What an evening! Photos and video from the 16th annual State of the Village Address, Tuesday Evening, October 9, 2018

What a night!

Results of Palmetto Bay teamwork 2018 showcased at the 2018 State of the Village Address

 

Dear Fellow Palmetto Bay resident,

A great evening at Village Hall was enjoyed by over 200 attendees at the 16th annual State of the Village Address held last Tuesday evening, October 9th.

It was my honor to present this annual address highlighting Palmetto Bay's operations and accomplishments, along with the goals and objectives for the coming fiscal year.

We celebrated increased public services, a lower property tax millage rate for the second time in 4 years, more park programming, another year of reduced crime rate, increased transparency and public participation.  A great year celebrated with the team - council, management/staff and our fellow residents!

CLICK HERE to view the full text of the State of the Village Address.

JB Cash Foundation -recipient of 2018 "Rosemary Fuller Award

Congratulations to Janice and Ted Nickolaris of the JB Cash Foundation, awardees of the 2018 recipient of the "Rosemary Fuller Award" selected by our Education Advisory Committee

Lt. Maria Guerra - selected as next Village Police Commander

Another exciting announcement was Village Manager Ed Silva's selection of Lieutenant Maria Guerra as our new Village Police Commander, continuing a long-standing tradition of promoting from within our own ranks.

Commander Guerra started her career in law enforcement in 1989 and over that span of time has earned more than 60 commendations. She has been part of the elite Northside Crime Suppression Team and, in 2003, was promoted to Lieutenant while serving in the Narcotics Bureau. She then became the first female K-9 Lieutenant in the Miami Dade Police Department. We were lucky enough to welcome her to our Palmetto Bay Policing Unit in 2015.

Lt. Guerra's selection is not final until and unless the Village Council approves the Manager's selection.  I have called a Special Council Meeting for Monday, October 15, 2018 - at 5:45 PM the purpose of the Village Council to take action on the Village Manager's selection of Lieutenant Maria Guerra as the Village Police Commander.

Recognition of  St. Rep McGhee and Commissioner Levine Cava, as well as outgoing councilwoman Larissa Siegel Lara.

We recognized our outgoing District 3 Councilwoman Larissa Siegel Lara, State Representative Kionne McGhee and our County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava for their teamwork with the Village of Palmetto Bay.

The video of the entire State of the Village Speech is also available for your viewing (CLICK BELOW).

Mayor's State of the Village Address 2018

 

Again, thank you everyone for the TEAMWORK of this past year and I look forward to moving forward to an even greater 2019!

Your Mayor.

Eugene Flinn

SMART Poll Shows Palmetto Bay and Surrounding Cites Want Rail or Tax Repeal if Buses Win Out

The following is from an official Village of Palmetto Bay media release:

Palmetto Bay, FL (July 7, 2018) - South Miami-Dade residents have spoken. The results are overwhelmingly in favor of rail as the preferred mode of mass transit along the 20-mile South Dade Busway. Don't let the consultants highly misleading numbers fool you. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has called for a vote on the matter July 19th. Here are the numbers from a recent poll that was taken regarding rail v BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). This poll was developed to gauge real voter sentiment after misleading numbers. State Rep. Kionne McGhee, former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner, Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn, along with the Councils of Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay have continuously endorsed rail as the only viable solution..   The poll was conducted via telephone: Palmetto Bay: 82% responded yes, the County did not keep their promise on the 1/2 Cent sales tax 83% Indicated that they want rail 74%  Would support repeal of the 1/2 cent transportation sales tax in the event we do not get rail. Cutler Bay: 70% responded yes, the County did not keep their promise on the 1/2 Cent sales tax 77% Indicated that they want rail 75% Would support repeal of the 1/2 cent transportation sales tax in the event we do not get rail. City of Homestead: 60% responded yes, the County did not keep their promise on the 1/2 Cent sales tax 69% Indicated that they want rail 56% Would support repeal of the 1/2 cent transportation sales tax in the event we do not get rail. Florida City: 47% responded yes, the County did not keep their promis on the 1/2 Cent sales tax 80% Indicated that they want rail 60% Would support repeal of the 1/2 cent transportation sales tax in the event we do not get rail. Leaders from these communities are glad to see that they are right in advocating for rail.    "The taxpayers have been paying on promises since 2002. It's time for those promises to be kept, rail to be delivered, and not another failed attempt at taking taxpayer's monies for maintenance and operations", says Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn. "We polled our residents in Cutler Bay to ensure their voice was heard on this issue", said Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell. "We heard them loud and clear - Give Us the RAIL! Over 2 billion dollars have been spent in 16 years in more affluent communities, while our residents pay the same but only get inadequate bus service". State Representative Kionne McGhee echoes the frustration of his colleagues. "Denying the North and South Dade communities the opportunity to experience MetroRail is simply a continuation of the county suppressing our abilities to have public access to the best of what Miami-Dade has to offer". Concerned residents are encouraged to contact the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) TPO@mdtpo.org and attend their next SMART Plan meeting. It will be held Thursday, July 19, 2018, at 1:30 pm, 111 NW 1st St., Commission Chambers, 2nd Floor, Miami, FL 33128.

(L to R) State Representative Kionne McGhee, Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell, former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner, and Village of Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn. For More Information: KCraig@palmettobay-fl.gov

Miami Herald: South Miami-Dade leaders are right: If they settle for buses, they’ll never get rail, by Fabiola Santiago

Rail is needed.  See the online Miami Herald: South Miami-Dade leaders are right: If they settle for buses, they’ll never get rail, by Fabiola Santiago

I will not sell our community short. The future of Palmetto Bay South to Florida City will be forever impacted by this rail v bus decision on July 19th. I will fight for what our community truly needs, not the easy politically expedient option.

The alleged $250,000,000.00 sought for "BRT" is really a Trojan horse to cover shortfalls of long overdue, long ignored, maintenance upgrades to the Transitway.

Productive day in Tallahassee: Mayors Eugene Flinn of Palmetto Bay and Peggy Bell of Cutler Bay testify before the House Accountability Committee - advocating for the original intent of 1/2 cent transportation sales tax

A single-day legislative fly in was held on Tuesday, February 13, 2018.  This was a very productive day in Tallahassee. Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and I were asked to appear before the House Accountability Committee advocating for the original intent of 1/2 cent transportation sales tax. 

Sometimes opportunities/responsibilities arise quickly, and it is important that we be as responsive to our legislative partners, as we ask them to be responsive to us.  It was Monday, 2/12/2018, during a legislative conference call that Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and I spoke directly with State Representative Bryan Avila (R - Miami) (sponsor of HB 243) and House Minority Leader Kionne L. McGhee regarding an important hearing the bill had scheduled on 2/13 before the full House Government Accountability Committee.  It was at this late afternoon meeting (2/12) that Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and I were asked to appear before the House Accountability Committee advocating for the original intent of 1/2 cent transportation sales tax.

Preparation was important and time extremely limited - working with our managers (Ed Silva and Ralph Casals) - we put together and I brought forward an add on resolution (Palmetto Bay Resolution 2018-23) at the Village Council Meeting held that same day (Monday, 2/12/2018).  This resolution was originally co-sponsored by Council Member David Singer. The resolution found a third sponsor and was approved as prepared.

Once in Tallahassee, we met personally with the Committee Chair, Matt Caldwell (R) and Democratic Ranking Member Rep. Barbara Watson prior to testifying before the full committee. Rep. Holly Raschein sits on this committee and met with us to hear our concerns as well.  Rep. Raschein has always been a good friend to both Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay.

Above left - meeting with Comm Chair, Matt Caldwell
Above right, meeting with Rep. Holly Raschein

The Government Accountability Committee reported favorably on HB 243 by a 17-6 vote after much dilberation.  

Meeting with Rep. Barbara Watson

Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay continue to work together for traffic solutions for our South Miami-Dade area.

Both Mayor Peggy Bell and I used our time in Tallahassee to advocate for our entire municipal legislative agendas.  I meet with our House and Senate officials locally, telephonically or in Tallahassee – at their offices, in the hallways or even at the airport.  The weather of Tuesday evening provided Mayor Bell and I with an opportunity not to be wasted – we were resourceful in turning a 2-hour flight delay into time to really dive deep into legislative issues of the session with our State Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez.

Meeting with Sen Jose Javier Rodriguez

 

Long sought relief for South Miami Dade traffic woes or is this just another delay - more kicking the can down the bus/transitway?

Rail or bust?  Is a bus that rolls like a bus, quacks like a bus, is limited in number of passengers like a bus and not fully funded like the promised BRT of the early 2000s still just a bus; or is this a (certainly not "the") real solution? Have we reached the point of "rail or repeal"?

How are we going to measure success or compliance with spending of the 1/2 Cent Sales Tax? there is a serious question here on the half-cent sales tax we approved in 2002.

See Miami Herald online of July 30, 2017, by Douglas Hanks, A Miami-Dade rarity: a speedy bus route that’s actually attracting passengers

Palmetto Bay is part of "the other side" part of the community represented by, as the Miami Herald states:

"... county commissioners and city leaders blasting the notion of Miami-Dade once again abandoning a countywide expansion of Metrorail first promised to voters in a 2002 referendum. Voters approved a half-percent sales tax for transportation that so far has generated about $2.8 billion in revenue and less than three miles of new rail."

The current Palmetto Bay council has consistently pushed for light rail - in numerous official village resolutions, town hall meetings and in public comments - ALL unanimous statements.

“We are not going to settle for bus in South Dade,” said Peggy Bell, the mayor of Cutler Bay. “Most cities within the United States have good rail systems for commuters. That is what was promised to the residents. And that’s what they want.”

State Rep. McGhee may be foreshadowing a community initiative to repeal a tax many perceive to be miss-applied, The Herald's Doug Hanks quotes Rep. McGee on BRT:

“I think it’s a joke,” Rep. Kionne McGhee who represents South Dade in Tallahassee, said of upgrading the busway. Given the promises of more rail made to voters in 2002 for the transportation tax, McGhee said buses should be considered a surrender on that original effort. “The whole objective is rail,” he said. “If there is going to be a push for more buses, then it is only logical that the people stop paying into the half-penny tax.”

This article is an important read onto the efforts/fight for mass transit to date in South Miami-Dade County.

For additional background, please see prior related post of May 15, 2017, Unified leadership - Mayors Peggy Bell & Eugene Flinn issue a joint statement about collaboration and the need for long term transit solution - Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and I released our joint statement, in part: 

The Town of Cutler Bay and the Village of Palmetto Bay are dedicated to working together to find solutions to the traffic challenges our residents face daily. We are committed to obtaining Rail Mass Transit for South Dade, which is the most important way to address the explosive growth that continues to occur in South Dade. This growth is not due solely to our two municipalities. Cities south of us and unincorporated Miami Dade County residents must drive through these same streets to get to their destinations.

Are transit officials listening?   The overwhelming mood of the South Miami-Dade communities is "RAIL or REPEAL!"

South Miami-Dade Emergency Hurricane Preparedness Meeting, held Wednesday, October 5, 2016

#HurricaneMatthew is to big a challenge for any single municipality.  It takes a Team.  Palmetto Bay was represented last night (Wednesday, October 5, 2016) at the South Dade Emergency Hurricane Preparedness Meeting.

South Dade

Teamwork. South Dade Working together to prepare for whatever #hurricanematthew may bring. Community leaders, Citizen's Insurance Officials and reps from FPL meeting with State, County and Local government officials to assess and plan on how to best keep South Dade Safe! Thank you Rep. Kionne L McGhee for your leadership. I am pleased to participate with local Clergy, Commissioner Dennis Moss, Mayor Peggy Bell, Councilwoman Sue Ellen Loyzelle. County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, and County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava appeared via live feed from the County Emergency Operations Center

Setting up the live feed connecting the County Emergency Operations Center with Cutler Bay Town Hall

 

Your South Dade Elected Officials, Clergy, Police, and FPL hard at work protecting South Dade.

Very truly yours,

Eugene Flinn, Mayor,
Palmetto Bay

Photos of the Day - Palmetto Bay proclaims April 11 - UM Baseball Coach Jim Morris Day

April 11, 2016, was a great day for UM and its fans.  It was my honor to be present and part of the recognition of the outstanding career of UM Baseball Coach, Jim Morris, who just reached 1,000 wins at UM, 1,500 total wins overall.  The UM Baseball team had just reached #1 in all the baseball polls for the first time since 2008.  

Palmetto Bay Council Member Tim Schaffer, UM Baseball Coach Jim Morris & Eugene Flinn

Both Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay proclaimed April 11, 2016, UM Baseball Coach Jim Morris Day - the procs were presented at the Village of Palmetto Bay at the Miami's Community Newspapers lunch and learn.  State Representative Kionne L. McGhee also recognized Coach Morris with State recognition.

Palmetto Bay Council Member Tim Schaffer, UM Baseball Coach Jim Morris

 

& Eugene Flinn - 'throwing up the "U"'

 Of course - part of the South Miami-Dade Transit Team were present - collaboration.

State Rep. Kionne McGhee, Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner & Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn

 I could not resist remarking how nice it would be, if we could ride the light rail from our respective cities ultimately disembarking at the UM Metrorail station to attend UM Baseball games.