It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached February 1st.
The City has completed the restoration work at 54th Street and Shore Boulevard. A few finishing details will be addressed this month. The railing along the sidewalk in front of O’Maddy’s will be set into the curb and extended to the end of Shore Boulevard. This improvement will create additional walking space and help guide pedestrians to use the crosswalk, improving overall safety. We are also awaiting installation of the pier lighting and the relocation of the fish-cleaning station, with water access, to the end of the pier. This change should reduce bait cutting on benches intended for seating.
Beach restoration is now underway and will continue through February. The Coast Guard station has been removed, and I expect the former Lions Club building to be demolished this month as well. The community provided valuable input on future use of that property, with four clear areas of consensus:
- Keep the area as green as possible
- Continue public access for non-motorized vessel launches
- Add kayak storage
- Provide restroom facilities
Funding has also been approved for new utility software that will allow residents to monitor their water usage. This tool may help identify leaks more quickly and promote conservation. Implementation is expected in the fall.
Significant time has been spent meeting with and communicating with our state legislators regarding proposed bills that could impact our City. There appears to be some progress in removing portions of last year’s HB 180 language from the current SB 840. However, many of the proposed tax bills remain harmful to cities that operate their own police and fire services, as they reduce revenue while maintaining the same public safety obligations. During discussions in Tallahassee, there has been little consensus among legislators on tax-related proposals.
In February, we have two City Council meetings (Tuesday 2/3 and Tuesday 2/17) and two workshops scheduled (Thursday 2/5 and Thursday 2/26 tentative). I encourage everyone to attend and stay engaged in the work of our City.