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Grand marshal, Budget, Housing and more.
Howard Finkelstein July 4 grand marshal
Howard Finkelstein, a former public defender and well-known TV personality, will be the grand marshal for the City of Plantation’s 2026 July 4 parade.
Finkelstein, a Plantation resident, served as the county’s public defender from 2004 to 2020. He became well known after appearing as a legal analyst during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Station WSVN then turned his expertise into the popular “Help Me Howard” segments on Channel 7.
This year’s parade, themed “America 250: The City of Plantation,” will step off at 9 a.m. on July 4 at the intersection of Broward Boulevard and NW 46th Avenue.
The celebration continues with a Patriotic Pool Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Plantation Aquatic Complex. Evening festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a Kid’s Zone, followed by a live concert from the VTB (Valerie Tyson Band) and a fireworks spectacular by Zambelli at 9 p.m. at Central Park.
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Stormwater fee discussion
The City of Plantation is undertaking an update to its stormwater utility assessment methodology to ensure that stormwater fees more accurately reflect current development patterns, operational requirements, and the proportional runoff contributions of all property types. As part of this effort, City Engineer Samira Shalan will host a public workshop to provide a comprehensive update on stormwater utility operations, engineering activities, and long term funding needs.
City is proposing an increase to the stormwater utility rate, and this workshop will play a critical role in identifying the appropriate level of funding and the adjustments necessary to support system maintenance, regulatory compliance, and future infrastructure improvements.
Public is invited to attend the workshop at 5 p.m. on June 24 at City Hall. Because this is a workshop and no vote will be taken, public comment will not be part of the session, but community attendance and engagement are strongly encouraged.
Raising Cane’s
Developers of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers met with the city’s Design Review Committee June 9 to advance their plan to open a store at 12396 W. Sunrise Blvd.
City officials generally approve of the idea, although they asked for tweaks regarding landscaping and fire engine access, both of which are common on projects like this.
The Baton Rouge, LA, chain already has locations in Tamarac, Pompano Beach and Miramar among many others across the nation.
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You gotta have Friends
The Friends of the Helen B. Hoffman Plantation Library presented Library Director Monika Knapp with a check for $35,692.92 at the June 10 City Council meeting. The organization collected money from the public via used book sales throughout the year.
Earlier in the year, the Friends made a $15,000 donation.
Knapp noted that the Friends’ contributions help support endeavors such as the Summer Reading Kickoff, which drew about 100 children, who were given a book bag with a book log and a calendar.
To join the Friends, pick up the application at our library, go to their Facebook page or call 954-797-2140.
Cypress roundabout discussion
The City of Plantation is preparing a grant application to the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to support safety and mobility improvements along Cypress Road. The proposed project, estimated at $8 million, seeks $5 million in MPO grant funding to advance critical upgrades identified through community input and engineering evaluation.
Key improvements include construction of a modern single lane roundabout at Cypress Road and Northwest 69th Avenue to replace the existing four way stop, installation of a peanut shaped roundabout at Cypress Road and Fig Tree Lane to correct a frequently misunderstood all way stop configuration, and the addition of a 5 foot concrete sidewalk along the north side of Cypress Road to close a significant gap in the pedestrian network.
Residents who attended the recent public meeting expressed generally positive feedback regarding the proposed enhancements, and their input has been incorporated into the city’s application. These improvements are intended to reduce crashes, improve traffic flow, enhance walkability, and strengthen overall corridor safety.
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Horland’s crystal gavel
Council President Denise Horland brought a meaningful memento to the June 10 City Council meeting: A crystal gavel.
Horland just completed her one-year term as president of the Broward League of Cities. She’s the first Plantation official to serve as president in 53 years (Frank Veltri served from 1973-74). Staff, fellow councilmembers and I attended Horland’s final address at the Broward League’s annual gala on May 30, where she was presented with the ceremonial gavel in honor of her year of service.
Her initiative during her presidency was Leading One Broward.
“Leading One Broward reminds us that leadership is about more than holding office. It’s about working together to strengthen confidence in municipal government and to make the best decisions possible for our residents,” she said.
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Notes from budget discussion
I’m going to try to better inform residents as we go step-by-step through planning our 2026-27 budget, which will be approved in September and take effect Oct. 1.
We started with identifying our strategic priorities in January. Then my administration together with the Finance Department worked with each department reviewing their budget request that reflect those priorities to produce a balanced budget proposal.
One recent step taken was a budget workshop May 27, when department heads spelled out their needs. Then everything is vetted and weighed for its feasibility again when the new property tax revenue projections come in.
Here are the minutes from that budget discussion, where you see such departments as police, fire rescue and parks and recreation discussing their requests.
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Housing: we are not alone
Balancing a need for housing with smart growth is not unique to Plantation. I saw this article and thought it was an opportunity for all of us to get an understanding of what’s going on throughout the nation.
Read about what other local governments are doing to facilitate housing development on the National League of Cities website.
Free car wash Thursday
Zee Car Wash, 551 N. State Road 7, celebrates its grand opening at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 18.
Guests receive a free car wash by entering their phone number into the pay station.
The new endeavor is another part of the rebirth of the Gateway District, and will be the third grand opening in the past six weeks, with the nearby Publix and HCA freestanding emergency room being the two others.
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A reminder that city offices are closed on Friday, June 19, for Juneteenth, a federal holiday.
Parks will operate on their holiday hours schedule.
Events
June 17: Broward County Property Appraiser's office hours from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Helen B. Hoffman Plantation Library.
June 21: Join us for the “Longest Day of Play” event this Summer Solstice, from sunrise to sunset we will have a day packed with fun for all ages. Start your adventure at Jim Ward Community Center, where you’ll scan a QR code and follow clues to five locations throughout Plantation. Complete photo challenges along the way, earn prizes for visiting participating parks and finish all five stops for a chance to win the grand prize!
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Meetings
June 17: Gateway Advisory Board at 10 a.m. at The Palms at Plantation.
June 24: Stormwater workshop at 5 p.m. followed by City Council at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
View upcoming meetings and events by visiting Plantation.org/Calendar.
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