Page 6 - Boca Club News - July '21

Page 6, Boca Club News

Government

Mayor’s Update:

5 Key Strategic Plans to Serve You

Scott Singer is the 35th Mayor to be one of only eight cities selected for the Bloomberg 4. Enhancements to Palmetto Park Road East of
of Boca Raton. A South Florida Harvard City Leadership Initiative. Intracoastal Waterway: We will review potential ways to
native, attorney, mediator and small 2. Partnership and Land Lease with BRADEC: enhance the main gateway to our beachfront on Palmetto
business owner, Scott and his wife, BRADEC, the non-profit Boca Raton Arts District Park Road, including addressing potential pedestrian
Bella, live in Broken Sound with their Exploratory Corporation, has proposed building at their crosswalks and infrastructure improvements. Our downtown
two young children. expense a $100 Million+ performing arts center at the north has added four new pedestrian crosswalks, and a group of
Each year, the City of Boca Raton end of Mizner Park. We have been discussing a long-term residents has urged more improvements for the seaside area.
holds a strategic planning session to land lease of the City’s current Amphitheater site and adjacent 5. 20th Street Corridor: 20th Street is the gateway
set our key policy priorities. With empty lot, which they would transform into a multi-stage to FAU. The University has recently completed its master
last year’s session deferred because of our focus on our indoor/outdoor venue. I’m pleased to support their efforts to campus plan, in which they stated their goal of adding
COVID-19 response, the City Council has had a number of raise this large sum from philanthropic donors, particularly thousands of student beds on campus. Recently, some private
high priorities on our radar, in addition to providing guidance as they have agreed that they would fund the construction, development has sought to add off-campus student-oriented
for the typical programming and services we are so fortunate operation, and endowment of this venue from funds other housing. I did not support a recent site-specific proposal
to have in Boca Raton. This year, at our goalsetting session than from City taxpayers. Our goal is to finalize the complex because of concerns on impact to adjacent single-family
that ended last month, we set five key priorities for strategic long-term lease in the coming months so they can accelerate neighborhoods, and the need for greater planning. The goal
policy initiatives: their fundraising efforts. this year is to work with FAU to find ways to coordinate on
1. Seize Emerging Economic Development 3. Comprehensive Traffic and Connectivity: This is their plans that maximize the benefits to the city and our
Opportunities: At our prior goalsetting session, we set the a second holdover goal from 2019, with a renewed focus. residents, and to begin the planning needed for the area
creation of an innovation technology hub as a key priority. With approval of the Brightline station in 2019, we made near the university. Smart planning will require decisions
We have seen great gains in this area, with a bevy of tech a major non-road inroad into improving mobility. With the about what we’d like to see for the future of this geographic
startups and larger companies expanding their presence here. station due to open in 2022, we are focusing on last-mile center of our city and the uses that would complement our
Recently, the #BocaTech community, as it is known on social solutions and improvements near the station. Those include efforts to harness the graduate talent coming from Florida
media, held its first gathering with more than 80 start-up road configurations near the Library and pedestrian crossings Atlantic, Lynn, and Everglades Universities in our city.
employees and investors getting together for an event that across the tracks toward the core of our Downtown. In We are fortunate that, with our safe and successful city,
was not widely publicized. Beyond tech, we are working on addition, we plan to build on our successes in the last year our priorities are all focused on positives and enhancements.
attracting more companies in financial services, medical fields, improving pedestrian and bicycle mobility, by looking at Issues like failing infrastructure and dying industry that some
communications, and many other fields. With companies potential enhancements to and expansions of our network of cities face are fortunately not issues in Boca Raton, because
fleeing high-tax jurisdictions and looking for the unparalleled multi-use paths and trails. These include connections from of the type of long-term planning at our core mission. We
quality of life, safe neighborhoods, great schools, and talent the upgraded Palmetto Park Road path and El Rio Trail. In can feel grateful to live in an outstanding community with
base we can offer in Boca Raton, we see opportunities that addition, we are working on a potential major linkage for our nearly 2,000 city employees serving with excellence. Please
we are eager to grab. We will continue building on economic crowded roads at Jeffery Street, the east end of Clint Moore share your comments, by email, at ssinger@myboca.us, and
development outreach efforts, support for existing businesses, Road. With the county approving thousands of homes in the stay connected for more news @ScottSingerUSA on all social
and our work on a cross-departmental innovation team. I’m Ag Reserve (something we don’t control), we have a rare media platforms.
particularly excited about the forthcoming recommendations opportunity to provide an outlet across the F.E.C. tracks
on our start-up business ecosystem that will come out of the at Dixie Highway to provide access to and from our long-
innovation team, which was formed after I led our application lagging North Federal Highway Corridor.
Council Corner: What a Year!

By Andrea Levine O’Rourke, Boca Join the Library for Summer Reading. The Boca Remember…It’s Hurricane Season. Please be Prepared!
Raton City Council Member, Deputy Raton Public Library invites readers of all ages to participate With June 1st marking the start of hurricane season and
Mayor, and CRA Chairperson in this year’s Summer Reading theme, “Tails and Tales.” already behind us, now is the time to check out the city’s
It feels as though life is finally Prizes are available for different age groups: preschoolers, website—myboca.us—for official hurricane information
getting back to a sense of normalcy. elementary school, ‘tweens and teens, and adults, and on how to prepare for a potential storm.
Going out to dinner, visiting with everyone who signs up for Summer Reading receives a It’s Time to Clean and Cut. Now is the time to get
friends and family, planning trips, and “Tails and Tales” tote. ahead and plan to trim your trees and clean out your garages,
simply being out and about without Pardon Our Dust carports and storage areas. It is crucial that we prepare
worry. Yes, we are coming out of the Driving around our city, you may notice that there’s more now and clean out our homes and properties, so we don’t
dark. It was a challenging period, but we got through it happening than ever. With projects such as park renovations, overwhelm our sanitation systems.
together and we at the city are excited to move forward. infrastructure upgrades and traffic improvements, the city Lastly, Please Don’t Litter! We are taking extra
I am happy to share things we have already set into works hard to enhance our community every day. Thank measures to keep our beautiful city clean. The Sustainability
motion as we start to look at the pandemic, with caution, you for your patience while we complete these projects. Action Plan includes a section on waste reduction, calling
through our rear view mirror. Spanish River Beach Park Restroom Renovations. for a reduction in litter and plastic pollution. In June the
Some Fun Things to Do Renovations began on Restrooms #3 and #4 the week of City Council took steps toward these goals by passing an
Downtown Boca Walking Tours. One of the best May 3rd. A temporary restroom trailer will be on-site during ordinance that prohibits the following:
ways to experience Downtown Boca is by walking its the construction. Restroom #3 is being demolished and • Polystyrene foam products from use or sale by temporary
charming streets. The new self-guided walking tours rebuilt to provide triple the existing capacity for the park. food vendors on city property.
allow you to explore so many of the unique attractions Restroom #4 is being renovated and expanded. The work • Balloons and confetti on outdoor City property.
that make Downtown Boca a must-visit destination. So, is expected to be finished this summer. The City is in of the process of updating regulations
whether you love to shop, dine, satisfy your sweet tooth, Pine Breeze Park. Pine Breeze Park playground and and policies for events and facility rentals to reflect these
enjoy the outdoors or grab a great lunch, there is a walking basketball courts closed on June 1st through the summer goals. We will provide public information and resources on
tour for you. Plus, you can experience them any time you for renovations and construction of new park amenities. At alternatives and ideas that will assist in working toward a
like, any day of the week—safely. Check out the tours on the completion we will have (2) new basketball courts, (2) sustainable future.
DowntownBoca.Org. new pavilions, new sidewalks, new fitness equipment, and Have a wonderful summer. Stay safe, stay healthy and
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Offering Guided new storm drainage. I look forward to reporting back in the Fall.
Tours. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is offering weekly
guided tours for families and individuals, touring the
Butterfly Garden, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility, outdoor
aquariums and more.

Miri & Etty WEiss

M - 954.461.6908
E - 954.857.9690

• Chauffeur • House Sitter
• Caregiver/Companion