Below is a summary of some of the approvals and decisions made by the City Commission at a meeting on Monday, November 2, 2020. To watch meetings live or to watch recorded meetings on-demand, please visit: https://www.wpb.org/government/communications/wpb-tv18/watch-wpb-tv18-live or https://www.wpb.org/government/communications/wpb-tv18/watch-the-latest-city-commission-meeting

• Approved amending the Trolley Operating Agreement between the City of West Palm Beach and Hoffmann Trolleys PB, LLC to extend the contract for one year. The City entered into a Trolley Operating Agreement with Hoffmann PB Trolley's, LLC for operation of the City's trolley system. The Agreement expired on September 30, 2020 and has no renewal options. Due to uncertainties of COVID-19 and uncertainties related to the future operation of the trolley system, the parties desire to extend the current trolley operations agreement for an additional year, to September 30, 2021 to allow the City to further evaluate the impacts of COVID-19 on the trolley system.
• Approved accepting funding in the amount of $99,447 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) CARES Act Grant for providing services to support the West Palm Beach community in its COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts; and amending the FTE budget for the addition of one associate librarian. The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach will bring essential services to students and adults in neighborhoods adversely affected by COVID-19 through the IMLS grant funded “Mandel Mobile” project. A newly purchased Wi-Fi-enabled "Mandel Mobile" minivan will bring connectivity to families experiencing challenges due to lack of broadband access. The grant will provide funds to hire an associate librarian (1 F.T.E.) and the purchase of a vehicle to enable travel to the local neighborhoods in West Palm Beach.
• Approved calling for a General City Election to be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, for the purpose of electing two City Commissioners and calling for a General City Runoff Election to be held on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, if necessary. The City Charter and the Code of the City of West Palm Beach provide that a General City Election be called by the City Commission on March 9, 2021 for the purpose of electing two City Commissioners: one residing in District 2 and one residing in District 4.
• Approved requesting that the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections conduct the City's March 9, 2021 General City Election and, if necessary, the March 23, 2021 General City Runoff Election and delegating the duties of the City of West Palm Beach Canvassing Board. The resolution requests that the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections conduct the upcoming elections and delegate the duties of the City's Canvassing Board to Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections; the City Clerk, Hazeline Carson; the City Administrator, Faye Johnson; and the City Attorney, Kimberly Rothenburg for the General City Election of March 9, 2021 and the March 23, 2021 General City Runoff Election, if necessary.
• Approved an Agreement for Vote Processing Equipment Use and Election Services with the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections for the March 2021 municipal election. The Agreement is similar to previous agreements between the City and the Supervisor of Elections. The Agreement requires the City to indemnify the Supervisor of Elections for any claims arising out of the City's negligence, to defend any legal challenge relating to the municipal election and TO be responsible for all legal costs.
• Approved the Employer Agreement accepting and appropriating grant funding of $5,000 from 8 80 Cities and the Knight Foundation to be used for an Emerging City Champions Fellowship project to improve access to transportation for homeless and low-income individuals. For the 2020-2021 fellowship year, Marcus D. Laws of the Housing & Community Development Department (HCD) was chosen as an Emerging City Champion and has been awarded a grant to fund his fellowship project. For his project, Marcus will be working to improve access to transportation systems for homeless and low-income individuals. The goal of this project is to increase mobility within the homeless/low income population to improve social service engagement and offer greater opportunities to engage in life sustaining activities such as: employment, physical/mental health, and wellness.
• Approved an affordable housing transaction with the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and approving an Interlocal Agreement with the CRA conveying CRA owned property located at 630 5th Street to the City and providing for the receipt and appropriation of the funds of $280,726 for development of a single-family home on the site. The CRA desires to convey property located at 630 5th Street to the City, at no cost, and to provide development funds in the amount of $280,726 for the construction of a single-family home on the site. The City intends to partner with a non-profit developer to perform all services necessary to complete the development and occupancy of the property. The home shall meet all requirements under zoning and land development regulations.

For a complete list of the approvals and decisions made at the November 2, 2020 City Commission Meeting, please click here to view the pass/fail agenda.