Boca Raton City Council Regular Meeting – May 26, 2026

The Boca Raton City Council held a regular meeting on May 26, 2026, beginning at 1:30 PM (the invocation began at 1:34 PM). The meeting included an invocation led by Councilmember Stacy Sipple honoring Memorial Day, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call (all five members present), and approval of minutes from the May 11 workshop and May 12 regular meeting. The council heard a presentation from the Boca Raton Historical Society, approved the consent agenda unanimously, conducted a public hearing and passed Ordinance No. 5785 establishing lobbyist certification and disclosure requirements for development applications, introduced four ordinances (Nos. 5786–5789), received a city manager’s report, and heard councilmember reports. The meeting adjourned at 2:22 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the Workshop Meeting of May 11, 2026, and the Regular Meeting of May 12, 2026, by voice vote (all ayes).
• Approved the Consent Agenda (items A–G) by roll call vote: 5–0 (Grau, Drucker, Pearlman, Sipple, Thompson). Items included sole source procurement for Knox Ekey and Elock Core Products for fire rescue services ($273,196.06); Resolution No. 52-2026 (Transfer Pumping Upgrades at Water Treatment Plant with Florida Design Contractors, LLC); Resolution No. 53-2026 (landscape material services with Landscape Service Professionals LLC and Sherlock Tree Company Inc.); Resolution No. 54-2026 (Procurement Card Program with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.); Resolution No. 55-2026 (public safety services agreement with FWC2026 US, Inc. for FIFA World Cup 2026); acceptance of board resignations (Howard Greenberg from Citizens’ Pedestrian and Bikeway Advisory Board, Julie Vianale from Parks and Recreation Advisory Board); and approval of various board minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joe Graubart (120 Southeast Fifth) spoke in favor of Ordinance No. 5785, stating it would help re-establish credibility and confidence in City Hall and was a step toward good governance. He referenced a recent article about developer influence and supported the disclosure requirement.
• Jonathan Unjin (650 Congress Avenue) questioned the scope of the ordinance, asking whether a landscape architect or architect would need to register as a lobbyist, and raised concerns about potential unintended capture of neighbors speaking in their own interest. He suggested more thought is needed.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance No. 5785 – Lobbyist Certification and Disclosure Requirements: Development Services Director Brandon Shad presented the ordinance, explaining it would require development applicants to submit a certification identifying anyone paid to represent them before the city council, boards, or staff, and to state whether that person is registered as a lobbyist under Palm Beach County’s existing code. The requirement would be part of the application completeness review, and representatives would also need to verbally identify themselves and their lobbyist status at public hearings. Councilmember Jon Pearlman questioned the background of the ordinance, referencing a previous freestanding emergency room appeal and alleging that lobbyists and developers had crafted a separate zoning law (CIMD) behind closed doors. Councilmember Yvette Drucker responded that the CIMD process was public and took two and a half years. Deputy Mayor Michelle Grau, who requested the ordinance, emphasized it is a transparency measure that does not ban lobbying but requires disclosure. City Attorney Tom Kaler clarified that the ordinance does not sweep ordinary citizens or technical consultants into the lobbyist category unless they are specifically compensated to advocate. The public hearing included two speakers. The council passed the ordinance by a 5–0 roll call vote.
• Councilmember Reports: Councilmember Yvette Drucker reported on Florida property tax legislation, MPO and Tri-Rail funding discussions, and addressed allegations made by Councilmember Pearlman at the May 12 meeting regarding a presentation at Mizner Park. She stated she was not the presenter and that the presentation did not discuss the eight acres in question. Councilmember Pearlman responded that the presentation did include slides on transit-oriented development and that the timing was troubling. Mayor Andy Thomson praised the city’s Memorial Day ceremonies at the cemetery and the Memorial Park plaque unveiling.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda approved: 5–0 (Grau, Drucker, Pearlman, Sipple, Thompson).
• Ordinance No. 5785 passed: 5–0 (Drucker, Pearlman, Sipple, Thompson, Grau). The ordinance establishes lobbyist certification and disclosure requirements for development applications, effective upon adoption.
• Ordinances Introduced (first reading):
  • Ordinance No. 5786 – Lease amendment for 5.12 acres at 1531 West Palmetto Park Road, extending the hospice facility lease from June 12, 2034, to June 12, 2044, with a required capital improvement investment by the lessee.
  • Ordinance No. 5787 – Non-exclusive Construction and Demolition Debris Collection and Disposal Services Franchise Agreement with Classic Recycling Inc.
  • Ordinance No. 5788 – Amendment to General Employees Pension Plan regarding definitions of actuarial equivalent and post-retirement changes of joint pensioner/beneficiary.
  • Ordinance No. 5789 – Amendment to Executive Employees Retirement Plan clarifying the definition and calculation of Average Final Compensation.
• City Manager Report: Noted a shooting incident on May 25–26 in downtown Boca Raton (police and fire responded, investigation active); traffic enforcement initiative since May 11 has issued about 1,800 citations with an 80% increase in traffic stops; flashing stop signs approved for Southwest 12th Avenue and Palmetto Park Road; police chief recruitment process with finalist interviews starting June 5 and an offer anticipated around June 9; beach seaweed management continues at public beaches; water treatment plant received the 2025 Outstanding Water Treatment Plant Award from the Florida section of the American Waterworks Association for the second consecutive year; reorganization of recreational services (ocean rescue moved to fire services, emergency management moved to fire services, park rangers moving to police department, communications division enhanced, beautification transitioning to public works); launch of an online project tracker on the city’s development services page; hurricane season preparation with a Clean and Cut program and Alert Boca notification system. The city manager also noted upcoming meetings: June 18 budget meeting at 1:30 PM, June 30 special RFQ for Civic Area plan at 10 AM, and proposed September 8 and September 22 budget meetings (subject to council approval).