With the passing of the President’s
Economic Stimulus Bill, funding for a variety of local
initiatives has become available. Some funding that Lauderhill
is automatically entitled to includes a Police grant, extra CDBG
funding, and a $595,200 Energy Block Grant. Other funding we
must apply for as a competitive grant. Lauderhill has applied
for a Drinking Water Grant, Victim of Crimes Grant, COPS Grant,
Firefighter Grant, Alternative Fuels Grant, among others.
Working to reduce Lauderhill’s energy costs and the Federal
Energy Block Grant are two projects that I have been personally
involved with for the last 2 years. During this time, I have
successfully instituted in Lauderhill several pieces of
legislation that put into practice a variety of energy savings
concepts. I have often said that “for every dollar we can save,
it is one less dollar we need to raise in taxes, or cut in
programs.”
To reduce our energy costs has led us to go “Green,” such as
requiring all new city facilities to be LEED Silver qualified.
Our new City Hall, to be opened later this year, is the first
building constructed in Lauderhill using this standard. It is
expected that the energy savings per year will exceed $50,000.
Other energy saving methods are to require Energy Star
appliances and fuel efficient vehicles.
Going “Green” has been part of the “Lauderhill Sustainable
Initiatives Green Program” I created. The program is described
in a brochure, which is available at city parks and City Hall,
and it demonstrates how we are saving taxpayers money and saving
our environment. Even the distribution of the Lauderhill
Spotlight by e-mail is part of this initiative because it
reduces our costs so we can afford to continue distributing the
City Newsletter, while significantly reducing the use of paper.
The other program I have worked on is the passage and
application of the Federal Energy Block Grant to local
governments. With these funds, we will be able to substantially
reduce our energy consumption, lowering our energy expenses. The
funds can be used for a variety of programs, and I have been an
active participant in helping to craft how the city’s funds will
be used.
At the time of this writing, the distribution of the funds is
not settled, however they are planned to be allocated among
several categories. We are anticipating installing new energy
efficient lighting (such as LED Street Lighting) and solar
panels for city streets and buildings. Additionally, we are
considering the distribution of free CFL bulbs to residents.
Also, we are exploring providing interest free loans to
residents to purchase new A/C’s, refrigerators, dishwashers, CFL
bulbs, water heaters and washing machines using the Federal
Income Energy Tax Credit or Energy Star Program. More
information will be forthcoming later this year. Both of these
programs will have a major positive impact on our city. It will
prove that by using energy wisely it will not only save our
limited natural resources, but pay us back by reducing our
costs. Therefore, saving your taxpayer dollars.
If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know.
You can contact me at mayor@lauderhill-fl.gov, or call me at
954-752-1732 (w), 954-742- 6967 (h), or 954-730-3016 (city
hall). You may also write me at City Hall: 3800 Inverrary Blvd.,
#301, Lauderhill, FL 33319. For more information about what is
going on in the city, check with the city web site:
www.lauderhill-fl.gov; or you can go to my personal web site
(not an official site of Lauderhill): www.elauderhillnews.com
