DRWMAG.COM 30 #357 • JANUARY 2019 • 30TH ANNIVERSARY Congratulations to Jared Blaut and the entire DRW Magazine family for 30 years in publication. Jared is every- where we are. He documents our events and spotlights our pro- grams with amazing photos and com- prehensive articles that pique our interest and expand our range of vision. I am grateful that we have such a trusted and reliable friend and community partner in Jared Blaut and DRW!Thank you, DRW. I wish you many happy returns. Keep up the great work! Everywhere I go,I receive complements about our City.(I never really leave the city, but I mean, in the grocery store, and at every event I attend – where people might be from other places, they say nice things). Folks want to live here, they want to send their kids to school here, and they want to join us in all of our community en- deavors. Newer residents are amazed at the level of responsiveness they receive from Cooper City staff. Some people thank me as if I had something to do with the fact that our city employees are the best around and go to the utmost measures to satisfy and accommo- date our residents. It has nothing to do with me. If you come to me with a concern or a question, I know who to go to on staff to get that answer or solve that problem; that’s it. I have no hand in the resolu- tion. I am shouting out to the people who make this place what it is. They do it because they are competing for the “Best City in the World” prize, every day. I want to thank each and every person who gives their all to make us the best we can be.I don’t know everything about how all the moving parts make this well-oiled machine run, but I’m still learning. After almost 10 years in office, I am amazed to learn that there’s more to learn. If I don’t know how the bread is baked, I probably don’t deserve to eat it. So here goes, in no par- ticular order: Thank you, Finance Department for over 27 consecutive years of Excellence in Financial Reporting.Thank you for managing our financial affairs and managing our budget.Thank you for payroll, for making sure every calculation is made to the fraction of a penny; and thank you for getting thoseW-2s out every year! Thank you,A/P for reconciling every billing statement and verifying every expenditure. Thanks for crunching all the numbers, and for doing it well!Thanks, also to the Utility Billing team for providing our residents excellent customer service. Thank you, Recreation for before and after care, day camps, and volunteer programs that help kids earn service hours for gradua- tion.Thank you for giving our seniors bingo, movies, dance classes, luncheons, free transportation, and iPad workshops.Thank you for ceramics, karate, gymnastics, and chess. Thank you for the Daddy Daughter Dance, Light Up Cooper City, the Senior Lifestyle Expo, Founder’s Day and all 28 annual events. Thank you for partnering with the Optimists, local schools, and CommissionAdvisory Boards. Thanks for making it fun! Thank you, Building Department and Growth Manage- ment for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of our residents with every permit application you review, every set of plans you examine, and every project you inspect. Thank you for working with our businesses through the Local BusinessTax Application pro- cess.Thank you for being thorough, professional, and courteous to our homeowners, builders, and businesses. Thank you for keeping us safe! Thanks, Utilities for the 3.2 million gallons per day of award- winning water you distribute, while meeting all federal, state, and local regulations.Thank you for the 141 miles of water mains, the 1,379 fire hydrants, the 11,700 water meters, the 528 backflow preventers, the 127 miles of sewer mains, and 83 sewer pumping stations you operate and maintain every single day. Thank you for getting nature’s most valuable resource into our homes every day. Thanks for the drink! Thank you, City Clerk’s Office for processing 6,068 passport applications in 2018. Thank you for preparing every Commission Agenda, filling every records request, answering every complaint, ordering every replacement garbage cart, and posting every notice. Thank you for maintaining our records, recording our documents and managing our Human Resources. Thank you for running the Special Magistrate program, updating our Code of Ordinances over- seeing elections,calling roll,and counting our votes.Thanks for basi- cally running the show. Thank you, PublicWorks for seeding, mowing, and striping our fields. Thank you for maintaining our playground and park equip- ment for the safety of our children and families.Thank you for every tree you plant, every shrub you trim, every curb you paint, every light bulb you screw, every belt you change, and every tile you re- place.Thank you for keeping everything working. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I look forward to work- ing with each of you in 2019. Happy NewYear. I’m grateful to be at your service. BY COMMISSIONER JAMES CURRAN "Thank you" to the staff who make our city shine COOPER CITY CORNER