|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
I am humbled, hopeful, and honored to be the mayor of this great city of West Park. We are a proud city with a proud history.
Growing up in Carver Ranches, now West Park, is where my story begins. My parents led by example. They instilled in me a clear set of values- loyalty to family, friends, and community; and the importance of hard work, education, and integrity.
Most importantly, that I could be anything I wanted to be. That I could not be held back by my race, gender, or family financial status. That I should hold my head high and not let anyone else dictate the course of my future. That no goal was out of reach, and that no victory was too unlikely to pursue. So, for me, this has been a city of opportunity. It’s been a city of hope. It is my desire that every child in this city should have the opportunity to grow up knowing they can pursue anything—that’s my West Park dream.
In this moment, I cannot help but look at and think about what lies ahead and what we can truly be together. I’m looking ahead to a city of consistent safe streets for every family. A city where people want to grow old and not flee. A city of sanctuary filled with opportunities for all to grow and be successful. A city of fairness and hope and prosperity for all. A city that holds equity and inclusion as our guiding principles.
I look out today and see a proud city with a proud history…right here in West Park.
Our people. Generations of industrious, hardworking people …who built one of the greatest cities to ever grace God’s earth.
So, today as your mayor, humbled and hopeful, I make one solemn promise to the generations who came before us and to the generations who come after us…we will continue to build this great city and leave it better, stronger, fairer, and more prosperous than we found it.
Gwendolyn Brooks once said, “We are each other’s harvest, we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.”
West Park, we are and must be in this together — city officials, staff, businesses and residents. Our challenges can only be solved if we face them together. We cannot fail. We will not fail. Because we are One West Park.
We are each other’s business. And standing up for each other is our business …our only business.
We need to stand for safety, in our city. Enough of the shootings. Enough of the guns. Enough of the violence. Put them down! Enough of the speeding through our streets. Slow down! All of our stakeholders must be committed to this work. This is not a challenge that can be solved by law enforcement alone, nor will we ever place the blame on people in communities who are under siege. No, this greatest challenge demands all of us, united together. And I promise you, the city will lead and we’ve already begun this work.
We will also continue the hard, but essential work of forging partnerships between our police officers and the community premised on mutual respect, accountability, and a recognition that the destinies of police and community are inextricably intertwined. One simply cannot succeed without the other.
We need to take a stand. We are each other’s business. We are each other’s neighbors. And together we will work tirelessly to keep safety in our city.
Secondly, our future.
As a city, we make promises to our children. Most of all, we promise them a safe, and relevant, experience that prepares them for meaningful work, civic engagement and lifelong learning.
Our words, our values, how we meet our commitments and rise to the occasion—it all matters. We’re shaping the future leaders of our city, and when we put equity first, when we make good on a promise that every kid matters, it will instill within our children the values we seek to foster in our city as a whole.
Through various programs like our Youth Council, Camp BRAVERY Summer Camp, After School program, Mental Health program, Tennis Camp, Basketball Camp, and the West Park Saints Football and Cheerleading Program (to name a few) we are creating the safe and nurturing environment necessary for our children to grow, learn and thrive.
Lest I forget to mention that we just gave out eight college scholarships this year! We were able to award one (1) One Thousand Five Hundred Dollar ($1,500.00) scholarship; two (2) One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollar ($1,250.00) scholarships; and five (5) One Thousand Dollar ($1,000.00) scholarships to the following individuals: Bre’anna Grandison-Hinnant, Dechon Lee, Ivana Williams, Jada Williams, Jade Wright, Kaylah Dukes, Winzey Cleophat and Stephanie Puello. We are so proud of our students and have great expectations! We know they will continue to make us proud.
To all West Park students, we need your energy, creativity, intelligence, and dedication. There’s hard work ahead of us. But we will do that work, because we believe you and in the vast, stilluntapped potential of this great city. We are each other’s business. And we must meet our youth challenges …together.
Third is stability.
To be true to the notion of stability, we pledge to continue to keep our fiscal house in order. We must tackle this head on.
No doubt some hard choices will have to be made and none of this is going to be easy. But we will do the hard work with integrity and a determination to stay on a true path to solvency, and continue our work more efficiently with a balanced budget. And we will get there…because we must.
We invite you to participate in this process. To get a better understanding of the City’s budget process get involved and attend our upcoming budget hearings scheduled on the dates shown below:
Setting proposed millage rate, time, date of Public Hearings:
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 6:00pm
Resolutions establishing proposed non-ad valorem assessments:
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 6:00pm
First Budget Hearing:
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 6:00 pm
Regular Commission Meeting:
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Special Commission Meeting: (For Non-Ad valorem Assessments Hearing) Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 6:00 pm
Second Budget Hearing:
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 6:00 pm
Stability also means that we must build housing that is affordable for more people, including families. Very soon you will see come to fruition our plan for expanding home ownership and converting vacant lots into new vibrant homes.
Stability means that we support our residents with the Minor Home Repair and Tree Trimming grant programs.
Stability also means support for our business community, large and small. Connecting businesses with the Chamber for resources has been phenomenal. Providing small business grants helps with sustainability. Strong businesses, growing businesses and new businesses mean jobs for people…and stability for the city.
Finally, stability means supporting our young adults with the Entrepreneurial Training Workshops with Score Broward and the Tuition Free Programs with Broward Up/Broward College.
As with everything, we are each other’s business. We need to grow…and grow…and grow …together.
Last, must be synergy.
When the poet said we are each other’s bond that’s what she meant. This means working together creating a greater effect for all combined power of things. Like, supporting our Senior program, and providing Fresh Food to residents monthly.
As I reflect on my days growing up in Ebenezer Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. Joe C. Johnson, I’m reminded of a song the deacons used to sing: Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
In that moment, it was a plea for relief. As I reflect on this day and what lies ahead, it means that we must not forget or ignore the plight of so many for whom joy often does not come in the morning. Whether it is a senior citizen, a youth, a young adult or a business owner, we will not pass them by. As we pursue these four principals, this will be our guiding light.
To those who live in the beautiful City of West Park, we are with you. Our residents, our families, our friends, and our neighbors, known and unknown, on every block, in our places of worship, is the greatness of the city. We see you. We hear you. We are your neighbors. And so help me, we will not pass you by.
I stand before you representing people from all over the city who daily contribute their time, talent, and resources in the cause of making a difference not just to day but if we are bold, our collective efforts will resonate for years to come. Our people, friends and neighbors, known and unknown, at the block level, in our places of worship, in our community organizations and just individuals who want to make a difference have stepped up and contributed mightily to what is the greatness of the city.
West Park, we are all stakeholders in this work. And in the same way that I imagined a better future for our city when I was a young girl and have dedicated my entire life in service to realizing that dream—the children of West Park are dreaming, too.
As your mayor, it is not just my priority—but my obligation—to ensure that we do everything in our power to position our residents for success and eliminate any and all barriers that stand in their way.
What’s clear is that West Park needs strong, dependable, and steady leadership that is committed to moving our city forward. Instability will only undo the progress we have made, together, to build the West Park we want to see today and for generations to come.
You have my word that we will continue to move forward in partnership, and build on our wins to achieve our collective vision for West Park’s future.
West Park deserves NOTHING less. Because we are rising.
Our city has crawled out of the deepest of valleys and we now find ourselves climbing the highest of mountains.
We are taking steps every day towards building a city for future generations. And we will.
Because what I know for sure is that this city — our city — has the resilience, resolve, and grit.
Our city is rising.
Rising to meet and defeat any challenge.
Rising to build for future generations.
Rising up against the urge to say “no” because change is scary.
Rising to meet the expectations of all our neighborhoods.
Rising to reach every resident with opportunities to grow and thrive.
Rising above doubters to deliver real solutions to the most intractable problems we face.
Rising beyond what we have been to become what I know we can be: a truly great city that works for all of us.
Rising because we are so much stronger together than we are apart.
Rising because as long as we stay focused and put people over politics, truth over disinformation and work together—like never before, I believe and I know that we will win.
Rising because each of you represents the best of West Park.
Rising because we are FOCUSED FORWARD!
West Park we are rising, and our best days are ahead.
Remember to contact me at City Hall with your ideas, suggestions or concerns. I represent you and appreciate your input into the continued success of our beloved city. I can be reached at my city office at (954) 989-2688 ext. 214; via email at: fbrunson@cityofwestpark.org, or best by mobile phone at (954) 329-8990.
