®
oundtable:
Community leaders Leaders from across the region look back at the pandemic and discuss the takeaways, lessons learned and the impact on priorities and development.
Jane Bolin
Mayor City of Oakland Park
What were Oakland Park’s primary takeaways from the pandemic? There is a real opportunity to strengthen partnerships throughout all levels of government. The reality is that cities are taking the lead from the federal government, the state government and the county and that coordination is critical. We need to be flexible and nimble so we can respond when and how our communities need us. We also need to work with our neighboring cities and counties to share our collective resources and knowledge. Those tools will enable us to look ahead to anticipate future emergencies so we can plan for them as they arise. One of the challenges we faced throughout the pandemic was the need to protect public safety while supporting our local economy. Different approaches at various levels of government caused frustration and confusion over quarantine, curfews, and business restrictions. That uncertainty continued as we turned our focus to determine how we would reopen and when it would be safe to do so. Over the past year, it has been crucial to maintain ongoing dialogues with local governments as well as our community so we could address our challenges together. What are your near-term expectations? One of the things I hope we can address are eviction and foreclosure rates. In my experience as a real estate attorney, I see the challenges that can arise from lifting moratoriums and trying to balance the needs of our landlords and property owners. We will have to work together to find the best solution for our community. 16
| Invest: Greater Fort Lauderdale 2021 | ECONOMY
Donald Decker City Manager City of Weston
How did the pandemic affect your priorities in your first few months as city manager? I’ve been with the city of Weston for 20 years. When I became city manager in October 2019, I had a “to do” list that got overlooked. As the year wore on and we shifted toward our response to the pandemic, we realized we were well prepared to handle it. Our previous city manager was so concerned about our ability to operate after a natural disaster that we already had the ability to do teleconferencing and telecommuting and to continue with all of our business operations, whether we had an office or not. Everyone has adapted very well and that’s because our services have been able to continue virtually. What are some of the challenges the city is facing now? What was on my radar when I began as city manager and is beginning to come back as we emerge from the pandemic is development. We’re celebrating our 25th anniversary, and in the first 20 years Weston was all about rapid development. The city experienced nonstop construction. Now, we are entering a redevelopment phase. Some of our infrastructure and our commercial sectors are beginning to age. The Bonaventure golf course, for example, closed one of its two famed courses to make way for a high-end residential neighborhood. There is a stressor between people who are conscious of the need for redevelopment and residents who want to make sure the city doesn’t become something they didn’t sign up for. Some residents do not want to see higher density that may bring more impact to our schools or our roadways. We need to redevelop but we need to do so in a way that’s sensitive to the city’s past as it looks to its future.
