'My greatest honor': Maggie Zeidman steps down from Palm Beach Town Council after four terms
One by one, town officials praised Margaret "Maggie" Zeidman as a friend, collaborator, teammate and "sometimes wingman" as the outgoing Town Council president presided over her final meeting Tuesday.
Shortly before Zeidman relinquished her president's gavel to Bobbie Lindsay and her Group 3 council seat to Bridget Moran, her colleagues took turns thanking her for her contributions to the town.
"Maggie, it's been an honor and a pleasure serving with you these last eight years," Lindsay told Zeidman before presenting her with a boot borrowed from the town's Fire Department. "It is no surprise to me that during your time as president, you led the council extraordinarily well.
"Your leadership has helped us promote a cohesive policymaking team that invites civic engagement from our residents and businesses, and works well together with the staff. Under your tenure, we have accomplished much in the past four years."
Zeidman announced in October that she would not seek a fifth term on the Town Council, telling the Daily News that she wanted to spend more time with her family.
She and her husband, Mark, have two children and six grandchildren who live in the Boston area.
"It's time," Zeidman told the Daily News shortly after announcing her retirement plans. "It's been eight years, and four years as president."
A longtime Palm Beach resident who maintains a condominium in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Zeidman joined the council in March 2016 after being elected without opposition to the seat previously held by Penny Townsend, and she was re-elected unopposed in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
For the past four years she served as council president. In that role, she presided over council meetings, determined the agendas, and named council members to the various council committees.
Her colleague, Julie Araskog, said Zeidman guided each council meeting with a steady hand and worked hard to meet the needs of the community.
"Any director here would say that you met with everyone, you worked with everyone, you came up with wonderful ideas, and it really changed our approach," she told Zeidman Tuesday.
Council member Lew Crampton, who was elected president pro tempore Tuesday, said Zeidman epitomized leadership, hard work and integrity in her role as council president.
"Maggie has been a fair leader and a fair administrator, and for that we are grateful and thankful," he said.
Council member Ted Cooney said Zeidman's contributions to the community were "immense."
"I'm really going to miss serving with you," he told her. "Enjoy your time with your family. You deserve to do that."
Town Manager Kirk Blouin echoed the statements of council members Tuesday, telling Zeidman that she was a tremendous advocate for the community before presenting her with a bouquet of flowers and returning a copy of "Leadership Secrets of Attila The Hun" that she had lent him.
"Maggie, you're a natural-born leader," he told her. "One thing I like about you is you're always willing to roll up your sleeves over the biggest problem or the smallest problem. Your energy and your work ethic are unmatchable. Your empathy and compassion are incredible — sometimes I think almost too much. You're willing to take these repeated meetings with people that I think sometimes you need to pull the plug. Your leadership is truly, truly inspiring."
Mayor Danielle Moore said Zeidman's commitment to the town was unmatched.
"I don't think that residents actually realize how much work sitting on the desk is. It sounds easy, and it's a great honor to be here, but it's a lot of work on top of it," she said, before turning her attention to Zeidman. "You've done everything with such grace, and like such a lady. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to sit next to you, and now we can talk all the time because I don't have to worry about Sunshine (laws). Isn't that a great thing to have finally go away for us?"
During her own remarks to the audience before leaving Town Hall, Zeidman reflected on her time spent on the council and acknowledged each of her colleagues, town staff and residents.
"I thank my colleagues, the staff who support us, and the community of friends and neighbors who have given me one of the best gifts ever," she said. "You placed your trust in me, and I thank you. To serve has been my greatest honor. I thank you for it."
Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Zeidman honored in Palm Beach during final Town Council meeting
