Oakland Park Receives Local Government Excellence Award

The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) presented Oakland Park with a Local Government Excellence Award for its COVID-19 vaccination site on September 20, 2022. City Manager David Hebert accepted the award on behalf of the City at the ICMA annual conference. The ICMA, with 12,000 members, is the world’s leading association of professional city and county managers and other employees who serve local governments. Each year, ICMA gives the Local Government Excellence Award to recognize programs that demonstrate innovation and success in a community’s safety, health, and wellness. The Oakland Park COVID-19 vaccination site opened in January 2021 to serve vulnerable seniors who faced challenges scheduling and traveling to vaccine appointments. The City partnered with the Department of Health to secure a vaccine supply and worked with local organizations to identify and contact vulnerable seniors to schedule appointments. Oakland Park operated the vaccine distribution site and transported seniors to their appointments when needed. As the first City-run vaccination site in Broward County, Oakland Park was able to provide more than 9,500 vaccines to seniors from ten south Florida cities and served as a model for other communities to operate additional distribution sites. Read more on the City website.

Be Prepared for Hurricane Ian 

Although we are not in the anticipated path of Hurricane Ian, there is a chance we will experience impacts in our area, including wind and heavy rain. The storm coincides with King Tides, which are expected to occur September 27-30. Rain from the storm and high tides may cause flooding in low-lying areas. At this time, all City services are operating on their regular schedule. Please be advised that the storm may impact bulk and regular trash pickup later this week. The City continues to monitor the storm and is taking steps to prepare. We encourage our residents to do the same. Double-check your hurricane supply kit and make sure you have enough non-perishable food, water, and prescription medication to last each person in your family a minimum of three days. Determine if there are steps you can take to protect your home, such as clearing gutters, checking storm drains, and purchasing sandbags. Sandbags are available to Oakland Park residents for self-service pick-up while supplies last at the Public Works Facility located at 5100 NE 12th Terrace. Up to five sandbags per household are provided with proof of Oakland Park residency (driver's license or utility bill) while supplies last. Click here to sign up to receive CodeRED emergency notifications from the City. Anyone with a medical condition that does not require hospitalization is encouraged to sign up for the Broward County Vulnerable Population Registry. Click here to register online, or call 954-831-4000. 

Commission Lowers City Millage Rate

The millage rate is going down again, following the adoption of the rates for next fiscal year at the September 21st Commission Meeting. The operating millage rate for fiscal year (FY) 2023 was decreased to 5.8550 from 5.8890 mills. This is the lowest millage rate for Oakland Park in over a decade and the eighth time the City has lowered the rate in the past nine years. Since FY 2014, the City has reduced the millage rate by 0.5445 mills, saving taxpayers over $10 million. The budget for FY23 includes more than $30 million for Capital Improvement Projects and funding for more than 150 initiatives to support public safety, infrastructure improvements, financial stability, and parks and leisure activities.

Get an Update on School Grades at the School Advisory Board Meeting

The City's School Advisory Board is scheduled to hold its next meeting on Wednesday, September 28th, at 5:30 p.m. During the meeting, Broward County School Board Member Sarah Leonardi and Chief Academic Officer for Broward County Public Schools, Dr. N. Mancini, will  give a presentation about grades for Oakland Park public schools. Click here to register on Zoom. Click here for details, including the meeting agenda. 

Shout Out for Our Outstanding Neighbors! 

We want to thank the 75 volunteers who turned out for National Good Neighbor Day. Students from Rickards Middle School and residents from Harlem McBride, Lakeside, Montage by the Lake, Prospect Gardens, Summer Lake, and other neighborhoods participated in several different cleanup and beautification projects throughout Oakland Park on Saturday, September 24th. Thank you so much for volunteering your time and making a difference in our community. 

Upcoming Neighborhood Participation Meetings on September 28th 

The City facilitates a neighborhood participation meeting program to give the community an opportunity to participate early on in the planning and permitting process. Two neighborhood participation meetings are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 28th. Please see more information below.  

4111 N.W. 17th Avenue

A potential permit applicant will host a virtual neighborhood participation meeting for the property at 4111 N.W. 17th Avenue on Wednesday, September 28th at 6:30 p.m. Click here to pre-register to join the virtual meeting. Visit the City website for more information. 

3501 N.W. 31st Avenue

A potential permit application will host a virtual neighborhood participation meeting for Oakland Grove Commerce Park, located at 3501 - 3551 N.W. 31st Avenue on Wednesday, September 28th at 7 p.m. Click here to pre-register to join the virtual meeting. Visit the City website for more information. 

The Countdown to Oktoberfest is on!

We can't wait to celebrate Oktoberfest!  Presented by the Funky Buddha Brewery, Oakland Park's Oktoberfest will take place from October 7th - 9th, 2022. Enjoy live German music, food, Central Bark's Dachshund Dash & Doggie Fashion Show, and more at Jaco Pastorius Park, located at 4000 North Dixie Highway. Event times are Friday, from 6 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, from 1 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, from 1 to 7 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, children 12 and under are free. Visit the City website or call 954-630-4500 for more information. 

Bulk Pick-Up in Zone One

Oakland Park offers residents free bulk collection service once a month. Next week, starting Monday, October 3rd, is the first week of the month. The area that will be serviced for bulk trash collection is the central-eastern area of the city, including the areas between Federal Highway and Dixie Highway, from NE 38 Street north to NE 56 Street; and areas east of Andrews Avenue between Prospect Road and Commercial Boulevard (see area shaded in green on the enclosed map). Bulk Trash should be placed out between Sunday and 7 a.m. on Monday. Please place only accepted items curbside for bulk collection. Please do not include items such as construction material or demolition debris. Bulk trash collection information, including pick-up schedules and accepted items, can be found on the City website.

Water Chlorination Continues

The City of Fort Lauderdale, which provides water to Oakland Park, is temporarily using free chlorine in its drinking water system now through 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 11th, 2022. Free chlorination is a common practice for water systems using combined chlorine disinfection. The chlorination period is anticipated to be transparent; however, there may be a slight change in the taste or smell of tap water. In addition, some customers may see water running from fire hydrants in their neighborhoods, which is part of the normal maintenance process. A list of Frequently Asked Questions is posted on the City website. For more information, please call 954-630-4430.