[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6523092,"mediaKeyId","5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3","parentId",5065857,"title","Council expands magistrate slate, raises magistrate pay to $200 an hour","audioSeconds",913,"startMs",5053000,"endMs",5966000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3&start=5053&end=5966","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3/thumbnail_5053000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6523092/Wellington/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Council-expands-magistrate-slate-raises-magistrate-pay-to-200-an-hour","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523092-0c5f0d7cd74638dab0b213022589f960/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163462&Signature=SavItCz1Kr0nmTlEvCzl~JdICNNquxR1eGDEw2DEFUkryj45SX7NUfxidSWGsFGp75BnX1rZZ7rAnYP8UFjqf0nqe5K3tc-P67~jHFK~Uvgmto8qw2BEGj0fbJGuSu6uhsnB8VQDoFC5LaHga3~Aeoe3VV-ZvJo49oziosj2dCGyPRHdmIArFaFWhIxPF3HAdoNnfnkCSFf5~3v6GNqlC0qHHJCMpI1PIx-Ab4MF~eVheO2AdAcvNGDBOWcO1pJU4YmMvDCh9WZMS8VB5sPEumkl0kV-1I2StF7ekSioAR-9tDuZtzpsvytiuy4OsM9JiP8q-M1CHwqekXWi~mbHGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wellington","date","2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","article","At the June 24 meeting the Wellington Village Council authorized staff to add attorneys from the firm Neighbors Giblin & Nickerson (Vicente and Weisman, with a listed alternate) to the village's special magistrate rotation and approved an increase in the magistrate hourly rate from $165 to $200.

Staff said the village issued a solicitation for special magistrate services and received four responses, including the incumbent and a multi-attorney firm. Council members discussed the benefit of having a smaller roster of magistrates who are familiar with Wellington's code and operations but also noted the potential for increased hearings tied to the upcoming speed-detection enforcement program; staff said the number of contested cases could grow and advised flexibility in scheduling.

Council voted unanimously to appoint Neighbors Giblin & Nickerson attorneys (two named attorneys and an alternate as offered by the firm) to the magistrate roster and to adopt the higher compensation rate for magistrate services. Staff said the $200 hourly rate would apply to new appointees and to magistrate compensation going forward. The appointments and the compensation change were presented in two companion resolutions and approved without objection.

Councilmembers said they value both continuity and capacity for hearings and thanked the existing magistrate for long service while noting it was an appropriate time to expand the roster.

Staff directed follow-up administrative steps for onboarding the newly appointed magistrates and for scheduling calendar availability for hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wellington - WCM_062525 - Jun 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Wellington council approved adding outside firm attorneys to the village special magistrate rotation and raised magistrate compensation from $165 to $200 per hour to reflect market rates and anticipated workload from new enforcement programs.","taxTitle","Wellington, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",8863,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6523096,"Votes at a glance: Wellington council approves land-use, charter amendments and first-reading code change",0,5820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3&start=5820&end=5820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3/thumbnail_5820000.jpg","/articles/6523096/Wellington/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Wellington-council-approves-land-use-charter-amendments-and-first-reading-code-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523096-cfabe34893194033f5040eb5a8ef576c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163462&Signature=HE5~kr~K7xrPoMw9-u05fSa5FKK49F69OXNndO7SnZsCGFYSxyQhIGRtuK0YWU~jPxSgWju9ZZbVd3IHIFFYQLPXmrUeGaVixZKZqS5AjjB6vc-hgxF-9X4LnURiSDj3VPxbPtf2fOmzaSgjiTJhs8nfNNrLO35vtEQaWb8qG1D63XDZbEebf7rWc-M5lcU9ajkeWI~XMljxos6M74unGg063Op8KkfbTHqfzyJv53VYss8eVWCl~MOi6nKr7wB2MZRPe-gB2xqqWk6yelrl8mYmXgJz172zROJzT7-xUmKJI9NrOi4OP3FUpaH2bVUTMe1FuUdyne7Muc~K-AotHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wellington Village Council took several formal actions during its June 24 meeting, including second readings and final approvals of land-use and zoning amendments, a comp-plan amendment, charter amendment ballot measures and a first reading of a business tax-receipt penalty clarification. Key actions and votes are listed below.

- Ordinance 2025-11 (Wellington Green future land use amendment): Approved on second reading, passes 5-0. The ordinance amends the land-use development order for the Wellington Green properties (approximately 456.3 acres at the SW corner of State Road 7 and Forest Hill Boulevard) to delete prior conditions of approval that are now satisfied or included in the Wellington Green master plan.

- Ordinance 2025-14 (Wellington Green zoning development order amendment): Approved on second reading, passes 5-0. This zoning amendment accompanies the land-use change for the same Wellington Green properties and removes obsolete conditions of approval.

- Ordinance 2025-06 (Marjory Stoneman Douglas Preserve, Section 24 comp-plan amendment): Approved on second reading, passes 5-0. The ordinance re-designates roughly 3.63 acres from Palm Beach County 's prior residential designation to Wellington's conservation land-use designation for the preserve.

- Ordinance 2025-19 (business tax-receipt (BTR) penalty clarification): Approved for first reading, passes 5-0. The ordinance adds clarifying language to the BTR penalty section so the code more clearly allows both a 25% penalty for operating without a BTR and a later additional fine of up to $250 if the business does not obtain the receipt within the required period. The ordinance will return for second reading (staff said the effective date would follow second reading).

- Ordinance 2025-17 (municipal charter amendment: designate Palm Beach County canvassing board): Council voted to place a charter amendment on the March 10, 2026 ballot that would designate the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board as the village's canvassing board and remove the requirement to appoint a community member/alternate. The ordinance passed 4-1. Staff and council discussed ballot summary language and whether voters would understand the measure; staff said there is no additional election cost if the municipality holds its normal March election.

- Ordinance 2025-18 (municipal charter amendment: move candidate qualifying period to November): Council voted to place a charter amendment on the March 10, 2026 ballot moving the candidate qualifying period to a two-week period in November prior to the March general election. The measure passed 4-1.

- Consent agenda and other items: The consent agenda (as amended to add a Parkside dedication/resolution to the consent agenda) was approved unanimously. The council also approved special magistrate recruitment and appointment items and a pay-rate increase for magistrates (see separate article).

Most of the ordinance hearings were quasi-judicial or public-hearing items; the council opened public hearings where required and recorded that no substantive public comments were received on the Wellington Green amendments and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Preserve comp-plan amendment. Several of the items were described by staff as \"clean-up\" changes to remove obsolete conditions or to codify existing practice. The BTR ordinance was framed as clarifying existing code interpretations and was scheduled for second reading in August.","At its June 24 meeting the Wellington Village Council approved multiple ordinances and charter amendments, held a first reading on a business-tax-receipt penalty clarification, and approved consent and appointment items. Most measures passed unanimously; two charter amendments passed 4-1.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6523100,"State Rep. Gerwig reports two signed bills, funding wins and education changes to Wellington council",1880,1545000,3425000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3&start=1545&end=3425","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3/thumbnail_1545000.jpg","/articles/6523100/Wellington/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/State-Rep-Gerwig-reports-two-signed-bills-funding-wins-and-education-changes-to-Wellington-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523100-a64be1d27fd39e5dc8871e948052be62/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163462&Signature=jtIb3peeG5hTYsOzgI-no3WAlYvOvwdrcPMoH0b0bXMd-TGk85RclhMmstSpX5ZBYOEEtGmvKJ5pW4vRYYXy70a3RBuomoflLoYpgeJsdXaqJ8sNmAhwOmpYbtsV8L9hFsKwneTx2X3xgI8Y-U9ha4l~yNFPtA11xuXC~3h9UI~p2PTDab0EUvMYBXZqOizxwQCS5zgvT52r3HPIO0HrdUV1F5Joe03hQR7AFE6K5yfv6A3EwmgdyS-lbkCo450FxyUGfgU35zc~6JvU7neEXZK7fNXXCpAQnnv2WOz1mdU~4MOihGbG9cOfAQEDqj8yLw6fgNpSL5cNaIA~iH132Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Anne Gerwig addressed the Wellington Village Council on June 24 with a summary of the just-completed legislative session in Tallahassee, described as 105 days. Gerwig told the council she had two bills signed by the governor: designation of Aug. 21 as Fentanyl Awareness Day and a bill changing the statewide school-start-time requirement for middle and high schools by requiring school districts to report start times and local impacts rather than imposing uniform later starts.

Gerwig said the Fentanyl Awareness Day designation is intended to spotlight the continuing local dangers of fentanyl exposure and fatalities. She said the school-start-time measure preserves the conversation about adolescent sleep needs but allows districts to submit a report explaining local operational impacts — including bus availability, athletic schedules and staffing — and to document public meetings and stakeholder feedback; districts that submit the required report can be exempted from the state's prescribed 8:00/8:30 start-time thresholds.

Gerwig also said she worked to restore funding proposed for ACE, IB and dual-enrollment programs after a proposed cut, and that those dollars were returned to the budget. She described remaining questions about ensuring students \"get the dollar value\" of those programs and said further work will be needed so students who enroll receive the program benefits.

On appropriations, Gerwig told the council she sought items that would benefit Wellington, including a $650,000 appropriation for a pump-station improvement (rehab) and other local projects under consideration, including the Children's Healing Institute and YMCA-related appropriations. She also described statewide budget reductions compared with the prior session and defended her approach to negotiating appropriations and policy changes.

Council members asked follow-up questions about the start-time law's mechanics and the school exemption form; Gerwig said districts must report start times for every public and charter school, hold public meetings with parents and stakeholders, and estimate costs such as additional buses and driver needs. She said the report triggers an exemption from the 8:00/8:30 standard if completed.

Gerwig also discussed other session actions, including sales tax changes for August (hurricane and school supplies) and repeal of a business rental sales tax item; she told the council she will continue work on appropriations that remain in committee or awaiting signature. No formal council action was taken on the presentation.","Representative Anne Gerwig briefed the Wellington Village Council on the recently completed legislative session, saying the governor signed two bills she carried — a Fentanyl Awareness Day and a school start-time measure — and that she secured appropriations and restored education program funding for the region.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6523105,"Wellington sets preliminary FY2026 budget at $155.7 million; millage rate held at 2.47 mills",1488,202000,1690000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3&start=202&end=1690","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065857-2d7e3223ff9572ca24ecad79ab5103c3/thumbnail_202000.jpg","/articles/6523105/Wellington/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Wellington-sets-preliminary-FY2026-budget-at-1557-million-millage-rate-held-at-247-mills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523105-acd4ae8e7c28ac5e004ac1f242cd1207/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163462&Signature=YQ2ly7PbE1LfXPGaYcasP2xuLNDKW9yovncunyJQE43E~b4E9x1sf50zUL8uDJyqjWyNpRwzZt6fTxnua2OqL9fADyFakYJny2wiPRH~LDumqWUIIXEYEZwfJm7YdKZCHPeYkUZ28wh5tG1XwDLGTAunfm7cngcu2i0JUa4JLnF~Uv-CibdYgSkCTT~HTMaqypqtXT7mCAI7Y2vE5Bp0KIu2hZDU7dArCOEUPftx9EzADF9BLft27FYKZ3MOVBl4V-axyqS-hlt5Z-mL89qTrxzZqnHD-f4dvczt1osLgwhcdWwsfP8UC5LESbkh~tvlkN83nqB6pyAfcaRqcs4Tyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wellington Village Council on June 24 adopted preliminary tax and assessment resolutions and heard a presentation of the village's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, a $155,700,000 spending plan that keeps the municipal millage rate at 2.47 mills and would generate about $31 million in ad valorem tax revenue at the preliminary rate.

The presentation, led by Finance staff during the meeting, said the proposal holds the millage rate steady for the seventeenth-year average of 2.47 mills and budgets a $6.7 million (4.5%) increase over the current year largely for capital improvements, public safety, and resident programs. The council unanimously approved three preliminary TRIM/assessment resolutions on the consent agenda: the village's preliminary ad valorem millage resolution and two preliminary non-ad valorem assessment resolutions for improvement districts, each passing 5-0.

The proposed budget summary released at the meeting lists capital and maintenance as major drivers of the increase and highlights several specifics: the village's proposed utility user-rate increase is 10% (an average monthly bill increase of $8.26) and is described as the last year of that 10% step; the ACME stormwater assessment is proposed at $275 (an increase of $20 from $255); solid-waste assessment adjustments and container fees are included; and the budget assumes a 6.3% increase in taxable value for the community. Staff said the proposal anticipates $31 million in ad valorem revenue using the 2.47 millage and that each one-tenth of a mill equates to about $1,252,000 under the 2026 estimate.

Staff identified major capital focuses for FY2026 as the ACME stormwater pump station renovation program, continued funding for a public safety annex, streetscape and equestrian trail improvements, and intersections and utility projects for water supply and treatment. The preliminary documents presented at the meeting show a mix of one-time and ongoing projects (listed in the village's draft budget book) and identify roughly $1.2 million for personnel expense increases and other adjustments for technology, insurance and debt service.

Staff noted sample taxpayer impacts: for a homesteaded property assessed at $450,000, the proposed millage at 2.47 mills would correspond to about a $32 increase; for a non-homesteaded property the example shown was a $111 increase. Presenters also reminded residents that even with an unchanged millage, a homeowner's tax bill may rise if the property's taxable value increases.

Council members thanked staff for the presentation and praised the multi-month outreach plan; staff said the village will publish a media release and post the draft budget online, and that the village will hold a capital workshop on Aug. 11. Staff also said the village will continue resident engagement via the Budget Balancing Act and other online tools through mid-August and will adjust the draft once the Florida Department of Revenue municipal revenue estimates are received in late July.

The council took formal action on three resolutions tied to TRIM/ad valorem and assessment rates. Councilmember McGovern moved to approve the village's preliminary TRIM/ad valorem resolution (R2025-405); a second was received and the motion passed 5-0. Council then approved the preliminary assessments for the ACME Improvement District and the Saddle Trail Park Neighborhood Improvement District by similar motions, each passing 5-0.

The council emphasized that this meeting adopted preliminary rates and that further budget hearings and workshops over the summer will examine details before final adoption.","At its June 24 meeting the Wellington Village Council adopted preliminary TRIM resolutions and previewed a $155.7 million proposed fiscal 2026 budget while leaving the municipal millage unchanged at 2.47 mills. Council approved the three related TRIM/resolution items unanimously, 5-0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council expands magistrate slate, raises magistrate pay to $200 an hour

Votes at a glance: Wellington council approves land-use, charter amendments and first-reading code change

State Rep. Gerwig reports two signed bills, funding wins and education changes to Wellington council

Wellington sets preliminary FY2026 budget at $155.7 million; millage rate held at 2.47 mills