MAY 2013
LOOKING BETTER AS A TEAM By Mayor Eric H. Jones Jr.
In City Government
Life is learned as we are instructed by the people are most dear to us and the evolving events that through experience, teach us as they erase our ignorance and replace it with wisdom. Butterflies and Bullfrogs teach us how the process of metamorphosis can make a caterpillar and a tadpole something that looks nothing like what they were at birth. Our city is evolving into something that looks nothing like what it was at our inception. Each month it is our intent to reveal the many things taking place that is moving West Park into a place where we can be proud that we live in the “City of Positive Progression.” Although our city is progressing there has been a common formula that we can attribute to our growth TEAMWORK. A few years ago I wrote about that Teamwork is the FUEL that allows Common People to Produce Uncommon Results. The movie “Remember the Titans” is focused on bringing together different cultures and races and developing them into a team. The coaches do this by hard work and intentional focus. The team that was less than average eventually comes together and become an unbeatable high school football team. It is a different team but one that learned to function by practicing teamwork. I have discovered that
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WEST Mayor Eric H. Jones, Jr.
life has individual accomplishments and collective accomplishments. The individual landmarks benefits one person whereas the collective landmarks benefits many people. I remember LeBron James, of the Miami Heat, made a statement in deciding to come to South Beach, which says, “I can be great as an individual but I can only win a championship with a team.” Groundbreaking highlights on the path to an objective are not always things we expected on our journey, but they are periods that paint a clear picture of the kind of dedication and determination that against the odds, breeds success. I believe that success has two phases, which can only be accomplished only through teamwork. The key to teamwork is relationships, when they exist between each of the members of the team we are on our way to reaching our destiny. When this city or any organization is functioning as a team of players with different abilities, they have an unstoppable force. It forms the power of one in the voices of many. We have proven that we have a team. John Maxwell in his book, “The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player” states, “Great challenges require great teamwork, and the quality most needed among teammates amid the pressure of a difficult challenge is collaboration.” Notice that he did not say ‘cooperation’ because collaboration is more than that. Cooperation
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Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson
Commissioner Thomas Dorsett
On April 17, 2013, The City of West Park commended Mr. Prince Michael Moore for his heroic attention and aid with an injured young boy named Angel Doteel, who fell from a tree, on March 26, 2013.
(Pictured from Left to Right): Commissioner Dorsett, Vice Mayor Brunson, Mayor Jones, Mr. Prince Michael Moore, Commissioner Mack and Ms. Theresa Marie Moore.
OFFICIALS Commissioner Sharon Fyffe
Commissioner Rita “Peaches” Mack
City Manager W. Ajibola Balogun
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MAY: A MONTH OF SPECIAL TRIBUTES On Mother’s Day, pay your most humble tribute to mother! By Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson
Mothers are everything for us when we are small...our lives revolve around her. For everything that we need we call mother. To protect us from all perceivable dangers, we want her around us. To take us, out we hold her arms. To kiss away our wounds, we run to her. And for a warm hug and love, we look for her. She is the focal point of our lives, the greatest human being in the world or should we say divinity on earth. On the special occasion of Mothers Day pay tribute to your mother - the greatest blessing on you! What can we do in West Park to honor mothers? On Mother’s Day shower your Mother! Mother is a gift of God. She is an angel, which protects you from all the evils of the world and gives you a secure shelter in her lap whenever you
feel stressed and insecure. Irrespective of how we look or behave, our mother showers us with all possible love and blessings in the world. Despite how successful we become, she can't ignore her little concerns for us. Despite we become mature enough, we remain a 'silly darling kid' in our momma eyes. Though she is a guardian angel to us, we hardly ever get an opportunity to thank her for lending us a shoulder to cry, a lap to rest, hands to catch hold of us whenever we fall. She is our dearest pal and our best companion ever. On this Mother's Day, shower your Mother. Tell her that you love her and no one else could ever substitute the position she holds in your heart. On Mother’s Day Thank your Mother! There is simply no way we can ever really thank mother for all she has done for us. She is the one who will be awake all night when we are sick. Mothers are the ones who would forever complain that we are not eating enough or not eating right. They would cook all sorts of things so that we are
strong and healthy. Mothers in fact, worry more for our examinations than we must. They would take pains to complete our school projects leaving all other works behind while we play around with friends or just while away time watching movies. On Mother’s Day Apologize to your Mother! Isn't it tough to imagine how she must have borne our temper tantrums when we were teenagers and even as adults? And how hard we must have made her life by behaving sometimes rude and difficult. And yet she was so astonishingly cool. Mother’s Day is the right time to apologize for all the troubles that we gave to our moms, without even realizing at most times how troublesome we must have been to her. Celebrate Mothers Day with your Dear Mother! Mother’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate the joys of having a mother. Strive to make Mother’s Day absolutely hassle free for your mother and take the responsibilities on yourself for a day. Pamper her a little on this
special day of hers just as she pampers you all the year round. Give her a warm hug and a big kiss as you wish her a Happy Mother’s Day! As we salute moms, we should pause and thank them for their love and guidance. They are our first teachers. I would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in West Park and to those who fill the role of mothers. And for those who have taken the reigns to fill those shoes, thank you for your unconditional support! I also extend a special thought and prayer to the memories of the moms who are no longer with us on earth, but remain in our hearts and minds because they have touched our souls.
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Unleash the Power of Age! By Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson
Every year since 1963, May has been the month to appreciate and celebrate the vitality and aspirations of older adults and their contributions and achievements. It is a proud tradition that shows our nation’s commitment to honor the value that elders continue to contribute to our communities. This year’s Older Americans Month
theme -“Unleash the Power of Age!”emphasizes the important role of older adults. This May, communities across the nation will recognize older Americans as productive, active, and influential members of society. Older Americans Month celebrations will acknowledge the value that older adults continue to bring to our communities by making an effort to applaud recent achievements of local elders and inviting them to share the activities they do to unleash the power of age. While we at the City of West Park provide services, support, and resources to older Americans year-round, Older
Americans Month is a great opportunity to show special appreciation for some of our most beloved citizens. We will continue to provide opportunities for elders to come together and share their experiences with one another, as well as with individuals of other generations. We have many reasons to celebrate them! Join me and the entire City Commission and staff as we join in the national celebration of Older Americans Month 2013 with activities and events to promote intergenerational engagement and recreation. We invite you to join in the fun! To find out how
what programs we offer to our Older Americans please call our Parks and Recreation department at (954) 9851990 or call Enith Mulkey at the Family Success Center (954) 357-5650. To my beloved West Park residentsHave a Happy Mother’s Day, Older American Month and a blessed Memorial Day! 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 (954) 889-4164 or email fbrunson@cityofwestpark.org.
On Memorial Day, let us never forget! By Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson
This month we will also pay tribute to veterans on Memorial Day. We honor those soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who died for our country. We honor those who fought for us. Peace has meaning the protected will never know. Each soldier who falls is a great tragedy. Though each death is a tragedy we honor and thank each who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice. They gave us our freedom and it behooves each of us to be our best self out of respect for what they gave us. We look to them for guidance—guidance for the present and guidance for the future. We shouldn’t look at the era in which they toiled and sacrificed as if we were visiting a museum or an archaeological site. We should look at what they did, and how they did it and, in doing so, honor them by imitating their courage and their sacrifice and
their excellence. Their accomplishments are astonishing to us. And we should learn from them. They have left a legacy of freedom, and they taught their children and their children’s children the value of sacrifice, and work, and virtue, the necessary conditions of freedom—and they taught us the love of country. These soldiers have become our teachers, their presence here, and the words and deeds of their lives, remind us of human excellence, of the things for which we stand, of the courage that is necessary to maintain those things. They taught us what it means to be a citizen. How is it possible for the City of West Park to honor such men, both the deceased and living? Perhaps we cannot do any better than to call you the Greatest Generation of the greatest country in the world. Perhaps we should make certain that
your stories are told to the young. Perhaps we should try to imitate both your purposes and lives, in both peace and war. Perhaps we should just sincerely thank you for making sure that this island of liberty would continue. Perhaps we should just say this, along with Abraham Lincoln: "Gold is good in its place; but living, brave, patriotic men, are better than gold." Perhaps, we could support the VFW Post #8195 more and the wonderful works they are doing for veterans that do make it home. As we remember these brave warriors and their comrades in arms on this Memorial Day, we must look to the future as well as the past. In today's world, freedom comes cloaked in uncertainty. America still relies on her sons and daughters to defend her liberty. The cost of independence remains high, but we are willing to pay it. We do not pay it gladly, but we pay it with
deep reverence and thanks to those who have sacrificed their lives for America. We know that in the years to come, more brave souls will sacrifice their lives for America. We include them in our thoughts and prayers today and every day. In conclusion, to the City of West Park’s honored deceased, we hold you in our highest esteem! You are our heroes! We salute you! We honor you! We live our lives in freedom, because of what you gave us! There will never be a time that we do not give you our solemn honor! To this and every Memorial Day, we the residents of West Park must never forget the meaning of Memorial Day and remember those proud patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty's blessings! We are in your debt and we thank you! May God always bestow His blessings upon you!
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LOOKING, from page 1 ––––––––– is working together aggressively. Collaborative teammates do more than just work with one another. Each person brings something to the table that adds value to the relationship and synergy to the team. The sum of truly collaborative teamwork is always greater than its parts. As a team we have reached many goals. Goals are like first
downs in a football game. The ultimate objective is the touchdown after the many first downs. Well, we have made many first downs. Let us continue to huddle up and plan our next play and if we keep getting first downs we will eventually make a touchdown.
May God Bless our nation and continue to prosper our city.
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West Park Calendar of Events
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May 2013
Honesty • Integrity • Values • Respect • Knowledge • Ethics
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NOTICE OF BID INVITATION CITY OF WEST PARK BID NO.: 13-0508 The City of West Park will receive sealed proposals until 3:00 P.M. local time, Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at the City Clerk's office, City of West Park City Hall, 1965 South State Road 7, West Park, Florida 33023, for the following project:
Traffic Calming Improvements Project S.W. 32nd Court
305-868-3600 • 954-522-3202 561-392-9059 • 1-888-868-5585 Aventura • Miami Beach • Boca Raton www.gprco-cpa.com
The project consists of the construction of two speed tables on S.W. 32nd Court between S.W. 32nd Street and S.W. 33rd Street within a portion of Study Area C. This is a federally funded project for the 37th year Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). All HUD Federal rules and regulations pertaining to this project are applicable. Federal Davis-Bacon Wage Rates for work classifications are specified and must be complied with. Fringe benefits must be added to the prevailing hourly rates where applicable. Bidders must comply with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 which requires that economic opportunities to the greatest extent feasible be given to low and very low income persons and to businesses that provide economic opportunities for these persons. The City encourages local general contractors and irrigation companies who reside and/or do business within the City of West Park to participate in the bidding process. Bids will be opened publicly at or shortly after 3:05 P.M. on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at the City of West Park City Hall, City Commission Chambers, located at 1965 South State Road 7, West Park, Florida 33023. Bid documents (plans and project manual) may be obtained from www.demandstar.com or from the city’s website www.cityofwestpark.org or from City Hall on or after Wednesday, April 17, 2013. The City of West Park’s City Hall is located at 1965 South State Road 7, West Park, FL 33023. A nonrefundable deposit of $100.00 per set of plans and specifications is required for bid documents picked up at City Hall. The bid will be awarded to the lowest responsible responsive bidder. If, however, the City Manager deems it to be in the best interest of the City of West Park, the City Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informalities or minor defects in any bids, and to increase or decrease the quantities shown in the Bid Form. Bids, which contain irregularities of any kind, may be rejected as informal. A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at City of West Park City Hall, City Commission Chamber, 1965 South State Road 7, West Park, Florida 33023, at 3:00pm local time on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. All interested contractors are invited to attend. The City of West Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages the participation of certified Black MBE contractors.
Sarai Lobaina City Clerk
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Legislative Update & Lobbying Activities in Tallahassee
O
n April 3rd & 4th, 2013, the City Commission joined other municipal elected officials in Tallahassee to advocate for the City’s legislative requests. The trip was successful and promising. The commission held several meetings with the state legislators and the governor’s office. During all the meetings, the commission stressed the need
for the legislators’ to support the City’s Water Funding Request for SW 56th Avenue (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) Drainage Improvement project. Some of the legislators that the commission met includes: Senator Geraldine F. Thompson (Vice Chair General Gov. Appropriations); Senator Oscar Braynon, II; Staff of Senator Gwen Margolis (Mr. Jeff Branch) – (Vice Chair – Tourism & Economic Development); Executive
Session with Gov. Scott, Cabinet Members, Members of Dade Delegation; Representative Shevrin D. Jones; C. Scott Dudley (Director of Legislative Affairs, League of Cities); Representative Sharon Pritchett & Staff (Mrs. Desinda Wood-Carper); Senator Alan Hays (Chair, General Appropriations Subcommittee; Governor’s Office (Mr. Darrick McGhee); Session: House of Representatives’ Session (5th Floor Gallery)
(Pictured from Left to Right): Mayor Jones, Commissioner Mack, Senator Oscar Braynon II, Vice Mayor Brunson, Commissioner Dorsett, and City Manager, Mr. Balogun.
(Pictured from Left to Right): City Manager, Mr. Balogun, the Governor’s Legislative Affairs Director Mr. Darrick McGhee, Mayor Jones, Vice Mayor Brunson, and Commissioner Dorsett.
(Pictured from Left to Right): City Manager, Mr. Balogun, Commissioner Dorsett, Commissioner Mack, Vice Mayor Brunson, Mayor Jones, and Senator Geraldine F. Thompson.
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WEST PARK CITY EVENTS
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