Letter from the Parkland Mayor: Rich Walker

Dear Parkland Residents,

There are many occasions when I am reminded of how fortunate I am to be Mayor of this amazing City. Parkland is an incredible place and Catherine and I frequently remind one another of what a great decision we made in choosing to raise our children here. We will be reminded of it again on Mother’s Day on May 8th when we will celebrate all the mothers in our community who help make Parkland what it is. And on Memorial Day on May 30th we will remember those members of our community who proudly served our country’s armed forces and made the ultimate sacrifice while doing so. These contrasts illustrate, in very different ways, how special Parkland is. Again I was reminded of this recently when I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to the Solomon Leadership Program at the Chabad of Parkland. This program is founded on the concept that, only by influencing children, the leaders of tomorrow, can we create substantive, long-term change. Their leadership model is founded on the pillars of character, tolerance, communication, vision, empowerment, persistence, strategy, and judgment. After speaking to one of their classes and attending their graduation, I was reminded of the strength of Parkland, its residents, and its leaders.

It seems that now more than ever, we are in need of leaders who lead by example, those who ‘walk the talk.’ I believe Parkland exemplifies this stellar mantra. Our families who lost loved ones in the tragedy are on a long-term journey and, day after day, they lead us to a world that is a safer place. Our former Mayor, now State Representative Christine Hunschofsky, works tirelessly to make our community and our State better. Michael Udine, now Mayor of Broward County, never ceases to amaze me with his energy working for the residents of Parkland and Broward County as a whole. Jared Moskowitz, who is now a Broward County Commissioner and is running for U.S. Congress, has done more at his young age than most do in a lifetime. His ability to work with people on both sides of the aisle would be the perfect addition to a Congress full of division. So as I spoke to the participants of the Solomon Leadership Program, as I watched the next generation of leaders graduate, I thought of how leaders shape cities, counties, states, and the country. I thought of how easy it is to look at our past to confirm how crucial leaders are to our present and future. And I thought, if we can judge tomorrow’s leaders on the quality of today’s leaders in our community, there is great hope for the future. If you would like to share your thoughts about leadership or you have questions or comments you’d like to share with me, I would love to hear from you. I can be reached via e-mail at rwalker@cityofparkland.org or via cell phone at (973) 390-1453. Of course, I am frequently available monthly at Parkland businesses and love to talk with residents there. I encourage you to visit the City’s website cityofparkland.org and click on the social media icon that you prefer, to ensure that you stay informed on events and helpful information.

Your Parkland Mayor, Rich Walker