Equestrian Forum Board Meets with John Greene

In a continued effort to represent the interests of the Wellington Equestrian community, the Equestrian Forum of Wellington ( EFW ) held a meeting today with Councilman, John Greene. EFW was represented by residents Gaye Scarpa, Terri Rollins Kane, Kathy Mailloux, Jack Mancini and Alexander Zilo.

The frank dialogue covered an assortment of varied topics including the Equestrian Master Plan, the Global Dressage facilities and an Emergency Equine Evacuation Plan. Noteworthy moments saw Councilman John Greene openly declare his support for equine sports events in Wellington while the Equestrian Forum announced its ambition to have the village eventually remove the word “ Winter “ from the Wellington slogan - “ Winter Equestrian Capital of the World “.

Council Dismisses Violation Charge

At its meeting on Tuesday, October 23rd, the Wellington Village Council decided to seek a Permanent Settlement Agreement to the litigation involving the Equestrian Village Horse Park. The Park is composed of a derby field and the Van Kampen dressage venue. Its approvals were revoked by the new Council following the Council elections in March. The Park is now limited to activities from November 1 to April 30 under a Temporary Settlement Agreement.   

A proposed Settlement Agreement had been offered by Wellington Equestrian Partners and was discussed by the Council. The discussions are unknown, however, because they occurred at a “Shade Meeting” where by law only the Council, its attorney and certain staff are allowed to discuss litigation. The Council announced at its regular meeting that they would seek a “design solution” to the litigation.  

The Council also announced at its regular meeting that no violation had occurred when horses were stabled at the Horse Park for the Palm Beach Riding Academy. It decided there had been confusion when approvals were issued and that clarification was needed on what activities are allowed

Regarding the design solution, it is likely that most attention will be placed on the location of the barns. Currently there are two existing barns. There are two future barns shown on the Master Plan adjacent to the existing barns. All of the existing and future barns are adjacent to the Van Kampen arena and other facilities.

The Jacobs family has been a driving force and party to the litigation. They have publicly demanded that all the barns be relocated along South Shore Boulevard. It can be expected the the Jacobs will be seeking to have the Village Council adopt their design solution as the Village’s own.

The Council will discuss a design solution in private at a shade meeting on November 12 and then discuss and take action publicly the evening of November 13.

  

The emails to the council and attendance at Village meetings has been important during this process. 

We will be seeking your views on this and will be issuing information on meetings and other items.

Wellington Council Meeting - Tuesday, October 23rd 2012, 7:00 pm

Until yesterday we were caught unaware that on tonight’s Wellington Village Council agenda there would be:

1.      A discussion regarding the Settlement Agreement that follows your “ Shade ” meeting; and

2.      Consideration of the First Violation issued to Wellington Equestrian Partners.

We’d like to offer the statement below to the Village Council and we wish to hear your comments. Please respond via Facebook or equestrian.forum@live.com.       

First the First Violation. It seems inconceivable that the legal mechanizations and political agendas have lead us to a point where someone is issued a violation for stabling horses in a new venue in the Equestrian Preserve because it is not yet November 1. And that a Certificate of Occupancy had been issued without a start date restriction makes the issue even more bizarre. Please think about all this.

At this point in the Forum’s development, we prefer to mobilize our resources and members to work with the Village and others to promote Wellington and our equestrian industry. We want to help create  equestrian related jobs and income and to help taxes flow to the Village. We want to help Wellington maintain high levels of service for which it is known while keeping taxes low. Your predecessors accomplished this by working to enhance the equestrian industry.

 We do not want to mobilize our resources to fight our own government (that will be using our money to fight us) to preserve the equestrian industry.

Regarding the Settlement Agreement, we are not going to ask for a specific action. We are not that pretentious to offer specific language for an action. However, we have made our positions on matters well known. We support the growth and enhancement of a family oriented equestrian industry. We wish that economic and recreational opportunities are available to the greatest number of people possible. Of course we understand that growth of the industry must occur in a manner that protects the character of the Equestrian Preserve.

We ask that if you take action tonight, please keep these goals in mind:

1.     Put an end to the costly litigation as quickly as possible; and

2.      Allow the Equestrian Village venue to be used year round as quickly as possible. Put an end to the punishment of year round residents, equestrian organizations and non-profits.

There has been considerable discussion about the divisiveness that exists in Wellington. Indeed, there are operatives who are trying to foment distrust. The past few days anonymous operatives on equestrian blogs were asserting that ESP had committed an egregious violation of the rules. It was obvious someone from the Village had fed them information that most of us were unaware of. These anonymous operatives were asked to provide specifics but none were provided.   As it turns out they  were probably embarrassed that the “egregious” violation was horses being stabled by the Palm Beach Riding Academy at the Equestrian Village venue.

We believe that the divisiveness within Wellington is diminishing. People, businesses and organizations are becoming more unified in their desire to reverse the actions that have been taken to diminish the equestrian industry. And every day we hear from people who are returning home from the international equestrian circuit who are looking forward to join our efforts to support the equestrian industry.

We look forward to tonight being a turning point for Wellington.

Equestrian Forum of Wellington Board of Directors

Children's Riding Academy Shut Down

10/22 5:00 pm Update: Wellington Riding Academy 
Now Relocated to and Operating at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center

The Wellington Village government continues to impede the equestrian industry and spend taxpayer money on lawyers and litigation to restrict equestrian activities and prohibit its growth.  A council majority of Mayor Bob Margolis and council members John Greene and Matt Willhite are continuing a course to dismantle the industry to please their elitist supporters who want equestrian sport as an exclusive club. They are not interested in jobs and tax revenue and family friendly entertainment. 

The Forum’s Board of Directors had positive expectations after meeting with Mayor Bob Margolis early this month. We hoped a good faith effort would be pursued to allow the new Horse Park at Equestrian Village (composed of the derby field and Van Kampen dressage facility) to be used year-round. It’s inconceivable that a $30 million facility, for which most communities would offer incentives, is not allowed to be used year round for events. We hoped that a quick end would be sought to the litigation that prevents this facility from being used to expand the equestrian industry and create jobs and income for local households and businesses.

The international equestrian community still views Wellington's equestrian industry with uncertainty.  Unfortunately that uncertainty translates into loss of money flowing into the local economy and to residents and businesses. That was demonstrated when Europeans began canceling plans to come to Wellington for the Global Dressage Festival because the council made it uncertain if the GDF would be allowed to occur this year. That money, in the millions of dollars, is forever lost to us.

The Wellington equestrian industry brings the captains of industries and their borad meeting an other economiuc benefits to the county. It is tourism on steroids. The families of Bill Gates, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Dobbs and other attractive names bring money and jobs. 

This week the Wellington Village Council will be discussing a settlement agreement to the lawsuit (with Wellington Equestrian Partners) that is preventing use of the Horse Park as originally approved by the previous council. We hope that the council members put aside personal and political agendas and place residents’ and taxpayers’ interests ahead of all else during these deliberations.

It is very disappointing to learn of recent action that was taken by the village to not allow the Palm Beach Riding Academy to operate at the Horse Park outside of the November to April timeframe.

The Palm Beach Riding Academy provides training for riding skills and horsemanship. The Academy has a special focus on young riders. This is a component of the industry’s effort to encourage local children to pursue riding (such as participation by local students with horse shows).

An application was made to the Village for a temporary Certificate of Occupancy to use the facilities at the Equestrian Village Horse Park for the Palm Beach Riding Academy.

The Village Council has closed the venue to public events except during the November 1 to April 30 period through a temporary Settlement Agreement to the aforementioned litigation. It was expected that the C.O. would be issued because equestrian instruction and barns are permitted " Uses by Right” in the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District.

And indeed a C.O. was issued on October 3 by Village Staff and horses began arriving at the site shortly thereafter. However, after a complaint by a representative of the Jacobs family that spent $ 600,000 to get the Councilk majority elected) calls came to village staff from the council majority and subsequently the Academy was advised to remove the horses from the site.

The elitists and their council pawns have no use for educational activities that benefit the local community.

The Village then issued an order that no horses are allowed at the Horse Park except during the November through April period.

This action demonstrates the Village’s obsession with preventing the new facility from being used year-round and to prevent growth of the equestrian industry.

These are items to which the Wellington Village Council should be accountable:

1. What is harmful in allowing the Academy and other equine activities outside the November-April period? Is not a year round industry desirable?

 2.    Are you concerned about the impacts your actions are having on the economic well-being of the regional economy?

The forum will continue to be a vehicle that is available to Wellington residents and businesses to express their desire that the Village government support the growth of the equestrian industry so that its economic benefits to people and businesses are far-reaching.

We welcome any public discussion and debate with the members of the council majority.

October 22, 2012 5:00 pm Update  

The Wellington Riding Academy has temporarily relocated to and Operating at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center

Equestrians Have Greater Economic Impact than the Super Bowl

October 9th 2012

Last evening, the Equestrian Forum of Wellington hosted yet another cordial and informative gathering at UTOPIA at Polo West. Attendants included EFW members, new residents, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, and the Wellington Equestrian Preserve Committee. Also present were former Mayor Thomas Windham and Councilwoman Anne Gerwig. 

The topic of the evening - the Economic Impact of Equestrian Sports - was presented by George Linley, Executive Director -  Palm Beach Sports Commission. 

The comprehensive study contained extensive data and concise facts proving that Wellington Equestrians have a greater economic impact to Palm Beach County and the Village of Wellington in particular than the Florida hosted Super bowl. While the Saints may have walked away with the most venerated trophy in sports - the Vince Lombardi trophy - Wellington Equestrians bring in the Big Revenues to the community.  

It is time for all Wellington residents to get behind the shift from the concept of " Bedroom Community " to the " World's Equestrian Capital of the World "( Yes - we aim to drop the word "Winter").

For Copies Of The 2011 Impact Studies - CLICK HERE

Equestrian Forum Meets with Anne Gerwig

October 4th 2012

Members of the Equestrian Forum Board of Directors met at City Hall today with Councilwoman, Anne Gerwig, Michael O’Dell, Project Director and Bob Basehart, Growth Management Director. The Equestrian forum was represented by Terri Rollins Kane, Gaye McQueen Scarpa, Jack Mancini and Alexander Zilo.

An array of topics of particular interest to our equestrian community were discussed including the all year use of the Global Dressage Festival (GDF) facilities and the equestrian Master Plan. Councilwoman, Anne Gerwig proved to be very receptive to EFW views and the Wellington staff showed great depth and a desire to expand their awareness in matters of particular importance to the Wellington Equestrian residents. New EFW topics introduced were:

• An EFW request that the Wellington Staff consider reserving existing Wellington Village owned land for the development of grounds to host the equestrian sport of Eventing.

• An EFW request to Wellington Staff that an equine  “ Drop Off “ solution be determined for Jumpers, Hunters & Ponies in order to avert the congestion at the junction of 2392 Appaloosa Trail during the equestrian season.

If you wish for your views and concerns to be addressed, please e-mail:

EquestrianForum@live.com

Equestrian Forum Holds Meeting with Mayor Margolis

October 1, 2012

The Equestrian Forum of Wellington met today with Mayor Bob Margolis and City Manager, Paul Schofield. In attendance were representatives of the Equestrian Forum of Wellington Board of Directors - Jack Mancini, Terri Kane, Gaye Scarpa and Alexander Zilo.

The Equestrian Forum Board members characterized the meeting as surprisingly productive following a full and frank exchange of views and opinions.  Topics discussed included the Equestrian Preserve Master Plan, the Global Dressage Festival facilities, and an assortment of issues of specific interest to equestrians residing in Wellington. 

Mayor Margolis subsequently offered to hold monthly meetings with his offices and staff which was agreed by the members of the EFW Board. 

If you wish for your questions to be addressed by the Mayor, Council members or staff, please email :

EquestrianForum@live.com 

Chamber of Commerce Slams Mayor Margolis & Council

Courtesy Channel 5 - WPTV.Com

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_c_palm_beach_county/wellington/wellington-winterfest-moved-chamber-of-commerce-slams-wellington-leaders

WELLINGTON, Florida. - Accusations of Wellington being anti-business are coming from the cities Chamber of Commerce president in the form of a letter. The letter written by Alec Domb blasts the village for not responding to plans for this year's Winterfest amongst other projects the Village council hasn't approved. Newly-elected Mayor Bob Margolis said the accusations are driven more by politics than business. 

Wellington's amphitheater was the place for Winterfest last year, but this year, it looks like the event's headliner, Vanilla Ice, will be gracing the stage at a different location.

" They ( Mayor and the Village Manager ) said to us send us an email let us know the events you want to hold and we will get back to you," Domb said. " That was on August 28th.  We've waited and they've never got back to us. "Margolis said he does support the Winterfest event, but the decision isn't one that comes to council.  He said staff must approve the request. Domb said he never contacted staff to book the venue, but instead he responded with a lengthy letter, blasting the work of the Mayor and the village council.

" These guys have not done what they've needed to do since they've been elected. They're anti-business, " Domb said." It's easy to say anti-business without looking at the facts of what Wellington is," Margolis said. " It's a bedroom community and most of our residents go someplace else to work."The anti-business sentiment is nothing new for Bob Margolis.

Earlier in the year, he met with the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce about the stigma.

"We told them that 95 percent is residential and only about 3 percent is commercial," he said. "We agree that there should be more businesses, but I care about the businesses that are vacant now.""I'm not talking about renting a space," Domb said. "I'm talking about people who want to build a structure or build a business."The mayor's response is that Wellington is at build out right now and there are not many more places where jobs can be created. Winterfest will be held December first at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center instead of the Amphitheater as of right now. 

Ryan Calhoun