Mayor and Vice Mayor need to put politics aside and participate with EDC and our sister cities for the good of all South Dade

My advice as founding Mayor of Palmetto Bay to current mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser is that you cannot have a positive impact on the future of South Dade if you don’t take a seat at the planning table.   It was sad to watch County Commissioner Dennis Moss rally the South Dade municipalities during his appearance before the EDC Tuesday morning (3/20/2012) and observe that Palmetto Bay was not a participating member.  Commission Moss thanked Cutler Bay for their participation in the economic development work in the area surrounding the new South Dade Performing Arts Center – the County and City working together to create economic revitalization and an outstanding destination   Pinecrest’s Mayor Cindy Lerner made a presentation on Pinecrest’s efforts, including their work in community fundraising to improve the area public schools.  There was no presentation for Palmetto Bay.  That is not how it used to be.  The residents of Palmetto Bay deserves leaders who lead, not blend into the background and wait to gobble up leftovers from those sister cities who are now setting the standards.

As Palmetto Bay’s first Mayor, I was there when the initial council involved area residents. Businesses and professional planners in planning events like the US1/Franjo Triangle and Burger King (Palmetto Bay Village Center) Charrettes – efforts that resulted in specific zoning design districts as well as the efforts for the County to design and install water and sewer infrastructure – the EDC was there.  This was all part of a plan.  Placement of Village Hall, creation of active and passive parks / green spaces and leading by example are all part of those initial plans.  It is a shame to see those efforts come to an abrupt end with this current mayor and vice mayor.  We spent years of planning and working with our sister cities.  It is more important than ever that we take an active role at the planning table to achieve a positive impact on the future of South Dade.

We need leaders to work together to accomplished goals for the public good.  It should not matter who gets the credit because we all look good when we all work together to achieve positive results for all our communities. 

Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser should not make the mistake of thinking that nothing outside the municipal boundaries can positively or negatively impact Palmetto Bay.  We are not an island.  You cannot wall yourself off from the surroundings.  These simple, but undeniable realizations lead to the formation of the South Dade Municipal coalition that I started with Councilman Joe Coradino of Pinecrest and Councilman Tim Merbott of Cutler Bay. This cooperation had huge results and was the start of the Green Corridor moving from a dream of then Mayor Vrooman of Cutler Bay, becoming a catalyst for that idea reaching far beyond one city’s boundaries. 

I call upon Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser to revisit the resolution expressing council support of the Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade (EDC) in its goal to create a long term strategic plan to provide business assistance, business training and economic development for the South Miami-Dade and its surrounding communities.  This resolution should be co-sponsored by all five members of the council in a spirit of unity for the public good, not just by its original sponsor Howard Tendrich.   The efforts should not stop at the passage of this resolution.  The council should put aside individual differences and work together to follow through on the original council efforts and bring positive economic development to the areas.

Prior blog articles for background on this situation:

A text book example of bad leadership, Thursday, March 15, 2012, 

Why are Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser anti-economic development?  Tuesday, March 13, 2012