Coconut Creek Commission Candidates Share their Vision at Election Forum

by David Volz February 25, 2025

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Coconut Creek Commission Race Heats Up After Six Candidates Vie for Three Seats in March Election

2025 Coconut Creek Candidates: Vice Mayor Jackie Railey, Mayor Sandra Welch, Commissioner Rydell, Phillipa Sklaar, Patricia Louise Duaybes, and Felicia Shuman Newkirk.

The Broward County League of Women Voters hosted a candidate forum on Feb. 24, allowing residents to hear from candidates before the March 11 election. League President Allyson Meyers moderated the event, presenting questions to those running for office.

In District B, incumbent Jackie Railey and challenger Phillippa Sklaar are the candidates. In District C, incumbent Sandra Welch faces Patricia Louise Duaybes, while in District E, incumbent Joshua Rydell is running against Felicia Newkirk.

All candidates participated in the forum except Newkirk. The format included timed segments for introductions, direct questions, and closing statements.

Railey, who has worked as an administrative assistant and in real estate, currently serves as president of the Wynmoor Community Council. Sklaar, originally from South Africa, comes from a politically active family that fought against apartheid and has spent much of her career helping survivors of domestic abuse.

Welch worked for American Express before retiring and winning a seat on the commission in 2013. She has served on numerous boards and considers her role on the commission a full-time commitment. Duaybes is a small business owner and licensed drone pilot with experience serving on various boards.

Rydell, an attorney, is active in his two daughters’ youth sports teams and describes himself as a strong advocate for Coconut Creek residents.

Throughout the forum, candidates addressed key issues affecting the city, including waste management, traffic congestion, and affordable housing.

On the topic of trash and recycling, all agreed the city must do more to reduce waste. Railey expressed concern that the Monarch Hill landfill may have contaminated the city’s water supply, while Sklaar and Duaybes both called for eliminating plastic bags from local stores. Welch encouraged greater use of the city’s two recycling centers, and Rydell emphasized the importance of educating families on recycling and waste reduction, saying, “I want people to reduce and reuse.”

Traffic congestion was another shared concern. Several candidates called for better synchronization of traffic lights at the county level. Railey and Duaybes suggested promoting public transportation to alleviate the burden on local roads.

Rising housing costs and skyrocketing insurance premiums were also discussed. Rydell advocated for including workforce housing units in the MainStreet development and emphasized the need to lower homeowners’ insurance costs. Railey said she wants to help first-time homebuyers and work toward regulating insurance premiums.

One issue that united all the candidates was the proposal to move municipal elections from March to November, a change they agreed would help increase voter turnout.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.