Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina Salutes the Women of Palm Bay in His March 2021 ‘Mayor’s Message’

MEDINA: 'Palm Bay’s brightest days are ahead'

“It’s a great day Palm Bay!

This month, I’d like to begin my Mayor’s Message by saluting the women of Palm Bay. Each March we celebrate Women’s History Month to recognize the achievements women have made throughout American history.

On March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day to recognize the economic, political, and social achievements of women across the world. Here in Palm Bay, we are blessed with a rich legacy of women who have shaped our City.

Last December, I had the honor of participating in the dedication ceremony for the Lynne Nungesser Memorial Highway. A friend and fixture to many involved with youth baseball, Lynne also had the distinction of becoming Brevard’s first female Deputy Chief of Police.

She was a local trailblazer who paved the way for many officers. I’m proud to say our Palm Bay Police Department currently boasts 24 sworn female officers who bravely protect and serve our community.

The day-to-day operation of the City of Palm Bay is managed by our three charter officers, all of whom are women. City Clerk Terese Jones manages our Legislative Office, City Attorney Patricia Smith supervises the City Attorney’s Office, and our newly appointed City Manager Suzanne Sherman oversees the operations of the City’s 13 departments.

The City’s Community and Economic Development, Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, and Fire Departments are all led by female directors. The City of Palm Bay benefits greatly from the talents and dedication of these women.

As I’ve shared with you before, I believe Palm Bay’s future is bright. In February, the Milken Institute released their annual Best-Performing Cities Index and Palm Bay earned the second-place position among the year’s top-ranked large cities.

The Milken Institute analyzes several factors including jobs, wages, innovation, and high-tech growth to determine their findings. The report found that the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area earned high marks due to a diversified, high-tech industrial base that includes a significant concentration of the nation’s aerospace and defense industries.

I’m excited to see Palm Bay recognized among the top-performing cities in the country – but, more importantly, I see it as a sign that our city is on the right track. I’m committed to helping Palm Bay to grow responsibly and the City is taking action to encourage commercial growth.

Last month, City Council held an economic development inducement and incentives workshop. The Community and Economic Development Department provided us with tools to attract favorable commercial development while providing us with ways to measure performance and ensure accountability.

The City is also in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, which details goals and objectives for future development and provides a blueprint for future land use. Updating the Comprehensive Plan will help us to address land use challenges and provide greater flexibility for commercial zoning.

Public feedback will be an important part of the amendment process and I encourage Palm Bayers to attend the Comprehensive Plan meetings later this spring to take an active role in shaping Palm Bay’s future.

Finally, I’d like to share a few recent significant events that have taken place. On February 19th, the Palm Bay Utilities Department held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new South Regional Water Reclamation Facility, located off Osmosis Drive.

The new facility will expand the City’s wastewater treatment capacity and help to protect the Indian River Lagoon by diverting thousands of gallons of wastewater per day away from the North Regional Plant and the neighboring Turkey Creek. On February 25th, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department hosted a groundbreaking for the new West Pines Estates Park, located in northwest Palm Bay.

That evening, the City hosted an anti-corruption workshop led by Special Agent Andrew Sekala of the Tampa Bureau. The City’s senior-level staff joined City Council to learn about public corruption and, most importantly, how to prevent it from happening in our organization.

I announced my plan to invite the FBI to hold a workshop the night I took my Oath of Office and I am proud to make good on that promise. I believe we have a great team here at the City of Palm Bay and I am committed to doing whatever I can to ensure that the City is trustworthy, transparent, and accountable.

I hope that you share my belief that Palm Bay’s brightest days are ahead. We’ve marked significant milestones and made significant progress in the few short months since I took office and I believe that 2021 is going to be a great year for the City of Palm Bay. Let’s all continue to work together to make one another #PalmBayProud.”

– Rob Medina, Mayor of the City of Palm Bay

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina has been a resident of Palm Bay for 32 years. Originally from New York, New York, Mayor Medina chose to settle in Palm Bay after proudly serving with the United States Marine Corps. A servant leader through God, honor, and integrity, Mayor Medina pledges to build public trust with the community by presiding over an open and accessible government in service to the citizens of the great city of Palm Bay.

Medina holds a Master of Arts Degree in Theology, graduating magna cum laude from Life Christian University. He serves as the Director of Ministry at the House Family Ministries Church in Palm Bay. Mayor Medina is happily married to his wife Lissette. He is a father of six children and a grandfather of ten. As a Palm Bay resident, Medina has long been an active supporter of the community serving as a youth mentor, as well as a football and baseball coach.

In addition to his roles with the City of Palm Bay and the House Family Ministries, Medina serves as the Director of Community and Military Relations for United States Congressman Bill Posey. Through his work, Medina has played an integral role in obtaining official recognition and awards such as the Congressional Gold Medal (U.S. Army’s 65^th Infantry Regiment), the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart Medal for local veterans who displayed notable heroic or meritorious achievement of service during their time in the Armed Forces. In 2019, Medina was honored with his second Congressional Medal of Recognition for his longstanding service to the veteran community.

Mayor Medina also served as an Aide to former Brevard County Commissioner Jackie Colon from 2000 until 2008. While working with the Commissioner, he built a strong foundation in local governance and developed a deep understanding of the issues that have the greatest impact on the economic success and quality of life of the residents of Palm Bay.

Using his strong ties in our community and the experience gained from years of public service, Mayor Medina will work hard to build a brighter tomorrow for the people of Palm Bay.

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