Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina Releases July 2022 Mayor's Message

It's a great day Palm Bay!

On July 4, 1776 - 246 years ago - the Continental Congress declared our independence and founded our nation on the ideals of liberty, justice, and equality. We celebrate each Independence Day with gratitude for the blessings of freedom and opportunity our forefathers afforded us.

I'd like to thank everyone who came out to the City of Palm Bay's Independence Day Celebration honoring our country's birth. We moved the event back to Eastern Florida State College's Palm Bay Campus and it was a truly great event! The fireworks show was a sight to be seen from miles away! I was #PalmBayProud to celebrate America's independence with thousands of my fellow Palm Bayers.

At the November 4, 2021, Regular Council Meeting, the Palm Bay City Council approved the Commercial Property Enhancement Program (CPEP). The CPEP is a performance-based reimbursement grant awarded to applicants to encourage private investment and improvements to the exterior frontage of commercial properties located on major transportation corridors in Palm Bay. The program aims to enhance and improve the street view of the built environment from the public perspective, making Palm Bay more competitive in attracting new businesses. At the June 16 regular council meeting, City Council approved a CPEP grant award of $10,000 to Kilmer Properties, Inc. for façade improvements to commercial property located at 2901 Palm Bay Road NE. Simultaneously, City Council amended the eligibility guidelines to include all commercial properties within the Bayfront Redevelopment District. For more information on the Commercial Property Enhancement Program, visit www.pbfl.org/CPEP, call (321) 409-7187, or email [email protected].

Last month, I had the pleasure of announcing Sports Chiropractic Health & Rehab as the winner of the second quarter Mayor's Business Spotlight. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Jason Comerford and his team provide superior chiropractic treatment without the use of surgery or medicine. Over the past seven (7) years, they have offered patients a wide variety of services for overall health, rehabilitation, and long-term chiropractic treatment for common conditions such as neck, joint, and back pain, sciatica, headaches, arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, and bulging or herniated discs. Sports Chiropractic Health & Rehab is a family-owned business located at 280 Corporate Way SE, Suite 102. Both Mr. & Mrs. Comerford are retired military, having served our great nation. I am #PalmBayProud of this family and what they do for our community.

The City of Palm Bay is seeking public input as it reviews and updates its comprehensive plan. As part of the Palm Bay Comprehensive Plan Update, the City will be hosting a series of public workshops intended to discuss the purpose of the comprehensive plan, identify why the update process is important, and to provide a platform for members of the community to identify what they would like to see within the Plan's contents. The first workshop will be held on August 25, 2022, at 6:00pm in Palm Bay City Council Chambers. For those unable to attend the in-person meeting, the workshop will also be available online, and residents will have the opportunity to interact virtually by visiting tinyurl.com/PalmBayPlanUpdate.

Finally, I'd like to remind my fellow Palm Bayers to practice hurricane preparedness. As Floridians we know that it's not "if", but "when" the next storm will strike. This hurricane season, I'd like to encourage all Palm Bayers to have a plan in place to ensure that you and your loved ones are prepared. Visit www.palmbayflorida.org/hurricane or pick up one of our free hurricane preparedness guides at City Hall today to learn how to build a hurricane kit, home prep tips, evacuation and shelter info, and how to stay informed before, during, and after a storm.

Remember, when it comes to tropical storms and hurricanes, plan - don't panic, and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that you'll be ready the next time a storm hits. Stay safe Palm Bay!

Mayor Rob Medina