Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina Releases December 2024 Mayor’s Message

ROB MEDINA: Palm Bay continues to be a city of growth, progress and community spirit

BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY – First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who came to the Veterans Day Parade. Seeing so many smiling faces gathered to honor and celebrate our veterans was genuinely uplifting.

We were honored to have the Gold Star Family of SSgt. Tristen K. Wright, his parents Ricky and Novolia Wright, and his sister Demyia Biggs as the parade’s Grand Marshals.

Let me welcome our newly elected council members: Councilman Richard ‘Mike’ Hammer, Councilman Chandler Langevin, and Councilman Mike Jaffe. I look forward to working with you as we continue striving to serve the residents of our great city with dedication and vision.

At the same time, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Deputy Mayor Donny Felix, Councilman Philip Weinberg, and Councilman Randy Foster, even throughout his medical issues, for their service to our community. Their leadership and commitment have made a lasting impact on Palm Bay.

The City of Palm Bay will hold a Council Workshop on House Bill 1365 and Homelessness on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 6:00 pm in Palm Bay Council Chambers at 120 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay.

The Council Workshop will aim to bring together a broad coalition of organizations, including churches, faith-based groups, non-profits, and service providers who work directly with homeless populations, to discuss House Bill 1365 and the City’s continued efforts to address homelessness in the community.

President-elect Donald Trump recently announced that he has picked a former Florida Congressman, Dr. Dave Weldon, who happens to be a former Palm Bay resident, to serve as the director of the Centers for Disease Control.

While serving in Congress, Weldon helped secure the passage of legislation to authorize and fund the construction of the VA clinic. He has also treated many Brevard County veterans as a practicing physician at the Viera VA Clinic. An MRI suite at the Viera VA Outpatient Clinic was ultimately named after him for all his efforts to help veterans.

As the holiday season approaches and 2024 draws close, I’ve taken time to reflect on the past year. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for being part of this journey. Palm Bay continues to be a city of growth, progress, and community spirit, and I couldn’t be prouder to serve as your Mayor.

I want to reaffirm my unwavering dedication to serving this incredible city with accountability, integrity, and transparency. Serving a community I hold dear is an honor and a privilege. I believe Palm Bay is the most fantastic city on the face of the Earth, and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges of the coming year with enthusiasm and commitment.

The City of Palm Bay has a lineup of festive events to get you into the holiday spirit! Join us on Friday, December 6, at 6:30 p.m. as we kick off the season with the Palm Bay Christmas Tree lighting. This year, the location has changed to Tony Rosa Community Center at 1502 Port Malabar Blvd NE. Enjoy performances by the Palm Elementary School Lil’ Pirates.

Refreshments will be available for purchase, with all proceeds benefiting United Way of Brevard. Bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and get a free light-up Christmas Tree wand. After the tree lighting ceremony, stick around for pictures with Santa inside the Community Center.

Join us the next evening for the Space Coast’s Biggest Holiday Parade! The 2024 City of Palm Bay Holiday Light Parade is back on Malabar Road this year, happening on Saturday, December 7, starting at 6 p.m.

This 3-mile festive parade kicks off from the Eastern Florida State College campus, travels north on San Filippo Drive, heads west along Malabar Road, and concludes at Minton Road in front of City Hall. Enjoy a dazzling display of brightly lit floats, high school marching bands, cheer squads, motorized vehicles, and more as they light up the night and bring holiday cheer to the community!

Who doesn’t love an F-R-double-E, free event? I know I do! Mark your calendars and join me for the 15th Annual Family Christmas Extravaganza at Fred Poppe Regional Park on Saturday, December 21, from 10:30 AM to 5 PM! This event, the largest Christmas celebration on the Space Coast, is near and dear to my heart. Hosted in partnership with The House Church, the Family Christmas Extravaganza offers a day full of holiday cheer at no cost.

Enjoy live entertainment, free popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, drinks, exciting activities like bounce houses, horse rides, face painting, giveaways, and so much more! Don’t miss out on this incredible community celebration!

Visit familychristmasextravaganza.com for more information.

As Mayor of the greatest city on Earth, I feel it is my duty to give back to the community. On June 28, 2025, I will host the annual Mayor’s Ball charity fundraiser, and I have chosen an extraordinary recipient: Space Coast Discovery.

Space Coast Discovery is a school for infants through 6th grade and provides a personalized and inclusive educational experience for children, including those with special needs. Their small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios ensure quality education for all abilities.

By providing a child-centered curriculum, their classrooms focus on individual progress, addressing daily social, emotional, physical, and educational needs. From inclusive programs for gifted, autistic, typical, and developmentally delayed children, they cater to diverse needs.

This unique school currently includes 49% of the students in Palm Bay, and 51% of the total employees also live in Palm Bay. My goal with this year’s Mayor’s Ball is to raise funds to provide scholarships for Palm Bay families with children who will benefit from these specialized programs.

I sincerely hope you will consider supporting Space Coast Discovery by sponsoring the 2025 Mayor’s Ball. We have several different sponsorship levels for your consideration, from our Friend of the Mayor’s Ball sponsor to our premier Platinum sponsors. As a sponsor, your organization will be identified as a valued community partner and supporter of Space Coast Discovery. This is an excellent opportunity to support a great cause and gain positive exposure for your company.

Tickets are not yet available, but don’t hesitate to contact Evelyn Padilla at Evelyn.Padilla@pbfl.org for information about becoming a sponsor.

During this joyful season, I want to share my heartfelt holiday greetings with all Palm Bayers and friends, near and far. My hope and prayer for you is a season filled with joy, togetherness, and countless blessings.

As we celebrate, let us remember the true reason for the season. The spirit of Christmas isn’t found in the presents we give but in the presence of our Savior. May your heart be filled with faith this Christmas and may the New Year bring abundant blessings.

For many of us, we also say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Palm Bay!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mayor Rob Medina has been a resident of Palm Bay for more than 33 years. Originally from New York, Mayor Medina settled 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 in 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 community supporter, serving as a youth mentor and 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 recognitions and awards such as the Congressional Gold Medal (U.S. Army’s 65th 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 Palm Bay residents.

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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