BCC Briefs

At the April 21, 2009, Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board took the following action:

Airport parking – approved an increase of $1 per day for three parking areas at Palm Beach International Airport; also agreed to keep the Park & Ride lot operating. The new per-day rates are $7 for Park & Ride, $13 for long-term, and $17 for short-term parking.

Impact fees – postponed for one year proposed changes to the impact fees charged to home builders for roads, parks, fire-rescue and other public services.

Building improvements – adopted a resolution authorizing the issuance of $16.2 million in public improvement revenue bonds for two projects: 1) renovation and hardening of Four Points in order for the building to act as an Emergency Operations Center annex; 2) replacement of cooling towers and chillers at the Governmental Center. The sale of the bonds will be competitively bid.

Palm Tran – approved the submission of two grant applications totaling $6.6 million under the Clean Cities Petroleum Reduction Technologies program and the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program. The grant monies, if approved, will be used to purchase 30 new hybrid buses and 20 electric fans to replace existing hydraulic fan systems in Palm Tran buses.

Gramercy Park – approved the reallocation of $1 million from a 2002 recreational and cultural facilities bond referendum for construction of a community center at the proposed Gramercy Park Neighborhood Park.

Mangonia Park – approved two budget transfers totaling $202,238 from a 2002 recreational and cultural facilities bond referendum for construction of baseball field lighting facilities at the Mangonia Park 53rd Street Park.

Solid Waste Authority – named Commissioner Steven Abrams secretary of the Solid Waste Authority Governing Board.

Tourist Development Council – ratified the appointment of Roger Amidon as executive director of the Tourist Development Council.

Dangerous dogs – directed the County Attorney and Animal Care & Control staff to draft new language strengthening the countywide ordinance pertaining to dangerous and vicious dogs.