Casello exits at a critical time for city
Boynton has about $500 million worth of incoming development.
BOYNTON BEACH — Boynton Beach City Commissioner Joe Casello moved up and into the state House District 90 seat Friday when he qualified for the position — left open by state Sen. Lori Berman — that no one else tried to claim.
The win was much different from Casello’s first experience running for local office here five years ago when he battled through a special election, a runoff and a recount. He won by only three votes.
Casello appears to be the first Boynton commissioner to successfully run for state representative. John L. Archie, a former city commissioner and mayor, ran in 1965 but lost. Bob Walshak, former city commissioner, won the Democratic nomination in 1994 for state House District 87 but lost.
While slightly surprised he didn’t have an opponent for this heavily Democratic state House race, Casello told The Palm Beach Post his work over the past year, and the endorsements he’s landed earned him the prize of an oppo-
nent-less race.
The list of endorsements includes Berman, U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel and the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association.
Casello, a retired firefighter from Worcester, Massachusetts, said he plans to keep Berman’s momentum going.
“I just see a need to carry on what she’s established up there in the state House as far as some of the important issues that are important for most Democrats,” he said while mentioning improving public schools, supporting teachers, common-sense gun laws, the opioid epidemic and mental health.
But the move means Casello, 65, will have to resign from the City Commission in November, opening the District 4 seat.
Casello’s recommendation is Benjamin Durgan, legislative aide to state Sen. Bobby Powell Jr. Casello described him as a “very smart, young, open-minded, progressive thinker” who he said would fit in well with Commissioner Justin Katz and Vice Mayor Christina Romelus.
The commission will have two meetings to appoint someone to replace Casello, said Judy Pyle, Boynton’s clerk. That person will serve until an election for the seat in March. The city will have another election for the seat in March 2020, when Casello’s term would have otherwise expired.
The change in commission comes at a time of immense importance for Boynton. The city has about $500 million worth of incoming development, including the Town Square redevelopment project that includes a new City Hall, library, fire station, police station, apartments and more.
Also, there could be more of a change within the City Commission come March when the city also holds an election for the mayor, District 1 and 3 commission seats. Four of the five city seats will be on the ballot. Mayor Steven Grant, Katz and Romelus have all filed paperwork to run for re-election for the respective seats. Commissioner Mack McCray’s District 2 seat isn’t up until March 2020.
Casello was first elected to Boynton’s commission in April 2013 over Cory Kravit when he replaced Commissioner Marlene Ross, who resigned. He was re-elected in March 2014 in a race against Carmela Nanton. He ran unopposed in March 2017.
The commissioner said he’ll miss the personal touch that comes with being a local official.
“You get physically, emotionally involved with the everyday doings — working with constituents on sidewalk fixes or trash pickup,” he said.
And he promises to keep that relationship in mind.
“I’m not going to forget my roots where I come from locally here in the Palm Beach County area here,” he said. “I understand the unfunded mandates the state puts on local communities and what kind of effect it can have on the budgets, the services the city provides. I think we’ve got to look at that issue. Let the local government govern. I think that’s important.”