[1. Call to Order]
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CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP FOR THE CITY OF APRIL 19,
2023. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> ROLL CALL.
>> COMMISSIONER CUTLER. >> I'M HERE.
>> COMMISSIONER MAYERSOHN. >> I'M HERE.
>> MAYOR WALKER. >> I AM HERE.
>> VICE MAYOR BRIER. >> I AM HERE.
>> COMMISSIONER ISROW, ABSENT RIGHT NOW.
[4A. City of Parkland Youth Ambassador Project Presentation]
>> OKAY, JACKIE. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. SENIOR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS. TONIGHT THE PARKLAND YOUTH AMBASSADORS ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH SEAL THE DEAL.
THIS IS THEIR SIGNATURE PROJECT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
THEY ARE VERY HAPPY TO NOT ONLY TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROJECT AND THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT, BUT WHAT THEY ARE EXPECTING FROM THE
BUSINESSES IN PARKLAND. >> GOOD EVENING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO START BY INTRODUCING OURSELVES.
I'M TREASURER FOR THE PARKLAND YOUTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, AND I ATTEND MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL.
>> HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS AVA. I'M THE COORDINATOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND I ATTEND ST. THOMAS.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS CHARLOTTE. I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT AND I
ATTEND NORTH BRAD PREP. >> GOOD EVENING MY NAME IS ANGELINA KENNEDY, I'M PRESIDENT AND I ATTEND MARJORY STONEMAN
DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL. >> HELLO EVERYONE.
I ATTEND MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THIS IS SEAL THE DEAL. THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT WE WORKED ON AS PARKLAND YOUTH AMBASSADORS.
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD AND EXCITED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.
YOU'LL SEE DISPLAYED IN FRONT OF YOU SOME OF THE BROCHURES WE UTILIZED. IF ANYONE SITTING IN THE CHAMBER WOULD LIKE A COPY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND ONE OF THE AMBASSADORS WILL HAND IT TO YOU. THANK YOU.
PROVIDING SOME CONTEXT BY PROVIDING FACTS ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT IN THE FUTURE. FIRST OF ALL EARTH'S POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO REACH 9 BILLION BY AROUND THE YEAR 2100.
IF SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT IS NOT ACHIEVED, EARTH'S RESOURCES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE GROWING POPULATION AND THAT COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO HUMAN LIFE.
IF WE DON'T BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE IN OUR PRACTICES, HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND PLANTS WON'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE BECAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY AIR AND WATER NEEDED.
CLIMATE CHANGE CAN CAUSE WIDESPREAD ENDANGERMENT AND EXTINCTION MAKING THE WORLD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT
LOOKS TODAY. >> SO ABOUT OUR PROJECT, IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT.
AND WHAT BROUGHT THIS ISSUE INTO ALL OF OUR MINDS WAS ESPECIALLY BEING EXPOSED TO THIS IN SCHOOL. SO MANY OF US ARE LEARNING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN SCHOOL IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SCIENCE CLASSES AND OTHER CLASSES THAT SPEAK TO THIS SUBJECT.
FROM THERE WE'RE TAKING THE EDUCATION WE LEARNED AND INCORPORATING INTO OUR DAILY LIVES.
WE WOULD WALK INTO BUSINESSES AND OTHER PLACES IN OUR DAILY LIVES AND SEE THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN SEVERAL FACETS OF OUR LIVES.
FINALLY NEXT, IN ENTERING A PARKLAND YOUTH AMBASSADOR POSITION, WE SAW OUR SEAL AND IT MADE US ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD.
AND WE THOUGHT ARE WE TRULY ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD? AND WHAT CAN WE DO FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WE TARGETED OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE THOUGHT YES THE CITY MAY BE ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD, BUT HOW IS THIS AFFECTING OUR
BUSINESSES. >> TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT OUR PROJECT WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THE METHOD IN WHICH WE COMPLETED IT. SO WE DELEGATED WHO WOULD REACH OUT TO RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES AND THIS WAS IMPORTANT JUST WITH THE LOGISTICS, THAT WAY WE COULD REACH AS MANY AS POSSIBLE AS EASILY AS POSSIBLE. AND WE WANTED TO CREATE RAPPORT WITH THESE BUSINESSES IN HOPES OF FUTURE PROJECTS AND FURTHER DEVELOPING THIS ONE. WE WROTE THE SCRIPT AND GENERAL GUIDELINE ON HOW TO DISCUSS THIS WITH BUSINESSES.
WE WENT OUT AND DELIVERED OUR BROCHURES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE KEPT TRACK OF OUR BUSINESSES
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REACHED VIA A SPREADSHEET WHERE WE HAD A COLOR COATING SYSTEM AND JUST A WAY OF STAYING ORGANIZED, THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR DATA IS CORRECTED.WE FILTERED OUR SURVEY RESPONSES AND DISCUSSED AND ANALYZED THESE RESPONSES AND CREATED THIS PRESENTATION WHICH WE ARE SO
GLAD TO SHARE WITH YOU. >> IN FRONT OF YOU NOW IS OUR TIMELINE WHICH WE BROKE DOWN MONTHLY.
IN SEPTEMBER WE PITCHED OUR PROJECT TO OUR SUPERVISORS.
BUT WE WERE INITIALLY ANTICIPATED TO WORK ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING ISSUES BETWEEN THAT PROJECT AND OUR TERM LENGTH WE CONTINUED AND DEVELOPED SEAL THE DEAL INSTEAD. SO THROUGHOUT OCTOBER TO DECEMBER WE ALL TAKE AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE COURSE AT OUR SCHOOLS.
SO WE WENT TO THOSE TEACHERS AND WE FOUND OUT HOW TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN IN JANUARY, WE FINALLY VOTED ON OUR PROJECT IN OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS AND WE BEGAN WORKING ON OUR PROJECT. IN FEBRUARY WE BEGAN GIVING DRY RUNS TO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR PROJECT AND IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THEIR BUSINESSES BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD AND SUSTAINABLE. IN MARCH, WE BEGAN CREATING OUR BROCHURES AND WE BEGAN TO PLAN OUR PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. AND THEN IN APRIL WE GOT APPROVAL FOR OUR BROCHURES, PRINTED THEM AND PICKED THEM UP.
AND WE BEGAN DISTRIBUTING OUR BROCHURES AND COLLECTING DATA.
>> WE WERE ABLE TO REACH 42 BUSINESSES ALL OF WHICH ARE EITHER LOCATED IN PARKLAND OR AT A HEAVILY PARKLAND-BASED CLIENTELE. WE CHOSE TO VISIT THESE BUSINESSES REGARDLESS OF IF THEY HAD PREVIOUS SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES IN PLACE TO GAIN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE ISSUE. AT THESE BUSINESSES, MANY OF
THEM HAVE MULTIPLE EMPLOYEES -- >> WE HANDED OUT BROCHURES TO VARIOUS BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL AS THEIR EMPLOYEES.
INSIDE EACH OF THOSE BROCHURES WE HAD A QR CODE.
UPON SCANNING THAT QR CODE, YOU WERE TAKEN TO A SURVEY WHICH HAD A TOTAL OF SEVEN QUESTIONS AND WE RECEIVED 190 RESPONSES.
THE FIRST QUESTION WAS WERE YOU AWARE THAT OUR CITY SEAL STATES THAT WE ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD? AND IT WAS SHOCKING TO US THAT ONLY 65% OF BUSINESSES KNEW THAT. OUR NEXT QUESTION WAS DO YOU BELIEVE THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO BUSINESSES AS WELL? AND WE SEE AROUND 70% OF BUSINESSES FELT THAT THAT STATEMENT APPLIED TO THEM. WE WERE HOPING FOR A BIT MORE THAN THAT. OUR NEXT QUESTION WAS DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUES PRESENTED IN THE BROCHURE, FOR EXAMPLE POLLUTION WAS A MAJOR ISSUE, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S RELEVANT TO OUR COMMUNITY? AND AS EXPECTED ALMOST ALL OF THE BUSINESSES FELT THAT WAY. OUR FOURTH QUESTION WAS HAS YOUR BUSINESS OR ESTABLISHMENT ALREADY IMPLEMENTED A SIGNIFICANT SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY? WE WERE EXPECTING THAT MORE BUSINESSES WERE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AS OUR SEAL STATES, BUT ONLY AROUND 70% OF OUR BUSINESSES HAD IMPLEMENTED A STRATEGY.
AGAIN AS EXPECTED, ALMOST ALL OF THE BUSINESSES FELT THAT THEY HAD ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. QUESTION SIX WAS DO YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS IMPLEMENTING ADDITIONAL SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES IN THE FUTURE. AND AROUND 85% WHICH WE FEEL IS A GOOD SHARE OF BUSINESSES FELT THAT THEY WOULD BE IMPLEMENTING AND BECOMING MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OUR LAST QUESTION WAS HOW HELPFUL EACH OF THE EMPLOYERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS FOUND THIS SURVEY, AND THE BROCHURE. AND WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE AROUND 90% OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS GAVE IT A FOUR OR A FIVE.
>> OUR COMMUNITY COULD ABSOLUTELY USE TO REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT ANY POSSIBLE WAY.
SECOND, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ARE JUST AS MUCH OF A LOCAL ISSUE AS A GLOBAL ISSUE AND THAT THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON OUR PERSONAL LIVES HERE IN PARKLAND. FINALLY THIS PROJECT WAS ABSOLUTELY A SUCCESS AS IT DISPLAYED THE WANTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRACTICES. AND THEIR GOALS IN OBTAINING
THESE FUTURES. >> OUR WHY, THE GOALS, IMPORTANCE, AND BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT.
OUR GOALS WERE TO BRING AWARENESS ABOUT HOW THE ACTIONS AFFECT THE HOME WE ALL SHARE, OUR EARTH, ESPECIALLY HERE IN
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OUR HOME OF PARKLAND. AND TO INCREASE OUR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. THE IMPORTANCE IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS RAPIDLY DEGENERATING, AND ALL OF OUR EFF EFFORTS CONSCIENTIOUSLY IN UNION WITH THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BECOME SOCIETAL AND ECONOMIC NORMALCIES IN THE FUTURE FOR BUSINESSES TO COME.OUR BENEFITS WILL BE TO REDUCE THE BENEFITS OF FINITE SOURCES AND TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AS MENTIONED.
BY ACTING LOCALLY AND SEEING THESE CHANGES IMPLEMENTED IN PARKLAND, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A GLOBAL CHANGE.
>> WE WANT THE WORLD TO BE A BETTER PLACE AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN ONE STEP AT A TIME.
WE BELIEVE THAT CHANGE CAN START LOCALLY AND WE THINK THAT IT CAN START WITH PARKLAND. WE HOPE THAT OUR PROJECT CAN BE A ROLE MODEL FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND THAT WE CAN HELP
THEM SEAL THE DEAL. >> I CERTAINLY WANT TO SAY YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB ON THIS PROJECT.
AND YOU'RE THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS.
I BELIEVE THIS WAS COMMISSIONER MAYERSOHN'S IDEA TO START THIS PROJECT. I THINK IT'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY SHOWN A LOT OF LEADERSHIP. AND IN THIS PROJECT ALONE, JUST THE FACT THAT YOU VISITED 42 BUSINESSES AND HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS SHOWS A LOT TO YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR DESIRE TO DO BETTER IN THE WORLD AND MAKE SURE OUR WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE. I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS, I'M PROUD THAT THE CITY OF PARKLAND INVESTED IN THIS PROJECT.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE SHOWN IT'S A VERY WORTHY PROJECT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU GUYS COMING BACK AND POSSIBLY SHOWING THE NEXT AMBASSADORS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DID AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LEARNED. BUT KUDOS TO YOU GUYS AND OBVIOUSLY OUR STAFF WHO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. A DEFINITE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
YOU GUYS DESERVE IT. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FUTURE LEADERS OR CURRENT LEADERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE. I AM HEARTENED TO HEAR THAT OUR BUSINESSES GET IT. OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES GET IT EVEN THOUGH YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU THOUGHT MORE MIGHT HAVE HAD A SUSTAINABILITY. THOSE NUMBERS DIDN'T SURPRISE ME, THE 70/30 SPLIT OR WHATEVER. BUT HEARING THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM REALIZE THEY CAN MAKE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IS GREAT.
GETTING 190 RESPONSES TO THE MAYOR'S POINT OUT OF 42 BUSINESSES THAT YOU CONTACTED I THOUGHT IS ALSO GOOD RESULTS.
PARKLAND IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES. WE HAVE A LOT OF SEA-LEVEL EXECUTIVES WHO LIVE HERE WHO MAYBE WORK OUT OF THEIR HOUSE, BUT BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES ARE SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT JOB. I LIKE THE IDEA OF ENCOURAGING OUR BUSINESSES TO EITHER ADOPT A SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM OR URGING THEM ON TO FIND WAYS THAT THEY CAN BECOME MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND EFFICIENT. SO LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, YOU GUYS ARE THE FIRST CLASS, THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING THIS.
ALL OF THE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM BOB MAYERSOHN.
BUT THIS WAS A GREAT IDEA. AND GETTING OUR YOUTH PLUGGED IN, WE SAW ON THE WORLD STAGE FIVE YEARS AGO WHERE OUR YOUTH IN HIGH SCHOOL AND YOUNGER AND OLDER ARE CURRENT LEADERS IN OUR COUNTRY AND YOU GUYS ARE CERTAINLY FOLLOWING SUIT.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS DID, GUYS AND GALS DID. AND VERY, VERY INSIGHTFUL.
>> ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER MAYERSOHN.
>> THAT GUY HAS GREAT IDEAS ALL THE TIME.
>> LET'S NOT GET CARRIED AWAY. >> THEY MAY NOT COME TO FRUITION, BUT THEY'RE GREAT IDEAS.
>> WAIT, IS THAT ON THE RECORD? >> SO I HAVE A QUESTION AND THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR US AS A POLICY OR WHATEVER.
I KNOW AT THE END OF THIS THEY'RE GETTING A $2,500 SCHOLARSHIP. ARE THEY ELIGIBLE THEN FOR THE CITY SCHOLARSHIP AS WELL? WE DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER NOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO
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CREATE THE CAB WITH A VERY TOUGH DECISION WHEN ALL FIVE APPLY IF THAT'S THE CASE. IF NOT, THEY'LL STILL BE RECOGNIZED. BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE BROWARD LEAGUE OF CITIES SCHOLARSHIP, IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO HAVE A CAREER IN GOVERNMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN THAT. BUT I WOULD ALSO APPLY FOR THAT AS WELL. ONE OF THE YOUNG LADIES WHO'S GOING TO BE AWARDED A SCHOLARSHIP TONIGHT FROM THE CTY CAB ALSO IS RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP TOMORROW FROM THE BROWARD LEAGUE OF CITIES. I THINK YOU GUYS DO INCREDIBLE WORK. I SEE YOU OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU WORK HARD, YOU ARE VERY ENERGETIC, EXCITING, AND YOU ADD A PERSPECTIVE OF WHEN I SAY YOUTH AMBASSADORS, YOU ARE TRULY YOUTH AMBASSADORS.AND NOT ONLY WILL YOU CARRY THAT YOUTH AMBASSADORSHIP NEXT YEAR IN THE CITY, BUT WHEREVER YOU MAY GO AFTER THAT, WHATEVER YOUR CAREER PLANS ARE. THE ONE THING THAT AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS CARRYING THIS PLAN OUT FOR FUTURE YEARS, BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN I SAY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE COUNTY IS TO TRY TO CREATE A SOLID WASTE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT IN ANOTHER TEN YEARS OR 12 YEARS THE LANDFILL IS GOING TO BE FILLED UP AND THE QUESTION IS WHERE DO YOU PUT ALL OF THIS? RECYCLING IS A BIG ISSUE, REUSE IS A BIG ISSUE.
I KNOW THAT THERE IS A GENTLEMAN AND I FORGOT HIS LAST NAME, HIS FIRST NAME IS DUSTIN, WHO HAS A ORGANICS AND COMPOSTING BUSINESS THAT WOULD ALLOW PROBABLY MORE OF THE RESTAURANTEURS WHO HAVE WASTE INSTEAD OF THROWING IT OUT ARE ABLE TO COMPOST IT AND USE IT THAT WAY. SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING TO LEND OURSELVES TO THE RESTAURANTS AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE NOT MANDATING ANYTHING. BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO WORK ON. AS EVERYBODY SAID I APPLAUD YOU GUYS, YOU ARE GREAT. YOU ARE AS I SAID CERTAINLY YOUTH AMBASSADORS. AND I GUESS I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR TODD. IS THIS GROUP ELIGIBLE FOR THE CITY'S YOUTH ADVISORY PROGRAM TO SUBMIT? THEY ARE ADVISORY TO SOME EXTENT.
THAT'S A YES, RIGHT? >> I DON'T KNOW, BUT I CAN FIND
OUT. >> BECAUSE I WOULD SUBMIT IT AND
ASK FOR FORGIVENESS LATER. >> THAT MAY BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL YOUTH COUNCIL. WE HAVE SUBMITTED FOR AN AWARD FOR CREATING THE PROGRAM, BUT I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THEM GETTING ACTUALLY INVOLVED WITH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE
OF CITIES AS A ADVISORY TEAM. >> OH NO, NO, NO.
THERE'S AN APPLICATION FOR YOUTH COMMITTEES TO SUBMIT A PROJECT WHICH I THINK MAY 31ST IS THE DEADLINE.
SO I WOULD ASSUME, IF NOT, I'LL CHECK WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT I SERVE ON, BUT ASSUME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THAT. >> RIGHT, WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE
A LOOK INTO THAT. >> SO LIKE I SAID I WOULD SUBMIT AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS LATER BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS TREMENDOUS WORK BY ALL OF YOU. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
>> I GUESS MY TURN. FIRST, WONDERFUL PROJECT.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU. FIRST THE PROJECT THAT YOU DID WAS AN OUTREACH PROJECT MEANING YOU WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DOING YOUR STUFF AND THAT'S WHAT AMBASSADORS DO.
BUT I WANT YOU TO REACH IN AND TELL US AS A COMMISSION BASED UPON WHAT YOU SAW OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY WHAT YOU THINK WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO HELP SUSTAIN THIS PROJECT AND TO KEEP IT TOP OF MIND AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU TOUCH SOMEBODY, YOU TELL THEM SOMETHING AND IF YOU DON'T TOUCH THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, THAT THREE TIMES TOUCHING IS SORT OF THE MEMORY THING. IT GOES AWAY.
WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST IN REGARDS TO US HAVING SOME SUSTAINABILITY
WITH THIS PROJECT? >> AS YOU SAID WE'D HAVE TO TOUCH AND TOUCH UPON THEM AGAIN TO ENFORCE SOMETHING.
I BELIEVE REACHING OUT AS A CITY WOULD GIVE GREATER CREDIBILITY TO THE ISSUE. AND IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO ENFORCE THIS SUCH AS CREATING A LAW FOR BUSINESSES OR SOMETHING IN THE
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CITY OF PARKLAND, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY HELP US SEAL THEDEAL. >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD WHEN I WAS GIVING OUT PAMPHLETS, I KIND OF WAS EXPECTING MORE RESISTANCE FROM BUSINESSES THAT OH NO, WE CAN'T REALLY DO THAT, IT'S NOT IN OUR BUDGET. BUT I WAS IN THE STARBUCKS, PURE GREEN, AND CRUMBLE PLAZA. AND WHEN I WALKED IN WITH THAT PAMPHLET, THEY ALL WENT CRAZY. THEY WERE LIKE DO YOU KNOW THAT WE CAN'T RECYCLE IN THIS PLACE, THEY WON'T LET US RECYCLE AND WE DON'T WANT TO STAND BY THAT. WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOUR BOARD TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THIS. SO I FEEL LIKE IF OUR COMMISSION WOULD GO TOWARDS THEM, I KNOW THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY CAN'T
RECYCLE IN THAT AREA. >> THAT'S OFFICIALLY CORAL
SPRINGS, NO I'M JUST KIDDING. >> THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE
PARKLAND. >> LET'S NOT GO THERE.
>> TO THAT POINT, DID YOU FIND WHY THEY COULDN'T RECYCLE?
>> NO, THEY WERE LIKE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY, THEY WON'T PUT A RECYCLING BIN IN OUR BACK, BUT THAT WAS JUST, I LOVED THAT I DIDN'T SEE RESISTANCE FROM BUSINESSES.
IT WAS ALL POSITIVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS. WE WOULD LOVE TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THIS. SO I THINK IT WOULDN'T BE THAT MUCH OF A STRUGGLE TO GET BUSINESSES MORE INVOLVED IN
THIS. >> THAT'S GREAT INSIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A BOARD AND A CITY CAN PROBABLY WORK ON TO TRY TO SUPPLEMENT AND IMPLEMENT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SECONDARILY, I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU AS TO WHAT THIS EXPERIENCE MEANT FOR YOU AS YOUTH AMBASSADORS.
YOUR COMMENTS, YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AS NEW YOUTH AMBASSADORS COME IN.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM YOU AND GET KIND OF A SENSE OF WHETHER YOU FELT THIS WAS WORTHWHILE OR NOT OR WHATEVER
YOU FEEL LIKE SAYING. >> I DEFINITELY WOULD AGREE THAT THIS PROJECT WAS WORTHWHILE I FELT WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB PLANNING OUT OUR TIMELINE BUT THAT WAS A BIT BRIEF.
WE COULD HAVE GONE INTO SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT SPECIFIC DAY WE WOULD GO TO WHICH BUSINESSES FOR EXAMPLE AND WHEN WE WOULD WRAP UP THE BROCHURE BECAUSE WE HAD IT ON A MONTH BY MONTH BASIS, WE COULD HAVE DONE IT ON A WEEK BY WEEK BASIS
INSTEAD. >> I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS VERY
WORTHWHILE. >> I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT TO THIS PROJECT, I WANT TO KNOW THIS PROJECT AND YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT BEING A YOUTH AMBASSADOR. THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M
INTERESTED IN. >> I LOVE THIS PROJECT ESPECIALLY BECAUSE AND THE FACT THAT I HAVE THIS CONNECTION WITH THE CITY AND LEARNING ABOUT THE CITY STEEL, IT WAS KIND OF A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT. HAVING THAT EDUCATION IN SCHOOL ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND THEN WALKING IN HERE EVEN ON MY INTERVIEW THE FIRST DAY AND SEEING ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD AND IT GOT ME THINKING.
I LOVE HOW THIS PROGRAM GAVE ME THE OUTLET AND OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND IMPLEMENT THIS MISSION AND TALK ABOUT IT TO THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO JUST TO SURROUND ME WITH A GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS. I THINK THIS IS PROJECT IS VERY IMPORTANT LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY, AND THIS PROGRAM GAVE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT IT. >> I LOVE THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THAT THERE'S SO MUCH HOPE TRYING TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY PROUD AND GET MORE SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY JUST BY HOW BUSINESSES REACTED TO OUR PAMPHLETS.
AND THIS ENTIRE PROGRAM HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING THINGS THAT I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE. I'VE DONE THINGS THAT I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO LEARN IN SCHOOL ABOUT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND IT'S BEEN AMAZING. IT'S REALLY BEEN ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD WITHIN OUR CITY.
>> AS FOR THE PROJECT, I THOUGHT IT WAS ACTUALLY WORTHWHILE.
PERSONALLY AT ST. THOMAS THAT WE REALLY STRESS IS MARINE BIO AND PROTECTING OUR BEACHES AND WATERWAYS IS VERY IMPORTANT SINCE WE'RE DOWN THERE IN EAST FORT LAUDERDALE.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE CURRENT EVENTS OF THE MASSIVE FLOODING, IT SHOWED US HOW THE ENVIRONMENT IS DOING SOME CRAZY THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN UNEXPECTED. TAKING CARE OF IT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD. IT WAS NICE TO BE HANDS ON, GOING INTO BUSINESSES SOME OF WHICH I'VE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE.
I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THEY WERE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROJECT.
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AS FOR THE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF IT. AND PARKLAND IS MY HOME.I LOVE IT SO MUCH, I'VE GROWN UP HERE.
I WANTED TO LEARN EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT IT.
AND THIS PROGRAM HAS REALLY GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND AS ANGELINA WAS MENTIONING, WE DON'T REALLY GET TO SEE THIS SIDE OF WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT DOES AND GOING IN DEPTH WITH THAT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> I ABSOLUTELY LOVED BEING INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT. I FEEL THAT GETTING TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN SOMETHING THAT I AM SURROUNDED WITH IN SCHOOL, I'M IN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS AND SOCIETIES, THERE'S A HEAVY IMPACT ON PEOPLE IN BOTH DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT AND FIXING IT. IN REGARDS TO THIS PROGRAM AS A WHOLE, I DISCUSSED IN MY INTERVIEW THAT ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS SO INTERESTED IN DOING IT WAS I FELT I HAD LEARNED SO MUCH IN SCHOOL ABOUT EVERY AREA OF GOVERNMENT EXCEPT LOCAL. AND I FEEL BY BEING PART OF THIS I HAVE LEARNED TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS THAT I WOULDN'T BE EXPOSED TO IN SCHOOL. THINGS I HAVE LEARNED HERE HAVE COMPLETELY CHANGED MY MINDSET AND VIEW OF OUR CITY AND HOW EVERYTHING WORKS AND THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL CARRY WITH ME
THROUGH THE REST OF MY LIFE. >> WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M PLEASED THE HEAR THAT IT WAS REWARDING TO YOU BECAUSE CERTAINLY IT WAS REWARDING TO US.
I CAN'T COMMEND YOU, AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID VERY ELOQUENTLY, YOU'VE DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB AND WE'RE VERY
COMMENT. I WANT TO THANK JACKIE BECAUSE THROUGH HER LEADERSHIP THIS PROGRAM HAS EXCELLED BEYOND PROBABLY EVERYBODY'S EXPECTATION.
AND MARCELLA TOO. >> ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.