Page 12 - Boca Exposure - September '21

Page 12, Boca Exposure
From The Desk Of Palm Beach County Vice Mayor

Robert S. Weinroth: Building Safety Update,

Vaccine Sites And Helping Veterans

Robert Weinroth, a former building and fire-rescue departments sent letters to property with COVID-19 or exposed to someone with COVID-19,
member of the Boca Raton City owners, encouraging safety inspections for buildings 25 years and are at high risk for severe illness and hospitalization.
Council, was elected as a Palm or older or waterproofing inspections for younger buildings To make an appointment, call (850) 344-9637.
Beach County Commissioner to identify and remediate deterioration. Nonprofit highlight: Vets Helping Heroes. Twenty-
to replace Steven Abrams, The working group will continue to meet and broaden two percent of veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress
who retired due to term limits to include structural engineers, insurance industry Disorder or major depression. Consequently, Vets Helping
requirements. representatives, condominium lawyers, and realtors to Heroes, a nonprofit located in Boca Raton, provides
T h e Pa l m B e a c h generate a comprehensive program in the near future. professionally trained assistance dogs to military heroes with
County Board of County Vaccine and testing sites. The Health Care District Palm psychological and physical injuries. These special dogs are
Commissioners received Beach County (HCD) recently opened three large vaccination trained to carry/retrieve items, open doors, and even sense a
an update from building sites at the following locations: seizure before it happens, enabling our veterans to return to
officials on the development • Mid-County Senior Center at 3680 Lake Worth Drive a self-reliant life. All of the services are provided at no cost
of a building recertification program. The following are some in Lake Worth; to the veteran.
of the proposed recommendations under consideration: • South County Civic Center at 6700 Jog Road in Delray The nonprofit was founded in 2007 by Irwin Strovoff,
• Initial notices will be sent to buildings (11,000 square Beach; a highly decorated World War II veteran and liberated
feet or more, 25 years or older, located east of I-95) stating • Palm Beach County Gardens Branch Library at 11303 Prisoner of War, and it has changed the lives of many retired
that the property is subject to inspection. Notices will be sent Campus Drive in Palm Beach Gardens. veterans. To learn more about Vets Helping Heroes, call
between October and December. The sites are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 (561) 927-8387.
• Property owners will have three months to return their p.m., and no appointments are required. All vaccines and Hurricane resources. Our hurricane season has become
structural and electrical checklist to the county, and another testing services are free. Moreover, local businesses and extremely active. Please take some time to prepare and access
six months to make repairs related to issues that “pose an organizations can schedule an onsite mobile vaccination the resources below:
immediate threat to life safety.” clinic through the HCD’s website (www.hcdpbc.org) • PBC DART (app) for vital information such as storm
• The inspection is not intended to review the original by clicking the purple “Mobile Clinic Vaccination & surge evacuation areas, flood zones, shelter locations, and
designs of buildings unless there is apparent overloading or Community Event Request” button. locations with emergency generators.
significant deterioration of important structural elements. Monoclonal antibody therapy. The State of Florida • AlertPBC is the county’s Emergency Alert &
• Local cities would have to adopt the program and may opened a new monoclonal antibody therapy treatment site at Notification System that notifies users of imminent threats
adapt it accordingly. Westgate Park and Recreation Center at 3691 Oswego Ave. via text messages, email, or telephone calls. To sign up, visit
Additionally, municipalities are recommending the in West Palm Beach, offering services seven days a week www.alertpbc.com.
program go beyond threshold buildings and include from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The treatment is available at no cost to Please contact our office if you require assistance, at (561)
structures that are two or three stories. Last month, the county individuals 12 years of age or older who have been diagnosed 355-2204 and/or email me at rweinroth@pbcgov.org.
Mayor’s Update:

Proactive Efforts After The Surfside Tragedy

Scott Singer is the 35th Mayor potential buyers about the strength of the buildings and the I stated I was committed to fast-tracking these efforts
of Boca Raton. A South Boca Raton market. for greater safeguards, and we have now delivered. As we
Florida native, attorney, This ordinance was improved through collaboration with ramp up this program over the coming months, we will
mediator and small business residents, associations like the Beach Condo Association continue to refine our procedures to enhance safety and
owner, Scott and his wife, of Boca Raton, engineers and other building professionals, facilitate easier compliance. We look forward to continued
Bella, live in Broken Sound all of whom had representatives to speak in support of this work to constant improvement of best practices. We will
with their two young children. effort. Other jurisdictions, including Palm Beach County, continue to be proactive for the health, safety, and welfare
At our Aug. 24 meeting, are now looking at work on similar ordinances. The first of our residents, businesses, and visitors.
the Boca Raton City Council function of government is public safety, and this measure is an As always, please share your thoughts or comments by
unanimously adopted important step to enhance the excellent work of our building email at ssinger@myboca.us, and stay connected for more
the state’s first building professionals, who are already proactive in anticipating and news @ScottSingerUSA on all social media platforms.
recertification ordinance preventing problems.
since the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South
condominium in nearby Surfside. Last month in this column,
I detailed our proactive efforts on this matter. Since the Everyone deserves a doctor who they
ordinance was introduced for discussion, we made further
revisions to respond to helpful comments from condo trust and like. One who listens and
associations, engineers, management companies, residents
and other professionals. Here is a recap of what is now a more takes their time to answer questions
stringent set of requirements than those currently in place
anywhere else, but yielded to ensure time for compliance and and address concerns. A doctor who is
enhanced safety.
First, our ordinance shortens the time for initial recertification available when you need them most.
to 30 years, instead of the 40 years used in Miami-Dade or
Broward counties, with subsequent recertifications every 10
years. The ordinance applies to buildings of greater than three
stories or 50 feet in height, or those whose occupancy is greater I provide proactive, preventive, wellness & sick care to
than 500 people. In Boca Raton, about 240 buildings qualify. adult patients at my concierge medical practice.
Staff will phase in the initial set of recertifications over a four-year
period, starting with the barrier island and moving westward.
Drawing on lessons from other places and resident To discuss your health needs, and my care model, you
feedback, this ordinance ensures plenty of time for compliance.
Building associations and owners will receive a notice at are invited to a complimentary meet and greet with
least one year before the deadline, and staff plans to provide me - by video, phone or, when the pandemic permits,
additional notices as reminders. Building representatives will
obtain reports from professional engineers on the integrity of in-person at my practice.
structural and electrical systems. If any repairs are necessary,
the building owner will submit a plan within 30 days to correct Please call 561.368.0191 to schedule your meet and
the repairs, and once the plan is reviewed they will have
necessary time to correct any problems. Additional time can greet with me. I look forward to meeting you.
be provided by the city’s building official to ensure that there
is no time crunch for larger projects that require more work. Steven E. Reznick, MD, FACP
Transparency is key. The ordinance provides that not only Recognized as a “Best Doc”. Practicing in our community since 1979.
final reports, but also draft reports will be provided to the
city and made publicly available. This enhances safety by
ensuring that interim issues can be identified and addressed. 7280 W. Palmetto Park Road | Suite 205N | Boca Raton | 33433
It also lets individual condo owners know the status of ww.BocaConciergeDoc.com
reports, inspections and restoration efforts. Our ordinance
should provide calm, stability and confidence to residents and