[{"_1":2,"_120":-5,"_121":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,96,108],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6148683,"mediaKeyId","5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2","parentId",5513925,"title","West Palm Beach uses $30 million bond and community design to renovate parks and engage residents","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3789000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2&start=3789&end=3789","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2/thumbnail_3789000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6148683/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-uses-30-million-bond-and-community-design-to-renovate-parks-and-engage-residents","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6148683-f3c2693bcb3e5814c69cc5842820fd3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776489799&Signature=Li2lb~TQ4Ar1SAjJ9xclal5OBc5j2AKH4LXCBSHk0nXaSRZkhfM4zu3wlEjbCGmhN1L-x-O-8wF9kkPKquDlnbWvHeXV25b27BmF2gDC354jkkj3XlycFgBoMxyzTHIieWhmYI2npqgbjuHYW9qo4HSd346Dr5mm349mv-AIQjJSFGIiSERsSzK1FhMICNqMcWODZvHB7jOjQWj8D0Z1JuE609uNBojXS~9mYndWdRwEegOgvVmHCpTWALtxYUHG-cjfotv0WzDfF2tPKUGjWCWTd0zWJd-S5ZFUjL~x68uyJiBLO8V24oaxgBTnr1yAkneRKFmI5ypZ55xoeAgqLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of West Palm Beach","date","2025-07-31T10:24:22.467Z","article","West Palm Beach Parks & Recreation leaders said a recently passed $30 million bond referendum will fund a large-scale renovation of the city’s park system and prioritize hiring local firms and subcontractors for construction work. Parks and Recreation Director Leah Rockwell said the department’s master plan emphasizes repairing existing parks rather than expanding the park footprint.

“As a part of that, we are, when we hire architects, engineers, craftsmen…we are employing our community,” Leah Rockwell said, adding that the city will seek local, minority- and women-owned businesses for work tied to park improvements. Rockwell said parks and recreation programs aim to address inequities at neighborhood scale with after-school STEM and STEAM programs, youth engagement and community-driven design exercises (for example, resident input into playground design).

Rockwell described community-design events such as an upcoming community center design meeting at Howard Park, where architects and residents will weigh in on plans. She said the department prioritizes empowering staff at all levels to lead community meetings and programming so residents see diverse voices representing the city.

Panelists said parks-led youth programs also support civic literacy by educating children who then carry civic habits into households; Rockwell and other panelists tied parks investments to long-term democracy and social-justice outcomes through inclusive programming and local hiring. The panel did not provide a project schedule or specific contract-award totals for the bond-funded work during the session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","082421 Panel Conversation: Civic Engagement & Leadership, Community Infrastructure, & Social Justice","oneSentenceSummary","Parks and Recreation leaders described a $30 million bond referendum to renovate existing parks, local hiring preferences for park projects, youth-focused STEM/STEAM programming, and community-driven playground design.","taxTitle","West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",4250,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6148688,"West Palm Beach plans loan program, sheltered-market projects to help small and minority-owned businesses",489,4320000,4809000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2&start=4320&end=4809","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2/thumbnail_4320000.jpg","/articles/6148688/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-plans-loan-program-sheltered-market-projects-to-help-small-and-minority-owned-businesses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6148688-2c9ef00e478e0ab25f5be8e3903738c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1776489799&Signature=mPGjCvu2S9Sy~tDqbr~uEs9VVupnoTKMD~sSd90~KJQ0~uEHoePEbc~BUyyqk1cenuWRHZg-pMSIPMSsm38ULFyhufm0n8sBCbgAoNwBq54CrB98EE8DQjA47G~jQHBorKuBRUVODZxaTe8r~-2vqLOTmP08I~vbquOUlnyU1IJ6tN921y5gM6zXFaIqYOf7JB1zaKKqgrMGLuHqA-bDKNk4dgrUnl0T9rOoWMOkZgRmrXTKhab6OCDDlafYq7~J6ZwOUbrBh421L4s116UF5Hzu8iN1p1cB~U7PTv~e5LP2Lv0rYBPnJri~hkqyM8tkW~cEXBXzH9iUgwq-riUl0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials told FIU panelists that West Palm Beach is expanding tools to help small and minority-owned businesses compete for municipal work. Frank Hayden, director of the city’s Office of Equal Opportunity/Economic Opportunity, described a sheltered-market program that reserves some city projects for certified small businesses and said the city is developing partnerships with local banks to provide short-term financing so small firms can perform city contracts.

“We've developed a relationship with some local banks here so that if a business gets a contract with us, they can go to that bank and the bank…will provide them with some upfront money so that they can perform their job,” Frank Hayden said. Hayden also said the city will start a loan program when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 that will offer certified SBEs and MWBEs loans from $5,000 to $20,000 for hiring, equipment or working-capital needs tied to city projects.

Hayden said the city also offers training so small firms can gain the skills to win and perform municipal work. Panelists said these measures are intended to break down barriers that have historically limited minority-owned businesses’ access to public contracting; officials encouraged business owners to seek certification with the city to qualify for targeted opportunities.

Panelists did not provide loan-fund capitalization amounts, application details or exact program rules during the discussion; Hayden said the loan program will open when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.","Economic Opportunity staff described a sheltered-market contracting program, bank partnerships to provide bridge financing for contractors and a planned loan program for certified SBEs and MWBEs offering $5,000–$20,000 loans.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":42,"_43":89,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6148692,"Mandel Public Library expands outreach: mobile service, eliminated fines and fake-news literacy resources",3888000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2&start=3888&end=3888","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2/thumbnail_3888000.jpg","/articles/6148692/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Mandel-Public-Library-expands-outreach-mobile-service-eliminated-fines-and-fake-news-literacy-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6148692-11eb48193f0b45601c72b39092f1ddd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1776489799&Signature=PJj~pm9ZCmSAfTiwFRj7C15xccT4vw8CcKqkuYZR6h0fngPMPbQg8zaBpjez~VtCzCJ~gzhiyJe5RPLt0k6p~hM3jghUb2AcMhVbs~R2at1Gb6P-dIuMorJiZLx2Jhb2bbrbCztT0SicODJ6wjHLnPt1z2MPEk0KhB01Od8lyhmFQcuoMlrtP-S3FMxHvoJKHJHAGu8xp2O1krhOBdmn4CWcCnCeQNbW8zhyk0ZeDUUnlRnvAU9fWHILjvVYGieY1qf0bRJXRa9O-~giMcmt5SayhS88IWbRVaD45TcK0YZQUWTd9sFHrfLMIMXyhuZDCgIgFSJBN7Fp8AVUotXV8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach described expanded outreach and civic-literacy work during an FIU panel, saying staff pivoted services during the COVID-19 pandemic to reach residents who were reluctant to return to the building. Lisa Hathaway, director of the Mandel Public Library, said the library secured an IMLS grant to fund a Mandel Mobile van that brings library services into underserved neighborhoods.

“We actually have a Mandel Mobile, which is a hybrid minivan that's now going into our underserved communities,” Lisa Hathaway said. She said services delivered by the van include Chromebook and mobile-hotspot checkout, help with rental-assistance forms in partnership with Housing and Community Development, homework help, and other programs for families.

Hathaway said the library eliminated overdue fines to remove a barrier to access and adjusted circulation processes (automated renewals) to make services easier for older residents. She also described the library’s civic-literacy programming: voter-registration drives, a curated electronic book collection related to the Black Lives Matter movement while the building was closed, and short videos to help patrons distinguish real news from fake media and misinformation.

Panelists said the library is collaborating with Parks and Recreation, the housing department and ArtLife to bring programs into neighborhoods and to host art in library spaces. Hathaway encouraged students and volunteers to participate in library programming and noted the library’s website, wpbcitylibrary.org, as a resource for schedules and volunteer opportunities.","Library leaders described new outreach measures including a Mandel Mobile van, elimination of overdue fines, curbside and park outreach, fake-news guides and enhanced e-book collections for civic topics.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":99,"_43":100,"_45":101,"_46":102,"_48":103,"_50":104,"_52":105,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":106,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":107,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6148698,"West Palm Beach leaders detail housing ordinance, technical assistance grant and racial-equity review",1588,3278000,4866000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2&start=3278&end=4866","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2/thumbnail_3278000.jpg","/articles/6148698/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-leaders-detail-housing-ordinance-technical-assistance-grant-and-racial-equity-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6148698-953ac9897a3d4b161d79796dac10c32d/orig.mp4?Expires=1776489799&Signature=Lo-X~oY0cfW0JPVS7KYcAiBPPMDEdPlydnVk1hg6xGqJrybkTJKr48t9tPDOKsNKPEW3csORY2yvJh3Nz~XDyonWe22HnQgo93~AjptTw1euFWY5yK3WQ9XFAHg~J5KnGoUYM2c0iYbszXg5M43m-qXv4q7FFyqYgoAxcAoqO4DNxoewqO157rfyQ5EBWJ~R4dXhsGs1F-wYIQMfOKmSSjSqyfuYeITTzjuliOVQ3nA2yvUZQWoceA6faIZMfCeROB2bfC4uXFUzO2B5Me-p5pbImnnSYqmBuGxj55i~L55iVfVV0WqhPE-~uYJyH36r9jrfCpLQRAmKJb0IpPLQrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Palm Beach officials told FIU panelists that the city is pursuing multiple steps to expand affordable and workforce housing and to address racial and ethnic disparities in housing and other municipal programs. Jennifer Ferriero, director of Housing and Community Development, said the city recently passed a housing ordinance that offers incentives to developers who set aside units for affordable and workforce housing.

“We’re incentivizing development and developers to set aside some units for affordable and workforce housing,” Jennifer Ferriero, housing and community development director, said. She described programs to create homeownership opportunities for low-income residents, rental-assistance and home-repair programs, and incentives for mixed-income development downtown so residents with differing incomes can live in the same buildings.

Ferriero said the city won a technical assistance grant from the Florida Housing Coalition called Closing the Gap; she said West Palm Beach was one of two municipalities in the state selected for the two-year grant to help increase Black homeownership rates. Separately, city staff described a mayor-convened racial and ethnic task force reviewing internal policies and programs in criminal justice, education and workforce, finance and banking, health, and real estate and housing.

Frank Hayden, director of Economic Opportunity, described programs targeting small and minority-owned firms, and said the city will start a loan program in the new fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 offering certified SBEs and MWBEs loans in the $5,000–$20,000 range to help firms win and perform city contracts. Hayden also described a sheltered-market program that limits competition for some projects to certified small firms.

Panelists emphasized the city’s intention to preserve affordability for existing residents during neighborhood development and to use an equity lens to shape policy. Officials did not provide ordinance numbers or vote tallies for the housing ordinance during the panel and did not give precise targets or timelines for units produced under the incentives.","City officials said they recently passed a housing ordinance with affordability incentives, won a Florida Housing Coalition technical assistance grant to increase Black homeownership, and launched a racial and ethnic task force to review policies across multiple sectors.",{"_33":109,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":110,"_41":111,"_43":112,"_45":113,"_46":114,"_48":115,"_50":116,"_52":117,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":118,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":119,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6148703,"West Palm Beach launches Clean Streets task force, cites arrests and Keep America Beautiful affiliation",380,2391000,2771000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2&start=2391&end=2771","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5513925-d739828de8e5510130399df09dd50ce2/thumbnail_2391000.jpg","/articles/6148703/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-launches-Clean-Streets-task-force-cites-arrests-and-Keep-America-Beautiful-affiliation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6148703-59136aea376d0bcb966202211c1dfd68/orig.mp4?Expires=1776489799&Signature=ANOkwvBFLTLIV6CFUvZ~b4gHdw2kaA7Q8y7aiFA8zvrOAp3jh~JvQSFDzlyjsWSxsOca~5xuoTjagc5tvObHiG3LlxF1WbEtyv8rPvZ5zSXxCb6Y4chYmbgLtm2wSJIIoIVe1vupJiP3BF-YrjKpT5C5TXZMjfJuswKpjWd1etVkwGYlxBMPC1xoEh~1T8PJMJohi71ewirNEzbB3gfrevqrujtBc~E-AssrTSnAMrPgK4L8B3zcWp4lNI5DXsrMfQIoGvgl8GM36RAo2eiTTFaeVNMKSZ-eMDB2xqFSLpn0CBt-NNDa80gdEM~Qvit~-IN6GBzI2eiGVUDCW3V7Xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Palm Beach officials described a new, citywide Clean Streets task force on a panel hosted by Florida International University, saying the multi-department effort will target illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles and litter. Public Works Director Josh McDermott said the effort grew from the mayor’s Neighborhoods First initiative and includes residents, multiple city departments and three subcommittees focused on illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles and litter.

The task force will use data to prioritize cleanup. “We’re going to complete a litter index, and we’ll be able to prioritize and focus our efforts on certain areas of the city,” Josh McDermott, public works director, said. McDermott said the city recently gained commission approval to become a Keep America Beautiful affiliate and expects that affiliation to add resources.

Officials said the police department has supported enforcement. McDermott credited three sergeants — identified on the panel as Sergeant Gellin, Sergeant Heizer and Sergeant Pruse — and said, “We’ve made 5 arrests recently, related to illegal dumping.” He said the combination of enforcement and neighborhood engagement is helping build trust in neighborhoods that report problems.

Mayor Keith James framed the task force within his neighborhoods-first approach and said public-works work “impacts quality of life, and it is related to safety,” listing potholes, sidewalks and streetlights as linked to safety and livability. Panelists emphasized that the effort involves both internal coordination across nearly every city department and citizen volunteers who serve on the task force.

Officials did not provide a timetable for citywide benchmarks or a vote record for the commissioners’ approval to affiliate with Keep America Beautiful beyond saying commissioners had granted permission. City staff described the approach as combining enforcement, service delivery and targeted outreach to neighborhoods identified through a litter index and other data.","City officials described a multi-department Clean Streets task force addressing illegal dumping, litter and abandoned vehicles, and said commissioners approved joining Keep America Beautiful; Public Works reported five recent illegal-dumping arrests.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

West Palm Beach uses $30 million bond and community design to renovate parks and engage residents

West Palm Beach plans loan program, sheltered-market projects to help small and minority-owned businesses

Mandel Public Library expands outreach: mobile service, eliminated fines and fake-news literacy resources

West Palm Beach leaders detail housing ordinance, technical assistance grant and racial-equity review

West Palm Beach launches Clean Streets task force, cites arrests and Keep America Beautiful affiliation