State of the City 2008

Transcription

1 State of the City 2008

2 What started off as being a small town in the country is now very much an autonomous City unto itself with a richness in diversity it s never boring because the neighbors are just all so wonderful. Rabbi Mark Gross, Temple Beth Orr The City has stepped up to the plate to help promote better business in the area. They try to promote as much as they can within Coral Springs so people don t leave the City to eat or shop. Mona Appel, resident and business owner I like Coral Springs because there are many things to do. The City involves its citizens to make decisions and also to be a part of committees. I like to be an active citizen because I can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Bessie Cristwell, resident and City committee member

3 The City of Coral Springs is home to inviting neighborhoods, a diverse business community, top-rated schools and beautiful parks, and operates in a responsive and fiscally responsible manner. Our receipt of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for these and many other positive attributes has brought national recognition to our City. We strive for continuous quality improvement so we can best serve our residents as the nation s premier community in which to live, work and raise a family. We hope you are proud to call Coral Springs your Community of Excellence.

4 A Message from Your City Commission and City Manager In the topsy-turvy economic and political environment of Fiscal Year 2008, the City of Coral Springs was able to lower the property tax rate by 13 percent, avoid increases in most fees and charges, expand services to our residents and businesses, and sustain impressive performance results. We concluded FY 08 within budget and without incurring additional debt. Wall Street acknowledged our strong and stable outlook by affirming our AAA credit rating, commenting that our financial operations are very well managed, with closely monitored expenditure controls and regular financial reporting. Within the pages to follow you will read about FY 08 accomplishments related to: a better informed and involved community; business development and sustainability; the pursuit of educational excellence; neighborhood and environmental vitality; the support of youth development; the fostering of community pride and innovation through celebrations of diversity; and facilitating the use of alternative modes of transportation. Advancement in these strategic areas continues to support our never-ending quest to be the Nation s premier community in which to live, work and raise a family. How are we able to do more with less? By focusing on you, our customer, and aligning our scarce resources with your expressed needs, thus avoiding needless, we know what s best for you programs, projects and associated costs. By strategically using year-end surpluses to lighten our financial load moving forward. By investing in technology to continue to improve work force productivity. By supporting a corporate culture that encourages and rewards innovation and entrepreneurship, enabling us to meet customer needs better and faster the next time and every time thereafter. And by reaching out and receiving your active support in serving our community, be it as a valued volunteer at City Hall in the Mall or as a member of our many boards and advisory committees, identifying issues and helping shape solutions. FY 09 promises to be an even more challenging year for all of us as the global economy continues to contract. We firmly believe that the City of Coral Springs has a moral obligation to protect our community against damaging service cuts and to keep our tax rates low. We have adopted a Business Plan and Budget for this coming year that does just that. The City s tax rate, already the lowest in the county for larger, full-service cities, will remain unchanged for FY 09. We will maintain essential service levels with no reductions in police officers or firefighters/ emergency staff. All parks and recreational facilities will remain open and adequately staffed. It will be business as usual for our cultural facilities, after school and vacation programs for our youth, City Hall in the Mall and public works programs and projects. Wall Street acknowledged our strong and stable outlook by affirming our AAA credit rating, commenting that our financial operations are very well managed, with closely monitored expenditure controls and regular financial reporting. We will undertake approximately35 important, new initiatives during FY 09. 2

5 Samuel S. Vincent M. Roy Scott J. Claudette Tom Michael S. Goren Boccard Gold Brook Bruck Powers Levinson City Attorney Vice Mayor Commissioner Mayor Commissioner Commissioner City Manager In addition, we will undertake approximately 35 important, new initiatives during FY 09. These initiatives will be geared toward assisting our residents and businesses through this challenging economic climate, helping make this City more environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing, improving mobility, and positioning us for even greater economic development success in the future. Visit CoralSprings.org for more details. We have been honored by the President of the United States for receiving the highest award in the Nation for corporate excellence. The rewards, however, are not represented by a mere plaque or trophy. The benefits to our community of being a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient are evident in our ability to meet your needs in the most responsive and fiscally responsible manner in the best of times and, even more importantly, in the most challenging of times. On behalf of the City Commission, City Management and our dedicated employees, thank you, our Community of Excellence, for your continued trust and support. and remember to Buy Coral Springs! The City of Coral Springs We firmly believe that the City of Coral Springs has a moral obligation to protect our community against damaging service cuts and to keep our tax rates low. Advancements in our strategic priority areas continue to support our never-ending quest to be the Nation s premier community in which to live, work and raise a family. 3

6 Our Financial Health Lowest Operating Millage Rate of Large Broward Cities The City of Coral Springs is proud to provide high-quality services to our residents and customers at the lowest possible price. Coral Springs For Fiscal Year 2009, we once again have the lowest tax rate of major Broward cities. 21% Decrease in Combined Millage Rate In fact, since 2002, the City has decreased its tax rate by 21 percent. The impact of this decline has been to decrease the average tax bill for a homesteaded property owner by $153 during the past two years alone. Tax Rate Results in $153 Decrease This decrease assumes an average single family home with a Save our Homes or taxable value of $224,500 in Fiscal Year Despite the fact that the taxable value rose to $237,000 by Fiscal Year 2009 for this example, the City tax bill decreased from $815 in Fiscal Year 2007 to $662 in the current tax year. Based on operating and debt millage rates The Save Our Homes value for an average Coral Springs home was $224,542 in FY2007, $230,133 in FY 2008, and $237,037 in FY

7 Low Fire Assessment Fee Coral Springs While providing a consistently low tax rate, the City also puts emphasis on keeping special assessments and fees low. The fire assessment fee is among the lowest in Broward County at $ Lowest Solid Waste Rate of Large Broward Cities The solid waste special assessment is the lowest in Broward County, though the level of service is the highest in the County. The City s solid waste franchise provides two times per week backyard pickup and unlimited pickup of curbside bulk items. Annual Rate Coral Springs Residents Overall Quality Rating for City Services High-quality services, an emphasis on serving our customers needs and keeping costs low that s what it means to be a Baldrige-worthy Community of Excellence. 5

8 Customer-Involved Government Foreclosure Prevention Efforts Continuous Improvement Efforts The City of Coral Springs became the first state or local government to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, a Presidential honor that recognizes U.S. companies for organizational performance excellence, in April But the receipt of this award doesn t mark an end to our quality journey. In 2008 we continued to focus on our customers needs, striving to improve all of our programs and services on an ongoing basis so we can offer the highest quality of services at the lowest price. To help our residents in need, the City undertook a comprehensive foreclosure assistance effort, including starting a foreclosure hotline that provides residents with tips and local resources and posting helpful information on CoralSprings.org. The City passed an ordinance requiring lenders to register with the City when a home becomes vacant, thus helping to maintain neighborhood vitality. A Homeownership Preservation Forum also brought together residents, City officials, government agencies and 10 lenders to answer questions and provide ways to seek help. More than 400 people attended, and one onsite lender was able to modify more than 30 loans, preventing those homes from going into foreclosure. Building Division Workshops To help contractors and residents alike through the permit process, the Building Department hosted a series of workshops geared toward minimizing rejections in the application and plan review process. Workshops about windows, doors and shutters, roofs, fences, and expired permits received high satisfaction ratings from attendees 95, 100, 100 and 100 percents, respectively. 6 Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Number of volunteer hours donated to the City 31,000 41,968 Percent voter turnout per election 40% 44.2%* Overall rating of the City in terms of communicating with residents (City Survey) 93% 92%* Overall rating of the City in terms of communicating with businesses (City Survey) 79% 88% Overall quality rating for City services by business owners (City Survey) 92% 93% Customer service rating by residents (City Survey) 93% 94%* Customer service rating by businesses (City Survey) 91% 97% Number of mentors trained Overall quality rating for City services and programs (City Survey) 93% 93%* Overall satisfaction rating of City employees (HR Survey) 93% 95% *Not reported for FY These are results for FY 2007.

9 The City encourages citizen participation in local government activities and actively seeks insight into the needs of the community to better align our services with customer needs. Visioning Summit Update Government Academy To unravel the mysteries of local government, the City hosted its first Government Academy to give residents insight into how the City s operations earned the Malcolm Baldrige Award. Twenty-six people graduated from the program, which aims to create more City ambassadors in the community by offering six comprehensive sessions on every facet of City operations. Of the graduates, 99 percent rated the Academy good or excellent, and one commented that this entire academy shows how well this City is run. Sixty City stakeholders attended the Visioning Summit Update to revisit ideas and goals set at the original Visioning Summit in Participants discussed accomplishments in five areas education; safety and security; health fitness and recreation; community climate; and community development. These Visionaires will continue to meet to monitor progress toward original Visioning Summit goals of financial stability, quality education, involved citizens, family and spiritual development, and innovative transportation options. 7

10 Financial Health and Economic Development CSBizAssist.org Balancing the Budget Despite property tax reform and a challenging economic climate, the City managed to present a balanced Fiscal Year 2009 budget while still lowering property taxes and maintaining essential services. Coral Springs continues to have the lowest tax rate for major cities in Broward County. Helping Our Local Businesses In April 2008, a Business Needs Assessment survey was given to 200 businesses to ascertain their needs and wants. Based on those results, the City and its community partners including the Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce, Coral Springs College and University Partnership, the Florida Sterling Council and others are offering a comprehensive program specifically tailored to helping local businesses in the current economy. Details are available at CSBizAssist.org. AAA Credit Rating All three Wall Street credit rating agencies reaffirmed the City s excellent credit rating of AAA with a stable outlook. Coral Springs is one of only 34 cities and towns in the country with this perfect bond rating, which allows the City to borrow funds for capital projects at the lowest possible interest rates. Moody s noted about Coral Springs that it believes that strong management and long-term planning is a favorable credit characteristic, especially given the City s mature tax base. Commercial Façade Program The second phase of this downtown program included providing $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for small business owners to improve their exteriors. Additionally, the City used CDBG dollars for the landscaping and sidewalk improvements in front of these stores. 8 Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Maintain AAA Bond Ratings AAA AAA Residents value rating (City Survey) 73% 58%* Add to the City s financial reserves until a final goal 17% 17% of 17% of budgeted expenditures is reached Percent of plan reviews completed within 15 working days 95% 97.7% Non-residential value as percent of total taxable value 20% 19.75% Percentage increase of operating millage rate 0% -13% *Not reported for FY These are results for FY 2007.

11 The City enhances financial stability by diversifying its tax base, encouraging redevelopment and providing the highest-quality service to our residents and business owners at the lowest cost. Fire Training Tower A 50-foot steel tower dwarfs other structures at the Donald A. Haupt, Jr. Training Center, home to the Coral Springs Fire Academy. This is the Academy s final piece to help first responders refine life-saving skills. Police officers and firefighters from 16 area departments contract with the City to provide training at this facility. Contract resources and a State grant helped pay for the tower. Public Safety Renovations The contract has been awarded for the renovation of the Public Safety Building and a new Fire Station 80. Construction will begin in January 2009 and will be completed by mid The Public Safety Building will have a new 10,000-square-foot addition, which will house a new Emergency Operations Center. The new Fire Station 80 will be an official LEEDS Certified Green Building, which will meet U.S. Green Building Council standards for energy and environmental design. Veterans Building Located inside Mullins Park, this facility will be the new home of the City s Veterans and Memorial Day celebrations. The 2,000-sqaure-foot space will also serve as the location for regularly scheduled veterans group gatherings, non-profit organization meetings, and as classroom facilities for City programs. Economic Development Foundation Fiscal Year 2008 was a very successful year for the Economic Development Foundation, with proposed and approved projects totaling 835,452 square feet of new construction on 71 acres of land with an assessed value of $75,190,680. The City welcomed ProLogis, a major developer of industrial space, to begin construction on two 100,000-square-foot buildings in the Corporate Park. 9

12 Excellence in Education Elementary School Resource Officers Despite a difficult budget year last year, safety in our schools remains a high priority for the City. We are still able to provide School Resource Officers for each of our middle and high schools as well as a continued presence in all of our elementary schools. Our elementary school SROs continue to teach the Gang Resistance and Drug Avoidance (GRADE) program for all Coral Springs fifth graders. College and University Partnership The Coral Springs College and University Partnership, now in its fifth year of operation, has grown to serve more than 1,000 students either in classroom space furnished by the Coral Springs Charter School and Economic Development Foundation or in their place of business. Partner organizations include Broward College, Barry University and Nova Southeastern s Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. CSCUP programs offer professional certificates, bachelors and masters programs in areas including business management and entrepreneurism, information technology and substitute teaching. 10 Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Percent of school overcrowding in public schools 108% 95% Number of students attending courses offered 1,000 1,126 by partnering institutes of higher education Achieve gains in math/reading mean scale score at Coral Springs Charter School 0.8% 0.9%

13 The City maintains partnerships with the Broward County School Board and individual public and private schools within Coral Springs to promote safety, increase parental participation, and expand educational opportunities. Schools Make the Grade Fire Academy of the Year The Florida Fire Training Directors Association named the Donald A. Haupt, Jr. Training Center as Fire Training Center of the Year for Annual competition is intense, with the State s best departments applying for this honor. In making its selection, the Association cited the Academy s constant commitment to excellence and its leadership in training and technology development. Coral Springs is home to some of the best schools in Florida. All but one school received an A-rating, with one school coming in at a close second with a B-rating. 11

14 Neighborhood and Environmental Vitality Maintaining Our Neighborhoods Code Enforcement officers had a new tool this year, the Administrative Citation program, which allowed them to bring more violators into voluntary compliance. For 2007, the City administered around 7,000 Code cases, but the citation program helped increase that number to around 8,000 this past fiscal year with 81 percent voluntary compliance. Public Art This popular program continued to grow in Fiscal Year 2008, funded entirely by developers of new construction in the City. More than 750 comments came into the City regarding its latest Sculpture on Sample public art installment. The City used this feedback to select three new art pieces Laura s Ego depicting a large horse, the freeform, stainless steel Reclining Nude and a piece titled Poliphony. 100th Neighborhood Partnership This year, the City entered into its 100th successful partnership with a local neighborhood to assist residents with specific projects that promote a stronger, healthier, more vibrant community. Matching grant funds from the City are made available to eligible neighborhoods to implement projects that benefit the entire neighborhood. 12 Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Number of cooperative projects and the number of different partners 12 projects 23 projects focused on enhancing the environment 8 partners 22 partners City Crime Rate (crimes per 100,000 residents) 2,970 2,583.9 Percent of Code cases brought into voluntary compliance 70% 81% Number of formal and informal neighborhood partnerships Number of trees planted within the City 3,000 6,873

15 The City seeks to enhance aesthetics, safety, accessibility and mobility by preserving existing Environmentally Sensitive Land sites, promoting replenishment of the City s tree canopy, and planning for resource conservation. Green Design and Maintenance As part of the City s effort to encourage all developers to go green, the City Commission unanimously approved changes to the City s Land Development Code that promotes eco-friendly building within Coral Springs. The City also established a green committee that will monitor a sustainability index. Wetlands Expansion Whispering Woods Park, located on the northeast corner of Wiles Road and Woodside Drive, includes a walking/jogging path, as well as exercise and playground equipment, an educational pavilion and a burrowing owl preserve for our residents to enjoy. In partnership with Broward County, the City added three additional acres of wetlands to the park this past fiscal year. Beautification at Sample and 441 A joint effort between the cities of Coral Springs, Margate and Coconut Creek to beautify the flyover and intersection of State Road 7 and Sample Road was completed this year. The $4.5 million project, funded largely from federal and state grant money, included improved landscaping and irrigation equipment. The City of Coral Springs was the lead agency in this endeavor. 13

16 Youth Development and Family Values 100 Best Communities for Young People For the third year in a row, America s Promise Alliance named the City of Coral Springs one of its 100 Best Communities for Young People, largely due to the numerous facilities and programs throughout the City and the volume of kids who take advantage of them. All communities in the competition were required to submit detailed information on existing community programs and initiatives that help deliver the Five Promises to their young people resources identified by America s Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children: caring adults; safe places; healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others. CSTeens Undecided As an online resource, CSTeensUndecided.com offers teenagers alternative views to a standard high school education. For those who might not want a college path, the site offers a listing of local technical and vocational schools that offer specialized career training. The site also features information on careers, personality tests, military service and advice from area guidance counselors. Getting in the Swim The Coral Springs Aquatic Complex is home to many Olympic swimmers, including Beijing silver medalist Dara Torres. This premier training facility offers swimming lessons and programs to children and adults of all ages and experience levels. This year, staff gave more than 32,000 swim lessons to 4,000 participants. Programs range from the Learn to Swim program for toddlers to senior fitness classes. Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Number of youths involved in City-sponsored leadership opportunities 2,000 2,016 Number of teen volunteer hours donated to the City 11,000 21,818 Number of middle school after-school programs offered

17 Youth and family are the cornerstones of our community, and the City seeks to build strong ties through initiatives promoting values, traditions, a shared community vision, and personal health and safety outreach. Project CS Teen Car Club A core dedicated group of about 20 teenagers meet monthly to discuss transforming the project car a Chevrolet Blazer into a tricked-out ride. Teenagers are the driving force behind the club, steering everything from project design to execution. Local sponsors are on board to offer meeting space and mentoring to Project CS members. Recreational Program Scholarships Community Development Block Grant funds went toward scholarships for 95 individuals in the City s seven-week summer recreation program. Funds distributed totaled nearly $21,000 and benefited 71 households. Additionally, CDBG monies also funded 167 scholarships to sports league participants totaling $22,

18 Strength in Diversity Martin Luther King, Jr. Programs The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration continues the City s commitment to diversity education. A key component of this program is scholarships to financially needy high school seniors to apply toward college or vocational education. Last year, the MLK Committee was able to award 16 scholarships to high school seniors. Peace Garden Expansion Outside the Coral Springs Center for the Arts is a tranquil peace garden with sculptures from artists representing most of the seven continents. The Coral Springs Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee came together with non-profit One Planet United to celebrate International Peace Day, as well as host once-monthly silent peace walks in the garden. One Planet United Partnership The Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee has entered into a successful partnership with non-profit One Planet United, a group dedicated to eliminating prejudice, intolerance and division. Together, the groups host monthly Peace Walks at the International Peace Garden and put together the successful International Day of Peace celebration that included a diversity dialogue, peace walk and ceremony featuring local schools and houses of worship. National Day of Prayer Twenty years ago, the City began observing National Day of Prayer, bringing together local houses of worship on the front steps of City Hall to embrace and celebrate religious diversity. Children and adults from all sects stand and proudly pray, chant or sing, delivering a message of unity, friendship and hope before a candlelight ceremony to close the evening. 16 Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Minority residents who feel that the City is a great place to live (City Survey) 82% 81%* Citizen rating of City Government for respecting 92% 92%* religious and ethnic diversity (City Survey) *Not reported for FY These are results for FY 2007.

19 The City strives to honor the strength of diversity in our community through ongoing dialogue and gathering together to communicate, understand and celebrate our differences and similarities. Diversity Events Events to recognize and embrace diversity take place throughout the year in Coral Springs. This year, the City hosted its second annual CommuniTea party with more than 200 guests in attendance. The International Dinner Dance, with its Caribbean theme, attracted hundreds of guests. Festival of Eid, an award-winning program, introduces the community to the Muslim culture through entertainment, food and education. UniTown High school students usually dread giving up a three-day weekend to attend UniTown but without fail come back changed, ready to tell others about the dangers of hate and prejudice. UniTown, preparing to enter its 13th year, is the brainchild of the City s Multi- Cultural Advisory Committee and has spawned other programs in the Uni-series UniKids and UniTeens. Sixty students participate each year in UniTown, which the City offers for free to participants. Coral Springs is the only city in Broward to deliver such a program. 17

20 Traffic, Mobility and Connectivity Downtown Pathways Outside of Mullins Park, the City has completed the first phase of the Downtown Pathways. This improvement includes a tree-lined curvilinear walk with an enhanced sidewalk. Once complete, the pathway will join the Downtown Coral Springs area by connecting the Coral Springs Charter School with the Mullins Park area, Northwest Regional Library, Coral Springs Medical Center, Coral Springs Center for the Arts and the Public Safety Building. Street Indexing Signage As part of an ongoing program, City Commissioners implemented a cost-effective street indexing sign strategy to assist motorists in locating business addresses along major thoroughfares. The City has installed signage along Sample Road (Coral Ridge Drive to Rock Island Road) and University Drive south of Sample Road. Wiles Road indexing is also wrapping up. The distinctive green signs atop existing stop signs and at traffic lights give block numbers to aid drivers looking for business locations. Traffic Calming Devices Traffic calming speed humps were installed at Southwest First Court in Oakwood, and permanent speed humps replaced temporary devices on Northwest 38th Drive, Northwest 95th Avenue and NW 112th Avenue. 18 Performance Measures Fiscal Year 2008 Goal Actual Achieve a reduction of speed or a reduction of volume Speed -10% -11% after the initial installation of traffic calming measures Volume -15% -23% Number of traffic accidents at 16 major intersections Number of riders on intracity bus routes 115, ,166

21 As the City grows and matures, we want to promote the use of convenient and accessible modes of transportation for vehicles and pedestrians alike. Bicycle Safety Campaign To raise awareness of cycling safety, the City launched its Move Over campaign, a nod to the state law instructing drivers to give cyclists three feet of space when passing. To support the initiative, the City s Bike Patrol unit partnered with Chick-Fil-A to give children 16 and under a free lunch ticket if they get caught wearing a helmet. The City is in the process of creating a dedicated section on its web site with cycling basics for drivers and riders alike. Path to the Everglades The City is partnering with Broward County to create a new trailhead along the C-14 Canal from Atlantic Boulevard to the Everglades. This is the City s contribution to the bikeway system that will eventually extend from the Everglades to the beach. Construction will be completed by early 2010 and will include parking, landscaping and trash receptacles. Bus Shelters This ongoing initiative that will last until 2013 is a direct response to customer requests for a safer, more comfortable public transportation experience. In 2008, the City installed five new bus shelters throughout Coral Springs, bringing the total to 43 shelters City wide. Additional shelters will be constructed where needed for the next five years. 19

22 Best in Class Comparison The City of Coral Springs strives to be the nation s premier community in which to live, work, and raise a family. How do we know if we re advancing toward our goal? We compare ourselves to other cities, both locally and from across the nation, to see how we stack up. In every case Coral Springs outperforms other cities on the things that are important to our residents education, safety, aesthetics, and an efficient, responsive city government. We are grateful for the ongoing feedback we receive from our residents and businesses, who help us stay on our path toward becoming the leading city in the nation. High Customer Service Ratings 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Coral Springs ACSI for Federal Govt Avg of ICMA Benchmark Cities Good The City s customer service ratings have been consistently much higher than the national American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) for federal government. Coral Springs also compares favorably to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) benchmark cities. Highly Productive Employees As the population in Coral Springs has increased, the number of employees per 1,000 residents has remained consistently low, reflecting sustained high productivity Good 95% of Coral Springs Schools Received an A Grade Coral Springs Ft. Lauderdale Sunrise Plantation Miramar Pembroke Pines Davie Pompano Beach 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Coral Springs Broward County Florida Good A letter grade, A through F, is assigned to each school based on students performance on the FCAT in reading, math and writing. In 2008, 95 percent of Coral Springs schools received an A rating vs. 58 percent for the county and 55 percent for the State of Florida. Low Crime Incidents Per 100,000 10,000 Coral Springs crime rate is lower than our neighboring cities, Broward County, the State of Florida and the Nation. Number of crimes per 100,000 population 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 5,093 5,168 4,886 4,391 3,988 3,507 3,390 3,001 3,194 3,085 2,731 2,501 2,584 2,259 Good Fiscal Year Coral Springs Broward County State National

23 Coral Springs, to me, is the best community in the world to raise children. Between all the opportunities citizens have to participate on committees and in any kind of volunteer capacity, I ve never been in a City that does as well with the school system and residents. Dr. Amanda Miles, Coral Park Elementary School principal I love to live in the City of Coral Springs. It s a beautiful city. I know that this City is beautiful by its inclusiveness people of all races, all nationalities, all backgrounds, all religions. I feel safe here and I think it s a great environment for my family. Piero Falci, author and City committee member Coral Springs, as a City, has really come together and created a sense of community that every high school, middle school, and elementary school student can work off of and essentially be successful. Grant Kerwit, Coral Springs High School student

24 Please visit CoralSprings.org/stateofthecity to view informative videos about our Fiscal Year 2008 accomplishments, as well as to download copies of our Strategic Plan, Business Plan and Budget West Sample Road Coral Springs, Florida CoralSprings.org