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Delray to sue Palm Beach County over inspector general

By David Sedore, Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — Delray will be taking Palm Beach County to court over funding of the new inspector general’s office.

City Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to sue the county after receiving a bill for $39,059 as its share of the cost of the new office, set up in response to a wave of corruption that saw four county commissioners convicted of criminal charges over the past decade. Delray Beach and other municipalities agreed to be part of a countywide system with the county inspector general having oversight powers.

But a memo from  the city attorney’s office to commissioners called the method of funding it by billing the cities “unlawful,” and “goes against past precedent for countywide programs.”

Shutt said 10 or 11 municipalities in the county are expected to join the suit.

“This certainly was not represented fairly to us or to the public when it was put on the ballot,” Mayor Woodie McDuffie said.

“Not only was it not clear, we were sold on the idea that this was not going to cost us anything,” Commissioner Jay Alperin said.

Pompey Park finally will get a new a new concession stand and meeting space. Commissioners awarded a $457,000 contract for the work to the Randolph and Dewdney Construction Co. Commissioners have debated whether to move forward on the project since July because of the cost, even though the money had been included in the 2010-11 budget.

Commissioner Tom Carney suggested delaying it further because of concerns over the prospect of change orders and additional costs.

Alperin said the city needs to move forward on the project. “Any further delay is an embarrassment. It’s not going to get any cheaper by delaying it.”

The Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has agreed to pick up a maximum of $200,000 of the project.

Commissioners took a step toward annexing the Lake View Care Center on Linton Boulevard adjacent to the Delray Medical Center, passing first reading of an ordinance making the property part of the city. The annexation stems from a water agreement that dates back to 1999. The city already has annexed Delray Medical and Fair Oaks Pavilion as part of that deal.

Commissioners will consider final reading of the ordinance at its Nov. 1 meeting. A public hearing will be held at that time.

Commissioners approved a special event permit for the Twilight Bicycle Race and Wellness Festival March 9 and 10. The race would be the kickoff for a national series that attracts professional cyclists from throughout the country.

“Hotels, restaurants are going to be packed for the entire weekend,” said Chelsea Midlarsky of RAC Event Productions. “It’s going to be a very, very fun event.”

The permit allows organizers to use city streets for the racecourse and Old School Square for the wellness festival. Events would include an amateur bike race, a recreational bike ride, live music, health and wellness vendors and a cycling criterium, or short-course race.

“We’re excited to have you,” McDuffie said. “Look forward to it.”

Commissioners approved a waiver allowing the Electric Experience on east Atlantic Avenue to sell Segways and operate Segway tours of the city. The Electric Experience will be limited to a maximum of nine per day; Segways will have to be walked across Atlantic Avenue. The tours will be routed mainly south of Atlantic east of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Later in the evening, commissioners gave final approval to an ordinance allowing the Electric Experience to rent bicycles with electric helper motors.

“They’re silent,” attorney and former Delray Mayor David Schmidt said. “With the motor on, you would even know it.”

Commissioners approved six waivers allowing Joya International to build a mixed-use building at SE 1st Street and SE 1st Avenue. The building will include nearly 2,400 square feet of commercial and office space on the ground floor, plus additional office space on the second floor and a three-bed room, 3,229-square-foot apartment on the third.

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