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Greetings Friend & Neighbor!
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In This Issue
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Message from Michael
Photo Gallery/ Events with Michael
November Community News
City Committee of the Month
Resident of the Month
Events
This column:
Upcoming Important City Meetings in November & December
Green Tip of the Month
Links
Schedule a Meeting with Michael
Contact Information
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Upcoming Important City Meetings in November and December
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Land Use and Development Committee
November 22
4pm
December City Commission Meeting
December 8
9:00 am
Land Use and Development Committee
December 13
4pm
Neighborhoods and Community Affairs Committee
December 14
2:30pm
Finance and Citywide Projects Committee
December 16
3:30pm
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Green Tip of the Month
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(Courtesy of City of Miami Beach) –
One of Miami Beach’s sustainability goals is to encourage environmentally friendly programs citywide. In 2007, the Miami Beach Parking Department led the green movement when it introduced parking incentives for hybrid and inherently low emission vehicles (ILEV) vehicles. The program provides discounts on parking decals and reserve spaces in selected public garages for these vehicles. While the incentives were expanded the following year, only 84 hybrid “Citywide” parking decals have been sold since the inception of the program. Recently, the City Commission approved yet more incentives for “green” vehicles. Qualification for the program has been expanded from currently requiring an HOV vehicle registration, to having a rating of six or higher by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or “Smartway” designation. Essentially, this increases the number of vehicles that may participate in the incentive program. Nearly 200 vehicles now qualify for the incentives. Hybrid parking spaces have also been added at the 42nd Street Garage from six spaces to 13 spaces and new spaces are being introduced at the 7th Street Garage(seven spaces) and 13th Street Garage (three spaces). A “hybrid” citywide parking decal, which is honored at all on-street metered spaces anywhere in the city, is available for $100 per year. Check to see if you deserve a parking break, visit www.miamibeachfl.gov or call (305) 673-PARK (7275)
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Links
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This newsletter can be seen on the News & Events Page.
A Message from Michael
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Schedule a Meeting with Michael
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To schedule a Meeting with Michael with your homeowners association or a group of concerned citizens, please contact Diana Fontani at:
(305) 673-7030.
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Contact Us |
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MIAMIBEACH
Michael Góngora, Vice Mayor
Diana Fontani Martinez, Aide to Commissioner Góngora
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION
1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel: 305-673-7030
Fax: 305-673-7096
Please reach out to Commissioner Góngora if you need assistance with any city matter in Miami Beach.
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
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I look forward to seeing you on Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin.
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Message from Michael |
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Dear Friend & Neighbor,
I hope this message finds you well. With Thanksgiving upon us and Art Basel right around the corner, this is my favorite time of year in Miami Beach. A virtual cornucopia of events adorns our fair City including a display of pink snails descending upon our island! 2010 promises to be the biggest and best Art Basel yet with Design Miami being held across from the Miami Beach Convention Center. Don't miss it!
November was very active with many committee and resident meetings as well as beach clean-ups and senior center visits. We also just concluded a difficult Commission meeting where we considered whether to confirm the hiring of an Acting Building Director who was hired without the consent or input of the Miami Beach Commission. I voted not to confirm the hiring as a matter of principle. As your Commissioner, it is my responsibility to be actively involved in the hiring decisions of key City of Miami Beach staff, especially in a department as important as the Building Department. I will continue striving toward a customer friendly, state-of-the-art Building Department representative of a world-class City such as ours.
Last week I had the opportunity of walking Miami Beach's Veterans Day Parade. I want to take this opportunity again to applaud all those who participated in this event and especially recognize those veterans who have given the best of themselves to protect us, our families and our freedom.
Speaking of families, this week marks 50 years that my grandparents and father came to the US fleeing the communist regime in Cuba. I am fortunate to have been born in this Country where I have enjoyed the privilege of being raised in a democracy. Here, it is possible to be the child of immigrants and claim the opportunity of living the American dream. My family always taught me to appreciate the open arms which the US received them with and the opportunities this Country has provided.
God bless you, your families and our great Country during this holiday season. On behalf of Diana, my family and myself...A most joyous Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Until next month,
Michael
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Photo Gallery / Events with Michael
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Vice Mayor Góngora at ECOMB's Big Sweep
Claudio Faria, Tui Pranich and Vice Mayor Michael Góngora at the Wolfsonian’s Quince Celebration
Coach Cathy, Dale Stine, Edison Farrow and Vice Mayor Góngora at Trevor Project event at Mercadito
Vice Mayor Góngora with Antonio Aces visiting with residents at Council North
Vice Mayor Góngora with a female World War II Veteran at the Veteran's Day Parade
Vice Mayor Góngora at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Washington Dog Park
Vice Mayor Góngora with M’Dela at her Video Release Party Tour Kick Off Event at Bar 721
Vice Mayor Góngora celebrating MiamiArtZine 5th Anniversary with James Cubby and Harvey Burstein
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November 2010 Community News
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 Miami Beach Pretty in Pink: An Art in Public Places Installation- From November 2010 to January 2011, forty-five huge snails will make a new home in Miami Beach, courtesy of international artistic collective Cracking Art Group and Italy's renowned Galleria Ca d'Oro. Part of the global sensation known as the REgeneration Art Project, the Miami Beach snails will be the series latest and first US-based installation. Strategically placed throughout the city, this engaging public art series is designed to inspire a community-wide conversation about the importance of recycling and its environmental impact, while leaving a potent artistic trace on the Miami Beach community. Embracing bold, unexpected visuals (And what does one call several oversized snails in the middle of Miami Beach if not unexpected?), the REgeneration Art Project has developed an international following by placing large, colored animal installations in a variety of unusual spaces worldwide, including Paris, Milan, Rome, Venice, Torino and Prague, to name a few. The snail was selected as a symbol of nature created from recycled, artificial material, with a minimal carbon footprint. The event will encourage Miami Beach residents and guests to re-examine existing perceptions of urban life, and inspire all of us to play with our cities, to mentally and physically - rebuild them in other words, to REgenerate them - into more healthy and animated environments.
Miami Beach Promotes Recycling- Celebrate America Recycles Day on Sunday November 21 between 10:00 am and 3:00pm on Lincoln Road at the Euclid Circle. Representatives from the recycling industry, non-profit environmental organizations, Miami Dade County and City of Miami Beach will have informational booths, free giveaways, collections, workshops, and presentations and fun, educational activities for children. The Miami Beach Public Works Environmental Division is a leader in environmental management. For more information about America Recycles Day contact Lisa Botero at (305) 673-7080 or lbotero@miamibeachfl.gov
Miami Beach Brings Home the Gold- The City of Miami Beach brought home the “Gold” this week at the 2010 International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom), an international competition for local communities that focuses on environmental management and creation of sustainable cities. Other gold award winners include Odense Municipality, Denmark and Dongcheng District Beijing, China. In the competition’s whole city award, Miami Beach was judged on several categories including: Enhancement of the Natural and Built Landscape; Arts, Culture and Heritage; Environmental Best Practices; Community Participation and Empowerment; Healthy Lifestyle; and Strategic Planning. Launched in 1997, and endorsed by the United Nations Environmental Program, the LivCom Awards are the world’s only awards competition that focuses on best practices regarding management of the local environment.
UNIDAD Provides Monthly Legal Guidance- Every first Wednesday of the month, UNIDAD has lawyers that provide legal guidance to the community. It is on a first come first serve basis. The program begins at 10:00 am and the next program will be held on December 1. For more information, please contact UNIDAD at (305) 867-0051.
Port of Miami Tunnel Project Update -The Transportation and Parking Committee met on November 1 and were provided with an update on the project. Please read the update highlights below regarding the Port of Miami Tunnel Project:
· November 15: McArthur will switch over; current roadwork is to push Jungle Island Trail to south, taking McArthur Causeway and moving it approximately 30 feet to south- two ( 2) lanes, keep current capacity.
· Goal: Use Monday/Tuesday (least amount of traffic) starting at 8pm, working until 6am and ideally have seamless transition in the morning to new McArthur Causeway
· Reason so much work going on: Drill machines- two (2) of the largest drills in the world-drilling down, creating walls for launching pad for tunnel boring machine.
· When McArthur is moved, most equipment will go into median; as you come off McArthur (heading east), all work taking place, will be on the right.
· Jungle Island Road is complete; next step is to move McArthur Causeway.
· Currently, elevated road seen will be the McArthur- need to keep same type of width throughout whole transition
· Hourly transition schedule provided (Contact Vice Mayor Gongora’s Office for the schedule)
· Eastbound lane will be repaved for McArthur, currently milling westward lane; repaved most egregious part, where emergency lane was located
· Other area not paved, still have utility work taking place (westbound lane, barriers up to line); as soon as utility work is done, will repave and restripe.
· Main focus is on seamless transition into McArthur.
· Received two (2) change orders from FDOT:
1. Expand bike path on eastbound lane- continuing bike lane
2. Investigate solutions in case truck misses tunnel
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City Committee of the Month
Community Relations Board
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The Community Relations Board is currently working on two projects: the Peace Pole Project and the Continuation of the S.M.I.L.E (Service, Manners, Ideals, Leadership, and Excellence) pass it on Pilot Program. The Peace Pole project was started by the World Peace Society dedicated to uniting people across the World through the universal saying “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. To date, more than 200,000 Peace Poles have been dedicated in over 190 countries. The Peace Pole will be permanently placed in the City of Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The Peace Pole needs to be incorporated into the renovation plans and Laura Jameson, the Executive Director of the Botanical Garden will be working with the landscape designer to see where the pole will be best placed. The S.M.I.L.E (Service, Manners, Ideals, Leadership, and Excellence) Pilot Program was recently introduced to the City Commission by Brad Fleet and Barbara Montero at the November City Commission Meeting. The S.M.I.L.E pass it on is a program sponsored by the Community Relations Board which fosters civility and kindness to the community through presentations/workshops and promotional material. Some of the other future activities for the Community Relations Board consist of continuing to hear complaints/grievances on allegations of discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, economic status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age or handicap; continue to invite guest speakers to educate the Board on issues that are relevant to the work of the Board and its ongoing projects. For more information on the Community Relations Board, please contact Lynn Bernstein at LynnBernstein@miamibeachfl.gov
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Resident of the Month
David New
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David New lost his sight in the prime of his life. As an entrepreneur and a dedicated member of the Miami Beach community, he was dealt a devastating blow. What for most of us would be unimaginable became David’s new reality. Rather than hold him back, blindness inspired and unleashed David’s passion. His frustration with the lack of city services for the disabled led him to be Chairman of the Miami Beach Disability Access Committee. His dedication to improving the lives of the disabled through improved awareness, increased acceptance and better innovations also inspired him to create Ability Explosion. Ability Explosion is a weeklong series of special events held in historic Miami Beach and created for the enjoyment of the entire community. From “Lights Out Miami Beach” (A Dining in the dark experience) to the Crunch 5k Run, the mission of Ability Explosion is to celebrate the diversity of people with disabilities while promoting innovations that will improve their lives.
David New
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Events
For each month's newsletter / events, please visit :
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November 25th
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is a day set aside for giving thanks. Whatever we want, let's be patient remembering the Pilgrims set aside a day of thanksgiving during a time when they were digging seven times more graves than huts.
Today as we gather together with friends and family and reflect on our blessings let's share with those less fortunate in our community.
I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with joy and blessings.
Michael
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December 2, 2010
Happy Hanukkah
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On Hanukkah, the "Festival of Lights," we'll be thinking of our Jewish friends as they celebrate triumphs, both religious and military of ancient Jewish heroes with blessings, games and festive foods.
Michael
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Happy Holidays!
We wish you the best holiday season ever, filled with love and joy!
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The most wonderful part about this time of year is the special opportunity we have to tell our family and friends just how much they mean to us. We forget about all the drama and distractions of our lives to take time out to share our feelings with those who mean the most to us.
We can never thank you enough, our family members, special friends and supporters who have made our year wonderful!
I hope your holiday season is bright with love and joy!
Michael and Diana
Your Friends at City Hall
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The true meaning of leadership is service. - Carter Woodson, educator
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