2 City Council seats at stake in Palm Beach Gardens election

Voters in Palm Beach Gardens are going to the polls Tuesday to choose between five people vying for two City Council seats.

For the Group 3 seat Council member Chelsea Reed must vacate due to term limits, three candidates are competing: Heather Deitchman, David Levy and Rachelle Litt.

In the other race, Group 5 Council member Dana Middleton is running to keep the seat she won unopposed three years ago, and challenger Damien Murray hopes to deny her.

Palm Beach Gardens is an affluent suburban municipality in northern Palm Beach County of approximately 65,300 residents. The city, founded in 1959 by insurance magnate John MacArthur, is known for its master-planned neighborhoods, golf courses and corporate offices.

As is the case in many South Florida localities, the dominant issue in this year’s City Council race is how to manage rapid growth without overwhelming infrastructure. Residents, elected leaders and candidates have frequently pointed to worsening traffic congestion along PGA Boulevard and Northlake Boulevard and the strain on roads and utilities as development pushes west of the Turnpike.

Most say that while growth is inevitable, the city must better manage it so transportation networks, neighborhoods and public services keep pace.

Another closely related concern is housing affordability, with candidates debating zoning changes, density bonuses and public-private partnerships to expand workforce housing for teachers, nurses, first responders and younger residents.

Governance and transparency have also emerged as top-of-mind issues, with several candidates arguing longtime City Manager Ron Ferris holds too much influence over political decisions and that the Council should exercise stronger oversight.

Questions about public engagement have intensified following the city’s decision to lease Plant Drive Park for a proposed ice rink complex and the failed attempt to annex nearby communities, which voters overwhelmingly rejected in 2024.

City Council members serve in an at-large capacity, meaning voters throughout the municipality can vote in both races regardless of where they live. Terms are three years, and officeholders are limited to two consecutive terms, after which they must sit out at least one term before running again.

To win outright and avoid a runoff Tuesday, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote.

Group 3

The race for Group 3 pits two former City Council members against a candidate making her first run at public office after years of local civic involvement.

The political newcomer is Deitchman, a 45-year-old private school educator and tutoring director with no party affiliation.

She boasts more than two decades of experience in education and program leadership, according to her campaign website, and currently serves as President of her homeowners’ association and social media manager for the Astronomical Society of the Palm Beaches.

Deitchman entered the race after opposing the city’s plan to lease Plant Drive Park for a proposed ice-rink complex, arguing residents were not adequately informed or involved. That dispute helped shape the centerpiece of her campaign: greater transparency and public participation in city decision-making.

She believes Palm Beach Gardens must manage growth more carefully while addressing traffic and infrastructure pressures. She also supports expanding workforce housing.

Levy, a 65-year-old Democrat, is a small-business owner, environmental geologist and longtime resident of Palm Beach Gardens seeking a return to the City Council, where he previously served from 2004 to 2016, including as Mayor and Vice Mayor.

He works today as a partner at NFA Solutions Group and owner of Risk Management Services. He has also taught environmental geology as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach State College. His other involvements include service as Chair of the Palm Beach County Water Resources Task Force and Loxahatchee River Management Coordinating Council.

Levy’s campaign has stressed his experience and fiscal management, citing his prior tenure focusing on cutting waste, reducing energy costs, keeping taxes low, and protecting parks and open spaces. He argued the Council needs seasoned leadership like his as the city grows.

He has also emphasized the need for growth management and work to address traffic congestion, calling the latter one of the city’s most pressing challenges.

The balance of power at City Hall is also an issue, he said, arguing that the Council has ceded too much authority to Ferris and should reassert itself.

Litt, a 70-year-old retired pharmacist and pharmaceutical sales representative, hopes to return to a panel she left in 2023 due to term limits.

But it isn’t her first run at public office since then; in 2024, she ran as the Democratic Party nominee for House District 94, but lost to Republican Rep. Meg Weinberger.

She has framed her candidacy this year around her city government know-how and long-standing community involvement, promising a “levelheaded, measured, and experienced” approach to governance.

During her prior tenure at City Hall, Litt supported long-range planning initiatives on transportation and workforce housing, arguing growth must be carefully managed so infrastructure and public safety keep pace. She vows to ensure Palm Beach Gardens continues to implement those plans while preserving the city’s quality of life, protecting essential services and maintaining stable city finances, including holding the line on the city’s property tax rate.

Litt has also addressed governance debates at City Hall, pushing back on criticism that the council lacks oversight of Ferris. She said Council members frequently challenge staff behind the scenes, even when disagreements are not visible at public meetings.

Group 5

Middleton, 55, is the Palm Beach Gardens’ current Vice Mayor and recently switched from no party affiliation to the Conservative Party of Florida, according to state records.

A nearly 20-year city resident, Middleton previously worked in corporate roles in human resources, sales, marketing and operations before co-founding a local business called Intelligent Office that she and her husband later sold. She has also served in regional civic roles, including leadership positions with the PGA Corridor Association and Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce.

Her campaign has emphasized her leadership experience and strong business community ties while focusing on public safety, parks and recreation, protecting natural resources and improving transportation infrastructure as priorities.

She has pointed to traffic congestion, particularly in western neighborhoods near Avenir, as a central issue, saying she will work with state and county agencies to advance road projects and signal improvements. She also supports continued collaboration with Ferris, and has defended the city’s planning process while acknowledging that officials could improve public outreach on future projects.

Murray, a 56-year-old longtime Democrat-turned-independent, is a sales executive with FedEx and a longtime resident, having lived in Palm Beach Gardens since 1994. Born in Ireland and naturalized as a U.S. citizen, he is known locally for running the Palm Beach Gardens Predators youth soccer club for the better part of two decades.

He describes himself as a community leader focused on youth sports and neighborhood engagement. This is his first attempt at winning elected office.

Murray’s “residents first” campaign has leaned into a message of independent, accountable leadership. He promises to bring transparency and fiscal responsibility to City Hall, arguing Palm Beach Gardens decisions should prioritize residents over special interests.

He said his experience organizing youth sports and community initiatives taught him how to listen to residents and bring people together to solve problems.

Murray said traffic congestion is a major problem, as is strain on the city’s infrastructure, particularly along PGA and Northlake boulevards. As a solution, he has proposed adaptive traffic signals and better coordination between city and county transportation agencies.

He supports responsible growth and expanding workforce housing. Palm Beach Gardens must balance development, he said, with protecting neighborhoods and the current quality of life residents enjoy.