Preview Tour
Of the Hagen Ranch Road Public Library
Photos and Information Provided by Mort Mazor, First Vice President Communications
A covered walkway leads to the entrance of the library which has two sets of doors that open and close automatically. The lobby is spacious, with a high ceiling.
Board members of the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations had a tour of the new facility Wednesday morning, April 9, hosted by Commissioner Burt Aaronson and Library Director John J. Callahan III. Also present to answer questions were Project Director Bill Bebeck and Senior Associate Architect Konrad C. Kwok.
Construction began at this facility December 4, 2006. It will more than double the size of the current West Atlantic Ave. branch from 16,500 square feet to 34,000 square feet, and is scheduled to open between late June and mid July this summer. It will contain 213 parking spaces; more than double that of the W. Atlantic branch. 14 spaces are for handicapped parking.
View from Rear of Building interior to front
To the right of main entrance are meeting room spaces--a large room accommodating 225 people, a smaller conference room accommodating 50 people and a room for children’s programming with space for 50. This new facility will have space for the current selection of approximately 82,000 books, CDs, and DVDs plus room to grow to 150,000 items.
Customer service: Two express check-out stations for fast, efficient service. Improved accessibility will allow for drive-up materials return, in addition to interior and exterior walk-up returns. Wider aisles and lower shelves will allow for easier retrieval of items.
There will be increased access to computers: 40 Internet and word processing computers in the adult area, eight computers in the children’s area, and three in the teen area. This is in addition to library catalog computers which will be available throughout the building. Laptop computers for training will be provided in the meeting room. Free wireless access will be available throughout the building.
Quiet Space
Five quiet-space small study rooms can be used for individual study or tutoring one on one.
Reading Room Area
The new library provides an extremely attractive environment: A beautiful natural setting with scenic water views from the reading area, lofty and spacious ceilings, abundance of artificial and natural lighting from floor to ceiling windows and comfortable seating areas throughout the branch.
A Note About Customer service: Two express check-out stations for fast, efficient service. Improved accessibility will allow for drive-up materials return, in addition to interior and exterior walk-up returns. Wider aisles and lower shelves will allow for easier retrieval of items.
OTHER VIEWS OF CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE LIBRARY:
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The following two letters show the results of efforts of the Alliance on behalf of its membership, by pointing out the disparities in the payments of Medicare benefits among the counties to our Legislators. Our Legislators listened and acted.
Letter from Members of Congress of the United States to Governor Crist:
Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
February 27, 2008
The Honorable Charlie Crist
Office of the Governor
PL 05 - The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Dear Governor Crist,
We are writing to request your assistance in convincing the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS) to designate the tri-county area as a single unit for purposes of
Medicare payments to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. As you may know, in 2000 the
U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designated Palm Beach, Broward and
Miami-Dade Counties into one statistical metropolitan area (SMA) showing a high
degree of integration of this area. The SMA has proven to be a statistical
representation of the social and economic linkages between the urban core and its
outlying areas. Thus, it seems fitting that the tri-county area be designated as one under
CMS as well.
As you may be aware, the maximum allowable amount of Medicare payments to MA
plans in Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties are substantially different. Currently,
Medicare Advantage plans in Broward County receive approximately $175 less per
patient from Medicare than those in Dade. The difference is even more striking in Palm
Beach County, where MA plans receive almost $233 less per patient than those in Dade.
This has resulted in widely divergent benefits for patients in these counties. Examples of
disparate benefits include some MA plans paying beneficiaries’ Part B or D premiums in
Dade but not in Palm Beach County. Furthermore, some MA plans in the higher paying
counties provide eyeglass and dental benefits to residents but not those living in Palm
Beach.
The designation by OMB validates our conviction and those of our constituents, which is
that Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties should be categorized as one metropolitan
area for the purposes of Medicare payments to MA plans. Typically, MA plans in urban
areas receive higher Medicare payments. However, as OMB notes, Palm Beach, Broward
and Dade Counties have a high degree of social and economic similarities; therefore,
there should not be such a disparate range of payments to MA plans.
While Medicare is a federal program, Medicare law section 1853(d)(3)(A) does allow the
Governor of a state to petition CMS to change the MA payment method from a county-
by-county basis, as is currently the case, to a statewide, metropolitan or consolidated
noncontiguous county basis. In light of the 2000 designation by OMB, we believe you
have a strong case with which to argue this position to CMS. As members of Congress
from Palm Beach County, we are requesting that you exercise your leadership by
petitioning Medicare to change their funding method.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important matter.
With warm regards,
Robert Wexler Alcee L. Hastings
Ron Klein Tim Mahoney
Letter from the Palm Beach County delegation to Governor Crist:
April 2, 2008
Governor Charlie Crist
PL 05 – The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Dear Governor Crist:
As you may be aware, the maximum allowable amount of Medicare payments to Medicare Advantage plans in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties are drastically different. In Palm Beach County, MA plans receive on average $233 less per patient than those in Dade County. This disparity results in widely divergent benefits for patients in these neighboring counties.
Examples of disparate benefits include some MA plans paying beneficiaries’ Medicare part B or Part D premiums in Dade, but not Palm Beach. Some MA plans in Dade provide eyeglass and dental benefits which are not available to beneficiaries living in Palm Beach County.
We feel that this situation is unreasonable and unfair to our constituents participating in the Medicare program. For years, the Office of Management and Budget has designated Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties as one single statistical metropolitan area (SMA), showing a high level of regional cooperation and likeness.
It is time that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) designate the tri-county area as a single unit for purposes of Medicare payments to Medicare Advantage plans.
As Governor, you have the ability to petition CMS to change the MA payment from a county-by-county basis to a statewide, metropolitan, or consolidated noncontiguous county basis. In light of the area’s designation as a SMA, we urge you to make such a petition to CMS and help our county’s Medicare beneficiaries receive equivalent benefits.
On behalf of the seventeen members of the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation, I thank you for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
Rep. Mary Brandenburg, Chair
Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation
Members of the Palm Beach County Delegation:
301 North Olive Avenue
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
561/355-2406 Fax: 355-2343
Rep. Mary Brandenburg, Chair
Rep. Shelley Vana, Vice-Chair
Senators
Jeff Atwater, District 25; Dave Aronberg, District 27; Ken Pruitt, District 28; Mandy Dawson, District 29; Ted Deutch, District 30; Larcenia Bullard, District 39
Representatives
Richard Machek, District 78; Bill Snyder, District 82; Carl Domino, District 83; Priscilla Taylor, District 84; Shelley Vana, District 85; Maria Sachs, District 86; Adam Hasner, District 87; Susan Bucher, District 88; Mary Brandenburg, District 89; Kelly Skidmore, District 90; Ellyn Bogdanoff, District 91
Ed Chase
Executive Director
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Alliance President Robert Schulbaum (center) speaking at the Grand Opening of the Sunset Cove Amphitheater located at 12551 Glades Road in Boca Raton. Seated on the left is Rep. Richard Machek (far left) and Dennis Eshleman, Director of Parks and Recreation Department. Seated on the right is Commissioner Burt Aaronson.
Spanish River HS Symphonic Band performing at the Grand Opening of the Sunset Cove Amphitheater
The Civic Center was filled on February 29, 2008 with Suppliers, Community presidents, Board members, Delegates, property managers, and state and local representatives who attended the second annual ALLIANCE Supplier Exhibition. See photo below.
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