Page 7 - The Shores of Jupiter - October '20

The Shores, Page 7
Commissioner’s Update

It Has Been An Honor To Serve You Beaches are one of our most treasured resources and a diverse industries for our residents. It was exciting to work with
major tourism draw. Of our 46 miles of Atlantic coastline, state and local partners to land the new headquarters for United
By Commissioner Palm Beach County has 31 miles of critically eroded beaches Technologies Corporation’s Center for Intelligent Buildings,
Hal Valeche subject to constant wind, waves, tides and seasonal hurricanes now the home of Carrier Corporation, on a site along Donald
As I reflect on the past and tropical storms. We continue to combat this erosion through Ross Road within the high technology overlay across from
eight years as your District dune restoration, inlet sand transfer, sand renourishment, and Scripps Research Institute and Max Planck facilities. United
1 County Commissioner, I the installation of supporting structures. I am grateful to have Technologies’ presence in the county has spanned over 50 years
want to express my deepest had the opportunity to work with our environmental resource and since 2012 they have undertaken large expansions in engine
appreciation to all of you for managers to support funding from state and federal partners as testing and aviation manufacturing operations. Together, these
allowing me the honor of well as from tourism bed taxes for beach renourishment projects projects account for the addition of more than 750 new jobs.
serving you. This has been along Jupiter Beach, Carlin Park, Juno Beach and Singer Island We have continued to recruit biotech companies to our county,
one of the most rewarding to combat the long-term erosion resulting in significant loss of including plans for Beacon Pharmaceuticals to house operations
experiences of my life, and beach frontage. within Jupiter’s biotech overlay at the I-95/Turnpike interchanges
it has given me a greater One of my goals when I took office was to maintain and on Indiantown Road. Meanwhile, exciting developments
understanding of what people value in Palm Beach County. enhance our parks and recreation facilities. This included creating continue at the Palm Beach Park of Commerce on the Beeline
Whether it was serving as a pilot in the U.S. Navy, or elected greater opportunities for waterfront access for our boating Highway north of PGA Boulevard. After locating to the park two
office in county, city and special district arenas, I have found community. Among the projects completed were boat ramp, years ago, Niagara Bottling has expanded its manufacturing and
no greater calling than to serve the public. This privilege comes parking and facilities improvements to Burt Reynolds Park distribution facility with an additional $38 million investment.
with a great sense of responsibility and I hope that when you in Jupiter, Bert Winters Park near Juno Beach, and the newly In August of this year, Amazon announced plans to launch a
have sought my assistance with an issue, you came away from constructed Waterway Park next to Jonathan’s Landing at the new one million-square-foot state-of-the-art fulfillment center at
the experience knowing that I and my staff did our best to help base of the Indiantown Road Bridge. the Park of Commerce, which will create hundreds of full-time
you and that we heard you. Fullerton Island, on the Intracoastal Waterway just south jobs. The county worked with the Business Development Board
During my two terms in office, in addition to making of the Loxahatchee River and completed in 2015, created to expedite permitting and I am thrilled that we were able to attract
decisions on land use, zoning applications, contracts and mangrove and seagrass habitat, and preserved over five acres of this major company to enhance our growing logistics industry.
community needs, I have focused my efforts on projects and mangroves. Its amenities include boat docks and kayak access, Economic development requires efficient transportation
programs that I believe add value to our quality of life. These and a picnicking area. options, and it has been my honor to serve as chair of the South
areas of focus have included our environmental resources, parks Another jewel of North County is Riverbend/Loxahatchee Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which runs Tri-Rail,
and waterfront access facilities, transit, rail and roadway systems, Battlefield Park. Riverbend has received facility enhancements as well as past chair and current member of the Transportation
and economic development. and an exciting plan on the drawing board is an interpretive Planning Agency (TPA), f/k/a the Metropolitan Planning
With nearly 28,000 acres of preserved natural areas, Northern center for the site of the Loxahatchee River Battlefield. Organization. Throughout the pandemic, Tri-Rail has offered
Palm Beach County enjoys huge swaths of open green space The Gardens/North County District Park came to fruition a reduced schedule with an emphasis on rush hour trains, with
that sustain a critical habitat for endangered species of flora and through a partnership of the county with the City of Palm Beach a total cessation of fares in order to help our essential workers
fauna. Additionally, many natural areas function as wetlands to Gardens. The two governments developed a master plan and the commute to and from jobs. With 18 stations along 73.4 miles
filter and replenish water that flows to the Loxahatchee River, a city built the park on county land. The park offers much-needed of track connecting Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
portion of which holds the National Wild and Scenic designation. multiuse fields to the area, along with walking trails, playgrounds, counties, this is a vital public transportation option with an
As the Commission’s representative on the Loxahatchee River and a water play area. Phase two of the district park will include average weekday ridership of 15,000.
Management Coordinating Council, I have had the pleasure of an indoor sports complex. The TPA, tasked with forecasting needs and planning
working with local, state and federal officials and agencies, river We celebrated the completion of renovations at the DuBois transportation projects to major roads funded by state and federal
users and landowners, to support restoration efforts to benefit Pioneer Home Museum in DuBois Park, which is located on dollars, prioritizes improvements needed to enhance safety and
this watershed. These projects will increase flood control and top of one of the best-studied ancient Native American sites in create additional road capacity, as well as recommends and funds
water supply benefits on a wider scale, and additionally improve Florida, with artifacts located dating back at least 6,000 years. projects that offer transportation alternatives. As an avid cyclist,
conditions in interconnected water resources such as the Lake A major goal of mine as your District 1 Commissioner has I have supported improvements related to nonmotorized means
Worth Lagoon. been to support economic development and provide new jobs in of travel, focusing on pathways for walking and bicycling. An
upcoming project approved through the TPA will install flashers
at pedestrian crosswalks along A1A at the beach, which is a
$59 While the county strives to provide a high level of service to
heavily used recreation corridor in Juno Beach and Jupiter.
Introductory Massage the public, a key consideration is a balanced budget. I am gratified

to report that throughout my tenure on the commission, and for
the past ten years, we have held our millage rate steady at 4.7815
mils, despite the increasing costs to provide services. With a
professional background in investment banking and finance, I
have enjoyed serving as chair for the county’s Investment Policy
Committee, which works with our Clerk and Comptroller to help
guide the wise investment of county funds, which is also key to
maintaining our AAA bond rating by the country’s major rating
agencies.
Serving as your county commissioner has allowed me to
561-745-1002 work with our legislative delegation to support appropriations for
county interests as well as quell proposed legislation that could
thwart our home rule, or that could create unfunded mandates. I
654 West Indiantown have enjoyed keeping an open line of communication with our
Road, Jupiter, FL 33458 municipal partners in District 1, and helping to support citizen
www.drlaruffa.com initiatives such as recognition of our local Gold Star families
and their loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of working with you
for the betterment of our community. I wish you good health and
prosperity.

October 2020 / Jupiter Inlet Tide Chart

Day High Low High Low High Day High Low High Low High
Thu 1 3:38 AM 9:33 AM 3:58 PM 9:48 PM Sat 17 3:58 AM 10:08 AM 4:28 PM 10:21 PM
Fri 2 4:13 AM 10:09 AM 4:34 PM 10:22 PM Sun 18 4:47 AM 10:58 AM 5:18 PM 11:10 PM
Sat 3 4:47 AM 10:45 AM 5:08 PM 10:55 PM Mon 19 5:38 AM 11:50 AM 6:09 PM
Sun 4 5:21 AM 11:22 AM 5:42 PM 11:29 PM Tue 20 12:00 AM 6:30 AM 12:43 PM 7:04 PM
Mon 5 5:54 AM 11:59 AM 6:17 PM Wed 21 12:53 AM 7:27 AM 1:38 PM 8:03 PM
Tue 6 12:04 AM 6:28 AM 12:39 PM 6:53 PM Thu 22 1:51 AM 8:28 AM 2:38 PM 9:08 PM
Wed 7 12:42 AM 7:06 AM 1:22 PM 7:35 PM Fri 23 2:53 AM 9:35 AM 3:41 PM 10:16 PM
Thu 8 1:24 AM 7:52 AM 2:12 PM 8:26 PM Sat 24 4:00 AM 10:43 AM 4:45 PM 11:21 PM
Fri 9 2:14 AM 8:47 AM 3:09 PM 9:28 PM Sun 25 5:07 AM 11:46 AM 5:45 PM
Sat 10 3:14 AM 9:53 AM 4:11 PM 10:37 PM Mon 26 12:19 AM 6:09 AM 12:42 PM 6:37 PM
Sun 11 4:23 AM 11:02 AM 5:14 PM 11:41 PM Tue 27 1:09 AM 7:02 AM 1:30 PM 7:22 PM
Mon 12 5:31 AM 12:06 PM 6:13 PM Wed 28 1:52 AM 7:47 AM 2:14 PM 8:02 PM
Tue 13 12:39 AM 6:35 AM 1:04 PM 7:07 PM Thu 29 2:31 AM 8:28 AM 2:53 PM 8:38 PM
Wed 14 1:32 AM 7:32 AM 1:57 PM 7:57 PM Fri 30 3:07 AM 9:06 AM 3:30 PM 9:14 PM
Thu 15 2:21 AM 8:26 AM 2:48 PM 8:46 PM Sat 31 3:42 AM 9:42 AM 4:06 PM 9:49 PM
Fri 16 3:10 AM 9:17 AM 3:38 PM 9:33 PM
A Blog about Follow the
Red Wine and Vine today!
Champagne
for the rest of us!

www.VineVibeUncorked.com Take Life one Sip at a time!