Page 22 - Boca Exposure - October '24

Page 22, Boca Exposure
Council Corner: A True Story About Boca Raton And You!

By Fran Nachlas, Boca Fundamentally, this budget provides funding and Public Art installations, Neighborhood Street Tree
Raton City Council guidance for the next chapter of our neighborhoods, our Program, Gopher Tortoise Preserve, and Rutherford Park/
Member/CRA Vice-Chair infrastructure, our parks and our local economy. Lake Wyman natural area and recreation improvements.
For some, reading over To quote one of my favorite movies, “Let’s start These initiatives also include the essential personnel
pages and pages of charts, from the very beginning.” This story begins with an needed for them to be successful. The story’s cast is
numbers, millage rates and acknowledgment to the city’s Office of Management also evolving with the addition of 10 new full-time
departmental budgets may and Budget, which for the 41st consecutive year has positions, including an Environmental Officer, Purchasing
not be their version of “fun” received the prestigious award of “Distinguished Budget Technician, Grant Specialist and Park Ranger among
exactly. For me, though, Presentation Award” from the Government Finance the list. These positions are necessary for sustaining
diving into the City of Boca Officers Association. Well done! and improving the city’s outstanding services while
Raton’s Fiscal Year 2024- In May the City Council, City Manager, Deputy City maintaining financial strength and flexibility.
2025 Proposed Budget over Managers, Assistant City Managers, Departmental Heads, This story is not without antagonists: interest rate
the past several weeks was like reading an exciting story Residents and Business and Community Partners met questions, inflation pressures, affordability challenges
– about our city’s goals, accomplishments, strategic plan for three days of Strategic Planning with the team from and other potential economic challenges are all closely
and aspirations. Trainnovations. The process was the opportunity to hear and consistently monitored. The city’s commitment to
input and ideas to align our vision, strategic focus areas, maintaining its strong financial health is steadfast. With
the city’s long tradition of strong fiscal stewardship, Boca
priorities and projects to best prepare for Boca Raton’s
Fall Influenza future. Raton continues to be one of a select few AAA-rated
Seven strategic focus areas were identified: community

municipalities in the United States!
Have I kept you on the edge of your seat with how this
Vaccinations safety; financially sound city; vibrant economy; quality of FY 2024-25 Budget story ends? The Proposed city-wide
life; world-class services; transportation and mobility, and
total budget is $785,260,000, while the Proposed General
growth management. From there, 13 strategic priorities
were identified and can be read here: https://myboca. Fund Budget is $244,591,700. It is a balanced budget,
By Steven E. Reznick, us/2421/2024—2025-Strategic-Plan. a responsible budget, and budget to continue our Boca
M.D., FACP – Boca The story continued with the staff’s presentation Raton story as 2025 marks a significant milestone in the
Raton of the proposed budget in August. Pie charts, graphs City of Boca Raton’s legacy, the celebration of our 100th
I recommend that and bullet points aplenty highlighted all of the hard anniversary. Our continuing commitment to providing
all patients 65 years of work, collaboration and careful review in the process world-class services with fiscal accountability will ensure
age and older take an of delivering the proposed budget. Department Heads Boca Raton continues to be an unparalleled place to live,
influenza vaccination this carefully examined their operations and made requests work, and play!
fall. If you are 65 or older, to further the city’s high and unique quality of life, (Please note that while the budget will not be complete
I recommend you receive maintain and improve our critical infrastructure, and by this article’s deadline, 9/20/24, it will be complete by
the senior high dose continue to deliver world-class services to our residents the time you are reading this. Please check the City of
vaccine which produces and businesses. Boca Raton website for updated information. https://www.
a far better immune Suddenly, a plot twist! Inflationary pressures increase myboca.us/2681/Fiscal-Year-2024-2025 )
response in older immune systems than the standard shot. the costs to maintain our services—will our millage rate As always, please reach out to me at fnachlas@
It takes about 10 days to two weeks for the vaccine have to be increased? Maybe in other cities, but not in myboca.us or (561) 221-7902 to continue the conversation
to provide protection. In older patients, and the Boca Raton. Our responsible fiscal planning ensured the about this or any other ideas you have to make Boca Raton
immunosuppressed patient population, immunity starts millage rate for FY 2024-2025 will be reduced and limited an even better place. See you out on the road!
to wane about 90 days after administration. For that to 3.6782 per $1,000.00, one of the lowest rates of any
reason, we look at when the peak influenza season is, full-service city in Florida.
and when it begins locally, and try and administer the What’s new for 2025? Initiatives include a new Traffic
vaccine to provide our local patients with the highest and Mobility Division to enable traffic-reducing planning,
level of protection.
We typically see little influenza locally before
Thanksgiving. The illness peaks the first two weeks
in February locally. For this reason, we strongly
recommend you receive the vaccine between Halloween
and Thanksgiving.
Local pharmacies have the influenza vaccine and are
currently administering it. If you received the vaccine prior
to October, you would not have much protection when
the disease reaches its local peak. For patients younger
than 65 years of age, one annual shot is typically sufficient.
In a recent medical article published in the New
England Journal of Medicine, a Netherlands study cited
the increased numbers of heart attacks that occurred
in individuals not known to have heart disease in the
immediate week after contracting the flu. Protect yourself
and get a flu shot.
Screening For Lung Cancer In Smokers
The American Lung Association conducted a survey
of adults asking if they knew of the availability of CT
scan screening for lung cancer in adults. They polled
4,000 adults and less than 40 percent of them knew that
screening was available and suggested for smokers or
patients with a smoking history. Seventy-three percent
had never discussed lung cancer with a physician and
less than 30 percent knew that lung cancer is the leading
cause of death from cancers. Almost 90 percent did not
think lung cancer was likely to occur in women.
These disturbing findings were presented by Harold
Wimmer, president of the American Lung Association. He
made a strong point of reminding the public that finding a
tumor on CT lung screening raises the odds of surviving
five years by 63 percent.
The guidelines for CT lung cancer screening are
simple. Adults with a 20-pack year smoking history or
greater (smoke one pack per day [PPD] for 20 years or
two PPD for 10 years) and are between the ages of 50 and
80 should have an annual low dose chest CT scan. This
includes current and former smokers.
If you meet the inclusion criteria for lung cancer
screening, please speak to your doctor about scheduling
your lung CT scan screening.
Dr. Reznick is board certified in internal medicine with
added qualifications in geriatrics. He has practiced in
the area for over 30 years. To request a complimentary
meeting with him to discuss your health needs, and his
concierge medicine practice, call (561) 368-0191, www.
bocaconciergedoc.com.