Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce’s State Of The City Address Part 1

It is always a pleasure to be with our Chamber of Commerce! A special thanks to Norma English, Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO and all the board members and Gulfstream Park for their hospitality!

It was great to be accompanied by all our community partners. Joined by our City Staff who are all wonderful public servants under the leadership of Dr. Jeremy Earle. Other constitutional officers; City Attorney Jennifer Marino and City Clerk Jenorgen Guillen, thank you for being in attendance.

By investing their time, talent, and resources in our City! City Staff continues to inspire me as Mayor to listen to Lead and Deliver! 

I want to share where we are as a city, the challenges we continue to address, and, most importantly, the future of our great hometown, Hallandale Beach. 

Global Events - Local Impacts

Cities are where people live, work, and play. Mayors and commissioners are the government closest to the people. And for years, every survey has shown that local leadership matters. Local leaders rank as the most trusted elected officials. We deliver vital services that people depend on. We see our constituents on a day-to-day basis, whether it's in a park, at a restaurant, or, yes, in the grocery store.

As elected officials we cannot, however, ignore the fact that what happens around the world eventually reaches us here at home.

The war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continue to affect energy costs, supply chains, construction costs, and the global economy as a whole. This unrest has not just economic impacts but social and political impacts worldwide and right here at home. 

These issues have become topics everyone Is talking about. They have not just hit our pocketbooks but our society politically and socially. 

I recently had the chance to visit Israel as part of a delegation of North American and European elected officials invited by the Israel Consul General Zuri here in Miami. 

What struck me was Israel's continued resiliency, progress, and transformation, even while facing war. I've written a series in the Sun Times about the trip but I wanted to share two highlights. 

The security briefing at the Institute for National Security from the Managing Director, Brigadier General Tamir Hayman; he was also the Former Chief of Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate. One message was loud and clear from the General. Israel will continue to operate as a sovereign nation defending its borders and eliminating the threats to their peace. 

The second item was walking through the memorial Nova Festival site, only kilometers from Gaza, and seeing the Tekuma Car Wall. Both had a profound impact on me. While we were there a bomb went off. Our IDF guide didn't stop mid-sentence, but when he finished he said “that it was outgoing, it was a warning shot.” 

Until anyone has visited or experienced the horrific war zone and the results of October 7th, you truly cannot grasp why Israel must continue fighting and protecting their borders from these threats. And every other country would do the same. 

As a proud Jewish woman, it caused me to reflect deeply on the terrible human cost of war, and the difficult decisions nations face in trying to establish lasting security and peace.

At the same time, it is deeply troubling to witness the rise in antisemitism. Yes, we all have let our guards down while well-funded terrorist groups and extremists have sown seeds of hate. 

After witnessing the resilience of Israel and its ability to bounce back, go about its daily life, thrive, and create a vibrant state, I have been renewed in my commitment to peace and hope. 

Obviously, we are not blind to the economic consequences. Our economy was struggling with affordability issues way before this war was even started.

At the Florida League of Cities, I had the opportunity to hear Doris Kearns Goodwin speak. She is a Harvard graduate and an esteemed scholar of history. She was selected by Lyndon B. Johnson to serve and study alongside him. She spoke about how important history is and how we lack a robust education system that is accurate and grounded in fact.

More importantly, she discussed how we bounce back and how leaders are resilient during times of trouble. Each president seems to face a challenge to which they must rise. Leadership makes a difference.

She spoke about the fact that there have been Revolutions, Civil Wars, World Wars, the Great Depression, Recessions, the Civil Rights Movement, 9/11. Over the past 250 years, America has made it through. The struggles did not destroy America they actually made her stronger.

Energy matters. Shipping matters. Supply chains matter. And disruptions thousands of miles away can eventually affect the cost of building a road, operating a business, or completing an Infrastructure project right here in Hallandale Beach.

Despite these pressures, cities remain remarkably resilient. Cities are hubs of innovation and increasingly finding new solutions to climate, transportation, technology, and economic challenges.

Unlike our counterparts on the county, state, or national level, we live and must be accountable directly to the people we serve daily.

Despite global unrest there is great news for our area in South Florida. The greater Miami region is now ranked among the leading global metropolitan economies, moving from 30 in the world to 24 this year and Hallandale Beach is positioned right in the middle of that opportunity.

As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our city a better place on my Phone/Text at: (954) 632-5700. Or you can email me at: jcooper@cohb.org. Please visit me on my Facebook page at: MayorJoyCooperHB. Like! Follow! And share!