At the March 22, 2016, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Moment of silence – observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium.

Infrastructure surtax – agreed to go forward with a one-cent sales surtax referendum to fund infrastructure projects. If approved by voters in November, the surtax would generate an estimated $2.7 billion over 10 years to repair roads and bridges, county buildings, and schools. Approximately 4.5 percent of revenue raised would go toward expansion of cultural facilities and 1.5 percent for economic development incentives. Staff was directed to begin drafting the language for an ordinance adopting the ballot language.

Economic Sustainability – accepted a grant award of $1 million from the USDA Rural Development for Florida/US Virgin Islands for the Intermediary Relending Program. The program provides low-interest loans to small emerging businesses to help stabilize rural communities. Palm Beach County was the only local government in the state to receive an allocation and one of only six awarded nationally.

Ag Summit – authorized support funding in the amount of $15,000 and in-kind services of up to $10,000 in value for the Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit to be held May 4 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

Budget adjustments – approved budget amendments and transfers in various funds reflecting adjustments for balances brought forward, other revenues, reserves and operating expenses. The total adjustment is an increase of $118 million in 192 funds. The amendments and transfers are necessary to adjust FY2016 budgets to reflect differences between actual and estimated FY2015 revenues and expenditures.

Roads – approved alignment 2A South for the extension of S. Congress Avenue from Park Lane to Alternate A1A north of Northlake Blvd. Construction is scheduled for 2019 and when completed is expected to shift a significant amount of traffic from the intersection of Northlake Blvd. and Alternate A1A to the new extension.

Mecca Farms – authorized notifying the South Florida Water Management District of the county's intent to exercise a repurchase option contained in the Mecca Farms property sale agreement in the approximate amount of $1.38 million for the future realignment and extension of Seminole Pratt-Whitney Road.

Closter Farms – adopted a resolution authorizing a lease agreement with Closter Farms, Inc. for the continued use of a 7.3-acre county-owned parcel of land south of Pahokee at an annual rate of $3,250. The lease term is 10 years, retroactive to April 1, 2015.

Airports – approved the purchase of a 3.579-acre site on the north side of Belvedere Road across from Palm Beach International Airport at the appraised value of $3.9 million.

Water Utilities – adopted a resolution confirming a special assessment in the amount of $59,777 for the extension of a water main to serve four properties currently on private wells on East Hialeah Drive in Loxahatchee.

Pet sales – directed legal staff to research an ordinance that would restrict the sale of dogs and cats at pet stores in Palm Beach County.