Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Thank you to everyone who attended my birthday celebration! This amazing evening was also a fundraiser benefitting UNIDAD Miami Beach and Jewish Community Services of South Florida, both organizations dedicated to serving low-income senior citizens. As a champion of our seniors, I am thrilled that my December initiative is becoming April’s reality. While campaigning last year, I recognized a need for a meal program for low-income seniors in North Beach and worked closely with UNIDAD Miami Beach to make this happen. The senior lunch program will begin five days a week starting on April 2nd. In addition, the Senior Affairs Committee legislation I sponsored is moving forward and poised for adoption upon second reading at the April 4th Commission meeting. Stay tuned!
During the March 7th Commission meeting, two ethics items I sponsored were voted on and formalized. First, a resolution requiring signage in City departments visibly advising potential and current City vendors, lobbyists, developers and applicants for building permits and land use approvals of required compliance with all applicable state and local ethics laws were passed. Second, an amendment I sponsored to Miami Beach Code Section 2-12 entitled “Meeting Procedures and Agendas,” was passed which amends current required protocol to provide more notice and transparency for Commission agenda items.
The Florida Legislature 2018 session ended this month. Two bills we were closely monitoring and opposing died. Both would have removed City Commission ability to legislate locally – on short-term rentals and also on dockless bicycles. Neither bill became law. These attacks against home rule were detrimental legislation for our community. We must remain vigilant in case these bills come back in next year’s session.
April is full of noteworthy community events. Miami Beach Pride celebrates its 10th Anniversary on Sunday, April 8th. Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy will be one of the Grand Marshalls and singer Taylor Dayne will be headlining! In addition, the 2018 AIDS Walk, a 5K walk-a-thon benefitting over 15,000 community individuals who have been affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS, is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of AIDS Walk Miami. I will be spearheading the City of Miami Beach employee team and encourage you to form or find a team and join us on April 22, 2018, at Soundscape Park at 8 am. For additional information, please visit http://www.aidswalkmiami.org See you there!
Until next month,