[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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",[32,76],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5970423,"mediaKeyId","5774616-bc3ead48f4a926ce1de6461b3b7a218c","parentId",5774616,"title","Council forms Charter Review Committee and narrows scope to speed ballot timeline","audioSeconds",1329,"startMs",8734000,"endMs",10063000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774616-bc3ead48f4a926ce1de6461b3b7a218c&start=8734&end=10063","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774616-bc3ead48f4a926ce1de6461b3b7a218c/thumbnail_8734000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5970423/Florida/Council-forms-Charter-Review-Committee-and-narrows-scope-to-speed-ballot-timeline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5970423-cabc857d6881436875dbce3bf059ce53/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148313&Signature=UWxfCURmCVqXGPK9R8tgi5F1WW6y7Vb4ipHqrvJelZKTeEi05B0ECcUiz34IrhiFsqOqi5ort3guBBxwnhgt2n79OX1cQDFctdiCSM9YlCqT7fccM3K8vGaqMXWccN9cx07J-PVZxFJ19q4DfWtTUHvyWnr2UH1Ra9inGKvgYBKFzw~pWdBxtIPlYwXX8o9Y73na7juIDYWMhwJwtJnnboTjkd6QH5j48wjtapnHXHDS~kw7mebnK8BQCyD6OpdqA0-jcWb9qo~~~2yyiCX~vGQEShfw0xQ~GVnZCV6cbpAa~aiPG01cMpmLbP5RB98LDlHNr4Y1uzXM7OahI~qE5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Loxahatchee Groves, FL","date","2025-09-18T18:49:00Z","article","The Town Council of Loxahatchee Groves approved Resolution 2025‑73 to establish a charter review committee charged with examining selected provisions of the town charter. Councilmembers voted unanimously to remove one proposed topic — the town’s limitation on borrowing term — from the committee’s initial charge.

Town Attorney Kurtz told the council the timetable for placing a charter amendment on the March ballot is tight: ordinances would need first reading in November and second reading at the council’s first December meeting to make the likely schedule. The council agreed the committee should prioritize a short list of issues that included supermajority thresholds for certain official actions, terms of office, and the role of the town attorney in contract review.

Nut graf: Why this matters
Changes to charter language would alter how the town elects officials, how many votes are required for key actions such as removal of charter officers and land‑use decisions, and whether some procedural approvals should be shifted into ordinance or charter language. Those choices affect governance, election frequency and voter oversight.

What the committee will do and timeline
The resolution establishes a 15‑member committee and assigns duties, staff support and authority for public meetings. The council directed staff to contact prospective members and begin work quickly. Kurtz outlined the schedule for placing amendments on the March ballot and warned that meeting frequency will have to be intensive to meet statutory publication and ordinance-adoption deadlines: \"Ordinances would have to be ready for first reading in November, second reading at your first meeting in December,\" he said.

Public comment and council reactions
Residents and former committee members attending the meeting urged the council to limit the committee’s initial scope or allow the council itself to consider some items. Mary Ann Miles, a former charter committee member, told the council the process is lengthy and “it was long. It was grueling to go piece by piece, item by item to understand everything that was going on.” Several council members urged the committee to prioritize a few high‑impact items because completing a full charter rewrite on the short timetable would be difficult.

Action taken
Councilmember motioned to approve Resolution 2025‑73 with item number 4 removed from the scope; council seconded the motion and the resolution passed 5‑0. Council noted the committee could expand its scope later, but agreed to start with a prioritized list to meet the calendar for a possible March ballot.

Clarifying details
- Priority topics listed for the committee included: (1) supermajority voting requirements for removal/hiring of charter officers and land‑use matters, (2) terms of office and potential changes to election frequency, and (3) whether the town attorney should be required to sign or review certain contracts.
- The resolution as passed removed the borrowing-term item from the committee’s initial charges at council direction.
- Committee composition: 15 members, to be contacted by staff; council discussed meeting cadence that could require meetings every 9–10 days to meet the calendar.

Ending: next steps
Staff will contact the proposed committee members and begin scheduling meetings; the council will review any committee recommendations and decide whether to place charter amendments on the ballot. If the council pursues a March ballot placement, ordinance drafts and readings must be scheduled in late fall and early December.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","09/18/2025 Town Council Regular Meeting (Continuation of September 17, 2025 Meeting)","oneSentenceSummary","The town council approved Resolution 2025‑73 to establish a 15‑member charter review committee and removed one item (a borrowing-timeframe change) from the committee's charge so the group can focus on a shorter list of priorities and meet a timeline for possible March ballot placement.","taxTitle","Town of Loxahatchee Groves, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",75779,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5970427,"Loxahatchee Groves council approves town manager contract amid calls to delay",6288,2444000,8732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774616-bc3ead48f4a926ce1de6461b3b7a218c&start=2444&end=8732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774616-bc3ead48f4a926ce1de6461b3b7a218c/thumbnail_2444000.jpg","/articles/5970427/Florida/Loxahatchee-Groves-council-approves-town-manager-contract-amid-calls-to-delay","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5970427-ee4d8634140fb96707f100d8a98a80a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148313&Signature=KhmSyNwuM0uzb1DnPc1E7eEaThSOh5dVstrOYim7OE3lzW2F2hPJCTZMSnzSQhqhKBaxr1~U95-0NlbFBbragwNf~R5ttB5EbhQzlWzqITTS8Yrt0Px4g2BI9XZuoHAalRVeckJPp1KVJqIW2d1Sb~WJJuSHJcdEGfq7~DLkyqA5anpgvfvuzAEhfQ4TT3Ki6V0k1J~NjMVpX2paSHMRBgnKXDVNpUa0qldFe8YAxEymOHPFd3hvkUuz-RaD1HglwKcGIZ~WFUxSMsVj9wtTMugHbdeDwOGdkGbS0X7aG2txQ9wQG-p1NbftEVtJMA0SH6pH~QCpgHlwflpKH~mI8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council voted to approve Resolution 2025‑74, adopting an employment agreement for Town Manager Francine Romalia that carries an end date of Sept. 30, 2026; the motion on the record listed a base salary as “1.55.”

The vote capped more than two hours of public comment, written submissions and council discussion during which many residents urged the council to delay contract approval until outside complaints and investigations are resolved. Town Attorney Kurtz told the council the state attorney’s office had received a complaint but “the state attorney’s office has made no determination with respect to criminality.” Council members split on whether to approve the agreement now or wait for outside inquiries to conclude; the motion passed on the floor.

Councilmember Todd moved to approve Resolution 2025‑74 with an effective end date of Sept. 30, 2026; the motion as stated on the record included a base-salary figure recorded as “1.55.” The motion was seconded and, after public comment and discussion, carried on a recorded roll-call vote (tally in minutes: yes 3, no 2; individual roll-call names were not specified on the public record excerpt).

Nut graf: Why this matters
The contract vote commits town staff time and budget authority while several residents and one public commenter said outside agencies have pending inquiries about the town manager. Commenters warned of legal and fiscal exposure if the council approves a multiyear agreement before those matters are resolved; others urged stability and continuity in town administration.

What the council heard and discussed
Town Attorney Kurtz opened the agenda item by reading Resolution 2025‑74 into the record. Dozens of written comments were later read into the record and multiple residents spoke in person. Concerns raised by speakers included alleged ongoing investigations, the contract’s severance and benefit provisions, and whether the town’s attorney had prepared a written legal memorandum for the council.

Resident Cynthia Screnci accused the manager of conduct that prompted law‑enforcement attention and said: “If anyone watched the Mickey Mouse show that occurred here at the meeting last night, Francine would be fired immediately.” Cassie Suchi and other commenters urged the council to “delay renewing or renegotiating a contract until all of this stuff is cleared out.”

By contrast, supporters who submitted written statements and spoke in person cited the manager’s record and urged approval. A number of residents who said they work with town programs or have historical perspective asked the council to prioritize operational continuity.

Legal and fiscal issues discussed
Multiple written commenters asked the council to seek a written legal opinion before voting. One submission referenced Florida Bar professional-conduct rules and the Florida Constitution and asked whether the town attorney had evaluated conflicts of interest arising from how the contract was negotiated. Kurtz replied on the record that the contract is legally sufficient to enter into and that, as of his discussions with the state attorney’s office, the outside office had not identified criminality or provided a timetable.

Speakers and councilmembers also debated specific contract provisions that commenters highlighted: a 20‑week severance clause for termination without cause, a $35,000 contribution described in the contract (appearing alongside retirement and health benefits), and language that indemnifies the town for employer liability. Several residents and at least two councilmembers said those provisions create elevated financial exposure and urged changes or delay.

Discussion, directions and formal action
Discussion points: public speakers sought delay pending outside inquiries; commenters and some councilmembers criticized the process by which the draft contract was circulated and negotiated; other residents urged approval for continuity.

Directions: the council agreed to add a policy item to the October agenda for consideration that would clarify how written public comments are handled when meetings are continued. No formal instruction to delay the contract vote was passed in lieu of the final roll-call vote.

Decision: Resolution 2025‑74 was approved by vote (tally recorded in minutes: yes 3, no 2). The motion approved the employment agreement as read into the record.

Clarifying details and items the record left unclear
- Motion salary language: the motion repeatedly recorded a base-salary figure as “1.55” on the record; the transcript does not record currency units or full numeric formatting. (clarifying detail: base salary recorded as \"1.55\"; units/scale not specified in the public read record.)
- Written legal memo: multiple commenters requested a written legal memorandum from the town attorney addressing liability and conflicts; the council did not produce a written memo on the record before the vote.
- Investigations: comment authors referenced case numbers and said they had spoken to the assistant state attorney; Kurtz reported he had spoken to Assistant State Attorney Alan Johnson but said the state attorney’s office had made no determination and had not provided firm timelines.

Proper names and institutions in the record
Town of Loxahatchee Groves; Francine Romalia (town manager); Resolution 2025‑74; Alan Johnson (assistant state attorney, referenced by commenters); Monica Weber (memo referenced by email submitters); Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (referenced in public comment); Tercivia law firm (prior counsel referenced in discussion).

Ending: what comes next
The new employment agreement takes effect as approved by the council. The council directed staff to place a policy item on the October agenda to clarify rules for accepting and reading written public comments after a meeting continuance. Several residents who urged delay said they will follow up if outside investigations produce new findings.","The Town Council approved Resolution 2025‑74 to extend Town Manager Francine Romalia's employment through Sept. 30, 2026. The vote followed extended public comment urging delay while outside complaints and investigations proceed; the town attorney said the state attorney's office has made no determination of criminality.","actionData","errors"]

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Council forms Charter Review Committee and narrows scope to speed ballot timeline

Loxahatchee Groves council approves town manager contract amid calls to delay