Time Flies

I can’t believe that we will be enjoying the Chasco Street Parade in just two weeks!  2016 has been absolutely flying by.

We had a candidate forum last Wednesday evening.  The two councilmen up for reelection and the four challengers had an opportunity to address those present on a number of current issues.  Kudos to the Green Commerce Association for organizing this great event.  The city election is in less than a month and yard signs are blossoming all over town.  The local campaigns have mercifully been much easier to take than the presidential campaigns at the national level.  I believe it is safe to say that we’ve got six adults running for city council.  There are some very real differences between the candidates.  If you live in the city and are a registered voter, please make a point of learning about the candidates and voting in our municipal election on April 12th.

My wife and I had dinner on the patio at Rose’s Bistro Thursday night.  People watching was the absolute highlight of the evening, with folks walking past, dressed up in their St. Patty’s Day finest.  By all accounts, Fitzgerald’s was the place to be for a party.

We went to Jimmy Ferraro’s Studio Theatre Friday night.  Talk about time flying.  I can’t believe the theatre has been open going on two years now.  The evening was filled with Broadway music.  There were a number of very good pieces, but the selection from the Phantom of the Opera was superb and absolutely my favorite.  If you haven’t been, the show continues through next weekend.

It was nice to learn this week that funding for a pedestrian / bicycle bridge over US 19 escaped the governor’s veto pen.  Along with the multi-use path being planned for Marine Parkway, we are going to be several steps closer to linking Holiday and ultimately the Pinellas Trail to a route that comes right through downtown New Port Richey.  The bridge should also help reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities we see each year along US 19.

The Bridge, the City’s newsletter, hit mailboxes earlier this week.  Be sure to check it out.

The Chasco Fiesta is looking for volunteers.  A volunteer recruitment meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 23rd, at 5:30pm in Peace Hall.  I’m planning to be there.  I hope you will consider it as well.

I don’t see things slowing down over the next couple of months.  We have quite a few significant topics coming up for discussion at council meetings over the next couple of months.  I’m looking forward to working with my fellow council members to continue to move the city forward.

 

Rob Marlowe, Mayor