NEW MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS SWORN IN

The Palm Bay City Council has three new faces on the dais. On November 23^rd, newly elected Mayor Rob Medina, Councilmembers Donny Felix and Randy Foster were sworn into office. At the swearing-in ceremony, the Oath of Office was administered to each incoming councilmember, affirming their commitment to faithfully serve the citizens of Palm Bay.

Mayor Medina, Councilman Felix, and Council­man Foster join returning Deputy Mayor Kenny Johnson and Councilman Jeff Bailey on the Palm Bay City Council.

BUILDING DEPARTMENT MOVES TO NEW LOCATION & ADJUSTS OPERATIONS TO RESPOND TO NEW CHALLENGES

The City of Palm Bay Building Department has moved to a new off-site service center located at 190 Malabar Road Suite 105 in the Winn Dixie Shopping Center at the southwest corner of Min­ton and Malabar Roads. The service center will operate Monday through Friday from 7:30am until 3:30pm and offer a convenient location apart from the City Hall campus with ample parking and easy access.

Over the past several months, the Building Department has adjusted its building permit and inspection services to support the building industry and keep projects moving during the ongoing pandemic. In June, the Building Depart­ment introduced Electronic Plan Review (EPR), enabling digital submission of small project applications to eliminate project backlogs and improve turnaround times. Digital submissions also improve safety by eliminating the need for face-to-face contact and the handling of paper­work.

Additional process improvements have been introduced to offer alternatives to some tradi­tional in-person building inspections. Certain inspections can now be completed via Remote Virtual Inspection (RVI), including those for small projects, residential additions, alteration re-inspections, water heaters, electrical recon­nects and service upgrades. The City’s Building Department also offers online permitting on the City of Palm Bay website. Online permit appli­cations offer convenience and enhance safety by reducing the need to visit the Building Depart­ment for in-person service.

Online permitting, along with the addition of EPR and RVI functionality, represent innovative service delivery methods that are responsive to the needs of our current climate. With the addition of these changes, residents and builders can enjoy uninterrupted access to permitting and inspection services in a safe and reliable manner, allowing projects to move forward and business operations to continue.

NEW FIRE STATION 5

The City of Palm Bay is excited to an­nounce the opening of the new Fire Station 5, located at 1525 Foundation Park Drive SE. The new facility serves as a replacement for the modular station at 37 San Filippo Drive SE that opened in 1998.

The reintroduction of Fire Station 5 brings Palm Bay to a total of six stations, providing additional coverage and enhanced response times across the city’s 88-square miles. Firefighters operating out of Station 5 will provide lifesaving and fire rescue services to southeast Palm Bay and the I-95 corridor at Malabar Road.

Station 5 will also function as the official fire training grounds for Palm Bay Fire Rescue, which will allow the department to conduct more frequent trainings on a wide variety of skills, while saving the City more than $10,000 a year in training facility rental fees. The 3-acre parcel also provides space for expansion to accommodate future training needs.

The acquisition and construction of Fire Station 5 was funded through a combina­tion of City general fund dollars, fire impact fees, and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. In early 2019, the City’s Community Development Advisory Board made a recommendation to City Council to award $780,299 in CDBG fund­ing for the acquisition of the property and existing 6,400 square-foot building for Fire Station 5. CDBG funding was also award­ed to acquire apparatuses and equipment for use by Station 5 firefighters, to include $473,715.89 for Fire Engine 5 and related equipment, $280,149.44 for Water Tender 5 and related equipment, and $8,155.53 for the purchase of lifesaving equipment.

On December 18, 2020, Palm Bay Fire Res­cue hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for Station 5. Mayor Rob Medina, City Coun­cil, Acting City Manager Suzanne Sherman, members of the Community Development Advisory Board, and key City of Palm Bay representatives were in attendance to cele­brate the opening of the facility.

CITY SEEKS GRANT FUNDING FOR PALM BAY POLICE DEPARTMENT’S UNDERWATER RECOVERY TEAM

On January 1, 2021, the City of Palm Bay submitted a competitive grant applica­tion to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation for $41,005 to equip the Palm Bay Police Department’s six-officer Under­water Recovery Team (URT) with wetsuits, breathing apparatus and communication devices.

Founded in 1988, this highly dedicated team of police officers conducts the recov­ery of both persons and property involved in a criminal investigation or loss. The URT’s current dive equipment, which is aging and in some cases, non-functioning, was first put into service primarily between 2001 and 2005.

For more information, visit www.pbfl.org/CED.

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT RELOCATES

The City of Palm Bay’s Community and Economic Development (CED) Department has relocated to the sec­ond floor of the City Hall Annex, located at 120 Malabar Road SE. The CED office will be housed in the area that was previously home to the Building Department. The CED Department includes the City’s Economic Development, Housing & Community Development, and Communications Divisions. The Department is also responsible for the Bayfront Community Redevelopment Agency and the Business Improvement District. For more information about the City of Palm Bay’s CED Department, visit www.pbfl.org/CED.

EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY AT GREATER PALM BAY SENIOR CENTER

In the fall of 2019, the Palm Bay City Council, at the recommendation of its Community Development Advisory Board, approved a grant award in the amount of $527,158 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to the Parks & Recreation Department for renovations to the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center, to include ADA accessibility improvements. The Center, located at 1275 Culver Drive NE, is a 501© (3) nonprofit organized in 1987 for the purpose of providing a safe and healthy environment for area seniors to socialize, exercise, learn, and play.

The renovation includes the replacement and repair of various systems and elements of the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center and adjacent woodshop building. Interior renovations will include the replacement of the existing kitchen cabinets and countertops, flooring repairs, and the installation of hurricane-rated, insulated windows and doors as well as upgrades to facility doors, bathrooms, and drinking fountains. Exterior renovations to the facility will include the repair of mortar joints, the replacement of exterior siding, LED lighting upgrades throughout the property, the replacement of the existing pedestrian bridge, and necessary repairs to the irrigation system. A new HVAC unit will also be installed at the facility and existing ducts and grills will be repaired as needed. Existing facility features including the sidewalks, outdoor landings, indoor and outdoor access ramps, and parking areas will be upgraded to ensure ADA compliance and accessibility. Further improvements to the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center include upgrades to the woodshop facility to comply with current standards set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Following a competitive bid solicitation, the City of Palm Bay selected Archangel Engineering and Construction to carry out the renovations, with an estimated total project cost of $400,609, not including contingencies. The Greater Palm Bay Senior Center renovation project began on October 1, 2020 and is anticipated to last five months. The Center is expected to reopen in early 2021. 

PALM BAY CITY COUNCIL APPROVES 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

On December 3, 2020, Palm Bay City Council approved the 2021 State Legislative Priorities for the City of Palm Bay. The legislative priorities include three legislative policy reforms and three funding appropriation requests, all intended to advance existing projects and initiatives as well as enhance the economic viability of the community. The City and its state lobbying firm, Sunrise Consulting Group, will present these priorities before Brevard County’s state legislators at the 2021 Brevard Legislative Delegation meeting to be held virtually on January 7, 2021 from 4 PM to 7 PM. These requests come during a lean legislative session as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The City will seek support for policy reform on Chapter 125.56 of the Florida Statutes which imposes restrictions on Building Enterprise Fund carryforward (of previous year funds) and the use of those funds as well as legislative changes to Chapter 287.055, Florida Statutes, amending the Consultants Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA) to allow agencies to undertake a ‘best value’ procurement process by including the consideration of price in addition to the firm’s qualifications.

The City’s three funding appropriation requests will address water quality issues and enhanced cybersecurity measures. The City’s Utilities Department is requesting $1,630,500 for 150 residential septic-to-sewer conversation, which will result in the protection of the Floridan aquifer, canal systems, Turkey Creek, Indian River Lagoon and other natural water resources. Public Works Department is seeking $500,000 for the installation of two Nutrient Separating Baffle Boxes to support the health and restoration of Turkey Creek, a natural tributary of the Indian River. The City will handle surveying, prepare design plans for the baffle boxes in-house, and cover the costs for permitting and in-house construction and engineering estimated at $88,000. The City’s Information Technology Department is seeking $660,000 for enhanced cybersecurity to provide robust data loss prevention and protection of sensitive information, the enabling of citywide two-factor authentication, increased security for mobile devices and implementation of proactive network monitoring. At its regular meeting on December 3, 2020, City Council also approved a local funding match of $200,000 from General Fund Reserves to support this funding appropriation request.

The City will be meeting with local state legislators, Senator (and recently appointed Florida Senate Majority Leader) Debbie Mayfield and Representative Randy Fine leading up to the Brevard Legislative Delegation meeting to seek sponsorship support leading up to the State of Florida’s legislative session in Tallahassee, which convenes on March 2, 2021.

COVID-19 TESTING IN PALM BAY

The Florida Division of Emergency Management offers FREE drive thru COVID-19 testing in Palm Bay.

The drive thru testing site is located at the Eastern Florida State College Palm Bay campus at 250 Community College Parkway (use the entrance from San Filippo and Jupiter). Testing is available for adults and children. Insurance information will be requested, however there is no cost or copay associated with testing. Personal identification is not required, but does expedite the process. Visit www.pbfl.org/COVID19 to learn more.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

It’s a great day Palm Bay!

Last November, I was blessed to be elected as Mayor of the great City of Palm Bay. Being entrusted to lead this community is a great honor and I do not take the role lightly. I want each and every Palm Bay resident to know that I will work tirelessly each day to earn your trust as we work together to shape a brighter tomorrow.

As we embark on this journey together, I want you to know that Palm Bay is a city that cares. Our common goals far outweigh our small differences and disagreements, and the Palm Bay I know is one where community comes first. My wife and I chose to raise our family here because we saw what makes Palm Bay special – the people. I see you; I hear you; and I will work for you as your Mayor.

I pledge to you an open and transparent local government. Shining a light on open government is the remedy to the questions and doubts of the past. I will work with my fellow Councilmen to engage in candid, open governing in the Sunshine that is accessible to the public. I will look to increase accountability and ensure that your tax dollars work for you.

While there is room for improvement, there is also so much to celebrate in Palm Bay. I am committed to using this platform to connect with members of the public to build an engaged, enthusiastic, and informed citizenry. I feel a great deal of pride in our City and I want to share that sentiment with my fellow Palm Bayers. This year, I am launching my Palm Bay Proud challenge coin initiative. This self-funded program is a way for me to show my gratitude and recognize excellence in individuals who are working to make Palm Bay great. I hope to use my time as your Mayor to spark a true sense of community pride.

As the New Year begins, let us pause to reflect on the resiliency and spirit found throughout our community over the past year. The year 2020 brought us unexpected challenges, uncertainty, and worry; but it also demonstrated to me the profound kindness and fellowship that exists in our great City of Palm Bay. From neighbors helping neighbors, to supporting local businesses, I witnessed a community join together and stand strong in the face of adversity – and that gives me great hope for the year to come.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”

I hope you’ll join me to work each day to build a bright future for Palm Bay.

- Mayor Rob Medina

Receive the latest updates from Mayor Medina via email by registering for the Mayor’s Message eNotification at www.pbfl.org/mayorsmessage.

UPCOMING REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS

• January 21 at 7:00pm
• February 4 at 7:00pm
• February 18 at 7:00pm
• March 4 at 7:00pm
• March 18 at 7:00pm

All meetings are held in Council Chambers in the City Hall Complex located at 120 Malabar Road SE.
Watch meetings live on the City’s website at www.pbfl.org/watch and on the City’s Facebook page. Meeting agendas are available at www.pbfl.org/agenda.