February 20, 2026 • 12 mins
Miller faces one challenger in his bid for a second term in Group 1.
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Joel Malkin for WJ and O dot com. My
election spotlight on the village of Royal Palm Beach ahead
of the March tenth election. Just a friendly reminder, by
the way, that there is no on site early voting
for this election. There is vote by mail and if
you want to get a ballot sent to you, this
Thursday will be the twenty six will be your deadline
(00:23):
to have that sent directly to you five pm February
twenty six. We are focused on the one race in
the village of Royal Palm Beach. That's because Group three
Sylvia Sharps ended up running unopposed when her challenger withdrew
from the race. This is the Group one race, the
incumbent Adam Miller facing opponent Selina Samuos and we have
(00:46):
mister Miller, Councilman Miller joining us. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Thank you for coming on with me.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Thank you for having me, Joel.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Let's get a little bit of background on you.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
First of all, how long have you lived in the
village of Royal Palm and how long have you been
on the council.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Great thanks for asking that, Jeal. I've lived in We've
lived in Royal Palm Beach for over twenty two years,
my wife and I and we've raised our daughters here
in Royal Palm Beach. I've been on the council at
almost a year and a half now.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
All right, So it's your first term and you're looking
to get a second. Let's get some background on you
as far as you know, work experience and that kind
of stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Sure, So I've spent twenty five years serving Pombage County
as an elementary school teacher elementary school principal in both
in Belguade and the Acreage. I served as the director
of Educational Technology for the school district throughout the pandemic,
and for the last five years, I've served as the
Chief of Performance Accountability for the school district. In that role,
(01:54):
you know, I oversee accountability, testing, educational technology place and
all of our performance systems across our one hundred and
eighty two schools. I managed complex initiatives. In the role,
I evaluate long term outcomes and the help guide high
level decision making across our organization.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
So in that that job, and maybe as your previous
experience as a teacher and then a principal, what if
anything are you able to take from all of that,
and have you been able over the last year and
a half to use as a council member.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Certainly, Yeah. All my previous experiences definitely inform how I
serve locally. I didn't mention that I also served for
six years on a planning and zoning commission in rural
Palm Beach, both as a member and as the chair.
You know that that experience, you know, gives me lots
of knowledge about land use policies, infrastructure planning, and responsible growth.
(02:52):
So all of that experience informs how I serve locally.
You know, I believe municipal decisions require understanding fiscal sustainability,
long term community impact, and you know, not just immediate reactions.
I got to have a deep understanding of the issues
before we make decisions. You know. Being a teacher in
(03:16):
elementary school principal, I know how to handle when disagreements
come up. I ask questions, I study the details, and
I calmly explain my reasoning. I believe leadership is not
about volume, It's about judgment, and throughout my career prioritize
what's right for students and now the community. And I
(03:37):
do that even when it's not an easy path. I
try to do it when's the right way to do it.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
So you've you're here in the middle of your well,
I guess almost has this been a full term or
you were you elected or because I'm trying to figure
out how a year and a half it's a what
it's a two year term?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
A great question, Joel. Unfortunately, our Mayor Fred Pinto passed away,
you know, a little over a year and a half ago,
and at that time I had also submitted my application
to serve on the council, and there was some shuffling
going on amongst the council, and all the seats went
up for election. I when I put in, no one
(04:21):
ran against me for that for my current seat, and
I actually got appointed early in November twenty four. At
that time there's only four council members. The council saw
to you put me appoint me early since I had
no opponent and I would be sworn in any way
in March. I hope that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, we did. We did follow that.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
After Mayor Pinto passed away, we obviously we did follow that,
and we followed some of the races of the folks
running for the mayoral seat as well, and we talked
to those candidates. Very sad situation there, and I understand
and to a man and woman, everybody on the council
(05:04):
very close with the late mayor. So condolence is there now.
So how long are the actual terms?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
We have two year terms.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
They are two year terms. Okay, all right, So.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I wanted to give you an opportunity because you you
are facing as a challenger a former council member who
ended up leaving to run for mayor and did not
win that seat. So now she's trying to get back
on the council and we spoke with her and she
talked about some of the things that she claims his
(05:42):
accomplishments during her time. So I wanted to give you
an opportunity to do that as well.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Sure, okay, so you know, I want to really talk
about two accomplishments. The first is, you know, being in
my seat as a councilman, I've been able to help
many residents, which has been you know why I got
into education and why I want to serve on councils
to help make my community better. You know, I included
(06:11):
things such as issues when families have issues with our
homeowners associations. Fortunately, we really can't help with that other
than providing advice. But then also sometimes when also support
residents when we're paving roads and there's some possible issues
with that. I've been able to work with our residents
(06:32):
and our village manager to work through those issues. I
am really proud though. I also got an ordinance past
Ordinance ten sixty. With my experience in the Planning and
Zoning Commission, almost everything that comes to the Planning and
Zoning Department has to go through the Planning and Zoning
Commission and then of course most of those actually go
(06:53):
to the village Council. I was looking to reduce some
red tape, so Ordinance ten sixty gives the Planning and
Zone and Director in Roal Palm Beach the ability to
approve routine small changes that businesses might want to make,
saving time for the businesses and money and saving time
(07:14):
for a government red tape as well.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
All right, I want to talk about some issues and
one that could affect the Village of Royal Palm Beach,
the council and the taxpayers. And this is something that's
going on in Tallahassee right now. The potential for the
elimination of homesteaded property taxes. Now currently, I'm sure you're
(07:38):
following this in Tallahassee. The bills that are being bandied about,
that are being looked at considered, they would not do
what the governor wants, which is completely eliminate homesteaded property taxes.
They all include at least school taxes. Now, regardless, you know,
(07:59):
whether that gets done or the governor what he wants
gets done, a lowering or elimination of all or almost
all property taxes. What are your thoughts on that from
the standpoint of village government?
Speaker 3 (08:16):
So or upon beach, We've maintained our military rate of
one point nine two mills for about fifteen years now,
and that's almost the lowest milit rate in the entire county.
And you know, with that, the village has done a
great job of maintaining strong reserves and we're remaining debt free.
We've done a great job being a great steward of
(08:38):
taxpayers money. You know, I don't I think residents deserve
that stability and responsible stewardship. However, if the property tax
reductions do occur, you know, I don't support that, but
you know, the response to would depend on, you know,
what actually gets decided understanding right now, so we're really
(09:02):
not sure where it's going to land. But my priority
would be if there are cuts, you know, preserving our
essential services, you know, public safety, you know, infrastructure management,
and our core programs, and then we'd have to evaluate
everything else against our strategic plan.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
I want to talk about another a project that's not
going on within the village, but it is, you know,
potentially set to impact residents of the village, and that's
what's being called Project Tango, the AI data center that
is being worked on nearby. Are you hearing anything from
(09:40):
constituents as far as concerns regarding this.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Yeah, I've heard from a few residents regarding Project Tango,
and they're not in support of Project Tango at all
being that close to homes or school. And I feel
the same way. I don't support it being that to
a residential area or a school. And my experiences on
the Printing and Zoning Commission I learned about you know,
(10:06):
when you add a building, it really needs to go
with what's around it. It really needs to fit in
with the environment and a look of either our village
around it. And my understanding is it would not go
well with houses for next houses.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Whenever we interview candidates running for these local offices, regardless
of the municipality, we always hear about smart growth.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
It is also one of your priorities. Obviously.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
You know, you can't stop growth in general as long
as people continue to move to Florida, and especially they
want to come to communities, you know, safe communities like
Royal Palm Beach.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
So what is your definition of smart growth?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Sure? Right, a lot of people want to move into
Royal Palm Beach and dealing with us for a little
while now with smart growth, I think about you know,
thoughtful responsible development, I mean, protecting our character is a
great place to live in Royal Palm Beach, for ensuring
you know that we don't adversely impact the traffic, which
(11:19):
is an ongoing issue not just in Royal Palm Beach
but surrounding municipalities as well.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah, all right, let me wrap up with this question,
and I give this to all my candidates, regardless of
whether they're running for a local municipal office or Congress
or you know, Senate, state House, whatever it is. In
a nutshell, two candidates running for this race, why ultimately
should folks choose you.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
So. I love Royal Palm Beach. I've lived in Royal
Palm Beach for twenty two years. As I said earlier,
my wife and I raised our daughters here. I'm only
I've only applied and ran for city count's village councils
because I want to keep Royal Palm Beach a great
place to live.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
All right, Well, I appreciate you taking the time to
talk to us. More importantly, of course, to the voters
in Royal Palm Beach, and we should make it known
that this obviously is open to all registered voters living
within the village limits of Royal Palm Beach as it
is Group one and not a District one like some
cities some municipalities tend to do. So this is something
(12:34):
that is open for all voters. It is the only
race on March tenth. And again, Adam Miller, candidate and
incumbent Group one on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council,
thanks again for joining me.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Thank you for the time. Joel
Hey, Joel Malkin for WJ and O dot com. My
election spotlight on the village of Royal Palm Beach ahead
of the March tenth election. Just a friendly reminder, by
the way, that there is no on site early voting
for this election. There is vote by mail and if
you want to get a ballot sent to you, this
Thursday will be the twenty six will be your deadline
(00:23):
to have that sent directly to you five pm February
twenty six. We are focused on the one race in
the village of Royal Palm Beach. That's because Group three
Sylvia Sharps ended up running unopposed when her challenger withdrew
from the race. This is the Group one race, the
incumbent Adam Miller facing opponent Selina Samuos and we have
(00:46):
mister Miller, Councilman Miller joining us. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Thank you for coming on with me.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Thank you for having me, Joel.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Let's get a little bit of background on you.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
First of all, how long have you lived in the
village of Royal Palm and how long have you been
on the council.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Great thanks for asking that, Jeal. I've lived in We've
lived in Royal Palm Beach for over twenty two years,
my wife and I and we've raised our daughters here
in Royal Palm Beach. I've been on the council at
almost a year and a half now.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
All right, So it's your first term and you're looking
to get a second. Let's get some background on you
as far as you know, work experience and that kind
of stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Sure, So I've spent twenty five years serving Pombage County
as an elementary school teacher elementary school principal in both
in Belguade and the Acreage. I served as the director
of Educational Technology for the school district throughout the pandemic,
and for the last five years, I've served as the
Chief of Performance Accountability for the school district. In that role,
(01:54):
you know, I oversee accountability, testing, educational technology place and
all of our performance systems across our one hundred and
eighty two schools. I managed complex initiatives. In the role,
I evaluate long term outcomes and the help guide high
level decision making across our organization.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
So in that that job, and maybe as your previous
experience as a teacher and then a principal, what if
anything are you able to take from all of that,
and have you been able over the last year and
a half to use as a council member.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Certainly, Yeah. All my previous experiences definitely inform how I
serve locally. I didn't mention that I also served for
six years on a planning and zoning commission in rural
Palm Beach, both as a member and as the chair.
You know that that experience, you know, gives me lots
of knowledge about land use policies, infrastructure planning, and responsible growth.
(02:52):
So all of that experience informs how I serve locally.
You know, I believe municipal decisions require understanding fiscal sustainability,
long term community impact, and you know, not just immediate reactions.
I got to have a deep understanding of the issues
before we make decisions. You know. Being a teacher in
(03:16):
elementary school principal, I know how to handle when disagreements
come up. I ask questions, I study the details, and
I calmly explain my reasoning. I believe leadership is not
about volume, It's about judgment, and throughout my career prioritize
what's right for students and now the community. And I
(03:37):
do that even when it's not an easy path. I
try to do it when's the right way to do it.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
So you've you're here in the middle of your well,
I guess almost has this been a full term or
you were you elected or because I'm trying to figure
out how a year and a half it's a what
it's a two year term?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
A great question, Joel. Unfortunately, our Mayor Fred Pinto passed away,
you know, a little over a year and a half ago,
and at that time I had also submitted my application
to serve on the council, and there was some shuffling
going on amongst the council, and all the seats went
up for election. I when I put in, no one
(04:21):
ran against me for that for my current seat, and
I actually got appointed early in November twenty four. At
that time there's only four council members. The council saw
to you put me appoint me early since I had
no opponent and I would be sworn in any way
in March. I hope that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, we did. We did follow that.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
After Mayor Pinto passed away, we obviously we did follow that,
and we followed some of the races of the folks
running for the mayoral seat as well, and we talked
to those candidates. Very sad situation there, and I understand
and to a man and woman, everybody on the council
(05:04):
very close with the late mayor. So condolence is there now.
So how long are the actual terms?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
We have two year terms.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
They are two year terms. Okay, all right, So.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I wanted to give you an opportunity because you you
are facing as a challenger a former council member who
ended up leaving to run for mayor and did not
win that seat. So now she's trying to get back
on the council and we spoke with her and she
talked about some of the things that she claims his
(05:42):
accomplishments during her time. So I wanted to give you
an opportunity to do that as well.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Sure, okay, so you know, I want to really talk
about two accomplishments. The first is, you know, being in
my seat as a councilman, I've been able to help
many residents, which has been you know why I got
into education and why I want to serve on councils
to help make my community better. You know, I included
(06:11):
things such as issues when families have issues with our
homeowners associations. Fortunately, we really can't help with that other
than providing advice. But then also sometimes when also support
residents when we're paving roads and there's some possible issues
with that. I've been able to work with our residents
(06:32):
and our village manager to work through those issues. I
am really proud though. I also got an ordinance past
Ordinance ten sixty. With my experience in the Planning and
Zoning Commission, almost everything that comes to the Planning and
Zoning Department has to go through the Planning and Zoning
Commission and then of course most of those actually go
(06:53):
to the village Council. I was looking to reduce some
red tape, so Ordinance ten sixty gives the Planning and
Zone and Director in Roal Palm Beach the ability to
approve routine small changes that businesses might want to make,
saving time for the businesses and money and saving time
(07:14):
for a government red tape as well.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
All right, I want to talk about some issues and
one that could affect the Village of Royal Palm Beach,
the council and the taxpayers. And this is something that's
going on in Tallahassee right now. The potential for the
elimination of homesteaded property taxes. Now currently, I'm sure you're
(07:38):
following this in Tallahassee. The bills that are being bandied about,
that are being looked at considered, they would not do
what the governor wants, which is completely eliminate homesteaded property taxes.
They all include at least school taxes. Now, regardless, you know,
(07:59):
whether that gets done or the governor what he wants
gets done, a lowering or elimination of all or almost
all property taxes. What are your thoughts on that from
the standpoint of village government?
Speaker 3 (08:16):
So or upon beach, We've maintained our military rate of
one point nine two mills for about fifteen years now,
and that's almost the lowest milit rate in the entire county.
And you know, with that, the village has done a
great job of maintaining strong reserves and we're remaining debt free.
We've done a great job being a great steward of
(08:38):
taxpayers money. You know, I don't I think residents deserve
that stability and responsible stewardship. However, if the property tax
reductions do occur, you know, I don't support that, but
you know, the response to would depend on, you know,
what actually gets decided understanding right now, so we're really
(09:02):
not sure where it's going to land. But my priority
would be if there are cuts, you know, preserving our
essential services, you know, public safety, you know, infrastructure management,
and our core programs, and then we'd have to evaluate
everything else against our strategic plan.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
I want to talk about another a project that's not
going on within the village, but it is, you know,
potentially set to impact residents of the village, and that's
what's being called Project Tango, the AI data center that
is being worked on nearby. Are you hearing anything from
(09:40):
constituents as far as concerns regarding this.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Yeah, I've heard from a few residents regarding Project Tango,
and they're not in support of Project Tango at all
being that close to homes or school. And I feel
the same way. I don't support it being that to
a residential area or a school. And my experiences on
the Printing and Zoning Commission I learned about you know,
(10:06):
when you add a building, it really needs to go
with what's around it. It really needs to fit in
with the environment and a look of either our village
around it. And my understanding is it would not go
well with houses for next houses.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Whenever we interview candidates running for these local offices, regardless
of the municipality, we always hear about smart growth.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
It is also one of your priorities. Obviously.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
You know, you can't stop growth in general as long
as people continue to move to Florida, and especially they
want to come to communities, you know, safe communities like
Royal Palm Beach.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
So what is your definition of smart growth?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Sure? Right, a lot of people want to move into
Royal Palm Beach and dealing with us for a little
while now with smart growth, I think about you know,
thoughtful responsible development, I mean, protecting our character is a
great place to live in Royal Palm Beach, for ensuring
you know that we don't adversely impact the traffic, which
(11:19):
is an ongoing issue not just in Royal Palm Beach
but surrounding municipalities as well.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah, all right, let me wrap up with this question,
and I give this to all my candidates, regardless of
whether they're running for a local municipal office or Congress
or you know, Senate, state House, whatever it is. In
a nutshell, two candidates running for this race, why ultimately
should folks choose you.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
So. I love Royal Palm Beach. I've lived in Royal
Palm Beach for twenty two years. As I said earlier,
my wife and I raised our daughters here. I'm only
I've only applied and ran for city count's village councils
because I want to keep Royal Palm Beach a great
place to live.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
All right, Well, I appreciate you taking the time to
talk to us. More importantly, of course, to the voters
in Royal Palm Beach, and we should make it known
that this obviously is open to all registered voters living
within the village limits of Royal Palm Beach as it
is Group one and not a District one like some
cities some municipalities tend to do. So this is something
(12:34):
that is open for all voters. It is the only
race on March tenth. And again, Adam Miller, candidate and
incumbent Group one on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council,
thanks again for joining me.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Thank you for the time. Joel
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.