Motivated by You. Delivering for You. Committed to You.
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Dear Friends of District 8,
It’s that time of year again when we all need to
prepare for Hurricane Season. This week I joined Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and our Office of Emergency Management at a press conference to announce how best to be prepared. I’m pleased that we have made many improvements since Irma and proud to have sponsored the
Ready Miami-Dade app that you can download for free to receive the latest news. All the information you need during, before and after a severe storm is in the
2019 Hurricane Guide.
Also, now is the time to take advantage of the
Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday that runs May 31 through June 6. This will help you save money while purchasing the essentials to help get you hurricane ready. For a list of qualifying items, see
disaster prep. Remember, you cannot stop a hurricane, but you can take steps now to protect you and your family. Please be prepared and be safe.
Yours for a safe Miami-Dade,
Daniella
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The full Board of County Commissioners last met on May 21 to consider a variety of issues. Below are some highlights:
- I sponsored a presentation on measles prevention by the Florida Department of Health. Special thanks to Health Administrator Dr. Yesenia Villalta and epidemiologist Danielle Fernandez for your hard work and informing the community that there are no current measles cases in our county due to a high immunization rate and great public education.
- The Board approved new rates for special taxing districts, which pay for street lighting services, security guard services and landscaping services for specific communities.
- The Board approved a resolution supporting FPL’s “Solar Together” proposal that would allow customers to directly support the expansion of solar energy in Florida.
- The Board approved my resolution asking the Florida Public Service Commission to set meaningful energy efficiency goals in the 2019 Florida Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act proceedings.
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Advocating for Local Control
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The Board had a special meeting on May 22 to discuss the
outcome of the 2019 Florida Legislative Session.
I expressed my concerns that local governments – closest to the people – are losing local autonomy. The State Legislature is undermining our ability to address our local traffic and housing affordability crises, and is making entire segments of our community vulnerable because they now fear reporting crimes to our police.
I will continue to push for local authority.
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On May 7 the Board unanimously passed my legislation to help streamline the permits for installation of solar energy systems for residences and businesses,
positioning Miami-Dade as a solar jobs leader in the Sunshine State
. The ordinance makes solar rooftop and ground-mount systems clearly allowable in a multitude of building types and zoning categories. This is part of the county’s effort to qualify for SolSmart Gold status and reducing our carbon footprint.
Read more.
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On May 20 I was pleased to join Mayor Gimenez and Chairwoman Edmonson to launch the
Group Violence Intervention Initiative
to decrease gun violence in our County. The initiative calls for the participation of a number of community organizations including the Circle of Brotherhood, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Community Youth Against Violence and the Urban Partnership. The program has a national proven track record in reducing gun violence and deaths.
Learn more.
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Making Miami-Dade Resilient
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After three years of community, stakeholder, and intergovernmental collaboration, I’m delighted to be instrumental in making the
Resilient 305 Strategy
come to fruition. On May 30 I joined our county’s mayors and other community leaders to release a comprehensive strategy plan to make our region resilient to such challenges as climate change, population surges, inadequate infrastructure, pandemics, cyber attacks and more. Being resilient is what helps us adapt and transform in the face of expected and unexpected challenges, so we can bounce back and flourish.
Read more.
Pictured with Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert.
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Launching the 2020 Census
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The County is planning extensive outreach efforts throughout the coming year to encourage all residents to participate in the 2020 Census.
Participation is crucial to ensure Miami-Dade County receives its fair share
of federal funding to support local services and infrastructure as well as proper representation in Congress. Census Bureau field jobs are available and opportunities for community partnerships.
Read more.
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On Memorial Day Team 8 honored the brave men and women of our military who made the ultimate sacrifice. Those who
gave their lives to preserve our nation’s freedom shall never be forgotten. A special shout out to the Village of Palmetto Bay and Deering Estate for hosting a powerful commemoration in honor of our heroic soldiers.
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Praising Our School Volunteers
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I was delighted to be a sponsor of the
Miami-Dade County Council of PTAs/PTSAs 23
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Annual Awards & Recognition Gala on May 18, under the full moon at Thalatta Estate. I salute these school volunteers for working tirelessly to make every child’s potential a reality. I applaud their commitment to our children’s educational success, health, and well-being, building strong families and engaging our community.
Pictured with Stephanie Wasilewski, Fatima Castillo and Analía Ladner.
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Congratulations to our very own
Cutler Bay for becoming the first age-friendly municipality
in Miami-Dade! Our county has the largest number of older adult residents in Florida and that number is expected to double in the next 25 years. Therefore, I was proud to support the
Age-Friendly Miami-Dade Summit
on May 16, as it is critical for us to prepare all of our communities for our elderly. I am also a proud supporter of the
Conversation Project Miami initiative
to bring awareness about the need for more dialogue for end-of-life care and planning for transitioning our loved ones, so we can “do death beautifully.”
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Celebrating Our Entrepreneurs
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All the entrepreneurs from the
Accelerate South Dade
, small business and nonprofit incubator Cohort I gathered recently to celebrate
two years of hard work and collaboration
. With delicious food catered by the
Brownsville Culinary Academy
, it was great to take a moment to look back at all things accomplished and all the amazing future possibilities. In partnership with
Neighbors and Neighbors Association
, it was a great graduation event, over two years in the making.
Read more.
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Supporting Our Nonprofits
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This year’s
District 8 Nonprofit Academy is designed to provide our twenty enrollees with the knowledge required to assume a leadership role in creating social change. This month’s session held on May 29 focused upon partnering with local government to create resilient communities. District 8 Legislative Director Jason Smith and I joined with
Catalyst Miami staff to facilitate the program. Watch out as our participants are preparing to take action.
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Redesigning Our Bus System
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There was a room full of excitement on the morning of May 8 during the kick-off meeting for the
Better Bus Project. I was happy to join community transit advocates, transit innovators, Director Alice Bravo, county staff and planners to discuss how to best redesign our bus system to better serve the public and the needs of our community.
Read more about how Transit Alliance Miami is helping lead the way.
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Celebrating Our Firefighters
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On May 3 we had the pleasure of celebrating our newest members of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue at the graduation of Recruit Class 137 as they began their honorable journey of public service. We also celebrated the
Firefighter Cancer Coverage
legislation signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. Our firefighters risk their lives for us every day. Now they’ll receive help during their time of need.
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Miami-Dade Parks is asking for your input to
help improve our parks and recreation programs
. Join us to re-imagine the future of our parks system. Mark your calendar for
upcoming workshops in June and July
to make your voice heard and make our parks even better. Bring your ideas, your family, friends and neighbors and get creative!
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Highlighting Our Constituents: Eddy Zamora
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Eddy Zamora, physical therapy assistant at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Miami in Cutler Bay, has been named as the overall recipient of the
Outstanding Employee Achievement Award. As one of only seven finalists out of more than 30,000 inpatient rehabilitation employees in the Encompass Health network, formerly HealthSouth, Eddy was honored at an awards gala on May 2. Learn more about Eddy and his dedication to our community by watching
this brief video.
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June 4, Sandrell Rivers Theater
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Recycling
Tip of the Month
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Think Before You Flush
Let’s all do our part and not use the toilet as a trash can.
The only thing you should flush is toilet paper. Even those so-called flushable wipes should be discarded in the trash, not in the toilet (nor in the recycling bin). Otherwise, we are clogging our sewage system.
Learn more.
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