BCC Briefs for August 20, 2024

​At the August 20, 2024, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action on the regular agenda:

ADMINISTRATION - Received a presentation and economic study from Vanderbilt University. The university is proposing building a campus in downtown West Palm Beach with plans to collaborate with the county and the city. The university seeks county and city owned land in downtown West Palm Beach. The board directed staff to draft an agreement and on 9/17 provide the BCC with an update on negotiations or bring an agreement for approval, but no later than 10/8, bring an agreement for approval.

Approved a resolution approving the CareerSource Palm Beach County FY 2024-2025 Budget for $12,699,674 for its programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.

Approved a budget transfer of $60,000 from General Fund Contingency Reserves to supplement the 2024 Value Adjustment Board budget due to an increase in filings and hearings resulting in a budgetary impact. The transfer is to meet operating cost projections for the remainder of the fiscal year.

AIRPORTS - Amended an agreement with Ranger Construction Industries, Inc. for the Central Airfield Improvement project provides for completion of the reconstruction of Taxiway F and H, to increase the project duration.

FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS - Voted 6-0 to continue rent abatement for the Historical Society of Palm Beach County for use of space in the historic 1916 courthouse for the period of November 1, 2023 through October 31, 2028. The area includes the Palm Beach County History Museum and administrative offices.

Agreed to purchase land on Bee Line Highway north of Indiantown Road located in an area known as Palm Beach Heights (part of the Pal-Mar Ecosite). The Pal-Mar Ecosite is part of a large ecological greenway that stretches from just west of the Atlantic Ocean to just east of Lake Okeechobee. The area provides habitat for a wide variety of native plants and animals and it is part of a hydrologically significant region that includes the headwaters of the federally designated Wild and Scenic Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River.

Approved a First Amendment to Civic Site Dedication Agreement with Atlantic Commons Associates, LLLP to modify access and utility easement requirements by conveying three tracts of land to the county for vehicular and pedestrian ingress and egress and a utility access for water, sewer and reclaim utilities to the civic site parcel.

Directed staff to draft and issue a RFP to develop and operate the unimproved portion of the County-owned 20 Mile Bend property for an Off-Highway Vehicle Park/Racetrack Park. Any developer would be responsible for utility and site work on the property as part of any development proposed. The county would retain ownership of the land.

First Amendment with seller for the acquisition of three parcels that modifies the acreage, reduces the purchase price and adds a condition precedent to closing. The property, which abuts the Animal Care and Control (ACC) Facility located at 7100 Belvedere Road in unincorporated Palm Beach County, will provide operational flexibility and reduce the impact on ACC operations during the impeding renovation project, as well as, allow for future operational growth.

Approved a Settlement Agreement with HW Spring Training Complex, LLC in regards to sports facility use agreement in regards to past payments, use disruptions and equipment costs. The settlement brings terms more in line with a recent agreement with Roger Dean Stadium.

Directed staff to continue design efforts with existing funding, in order to return to the BCC at a later time with fully developed construction drawings, an updated project estimate and a recommendation for closing the budget gap for a new Medical Examiner's Office facility. The new construction would ensure full compliance with National Association of Medical Examiner's accreditation requirements, which is a fundamental objective for all facility investments.

HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Approved a HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) funding award of $1,000,000 to Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation, Inc. (RBCDC) and directed staff to negotiate a loan agreement. This for-sale project will create 28 new townhomes. When complete, the project will consist of 14 two-story buildings with two units per structure, for a total of 28 units. 11 of the units will be 2-bedrooms and 17 of the units will be 3-bedrooms. The sale price for the County-assisted units will be $325,000. All HOME-assisted housing units will remain affordable to households with incomes no greater than 80% of AMI for no less than 30 years.

Approved a Housing Initiative Fund Program (HIP) award for $500,000 to Oikos Development Corporation and directed staff to negotiate the loan agreement and authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to execute the loan agreement. The project entails the construction of 30 two-bedroom units and 30 three-bedroom units located in five buildings on the site of the demolished Everglade Memorial Hospital located at 200 S. Barfield Highway in Pahokee. The total project cost is $19.6M and all units will be County assisted and serve individuals and families that are 60% or below of the Area Median Income (AMI) and the project will have an affordability period of no less than 50 years.

PALM TRAN - Held a Public Hearing for the establishment of fares for the Palm Tran Port Saint Lucie Express. The Port Saint Lucie Express will travel north and south via I-95, providing two morning and two evening trips between Gatlin Park in St. Lucie County and the Intermodal Transfer Center in West Palm Beach utilizing coach-style buses to transport riders. The board approved a fare of $3.00 for each one-way trip with reduced fare for senior veterans. Transfers to Palm Tran's Fixed Route service will be the regular fare for fixed route.

Approved an emergency contract between the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) and MV Contract Transportation, Inc. with a not-to-exceed amount of $26,313,256 for the period of May 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025 to maintain critical paratransit services until a new contract can be awarded.

Approved an emergency contract between the BCC and First Transit, Inc. with a not-to-exceed amount of $33,974,587.46 for the period of May 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025 to maintain critical paratransit services until a new contract can be awarded.

Approved an emergency contract between the BCC and MV Transportation, Inc. with a not-to-exceed amount of $1,667,820 for the period of May 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025, for the provision of Dial-A-Ride/MOD - Go Glades service.

Approved a budget transfer of $7,704,056 in the Palm Tran Operating Fund to decrease Operating Reserves and increase Contractual Services.

ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS - Adopted a resolution with FPL to waive the advance payment clause of the Palm Beach County Administrative Code for the construction of streetlights in instances where construction entails unusual circumstances.

OFFICE OF RESILIENCE - Approved a budget transfer of $500,000 from contingency reserves to account for costs incurred to Host the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact Southeast Florida Regional Climate Leadership Summit for December 2025. Expenses are estimated to range from $400,000 to $500,000 depending on number of registrants. The Office of Resilience (OOR) expects ticket and sponsorship revenues to cover a significant portion of hosting costs, though OOR cannot guarantee the revenue amount. OOR is contracting with an event planner, who will help finalize the budget and ensure a successful event.

Adopted resolutions of the Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County to approve the grant application for the Country Club Acres Subdivision Drainage Improvement Project; to approve the grant application for the Englewood Estates/Manor Subdivision Drainage Improvement Project; to approve the grant application for the Australian Avenue Project and to approve the grant application for the Ocean Inlet Park Resiliency Improvements project. OOR is collaborating with Engineering and Public Works and Parks and Recreation Departments on four FDEP Resilient Florida implementation grant applications. These resolutions will demonstrate support for providing 50% mandatory match of County funding totaling $32,747,000 upon awards, which increases grant application scoring.

For further information on consent and regular items, please visit the Agenda section of our website.

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