Ballot for Town Manager Search - Town of Bay Harbor Islands, 7-22-2020. How will this impact Palmetto Bay?

Unfortunately, it is not unusual for a top choice to not come to terms. Leadership shows confidence in continuing the process, rather than scrambling at the first occurrence of an unfortunate turn of events. There should be no panic and no rush to cut and run from the process. The top candidate turned down Palmetto Bay on Tuesday, July 14. But there are questions as to why public discussion of next steps for Palmetto Bay manager had to wait until tonight, July 23. That has led to fair questions as to whether Palmetto Bay officials were waiting to see who would be available after the Town of Bay Harbor Islands acted on their process for Town Manager.  

Can someone review this photo sent to me and verify? I was advised that this was the vote on the first round for the finalists for the Town of Bay Harbor Islands manager search. The date of this ballot is listed as July 22, 2020.  There were 6 finalists compared with the 3 for Palmetto Bay. The candidates listed below either did not participate in the Palmetto Bay search or qualify for the final three. The 5 (now) former candidates for Bay Harbor Islands are now moving on; assuming that Bay Harbor Islands comes to terms with their top choice.

The Palmetto Bay manager selection should not be made on a whim, without proper vetting. I recommend that they stick to the process and show respect to the other two candidates who put their faith in Palmetto Bay. The remaining final 2 believed that they would be respected and not abandoned, cast out, based upon the inability of this mayor and council to come to terms with their former top candidate. That is why there are three finalists.

Palmetto Bay should not be someone's safety net, plan "D" or worse.

I am providing links to some recent Community Newspapers opinion articles relating to the current state of the Palmetto Bay search:

Grant Miller, Community Newspapers: Palmetto Bay’s No-Show Manager Might Be A Sign of Bigger Problems, July 17, 2020

Grant Miller, Community Newspapers: Palmetto Bay: Patience May be Your Best Ally Right Now. July 21, 2020

Palmetto Bay may have been turned down by the top finalist, but 2 of the 3 remain and they deserved the respect of the process continuing as promised.

FAIR QUESTIONS:

• Is this why Palmetto Bay scheduled their discussion for tonight, July 23, 2020, to allow for the vote to take place in Bay Harbor Islands?
• Are any of these candidates not hired going to be considered by Palmetto Bay tonight on a whim?
• Did any of these candidates participate in the Palmetto Bay search performed by the Mercer Group, but did not make the list of Palmetto Bay finalists.
• Would Palmetto Bay elected officials actually consider any of these candidates if they chose not to participate in the Palmetto Bay search, or if they did, they failed to make the finals?
• What communication, if any, has been held between any of the 6 listed candidates for Bay Harbor Islands post and our elected officials (or any of their intermediaries)?

We shall see if the Palmetto Bay officials continue to follow the process or if they abandon it and hire on a whim, hiring someone who did not make the top three in a neighboring community. 

Grant Miller, Community Newspapers: Metrorail to Florida City: Build it now!

The time is now - editorial in the Community Newspapers

The Metrorail may finally be getting its long-overdue extension. Now we just need to decide where to start.
...

...the South Dade Transitway is the easiest of the six SMART Plan corridors to develop. There is an existing right-of-way, Route 38 Busway Max, which runs the same route the rail would. The rail extension could begin immediately, and compared to other corridors, the construction would be minimal; the new rail will likely run at ground level utilizing an overhead line instead of a third rail system. In total, it should cost half of what an elevated rail would.

At a Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce panel last month, District 13 Commissioner (and Commission Chair) Esteban Bovo and Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez agreed that the Florida City extension should be prioritized. They’re hardly alone.

Almost 15 years have passed since Miami-Dade County residents approved the People’s Transportation Plan (PTP), a half-cent sales tax overseen by the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) to fund an enormous expansion of Miami’s mass transit: 88 new miles of Metrorail and 635 new buses. To date, the PTP has raised more than $2.5 billion.

But during the 2008 financial crisis, the CITT voted to use those funds to support and maintain the present transit system. As a result, fewer than 200 buses have been added and little progress has been made on extending the rail. 

CLICK HERE to view the entire op ed by Grant Miller, Community Newspapers: 

Metrorail to Florida City: Build it now! 

 

2014 Walking4Friendship event -Feb 23. Request from Grant & Michael Miller to participate

A special request from Grant & Michael Miller:

It's not every day you see a child or teenager with special needs being embraced and accepted for who they are. But at the Friendship Circle of Miami it is a part of every day life for many special needs children living in Miami. The Friendship Circle provides their "special friends" a chance to learn and socialize in an environment that not only accepts them, but celebrates their spirit. The Friendship Circle of Miami offers many different programs and services to these special children and their families, and by incorporating their teenage volunteers a simple act of friendship is developed and lasts for many years!

You see, the spirit of a child with special needs is one of loving friendship. Their ability to love others and see the world through innocent, nonjudgmental eyes is a quality that most people only hope to one day achieve. This quality is a gift given every day between the volunteers and their "special friends" at the Friendship Circle.

The work of the Friendship Circle of Miami has inspired us and touched our life in many ways, and that is why I have chosen to participate in OUR Walking4Friendship 2014 3K Walk and Community Carnival on February 23, 2014. We am writing today to ask you for a donation. By donating to the Walking4Friendship fundraising event, you can join us and the Friendship Circle of Miami in our mission to open loving arms to our "special friends". 100% of your donation will go toward their programs servicing children and teenagers with special needs and their families. Your feelings of making a genuine difference in a child's life will last a lifetime.

To donate to our team please click the link below. Your response to our request would really mean a great deal to us, but more importantly, it will mean a great deal to families in this community who really need this relief and support.

If you are in the area on February 23, 2014, please come to the Walking4Friendship event with your family and friends! And if possible, please continue to share this email with your friends and family and open the opportunities of more support for this amazing community organization!

http://www.walking4friendship.com/millerbrothers

Thank you so much!!

In Friendship,

Grant & Michael Miller

www.FriendshipCircleMiami.org
www.facebook.com/MiamiFriendshipCircle

Yes it does! Village deserves council that can work together | Palmetto Bay

Village deserves council that can work together | Palmetto Bay

Is it really that hard to get along? Palmetto Bay News Co-Publisher Grant Miller again takes issue with a lack of civility from Mayor Shelley Stanczyk and the current toxic air at council meetings, stating that the Village deserves council that can work together. Mr. Miller states that: Palmetto Bay lacks leadership all around the dais. Despite loud complaints, nothing has been done to address the lack of civility, transparency or even allowing anyone not affiliated with completing campaigns to address concerns of public interest. Senseless squabbling, often through intermediaries, still remains business du jour.

It really isn't hard to get a long and move forward for the good of a community. And I believe I do have some insight as founding mayor, having served from 2002 through 2010. No one person or group of people "owns" any seat on the council. No one person, or any single group, should dominate the agenda of mayor Shelley Stanczyk, the vice mayor or other member of the council. You can't get upset and storm off when something fails to go your way.  

It should not be this way.  I would like to share a quote from President Dwight D. Eisenhower on leadership and respect. We need to think a little more locally for our village and start to show some self-respect for ourselves by demanding that our current mayor and council show some respect for our community by respecting opposing viewpoints as well as their own. Have respect for others - and for themselves.

This world of ours... must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Walking 4 Friendship, Sun, Feb. 10, 2013, a 3K walk and Community Carnival event to raise funds for the programs and services offered by the Friendship Circle of Miami

Walking 4 Friendship, Sunday, February 10, 2013
9:00 am  -- Registration Begins

Friendship Circle, 8700 SW 112 Street,  Miami, Fl 33176.

The Walking 4 Friendship is a 3K walk and Community Carnival event to raise funds for the programs and services offered by the Friendship Circle of Miami, while promoting awareness and acceptance of children with special needs in our communities. 

Message from Michael and Grant Miller, Miami’s Community Newspapers and supporters of Walking 4 Friendship http://www.walking4friendship.com/millerbrothers (please click “Read more" below to read the entire message regarding the mission of the group, purpose of the event, tax deductibility and important contact information):

We are walking on Sunday, February 10, 2013, for children with special needs and we are asking for your support to help us reach our goal.

Support the Howard Palmetto Miracle League. Enjoy a winetasting TONIGHT Wednesday, June 13, at the Anacapri Italian Restaurant in Pinecrest.

Are you familiar with The Miracle League of Miami Dade?  Its stated vision is that: "Every child deserves to experience joy and community through baseball."  The stated mission is “to create positive life experiences for children with special needs and their families through baseball.”

The Pinecrest Tribune has joined with the Anacapri Italian Restaurant to host a wine tasting TONIGHT, Wednesday, June 13, to benefit the Howard Palmetto Miracle League. Don’t miss out.  The donation is only $10. You’ll have the opportunity to taste a broad selection of fine wines and experience the beautiful new wine bar at Anacapri.

There will be an amazing selection of wines to taste and you’ll do it in the comfort of one of the most enjoyable spots in town. There will be wines from as many as eight vendors, and fine Italian treats to nibble on will be spread throughout the Anacapri wine bar and the market.

Make plans to attend this event tonight, Wednesday, June 13.  It starts at 6:30 p.m. As an additional bonus, you’ll get a 10 percent discount on your meal If you decide to stay for dinner at Anacapri.

Anacapri Restaurant is located at 12669 South Dixie Hwy. For more information, call 305-232-8001 or go to www.miracleleagueofmiamidade.org. Read the full Community Newspapers article online:   You’re invited to a wine tasting at Anacapri, By Grant Miller

Grant Miller asks the Palmetto Bay Council: What happened to civility? | Palmetto Bay

Palmetto Bay Council: What happened to civility? | Palmetto Bay

Is the Palmetto Bay Council in Crisis? Grant Miller takes a wry look, using humor rather than heavy-handedness to review the unfortunate situation which occurred on Monday, May 21, 2012, or as Grant Miller states; “the day in Palmetto Bay Council history when Mayor Stanczyk called upon the police to remove a concerned resident from a council meeting.”

He asks the question that many who regular attend council meetings have been asking:

What has happened to civility and respect for opposing viewpoints in Palmetto Bay? 

Is this current council so convinced that their opinions are the only valid opinions, that mocking opposing viewpoints is the norm? 

Or is stress leading to an unraveling of those serving on the council?

Grant Miller pointed out that anyone who did watch the meeting on cable was probably confused.  Was this a Council meeting, or a rebroadcast of the movie Braveheart?   I can see where some contrary speakers may feel as if Brian Pariser as well as Shelley Stanczyk do treat them as Braveheart Character King Edward Longshanks did in the movie excerpt below; (just before throwing the character out a window): “Who is this person that speaks to me as though I needed his advice?”  Only instead of a window, uniformed police were used to escort a dissent out of the meeting.

Did Mr. Harris need to be thrown out?  Absolutely not.  He spoke from his chair - in the front row and in response to comments made by Brian Pariser.   I have personally heard Mrs. Stanczyk's own spouse call out from the back of the room, yet he has never been "escorted out."  What is the difference other than the marital relationship?  I believe that Shelley Stanczyk simply got flustered under the pressure.  

I do agree with Grant Miller and also complement Councilman Patrick Fiore who did show some much needed leadership that night and disarmed a terrible situation that could have deteriorated even further.  We could use less signs of force and mob mentality and more compassion.  Strong leadership and respect for speakers would have also prevented the hostility.  Mrs. Stanczyk was very indecisive in removing the speaker, beginning at 27:00 of the official meeting tape - "Madam Clerk, should we have him escorted? ... Please have him escorted out...Oh, alright never mind."

It is not healthy to get angry anymore, but it is time to stop the foolishness and begin to work together.  There is more than one opinion in this village and all deserve respect, not scorn.   It certainly ceases to be funny when their actions reach the point to where Palmetto Bay faces another potential lawsuit, this time for violation of a resident's personal civil rights.

The article ends with the point that the council members should remember that democracy is filled with unpopular opinions.  It is the job of government, large or small, to respect all opinions.

Read the article, link at top and feel free to express your thoughts. E-mail me at eugeneflinn@bellsouth.net if you do not want to publicly post.  You can always remain anonymous. 

Palmetto Bay Picnic today, Saturday, 3/5/2011

The Village is now up to the Ninth Annual Celebration Picnic for residents on Saturday, March 5^th  Thank you to our first Vice Mayor Linda Robinson and the original Special Events Committee for starting such a wonderful tradition.  The celebration begins at 11 a.m. at Coral Reef Park, located at 7895 S.W. 152 Street (east side). This has been an outstanding event for gathering with friends for an afternoon of good, old-fashioned fun.

As we have done annually since our first year of incorporation, Palmetto Bay holds this signature event as our way of saying “thank you” to all of the residents.  This year’s picnic offers something for everyone - entertainment provided by local schools, children’s activities, rides, demonstrations by local agencies, and, of course, food - including everyone’s favorite roasted corn on-the-cob. 

Each year, thousands of residents attended and enjoyed a great day at the park. Each year’s event is anticipated to be even bigger and better, with performances to take place in the Village’s gazebo and a number of traditional community picnic games, such as, a hula hoop contest, tug-o-war, potato sack race, and a bubble-gum blowing contest.  It’s a great way to spend your Saturday, and most importantly, a great way to spend time with family, friends and neighbors.

Special thanks to Grant Miller of the Community Newspapers, with whom I had the pleasure of working with to create a lasting and exciting event: the annual Mayor’s Cup in Baseball.  Our local high schools – Palmetto High and Coral Reef High again be facing each other for what promises to be an awesome baseball game.  The winner of the game will be awarded the annual “Mayor’s Cup” first awarded in 2008.  Be at the baseball field across the canal from the picnic at 1:00 p.m. to cheer on your favorite team!

I will post some photos of friends and family at the picnic sometime after the event.  Have fun.  

Click read more to see a few of the photos I posted from the picnic.