• Commissioner Fisher's August/September 2020 Newsletter

    AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
    2020
    Dear Community Members,

    Broward County is finally seeing a downward trend in positive COVID-19 cases and that is all because of you, our residents, businesses and our community as a whole who are buckling down by wearing masks and following the requirements that have been put in place. I want to thank each and every one of you for the great efforts that you have made to help keep our community, specifically our most vulnerable population as safe as possible during this pandemic. While these numbers are great news, we are still not in the clear! Residents are reminded that we cannot let our guard down and that we must continue to follow CDC guidelines. More…

  • Commissioner Fisher's November 2020 Newsletter

    Dear Community Members,

    NOVEMBER 2020

    Broward County’s Reorganization Meeting

    On Tuesday, November 17th, 2020 Mayor Holness provided his ‘State of the County’ speech in which he spoke about the many accomplishments and several obstacles that our community had to overcome this past year. Additionally, the Commission elected Senator/Commissioner Steve Geller to hold the position of County Mayor for a one-year term and Commissioner Michael Udine as Vice Mayor of Broward County for a one-year term.

    The new Broward County Mayor urged our community to stay cautious with the upcoming holidays. He continued his remarks by stating that he will continue to work on several of his priorities which include, affordable housing, our local environment issues, growing cultural activities in our community and getting more high paying jobs to Broward County. You can click on the link below if you would like to watch the entire Reorganization Commission Meeting.

    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhXciBoeqRU

    County Government Offices Reopening for in Person Services

    Throughout the pandemic Broward County’s government services have been provided mostly in virtual settings in order to keep our employees and members of our community safe. Earlier this month Broward County announced the gradual reopening of in-person services. A comprehensive “Back to Business In-Person Plan” has been developed, with specified requirements for all County services, from Libraries to the Animal Shelter and many others. The plan provides for comprehensive safety measures in all county government facilities. Below are some of the strategies that have been put in place to keep our employees and customers safe.

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    General Safety Precautions

    Required facial coverings and other personal protective equipment (such as gloves and face shields, where appropriate) for employees and staff serving members of the public in County facilities.

    Air filtration and purification systems in certain facilities (e.g. Port Everglades, Medical Examiner) and on Broward County fixed-route buses and Paratransit vehicles; planned improved ventilation systems in others

    Daily or more frequent deep cleaning of County facilities
    Signage and floor markings to mark 6-foot social distancing in public areas.

    Required facial coverings by members of the public while in County facilities.
    Reconfiguration of lobbies, public meeting rooms and spaces to accommodate social distancing.

    Public education and awareness messaging, including print and digital signage, public service announcements and social media announcements

    Hand sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes in public areas.

    Flex appointments for customers in some locations and Curbside service where available (e.g. libraries)
    Remote participation opportunities for public speakers for public meetings

    Reduced public hours in some facilities to allow time for staff cleaning and sanitizing before opening and after closing Increased cleaning of restrooms, elevators, and other high- touch areas (e.g. door handles, water fountains, etc.) in County facilities

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    To check out the plan for each county facility and available in-person services, please visit www.Broward.org/Coronavirus.

    CARES Act Small Business and Non-Profit Assistance Program

    Broward County’s Small Business and Non-Profit Assistance Program launched on Monday, November 9th thru Monday, November 16th and extended thru Wednesday, December 2nd. The Board of County Commissioners allocated $35 million from theCounty’s federal CARES Act funds to support this grant program; $25 million for small businesses and $10 million for non-profits. I am happy to report that our very own Office of Economic and Small Business Development administered the grant program and provided free technical assistance for those interested in applying. Many applications have been received and are being evaluated to make sure all eligibility requirements are being met. I hope that this assistance provided by the County can help many of the small businesses in our community that are hurting during this pandemic.

    For more information please visit, www.Broward.org/Cares.

    Our Economic Engines Receive Recognition

    Our very own Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) both received incredible recognition recently. Kudos to our Port and Aviation leadership as well as all the staff members for their well-deserved recognition!

    Port Everglades received three prestigious national awards of excellence for leading the way in port sustainability practices:

    • The National Association of Environmental Professionals' 2020 Environmental Excellence

      Award

    • The North American Marine Environment Protection Association's 2020 Marine Environment

      Protection Award for Ports

    • The American Association of Port Authorities' (AAPA) 2020 Award of Excellence for the Port

      Everglades Comprehensive Environmental Management Program
      For more information on all the great things happening at the Port, please visit       www.PortEverglades.net.

      FLL: For the second time this year, the North Runway Rehabilitation Project at FLL has won industry recognition as an outstanding aviation undertaking. In the last month, the Florida Department of Transportation announced FLL's runway reconstruction project as its 2020 Commercial Service Airport Project of the Year.

      In May, the project received the Southeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport 2020 Corporate Award for Commercial Airport Project of the Year – Airfields.
      For more information on everything that is going on at FLL please visit,       www.FLL.net.

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    Segment II – Broward County Shore Protection Project

    Our Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Department recently held a public outreach informational session to inform residents and take comments/questions regarding the upcoming Segment II Shore Protection Project. Thank you to all those that tuned in, asked questions, and provided valuable comments. Staff will continue to keep the community apprised as this project moves forward. The County expects to hold another webinar session in the first quarter of 2021.

    You can visit www.Broward.org/BeachRenourishment to access the presentation.

    35th Annual International Coastal Cleanup

    Broward County is excited to join the Ocean Conservancy and many from around the world to redesign a safe and new way to conduct this year’s Coastal Cleanup due to the pandemic. Instead of a specific date, as in years past, this year trash and data is being collected from September 1st thru December 31st, 2020. During the 2019 International Coastal Cleanup, 3,692 Broward County volunteers removed 6,710 pounds of trash from our coastline. I encourage anyone that is interested in participating in the 35th Annual Coastal Cleanup to visit www.broward.org/NaturalResources/BeachAndMarine for complete details or you can email coastalcleanup@broward.org for further information.

    We are less than two weeks away from the end of hurricane season. I am hopeful it remains quiet. With the holiday season fast approaching us, please remain vigilant with COVID 19. Each and every one of us can do our small part which in turn helps us get through this pandemic.

    This Thanksgiving I am truly thankful to serve you and Commission District 4. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance, you can contact me at 954-357-7004 or LFisher@broward.org. Also, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

    Commissioner Lamar Fisher Lamar P. Fisher

    Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

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    Best regards,

    Lamar P. Fisher
    Broward County Commissioner District 4

  • Fort Lauderdale District 2: Coronavirus Update 7.2.20

    Dear Neighbors,
    Tomorrow begins the start of the 4th of July holiday weekend. As social beings, we like to gather with our friends and family to celebrate holidays, but times are different this year and we must be very vigilant as COVID-19 is still a very real threat to our health and safety. As you know, the numbers in South Florida are not looking good with cases increasing dramatically as is the positive percentage of cases. The recent spread of the virus has been contributed, in part, to large gatherings of people, such as graduation parties, birthday parties, house parties, and big family gatherings.

  • Fort Lauderdale District 2: July 2020 Newsletter

    Dear Neighbor,
    As we navigate our lives throughout this pandemic, please make sure to take every necessary precaution to protect yourself, your family and friends. Remember to always wear a face mask when out in public (Broward County imposed mandatory mask ordinance), wash your hands regularly and often for at least 20 seconds, and avoid any and all large gatherings.

  • Fort Lauderdale District 2: June 2020 Newsletter

    Dear Neighbors,
    During these past weeks and months, our community and nation have endured unparalleled struggle. We are adjusting to a “new normal” with the continuing threat of COVID-19, all while coping with the tragic events that have highlighted the continuing fight against racial injustice.