Chairing BCC a True Honor and Pleasure

By Commissioner Jeff Koons

November 17, 2009, marked two important personal milestones: My year as chairman of the Board of County Commissioners ended, and I began what will be my final year as your District 2 representative. Some people have asked if I will be seeking another public office when my BCC term is up in November, and frankly, I don’t know. Right now, I’m concentrating on the many challenges facing county government.

This past year the board wrestled with its largest budget shortfall ever. And with an even larger projected deficit, it will be very difficult for the county to maintain the high level of services our residents want. That’s why the Board of County Commissioners has already begun reviewing the proposed FY-2011 budget – something we have never done this early before. I assure you we will do everything possible to achieve the most bang for the buck and provide the vital programs and services our citizens deserve.

I enjoyed serving as your chairman this past year. I think a great deal was accomplished and that we laid the foundation for a stable and productive future. I am especially proud of the following programs and initiatives that came to the forefront in 2009:

• Bioscience – We welcomed Governor Crist for the opening of the state-of-the-art Scripps Florida biotech research complex in Jupiter. We also broke ground on the Max Planck Florida Institute’s world-class bio-imaging research center right next door. Scripps and Max Planck serve as the centerpiece of the county’s developing biotech cluster.
• Lake Worth Lagoon - In January, the Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative was kicked off with a boat tour for lawmakers, municipal officials, water managers, conservationists and fishing enthusiasts who got to see firsthand some of the amazing restoration projects by our Environmental Resources Management Division.
• Water Resources - The BCC created the volunteer Water Resources Task Force to work with the South Florida Water Management District, area drainage districts, agricultural interests and various environmental groups to identify ways of protecting and enhancing the county’s water supply. The task force has addressed a number of issues such as the feasibility of using limestone pits in western Palm Beach County to store excess runoff from the C-51 Canal instead of losing it to tide.
• Going Green – Palm Beach County has become a leader in implementing green initiatives aimed at energy efficiency and resource conservation. The county received a $6.5 million federal grant for energy-saving projects that will create and/or retain a minimum of 148 green jobs. They include replacing chillers at the Emergency Operations Center; installing a methane recovery system at a water plant that converts methane to electricity for 100 percent on-site use; installing solar-powered street lights and warning flashers; and synchronizing traffic signals on major thoroughfares to reduce the amount of time vehicles spend idling. Palm Tran buses run on biodiesel fuel, tires are filled with nitrogen, and the new Martin County Express Route uses hybrid buses. Lastly, the Solid Waste Authority is proceeding with construction of a waste-to-energy plant that powers itself and will postpone the need for a new landfill for several decades. Learn more about the county’s green initiatives at the excellent Web site developed by our Public Affairs staff: http://www.pbcgov.com/gogreen
• Homelessness - The first phase of the county’s comprehensive 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness was adopted and implemented. I participated in the biannual “point-in-time” count that makes the county eligible for badly needed federal funding. In February, hundreds of supporters turned out for the annual Lord’s Place Homeless Awareness Week and Sleep-out near the old city library. The county observed National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week in November, and a tentative agreement was reached to purchase property on 45th Street for the county’s first Homeless Resource Center.
• Transportation - As chairman of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, I worked with Senate President Jeff Atwater and leaders from across the state to push for a dedicated funding source for Tri-Rail. In December, state lawmakers approved the bill at a special session in Tallahassee. The county opened the new intermodal transit center in downtown West Palm Beach linking commuter bus and rail service. Palm Tran opened a new park-and-ride lot in Wellington in November, and in the summer we launched our first intercounty express route between West Palm Beach and Stuart – paid for with state and federal grants.

These are just some of the programs and projects that I was pleased to see make inroads during my year as BCC chairman. No doubt the year ahead will mean many new and difficult challenges. But I am confident that with your support and involvement, we can and will succeed. As always I welcome your questions and comments. Please feel free to contact me or my staff at 355-2202.