It's a great day Palm Bay!
I'd like to begin my April Mayor's Message with a sincere and heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported the 2023 Mayor's Ball. On March 18, nearly 200 guests, including sponsors, local dignitaries, community partners, and citizens joined me in my effort to build a new monument at Sacrifice Park to honor local first responders who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our community. A huge thank you to our Brevard County Sheriff, Wayne Ivey, for joining me in this effort! I also want to thank all of the staff members who worked so hard collectively to make this event a success, especially our Public Information Officer, Christina Born, for all her coordination efforts. And last but certainly not least, thank you to everyone that donated. Thanks to your efforts, we raised over $63,000! With your incredible support, we are well on our way to building a new monument, but we have more work to do in order to achieve our goal. I ask that you lock arms with me and join me in this vision. Please consider making a donation at www.pbfl.org/mayorsball and help us build a memorial worthy of their sacrifice.
Join me in congratulating Drain Mechanics LLC on becoming the second quarter Mayor's Business Spotlight Program winner for 2023! What first started as a one-man truck operating out of a garage in 2017, Drain Mechanics has quickly grown into a full-service, one-stop shop for everything from residential to commercial services. They offer 24/7 emergency services and remain competitive in their pricing to back up their business motto: "Clean your drains, not your pockets!" They have shown significant business growth in workforce, capital expansion, and increased revenues since being established and now have over 50 employees and over 40 trucks and heavy equipment in their fleet. Because of their growth, they have plans for expansion in the near future and are happy to call Palm Bay home. Not only are they experts in their industry, but they strive to be strong community stewards by assisting local non-profit organizations and others in need.
On Tuesday, March 23, we held a joint workshop of the Infrastructure Advisory Oversight Board (IAOB) and City Council to discuss the progress of the GO Roads Paving Program and strategies for future phases to mitigate some of the challenges the program has faced due to cost escalations and material shortages. As of March 2023, more than 342 miles, or 43% of the total 791 miles of roadway, were completed. Visit www.pbfl.org/projects for more project updates.
I was #PalmBayProud to honor one of our very own, James "Nick" Canjar, for winning Employee of the Year for the City of Palm Bay! Nick was nominated by his peers for a number of reasons, to include his willingness to go above and beyond to be helpful, patient, polite, and considerate to everyone he comes into contact with. Nick has demonstrated real cost savings for the City through his attention to detail and negotiation skills. He is also an ambassador for the City, performing procurement speaking engagements regionally and nationally, serving as President of the Brevard County Purchasing Cooperative, and leading a study group to mentor others on obtaining their procurement professional certifications. Most recently, Nick won the Central Florida Chapter NIGP "Buyer of the Year" and will go on to the national competition. He is truly an asset to the City of Palm Bay, and we are lucky to have him!
Each April, we celebrate Earth Day. If you're looking for a family-friendly opportunity to celebrate Mother Nature, come out to Palm Bay City Hall on Saturday, April 15, from 4-7:00pm for the First Annual Sustainability Fair hosted by the City of Palm Bay Sustainability Advisory Board. Enjoy food vendors, eco-vendors, FREE rain barrel workshop (pre-registration required), FREE bounce house, FREE face painting, FREE sustainable demonstrations, FREE raffle, FREE games, FREE giveaways, and more!
In conclusion, Happy Resurrection Day, Palm Bay! On Easter Sunday, April 9, we celebrate life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ! May you and your families have a safe, healthy, and joyous holiday! May God continue to bless you, your families, our City, and our Nation. OOH RAAH!
