At the June 6, 2017, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Sidewalks – affirmed a staff initiative to preserve native trees and environmentally favorable species such as oak, tamarind, buttonwood and gumbo limbo when repairing and replacing sidewalks and pathways due to root damage, but to continue the removal of adjacent nuisance trees including but not limited to ficus, earleaf acacia, carrotwood, melaleuca and Australian pine.
 
Property Appraiser – received a presentation from Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks on property values in Palm Beach County and her office’s FY 2018 budget proposal. The office will be requesting a 2 percent budget increase mainly for technology, education and research; no new staff positions are planned.
 
Ocean Rescue – approved a collectively bargained side agreement with the Communication Workers of America Local 3181 (CWA) providing for salary increases and certain job classification upgrades for Ocean Rescue lifeguards and lieutenants and an increase in certification pay for certified EMTs; estimated first full-year cost is approximately $349,000.
 
Infrastructure Sales Tax – approved a contract with Jacobs Project Management Company to assist the county and the Facilities Development and Operations Department/Capital Improvements Division in managing the Infrastructure Sales Tax Program and five-year capital improvement plan. This is a five-year contract with an option for five additional one-year terms at the county’s discretion.
 
Moratorium – directed staff to draft an ordinance imposing a moratorium of up to one year on applications for approvals and modifications to existing approvals in the Glades tier for facilities that compost and process equestrian and other animal waste or bio solids. The moratorium would not apply to vegetation waste operations.
 
No wake zone – agreed to send a letter to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asking for a study on possibly extending a no wake zone in the Intracoastal Waterway from South Beach Road (CR707) north 0.8 mile.
 
Morikami – approved an agreement with The Morikami, Inc. and authorized staff to issue a request for proposal (RFP) to construct and operate an authentic Japanese inn known as a ryokan at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. The museum is owned by the county and operated by the Parks & Recreation Department in cooperation with The Morikami, Inc.
 
Behavioral health – approved the county’s Behavioral Health Transportation Plan to organize a centralized system of acute care services for persons in crisis. This action is pursuant to state Senate Bill 12 passed last year. The measure included amendments to the Baker and Marchman acts for involuntary commitment of persons in mental health and substance abuse crises.
 
Disparity study – approved a second amendment to the Palm Beach County Disparity Study contract retroactively extending the contract’s termination date from April 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017.
 
Audit Committee – approved on preliminary reading and to advertise for public hearing on June 20 revisions to the duties and responsibilities of members of the Palm Beach County Internal Audit Committee to clarify the panel’s advisory role.
 
Internal Auditor – approved on preliminary reading and to advertise for public hearing on June 20 revisions to the duties and responsibilities of the Palm Beach County Internal Auditor. The Audit Committee recommended the revisions to align professional qualifications of the Internal Auditor with the position’s requirements in the Palm Beach County Charter and to clearly establish the authority of the Internal Auditor and staff to have access to county records, property and personnel.
 
Reentry Task Force – adopted a resolution moving the Palm Beach County Reentry Task Force under the auspices of the Public Safety Department from the Criminal Justice Commission. Public Safety has been managing the county’s similarly named Reentry Program since 2015, while the Reentry Task Force remained with CJC. This action consolidates staff services required by both.