Wellington Today: A LOOK AT WHERE WE STAND AT THE START OF 2026
According to Village Manager Jim Barnes, Wellington’s progress does not occur by accident. It happens because of people: the engineers who design better drainage; the public works staff who maintain fields and trails; the volunteers who pack holiday meals; elected officials who wrestle with complex choices; and residents who care enough to show up.
As we step into a new year, it feels fitting to pause and take stock not only of projects completed and budgets adopted, but of the quieter measures of community health: the relationships that bind us, the volunteers who show up, and the steady public servants who keep Wellington safe, clean and welcoming. After 30 years as a village, and 22 years as a member of Team Wellington, I remain struck by how our progress is always the product of partnership: residents, businesses, nonprofits, elected leaders and staff working together toward a shared future.
Here is an honest, hopeful view of where we stand today, what we’ve accomplished, what we’re investing in, and what matters most as we plan for the coming years.
Fiscal Strength with a Purpose — Sound stewardship of public dollars isn’t an end in itself; it’s how we preserve options for the future. For fiscal year 2026, the village adopted a total proposed budget of roughly $156 million, an increase driven largely by major utility capital projects that will bolster our water reliability for years to come.
These investments reflect a deliberate choice: preserve service levels, invest in infrastructure and plan for resilience while protecting taxpayers’ interests. You can review the adopted budget and its line items in detail. Our budget documents remain intentionally transparent so residents can see how priorities — parks, drainage, public safety and utilities — are resourced and scheduled.
Investments in Infrastructure — This past year, we advanced significant capital work across roadways, drainage, utilities and recreation. Those projects are not flashy; they are foundational. Upgrading pipes, expanding treatment capacity, repairing critical road segments and improving intersections are the kind of work that keeps our neighborhoods functioning and our community moving. Our interactive capital improvements map continues to provide residents real-time visibility into these projects: where they are, what stage they’re in and how they’re being funded. That transparency helps residents see the value of long-range planning in action.
A related win we’re especially proud of is recognition for operational excellence in our water utility. The village’s Water Treatment Facility earned an Operations Excellence Award in the “Large Community Plant” category, a public acknowledgement of our utility staff’s technical skill and dedication to delivering safe, reliable water every day. That award is not about trophies; it’s about trust — trust that the water in your tap meets the highest standards.
Bringing Residents into the Conversation — Good government listens. Last year, we expanded resident-facing tools designed to invite meaningful participation in the budget process and beyond. New interactive budgeting tools let residents explore tradeoffs, test priorities and see firsthand how budget choices translate into services. These tools are part of a broader push to make the village’s work even more transparent and more collaborative. When residents engage early and often, decisions are stronger and more resilient.
Parks, Programs & Place — Wellington’s parks, trails and programs are where civic life happens. Over the past year, we continued to expand recreation offerings, improve athletic fields and invest in facilities that support intergenerational activity, from youth sports to senior programming. Our signature events, from holiday celebrations to community races, do more than entertain; they build social capital. A community that knows its neighbors is a community that cares for one another in hard moments as well as in celebration.
Public Safety, Resilience & Stewardship — Safety remains a top priority. Our partnerships with law enforcement, fire-rescue and emergency management professionals mean Wellington continues to be a place residents can feel secure. At the same time, we’re planning for longer-term resilience, from stormwater and drainage projects to investments in utilities that reduce vulnerability. Environmental stewardship, including attention to our equestrian and open-space legacy, will remain a central thread in our planning choices.
Facing and Meeting Challenges Together — No community is without hard questions. Affordability, sensible growth management, transportation and climate-related pressures are shared realities across South Florida. Wellington will continue to face those head-on, not by reacting to headlines, but by investing in data-driven planning, regional collaboration and policies that preserve our quality of life while accommodating inevitable change.
What I Ask of Our Residents — In the year ahead, I ask you to be curious. Use the tools we provide. Attend a public meeting. Volunteer with an organization. Check on an elderly neighbor. Small acts of civic care compound into a community that is resilient and generous.
A Closing Note of Gratitude — None of our progress occurs by accident. It happens because of people: the engineers who design better drainage; the public works staff who maintain fields and trails; the volunteers who pack holiday meals; elected officials who wrestle with complex choices; and residents who care enough to show up. As your village manager, I am grateful for that partnership and for the privilege of serving with a dedicated team that wakes up each day intent on making Wellington better.
If there is one message I want to leave with you this January, it is this: Wellington’s strength lies in our shared commitment to one another. We will continue to invest in the systems and places that matter, and we will do so guided by a simple idea: that a great community is first and always a place where people belong.
Thank you for your trust. I look forward to working with you in the year ahead.
