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, Susan served as Deputy Mayor from 1999-2000 and was Vice-Chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency from 1996-1999.

Ms. Whelchel was term limited in March of 2000 and was appointed by the Governor of Florida to serve 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 public service to the School Board, Whelchel was re-elected to the Boca Raton City Council in March 2003 and again in 2005 where she has served as Deputy Mayor for years 2003-2004, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007. Ms. Whelchel has served as Chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency and has been instrumental in the re-development of the Cartoon Museum site and the effort to return the beloved book store to downtown Boca Raton.

Susan Whelchel is known as a strong supporter of neighborhood issues and continues to be a strong advocate for our children. Ms. Whelchel 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.

Susan understand the value of collaborative partnerships with both county and state government agencies and 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 represented the best they can be.

Susan Whelchel’s business acumen has been successfully demonstrated through her fiscally sound practices and effective real-world oversight of a billion dollar budget while serving on the Palm Beach County School Board. With more than a decade of public service, Susan is known to be a strong watchdog for every taxpayer. Susan’s expertise to effectively monitor revenue and expenditure trends has facilitated the highest quality of service and responsible use of public resources for our community.

The safety of our Citizens is paramount to Susan Whelchel along with safeguarding the quality of life that residents enjoy. For years, Ms. Whelchel has been a strong supporter of Law Enforcement through her fiscal appropriations utilizing city monies to add additional police officers, needed equipment and training for all personnel.

Ms. Whelchel has also been at the forefront for the use of better technology to improve our traffic standards. She serves 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 new Boca Raton Community teaching hospital and the expansion of educational opportunities at FAU, along with balancing the ever changing budget/tax issues.

Susan Whelchel understands that Boca Raton has many facets and along with her strong sense of commitment, has worked tirelessly for a balanced community that includes safe neighborhoods, a strong vibrant business economy which is supportive of the cultural arts, recreational and educational programs, and a healthy family of local non-profits organizations. Susan’s passion for young families led her to create “Boca Blue” which 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, Deputy Mayor Whelchel has been active in the following:

  • President: Spanish River Parents Association.
  • Chamber of Commerce-leadership Boca
  • Vice President of Community Affairs –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 Board
  • 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