Below is a summary of some of the approvals and decisions made by the City Commission at a meeting on Monday, July 13, 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 an agreement between the City of West Palm Beach and the National League of Cities to receive a Census Rapid Response Grant and providing appropriations for Census engagement and outreach in the amount of $7,000. The purpose of this grant is to directly support 2020 census engagement and outreach activities in historically undercounted and hard-to-count communities.
• Approved authorizing the assessment of city liens in the total amount of $27,491.65 for unpaid water service, sewer service, and stormwater service charges for the month of April 2020. The City imposes liens on private real property for delinquent payments due for utility services. If not paid, these liens may be foreclosed by the City.
• Approved the authorization and acceptance of a grant agreement between the City and Florida Humanities Council, Inc. in the amount of $1,500 to present the "Life, Liberty + Libraries" programming at the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach during Fiscal Year 2019/2020. The Library applied for and was awarded a $1,500 grant to provide democracy-themed programs that will kick-off on National Voters Registration Day (Tuesday, September 22, 2020) and will run through Election Day (Tuesday, November 3, 2020).
• Approved appropriating funds for the replacement of security gates and access system on City property. This is a stand-alone project estimated to cost no more than $250,000. One of the major aspects of this project is replacing the front entry gate that allows trucks/visitors to enter the Complex and employee parking security fence. The upgrade of the security gate is a multi-prong approach that includes bringing the gate up to code, integration to badge access, integration to camera’s and physical replacement of damaged gate.
• Approved accepting a donation of $13,000.00 for the sponsorship of a training opportunity and a 3-D printer from the West Palm Beach Police Foundation. Due to training opportunities being frozen until fiscal year end due to extreme revenue losses by the City in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Foundation offered to sponsor Lieutenant William DeVito by donating $13,000. This will allow for Lt. DeVito’s attendance to a previously authorized session of the Administrative Officers Course at the Southern Police Institute, University of Louisville. The donation of the 3-D printer is being used by the West Palm Beach Police Department's Bomb Team for the sole purpose of assisting Officers in accomplishing critical tasks.
• Approved designating two banyan trees at 211 Puritan Road as historic trees. The City Code of Ordinances, Section 94-448, provides that a tree may be designated a historic tree if the tree is of notable historic interest to the City due to its age, type, size or historic association with the community. Two (originally one) massive banyan trees located at 211 Puritan Road have significance to the Belair neighborhood since they have been part of the landscape for over 70 years. The historic designation will protect the trees from alterations in the future.

For a complete list of the approvals and decisions made at the July 13, 2020 City Commission Meeting, please click here to view the pass/fail agenda.