Bringing you News that Counts
Bringing you News that Counts
|
August 17, 2009
For more information about Palm Beach County’s programs and services, visit us online at www.pbcgov.com. During hurricanes or other activation events, Public Affairs will email releases to Count-e-News subscribers. If you have any questions or to provide feedback, you can email us at countenews@pbcgov.com or call (561) 355-2754. To unsubscribe from Count-e-News, click here. |
.jpg)
The Palm Beach County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) was recently awarded the 2009 Gold Service Award from Meetings & Conventions magazine.
Meeting planning professionals and readers of Meetings & Conventions magazine voted on the top convention and visitors bureaus worldwide in three categories: the Gold Key Award, the Gold Service Award and the Gold Platter Award.
The CVB (a division of the Tourist Development Council) has been a Gold Service Award recipient twelve times since 1994. The award recognizes the CVB's expertise, extensive experience and quality of service in both corporate and association markets. The award highlights the CVB's professional staff, synergy of support among hotel and convention partners, and excellence and diversity of area vendors, attractions and destination services. The CVB will be featured in the magazine's Gold Award winners issue in November.
Palm Beach County was recently awarded a 2009 National Association of County’s (NACo) Achievement Award for the Chain of Lakes Restoration Project. The annual Achievement Award Program is a non-competitive awards program that recognizes innovative county government programs. Award winners were collectively recognized at a ceremony during NACo’s annual conference in Nashville, Tenn., in July.
The Chain of Lakes project was constructed by the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management within Lake Osborne, one of five lakes in the Freshwater Chain of Lakes System.
The project’s objective was to re-establish historic habitat for fisheries, birds and wildlife by creating and restoring wetland and upland habitat providing a combined restoration of more than 50 acres of freshwater wetlands. Restoration efforts included restoring SquareLake, an 11-acre lake connected to Lake Osborne, which was filled with muck sediments and exotic vegetation from years of stormwater discharges. Layers of muck and vegetation mats were removed to expose the sand bottom and create deeper areas in the lake for fish. Exotic vegetation was removed from the shoreline which was then resloped to wetland elevations and planted with native plant species. Old culverts connecting the lake to a drainage canal were plugged and a new box culvert connection to Lake Osborne was installed to improve water quality and public access.
The project also included the restoration of 32 acres of wetland habitat south of Square Lake adjacent to the county’s John Prince Park campground. The area was planted with a variety of native plants to restore habitat for fish, crustaceans, and birds. The entrance roadway to the campground was recontoured, armored to reduce erosion, and planted. A box culvert was added to enhance flushing between Lake Osborne and the wetland system and to provide small boat access and fishing opportunities.
For more information about this project, go www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm.
Trap
A well-dressed, door-to-door salesman knocked on Maggie’s door offering to install a free home security system. All she had to do was agree to allow the company’s sign to be posted on her lawn. Maggie had been thinking about getting a security system due to recent break-ins. She was told she would be saving hundreds of dollars and signed the contract right away. After the installation, Maggie found exposed wiring in some of the rooms. When she read the contract, she was shocked to see that the basic $45 monthly fee did not include the cost of monitoring services.
Tips
Here are some things to consider before purchasing a home security system:
• Typically, manufacturers of home security systems don’t sell “door-to-door.”
• Check with local law enforcement to see if a permit is required.
• Burglar alarm system agents are regulated by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation and are required to be 18 years or older. Agents must also pass a criminal background check, have no recent history of substance abuse, possess a valid photo ID with their name and address and provide the license number of the electrical contractor responsible for the installation.
• Think “scam” if the agent has a “van ready to install right now” or does not spend time assessing your home, reviewing your needs and available options.
• Be suspect of “free” offers. Businesses are not charities. If they give something away, they will likely make up the cost somewhere else at your expense.
• Service costs are usually built into the monthly monitoring fee.
• Does the contract have a cancellation clause? What is the duration of the agreement, and does it renew automatically? Read the contract thoroughly and don’t be rushed into making a bad decision because the salesman warns you that “this deal is only good for today.”
Call Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs at 561-712-6600 (Boca/Delray 888-852-7362 toll free) or visit http://www.pbcgov.com/consumer to see if other consumers have had complaints against the home security company you are considering.
Palm Tran Connection, the paratransit service of Palm Beach County’s public transportation agency, is participating in a hybrid demonstration project with the Florida Department of Transportation and Palm Beach Metro Transportation. A four-week test run of a 31-foot Champion Hybrid Ride bus began July 27 in Palm Beach County.
Palm Tran Connection will use the Hybrid Ride on paratransit routes that are contracted to Palm Beach Metro. The vehicle is being tested in a variety of settings by transit agencies statewide. At the completion of the demonstration project, the Hybrid Ride will be integrated into the fleet at Star Metro in Tallahassee.
According to company officials, the Hybrid Ride may yield up to 40 percent better fuel economy than conventional diesel buses. This is the first use of hybrid technology in the daily operation of paratransit services in Palm Beach County and another example of Palm Tran’s continuing efforts to explore opportunities to go green.
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009
Time: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Where: South Olive Community Center, 345 Summa St., West Palm Beach
What: Free health fair with medical services and information for the whole family. Event includes diabetes and blood pressure testing, immunizations, bicycle raffles, blood mobile and prenatal services. There will also be a water park for kids. More than 30 organizations will be participating.