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Motivated by You. Delivering for You. Committed to You.
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Dear Friends of District 8,
The past month has been challenging as we all have worked hard to recover from Irma. My staff and I have been busy responding to hundreds of requests for recovery assistance. Most importantly,
we've come together as a community to help our neighbors and our sisters and brothers around Florida and beyond. We distributed ice, served food, sponsored neighborhood cleanups, organized FEMA workshops, provided recovery information
for our
Small Business network and
Nonprofit Academy, and helped support the tens of thousands seeking assistance from the Disaster Food Assistance program.
I also published articles in the Miami Herald and Community Newspapers on how investing in resiliency also stimulates our economy. In addition, I had the opportunity to visit our sisters and brothers in the Keys and Puerto Rico. Our hearts and hands go out to all those still suffering and to those who seek refuge in our county
After the lights and phones turned back on, collecting debris left behind by Hurricane Irma has been an enormous task. The County Solid Waste Department and its contractors continue to work around the clock and have deployed an online
Debris Collection Viewer so we can see the progress being made.
As we struggle to return to normal let’s also focus on lessons learned. I will be preparing a report with recommendations which will include the many important suggestions you shared with me on our
Telephone Town Hall call and elsewhere. It’s not too late to weigh in.
Yours for a resilient District 8,
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Rebuilding Together in Leisure City
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In partnership with Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade, we held a community clean-up event on Saturday, September 16, where more than 150 volunteers worked to clear post-storm debris from Leisure City neighborhoods. Special thanks goes to the many groups that joined us including Home Depot, Bank of America, City Year Miami, Dolphins Special Teams, UM and FIU.
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County Budget Passed with Restored Funds for Transit
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Three weeks after the storm, the BCC reconvened and passed a timely County budget. I greatly appreciate so many of you who came out to the budget hearings to let your voices be heard. Together, we were successful in rejecting critical transit cuts and restoring some transit services.
Read more in my budget message.
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Want Rapid Transit? Get Involved!
Great news: This week the Transportation Planning Organization voted to make the North/South Corridor as the #1 priority in the SMART Plan.
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2017 Nonprofit Academy Begins
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On October 4 we launched this year's Nonprofit Academy. 20 organizations that serve South Dade have enrolled to increase their effectiveness and impact. A big shout out to our Academy facilitators and our sponsor JPMorgan Chase & Company. Thank you for all of your support!
Read more.
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Protected Bike Lanes Coming to Cutler Bay
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My office is partnering with the Town of Cutler Bay, area stakeholders and community volunteers to create protected bike lanes along Cutler Ridge Boulevard. These important safety and recreation projects will only succeed with volunteer help, so we’re recruiting civic-minded people to invest a little sweat equity in our community.
Read more.
We launched a bike lane in downtown Miami as part of our Complete Streets project that encourages integrated transportation and reduces roadway accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
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Devon Aire Park Improvements
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When my office was notified of contamination at Devon Aire Park, we moved swiftly to address community concerns. We are grateful for the many area residents who came out to discuss their concerns with us and help inform neighbors about the issues.
My office organized a community meeting with School Board Member Lubby Navarro and other Miami-Dade County departments, which was well attended and covered in the media. While it was clear from the Department of Health that there were no health risks to those using the facilities, the County was able to secure funds to conduct the remediation in an abundance of caution and to address any remaining safety concerns.
Read more.
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South Dade is Going Solar
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Neighbors in District 8 and beyond have formed the Southern Miami-Dade Solar Co-op with the help of Solar United Neighbors of Florida to make it easier to save money on the purchase of solar panels. Dozens of residents from Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay recently gathered to learn more about solar energy for their homes and how to become members of the co-op.
Solar United Neighbors director Jody Finver, League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County President Susan Windmiller, Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn and I encouraged residents to go solar.
Another solar session will be held on Wednesday, November 8, 7-8:30pm, at MDC Homestead Campus.
Join us and let’s go solar together!
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The Falls Area Survey Update
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If you live within the proposed boundaries of “The Falls” incorporation area and are a registered voter, you should have received a survey in the mail. I encourage you to complete and mail it today. Please note that we have extended the deadline for receipt to
November 3, 2017
.
Some friendly reminders include:
1.
If you have not received a survey and believe that you should have, please contact my office at (305) 378-6677 to arrange to pick up a survey.
2.
Please note that your signature is not required on the completed survey. All surveys we receive will be considered whether they contain a signature or not.
3.
As noted in the letter, the northern boundary of the proposed incorporation area on the northeastern side is SW 112th Street. The map includes an erroneous label of SW 122nd Street although it is also clearly marked correctly as SW 112 St.
4.
This mail-in opinion survey is the product of my office and not the Office of Management & Budget. The purpose is to hear from registered voters in the area on their opinions about potential incorporation and the possible creation of a Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC).
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Community Conversation: 87th Ave Bridge Proposal
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At my request, the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) traffic engineers presented their proposal to pursue a new bridge across the canal at SW 87th Ave, north of 168
th
Street. The August 30
th
meeting was standing-room-only at the Palmetto Golf Course and I am grateful for the active community participation.
I have requested that the Department put their plans on hold while we give an opportunity to have the information used to make their decision presented to the public. DTPW has been delayed in providing that information due to Hurricane Irma recovery duties, but I expect to have the information soon and will share it with everyone via my website as soon as I can. I expect this issue to go before the Transportation Planning Organization in November. I know how important this issue is to our community and I hope to have it resolved it by the end of this year as promised.
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Missy (A1890963) is a three-year-old brindle Labrador Retriever mix. She was found as a stray by an Animal Welfare Officer on July 25, 2017 and brought to the Miami-Dade Animal Services Pet Adoption and Protection Center. Missy is a sweet and cuddly girl that will make the perfect furry addition to your family. She’s heartworm positive, but her treatment is free of cost for her adopter as part of the Helping Hearts program. Give Missy the loving forever home she deserves! Her adoption includes spay surgery, microchip, deworming and vaccinations. If you’re interested in adopting Missy, visit the Pet Adoption and Protection Center at 3599 NW 79 Avenue in Doral. #AdoptDontShop
The
Trap-Neuter-Return Program
is an effective and humane way to stabilize the cat population with free spay or neuter surgeries for community cats. Residents can use their own trap or rent one from Animal Services to capture the cat.
Read more.
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Great in 8 Profile:
Dr. Robert Prošek, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DECVIM
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Dr. Robert Prošek of
Florida Veterinary Cardiology
is a leader in advanced medical and interventional cardiopulmonary therapy. In other words, he’s an awesome heart doctor for pets! He’s also the only pet cardiologist in South Florida and hails from our very own Homestead. He believes treating a pet’s condition requires good communication and encourages pet owners to call and ask questions about symptoms, sooner rather than later, to avoid the need for emergency care. We are grateful for his superior services, his kindness in giving back to our community, and for volunteering to treat animals at shelters during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma
.
Read more.
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What's Happening
Oct. 20-21, Tropical Park
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Oct. 21, 10am-5pm, M-D County Fair & Expo Center
Oct. 21, 6-9pm, Harris Field Pavilion
Oct. 23, The Falls & Oct. 25, Southland Mall
Oct. 27, 6-10pm
Oct. 27, 6-9pm, Cutler Ridge Park
Oct. 28-29, 10am-4pm
Nov. 2, 10am-Noon, Cutler Bay Townhall
Nov. 4, 11am-7pm, Harris Field Pavilion
Nov. 5, 10am-3pm
Nov. 8, 7-8:30pm, MDC Homestead
Nov. 30, 9am-3pm, Zoo Miami
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Recycling Tip of the Month
Follow these tips to ensure that the maximum amount of recyclables can fit into the blue cart:
- Flatten all paperboard and cardboard boxes. Make sure boxes are not contaminated with food waste such as pizza boxes.
- Make sure the only plastic items in the cart are narrow-necked plastic bottles (no other plastics are acceptable) and flatten them first.
- Flatten all aluminum cans.
- Steel cans may be too difficult to flatten so just make sure they are empty.
As a reminder, the only items acceptable for recycling are:
- Aluminum food or beverage cans
- Steel or tin food or beverage cans
- Narrow-necked plastic bottles (no other plastic is acceptable)
- Glass bottles and jars
- Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, cereal boxes, cardboard boxes and other paperboard boxes
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