Page 8 - Boca Club News - May '21

Page 8, Boca Club News

Government

Mayor’s Update:

The News Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This!

Scott Singer is the 35th Mayor We plan to partner with the Cities of Miami and Ft. $400,000, with record sales in the luxury home category.
of Boca Raton. A South Florida Lauderdale, and other governments in South Florida, in Despite the increased demand for services, our tax rate
native, attorney, mediator and small efforts to build a brand for the venture capital and tech firms continues to be one of the lowest of any full-service city in
business owner, Scott and his wife, that are coming to Miami and three counties. What was just the state, and no tax rate increase in nearly a decade. Our
Bella, live in Broken Sound with the Magic City of Miami is becoming the Magic Region. cost of services is far less than other cities in South Florida,
their two young children. Homebuyers are flocking here, so much so that airlines are and yet our quality of services has remained unmatched. All
Boca Raton is working to turn expanding their schedules at all three area airports. According of these are more reasons to be happy about the outlook for
the adversity of the last year into to the Florida Realtors, the median sale price in the county Boca Raton and our local economy. You can see more of the
opportunity, which should continue is up 17% over 2019, with inventory and days listed before news in our State of the City recap at myboca.us/soc. Please
to fuel our economic engine and keep taxpayers happy. This contract both down more than 35%. share your comments, by email at ssinger@myboca.us, and
pandemic has changed the way people think about how and With record-low interest rates and strong buyer demand, stay connected for more news @ScottSingerUSA on all social
where they do business. I was never on Zoom before last the average price for a home in Boca Raton is now more than media platforms.
year, and it’s probably the case for many of us. Across the
nation, businesses are rethinking the way the office—and Council Corner:
the concept of a large, central corporate headquarters in a
Manhattan skyscraper—does not have the allure it once
did. As someone who worked there for 10 years, it’s hard Summer Amenities Forecast
to imagine going back to that anytime soon.
Companies are taking note of Boca Raton. When you
can work from anywhere, why not work from paradise? By Monica Mayotte, who was just re- 2020. We formally take possession of the property in October
This question from our Economic Development team is elected to another term on the Raton 2021. City staff is currently analyzing what improvements
gaining a lot of traction, and people are voting with their City Council, and who is CRA Chair. need to be done to open the course to the public. This property
feet. Targeted marketing ads in San Francisco, Chicago and Ms. Mayotte has been a resident of also has tennis courts, a pool, a clubhouse and other amenities
the northeast are making people question why they aren’t Boca Raton for more than 20 years, that the city is determining how to offer to the public. We are
living in Boca Raton. active in the community both in our working with the Boca Country Club residents to ensure their
Businesses are moving here, and they are in good local schools and as a city advisory concerns are addressed and we can have a smooth transition
company. Boca Raton is the economic engine of Palm board member. to this becoming a public facility for all to enjoy.
Beach County, and home to more than half the corporate It feels as if Spring, and even Our annual Strategic Planning meetings just wrapped
headquarters county-wide. We are seeing companies flee Summer, has arrived. I hope everyone had an enjoyable up a few days ago. The purpose of this set of three-day
high-tax jurisdictions for our livable neighborhoods, great Spring holiday season. meetings is to lay out the city’s goals for the next year and
schools and universities and growing talent base, building First and foremost, I’d like to thank all of the voters for to determine our Capital Improvement Plan for the next
on our strength in the financial services, technology their vote for my re-election to the Boca Raton City Council. five years. Unfortunately, these meetings were cancelled in
and medical sectors. Our Economic Development staff I am deeply grateful. I will continue to represent every Boca 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay up-to-date on
and I have each been engaging in efforts to build on the resident with integrity and compassion. I’m looking forward the outcome of these meetings on the city’s website, www.
excitement for the region. to what the future holds for Boca Raton and to working with myboca.us.
my council colleagues. I hope everyone who wants a vaccine has been given
There are a few exciting projects that are currently in the opportunity to get one. And I hope our younger adult
progress. The first one is the construction of our newest residents are beginning to sign up for their appointments. You
waterfront park, the Wildflower and Silver Palm parks in our can follow my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/
downtown on the Intracoastal Waterway and Palmetto Park councilmembermonicamayotte, for the latest vaccine location
Road. Many years ago, the voters of Boca Raton decided that information. I posted a live document that is constantly being
the Wildflower property should be a park open to the public. updated with the latest vaccine information.
The Silver Palm park is Boca’s public boat ramp. The first This pandemic is not over yet. We are seeing signs that
step in the process is to raise the seawall at the Wildflower we are getting it under control, but we must stay vigilant and
Park, which is currently underway. City Council recently ensure we continue to follow the CDC guidelines by wearing
approved the budget for the project and construction will be a mask, washing our hands, and continuing to be socially
underway very soon. We are looking forward to opening the distanced. We will get there very soon. The better we adhere
new Wildflower Park and the updated Silver Palm Park in to the CDC guidelines, the quicker we will see an end to the
early 2022. pandemic!
The other exciting project is our new municipal golf Take care everyone and stay safe.
course at the Boca Country Club. This course was donated to
the city by the Boca Raton Resort and Club back in the Fall of
Memo from County Tax Collector

Anne M. Gannon: Inside Our

Department—How We Serve You...

New Members of Our Team

By Anne M. Gannon, Constitutional Update: Westlake Service Center. Crews have been
Tax Collector serving Palm Beach extremely busy over the past several months, constructing
County. You can reach her office our new service center in Westlake, located at 16640 Town
by Email: ClientAdvocate@ Center Parkway South. When finished, this 23,735-square-foot
taxcollectorpbc.com. Phone: (561) building will provide our full slate of services to the residents
355-4271. in the western area of the county. It is exciting to see how fast
When I think of change, I like to the progress has been readying the building for an anticipated
think of it in terms of progress. It’s true December 2021 opening. The roof has been installed and
that change can sometimes be scary – windows will soon be in place allowing for the interior work
like changing lanes at 65 mph on I-95 with five lanes of traffic to begin in earnest.
zipping around you! But change can be a good thing, and I We look forward to moving into our newest location later
like to think of those changes as progress. Progress is what this year.
we strive for and what fuels our ability to create and deliver Self-Serve Kiosks at Publix. Several months ago, we
new products, services and conveniences to you. From the launched the self-serve kiosks in a handful of Palm Beach
construction of our newest service center to the placement of County Publix stores and invited you to try them to process
self-serve kiosks in several Publix locations, I am very proud your vehicle registration. If you have had the opportunity to
of the progress our office is making to deliver better service use the kiosk, we would be eager to hear more about your
and diversified conveniences to our clients. experience with that technology. Please feel free to send us
Our mission continues to be our commitment to provide
unparalleled service that inspires trust. Memo from County Tax Collector on page 9