BCC Briefs

At the June 16, 2009, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Little Lake Worth – adopted an ordinance prohibiting the use of boats as living quarters and restricting commercial activities aboard vessels in Little Lake Worth.

Pineapple Shack – adopted a resolution designating the Pineapple Shack in Dubois Park as historic. If approved, the Pineapple Shack, likely the oldest wood frame building in the county, would be added to the existing Dubois Park Historic District on the Palm Beach County Register of Historic Places.

Glades Utility Authority – approved establishment of the Glades Utility Authority (GUA) to operate, maintain, administer and finance the water and wastewater systems in Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, to set rates and collect revenue, and to make repairs and improvements. The GUA will also restructure and refinance the cities’ debt incurred with the opening of the Lake Region Water Treatment Plant.

Florida Power & Light – approved an increase in the franchise fee agreement with Florida Power & Light. Customers in unincorporated Palm Beach County will see an average increase in their bills of about $2.80 per month.

Palm Tran – approved federal grants totaling $18.2 million for replacement of Palm Tran vehicles, the purchase of a vehicle locator/passenger counter system and shop and computer equipment, and to pay for construction of park-and-ride lots and a public transit facility in Belle Glade. No county funds are involved. The board also approved an interlocal agreement with Martin County in the amount of $407,000 for construction of a park-and-ride facility to serve the new Palm Beach-Martin express route.

Roads – approved on preliminary reading and advertised for public hearing on July 21mid-year adjustments to the county’s five-year road program; also approved two local agency program (LAP) agreements totaling $895,000 in federal dollars to install sidewalks along Lyons Road between Melody Road and Brandy Lane and between Rosemount Drive and the L-14 Canal.

Workforce Alliance – received a report on job-creation and job-training programs to be paid for by $9.267 million in federal stimulus dollars under the Workforce Investment Act. The monies will be allocated in the following amounts: $1.414 million for adult funding, $3.022 million for youth funding, and $4.83 million for displaced worker funding.

Homelessness – received an update on the county’s 10-year Plan to End Homelessness.

Investment Policy Committee – approved on preliminary reading and advertised for public hearing on July 21 an amendment to the Palm Beach County Investment Ordinance enabling the vice chair of the Investment Policy Committee to conduct meetings whenever the chair is absent. The amendment also sets attendance requirements and provides for removal of committee members.

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