To Be or Not to Be, Part 1: WHEREAS

I remembered quickly in the last weeks...
As stories about the Beckham group soccer deal coalesced around a last minute vote of the City of Miami Commission to approve a referendum on leasing public land. A soccer stadium deal, eventually revealed as a gigantic real estate deal for a local hotshot.

I remembered: No matter what happens it seems the people will lose.

Much closer to home, the County Commission voted in June for a referendum in my neck of the woods, North East Municipal Service Area, an unincorporated sector of the county, will get to choose to become a city. However this offer comes with many strings, and lots of loopholes. Citizens beware.

I continue my series with an extensive analysis of the June 5th, 2018 resolution. I plan at least two more posts on this county law, with a particular concern for responsibilities or debts the proposed city would owe the county from the start.

June 5, 2018 Resolution calling special election in Miami-Dade County, Florida, to be held in conjunction with the General Election on November 6, 2018, for the purpose of submitting to the electors residing within the proposed new municipality in unincorporated Northeast Miami-Dade the question of whether the BCC should be authorized to create the new municipality with the following general outermost boundaries: County line to the north; the city limits of the City of Aventura to the east; the city limits of the City of North Miami Beach to the south; and Interstate 95 to the west; and designating Greynolds Park, Water and Sewer pump stations, and the Ojus Urban Area District as areas of countywide significance.

If you found the title too long to read then society may have bigger issues than whether NE unincorporated Dade should incorporate into a city. However that title, dear readers, serves as the title of a June 5th ordinance before the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, proposed by District 4 Commissioner Heyman, to decide whether or not to give the voters of the affected area an election to incorporate. (form a new city)

While on face I like the idea of a smaller, more local government implementing policy in my neighborhood, my initial enthusiasm made way for more long-term critical thinking. As an idealist I regularly forget that other opinions exist in the universe, and likewise other concepts of local governance. What conditions would exist in this new municipality? What debts and responsibilities would it have before existing? And what would might it look like if we voted Yes to the ballot question in November on incorporation?

Actual ballot language.

I have to wonder how anyone could make a reasonable decision without further research? This language, without important details, does not nearly convey the extensive structure which already exists around this as-yet non-existent city.
On June 5, 2018 the BCC decided to ask resident electors in the North East Municipal Service Area the question, shall the BCC create a new municipality? In attempting to decide for myself the answer to the question I started a series of blog posts to inform my neighbors of facts, as explained in governing documents, and to raise questions to which I haven't found the answer or for which the answer necessarily requires a new effort by the community.
I welcome you on my journey, encourage you to put forth the effort to read provided documents, to comment with your opinions and concerns, and finally to do your own research and contribute it to the public discussion.

Millions for what? A brief summary of Visit Florida and Emeril's Florida

Anyone who reads my blog knows I haven't updated in a long time, or that I don't update very often anyway. As a perennially preoccupied millennial I often divide my attention among many things, and don't usually have the will to gather those thoughts in to words, but sometimes ideas push me.

I concern myself greatly with journalism, specifically quality of journalism because sometimes it's hard to follow a story.
Take for instance the battle between the Florida House of Representatives and the producer of TV Program called "Emeril's Florida". The producer of this program, Pat Roberts, got the State of Florida's promotional wing to give the show millions of dollars in production funds. For reasons still unclear to me the Florida House decided to find out how the money was spent. (Generally I promote state funds and actions being aired for public viewing.) Citing trade secrets, Pat Roberts has fought a request to turn over financial documents to the state.

Since I could not immediately find recent updates to the story I decided to make this very brief write-up in case anyone else tries to do some digging.

In January a Federal judge denied Roberts' injunction request, demanding he turn over documents within 5 days., but a few weeks later a Florida judge reverse the decision and "quashes final subpoenas."

Although the House promised to continue its pursuit, I can't find any other updates to the story. If anything else comes up in this regard, I will update.
Does sort of make me want to look in to the tussle between the House and Pitbull...

North Miami Beach Water Utility Operations Question 04/03/2017 Overview and thoughts

To Privatize or Not to Privatize

Last year the City of North Miami Beach opened a Request for Qualification for "Water Operations, Maintenance, and Program Management Services." On the evening of Monday, April 4, 2017, the city commission took the city manager's recommendation, permitting the manager by 4-2 vote to negotiate for a contract proposal to privatize the program management, operations, and maintenance services for the city's water and waste water utility. I attended the meeting to find out why some in my community felt concern about the future of the area's tap water.

North Miami Beach and the condescension of chairpersons

I arrived at the end of the formal presentations by paid representatives on the value promised to North Miami Beach in exchange for privatizing the operation of the city water utility, which serves an area beyond the bounds of the municipality.

Like many in the audience I learned of this local privatization question recently, found it important enough to come out and witness the fuss.
What fuss!
"I've already told folks," Mayor Vallejo starts in after a comment shouted from the audience, "that during a meeting you have to learn how to, you have to know how to conduct yourself in a meeting. If you cannot follow the rules you're not going to be able to be here."
The Mayor's equanimity seemed fleeting at some points during the night. The Commission seemed genuinely flustered by, as I imagine, and untypically packed crowd. Standing room only when I arrived around 7. At previous meetings in other jurisdictions I witnessed similar condescension from chair-persons. To preface the public comment portion of the meeting he continued in that tone.
"I would ask everyone to make sure that your comments, please do not recycle your comments or be repetitive with previous speakers. Please also make sure that when you speak, when you add something to the conversation that it's something based on facts...this is not a question and answer forum."
I couldn't hold back quiet chuckles, but I didn't come for the entertainment! I wanted to learn about the question at hand, specifically approval for management of the City of North Miami Beach to negotiate a management contract for their water utilities.

Early on in the public comment and exchange between Mayor Vallejo and resident Ed Navarro got out of hand.
When Navarro brought up the subject of Flint, Michigan, leading to some stirring in the audience, the Mayor chimed in like Kanye West.

"I'm going go to let you finish. I'm going to give you your time. Folks, I've said it three times. This is not a political rally. This is not a political rally."

Ed Navarro visibly upset for the interruption says, "you're here to serve us, this is my time."
After a little more exchange the Mayor kicks Ed Navarro off the podium with 35 seconds left on the clock leading to a louder exchange and various uproar from the audience.

"How can we have respect for you if you don't have respect for us?"
The Mayor states, "we're not here to be insulted."

Later, clearly disturbed by the ruckus audience, the Mayor makes a comment about members of the audience never having run for office.

Eventually the mayor and police ask more people to leave. 

Toward the end of the meeting the more exuberant members of the audience erupted in quite a loud spectacle which stopped the meeting in its tracks for a few minutes.

It ended rather peacefully once all the protesters left.

North Miami Beach Water Utility Operations Question Public Comment 04/03/2017

The following concerns a public meeting of the North Miami Beach city commission concerning potential negotiations over private operation of their water utility.

I decided to type up notes on public comment in a different place than my general meeting write-up. I do not write a transcript here, only what I found worthy of follow-up for the topic of discussion.

Donald Trump presidential election victory speech, transcription. With some omissions.

Thank you. Thank you very much, every one.

Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business. Complicated business.

Thank you very much.

I just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us, it's about us, on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very very hard fought campaign.. I mean she, she fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely. And now it's time for america to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats across this nation I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It's time.

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for all Americans and this is so important to me. For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country. As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard working men and women who want a better future for themselves and their families. IT's a movement comprised of people from all races, religions, and beliefs, who want the government to serve the people, and serve the people it will.

Working together we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and rebuilding the American dream. I've spent my entire life in business looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world. That is now what I want to do for our country.

Tremendous potential. I've gotten to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. It's going to be a beautiful thing. Every single american will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airport, schools, hospitals. We're going to rebuild our infrastructure... which will become, by the way, second to none. And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it. WE will also finally take care of our great veterans, who've been so loyal. And I've gotten to know so many over this 18 month journey. The time I've spent with them during this campaign has been among my greatest honors. Veterans are incredible people.

We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people and we will call upon the best and the brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It's going to happen.

We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world.

At the same time we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We'll have great relationships. We expect to have great great relationships.

No dream is too big, no challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring.

We have to do that. 

We're going to dream of things for our country. And beautiful things. And successful things once again.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interests first we will deal fairly with everyone. With everyone. All people and all nations. 

We will seek common ground not hostility. Partnership, not conflict.

Now I'd like to take a moment to thank those who helped me with this what they're calling tonight a historic victory...

...What great group. You've all given me such incredible support. We have a large group of people. You know they kept saying we have a small staff. Not so small. Look at all the people that we have...we have go tremendously talented people up here. I tell you. It's been very very special...

Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success of what we've done. So I also have to say I've gotten to know some incredible people, the secret service people. They're tough and they're smart and they're sharp. And I don't want to mess around with them, I tell you. And when I want to go and wave at a group of people they rip me down and they put me back down in the seat. But they are fantastic people so I want to thank the secret service.

And law enforcement in New York City. They're here tonight. These are spectacular people. Sometimes underappreciated, unfortunately, but we appreciate them. We know what they go through.

So, it's been what they call a historic event. But to be really historic we have to do a great job. And I promise you that I will not let you down. We will do a great job. We will do a great job. I look very much forward to being your president and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years or maybe even eight years you will say, so many of you worked so hard for us, but you will say that, you will say that that was something that you were very proud to do. And I can only say that while the campaign is over our work on this movement is only just beginning.

WE're going to get to work immediately for the American people. And we're going to be doing a job that, hopefully, you will be so proud of your president. You'll be so proud of your president.

Again, it's my honor. It's been an amazing evening. It's been an amazing two year period. And I love this country.