City of Sunny Isles Beach Official Website
By Stan Morris, City Manager
(Friday, January 7, 2021) – Last month I was appointed as City Manager by a 5-0 vote of the Mayor and Commission, showing their faith and commitment. I consider it an honor to work alongside the great staff of the City of Sunny Isles Beach in serving our residents.
We are listening to your concerns and working on improving upon our already accomplished government. For those who do not know me, I served as the City’s Deputy City Manager for eight years. I understand where Sunny Isles Beach is currently, how it functions, and have a vision for the future. My vision is for the City of Sunny Isles Beach to be the best, most responsive municipality in the world! Our customer service will be unparalleled, we will promote inclusivity, transparency, and safety, and we will work our hardest to give residents the quality of life they deserve.
We are planning to schedule more workshops as a forum for the Commission to discuss direction of specific projects, while allowing the public additional opportunities to get involved. We have addressed residents’ concerns about the availability of services on our third floor – Building, Code, Licensing, and Planning & Zoning – by making these services open for walk-ups, in addition to being available by appointment. We want to make our services as accessible, responsive, and open as possible. We are also expanding programs, activities and events for the winter season as we look forward to a brighter new year.
At the December Commission Meeting, the Commission voted to establish two new committees focused on safety and sustainability, which will help us get more work done quickly with input from residents. Applications are currently available at sibfl.net/committees. Later this year we will be establishing a Charter Revision Commission to review the City’s Charter. Every 10 years, a group of citizens is chosen to review the City’s Charter alongside the Commission and propose changes. This is the time to voice your opinions about our municipal operations. We will keep you posted for more details on how to apply for this committee.
Another special election will be held this month, this time for Commission seats 1 and 3. Those elected will serve the remainder of the term until November 2024. It is important that you vote and have a say in the future of your government.
2022 is also an important milestone in our history – it marks the City’s 25th anniversary. For those who have lived here since incorporation, think about what the city looked like and what was going on 25 years ago. The growth we have seen in such a short period of time is remarkable. Though Sunny Isles Beach is still a ‘young’ city by all counts, we will be looking back at all that has been accomplished over the last 25 years and looking toward another 25 years of progress, innovation, and service. We are re-envisioning the governance of our city by building a team of responsive employees to support the goals of the Commission, embracing community involvement, and putting residents first.
We are laying the foundation for a new era in Sunny Isles Beach. Our doors are open. The lines of communication are open. We are here to serve you.
Contact City Manager Stan Morris at smorris@sibfl.net or 305.792.1701.