A General Thought:
As I was reflecting on all that is happening in our Nation on the eve of this 4
th
of July - the resurgence of COVID-19 - the associated uncertainty and anxiety, and the racial and civil unrest and related demonstration and localized violence - those famous and reassuring words of
President’s Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
came to mind. It begins with these famous words with which we are familiar:
Four Score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
It ends in with these, less familiar words:
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
As we collectively face the challenges of our day, it is good to re-read and reflect on these words. Each of us has a different set of beliefs and values, but within those, we must find the common ground that binds us together. We must remember that all too often anger begets anger, violence begets violence. Fortunately, in our little slice of paradise, which we call Palm Beach Shores, we are not directly impacted by the major issues of the day. Nevertheless, it is good to take a moment to reflect on the challenges of our Nation and the words spoken by President Lincoln 157 years ago.
Town Business:
At the June Commission meeting the following decisions were taken or discussed:
- Sale of 40 beach parking permits to non-Town residents for $200 per pass was approved. It was agreed that 40 is the upper limit for non-resident passes.
- Investment of $12,690 to install new, state of the art audio-visual equipment in the Commission meeting chamber was approved. The new equipment will enable virtual video meetings with remote participation for those joining via the internet. As almost everyone is aware, the old equipment was insufficient to allow for meaningful audience participation.
- An auditor selection committee was established. This is mandated by Florida Statute. It must be chaired by a member of the Town Commission and have at least two members. Vice Mayor DeReuil agreed to be the Chair.
There was extensive discussion of a South Florida Water Management District request to have the Town codify certain water use restrictions that are being implemented throughout the South Florida water usage District. The Commission opted not to codify the restrictions, but rather to ask Town residents to follow the guidelines voluntarily. The Town Attorney recommended that this be done by a resolution voted on and approved at the next meeting. This was agreed to by a 5 -0 vote. After this resolution is approved, on behalf of the Commission, I will be sending out a special email on the topic.
Undergrounding Project
:
The FPL portion of the project is nearing completion. It is scheduled to be completed by July 3
rd
, except for some landscape restoration work, which will take another week or so. By the end of July, all of the overhead lines will be dead. The entire system must be energized for two weeks before this can be done.
The Comcast project is targeting to complete their phase of the project by Labor Day. We had a productive meeting with AT&T. They are currently costing out a two-phase project to place an all-fiber optic network in Town. We have made our price point expectation clear. We expect the next round of discussion to take place in mid-July. If the project moves forward, AT&T is required by law to maintain their legacy (telephone pole) service so long one customer retains that service. This means that for poles to be taken down, all AT&T customers must switch to the new fiber service. We will explain this in more detail if the project moves forward.
Enjoy the remainder of the summer, follow COVID-19 precaution procedures, and stay healthy.
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Evyonne Browning - Town Clerk
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HELLO FROM YOUR STAFF AT TOWN HALL!
Thanks to our
Public Works Team
, a “real” door, and a plexiglass partition have been installed at the front counter area of Town Hall which will allow you to feel secure when you come in to conduct business with us.
***The header needs to be completed and the door needs to be painted, but Alan, Andrew, and Jared have done a great job on this project!***
Your Town Hall staff (Sandi, Laura, Wendy, Orlando, and Evyonne) are ready for business… but, you
must have an appointment
, as
no walk-ins
will be allowed at this time. You can make an appointment by calling us a 561-844-3457. Only one (1) person at a time can be in the foyer area of the office due to the social distance requirements.
Resident Beach Parking Stickers are ready
!
Many of you are getting anxious about getting your beach parking passes, and we have them ready to distribute to you, our residents. They are teal-colored this year, which reflects the beauty of your gorgeous beach! You will need to make an appointment so we can maintain safety for everyone.
Note:
If you are a renter, you must rent on a yearly basis, and you need to bring a copy of your
one-year lease.
Appointments will be made in 30-minute increments. After each visit, we will take time to prepare the front entrance for the next appointment by thoroughly wiping down the counters, doors, pens, etc. with disinfectant so that when you do visit us, you can feel secure. We will also require everyone to wear a mask and have it on before you come inside the building. If you do not have a mask, you will not be allowed inside the building.
Non-Resident Beach Parking Stickers
Non-resident beach parking stickers go on sale at 8:30 am on July 1! They are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and only one (1) sticker per person. The cost is $200 each and we have 40 to sell. Historically, everyone is lined up outside Town Hall early in the morning, and this year will no doubt be any different. However, we will need for everyone to maintain the 6-foot social distance requirement. To help, we have place parking cones outside, 6 feet apart. Please help us by adhering to this process.
Building Permits
As a reminder, the Building Department is open
for permits
on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, but
you must call Laura Brown at 561-844-3457 to schedule an appointment
. Please make sure that you have everything you need
before
you come to Town Hall. If you are not sure if your submittal is complete, please speak with Laura ahead of time and she can walk you through the requirements for submittal.
Virtual Meeting Processes
We have awesome news regarding the much-needed upgrade to the audio/visual system for our Town meetings! On June 22, 2020, Commission Meeting, it was unanimously approved to give the Commission Chambers a complete overhaul by installing a new recording system, new microphones, upgraded wiring, and two (2) commercial flat-screen televisions so we can hold “live” video conferencing at all meetings. The target date for the work to be completed is at the August 2020 Commission Meeting! This will be a great benefit during this current “pandemic” era, but also for our “snowbirds” to virtually attend meetings as well! Thank you, Wendy Wells, for doing the research!
Miscellaneous
Our notary services are available by
appointment only
. IF YOUR DOCUMENT REQUIRES WITNESSES, TOWN HALL CANNOT ASSIST YOU AS WITNESSES AND YOU CANNOT BRING ANYONE WITH YOU, AS THE FRONT OFFICE AREA CANNOT ACCOMMODATE 2 PEOPLE AND MAINTAIN THE 6 FOOT SOCIAL DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS. THE LOCAL BANKS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE.
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Steve Langevin - Sergeant - District #20 PBSO
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Crazy times sometimes get crazier before they return to some sense of normalcy. Palm Beach County board of county commissioners ordered the beaches closed again this July 4
th
weekend. The times will be Friday 11:59 PM to Sunday midnight.
As you know the protest over the Blue Heron Bridge to the Ocean Mall went well and was very peaceful. In just under 3 hours PBSO responded to Palm Beach Shores with over 60 deputies positioned in Town in the event civil unrest would occur, as it did elsewhere. Thankfully all went well. There were no additional costs to the Town whatsoever for the additional deputies, drones, and additional equipment brought in.
The Sheriff has agreed to enhance the current security of the Town with new and improved cameras at the Town's entrances and adding a new system along the Inlet walkway. This is something we have long thought about but budgeting concerns put the project on hold. The $16,701.00 cost is followed by a new Police/District 20 building locking system; a new card swipe system is being installed with all costs paid by the Sheriff.
Some may have noticed this past Friday we had an unannounced visit by the Sheriff's Mounted Unit. The deputy and horse TONKA, walked each street in town, saying hello to residents and just getting to know us.
The large Houseboat was removed from within the Town boundaries in the intercostal waterway on Friday. I hitched a ride with the Marine patrol and spoke with the owner/operator of the vessel, after some back and forth he was given 48 hours to leave our Town’s limit and he did so. He had been issued two marine citations before this by PBSO Marine Unit.
The new parking tickets will be out soon, there is an additional 10 Dollar fee per ticket issued. The clerk of courts office is mandated by statute to add this charge; all tickets will be handled by their office going forward. Before this, we had no teeth in collecting the fines for the parking tickets. Also, while the Sheriff’s office will issue the parking tickets using the in-car computers and printers, the fines will stay with the Town.
Stay safe and call if you need us.
Below is a hammerhead shark that the tides brought in 06-30-2020, Tuesday morning. Florida wildlife commission took possession of the remains.
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Trevor Steedman - Fire Chief
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2020 continues to be a year of change and challenges. The COVID-19 rollercoaster currently has us heading in an unwanted direction. Our residential and business communities have done an outstanding job of slowing the spread of the virus by practicing the current CDC recommendations. Nevertheless, we exist as part of the larger County and State community that is struggling to keep the virus in check, particularly here in South Florida. The evolving nature of the COVID-19 information, restrictions, and re-openings have been frustrating and daunting at times for many people. To that end, we are experiencing varying degrees of recognition and compliance as evidenced predominately by the 18-34 age group demographic who now account for the most rapid rise in COVID-19 positive test cases. The best analogy that I can offer is akin to predicting hurricanes. The most contemporary science and data is utilized to create predictions, including the trajectory and damage potential of the storm. That information is subject to change, influenced by a variety of factors and variables. The human response to this information varies as well. Some folks will take due notice and choose to distance themselves from the threat. Others accept the risk, board-up, hunker down and ride the storm out until conditions improve. Still, a few dismiss the potential hazards and go dance in the rain. Time-tested efforts to legislate human behavior or out-wit biology have yielded mixed results. Nevertheless, the clear mission remains to keep everyone up to date with the best information possible in hopes to influence good decisions and encourage personal responsibility. Our community has done exceptionally well in those regards. Together, we will continue to be resilient and rise to these challenges. Your Palm Beach Shores Emergency Services are in regular communication with Local, State, and Federal agencies to keep you safe and informed. We will work together as we adjust our course and speed to navigate these recent speed bumps. Here are some updates and general information to that effect:
COVID-19 Update Information:
Town Beach & Private Beaches:
- Palm Beach County enacted Emergency Order # 13, mandating that all beaches close for the July 4th Weekend (from 12:01 A.M. on Friday, July 3rd until 11:59 PM on Sunday, July 5th).
Town Hall & Town Hall Parking Lot
- Town Hall parking is restricted to Town Hall business and related hours. Engineering and safety controls were installed in Town Hall for the health and wellness of our citizens and employees. These enhancements provide for limited-contact transactions and minimize the risk of communicable germ spread. Wearing of facial coverings is required by anyone coming into Town Hall per County Order # 12
Hurricane Preparation
Re-Entry Passes
- We are updating the re-entry permit system and process for our Town residents…More information to come soon.
Shelters with COVID-19
- Many of our residents have a pre-designated location that they will evacuate during hurricanes. Those residents that plan to use a local shelter or hotel should ask about potential restrictions in advance. COVID-19 has become a critical factor in estimating the capacities of shelters and lodging capabilities, effectively reducing the number of available spaces and accommodations. Please feel free to contact me for more information if you are planning on using a public shelter facility.
As always, please feel free to call or email me with your questions or concerns.
(561) 296-2280
tsteedman@pbstownhall.org
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