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Hollywood Current
City Manager
Wazir Ishmael
Hollywood City Commission
Visit their dedicated webpage here or click on their names below to email the Commissioner directly.
Back to School Safety Tips from the Hollywood Police Department
As summer vacation is drawing to a close and children head back to school, we will be sharing the road with students, buses, and bicyclists. It’s an important time to remind everyone to slow down and pay attention. The Hollywood Police Department has the following reminders from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Motorists and School Bus Safety
- All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street or highway with paved median must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal, and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
- Motorists on a highway divided by a raised barrier or unpaved median driving in the opposite direction do not have to stop for the bus, but should slow down and watch for students.
- Be alert and watch for children especially near schools, bus stops, school buses and in school parking lots.
- Pay extra attention to lower speed limits in school zones.
- Watch for and obey signals from school crossing guards.
- Only drive or park in authorized areas to drop off or pick up children at school.
School Zone Speeding
- Fines are doubled for speeding in a school zone.
- Special speed limit signs are posted around schools to alert you as you enter the zone.
- School buses will also be entering or exiting the school.
- Keep your focus on driving and make other activities secondary.
- Be alert and pay attention to flashing speed limit sign, the stopped school bus, or the construction ahead sign.
Do your part to make sure kids are safe as they head back to school. For more Public Safety tips and information, visit the Hollywood Police Department website.
It's Peak Hurricane Season - Be Prepared
As we head into the peak of hurricane season, now is a good time to go over your hurricane plan and make sure you’re prepared. You should have enough supplies on hand to be self-sufficient for at least seven days after a storm. Find out what should be in your hurricane kit, as well as other storm safety tips by visiting the City’s Hurricane Season Preparedness webpage.
Flood Safety Tips
Peak hurricane season and rainy season go hand-in-hand. Many areas in Hollywood are prone to flooding from heavy rain. Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods can develop in just a few minutes. Be aware of flood hazards no matter where you live or work, but especially if you are in low-lying areas or near water. Here are some important flood safety tips:
- Call 911 if floodwater impacts your home and creates an emergency situation, such as a fire.
- Motorists should not attempt to drive through flooded areas. Remember, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”
- Use caution with electrical appliances, electrical cords and outlets if floodwaters have entered your home.
- Do not wade or play in standing flood water, which can contain contaminants, harmful bacteria, sharp debris and other items that could cause injury or infection.
- Be prepared to notify your homeowner’s insurance provider if you experience flood damage and seek their advice on documenting the damage and drying out your home. The same applies for contacting your vehicle insurance provider if you find your vehicle has been damaged.
For more information on how to protect yourself and property from flood hazards, please visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website.
Hollywood Partnering for Success 
As the city approaches its 100th anniversary, significant investment is happening in Hollywood. While these new projects are expected to create exciting, new opportunities for residents and business owners, city leaders must continually look for new and innovative ways to fund high-quality services and facilities for residents without overburdening taxpayers. In 2013, a new state statute on public-private partnerships (P3’s) was created to make it easier for the private sector to partner with local government to fund facilities and infrastructure that serve a public purpose. In Hollywood, public-private partnerships have produced positive results for residents and business owners.
The Margaritaville public private partnership generates roughly $2.5 million a year in property taxes. The city also receives annual ground rent and participation rent and recently earned more than $1.3 million dollars on the sale of the resort under the terms of its 99-year ground lease. All totaled, the city has achieved nearly $21 million in revenue since the resort opened in 2015.
The successful Pinnacle at Peacefield affordable senior housing development built by Pinnacle Communities was proposed under the state P3 statute. It provides 120 much-needed affordable, high quality, one- and two-bedroom apartments for low to moderate income residents over age 62. Besides cleaning up a previously blighted area, the project generates more than $90,000 a year in property taxes.
The P3 mixed-use development called University Station is slated to begin construction early next year along N. 21st Ave within walking distance to downtown. This project will provide 216 affordable residential rental units, house Barry University’s College of Health Sciences, and provide a parking garage with approximately 340 public parking spaces for the proposed commuter rail station.
The City recently approved the business terms for a proposed P3 with the Related Group for the redevelopment of the beach community center property. The proposal calls for the construction of a brand new 2-story oceanfront community center, additional public parking and an expanded park from the revenue generated from a luxury condominium building on small portion of the site. The project is also estimated to generate more than a $1 billion in additional revenue to fund city services over a 99-year lease term.
A P3 has also been proposed for the complete renovation of the city’s 36- hole Orangebrook golf course and the city is exploring whether a P3 could provide funding for a much-needed new city administration complex. As city leaders continue to work to balance service demands with resources, there are proven benefits of public-private partnerships.
Benefits of Public Private Partnerships
- Maximize efficiency, accountability, and innovation of private enterprise – Governments can reap the benefits of private sector innovation.
- Free up critical public funds for core services and programs – Reserves public resources for where they are most needed.
- Transfer of risk – During economic slowdowns or market volatility, a P3 can reduce risk to the both the private and public entities.
- Opportunities for reduced Operations and Maintenance costs – savings in both time and dollars can be realized through the private sector managing a P3 project.
- Access to private sector financing tools - Besides traditional pay-as-you-go or bond financing, P3’s give governmental agencies access to innovative financing tools available to the private sector.
Free Public Wi-Fi Available
Smart cities are investing in infrastructure improvements that connect their community and improve quality of life. Here in Hollywood, the City has deployed free public Wi-Fi at a number of convenient locations. Residents and visitors are welcome to connect for free to stay up to date, stay in-touch, and avoid roaming charges.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2400 Charleston St
- Washington Park Community Center, 5199 Pembroke Rd
- Police Athletic League, 2311 N. 23rd Ave
- Boulevard Heights Community Center, 6770 Garfield St
- Driftwood Community Center & Swimming Pool, 3000 N. 69th Ave
- Kay Gaither Community Center, 6291 Funston St
- David Park Community Center, 108 N. 33rd Ct
- Orangebrook Golf and Country Club, 400 Entrada Dr
- McNicol Community Center, 1411 S. 28th Ave
- City Hall, 2600 Hollywood Blvd
- Fred Lippman Multi-Purpose Center, 2030 Polk St
- City of Hollywood Marina, 700 Polk Street
$16.2 Million in Matching Grant Funds to Help Tame the Tide
Earlier this year, the City was awarded over $16.2 million in matching grant funding for three environmental resilience projects to help address the impacts of sea level rise, tidal flooding and storm surge. The grant money is being directed to three high-priority projects:
Tidal Flooding Mitigation and Sea Walls - As part of the voter-approved General Obligation Bond, Tidal Flooding mitigation projects have included design and planning for the installation of tidal flooding barriers on public property where no current shoreline protection exists. Additional grant funding of $14 million will allow for a total of $28 million in improvements in more areas and areas where inadequate shoreline protection is existing.
A1A Pump Station Project - Pump stations are used to move storm water from one area to another. Along low-lying sections of A1A on the barrier island, pumps are used to move sea water back into the Intracoastal Waterway to help alleviate street-level flooding. The A1A Pump Station Project will entail installing four stormwater pump stations along A1A at Bouganvilla Terrace, Franklin, Sherman, and Van Buren Streets. This project is a joint effort of the Department of Public Utilities, the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency Beach District, Broward County and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). This grant of $1.825 million will fund a portion of the design and construction cost.
Swale Restoration Project - The City is embarking on an ambitious Recapture the Swale program that is focused on restoring the usefulness of swales as a green stormwater infrastructure solution across the City. This grant will support a public education campaign and the development of a feasibility study for a City-wide restoration of swales as part of the overall stormwater management system. The project cost is estimated at $695,000 of which approximately 50% will be funded by this grant.
More information on the General Obligation Bond, please visit the dedicated webpages here.
Have a Concern? Report it with Hollywood Connect
Hollywood Connect is the City's customer service platform that allows residents and visitors to quickly and easily report non-emergency concerns directly to City Hall. Users can report concerns to the City using the online portal below or via the mobile app or by email.
Users can create an account to track the status of the service request and other requests of the same type in a certain area, receive updates on the request and more. Service requests are routed to the appropriate department for attention and will be responded to quickly and efficiently, and users will be notified when the issue is resolved. Users may also report (most) concerns anonymously.*
Download the App today!
- iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/citysourced/id781807929
- Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.citysourced.hollywoodfl
- Report your concern via the website here
If enabled, the mobile device GPS and location services on your mobile device will help pinpoint the service issue location – or you may enter the location yourself. The app also provides for language translation.
City Faces
Kellyn Liberty, Marine Safety Officer
Meet Marine Safety Officer Kellyn Liberty. In her nearly 5 years with the city, Kellyn’s been involved in the Junior Lifeguard program and been a part of the Hollywood Beach Safety Division’s competition team. Just last month, she placed 2nd overall in the Southeast Regional competition for the United States Lifesaving Association with her favorite events being swimming and rowing. Kellyn’s a former Division I collegiate swimmer and grew up on Long Island spending her summers working as a lifeguard at the beaches in New York. When she graduated from college, she got into the field of marketing and worked in Manhattan for a few years before deciding to move to Florida and pursue her love of the ocean and emergency response by becoming a full-time lifeguard in 2018. She loves working on Hollywood beach because of the friendly atmosphere and family-oriented vibe, “In Hollywood, it’s mostly a crowd of families and people on vacation. The beachgoers really appreciate what we do,” says Kellyn. Besides swimming and exercising, Kellyn enjoys reading and her current favorite beach read is “People We Meet on Vacation,” by Emily Henry.
City Earns Prefect LGBTQ+ Municipal Equity Index Score
The City of Hollywood earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign 2021 Municipal Equality Index for having programs and policies that are inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equity. Examples of City initiatives that contributed to the perfect MEI score include:
- City Contractor Non-discrimination Ordinance
- Appointed an LGBTQ+ Liaison in the City Manager’s Office
- In recognition of PRIDE Month the City and the LGBTQ+ Council held a Progress Pride flag raising ceremony at City Hall. The flag flew over City Hall for the month of June
- LGBTQ+ Resource Guide was supplied to all employees, and posted on the employee intranet site.
- Work continues the Hollywood LGBTQ+ Council to review current
- Procurement practices and the City Code of Ordinances.
My Hollywood Selfie & Story: Susan Ammann 
Family Roots Run Deep in Hollywood
47-year Hollywood resident Susan Ammann loves her city and has no intention of ever leaving. “When I got married, I moved next door to my in-laws who had built their home in 1954. Now my son’s family live in that very same home here in Hollywood.”
What do you love about Hollywood? “The Boulevard Heights Neighborhood Association where I get to meet and socialize with great neighbors who I now consider friends. Also, the close proximity to my church, shopping, and doctors.”
- What’s your favorite go to spot in Hollywood? “I always recommend the concerts at the Boulevard Heights Amphitheater, Taft Street Café for breakfast, Sonny’s Famous Steak Hogies for lunch or dinner and Las Vegas Cuban Restaurant. I hardly ever have to leave Hollywood!”
- Anything else you really want people to know about how great Hollywood is? ”While the east side of Hollywood has a lot to offer, so does the west side! Great restaurants, organized youth sports, community centers with tons of activities, an amphitheater, community pool, and great shopping and local service businesses.