Update on Traffic Enforcement - Major Serralta and team discuss special traffic initiatives for Palmetto Bay

Council Member David Singer and I want to thank the participants of our Traffic Safety Town Hall meeting held March 12, 2018. The council chambers was filled with fellow residents who brought forward their concerns for their neighborhoods.  Our Village Police were on hand taking notes and preparing "pink sheets" which will be used to set up special enforcement details throughout Palmetto Bay.  Your voices were heard loud and clear.  Council Member Singer and are fully supportive of life-safety and traffic enforcement measures.

This was a first of the kind meeting where we brought multiple neighborhoods and individuals together and discussed an updated Traffic Enforcement Plan. I also want to thank those who could not attend the event, but who reached out to me over the weekend and earlier Monday to discuss their concerns.

Major Serralta discussed staffing and deployment at the current time, including the level of enhanced protection for our area schools, until they can get their police staffing up.  The projected cost to Palmetto Bay is expected to be in the area of $60,000.00 to take us to the end of this school year.

There is more to come on safety initiatives. 

Our next Town Hall meeting will be held in April and will focus on Community Safety and enhanced School Security. This Town Hall Meeting will be jointly sponsored / co-hosted by Mayor Eugene Flinn and Council Member David Singer. Both Do The Right Thing and Crime Stoppers will be participating in our next Town Hall Meeting. Principals of our area schools will be invited to participate and we expect that they (or their designee) will be available to discuss our school safety plans (to the extend that Public disclosure is allowed, we do not expect any privileged information that risks compromising the programs to be released).

Major Serralta is presently updating the traffic enforcement plans.  This plan will be brought before the Village Council for the April Regular Village Council meeting. 

Council Member David Singer and I are serious about the newly unveiled traffic enforcement program. Child safety is our priority – in or out of our schools.

I want to thank both Crime Stoppers and Do The Right Thing (DTRT) for participating and providing general and child/student safety materials for participants.  Both Do The Right Thing and Crime Stoppers will be participating in our next Town Hall Meeting, Community Safety and enhanced School Security that will be jointly sponsored / co-hosted by Mayor Eugene Flinn and Council Member David Singer.

This Traffic Safety Town Hall has been part of the interactive series that Council Member David Singer and I have been holding.  Prior Town Halls include our Traffic Calming Town Hall (Public Services) held on February 13, 2018. This meeting included our Public Services team and focused upon the traffic calming initiates that I have brought forward.

A Public Meeting was held by us regarding Transportation, on, January 24, 2018, to focus on making better use of the Village's existing IBUS routes, including discussion on improvements to transportation in the community. It was from this meeting (and other council members attended the meeting and took notes!) that the Park and Ride and other ideas came forward.

Public Meeting on Strategic Plan - January 10, 2018.  The purpose of this Town Hall Meeting was to gather resident input and feedback prior to the final adoption of the Village's Strategic Plan. Draft copies of the Strategic Plan were made available online as well as at the actual meeting.

Again, thank you all for participating, making your voices heard.  The Operations Commander took down many “pink sheets” that document problem areas and place neighborhoods in the que for the special enforcement.

The local media is taking notice of our efforts!

Fabienne Fleurantin, South Florida Uncovered, provided recent coverage on our efforts, proposals, and plans, as well as balanced reporting as to some of the resistance to public transportation in the article: Preliminary plan for Palmetto Bay I-Bus extension includes routes to FIU and MDC