As residents, business leaders and Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce members listened to Mayor Joy Cooper last Friday afternoon at the Hallandale Beach Cultural Community Center, it was evident that this was a speech that everyone wanted to hear.

Pulling no punches, shooting straight from the hip, Mayor Cooper addressed everything that needed to be talked about on an afternoon that showcased this community and the many people who cared about the present and the future.

While she has come under attack from community watchdog groups or "scarerrorist" as she jokingly calls them, Mayor Cooper spoke openly about those who continue to tear away at the fibers of the city with "slanted information that is totally false" about the community, elected officials and those who help to govern and run this city.

At a time when it would have been easy to be defensive against groups who poke holes in the structure of the community by running to press outlets and spreading "untruths" to back up their "agenda", Mayor Cooper took the high road at the Chamber of Commerce sponsored Mayor's Luncheon that gave nearly 100 people a chance to reach out to a mayor who never closed her doors or ran from issues.

What Mayor Cooper did address on this day were issues that many on hand wanted to hear about. She spoke about the budget and the way the City of Hallandale Beach planned for the current recession by having enough reserves to keep the city running, which is something that her detractors hardly ever point out.

Coming up with the most creative ways to cut costs while promoting growth in the city with ongoing developments is something that Mayor Cooper takes great pride in speaking about.

"Many cities do not have reserves and are going bankrupt," Cooper pointed out. "What we have done is to prepare for the tough economic times that we are all going through. I think that is something that every resident and business leader can be pleased about."

At a time when foreclosures are a reality, and jobs are still being lost, Mayor Cooper spoke about the way the city continues to generate revenue with the opening of the Village of Gulfstream Park, adding jobs and creating a flow in the economy that other communities simply do not have.

Also, at a time when those who have agendas, but little knowledge in what transpires with keeping businesses alive and afloat in the city, Mayor Cooper will never back down in making sure that if there is a way to help small businesses in her community remain vibrant and a part of the economic landscape, she will happily take on all those who continue to have an agenda.

"There are people in this community that continue to talk and pick things apart without understanding what goes on," Cooper said. "Important businesses like the South Florida Sun Times Newspaper, which is the main source of contact between the city and the residents, is very valuable to this community. Over the past two years, we have stepped up our advertising to ensure that our information is passed on to the city."

"Any time you place information in any publication, whether it's the Miami Herald or Sun Sentinel, it will cost you money to convey the news and events that help to shape your city," Cooper continued. "In the Sun Times, we have a publication that we know is read by a majority of our residents. It's proven over and over again that our city gets results from running the weekly information in that publication."

Mayor Cooper's weekly column also illustrates that what happens in this community needs to be talked about and not hidden. For years, without an agenda, her weekly column has been informative and gives out facts that residents need to know. Whether it is deemed boring to some or not, it is a column that talks about issues that affect the residents!

While many want to continue to focus on The Sun Times and the way the City of Hallandale Beach relies on the publication to get out its news, there are several other smaller businesses in the community that have also greatly benefitted financially without the wrath of the "watchdogs", who have an agenda that more and more residents have recognized.

Aside from the negatives in the community, Hallandale Beach has now become a major destination. Thanks in part to the Village of Gulfstream Park, Mardi Gras Racing & Gaming and other businesses that have weathered the economic storm through the years, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Improvements north and south, east and west are taking place to ensure that all of the this city is going to come out on top.

In a community that is home to everything from single family homes to multi family dwellings, low and hi rise condominiums, townhouses and rentals, there are going to be those who agree and disagree with issues, which is normal in any city that has growth. But how you deal with those issues is the way you can set yourself apart from others.

With City Manager Mike Good and a Commission that certainly represents an entire community with views and opinions, there is always going to be friction, and while she has had her moments, Mayor Cooper does acknowledge the balance in the city leadership, which every member of this city needs to lean on especially during the tough times.

While there are some things that Mayor Cooper will compromise on when cutting into the budget, the safety of her city is not one of them. Trimming police and fire services is not an option. That is not the way it has gone down in other cities in Broward County, but in Hallandale Beach, the discussion is closed when talking about the overall safety of the residents.

There are also projects and developments that have taken this community to another level. The Villages at Gulfstream Park has been one of the major attention getters, but not the only one. The Shanco Building Group has been one of the most influential companies to have landed in Hallandale Beach.

Richard Shan, who was named by the Chamber of Commerce as Small Business Person of the Year at last week's Mayor's Luncheon, has helped to elevate the community with several projects and renovations that have changed the landscape of the community.

The Highland Park Village project is the newest and most exciting that will provide affordable housing in a city that started to attract more and more younger families, which has moved into the area because of the jobs that have been created.

Foster Road development has also started to take hold in the Palms of Hallandale Beach, where a park, pool and street-scaping have taken center stage in the beautification of the city.

As many have long talked about how east Hallandale Beach usually gets the beautification dollars, there is reason to believe that west Hallandale Beach is also getting plenty of attention with redevelopment and more and more businesses taking hold.    

While many developers still contact the city with plans to enhance and build, Hallandale Beach is firm that nobody "gets a free pass" when it comes to dealing with the community. If any project does not benefit the positive growth of the city, it will not be built.

Also, and one of the most important issues for the city moving forward, the 2010 Census, which is going to be the barometer for the immediate financial future. Residents are urged to take part in the census, which will tell a lot about the population.

"Take 10 minutes to answer the 10 questions," Cooper urged. "It will change the financial landscape of the community in a major way!"