REPORTANNUALCITYOFSUNRISE2•0•2•1 CAPTAIN SUNRISE DAYBREAK SUNNY
YOUR CITY OF COMMISSIONSUNRISE
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
MAYOR MICHAEL J. RYAN was elected Mayor of Sunrise in August 2010, and returned to office without opposition in 2012, 2016 and 2020. He earned a B.B.A., majoring in Finance, from The George Washington University, and a Juris Doctorate, summa cum laude, from The Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Mayor Ryan has long been an active resident of the City of Sunrise. Mayor Ryan served as a PTA President for two years and as an Executive Board Officer for an additional two years with the Sawgrass Elementary PTA; a volunteer coach over many years for youth soccer, baseball and flag football; volunteer coach for high school varsity girls soccer team; and two terms as Chair of the Education Advisory Board for the City of Sunrise. In addition, Mayor Ryan is an appointed member of the Broward County Regional Planning Council; chair (and prior vice-chair) of the Broward County Consolidated Communications Committee (regional emergency 911 communications); co-chair of the Communications Working Group for Strengthening Police-Community Relations; past chair and past vice-chair of the Public Safety Committee for the Broward League of Cities; past co-chair of the Broward County League of Cities’ Joint School Resource Officers Task Force; current co-chair of the Broward League of Cities’ School and Community Public Safety Taskforce; and, a current member of the Broward County Chiefs of Police Association Committee on Domestic Violence Injunction Process. He is an elected member of the Florida League of Mayors (2016-present) as well as a member of the Florida League of Cities’ Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Mayor Ryan has received awards for his work in the community, and is a frequent author regarding matters of public importance. His work promoting scholastic and community based chess initiatives has been the subject of local, national and international news coverage. Mayor Ryan’s efforts, along with that of the City Commission and City staff, led to the City of Sunrise earning the national title of “Chess City 2015” by the United States Chess Federation and the development of the Sunrise Center for Excellence in Chess. In 2014, celebrating his roots that go back to Ireland and his status as first generation American, Mike was named “Irishman of the Year” by the Emerald Society of Fort Lauderdale. Mayor Ryan is also a lawyer and partner in the law firm of Freedman Harwin Valori Ryan in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2019, Mayor Ryan was awarded the Broward County Bar Association’s “Walter G. ‘Skip’ Campbell, Jr. Lawyer-Public Servant Award.” Aside from his successful law practice, Mayor Ryan has been an active force in the lives of many in our community. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors and Secretary to the Board for Women in Distress for Broward County. His charitable works include running marathons for charity, helping gather goods and supplies to assist Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake, traveling to Haiti to volunteer after the earthquake, traveling overseas to volunteer at a U.S.O. Wounded Warrior Center, and a 900-mile bike ride to benefit, among others, wounded soldiers and their families.
Mayor Michael J. Ryan (center) (left to right) Commissioner Joseph A. Scuotto Assistant Deputy Mayor Mark A. Douglas Commissioner Neil C. Kerch Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman
The City of Sunrise is governed by a Commission/Manager form of government with the City Commission serving as the governing body. The Sunrise City Commission, which is comprised of a Mayor and four Commissioners, is the legislative and policy-making body of the City, responsible for approving the budget and providing strategic direction to staff. The City Commission appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, Fire Chief, Police Chief, and members of City boards and committees. The Mayor is elected at large, serves for four years, and presides over Commission meetings. Each of the four Commissioners is elected at large and serves for four years with two seats coming up for election every two years. The City Commission represents the public interest, promotes prompt, courteous responses to citizen problems and concerns, provides clear leadership and direction, and assures the present and future fiscal integrity of the City. The Sunrise Mayor and City Commissioners are dedicated to serving the broad needs of the community. They provide careful and responsible judgment in the exercise of legislative duties, with the clear understanding that they are the people’s representatives in setting policies and in determining levels and priorities of programs and expenditures.
ASSISTANT DEPUTY MAYOR MARK A. DOUGLAS is an Attorney at Law since 2006. Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas graduated from Florida International University (FIU) College of Law and litigates throughout the State of Florida, including in all three Federal Districts. He focuses on Criminal Defense and Immigration Law, and handles matters related to unpaid minimum wage and overtime arising under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with honors from the University of Technology Jamaica and is a licensed Realtor for over 17 years. Before entering private practice, Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas worked as a Criminal Prosecutor in the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office. While in Law school, he served as a Certified Legal Intern at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, worked pro bono in the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office and participated in Student Government, serving as president of the Black Law Students Association. He also was member of the Law School’s Board of Advocates, representing the school nationally in intra-mural negotiating competitions, and was named to the Dean’s List of scholars
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Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas has been involved in many community activities through the years, frequently providing pro bono services to indigent clients and providing free legal advice during citizenship drives within Broward County, as well as acting as a mentor to young law students and lawyers. He has served on the Board of four homeowners’ associations, and continues to serve as President of his community association board for over 13 years. Before being elected to the City Commission, Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas was a member of the Broward County Consumer Protection Board, the City of Sunrise Economic Development Advisory Board, the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board - which he chaired for two terms - and the City’s Board of Zoning Adjustment.
COMMISSIONER NEIL C. KERCH was elected to the Sunrise City Commission in March of 2013, and re-elected in 2014 and 2018. Commissioner Kerch has served as Deputy Mayor in 2013, 2017, and 2021. Commissioner Kerch has three guiding principles as an elected official, which are follow your vision for the city, serve with integrity, and deliver results. Commissioner Kerch is team oriented and honored to work with his colleagues on the Commission and City staff to make Sunrise the best place to live, work, play, learn, shop, and eat. Since being elected, Commissioner Kerch has spoken and participated in numerous community meetings and events. He is proud of the improvements to the parks and recreation facilities in neighborhoods city-wide, the improvements in our Sunrise Police Department’s community-based policing, improvements in Sunrise Fire Rescue, maintaining a structurally balanced budget without raising the tax millage rate, implementing COVID-19 assistance programs, and planning for the City’s future with a new city hall, infrastructure improvements, and investments throughout the city. Commissioner Kerch graduated cum laude from Florida Atlantic University in 2001 with a B.A. in Finance and Management. He received his J.D. in 2005 from the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University. Commissioner Kerch is admitted to the Florida Bar and the United States District Court of the Southern District of Florida. After being admitted to the Florida Bar, Commissioner Kerch served as an Assistant Public Defender in Broward County. He currently works at his law firm as a Trial Lawyer and Counselor of Law where he represents clients with legal issues in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties. Prior to embarking on his legal career, Commissioner Kerch was employed in the hotel/restaurant industry. Commissioner Kerch has been a resident of Sunrise since 2004, where he has been active throughout our community. Commissioner Kerch is a member of many professional associations and organizations. He has been a chess coach, a youth athletics coach for the children of Sunrise and, prior to being elected to the City Commission, served on the City’s Leisure Services Advisory Board. Commissioner Kerch is married to Carmen, and they have one child.
COMMISSIONER JOSEPH A. SCUOTTO - a resident of Sunrise for over 40 years - grew up playing youth sports in Sunrise, attended Bair Middle School, and graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. A Sunrise business owner since 1985, Scuotto has served as a City Commissioner since 1997, and was most recently returned to office without opposition in 2020. Commissioner Scuotto participates in the Broward County School Board’s Partners in Education program that has helped students enter the workforce, and has sponsored numerous civic organizations and charities, including the American Cancer Society, Kaitlyn’s Gift for Jackson Memorial Hospital, Dan Marino Foundation, Lutz Buddy Up, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and the Paralyzed Veterans Association of Florida. He is the president of the Sunrise Italian-American Civic Association and has been an active member of several committees, including serving as Chair of the Florida League of Cities’ Environmental Quality Committee, Broward County’s Resource and Recovery Board, Areawide Council of Aging of Broward County, Inc. Board of Directors, National League of Cities’ Community and Economic Development Steering Committee, and past Chair of the South Florida Regional Planning Council. He is currently a member on the Metropolitan Planning Organization. In 2014, Commissioner Scuotto received a key to the City of Sunrise for, at that time, being the longest-serving commissioner. In 2017 the Florida League of Cities presented him with the “John Land Years of Service” award for his twenty years of service. Commissioner Scuotto recently proposed a Free Recycled Paint program – unanimously approved by his colleagues – which would provide free exterior paint to Sunrise homeowners. He initiated the Youth Athlete of the Month program, which recognizes exemplary male and female student athletes. He also started and is a staunch supporter of expanding the City’s School Resource Officer program to include grades K-12. Commissioner Scuotto is the owner of Scuotto’s Pizza Café/Drive Thru restaurant in Sunrise. He and his fiancée, Allison, are the proud parents of two girls, Kaitlyn and Alyse.
Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas was first elected in 2016 and was the first minority to have been elected to or otherwise serve on the City Commission. In the November 2020 elections, he was returned to office un-opposed. He served as Deputy Mayor in 2019 and is the City’s representative on the Board of the Broward League of Cities. Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust, a mutual insurance entity of the Florida League of Cities that provides a range of insurance coverage for over 550 public entities statewide, including the City of Sunrise, insuring over 10 billion dollars in property values. He has served on several committees of the Florida League of Cities, including the Municipal Administration Committee, and the Legislative Action Committee, and currently serves on the Finance, Taxation and Personnel Committee. At the national level, Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas served for two terms on the National League of Cities’ Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR) Federal Advocacy Committee. In November 2020, he was appointed Chairman of FAIR, and consequently to serve on the Board of the National League of Cities. He is also member of the Broward County Bar Association, serving on their Mentorship Committee. Assistant Deputy Mayor Douglas and his family have resided in Sunrise since 2001.
DEPUTY MAYOR JACQUELINE A. GUZMAN was elected to the Sunrise City Commission in November of 2020. Deputy Mayor Guzman made Sunrise election history with close to 20,000 votes and is the first Hispanic (Puerto Rican) female elected in Sunrise. ¡Muchas gracias por tu apoyo! Deputy Mayor Guzman was born in Brooklyn, New York and has been raising her family in the City of Sunrise for almost 15 years. She attended Piper High School her freshman year and was raised in a Sunrise church during her teen years. Her three children attend Sunrise public schools and are active in Sunrise sports. Deputy Mayor Guzman graduated in 2016 with her Associate’s Degree in Healthcare from Las Vegas College in Nevada, and continued her education in Substance Abuse and Addictions Counseling. Deputy Mayor Guzman is a two-time heart attack survivor which led her on her journey as a local spokeswoman with The American Heart Association from 2012 to 2014. For 10 years, she has continued to spread awareness and currently serves as a Board Member. Deputy Mayor Guzman and her children have volunteered with numerous organizations such as HandsOn Broward, YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House and more. She has organized fundraisers for Jose’s Hope 4 the Homeless, The American Heart Association, Kids in Distress and Voices for Children. Deputy Mayor Guzman has been an active member of her community with the following organizations: American Heart Association Board Member, HandsOn Broward Board Member, ESE School Board Committee Member, Child Advocate with the Guardian ad Litem Program, appointed as the Florida League of Cities Voting Delegate, Broward League of Cities-Alternate Voting Delegate and BLC Youth Leadership Committee Member, serves as the PTO President at Westpine Middle School, where she founded Panthers with a Purpose, (a volunteer program for students) and has been a volunteer coach for the City of Sunrise since 2012. She also continues to be a strong supporter of youth and teen programming in the City. Deputy Mayor Guzman is a graduate of the Sunrise Residents Leadership Academy, Parent Leadership Training Institute, and Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.), and is currently completing the Citizens Police Academy. As a daughter of a small business owner, Deputy Mayor Guzman is a supporter of Sunrise businesses. During the pandemic, she recognized a need to help business owners navigate through challenging times. In 2021, Deputy Mayor Guzman expressed her strong support for the City’s new Sunrise Small Business Academy, which was unanimously approved by the City Commission.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 YOUR CITY OF SUNRISE COMMISSION MANAGING A STRONG CITY 5 Message from the City Manager 7 Economic Development 10 Community Development 11 Environmental Sustainability 14 Human Resources 17 Information Technology 18 Marketing and Communications 19 Grants and Awards 20 Local and National Recognition MAINTAINING A SAFE AND DESIRABLE COMMUNITY 21 Fire Rescue 23 Police INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE 24 Investing in our Infrastructure 25 Investing in our Open Space 26 Investing in our Water and Wastewater Facilities 30 Investing in our Leisure Services and Programs 32 Senior and Social Services 34 Recreation and Athletics 36 2021: A YEAR IN REVIEW CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
remains keenly focused on building a great City, with innovative and outstanding service delivery that our businesses and residents deserve and expect. This Annual Report represents our continued commitment to prudent fiscal management, customer service, collaboration, transparency, and providing our Sunrise community with the highest quality of life. I am grateful to the residents of Sunrise; members of the educational, faith and business communities; those in elected office; and our wonderful City employees who strive to make a difference every day. I am very proud to lead a dedicated team of highly qualified municipal employees who share my vision for the future of our great City and world-class operations that make Sunrise a premier destination for families, businesses, and tourism. With excellent schools, a low crime rate, robust corporate parks, and an abundance of amenities and opportunities, the City is viewed as a desirable place to live, work, own a business, raise a family, shop, play, and retire. I am pleased that we continue to attract vibrant businesses and engaged, committed and highly educated individuals who desire an excellent quality of life for themselves and their families. This report highlights our accomplishments over the last year and serves as a reminder of the great work that our Sunrise family continues to perform on a daily basis.
I am pleased to present the 2021 Annual Report of Accomplishments for the City of Sunrise,whichincludeshighlightsof theCity’saccomplishmentsandoutstandingservices for the past year. We should pause for a moment each year to measure progress and celebrate our successes. I am very proud of the accomplishments listed in this report and thank the City of Sunrise employees for their continued commitment to Ourexcellence.organization
MESSAGE FROM THE CITY MANAGER 5
Sincerely, Mark S. Lubelski, P.E. City Manager
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Highlights of 2021 for the City Manager’s Office include presenting a Budget that maintained the City’s property tax rate at 6.0543 mills for the thirteenth consecutive year with no use of appropriated fund balance or one-time revenues for ongoing expenses; vigorously pursuing various economic development initiatives to recruit new businesses, retain and expand existing businesses, and promote entrepreneurship development; the successful negotiation and purchase of additional parcels of property in east Sunrise to assist with the City Commission’s vision for the future of Sunrise; and groundbreaking of the new City Hall building.
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The City Manager serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Sunrise, responsible for the day to day management of the governmental organization.
Responsibilities include preparation and implementation of the City’s annual budget, execution of the strategic vision and policies established by the City Commission, providing technical expertise and recommendations to the City Commission, and developing/maintaining an organization that works effectively, efficiently and cooperatively for the benefit of the residents, businesses, and other community stakeholders of the City of Sunrise.
Residents Leadership Academy | The Residents Leadership Academy (RLA), launched by the City Manager’s Office to give Sunrise residents and business owners an in-depth view of municipal operations and help them explore their unique role in our diverse community, began in October 2019. RLA consists of five weeknight sessions from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, one Saturday morning session from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, and recognition at a Sunrise City Commission meeting. This program has been very popular with residents and business owners and City staff has received significant positive feedback from participants.
Sunrise Small Business Academy | The Sunrise Small Business Academy (SSBA) began in 2021 to provide Sunrise small business owners with training, local resources and other assistance that can help elevate and grow their business. The SSBA consists of six sessions at a Sunrise facility and includes hands-on exercises, presentations, and engaging discussions for up to 25 participants per cohort. The sessions are designed to include community partners who are experienced in small business and entrepreneurship, and will include such topics as business planning, licensing, permitting, accounting, marketing, sales, and design. The Sunrise Small Business Academy assists small businesses with key skillsets to ensure their ultimate success in Sunrise.
• In 2021 we continued to find innovative ways to ensure that the City of Sunrise remains one of the very best places to live, work, and play despite the impact COVID-19 had on our residents, businesses and visitors. We continued providing information and resources to Sunrise businesses related to COVID-19 business assistance. Towards the end of 2020, the Sunrise CARES – Business Recovery Grant Program assisted 130 small business with grants of up to $25,000. In 2021 the City continued supporting and promoting the local small businesses through the #ShopSunrise campaign.
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• An economic development campaign was launched with the introduction of a video titled “Sunrise: The City That Rises Above the Rest.” The video highlights the vast opportunities for national and global businesses considering a relocation to South Florida and encourages a closer look at the unique business-friendly atmosphere and amenities in Sunrise. Tying in to the campaign, the Business Focus Magazine featured Sunrise in a six page article as a City that Rises Above the Rest.
• In 2021, the implementation of the East Sunrise Improvements Master Plan continued at a robust pace. This plan will be a decade’s long blueprint for revitalizing the City’s original neighborhoods by attracting new investment, providing expanded City programing, infrastructure improvements and initiating creative development codes to encourage private investment and development. The City has already committed over $30 million in infrastructure and other improvements in the east Sunrise area. In addition to a number of infrastructure, road, and lighting improvements, we recently completed the renovation of City Park in the heart of the east Sunrise area which will certainly help us attract new private development and investment into the area.
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The City of Sunrise is home to a diversified group of businesses, including corporate offices, financial services, research and development companies, the largest outlet mall in the continental United States, Sawgrass Mills, and the 20,000 seat FLA Live Arena, one of the finest arenas in the country and home to the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers. A strong endorsement of the City’s desirability and business appeal is that corporations, hotels, restaurants, office parks, and other businesses already located in our community continue to expand and invest in the area.
In Sunrise, Economic Development remains a top priority. City leaders play a critical role in this effort by implementing a locallybased vision, smart growth and long-term sustainable policies. There are very few communities of similar size, anywhere in the United States, that welcome the tens of millions of annual visitors that we do in Sunrise.
MANAGINGASTRONG CITY
New banners branding Celebrate Sunrise were also added to 16 light poles on Sunset Strip. The new banners will also promote major holidays, events, and encourage people to shop, dine and play in east Sunrise.
• The multifamily housing market continues to be a strong performer in Sunrise with occupancy and rents at historic highs. New apartment and townhome projects totaling over 2,000 new units throughout the City are in various stages of planning andPlanningdevelopment.and/or
Approval Phase: Former Sunrise Country Club Golf Course, Pearl Sunrise, Sunset Strip Square, Metropica, and Radius at Sawgrass. Constructions Phase: Sunrise Gardens (235 units); Pine Plaza Gardens (288 units) and Avalina (194 senior living residences).
• The office market vacancy rates of 17% is a nationwide trend primarily due to the impact of COVID-19 which caused an increase in remote work by employees. The other factor that influences a high vacancy rate in the office market in Sunrise is that we have more than 1.5 million square feet of office entitlements (Metropica, Radius, The Edge, etc.) that are in the market for lease but not yet built.
With Commission authorization, staff negotiated the sale of a 3-acre City owned property on Sunset Strip known as Sunset Strip Square. The Developer is proposing to build 28 single family homes with a strong affordable housing component and some live/work units. Even though Sunset Strip Square is a small infill project, it will bring much needed new housing styles to that area and it will help attract other infill projects.
The City purchased a few key properties over the last year on Sunset Strip to target specific types of businesses and attract developers for potential redevelopment opportunities.
• Public art is also an important component of economic development and it enhances the City’s curb appeal. In line with that vision, the City completed Phase II of the Traffic Control Boxes Art Wrap project and is also preparing to purchase the first signature art sculptures in the City.
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To further enhance the appeal of the area and to complement City Park, we finalized the design of the new Village Arts Plaza and we expect to start construction in late 2022.
• While the office vacanc y rates are higher than the pre-pandemic vacancy rates, the residential, commercial and industrial markets are stronger. The City’s industrial and retail vacancy rates now sit at 2.3% which is even lower than the pre-pandemic vacancy rates. All indicators show the City capturing both residential and commercial investment at a robust pace.
One of the top priorities outlined in the Master Plan was the creation of the formbased code zoning on portions of University Drive, Sunrise Blvd and Sunset Strip, which is currently being drafted.
• Development continued at a brisk pace in Sunrise, with the City processing over 8,212 building permits this past year, which is about 1,208 more than the previous year.Construction value of these per mits totals nearly $191,492,337.
• In 2021, a total of 349 new business licenses were issued in Sunrise and 3,579 businesses renewed.
• Some of the largest real-estate transactions, relocations and expansions were:
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-Chetu – Acquired a 178,060-square-foot office building / 80 jobs
• In 2021, despite the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were still some corporate relocations and business expansions in the Sawgrass International Corporate Park (Broward’s largest). Interest from the development community and private investors in Sunrise remains strong.
• The area of the City anchored by three major assets (Sawgrass Mills mall, Sawgrass International Corporate Park and FLA Live Arena) is known as the Business and Entertainment District. This four square mile district has over $5 billion worth of property value and continues to attract tourism, investment and jobs to Sunrise. We take great pride in attracting major corporate investment, creating well-paying job opportunities, and growing tourism in Sunrise.
Baptist Health – Under contract to purchase a 26 acre City owned parcel to build a Hospital
-Benelynk – 35,710 square feet of office space / 150 jobs -E-Builder – 28,160 square feet of office space / 187 jobs -NCipher Security – 10,207 square feet of office space / 77 jobs
Amazon – Paid $84.5 million for a 133 acre site
Construction of the ne w 8-story, 170 room AC Marriott Hotel near Sawgrass Mills was completed despite the challenges that the hotel industry is facing since TheCOVID.lastcouple of years proved that Sunrise is resilient. Despite the challenges faced by the pandemic, Sunrise remains a favorite destination to conduct business while attracting international visitors to spend time and money in the community.
• Despite the higher office vacanc y rates, lease rates are above $33.00 per sq. ft.extremely strong numbers for a suburban market like Sunrise.
• Successfully implemented a queue system for special magistrate hearings to adapt to COVID-19 conditions. The new system allows customers to be alerted via text message so they can wait in the car.
• Implemented electronic plan review of single discipline permits for building disciplines.
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CITY The Community Development Department’s mission is to guide the development of the City through effective measures of planning, design review, construction plan approval, code compliance, and housing assistance to preserve and enhance the quality of life for the residents of the City of Sunrise. Key services provided in 2021: approximately 8,100 Permits approximately 3,900 Inspections over 550 Engineering Plan reviews approximately 1,300 Zoning reviews of Building Permits approximately 3,300 Business Tax Receipts Processed approximately 70 auto repair cases since implementing the auto repair ordinance approximately 70 properties in the Abandoned Property Registry over 8,100 building permits over 24,000 building inspections Highlights from 2021: Planning/Engineering Divisions
•Conducted
• Registered
• Implemented an electronic queue system for customers to sign-in into queue from QR code online or in the main lobby and receive notification via text messaging.
• Processed extension of temporary signage relief in nonresidential districts recognizing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and in an effort to assist businesses. Processed application and approval for the first Community Development District within Sunrise, Solterra, and a corresponding Development Agreement.
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• Processed approval for the 1st reading of the Frusciante Land Use Plan Amendment.
•Completed
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Code Compliance and Community Enhancement Division
• Enhanced communication and readability on permits via the automatically generated email to the customer.
• City of Sunrise Building Official received Building Official of the Year Award for South Florida’s tri-County area.
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• Amended the Land De velopment Code for Small Box Discount Stores and Nonconforming Uses and Structures.
•Performed
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• Rebranded the Division to transition from reactive responses to proactive inspections.
Sunrise Sustainability Action Plan (Sunrise SAP) | The Sunrise SAP includes an initial suite of eight capital projects to demonstrate the cost benefit of implementing sustainability-related improvement projects, and to help meet the City’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. Nearly all of the projects have been kicked off with some major progress this year:
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• Completed Energ y Benchmarking Project to track 21 key City facilities energy use in order to benchmark and potentially certify as EnergyStar buildings (those facilities that are eligible).
Sustainability has emerged as a best management practice for local, regional, state and federal government, as well as the private sector. For municipal business, sustainability is an approach to enhance efficiency through integration of environmental, economic and social considerations into programs, policy and planning.
The City’s Good and Green initiative invites everyone to join the City in making every day Earth Day by conserving resources and reducing waste, supporting a sustainable economy, and practicing stewardship. The Good and Green initiative includes programs such as Pass Up Plastics and Be A Butterfly Hero. The City of Sunrise places a priority on meaningful civic engagement and created the Good and Green Ambassador volunteer program that trains residents on conservation best practices.
•Episode 1: Butterfly Gardening
Numerous volunteers have received Good and Green Ambassador training and have participated in community engagement and educational activities.
• Sunrise Phase One of the Citywide Light Emitting Diode Streetlighting Retrofit project in partnership with Florida Power & Light (FPL) upgraded 626 streetlights with energy saving LED fixtures.
In 2021, in an effort to provide virtual engagement for our community, the Good and Green video series was launched:
•Episode 3: Water Treatment
• A Solar photovoltaic rooftop array was designed as part of new Springtree facility, and the Broward Solar Co-op 2021 was promoted and offered to the Sunrise community.
•Episode 2: “Buffy the Burrowing Owl” Storytime
Good and Green: Engaging our community in making every day Earth Day!
A new webpage was created to feature the videos in the series: sunrisefl.gov/our-city/good-and-green/sunrise-good-and-green-video-serieshttps://www.
Energy Conservation |
Be a Butterfly Hero | The City boasts a Be a Butterfly Hero campaign, which serves to educate folks about Florida Friendly Landscaping and emphasizes the use of native plants that often require less water, chemicals and maintenance and provide an essential habitat for our native and migratory wildlife including imperiled pollinators.
Sunrise Earth Day | Green To Go 2021 was a drive thru celebration of sustainability, and for the first time, Sunrise participated in the national Parks For Pollinators BioBlitz. City staff engaged the community in an informal and fun way to create a snapshot of the variety of life found in Flamingo Park, allowing participants to learn together and share their expertise and enthusiasm for nature on a virtual platform.
The City of Sunrise continued participation in the countywide PACE Broward financing program which allows businesses and homeowners to finance property improvements that qualify as energy efficient, renewable energy, and/or wind mitigation projects. In 2021, there were 430 projects completed within the City of Sunrise. This includes 169 Energy Efficiency, 19 Renewable Energy and 408 Hurricane Protection totaling $8,990,958 in financing, 2,357,484 kWh estimated annual energy savings, and 187 kW solar capacity installed.
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Water Conservation | Our Sunrise Water Utility has participated in the Broward Water Partnership’s Conservation Pays program since 2011, providing over 4,000 rebates to date that help our customers conserve water and save hundreds of dollars per year on their bills. In 2021, 299 toilet rebates were issued at up to $100 each. Sunrise Utilities continued to offer free water-saving devices such as faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, and leak detection tablets to our customers as well. A total of 11 evaluations were conducted by the NatureScape Irrigation Services (NIS) at 7 locations for City of Sunrise during the last year. The overall Actual Water Savings (demand reduction) for these locations was determined to be 1,782,534 gallons/year. This represents a 14.6% savings from the original use. The average Actual Water Savings per evaluation was 8%. The average Overall Water Demand reduction per site was 10.9%. In addition, Sunrise maintained partnership for the Residential Irrigation Rebate Program (RIRP), which was created to expand outdoor water conservation and encourage resident involvement. In the last year, the program received 253 applications, visited 226 residents, and provided 171 rebates to Sunrise customers. The Rebate included funding for more efficient irrigation components that the applicant installed.
Sunrise also sponsored and helped promote the Broward Water Matters Day which was a virtual program and campaign that included a drive-thru tree giveaway. In 2021, Sunrise continued to host the annual Drop Savers Poster Contest to engage local schools. Contest winning posters were on display at the Sunrise Earth Day: Green To Go event.
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•Jyotirmaya Yoga Kendra - NW 44th Street •Sunrise Sustainability Advisory Board - NW 44th Street •Westpine Middle School – NW 50th Street
The Urban Beekeepers, a local bee rescue team, was contracted to remove hives from the old Cypress Bay High trailer site that will become a part of Sunrise Oscar Wind Park. Before the City could convert the area into new park space, the old educational trailers had to be demolished, and a number of bee hives had to be removed before demolition could start. A total of 38 bee colonies were rescued from the site! Over a period of two weeks in November 2021, the beekeepers spent about 80 hours on site moving bees in into hive boxes. As part of good management practices and requirements, and a means to strengthen feral colonies, the hives were condensed to 20 colonies. The colonies have been reestablished at different locations throughout Broward, most of them in Micro Apiary education locations maintained by The Urban Beekeepers.
The City of Sunrise met the annual recertification requirements for the Community Wildlife Habitat designation through National Wildlife Federation (certified in September 2019). Six (6) homes, and one (1) City property was certified in 2021: Sunrise Senior Center. Currently, there are 257 certified habitats in Sunrise. On November 13, 2021, Senior Center volunteers and the Clean Team planted a variety of native butterfly-friendly plants with signage near the main entrance of the building. In addition, two garden upkeep days were scheduled and completed to maintain the Dan Pearl Library and Utilities Administrative Center gardens. In partnership with Project Perch, an artificial owl burrow was installed at the Springtree Water Treatment Plant. Adopt a Street | Through an Inter Local Agreement, the City of Sunrise is participating in Broward County’s Keep Broward Beautiful Adopt a Street program. In 2021, there were 18 cleanups conducted with 98 volunteers removing 739 pounds of litter. The following organizations and businesses are actively participating:
•Sarah’s Personal Training - Northwest 8th Street •Right Way Plumbing - Shotgun Road •East Sunrise Residents Association - Northwest 68th Avenue •Kiwanis Club of Sawgrass Sunrise - North Nob Hill Road
The City of Sunrise is Doing its Part to Save the Bees! |
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Robust employee engagement and consistent employee recognition are an integral part of the Department’s efforts. Human Resources carries out its role as a strategic partner to all City departments by communicating best practices, offering customized trainings, and promoting the highest standards in the interview and selection process. Finding the best and brightest individuals to fill every position in the organization is at the heart of the Human Resources Department’s recruitment efforts. HR professionals work closely with every City department to coordinate an effective process to attract, onboard and retain the ideal candidate to deliver the highest-quality service and expertise. This office ensures consistent practices are followed in compliance with State and Federal laws, City policies, rules, and regulations so that all employees and job seekers are afforded equal opportunity. Each and every employee is an integral part of making our city a great place to live, work, do business, and visit.
• The City recognizes the importance of succession planning and finding talents within the organization. In 2021, 41% of our total vacancies (244) were filled by internal candidates.
Highlights from 2021: Recruitment
The Human Resources (HR) Department strives to create a diverse and inclusive workplace and to deliver world-class customer service to City of Sunrise internal and external stakeholders.
MANAGINGASTRONG CITY
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
In addition to f eaturing employment opportunities on the City’s employment portal, the HR Department collaborated with local Veteran advocacy groups to list job openings on external platforms to reach job-seeking Veterans.
Recruitment materials enhanced to emphasize that the City values the service that Veterans and their family members give to the country and that the City supports the hiring of returning service members, military spouses and their family members.
•Customized several virtual recruitment hubs to engage with job seekers.
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• Established a Veteran Recruitment Plan designed to increase Veterans’ awareness of employment opportunities as well as assisting Veterans with the successful navigation of the recruiting and onboarding process including: Participation in two job fairs exclusively for military Veterans hosted by public or private organizations which provide or support employment services to Veterans or those eligible for Veterans’ preference.
The “Top Kudos” recognition program empowers employees to acknowledge colleagues who go above and beyond and provides a convenient system for sharing and rewarding that feedback with Department Directors and Human Resources.
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•In 2021, Human Resources expanded the Employee Appreciation Program to include:Addition of a quar terly Award of Excellence
Sunrise Insider – A quarterly employee newsletter that celebrates milestones and shares information about benefits and resources, as well as City events.
Training and Development Training is an integral part of the continued commitment to provide employees with resources and tools to improve their skills and proficiencies and enhance career development opportunities.
Employee appreciation and engagement is one of the core functions and passions of the Human Resources Department. The City prioritizes the recognition of employees for their great achievements and is always seeking ways to demonstrate appreciation to its most valued resource.
The Award of Excellence Program provides an opportunity to honor management employees who are outstanding contributors to the organization.
Top Kudos Program
• In 2021, HR rolled out on-line training and off ered a wide range of training sessions (virtual and in-person instruction) to employees across all City departments. Those efforts resulted in 4,519 total accumulated employee training hours and 3,666 participants throughout the year.
• Human Resources hosted the annual Customer Service Week campaign; Public Service Recognition Week; ICMA Passport to Retirement Security incentive program and Save the Raise Campaign.
Enhancements to Human Resources Online Portals
Sunrise Insider - Employee Quarterly Newsletter
• Hosted a virtual Employee Service Award Tribute in recognition of employees who reached 5, 10, 15, 20 or more years of service with the City.
Employee Appreciation and Engagement
Human Resources increased resources and services to employees by enhancing the Compensation Portal, Recruitment Portal, Employee Relations Portal and the Employee Self Service Portal. Each online portal is designed to serve as a convenient, user-friendly, stream-lined resource for City departments to access HR forms, documents, and training material. By customizing the content of each portal, City end-users are able to access critical HR resources at the tip of their fingertips via the City intranet, CityConnect.
Community Engagement
Implementation of the Inter view and Selection Training for Supervisors which provides techniques and resources to conduct a fair, unbiased, inclusive professional interviews and selection process.
• Partnered with local high schools and colleges to engage students on employment and internship opportunities such as: -Claim your Future Career Showcase for Broward County juniors and seniors -Florida Atlantic University Government and Social Services Career Fair -Piper High School job fair
Expanded advertisement efforts to include the Diversity Network program (via Tribune Publishing) and the Diversity Jobs feature offered on GovernmentJobs.com.
• Volunteer Appreciation Recognition Week – Via in-person celebrations and digital communication, the HR Department expresses appreciation to 300 volunteers for their innovative partnership with the City, which positively impact programs and services that residents count on every day.
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Enhancements to those ongoing efforts include:
-Paychecks for Patriots – Military Veteran Job Fair -Virtual Veteran & Military Spouse Hiring Event -Five (5) Job News USA Mega Job Fairs -Return to Work Job Fair – Hosted by the City of Lauderhill
• In 2021, HR participated in numerous job fairs to maximize outreach to Sunrise residents and Veteran job seekers.
• The Department also de veloped a Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan with the objective that the workforce reflects the rich diversity of the Sunrise community.
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
MANAGINGASTRONG CITY
Highlights
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•Deployment of DDoS Service •Firewall Replacement and Upgrade •Network Switch Replacements •Overall Network Security Improvements Geographic Information
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The Sunrise Information Technology (IT) Department supports City operations through the application of computer and telecommunications technology. IT responsibilities include managing and maintaining the network infrastructure and providing for the secure interdepartmental sharing of information; maintaining and supporting a variety of computer applications; providing software training; and managing the operation of the City’s telephone systems. of 2021: Metrics: addressed 4,596 A pproximately 7,500 service calls including 24x7 on-call IT Department provides a secure and reliable technical environment by ensuring security, privacy, accessibility, availability, and integrity of the City’s hardware and data. The IT Department also manages and monitors City communications, including connectivity, telecommunications, and audio-visual/digital services.
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The City continued to implement the ERP system (Tyler Munis and Energov) during 2021. During this period, the IT department served as a liaison and partner to all departments involved in the implementation process, such as coordination of Tyler Resources, assisting City staff with ERP technology related issues, and championing the support of City staff with Tyler Technologies to ensure a successful outcome with Utility Billing. Listed below is a more specific list of accomplishments related to the Tyler ERP. Provided support to convert documents and images for the City Clerk, Utility Billing and Community Development Department. Tyler Reports – continue to work with the different business units to assist with reports and extracting data from the Tyler system for daily operations and troubleshooting.
In response to technology, security risks and cyber/ransom attacks on government agencies, the IT Department continued work on an aggressive, proactive and ongoing strategy designed to harden the overall security of the City’s network and infrastructure. Additional security initiatives in 2021 include: Systems (GIS) all GIS environments to latest version of ArcGIS 10.8.1 verted/Upgraded 30 GIS Flash based applications to ArcGIS Online HTML 5 of City staff using ArcGIS Online from 10 to 90 De veloped a GIS Division Manual detailing critical server configurations, applications, processes and update procedures. Resource Planning (ERP) System
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The Marketing and Communications team continued to increase its social media presence across several popular channels. During 2021, the City’s social media followers grew by approximately 600 (+9%) on Facebook, 300 on Twitter (+6%), and 1,200 on Instagram (+26%). Post counts and engagement figures were also impressive:•Facebook – 436 posts and 17,000 engagements •Twitter – 250 posts and 1,300 engagements •Instag ram – 438 posts and 15,000 engagements
SUNRISE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
MANAGINGASTRONG CITY marketing CITYcommunicationsandOFSUNRISE
The Marketing and Communications Division, which is part of the City Manager’s Office, is tasked with engaging residents and promoting programs and events. During 2021 – marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the City’s return to normal operations – this meant significant changes to methods and messaging. The Division utilized a variety of communication tools – including the Horizons newsletter, utility bill inserts, print/radio advertising, Sunrise Source email newsletters and social media posts – to keep residents informed. Digital communications were especially effective, given the need to notify stakeholders about COVID-related health advisories, resources and other topics that required frequent updates. The team also designed multilingual signage to keep staff and visitors apprised of health protocols at various City facilities.
In 2021, Leisure Services park construction projects were completed – although grand-opening events were limited. This prompted the Marketing and Communications Division to utilize videography to showcase the City’s new and enhanced amenities. In addition to scripting and providing creative direction for virtual tours of City Park and the Sunrise Senior Center, the Marketing team produced video ceremonies to mark September 11th and Veterans Day. Marketing and Communications also assisted in the development of a series of Sustainability videos to enhance the City’s drive-through Earth Day Festival. And, working with the Sunrise Civic Center Theatre’s technical team, the division shot and edited several “City Manager Moment” videos featuring important staff updates delivered by City Manager Mark Lubelski.
SOCIAL MEDIA
During 2021, the Sunrise Leadership Academy (SLA) – the City’s long-running civic-engagement program for teens – was adapted for online delivery due to the pandemic. Thanks to the flexibility of the Marketing and Communications team, Sunrise high school students continued to benefit from the networking and careerpreparedness skills that the SLA offers.
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VIDEO PRODUCTION
•Police Awarded grant funding through the Department of Justice-Bullet Proof Vest grant for the purchase of ballistic vests for law enforcement - $23,341 Awarded grant funding through the FL Department of Health for the Overdose Data to Action Surveillance and Prevention Implementation Project - $73,500 Awarded funding through FL Department of Transportation to support high visibility enforcement for pedestrian and bicycle safety - $4,131 Awarded funding through the American Automobile Association (AAA) for the purchase of Guardian Angel Elite LE lights to make officers more visible for safety purposes on the road - $5,000 Awarded grant funding through the Edward Bryne Local Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for law enforcement activities for community oriented policing operations and to strengthen community partnerships - $15,405
• Utilities Awarded two grants through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection-Resilient Florida Grant Program for the following projects:
• Fire Rescue Awarded grant funding through the FL Department of Health for the expansion of the Community Paramedic Program - $ 35,250 Awarded grant funding through the FL Department of Health for the Overdose Data to Action Surveillance and Prevention Implementation Project - $73,500
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•Finance and Administrative Services Awarded funding through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO) Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV 2) grant for the installation of broadband in public parks and/or city facilities throughout the City’s low-to-moderate (LMI) - $274,220
•Awarded: Springtree Maintenance - $655,000
Awarded grant funding through FL Department of Transportation to reimburse overtime used to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries by implementing enforcement operations focusing on speeding and aggressive driving violationsAwarded$40,000 grant funding through FL Department of Transportation to reimburse overtime for data-driven high visibility enforcement and educational programs, focusing on unsafe motorcycle operations in areas of the City that are susceptible to motorcycle crashes - $50,000
•Awarded: Sunset Strip Drainage Improvements - $1,500,000 Awarded grant funding through the Florida Department of Agriculture-Florida Forest Service for the creation of a tree inventory with software - $7,883.75 grant applications and awards
ACTIVE LEVERAGING OF FUNDS THROUGH GRANTS:
CITY local and CITYrecognitionnationalOFSUNRISE annual report
MANAGINGASTRONG
• The City of Sunrise maintained the designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community at a Bronze level from the League of American Bicyclists.
THE BEST OF THE BEST!
The City offers numerous recreational opportunities, including a soccer club, golf course, a tennis club, a Senior Center, a ballroom and banquet facility, a theatre, an Art Gallery, playgrounds, and several municipal swimming pools. Sunrise is also home to eleven public schools, charter schools, three post offices, and a public library. As a world-class City, Sunrise makes customer service a number one priority and ensures excellence in service that is sustainable and contributes to the overall satisfaction of our residents. The City is honored to be recognized for its commitment to excellence.
• Awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Finance Reporting for our Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) by the GFOA, for the 27th year •Tree City USA, for the 33rd year
• Awarded the Distinguished Budget Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), for the 11th year
Sunrise offers its residents a variety of attractive, well-maintained neighborhoods - from private gated golf-course communities to quality rental properties. Sunrise also continues to provide its growing population with first-rate services, and is the county’s recognized leader in providing quality-of-life facilities for residents.
Our world-class community achieves worldwide recognition!
Recruitment | In 2021, Sunrise Fire Rescue Department welcomed six new personnel to the City of Sunrise family. These new employees were hired to replace department members who retired from service. These six new firefighters are paramedic certified, come from a diverse background, including one whom was a member of the Sunrise Fire Rescue Explorer program. They completed eight weeks of new recruit orientation prior to being placed in the field.
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Sunrise Fire Rescue Department conducted promotional testing for the ranks of Battalion Chief and Rescue Lieutenant. These tests are a competitive process consisting of both written and practical components. Eligible candidates are placed on a candidate eligibility list that will last for two years to be used for replacing respective promotional vacancies. Over the past two years, 14 employees were promoted throughout the organization to the ranks of Division Chief, Battalion Chief, Captain, Rescue Lieutenant, and Driver Operator. Operations | During the year, Sunrise Fire Rescue Department responded to over 15,100 calls for service consisting of structure fires, vehicle accidents, emergency medical calls, service assists, fire alarms, and much more. Sunrise Fire Rescue Department continues to participate in the “Closest Unit Response” program that is in collaboration with several neighboring fire-rescue agencies to better serve our residents in critical response incidents to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
The Sunrise Fire Rescue Department’s responsibility is to provide life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation for the residents, visitors, and business owners of the City. The Department’s critical public safety mission is carried out 24 hours each day by specially trained personnel providing an all-hazards, community risk-reduction, Fire Rescue service delivery system. They have a strong reputation and have earned numerous accolades, including being recognized as an ISO Class I Fire Rescue Department in 2018.
Public safety is important and the City of Sunrise believes strongly in providing state-of-the-art resources and training to all public safety personnel. Both the Police and the Fire Rescue Departments are focused on strengthening their problem-solving skills, community partnerships, keeping our community safe, and protecting life and property for all City of Sunrise residents and visitors.
FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT
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Promotional Advancement |
MAINTAINING A SAFE AND DESIRABLE COMMUNITY
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
Sunrise Fire Rescue Department is one of four regional special response teams located in Broward County handling emergency incidents related to Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue, and Dive Rescue emergencies. Sunrise Special Operations trained several new personnel to be assigned to the team due to retirements and reassignments.
Sunrise Fire Rescue Department received the 2021 American Heart Association “Mission Lifeline EMS Gold Award” for its outstanding emergency medical service program in the handling of both heart attack and stroke related emergencies.
Sunrise Fire Rescue Department continues to be ready for both natural and man-made disasters and does so by ensuring our Emergency Management Division is using all the available resources at its disposal. This past year the COVID-19 pandemic continued to have a significant impact on the resources regarding the Emergency Management Division. The Division worked towards the overall planning and support of the handling of the pandemic and is currently active in the managing the ongoing impact today.
Sunrise Fire Rescue Fire Prevention Division plays a significant role in the overall “Community Risk Reduction” program for the department. This year, several personnel were cross-trained between the inspections role and the plan review role to meet the needs of the Citywide building growth and renovation taking place today. Last year, the Fire Prevention Division conducted over 8,000 inspections in addition to a variety of other field related work; along with reviewing both new construction and permitted building plans to ensure proper adherence to life safety codes during the construction and plan design phases of commercial property work.
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MAINTAINING A SAFE AND DESIRABLE COMMUNITY public safety
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Sunrise Fire Rescue Department has been limited over the past year with in-person activities as it relates to overall risk reduction initiatives and public education programs. Nonetheless, it worked to implement some in-school related activities for the elementary students to continue our efforts on teaching fire safety programs to our youth.
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POLICE DEPARTMENT
In 2021, with the community slowly coming out of the pandemic, the Sunrise Police Department gradually began participating in our community events. These events show as a commitment to our residents and business owners that we are here to provide the best quality of community engagement as we have in the past.
COVID-19 Testing & Vaccination Sites | In 2021, members of the Sunrise Police and Fire Rescue Department worked at COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites at Markham Park and others throughout the City to ensure our community received the vaccines and testing they so desperately needed.
Food Distribution |
Ice Cream Patrol | As restrictions eased, our community resource officers handed out hundreds of refreshing ice creams to visitors and residents of Sunrise. They patrolled the streets in our marked ice cream van looking for parents and children in need of cold sweets and also visited the City of Sunrise summer camps to hand out treats to the participants.
Child Car Safety Inspections | Each month our Officers who are trained car seat technicians meet up at various locations within Sunrise to properly install car seats for first-time parents. Members of the community can come to any of these locations to make sure that their car seats are installed correctly or to inspect the ones previously installed.
Members of the Sunrise Police Department worked tirelessly alongside the Leisure Services Department to conduct weekly food distributions. These food distributions consisted of safely directing thousands of vehicles, to ensure they received the necessary food items for their families that were so hard to come by during the COVID-19 Pandemic. During the 16-month time frame, our Sunrise team participated in over 67 drive-thru events and distributed approximately 44,000 boxes of food, which is equivalent to 880,000 individual meals. Shop with a Cop | Members of our Office of Community Policing and School Resource Officers meet with selected students from our local schools to take them shopping during the holidays. Those students received positive engagement with officers while shopping alongside them during this experience.
Community Events | The members of the Sunrise Police Department were happy to partner with the City in the relaunching of many yearly community events such as the annual Trunk or Treat, Rock the Block, Boo Bash, Tunes and Trucks, Soccer Kickoff, and the City Tree Lighting Ceremony, just to list a few. We also dug in further with our involvement in the International Street Outreach church block party and Faith Center Food Drive.
• Village Art Plaza | Progressed the design of the Village Art Plaza to create a public space in the area of Sunset Strip that connects the Community Center and City Park and engaged the community. The plaza will be home to public art pieces as well as provided space for farmers markets, festivals, and similar public gatherings.
• Traffic Calming | Managed the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program by processing applications, coordinating studies, conducting neighborhood meetings and prepared design plans, specifications and permits for construction at various locations.
INVESTINGINOURFUTURE 275 gas meters changed out 10,807 square feet of sidewalks repaired 1,420 linear feet of new gas mains installed 18,442 Sunshine 811 requests 1,762 potholes fixed
• 1200 Sunset Strip | Completed the demolition of the former gas station located at 1200 Sunset Strip and commenced the design of a parking facility within the property.
• Springtree Drive Sidewalk Improvement | Completed the design, permit and construction with in-house staff of 200 linear feet of sidewalk along Springtree Drive to provide continuous pedestrian connectivity within the neighborhood.
• New City Hall | Commenced construction of the new 90,000 square foot City Hall Building to replace the existing facility. Completed work included the underground utilities and foundation work.
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Highlights of Key Projects:
The City’s Five Year Capital Improvement Plan demonstrates our commitment to a prosperous future through the strategic investment in our physical infrastructure to enhance and protect our valued quality of life. This focus on capital investment will serve as our blueprint for long term sustainability and success. Quality infrastructure leads to neighborhood enhancement, as well as active and safe public places, and serves as an impetus for business development. We have capital projects in various stages of completion, from planning and design to permitting and construction. We consider each stage of completion a milestone and an accomplishment.
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
Oscar Wind Park – Intermediate Phase | Completed the demolition of the prefab classrooms at the former Cypress Bay Annex as part of the Oscar Wind Expansion and commenced construction of the parking improvements including a new inclusive playground, jogging path, fitness area and restroom renovations. 25
Open space is the key to connecting with our natural and historic treasures. Connecting to everything around us and to each other, we learn to value our environment, our heritage, and our place in the world. We grow in awareness of our responsibility to protect and cherish these things through green practices and gentle use, increasing our desire to conserve what we enjoy today for future generations.
General Obligation (GO) Bond Projects continue to progress with improvements and expansions of park projects during the year, including the following:
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On Election Day in 2014, more than 70% of Sunrise voters approved the City’s General Obligation (GO) bond referendum. Thanks to this overwhelming resident support, Sunrise was able to fund improvements to parks and recreation facilities in neighborhoods citywide.
Senior Center Expansion | Completed the Senior Center Expansion, including a new teaching kitchen and HVAC system in the Burgundy Room, a dedicated exercise room, a new game room, a new computer training room, an expanded arts and crafts room, additional covered patio as well as a new roof for the facility.
Sunrise Athletic Complex (SAC) Renovation | Completed Phase I of this project which included the renovation of the soccer and football fields and progress construction for the remaining portion of the project including renovating the existing playground, meeting hall, restroom facilities, a new 15,000 square-foot multi-purpose building, new covered basketball courts, additional parking, security improvements, new concession building with scorer’s tower, resurfacing of existing tennis courts and upgrade of sports lighting.
Field Operations Highlights: • Completed 3,562 hydrant repairs, cleaning and painting to ensure compliance with ISO (Insurance Services Office).
• Springtree Wastewater Headworks Improvements: Progressed construction of the improvements at the Springtree Wastewater Treatment Plant Headworks to improve level of service and odor control.
• Sawgrass Water Treatment Plant Pipe Gallery Improvements: Progressed construction of the improvements within the underground pipe gallery and process equipment to ensure reliability and continued uninterrupted operation.
• Coordinated and assisted the installation of a 16-inch watermain valve on State Road 84 to provide uninterrupted service to customers.
• Completed 231 Unidirectional Flushing (UDF) e vents at various locations across the service area to maintain water quality.
INVESTINGINOURFUTURE investing in our water facilitieswastewaterand 53,632 linear feet of water mains cleaned 497 water services repaired 33 water mains repaired 1,474 water meters installed and replaced CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
Highlights of Key Projects:
• Sawg rass International Corporate Park Reuse Distribution System: Completed the construction of the reuse distribution system within portions of the Sawgrass International Corporate Park.
• Video inspected 62.4 miles of sewer gravity lines and relined 13.2 miles of sewer gravity lines resulting in reduction of inflow and infiltration into the wastewater collection system.
• Coordinated the rehabilitation of two wastewater lift Stations ensuring a proactive approach to aging infrastructure.
• Coordinated and supported smoke testing of 17 sewer basins resulting in the identification and replacement of 260 sewer clean out caps, thus reducing locations where stormwater may enter the City’s wastewater collection system.
Among the most critical capital improvements are projects related to the City’s water and wastewater facilities. The City continues to be proactive in making infrastructure investments as recommended under the Water Distribution System Master Plan and the Water Integrated Resources Plan. These investments protect the City’s valuable investment in its utility infrastructure and help to improve water quality, supply, and reliability for customers.
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Gas Division Highlights: 1,420 feet of new gas mains new commercial service lines to the following accounts: Fire Rescue Station No. 21 -Flanigan ’s -Sunrise City Park – 6700 Sunset Strip -Argentina Grill -Sa wgrass Infiniti Car Dealer Paint & Body -Weston Indian Cuisine -Fortune Dragon -Lounge 45 -Lemon and Spice -Poke 305 -Milano’s Bakery -Don Jediondo -McCallister’s Deli -Kabob Chicken Grill -Outback Steak House -One Lebanese Cuisine -The Happy Chill Spot Completed gas main and ser vice line relocation for the Tamarac Village Project (West Commercial Blvd between NW 91st Ave. & NW 94th Ave.) Installed eight ne w service lines in the Botaniko-Weston residential development. atmospheric corrosion prevention maintenance on 2,557 meter sets. out 275 gas meters and installed 22 new commercial account meters. Completed the Florida Public Ser vice Commission Bureau of Safety’s Annual Safety Evaluation of the gas distribution system with no violations and in full compliance with State and Federal Safety Rules and Regulations. Maintenance Highlights: Installed the electrical infrastructure for holiday lighting at the City Hall Municipal Campus, City Park, Flamingo Park and Sunrise Sportsplex. perimeter wall painting for the Public Safety Complex. impact windows at Fire Station 59 for all bunk rooms. condenser fan motors, condenser coils at Civic Center east and west chillers. Replaced older inefficient air conditioning systems at Sawgrass Wastewater Treatment Plant 12, Building 15, and Building 20. 27
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Environmental Laboratory Highlights: Passed the biennial State laboratory inspection which added nitrite to the State scope of accreditation. Completed bacteriological testing on f our drinking water system main breaks, 28 plant maintenance events, 29 well evaluation events, nine construction clearances and one wastewater spill. Completed second round of lead and copper analyses in Southwest Plant and Sawgrass Plant service areas.
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• Removed and replaced diffusers in the Aeration Basin 2 at the Sawgrass Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Removed and replaced inoperable 16-inch check valve from west high service pump no. 3 at Sawgrass Water Treatment Plant.
• Successfully managed the completion of the Stormwater Master Plan Update. This update included a comprehensive Citywide hydrologic and hydraulic model of the City’s stormwater system. The results of the Citywide stormwater model were used to evaluate the City’s drainage level of service and the capacity of the stormwater system relative to permitted discharges.
• Performed window and expansion joint repairs at the Public Safety Building to prevent water infiltration.
• Replaced fluorescent lights with new high efficiency LED lights at both Sawgrass and Springtree plants. Engineering Highlights:
• Completed the design of the Canal Maintenance Boat Ramp Phase III project with in-house engineering staff. The design included the installation of 10 boat ramps throughout the City. Construction is being managed by the Utilities Engineering and is expected to be completed in 2022.
• Completed the coordination between the Stormwater Division, Community Development Department, and Public Works Division to recertify the City of Sunrise with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as a Class 7 community with a 100% correctness on our initial submission, granting residents a 15% reduction on their flood insurance.
•Replaced kitchen island at Fire Station 83 and countertops at Fire Station 39.
Facilities Maintenance Highlights, continued:
• Replaced and installed two Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) for the Sawgrass Water Treatment Plant concentrate pump no. 1 and no. 3.
• Completed metal f abrication for the broken skimmer arm in clarifier 2 at Wastewater Treatment Plant. This work was completed with in-house staff and resulted in savings for the City.
• Coordinated excavation in collaboration with field division and led the repair of 42inch effluent valve on South Storage tank at the Springtree Water Treatment Plant.
INVESTINGINOURFUTURE investing in our water facilitieswastewaterand
•Replaced four exterior doors at Fire Station 83 with hurricane impact doors.
• Removed and repaired four scrapers from Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) by means of metal fabrications at the Sawgrass Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Removed and replaced effluent pump no. 1 and no. 2 at Springtree Wastewater Treatment Plant.
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
• Completed conversion of storage, new electrical installation and low voltage installation for additional space at Public Safety Building.
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• Installed 41 trees at rights-of-ways and City facilities as part of the tree replacement program.
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29 • Successfully completed the design and construction of the Guardrail Improvement Project - Phase I which included the installation of guardrails at 28 locations throughout the city. • Prepared the City’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan. This plan details the process the City will undertake to self-assess and address enhancements to ADA access.
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Public Works Highlights: Completed the installation of 230 linear feet of 24” drainage pipe at NW 91st Lane & NW 38th Street. Completed the installation of concrete pads for bike racks with “Fix It” Stations at four City Parks. Implemented a remote controlled smart irrigation system at the Sunrise Sportplex Facility as a pilot program in an effort to optimize water conservation, system maintenance, and system performance. Installed nati ve wildlife-friendly landscaping and butterfly garden at Fire Station 72, and certified the facility as a Wildlife Habitat. Completed revitalization program within the rights-of-way of NW 44th Street through pressure cleaning, seal coating of pavers, irrigation retrofit, and replacement of shrubs and trees. Completed revitalization program within the rights-of-way Sunset Strip between NW 68th Avenue and NW 64th Avenue through pressure cleaning, seal coating of pavers, irrigation retrofit, and replacement of shrubs and trees. Also assisted in the lighting installation.
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From January through May 2021, Cultural Arts staff answered calls in the City’s Compassion Center, assisted with Sunrise Cares grant allocations, participated in special event preparations and weekly food distributions, and prepared for the reopening of the Civic Center Theatre.
CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS
CULTURAL ARTS
During 2021, administrative staff assisted 8,829 customers on-site, 28,869 customers by phone, and processed 9,940 program registrations.
open Monday-Friday,
Sunrise, not Walmart. Tipping is not permitted. If you need groceries delivered to your home and are not sure how to order them, let the City of Sunrise lend a hand! Grocery Shopping Service for Seniors
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report The City of Sunrise is here to help! • Call the City’s Compassionate Call Center –
The number of pavilion rentals processed for the year totaled 380, generating $7,632 in revenue. The number of meeting room rentals processed totaled 925, resulting in $97,009 in revenue.
From January through May, the special events team continued to use their successful formula for offering special events in drive-thru formats. The July 4th Parade and Family Fun Day and the July 4th Celebration at the BB&T Center were the first special events in 2021 offered in the traditional format. Since July, the Leisure Services team hosted 15 in-person events, with a combined estimated attendance of 40,490 patrons. The events totaled $41,884.00 in revenue from event admissions and $18,365 from vendors. (954) 746-3670, 8am-6pm call (954) subject City of
to availability. Your credit card will be charged by the
older adults should stay home as much as possible to reduce their exposure to COVID-19. In order
CIVIC CENTER THEATRE
INVESTINGINOURFUTURE investing in our programsservicesleisureand
Since reopening on June 1, 2021, the Civic Center Theatre offered 14 total performances. Attendance for the shows totaled 1,373 patrons, resulting in $35,306.00 in ticket sales. The theatre also booked 10 theatre rentals totaling $19,566.70 in revenue.
– to place your Walmart order ($30 minimum, credit card required) • You won’t be charged un�l we pick up your order from Walmart and make sure it’s complete • We’ll deliver your groceries to your home, along with your receipt Stay safe, stay home! For more information,
The Leisure Services Department is responsible for planning, creating, promoting, organizing and administering quality recreational, social and transportation services and keeping the public informed of services and programs available to them. This includes providing for the security and grounds maintenance of the City’s parks and recreation facilities. Effective and innovative services and programs are offered to supplement basic human needs and to provide new leisure options for people of all ages.
SPECIAL EVENTS
746-3670 Please note: Same-day delivery is not available, and items are
help our seniors stay healthy, we’ve launched a new grocery shopping service for residents 65 and up!
FACILITY RESERVATIONS
According to CDC guidelines, to
The Sunrise Tennis Club served as the City’s site to distribute free food to residents in need beginning with the first distribution event held on April 1, 2020, through the final distribution on August 23, 2021. During that time, Sunrise employees held 67 drive-thru events and distributed approximately 44,000 boxes of food, which is equivalent to 880,000 individual meals. While remaining open to patrons, the Sunrise Tennis Club underwent a number of upgrades. The Club’s lobby and staff offices received a facelift including new flooring, fresh paint, Sunrise logo art-work and a new front desk space. Improvements to the lounge area included a newly polished floor, coat of paint, five additional televisions (four in the lounge and one in the concession to serve as a menu board) and a new bar. Club memberships grew to 220 members in 2021, reflecting a 57% increase since May 2020 when the City began overseeing the facility’s daily operations. Programming at the facility increased by offering both youth and adult instructional classes, in addition to the Tennis Academy. In honor of American Heart Month, the Sunrise Tennis Club offered “Super Red Saturday,” featuring two hours of free tennis each Saturday during the month of February. 31
SUNRISE TENNIS CLUB
On April 6, 2021, a Certificate of Occupancy was issued for the expansion project at the Sunrise Senior Center and on June 2, 2021, Leisure Services staff hosted the onsite, in-person grand reopening ceremony. The Mayor and City Commissioners participated in the official ribbon cutting ceremony and welcomed returning seniors. Participants received tours of the Center, refreshments and “Welcome Back” goody-bags. More than 150 seniors visited the Center throughout the day.
The City of Sunrise offers very robust Senior and Special Services programs that include leisure and educational programs, support groups, cooking classes, exercise classes, wellness programs, special events, and exciting trips.
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
RECREATION PROGRAMS
• Drive-thru Socials. The Senior Center hosted two drive-thru events in the Spring. Drive into Spring, featured spring-themed cutouts and Mother’s Day Fiesta, which included Mariachi-style cutouts and a live Mariachi band. At each event, participants received giveaways from four brightly decorated stations and a free lunch. An estimated 100 people attended each event.
Addressing the importance of socialization, as well as the health and safety of participants and employees in 2021, the Senior Center hosted a number of drive-in and drive-thru events.
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INVESTINGINOURFUTURE
• Drive-in Bingo Games. The Senior Center hosted six Drive-In Bingo sessions during the pandemic as a safe way for seniors to engage and socialize. Participants were issued prepackaged bingo cards, daubers and instructions on how to play while in their vehicles. Players tuned into a station on their car radios to hear the numbers as they were called. Car horns were used to alert staff to winners and staff members placed prizes in the back seat or trunk of each winner’s vehicle.
SOCIAL SERVICES • Thanksgiving Food Basket Program. In 2021, Social Services distributed 200 Thanksgiving Food Baskets to low-income residents. Each basket contained items needed to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner with traditional fixings. The families were nominated by social workers from Sunrise public schools, Family Central, Arc Broward, and a local preschool. A communitywide labor of love and donations received from faith-based organizations, Greater Sunrise Chamber of Commerce, Sunrise Fire Rescue Department, City of Sunrise employees, Ally’s Comfort Café, Devoted Health, Humana MarketPoint, CarePlus and Girl Scout Troop 10084 all helped make this program possible.
• Holiday Food Baskets. Social Services distributed 100 Holiday Food Baskets to families struggling to feed and care for children at home during the 2-week holiday break. Food baskets comprised of items to prepare a complete dinner, including holiday treats such as cocoa mix, minimarshmallows, candy canes and sugar cookies.
• Children’s Holiday Party. The City hosted its annual Children’s Holiday Party at the DoubleTree Hotel – Sawgrass Mills. The largest donation of toys came from Sunrise employees and Senior Center members volunteered to wrap more than 600 gifts for the children. A total of 96 children from 26 families participated in the event and enjoyed a delicious breakfast followed by gifts from Santa.
The Transportation Division remained closed until April 5, 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that our vulnerable population of seniors remained at home as much as possible. From January through May, transportation staff members switched roles and delivered 1,500 Feeding South Florida food boxes to high risk, homebound seniors in Sunrise. Staff members also picked up and delivered more than 300 grocery orders placed through the Walmart Shopping Program. In response to requests from vaccinated seniors, the City rolled out an on-demand bus transportation service which operated from April 5, 2021 through June 11, 2021. Ridership for the service totaled 234 unique passengers. The period from mid-June through December marked the resumption of regular bus routes and totaled 14,000 passengers. In addition, medical transportation ridership for the entirety of the calendar year totaled 940 passengers. 33
TRANSPORTATION
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• Youth Programs. Beginning in September, the Sunrise Civic Center offered a variety of popular programs and activities, such as Kids in the Kitchen; Fantastic Toddler Fun; Mommy and Me; Karate; Dance; Gymnastics; Anime Drawing and Art classes.
Children enrolled in the City’s recreational sports programs learned the importance of fair play and teamwork, while developing lasting friendships and a strong sense of
YOUTH RECREATION PROGRAMS
• The 30th Annual Kids Fishing Derby was held at Welleby Park on September 18th, 2021 and attended by 75 participants, ages 5 through 15.
CITY OF SUNRISE annual report
• Summer Camp. Due to COVID-19, the City offered a smaller, modified summer camp program to provide dependable, supervised activities for children.
programs were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that youth athletes remained as safe as possible by avoiding large gatherings. Programming slowly resumed at the end of 2020, and was fully revitalized in a normal capacity at the beginning of 2021.
• Kids Days Off offerings resumed in September 2021, with off-site field trips.
• Phase I of construction renovations at Sunrise Athletic Complex were completed on time, allowing the Hurricanes Tackle Football & Cheerleading program to have a complete season, including hosting home games.
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• Throughout the summer, seasonal camp staff continued to assist with special events, youth athletics, monthly food distributions, as well as Social Services and Athletic Club operations.
ATHLETICS
Recreation sports including Basketball, Soccer, Baseball/Softball, and Flag Football Travel sports including Hurricanes Football & Cheerleading, Sharks Baseball, TNT Softball, Prime Soccer, and Sunrise Soccer Renewed I9 sports contracts to resume offering activities starting in Fall 2021.
INVESTINGINOURFUTURE
Admission was restricted to Sunrise residents only. As in the previous year, field trips were not offered, although on-site events and swim sessions at Welleby Pool continued. A total of 306 participants were admitted across six camp locations (Westpine Middle School, Banyan Elementary School, Sunrise Civic Center, Village Multipurpose Center, Nob Hill Soccer Park, and Flamingo Park).
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ATHLETIC CLUB To ensure physical distancing and a safe environment for all patrons, the Athletic Club utilized fixed-schedule workout sessions until May 3, 2021 when it opened for full-day access. Locker rooms and showers were also accessible, while gymnasium activities such as basketball and pickleball increased to a 20-person capacity. Previously modified to meet existing guidelines, the fitness room was returned to its original floor plan in September 2021 and all cardio machines were uncovered for use. One month after the return to full-day access, daily Athletic Club visits increased by 156%. By the close of the fiscal year on September 30, the number of gym memberships jumped to 4,098, a 387% increase over the prepandemic membership count.
• The Golf Club resumed the First Tee of Broward youth golf program. Thirty participants, ages 10 to 15 years, participated in the weekly golf class. In the Fall of 2021, e vents – including tournaments and clubhouse rentals –resumed. Despite contending with COVID-19 restrictions, the Golf Club increased both memberships and rounds played as compared to the prior year. In 2021, Springtree had 195 members and 149 memberships, as well as 42,276 rounds played. 35
THE BRIDGES AT SPRINGTREE GOLF CLUB
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2021 YEAR IN REVIEW Transcribed 32 sets of minutes Produced 550 public records requests Processed and digitized 397 ordinances/resolutions Opened 67 bids/RFPs/RFQs Processed 5,100 lien inquiries Recorded 210 documents Wrote 12 satisfaction of liens Processed 165 applications for the City’s 15 advisory boards Registered lobbyists for 38 clients Verified and monitored 106 Form 1 filers Completed 4,596 IT service desk work orders Held 44 HR training classes Processed 9,815 Job applications 376,651 Job posting hits/views 145 New Sunrise family members 99 Internal job promotions 300 volunteers recognized with certificates and giveaways Completed 1,450 facilities maintenance work orders Issued 8,100 building permits Our employees provide essential government services that improve, strengthen and protect our community. We pride ourselves in delivering high quality services to make Sunrise a livable community where people enjoy raising their families and planning their retirement. Featured here are some highlights of key CITYindicatorsperformanceduring2021.OFSUNRISE annual report
Held five surplus auctions which netted $347,765 Assisted 8,829 visitors in Leisure Services Assisted 28,869 customers on the phone in Leisure Services 380 Pavilion rentals Processed 9,940 program registrations Responded to 18,442 Sunshine 811 requests Opened 21 new commercial gas accounts Changed-out 275 and installed 22 new gas meters Processed 3,876 p-card transactions Increased to a Facebook fan base of nearly 7,620 5,720 Twitter followers Added 678 vendors to the City’s vendor database 2,637 Purchase Orders Procured over $81,014,737 through various procurements processes 1,748 New Code Compliance cases Over 24,000 inspections were completed 730 Special Magistrate Code Compliance cases 349 New businesses 70 Properties registered in the abandoned property registry Held 22 drive-thru events where Sunrise employees distributed 14,250 boxes of food, equivalent to 285,000 meals 37
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Special thanks to the Mayor and City Commissioners for your leadership and continued support, which enables us to continue along this path of success and great accomplishment. I would like to recognize the Annual Report project team of Christine Pfeffer and Juliana Castro, who prepared the report with information provided by all City Departments. This report highlights our many accomplishments, made possible through the dedication, hard work, and outstanding commitment of the City of Sunrise employees.
SPECIALTHANKS
10770 West Oakland Park Boulevard Sunrise, Florida 33351 (954)741-2580 | www.sunrisefl.gov instagram.com/cityofsunrisefacebook.com/cityofsunrisetwitter.com/cityofsunrise
