City maintaining high levels of service for fiscal year 2009-2010

By Bari Auerbach

The Sunny Isles Beach City Commission recently approved the 2009-2010 fiscal year budget with no cuts in services – good news many other municipalities around the country have not been able to report given the state of today’s economy.

Thanks in part to revenue from new construction projects; the city was able to avoid the elimination of programs. However, the budget does reflect the Commission’s commitment to attain optimal cost efficiency as overall spending has been reduced from last fiscal year’s total budget amount of $29.2 million to this fiscal year’s total of $27.5 million. 

Here is a synopsis of the high levels of service contributing to the great quality of life Sunny Isles Beach residents and visitors of all ages will continue to enjoy year-round:

Transportation Services: Feel like getting around town - but don’t feel like driving? Just hop aboard one of the city’s convenient shuttle buses - a free transportation service provided seven days a week with three different routes.

Educational Services:  Sunny isles Beach Community School principal Dr. Annette Weissman was recently proud to report, “SIBCS is fortunate that we have not had to cut back on any academic programs…We added a seventh grade; welcomed 1,450 students for the 2009-2010 school year; and have engaged 17 new teachers which includes music and physical education teachers, classroom teachers, and bilingual teachers.  These new teachers help ensure that the individual needs of our students continue to be met.

“We have also acquired three new software programs to support the students in reading, mathematics, and science…and will once again be offering a limited selection of after school enrichment activities. Parents are encouraged to take advantage of the many options provided by the Pelican Park Community Center…the excellent staff can pick children up at the school and escort them to their facility, offering a wide variety of activities.”

Recreational Services: Sunny Isles Beach was already heralded for building a multitude of parks including Samson Oceanfront Park, Sen. Gwen Margolis Park and Town Center Park – but now, just ask any of the kids enjoying basketball and little league – or fitness enthusiasts working out in the Fitness Center if they think Pelican Community Park provides enriching recreational services and odds are you’ll hear a resounding “three cheers” for the award winning addition to the community.

The Sunny Isles Beach Cultural and Human Services Department is comprised of a winning team always scoring major points for planning a myriad of programs and activities residents are invited to sign up for such as ballroom dancing, a music club, drama club, fine art for youth, computer classes, chess, Spanish, karate and yoga.

Also “at your service” when it comes to scheduling special trips and events, the city has announced these opportunities to experience culture, fun and the rewards of volunteerism:

Booogie by the Beach: Oct. 30-31, admission is free for residents,  7 p.m.-11 p.m. at , Pelican Community Park (18115 North Bay Road) featuring games, rides, food, music and the city’s famous haunted house

Miami City Ballet: Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m., Broward Center for the Performing Arts, residents $53, non residents $58

Family Movie Night: Saturday, Nov. 7, 7 -9:30 p.m., Town Center Park. Enjoy a movie with family and friends under the stars. Games and activities for children prior to the movie. Food is available for purchase, bring your own chair or blanket

Golden Era Film Series: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 10 a.m.-noon at Pelican Community Park, free admission, to reserve a spot, phone: 305-792-1706

Winter Break Camp: Dec. 21-31, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Pelican Community Park facilities are available to rent for parties, birthdays, meetings and other events. For more information, contact the city’s Cultural & Human Services Department, Events Coordinator: 305-792.1706.
Now, residents can also look forward to the new 4-acre Heritage Park coming to the city just west of Collins Avenue and north of the William Lehman Causeway. The parkwill feature a dog park, exercise trail, gazebo, basketball court, two tot-lots, a 500-space parking garage, green space and a picturesque entrance that will contain historical information and signage.

Hi-Tech Services: Sunny Isles Beach offers residents and visitors free WiFi throughout the city’s parks as part of a Wireless Island Project. All of the city parks are WiFi Hotspots where Internet connectivity is free, wireless, and commercial-free. The city parks that are WiFi Hotspots include Bella Vista Bay Park, Pier Park, Samson Oceanfront Park, Town Center Park, Sen. Gwen Margolis Park, Golden Shores Community Park, Pelican Community Park, and the future Heritage Park. WiFi is also available at the Sunny Isles Beach Government Center.

To help facilitate interactive communication between residents and city government, Snny isles Beach has also established “eSIBi” – a noification service allowing participants to sign up to receive information from the city via e-mail. To subscribe, log on to the city’s website sibfl.net and click on the eSIBi tab. Then you can enter your e-mail address and choose from the type of information you want to receive. Choices include: Adult and Senior Activities, City Events and Concerts, Cultural Event Trips, Emergency Notices, SIB TV, Traffic Alerts and  Youth Activities.

Excellent Police Services: Led by Police Chief Fred Maas, the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department strives to create programs that reduce the need for police response while creating a safer, more secure environment. The department’s quick response time (less than two minutes) is one of its most effective tools in combating crime, saving lives in emergency medical situations and capturing perpetrators.

Officers have access to emergency life-saving equipment such as A.E.D.'s (heart defibrillators) and Jet Ski body baskets attached for ocean rescue. Officers are also detached to work with other agencies (Drug Enforcement Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation) to resolve problems and share in asset forfeitures, which in turn creates additional resources to benefit the city.

Officers patrol the city on motorcycles, jet skis, boats, ATV's, bicycles, and in patrol cars. Special programs offered throughout the year include Red Ribbon Week, food drives, Toys for Tots, Kid Fest (including fingerprinting and ID program), the Police Officers Assistance Trust 5K Run, career day, and government day. Crime prevention programs are also offered including crime prevention and awareness, identity theft, vandalism, anti-robbery, hurricane preparedness, gun safety locks, vehicle identification, anti-theft "club" giveaways, and fraud and scam education.
 
Corporal Brian Schnell, public information officer for the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department, has recently been writing articles appearing in this newspaper informing readers about important public safety issues. For example, he recently wrote about the installation of cameras to monitor motorists running red lights at the intersections of Collins and 172nd Street and 174th Street.

Another one of Schnell’s articles focused on the effectiveness of citizens and officers working together to combat crime. “I often have said that the combination of a vigilant public and a well prepared police agency make for a dynamic force to combat or even repel the criminal element,” he wrote. To contact the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department, phone: 305-947-4440.

Beautification Services: The Sunny Isles Beach Public Works Department is dedicated to keeping the city “clean and pristine,” providing services such as litter pickup to keep storm drains clear and promote a neat appearance throughout the city. At virtually every City Commission meeting agenda items focus on goals to ensure Sunny Isles Beach beautification and capital improvement projects are continually progressing. From landscaping maintenance and enhanced streetscape designs – to undergrounding utilities and promoting innovative “go green” initiatives, the city is always striving to “make the best even better.”