s in the race to stay, she said. “I’m getting out and I’m meeting people,” she added. “I’m running a totally grassroots campaign… [and] think it’s going very well. I’m getting so much positive feedback.”
Martin said she wished Accomando well in the commission race but, “It’ll be a big loss to the [Indian Trail] board. She’s a force of nature.”
