June 10, 2022

Honoring Deputy Sheriffs Donta Manuel and Jonathan Wallace

At its June 7th meeting, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners honored fallen Deputy Sheriffs Donta Manuel and Jonathan Wallace by renaming a portion of SR 715 for them. These brave officers rose to the occasion to protect public safety and lost their lives in the line of duty. We thank them for serving the community to keep us safe. The video of the ceremony can be watched on my Facebook page here.

When PBSO brought this idea to my attention several years ago, I promised to do whatever I could to make it happen. Thank you to the family members, PBSO, Representative Kelly Skidmore's office, Pahokee Mayor Keith Babb, Belle Glade Mayor Steve Wilson, and the tri-cities city managers for attending this important occasion. I also want to thank the County's Legislative Affairs team for their tireless efforts to get this legislation passed, the Florida Department of Transportation, State Senator Tina Polsky, State Senator Gayle Harrell, and the Florida House and Senate leadership for allowing this bill to be heard at the end of the Legislative Session so it could be passed and signed into law.

Deputy Sheriffs Manuel and Wallace--Palm Beach County will always remember your service and bravery.

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Mayor's Ball 2022

On June 4th, I attended the 2022 Mayor's Ball. Net proceeds from this annual event, organized by the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, go to funding gaps in services to end homelessness in our County. I want to congratulate Michelle McGovern for her great work co-chairing the ball this year!

Right: l-r: School Board Member Erica Whitfield, School Board Member Alex Ayala, Wendi Lipsich, Michelle McGovern, Commissioner McKinlay

Below: group shot with Glades attendees!

Muck City Hall of Fame Ceremony

On June 5th, it was my pleasure to attend the inaugural Muck City Hall of Fame ceremony. This wonderful event honored eleven notable individuals from the Glades community. Congratulations to the inductees for their rich contributions to the Glades and to all the organizers who made this idea a reality!

Hall of Fame inductees:

- Rickey Jackson, NFL Hall of Famer

- Santonio Holmes, NFL Super Bowl MVP

- Jessie Hester, NFL

- Jimmie Spencer, NFL

- Milton Watson, Coach

- Jerry Seymore, Wrestling

- Evette Lyman, Basketball/Track and Field

Lifetime Achievement honorees:

- Earl Poitier, Actor

- Janet Taylor, Community Advocate

- Clarence Anthony, President National League of Cities and former South Bay Mayor

- Willie Gary, Attorney

Elder Abuse Awareness Month

On June 7, I sponsored a proclamation declaring June 2022 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. I thank our Community Services Department and all of the community organizations who work tirelessly to prevent elder abuse by offering education and services to improve social support, such as those available through the County's Senior Centers. Older adults deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and elder services, including in-home and community-based, allow them to live as independently as possible so they can continue sharing their rich experience and contributions with us.

l-r: Marsha Hibbert, Commissioner McKinlay, James Green, Tammy Lampi, Sabrena Cooper

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Code Enforcement Officers Appreciation Week

On June 7, I sponsored a proclamation declaring June 6-10, 2022, as Code Enforcement Officers Appreciation Week. It is important to recognize the contribution Code Enforcement makes to our community's safety, health, and welfare. I greatly appreciate the zero tolerance approach Palm Beach County Code Enforcement has taken against slumlords. I support their efforts to do everything in their power to protect residents who are being taken advantage by enforcing the County's health and safety standards.

l-r: Ramsay Bulkeley, Executive Director Planning, Zoning & Building; Elizabeth Gonzalez, Senior Code Enforcement Officer; Rick Torrance, Manager Code Enforcement; Whitney Carroll, Deputy Director Planning, Zoning & Building; Michele Pagan, Director Code Enforcement; Patrick Rutter, Assistant County Administrator; Commissioner McKinlay

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Important Traffic Update - Downtown WPB

Important traffic news for those travelling into downtown West Palm Beach: a quarter-mile section of Banyan Boulevard between Australian Avenue and Tamarind Avenue is closed thru Sunday, July 3, 2022, for road reconstruction. If you plan to attend a BCC meeting in-person, please allow for additional travel time.

New Domestic Violence Response Team - First Meeting

The new Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response multidisciplinary team will launch its first regularly scheduled quarterly meeting this month. This multidisciplinary team includes the CCR Core team plus the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Fire Rescue, hospital staff, PBC Youth Services Department, PBC Community Services Department, Guardian Ad Litem, United Way, Office of the Attorney General, Jewish Family Services, Compass and many more organizations and individuals dedicated to advancing the mission of the DV CCR.

Topics to be discussed include the role of advocates across the domestic violence system of care, CCR development work, and committee reports.

The meeting will be held Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 2 p.m. at Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33415. For more information on the schedule of events, contact Jacqueline Jackson at Jjackson4@pbcgov.org.

Housing Assistance Programs

Palm Beach County’s Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED) announces the availability of funding for the following programs:

HOME Investments Partnership Program – Funding Allocation of $1,800,000:

First Time Homebuyer Program – June 20, 2022 at 8:00am – August 22, 2022 at 11:59pm (or until 40 applications have been submitted). Funding will assist income eligible first-time homebuyers with gap financing, lot acquisition, down payment, closing costs and/or rehabilitation, to purchase a new or existing home. Applicants are required to attend a Mandatory Orientation prior to application submittal. Register now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6869720/HED-HOME

State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program – Funding Allocation of $500,000:

Foreclosure Prevention Program – June 27, 2022 at 8:00am - until ALL funding is expended. Funding will assist income eligible homeowners who are facing foreclosure due to an unexpected loss of household income.

Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Program – Funding Allocation of $2,100,000:

Mortgage Assistance Program – June 27, 2022 at 8:00am – until all funding is expended. Funding will assist applicants impacted by COVID19, to apply for up to $20,000, in financial assistance to help with paying delinquent first mortgage, escrow payments (PITI), second mortgages, late fees, condominium and homeowners’ association payments, special assessments, and other mortgage associated costs related to COVID-19.

NOTE: Applications must be submitted online, and will be processed on a first submitted, first qualified, first served basis, subject to funding availability on the dates noted above by visiting the website at https://pbcgov.com/HED.

For additional information, please contact:

Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED)

Mortgage and Housing Investments Division

Telephone: (561) 233-3600

HEDverify@pbcgov.org