Palm Beach Gardens has a Satellite in Space!

Well – not the city – but the Weiss School. Students currently involved in the program gave an update on the current WeissSsat-1 CubeSat and future projects. See the school’s website for details on their projects. 

Don Kiselewski, Sr. Director of External Affairs, Florida Power & Light Company (Palm Beach) – outlined FPL’s 3-year pilot project to harden neighborhoods – one of which is in Palm Beach Gardens.

Palm Beach Gardens Community Services Administrator David Reyes gave an update on the Capital Improvements funded by the ‘Penny’ Sales Tax. See the Palm Beach Post’s summary here.

The Consent Agenda and the Resolution 67, 2019 regarding approving Avenir Pod 1 and Pod 3 site plan amendments, passed 5:0.

The Council resumed discussion, started last month by Mayor Marciano and Vice-Mayor Litt, about adopting a resolution in support of a resolution by the Town of Palm Beach to Tallahassee in support of Florida Senate Bill 182 asking the legislature to pass something to re-allow municipalities to pass single-use plastics resolutions. Marciano and Litt couched support for such a resolution as a home-rule issue. However, while council members Lane, Marino and Woods supported the home-rule aspect of what Palm Beach was trying to accomplish, they were more skeptical of its value, corroborated by City Attorney Lohman who said there was virtually no support for SB 182. It was clear that an ordinance prohibiting single use plastics in Palm Beach Gardens would be a distinctly different effort requiring input from both business and the public and what fits the needs of our City. City Manager Ferris was tasked with coming up with a draft of the support of Palm Beach resolution.

City Attorney Lohman said that the City had recently severed ties with the restaurant operator of the Golf Club and that there were ongoing discussions to resolve contractual issues. He sought the Council’s authorization for him to file a lawsuit if necessary, with the City Manager’s support – should the negotiations with the operator prove unsolvable without litigation. The Council voted to authorize 5:0.

Next City Council Meeting on Thursday, December 5th

The next City Council Meeting will be on Thursday December 5th at 7pm in City Hall.

The relatively light agenda includes only one public hearing:

• Resolution 1 regarding Avenir Pod 1 and 3 Site Plan Amendment – request for a site plan amendment to approve architectural floor plans and elevations, typical lot landscaping, and an upgraded entry feature for residential Pods 1 and 3 in Site Plan #1 . Avenir Site Plan #1 was approved on January 10, 2019, via Resolution 3, 2019. Pods 1 and 3 contain 98 and 119 single-family lots, respectively. During the original site plan approval, specific residential homebuilders were not identified. Condition of Approval #2 was included in Resolution 3, 2019, requiring approval by the City for a major site plan amendment for the proposed residential model home architecture prior to the issuance of building permits for review. Staff is recommending approval.

There will be two Presentations:

• Weiss School – update on the satellite launch
• FPL Hardening Project

City Manager Report lists:

• CIP Updates – presented by David Reyes, Community Services Administrator/Director of Emergency Management

The Consent Agenda includes:

• Purchase Award: Purchase of Toro 3575D Mowers, for Parks and Public Facilities, Piggyback/Access Contract for $103K
• Purchase Award: Construction of Miracle League Playing Fields,for Parks and Public Facilities, Piggyback/Access Contract for $433K. Details – The City is currently constructing certain capital improvement projects at Gardens Park. One of those projects is the construction of two synthetic surface baseball fields that will be used as agility fields and to which the Miracle League will have access for games and other activities. The fields will also be used by professional and amateur athletes for development and training. The Miracle League serves children and adults who suffer from any physical or mental disabilities that cause them to be excluded, whether intentionally or not, from conventional baseball leagues. The first Miracle League field opened in Conyers, Georgia, in April 2000. In addition to providing its own funds for this project, the City has received a monetary donation of $350,000 from Nuvo Development that will assist with the cost for the construction of the project. The remaining cost of $83,448 will be funded by the City
• Resolution 80, 2019 – Dedication of easement to Seacoast Utility Authority for the installation of utility infrastructure just north of the Northlake Boulevard Right-of-Way at the Sandhill Crane Golf Course.
• Resolution 81, 2019 – Authorizing the City Manager to approve Independent Contractor Agreements (ICAs) subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in the Resolution. No amounts were specified in the background or body of the resolution which specifies: The City routinely enters into agreements with independent contractors or the provision of certain services. In order to expedite the provision of or receipt of goods and/or services through Independent Contractor Agreements (ICAs), a need exists to delegate to the City Manager the authority to negotiate, approve, and execute certain ICAs that do not exceed five (5) years, not including any extensions, and when any such agreement contains a revenue-sharing provision for the benefit of the City.
• Resolution 82, 2019 – Adoption of the Palm Beach County Local Mitigation Strategy.  The proposed Resolution adopts the updated Palm Beach County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) Plan. Adoption of this Resolution provides the City with the ability to request and receive pre- and post-disaster federal mitigation funding.
• Resolution 83, 2019 – Delegates to the City Manager the authority to negotiate,renegotiate, approve, and execute the Public Private Partnership (P3) Agreement with the Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation, Inc. as the City Manager deems necessary in order to obtain approval of same from the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners.

Check for updates to the agenda here.