A Government of the People
How many Committees / Boards volunteer for The Town of Miami Lakes?
If you understand the message on the LinkedIn Article carefully prepared JPEG, under the screenshot of the meetings recording, you read
BAB & QCCA 03-04-2024
What does that mean?
The Community Conference Room video recording captured two meetings held on the same day:
1st: Blasting Advisory Board Special Call Meeting - LinkedIn Article:
03-04-2024 Agenda:
Meeting Minutes 03-04-2024:
BAB Meetings 01-22-2024:
2nd: Quarterly Chairs Committees / Boards Meeting with Town of Miami Lakes Manager:
Ed Pidermann
Starts @ 28:09, @ 28:26 Call to Order by Manager Pidermann: 06:05 PM
Roll Call: BAB: Steven Herzberg & Rudy Blanco; CAC: Felicia Salazar;
EAB: Mario Pinera, EAC: Dottie Wix; EDC: Mario Casamayor; NIC: Rudy Lloredo; Royal Oaks Neighborhood Services: Mario Cruz; Section 1 Neighborhood Services: Renato Amaro; Ruben Arguellez; Public Safety: Nancy Rogers; Special Needs: Jose Fernandez; Hall of Fame: Bryan Holland; Mental Health: Vivian Levy; Veterans: William Perez; Youth Activities Task Force: Bryan Rodriguez
@ 29:27 Blasting Advisory Board explain that former Chair, Miguel Martinez resigned, no Chair has been assigned yet.
@ 30:00 Town Manager asks if there are any Public Comments: None! Town Manager Ed Pidermann explains that within the next 3 months Budget season starts, please meet and develop the group budgets. Start talking about your budget proposals. The committees are the first part of the process and in June / July you have the meetings with the Council members.
31:37 Rudy Blanco the major changes in Blasting is the resignation of Chair Miguel Martinez who is very hard to replace, so the group needs people. How many members allowed in this committee? Up to 14 but they prefer less to always achieve quorum. The Town has 7 / 14 / 21 member committees.
@ 37:17 Cultural Affairs: Felicia Salazar, Chair. Calendar of Events, Motown review was very successful, held at Miami Lakes Middle School’s Auditorium. Universal Calendar needs to be developed to coordinate all activity because Motown was scheduled and conflicted with President’s Day
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Hope Reynolds
Date: Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 11:55?AM
Subject: BRILLIANT QUESTION FELICIA - Bravo!!!
To: Town Manager Edward Pidermann <[email protected]>, Felicia Salazar, Chair Cultural Affairs Committee
Town of Miami Lakes Manager,
Ed Pidermann:
During the Quarterly Chairs Meeting last night, Chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee Felicia Salazar asked you the most brilliant question ever:
What can YOU do to help / guide the group because they work very hard to provide us with events yet NO ONE attends or to be perfectly honest, rather few even when Eventbrite makes them believe they are sold out...
As a former member of the Cultural Affairs Committee, one that does not believe it is in our best interest to abide by Sunshine Laws because committee members should have the freedom to reach out and discuss everything with the public to bring the community input to the Town, not live in fear of discussing anything because how on Earth are we to provide you with the will of the people?
The committee members should ONLY be prevented from discussing things amongst themselves when they are going to vote not to influence one another but once a matter has been motioned and approved, the key is to make sure everyone gets involved?and participates to ensure successful use of public funds...
领英推荐
So... in my humble opinion... return to the basics, have community center gatherings where:
A. We can use our iPod music and dance, it costs nothing
B. Invite authors to come to the Town and share their work
C. The Cultural Affairs Committee?in 2024 should focus on one event only... get the entire community: Schools, Houses of Worship, Businesses to coordinate and do a Town of Miami Lakes Carnival where we close Main Street just like the Veterans Parade and dance, have floats, bands and all Restaurants to have kiosks where they sell their food / drinks
That is it... but rather than start to work, publish the above through the Miami Laker, through the town's website and once you have 15,000 people respond / out of our 32,000 residents... then proceed... It will turn the tables on history and rather than beg people to come... let people determine if they want the event to begin with!
@ 40:29 Town Manager Ed Pidermann asks when is the Cultural Affairs committee reporting to the Council? In May 2024
@ 42:00 Felicia Salazar asks: What can we do to make the Town better?
Bravo!!!
@ 43:00 Felicia Salazar mentions a survey we are not aware of: Public Records Request to the Town Manager / Clerk:
Please provide the results of the survey mentioned by Felicia Salazar during the Quarterly Chairs meeting with the Town Manager…
If I do not know about the survey, something is wrong…
@ 43:47 Communications Director Clarisell de Cardenas says it was not statistically valid survey, Miami Laker, here is the link, the Town Manager then says it would have cost thousands of dollars to… but
Felicia explains that if the Town would have put it on the Town’s website asking what events would you like, like a perpetual survey asks the Manager? Another person explains to Felicia that it was on the website
But the question is… how do we ever know something goes on the website? Every day something goes on any website throughout the world!
@ 45:00 Farmers Market closed, the Town Manager explains their insurance expired and the town is conducting an evaluation where two people have responded, the contractor who was doing it until the end of February and a recommendation to the council will be going out during March’s Council meeting. Felicia Salazar without bias explains the previous Farmers Market is very helpful providing many things for the events of the Cultural Affairs Committee. The Town should select the best…
@ 46:53 Elderly Affairs Committee: Bingo is the most popular event. One problem on allowing people in that are not registered. 4 new people joined during the last Bingo, having fun but they did not know what the event was about. What is the age limit asks the Town Manager as he is getting close to be part of the group to go to see a Marlins game. The Town Manager has purchased tickets to sit next to the Seniors but they move the sections around
@ 50:00 Economic Development: Networking events, only one so far in 2024, needs more attendance, planning a business boot camp, County / FIU / Chamber, an opportunity for people to listen how to get involved. Social Media at a ground level. Different venues need to be identified. A couple of Main Street businesses are asking how to bring more traffic at Main Street, is there a way to do events that involve restaurants and businesses that are located on Main Street.
@ 56:48 Bill Perez speaks for Lindsey on Mental Health Task Force, when the Farmers Market reopens… walkathon in September for Suicide Awareness month Memo on website for charitable organizations, memo addressed to the Town Manager / Town Attorney, 3 month backlog for getting treatment, can companies / organizations be coordinated for immediate referrals? Has not received a reply. Mental Health issues are not planned, requires immediate action, can some of our residents that can register in advance? Is there a list to ensure the Town can act with certain speed. Special Needs has a registry to identify individuals in need.
01:06:02
Neighborhood Improvement Committee, Rudy Lloredo.
Bike rides. Why has this group migrated to bike rides? How about attending all HOA meetings throughout the Town and doing an inspection of all communities to understand the needs of property owners?
@ 01:19:48 Brilliant question by the Town Manager, do we keep metrics on how we are doing with regards to events and the staff replies yes… let’s find out. Clarisell says the information is provided through Social Media on a quarterly basis. What about those NOT on Social Media?
@ 01:27 Clarisell de Cardenas explains that John has a presentation with the matrix explained, let’s see if that is what I get from my Public records Request
May Council Meeting: Communications Strategy Presentation
@ 01:37:48 The Town Manager explains something he wants to get accomplished. Enhance the holiday lighting. Willie Sanchez was working on the project. Challenge, light up 154th Street, electricity is an issue, financial, council decides on dollars spent. Is there something the Neighborhood Improvement committee can consider to come up with ways to light up 154th street. Start with the Palmetto and go east and west until the entire 154th can be lit up. Felicia Salazar suggests to find all the connectors along the street, Economic Development can find sponsorship from the business community. Before retiring, wants to light up 154th street.
@ 01:42:10 Police suggests that during bike rides, helmets should be used, he will bring them up to ensure safety. Town staff explains committees should invest in Social Media, $50 / $100 to push events… what?
@ 01:44:40 Public Safety, Chair Nancy Rogers. Remember the group, possibly change how the Public Safety Awards is done. The price has gotten ridiculous. Plaques to give the awards. Police appreciation day, adding new lights and go to various businesses for the light up. Veterans Affairs honors officers on 9/11, how about if the Safety Committee take on doing that event. Town Manager says it would be best to join the efforts of both groups, Veterans and Safety. [Rudy Lloredo has to leave]
@ 01:52:27 Jose Fernandez, Sheriff. Study. Sports Hall of Fame is not present.
@ 01:54:02 Special Needs: Officer Amador / Councilwoman Ruano / Deputy Attorney Lorenzo Cobiella, workshop, registration. Open House for a Dojo program, contact sports. 8 people have registered so far. Resource fair for autism awareness. Bike Ride, wrist bands that announce the autism awareness month. Summer event at the movie theater
@ 01:58:56 Veterans Committee, Bill Perez. Scholarship program for family members, Veteran must be a Miami Lakes resident, restrictions listed. Trade School / College, several thousand dollars to give out. Funding to develop Veterans Park Memorial, $10,000. Will not interfere with the space at the Park, place flags in front of the Community Center. A flag stand would interfere with the trees. Will look for the ideal place where to install the flag stand. Arbor Day, vegetable victory garden to grow / self reliance, harvest to be provided to veterans. At Veterans park, a sunny spot.
@ 02:04:40 Youth Activities Task Force: Bryan Rodriguez. Halloween Night drew more people than ever imagined. Crowd is increasing, things are more expensive, therefore funds… sponsors are exhausted because the Town is asking for so many sponsorships. Getting rid of movies in the park, the last one they had less than 100 people. Spoke to a vendor with food trucks and other things to plan a festival or Farmers Market, not enough details yet, at Veterans park, big giant Holiday Festival. One time event, let’s not compete with the Farmers Market
??