Photo: JillianCain / iStock / Getty Images
In our Election Spotlight series this morning, the last of the four races we're covering in Boca Raton is the one for Seat A, where Councilmember Fran Nachlas has decided to run for mayor instead of another term in this seat.
Three candidates are running, including Michelle Grau who is a CPA, working as a governmental auditor. She says she is "uniquely qualified to serve Boca Raton" as she's spent her entire career scrutinizing budgets, asking hard questions of city managers and protecting taxpayer dollars.
As for the "One Boca" project, Grau says it puts too much risk on the city.
"Nobody is arguing that we don't need a new, vibrant, attractive downtown. But any time large scale redevelopment projects like the "One Boca," they warrant careful scrutiny because their impacts extend far beyond the structural renderings and promotional language we've been seeing."
Also in this race is Bernard Korn, who calls himself a "dedicated politician" and the 71-year-old vows to continue running for office "until the day I die."
He's a licensed commercial and residential realtor and has founded a number of companies. Korn says Boca Raton is becoming over-developed and says the current Council members don't know what they're doing. He also calls members of the Planning and Zoning Board "incompetent" and "irresponsible."
"They should first of all not keep approving project after project after project after project. It is nonstop. Even as we speak, they are just approving major projects and it's not sustainable."
Our third candidate is Christen Ritchey, a family law attorney with her own law firm. She has served on several boards in the city and says she has the experience needed to serve on the Council.
Ritchey says she'll be a "yes" vote on the "One Boca" referendum that will be on all Boca Raton voters' ballots.
"I think we absolutely need a new City Hall, a new community center. I'd love to see the Children's Museum reopened and revitalized and some recreation there. I do believe that over by the Brightline station, the transit-oriented district could use some restaurants, retail. That area really needs to be activated."
There are a total of four races in Boca Raton on March 10th. This one and two other Council races, along with the race for Mayor. We've covered them all on-air and online here on the Election Spotlight page.