Greetings,

Spring is in the air, and even in difficult times, we continue to “march” on in Broward County this month. Your Broward County Board of County Commissioners continues to be hard at work combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and tackling the biggest challenges and issues facing our community today. Read on below to find out more about important happenings in Broward County this month – or click a link to go directly to a section!

- Vaccine Update
- Community Vaccines
- Economic Recovery
- C-51 Reservoir
- Climate Change Action Plan
- Central and Southern Florida Project
- Black History Month
- Water Matters Month
- Sustainability Workshop
- No Wake Zone
- Flamingo Road
- Ambassador Luncheon
- Raising Positive Children
- Citizenship Classes

Vaccine Update

Broward County continues to work with the Florida Department of Health to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine and make it available to as many eligible residents in Broward County as possible. Eligibility has been expanded to residents with certain high-risk conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure, and other factors – to learn more about eligibility, please click here. Broward County is also working to expand the number of sites that administer vaccines, including a new site at TY Park – you can learn more about vaccination locations here. Appointments for COVID-19 vaccination sites operated by the Florida Department of Health in Broward can be scheduled using the State appointment system. Seniors age 65+ and frontline healthcare workers can call 866-201-6313 to request an appointment. Those who are eligible for the vaccine (65 and older and frontline healthcare workers) can pre-register and get in line for a vaccine at https://myvaccine.fl.gov. There are also vaccination options at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. If you are eligible, getting a vaccine is the safest way to protect against COVID-19! 

Community Vaccinations

It is encouraging to see many different communities within District Six getting pop-up vaccine clinics. These pop-up clinics make it possible to bring lifesaving vaccines to as many of our residents as possible.This month saw temporary clinics in the communities of  St. Boniface in Pembroke Pines, Hillcrest in Hollywood, Hollybrook in Pembroke Pines, and Beverly Hills Condominium in Hollywood. Residents were overjoyed to receive the vaccine. I am pleased to have worked with Broward County administration, the Florida Department of Emergency Management, and my fellow elected officials to make these clinics possible. Look for more of them coming to our area soon.

COVID-19 Recovery and Unemployment

Broward County is slowly starting to see a recovery in many of our economic indicators from the lowest point of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unemployment rate has declined nearly seven points from the lowest point last May, and we continue to see an uptick in tourism, passengers at our airport, and reopening of businesses. Despite the promise shown by these indicators, many residents are still seeking employment and resources. CareerSource Broward is a valuable source for information on employment opportunities in Broward County. While we are optimistic about our recovery, we still have a long way to go – residents should continue to social distance, wear masks, and stay as safe as possible.

C-51 Reservoir

Ground has officially been broken on the first phase of the C-51 Reservoir Project! This is a very long-time coming. The C-51 Reservoir will store excess stormwater for later distribution to serve as clean drinking water for much of South Florida. The Reservoir will store over 60,000 acres of water to serve our region. The groundbreaking of the C-51 Reservoir is the result of a process that lasted 15 years and included significant collaboration between many different parties. Many municipalities in South Florida, along with private companies and public utilities, teamed up to make this project come to life. This groundbreaking is a testament to their collaboration. I was honored to join many other elected officials and community leaders at the groundbreaking ceremony in Loxahatchee in Palm Beach County. It was inspiring to see the progress made on such an important project for our region.

Climate Change Action Plan

Broward County’s Climate Change Task Force is in the process of approving the final draft of the 2021 update to the Climate Change Action Plan. This is the most significant update to the Climate Change Action Plan since 2015. The Climate Change Action Plan is the bedrock document that guides Broward County’s environmental response. The Action Plan helps us build resiliency against sea-level rise and sustainability to move towards cleaner energy. It also helps us conserve our water and protect our reefs and beaches. The new update will be fundamental to many of the biggest decisions made in Broward County for decades to come. To learn more about the Climate Change Action Plan, click here.

Army Corps of Engineers

This month saw major news for Broward County, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied funding to one of the most important projects in South Florida – the Central and Southern Florida Flood Resiliency Study. This study is an update of the 1948 flood analysis that governs our entire water management system. All evidence shows that our water management systems can only tolerate six additional inches of rainwater before failure – which would devastate our safety and our economy. We have built a beautiful South Florida, and we now stand on the precipice of preserving it for years to come – or face disaster. This study is essential to providing us the tools we need to build the best water management system possible for South Florida. We need to come together as lawmakers, business leaders, and activists to make sure that this project gets funded. That is why this month the Broward County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution urging Congress and the Army Corps of Engineers to fund this essential project in full. Stay tuned for more updates!

Black History Month

Black History Month is an essential time to reflect on our nation’s complicated history – and reckon with the challenges we still face as a nation and must address with energy and focus. To do that, we must be better at educating all of our residents about Black History as an essential part of America's history. This is especially true on the local level, with Broward County’s rich Black History. One program that is highlighting that history is the “Legends of Broward” trading cards from local historian Emmanuel George. These Trading Cards can be used by educators, parents, and residents to share informative facts about Broward County’s history and the important leaders that shaped it. To find out more about these trading cards and other history-oriented programming, click here.

Water Matters Month

The annual Water Matters Day is an innovative and interactive way for Broward residents to get hands-on with water resources and learn about the importance of clean water and conservation. This year, the fun in-person event unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the month of March will now be an entire Water Matters Month, filled with exciting programming that will educate and entertain residents! Events will include a virtual scavenger hunt, prizes and awards, and much more. Don’t miss it – sign-up by clicking here!

Sustainability - Incineration

As part of the 10^th Annual Environmental Education Forum, the City of Hollywood hosted a Virtual Sustainability Workshop on solid waste and incineration. With the Solid Waste Working Group wrapping up and moving towards a comprehensive solid waste system, it is important that as many of our residents as possible are educated about the environmental impacts of incinerating waste, landfilling waste, and recycling waste. There are benefits and drawbacks of incineration we must consider when thinking about our facility needs. Workshops for the public like this are a key step in the education campaign that will be needed.

No Wake Zone - Hallandale Beach

Residents in Hallandale Beach are urging the state to adopt a no-wake, slow speed zone in the Intercoastal Waterway in the city. Too often, boaters and residents are placed in danger due to boats moving at high-speed through the waterway. This slow speed zone would be intended to protect the public on the waterway. This could be a positive step towards a better and more safe waterway.  A letter of support has been submitted urging the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to adopt this slow-speed zone.

Flamingo Road Greenway

Broward County approved the funding of a one-mile greenway on Flamingo Road running through District Six. The greenway will run from Pembroke Road to Pines Boulevard, connecting to C.B. Smith Park. The goal is to eventually have a 9.3 mile greenway running all the way down to the south County line – this project will be the start of that initiative. The greenway is a paved, 12 foot wide vehicle-free trail for pedestrians bicyclists, and equestrians. This project is a long-time coming, and I am looking forward to our residents and visitors making great use of it!

Hollywood Beach Ambassador Luncheon

Every year, the Hollywood Beach Civic Association hosts the annual Ambassador Luncheon, which is always an illuminating and exciting event! This year, the Ambassador Luncheon was held virtually for the first time. While we missed seeing each other in person, the event was still informative and fun for Hollywood Beach residents and other community leaders. I was honored to have the chance to speak about some of the issues facing the Beach community, including sea-level rise and beach renourishment. Thank you to Frank De Risi, Andrew Zullo, and all others who made this event such a success!

Raising Positive Children

During the COVID-19 crisis, self-care is more important than ever. Commissioner Iris Siple of Pembroke Pines is partnering with local educators for a virtual forum called “Parenting in the COVID-19 Age: The Importance of Self-Care” that will give helpful insight on how to best care for your kids and yourself at the same time! This is the 7^th forum in a series called “Raising Positive Children” designed to help parents get the most out of their family time. To sign up, call 954-450-1030.

Citizenship Classes

The events of the past year and the uncertainty brought about by COVID-19 should cause more of our residents who are immigrants to consider becoming citizens. Hispanic Unity of Florida is offering high-quality citizenship classes to residents who are interested in signing up and becoming a United States citizen. Hispanic Unity offers all the assistance you need and convenient class schedules to help you prepare for the changing citizenship test. To learn more, click here!

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