Remembering Bailey - as kids and their friends said about her: "The Goodest Dog!" She was a great pet that deserves some recognition.

 Baily was another of our family pets that deserves her due.  A very loyal pup who was a great family member. She was much needed her in Palmetto Bay - I headed President Harry S. Truman’s advice, “If you want a friend in this world, get a dog.” Politics in Palmetto Bay is often dog-eat-dog.

She passed away Friday May 2, 2025, quite unexpectedly and lived less than 11 years - far less than I would have expected or hoped. She passed away an hour before her veterinary appointment I made earlier in the morning and while I was preparing to take her - again - with no signs of any urgency. I figured we'd have her for at least another two, maybe even three years. No warning.

I am posting some family photos - pets are great. We have been bless with various pets, mostly rescues over the years.

“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.”
― Mark Twain

We are going to miss Bailey.

Family Bike Ride - Bike Coconut Grove - this Saturday, April 26 - 10:00 AM

I am forwarding information relating to a family friend bike ride - This event is a cooperative effort of Bike Coconut Grove, Friends of the Commodore Trail, the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District, and the City of Miami Police Department Coconut Grove Team.

The family-friendly bike rides with a special City of Miami police escort originally scheduled for April 16 and May 21 (both on Wednesday at 5 p.m.) have been rescheduled. Instead, there will be one ride on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m.

Meet at the Coconut Grove Playhouse parking lot on Main Highway and get ready to pedal Coconut Grove's streets with the City of Miami local law enforcement bicycling team.

The ride will begin at 10 a.m. and will take approximately 90 minutes. It’s free to all. To join, register here.

It's a great opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones while enjoying a safe and organized bike ride. Don't miss out on this exciting event - bring your bikes, helmets, and smiles!

HAPPY EARTH DAY 2025

I may not be "cool" under current administrations, but it is more important than ever.  And it is a simple matter as well.  The late Paul Neidhart once remarked that LEED certified construction is simply quality construction that will save money in operating costs (high efficiency = cost operating savings).  So stop making it so political! Now where are we in regards to protecting our fragile ecosystem?

Do you know the approximate age of the Earth? 4.543 billion years. Yet today, 4/22/2019 is just the 49th Earth Day celebration. ACTING on Earth Day is more than just a movie night, it is taking action and participating, doing things differently, ending (sub)Urban Sprawl.

A brief history of Earth Day: The April 22 Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, and was first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water and soil pollution.

I am proud to have led Palmetto Bay and created more than a simple Earth Day Celebration, but set Palmetto Bay to be committed to Earth Day 24/7/365. We don’t just recognize a day, we are now in big, in such a big way, that we take a full week to celebrate. Green activities, all free to the public, have been going this past week. We continue to involve our youth in partnership with the local schools as they are going to inherit what we leave behind.

Palmetto Bay history: I was pleased to announce way back on Friday, July 20, 2018, that Palmetto Bay was certified by the FGBC as a Green City. This started the path to eventual Gold Certification so long as the subsequent councils continue to subscribe to the green footprints cast before them.

 

 

Participating in a python hunt to 
remove an invasive species

Today,  Tuesday, April 22, 2025, is an international Earth Day Celebration.  What, if anything, are you doing to mark this event?  We celebrated with our youth in many activities including the always popular (and educational) Lady Bug releases at area schools and at our Earth Week movie night.  We partnered with the Tropical Audubon Society on Kayak tours of Palmetto Bay's coastline. Earth Week themed movie nights, poster contests, community bike rides, so many activities that brought the community together.  Please feel free to CLICK HERE for past updates on Earth Day.  

Prior relevant blog posts: Some relevant posts on my personal blog include Invasive Species, creating a backyard oasis, Celestial Events: there have been many posts throughout this blog covering these topics and how they are relevant to our South Miami-Dade Communities. Please take the time to check a few out. It is all about my transparency. I am about preservation of Palmetto Bay. That means thinking differently, saving the 22 acres of the rapidly deteriorating Pine Rocklands at the Palmetto Bay Village Center.

Finally, on a silly, but fun note, no special day is complete without viewing Google's special Earth Day animated doodle on the Google site.

Happy Earth Day – 2025!

Eugene Flinn

(Lack of) Leadership 101 - allowing the community to be ravaged by infighting rather than bringing people together

“Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.” 

– Robert Louis Stevenson.

They say elections have consequences.  We are seeing it play out locally.  Bully politics at play. Palmetto Bay is definitely not a "Bully Free Zone".   See a prior related post: May 9, 2024, Palmetto Bay News - Op-Ed: Rudeness and bullying should not be the norm in Palmetto Bay By Marsha Matson, Village of Palmetto Bay Councilmember, District 3 -May 8, 2024

Yet we the taxpayers are destined to fund another lawsuit - all because the mayor and council refuse to avoid pettiness. 

What am I talking about? Well, in case you missed it:

For more insight provided in an opinion blast by the Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance: "They Hate You For Choosing Mark  CLICK HERE for the complete blast - here is an excerpt:

Mayor Cunningham's ally, Councilman Steve Cody, didn't like your answer. So he filed a lawsuit claiming Mark wasn't properly sworn in. Our Village Attorney has said many times that Mark's oath was completely valid. The village even paid over $6,000 of your tax money to hire another expert who said the same thing.

Our Village Attorney didn't mince words. He warned that "Steve will be lucky to stay out of jail when this is over" because of his "toxic vitriol" and "fabrications." The Village Attorney has been a lawyer since 1979. He knows what he's talking about. Meanwhile, Mr. Cody is a suspended attorney by the Florida Bar and is ineligible to practice law.

Don't be fooled. The oath story is just a smokescreen. Mayor Cunningham and Cody want to erase your vote.

They're not really fighting Mark. They're fighting you. They hate that you chose someone Mayor Cunningham didn't pick. They hate that you wanted change. They think they know better than you about who should lead our village.

Cody's legal filing, which he’s trying to get a ruling on, claims Leanne Tellam is still Vice Mayor. Tellam was Mayor Cunningham's preferred candidate and lost the election.

Lets see where this leads us and how much in will cost, both in tax dollars as well as further aggravation to our community.

Thank you readers! Reader submission provides Palmetto Bay Council portraits. Triggers.

 I know this will egg some on, but I love the response received to the Cardinal photos.

Rubber ducky above, but problems below - proof that the Muscovy Duck has become domesticated here in Palmetto Bay!

This is ducking good! I’m quacking up. My reader warns to watch out for the quacks on the council. 

Please note: NO disrespect intended to the ducks - rubber or Muscovy

Cardinal season - photos of the day

My first time ever being cornered by a female cardinal (or greeted - it is all a matter of perspective). Such an interesting bird. 

I enjoy our Palmetto Bay oasis - we have maintained our entire yard to remain friendly to and actually attract native wildlife.

Pet friendly - SAVE program for Palmetto Bay seniors!

 Thank you Vice Mayor Merwitzer, Council Member Patrick Fiore and Marsha Matson (sponsor):

As announced by the Vice Mayor:

The Village council  just passed the SAVE program for Palmetto Bay seniors! If your furry friend needs emergency vet care, SAVE can help with up to $250 back in your pocket.

Big thanks to Councilwoman Marhsa Matson and Councilman Fiore for supporting this program, which shows that we care about our seniors and their animal companions.

The council-approved program allows seniors to bring their vet emergency bill, ID, and Social Security letter to City Hall to qualify for reimbursement.

For more info, please feel free to email me at mmerwitzer@palmettobay-fl.gov

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mark Merwitzer (@markmerwitzer)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

  lá sona ú Pádraig

From History dot com:   St. Patrick’s Day

Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a whole lot of green.

March is Bike Month in Florida. Palmetto Bay is a great place to ride. This would be another great weekend to get out and ride!

 The weekend is here. The question in never 'what do I have planned for the weekend?' 

This will be another great weekend to get out and ride with family and friends. The question is 'how many miles will I get in?'

OK, I guess you could ask me 'gravel or road' but often that answer will be "both" if I am fortunate to ride both Saturday and Sunday. I do like to put a 'positive "spin"' on things.

Have a great weekend. Enjoy our outdoors.

BARNES & NOBLE - COMING SOON TO PALMETTO BAY

Exciting - if you're a fan of reading. But it is more than just books; it is also a gathering place (most often for people who like to read).

Coming soon to the former location of Old Navy - 13605 So Dixie Highway, Palmetto Bay, FL 33176 (Colonial Palms Plaza - across from the Miller's Ale House and Panera Bread)

Environmental BOLO - Black and White Tegu - recently spotted on North Key Largo

The FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES COMPLEX is asking people to report any sightings of the Black and White Tegu - an invasive species native to South America where it can be found in Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Uruguay and northern Argentina.

CLICK HERE to view the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission page regarding the Argentine Black and White Tegu.

Potential Impacts

Potential impacts of tegus include competition with and preying upon Florida’s native wildlife, including some imperiled and protected species. Tegus prey upon the nests of other animals, and researchers have documented tegus eating American alligator eggs and disturbing American crocodile nests in Florida. Recent gut content analysis of tegus by the FWC revealed that they consume Threatened juvenile gopher tortoises and agriculturally valuable foods, highlighting the impact this species may have on sensitive wildlife and agricultural lands.

SEE PRIOR BLOG POSTS RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES

Transparency? From the current Mayor and Council? Troubling - see the email I received today (Wed., 3-5-2025) from the Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance (PBNA)

I am posting an e-blast I received this morning from the PBNA.  Always an interesting read. As disclosed in the email, "The opinions expressed are those of Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance based on information we believe to be accurate." - note that the "we" refers to the PBNA.

CLICK HERE to view the online version of this e-mail blast.

PBNA Mission Statement Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance is an organization of Palmetto Bay Residents who are actively involved in our community. Their objectives are: Maintaining and improving the quality of life in Palmetto Bay; Keeping the community informed on important issues; and Encouraging residents’ active involvement in their government.

It's Time for Answers

Dear Neighbors, Our Mayor and her two sidekicks don't want you to know what's really happening in our village. Monday night, we learned of this new administration's new playbook, which is to hide bad news, make up fake problems to distract you, and shut down anyone who asks tough questions. They don't work for you. They rule over you. While you live in the real Palmetto Bay with rising taxes and traffic concerns, they're running a make-believe village where everything is perfect and they don't have to answer to you. It's time to speak up. Below is what they don't want you to know. The $200,000 Secret No One Was Supposed to Discover We are shocked to learn that the Village secretly hired lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez, a hired gun, to fight against our own residents who are trying to buy land from Miami-Dade County. The Village recently spent over $70,000 on lobbying, on top of $130,000 previously spent that only came to light when the Vice Mayor exposed it. That's more than $200,000 of your money weaponized against your neighbors! No one on the Council voted for this. The contract was marked "confidential," and the village paid this firm to "watch opposition," meaning watch you and your neighbors. When asked why, they claimed it was "legal work" not needing Council approval, even though the manager himself called it a "lobbying contract" during the meeting. What an interesting way to hide this dirty work the village engaged in. Does this look like "legal work" to you?

We are deeply troubled to learn this and hope the village will provide residents with a full account of the lobbying work done to fight our own residents. Meanwhile, if you look at Councilman Cody's campaign finance reports, you will find a nice $1,000 check from the very same lobbyist, Jorge Luis Lopez. Mr. Cody claims that he returned the money "within minutes," but it is very interesting that Cody's own report shows that he spent $2,000 more than what he had received. How is that possible without some dark money? We deserve the receipts! Surprise! Council Members Are Getting $400 Car Allowances Your money is about to go into your council members' pockets. $400 each month for their cars, that's $24,000 total from your tax dollars. Did anyone ask you if this was OK? No. Did they announce this plan at a public meeting? No. Even the Mayor acted shocked when she ‘discovered’ she was getting this cash! What makes this truly awful is that they're thinking about raising your taxes at the same time. So they don't have money for your needs, but they found plenty for their own car expenses? While the Village Manager gets a huge paycheck of $200,000 each year, he also slips a nice little gift to council members. Conveniently, these are the very same council members who are now getting the $400 car payments that he instituted.

The Cat Feeding Ban That Makes No Sense In an ordinance no one asked for, Councilman Cody proposed criminalizing cat feeding and claimed that this compassionate activity somehow harms children. His silence spoke volumes when challenged to provide a single instance supporting this assertion. Cody’s proposed ordinance would impose punitive fines up to $1,000 on acts of kindness, misclassify domestic animals as wildlife, and address a "problem" that, by the manager's own admission, has generated no complaints. Here, we witness a policy crafted from made-up concerns that only exist in the imagination of those proposing them, instead of from caring to fix your problems. We have seen this same song and dance before from Mr. Cody and hope he will tackle serious issues in our community like traffic and maintaining our parks. "We Can't Talk About That" How Our Officials Responded When A Cyclist Died On Our Streets" Perhaps most troubling was how the Village handled questions about last week's tragic cycling death on Southwest 160th Street. The Vice Mayor tried to get basic information about this accident that happened in our community, but hit a wall of silence. It's been nearly 2 weeks, and our Village leaders haven't shared any official updates. When the Vice Mayor asked questions about making our streets safer at the meeting, the administration fought hard to shut down the discussion. They tried to hide behind vague legal concerns and the police investigation to say that they cannot share information with the public. When the Vice Mayor asked the police commander if public officials showing concern would hurt the investigation, the commander couldn't think of a single case where that's happened. Why the silence? Why not simply say, "We'll look at what happened and make changes if needed to keep our families safe?" The Village Manager wouldn't even promise that much. They seem more worried about looking good than fixing real problems that cost a life in our community. Keep up The Good Fight This is your Village. You deserve leaders who face facts instead of those who hide from them. Call your Council members today and ask why they're working against the people who elected them. Ask why they won't talk openly about making our streets safer. Our community works best when leaders remember you are who they work for.

Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance is a platform for and by the residents. Residents deserve to have their voice heard. Together, we can build the community for all of us and where laws are respected and all voices are heard. This email reflects the opinion of the Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance. Sincerely, Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance

Palmetto Bay Council may be contacted at the following email addresses below: Entire Council council@palmettobay-fl.gov Mayor Karyn Cunningham, kcunningham@palmettobay-fl.gov Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer, mmerwitzer@palmettobay-fl.gov Council District 1 Patrick Fiore, pfiore@palmettobay-fl.gov Council District 2 Steve Cody, scody@palmettobay-fl.gov Council District 3 Marsha Matson, mmatson@palmettobay-fl.gov Village Manager Nick Marano nmarano@palmettobay-fl.gov Village Clerk Missy Arocha, marocha@palmettobay-fl.gov

We recognize that not everyone may want to receive this information, and therefore, you can simply click the "unsubscribe" at the end of the communication and we will remove your name from distribution.

PALMETTO BAY NEIGHBORS ALLIANCE palmettobayneighborsalliance@pbneighborsalliance.com The opinions expressed are those of Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance based on information we believe to be accurate. Questions or your feedback may be sent to the email above.

A Vice Mayor who actually cares. Traffic circle safety - fighting distracted driving. Let him lead - his talents are serving our village

Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer - a product of our village who has worked hard to for his chance to serve - and who is making the most of it, when others on the council are more concerned about accumulating perks or taking selfies.

There are important safety issues that need to be discussed by our council. Instead, Palmetto Bay residents rarely find anything useful on village social media - its more targeted to photos of the mayor and selected council members taken at past village social events. 

Vice Mayor Merwitzer is focuses on village safety.  Past history has shown is interest for the people. This is a reboot of a blog post from August 14, 2017. 

Traffic Circle Safety - Please take the time to view this creative video by Mark Merwitzer, Jackson Ribler & Justin Merwitzer. Edited and produced through the talents of "Miami Hal" Feldman.

Our Palmetto Bay youth stepped up and prepared this outstanding video.  

This is outstanding work by Mark Merwitzer, Jackson Ribler & Justin Merwitzer. 

Edited and produced through the talents of "Miami Hal" Feldman. 

Drive safe Palmetto Bay.

Here are some stills from the effort, filmed Sunday, 8/13/2017:

We are looking forward to the 2025 growing season including Eureka and Meyer Lemons, Pineapples and possibly joining this year: Valencia Oranges.

2025 is shaping up as a bummer crop year for our mango trees. - so far.  Our home was built on a former commercial mano grove - hence the subdivision name - Clinton Groves. We grow the Haden and Tommy Atkins varieties.  

But we are hopeful that 2025 will also be the year of our citrus trees! Our Eureka and Meyer Lemons appear to be set to produce in good numbers.

We added a Valencia Orange tree.  (blooms are pictured immediately below). It is heavy with blooms this year - so fingers are crossed that we will see some oranges this year. 

We even have a couple of Pineapples growing, but I assume those will be later in 2026.

Stay tuned.

Is Palmetto Bay the "Village of Parks" or "Village of Perks" for village officials? $132,000 in part for "monitoring 'Opposition Activities'" (our neighbors). $400 a month car allowances. What else will we find if transparency is ever restored to Palmetto Bay?

 SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE - Per the Vice Mayor: 

A salary and insurance is apparently not enough for their part time service, per the Vice Mayor:

Your council members want to give themselves a $24,000 car allowance while considering raising your taxes. They tried to push this through without public input. That’s unacceptable. 

This reads like a enemies list - use of one's tax dollars against them.  What a tangled web the Mayor and council have weaved against some neighbors who have been pursuing a legal process in regard to the "Tanglewood" surplus property (located under the FPL power lines):

The county urged the village to negotiate a compromise, but instead, the village spent over $132,000 of your tax dollars on a high-powered lobbyist to fight these residents. Worse, the contract was marked confidential, despite being publicly funded, and included plans to monitor “opposition activities,” meaning our own neighbors.

Taxpayer dollars should never be used to undermine residents who follow the rules. 

Read the Vice Mayor's updates and get on his e-mailing list! 

Hello,

I want to share what I've been working on as your Vice Mayor and how it affects your daily life in our village. I recently had the pleasure of joining Michael Miller from the Community Newspapers to share with you what I have been working on. Watch my interview with Michael Miller to hear firsthand about our community’s progress and plans.

Traffic Safety in Your Neighborhoods When residents reached out to me about how rush hour traffic turned some of our quiet residential roads into dangerous shortcuts, I took action. The good news is that we're slowly making changes that work. I am exploring how we can remove these shortcuts from navigation apps and am working with our administration on adding traffic-calming measures to places that need them. Throughout my term, I want to do more than the old approach of adding speed bumps to streets and calling it a day. Your street could be next. Just email or call me, and I'll come walk it with you. Fighting Distracted Driving Distracted drivers put your family at risk every day. We've all seen it with drivers swerving between lanes while talking on their phone, or the near-misses when someone's texting instead of watching the road. These dangerous choices kill thousands each year and create those frustrating backups when phone-distracted drivers miss green lights. I refuse to accept this as normal. That's why I'm headed up to Tallahassee to fight for a complete ban on handheld phone use while driving, joining 31 other states that have already taken this life-saving step. Your safety on our roads matters more than someone's phone call.

Moving Palmetto Bay Forward Since the election, I’ve been honored to serve as your Vice Mayor, focused on improving our community’s safety, infrastructure, and overall quality of life. Sadly, a fellow council member is now making false claims that I’m not the legitimate Vice Mayor, despite our fair and square election win. To counter these unsubstantiated allegations, the village had to spend $6,000 of your tax dollars on an independent legal opinion that fully confirmed my oath was properly administered. Despite that, this council member continues to push this debunked narrative. Meanwhile, the real issues you care about are waiting. I remain ready to work with everyone to move Palmetto Bay forward. That’s what you elected me to do, and that’s what I’ll keep focusing on.

Looking Out for Good Government I love parks. Like you, I want more green spaces for families and neighbors to enjoy. But how we create them matters just as much as having them. Many of you have asked about a property in northern Palmetto Bay, and you deserve the facts. Nearly three years ago, local residents followed all the proper steps to buy land next to their homes, just as their neighbors did in 2018. But as they neared the finish line, the village sent Miami-Dade County a “poison pen” letter, attempting to derail the sale. The county urged the village to negotiate a compromise, but instead, the village spent over $132,000 of your tax dollars on a high-powered lobbyist to fight these residents. Worse, the contract was marked confidential, despite being publicly funded, and included plans to monitor “opposition activities,” meaning our own neighbors. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to undermine residents who follow the rules. Do I want more parks? Absolutely. But not through backroom deals and hidden spending. You deserve transparency and honesty about where your money goes. We can find new places to build parks, but once trust is lost, it’s hard to rebuild. So I ask: What’s more important, another park, or a government you can trust?

Protecting Your Tax Dollars Your council members want to give themselves a $24,000 car allowance while considering raising your taxes. They tried to push this through without public input. That’s unacceptable. This makes no sense when our Village is running out of money for basic needs like stormwater management and infrastructure repairs. I ran for office to serve you, not to pad my own pockets. Adding new benefits to council members while asking you to pay more would break your trust, and rightly so. I will be pushing to stop this proposal so we can focus on what really matters, like solving our financial challenges and protecting the services you count on. Your Voice Matters Every decision I make starts with asking, "How does this help our residents?" If you have concerns or ideas about improving Palmetto Bay, my door is always open. You can reach me at 786-309-6743 Also, if you want to discuss any of these issues in person, just email me. I'm here to help! -Mark