The Weston Way

Thomas Jefferson said, “The finances of government should be clear and intelligible…so that every [person] should be able to comprehend them to investigate abuses and consequently to correct them.” It’s a motto that the City of Weston’s Chief Financial Officer, Darrel Thomas, lives by.
Tasked with overseeing the City’s financial operations, Darrel has maintained Weston’s credit-rating, safeguarded the City’s financial future, and developed industry-standard fraud prevention standards.
Hear all about Darrel and the finance team’s work on the latest episode of The Weston Way Podcast.

A budget is more than a collection of numbers, it's a reflection of your values.
 
City Manager Don Decker and Budget Director Bryan Cahen joined The Weston Way to go over the City Manager's Proposed Budgets for Fiscal Year 2026. Learn about how the budget comes together, the Florida constitutionally-mandated timeline, and what it all means for Weston residents.
 
The City Commission will hold their public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2026 budgets on Monday, September 15, and Monday, September 29, at 7:00 p.m. in Weston City Hall, located at 17200 Royal Palm Boulevard. The public is encouraged to attend.

The Weston Way Podcast is just the latest in a long-line of Communications projects and we're grateful to host the person who makes it all happen - our Communications family leader, Denise Barrett-Miller. As one of Weston's longest-tenured employees, Denise was here before the third traffic light was installed. Throughout the years, she has worked tirelessly to build and maintain the City's reputation, image, and brand.
On this episode Denise shares how she has helped Weston grow, the evolving duties of a Communications professional, and some of her favorite projects and initiatives.

This week, thousands of Weston families will celebrate Independence Day with a City of Weston Fireworks Celebration, July 4th 5K, and Hometown Parade. It takes a community coming together to produce these events, and no one knows that more than Special Events Manager Annalisa Walker.
 
Go behind-the-scenes of event production in this episode and learn how we're able to plan and manage three unique events over the course of less than 24 hours. 

Coming from a family of athletes, Kara Petty knows the value of a strong parks system. As the City of Weston Parks and Recreation Director, she oversees our system of parks, events, Community Center programming, staff, and much more.
 
Kara stopped by The Weston Way to share how she and her team are leading the City of Weston's parks into the future by using forward-thinking to anticipate and respond to the needs of the community.

There have been just two City Managers in the entirety of the City of Weston’s history. We were honored to have been joined by Weston’s second and current City Manager, Don Decker, for an in-depth conversation on the latest episode of The Weston Way.
 
Just months into his new role as the City Manager, Don was challenged with navigating the city through a global pandemic. Years later, Don has helped lead the city through various other challenges and obstacles to maintain the high quality of life offered here in Weston. Our conversation touched on everything from Don’s journey to Weston and public service, to the unique Contract City form of government employed in Weston.
 
We hope you enjoy this conversation with Don and we thank him for his years of service to our community.

BSO Fire Chief Todd Draizin stopped by The Weston Way Podcast to share his journey to the fire service and useful tips for homeowners and home cooks to prevent fires. Chief Draizin's passion for service is inspiring and we're proud to have him leading the amazing men and women of BSO Weston Fire Rescue and EMS.

We're honored to welcome BSO Police Chief Sam Cavalieri as the first guest on the official City of Weston Podcast - The Weston Way. Here, Chief Cavalieri gives a brief overview of his career in law enforcement before he shares his unique perspective on crime in Weston, protecting students from viral online trends and sharing the roads. We hope you enjoy the conversation with one of Weston's most indispensable leaders.

The first episode of The Weston Way podcast is HERE!
We're so excited to announce and share the inaugural episode of The Weston Way. On this first show, your Communications team shares some quick updates on city services and initiatives before they talk about all the upcoming April events. This season will feature in-depth conversations with city leaders about the city operations that matter most to you.
The Weston Way podcast is coming soon to your preferred podcasting app. Follow us on social media to share your thoughts on the podcast and what you want to hear this season.