Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Why are Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser anti-economic development?

Howard Tendrich sponsored a seemingly innocuous, but important, resolution at the March 12, 2012, regular meeting of the Palmetto Bay Council.  This resolution expresses 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.  There is no commitment of money sought from the Palmetto Bay council and the only result could be the improvement of the business corridor which in turn would create a healthy business environment and help businesses contribute more tax dollars to Palmetto Bay, which in turn would take a greater share of the tax burden off the backs of the residential taxpayers. (Click on the photo to view the full proposed resolution) This assumes of course, that the Mayor and Council actually pass the savings on to the residential taxpayers, that they don’t find a need to spend that new money on other projects.

The EDC is looking for partners to work on the large picture regional issue of revitalizing South Miami-Dade County.  They are looking to create a strategic plan.  A plan.  This current Mayor and Council do not have a plan for economic development.  A quality plan is sorely needed and the EDC is offering a gift horse looking the Mayor and Vice Mayor in the mouth.  

I worked with the EDC while Mayor of Palmetto Bay.  Palmetto Bay is not sufficient in size to open and fund a separate office of Economic Development.  Outsourcing with a regional partner is important as cost effective, especially where we incur very little if any cost.  But it requires a Mayor and Vice Mayor who are willing to teamwork with other entitles and share credit.

I am shocked to learn that this resolution was voted down by a 3 – 2 margin, with the current Mayor and Vice Mayor leading the denial. 

To the current Mayor and Vice Mayor:  In case you haven’t noticed there is an economic downturn in our communities and creation of jobs/development of resident friendly businesses should be a high priority.  I am at a loss to fathom any reason not to support the EDC in its effort to revitalize the area. 

The EDC was shocked and dismayed, sending out e-mail advising interested persons the result of the vote.  As the EDC points out, the denial is puzzling as the Mayor Stanczyk is a nonvoting member of the board of the EDC (Advisory Council), yet she does not wish to support the efforts of the EDC.

The EDC as already obtained similar resolutions from Pinecrest and Cutler Bay (unanimously accepted). The EDC has even received a resolution of support from Dade County.  The EDC also has explicit support from Commissioner Lynda Bell, Commissioner Dennis Moss, Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Senator Larcinia Bullard, Representative Dwight Bullard, Representative Michael Bileca, County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, and the Florida Secretary of Commerce Gray Swoop, Barry Johnson (Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce), the Beacon Council, Chamber South.and many more.

You have to ask yourself why is it that the Palmetto Bay council is the only entity in the EDC’s service area that does not support the EDC’s 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 is the Village of Palmetto Bay.

Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser continue to self-proclaim themselves as “pro-business” yet, as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.  This council does not support planned economic development and that is a shame.  It is a shame that will continue to cost the village taxpayer while our business district is slow in reaching its positive potential.  The first Council and the County invested heavy in planning and infrastructure.  It is time for this current Mayor and Council to take the next step.  Timidness or refusal to act is not acceptable.

I call upon Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Brian Pariser to reconsider and move forward; work with the EDC and our sister cities in developing a plan.  You cannot be a positive influence without having a seat at the table.  It is one thing to go it alone on developing a plan, but Palmetto Bay under this Mayor and council is not doing anything positive at all.  This needs to change. 

5 comments:

  1. We are not working with Cutler Bay and Pinecrest on the green thing nor on FPL issues.... So, are we now isolationists in Palmetto Bay?

    I am thinking that we better never get our Palmetto Bay panties in a knot, because those other 2 cities are not going to help untangle them.

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  2. Figure it out Flinn. Mayor Stanczyk is a nonvoting member of the board of the EDC (Advisory Council), yet she does not wish to support the efforts of the EDC. It does not take a math major to figure out that Mayor Stanczyk is a self serving hypocrite who refuses to support anything she cannot take 100% of the credit. This town is in big trouble.

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  3. The water cooler talk all day has been how Mayor Stanczyk is vindictive enough to let her petty politics get in the way of the betterment of the entire Palmetto Bay community. She is a member of EDC. I can't believe how mean she is. Voting against a resolution that merely expressed support for creation of a plan is akin to voting against motherhood, apple pie and the US Flag.

    Mayor Stanczyk needs to step back, think about how her lack of leadership is harming the city and just perhaps, decide that it is in the best interest of the city that she resign.

    Enough is enough. Get her out of her.

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  4. Stanczyk is obviously a hypocrite. She should immediately resign from the Economic Development Council. Either Fiore or Tendrich should represent the Village at the EDC since they are the only two that seem to get it.

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  5. Mayor Stanczyk is not interested in economic development as that would actually hurt her business. She only wants to monitor any efforts to make sure she can squelch it. Think about what happens if the downtown area improves: rents go up. She will have to pay more rent that I am sure her business could not afford. Mayor Stanczyk is not going to work for the betterment of the community where it places her struggling hobby businesses at risk of going out of business. Consignment shops are never in the best part of town. I think that this selfish mayor will hold the entire area down for her benefit, not work to improve the town or lessen crime in the area. This is sad, but true.

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