Gainswave Therapy in Loxahatchee Grove, FL

LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla. — There's a chance an elected official from one of your cities, towns, or villages has quit, or will quit, their position by the end of the year.

That's because elected office-holders in Florida are blaming a new state law that they say is forcing them to fill out a document called Form 6.

Laura Danowski serves as both the owner of a boarding stable and the mayor of Loxahatchee Groves — a Palm Beach County town of about 3,400 people.

"I love what I do," Danowski said. "Most of us on our local boards serve because we love it, and we want to do something good for our community."

She said a new state law forcing her to disclose details of her wealth, income and clients could cause her to leave town government, where she's served for eight years.

The financial disclosure document she must fill out to stay in office is named Form 6.

When asked what part of Form 6 she didn't think should be information on a public document, Danowski replied, "everything."

State lawmakers passed a law requiring all municipal elected officials to fill out Form 6 by the end of the year or face a $25,000 fine if they don't.

Until now, they have only had to fill out Form 1. It asks office-holders to list their sources of income, property, assets like their home and cars, and liabilities, such as loans and debts of more than $10,000, and businesses of which they own a share. It does not ask for specific dollar amounts.

Form 6 is different. It's filled out electronically and requires candidates to list assets and liabilities of more than $1,000 and specific dollar amounts. It also requires them to list their net income and salary.

Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig fears some private sector workers elected to village and town councils could lose their jobs if they must report salaries.

"Lots of companies don't want that kind of information to become public," Gerwig said. "When you work somewhere, you sign an agreement."

WPTV sent emails to more than 200 office-holders in Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast communities about Form 6.

Of the 83 who responded, 15 said by email or phone they will leave or are considering leaving office because of Form 6.

Almost all of them are from villages and towns with populations of less than 5,000 people.

"Some of them have already signed their papers, 'I'm out. I'm done,'" Danowski, who networks with other elected officials from small Palm Beach County towns, said. "It's because they just don't want to be exposed in that manner. I don't blame them."

Danowski and others fear the departure of so many village and town elected officials could make it harder for communities to even have a quorum for important financial legislation and slow down the gears of small-town governments.

However, the bill's sponsor in the Florida Senate said those who refuse to fill out Form 6 should not be in elected office.

"And if making money and keeping that private is more important to you, then don't run," state Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Lake Mary, said.

Brodeur's bill passed the state House and Senate almost unanimously.

Brodeur added the governor and his cabinet, all state senators and representatives, judges, county commissioners, school board members and sheriffs in Florida have to fill out Form 6.

WPTV wanted to know why he didn't exempt elected officials from small towns where WPTV learned office-holders are quitting.

"These are exactly the types of communities that need to do this because, likely, your brother is the one that runs the trash company and your sister-in-law is the one that owns the engineering firm," Brodeur said. "Those are the ones who are going to get these contracts, and if you're from a town that small, people deserve the right to know the financial relationships you have with these folks."

Danowski wants to remain mayor of Loxahatchee Groves. However, she's concerned about a Form 6 provision that would force her to list customers responsible for more than 10% of her business and how much those customers pay.

"I'm doing a mad scramble to re-title things by Dec. 31 so that I may continue to do what I love," Danowski said.

Danowski is meeting with accountants to see if she can find a way to fulfill Form 6 requirements, without compromising her business or customers.

Some of those leaving or considering leaving office emailed the following statements to WPTV:

"Due to the new financial disclosure rules requiring that I disclose my net worth publicly, I am resigning from my role as Mayor effective this December," Stewart Satter, town of Manalapan mayor, said.

"The effort and detail (required by form 6) is too much to ask of an individual who serves in an unpaid position in a small town," Susan Thaler, town of Briny Breezes alderman, said.

"We are being forced to resign and leave our township in trouble because of this highly invasive form," Gary Eckerson, town of Glen Ridge councilmember, said.

"I am seriously considering resigning. We don't receive a salary or any compensation for our service. We donate our services to the town," Gary Sullivan, town of Glen Ridge councilmember, said.

"I am still on the fence," John Linden, town of Lake Park councilmember, said.

The following elected officials who emailed WPTV said they will fill out Form 6, but think the law has unfair elements:

"I do think it could give pause to people in the private sector, who may wish to enter public service at a municipal level, since municipal offices are generally part-time positions," Marc Wigder, Boca Raton councilmember, said.

"I believe that some local public servants will consider this loss of the last vestige of privacy too intrusive to offset what benefit they might give to the place where they live," Linda Hudson, Fort Pierce mayor, said.

"This certainly makes those of us who serve much more vulnerable. To be fair there should have been thresholds that would not include personal items, as one council member stated, she didn’t like reporting her Disney collection," Judith Dugo, Greenacres councilmember, said.

"I do feel however that its implementation should be at the beginning of any subsequent term for those currently in office, elected under Form 1. The way it’s being implemented is somewhat changing the rules of the game while it’s already in play," Susy Diaz, Greenacres councilmember, said.

"I'm not happy about having to file it. I would think twice if I was running for office for the first time. I believe it has the potential to create a security risk," Evalyn David, town of Highland Beach commissioner, said.

"I am not a fan of the form. It complicates my life substantially and it definitely deters others like myself who have assets and own businesses from stepping up and helping their community," Alexander Cooke, town of Juno Beach mayor, said.

"I understand the concern from other elected officials regarding disclosing their income and assets. However, I'm in a unique position that I work for a government agency with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, so my income is not confidential," Cameron May, town of Jupiter councilmember, said.

"I am very much against the change and feel it is very inappropriate for smaller towns like Manalapan. Our commissioners are not paid for their services (we don’t expect to be paid) and we represent a very small community. Imposing the new reporting requirements of Form 6 is going to be make it more difficult to get volunteers to serve our town and many other smaller towns in Florida," John Deese, town of Manalapan vice mayor, said.

"Irresponsible, short-sighted legislation. I am sure this legislation will have a cascading, catastrophic effect on municipal government. Form 6, however, is going to provide the perfect fodder for detractors in every municipality, who simply want to cause problems. Those of us who are targets will then be forced into the position of defending ourselves, at our own expense. I can’t even imagine how inundated the ethics commission is going to be," Carolyn Cassidy, town of Ocean Ridge Commissioner, said.

"I think the requirement should have exempted newly elected officials from completing the form until their next term, if they decided to run again," Robert Premuroso, Palm Beach Gardens councilmember, said.

"I am disappointed in legislation for imposing Form 6 on the local level. I understand a universal rule across the board, however, I find Form 6 extremely invasive," Selena Samios, village of Royal Palm Beach councilmember, said.

"While I understand the intent of the legislation, a "one size fits all" approach is difficult for small municipalities that depend on volunteers that receive no compensation. The requirement for Form 6 could very well drive away qualified candidates for office. The legislature should come up with some exemptions based on the size of the community and compensation," John Tompeck, town of Sewall's Point mayor, said.

Elected officials who support Form 6 and believe it makes town government more transparent also emailed the statements below to WPTV:

"It's to make sure the people elected to vote on the issues of the voters are not corrupt and are voting to increase their personal wealth," Phillis Maniglia, Loxahatchee Groves councilmember, said.

"I believe in total transparency," Stephanie Morgan, Port St. Lucie councilmember, said.

"I filled out Form 6 as a St. Lucie County commissioner and have no issue filling it out as a Port St. Lucie councilman," Anthony Bonna, Port St. Lucie councilmember, said.

"I have nothing to hide," David Pickett, Port St. Lucie councilmember, said.

"It is my opinion it's more of an issue for those not wanting people to know where their money is. I personally am an open book," Christopher Nunn, Sebastian councilmember, said.

"I do not have any issues filling out Form 6," Greg Langowski, Westlake vice mayor, said.

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Growth was the overarching subject of the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting Tuesday, May 4, as the council approved three construction projects along Southern Blvd., something that did not please all in attendance.

In a process that began in August 2019, Lockhart Storage Centers was given final approval to move forward with its facility, which will be located on 2.5 acres between the Shell gas station and the Loxahatchee AG Market.

“These folks are in business to make money. I get that,” said Paul Coleman of nearby Tangerine Drive during the public comments. “But we have to live here.”

Bradley Miller of Urban Design Studio, representing Lockhart, countered that “the project offers good value for the town and the developer, and with very little impact.”

Also approved were two projects in the Groves Town Center plaza at the northeast corner of Southern Blvd. and B Road. Both are on the south, or Southern Blvd., side of the plaza.

Southern Palms Car Wash will be located in the parcel next to the planned Wawa gas station and convenience store on the southwest corner, and the Heartland Dental office will be two parcels farther east.

Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia expressed frustration that bays large enough for horse trailers and larger pickups were not included in the design. “That’s what we really need, what would really do well out here,” she said.

Maniglia was the only council member to vote against approval of the car wash.

Before final approval of Lockhart’s 710-unit indoor storage facility, the council requested two more concessions.

At the request of the council, Lockhart agreed to add a fire hydrant on the back, or north side, of the property near Tangerine Drive, where a secondary entrance will be constructed for use by emergency vehicles only and secured by a locked gate.

The council also added to its approval agreement a clause that requires Lockhart to provide private security to the location for a period of six months if the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is called to the property more than 12 times in a month. The PBSO provides law enforcement services for the town.

James Lockhart, who owns storage facilities in several states, was on hand for the session and agreed readily to the first stipulation. He negotiated with council members — particularly Maniglia — as to the exact language of the security rider.

The discussion arose out of longstanding problems with homeless and intoxicated individuals using the property as a refuge. The concern is that they will continue to attempt to do so, forcing Lockhart employees to call law enforcement, and thus drive up the town’s contract with the PBSO, which already tops $600,000 annually, Maniglia explained.

“I live in that neighborhood, and it has been a nightmare,” she said, suggesting the clause become a standard part of all commercial construction project approvals in the town.

Attorney Martin Perry of the Palm Beach Gardens firm of Perry & Taylor rose to object to inclusion in the approval of a restriction banning similar storage facilities within two miles of Lockhart’s Southern Blvd. location.

Perry pointed out that the town has only three miles of frontage along the busy highway, thus the inclusion of the restriction would effectively deny his client, real estate broker and longtime Loxahatchee Groves resident Nancy Drysdale, use or sale of her property at the corner of Southern Blvd. and Loxahatchee Avenue for another storage facility.

Lockhart said he was ready to move forward without the restriction, but the council held firm.

Perry called the decision “unconstitutional.”

Mayor Robert Shorr said that the restriction applied only to a very specific type of indoor facility and would not preclude other types of storage facilities.

“We’re facing some hard times, and people are going to need storage,” Drysdale said after the meeting. “I love Loxahatchee Groves… [but this] was crushing for me. I’ve paid taxes on that property for 34 years… I can’t live in a town that doesn’t take care of their own.”

In one other piece of growth-related business, on a 3-2 vote, the council approved variances for the Aldi supermarket already operating in the Groves Town Center plaza allowing it to increase the size of its signs.

The variance will allow the primary wall sign facing Southern to go from a maximum of 36 square feet to a maximum of 75 square feet, and the secondary wall sign facing B Road to go from a maximum of 18 square feet to a maximum of 75 square feet.

In other business, the council honored Town Clerk Lakisha Q. Burch during Municipal Clerks Week, May 2-8. Burch was recognized for receiving her Master Municipal Clerks designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Lanelda Gaskins, southeast district director of the Florida Association of City Clerks, presented Burch with her MMC plaque and pin during the council meeting. Gaskins noted that there are 629 members of the FACC, but only 149 are designated as Master Municipal Clerks by the IIMC. Burch has 25 years of experience as a clerk and has been with Loxahatchee Groves since 2019.

Could Palm Beach County soon have its 40th city?

Voters in Loxahatchee and The Acreage will answer that question later this year as they decide whether to have their northwest portion of the county become a new incorporated city.

On Thursday, the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation unanimously approved placing a referendum on the ballot for the Nov. 7, 2023 election that would create the Village of Loxahatchee. The same bill was previously discussed by the delegation in 2021, but was voted down.

More than 40,000 people live in the 70,000-acre area north of Royal Palm Beach, Republican State Rep. Rick Roth said during Thursday’s meeting. The Acreage is about 6 miles north of Southern Boulevard and west of Royal Palm Beach. Lion Country Safari is a short drive south. Loxahatchee and The Acreage are both in the unincorporated part of the county.

If approved, it would be the first new city in Palm Beach County since 2016. Westlake, which is just west of Loxahatchee, was created from scratch after a developer, Minto Communities, purchased 3,800 acres of orange groves in the formerly unincorporated area of the county. Loxahatchee Groves, which is just south of Westlake, became the county’s 38th city in 2006.

The Village of Loxahatchee, would not require the same type of initial infrastructure as Westlake.

Roth, who introduced the bill, called it an “opportunity” for the people in the area and that it is intended to “preserve and protect the equestrian and agricultural character, natural resources and quality of life of the community.”

“There’s been a lot of activity in the area in the last few years that I think is changing the discussion in the community,” Roth said. “This area is really in a state of flux.

“A lot of people are moving into unincorporated Loxahatchee and the area is changing” said Roth, who put on a red hat that said, “Don’t New York My Florida.”

If the referendum is approved by voters, it would still need to be approved by the state before going into effect. The city would have a city council/city manager form of government, but would continue to use some county services such as the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement unless the council approves otherwise.

Generally, cities’ services include “water, wastewater, stormwater utilities, police, fire prevention and EMS, road building and maintenance, parks and recreation, land-use codes, planning and code enforcement, animal control, solid waste and recycling, neighborhood services, libraries and cemeteries,” the Florida League of Cities said in a document about the creation of new cities.

Cities also help provide a more specific, tailored vision for their residents since they’ve overseen by a singular council instead of being lumped together with all of the other unincorporated areas throughout the county.

Florida currently has more than 400 cities, ranging in population from 8 in Marineland to 924,000 in Jacksonville, according to the Florida League of Cities. Palm Beach has the most cities in the South Florida tri-county area. Miami-Dade has 34, while Broward has 31.

Westlake is now booming as a destination for families moving into new homes. Since it became a city in 2016, it absorbed another 200 acres to become a 4,000-acre city. Eventually, 4,500 homes will rise there.

Democratic Rep. Matt Willhite says the town of Loxahatchee Groves should earn an exemption to state law allowing them to limit private fireworks displays on major holidays.

Willhite secured a similar exemption last year for the village of Wellington, which, like Loxahatchee Groves, is in Palm Beach County.

In 2020, lawmakers made it easier for private individuals to shoot off fireworks during major holidays such as the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. That caused a problem in Wellington, which is home to a large equestrian community.

Fireworks can scare horses, possibly causing injury. Loxahatchee Groves Mayor Robert Shorr, who oversees a town that is also home to a large animal population, explained his rationale during a Thursday meeting of the Palm Beach County legislative delegation.

“When a firework goes off and a horse either sees the flash or hears the boom, they don’t know what it is. Horses are animals of habit. They have their routines. They have their environment that they’re used to. And when there’s a drastic change in that environment, they get scared,” Shorr told lawmakers.

“I have horses. We lock them up in the stalls during events like this to try to minimize the chance of them hurting themselves. And that’s what they do. When they get scared, they run and they just eventually run into something or twist something. And when a horse has damage to their legs, it’s a very, very serious situation.”

The delegation met to consider several local bills and hear from constituents Thursday. One measure they considered would be to exempt Loxahatchee from the 2020 state law increasing private individuals’ ability to shoot off fireworks. An exemption would allow Loxahatchee Groves officials to regulate those displays more stringently.

“It is a community of hardworking people that have a lot of equestrian activities, farming activities,” Willhite explained Thursday.

“They have the same interest as a bill I passed last year for the village of Wellington to put some minor restrictions on the use of fireworks in their town.”

Earlier this week, the Broward County legislative delegation considered a similar bill covering the town of Southwest Ranches, which is also home to many horse owners. Shorr says constituents would appreciate a measure giving local officials more control over fireworks displays in his town, too.

“Every year, a lot of our residents are putting pressure on us to put signs out, do everything we can as a town to inform people of the impact that fireworks have,” Shorr said. “In our town, the animals far, far, far outnumber the residents.”

The Palm Beach delegation approved the bill Thursday. Willhite said he’ll push the measure in his final House term before he attempts a move to the Palm Beach County Commission.

“We know that the equestrian industry and farming aspects of our county are so very important,” Willhite said. “Anything we can continue to do to protect them will continue to help them thrive and to support Palm Beach County.”

LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla. — Loxahatchee Groves is a unique town. Run by a private company, the town is now facing more and more complaints about code enforcement. Some, including on council, said code enforcement is being used as a tool against residents.

“It’s very arbitrary,” said Julia Campbell, who used to own Farmer’s Daughter, a small business in the town.

“(It) opened in April of 1992, which is 26 years,” Campbell said.

Campbell believes code enforcement was used to kick her out.

“In Loxahatchee Groves, it’s who you know,” Campbell said. “And if you’re on the good side of the Underwoods (the town manager), they don’t mess with you. If you’re not, then forget it. They won’t leave you alone ever.”

Even council members raised the alarm bells.

“Personally, I’ve had issues with, with staff,” Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia said during a council meeting. “I was attacked by code enforcement, which is been used as a tool in this town for a while.”

Another council member, Joyce Batcheler, wrote in her resignation letter in November: “WHY is it OK in Loxahatchee, but NOT other communities to: Apply rules, regulations, and codes to residents differently.”

Contact 5 asked Code Enforcement Officer Barry Trombley for a comment.

“I have no comment,” Trombley said.

Trombley used to work for the Sheriff’s Office.

According to an internal affairs report, Trombley accidentally fired his gun at the office in 2004. He was suspended for 40 hours and faced a demotion as a result.

Trombley was then hired by the town manager, Bill Underwood, to work as the town’s code enforcement officer.

Campbell said she is not the only one who is facing arbitrary code enforcement issues.

“There is so many people,” Campbell said. “It’s like they’re trying to get rid of the old-timers.”

Her business is now closed.

“I miss it. I really do miss it,” Campbell said.

What was it like having to put the "closed" sign up after so many years?

“It was sad,” Campbell said, wiping away tears.

Underwood refused to go on camera but told us the accusations against code enforcement are “hogwash.”

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