The City of Oakland Park Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioners will be sworn in for the 2021-22 Commission Session on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. The swearing-in ceremony can be viewed via live web-stream on the City's website www.oaklandparkfl.gov, on Comcast Channel 78, AT&T Channel 99. The swearing-in ceremony will be followed by a City Commission Meeting at 6:30 p.m., which can also be viewed online. The Commission meeting agenda is posted on the City website.

Join us for Holiday Village on Friday, Dec. 3, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 4, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The free, family-friendly event will take place at Jaco Pastorius Park, which is located at 4000 North Dixie Highway. City Commissioners will help Santa Claus light up a magical 40-foot Christmas Tree at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the park's Grand Fountain Plaza. Holiday Village will feature live entertainment, a Christmas tree decorating competition, visits from Santa, the Holiday Village Carousel, the Oakland Park Holiday Village Snow Slide, Artisan & Craft vendors, and a food court. For more information on Holiday Village, visit the City website or call 954-630-4500.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at City operations at the Local Government Academy (LGA). Help build a sense of community by learning about various city functions alongside your fellow Oakland Park residents and gaining skills to become an effective leader in your neighborhood. The LGA is a free, ten-week program that will take place on Thursdays, from Jan. 13 to March 17, 2022, from 6 – 9 p.m. Course topics will include the history of Oakland Park and introductions to City Departments and Charter Offices including the Broward Sheriff's Office, Fire Rescue, Public Works, and more. Courses will be in-person and socially distanced. Past graduates of the LGA include all five City Commissioners and several past mayors. To apply, complete a City Advisory Board application by Dec. 10, 2021. To learn more, visit the City website or call Heidi Burnett at 954-630-4510.

Please note, there will be NO interruptions to solid waste collection on

Local Business Spotlight: Bulegreen Cafe Yard

Featuring food with heart and brunch all day long, Bulegreen makes everything they serve fresh with love. The cafe gets its name from the Bule pot used to brew coffee right at your table. Enjoy fresh, homemade treats in a quaint and cozy setting. Choose from delicious sandwiches, salads, soups, fresh juices, smoothies, coffee, sweets, and more. Bulegreen is located at 3299 North Dixie Highway just north of Oakland Park Boulevard. Visit their website to learn more.

If you know of a new or existing Oakland Park business that would like to be featured in an upcoming Local Business Spotlight, send an email to shannon.vezina@oaklandparkfl.gov.

Thank you for participating in the community meeting to discuss Prospect Road with City staff and representatives from the City of Tamarac, Broward County, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Topics covered during the meeting included ownership of Prospect Road, traffic lights, speeding, and other traffic concerns. More than 50 members of the community joined the virtual meeting to ask questions and made suggestions regarding the speed limit and potential traffic calming measures. We appreciate you taking the time to join the meeting and share your feedback with us. In case you missed it, click here to watch the recording.

City Board members serve in an advisory capacity to the Oakland Park City Commission and provide recommendations on development, regulation, and quality of life issues to help improve Oakland Park. The City is now accepting applications for all advisory boards, including the Art & Culture Board, Code Enforcement Board, and Planning & Zoning Board. Click here for a list of all City Advisory Boards. If you are interested in becoming an advisory board member, please complete an application on the City website or call 954-630-4300 for more information.

The City of Oakland Park is pleased to offer residents free bulk collection once a month. Next week, starting Monday, Nov. 22 is the fourth week of the month. The area that will be serviced for bulk trash collection is the southwest section of Oakland Park, including all areas west of I-95, see the area shaded in BLUE on the enclosed map. PLEASE NOTE: There is no bulk collection the week of Nov. 29, 2021. For more information, please call 954-630-4452

Everyone 5 years and older is now eligible to get a free COVID-19 vaccination. Booster shots are available for those who received a Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and meet certain criteria. Learn more about vaccines for children and teens. Click here to locate a vaccination site.

All qualified Florida residents are eligible to receive a Homestead Exemption on their homes. To qualify for a Homestead Exemption, you must own and make the property your permanent residence on January 1 of the year for which you are applying for this exemption. The deadline to file for all 2022 exemptions is March 1, 2022. For information, please visit the BCPA website.