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Westgate CRA authorizes budget amendment to install license-plate reader cameras with PBSO
Summary
At its April 13 meeting the Westgate/Belvedere Homes CRA authorized a budget amendment to partner with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to install 10 license-plate reader cameras, each described by staff as costing $25,000 to install and operate. The board approved the measure unanimously.
The Westgate/Belvedere Homes Community Redevelopment Agency on April 13 authorized a budget amendment to work with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to install 10 license-plate reader (LPR) cameras in the CRA district.
Executive Director Elizée Michel presented the proposal alongside Sergeant Matthew Wood and PBSO deputies Gomez and Robinson, saying the cameras would be monitored by the sheriff's office and would help deputies investigate criminal activity in the area. Michel told the board that staff recommended installing 10 cameras and noted a per-camera installation and operation cost of $25,000.
The board voted 5-0 to authorize the budget amendment after a motion by Joanne Rufty and a second by Teliska Wolliston.
Why it matters: Board members and residents have emphasized public-safety needs in Westgate, and staff said restored or enhanced surveillance is intended to support law enforcement responses in the district. The proposal was framed as a partnership with PBSO; operational control and monitoring were described as the sheriff's responsibility.
Details to note: The board authorized staff to pursue a budget amendment and an agreement with PBSO; the motion does not itself detail long-term operating or privacy policies tied to LPR data retention, public access, or oversight. Those implementation details were not specified in the meeting record and will require separate documentation if the program proceeds.
Next steps: Staff will work with PBSO to finalize terms and bring contract or budget documents back to the board as needed. The CRA record shows the motion passed unanimously.
