A tornado-spawning hurricane might have spooked the rest of Florida. But not Ted Gross, the mayor of Briny Breezes.
The small coastal community of nearly 500 mobile homes along State Road A1A south of Boynton Beach was among the areas in Palm Beach County urged to evacuate. But several residents — including the mayor — said they planned to stay put.
With Hurricane Milton’s arrival just hours away, Gross stood outside his home holding a notepad as his wife and neighbors chatted and moved things inside on a clear but windy Wednesday morning.
He’d just gotten off a call with the Palm Beach County League of Cities. The community has often flooded during past storms, but Gross felt less worried about a deluge this year.
“It looks like it’s primarily going to be a wind event,” he told a South Florida Sun Sentinel reporter in a matter-of-fact tone.
Gross said he planned to stay put along with his wife, Kathy, and neighbors Kathy Strank and Cindy Brackett.
“It’s kind of a close-knit community,” Strank said. “Everyone takes care of everyone. Everybody knows who’s here and who’s gone.”