Meet The Candidates for Seat 1 of Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Commission
By: Caylin Hirapara
Two seats on the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District are up for election on this year. The election, which takes place on August 30th, includes six candidates, each with a different philosophy.
Fighting for seat number one is incumbent Dennis Frisch, Craig Ehrnst, and Shayla Enright.
Dr. Dennis Frisch
The current holder of the seat is Dr. Dennis Frisch, 61, a graduate of Boca Raton High School and the University of Florida. He is a locally practicing Podiatric Surgeon and earned his medical degree from the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago. He has been a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board since 2007 and was first elected to the beach and park commission in 2008.
“I believe that we must continue to maintain our current high-quality parks to meet the recreational needs of our children and adult population,” Frisch said, “We must continue to acquire “green space” as available to provide for future park and recreation needs. The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District and the City of Boca Raton must work together for the benefit of our constituents. I am a dedicated public servant and request your vote to allow me to continue to serve you.”
Shayla Enright
The second candidate is Shayla Enright, 26, a medical physicist. She earned a dual bachelor’s degrees in physics and chemistry at Florida Atlantic University in 2011 and a Professional Science Master’s degree in medical physics in 2014 also at FAU. Last year she continued her education by earning a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Miami. While this is her first time running for office, her mother Jean Enright is on the Port of Palm Beach Commission.
“Unfortunately, there is a discord between the Beach and Park District and the City of Boca Raton, which prevents things from getting done. If elected, I would work to make the communication between the District and City more fluid so things get done. Second, I would ensure our beaches are protected and preserved. Finally, I would bring a new perspective to the District and get the younger generation involved. The District is not very well known in the community. I would make the residents more aware of the District to ensure their voices are heard, and the residents see improvements they feel are needed in the beaches and parks.”
Craig Ehrnst
The third Candidate for Seat 1 is Craig Ehrnst, 52, who is a corporate treasurer at NCCI Holdings in Boca. He has a masters degree in from University of Michigan in Business Administration. Ehrnst ran for City Council in 2014 and lost narrowly. He is on the board for the Boca Raton Children’s Museum as well as the Boca Raton YMCA. He spent three years on the city’s Financial Advisory Board.
“I am running for a District seat primarily to address an ongoing communication issue between the City and the District. Both sides have been at odds for months, as evidenced by the inter-local contract dispute, budget disagreements, and park planning issues. For example, the Sugar Sand park playground has been closed since January 2015 due to safety concerns. The planned reopening date was missed, and the projected open date is questionable. In the life of my 8 year old son, closing the best playground in the area for 18-24 months is unacceptable (ask yourself if a business would close for 18 months to remodel?). The communication issue between the City and District is only getting worse, and residents are suffering the consequences. I respect my opponent’s community service, but I believe residents should demand both the city and district to get their act together or move on.”
The election will take place on August 30th, and the elected term for commissioners begins on January 1st. For more information about where to vote in the August 30th election visit http://www.pbcelections.org/Election.aspx?eid=151.
