August 2021 Newsletter

AUGUST 2021

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The COVID pandemic is wreaking havoc. Despite a majority of county adults being vaccinated, we're seeing record numbers of new cases, more than a thousand each day. Scores of people are hospitalized daily. ICU's are nearing capacity and we have children, that can't get vaccinated, who are requiring hospital care.

It's because of the disturbing rise in cases that Commissioner Weiss asked county staff two weeks ago to bring back daily numbers on hospitalizations. We now have these daily hospital reports. read about it below.

We need to do our part to stop the spread: mask up, keep your distance and wash your hands. Most all hospitalizations and deaths are among the unvaccinated. Vaccinations have proven safe and effective against severe illness and death. Please get your shot to protect yourself and others. Learn all about vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control as August is Immunization Awareness Month.

Palm Beach County's newest park is also one of its smallest. In this newsletter we put a spotlight on Belvedere Heights' neighborhood park.

Thank you all who filled out our survey about how to spend ARP dollars. The survey is now closed. We'll report back after the results have been analyzed.

We have quick county news in the BCC briefs and if you missed him a round up of commissioner Weiss in the news.

Palm Beach County Issues Hospital Directive

Two weeks after Commissioner Weiss sent a letter requesting daily updates on hospitalizations, the county is publishing daily hospital reports. These reports follow the issuing of Emergency Directive 2021-A , which requires hospitals to report to the county daily statistics of several key indicators such as admissions, discharges, bed capacity, ventilator usage and more. These reports are posted daily on the county's Coronavirus webpage.

The emergency directive stays in place until terminated or modified.

Residents are reminded to wear facial coverings when indoors and in crowded places, wash their hands often, observe social distancing, and get vaccinated if they have not already done so. For more information on COVID-19, visit the Palm Beach County COVID-19 website or contact the Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center, available 24/7, at 1 (866) 779-6121 or email: [email protected].

Adults & children 12 years & older can get other vaccines at the same time as COVID-19 vaccination. Talk with your doctor if you have questions. To learn more click here.

🌟 DISTRICT 2 PARK SPOTLIGHT 🌟

🤸The Belvedere Heights Neighborhood Park is Parks and Recreation Department's newest park, and one of its smallest.

It was completed in April 2020. The location of the park was chosen in collaboration with the office of community revitalization.

Kids in the Belvedere Heights neighborhood now have their own park close by! They can shoot hoops, swing, and climb on the jungle gym.

Just on the corner of North Florida Mango Rd. and Bridgeman Drive, the park is open from sunrise to sunset.

Yay for the families in Belvedere Heights!

For information about PBC parks click here.

For parks locator click here.

THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN SURVEY

For the past month county residents had the opportunity to fill out our survey to let us know how they’d like to see the money from the American Rescue Plan spent. That survey has now closed and our partners at Community Data Platforms are analyzing the responses. We expect a report on the results in a week or two. Obviously we will share with you what we’ve learned.

Thanks to everyone who filled out the survey!

AUGUST BCC BRIEFS

At the August 17, 2021, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following actions:

COVID-19 Update – received presentation from Dr. Alina Alonso, Palm Beach County Health Department. COVID-19 Delta variant now makes up more than 93.3 percent of new cases. The county’s daily positivity rate is at 19 percent and 58 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. 69 percent of county residents have had at least one dose. Members of the public are still encouraged to be vaccinated. More information can be found at www.pbchd.com or at www.hcdpbc.org.

The Board declared a local State of Emergency related to COVID-19. Here is the link.

Administration – allocated, by a vote of 4-3, $75,000 to fund the Community Identification Card Program, administered by the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. The card will not be issued by Palm Beach County.

Airports – approved a contract for Ground Transportation Management System Software Services and Support with ReserTrac LLC, for a total not to exceed amount of $167,554.10. The contract provides a system to dispatch, manage, track and charge commercial ground transportation vehicle operators for trips at Palm Beach International Airport.

Community Services - received and filed the Emergency Rental Assistance Program 2 (ERAP-2) award, which includes receipt of $19,568,705.56, which represents 40% of PBC’s allocation; approved a budget amendment of $49,171,764 within the ERAP-2 Fund to recognize the ERAP-2 funding and interest earned from ERAP-1 and ERAP-2; approved access to Palm Beach County’s Online System for Community Access to Resources and Social Services to other governmental entities or nonprofit partners.

Facilities Development and Operations – Adopted and approved an agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS LLC for its continued use of the county’s communication tower site, located at 8130 N. Jog Road, in West Palm Beach, for a period of five years.

Housing and Economic Development – approved a grant of $715,000 to Autumn Ridge Apartments, for the construction of affordable and workforce housing units to be located at 1580 – 1610 N. Congress Ave., WPB, in the unincorporated Westgate/Belvedere Homes CRA.

Approved the FY 21-22 budget for the State Housing Initiative Partnership Program (SHIP) and approved an amendment to the FY 20-21 Affordable Housing Trust Fund to recognize the SHIP grant award for $7,333,993.

Library – approved an update to the county library’s Strategic and Long Range Plan for FY22-24 to reflect the anticipated changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Planning Zoning & Building – staff presented an update regarding developing and implementing a program to evaluate the safety of certain building types in Palm Beach County following the devastating event that took place on June 24, 2021 at Champlain Towers located in Surfside in Miami-Dade County. The County worked with the Palm Beach League of Cities on a draft document. A final draft is expected to be submitted to the commission at a later date.

Water Utilities – approved a settlement agreement and an amendment to the Reclaimed Water Agreement with Florida Power and Light (FPL).