ISSUE 5 · SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026 · LIFE BY DESIGN, NOT DEFAULT
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH This Week |
Photo: Phillip Pessar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The downtown plan gets its first Commission hearing Monday. At 5 p.m. the City Commission takes up first reading of Ordinance 5185-26, the update to the Downtown Master Plan element of the comprehensive plan. The consent calendar carries the call for the March 9, 2027 city election and a Veterans’ Day parade fee waiver. And the two CityPlace items that were set for public hearings in the draft agenda are, on the final agenda, moved to November 9.
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Liberty Watch |
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Mon 10/26 City Commission 5 p.m., Chambers | Mar 9 2027 city election: Mayor + 2 seats | $17,399 parade fees to be waived (agenda estimate) | Nov 9 CityPlace items moved to |
A correction: in our October 4 issue we said GreenMarket opened its 32nd season on Saturday, October 10. The city’s GreenMarket page says the 32nd season returned on Saturday, October 3. The market runs Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at 100 N. Clematis St., per the city’s hours page, which still shows last season’s date range.
Results from the October 20 CRA and Planning Board meetings are not posted yet. The next CRA meeting on the city’s list is Monday, November 9, at 4 p.m.
Monday, October 26, 5 p.m. — City Commission, Commission Chambers, 401 Clematis St. (final agenda, file dated Friday). On the consent calendar (one motion, no separate discussion): minutes of the August 3, 17 and 31 meetings; Resolution 234-26, accepting up to $150,000 from the Downtown Development Authority for homeless outreach services, with up to $150,000 more for the following fiscal year at the DDA’s discretion; Resolution 243-26, the Veterans’ Day parade sponsorship and fee waiver (see Mapping); Resolution 246-26, calling the March 9, 2027 election for Mayor and two Commission seats, Districts 2 and 4, with a March 23 runoff if needed; and Resolution 247-26, asking the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections to run it.
Public hearing, item 7.1: first reading of Ordinance 5185-26, the Downtown Master Plan amendment, which also adds three parcels at 420 Okeechobee Blvd. and 915 S. Dixie Hwy. to the plan area. The agenda says the Downtown Action Committee recommended approval 3-1 on September 9 and the Planning Board, acting as the Local Planning Agency, recommended approval 7-0 on September 15. After first reading the amendment goes to the state; the agenda says changes to the zoning rules in Article IV will come back after the state’s review, tentatively February 2027, and Monday’s Article IV presentation is for discussion and feedback only. The city says the update drew more than 50 meetings.
What changed since the draft. The draft agenda posted October 16 listed a first-reading hearing on Ordinance 5183-26 and a hearing on Resolution 217-26, both CityPlace requests (small-business language, plus a helipad/helistop provision in the Hibiscus Garage subarea). The final agenda posted October 23 replaces both with a motion to continue them to the November 9 meeting.
Public records and AI. On Thursday the city announced it and Caldera PBC won a Knight Cities Challenge award for a year-long partnership that puts Caldera’s Mesa AI platform to work on public records requests, starting with the IT and Police departments. The release says trained city staff keep oversight. It does not state a dollar amount.
| Your move: to speak Monday, fill out a comment card for each item before it comes up; without one, the chair won’t call you. Public comments are limited to three minutes. The Historic Preservation Board meets Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the same chambers, and a Mayor/Commission work session is set for Monday, November 2, at 10 a.m. |
Sources: Oct 26 final Commission agenda · Oct 16 draft agenda it replaced · Oct 20 Special CRA agenda · Clerk’s October CRA page · Clerk’s October Commission page · Weekly meeting list, Oct 26–30 · City news releases · Knight grant release · GreenMarket
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Mapping Our Community: Who Pays for the Parade |
Source: City Commission agenda, Oct 26, item 6.5
Monday’s consent calendar includes a sponsorship agreement for the Veterans’ Day Parade on Sunday, November 8, 2–4 p.m., on Clematis Street, hosted by the Palm Beach County Family for Friends Committee, c/o Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4360. The city would waive fees it estimates at $17,399.32: $2,250 in community-event fees, $5,001.34 for Public Works labor and equipment, $4,897.98 for Public Utilities, and $5,250 in parking fees.
In return the committee provides the city a sponsorship valued at $5,000 (mentions in radio spots, press releases and announcements, and the city logo on print materials), a $1,000 refundable security deposit and a $1,000,000 liability policy, and pays for Police, EMS and Sanitation costs. The agenda’s fiscal note reads “No fiscal impact.”
The lens worth keeping: a waived fee still describes real work. By the agenda’s own figures, the waived services are valued at $17,399.32 and the sponsorship at $5,000 — a $12,399.32 difference in city services that the city has decided to provide to the parade. Whether that is a good trade is a values question, and the agenda lets you see both numbers.
| GO DEEPER The West Palm Beach record is being built. The Council on Local Relations publishes sourced city records — see how it works at councilonlocalrelations.org. Start here — the Primers: 01 The Long Flat Line (how the family changed) · 02 The Documents We Live Under (the written rules that limit power) · 03 The Household (what a household buys, priced in years of work) · all primers → From the Council: This week: Formation Comes Before Function (The Shepherd); If It's Not Written, It Doesn't Exist (The Advocate); Empty Rooms Are Not Consent (The Sentinel); Culture Moves Faster Than Argument (The Maestro); On Time. In Budget. No Bullshit. (The Builder). Get them by email → |
Sources: Oct 26 final Commission agenda, item 6.5
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH From the Council This Week |
 | MONDAY, OCT 26 · THE ELDER Before We Build Anything New, Someone Should Ask What Was Here |
 | TUESDAY, OCT 27 · THE COUNSELOR The Mortar Is the Part Nobody Sees |
 | WEDNESDAY, OCT 28 · THE PHYSICIAN Health Is a Project, Not a Prayer |
 | THURSDAY, OCT 29 · THE PATRON Wisdom That Does Not Transfer Dies |
 | FRIDAY, OCT 30 · THE CLIENT Teach Me: Notes From the Seat That Sits Down to Learn |
Every piece, every figure linked to its source: councilonlocalrelations.org
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Around the Block |
Photo: Farragutful / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
| Palm Beach Opera Story Time: The Great Poochini — 4:30–5 p.m., Mandel Library Kids Programming Space. A sing-along story for families; space is limited and in-person sign-up begins in KidSpace at 4. | ||
| City Commission — 5 p.m., Commission Chambers, 401 Clematis St. See Liberty Watch. | ||
| Basic Job Assistance — 9:30–11:30 a.m., Mandel Library Computer Lab, 2nd floor. Help with resumes and online applications; no appointment, first come, first served. | ||
| Trivia and Mocktails: Spooky Edition — 6–7:30 p.m., Mandel Library, Technology & Innovation Center. For adults 21 and up; limited to the first 20 guests. | ||
| Clematis by Fright — 6–9 p.m., Centennial Square & the Great Lawn. Free: hayrides, inflatable games, trick-or-treating and live music from Uncle Morty’s Rhythm Cream. | ||
| GreenMarket — 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 100 N. Clematis St., per the city’s hours page. The forecast is wet; check the city’s page for cancellation notices. |
Your move: library programs fill fast — arrive early for sign-up. Run a West Palm event? Send it by Thursday.
Sources: Library: Opera Story Time · Library: Basic Job Assistance · Library: Trivia and Mocktails · Clematis by Fright · GreenMarket hours
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Prosperity Spotlight |
D is for DOG
D is for DOG is a downtown pet-care business with a do-it-yourself wash tub, professional grooming and a boutique. Downtown West Palm Beach’s own “Downtowners” profile says Denise Hull, a local Realtor who first came to downtown in 1999, founded it in 2020 and opened a sister boutique, D is for DESIGN, in 2021.
Its website lists three ways to get a clean dog: a self-service DIY wash with supplies provided ($15 for a small dog up to $30 for an extra-large), a full-service wash by staff (from $30 to $75 by size), or professional grooming (from $65 for a small dog; coat and condition can change the price). It says it does one-on-one service with no kenneling, hand-dries instead of cage-drying, is cat friendly, and the DIY wash needs no appointment.
| D is for DOG · 320 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach · 561-855-8375 Tue–Fri 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. · Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m. · Sun noon–4 p.m. per its website (Monday not listed) · a second shop is at 695 S. Olive Ave., Suite 400 · disfordogwpb.com Photo: DowntownWPB.com business directory. |
Sources: D is for DOG (own site) · DowntownWPB directory · The Downtowners profile, Mar 27, 2025
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Food Scene |
Grato
Grato, on South Dixie Highway, calls itself a neighborhood restaurant with a seasonal menu that rotates. Its website credits chef Clay Conley, a 2024 James Beard Award nominee, and Ember Management Group, the South Florida restaurant group behind it.
Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m., with a happy hour and a bar “power hour” from 5 to 6, half-price wine bottles all day Mondays, and Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The dinner menu on its site lists pastas from $17 (spaghetti) to $31 (paccheri).
| Grato · 1901 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach · 561-404-1334 Dinner daily from 5 p.m. (closing time not posted) · Sunday brunch 11 a.m.–3 p.m. · gratowpb.com |
Sources: Grato (own site)
✦ Trivia Question |
Monday’s Commission agenda would call the city’s general election for Tuesday, March 9, 2027. If no one wins outright and a runoff is needed, how many days after the first election would it be held? (Answer at the bottom.)
✦ Quote of the Day |
“A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both.” — James Madison, letter to W. T. Barry, August 4, 1822
✦ Secret Little Hack |
Always open the latest version of an agenda. The Clerk posts a DRAFT about ten days ahead and a FINAL a few days before the meeting, and the two can differ. Monday’s draft (file dated October 16) had public hearings on two CityPlace items; the final (file dated October 23) moves both to November 9. The Clerk’s October Commission page lists every version.
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Real Estate Pulse |
Source: PBP Real Estate (BeachesMLS), Jan 1 - Oct 24, 2026
40.9% of house sales in 2026 were all cash | 58.9% of condo and townhouse sales were all cash | 5.1 mo. of house inventory (527 for sale) | 7.6 mo. of condo inventory (1,126 for sale) |
Cash buyers are the story this week. From January 1 through October 24, 40.9% of West Palm Beach house sales and 58.9% of condo and townhouse sales were paid in cash. Houses are in balance at 5.1 months of inventory; condos and townhouses lean toward buyers at 7.6 months. Sellers are flexing: 38.8% of houses and 40.7% of condos for sale have cut their price, with a median cut of 4.8% ($30,000) for houses and 7.0% ($11,000) for condos; and 81.2% of houses and 87.5% of condos sold in 2026 closed below their original asking price. Through September, 1,185 houses sold, up 13.5% from the same period of 2025, and 1,376 condos and townhouses, up 11.3%. September’s medians are unchanged from last week: $625,000 for houses and $210,000 for condos. Figures are PBP Real Estate’s analysis of BeachesMLS listing data, published by a local brokerage.
Sources: PBP Real Estate — West Palm Beach statistics (BeachesMLS), Oct 24 edition
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Service Opportunities |
Photo: JLClibrarian / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Start something. The city and the Florida SBDC at FAU are hosting “Launching Smart in Florida,” a free startup workshop and networking night, Wednesday, November 4, 6–8 p.m., Mandel Public Library, 3rd-floor auditorium, 411 Clematis St. You do not need a business, an LLC or a plan to attend; registration is encouraged through the Eventbrite link in the city’s release (city release). Already own a business? The city is inviting applications for its economic development grants and incentives: start at wpb.org/ecd or email ecd@wpb.org (city release). Need help with groceries? The library lists walk-in SNAP and Medicaid help from the Palm Beach County Food Bank on Tuesdays on the 4th floor, but its listing for this Tuesday, October 27, is marked canceled — check the library listing before you go. Or adopt: the county shelter on Belvedere Road has dogs and cats waiting.
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Adopt a Friend |
 | Meet Kipper 2 years · Male · Mixed breed, medium Brown, about 38 pounds. His listing went up today and has no personality notes yet, so the best introduction is in person. The shelter lists its adult-dog adoption fee at $60, and says adopted animals go home spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. See Kipper’s listing → |
| Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control · 7100 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach · 561-233-1200 Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–4 p.m. · adoption page |
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Growth & Learning |
Illustration
Is a waived fee free? The city would waive $17,399.32 in fees for the Veterans’ Day parade and receive a $5,000 sponsorship. Have your kids work it out: how much bigger are the waived fees than the sponsorship? ($12,399.32 — and ask them what that money would otherwise pay for.) More at unrivaledacademy.com.
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Local Theory & Remnant Radio |
 | Now playing: Your Own Bank — Local Theory (February 7, 2026 · 21 tracks). Listen. Remnant Radio streams the whole catalog 24/7 at radio.thinkandactlocally.com · Spotify. Thirteen releases. Sovereignty through sound. In the Studio now: Made for America. Vote on the mixes. |
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Weather Forecast |
Sun  Showers, storms 81° 77° | Mon  Showers, storms 81° 78° | Tue  Storms likely 82° 78° | Wed Storms likely 83° 79° | Thu  Storms likely 83° 79° | Fri  Showers likely 83° 79° | Sat  Chance showers 83° – |
A wet, windy week. Showers and thunderstorms Sunday and Monday (80% each), with northeast winds of 29 to 32 mph Monday and gusts as high as 36. Storms stay likely Tuesday through Thursday (61%, 56%, 64%), easing to 55% Friday and 37% Saturday. Clematis by Fright on Thursday and Saturday’s GreenMarket both need a rain plan.
Sources: National Weather Service (MFL), retrieved Oct 24, 5:50 p.m. CT
✦ CrowdHealth |
 | David and his family left traditional health insurance for CrowdHealth — a community that funds each other’s medical bills. Bills get negotiated down first; no claims department, no denial letters. See how it works. We earn a referral if you join. CrowdHealth is not insurance. David is a paying member. |
✦ Unrivaled Travels |
 | Planning a trip worth taking? Our own travel service books the expedition, cruise, or getaway you’ll remember — at no markup. info@unrivaledtravels.com · 281-241-1994 · unrivaledtravels.com One of our own businesses. |
✦ Unrivaled Candles |
 | Hand-poured jewelry candles — every one hides a piece of jewelry inside, valued from $10 to $10,000. Burn it down and find out what’s yours. Shop Unrivaled Candles. Full disclosure: one of our own businesses. |
✦ Unrivaled Marketing Solutions |
 | You built the business — now make sure your West Palm Beach neighbors can find it. Book a free 15-minute call with David: we’ll look at how your business shows up online and where customers may be slipping past. If you want us to fix it, that’s paid work, and David will go over the price on the call. Book a free 15-minute call. One of our own businesses. |
✦ Sponsor Spot |
This spot is open. Sponsor this spot — reach West Palm Beach neighbors every Sunday, in the one inbox they actually read. Reply to book it.
✦ They Told Him He Was Crazy |
David sold his metals. Not trimmed — sold. He kept the receipts, every decision sourced, so you can decide for yourself: conviction, or crazy? Read the filing →
David’s own account; affiliate link. Support never touches coverage.
✦ Have a Question? Ask It Live |
Want to understand the framework David uses to put money to work without living in front of a screen? The team behind it runs free live calls — bring your questions, get them answered in real time. No cost to sit in and listen.
Register for a free live call →
Full disclosure: this is an affiliate link. But you know the rule — sponsors support the mission, never influence the message. David doesn't recommend anything he doesn't personally use.
We earn a referral if you join. Education, not financial advice. Options involve risk of loss.
✦ Tuttle Twins: For the kids at your table |
 | The Tuttle Twins Monster Sale runs through Halloween. Their graphic novels turn big ideas about money and freedom into adventures kids actually want to reread — and brand-new Season 4 just landed. All four seasons (44 hardcover books) are $349 this month. Get ready for questions at dinner. As a Tuttle Twins affiliate, TAAL may earn a commission if you buy through our link. |
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Community Voices |
What do you want downtown to feel like in 25 years? Hit reply with a sentence or two — walkable, greener, cheaper to live in — and we’ll run the best next Sunday.
✦ Take Action |
- Speak or watch at the City Commission Monday at 5 p.m., 401 Clematis St., where the Downtown Master Plan amendment is up for first reading.
- Register for the free startup workshop Wednesday, November 4, 6–8 p.m., Mandel Public Library.
- Call D is for DOG or Grato before you go and bring a rain plan — the forecast is wet all week.
✦ Submit Your Content |
Events, business features, volunteer calls, letters from West Palm Beach: david@thinkandactlocally.com. Deadline: Thursday 5 PM for Sunday.
✦ Answer to Trivia |
On the 14th day after the first election — Tuesday, March 23, 2027. That is what the Commission’s Monday agenda says about the runoff for the March 9 election (October 26 City Commission agenda, item 6.6).
THE HERALD ✦ WEST PALM BEACH Keep the Herald Free |
No advertiser sets our coverage — readers keep it alive. The best thing you can do costs nothing: forward this to one neighbor who’d want to know what the Commission does Monday night.
| SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEST PALM BEACH HERALD → |
Council on Local Relations · CLR Primers · Think and Act Locally · Unrivaled Marketing Solutions · All West Palm Beach Herald issues
The Herald is published by Think and Act Locally. Its facts come from the public record kept by the Council on Local Relations, which shares a founder with Think and Act Locally. Portions drafted with AI assistance and reviewed before publication. Reply anytime: david@thinkandactlocally.com.
