Commissioner's Corner: Mayor Ben Malik

 
Happy New Year and best wishes for the New Year! Much was accomplished last year in terms of our capital projects with more slated for 2022! We are still dealing with Covid with the new Omnicron variant (seems we missed a few letters in the alphabet to get to that one...) and case numbers have increased in our area, the good news it seems this variant is milder with less hospitalizations. I believe in the vaccine’s efficacy in staving off serious complications but you can certainly still catch Covid despite the vaccines (I did despite two Moderna vaccines, thanks CBFD for handling such a smooth process!). In my personal opinion, a vaccine decision is one that an individual should make with their health professional as they know what is best for their  individual situation (statistically there is no doubt as to the efficacy of the Covid vaccine in preventing serious illness if you have other health issues and catch the virus).
 
What is very apparent is the importance of one’s overall physical well-being to combating any virus. Your best defense against illness, aging, obesity while preserving mental acuity is regular exercise daily and avoiding processed foods, and excessive sugar and alcohol).  Give yourself the gift of health this New Year, keep that resolution continuing year- round! You can sign up for the 2022 Health First Mayors' Fitness Challenge for team Cocoa Beach (friendly competition between municipalities in Brevard County to become the "Most Fit City." Participants will register as a part of their city or town's team and then submit their weekly minutes of exercise starting on January 29, 2022. The city team with the greatest average number of minutes and participation rate (participants/registrants) will win the challenge. Participants can register until the end of the challenge (March 26):
 
https://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/648/Mayors-Fitness-Challenge
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZA9OnPqvAAPHrlTSjVZ6SVj4XDjb1E-YHwsgWZmWmEQdM5Q/viewform
 
City updates:

• Cocoa Beach Police Department (CBPD) new building is complete and CBPD will host an open house sometime in January of 2022! CBPD will be acquiring body cameras in 2022 for our police officers
• Cocoa Beach Fire Department’s Community Paramedic Program is in place, congratulations CBFD! The Community Paramedic Program will offer residents free in-home health evaluations and services for older City residents who have limited mobility, are homebound, and have chronic health conditions that are self-managed.
• New city manager Ms. Robin Hayes starts in February, 2022, big shout out to our current city manager, Jim McKnight for completing 5 years of exemplary service to our community!
• American Rescue Plan Act funds are forthcoming to assist our city with hastening our catch up on deferred infrastructure projects (the rules for using these funds are very rigid and majority of this funding is for specific restricted infrastructure improvements)

 
Here is to a much better 2022 and thank you for your support and allowing me to serve as your Mayor! Please feel to contact me with any suggestions at bmalik@cityofcocoabeach.com or my cell at 321.794.6668.