Mayor’s Column
September
By Mayor Anne Gerwig
September brings with it many changes to our Great Hometown. It’s the month when summer ends, fall begins, and temperatures start to cool slowly. It seems as though the summer season just began and now it’s almost over. The children are back in school and Labor Day is here.
On Monday, September 4, Americans across the country will celebrate Labor Day. While many of us will relax, travel, and spend time with our families, it is also important for us to reflect on the historical significance of this holiday. I hope that you and your family take advantage of the last long weekend of summer and have a safe and pleasant Labor Day.
September is a time for remembrance in our Great Hometown, as we gather in solidarity at the 911 Memorial on Forest Hill Blvd., paying tribute to those who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 attacks. Join Village Council at 5:00 p.m. for this special remembrance ceremony.
The peak of the 2017 Hurricane Season is also approaching, and this is the time to make sure you and your family are Hurricane ready. The Village urges residents to postpone all tree trimming projects until the end of the hurricane season. Once the National Weather Service has named a storm and identified that Palm Beach County could be in the path, the following steps should be taken to minimize waste:
- Do not place bulk trash at the curb. Services may be suspended and facilities may close early to prepare for the storm.
- Do not cut down any trees or begin major work.
- Do not begin construction projects that could produce debris.
- Once a watch or warning has been issued, do not trim vegetation of any kind.
Mass cutting places a tremendous burden on the normal collection process and there is not enough equipment or manpower to collect the additional material before the storm makes landfall. Avoid putting you and your property in harm’s way.
I encourage you to sign up for our CodeRED Emergency Notification System. This system allows the Village to call residents in the event of an emergency. Register now at https://wellingtonfl.gov/codered
This month, we are also focused on finalizing the Fiscal Year 2017/2018 Budget. We are committed to maintaining our services, programs, and infrastructure. To accomplish this, the proposed budget includes:
- a slightly decreased millage rate of 2.43 mills (down .01 mill from 2017)
- no change in the Acme assessment rate of $230
- no change in the Solid Waste Curbside/Containerized rates of $135/100
- the annual indexing of 2.5% for our Utilities, which is an approximate $.46 increase the Base Rates for Water and Wastewater
Our Budget continues Council’s commitment to INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY by including these Council‐priority funded initiatives:
- Widen intersection, align lanes, improve stacking and install larger drainage infrastructure at South Shore Blvd., and Pierson Road
- Forest Hill Drainage and C-13 Conveyance Improvements
- Major Utility System Upgrades including renewal and replacement of both the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants, Force Main Improvements, Gravity Collection System Improvements, and Life Station Upgrades
- Entrance Signage Replacements and Renovations
- Big Blue Trace Bike Lanes and Striping Improvements
- Dorchester Park Facility Improvements
- Completion of Equestrian Brown Trail Connector, the Binks Point Multiuse pathway and canal crossing, the White Trail crossing and footing, and the Yellow Trail from South Shore to Southfields
- Rebuilding of Fields #6, #7, and #21
- Expanded Tennis Center Parking
- Community Park renovation and baseball field improvements, spectator areas, and restrooms
- Addition of open space play areas at Greenbriar Dog Park
- Addition of two Deputies with PBSO service contract renewal
- Home Repair Program and CDBG Housing Rehab Program grants
- Keely Spinelli Grants of $400,000 in reading and mathematics to local schools
- Senior Transportation Program and Senior Club contribution
- Upgraded Enterprise Resource Planning System (the computer system for the entire Village)
- Telemetry Systems Upgrades
- Additional personnel and supplies for Zika Prevention
Finally, I encourage you to sign up for our monthly newsletter, where we keep you up to date on matters that affect our community. Click on the following link to begin receiving updates: http://wellingtonfl.gov/living/wellington-newsletter/signup
I look forward to seeing you around our Great Hometown this month.