Commissioners push roughly $3 million to repave neighborhoods, seek clarity on county surtax

Boynton Beach commissioners on March 18 advanced a staff plan to repave neighborhood streets this fiscal year and asked staff to return with task orders and budget amendments to pay for the work.

The projects discussed included finishing remaining work in Gulf Harbor (about $780,000), a multi‑phase package for Chapel Hill (about $650,000 for the sections identified by staff), broader work in the Meadows neighborhood, and repairs on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Public Works Director Kevin Ramsey told the commission, "The total cost is just over $3,000,000," as staff summarized the priorities and constrained capacity to complete additional projects this year.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the work responds to long‑running pavement needs in neighborhoods that have been deferred for years and would put discrete areas onto a regular maintenance rotation. Commissioner Thomas Turkin, who brought the item forward, said residents "see solutions; Chapel Hill hasn't had their roads paid outside of the Chapel Hill Boulevard for decades and decades," and urged the commission to prioritize citywide returns on neighborhoods' tax contributions.

Staff presentation and funding

Public Works staff showed maps and a prioritized list of streets that can reasonably be completed before the end of the fiscal year. Kevin Ramsey said finishing contiguous areas allows the city to maintain those neighborhoods as a unit in future cycles. Another staff member noted the city has set aside roughly $22,300,000 in paving-related funds and that the projects on the table would be funded from the city's capital improvement (CIP) fund balance with individual task orders returned to the commission for approval.

County surtax and coordination with grants

Vice Mayor Amy Kelly asked about the county surtax effort and how Boynton Beach should coordinate project priorities. City staff said Palm Beach County is completing a master plan that will support a surtax referendum and that municipal input is expected as the county finalizes priorities. Staff estimated the county effort — if approved and matched with federal and state grants — could substantially increase available funds for roads; a staff member said the county's referendum was anticipated for November 2026 and that the county is preparing an intergovernmental master plan to establish the list of projects eligible for surtax proceeds.

Next steps and local direction

Staff asked the commission for consensus on the proposed package; commissioners generally supported moving forward. Staff will return to the commission with individual task orders and budget amendments for each project. Ramsey said some projects already under procurement or design (for example, Southeast Third Street) remain on separate tracks.

Community comments and context

During public comment, residents reiterated concerns about drainage, tree canopy and consistent maintenance; commissioners asked staff to ensure paving work coordinates with ongoing stormwater and utility projects.

Ending

Commissioners gave staff direction to proceed with the package as presented and to return with task orders and appropriate budget amendments. A fuller county surtax master plan is expected to inform future, larger rounds of paving funding and project prioritization.