DECEMBER 2022

In this newsletter:

• Weiss tapped as Palm Beach County Mayor

• State of the County speech



• Money drop to benefit local nonprofit organizations

• Appreciation holiday luncheon

• A pet for the holidays: adopt or foster

• Mounts Botanical Garden

• Purchase Assistance Program

• We're sharing pictures of a few events Mayor Weiss attended. Let us know if you'd like him to visit a meeting or event in your neighborhood.

Front Row

From left to right

Vice Mayor Maria Sachs, District 5

Mayor Gregg K. Weiss, District 2

Commissioner Dave Kerner, District 3

Back Row

From left to right

Commissioner Marci Woodward, District 4

Commissioner Mack Bernard, District 7

Commissioner Maria G. Marino, District 1

Commissioner Sara Baxter, District 6

On Nov. 29, in front of a crowd of 300 individuals at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, Mayor Weiss delivered the keynote address at the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches' annual State of the County Breakfast. In his speech, the mayor highlighted some of the essential programs and spoke about the county’s accomplishments and policy priorities. 

Following the speech Mayor Weiss

spoke with WPBF 25 News. 

The Clerk and Comptroller’s Circuit Sound held its 25th annual holiday “money-drop” performance on Dec. 14 in the lobby of the Robert Weisman Palm Beach County Governmental Center. This year’s concert set a record by raising $3,600 that was donated to the Selfless Love Foundation, a Jupiter nonprofit organization that works to connect foster children with families and focuses on three key areas: adoption, independent living, and advocacy.

Commissioner Maria G. Marino and Mayor Weiss joined Clerk Joseph Abruzzo to watch employees from different offices shower the carolers with cash or lowered down festive creations adorned with bills. 

The Clerk and Comptroller employees also raise money for local nonprofits throughout the year through the Dress Down program. This year, the $39,357 that was raised was divided among five organizations, the Children’s Home Society, Friends of Foster Children, Hospice of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Food Bank and Speak Up for Kids. Each received checks for $7,871.

Since the inception of the Clerks for a Cause Charitable Giving program in 1994, nearly $1 million has been raised.

The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners served lunch to Palm Beach County department directors and constitutional officers in appreciation for the work they do throughout the year. Students from Okeeheelee Middle School's International Spanish Academy gave a beautiful performance to guests.

Whether looking for a feline friend, running partner, lap dog to open holiday presents with or kitten to help lower holiday anxiety, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control (ACC) can help find the right match. All adoptable pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated and come with a bag of pet food.

ACC has over 120 adoptable dogs and 56 adoptable cats looking for forever homes this holiday season.

$25 adoption fees through the end of the year!

Reluctant to adopt? Fostering is a great option!

Fostering-to-adopt gives the opportunity to spend time with a furry friend and provides the opportunity for the animal to enjoy time in an enriching environment.

Those interested in finding their new best friend can visit ACC in person or view adoptable pets online here.

 Adoption Center Hours*

• Monday - Friday    noon – 6 p.m.
• Saturday                noon – 5 p.m.
• Sunday                  noon – 4 p.m.

*Closed Dec. 25 - 27.

This holiday season, give a loving animal the experience of seeing holiday lights and smelling a real pine tree.

For more information, call 561-233-1200 or visit the website, www.pbcgov.com/animal.



Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control

7100 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach (just west of the Florida Turnpike)

Kicking off 2023 with a horticultural flourish, Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden will host extraordinary workshops, classes and special events in January.

Click here for more information

​Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development announces the availability of State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Purchase Assistance funds for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 for first-time homebuyers.  



Purchasing Assistance Program - Dec. 28, 2022, at 8 a.m. – Jan. 30, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (or until 100 applications have been submitted).

Funding will assist income eligible first-time homebuyers with rehabilitation of the unit to be purchased, gap financing, lot acquisition, down payment, and closing costs.

Applications must be submitted online and will be processed on a first submitted, first qualified, first served basis, subject to funding availability, on the following date by visiting the website here. 

NOTE: Additional program information and required documents needed for application submittal are also located on the website.

NOTE: ALL are required to attend a Mandatory Orientation prior to application submittal. Interested parties may review scheduled dates and times and register now here.

For additional information:

Palm Beach County

Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED)

Mortgage and Housing Investments Division (MHI)

561-233-3600

Email: [email protected]

Palm Beach County Senior Centers Offering Breakfast and Lunch

at Congregate Meal Sites

The Palm Beach County Community Services Department's Division of Senior and Veteran Services invites local seniors and veterans age 60 and older to take part in free breakfast and lunch options at various sites throughout the county. 

This is an ongoing program provided by the Palm Beach County Community Services Department, the Area Agency on Aging and the Department of Elder Affairs.

The program provides nutritious meals to eligible seniors at nutrition sites, senior centers or other group settings and is offered at no cost. The congregate meal program also provides older adults with the opportunity for socializing with other seniors at the meal sites.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Palm Beach County resident
• Individuals 60 years-of-age or older
• Spouse of a 60+ years-of-age person who eats at the meal site
• Disabled individual residing in the home of a 60+ years-of-age person who eats at the meal site
• Individuals residing in a housing facility where a meal site is located
• Any age individual providing volunteer services at a site during a meal

For a complete list of meal times and locations click here

For more information call 561-355-4746 or click here to visit the website.

A celebration, anniversaries, meeting with agencies, advocating for health causes, recognizing community leaders, joining neighbors' festivities and going to neighborhood meetings, Mayor Weiss spends a lot of time in the community.

“As an elected official, I want to be part of the community I represent," said Mayor Weiss, "I want to understand the issues in my district and that’s why I spend many evenings going out to events to listen and learn.”

If you’d like to invite Mayor Weiss

to your event, let us know. 

100th BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY

On Saturday, Dec. 10, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide Hindu organization dedicated to promoting harmony between individuals, within families and among diverse communities celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of their leader His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Local and international leaders joined the celebration where Mayor Weiss presented BAPS with a proclamation.

30th ANNIVERSARY

Okeeheelee Nature Center (ONC) celebrated its 30th anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 10, featuring live animal encounters, environmental presentations, exhibitors, guided nature walks, crafts, raffles and a special presentation by author Eliot Kleinberg.

Mayor Weiss presented ONC and the Friends of Okeeheelee Nature Center with a proclamation to honor the history of the nature center since its grand opening in 1992.

FRIENDS OF THE MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN

At the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Dec. 6, Mayor Weiss presented a certificate of recognition to Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden.

The Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden, a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization established in 1983, in support of the development and expansion of the Mounts Botanical Garden. The Mounts Botanical Garden, the garden has grown to 16 acres and is Palm Beach County's oldest and largest botanical garden.

ECONOMIC MOBILITY SUMMIT

Mayor Weiss was a part of the Economic Mobility Summit at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Monday, Dec. 5, with Bank of America's Fabiola Brumley, Harvard University Economist Raj Chetty, and Palm Beach County Community Services Department Deputy Director Taruna Malhotra.

Visit Mayor Weiss' Facebook page for more photos and stories.

Make sure to follow him!

GREGG K. WEISS

Mayor

www.pbcgov.com/D2