Laurie MermetResignation of Cameron May to run for mayor leaves opening through March 2026.
A family physician, an aerospace engineer, a car-free environmentalist and a hospice nurse are among the 18 residents who want to be the next Jupiter Town Council member.
To fill the open seat left by the resignation of Cameron May, the council plans to meet Tuesday to select a new member to fill out the remaining 10 months of May’s term. May resigned to run for mayor against Jim Kuretski, a race he lost in March.
Kuretski, Malise Sundstrom, Ron Delaney and Phyllis Choy will make the decision. Among key issues the council is dealing with are the transition from county fire-rescue to a town-operated fire department and development of the former Suni Sands mobile home park on one time Native American lands.
Applicants must be registered voters and live in Jupiter District 1, which runs along Indiantown Road from west of Florida’s Turnpike to Alternate A1A and from Center Street to Indian Creek Parkway.
The applicants submitted resumes and cover letters to meet a May 12 deadline. Two applicants didn’t meet the residency requirements and were rejected.
Stet News dug into the documents to offer a summary of each applicant. Their full applications can be found by clicking here.
Meet the candidates
Richard “Rick” Clegg: Founder and chief executive of Jupiter Outdoor Center. Clegg has lived in Jupiter since 1979. He co-founded Guanabanas restaurant, manages Weichert Realtors Sunshine Properties and created Headwaters Jupiter eco retreat. He serves on the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches and on the Discover the Palm Beaches ecotourism committee.
Louis “Coke” Coakley: Living in Jupiter for 37 years, Coakley is the longest-serving member of the Town Beach Committee with 20 years of service. An environmentalist who hasn’t owned a car in two decades, he’s led river cleanups and mangrove plantings. Professionally, he was environmental energy director for TRC, an international energy company, and spent more than 32 years at NextEra Energy Resources. He now consults at Paradigm Energy Partners.
James Davis: A Jupiter Inlet District commissioner and board member of the Loxahatchee River Preservation Initiative. Davis spent more than 40 years in financial services, including as JP Morgan Chase managing director. Since 2020, he has worked with Ellison’s Premier Marine. He focuses on protecting the area’s natural and historical resources.
Richard DeLucia Jr.: A family physician and founding member/owner of Jupiter Family Healthcare. DeLucia has lived in Jupiter since 2000 and served as team doctor for Jupiter High School football for 20 years. He holds a medical degree from the University of Florida and a master’s in business administration from Florida Atlantic University.
Louise Giles: A NextEra Energy accountant for 21 years. Giles has lived in Jupiter since 1985 and previously worked for 10 years at Ernst and Young. Her community involvement centers on education, heading parent-teacher groups at Jupiter Elementary School and Jupiter Middle School.
Linda Gore: A real estate agent since 1981. Gore has been a Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee member since 1988. She ran an unsuccessful campaign for Jupiter council in 2004 and serves on the board of Furry Friends.
Daniel “Dan” Guisinger: An aerospace engineer at Aerojet Rocketdyne. He is Mayor Jim Kuretski’s appointee to the town Planning and Zoning Commission and has served on advisory councils for Jupiter Middle and High schools.
Neal Hynes: Founder and operator of Nealanderthal Inc., an information technology company.
John Imhoff: A corporate security consultant and avid golfer. He has been a Jupiter resident since 2017. He is serving his fourth year on Jupiter Country Club’s homeowners association.
Matthew Knoll: Though relatively new to Jupiter as a resident since 2023, he brings professional experience in the marine industry. He has worked as a marine surveyor and consultant at Knoll Marine Services since 2015 and serves on the board of directors for a non-profit marine surveying trade organization.
Steven Kolman: A 14-year Jupiter resident and Palm Beach County resident for more than 30 years, Kolman chairs the board of Integrated Healthcare Systems, a non-profit medical provider in Riviera Beach. He has been a strategy consultant at SMKolman Consulting since 2021.
Michael McHenry: McHenry’s professional background is in global chemicals and materials. He is chief executive and board director for Techmer PM, a materials design company.
Joshua Robert Miller: A lifelong Florida resident who has lived in Jupiter since 2014, Miller is president of the Florida East Coast Chapter of the Independent Electrical Contractors Association, where he trains young people in the electric trade. He serves on the board of a local charity involved in international projects. Miller owns Luxe Pergola and Jupiter Pergola, businesses focused on outdoor space retail sales. He is also a residential and commercial electrical contractor at Kasper Electrical.
Susan Surmont: A registered nurse and clinical educator at Hospice of Palm Beach County. She and four generations of her family live in Palm Beach County.
Mike Thomas: A real estate agent at Premier Brokers International since 2023. Thomas wrote that his understanding of how local government works and his planning and zoning expertise make him a strong candidate.
Karen Vinson: An assistant clinical manager at Jupiter Medical Center. Vinson is on the town’s Planning and Zoning Board and has been a Jupiter resident since 1995.
Patricia Walsh: A property manager at Rockhill Management, a property management company out of Boston.
Andrew “Andy” Weston: An accountant who finished third in a three-candidate field for Town Council in the March 2025 election. He is the director of Rio Vista Property Owners Association and a 13-year resident. He served from 1994 to 2010 as chief financial officer for Cobb Partners. Weston submitted an application that included personal photos — among them, a picture of his late dog, Kylie, nicknamed “Kylie the Boat Dog,” a photo of an orca kissing him, and his marriage announcement.
