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Take the Sunny Isles Beach
Best Test
By Bari Auerbach
To the best of your knowledge, are you aware of all the best proactive projects, initiatives, accomplishments and attributes Sunny Isles Beach is proud of?
Heralded as one of the best South Florida cities to call home or visit by international real estate and hospitality industry experts, SIB is best known for its beautiful beaches and warm, tropical climate…but the best way to find out how much you really know about the plethora of perks associated with living within city limits is to take the “Best Test.” So try your best - keeping in mind there can be more than one right answer to get the best score!
Best News
How much did the city’s assessed property values go up in just the last year?
a. $1 billion
a. High enough to keep the tax rate one of Miami-Dade’s lowest at
$2.95 per $1,000 of assessed value
c. Higher than just about all other municipalities in the county
d. So high, even The Donald feels “trumped”
Best Buy
What does the city get when developers buy TDR’s (transfers of development rights)?
a. More capital improvement projects totaling over $57 million, funded mostly by revenues from TDR’s and other development density bonuses.
b. A more upscale image for the west side of Collins Avenue
c. More green space for parks and playgrounds (Three more acres of land in addition to ten existing acres devoted to parks were recently acquired to build the city’s sixth park thanks to the sale of TDR’s)
d. More strollers, diaper sales and pediatrician offices
Best in Blue
Why does Sunny Isles Beach have such low crime rates?
a. 49 sworn officers patrol the city’s less than two square mile radius
b. Chief Fred Maas and officers who have earned prestigious law enforcement awards are committed to keeping the city safe
c. Tickets are still given to speeders who claim, “But officer, I was only going 75!”
Best Education
Why does Sunny Isles Beach need a K-8 public school?
a. Today, there are more than 1,500 children living in SIB - up from about 300 when the city was incorporated in 1997
b. According to the Beacon Council, relocating families and professionals list “excellent schools” as one of their top criteria for choosing a community
c. Schools where Sunny Isles Beach students are bused to are getting so overcrowded they might soon have to post “standing room only” signs
Best of Show
What does Sunny Isles Beach do for fun?
a. Enjoy Family Fun Days, Sunny Serenade concerts, excursions to cultural events, city celebrations, firework displays, summer camp programs and many more enriching activities planned by the Cultural and Human Services Department
b. Give the TV show America’s Got Talent stiff competition at dance and talent shows coordinated by the Community Activities Committee of the Mayor’s Advisory Council
c. Visit the Town Center Park, Samson Park, Margolis Park, Golden Shores Park and soon, the new active park with a baseball field coming to North Bay Road plus another new park being planned by the Lehman Causeway
d. Break out the popcorn and have exciting evenings watching SIB cable TV Channel 77 featuring City Commission meetings plus bulletins about upcoming events and important notifications
Best Slogan
What perception does the Commission hope to convey with the new city slogan “Florida’s Riviera”?
a. Upscale, luxurious living
b. A coastal resort area
c. An alternative to moving to the Mediterranean
Best Building
Fill in the blanks:
When the Trumps of Williams Island built ___________ a whole new wave of luxury came to Collins Avenue and 178th Street
____________ would never say “You’re fired!” to apprentices helping with the construction of premier oceanfront towers rivaling the luxury of Mara Lago
When Don Soffer sketched out the design for Aventura on the back of a napkin, on the other side, there could have been plans for ________ Ocean Colony in Sunny Isles Beach
Ocean One and all its sequels were produced by _____________
The Pinnacle…Intracoastal Yacht Club…and now St. Tropez coming to revitalize Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard is the latest claim to fame for _____________
Best Service
How many people does it take to keep Government Center running smoothly?
a. One Mayor, one Vice-Mayor and three Commissioners
(Mayor Norman S. Edelcup, Vice Mayor Roslyn Brezin, Commissioner Gerry Goodman, Commissioner Danny Iglesias, Commissioner Lewis J. Thaler)
b. City Manager John Szerlag and Department Heads
c. 142 full time employees and 65 part time employees
d. All concerned citizens who voice their opinions during public hearings
Best Budget
What are highlights of the city’s ’06-’07 fiscal year budget?
a. Enhanced Collins Avenue streetscape design, aesthetic signage, undergrounding of utility lines
b. Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard roadway improvements and stormwater drainage
c. New bus shelters, parks and lighting upgrades
d. It’s balanced!
Best Landmark
Unscramble to solve…Clue: Best pastrami sandwich
het acrsla oshue
Extra Credit Trivia
When did the city incorporate and what anniversary will be celebrated next year?
What can you say at a Commission meeting that could cost you a $5 fine?
Who was the city’s first Mayor?
Where was the city operating before Government Center opened?
What city does Sunny Isles Beach have a sister-city relationship with?
Who publishes the Sunny Isles Beach Sun?
Where are the city’s library and post office located?
What does the RK stand for at RK Shopping Centers?
Which business networking entity did the city recently merge with?
Best Efforts
If you’ve made your best effort to take the “Best Test,” odds are you passed with flying colors! But just in case you and your best friends didn’t know some of the answers, check the answer key below…And remember, if anyone ever asks, “What’s the best city in South Florida?” the very best answer is: “Sunny Isles Beach!”
ANSWER KEY
Best Landmark:
The Rascal House
Fill in the Blanks:
Acqualina
Donald Trump
Turnberry
The Related Group
J. Milton & Associates
Extra Credit Trivia:
June 16, 1997; 10th anniversary
Saying Sunny Isles (and leaving out the word “Beach”)
David Samson
An RK Shopping Center
Netanya, Israel
Miller Publishing
Government Center
Ranaan Katz, owner
Aventura/Sunny Isles Beach Chamber of Commerce
All Other Answers:
All of the above!
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