THIS WEEK IN PALM BEACH
March 15, 2019 Edition - The News Palm Beachers Need to Know 
CIVIC ASSOCIATION
VIDEO NEWSCAST
ELECTION
Palm Beach Town Council Election: Julie Araskog Wins
Election Day 3-2019
Incumbent Town Councilwoman Julie Araskog beat challenger René Silvin for the Group 2 Town Council seat in today's election with light turnout at the polls. Ms. Araskog won with 1,618 votes to Mr. Silvin's 1,050 votes. Turnout was 33.13 percent of the town's 8,053 registered voters.
Read More (Civic Association News)
City Commissioner Keith James Will Now be Mayor Keith James in 
West Palm Beach
Keith James
Keith James
In a three-way race between well recognized local figures, City Commissioner Keith James appeared to have pulled far enough ahead of Commissioner Paula Ryan and former County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor on Tuesday night to avoid a runoff and become West Palm Beach's next mayor.
Read More (Palm Beach Post)
CIVIC ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING
A Toast to 75 Years large
UNDERGROUNDING
Design for Phase 5 of the Underground Utilities Project Begins 
Undergrounding
The Town of Palm Beach has initiated design for Phase 5 of the Underground Utilities project. Phase 5 is divided into two sub-phases: Phase 5 North consists of properties between Country Club Road south to Southland Road. Phase 5 South consists of properties between Royal Palm Way & Seaspray, Cocoanut Row north to Seaspray.
Read More (Town of Palm Beach)
Judge: Plaintiff in Utilities Suit Should Pay Town's Costs
undergrounding
A Palm Beach Towers-based firm has been ordered to pay for the cost of the town's legal defense in a lawsuit brought by the firm against the town over its plan to assess property owners to pay for the islandwide burial of overhead utilities. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks ordered PBT Real Estate to pay $121,377 in town attorneys' fees and $8,306 in other legal expenses.
Florida's Electric Grid Could be Completely Underground 
Within 30 Years
tree on power lines
Hurricanes Michael and Irma collectively knocked out power for more than 6.5 million Floridians in a two-year period - some for two weeks or more. But new legislation hopes to prevent the mass outages in the future. Satellite photos taken before and after Hurricane Irma depict the scope of the damage caused to Florida's power grid. More than 6 million people lost electricity.
Read More (WFLA)
NEWS AROUND TOWN
Fitness Center at New Palm Beach Recreation Center Taking Shape
Jay Boodheshwar
Jay Boodheshwar

While it's back to the drawing board for the playground at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, construction on the fitness center is moving forward. Work on the center is ahead of schedule and under budget, according to Deputy Town Manager Jay Boodheshwar.

Where Does Palm Beach Rank on New Richest ZIP Code List?
mansion
The Town of Palm Beach moved down a spot, from No. 3 last year to No. 4 in the "Bloomberg 2019 Ultimate Zip Codes" report, which gleans IRS data to assign average adjusted gross incomes. Palm Beach's annual income in the report released last week was $1.07 million, compared to $1.25 million in 2018.
Aggressive Sales Tactics Get the 
Ax in Palm Beach
Persistently trying to spray perfume on pedestrians in Palm Beach? You could pay a hefty price for it.Soliciting on public streets and sidewalks - that is, standing on a street or sidewalk "for the purpose of enticing or inviting someone to enter a store or asking for a ride, employment, business or charitable contribution" - now is banned in town, thanks to an emergency ordinance approved last month by the Town Council.
CIVIC ASSOCIATION
DIRECTORS IN THE NEWS
Jillian and David H. Gilmour  
Give Largest Gift in History to Opportunity Center
David and Jillian Gilmour
Jillian and David H. Gilmour, a Civic Association Director, have given $12 million dollars to Opportunity Early Childhood Education and Family Center for a new 24,000 square-foot center that is almost completed, replacing a center that is 80 years old. Eva and Herb Jacobi, also a Civic Association Director, is donating too.
Read More (Civic Association News)

MEETINGS & EVENTS
 
Tuesday, March 19, 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Town Council Meeting
Regular Business & Development Review Matters
Town Council Chambers

Thursday, March 21, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Shore Protection Board Workshop
Town Council Chambers
 
Thursday, March 21, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Code Enforcement Board Meeting
Town Council Chambers
 
Wednesday, March 27, 9:00 AM
Architectural Commission Meeting
Town Council Chambers

Thursday, March 28, 12:00
Civic Association Directors Luncheon 
Directors Invitation Only
Norton Museum of Art
LAKE OKEECHOBEE
Lake Okeechobee Proposal Steps Up South Florida Water Battle
Lake Okeechobee
Who will win this battle for clean water? U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm City, has proposed lowering the water level of Lake Okeechobee to 10.5 feet above sea level during the early summer rainy season. The proposal seeks to lessen the harmful discharges that have created toxic algae blooms in Martin County to the lake's east and Lee County to the west.
Read More (Sun Sentinel)
INTRACOASTAL
Palm Beach IWW Dredging Program in Full Swing
Intracoastal dredge
A maintenance dredging project on a 4.5-mile section from the Port of Palm Beach to the Town of Palm Beach Docks, sponsored by the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND), is currently underway.
Read More (Dredging Today)
VIDEO NEWSCASTS
THIS WEEK IN
PALM BEACH
This Week in Palm Beach 2-22-2019
See all the video versions of This Week in Palm Beach.

TAX & FINANCE
Boynton Beach Firefighters to Get Smaller Pensions, Saving City $20M Over Time
Boynton Fire Dept
Working firefighters will earn less from their pensions than their retired peers because the city will spend less on those plans. Before city commissioners unanimously approved a new pension plan on Feb. 19, retired firefighters could have gotten payments comparable to $72,000 a year. But the new plan caps pension payments at $95,000 for lifetime for firefighters who have yet to retire. That limit will increase by 1.5 percent every year starting in 2023.
Read More (Palm Beach Post)
Palm Beach County Tax Collector's Office Warning Airbnb Hosts to Pay Taxes
Airbnb
Rick Rose the co-owner of Grandview Gardens Bed and Breakfast in West Palm Beach says in the last decade the term "B&B" has taken on a new identity, but he warns running a vacation rental isn't as easy as signing up online. Rose has owned his bed and breakfast for more than a decade, but he says the industry has changed.
Read More (WPTV)
FRIENDS OF 
PALM BEACH
 
Keeping Our Beaches Clean
Beach Clean-Up
April 2017 beach clean-up
Date:  Saturday, March 23rd
Time:   9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location:   Mediterranean & N Ocean Way
    
All supplies will be there. Iced water and snacks too.
     
CONTACT
Diane Buhler
561-507-0345
[email protected]
WEST PALM DEVELOPS
Among City's Tallest: West Palm Gives Go-Ahead to South Flagler Drive 24-Story Waterfront
Condo Tower
1309 S Flagler Drive
The West Palm Beach City Commission gave final approval Monday night to a 24-story waterfront condominium at 1309 S. Flagler Drive, overriding the zoning rule that a building that size must have a lot more than seven times bigger than that 1.4-acre site and leave much more space from adjacent properties.
Palm Beach Recreation Center
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