Left to right: CRA Chairman & City Council Member Constance Scott, Mayor Susan Whelchel, and Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie
Standing, left to right: Council Member Anthony Majhess, and Council Member Michael Mullaugh.

The City of Boca Raton is governed by a five member City Council elected at-large to designated seats on a non-partisan basis. The Mayor and Council Members are elected for three-year terms. Members who have served two consecutive terms are not eligible to be elected to that office for the succeeding term. The Mayor and Council members seats designated A and B are elected in one year, the Council members in the seats designated C and D are elected in the following year. Subsequently, there is a year without a council election. The City Charter was changed by the electorate in 2006 to provide for two three-year terms.

The Mayor presides at all Council meetings and other public functions and is the ceremonial head of the City. The Deputy Mayor presides in the absence of the Mayor.

The Mayor and City Council determine policy legislatively. A City Manager is appointed by the Council to administer policy and manage the City’s departments. As chief administrative officer, the City Manager appoints all city employees and is responsible for the activities of the departments as well as the successful completion of programs approved by the City Council. The City Council also appoints the City Attorney, who provides legal advice and counsel to the Mayor and City Council and to City Staff.

The Mayor and City Council also serve as Commissioners of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). In this capacity they hire an executive director and make decisions that affect the development of the Community Redevelopment area, generally known as downtown Boca Raton.

City Council meetings are usually held in the City Council Chamber of City Hall at 6:00 PM on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The CRA usually meets at 1:30 PM on the preceding Monday, immediately followed by the City Council Workshop meeting. All meetings are open to the public, and citizens are encouraged to attend and participate in these meetings. Dates and times should be verified with the City Clerk's Office in advance.

Phone: (561) 393-7708
E-mail:

Mayor Susan Whelchel was first elected to the Boca Raton City Council in March 1995. She was re-elected in 1997 and again in 1999. During her first tenure in office, Mayor Whelchel served as Deputy Mayor from 1999-2000 and was Vice-Chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency from 1996-1999.

Susan Whelchel was term limited in March 2000 and was appointed by then Governor Jeb Bush to a two- year term on the Palm Beach County School Board, where she served with distinction and successfully enabled a renewed focus and commitment to our local schools. Upon completing her term on the School Board, Whelchel was re-elected to the Boca Raton City Council in March 2003 and again in 2005, serving as Deputy Mayor for the years 2003-2004 and 2005-2008. In 2008 she ran unopposed for Mayor.

Whelchel puts neighborhoods first and, as a former teacher, continues to be a strong advocate for our children. She has worked tirelessly to support Boca Raton’s schools, and through her initiative, the Don Estridge High Tech Middle School was constructed on the historic IBM campus.

A leader who understands the value of collaborative partnerships with both county and state government agencies, Whelchel was the catalyst behind the Boca Raton Education Task Force that culminated in the creation of a School Liaison for the City of Boca Raton to ensure our local schools are prioritized by the School District.

Meetings with neighborhood groups, brown bag lunches with small businesses, and finding new ways to create and retain jobs are all in a day’s work for Boca Raton’s mayor. Susan Whelchel is a hometown leader who is facing down the current economic slump with vision and adaptability. She is focused on new opportunities that don’t just require new buildings, and she is leading the charge on City-wide “green” initiatives as she focuses on both economic and environmental sustainability for the City of Boca Raton.

Her groundbreaking effort on Boca Raton’s new business development initiative in partnership with key stakeholders including the Palm Beach County Business Development Board, her innovative environmental action and collaborative approach with neighborhoods, businesses, and educational institutions has earned her praise throughout the region. As a result, Whelchel recently won the Sun-Sentinel/Forum Publications “Politician of the Year” for the third year and was announced as the Rotary Club’s winner of the Opal award for civic leadership.

Whelchel continues to use common sense and real-world solutions to address budget constraints brought on by the national economic recession. She insisted on fiscally sound practices and effective oversight of a billion dollar budget while serving on the Palm Beach County School Board, and she has continued that approach as mayor. With more than a decade of public service, Whelchel is a strong watchdog for every taxpayer. She has used her small business expertise to effectively monitor revenue and expenditure trends and to make sure city staff maintains the highest quality of service and responsible use of public resources for our community.

The safety of our citizens is paramount to Whelchel, as is safeguarding the quality of life that residents enjoy. For years, Whelchel has been a strong supporter of law enforcement through her fiscal appropriations to add additional police officers as required, needed equipment and training for all personnel.

Ms. Whelchel has also strongly supported the use of better technology to improve our traffic standards. She has served on the Metropolitan Planning Organization which was mandated by the Federal Highway Act of 1973 and covers both short and long range transportation planning in our area. In addition, she has been at the forefront for timely City response to innovative initiatives such as the expansion of educational opportunities at FAU and balancing the ever changing budget/tax issues.
Through years of involvement in the family environmental business, Susan has become a strong advocate for the “green movement” and is leading the council to address the environmental issues affecting our city.

Understanding that Boca Raton has many facets, Susan has a strong sense of commitment, working tirelessly for a well balanced community that includes safe neighborhoods; a strong vibrant business economy supportive of the cultural arts, recreational and educational programs; and a healthy family of local non-profit organizations. Susan’s passion for young families is legendary and has set the trend for greater involvement of young professional families returning to Boca Raton or joining our community for the first time.

Susan has also been an active and dedicated Boca Raton volunteer for 30 years. In addition to her public service that has spanned three decades, Mayor Whelchel has been active in the following:

• President: Spanish River High School Parents Association
• Chamber of Commerce: Leadership Boca
• Vice President of Community Affair: Junior League of Boca Raton
• Board of Trustees: Boca Raton Historical Society
• President: Boca Raton Educational Television
• Board of Trustees: Boca Symphonia
• Board Member: Palm Beach County Business Development Board
• Board Member: Palm Beach County Educational Foundation
• Metropolitan Planning Organization for Palm Beach County
• Member Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
• Committee for FAU President Frank Brogan’s Inaugural Day Celebration
• Founder Boca Raton Educational Task Force
• Nominee for Junior League’s Woman Volunteer of the Year Award
• Library Foundation Board
• Deacon and Elder of First Presbyterian Church
• Host: T.V. shows in support of non-profit organizations
• Honorary Chair: FAU University Club Gala
• Honorary Chair: Boca Museum of Art Gala Auction
• Honorary Chair: Kids in Distress
• Honorary member of Boca Raton Sunset Rotary Club
• Grand Marshall for FAU’s Homecoming Parade 2009 and 2010
• Advisory Board: Centre for the Arts
• Member of the American Heart Association’s Leadership Circle
• Keynote Speaker at major events
• Board Member: Allianz Golf Tournament to support the Boca Raton Community Hospital
• Boca Raton Forum City Official of the year in 2008, 2009 and 2010
• Rotary Club of Boca Raton Opal Award recipient 2009

Mayor Whelchel was educated in North Florida schools, holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and has done post graduate work at Florida Atlantic University and Nova Southeastern University. Susan has been a part of the Boca Raton community for the past 30 years and, with her husband John, has raised four children who attended public schools and took active roles in sports and community programs. She has been a resident in both western and eastern Boca Raton neighborhoods and feels blessed to have worked with so many dedicated residents from all areas of Boca Raton. Three of her four children reside in Boca Raton. Mayor Whelchel has eight grandchildren, six of whom live in Boca Raton.

Phone: (561) 393-7708
E-mail:

Constance J. Scott was elected in March, 2009 to serve a three-year term on the City Council.  

Council Member Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Michigan.  She is a Business Banker for Citibank with over 20 years experience in finance and economic development.  Constance has had the privilege of serving the City of Boca Raton as the Public Information Officer and Palm Beach County as an Economic Development Specialist.  Her extensive background in economic development includes working in Economic Development for the City of Fort Lauderdale, as Operations Director for the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, and as a business analyst for the Florida Atlantic University Small Business Development Center. She also served as Economic Development Manager for the City of Flint, Michigan, managing $7 million of revolving loan funds for small businesses as well as administrating an over 110,000 square foot business incubator.

While serving as Boca Raton’s Public Information Officer, Council Member Scott forged close community relationships with a focus on the Fire and Library Bond referendums.  She subsequently has built strong relationships with the Firefighters, Paramedics, and Police Department. She has devoted the past three years to strengthening the Boca Raton Police Athletic League by serving as a Board Member, advocating for programming, and raising money for a facility to host boxing, cheerleading, tennis and basketball programs for youth.

A graduate of Boca Raton High School class of 1972, Constance has a track record of dedicated community service.  She is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Boca Raton and past president of the Junior League of Flint.  Constance is also a fundraiser for and member of Tri-County Humane Society, Boca Raton Police Athletic League, Boca Raton Road Runners Club, Neighborhood Crime Watch, American Cancer Society, Komen Race for the Cure and Boca Raton Historical Society. 

Council Member Scott and her husband Tom have one daughter and are proud grandparents.   She and her husband live in downtown Boca with their Maltese Poodle companion Gigi.

Phone: (561) 393-7708
E-mail:

Anthony Majhess was elected to a three-year term on the Boca Raton City Council in March, 2009. 

A native Floridian, Mr. Majhess grew up in Coral Gables and has lived in Boca Raton for 13 years.  Council Member Majhess is a Driver/Engineer with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.  Anthony and his two brothers all followed in the footsteps of their father who served as a firefighter in Miami for 31 years.

Anthony has a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Florida.  He brings business experience to the City Council, having worked in retail management as well as domestic and international business to business sales.

Council Member Majhess is treasurer of the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association.  Recently, he and his neighbors worked together to oppose a Comprehensive Plan change for the East Palmetto Park Road Corridor, east of the Intracoastal Waterway.  Anthony also championed the responsible laws governing construction of places of assembly within residential zoning districts.

Phone: (561) 393-7708
E-mail:

Michael Mullaugh was appointed in December 2008 to fill vacated City Council Seat B and was elected to a three-year term without opposition in March 2009. 

Councilman Mullaugh has more than 25 years of experience in the financial and non-profit sectors. He is retired from Mellon Bank where he managed a division of the Trust Department. Mr. Mullaugh served as an advisor to the Pennsylvania legislature on revising fiduciary statutes.  Locally, he recently completed a term as president of the Board of Trustees of Ruth Rales Family Service, a non-profit, non-sectarian provider of social services to south Palm Beach County.

Recently Councilman Mullaugh has worked with the City’s Utility Department to bring reclaimed water for irrigation to the western communities of Boca Raton.  He is committed to making the City more environmentally and economically sustainable.

Councilman Mullaugh holds both the Bachelor of Arts in economics and Juris Doctor from Duquesne University.  Michael and his wife Donna are eleven year residents of Boca Raton.

Phone: (561) 393-7708
E-mail:

Susan is currently serving her fourth term on the Boca Raton City Council. She has served as Deputy Mayor and Council Member from 2000 – 2006 and was re-elected in 2008. She has served on several State and Regional boards including the Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and President of the Palm Beach League of Cities.

Susan is a Florida Native and a 35-year resident of Boca Raton. She is a graduate of Lynn University and holds certification in Traffic Engineering Studies from Georgia Institute of Technology and Northwestern University. She began her career as an Engineering Analyst for the City of Boca Raton from 1974 to 1984. Susan became a licensed General Contractor in 1982 and went on to become a successful professional in the construction and development industries in South Florida. Susan is also a licensed Community Association Manager.

She has been an active member of our community serving on several boards including Zoning Board of Adjustment, Planning and Zoning, Federation of Boca Raton Homeowners Association and Boca Helping Hands.