Wondering why the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office is hosting another Operation Medicine Cabinet on May 30?  (See the article about it elsewhere on this website’s In The News page.)

Lesley Shriberg, PBSO’s Coordinator of Community Services, told a packed room at the May meeting of the West Boca Community Council that nine people a day overdose on prescription drugs in Florida.  That’s more than five times as many deaths as are attributable to traffic collisions!

One of the most lethal prescription drugs is oxycontin.  Shriberg told a hushed crowd that the top 50 doctors who prescribe the most oxycontin are all based in Florida – and 32 of them practice in Broward County!

You’ve probably heard about the epidemic of gas station robberies that target women while they are putting gas in their car, especially along 441 in West Boca.  Captain Matt Eisenberg told the group that such thieves have now expanded their venue of choice to nursery school parking areas, praying on parents who are preoccupied with the safety of their young children when they get out of their car to pick them up.

Council 1st VP and newly elected School Board Member Frank Barbieri told the audience that, thanks to funds made available from the federal government’s stimulus package, there will be no cuts in the school system’s personnel budget this year.

Barbieri also reported on the School Board’s vote to cancel plans to build a $45 million elementary school behind the old county library just north of Glades Road off 95th Street.  The new school will instead be built for $23 million less on the large tract of land where Whispering Pines Elementary is situated.  Kudos to Frank Barbieri for leading the way on this issue!

The main event at the May meeting was the report of our state representatives on the just-concluded 2009 Session of the State Legislature – Senator Ted Deutch, Representative Kelly Skidmore, whose West Boca constituents live east of 441, and Representative Kevin Rader, whose constituents in West Boca live west of 441.

All three bemoaned the fact that less bills were passed in the 2009 Session than any session in the last 25 years.  They also noted their limited ability to impact the legislative process because their political party is such a minority compared to the other side. 

Only one community association bill was passed of the many that were considered.  That one bill made some changes to existing laws that should be welcomed by condo associations but was of no real consequence for homeowner associations.

 For further details on the activities of your elected officials, you can find their reports by clicking on the Incumbent Corner tab on the menu of this website.

No public meetings of the West Boca Community Council will be held over the summer.  The next meeting will be on September 8.  That doesn’t mean the Council won’t be busy over the next few months trying to make West Boca even better!

Have a great summer.
 

Alan Kellock