And the winner of the first City of Westlake 5K is… the Golden Grove Elementary School Gators. That’s because the school was the recipient of a check for $2,014 — funds netted at the March 2024 event.
Golden Grove Principal Linda Edgecomb was on hand at the Tuesday, Dec. 10 meeting of the Westlake City Council to receive the check from Westlake Education Advisory Board Chair Anita Kaplan and Councilman Julian Martinez, who envisioned the event and championed it to the finish line.
Martinez said from the inception that he wanted money raised to go to local schools, as selected by the Education Advisory Board. Many Westlake youngsters attend Golden Grove.
Now Martinez and Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor have even bigger dreams for the second annual event, coming up Saturday, Jan. 25.
“Let’s try to raise $5K for the 5K,” O’Connor suggested.
“I’d love that,” Martinez agreed.
A few days remain (until Dec. 31) for runners to register at $37.50 for adults and $27.50 for children under 14. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 24, the sign-up is $39.50 for adults and $29.50 for children under 14; and on race day, registration will be $55 for adults and $45 for children under 14.
Starting at 8 a.m. at the Westlake Adventure Park Lodge (5490 Kingfisher Blvd.) the City of Westlake 5K and Carnival Games is open to participants of all ages and fitness levels. Festivities will also include carnival games, entertainment, vendors, dancing with a DJ and an awards ceremony following the race.
“We’re thrilled to see the momentum of this event and look forward to continuing to build upon our success,” Martinez said.
In other business:
- The council agreed to spend $20,000 to install a four-way stop at the intersection of Cresswind Place and Town Center Parkway.
One council member questioned why the city should bear the cost since the road infrastructure is maintained by the Seminole Improvement District. Westlake residents already pay assessments to SID to cover road construction and maintenance.
City Manager Kenneth Cassell, who also manages SID, said the improvement district’s budget for fiscal year 2025 already is set and is tight.
“It’s a matter of whether we want it done now or we want to wait [until fiscal year 2026],” Cassel said. “Because it’s a safety issue, I felt like we should do it.”
“I wholeheartedly agree,” said Councilman Gary Werner, a Cresswind resident who pushed for the signs.
Council members asked Cassel to look for a way for the city to recoup the money from SID’s 2026 budget. He said he would look into it but added that he currently knows of no mechanism by which the funds can be transferred between the two governmental entities.
Cassel also said modifications were being made to the turn lanes from Waters Edge Drive near Christ Fellowship Church to create a safer turn onto Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.
- The council also recognized Vice Mayor Greg Langowski, who in November was elected to the National League of Cities Board of Directors at the organization’s 2024 City Summit in Tampa.
During his two-year term, Langowski will help provide “strategic direction and guidance” for NLC’s federal advocacy, governance and membership activities, according to a press release.
“This is a significant opportunity for the City of Westlake and the State of Florida to have a strong voice in shaping policies that support local communities across the nation,” Langowski said in the press release. “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to advocate for the resources and initiatives that will help cities like ours grow, prosper and meet the needs of our residents.”
With more than 4,000 mayors, council members and other delegates from nearly every state and the District of Columbia, the NLC is said to be the nation’s largest organization for cities. The NLC is in its 100th year of advocating for local government priorities in Washington by building strong federal-local partnerships.
“The board of directors is integral to developing the vision and priorities for the National League of Cities,” said NLC President Sharon Weston Broome, mayor-president of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “I am thrilled to work shoulder-to-shoulder with this outstanding group of local leaders as they share their knowledge and experience working with the residents of our nation’s cities, towns and villages to build stronger communities.”
