Tamagram, the Official Publication of the City of Tamarac, Florida
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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | 2019 INSIDE 11|12|2019 Tam --A Gram is the ofcial publication of the 2 A Balancing Act City of Tamarac, Florida. Reader questions and comments are welcome. 3 Toxic Trash Please send your comments to: Public Information Ofce 4 Ready for the Storm Attn.: Tam --A Gram 7525 NW 88th Ave. 7 No Permit? Not so Fast Tamarac, Florida 33321 11 Dining Guide You may also email your comments or questions to the Public Information Ofce at [email protected]. IMPORTANT NUMBERS CITY COMMISSION: Michelle J. Gomez, MAIN NUMBER .................................................(954) 597-3500 ADA Coordinator/Accessibility ........................(954) 597-3505 Mayor Voice ...................................................... 1 (800) 955-8770 [email protected] TTY ......................................................... 1 (800) 955-8771 Citizen Hotline ...................................................... (954) 718-1800 (Activated During Emergencies) Building Services ................................................. (954) 597-3420 Debra Placko, Building Inspections, Building Permitting Vice Mayor, District 4 and Inspection Results [email protected] City Clerk’s Ofce ............................................... (954) 597-3505 City Commission .................................................. (954) 597-3460 City Manager’s Ofce ......................................... (954) 597-3510 PIO (Media) .............................................. (954) 597-3523 Community Development ................................. (954) 597-3530 Marlon D. Bolton, Code Enforcement ................................. (954) 597-3425 Commissioner District 1 Business Revenue ....................................(954) 597-3537 [email protected] Financial Services .................................................(954) 597-3550 Purchasing .................................................(954) 597-3570 Customer Service ................................... (954) 597-3590 Fire Rescue (Non-Emergency) ........................(954) 597-3800 Human Resources ................................................ (954) 597-3600 Mike Gelin, Job Line .....................................................(954) 597-3615 Commissioner District 2 Risk Management ................................... (954) 597-3613 [email protected] Mayor and Commission ...................................... (954) 597-3460 Parks & Recreation .............................................. (954) 597-3620 Community Center ................................. (954) 597-3620 Caporella Aquatic Complex ................. (954) 597-3660 Caporella Fitness Center .......................(954) 597-3661 Julie Fishman, Social Services .........................................(954) 597-3642 Commissioner District 3 Transit/Shuttle Bus ................................ (954) 597-3649 [email protected] Police/BSO Tamarac District (General) ......... (954) 720-2225 (Non-Emergency) .................................. (954) 764-4357 Public Services ..................................................... (954) 597-3700 Engineering ...............................................(954) 597-3712 CITY MANAGER: Recycling & Trash Hotline .....................(954) 597-3740 Utilities (Water) ....................................................(954) 597-3750 Michael C. Cernech Billing Inquiries ....................................... (954) 597-3590 PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE: Utilities (Leaks, Breaks, etc.) ................(954) 597-3750 Elise Boston, Editor Water Treatment Plant ...........................(954) 597-3775 (Also used for after-hours utilities emergencies.) SERVICE PROVIDERS: Florida Power & Light ......................................... (954) 797-5000 Waste Management ............................................ (866) 684-3142 Comcast Cable ......................................................(954) 252-1937 Library (Tamarac Branch) ..................................(954) 765-1500 Post Ofce (Tamarac Branch) ...........................(954) 722-3152 B TAMAGRAM 11| 12| 2019 Mayor’s Message his edition of Tam-A-Gram marks the opened up and shared your stories. I remain Tend of the year and the start of our available for anyone who would like to talk. holiday season. For me, it marks the end Just reach out to me by phone or email. of my frst year as your Mayor. And what a year it’s been. We’ve seen some signifcant During this time of appreciation and giving milestones in our City: the groundbreaking thanks, I hope you know how grateful I am and progress of Tamarac Village, the for all you r cards, texts, calls, emails, hugs, metamorphosis of Colony West and prayers, cookies, cakes, and beautifully knit renewed business interest. hats and shawls. Your love and support helped me through what should be It’s also been quite a year for me considered one of the worst experiences personally. While I never expected to be of my life. But it wasn’t; it showed me that diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer there is such a tremendous amount of shortly after the November 2018 election, goodness in and around our City. I am grateful for your confdence in me as I went through a lumpectomy, 16 Thank you for making my journey easier. chemotherapy sessions and 30 rounds of Please remember to make the time radiation. I’m proud that I never missed for your yearly wellness checks. Early a Commission meeting and even more detection is the best defense against this pleased to share that I am cancer free! and all awful diseases. Cancer is an extremely personal journey, My sincere wishes to you for a healthy and and everyone needs to decide for happy holiday season. Looking forward to a themselves what to say and when. I wonderful 2020! apologize to those who somehow hadn’t heard or would have liked to have known )/tiiJ/2 sooner. And I appreciate all of you who Michelle J. Gomez, Mayor WWW.TAMARAC.ORG •1 A Balancing Act s Tamarac transforms from a quiet Property Taxes A bedroom community to a thriving, While the millage rate remains the same, multicultural and multigenerational City, property taxes are projected to generate $2.2 its leaders must carefully balance today’s million more than Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, thanks needs with those of tomorrow. Our newly to new homes being added to the tax roll and a adopted, $197 million budget focuses on rise in property values. Both are good indicators maintaining critical infrastructure to ensure of the health and vibrancy of the community. we’re prepared for the future. It also includes projects to enhance our community’s However, increases in individual property appearance and new events to celebrate taxes should be small for the City’s portion our spirit. The carefully crafted budget does of your tax bill. For instance, homeowners all this without raising the millage rate used will only pay the City $13.85 more (after to determine property taxes, which has exemptions) for homes with FY 2019 assessed remained the same for the last seven years. values of $100,000 that fall under Save Our Homes. For homes with assessed values of Did You Know… $300,000 under Save Our Homes, the yearly 65% of residential property owners increase (after exemptions) is $41.55. in Tamarac will pay $750 or less in ad The bottom line is that we must balance valorem taxes? the need to remain an afordable and What’s in the Budget vibrant community with the need to While the City’s population grows younger, prepare for the future, while maintaining our infrastructure does not. It’s critical the fnancial stability that makes Tamarac that we keep our water and stormwater a great place to build a family, a business systems in good working order. That’s why and a life. Want more budget details? we allocated $2.1 million for stormwater Visit www.Tamarac.org/Finance and click projects, and more than $3 million for the “Management and Budget Services” button. improvements to the Water Treatment Plant in the capital budget, which funds major FY 2020 PROPERTY TAX RATES: improvements to the City’s facilities and infrastructure. Funds are included to extend Ad Valorem Applied to your property’s assessed water lines to the City’s east side and reduce value, subject to homestead and the reliance on purchasing water from Fort other exemptions. Lauderdale. City Millage Rate: Other capital improvement projects will 7.2899, the same since FY 2013 beautify and enhance the community, including $2.7 million for improvements Non -Ad Valorem Assessments: Not based on assessed values, billed at a to Caporella Park, $1.2 million for median fat rate on your tax bill landscaping and road paving and $1.26 million for the neighborhood signage Fire Rescue Special Assessment: program. $350, same since FY 2017 To better ensure community safety, the Stormwater Special Assessment: $131.60, an increase of 3%, consistent operating budget includes three new with the City’s Code of Ordinances frefghter/paramedic positions. It allocates funds for additional events, notably a holiday Residential Solid Waste Assessment: lighting at Caporella Park, a Battle of the Bands $278.75, no change and additional concerts and movies in the park. 2 TAMAGRAM 11| 12| 2019 Toxic Trash Keeping eed to get Nrid of old Tamarac Wild paint, solvents or amarac has many initiatives other household Tin place to reduce our carbon hazardous waste? footprint, preserve green space and Not sure what remain a thriving City for both humans to do with your and wildlife. old electronics? Don’t let them The National