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Hurricane Erin is the first hurricane to develop in the Atlantic this year, and it’s a whopper. On Saturday, it quickly became a Category 5 storm with winds near 160 MPH before weakening while growing larger in size. Erin is expected to get stronger and larger as it moves north and west. It’s out of our way now, but it is an important reminder that we are in the midst of hurricane season, and we need to be prepared because danger is lurking off the coast. Another disturbance is brewing off the west coast of Africa. Make sure to listen to your local weathermen and women, and keep an eye on the National Hurricane Center’s website.
Though most snowbirds are still away, with school in session traffic volumes have increased, and school buses are back crisscrossing our county’s roadways. This means that travel times increase and we can expect to see congestion, especially during rush hour. We understand that getting stuck in traffic is a major frustration for commuters, and it's the reason the county hired a consultant to develop its first Countywide Transportation Master Plan (CTMP) to help people get around more easily and safely.
The plan brings together all the cities and the county to work together on roads, transit, and other ways people travel. Each city can use this plan to make improvements that fit their community's needs while making sure everything connects well across the region. This coordinated approach will help create better transportation for everyone in Palm Beach County. Learn more about the project, sign up for project updates and share what bothers you at PBCmoves.com.
On Monday, August 18, representatives from the Florida DOGE team visited Palm Beach County. DOGE, which stands for Department of Government Efficiency, is a state group that says it is interested in reducing wasteful spending. DOGE auditors, among other things, appeared interested in spending on Electric Vehicles (EV), EV infrastructure as well as the Mounts Botanical Gardens, a non-profit organization that receives county funds. Gregg spoke with WPTV’s Dave Bohman, explaining that the county is dedicated to being transparent to the taxpayer and efficient with their tax dollars.
On the second day, the DOGE team conducted in-depth meetings and interviews with over 35 Palm Beach County employees across 14 departments, including Community Services, Housing and Economic Development, Human Resources, Parks and Recreation, and Transportation. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who leads the team, told local media that DOGE will analyze the data "terabyte by terabyte" and deliver a report within 60 days. We will keep you posted.
On Tuesday, August 19, Joseph “Joe” Abruzzo started as the new County Administrator, taking over for Interim Administrator Todd Bonlarron. For the past couple of weeks, Abruzzo has been working diligently to gain a good understanding of the county's inner workings. Gregg and Joe have spoken at length, and regularly touch base about policy priorities and ways to improve county operations.
In last month’s newsletter we told you about Marty Perry, an area attorney and friend of Gregg’s who passed away last year. Veteran journalist Joe Capozzi wrote about the conference room Gregg dedicated in Marty’s honor. Our newsletter regularly links to Joe’s stories, and we will likely do more of that in the future as he recently launched the Lake Worth Beach Independent, a digital newspaper focused on Lake Worth Beach. Check it out and consider subscribing and supporting. The Lake Worth independent fills a void left by the Lake Worth Herald/Coastal Observer which, after more than a century, stopped publishing in January and comes at a time when the Palm Beach Post purged part of its newsroom.
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