b'SW RANCHES CORNER$111k in park improvements,criminals caught, and "Ag" matters If your family enjoys usingEach spoke about their personal experience and support provided the towns parks and recre- to the Ag community. All council members have worked on resolving ation facilities, there is somethe inequitable fire fees imposed on some of the towns agricultural op-good news about maintenanceerations. Three council members, including myself, have either worked and improvements to our parks.with horses or have family members who participated in the local eques-At the April 8th town council meet- trian community. One council member has a college degree in an agri-ing, the council approved $111 thousandcultural discipline. I have worked as a horse groom from an early age, to provide funds for some park maintenance that is needed across theworked at two thoroughbred racetracks, and have ridden horses all my towns parks. life. I have built two landscape nurseries; one, a large retailer in Coco-$32 thousand was appropriated to replace worn components at thenut Creek, and my own wholesale nursery here in SWR. Today, I have a playground in Sunshine Ranches Equestrian Park. The playground waspoultry farm. built in 2006 and the various parts and pieces have held up remarkablyThe common themes among the council member comments at the well, and some minor repairs have been made over the years. To keep the3/25 meeting was that we all support the rights of our agricultural com-playground safe for our children, it is time for some worn componentsmunity, and that all moved here for the lifestyle they help support. We to be replaced. also recognize the many of the nurseries in town were pioneers of our Anadditional$37thousandwassetasideforimprovementstotown and still maintain large tracts of open spaces. Some of our Ag op-Country Estates (Fishing Hole) Park to finish the ball field south of theerations are second and third-generation family operations. To preserve parking lot and restrooms. The present field was created with fill thatour rural lifestyle, it is important for these businesses to continue their was on-site, or donated when the field was created. The fill containedoperations regardless of what they raise or grow. rocks and mostly sand and gravel. While plants have grown in this dirt,One of the significant concerns raised by members of the Ag com-grass has not taken hold, so 2-3 inches of soil will be added to the 107munity is that their voice as a group is not being heard. Each of the thousand square-foot field, and then it will be seeded. There are alsocouncilmembers has reach out to members of the group to offer their some informational signs at the park that need to be refreshed.support. TheComprehensivePlan AdvisoryBoard(CPAB)iswhere Rolling Oaks Park has $44 thousand planned for maintenance. Themost changes to the comprehensive land use plan are discussed between park has a fitness area that needs maintenance, and several wetlands fea- the board and members of the public before any recommendations are tures that need to be rehabilitated. These improvements to the parksbrought to the council. Mayor Breitkreuz advocated that the Council are not coming from your tax dollars; they are being funded throughappoint one of the Ag community group to the CPAB. At the April 8th proceeds from a forfeiture. This work is long overdue; prior councilsCouncil meeting, the council decided to increase the size of the CPAB by did not give this work the priority to fund it. Councilmember Jablonskitwo members, and appointed Jorge Lorenzo and Daniel Pradilla, both get the credit to coming up with this creative solution to a mountingactive in our Ag community. maintenance challenge at our parks. This board and all town advisory boards are open to the public. Davie police made several arrests this month worth men- All boards welcome input from community stakeholders and provide a tioning. One case involved a man driving around town, reportedlyforum for respectful discussion. If you have any questions or would like posing as a contractor, stealing tools and expensive equipment. Davieto have your voice heard, attend the towns advisory board meetings that officers arrested this person while he was in possession of some of thefocus on an area of concern to learn about their activities and participate stolen property.The second case involved two men who were observedin the debate. on surveillance video inside a residence. Davie responded, and basedNeighbors, we all moved to Southwest Ranches for the rural life-on descriptions provided by the reporting person, they contacted twostyle, the open spaces, to have animals (big and small), and to be free of suspects who were detained and remanded to BSOs main jail. In bothgovernment interference in our lives. If you feel that your rights are be-cases, resident engagement, a swift response by the police, and good,ing infringed upon as a nursery, farm, or homeowner, please dont take old-fashioned policework stopped these people from continuing to bur- it to the trolls on social media. Please contact the mayor or any of the glarize our town. For that I thank them regularly.council members to discuss. We can help you pursue and resolve your Over the past two months, disinformation has been spread at someconcerns.local meetings and on Facebook concerning the Councils positionIf you have any questions or concerns with anything related to the on agricultural operations and Ag businesses in our town.town, please call me at 954.801.1758. At the March 25th council meeting, each council member addressed and re-affirmed their support of the Ag community. The video is on the Towns YouTube channel.BY COUNCIL MEMBER BOB HARTMANN22 #385MAY 2021BE SAFE, BE SMART, BE WELL DRWMAG.COM'