Highland Beach, the tiny, doggedly self-determined beachfront town between Boca Raton and Delray Beach is now inquiring into potential malfeasance regarding its fire department payments. Since 1994, Highland Beach has "rented" fire rescue and EMS services from its northerly neighbor, Delray Beach. This is in part due to the small nature of the city, and A1A serving as its one central public road. The feasibility of the fire and EMS services has never been called into question, as Delray emergency services have never had difficulty reaching their calls.
In spring 2021, Highland Beach commissioners voted to create their own fire and EMS departments, citing high costs as the impetus for this investment. Highland Beach has claimed the increase in personnel and the added expenses were not agreed upon in the mutual contract. At the center of the dispute, lies one of the most egregious claims: that the city of Delray Beach failed to provide financial records supporting their expectations.
An Icy Showdown With Fire In Focus
...
Red Tides, an informalized name for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) occur when algae, a plant-like underwater organism grows out of control. Though not all algal blooms are harmful, when a red tide occurs, it endangers the entire ecosystem. A dinoflagellate organism, known scientifically as Karenia brevis, is the culprit behind many of the harmful algal blooms that plague the coasts of Florida. The Gulf Coast, namely the Naples, Ft. Myers, and Tampa Bay areas are especially prone due to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico meeting the tributary of the Mississippi River and serving as an outlet for Lake Okeechobee. Though not all causes are man-made, it's clear that this combination of high-density human industrial activity and the fertile warm waters of the Floridian coasts provide the perfect space for red tides to bloom. Though not even the largest mansion on Highland Beach can offset the damage our sugar and hospitality industries are responsible for, as individuals it's our responsibility to be better and do better. These 5 tips to help prevent red tides are easy, low, and sometimes no effort to take. If we as Highland Beach Real Estate owners work together and pursue a better tomorrow for the very oceans that brought us here, the impact will likely ripple throughout our communities.
...
