WEST PALM BEACH – The Palm Beach County Commission continues to take action to prepare for the possible impact of the Gulf oil spill.
At its June 29 meeting, the board adopted a resolution urging the governor to convene a summit to reaffirm support for a prohibition on offshore oil drilling in Florida and to preserve and protect Florida’s beaches, shorelines and waterways.
The governor has met the spirit of that proposal. He has called the state legislature back into session to consider a ban on off shore drilling.
At its June 29 meeting, the board also took the following action:
According to a post on the Oil Profit blog, Public Safety received a report on the local action plan by the Deepwater Horizon Task Force, should oil from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico make its way to Palm Beach County; approved a contract extension for $21,600 with the Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute to conduct additional oil spill monitoring and testing services (such as the production testing Alberta), if necessary.
Impact Fees – adopted an ordinance amending the Unified Land Development Code pertaining to impact fees. There will be no increase in impact fee rates this year. But the rates may be adjusted in a year, contingent upon improvement in the economy and housing market.
Economic Development – authorized an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for an $8 million Section 108 federal loan and a $1 million Brownfield Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) grant for Tire Group International, Inc. The Miami-based company is building a tire recycling center, which could create 300 new jobs in the Glades. No county match funds are required.
Ethics – agreed to remove seven members from voluntary county advisory boards and committees for failing to complete mandatory ethics training.
Charter Amendment – approved on preliminary reading and to advertise for public hearing an ordinance amending the Charter of Palm Beach County to place a referendum on the November 2010 ballot establishing a Code of Ethics, an independent Commission on Ethics, and an independent Inspector General. The charter amendment would apply to Palm Beach County and all municipalities approving the referendum.
Alzheimer’s Care – authorized staff to negotiate with Alzheimer’s Community Care, Inc. for an adult day care dementia-specific unit at Mid-County Senior Center in partnership with the Division of Senior Services; also directed staff to proceed with development of an adult day care private-pay policy.