Updated December 6, 2023
Town board members John David Corey and Bridget Moran will face off in the March 19 general election for the Town Council seat currently held by Margaret Zeidman.
Moran and Corey were both nominated at Tuesday’s Town Caucus to fill the Group 3 council seat being vacated by Zeidman when her two-year term expires in March.
Town Council members Lew Crampton and Bobbie Lindsay, whose terms also expire in March, were each nominated without opposition for additional terms in their respective seats.
Moran and Corey are both Midtown residents and Palm Beach Civic Association directors. Both announced in October their intention to run for the Group 3 seat.
Corey is serving his seventh year on the town’s Architectural Commission and is recognized as the commission’s certified master gardener.
He is a retired real estate investor in Boston and Palm Beach who specialized in historic restorations of townhouses in Beacon Hill.
He has lived in Palm Beach since 2012. Shortly after moving to town, he founded Palm Beach Walks to advocate for better crosswalks, sidewalks, and shade trees to enhance the town’s quality of life.
Five years ago, he raised funds with the Palm Beach Civic Association to plant trees along North County Road and spearheaded the replenishment of the palm tree canopy in Midtown in celebration of the Civic Association’s 75th anniversary.
In 2019, the Australian Avenue resident joined with neighbors to create Friends of Lake Drive Park to promote the preservation of green space in the park while the adjacent Town Marina was under renovation.
Corey has said that, if elected, he would put residents’ priorities above other considerations before the council.
Corey was nominated for the Group 3 council seat by Charlie Frankel III. The nomination was seconded by Pam Dunston and Dennis Miller.
Miller said Corey is a passionate, hard-working person whose top priority is his dedication to the town.
“He has been an advocate for residents for many years and has spoken up during the past decade against overdevelopment throughout our town, from north to south,” Miller said.
Moran is serving her third year as a member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Moran has lived in Palm Beach since 1998. The Dunbar Road resident is a member of Safeguard Palm Beach (formerly known as Palm Beach Crime Watch), the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, and St. Edward’s Guild. She was president of the guild from 2005 to 2007.
She has volunteered for organizations including Rosarian Academy, the Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation, and the Town of Palm Beach United Way. She is a former chairwoman of the Town of Palm Beach United Way’s Allocation Committee and former member of its Executive and Red Feather committees.
Moran is a graduate of the Palm Beach Police Citizens’ Academy. She and her husband Tim Moran were recipients of the Ireland Funds’ 2022 Community Leadership Award.
She has said that, if elected, she will work to preserve Palm Beach and maintain its small-town feel.
Moran was nominated for the Group 3 seat by Michael Reiter, a former Palm Beach police chief and a Civic Association director. Her nomination was seconded by Melissa “Missy” Agnello and Elizabeth Gordon.
Reiter said he’s known Moran for years and has faith in her ability to help shepherd the town through a period of inevitable growth and change.
“The influx of people, coupled with unprecedented levels of development both in our town and nearby West Palm Beach, presents unique opportunities and challenges,” Reiter said. “I’m very confident that Bridget will listen and respect you, the citizens of Palm Beach, and promote the effective operation of a fair and impartial town government that works to shape that change.”
Crampton, who holds the Group 1 seat, joined the council after defeating lawyer Harris S. Fried in the March 2018 town election. He was re-elected without opposition in 2020 and 2022.
Crampton is chairman of the board of trustees at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium and is retired as president and CEO of the museum.
A South End resident, he was vice chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission and Chairman of the Citizens’ Association of Palm Beach before joining the council.
Crampton announced in October his intention to seek re-election.
Crampton was nominated by Robert Wildrick, a former member and president of the council. His nomination was seconded by Alfred “Skip” Aldridge and Lynn A. Foster, both of whom are Civic Association directors.
Wildrick took note of how Crampton holds regularly scheduled office hours in Town Hall to meet with residents and listen to their opinions, suggestions, or problems.
“Lew understands what it means to be a public servant,” he said. “He believes he works for each and every resident and he has proven that time and time again … he has mature judgment and respects everyone’s opinion. We need more of that today.”
Lindsay joined the council in February 2016, when she ran unopposed for the Group 2 seat. She was re-elected without opposition in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
A North End resident, Lindsay is retired from a career in real estate development and investment in Seattle. She was a member of the Shore Protection Board and zoning commission before joining the council.
Lindsay was nominated by Mark Zeidman, who is a member of the Civic Association’s Executive Committee. Carrie Murray and Lawrence Kaplan seconded the nomination.
Zeidman said Lindsay has demonstrated good judgment and vision for the town’s future. As examples, he cited her “green initiative,” which encourages more environmentally friendly practices on public and private properties, and her leadership in bringing the $38 million Town Marina renovation to fruition.
“Bobbie had the vision that rebuilding the town docks into a world-class marina would improve the overall quality of life in the neighborhood and generate more money,” Zeidman said. “In the most recent fiscal year, the marina earned an eye-popping estimated annual gross revenue of about $16 million.”
Tuesday’s New England-style town meeting was the 112th Town Caucus in town history. The caucus formally launches each year’s election season in Palm Beach. To qualify to run in a town election, candidates must be nominated, and their nominations seconded twice, by registered town voters at the caucus for a specific office or council seat.
Nicki McDonald, who is a Civic Association director, and Carla Termini Cove were the honorary chairwoman and secretary, respectively, of this year’s caucus.
An estimated 100 people attended the caucus, which lasted an hour and 15 minutes.
The council is scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m. on Friday to certify the caucus results and call for a town election on March 19 for the Group 3 council seat.
Sponsored by:
