Electronic Newsletter

City Manager's Corner

We have a had a busy few months and look to have an even busier quarter ahead. We have begun our budget process for fiscal year 2022, which begins October 1, 2021. Several budget priority workshops have been held with Council to direct priorities for the upcoming budget year. Over the last several years, Council has shown that our parks are a priority and they have shown that once again with their budget priorities for this upcoming fiscal year. We will be investing several million dollars to upgrade our park facilities throughout the City including items such as lighting, fencing, bathroom facilities and more. This also includes some much needed improvements to Provost Park to help upgrade that park and bring back some of the everyday recreational usage it had in the past. On our website, you will see the upcoming public budget meetings. I hope you will take the opportunity to join us for these meetings and get involved in your municipal budget process.

We also received some much needed Federal funding in the way of the American Rescue Act Plan that will be used to help retrofit and upgrade some City facilities such as City Hall, the Police Station and more. We will also use these funds to upgrade internet connection to City facilities and provide laptops for our young residents that utilize our Community Centers. Also as part of this funding, we were able to work with a local grocer to provide stable, nutritious food for a portion of our community with a partnership with the local Save-A-Lot. You can read more about that partnership in this newsletter.

COVID-19 vaccines are now readily available not only from the Brevard County Department of Health at their outreach events but a number of local private providers as well. With the increase in vaccine availability and the decrease in local cases of COVID19, we have started hosting special events again. We are happy to have everyone back to Riverfront Park to help us celebrate Independence Day with a free family concert by the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and a fireworks display over the Indian River on July 4th beginning at 8pm.

Thank you for your support and encouragement as we continue to work together to move Cocoa forward.

-Stockton Whitten, Cocoa City Manager