As this new year dawns, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for your positive support during these most challenging economic times throughout our country, the world, and here at home.  Your City Council and staff truly hope that you and your loved ones will find 2011 a better year, one of good health, peace in your hearts and increased joy in your lives.

As we look back over this past year, we are pleased to have been able to keep up with our ongoing road paving agenda – from which we have never strayed in all these years!  Wise City officials many years ago set the standard, and this City has continued to follow it through good times and bad – resulting in our having some of the best-quality roads in the County.

Over fifteen years ago, we were one of the first cities to institute a stormwater utility, which we have used toward replacing/retrofitting over 95% of our 50-year-old underground stormwater system, enabling your home to remain virtually flood-free despite some 500-year storms experienced in recent years.  With the new federal/state mandates under NPDES, we will face many challenges in the coming years.  We are doing our best, however, to make our voices heard in Tallahassee and Washington, to convince them that with the drastic cuts in revenue the past few years, these additional unfunded mandates during such harsh economic times will make it virtually impossible for cities to even keep up the essential services we provide for our citizens.

This City continues to have one of the lowest ad valorem tax rates in the County, and Florida remains among the lowest-taxing states in the nation!  After many years, Indian Harbour Beach remains debt-free, and has maintained sufficient emergency reserves to enable the City to continue providing services to our citizens in the event of a disastrous hurricane or other calamity.  As we go forward into this new year, your City officials pledge to do everything in our power to continue protecting the precious quality of life we all cherish in the City of Indian Harbour Beach!