City Commission
The City Commission is the principal legislative and government body of the City. The Mayor, elected every two years, presides over a board of four commission members who are elected to two-year alternating terms by the community at large.
City Commission meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. All Commission meetings are held at City Hall and begin at 6:00 p.m. You may view the City Commission's agendas, voting results, and minutes, which are maintained by the City Clerk's Office. Any person may address the Commission regarding agenda or non-agenda items at the appropriate time during the meeting. Workshops are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the first floor conference room.
Commission Members
Mayor Rita Ellis
A resident of Delray Beach since 1972, Rita Ellis has been one of the most pro-active citizens the City has ever seen. Married to Dean Ellis for over 34 years and the mother of 2 daughters, now 26 and 29 years of age, the couple established Climate Control Services which is now in its 33rd year of doing business in the City. Rita became President of the company in 1997. Rita became active with the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce and was appointed to their Board in 1995. She was Chairman of the Board in 2005. In the interim, Rita Ellis was recognized as Business Person of the Year 2000, and received the Ken Ellingsworth Community Service Award in 2001.
Rita Ellis has been most influential as the Chair of the Downtown Development Authority since 2000 and guided the DDA to become a major player in the Visions 2010 and Master Plan goals for Delray Beach. Rita has been a member of the Joint Venture Board, Neighborhood Advisory Board, Delray Medical Center Board of Trustees and the Beach Property Owners Association Board of Trustees. Rita was elected to her first term on the City Commission on March 8, 2005.
Vice-Mayor Brenda Montague
Deputy Vice-Mayor Woodie McDuffie
A native of Delray Beach, Woodie McDuffie has been involved in community activities for more than 50 years. Woodie began Little League Baseball in 1955 and, today serves on the Board of Directors of Delray Beach National Little League, where he began as a player some 52 years ago. He began scouting, under the direction of Mike Machek, a local icon in Scouting, in 1958. He has served four terms on the Board of Directors of Oakmont Homeowners Association, with two of his terms as President. He continued his community service by being a Director of Friends of Delray, completing the Delray Beach Residents Academy, serving on the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission, followed by two years on the Delray Beach Planning and Zoning Board. Woodie is also a member of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, representing youth sports in our community and the International Association of Assessing Officers where he has completed the required training to be awarded the designation of Certified Florida Evaluator.
Woodie was elected to the City Commission, without opposition on February 13, 2007. In his current capacity as Vice-Mayor, he serves as the cities liaison to the Metropolitan Planning Organization, Banyan Creek Elementary School and is the current Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Board.
Woodie was educated in Palm Beach County, graduating from Seacrest High School in 1964. He began his college career later in 1964 at Palm Beach Community College. In 1966 he answered his country's call and joined the United States Army, where he attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Upon his separation from military service, in 1968, he returned to Delray Beach and completed his education, receiving a B.S. in Management Science from Florida Atlantic University in 1970.
After graduation, Woodie joined Burroughs Corporation, a Fortune 100 company involved in the manufacturing and marketing of small to very large scale computer systems. He spent 21 years in sales and marketing, attaining the position of Florida Public Sector District Manager where he successfully managed the automation of many municipalities, school districts and county agencies throughout the state. Today, he serves as the Manager of Information Technologies for the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser.
Woodie and Cindy, his wife of 28 years, have two children. Their son, Colt, is a Petty Officer in the United States Navy serving aboard the USS Enterprise. Their daughter, Danielle is currently attending Palm Beach Community College. Wife Cindy has been a teacher at S. D. Spady Elementary, here in Delray Beach for 15 years.
Commissioner Fred Fetzer
Fred Fetzer was elected to the Delray Beach City Commission on March 14, 2006 and has served the city as Vice Mayor and Deputy Vice Mayor. Fred has almost four decades of business experience and previously served three-two year terms as a City Councilman in Wilton Manors, Florida.
Fred’s civic involvement has included serving as President of the Tropic Isle Civic Association in Delray Beach from 2004 to 2006. He was also appointed to the Delray Beach Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) when it was first formed in 2003. He has also served on the Delray Beach Board of Construction Appeals and former Mayor Perlman’s R.A.C.E. Relations committee. Fred currently is serving as the City Commission Liason to the City’s Education Board, Atlantic High School, Carver Middle School, the Sister Cities Committee, and the Delray Beach Library.
Fred is a member of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, Old School Square Cultural Arts Center, Expanding and Preserving our Cultural Heritage, Inc. (EPOCH), and the Friends of Sandoway House Nature Center, Inc. He is also a graduate of the Delray Beach Resident’s Academy. In addition, Fred has served on the Board of Directors of Tropical Financial Credit Union for over 20 years.
Fred retired as a Director with BellSouth (AT&T) in 2002 with over 32 years of service. Fred is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Florida and is a member of the Florida Engineering Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Fred has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee. Fred has two sons and one grandson and has lived in Delray Beach since 1982.
Commissioner Gary Eliopoulos
Gary P. Eliopoulos is a local architect and has been practicing architecture in the State of Florida since 1985. In 1997 Gary started the firm Eliopoulos Architecture Inc. located at 205 George Bush Blvd, Delray Beach. He is committed to continuing the work of making and keeping Delray Beach a great place to live and work, and to the practice of responsible government.
Gary has established himself as a strong community leader with a long record of civic involvement, having served on the Planning and Zoning Board, Site Plan Review and Appearance Board, Pineapple Grove Main Street Design Guidelines Committee, Pineapple Grove Main Street Executive Board, Beach Property Owners Association Design Guidelines Committee, School Advisory Board - Pine Grove Elementary School and the Large Home Task Force. Gary is also a graduate of the 1997 Leadership Delray Beach Program.
As a local businessman, Gary has an extensive portfolio of experience and knowledge pertinent to project management and multi-discipline team coordination, as well as wide ranging experience with local, municipal and federal agencies in the areas of code research and interpretation.
Gary received his Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Pratt Institute in 1985 and moved to south Florida where he started working for a local Delray Beach architectural firm. He and his wife, Toni, have three children and have lived in Delray Beach since 1995. Gary was elected to serve on the City Commission on March 13, 2007.