February 10, 2026 • 13 mins
Grau is one of three candidates in the race for Seat A on the Boca Raton City Council.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Joel Malcolm for WJ and O dot com. My
(00:02):
election spotlight on the city, the very busy city of
Boca Ratona on March tenth. You have four elections, one
for the mayor's race and then three for the city
council council members. In fact, seat a fran Nachlis who
is currently serving there as a council member. This is
the end of her term. Instead of running for another
(00:23):
term in cd A, she is running for the mayoral race.
So this seat is wide open. Three candidates, including Michelle Grau,
who we are speaking to now. Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
So let me get some background on you. How long
have you been in Boca.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I've lived in Bokra Town for forty years.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Okay, and so where did you were you born here?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I was born in Canada and I moved down in
on nineteen eighty six with mom, well, actually nineteen eighty four,
so I started high school halfway through high school.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
All right, let's get some background on you as far
as professional experience and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Sure, I've been a governmental auditor for over forty years
or thirty years. I'm uniquely qualified to serve bookratone I
spent my entire career scrutinizing budgets, asking hard questions the
city managers, and protecting tax payer dollars. Have you been
this would be I'm sorry, go ahead, it's okay. This
(01:28):
would be a very important job of my career. I've
had the time, the energy, and the commitment to treat
it as a full time job.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Now, when you talk about looking at government expenses and whatnot,
were you doing that for Boca Ratone.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Well, I would. I would like to offer my expertise
by digging into complex budgets, evaluating internal controls, auditing the
spending of the city, and working alongside our city manager,
asking them tough questions and helping solve complex problems. I
believe in protecting public funds and that's been my life's work.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
So this sounds similar to what the Florida Doese team
has been doing in Palm Beach County, and they came
out with some numbers three hundred and forty four million
in what they call excessive waste. And what are your thoughts.
I know it has nothing to do with the Boca race,
but since you are uniquely qualified, I wanted to get
your thoughts on that.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Well. I believe that in order to do a proper audit,
you can't just come in with like an AI software
and point to certain items. The only way to really
look at it is a comprehensive review, line by line
the entire budget, not just certain programs or services. With
my governmental auditing experience and the understanding of AI tools,
we can scrutinize spending and cut waste, detect anomalies, and
(02:49):
use predictive analysis to uncover inefficiencies and ensure that every
taxpayer dollar is used wisely while maintaining essential services.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I see on your campaign page you are endorsed by
Save Boca, which is the group it started grassroots. I
don't want to say fighting the one Boka project, but
maybe calling for more transparency. Is that? Is that fair
to say?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
That's correct?
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So let's talk about that, uh, the one Boca project,
because this is this is the big, big topic, the
big issue among all of the races in the city,
and and and for the residents living there too, And
they're going to see a referendum on the ballot that
will voters will either approve or xnay on the plane
(03:37):
at least for now. And you know, the city will
be left trying to figure out what they're going to do.
So what are your what are your immediate thoughts about it?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I believe it puts too much risk on the city.
Nobody is arguing that we don't need a new, vibrant,
attractive downtown. But anytime large scale redevelopment projects fight the
one Boca, they weren't careful scrutiny because their impacts extend
far beyond these structural renderings and promotional language we've been seeing.
(04:07):
When public land is committed, especially under this ninety nine
year lease, these decisions are effectively permanent and shape the
city's finances, infrastructure demands, and community character for generations. And
I believe that this public private partnership, the city is
largely funding its own cost of improvement. So under the
(04:28):
current structure, the taxpayers are responsible for roughly two hundred
million in the cost for the public components. So it
does place an excessive risk on the city while limiting
its upside. And what if construction costs escalate, or revenues
fall short, or the developer bases financial or legal strain
or another lawsuit. Boca, not the private partner would bear
(04:49):
those consequences.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And how do you feel about having at least because
I guess early on this wasn't going to be the case,
but at least being on a ballot for or voters
to have a say.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I'm happy that Save Boca was able to get this
to a vote. If it wasn't for Save Boca, this
project would have moved forward very recklessly and very quickly.
But I'm concerned about the ballot language. It reads more
like a sales pitch. So I really want voters to
understand what the phrasing means, because anytimes you use worrying
(05:25):
such as positive emotional phrases like preserving Memorial Park, honoring veterans,
expanding green space, it can make a no vote feel
like opposition to those values. Yeah, well that was a
real issue. Is the nine nine year at least of
public planned.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I'm looking at the ballot. I don't want to read
the whole thing, but I'm looking at the referendum. Now,
shall the city approve agreements with Boca Raton's City Center
LLC leasing seven point eight acres of city property? And
I understand that was as high as thirty acres at
one time east of northwest second Avenue near bright Line
for ninety nine years, creating a walkable neighborhood with residential, retail,
(06:05):
office and hotel uses. Yeah. And then the part that
you referenced city property, including preserving Memorial Park area honoring veterans?
Did Memorial Park not honor veterans? Previously?
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Memorial Park was dedicated to World War Two veterans back
in nineteen forty seven, I believe. And that was something
also that say Boca brought to the attention.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Because it looks like they're making this as somebody who
doesn't live in Boca and just kind of looking at
this honoring veterans, it looks like it was not prior
honoring veterans and that this would do that.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
No, Memorial Park was always a park honoring veterans. It
just that a lot of people didn't understand that. It
wasn't like a lot of signage about it. But when
we went back and we actually pulled records from the
Historical Society, Memorial Park was dedicated to honoring the World
War II veterans.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
How do you feel about the police substation part of this.
I've had candidates and other races talk about how it
doesn't need to be what they're trying to make it well.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
I support building a new police station. Being an accountant
and a fiscal conservative, I would have gone with the
Financial Advisory Board recommendation of one hundred and twenty five
million proposals. By following the board's recommendation to lower the
bond by fifty million, we could have reduced that financial
impact on the taxpayers while still funding the project responsibly.
(07:45):
So but if the breakram does not pass, I hope
the city will revisit the project at a reduced amount
or considered including it in a comprehensive governmental obligation bond
that can also address other public infrastructure needs.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
What is the amount in this plan, in this proposal
that is being spent on the police substation, the.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Government obligation on was one hundred and seventy five million dollars,
and I believe they're taking twenty some million dollars out
of the general fund to the public portion. Taking that
and the total amount would be one hundred and ninety
two million, So.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
That's close to seventy seventy something million more than you
feel they could have They could have done it.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I think they could pare it down. I think we
don't need the tas Mahal police station. Were functioning new
police station and to serve the growing needs of our community.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
We also talk about affordability, and you know this is
every every municipality has that concern affordable housing and whatnot.
What what is it as a member of the city
council that you'd like to see done.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well? If wordability is a problem, we do have. Several
of our employees have moved away because they can no
longer afford to live here. So as a business owner,
I see the problem firsthand. That requires close coordination. We
need to actually figure out how we can keep our
other costs low in the city. Our recreations are you know,
(09:25):
even now we're getting charged to park downtown, so all
these other car costs got to be reduced.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
And I want to bring up you know, in recent months,
the city has been along with the county, has been
working to try to lure businesses from places like New
York and California and specifically financial businesses and at a
Palo Alto, California and quantum computing company d Wave, it's
(09:54):
recently announced that they are going to be relocating their
headquarters in Boca Raton. What were you do thoughts on that.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
I'm excited to see new companies and new businesses come in.
I think that definitely drive our economy. Whether or not
we need to give them grants to come here, I
don't think that would have been necessary. I think our
attraction is a city or world class city with our
FAU graduates, and we have a lot of talented people.
We need to retain those people that are coming out
(10:26):
of our institutions to be able to live here. But
I'm happy to see new businesses thrive. I think it
just continues to foster healthy economy and healthy growth for
our city.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
One of the candidates in this race I had interviewed
said that his opponents decided to run last minute, weeks
or months before the election he was already in. He
runs pretty much every election, because I've interviewed him every
time for the last few years, and has run for
(10:58):
a couple of federal offices as well, and that his
opponents don't have leadership skills like he has. I wanted
to give you the opportunity to address that.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Are you speaking specifically c D candidate.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I No, cd A candidate Bernard Korn in this race.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Oh, okay, Okay, I've seen Bernie Corn for a while
and he's always out there. I just I don't know
how to comment about this. You know, he's an interesting
guy for sure, but I'm just I'm concerned about his
residency requirement and his ability to be able to leave
(11:40):
the city and what experience.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, all right, I just wanted to run that by
it because it's anytime somebody says something, it's you know,
all right, well, what what makes you? You know, three
candidates in this race? What makes you? In a nuts
tellan You've covered some of this, but in a nutshell,
what makes you the best candidate here?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Well as what's set me a part as a candidate
is my experience and my perspective and my priorities. I
have over thirty years of governmental auditing experience. I've reviewed
complex city budgets, I've evaluated internal controls, I've asked tough
questions of city managers, and I'm protecting taxpayer dollars before
they're spent. That expertise, to me is important, and with
(12:27):
the new property tax changes and our new large bond
proposal and a long term capital project ahead, I offer
that discipline, pisful oversight, transparency and accountability that our city
council has been missing. I'm also the only candidate in
CTA who publicly stood up to protect our public lands
and challengees long term lease that deals with shifting the
(12:50):
risks on to the taxpayers. As a local business owner,
I understand the importance of strong business climate while balancing ethical,
transparent decision making, responsible growth, affordability, and infrastructure readiness.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
All right, and we should point out again this is
a full three year term that is opening up here
and we appreciate you talking to us again. One of
three candidates in the race for ct A Boca Raton
City Council, Michelle Grau, thank you for speaking to the
voters of book ratone.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Thank you, Joel, I appreciate it.
Hey, Joel Malcolm for WJ and O dot com. My
(00:02):
election spotlight on the city, the very busy city of
Boca Ratona on March tenth. You have four elections, one
for the mayor's race and then three for the city
council council members. In fact, seat a fran Nachlis who
is currently serving there as a council member. This is
the end of her term. Instead of running for another
(00:23):
term in cd A, she is running for the mayoral race.
So this seat is wide open. Three candidates, including Michelle Grau,
who we are speaking to now. Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
So let me get some background on you. How long
have you been in Boca.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I've lived in Bokra Town for forty years.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Okay, and so where did you were you born here?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I was born in Canada and I moved down in
on nineteen eighty six with mom, well, actually nineteen eighty four,
so I started high school halfway through high school.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
All right, let's get some background on you as far
as professional experience and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Sure, I've been a governmental auditor for over forty years
or thirty years. I'm uniquely qualified to serve bookratone I
spent my entire career scrutinizing budgets, asking hard questions the
city managers, and protecting tax payer dollars. Have you been
this would be I'm sorry, go ahead, it's okay. This
(01:28):
would be a very important job of my career. I've
had the time, the energy, and the commitment to treat
it as a full time job.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Now, when you talk about looking at government expenses and whatnot,
were you doing that for Boca Ratone.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Well, I would. I would like to offer my expertise
by digging into complex budgets, evaluating internal controls, auditing the
spending of the city, and working alongside our city manager,
asking them tough questions and helping solve complex problems. I
believe in protecting public funds and that's been my life's work.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
So this sounds similar to what the Florida Doese team
has been doing in Palm Beach County, and they came
out with some numbers three hundred and forty four million
in what they call excessive waste. And what are your thoughts.
I know it has nothing to do with the Boca race,
but since you are uniquely qualified, I wanted to get
your thoughts on that.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Well. I believe that in order to do a proper audit,
you can't just come in with like an AI software
and point to certain items. The only way to really
look at it is a comprehensive review, line by line
the entire budget, not just certain programs or services. With
my governmental auditing experience and the understanding of AI tools,
we can scrutinize spending and cut waste, detect anomalies, and
(02:49):
use predictive analysis to uncover inefficiencies and ensure that every
taxpayer dollar is used wisely while maintaining essential services.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I see on your campaign page you are endorsed by
Save Boca, which is the group it started grassroots. I
don't want to say fighting the one Boka project, but
maybe calling for more transparency. Is that? Is that fair
to say?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
That's correct?
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So let's talk about that, uh, the one Boca project,
because this is this is the big, big topic, the
big issue among all of the races in the city,
and and and for the residents living there too, And
they're going to see a referendum on the ballot that
will voters will either approve or xnay on the plane
(03:37):
at least for now. And you know, the city will
be left trying to figure out what they're going to do.
So what are your what are your immediate thoughts about it?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I believe it puts too much risk on the city.
Nobody is arguing that we don't need a new, vibrant,
attractive downtown. But anytime large scale redevelopment projects fight the
one Boca, they weren't careful scrutiny because their impacts extend
far beyond these structural renderings and promotional language we've been seeing.
(04:07):
When public land is committed, especially under this ninety nine
year lease, these decisions are effectively permanent and shape the
city's finances, infrastructure demands, and community character for generations. And
I believe that this public private partnership, the city is
largely funding its own cost of improvement. So under the
(04:28):
current structure, the taxpayers are responsible for roughly two hundred
million in the cost for the public components. So it
does place an excessive risk on the city while limiting
its upside. And what if construction costs escalate, or revenues
fall short, or the developer bases financial or legal strain
or another lawsuit. Boca, not the private partner would bear
(04:49):
those consequences.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And how do you feel about having at least because
I guess early on this wasn't going to be the case,
but at least being on a ballot for or voters
to have a say.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I'm happy that Save Boca was able to get this
to a vote. If it wasn't for Save Boca, this
project would have moved forward very recklessly and very quickly.
But I'm concerned about the ballot language. It reads more
like a sales pitch. So I really want voters to
understand what the phrasing means, because anytimes you use worrying
(05:25):
such as positive emotional phrases like preserving Memorial Park, honoring veterans,
expanding green space, it can make a no vote feel
like opposition to those values. Yeah, well that was a
real issue. Is the nine nine year at least of
public planned.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I'm looking at the ballot. I don't want to read
the whole thing, but I'm looking at the referendum. Now,
shall the city approve agreements with Boca Raton's City Center
LLC leasing seven point eight acres of city property? And
I understand that was as high as thirty acres at
one time east of northwest second Avenue near bright Line
for ninety nine years, creating a walkable neighborhood with residential, retail,
(06:05):
office and hotel uses. Yeah. And then the part that
you referenced city property, including preserving Memorial Park area honoring veterans?
Did Memorial Park not honor veterans? Previously?
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Memorial Park was dedicated to World War Two veterans back
in nineteen forty seven, I believe. And that was something
also that say Boca brought to the attention.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Because it looks like they're making this as somebody who
doesn't live in Boca and just kind of looking at
this honoring veterans, it looks like it was not prior
honoring veterans and that this would do that.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
No, Memorial Park was always a park honoring veterans. It
just that a lot of people didn't understand that. It
wasn't like a lot of signage about it. But when
we went back and we actually pulled records from the
Historical Society, Memorial Park was dedicated to honoring the World
War II veterans.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
How do you feel about the police substation part of this.
I've had candidates and other races talk about how it
doesn't need to be what they're trying to make it well.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
I support building a new police station. Being an accountant
and a fiscal conservative, I would have gone with the
Financial Advisory Board recommendation of one hundred and twenty five
million proposals. By following the board's recommendation to lower the
bond by fifty million, we could have reduced that financial
impact on the taxpayers while still funding the project responsibly.
(07:45):
So but if the breakram does not pass, I hope
the city will revisit the project at a reduced amount
or considered including it in a comprehensive governmental obligation bond
that can also address other public infrastructure needs.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
What is the amount in this plan, in this proposal
that is being spent on the police substation, the.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Government obligation on was one hundred and seventy five million dollars,
and I believe they're taking twenty some million dollars out
of the general fund to the public portion. Taking that
and the total amount would be one hundred and ninety
two million, So.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
That's close to seventy seventy something million more than you
feel they could have They could have done it.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I think they could pare it down. I think we
don't need the tas Mahal police station. Were functioning new
police station and to serve the growing needs of our community.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
We also talk about affordability, and you know this is
every every municipality has that concern affordable housing and whatnot.
What what is it as a member of the city
council that you'd like to see done.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well? If wordability is a problem, we do have. Several
of our employees have moved away because they can no
longer afford to live here. So as a business owner,
I see the problem firsthand. That requires close coordination. We
need to actually figure out how we can keep our
other costs low in the city. Our recreations are you know,
(09:25):
even now we're getting charged to park downtown, so all
these other car costs got to be reduced.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
And I want to bring up you know, in recent months,
the city has been along with the county, has been
working to try to lure businesses from places like New
York and California and specifically financial businesses and at a
Palo Alto, California and quantum computing company d Wave, it's
(09:54):
recently announced that they are going to be relocating their
headquarters in Boca Raton. What were you do thoughts on that.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
I'm excited to see new companies and new businesses come in.
I think that definitely drive our economy. Whether or not
we need to give them grants to come here, I
don't think that would have been necessary. I think our
attraction is a city or world class city with our
FAU graduates, and we have a lot of talented people.
We need to retain those people that are coming out
(10:26):
of our institutions to be able to live here. But
I'm happy to see new businesses thrive. I think it
just continues to foster healthy economy and healthy growth for
our city.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
One of the candidates in this race I had interviewed
said that his opponents decided to run last minute, weeks
or months before the election he was already in. He
runs pretty much every election, because I've interviewed him every
time for the last few years, and has run for
(10:58):
a couple of federal offices as well, and that his
opponents don't have leadership skills like he has. I wanted
to give you the opportunity to address that.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Are you speaking specifically c D candidate.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I No, cd A candidate Bernard Korn in this race.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Oh, okay, Okay, I've seen Bernie Corn for a while
and he's always out there. I just I don't know
how to comment about this. You know, he's an interesting
guy for sure, but I'm just I'm concerned about his
residency requirement and his ability to be able to leave
(11:40):
the city and what experience.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, all right, I just wanted to run that by
it because it's anytime somebody says something, it's you know,
all right, well, what what makes you? You know, three
candidates in this race? What makes you? In a nuts
tellan You've covered some of this, but in a nutshell,
what makes you the best candidate here?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Well as what's set me a part as a candidate
is my experience and my perspective and my priorities. I
have over thirty years of governmental auditing experience. I've reviewed
complex city budgets, I've evaluated internal controls, I've asked tough
questions of city managers, and I'm protecting taxpayer dollars before
they're spent. That expertise, to me is important, and with
(12:27):
the new property tax changes and our new large bond
proposal and a long term capital project ahead, I offer
that discipline, pisful oversight, transparency and accountability that our city
council has been missing. I'm also the only candidate in
CTA who publicly stood up to protect our public lands
and challengees long term lease that deals with shifting the
(12:50):
risks on to the taxpayers. As a local business owner,
I understand the importance of strong business climate while balancing ethical,
transparent decision making, responsible growth, affordability, and infrastructure readiness.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
All right, and we should point out again this is
a full three year term that is opening up here
and we appreciate you talking to us again. One of
three candidates in the race for ct A Boca Raton
City Council, Michelle Grau, thank you for speaking to the
voters of book ratone.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Thank you, Joel, I appreciate it.
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