Writing this, my final column as Mayor of Parkland, is bittersweet. Serving you, the residents of Parkland, as your Mayor, has been the honor of a lifetime.
My journey to serve our community has always been one that I had been passionate about but never planned. Back in 2012, our then District 2 Commissioner Jared Moskowitz decided to run for State Rep. I had been active in our community serving our Education Advisory Board for 7 years and covering the City Commission for almost 10 years. When this opportunity presented itself, so many friends and neighbors thought I was the best choice and encouraged me to run for the seat.
While I had been continually active in the community and followed the city government very closely, I had never in my life planned or anticipated running for office. With my family’s encouragement I decided to enter the race…to step into the arena. I remember thinking I would have the opportunity to be an example of the kind of elected official I always wanted my boys to see. A sense of panic overcame me that night as I thought to myself, what have I done…what now…
Now, when I look back almost 8-years later, I could never have anticipated the experiences I had, the lessons I learned, the pain I witnessed, the challenges I faced, in addition to the hope I was given, the care and compassion I saw, the joy I experienced, and the wonderful people I met in our community.
I am proud of what we have accomplished from fighting against school boundaries that would have excluded students from attending our neighborhood schools to effectively advocating for additional elementary school capacity. With your support, we secured land for future city needs and limited that development. We approved building fire stations, expanding the library, and Pine Trails Park, making improvements to infrastructure, many city amenities, and so much more; it has been a busy 7+ years.
We have also had our share of crises, from the flooding in June 2017, Hurricane Irma in September 2017, the current pandemic, and the devastating and horrific mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Throughout it all, our community has demonstrated what it means to show up for one another. While there is division on social media, out in the real community, on the ground, there is so much care and compassion. We had neighbors helping neighbors during the hurricane, and in its aftermath, and so many who reached out to help the Florida Keys that were devastated during Hurricane Irma. We had multiple residents doing collections to help the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. After the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, our community stood up for one another, helping families, teachers, and students. While our community changed forever that day, the heart of who we are did not. Even in the current pandemic, we had residents making masks for first responders and supplying food to those in need. We have an incredible and resilient community, which is what makes our city such a special place to live.
Congratulations to our new City Commission and your willingness to serve. I wish you much success as you continue the work of keeping Parkland the wonderful community it is and the place we all call home.