Letter from Mayor Margaret “Peggy” Brown

Dear Weston Residents,

This November 2021, it will be a year since having been sworn in as the 4th Mayor of the Great City of Weston! While the Oath of Office Ceremony was low-key and limited to attendance, it was an honor to be sworn in by Former Mayor, Daniel J. Stermer. As a former Commissioner (2016-2020), I had the distinct opportunity to work aside Mayor Stermer and I learned a great deal from his leadership. Thank you, Mayor Stermer, for your 16 years of service to our community! As a former Commissioner and now Mayor, I have been serving in a leadership role since the beginning of COVID-19 and have witnessed the impact it has had on our community over the course of the past 18+ months. To begin, schools closed their doors to in-person attendance and transitioned to online learning.

While a challenge and shift in delivery, the most difficult issue we all faced in our community was the lack of social engagement through local activities and sports.

Many of the communications I received over the past year had mainly to do with park closures, both City parks and local community recreational playgrounds. Without question, these closures and the absence of team sports took a toll on our children both emotionally and physically.

Understandably, with the lifting of closures, we were all excited when residents could return to the courts, fields, and workout facilities. Children could begin to participate in team sports, others could take their children to playgrounds, and still others could congregate for community events. This past July 2021, the City of Weston hosted fireworks, music, and activities in the Regional Park on the 3rd, followed by a Parade on July 4th! Both events were welcomed by many and it was a delight to see smiles and hear laughter from the community!

In the upcoming months there are innumerable events occurring in the City that residents can attend. For example, the Outdoor Concert Series, the 24th Annual Rotary Run for Tomorrow, the Get Fit Challenge, Movies in the Park, the Winter Safety

Expo, and much more. Many of these events will be listed in this invaluable resource,

Sports & Activities - Weston Directory, as well as the events calendar of WestonFL. org/Events and in the Newsday Tuesday e-Newsletter www.westonfl.org/residents/connect-with-yourcity/newsday-tuesday-enewsletter . In closing, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the 25th Anniversary of the City of Weston! Yes, by many standards we are a young city as compared with other municipalities. However, in this short time, Weston has received many awards and recognition. In 2021, Weston was listed as The Best Small Cities to Start a Small Business; Ranked #1 for the Best Cities to Live in Broward County and #10 for the Best Cities to Live in South Florida; The 2021 Broward County Complete Streets Community Award Winner; Selected as one of 50 top cities out of 30,000 across the country as Americas Best Cities to Live, and The Telly Awards which honor excellence in video and television across all screens, including non-broadcast, social media, series, television, commercials & marketing and more. For a complete list, please go to www.westonfl.org/about/ awards-and-recognition While Weston has received many notable rewards and recognition, without question, the best and most rewarding thing about living in Weston are the residents! Happy 25th Anniversary to the City of Weston Residents!

Until next time, Margaret “Peggy” Brown