Page 18 - Southern Exposure - February '22

Page 18, Southern Exposure

commissionEr’s updatE

Strategic Planning To Provide Essential Services

By Commissioner Maria Marino

Planning programs and revitalization of neighborhoods through community workforce safety, practice Florida-friendly landscaping, and
projects for the highest and improvements. This includes access to parks, road resurfacing, create more community gardens.
best use of your tax dollars streetlights and sidewalks. Student apprentice programs help meet local needs and
requires cross-collaboration As the nation’s leader in sugarcane and fresh sweet corn provide our young workforce with valuable experience.
of county departments. This production, and Florida’s leader in growing sweet peppers, Opportunities are available in the departments of Water
approach prevents operating lettuce, specialty leaf, rice, radishes, cucumbers, celery, Utilities, Youth Services, Parks & Recreation, the Building
in silos, which can undermine eggplant, herbs and sod, Palm Beach County supports a Division, and Fire Rescue.
the vision of an organization viable and diverse agricultural industry. Through educational I hope this gives you some insight on how county departments
and create inefficiencies. workshops and training events, the county has assisted work together to give you the “best bang for your buck.” Please
Working with County thousands of farmers, nursery growers, landscapers and contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.
Administration and the residents to preserve and enhance agriculture, encourage org, and let me know how I can help you.
Strategic Planning and
Performance Management Division of the Office of Financial
Management and Budget, the County Commission has
adopted six strategic priorities for the county. These priorities
include economic development, housing and homelessness,
environmental protection, infrastructure, public safety, and
substance abuse and behavior disorders. Cross-departmental
teams over the past two years have tackled each of the six
priorities through establishment of goals and performance
measurement tracking the completion of projects. Here is a recap
of progress by two of the priority teams.
Environmental Protection Palm Beach Gardens
Efforts to sustain our healthy beaches included replacement of
2.1 million cubic yards of sand; regulatory sea turtle nest lighting
inspections; the monitoring of fecal coliform bacteria levels at
county beach parks; and, improved educational signage.
To maintain our diverse ecosystems, the county, utilizing
a large complement of volunteers, stays on top of eliminating Exceptional
invasive/exotic vegetation coverage in our natural areas,
and continuously advocates for state and federal support for
infrastructure that will reduce harmful discharges to the Lake
Worth Lagoon, our delicate estuaries, and water resources. The Memory Care
Water Utilities Department regularly inspects private and public
facilities for compliance with wellfield protection and petroleum
tank regulations.
Natural resources, beaches, parks facilities and recreational
areas contribute greatly to our health and quality of life,
and create positive outdoor experiences for residents and
visitors. The county completed 18 improvement projects in
targeted revitalization areas, including community gardens,
neighborhood parks, and traffic calming and pedestrian safety
features. The county’s park acres-to-resident ratio is 1 acre of
park property to 184 residents.
To promote sustainable and resilient practices, the county
is incorporating policies in our capital improvement projects,
has established a master plan to increase tree canopy in parks,
has invested in solar power initiatives, and is replacing old
ballfield lighting with LED lights.
Efforts will continue to support these goals, develop overall
waste reduction strategies, and expand partnerships with local
stakeholders.
Economic Development
The environmental amenities and parks in our county are
some of the quality-of-life features that draw businesses to
our community. The top four industries by employment are
professional and business services, trade/transportation/utilities,
education and health services, and, leisure and hospitality. Palm
Beach County has earned the title of “Wall Street South,” having
drawn more than 30 corporate relocations or expansions during
this two-year period. More than 70 percent of those companies
are from other states, predominantly New York and California.
This has resulted in the creation of more than 2,500 jobs and
$150 million of capital investments.
To promote economic revitalization and support the creation
of diverse job opportunities, the county’s cross-departmental team
takes advantage of grant opportunities and programs at the state
and federal levels, with an emphasis on business development
in distressed census tract areas, including Opportunity Zones.
We are consistently evaluating systems to make it easier to do
business in Palm Beach County, with expedited permit review
in our Building Division and construction of infrastructure Schedule your personalized
improvements. Further, the county coordinates efforts by
stakeholders in the Biotech Industry Cluster to develop wet lab experience today!
space, incubators, and a teaching hospital.
The county’s Department of Housing and Economic
Development works with businesses to help them leverage 3000 Central Gardens Circle
financing for construction and working capital through federal
low-interest loan programs. They also contract with technical Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
assistance providers who offer one-on-one help to entrepreneurs. (561) 564-0433 ALF# 13037
The Office of Small Business Assistance performs outreach to
help small businesses become certified, and expand their capacity
to participate in government procurement opportunities. HarborChase.com
Supporting economic development also requires