AUGUST 2018 MAYOR’S COLUMN
August! The heat is on! I hope everyone is having a great summer so far. It’s hard to believe the new school year starts again in just a few weeks. School safety is a top concern. I want you to know for those of us who serve you at the Village of Wellington, it is our number one priority.
Our staff continues to work closely with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the School Board of Palm Beach County. Our top budget priorities include improving traffic circulation around our schools, funding the Keeli Spinelli school grant program to help our students, installing automated license plate readers to help PBSO with public safety, and funding our PBSO school crossing guards.
Speaking of our schools, we are very proud to congratulate all 11 Wellington schools on their recent ‘A’ rating. Our schools are a primary driver for families to move to Wellington. We will continue to work to help our schools maintain their ‘A’ ratings in the Village as our educators and parents work together to ensure the highest quality education for students.
School starts August 13. Take extra care in the mornings and afternoons. School zones are strictly enforced and we want to make sure that our kids are safe and ready to learn. Councilman John McGovern offers school drop-off and pick-up tips for busy parents in this Public Service Announcement: http://bit.ly/2uDJcWE.
As part of our annual preparation for going back to school, our Community Services Team joined local organizations to collect school supplies during our Back to School Supply Drive. Those supplies were distributed to students during the 2018 Back to School Community Block Party. We are proud to report that this year’s supply drive was a tremendous success. Our joint efforts made it possible for more than 400 local students to receive a backpack filled with school supplies. Three hundred and twenty five children received new shoes and socks to start the new school year on the right foot, and 250 students also received new school uniforms. Wellington is very grateful for the community’s assistance with this project. It is truly amazing to see the accomplishments a community can make when working together.
We are in the midst of our rainy season. Make sure to protect yourself from mosquitos and eliminate standing water on your property. Our Environmental Services Department is stepping up their defenses throughout the summer months, with regular mosquito spraying, application of larvicides to standing water, and responding to resident requests. If you are outside at dusk, wear clothing and repellant, just to be on the safe side. Visit our Mosquito Control webpage to find out when they will be in your area. Also, Councilman Michael Napoleone offers tips to help keep you and your family safe from mosquitos in the Public Service Announcement: https://bit.ly/2dg8pyB
This month, we continue to focus on the safety of our residents and our businesses. We’re reminding everyone to avoid becoming a victim of crimes of opportunity. Whether at the grocery store or in your driveway, remember to always lock your car door, and put valuables out of sight. Take a look at this message by Councilwoman Tanya Siskind; it includes simple steps we can all take to stay safe: http://bit.ly/2tHPm3X
Get involved in keeping your community safe by joining a Neighborhood Watch and coming out to our monthly Walk & Talk events. Take a look at our web calendar for upcoming dates. From working with our communities, residents, businesses, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, we appreciate everyone’s efforts to improve safety awareness.
Finally, work is well underway on our Fiscal Year 2019 Budget. As part of the Village’s budget process, an important element is public input on spending priorities for the upcoming budget. Wellington offers many high-quality programs and services and this is a unique opportunity for you to give Village leaders your feedback as to which services are most important to you. If you haven’t done so already, head to our website, take the Budget Challenge Survey and let us know how you want your money spent.
Food trucks and entertainment continue on Thursday afternoons starting at 5:00 p.m. as part of our Food Truck Invasion. Come out and enjoy some trendy foods and local talent. Concerts and movies are free but you need to bring your own seating. Check the amphitheater calendar to keep up to date.
For information about our Wellington programs, events, activities, and updates, please visit www.wellingtonfl.gov, watch Wellington TV for the latest happenings, and register for our Enewsletters.
I also encourage you to follow the Village of Wellington’s official Facebook and Twitter pages to remain up-to-date about news and events in our community.