Mayor's Message - December 2024
Happy Holidays! I hope this season is filled with family and friends and plenty of good food!
I hope you can join us for this year’s Holiday Street Festival. It will be on December 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Front Beach. It will be a wonderful opportunity to kick-off to the magic of the holiday season and celebrate our traditions with friends and neighbors. The event will include arts and crafts, food vendors, fun children’s activities, live entertainment, Santa Clause and the tree lighting.
Also, this year’s final Coffee with the Mayor will be held on December 27th from 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a. m. at The Refuge. I hope you can join us to meet some new neighbors, discuss what is happening around our island and ask questions. We’ve been doing these monthly coffees for 3 years. This year to date, almost 200 of you have attended a coffee event! I very much appreciate you coming and participating in these events. We will continue to hold these on the last Friday of the month in 2025.
2025. Hard to believe we are here, isn’t it? Those numbers used to sound so far in the future. Planning for the future for our city is a delicate balancing act – making sure we balance the short- and long-term needs while being fiscally responsible. Trying to maintain that balance requires much patience, study and discussion.
In the past few years, we have been able to secure over $13 million of grants and state budget allocations. We have used these funds for projects that were thoughtfully identified as having the most impact on the quality of life for our residents. Here are a few highlights of some of our major projects this past year. You can find project descriptions and other updates on our website at iop.net:
- Marina Public dock renovation (90% complete)
- Stormwater infrastructure improvements at 30th, 36th and 41st Avenues (completed). Phase 4 - Palm Blvd between 38th and 41st Avenues – (design and permitting in process; anticipated construction Fall 2025)
- ADA beach access boardwalks at 34A, 46th and 52nd Avenues (all completed by year end)
- Beach renourishment – ongoing
- Waterway Boulevard Multi-use path elevation project – (final design completed by year end; permits requested 1st 2025)
- 21st Avenue sidewalk repair/extension (construction anticipated to start 1st 2025)
I hope you have a great holiday season. Thank you for the opportunity to serve! See you around the island. Looking forward to the new year!
Phillip Pounds, Mayor IOP
843-252-5359