A Message from Broward County Commissioner Barbara Sharief
As I take into account all that Broward County has to offer, I am
reminded just how great we are! I am excited to share that Broward
County is home to 26 miles of award winning Blue Wave certified
beaches. We also have one of the most modern and fastest growing
airports in the country and one of the top-rated cruise ports in the world.
There are so many good things happening here. An ever-increasing
number of guests are discovering Broward County’s rich landscape of
eclectic food, fashion, arts and culture, events, nightlife and
entertainment. We are truly fortunate to call Broward home!
As we enjoy the summer months, remember to take time to relax,
revitalize, and perhaps travel a bit. It’s also a perfect time to get
organized, like cleaning out the garage and donating items that you are
no longer using to your favorite charity.
As District 8 Commissioner, it's an honor to serve my constituents and
I look forward to continuing to serve you over the next 4 years.
Sincerely,
Barbara
I welcome your comments and want to hear which issues are important to you. Send an email to me at Bsharief@Broward.org or call my office at 954-357-7008. Also, check out the Barbara Sharief Facebook page at Facebook.com/Barbara.sharief or follow Barbara Sharief at Twitter.com/Bestmom39.
Make This Summer A Splash
Looking for something fun and exciting to do with
your family this summer? Cool off and soak up the
fun at one of Broward County’s four water parks. The
water parks at Paradise Cove at C.B. Smith Park in
Pembroke Pines, Tropical Splash at Central Broward
Regional Park & Stadium in Lauderhill, Splash
Adventure at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach,
and Castaway Island at T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park in Hollywood
are now open daily to help you and your family beat the summer heat.
For more information about park hours, seasonal water passes, and
weather-related updates, visit the water parks website.
Get Your Passport To Broward
The Broward Academy Passport to Broward is a special 10-week program exclusively for college students to get a FREE behind the scenes look at how Broward County Government works. The program is held on Thursdays starting September 13th through November 15th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.
Learn more by visiting Broward.org/Academy.
Tree Ordinance
Hurricane season officially
began on June 1st and Broward
Commissioners have passed an
ordinance aimed at preventing
widespread power outages caused
by downed trees hitting power lines.
“In the aftermath of Irma, more than 800,000 people lost power and
75 to 80 percent of that was due to vegetation that was not properly
maintained by either homeowners or cities who planted trees in the
wrong places,” noted Commissioner Dr. Barbara Sharief, who brought
the new law forward for Commission approval.
The ordinance requires homeowners in the Broward Municipal Services
District (unincorporated area) to properly maintain trees that are already
in place and prohibits the planting of new trees near existing power lines
in accordance with Florida Power & Light’s “Right Tree, Right Place”
guidelines. Dead, damaged, or diseased trees near electrical lines will
be removed. Fines start at $150 and incrementally increase to $250 and
$500. Homeowners will have twenty days to come into compliance if a
notice is issued.
“FPL was trying to cut the trees prior to Irma and people were not letting
them on private property. This is going to allow them to have some type
of a fallback to get people to let them cut the trees,” notes Sharief.
For more information on tree maintenance visit Broward.org/Hurricane/AtoZ/Pages/TreesBeforeEvent.aspx.
Board Appointment to World AIDS Museum
The World AIDS Museum and Educational
Center officially welcomed Commissioner Dr.
Barbara Sharief to their Board of Directors.
The World AIDS Museum is the first museum
dedicated to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The
Educational Center provides information on
treatment and prevention of HIV. Whether
infected or affected, everyone has been touched by this in their own
personal way.
Hurricane Preparedness
The 2018 Hurricane Season has arrived, and all Broward County residents should be prepared in case of an emergency. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to take the time to prepare for possible tropical storms and hurricanes. Check out all of Broward’s Emergency Checklists, and be sure to complete the 10-Step Family Plan.
For tips on how to develop an emergency plan, create an emergency kit and be informed during a disaster, visit ReadySouthFlorida.org or Broward.org/Hurricane/Pages/10Step.aspx.
Business Opportunity Act
Broward’s Office of Economic and Small Business Development will host free information sessions for businesses to learn of new opportunities to do business with Broward County government. Attendees will learn how to tap into Broward County Government contracts, receive updates on the new total gross receipts cap for the construction industry, and benefits of the increased personal net worth cap. All trades are welcome. Join us at one of the following locations:
- Thursday, July 19th from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at the Miramar Branch Library
- Saturday, August 11th from 11:00am to 12:30pm at the Margate
Branch Library
- Thursday, September 30th from 3:00pm to 4:30pm at the Urban
League of Broward County
Sales Tax Holidays
Back-To-School
Be sure to enjoy the three-day “Back-To-School” sales tax holiday from August 3rd to August 5th for clothing, footwear and backpacks costing $60 or less, and school supplies costing less than $15.
The August holiday is designed to help ease the cost of getting children back into the classroom with clothes that fit and backpacks full of necessary
school supplies.
Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities
In addition to the sales tax holiday, the state is exempting any equipment to generate emergency electric energy at a nursing home facility that is purchased between July 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018. This exemption is limited to a maximum of $15,000 in tax for the purchase of equipment for any single facility. Qualifying purchases made prior to the enactment of House Bill 7087 are eligible for a sales tax refund. Businesses should contact the Department of Revenue for more details.
For more information and a list of qualifying items, please review the
Department of Revenue's website.
6th Annual Autism in Flight Program
The 6th Annual Autism in Flight program was a great success! For autistic children and their families, a trip to the airport can be downright frightening. When I was contacted by a family in my District with an autistic child and learned of the challenges they faced when using airports, I embarked on an effort to change that for all kids. This exercise is a learning experience to help reduce everyone’s level of stress and make traveling a more pleasurable experience. During the event, we had 70 4th and 5th grade children from 8 Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) board a JetBlue aircraft and participate in a mock flight. I’m so thankful for the partnership between the BCPS, Broward County Aviation, JetBlue, TSA, BSO Fire and Police and many others!
We learned that every child who has been through this program has since boarded an airplane and flown with their families! I am already looking forward to our 7th Annual with more surprises. So stay tuned...
2018 Summer Specials
Enjoy 2-for-1 summer deals at more than 45 attractions during 2-for-1 Summer Savings through September 30. Exclusive Greater Fort Lauderdale Vacation Like a VIP packages are available at participating Resort Collection properties through September 30th.
This September, Spa Month allows guests to indulge in luxury for less with $99 spa treatments (50% savings), while Crave GFL celebrates the area's top dining, offering specially-created menus at $35 or $45 fixed prices. Look on
Sunny.org to join Crave GFL restaurant month or contact Rita Wells (Rwells@Broward.org) for more info.