West Palm Beach Commissioner Bill Moss dies

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Bill Moss, a West Palm Beach City Commissioner and champion of the city's south side, died on Wednesday of natural causes, Mayor Jeri Muoio said.

He was 67.

Muoio said Moss had been sick for several weeks and was under a doctor's care.

She did not specify what the illness was.

"He was a true friend to us all, a person who absolutely loved this city and [a person] who worked so hard for this city," she said. "We will miss him dearly."

Moss, who represented District 5 and was first elected in 2000, was re-elected for a seventh term earlier this month.

He spent much of the last decade focusing on tourism and education and most recently worked to make Parker Avenue safer for children.

"This was really a shock. He was supposed to be at the Palm Beach County League of Cities this morning and I knew something was wrong," said Commissioner Isaac Robinson, Jr.

Commissioner Keith James praised Moss on Wednesday.

"He sincerely loved serving the people and had a tremendous amount of passion for what he did," he said.

Along with being an elected official, Moss was also a board member of the Florida League of Cities, a vice chair of the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council and a board member of the Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The Mayor said the city charter had no provision for how to replace a commissioner who died after an election but before being sworn in.

"Most likely what the attorneys for the city will decide is that there will have to be a special election," said NewsChannel 5 political analyst Brian Crowley. "I don't think they're going to be able to appoint someone to fill the entire two-year-term."

Moss is survived by a sister and nephew.