Page 4 - Boca Exposure - August '20

Page 4, Boca Exposure
From The Desk Of Palm Beach County Commissioner

Robert S. Weinroth: Your County Coronavirus Update

Robert Weinroth, a former For example, restaurants and retail locations are only legislative seats (federal, state and local) are apportioned.
member of the Boca Raton City permitted to operate at 50 percent occupancy. The county The self-response rate for Palm Beach County is
Council, was elected as a Palm has also restricted the hours of operations requiring currently less than 60 percent. In other words, with an
Beach County Commissioner restaurants to close from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. This also estimated 1.5 million residents living in our county,
to replace Steven Abrams, applies to banquet halls, kava lounges and amusement 600,000 residents have yet to be counted. In the coming
who retired due to term limits parks. months, enumerators will be dispatched to find many of
requirements. As a reminder, the following businesses are not those who haven’t responded.
Grappling with the currently allowed to open under Phase One: bars; The future distribution of federal and state dollars
long-term impacts of the nightclubs, adult entertainment establishments, strip will be directly tied to the census figures. An undercount
pandemic will require clubs; hookah, cigar, and other smoking bars and lounges; will skew data used to determine how our state allocates
a collaborative effort tanning salons; bowling alleys; arcades; playhouses; representation in the legislature and local governmental
between government, concert houses; movie theaters; auditoriums; indoor bodies and will, likewise, impact how billions of dollars
business and each of us. entertainment venues, tattoo parlors, body piercing a year are allocated for schools, hospitals, and pandemic
With the recent increase in the percentage of positive parlors, acupuncture venues and massage parlors. relief and infrastructure projects.
tests in Palm Beach County, it is important for everyone The COVID Education and Compliance Team (CECT), If you are one of the 600,000 residents yet to respond
to remain vigilant! which conducts unannounced visits to businesses that may to the U.S. Census, now is the time to be counted.
Facial coverings are mandatory in indoor public not be following mask and social distancing rules, has • Respond online at: www.2020USCensus.gov.
places, and also outdoors when you are unable to social been very effective. To date, over 3,300 citizen complaints • To respond by phone, call (800) 330-2020.
distance. Please comply with this directive to protect have been received. • To respond by mail, locate the census questionnaire
against inadvertent transmission of the virus. To report a noncompliance issue concerning sent to your home. (In mid-April, the Census Bureau
The county is also in the process of mailing to all COVID-19 business operations or other complaints, began mailing paper questionnaires to homes that had
residents a package with four (two pleated and two cloth) please call (561) 242-6843 or email: covidcompliance@ not responded online or by phone).
masks plus safety information. pbcgov.org. Please, help shape our future – each of us counts!
Contact tracing is a vital tool being used to slow the If you have questions about the Palm Beach County For more details on the COVID-19 and other county
spread of the virus. Please answer any calls identified School District reopening plan, or would like to share a programs, please visit: discover.pbcgov.org.
as FL Dept of Health and/or FL Health Dept. These are comment, please contact School District board members If you need any assistance, please contact our office
legitimate contact tracers calling to alert you of a potential via email directly at: boardoffice@palmbeachschools. at (561) 276-1220 and/or email me at rweinroth@pbcgov.
virus exposure. org. The Board of County Commissioners does not have org. Stay safe and healthy.
A “Combat COVID” app will be launched soon and jurisdiction over school operations.
will notify users if they come in close proximity to Census Reminder. The census is more than just a
another app user who has tested positive. Once the app head count. It provides a snapshot in time (April 1) of
is available, the county will initiate a public information our country’s population and is a determinant of how
campaign to announce its availability.
plasma. People who have recovered from COVID-19 have Council Corner: Facing COVID-19
Additionally, there is a critical need for convalescent

antibodies to attack the virus in their plasma that can help
patients still fighting the coronavirus. To donate, check By Boca Raton City Council The city’s Small Business Recovery Relief Grant
with your local hospital such as Baptist Health, (786) member Monica Mayotte, Program is underway. This $500,000 grant program
467-5400 and/or OneBlood, (407) 858-4939. a 21-year resident of Boca was set up by the city council to assist small businesses,
The county remains under Phase One openings. Raton who has been active located within the city limits, that are struggling due to
in the community, both in COVID-19. The program is providing eligible businesses,
our local schools and as a which have not received PPP or county funding, with up to
city advisory board member. $5,000 to cover payroll, rent, utilities and PPE expenses.
As I sit here writing this As of the writing of this article, the city has received 149
newsletter article, it is mid- applications for funding. Of those, almost 10 percent have
July. We are in the midst of a been approved to be funded. Additional information about
dangerous spike in COVID-19 the grant program can be found at the city’s website, www.
cases. I hope you and your myboca.us, and search for Small Business Grant.
families are taking the proper precautions, like wearing a mask The city council continues to meet, virtually, to ensure
in public, social distancing and thorough hand washing, to keep city business moves forward. The city’s webpage contains all
yourselves and your loved ones safe and healthy. the necessary information to join a meeting and our meeting
COVID-19 is really the most pressing issue at hand. schedule. The public is able to speak during the public
Because of the pandemic, the city has cancelled most of its comment portion of the meeting, just as if we were in city hall.
typical summer fun events, including Mizner Park free concerts If you do not want to speak during the meeting, you can email
and summer camps for kids. But the city has developed some your concerns to the email address provided in the link and
innovative online programs in which you can safely participate. all council members will receive it. I look forward to hearing
Check out the ever-changing array of virtual activities that are from you. To read the procedures, go to the city’s website,
available by visiting the Recreation Services department’s www.myboca.us and search for Virtual Public Meetings.
official Facebook page. Search for Boca Recreation on I hope that by the time this column is published we are in
Facebook. Virtual activities are taking place with Gumbo a better situation with the virus. Please continue to be kind to
Limbo and our libraries, and other webinars. Most of our parks your neighbors and those you encounter in public. Kindness
are open, so take advantage of the outdoor space to get some will help us get through this with less stress and anxiety.
fresh air. Don’t forget to bring your sunscreen and reusable #MaskUpBoca
water bottle. It’s quite hot out there ... we must stay hydrated. Take care...Be well.
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