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A Message from your Broward County Commissioner Dr. Barbara Sharief

It is hard to believe that school is out, and we are finally in summer. As we begin to go out and visit the parks (Sunny.o​rg and Broward.org/Parks), or go to the mall, the beaches, our libraries, and yes, even going on vacation, please remember it’s important to stay safe, and hee​d the CDC guidelines. We are making great strides here in Broward County with the vaccinations, but we still need to ensure that all our residents 1​2 and over are getting vaccinated. We have made it even easier to get vaccinated with more locations, longer hours of operation, and no pre-registration required at our facilities. To find a location near you and important information about COVID-19, please go to Broward.org/CoronaVirus 

Remember that we are also in hurricane season (June 1 – November 30), so please make sure you have your plan in place and have stocked up with hurricane supplies, including any medications that may be required. For more information visit: Broward.org/Hurricane. 

As your District 8 Commissioner for the past 10+ years, I am thankful to have the opportunity to continue serving you and all our Broward County residents. I am committed to the service and support of our local communities, from the development of our roads and transportation, updates to airport and seaport safety, the efficiency of our parks, libraries, and schools, and to our seniors and veterans. 

I look forward to our continued progress and wish you an abundance of love, health, wealth, and success. 

Here’s to a safe, fun, and prosperous summer! 

~ ​Barbara 

I welcome your comments and want to hear which issues are important to you. Send an email to me at bsharief@broward.org or call my office at 954-357-7008. Also, check out the Barbara Sharief Facebook page at Facebook.com/barbara.sharief.3, follow me at Twitter.com/bestmom39, on Instagram at @barbarasharief, or on LinkedIn at Barbara Sharief​. 

Supporting our Friends and Family in Surfside​​

We are shocked and saddened by this horrific accident in Surfside at the Champlain Towers South. Our thoughts, love, and prayers are with all the families, first responders and all those helping in this tragedy. Know that we here in Broward County are standing with you and are here to support you anyway possible. If you would like to help, donations can be made through SupportSurfside.org. 

Back to School Tax-Free Week

The 2021 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is happening again this year from July 31 – August 9, 2021. It’s no longer just a tax-free weekend in Florida – it has been expanded to 10 days! These are dates that you can purchase clothing, shoes, backpacks, and school supplies without paying the sales tax (7% here in Broward County). 

During this sales tax holiday period, qualifying items will be exempt from tax including certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item; clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item; computers and computer-related accessories selling for $1,000 or less per item, when purchased for non-commercial or personal use. The Florida Department of Revenue will publish a full list of applicable items closer to the end of July. 

Did You Know? There’s a Special Primary Election Scheduled in November for Broward County. 

Due to the untimely passing of former Congressman Alcee Hastings, there will be a special election on Tuesday, November 2 to fill his congressional seat. If you are a constituent of District 20, please make sure you are registered to vote for this upcoming special election. 

Primaries are scheduled for November 2, 2021. 

The general election is scheduled for January 11, 2022. 

Since Florida is a closed primary state, a voter may only vote for the candidates of the party in which he or she is registered in the primary election. 

Keep in mind the voter registration deadline for the upcoming special primary election is Monday, October 4, 2021. So, if you aren’t registered to vote, sign-up now at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov 

​Early voting begins on Saturday, October 23, 2021, and ends on Sunday, October 31, 2021. 

Registered Voters may cast their ballot at any of these Early Voting locations: 

​Hallandale Cultural Community Center
410 SE Third Street
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 

South Regional/Broward College Library
7300 S Pines Boulevard
Pembroke Pines, FL 33024

Southwest Regional Library
16835 Sheridan Street
Pembroke Pines, FL 33331

Miramar Branch Library
2050 Civic Center Place
Miramar, FL 33025​

July 4th Independence Day 

Celebrate this Independence Day with this Easy BBQ Ribs Recipe! These ribs are seasoned, boiled until tender, then baked with your favorite barbeque sauce. That's it! This recipe provides 4 servings, has a prep time of 30 mins, and a cook time of 1 hr. 30 mins. 

Ingredient Checklist: 

• 2 ½ pounds country style pork ribs
  
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons salt
  

Directions: 

• Step 1 - Place ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover. Season with garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Bring water to a boil and cook ribs until tender. 
• Step 2 - Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). 
  
• Step 3 - Remove ribs from pot and place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour barbeque sauce over ribs. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). 

September 6th Labor Day 

This year Labor Day will be on September 6, 2021. Labor Day is an American holiday, observed on the first Monday in September, and constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. 

Thank you for all your continued hard work. Enjoy your well-deserved day off and celebrate the holiday dedicated to you with family and friends. 

Broward Parks: What’s Open or Closed? 

Broward County Parks have been taking precautions to protect the health of their employees, guests, and the community from exposure to COVID-19 and are now widely reopening many regional parks, natural areas, nature center grounds and select neighborhood parks. Although most facilities are available, some remain closed due to ongoing COVID-19 testing and vaccination operations. Some indoor facilities have reduced capacities and mask requirements per County Administrative Policy. Find out what parks are open and what activities/amenities are available here​. 

Hurricane Preparedness 

Hurricanes are dangerous and can cause major damage because of storm surge, wind damage and flooding. Florida escaped the record-breaking 2020 storm season without a single hurricane making landfall along its 1,350 miles of coastline. 

That luck however has some scientists particularly worried about the 2021 season. Though it’s expected to be a far cry from the record 30 named storms that formed last year, the average of all the predictions for the 2021 season is for 17 tropical storms to form, out of which eight would reach hurricane status. This includes input from the pioneer in seasonal forecasts, Colorado State University, commercial weather companies like The Weather Channel and recently released projection from NOAA, the parent agency of the National Hurricane Center. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Planning and preparing can make a big difference in safety and resiliency in the wake of a hurricane. The ability to quickly recover following a hurricane requires a focus on preparedness, advanced planning and knowing what to do in the event of a hurricane. Remember, people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan! Broward County has valuable and free information at Broward.org/Hurricane 

16 County Coalition on Water Resources Legislative Workshop & Airboat Tour​ 

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On May 14, Commissioner Dr. Barbara Sharief attended the 16 County Coalition on Water Resources Legislative Workshop and an early morning airboat tour of Lake Okeechobee to learn more about water levels and quality, restoration and enhancement and invasive plant management. Lake Okeechobee's current water level is a real concern for the region. At this point, the water level is 13 feet, and it needs to be much lower in the range of 10 feet. This fluctuation presents major issues for our ecosystem, and we must work together to solve this problem. We have major flooding issues, and we are requesting funding from Congress for a new Central and Southern Florida study to reanalyze the solutions to these problems based on our current population and future growth. ​