BCC Briefs

At the December 2, 2008 Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Five-Year Road Program – adopted amendments to the county’s five-year road program. They include delaying construction of Okeechobee Blvd. from Australian to Parker avenues and Silver Beach Road from east of Congress Avenue to Old Dixie Highway. In addition, seven road projects were postponed and eight others eliminated, freeing up $28 million for Palm Tran. The proposed extension of Roebuck Road west of Jog Road remains in the five-year plan.

Wellington - approved a reimbursement agreement with the Village of Wellington in the amount of $150,000 for installation of a nonwarranted mast-arm traffic signal at Forest Hill Blvd. and Quercus Lane. The village will be partially responsible for maintenance.

Old Orange Road – approved changing the name of Orange Road in Loxahatchee Gardens to Old Orange Road to reduce confusion with another street in the unincorporated area with the same name.

Fire Rescue – approved a three-year, $23 million contract with the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of Palm Beach County. It provides no raises in year one and 3 percent in years two and three. The board tentatively agreed to amend the county’s MSTU boundaries to provide fire rescue services to the City of Lake Worth and the Village of Palm Springs. A final public hearing is scheduled for December 16.

Palm Springs Annexation – adopted an interlocal service boundary agreement with the Village of Palm Springs allowing for the annexation of a municipal service area generally located on the north and south sides of Forest Hill Blvd., east of Military Trail and west of Kirk Road.

Nightclubs – tentatively approved an ordinance that prohibits persons under age 21 from being allowed into nightclubs that serve alcohol and requires nightclubs to have security/law enforcement officers on site between the hours of 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. The new law would pertain only to nightclubs in unincorporated areas. A final public hearing is scheduled for December 16.

Water Utilities – approved the addition of six meter reader positions in the Water Utility Department’s operating budget for FY 2009.

TCRPC – appointed Commissioners Karen Marcus, Jeff Koons and Shelley Vana to regular seats on the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) and Commissioners Mary McCarty, Burt Aaronson and Jess Santamaria as alternates.