CRA board meeting 3/2:
City commissioners approved a grant for $280k for hiring off-duty police and private security personnel for the NORA district. They also approved an additional $120k to install closed-circuit TV cameras in assorted northwest neighborhoods with crime issues.
City Commission meeting 3/2:
Not much here, aside from the city submitting a 20-year plan for water gathering and use, which is required by the South Florida Water Management District. Unfortunately, meeting attendees did not get a chance to see the plan, which includes forecasts for population growth, water demand, and related issues.
City Commission work session 3/9:
The topic here was how to fund increasing costs for the fire department. In the old days, it was all paid from the general fund. However, beginning in 2008, the city imposed a $25 per dwelling tax on property owners, which exempted property owned by tax-exempt entities such as churches, schools, and charities. That tax per dwelling was raised to $50 in 2018, then $100 in 2019. Do not be surprised if that figure gets raised again soon. Commissioner Peduzzi believes that it is unfair for nonprofits not to have to pay their share, since they typically have large buildings that place a greater burden on fire departments.
City Commission meeting 3/16:
Commissioners approved the sale of city-owned 202 & 204 N. Sapodilla to Publix for $3 million.
Victor Carosi, head of the city water department, gave a presentation on $6.2 million of water infrastructure improvements needed on Palm Beach. In case you did not know, Palm Beach residents and businesses pay the City of WPB for their water and sewer. WPB owns all the water and sewer infrastructure on Palm Beach and is responsible for maintaining it, including hydrants, water mains, pumps, and related systems.
Commissioner Lambert expressed concern about construction-related parking issues in District 5, from Grandview Heights south to the Lake Worth border. Commissioner Fox expressed concern about flooding that closes S. Flagler Drive in El Cid. Commissioner Warren expressed concerns about downtown traffic.
City Commission meeting 3/30:
This meeting began with several encomiums by city residents for Commissioner Lambert, who ends her 8 years as District 5 commissioner. Steve Sylvester will be sworn in on April 2 to take her place.
Attorney Harvey Oyer gave a first reading of the larger Phase 2 expansion of the Norton Museum of Art, which includes expanding the museum itself and installing a 3-story parking garage on the west side of Dixie Highway to replace the inadequate surface parking there. Oyer noted that the Phase 2 expansion was already approved by the commission 11 years ago, but the revised Phase 2 expansion is larger in order to accommodate more works and more visitors. Commissioners were all enthusiastic about the larger Phase 2 expansion.
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By the way: Mayor James is convening an advisory panel to discuss the fate of the 2 city-owned lots, which Related / Ross wants to buy, adjacent to Publix, as well as downtown greenspace in general, and I readily accepted his invitation to serve. That panel will convene in a few weeks and will include the mayor, Teneka James of the DDA, Leah Rockwell from Parks & Rec., Chris Roog of the CRA, perhaps a representative from Related / Ross, and possibly others.
If appropriate, I also plan to mention reviving the jet-ski and small boat rental along the waterfront. Commissioner Fox notified me that Leah Rockwell is waiting for the State to renew our city's submerged lease of that intracoastal property before she publishes an RFP (request for proposals) to reactivate boat rentals.