Message from the City Manager – June 2023

By Stan Morris, City Manager

(Wednesday, June 7, 2023) – Many residents wonder what their city does to serve them. Often, police and fire rescue services come to mind, but we do so much more. Parks, landscaping, lighting, street and sidewalk maintenance, and storm water maintenance are some of the less glamorous but much needed services we provide.

Your expectations, like ours, are extremely high. We live and work in the most beautiful city in South Florida. Through future videos and messages, we will share with you the many things that we do to maintain our world-class city!

Though we live in a world of negativity and complaints, we want to share the real narrative of the hard work our staff does daily to benefit you and welcome your feedback.

We service and maintain 11 fabulous parks and are working to add to our inventory. From the farmers market on Wednesdays at Gateway Park to pressuring cleaning sidewalks and bus benches on nights and weekends to installing new faucets at the fish cutting tables on the pier, we are always working to improve our services to you, our residents.

Fast Fact – Our Finance Department just completed a yearly required comprehensive audit. This audit, by an independent firm, presents the findings at a public meeting to the City Commission. The audit showed that we are on track and all our spending and handling of your money is proper, safe, and true.

Related and of great importance, our Finance team was recently awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 15th consecutive year. They were also awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 13th consecutive year. These awards are from outside agencies that look deeply into our budget and financial reporting. These are high standards to meet, and our Finance Department exceeded them.

The definition of ‘behind the scenes’ is truly our Media Division. Always behind the camera or strategically writing and designing in an office, this creative group is likely the ones you interact with most. They design, draft, and publish all the communications for the city. They leave their mark on everything you see, hear, and read. After years of producing quality materials, they finally entered their material for an award and were recognized for their quarterly publication, Live and Play, from the National Association of Government Communicators. This magazine is used by thousands of residents to learn about all of the events and activities that take place in Sunny Isles Beach.

Other notable accomplishments in recent months include the launch of the Digital Plan Review by the Building Department and the commencement of advisory committee meetings. We also welcomed three new businesses in Sunny Isles Beach. Egg Scramble hosted over 2,000 guests in April for a morning full of spring fun. Registration is now open for summer camp, and we are planning for fall programming with some input from the Parks and Recreation Master Plan that is nearing completion.

If you have any questions about your city, please come in and meet with us.

Visit our YouTube page to see more behind-the-scenes footage of Your City At Work at youtube.com/cityofsib.

Contact City Manager Stan Morris at smorris@sibfl.net or 305.792.1701.