BCC Briefs

At the September 1, 2009, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Slogan – agreed to trademark the slogan, “America’s First Resort Destination” for use in the Tourist Development Council’s marketing program to attract cultural and historic heritage interest groups. The new phrase will be used along with the county’s long-standing tag line, “The Best of Everything.”

Economic Development – approved the issuance of up to $24 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds to enable Deerfield Beach-based Oxygen Development LLC to build a new manufacturing plant on South Congress Avenue in Palm Springs. The cosmetics company will create up to 800 new jobs within five years at an average salary of $34,500. These are federal monies; no county funds are involved.

Glades funding – offered low-interest loans totaling $160,000 to the cities of Belle Glade and Pahokee to offset the cities’ anticipated FY-2010 budget deficits. If accepted, the loans are to be repaid in equal annual installments over a three-year period beginning in 2013.

Permit fees – adopted a revised fee schedule for building permits in unincorporated Palm Beach County. Permit fees have not been increased significantly since 2003; an adjustment was needed to balance revenues and expenditures and to maintain an adequate level of service.

Community Action Council – approved on preliminary reading and advertised for public hearing on September 15 an ordinance to re-establish the Community Action Council by BCC resolution. The panel previously known as the Community Action Council Administering Board was created by county ordinance.

Administrator’s contract – extended the contract of County Administrator Robert Weisman one year through 2014. Mr. Weisman has worked for Palm Beach County for 29 years and as the chief administrator since December 1991.