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Palm Beach County
For more information on this project, contact John O'Malley, Environmental Health Director, Selva Selvendran or Roy (Mike) McGinnis, PACE-EH Coordinators, at the Palm Beach County Health Department.
PALM BEACH COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Watergate Estates
October 2006 PACE EH Report
To: Daniel Parker, MSP
Assistant Division Director, Division of Environmental Health
From: Selva Selvendran, PACE EH Coordinator
Subject: October 2006 PACE EH Project Update
In the month of October, PACE EH in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sheriff?s office held an information session with the residents of Watergate Estates. Preliminary data collected from the survey was shared with residents. Residents had the opportunity to share comments about the results. An action plan, team and meeting times were also confirmed. Residents also had the opportunity to talk with the Palm Beach County Sheriff?s deputies about the recent police activities in the area.
2. Work Plan and Process Update |
| PACE-EH Tasks |
Action |
Outcome |
Target Date |
| Task 5: Generate a list of Environmental Health Issues |
The vision of the assessment was to reach all three phases of the community to ensure full representation. Surveys were distributed through the community newsletter mail, door to door interviews, and at the PBSO community substation open house event. |
Completed |
Sept. 2006 |
|
A list of issues was generated from the surveys and is being evaluated according to the PACE EH criteria. |
Completed |
Sept. 2006 |
| The preliminary list with statistical data was presented to the community to help foster the community?s understanding of the project and to continue to engage them. |
Completed |
Sept. 2006 |
| Task 6: Analyzing the Issues with a System Framework |
The community is to select no more than three issues of concern. Those issues will then be analyzed within a systematic frame work. |
In progress |
Nov. 2006 |
| Task 10: Rank the Issues |
Preconceived perception is being analyzed with the data collected from the surveys and a list of environmental health issues is being developed and ranked according to locally defined criteria. |
In progress |
Jan. 2007 |
3. Outstanding Issues/Concerns |
September marked the end of our four month long survey and although many hurdles had to be jumped, the hard work and efforts of many really paid off. Health Department staff from both West Palm Beach and Delray Beach office participated at two community events. The first event attended was a clean up and beautification event the community held on September 30, 2006. Residents walked up the main road ?Sandalfoot Blvd? and picked up trash. Afterward flowers, plants and additional landscaping were planted at the entrance of the community surrounding the sign that residents worked so hard to get.
Out of 850 homes in the community we received a total of 124 completed surveys. The data received from the survey is being organized but the preliminary data has been shared with the community. Following the door to door survey interest in PACE EH has increased. There was a PACE EH meeting held in October and residents had the opportunity to get some of their questions answered. A resident asked what progress has PACE EH initiated in the community in the last year. It was explain that PACE EH was a tool to help their community identify and work together to resolve their issues and not a cure all. During their discussion it was reiterated that PACE EH is a program set up to assist the community in their efforts to improve their neighborhood. This meeting ended with decisions for regular monthly action team meetings. The first action team meeting will take place the second week in November where we plan to prioritize issues from the survey and create an action plan.
In partnership with WE CARE, PACE EH has been diligently working with residents and real estate agents to locate property with in the community to build a neighborhood park. This community was awarded grant funds to build a park but the difficultly has been obtaining property in which to place the park. Unlike other homes in the market, mobile homes sales are increasing with a quick turn over rate due to their affordability. This has made it extremely hard to find three lots adjacent to each other.
Past Palm Beach County Updates |
August/September, 2006
July, 2006
May, 2006
March, 2006
December, 2005
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