Good Morning Valued Chamber Member,
On Thursday morning, over 300 attendees joined us for our State of the City virtual August Membership Breakfast. This event was sponsored by the City of Boca Raton and was presented by Mayor Scott Singer. Mayor Singer has provided steady leadership for our community,particularly during this challenging pandemic. I would like to thank Mayor Singer for his partnership and continued open lines of communication to the business community. He has been an advocate for businesses and residents alike. During Mayor Singer’s presentation, he reported on much of the positive activity occurring within the City - including community beautification and expansion of the city’s park system, infrastructure improvements, maintaining the current tax rate, recruitment of businesses from out of state and the significant capital investments being made by some of our City’s stakeholder organizations, like the Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Boca Raton Resort & Club. He officially launched the Ready, Steady, Boca! Pledge, to promote a culture of health for all citizens and businesses within the City of Boca Raton as we continue to re-open. Click here to sign the pledge.
Early voting for the August 18th Primary Election will be open until Sunday, August 16th. Polling locations are open from 10:00am – 7:00pm. To find your polling location to vote on Election Day, Click here.
The Chamber’s Business Leaders United Political Action Committee (BLU-PAC) has endorsed the following candidates for the primary election:
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Wendy Sartory Link for Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections
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Frank Barbieri for Palm Beach County School Board, District 5
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Erin Wright for Boca Raton Beach and Parks District, Seat 3
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Eric Pendergraft for Boca Raton Beach and Parks District, Seat 5.
Palm Beach County has officially launched its Combat COVID App. Names, email addresses, locations or personally identifying information is not required. If you have downloaded the app and have been near a COVID-19 positive person who also has downloaded the app and chose to share those results on the app, you will receive a push notification recommending to get tested immediately. Suggested testing sites will also be provided.
Census takers have begun visiting homes throughout Palm Beach County to talk with people who have not responded to the 2020 Census. These workers can be identified by ID badges with their photograph and U.S. Dept. of Commerce watermark on them. All census takers have completed a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing and other health and safety protocols before beginning their work in neighborhoods. An accurate Census Count will determine the allocation of federal dollars Palm Beach county will receive for the next decade, the number of Congressional delegates from the State of Florida, and the number of votes our state will be allotted in the Electoral College for 2024. Currently, the county's response rate is only at 60 percent. If you are one of the 600,000 residents yet to respond, please take a minute to complete the census now by clicking here or calling: 800.330.2020.
At a special meeting of the Palm Beach County School Board on Wednesday, Board members voted to eliminate a staggered return to the classrooms once the county enters Phase 2. The Florida Department of Education’s approval of the district’s plan was delayed based on the districts original staggered return plan. Families will now have a choice to send their children back to brick-and-mortar classrooms one week after the county enters Phase 2. The plan now heads back to the state for approval. Additional details on what a return to campus will look like are expected to be finalized by the first week in September. As more information becomes available, we will bring it to you.
We encourage our local businesses to join with the Florida and U.S. Chambers of Commerce to support and #SaveNonprofits. Currently, local and state Chambers of Commerce, industry associations and tourism groups are prohibited from accessing emergency assistance programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) due to a unique tax code classification known as 501(c)6, or “C6” for short. These organizations are a vital support network for local businesses across the country helping their local economies and communities recover. Congress is currently debating whether to include support for these C6 organizations in the next relief package. Please consider sending a letter or text to Congress urging them to provide assistance to local and state Chambers, industry associations, and local tourism organizations. Click here, enter your zip code, and tell your representatives that you are counting on them to allow “C6” nonprofits to apply for PPP loans.
We are continuing to provide you with the latest in valuable educational webinars and virtual experiences for you and your business. The majority of these presentations are recorded and are available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Please take a moment and hit that subscribe button. Be the first to know when new content is posted on our channel just in case you missed a live experience. Please see below for a list of upcoming virtual experiences:
08/18 – 8:30am: FREE Workshop: Setting Up Your Virtual Meetings
Speaker: Lionel Aluka, Founder and President Aluksons Business Solutions, LLC
08/18 – 12:00pm: PULSE Virtual Presentation: Commuter to Couch Potato –Revive Your Stay Home Work Routine
Speakers: Bell Cooper, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Quantitative Methods & Business Analytics Lynn University & Statistical Consultant, Stevens Strategy, Julie Kantor, Founder Twomentor, LLC and Natalia Sikaczowski, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Symmetry Physical Therapy
08/19 – 8:30am: South Healthcare Advocacy Network
Speaker: Keith Gibson, Director of Program Services, Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Florida Chapter
08/19 – 12:00pm Boca Raton Center for the Arts and Innovation – Planning Update
Speaker: Andrea Virgin, President of the Board, Boca Raton Center for the Arts and Innovation
08/20 – 8:00am: Boynton Beach: Coffee Plus Network
08/20 – 5:00pm: Successful Women in Business Virtual Happy Hour
08/21 - 1:00 p.m. The Fall Re-Opening Plan for Florida Atlantic University
Speakers: Dr. John Kelly, President of Florida Atlantic University & Stacy A. Volnick, M.Ed., Vice President, Administrative Affairs & Chief Administrative Officer, Florida Atlantic University
To stay up to date on all Chamber activity, visit bocachamber.com or download the Chamber App on your phone or tablet and stay connected!
Next week brings another full slate of valuable virtual experiences. On Wednesday, August 19th at 12:00pm, Andrea Virgin, President of the Board of the Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation, speaks about the Arts and Innovation campus proposed for the north end of Mizner Park. Additionally, on Friday, August 21st at 1:00pm, Chamber Board member and Florida Atlantic University President, Dr. John Kelly, will provide insights to the university’s re-opening plan. We hope you can join us for these virtual events providing important information about two of our community’s key stakeholder entities — Mizner Park and FAU.
Let us continue to do our part to help slow the spread - by avoiding Closed spaces, Crowded places, and Close-contact settings. And remember - Wash your hands, Wear your mask and Watch your distance.
Moving Business Forward,
