A Message from Mayor Keith A. James | Reflecting on Historic Rainfall
“This week, West Palm Beach experienced an extraordinary rainfall event that brought historic levels of rain to our community. On November 2, the National Weather Service recorded 7.39 inches of rainfall, shattering a daily record that had stood since 1925. Over just two days, our City received 11.67 inches of rain, more than three times our typical rainfall for the entire month of November.
While the rainfall presented significant challenges for many of our neighborhoods, I am grateful for the dedication of our City crews, who worked tirelessly to clear storm drains, address flooding, and help restore normal conditions as quickly as possible.
I also want to thank our residents for their patience, cooperation, and resilience throughout this historic weather event. Critical moments like this reinforce our commitment to continued investments in infrastructure and stormwater management to strengthen our City’s resilience and better prepare for future extreme weather events.” — Mayor Keith A. James
Additional Community Updates
Trash Collection: Flooding disrupted trash collection in some neighborhoods. Residents who missed garbage, bulk, or yard waste collection should place excess bagged garbage, bulk items, and vegetation out on their next regularly scheduled pickup day. Until then, residents are asked to keep these items out of the public right-of-way to help prevent storm drain obstructions.
Grassy Waters Preserve: Grassy Waters Nature Center and all trails remain closed until further notice.
Economic Mobility Summit | PBC Convention Center
“As West Palm Beach continues to grow, our success must be measured by whether our residents share in that prosperity. At the 2026 Securing Our Future Economic Mobility Summit, we highlighted the importance of investing in neighborhoods and expanding opportunities for all.
Through initiatives like RISE Coleman Park, we are strengthening families, supporting small businesses, and creating pathways to economic mobility. Thank you to Palm Beach County’s Community Services Department and all the community partners working to build a stronger, more inclusive West Palm Beach where every resident has a real opportunity to thrive.” — Mayor Keith A. James
Smart City Expo World Congress | Barcelona, Spain
“It was an honor to represent West Palm Beach at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona this week, November 3–5.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from real-world innovations, and connect with leaders driving meaningful change in cities around the world.
Alongside more than 600 international leaders, we explored how to bridge the gap between local challenges and global solutions, sharing ideas and strategies to create lasting impacts in our communities.
I'm especially excited that West Palm Beach is part of this global conversation as we prepare to welcome Tomorrow.City USA, powered by Smart City Expo World Congress, back to our City for the second consecutive year on April 13–14, 2027.
This event brings global innovation to our doorstep, creating opportunities to showcase West Palm Beach, foster new partnerships, and explore solutions that will help shape the future of our community.” — Mayor Keith A. James
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