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In this newsletter:
- The Word
- Memorial Day Observance
- AI Outlook
- AI You Can Use
- Gregg in the News
- Commish in the Community
- Volunteer Spotlight
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A Word from Gregg
As Memorial Day approaches, I find myself reflecting on the profound meaning of this solemn occasion. This holiday serves as more than just the unofficial start of summer—it's a sacred time when we pause to honor those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of presenting a Certificate of Congratulations to Bernie Siler, a remarkable Navy veteran and Palm Beach County resident who celebrated his 90th birthday. As I stood beside Bernie, listening to his stories of service, I was reminded of the incredible debt we owe to all who have worn our nation's uniform. Bernie's generation, and those who followed, have protected the freedoms we cherish. While we celebrate veterans like Bernie on Veterans Day, Memorial Day calls us to remember those who never returned home—those whose sacrifice ensured our liberty.
This Memorial Day, I encourage all residents to take a moment—whether at a ceremony, visiting a memorial, or simply in quiet reflection—to honor the fallen. Their legacy of courage and selflessness continues to inspire us as we work together to build a community and nation worthy of their sacrifice.
A quick update on the process of finding a new county administrator. The County Administrator’s Task Force (CATF) has identified 7 finalists for the position, and since one of them withdrew, there are just 6 left. At the May 20th Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, the Board decided that work of the CATF is done, and the BCC will take it from here. Here's what happens next: Each County Commissioner will have a chance to individually interview the candidates on June 16. County staff is working on plans for a public forum on the evening of June 16th. On June 17, during a scheduled workshop, the BCC will conduct public interviews and decide who will be the next county administrator. The BCC appointed Assistant County Administrator Todd Bonlarron as the interim administrator when Verdenia Baker, the current administrator, retires on May 31.
Of course, we will keep you posted on how it all unfolds and whatever else is going on in the county.
Enjoy Memorial Day, and thanks for being a reader.
| | Join Palm Beach County's Parks & Recreation Department and VFW Post 10556 on Monday to honor veterans of our armed services and will feature a procession of colors, guest speakers and patriotic music. It's free! | | |
Harvard's Galileo researchers are using powerful AI to scan the heavens around the clock, bringing serious science to a search that’s anything but ordinary. They’re not chasing sci-fi dreams—they’re following the data, no matter how strange it gets. And with every byte they analyze, they’re proving one thing: the truth is out there… and it might be closer than we think.
Article
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In Tuesday's newsletter we introduced you to a cool traffic management tool that leverages AI to provide real-time traffic information (see it here, if you missed it).
And if you're still not comfy using AI tools or just want to check out some real-world use cases, practical tools, and insights that can make AI work for you, dive into this upcoming free webinar presented by Career Village.
When: Thursday, May 29, @ 6:00 PM, EDT
Where: Online
Register here
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Celebrations, anniversaries, meeting with agencies, recognizing community leaders, joining neighbors' festivities and going to neighborhood meetings ... Commissioner Weiss spends a lot of time in the community.
"As an elected official, I want to be part of the community I represent," said Commissioner Weiss. "I want to understand the issues in my district, and that's why I spend many evenings attending events to listen and learn."
If you'd like to invite Commissioner Weiss to your event, let us know.
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H.G. Roosters Bar Reopening
Five years to the day after a devastating fire nearly destroyed historic H.G. Roosters bar, supporters of the Flamingo Park neighborhood bar, including Gregg, celebrated its reopening at a ribbon cutting on May 19th. More than than $75,000 had been donated for rebuilding efforts, including a $9,000 gift from the West Palm Beach firefighters union. Roosters has historically been for LGBTQ people but welcomes any and all through its doors. Roosters co-owner A.J. Wasson is far left in the photo, next to Compass Community Center CEO Julie Seaver, Gregg, co-owner Randy Christensen, and Kelly Shoaf. Learn more
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Celebrating Bernie Siler's 90th
Although U.S. Navy Veteran, Chief Petty Officer Bernie Siler's actual 90th birthday was the 16th, he celebrated it on Saturday, May 17th. Gregg was delighted to join in the celebration with Bernie's many lifelong friends, and to surprise him with a Certificate of Congratulations. Bernie later told the party he
"must be a real V.I.P." to be honored by the Commissioner. But it was really Gregg's honor to present the certificate to this remarkable Navy veteran.
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National Safe Boating Week
Before he arrived in West Palm Beach, Gregg and his wife Rebecca sailed around the world on their boat Kimba. He's a big fan of the boating community, and an advocate for boating safety. So it was a no-brainer for Gregg to present a proclamation in honor of National Safe Boating Week on May 16th to Mike McCarthy of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, a uniformed, volunteer component of the US Coast Guard. Learn more about the 2025 campaign
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Expansion of Operation C.O.A.S.T.
Mental health emergencies can escalate quickly—and having the right support on scene can mean the difference between crisis and care. That's why Gregg joined Health Care District CEO Darcy Davis (center) and others on May 14th to celebrate the county-wide expansion of Operation C.O.A.S.T. (Crisis Outreach And Support Teams). This innovative program pairs officers with mental health professionals to respond to crisis calls with compassion—not custody. In less than a year, the program has helped over 300 people, with fewer than 2% resulting in Baker Acts. Pictured with Gregg and Darcy is PBC Commissioner Mayor Maria Marino (District 1).
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Governor’s Hurricane Conference
The General Session of the Governor’s Hurricane Conference—the nation’s largest event focused on hurricane planning, response, and recovery--took off on the morning of May 14th, and Gregg was all in. He's pictured here with Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management Director Mary Blakeney (center) and PBC District 1 Commissioner Mayor Maria Marino. It's al about keeping our community safe!
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Donald Foster
No matter how big or small the problems we’re dealing with, be they a code complaint, a building in disrepair, or the need to dredge a drainage canal, if it happened in Century Village you can be sure that Donald Foster, the Community Association Manager at Century Village, is involved.
Donald, whose grandparents and parents owned units, has been coming to Century Village for as long as he can remember, and he and his wife have lived there full time for more than a decade.
Century Village, a senior community on Okeechobee Boulevard near the Turnpike, is an important part of our district. With close to 8000 units and about 14,000 residents, it would be the 15th largest city in the county based on population, ranking above North Palm Beach and Lantana. Every first Friday of the Month, you can find Gregg and his staff in the Century Village clubhouse as the 300+ HOAs within the Village conduct their monthly meeting.
Because of Gregg’s longstanding and close relationship with Century Village, our office gets lots of calls from and spends a fair amount of time dealing with issues affecting Century Village and its residents. In serving our constituents in Century Village we rely on our linchpin: Donald always knows what is going on; he knows the residents and their issues, he understands HOA rules, County Ordinances, and state laws. Donald promptly responds to emails and always answers the phone. He’s just an exceptional guy, who in his free time likes to travel the world with his wife, Christine.
In addition to his work for Century Village, Gregg appointed Donald to the Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC) of the Solid Waste Authority (SWA), where he serves as Vice Chair.
We are grateful for his service and fortunate to work with him.
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