My name is Meredith Madsen, and I’m running for City Council Seat B because I believe residents currently feel they must choose between two extremes: constant chaos or capitulation to developers. That’s not true. There is a rarely discussed middle option. Myself. An independent centrist focused on multi issue collaboration. I am that candidate. Boca deserves options besides selling off our future or keeping people angry for political gain. I’m asking voters to do the same by choosing me.
These are my goals:
- A charter amendment requiring voter approval for any disposition, lease, transfer, or change of use of City-owned land over two acres.
- As we grow, parking in Boca will only become more expensive and untenable. Dedicated resident-only city-owned public parking lots included in our current beach parking passes. This is so residents can enjoy their own downtown first and most.
- Maintaining our downtown as our historic and cultural jewel the sacred heart of our city by preserving its architectural style.
- Create staggered building height requirements for developers by city blocks to discourage “crew cut” height development and direct larger-scale projects to the BRIC, where they were designed to go.
- Start comprehensive traffic analysis that accounts for existing development and the 47 projects in the pipeline, ensuring holistic planning so new development is created and fits into realistic traffic flows. This is a multi year effort that if we can begin to tackle this now will serve us for years to come.
- Maintain our leadership in sustainability and resilience, including our LEED Gold certification.
- Continue our strong environmental stewardship as demonstrated by our Blue Flag beach status, one of the highest international standards.
- Activate over one million square feet of vacant commercial space by incentivizing landlords to host short-term, city-supported pop-up businesses through streamlined permits, small façade grants, and coordinated marketing.
I am asking for your vote.
I may not have been featured much in this race of heated extremes, but I should be now.
- I offer the creative, collaborative leadership Boca needs right now.
- I am endorsed by the SEIU/FPSU because the blue collar workers in Boca know that the greatest city in the world has the best employees in the world. They should be treated as such.
- I am endorsed by the Human Rights Council of Palm Beach County because I am a strong advocate for all voices being respected and heard. We are stronger together.
- I was asked whether I sought the Chamber endorsement. In that interview I said quite literally that “ I was not their girl.” I will never seek profit over quality of life. I am disappointed they felt emboldened to take a public stand on the downtown campus issue.
A city is created to serve the most residents, not the most entrenched for their own enrichment. In this chaotic money-driven election cycle, residents and sanity have gotten lost in the bluster. Without false second petitions, whipping up panic about a secured vote, I will represent the businesses, workers and residents, your neighbors, who are tired of the noise and rhetoric but still need a representative who will vote NO and listen to other viewpoints. I am that candidate.
