BCC Briefs

At the March 23, 2010, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Tax Collector – postponed to the April 6 meeting approval of a lease agreement with Larise Atlantis, Inc. for a new Lantana Tax Collector Service Center to replace the Lake Worth branch.

Audit Committee – adopted an ordinance replacing the current members of the Internal Audit Committee with five private citizens appointed by the BCC.

Economic Development – approved creation of an economic development specialist with the Office of Economic Development. The grant-funded position will terminate upon exhaustion of federal funds appropriated under the U.S. Department of Energy, unless other grant funding is identified.

Housing & Community Development – approved the creation of eight fulltime, grant-funded positions in the Dept. of Housing and Community Development for implementation and administration of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2. Each position will terminate upon exhaustion of the $50 million NSP2 grant.

HUD - conceptually approved a Section 108 Loan program agreement of $5.947 million with Oxygen Development, LLC, contingent upon approval by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The manufacturing company is building a new plant in Palm Springs that will create 400 new fulltime jobs. These federal funds require no local match.

Financially Assisted Agencies – approved a request for proposal (RFP) process for funding financially assisted agencies for FY-2011. The RFP will include the following service categories: domestic abuse/sheltering, economic stability/poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, mental health, senior services, special needs/developmental disabilities, substance abuse, and youth violence/diversion

Parks & Recreation – approved the reallocation of a total of $800,000 from the 2002 Recreational and Cultural Facilities Bond referendum for an arts center in West Palm Beach.

GIS – accepted a grant award of $249,865 from the U.S. Geological Survey to provide digital ortho mapping by mid-2011.

Water Utilities – approved an ordinance amending the schedule of rates for reclaimed water produced at the East Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility that can be provided to potential customers on an uninterrupted basis; also adopted a resolution confirming a special assessment for installation of a water main for 77 property owners in the Tierra Del-Rey development.

Census 2010 – received a progress report from the county’s Census 2010 Executive Steering Committee on local efforts to ensure an accurate count.