HOMESTEAD IS HOME ARCHIVES

MOVING TO HOMESTEADISHOME.ORG

2007-09-21T15:13:00.000-04:00

In order to take advantage of the lastest blog upgrade enhancements, we've moved to homesteadishome.org or homesteadishome.blogspot.com

Straw Poll has moved to new blog site.

Issue you feel is MOST IMPORTANT - Poll System- online trouble may cause delays

2007-09-20T11:33:00.000-04:00

KEYS GATE - Candidate Forum - Comments

2007-09-19T07:16:00.000-04:00

Last night the citizens of North Gate did the community a great service in letting us meet the City Council candidates in a "forum" setting. Thanks to all who arranged and conducted this meeting.

Three candidates did not attend: Ms. Sierra of Waterstone, Seat # 5, and the two candidates from the Southwest, Seat # 4, Mr. Brown and Mr. Mc Cormick.

One editorial comment: Mr. Tim Craig read a prepared statement by the absent Ms. Sierra which was not appropriate. Shall we assume her council attendance will also be from a distance?

Let the best persons win, whether they be male or female.

Miami Herald: Candidates Respond to Question # 2

2007-09-16T12:13:00.000-04:00

This week's question: What is your take on the state of development in the city, both residential and commercial, and what changes would you implement to achieve your development vision in the coming years?

* * *
MAYORAL RACE

• STEVEN C. BATEMAN
I would not mandate a moratorium on the residential units. I believe that the 1,600 vacant units have sent that message loud and clear. Although, I would consider once again reducing the density, which would put the residential area under control. The last thing we want to do is to send a message that we are not open for business. As for the commercial side, my vision is to create growth immediately by bringing in national retail companies so that residents never have to leave our community. At the same time, we would be creating hundreds of jobs.

• LYNDA BELL
Two months ago I proposed a one year building moratorium. Not one person on council would back me. I requested a moratorium on multi-family units, exempting single family and commercial. Simply stated, development, or ''overdevelopment,'' has become a hot topic in Homestead. While the new surge of commercial growth is wonderful, the glut of homes and overbuilding of high density residential has become a sore spot. Let's open our arms to commercial and close them to high density homes. Enough is enough. I welcome the commercial as it allows our residents to live, work and shop in one city.

• STEVE LOSNER
Several months ago, I suggested it was time to say no to requests for residential development. I have always and will continue to oppose high density projects as detrimental to our quality of life. As previously proposed, I will ask for a ban on new apartments, condominiums, town houses and cluster homes for two years. We must increase the minimum size of single family lots and maintain lower density. Commercial projects are now under construction that would not be possible without the population to support them. It is my hope to attract upscale shops, restaurants and professional offices.

• JEFF PORTER:
No response
* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 2

• JON BURGESS

Development is vital. Unfortunately ours has been too much too fast and lacking infrastructure. As your councilman, I would like to see the city push for commercial business projects thus supplying quality jobs and economic growth for Homestead residents. I would also like to slow down the number of housing permits allowed. I want to make Homestead a better hometown with larger single family homes and more green space to create beautiful environments. I want to keep high-density developments to a minimum and encourage projects that will have a positive impact on Homestead. For more information on my vision: http://www.burgessforhomestead.com/

• AMANDA GARNER (incumbent)
With 1.5 million square feet of retail space in progress, 507,000 square feet of warehouse space, 585,000 square feet of new office space and a contract in the works for the sale of the Park of Commerce, the city is heading in the right direction. What is important to note is that none of the commercial/retail businesses would have ventured to Homestead without the residential growth we have experienced. Through the Marketing Committee, I will continue to work to improve and modernize the image of our city with the end goal of attracting additional businesses.

• RAMIRO ORTA
No response.

• JIM TRANTHEM
Sadly, Homestead has been badly overdeveloped with little or no regard for the quality of life of the residents who live here.
Five members of this current Council have allowed developers to overbuild with bad zoning and substandard variances, especially on the east side of town.
Infrastructure, including roads, schools, libraries, parks and green space, must be allowed to catch up to these bad decisions. I would work to put a moratorium on apartment-style condos and town houses and would restore six homes to the acre on the east side of town.

* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 3

• MARK BEN-ASHER
Residential development has taken place primarily on the east side of the city, thus necessitating more open space for parks, playgrounds and cultural activities. Infill lots on the west side need to be used to provide affordable housing. To stabilize property values until the economy corrects itself, I would propose a short-term (90-day) moratorium on new residential building, renewable up to one year. Commercial building should be allowed to continue, with emphasis on clean industries which create new jobs and educational opportunities. Expanded roadway infrastructure is already budgeted for, but we need additional assistance from the state.

• GRANT COOL
Homestead has reached the housing market saturation point. This is due to the pronounced need for additional classrooms, infrastructure improvements, and a sustainable commerce base. Positives have been drawn from our current growing pains, including the recent attraction of desirable nationally franchised chains. We now have an indicator of our city's capacity, strengths and weaknesses in regards to future development and growth. To guide future growth, I would work in support of a high density residential building moratorium. Additionally, I would embrace a plan to strategically place Homestead in a position to vie for upscale commercial businesses and responsible industry.

• WENDY LOBOS
The supply of homes outpaced the demand in Homestead. Developers continuing to build while the market is saturated with homes for sale is not smart growth. Smart growth is managed growth which focuses on infrastructure such as schools, roads and parks that can sustain this type of development. Homestead has become a place where businesses want to invest their money. I would work with city government as well as the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that we invite good quality businesses that will make this city a place where we can live, work and play.

* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 4

• DARWIN BROWN
The current state of development has been implemented, as outlined in the city's comprehensive master plan. Based on the current state of the real estate market, it appears that the city is experiencing tremendous commercial and industrial developments as a result of a decline in residential development. It is my vision to work toward increasing the commercial and industrial development activities in the city of Homestead. My emphasis will be on commercial and industrial development to provide job growth and a steady increase in the city's tax base.

• MELVIN MCCORMICK
No response.

* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 5

• ANGEL GARROTE
Residential development, or I should say overdevelopment, in the city is one of our biggest challenges. Currently there is a five-year supply of homes on the market, which is an alarming figure. I have spoken about overdevelopment in Homestead for over two years. The fact is the homes are here and we must resolve this issue. Commercial development on the other hand is underdeveloped. It will take a collaborative effort between developers, the city and local organizations to come to the table and work on solutions. I will lead that effort. http://www.angelforhomestead.com/

• ELVIS MALDONADO
We're experiencing growing difficulties right now, but the situation can be looked upon in a positive manner. I would do the following: I would first begin implementing smart growth programs by bringing industry experts which help municipalities deal with proper growth management. Second, I would form a committee which would produce ideas and resources that would shape the future of Homestead while preserving its historical past. Finally, I would use my resources to ensure that all projects are completed. Homestead is on the path of becoming a great city and is why I choose to be a part of it.

• NAZY SIERRA
Homestead is a blossoming and fast-growing city. Continuing development remains astounding yet progress produces growing pains including traffic, crime and overcrowded schools. I will work with peers, zoning and city staff to conduct immediate city master plan reviews, place moratoriums on high-density development, and enhance Homestead's industry-friendly reputation.
The goal is creating economic and recreational opportunities versus increasing number of homes.
Improving infrastructure (roads, recreation, schools) must coincide with economic planning. We should refocus attention to enrich family income by exploring incentives for larger industries to set up shop here. More local quality jobs and recreation translates to quality of life.

Reference: Miami Herald and Other Sources

CANDIDATE DEBATE - KEYS GATE - TUES., 9/18

2007-09-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

The Keys Gate Royal Palm District is Hosting the Homestead Mayor and City Council Political Forum This Tuesday 9/18/07 @ 7:00 P.M.

Public is invited, please join us.

When: Tuesday September 18, 2007
Where: Keys Gate Golf Course Clubhouse
Time: 7:00 P.M.

The primary is set for October 2, 2007. This is your opportunity to hear candidates speak about issues that will affect the citizens of Homestead for the next two years.

Candidates for Mayor, Steve Bateman, Lynda Bell, Steve Losner and Jeff Porter will make an opening statement and then proceed to answer questions concerning our city and their qualifications via selected questions.

Candidates for Council Seat #2 Jon Burgess, Amanda Garner, Ramiro Orta and Dr. James Tranthem are scheduled to attend.

Candidates for Seat #3 Mark Ben-Asher, Grant Cool and Wendy Lobos are also scheduled to attend.

Seat # 5 candidates Angel Garrote, Elvis Maldonado and Nazy Sierra will attend.

All residents of Keys Gate are invited and encouraged to bring a guest; there will be light refreshments available and the candidates will be allowed to display their campaign literature in the rear of the room. The program is scheduled to conclude at 9:00 P.M. and the candidates will be available for further questions in an informal setting.

We hope to see our friends and neighbors attend to listen to direct answers to questions and concerns of our community from these candidates campaigning for your vote. Good luck to all of the candidates and we look forward to learning more about you and your views.

Miami Herald: Candidates respond to question

2007-09-09T08:10:00.000-04:00

All Homestead mayoral and council candidates in the Nov. 6 election were asked the same question and invited to send a reply of up to 100 words. Here are answers from the 11 hopefuls who responded.
Readers are invited to e-mail questions for the candidates to gepstein@MiamiHerald.com. Questions should be broad enough to apply across the city, not specific to one neighborhood.
This week's question: If you are elected, what would be the first issue you would tackle and why?
* * *
MAYORAL RACE

• STEVEN C. BATEMAN
As the next mayor of Homestead, the first issue at hand that I would address would be to bring all council members together to discuss working as a team in a positive direction for the citizens of Homestead. To understand that at times we will disagree, but the end result has to be in the best interest of its community and its people.

• LYNDA BELL
When I am mayor, I will immediately rehire an internal auditor as was directed by the voters in the city charter. The auditor will have unfettered access to all departments to help us clean up our city from the inside out. The auditor will help maintain a fiscally responsive and responsible city. He will make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely, as well as curb waste and catch outright fraud. This will allow me to continue the tax reductions I implemented this fiscal year. I will continue to fight against crime, for quality education, road improvements and smart growth.

• STEVE LOSNER
The taxpayers of Homestead must have confidence that their hard-earned dollars the city takes as taxes are properly and wisely used. The budget process is about deciding what is important and all spending cuts should start at the top. If elected, I will voluntarily cut my pay and benefits by the 9 percent that Homestead was required to cut from revenue. It is my hope that the entire council will join me and affirm their commitment to the needs of this community and against unwarranted spending. An internal auditor must be in place immediately to guard against any improprieties.

• JEFF PORTER
The first issue I would tackle is widening the Turnpike to six lanes from Florida City to Cutler Ridge with additional access ramps. As public safety chairman, I have been working diligently with state Legislators for four years to accomplish this. The safety of the citizens of Homestead is paramount, as is that of citizens and visitors to South Miami-Dade and Monroe County, should evacuations be needed. The current road system cannot safely accomplish this task. Secondarily, it will alleviate the congestion facing citizens of our growing community as they proceed to and from work and their daily activities.
* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 2 (Keys Gate)

• JON BURGESS
Acquiring quality, Grade A schools is at the top of everybody's list, including mine. However, council members' hands are somewhat tied until either the School Board or a developer steps forward. For those reasons, I would expedite the hiring of an auditor as my first action as a council member. An auditor would fill a voter-mandated position and complete the city's charter requirements. Secondly, with taxes being tightened by the state, an auditor could help the city operate more efficiently and stay within our budget constraints while passing on the financial benefits to Homestead's citizens.

• AMANDA GARNER (incumbent)
Over the past four years, I have worked with the council on many important issues. We have experienced remarkable growth, but with this progress came problems, such as traffic, school overcrowding and keeping up with city services. We need council members that will stay the course with our Transportation Master Plan, continue working with the Miami-Dade County school system, guarantee our residents have adequate police protection, suitable parks and will continue to bring in good commercial and retail development. If I am reelected, I will work to ensure that progress is made in each of these areas.

• RAMIRO ORTA
As a council member, my first order of business would be to help struggling Homestead homeowners. Too many of our residents are having a difficult time making payments on their homes and many are close to losing their American Dream. I would tap into federal funding like [the] Emergency Grant Program that funds credit-restoration workshops, mandatory workshops for first-time homebuyers and current home owners, and payment assistance programs that help residents prevent foreclosures. I would work with the newly revised FHA program to assist homeowners with expiring adjustable rates acquire stable, fixed, low-rate loans.

• JIM TRANTHEM
With exorbitant taxes, run-away electric bills, inadequate infrastructure with little regard for quality of life issues, and a fiscally irresponsible City Council, the most pressing issue in Homestead is still the building of new and improved schools. As we approach 60,000 residents, we will be in dire need of new schools for our neighborhood children. A pro-education council must facilitate this mandate. As your Keys Gate council person and vice mayor, with a Ph.D. in education, I will bring new schools to Homestead. We must build a new K-8 school on our designated property in Keys Gate now.
* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 3 (Villages of Homestead)

• MARK BEN-ASHER
No response.

• GRANT COOL
As a member of the Homestead City Council, the first issue I would tackle involves the need for a current, goal-oriented business plan, outlining realistic short-term and long-term goals in support of a vision for a streamlined city budget coupled with affordable property taxes. Additionally, our plan needs to emphasize the necessity for controlled future growth, which will allow infrastructure, classroom sizes and the condition of education to catch up to acceptable levels. Our ultimate focus should be in creating a noticeable improvement in the overall quality of life for all Homestead residents.

• WENDY LOBOS
At a Homestead Chamber of Commerce retreat in 2003, Mayor Roscoe Warren addressed the audience's fears of uncontrolled growth. Warren reassured us that Homestead would not become an overcrowded, infrastructure nightmare. Fast forward a short four years and what Homestead is today is exactly what the residents forecasted happening. This is the result of mismanagement by the majority of the leadership at City Hall. As council member, I would work to immediately implement solutions to ensure that the quality of life in Homestead does not continue to deteriorate. Let's put up a new banner at City Hall: ``Under New Management.''
* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 4 (Southwest)

• DARWIN BROWN

No response.

• MELVIN MCCORMICK
No response.
* * *
COUNCIL SEAT 5 (Waterstone, Malibu Bay, Oasis)

• ANGEL GARROTE

Establishing and maintaining a strong trust and confidence in our city government will be a top priority. In 2002, 84 percent of Homestead voters approved a charter amendment to establish the office of the internal auditor. It took the city about four years to find and hire an auditor for the position. After three months on the job and identifying areas for over $200,000 in savings, he was abruptly fired. The position has not been filled since. I will put the finding and hiring of the charter-required internal auditor at the top of my priority list.

• ELVIS MALDONADO
If I am elected council member, the first thing I would want to tackle is education. Homestead is growing. We have major retail stores, restaurants and numerous homes. Families want to be partakers of this beautiful city, and at a rapid pace are moving in and calling Homestead their community. Many families consist of multiple children and the need for more schools is at hand. I understand the importance of our kid attending a good quality school in the Homestead area. As an elected official I could address and make education a priority in our city.

• NAZY SIERRA
No response.

Reference Link

Homestead Primary Early Voting Schedule

2007-09-08T19:19:00.000-04:00

Location:

Homestead City Hall

790 North Homestead Blvd.

Council Chambers

Thursday 9/27 - 11am-7pm
Friday 9/28 - 11am-7pm
Saturday 9/29 - 8am-4pm

Reference Link

STUFFING THE BALLOT BOX - REDUX

2007-09-07T11:49:00.001-04:00

These straw polls have been put up on our blog to help the VOTERS of Homestead who read the blog to express their preferences. Some of the rapid inflation of votes and the source of the computers used to vote leads us to believe that not all of these are truly voters opinions. The sources of votes should be kept to Homestead residents. Let's have a clean election...for once.

THE POLL WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE HACK JOB THAT WAS BEING DONE ON IT. Someone was voting for Ms. Sierra once every few minutes all day. That lead to a hacking war and our closing the site.

Does this sound ethical? I hope all the new candidates have or will take the ethics training given by the County.

Remember Philcol Williams...

Waterstone Seat #5 of Homestead City Council - THANKS FOR VOTING Whoever you were...

2007-09-06T20:29:00.000-04:00

Vote for Seat #2 - Thanks for Voting

2007-09-03T20:01:00.001-04:00

We Pledge Allegiance To The...... Developers

2007-09-03T16:50:00.000-04:00

Campaign Contributions Homestead 2007, As Of 8/31/07

Preliminary campaign treasurer reports are now on file with the City Clerk and it seems the contributions for Amanda Garner who is the twice elected incumbent from the Keys Gate seat has $7,750 of which $4,750 is from Miami developers, $500 from Hialeah, $500 from Miami Lakes and $1,500 from her Homestead employer the Community Bank.

Villages of Homestead Councilman and candidate for Mayor, Jeff Porter's reports indicate out of his $15,500 raised, $5,500 is from loans to his campaign from his mother and himself. The remaining $10,000 is broken down as follows Homestead, $4,000 with $1,500 from the Community Bank of that amount. $4,500 from Miami developers, $1,000 from Hallandale Beach developers and $500 from Florida City assigned to Sue Shiver who is Steve Shiver's mother.

There is a potential situation regarding the occupation of Jennifer Torres who on Ms. Garner's report is a student and Mr. Porter has indicated Jennifer Torres is a homemaker, interestingly enough this student/homemaker had $1,000 she needed to contribute to the campaigns of both Garner and Porter.

Vice-Mayor, Steve Losner has $25,125 with a $1,000 loan to his campaign from himself. $1,000 from Key Largo, $1,000 from Goulds, $1,250 from Coral Gables, $250 from Plantation, $100 from Boynton Beach, $250 from D.C., $4,250 from Miami, of which $2,500 appears to be from developers, $1,500 from Florida City and a whopping $14,525 from Homestead.

Councilwoman Lynda Bell has $15,434 in contributions including only $1,500 from developers, $150 from Florida City, $2,150 from Miami, $500 from Pinecrest, $500 from Palmetto Bay, $250 from D.C., $250 from Plantation, $500 from Hialeah Gardens, $1,000 from Delray Beach, $250 from Coral Gables and a generous $9,884 from Homestead.

Nazzy Sierra has contributions of $5,975 including $500 from developers lobbyist, Steve Shiver, $2,250 from Miami, $500 from Puerto Rico, $400 from Miami Beach, $250 from Weston, $250 from SW Ranches, $250 from Unincorporated Dade, $1,250 from Coral Gables and a mere $325 from Homestead.

Angel Garrote has records of only $100 from a loan to his campaign from himself.

Jon Burgess has records of only $300 from a loan to his campaign from himself.

Warren and Hodge Bow Out, New Candidates and Familiar Faces Enter

2007-09-01T14:35:00.001-04:00

Homestead has seventeen candidates running for five seats, they are listed below.

Mayor
Steve Bateman
Lynda Bell
Steve Losner
Jeffrey Porter

Council Seat 2
Jon Burgess
Amanda Garner (Incumbent)
Ramiro Orta
James Tranthem

Council Seat 3
Mark Ben-Asher
Grant Cool
Wendy Lobos

Council Seat 4
Darwin Brown
Melvin McCormick

Council Seat 5
Angel Garrote
Elvis Maldonado
Nazy Sierra

Waterstone/Malibu Bay/Oasis Seat #5 Candidate

2007-08-26T09:52:00.000-04:00

My name is Angel Garrote. I have been active in my community (Waterstone) and in City issues since I moved to Homestead over 3 years ago. I will be taking the opportunity to run for the newly created City Council Seat #5. I hope to see and hear from you and your community within the upcoming weeks. Please visit www.AngelForHomestead.com for more information about my candidacy.

Angel Garrote for City Council

305-403-3007

paid political ad approved by Angel Garrote for city council

BEST OF LUCK MAYOR BELL!!

2007-08-10T07:17:00.000-04:00

Help Wanted, City Of Homestead

2007-08-07T13:37:00.000-04:00

The City of Homestead Benefits Summary for Elected Officials.
Effective on date of hire after election results are ratified.

Pay Period-monthly-Mayor $500.00 / Council $400.00

Auto Allowance-Mayor $833.33/ Council $750.00

Monthly Expense Account-Mayor $933.33/ Council $850.00

Holidays-Eleven paid holidays per calendar year(New Year's Day)(MLK Birthday)(President's Day)(Memorial Day)(Independence Day)(Labor Day)(Veteran's Day)(Thanksgiving plus Friday)(Christmas Day) and (One Floating Holiday)

Retirement Plan-Elected Officials do not contribute to the plan.

Health Insurance including prescription drugs-PPO and HMO Plans-Single and family coverage at no charge.

125 Flexible Benefit Plan- at open enrollment.

Life Insurance-$10,000 coverage at no charge.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance-$10,000 at no charge.

Deferred Compensation Plans- PEBSCO, IOMA, VALIC.

Tuition Reimbursement (after one year of employment).

Eastern Financial Credit Union

Employee Assistance Program-Direct referral to EAP provider.

Discount Program.

The City Clerk's Office has all election materials and campaign rules.

Dade superintendent gets bonus in new vote

2007-08-01T19:56:00.000-04:00

Posted on Wed, Aug. 01, 2007
Dade superintendent gets bonus in new vote
BY TANIA deLUZURIAGA

Miami-Dade Superintendent Rudy Crew will get his bonus after all.
The Miami-Dade School Board voted 5-4 to give the schools chief a $41,000 bonus Wednesday. The vote came three weeks after the board deadlocked on the same item. School board member Robert Ingram, who was absent from the July meeting, brought the item back amid protests from other board members who said the bonus should not be voted on again.
''I believe this item is out of order,'' Board Member Perla Tabares Hantman said.
In proposing a bonus for Crew, Ingram noted that basketball great Michael Jordan could be considered a failure if people simply focused on the shots he didn't make and games he didn't win.
''Those so-called missed measures are exactly why he succeeded,'' Ingram said. ``I see Dr. Crew in the same light.''
Crew was eligible for a bonus of up to $65,000, but the board decided on a lower amount because the superintendent did not meet some of his performance objectives. Board members Evelyn Greer, Martin Karp, Solomon Stinson and Board Chair Agustin Barrera voted along with Ingram to approve the bonus.
In his self-evaluation report sent to the board in June, Crew acknowledged he did not meet or only partially met 12 key goals. All of the shortcomings come in the area of student performance, where testing data is used to evaluate learning gains.
Among the challenges: The performance gap between black and white students widened this year, and the number of F schools increased from five to 26, due in large part to a new science test that the state included this year in its evaluation of public schools.

POLL CLOSED - THANKS FOR VOTING!

2007-07-25T07:52:00.000-04:00

School district is Homestead's biggest employer

2007-07-25T07:51:00.000-04:00

Miami Dade Public Schools is the largest employer in the far southern end of Miami-Dade County, with more than 3,200 employees, a report from the economic development agency for Homestead shows.
The Vision Council said the Homestead Air Reserve Base comes in next, with slightly more than 2,400 employees.

"The combined Public Schools and Base employment makes up almost 20 percent of the area's total employment - which in our latest report stood at 28,584. Four of our top ten employers are tax funded organizations," Vision Council President Mike Richardson said.
Rounding out the top-10 list are Costa Nursery Farms, Wal-Mart, Dade Correctional Institute, Homestead Hospital, First Foliage, Everglades National Park, Stock Building Supplies (which does business as K&A Lumber) and Contender Boats.
The agency said Stock Building Supplies and Homestead Hospital are the largest businesses in the area based on reported sales revenue.
The Vision Council took the rankings from a Dun & Bradstreet Marketplace database provided by the Beacon Council, the economic development agency for Miami-Dade County.

Reference Article

Homestead Education -- The Miami Herald Should Report The Facts

2007-07-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

The usual fair and unbiased reporting of the Miami Herald regarding Homestead is questionnable after the article on the City Council meeting on the proposed school in Keys Gate. The Mayor's position was quoted at length, but there was no mention of the facts as provided by several resident speakers. The schools in Homestead are primarily "F" schools and the school board as represented by Ms. Evelyn Greer had no response to that fact. If the Herald bothered to do some investigative reporting, it would also be known that contrary to the opinion of the Mayor, the Homestead schools are overcrowded and all are operating at 125% capacity. The Planning and Zoning Department is aware of this as is the School Board.

The fact is that no new schools have been built by the School Board to address the burgeoning population of Homestead as recently reported by the Herald. Only two charter schools have been built, and they are not run by the School Board, and they are graded "B." These shools are so crowded that a lottery system is necessary to choose students to attend. The rest get to go to the "F" school or pay for private education.

The political aspirations of the City Council members who voted against the proposed school in Keys Gate have prevented the Keys Gate developer from building another charter school on land already set aside for a school. This shows blatant, continued disregard for the education of our children by these public servants. The children deserve better than continued "F" grade education at the current School Board administered schools. They are the future; let us hope that in the future they will expect more citizen concern by their public officials than the current council members are providing. It is an election year. This vote will not be forgotten.

21.12% Property Tax Increase

2007-07-23T08:22:00.000-04:00

Although the State Law requires a 9% reduction to the "Rolled Back Rate" for Homestead property taxes this year. The City of Homestead is proposing to OVERRIDE that Law by 21.12%. They need a unanimous vote to do so. Let's hope (we might want to show up to as well) one of our council members draws the line/steps up to the plate for Homestead Taxpayers.
Special Call Meeting @ City Hall Tuesday July 24th 5:30 PM

Deviant Politics 2007

2007-07-22T12:59:00.001-04:00

Can you imagine a City Council so desperate to hold on to power they could concoct a scheme so devious, so underhanded, so un-democratic and downright despicable they would force one of their own with a four year term to resign?

So desperate are they, this is the plan, the at-large CLOWNcil seat held by Judy Waldman will be resigned by her, the seat then is filled by anyone who the mayor deems is qualified upon approval from a CLOWNcil majority vote.

The plan is for the mayor to recommend Attorney Steve Shelley to the open seat and he will inherit the at-large seat and fill out the rest of Waldman's term. Then the pretend change of heart occurs and Waldman runs for the Villages of Homestead seat being vacated by Jeff Porter in his bid to run for mayor.

This plan seems underhanded and is clearly not the thought pattern of the above, an outside scheming, devious weasel of a mind had to come up with this plot, I wonder who that could be, who has gained the most from these CLOWNcil members known as the FAB FIVE?

A little about Shelley, boyfriend fiancee of Jenn Helms the unregistered lobbyist employed by Steve Shiver, Mr. Shelley is the recipient of an opinion by the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission advising him not to hear applications as a P&Z member by Jenn Helms or her employer. People like Jon Burgess, Angel Lazo, Brian Judge and Dr. Jim Tranthem who narrowly lost to the 2005 incumbents have zero chance in this rigged caper of deception.

Yes indeed, they work on schemes to enrich their pals and keep you from a municipal government with honesty and integrity. This is why the FAB FIVE CLOWNcil have to go. To even strategize this scenario is beyond the visualization of many of us, these are your FAB FIVE, what they can't do honestly they will do deviously.

City Council Rejects Charter School Proposal

2007-07-19T07:59:00.000-04:00

City Council rejects proposed school
A proposed charter school won't be built on a 39-acre site between Keys Gate and the Villages of Homestead.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Mounting pressure from residents who did not want another high school on the east side of Homestead seemed to sway most city leaders into voting Monday against allowing a charter school on a 39-acre site at Farm Life School Road and South Canal Drive.
The City Council voted 4-2 against a proposed change at the Villages of Homestead that would have allowed a charter school company to take title to the land, which is inside the Keys Gate community.
Vice Mayor Steve Losner and Council member Lynda Bell voted for the change, but Council members Jeff Porter, Judy Waldman and Norman Hodge, along with Mayor Roscoe Warren, voted no. Council woman Amanda Garner did not vote because of a potential conflict, City Attorney James White said.
Ownership of the land in question has been debated. According to city attorneys, the land should be deeded to the school system.
A charter school can still apply to build on the site but would have to do so through the Miami-Dade School district, not the City Council, according to city attorneys.
Opposition to the measure came not only from residents, but from School Board member Evelyn Greer, who said she would like to see a Miami-Dade public K-8 school on the site instead.
The land has been the subject of much dispute. The school system was to have built two K-8 schools on the property, but concerns about site contamination stalled the effort and some school system staff said the land was not acceptable in its current condition.
''We worked with the school system for 3 ½ years and that's not going to happen. They rejected the site,'' Bell said. ``And now they want the site back; I'm very surprised about that.''
Academica, a charter school operator, had intended to build a K-12 school on the site. But after hearing opposition to a high school, the developer's attorney, Juan Mayol, said the school could be a K-10 or a K-8 instead.
Losner argued that approving the agreement would give the City Council options, which it does not have now.
''We as a city do not jump into bed with Academica; we do not commit to a site plan,'' he said. ``It gives us the ability to have that conversation in the future.''
Porter at first seemed inclined to go along with that argument but ultimately voted against the change.
''The current site has been designated for a public school site for a very long time,'' said Porter, who added that Keys Gate developer Michael Latterner considered another 13-acre site in the residential community for a charter school. ``I just think the door is open on both sides. I think that we have options.''
Warren, the strongest opponent of the charter school plan, said it would be wrong to change the rules in the middle of the game, when the school system was supposed to get the land since 1976.
''I don't think it's appropriate for a developer to say what kind of a school we should have in Homestead,'' Warren said. ``It's unfair to every resident of the Villages of Homestead.''

Reference Article

Academica's Science and Engineering Charter School vs Rudy's Agricultural and Animal Husbandry School

2007-07-15T11:44:00.000-04:00

School operator argues for site
Charter school operator Academica presented plans to the City Council for a charter school in Keys Gate, but the school system will have the final say.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

A marathon session about the future of schools in Homestead had city leaders rehashing old ground and hearing new proposals, and gave residents a chance to weigh in on their visions for education.
Fireworks kicked off the tense, four-hour meeting, when Mayor Roscoe Warren and council member Lynda Bell wrangled over who should be in control.
The meeting was slated to be an education workshop. Bell, the education committee chairwoman, thought she would be running the show. She had scheduled a presentation by charter school company Academica.
But the mayor had a different idea, and tried to stop Academica from proceeding.
The council ultimately voted 5-1 to allow the presentation to go forward, with Warren casting the only dissenting vote. Council member Amanda Garner did not attend.
Some residents seemed receptive to the idea of a charter school, which Academica said could serve up to 2,000 students and would be run by Somerset Academy.
The school would be built on a roughly 40-acre site at South Canal Drive and Farm Life School Rd that was once slated for two K-8 schools. Plans for the schools fell apart recently when the Miami-Dade school system rejected the site because it was contaminated with arsenic. Now, the school system has taken a different view, as Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew is proposing to put an agricultural center on the site.
But the discussion about a charter school could be premature: City Attorney Susan Trevarthen said that under the original development order for Keys Gate -- where the site is located -- the land should already have been turned over to the school system.
Keys Gate developer Michael Latterner is seeking a change to the agreement that would allow a charter school to operate on the land. The council will vote on that Monday.
Latterner appealed to the council to consider the change.
''We are pretty far along with them in selling the property,'' he said of Academica, which stepped in after the K-8 plans derailed. ``This will be the pinnacle of my career if we can get this thing passed.''
While the council can amend the agreement to allow for charter schools on the site, it is the school system that has final approval over granting charters to operators, such as Academica.
Latterner's attorney, Juan Mayol, said that if the council turns down Latterner's request to amend the development order, then ``we will be dedicating that to the School Board in due course.''
That view represents a change in position. After the last education meeting, Latterner's development partner Wayne Rosen said that the school system would not be allowed near the property.
Nevertheless, a discussion about charter schools versus traditional public schools ensued.
Keys Gate resident Richard Kahn said he would rather see a charter operator that runs 'A' schools -- as Academica said it does, in its presentation -- than more county-run ``F schools.''
''You know why people aren't buying here?'' Kahn asked, pointing to Homestead High and West Homestead Elementary as examples of failing schools. ``Because there's no [good] high school. You don't want to take your kids to an F school.''
Nazy Sierra, a Waterstone resident, said she has taught at charter schools -- not Academica's -- and touted their academic benefits.
''Not only are their students excellent, but their teachers are excellent,'' she said. ``There is also more parental involvement.''
Mike Peña, who lives in Keys Landing, said he is a fan of traditional public schools.
'I teach kids in a `C' high school in Dade County, and we've sent three students to M.I.T.,'' he said. ``My advice to you is think very hard on the decision that you make.''
James Sutton, a Villages of Homestead resident, had a decidedly different take.
''I'm probably one of the few in the room who doesn't want a school on that site -- public or charter,'' said Sutton, who said he was not against schools, but just didn't think the site was the right fit.

Reference Article

Original Article correction: Actual Location is South Canal Dr and Farm Life School Rd vice South Canal Dr and Redland Rd.

Krome Ave: Money + Widening = Circa 2015

2007-07-15T11:34:00.000-04:00

A new Krome Ave. is years away
It may be a while longer, possibly up to 10 years, before Krome Avenue is fully expanded. What's holding it back? The hundreds of millions it's expected to cost.

BY YUDY PINEIRO
ypineiro@MiamiHerald.com

West Miami-Dade residents have waited a long time for the widening of Krome Avenue -- the dangerous north-south road that runs all along the western fringes of Miami-Dade County.
For those in the north, there's good news. The Florida Department of Transportation presented plans this week to start four-laning approximately 14 miles of the road from Southwest Eighth Street to Okeechobee Road by October 2008.
Southerners, get ready to wait some more. It may be eight years before construction starts between Southwest 296th and 136th streets.
While the FDOT has made progress in studying and designing a wider Krome Avenue, one major hurdle remains: money.
''One of the problems we're having now is cost of materials because it keeps changing every day,'' said Bayo Coker, a project development engineer for FDOT's District 6 office, which oversees state roads in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
Widening the entire 33-mile stretch will cost hundreds of millions and the state can only do it as the money becomes available. So it has split the roadway, which runs from Northwest Miami-Dade to south of Homestead, into separate projects.
At a public meeting Tuesday, Coker discussed details on the north portion, which is is expected to cost $120 million. He said it will be constructed in three phases, starting in 14 months, though it could take up to seven years before FDOT has the money available to start construction on the segment's middle portion.
Construction on the slice between Kendall Drive and Southwest 136th Street isn't expected to start before 2016, Coker said. Other south-end portions could start sooner, he said, depending on the money available and the outcome of the ongoing study.

Reference Article

City Hall Event: Workshop on Education Issues

2007-07-11T13:53:00.000-04:00

Dear Fellow Residents of Keys Gate and Oasis, and Villages of Homestead;

On Thursday, July 12, 2007, at 6:30 PM, there will be a Council Workshop on Education Issues directly affecting Keys Gate. The Workshop will be held at City Hall located at 790 North Homestead Blvd.

It is my understanding that the workshop is an effort by the Homestead City Councilwoman Lynda Bell, the City Education Committee Chairperson, to inform the citizens of our city the status of the Keys Gate Schools that were to be built on South Canal Dr and Farm Life School Rd.

Property Location Link:

http://gisims2.co.miami-dade.fl.us/MyHome/propmap.asp?app=propmap&cmd=FINDFOLIO&folio=1079170142760

As you know, there has been much discussion about the possibility of constructing (2) K-8 Schools. On June 1, 2007, Dr. Crew sent a letter to our Mayor, Roscoe Warren proposing, among other things, that an “Environmental Center”, more commonly known as an Agricultural School (AG) be constructed on that site, instead of a high school or even a Charter K-8 facility. According to Dr, Crew’s letter to Mayor Warren, such school would allow children to be trained for the study of agro-science, running a successful farmer’s market, or the practical aspects of animal husbandry. It is my firm belief, based on discussions with my fellow residents in Keys Landing, with my fellow Delegates of the Keys Gate Community Association, that the majority of parents in Keys Gate are most interested in ensuring that their children receive a TRADITIONAL education from grades K-12, based on acquiring a solid foundation in reading, writing, mathematical, and computer skills. These are the abilities that are so necessary in today’s society, and it is a proficiency in those areas that will be vital in tomorrow’s competitive job market.

In addition, I would like to inform you that the Keys Gate Developer would like to sell the land to Academica, a Charter School Company. Academica would like to build a K-12 school on the 39 acres to serve Keys Gate and the adjoining area. While most schools in Homestead received below average grades on the FCAT, both K-8 Charter Schools, Keys Gate and Waterstone in our city received a grade of B. It is my belief that we need an alternative to Homestead High School for the children of Keys Gate and a K-12 Charter School ran by Academica would be a good fit.

Therefore, I urge you to attend next Thursday’s workshop, as this is an issue that affects us all, parents and non-parents alike. For the sake of our children, I hope you will be able to attend the workshop. Let's show the Council that we want a different approach to the current public school system, which continues to fail our children time and time again.

Regards,
Angel Lazo
Keys Landing Delegate
Keys Gate Community Association (KGCA)

Unaffordable Housing Bubble

2007-07-09T19:58:00.000-04:00

Report: Housing prices must drop to be affordable in Miami
South Florida Business Journal - 11:20 AM EDT Monday, July 9, 2007

Miami housing prices would have to drop 41.4 percent to return the city's income-to-housing cost to its historical ratio, a report by John Burns Real Estate Consulting said.
That is further than any other major market surveyed, the report found. The Irvine, Calif.-based consultant calculated average wages versus average costs of home ownership, including mortgage payments, property taxes and down payments, to tabulate affordability discrepancies.
Housing prices in Miami would have to fall $145,000 from their current $350,000 in order to return the city to historical affordability levels, the report found.
Under federal affordability guidelines, no more than one-third of a family's income should be dedicated to housing costs.
The Riverside and San Bernardino areas of California came in a close second in the affordability gap, requiring prices to drop 41 percent, or about $160,000, to return to a historic balance. Los Angles was third, requiring a 39.5 percent fall in prices, followed by Baltimore, at 37.2 percent, and Orange County, Calif., at 34 percent, the report found.
The most affordable spot in the nation: Indianapolis.

Royal Flush: New Construction

2007-07-08T09:16:00.000-04:00

Homestead revenue may be up despite cut
Homestead is poised to bring in more revenues next year, despite impending tax cuts, because of new construction in the city.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
Even with impending budget cuts mandated by the state, Homestead stands to make out better than some other local cities because of all the new construction dollars coming in, according to newly released county figures.
The city's assistant finance director, Christi Vizcaino, said Friday that early projections show Homestead could collect nearly $1 million more in property taxes next year than it did this year, the cuts notwithstanding.
But, she cautioned that was just a rough estimate and that final calculations have yet to be made.
Most cities statewide are being forced to cut their property tax collections next year by between 3 and 9 percent. Homestead faces the 9-percent reduction, although the city is disputing state population calculations that factor into how the tax adjustments were determined.
Vizcaino said she should know within a week whether the city has a chance to succeed with that argument.
The required reduction in tax collections comes in addition to a state requirement that cities freeze their tax bills to what they were this year.
For many cities, that will mean a significant reduction in property tax collections next year.
But Homestead stands to collect $2.3 million in taxes from new construction over the past year, generated from the $451 million added to its tax rolls.
''The growth has definitely helped us, so we weren't hurt as much as other cities,'' said Homestead City Manager Curt Ivy.
Still, Ivy said, the city is readying for a crunch come budget time.
Department heads are cutting budgets by 10 percent in preparation, Vizcaino said.
''For finance, I've cut everything down to the bone. We don't have anything left,'' she said.
The newest figures are only one part of the property tax reform package passed by the state legislature during a special session last month.
If a constitutional amendment is approved by voters next January, the state would also create a super exemption which, over time, would replace the current $25,000 homestead exemption and Save Our Homes legislation, which limits taxable-value increases to a maximum 3 percent annually.
Save Our Homes tends to favor long-time homeowners whose homes' taxable values are relatively low, while the new plan would largely benefit new homeowners whose assesed home values are generally much higher.
Miami Herald Staff Writer Tim Henderson contributed to this report.

Reference Article

Keys Gate Developers say NO WAY! to Rudy Crews' AG School

2007-07-05T06:48:00.000-04:00

Landowner says no to Rudy Crew
A Miami-Dade school system plan to build an agricultural center on part of a 39-acre property is being met with resistance by the landowners.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
In response to a proposal by Miami-Dade schools Superintendent Rudy Crew to build an agriculture-themed center on part of a site formerly slated for two K-8 schools in Homestead, one of the landowners had this to say: No way.
Wayne Rosen, partner of Keys Gate developer Michael Latterner, said he and Latterner would not allow school system contractors onto the site to conduct environmental assessments, as requested.
''We are under no circumstances going to allow anyone, including the school system, onto that property,'' Rosen said after a City Council committee meeting last week.
The land, part of a 39-acre parcel at Southwest 162nd Avenue and South Canal Drive, had been designated for the first of two planned public K-8 schools. But the plans fell apart in recent months as the school district raised concerns about site contamination.
Since then, Latterner and Rosen have been in negotiations with charter school operator Academica to build a school on the land.
Mayor Roscoe Warren has asked city attorneys to write a letter asking Latterner to allow the school system contractors onto the site to do the environmental checks.
But Crew's plan to build an agricultural-themed center on the property has ignited new questions about whether the school district has legal rights to the property.
Homestead City Attorney Susan Trevarthen told the City Council during a June 28 workshop that there was no legal requirement mandating that the specific site donated by Latterner be set aside only for school use.
The only requirement under the 1976 ordinance that created the Keys Gate development agreement is that the developer donate 58 acres for schools and open green space, Trevarthen said.
''There's nothing about the approval that ties it to this dirt,'' she said of the 39-acre parcel. ``It just so happens that for the past five years, this piece of land has been contemplated as a school site.''

Reference Article

Homestead School Failures: Hold Students and Parents Accountable

2007-07-04T11:43:00.000-04:00

Forget the excuses for schools' failures — focus on education

By Michael Lewis

"They graded us too hard." As kids, that ranked right up there with "The dog ate my homework" as an excuse.

Years later, we realize we got the grades we deserved — the punishment indeed fit the crime. So as educators mouth excuses after the state last week ranked 26 Miami-Dade schools — that's right, 26 — as failures, you can almost hear the other kids years ago in grade school (assuming, that is, that Rudy Crew was in your class). Dr. Crew, our superintendent, has already said that "there is a fundamental flaw in the way this has been rolled out to the districts" and that because local students didn't have to pass the state's science test to graduate, "they didn't take this test as very serious." If as kids we'd used the word "fundamental," we'd have said the same things. Kids who flunked hardly ever took it seriously. School officials have already said that if they didn't count the science tests, we'd only have six failing schools — as though increasing failures from five last year to six instead of 26 would have equaled success. And if they hadn't counted the questions I didn't study for on my math test, I'd have done better, too. You can confidently expect to hear the following excuses in coming days: nThe testing wasn't fair because our kids are so far behind. nThey raised the standards for a school to get a passing grade, which wasn't fair. nOur students improved, which is the important thing, regardless of whether they meet minimum standards or not. nWe have some great students, some great programs, some great teachers and some great schools. (That's absolutely true, but we need to get from some greats to all greats — or at least, no schools that fail minimum standards.) nOur kids may not know enough to pass a test, but they sure can pass a football (this from coaches and principals). Excuses aside — because none can justify the performance — the state report card should surprise no one. Ask any employer if most local high-school grads can spell, write a sentence or even count change, much less be ready to work. They are computer-literate but illiterate. The schools are going to shift blame to the state's test or the federal government's strict levels because the Florida standard that our 26 schools failed is far below the minimum goal nationally. There is, of course, plenty of blame for all. We can start with kids who flunk tests — and we should, because we give them full opportunity to learn and we should hold them accountable. Then we can go to parents for not helping the kids — and we should, because education is the greatest start they can give children on the road to life. We can blame the community for not holding our schools to higher standards and being far too willing to accept feeble gains in education where giant steps are plainly needed. We can blame teachers for not working harder to get their pupils to work harder, or principals for not working harder to get teachers to work harder to get pupils to work harder, or administrators for not working harder to get principals to work harder to get teachers to work harder to get pupils to work harder. We can blame our superintendent for not earning his half-million dollars a year by setting proper goals for the schools and attaining them — and his schools' atrocious grades would certainly cripple his bid for a superintendency elsewhere. Or we could blame our school board for caving in and not making Dr. Crew accountable for what he and his team do because he pushes the board around. We could blame state government for not funding our schools well enough to pay teachers and principals and administrators and superintendents more so that we'd have more competent educators — or so we could better reward the most competent among them. And who could deny that schools need more money? We could do any or all of those things and find real justification for placing blame in any of those corners. We could, but that's not what's likely to happen. Blame is going to be placed on the yardsticks that measure school and student progress. Administrators will find the tests wanting — because they don't want to admit failure. The state and federal bureaucracies will be criticized for lack of fairness. And that will be the great crime — not that our schools are poor but that we won't admit it and focus all of our educational system's efforts on improving them. Admit problems and strive to fix them rather than striving to fix blame, of which there is plenty to go around. Okay, state standards got harder. Sorry, folks, that's the real world. We need constant improvement. When 60% of South Florida's schools flunk federal standards, it's past time for the state to toughen up, too. After all, it's not as though a school can't get top state rankings unless everyone is an "A" student. Schools get points for every pupil who does better than last year and bonus points if the lowest 25% of students progress. And pupils are counted at high standards, the top rank, if they get an "A," a "B" or a "C." These are not onerous tests. Of course, the aim isn't good school rankings. Our educational system needs just two goals: to educate each and every child to his or her limits, and to prepare those well-educated youngsters to take productive roles in society. Everything else — every test or measurement — should focus on those aims rather than on garnering honors for a school system. If state and federal yardsticks really were extraneous to education or unfair, the excuses we're about to hear could have bearing. But the yardsticks approximate a reasonable report card. They're not grading us too hard. We're achieving too little. So complaining about the standards, rather than focusing on improving our performance, is very closely akin to moaning that "the dog ate my homework." It's not even a good try at a legitimate excuse. We don't need excuses. We need accountability, on everyone's part, to make our schools what they should be.

Reference Article

Homestead's Lobbyist Fined, Why Not?

2007-07-01T12:27:00.000-04:00

Lobbyist to pay $750 ethics fine

Controversies Continue to Plague Homestead

City of Homestead Lobbyist, manages to still produce a profit on deal.

Lobbyist Robert Levy agreed this week to pay a $750 ethics fine and reimburse $1,000 in investigative fees, settling charges that he tried to improperly influence a government contract in 2006.

Levy was accused of slipping a poison-pen letter about his client's competitor to a county judge who was helping pick the winner of a multimillion-dollar contract to oversee misdemeanor probation cases in Miami-Dade.

His attorney said he was simply trying to report wrongdoing in the way bids were solicited. He did not, however, contact police, ethics investigators or the county inspector general.

In a deal with the county's Commission on Ethics, Levy admitted he failed to register as a lobbyist and did not contest a claim that he improperly contacted people involved in picking a winning bidder. A third charge about additional inappropriate contact was dropped.

The ethics commission approved the settlement Tuesday. The fine was far smaller than the $5,000 fee that ethics investigators said Levy received on the deal.

Stauts Has A Conflict Of Interest

2007-06-30T09:34:00.000-04:00

They got the wrong guy?

The Miami-Dade County Ethics Commission found that Homestead CRA Director Rick Stauts definitely had a conflict of interest with his wife's business being in the CRA sponsored business incubator.

This of course takes us back to the dog and pony show of the Internal Auditor James Albritton's firing which was approved by Mayor Warren, Amanda Garner, Judy Waldman, Jeff Porter and Norman Hodge. Voting no and saying the audit was close to something sensitive were Lynda Bell and Steve Losner.
Rick Stauts also provided Homestead Mainstreet with $20,000 for alleged operational costs, this money was then funneled to Director Yvonne Knowles, and resulted in a fifty percent salary increase. Knowles was also way behind in her business loan from the CRA, for the company known as Domaine de St. Quentin at the time of the audit.

There were other issues in the audit report such as allegations of expenses for dining and travel that Stauts did repay the city for out of his own pocket. The fact remains that it seems Stauts was acting improperly and the auditor was fired in error by the Mayor and the other four council members.

Some of the reasons given for support of the termination by the Mayor and others were the auditor was not friendly, he asked questions of staff, he disguised who he was on the phone and he was a bully. The role of an Internal Auditor is to find malfeasance, he found it, the council majority fired him. Case reopened, not closed.

NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS EXCEL IN HOMESTEAD

2007-06-29T11:59:00.000-04:00

2007 FCAT School Scores

Redondo Elementary = A

Keys Gate Charter K-8 = B

Laura C. Saunders Elem = B

Waterstone Charter K-8 = B

Campbell Dr. Elementary = C

Homestead Elementary = C

Homestead Middle = D

Homestead Senior High = F

South Dade Senior High = F

Campbell Dr. Middle = F

West Homestead Elementary = F

Reference Link

Census Update: City Population reaches 50K Milestone

2007-06-28T06:01:00.000-04:00

COMMUNITY RENEWAL
50,000 reasons Homestead is back
Homestead is the fastest-growing city in the country among cities with 50,000 residents.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA, TIM HENDERSON AND LISA ARTHUR
larthur@MiamiHerald.com

Fifteen years after Hurricane Andrew pummeled Homestead and sent thousands of its residents fleeing north, the plucky city has cracked a population milestone and claimed the title of the fastest-growing community of its size in the country, according to a Census Bureau report released today.
New population estimates put Homestead at 53,767 residents in July 2006, up 21 percent from the previous July. It's the first time the city has been recognized by any outside agency as having a population of more than 50,000.
''It confirms what we knew; we just needed to get it validated,'' said a jubilant Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren. ``We're on our way. We are on our way.''
In Florida, Homestead jumped into the state's top 50 cities, leapfrogging past Sarasota, Jupiter and Coconut Creek. It had already passed Coral Gables.
Elsewhere in the region, once-hot growth spots in South Broward -- which absorbed thousands of residents who fled South Dade after Andrew -- are now losing a small percentage of their population, according to the Census report.
EXPECTED BENEFITS
Among the perks of Homestead passing the 50,000 mark: It will gain a seat on Miami-Dade's Metropolitan Planning Organization, the county's transportation planning arm.
And, perhaps more important to residents, the city may finally attract retailers and businesses that have stayed away since Andrew leveled much of Homestead in August 1992.
In the past, when retailers evaluated Homestead as a potential location, low population numbers discouraged investment, said city spokeswoman Lillian Delgado.
''That doesn't signify what is actually happening here,'' she said.
Mark Demont, 47, said he is waiting for the day that an upscale restaurant opens in his city.
''Right now, it's pretty much Chili's,'' Demont said of the city's available restaurant options.
Iliana Lara, who left a job at Baptist Hospital because the commute from Homestead was too much, said the city needs more jobs ``so people won't have to travel so far for work.''
But not everyone is pro-growth. Some don't like the city's transformation from quaint farming town to sprawling suburban bedroom community.

CRITICISM
Just ask Carrie Dennis, who moved to Homestead from Chicago eight years ago.
''I don't like it at all,'' said Dennis, 30, who commutes daily to her job as a purchasing agent at Ocean Reef in Key Largo. ``We don't need another Kendall.''
Dennis scanned the newly minted Oasis shopping plaza in East Homestead, an area that has seen an unprecedented surge of residential development over the past several years.
Lamenting that one plaza had three banks open or under construction, she looked over at the still-empty field next door and wondered what's next.
Others say growth is fine but that the city should have done a better job planning for it.
''They need to look at other areas; they need to go to places like Weston,'' said Pat Pascuzzo of Homestead, a frequent government critic. ``Places that have a lot of people that have had the infrastructure in place before the people get there. It makes a world of difference.''

PLANNING ISSUES
Indeed, more than 7,000 homes have been built in Homestead during the past three years, but large-scale roadway improvements are just now being planned. Over the next five years, city officials will spend about $50 million on road projects and traffic signal improvements, said City Manager Curt Ivy.
The problem, Ivy said, is that the people have to be in place before funding can be justified for projects like streets and drainage.
''You reach that critical mass, and then you start working on it,'' he said.
Despite the growing pains, Pat Wilkes, who lives in one of the newer developments, Keys Landings, said she is happy she made the move.
The reason: Her $145,000 pre-construction home was a bargain in South Florida.
''No family could have owned a house anywhere three years ago unless they came to Homestead -- at least a house they could afford,'' Wilkes said.

Reference Article

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These....

2007-06-24T18:04:00.000-04:00

Crew supports proposed agricultural schools
The Miami-Dade School system is formulating ambitious plans to bring an agricultural learning center, K-8 school and ninth-grade center to Homestead.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Part of a 39-acre parcel formerly slated for two K-8 schools in Homestead would instead become an agriculture-themed environmental center for students, under a new proposal by Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew.
The center would be designed as a ''living laboratory,'' where students would learn about agriculture, animal husbandry and other aspects of agriscience. It would be built near South Canal Drive and Southwest 162nd Avenue, on donated property that until recently was managed by a failed initiative known as the Educational Facilities Benefit District.
''The proposed use would be themed around the rich ecological environment of the Greater Homestead community,'' Crew, referring to the agriculture center, wrote in a June 1 letter to Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren.
After proper training, students would serve as ''agricultural ambassadors and environmental stewards, providing agricultural and environmental literacy workshops and tours for students as well as community members,'' Crew wrote.
Crew also outlined school system plans to build a 1,600-seat K-8 center, along with a separate ninth-grade center, on a seven-acre site at Southwest 152nd Avenue and 323rd Street. The schools would relieve Campbell Drive Elementary and Homestead Senior High, respectively, of overcrowding.
In the proposal, Crew outlined a suggested curriculum for those schools, also largely centered around agricultural themes.
''When I read [the proposal], I just really fell in love with it,'' said Warren, who met with Crew and Homestead City Manager Curt Ivy on Wednesday to discuss the plan.
Crew's proposal signals a departure from earlier sentiments expressed by the school system, which had declared the South Canal Drive site too contaminated and therefore unacceptable for a school.
The new plan would not have a traditional school building; rather, the center would have more open space, similar to a farm or a nursery.
Aside from Crew's proposal, the land owner -- a nonprofit corporation established by Keys Gate developer Michael Latterner, who donated the property -- is negotiating with charter school operator Academica to build a charter school there.
The nonprofit has racked up more than $5 million in bills for preliminary site preparation -- costs its managers had believed would be repaid by the school system when the planned K-8 schools were built.
Warren said that during the meeting Crew offered to reimburse the $5 million in exchange for permission to further assess the land. School system contractors have not been allowed on the site in recent months to conduct environmental assessments.
It is unclear who holds legal rights to the land, the mayor said, as the title was transferred from Latterner to the nonprofit organization with the expectation that it would later be turned over to the school system.
''There's a legal limbo here,'' Warren said. ``I just want to get all the parties around the table, get them to agree to a resolution to send to the school board that we are in support of Dr. Crew and his vision.''
Homestead city attorneys will weigh in on the legal issues during a council workshop Thursday.

Reference Article

HOMESTEAD MAINSTREET AND PERSONAL ISSUES

2007-06-21T12:21:00.000-04:00

In what appears to be another black eye for the City of Homestead, the Director of Homestead Mainstreet which is funded to a great extent by the CRA of the City of Homestead, sent e-mails from the City subsidized organization in a successful attempt to call for a special called meeting to discuss the school site at SW 162 Avenue and South Canal Drive, this is a personal issue and should be treated as such. Meeting is scheduled for July 12,2007 @ 6:30P.M.

Of course, the school site does not impact the downtown area in the least, but Yvonne Knowles possibly under the direction of someone, used the facilities of the civic organization to send a personal e-mail to the Council asking for a special called meeting. This e-mail as well as several others are public documents, other firms on the document in question were Brooks Tropicals, Community Bank, Tropics North, DadeSchools.net, FPL and Judy Waldman's private e-mail address although she was included in the Council addressees. It appears that Mrs. Knowles has concerns on the Farm Life Road and South Canal Drive area where the school is proposed to be constructed, which warranted this personal use of the Mainstreet website.

How nice, does anyone remember the incident just over a year ago whereby Jeff Porter filed a complaint with FPL regarding a gentleman who included his work address on an e-mail? Well, Jeff, Judy and Roscoe this is your call, we expect some action, maybe Rick Stauts can address since he authorized Mrs. Knowles most recent salary increase. Once again, we have people state on the record they want new schools in Homestead, but behind the scenes they encourage their constituents to voice mock concerns, very helpful, to their benefactors.

Red Light Runners Beware - Council Considers Traffic Cameras

2007-06-21T06:59:00.000-04:00

Council considers traffic cameras
Homestead is joining the growing list of communities looking to add traffic cameras at intersections to catch red-light runners in the act.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
Homestead leaders took the first step Monday toward a plan to install video cameras at major intersections to help catch red-light runners.
During a council workshop, Traffipax -- one of three national companies that installs and monitors so-called red-light cameras -- made its pitch for why Homestead should join the growing ranks of cities nationwide taking similar action.
The cameras are used in 250 cities -- including New York and Los Angeles -- but are just starting to catch on in Florida.
Florida law classifies red-light running as a moving traffic violation, which can only be cited by an officer who witnesses the act.
But a Traffipax representative told Homestead leaders there is a way around the state law: Cities can pass local laws making red-light running a code violation.
Then, after a police officer views the images, the city can cite drivers for violating a civil code, rather than breaking a traffic law.
''Not only is this a public safety issue, it can also be a revenue source'' for the city, said Pete Cuccaro, a retired Miami-Dade police officer and consultant for Traffipax.
The cameras -- and local law change -- have been implemented in one Florida city, Gulf Breeze.
Doral recently passed a similar law, as has Pembroke Pines, and Hallandale Beach has discussed it, but so far no South Florida city has installed the cameras.
The cameras work by capturing two images of a car as it approaches and then, if it continues, runs the red light.
The license plate is magnified, so that the owner of the vehicle can be tracked down and notified of the violation.
A Homestead police officer would be trained to download the images from the cameras, thereby ensuring that a law enforcement official actually ''viewed'' the violation, Cuccaro said.
''We know state statute doesn't prohibit it because of cameras on toll plazas,'' Cuccaro said, referring to cameras that keep track of toll scofflaws.
The council seemed receptive to the idea, and Mayor Roscoe Warren forwarded it to the public safety committee for further review and a recommendation to full City Council.
''This is something I'd like to see go forward,'' said council member Lynda Bell, who recently attended a Traffipax workshop in Pinecrest and invited Cuccaro to make a presentation to the council. ``This is getting dangerous, not just here, but all over, when you can't even go on a green light anymore.''
In 2005, the most-recent year that statistics are available, 96 people died and another 6,300 were injured in Florida in accidents where drivers disregarded a traffic signal, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
According to USA Today, two recent studies show that surveillance cameras at major intersections dramatically reduced the number of drivers who raced through red lights.
Cuccaro said Traffipax recommends cameras at at least six major intersections, but it could install just one.
The council would decide the number, and whether to award the contract to Traffipax or put it out to bid.

Reference Article

City Of Homestead Can't Be Cited For Charter Violation

2007-06-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

Homestead is immune from citations

Code enforcement explained that Homestead is a sovereign entity and as such code enforcement is unable to cite the city for any violations of the City Charter.

On Nov. 5, 2002, 3,458 voters cast their ballot for a city charter amendment with an overwhelming 84 percent in favor of Charter Amendment 12. This amendment requires the City Council to appoint a CPA to serve as an internal auditor for the city, to perform audits of the city government, with written reports to be submitted to both the Council and the manager.

[Since then], the position [has been] filled for a mere 12 weeks. The job is currently not posted on the city's website, and with the Florida Legislature slashing property taxes because of high tax rates, [having someone in] this position could certainly save the city and the citizens a bundle and correct management deficiencies.

During the first and only internal auditor's tenure, he was reported to have [potentially] saved $200,000 to $300,000 in just two department audits.

The mayor, City Council and city manager have not met the charter amendment's purposes, which are written internal audits of all city departments. As a reminder, the internal auditor was fired in November 2006 after he discovered questionable practices in the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. Five of our City Council members voted to terminate him after the negative [draft] report was made public.

What are they possibly afraid of? See story below, go two stories up also.

Letter to the editor from 6/17/07 Neighbors/Soapbox

CITY BUYING SHACKS FOR $2,000,000

2007-06-16T16:16:00.000-04:00

Agency looking for more money

The Community Redevelopment Agency wants $2 million from the city to demolish about 40 vacant shotgun houses in the city's southwest district.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

After paying a private company more than $300,000 to keep its rental residences vacant, the Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency is asking the city to spend $2 million more to buy the property for redevelopment.

Homestead CRA Director Rick Stauts is asking the City Council to authorize a loan to purchase about 40 blighted shotgun houses on Lucy Street in an area targeted by the CRA for rehabilitation.

The City Council will likely decide whether to pay for the purchase at its meeting Monday.

The houses -- all but four of which are vacant -- are beyond repair and need to be torn down, Stauts said.

The city had been paying roughly $400 a month per unit to keep the houses vacant from October 2004 to Sept. 30, 2006, under an agreement with the land owner, Homestead Acres 866. The company's manager is former Homestead mayor and county manager Steve Shiver.

Stauts said the payments were necessary because the city had designated the area for redevelopment and had any public money been used, the city might have been on the hook for relocation costs for residents.

But attempts by Homestead Acres to redevelop the property failed, Stauts said.

''I know they tried to work with a couple of other developers, both for-profit and nonprofit, and they just couldn't make it work,'' Stauts said.

Shiver could not be reached for comment Friday.

But Homestead Vice Mayor Steve Losner, who opposed the deal from the start, said the city should have bought the houses 2 ½ years ago rather than paying Shiver to keep the units empty.

''Why didn't we buy the property if it was in such great interest for the city to keep it empty?'' Losner asked. ``It was almost like that subsidy was a custom-made deal offered to Steve that was never offered to anyone else.''

Stauts said the CRA did not have the money to buy the land at the time the deal was made. The agency has since applied for money from the county's General Obligation Bond to purchase the property, but so far has not gotten a response, Stauts said. And time is running out.

The city stopped paying the rents on the property nearly eight months ago, and Homestead Acres is now looking to sell. Stauts wants the city to buy the houses from Shiver's group and take over the redevelopment project.

''We're concerned if we don't move, they are going to be sold to someone who will not do workforce housing at that location, or in the worst case, they will be re-occupied for living quarters, which we certainly don't want to see,'' Stauts said. The money would be repaid from the proceeds of an impending sale of the city-owned bowling alley, Homestead Bowling Center, at 111 S. Homestead Blvd., which will be put up for auction, Stauts said.

The property has been appraised at $1.95 million, according to a report by Quinlivan Appraisal. The additional $50,000 would be needed for costs associated with closing and demolishing the houses, Stauts said.

RELATED COMMENTARY:
On Monday 6/18/2007 the City Council will consider a loan to the CRA for the purchase of the "Shotgun Houses" for a cool $2,000,000.
The property is owned by Steve Shiver the front man for Homestead Acres 866, who acquired control of these shacks in 2004 under the perception that they would be demolished and a blossoming of development would revitalize this depressed area.
Like so many other dreams of Homestead this scheme is one more tossed on the pile of failures we have become accustomed to. The agreement is on the city e-doc page under Hero Board Resolutions and the number is HBR2004-11-17.

Only four of these hovels are occupied, so in effect the City is set to pay approximately $500,000 per house with an acre+ of land attached.

The following paragraph illustrates what the intention was, the City paid all of the rental amounts for empty homes to remain vacant to Homestead Acres 866, we are almost three

years from the agreement and nothing has been demolished and /or constructed.

866 intends to demolish the Shotgun Houses and redevelop the Property by
constructing new residential dwelling units that will serve the residents of the Southwest
Neighborhood of the City of Homestead City

The taxes remain unpaid for two years and there was no mention of the $78,453.32 mentioned in the agenda. That information follows.

Real Estate Tax Information
Today's Date: 06/16/2007
Last Update: 06/14/2007
Tax Year: 2006
Folio Number: 10 78130000590 HOMESTEAD
Owner's Name: HOMESTEAD ACRE 866 LLC
Property Address: 866 SW 7 ST

**** Prior Years Taxes Due****

Mailing Information :		Legal Description :
HOMESTEAD ACRE 866 LLC		13 57 38 4.34 AC
47 N KROME AVE		S1/2 OF SW1/4 OF SE1/4 OF SW1/4
HOMESTEAD FL		LESS SAF R/WAY & LESS S35FT &
330306014		LESS N5FT OF E115FT & LESS W10FT

To view 2006 Tax Notice/Memorandum click here

Due to tax certificate 2006 taxes are included in the prior years taxes amount due.

Amounts due if paid by 06/16/2007 in U.S. funds

* Prior Years Taxes	$ 78453.32
Total Amount	$ 78453.32

If payment is not received by the specified date the total amount due is subject to change.

E-check payment option is not available for properties with delinquent amounts due.

City Finance Director to Fight Tax Cut

2007-06-16T06:38:00.000-04:00

Excerpt: Miami Herald Saturday, June 16th, 2007

PROPERTY TAXES MUNICIPAL BUDGETS

Tax cuts force tough choices for cities
South Florida municipalities braced for cuts forced by the Legislature's tax overhaul, with officials of smaller cities faced with decisions such as cutting parks or police funding.

BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ, ELAINE DE VALLE AND REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
mrvasquez@MiamiHerald.com

Parks, street repairs, and, in some cases, police and fire departments faced potential cutbacks Friday as cities planned for a leaner budget year, with even leaner years possibly to come.
The first part of a two-pronged property tax overhaul passed by the Legislature this week -- a prong that forces most Miami-Dade municipalities to cut their property tax receipts by 9 percent -- will be front and center during municipal governments' upcoming budget sessions.
By Friday, local elected officials had already begun the task of determining how to run their cities with millions of dollars less in property tax revenue. Some city leaders were unhappy about the change, and openly said so.

HOMESTEAD WILL FIGHT

At least one city, Homestead, vowed to fight the Legislature's changes.
Jan Smith, Homestead's finance director, said the city plans to challenge its requirement to cut 9 percent of property taxes. She said the state's calculations do not have the correct Homestead population figures, which could be forcing the city to cut more than it should.
''I don't know how successful we'll be,'' Smith said. ``Probably not very.''

Reference Article

Tax Cuts on the Horizon, If Voters Approve

2007-06-15T09:21:00.001-04:00

Which plan will save you more?

Wondering if the ''super exemption'' tax plan is good for your wallet?
The new plan will save money for some homeowners, not for others. Under the proposal the Legislature passed Thursday, homeowners would be allowed to choose whether they want to be taxed under the new system or stay on Save Our Homes, which caps at 3 percent the yearly increase of a home's taxable value.
Here are three hypothetical homes and how they would be affected:
 The owner of a home with a market value for tax purposes of $200,000 would save substantially under the new plan. That's because the owner would benefit from a $150,000 super exemption, making the taxable value of the home $50,000.
 On the other hand, someone who bought a home several years ago and has seen its market value rise substantially would probably be better off staying with the Save Our Homes caps. For example, a home with a market value of $500,000 -- but with a taxable value of $220,000 because of Save Our Homes -- would be taxed at $305,000 under the new plan, almost 40 percent more.
 For those in the market for a new home, or who bought a home recently, the super exemption will almost certainly save them money. For example, someone who buys a home this year for $500,000 will save about 36 percent under the new plan -- paying taxes on about $305,000, as opposed to $475,000 under the current system.

-- ROB BARRY

Tax Calculator

Reference Article

Waterstone To Get It's Own Polling Place

2007-06-14T14:37:00.000-04:00

Miami Herald Sun, June 10th, 2007

Soapbox / Letters From Readers

By now, those Homestead voters who have cast their ballots at the Senior Center should have received new voter registration cards indicating that their new polling place will be the Family Life Center at the First United Methodist Church of Homestead. This is necessary as the Senior Center will be undergoing major renovation and expansion over the next several months.
The Methodist Church site was chosen because of the availability of parking, and its size will more than accommodate the voting staff, equipment and most importantly, the voters. I want to thank and acknowledge the efforts of our City Clerk, Sheila Shedd, and the cooperation of the county and church officials.
It is my hope that within the next few weeks, we will have finalized our efforts to provide a new and conveniently located polling place for the residents of Waterstone. It is also anticipated that all Keys Gate voters will be assigned to the stadium, rather than being split among other locations.
These changes will relieve the long lines at the Villages of Homestead Clubhouse, which will serve those who vote within the areas of the Villages, Lakeshore and San Remo. These changes will also allow for all of our voters to vote within their own neighborhood and result in less wait time at those locations where voting has been heaviest.
STEVEN D. LOSNER
VICE MAYOR,
HOMESTEAD

Reference Article

Keys Gate: DRI NOPC Update

2007-06-13T23:50:00.000-04:00

The Development of Regional Impact (DRI) Notice of Proposed Change (NOPC) primarily concerned the transfer or re-allocation of commercial acreage to residential acreage, with no change in the agreed upon density. Specifically, the commercial acreage would be reduced from 122 commercial acres to 63 commercial acres, with a density capped at 9.9 units per acre on these re-allocated/transferred/converted acres. This would result in a total of 1457 residential units, as 918 units had already been approved as residential, and the remaining 539 units would also be residential.

The initial submission of the DRI NOPC would be made to the City of Homestead’s Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday, June 20, 2007 from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, in the City Council chambers. Keys Gate residents are encouraged to attend. In addition, there will be meetings of the City Council on July 2, 2007 at 7:00 PM, and again on July 16, 2007, at 7:00 PM, at which this issue will be discussed and considered for approval.

Park of Commerce: Bait and Switch?

2007-06-13T11:57:00.000-04:00

Developer sells 14 acres in Homestead Park of Commerce

By Eric Kalis

A Miami developer this week is to close the sale of 14 acres in Homestead Park of Commerce to a real estate investor unsure of the best use of the space.

Meanwhile, officials of a Dutch company that bought four acres in the park in December agreed last week to sell the space after deciding to focus on the company's European expansion. Steve Smith, chairman and CEO of ComReal Companies, a commercial real estate firm with offices in Miami, said he will meet this week with M&H Homestead Principal Michael Latterner to close on 14 acres in the 270-acre park under the company name CR Partners X LLC. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Plans for the park space fronting Southwest 142nd Avenue may call for a mixed-use industrial complex, but Mr. Smith said he is open-minded about potential uses. The city marketed the park for industrial use for more than a decade with little success. The park space "is in a great location," Mr. Smith said. "We have to be flexible and see how the [real estate] market will emerge. It is a high-risk point now. We will learn as we go." Closing the sale marks the culmination of three years of dialogue between Mr. Smith and Mr. Latterner, who is left with about 61 acres of park space from two purchases the company made several years ago.

Mr. Latterner has said the company plans to build a mixed-use town center on the remaining land with residential, commercial and retail components. Because the park lies in a development of regional impact zone, the company must obtain state approval to change the land use from industrial to residential mixed-use.

The company plans to formally apply for a zoning change by the end of the year, Mr. Latterner said. While Mr. Smith is moving into the park, Dutch optic-solutions company Lapis Lazuli hopes to unload the four acres it bought from city officials in December for $540,000. Company manager Sylvan Chevalier said Tuesday that company owners agreed to a contract last week to sell the space to an undisclosed buyer. Mr. Chevalier declined to disclose financial terms of the deal. Company owners had not planned to sell the park space, Mr. Chevalier said, but several issues emerged in recent months. The owners asked company officials assigned to the park space to return to the company's European headquarters to help address an influx of business and an operational expansion, leaving no personnel available to oversee the Homestead acreage, he said.

Concerns about geographic location, construction costs and the ability to recruit workers also led the owners to sell the park space, Mr. Chevalier said. The company will move its regional operation temporarily to Naples, he said. "It is unfortunate because we spent an awful lot of money doing our preliminary site plan and due diligence," Mr. Chevalier said. "All of these factors made [the owners] decide to shift the business strategy to other areas. We are confident we will sell the property. This is a very desirable piece of property on the corner of the entrance to the park." Homestead City Manager Curt Ivy said Monday that city attorneys hope to iron out the finer points of a contract to sell the remaining 100 acres of park space owned by the city to Coral Gables consortium A&H Commerce Park within two weeks. The city awarded the space to the consortium in April for $175,000 per acre after a public bidding process.

Reference Article

Foreclosures and Impacts On HOAs

2007-06-11T07:03:00.001-04:00

Excerpt from Daily Business News Article: Condo Lending 06/11/2007

Bill Raphan, Florida's assistant condominium ombudsman, acknowledged a large number of foreclosures in a single condo complex could depreciate the value of other units. Owners who want to sell may have a hard time turning a profit, and buyers may find it hard to get financing when banks see values decreasing.

Foreclosures often force condo associations to tack special assessments of hundreds of dollars onto everyone else's dues to make up for any budget shortfalls from owners who skip maintenance fees. Raphan acknowledged Sailboat Pointe was an example.

"If you have a 20 to 30 percent foreclosure rate, someone has to make up for that," he said. "There is a shortfall of income, and some condos have to special assess those costs."

Reference Article

KEYS GATE K-8 May Still Be Alive

2007-06-10T07:37:00.000-04:00

At a meeting last week, Ms. Evelyn Greer of the Miami Dade County School Board spoke at the Villages of Homestead clubhouse about the continuing issues of the schools planned in Keys Gate. The EFBD that has been touted for over 3 years as the only way that a school could be built here has been disbanded. It seems that now there is interest on the part of the School Board to build a school without the additional, special tax of the EFBD on homeowners in the area. To quote Ms. Greer: "We are prepared to say--at least this is what I am pushing downtown--that we'll take the 30 acres....We'll clean up the land; we'll build the school. Let's get going." (Quotes taken from article in Herald Neighbors, reported by Rebecca Dellagloria, June 10, 2007.) The 30 acres may or may not be tainted by pollutants that may or may not be cleaned up before a school can be built.

So many negative comments could be made about this long-standing disaster whose only losers are the students still waiting for a school. Ms. Greer fought in the past for the EFBD as did our Homestead Council and the developer of Keys Gate. Let us hope that someone builds a school. Also waiting in the wings is Academica who would build a charter school on the site. There are many positives about the education provided by charter schools as compared to public educational facilities.

To quote Ms. Greer again: "Let's get going."

Homestead Tax & Spend Gravy Train Coming to a Screeching Halt Soon...

2007-06-08T22:50:00.001-04:00

Florida Lawmakers Release Tax Cut Details

BY MARC CAPUTO AND MARY ELLEN KLAS

mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE --

Property owners would save about 7 percent on their 2007 tax bill and even more money next year if they approve a constitutional amendment to super-size their homeowners tax exemptions, according to details of the legislature's tax cut plan released late Friday afternoon.

Total cost to local governments over five years: $31.6 billion, including at least $7 billion from education and an undetermined amount from independent districts that support hospitals, water management districts and children services councils.

The two-pronged plan ---- which seeks to cap and roll back government tax revenues and expand homeowner tax exemptions to a maximum $195,000 ---- will be the framework of debate for the 11-day special session on property taxes that begins Tuesday.

''This is the biggest tax cut in the history of Florida and gives all property owners the relief they need to continue to live, work, raise a family and retire here in Florida,'' said Rep. Dean Cannon, the Winter Park Republican who negotiated the tax package for the House.

But while Democrats in the House said they were encouraged with the plan ---- in part because it used a variant of their super-tax exemption that was all but ignored this spring ---- the leader of Senate Democrats, Steve Geller of Cooper City, said he was concerned about the cuts to schools.

''Kumbaya has now broken down,'' Geller said, a reference to the 60's peace tune that Senators said embodied the bipartisanship of the chamber. ``How many Democrats are going to vote for a plan that cuts almost $2 billion from education? I don't think Republicans will vote for it.''

Another criticism: the plan to rollback and cap taxes is the only proposal that helps non-homesteaded property owners ---- the one class hit hardest by the tax inequities of the current system that has overwhelmingly helped homeowners. Homeowners would get all the benefits: The rollbacks, caps and super-exemptions.

All of that means the first phase of the plan will be easiest to pass. It would require local governments next year to spend the same amount of money they spent this year.

Then, depending on how much each government spent relative to population and income growth, they'll be forced to cut their spending again by either 3, 5, 7 or 9 percent yearly. Future tax collections would be capped, based on the growth in personal income and new construction.

The likely effect: Miami-Dade County will see some of the steepest tax cuts. Broward County, which has taxed and spent less, will see less of a tax cut, followed by Monroe County.

Though the details are still sketchy, the plan would allow local governments to bust some of the caps. If they want a small increase, the governing board needs a super-majority vote. Larger increases: a unanimous vote. Huge increases: A vote of the people.

The rollback piece of the plan could be put into effect by a simple majority vote of the Legislature when it meets in the 11-day lawmaking session starting Tuesday.

The next phase would require voter approval to amend the state Constitution. If passed, homesteaded homeowners would pay taxes on $50,000 of their first $200,000 in assessed value. Another way to look at it: It exempts 75 percent of the home's value, increasing the currrent homestead exemption of $25,000 to $150,000 for a $200,000 home.

Another 15 percent would be exempt on the value between $200,000 and $500,000 -- adding another exemption of $45,000 for a home valued at $500,000. So a person with a $500,000 home would have a total exemption of $195,000, and pay taxes on $305,000.

That exemption would grow over time, indexed to the amount of new construction and income growth.

Beyond $500,000 no further exemption would apply -- and those people who have a better deal under the current Save Our Homes protection would be able to keep it.

House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber of Miami Beach called it a ''middle class and progressive approach'' and while he was encouraged, he would wait to see the details of the impact on local government before saying whether or not he approved.

The constitutional amendment piece of the plan would have to pass the Legislature by a three-fourths vote of both chambers in order to make the Jan. 29 ballot.

Gov. Charlie Crist, who originally proposed a $30 billion package during the regular session and helped negotiate the plan, called the proposal ``a significant property tax cut that's enormously important.''

He said he was ''very pleased with the direction and framework'' of the plan and predicted ``it will help people in their pocketbooks.''

School taxes, which account for about a third of a person's tax bill, won't be hit by the rollback and revenue cap.

However, school property taxes would be cut if voters approve the super-exemptions. But in order to pay for class-size reductions and day-to-day operations, legislators might have to pump more state money into the system.

Reference Article

Council Supports Illegal Immigration

2007-06-08T07:10:00.001-04:00

Council backs moratorium

The Homestead City Council passed a resolution calling for a federal moratorium on detentions and deportations of illegal immigrants.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Packing the chambers of Homestead City Hall on Monday, dozens of Mexican, Central American and Haitian immigrants called on the City Council to take a stand in the growing national debate about immigrants' rights.

Carrying signs that read ''Stop the Raids'' and chanting ''Si se puede!'' (Yes, it can be done!), the crowd pushed the Council to ask the federal government to stop deporting workers who are in the United States illegally but have broken no other laws.

In a 5-2 vote, the Council passed a resolution urging President Bush and his Homeland Security chief to impose a moratorium on detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants until Congress passes comprehensive immigration reform legislation -- expected to happen shortly.

The city's measure, which was symbolic, was sponsored by Councilman Norman Hodge, who said it ``only behooves us to fall in line to support those who support us every day with the hard work that they do.''

While gaining traction as a national issue, the debate about immigrants' rights is especially poignant in the still largely agricultural communities of South Miami-Dade.

Thousands of undocumented immigrants live in Homestead, Florida City and surrounding areas, where they work picking vegetables, tending nurseries and constructing buildings.

Council members Lynda Bell and Steve Losner voted against the resolution.

Bell, who pulled the measure from the consent agenda -- where routine items are generally passed without discussion -- said she does not believe it falls under the Council's jurisdiction.

''This is a federal issue,'' she said. ``This has nothing to do with supporting or not supporting the community.''

Losner, the vice mayor, joined Bell in opposing the measure, taking his critique a step further: ''If what is proposed is implemented as a policy, there would be tremendous unintended negative consequences for our community,'' he said.

But the majority of the council disagreed, with Mayor Roscoe Warren saying it was important for the Council to interject itself into a debate that affects the community.

''Our federal government works for us,'' Warren said. ``We need to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.''

Neighboring Florida City recently passed a similar nonbinding resolution, as did the Miami-Dade Commission in February.

An immigration reform bill now before Congress seeks to overhaul the immigration system, effectively legalizing some 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

The Senate is expected to vote on an immigration plan by the end of this week.

Juanita Alvarez Mainster, one of a handful of residents who spoke after the Council vote, expressed the sentiments of most spectators.

''I know it is a federal issue, but this resolution was brought to you by members of the community, asking and seeking your support,'' she said.

``So for that, we thank you very much.''

Reference Article

THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON PALM DR.

2007-06-05T10:22:00.001-04:00

Miami Dade PWD response to Angel Lazo's letter:

In response to your request concerning the referenced subject, please be advised that the Public Works Department (PWD) staff conducted a traffic study to determine if traffic signals are warranted at these two (2) intersections. As a result of the study, it was determined that the installation of traffic signals at the two (2) subject intersections will improve the operational capacity and traffic safety in the area.

The proposed traffic signal on SE 24 Street at SE 13 Avenue will provide improved access to the single-entry point to the Valencia Gardens community. The proposed fire station, currently under construction on the southeast corner of this intersection, will also derive a benefit, since a preempt phase will be provided to enable emergency vehicles to access SE 24 Street from their driveway on SE 13 Avenue on a “green light” during emergency calls. This proposed traffic signal will also serve traffic to and from the two (2) driveways on SE 13 Avenue at the proposed Publix Supermarket on the southwest corner of this intersection.

The other proposed traffic signal on SE 24 Street at Tennessee Road will also serve the Publix driveway proposed on the west side of their property, as well as school traffic to and from Homestead Senior High School located on the northeast corner.

Therefore, PWD will proceed with designing these two (2) traffic signals. Subsequently, PWD will schedule these sites for construction with one of our available signal contracts, which is anticipated to commence by November 2007.

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Mr. Muhammed M. Hasan, P.E., Chief, Traffic Engineering Division, at (305) 375-2030.

Thank you.

Esther Calas, P.E., Director
Public Works Department
111 NW First Street, Suite 1610
Miami, Florida 33128
Phone: (305) 375-2960
Fax: (305) 375-3070
http://us.f522.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ecalas@miamidade.gov
"Delivering Excellence Every Day"

CITY COUNCIL VOTES 5-2 IN FAVOR

2007-06-05T08:25:00.000-04:00

HOMESTEAD IMMIGRATION

Resolution urges halt to deportations

The Homestead City Council passed a resolution urging a moratorium on detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

The Homestead City Council on Monday called on the federal government to stop deporting immigrants who are here illegally but have not broken any other laws. The resolution, which is largely symbolic, urges President George W. Bush and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to impose a moratorium on detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants until Congress passes comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The Senate is expected to vote on an immigration plan by the end of this week. Neighboring Florida City recently passed a similar nonbinding resolution, as did the Miami-Dade County Commission in February.

But the Homestead resolution -- mirroring the national political debate -- was not without controversy. ''The city of Homestead should not be dictating to the federal government,'' said Councilwoman Lynda Bell, one of the two members of the council who voted agains the resolution. Bell stressed that she is not anti-immigration, but simply believes ``this is not a city issue. ''But many who attended the council hearing had the opposite view, among them Maria Rodriguez, with the Florida Immigrant Coalition. ''Issues are neither local, nor state, nor federal,'' said Rodriguez. ``Issues affect people.''The majority of the council members agreed with her, voting 5-2 in support of the resolution.

The immigration reform bill before Congress would effectively legalize some 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. It would allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work legally by paying fines, learning English, passing criminal background checks and holding steady jobs. The legislation would also create a guest-worker program, toughen border enforcement and require employers to use an electronic verification system to be sure they didn't hire illegal immigrants. Immigrant advocacy groups, such as WeCount of Homestead, had called upon the South Dade municipalities to support the resolution. ''It recognizes the contributions of undocumented immigrants to the social, cultural and economic life of the area, and the trauma and separation of families caused by detentions and deportations,'' said Jonathan Fried, of WeCount.

City Seal Update Nixes Tractor and Jet

2007-05-31T06:36:00.001-04:00

City updates official seal; loses tractor, plane

The city has updated the look of its official seal, an emblem it uses on city documents, clothing and other materials.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Displayed prominently on documents, official T-shirts and city vehicles, a city's seal is the visual symbol that makes a municipality easily recognizable. And in Homestead, officials wanted theirs to have more pizazz. So they revamped it.

Gone are the airplane flying overhead and a tractor behind a vast green field -- both hallmarks of the seal created in 1990 and symbols of the Homestead Air Reserve Base and agricultural community.

''Although we support the base and we love agriculture, that's really not us anymore,'' Council member Amanda Garner said. ``There's so much more to us.''

Most Council members agreed there were elements of the old seal worth keeping, including the palm trees and large orange sun. The City Council had three versions of an updated seal to choose from, and the majority settled on the most understated one, which depicts the sun rising above a green field.

Now, instead of the trees framing the sun, they lean toward it. Another new feature: the year 1913, the date the city incorporated.

''We thought that was very important,'' said Garner, who chairs the council's marketing committee, which helped design the new seal, along with marketing firm Adkins & Associates.

Council member Judy Waldman said she preferred the one that was chosen to another with a sky full of clouds.

''It makes me think something ominous is going to happen,'' she joked. ``I like the clear, bright, beautiful orange sun.''

Reference Article

SOUTHCOM HOMESTEAD is a NO GO!

2007-05-30T14:39:00.000-04:00

Homestead rejected as new base for SouthCom

By Eric Kalis
   Homestead's Air Reserve Base appears to be out of contention as a site for a new US Southern Command headquarters after a Senate committee rejected the possibility last week. Congress instead is insisting that the Pentagon cut a deal with the state for a Doral site.
   The Senate Armed Services Committee chose not to include language in the Department of Defense's budget that would have listed the Homestead base as an alternative site for SouthCom headquarters, city manager Curt Ivy said Tuesday. After discussing whether to directly reference Homestead as a possible site, committee members instead upheld the lease conditions outlined by the House Armed Services Committee this month in the budget, which includes a $237 million appropriation to build new headquarters.
   SouthCom officials have said the unified command's preference would be to build a 709,000-square-foot headquarters on 40 acres next to their current complex at 3511 NW 91st Ave. in Doral. Congress directs the Pentagon within the budget to continue pursuing a deal with the state for the Doral site.
   In its budget report, the House committee lists several conditions to apply to a 50-year uninterrupted lease with the state for the headquarters. The conditions include the flexibility for other federal agencies to use the property even if SouthCom no longer needs the site, acquisition of adjacent property if needed to complete construction of the headquarters and application of the same lease terms to any additional properties obtained for the site.
   SouthCom's current lease with the state's General Services Administration for the Doral site expires next year. The House committee rejected the Pentagon's proposal last year to lease the new headquarters and 40 acres from the state, opting for a scenario in which the Pentagon would own the building and lease only the land from the state.
   A spokesman for the state Department of Management Services, which oversaw last year's bidding process, said the department is not involved with the Pentagon's plans for a new deal for the Doral site.
   The Senate committee snub probably eliminates the Homestead site from consideration, Mr. Ivy said. "It certainly doesn't improve that option," he said. "It is our understanding that there was an effort to put in language that Homestead could be used as a second site, but it did not get through the committee. If there is not any support from the senators in the area, that doesn't bode well for Homestead."
   Homestead seemed to emerge as a contender after staff members of the House committee discreetly visited the site earlier this year, Mr. Ivy said. After city officials found out about the visit, Mr. Ivy went to Washington in March to gauge their interest in Homestead, he said.
   "The city remains a supporter of keeping SouthCom in Miami-Dade County whether it would be in Doral or Homestead," Mr. Ivy said.
   The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, a pivotal player in bringing SouthCom to Doral in 1997, passed a resolution this month supporting the $237 million appropriation to build a new Doral headquarters, citing SouthCom's importance to national security and the local military industry, which contributes more than $1.2 billion and 22,000 jobs to the local economy annually.
   "The chamber is doing whatever we can to make sure SouthCom stays in Miami-Dade," said Mary Lou Tighe, chairwoman of the chamber's military-affairs council. "We have always supported the position of most if not all of the commanders at SouthCom that the Doral site is optimal for a headquarters facility. Locally, the issue is out of our hands now. We have to wait and see what Washington does."
   Pentagon officials say a new complex is needed to adequately protect the unified command, whose mission is to protect US interests in the Caribbean and Latin America. SouthCom is one of five unified combatant commands. The joint command is comprised of more than 1,200 military and civilian personnel representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

Reference Article

Home Depot Construction Underway

2007-05-29T21:01:00.000-04:00

Biscayne Drive SW 288th ST & SW 137th Ave

Reference Link

A Nuke Plant Grows in Homestead

2007-05-28T17:54:00.001-04:00

FPL | TURKEY POINT

Nuclear plant eyed for Dade

FPL's search for a new nuclear power site may be over as the utility pursues plans to expand Turkey Point.

BY CURTIS MORGAN, MATTHEW I. PINZUR AND ROB BARRY

cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com

Florida Power & Light, which has been considering about a dozen locations across the state for a new nuclear power plant, is now focusing on one site: the Turkey Point power complex in South Miami-Dade.

''We have made more commitment to Turkey Point than anywhere else,'' said FPL spokesman Tom Veenstra. ``It's our preferred site so far.''

Turkey Point is already home to Florida's oldest nuclear reactors; its twin cooling towers have been landmarks along the mangrove coastline of Biscayne Bay for 35 years.

In the last month, FPL has shown sketchy site plans to county planners and environmental regulators and briefed Homestead council members, a South Miami-Dade county commissioner and the superintendent of Biscayne National Park. Last week, the utility also assembled a lobbying team.

Nine lobbyists, including prominent Miami land-use lawyers Jeffrey Bercow and Michael Radell, all registered on May 17 to represent FPL for an ''unusual-use application'' at Turkey Point -- the category covering reactors.

Veenstra said FPL expects to soon file for permits to expand the plant, but stressed the company had not made a final decision ''by any means'' and other locations remain an option if this one doesn't work out. County land-use review, he said, was simply one step in a lengthy process.

Between scrutiny from myriad agencies and construction of facilities costing upwards of $6 billion, it can take 12 years or more to fire up a nuclear plant.

''Just because we're taking this action doesn't preclude us from looking at other spots,'' he said.

`PRETTY CLEAR'

But Mark Lewis, superintendent of Biscayne National Park, said FPL executives who briefed him by phone last month sounded settled on the site, which is plainly visible across a mile or so of shimmering Biscayne Bay from park headquarters.

''Although they told me they had not made any decisions, I thought it was pretty clear they were aiming toward Turkey Point,'' he said. During the conversation, he said, both sides also used GoogleEarth images to discuss the location -- a flat, grassy 450-acre site adjacent to an existing complex already bristling with two reactors, an oil-fired plant and nearly-completed natural gas-burning plant.

FPL also showed basic designs to Miami-Dade environmental regulators and planning staff last month. Planning spokeswoman Marisol Triana said the designs were deliberately vague because the company cited national security concerns.

If FPL moves forward, the new plant would add to the growing uranium-powered energy wave in the United States, which hasn't approved a new plant since 1973.

Sixteen utilities already have filed papers with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission laying the groundwork for at least 28 new reactors that could go on line by 2020 -- including two plants in Florida. Besides FPL, Progress Energy is pursuing a nuclear facility in Levy County and is about a year ahead in the process.

The ''nuclear renaissance'' -- as NRC chair Dale Klein called it Friday during an industry conference in Aventura -- has been fueled by the skyrocketing costs of oil and natural gas and growing concerns about global-warming pollution.

But nuclear plants come with their own concerns, from the heightened security risks of terrorist attack to growing stockpiles of potentially lethal radioactive waste. A federal dump that's planned under a Nevada mountain is behind schedule and mired in controversy -- and FPL, like most nuclear operators, is running out of room for spent fuel rods. By next year at its St. Lucie plant and 2010 at Turkey Point, the utility intends to start moving the most depleted radioactive fuel into concrete ''dry storage'' casks stored on each site.

Lewis said it was too early to comment about FPL's plan but ''there are obviously a lot of questions in our minds.'' Beyond the issues of more radioactive fuels and wastes, there are concerns that building construction and excavation for fill could potentially destroy hundreds of acres of wetlands.

FRONT-RUNNER

Since FPL announced last year that it intended to decide whether and where to build a new plant by 2009, executives have repeatedly hinted Turkey Point was a front-runner. The company said it needs to produce about 28 percent more energy over the next 10 years alone to serve a growing population. Turkey Point supplies up to 450,000 homes.

''It's no big secret,'' Veenstra said. ``All the steps we have taken so far have led us to Turkey Point.''

The site has obvious economic and strategic advantages, said Melanie Lyons, spokeswoman for the industry-run Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, D.C. Most new reactors are proposed for existing plants, not ''green'' locations.

''The transmission lines, the emergency response plans, all the environmental issues, they're all the same,'' she said. ``That's why you're going to see these first on existing sites.''

POLITICAL SENSE

It also makes political and public relations sense for FPL. National and state environmentalists have mounted a major campaign to oppose a new coal-burning power plant the company is proposing for rural Glades County, saying the emissions will contribute to global warming and harm the Everglades.

FPL's effort to extend Turkey Point's operating license for 20 years, approved by the NRC in 2002, drew only a smattering of objections from activists -- though the surrounding area has experienced a suburban boom since. Under current projections, a new plant would go on-line about the time that Turkey Point's existing reactors, by then a half-century old, would be up for a second and likely more difficult re-licensing.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Dennis Moss, who represents the area and talked with FPL executives earlier this year about the probable expansion, said the plant's safety record has given residents a comfort level with nuclear power that might not be found in other places. It also provides high-paying jobs in an area hungry for economic development.

''I think the community would be receptive,'' Moss said.

Miami Herald staff writer Rebecca Dellagloria contributed to this report.

Reference Article

Council Meeting Update: Busway Concerns & New FPL Nuke Plant

2007-05-24T11:12:00.001-04:00

Planned Busway extention raises concerns

The City Council considered several issues related to the expansion of the South Miami-Dade Busway during a workshop Monday night.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

When the South Miami-Dade Busway extention opens in Homestead late this year, the city must be prepared to deal with issues that could arise from its opening, city leaders were advised during a workshop Monday.

When the three accompanying bus shelters open -- at Campbell Drive, Civic Court and Southwest Fourth Street -- police should be on hand to prevent cars from stacking up on the Busway during the transition, said Rick Stauts, the Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency Director.

Stauts told the council that pedestrians walking along the Busway also will be ticketed for jaywalking, as a safety measure to discourage people from using the bus lanes as a sidewalk.

Stauts also said leaders should address parking issues that will arise once the Busway opens -- including the possibility of drivers parking illegally outside businesses or on swales. Stauts said business owners will have to enforce parking rules outside their businesses, but said ''No Parking'' signs could be placed along swales, the grassy area between the curb and sidewalk.

Council member Jeff Porter suggested taking that a step further, by considering a city-wide ordinance to prevent parking along the swale. Cutler Bay recently considered such a measure, but the council tabled the idea because of strong opposition from residents.

Stauts also suggested the council consider creating a special development district with higher zoning densities around the Busway, which will run just west of U.S. 1 from Cutler Bay to Florida City. He suggested allowing up to 20 units per acre, in order to spur development around the Busway which in turn would encourage use of public transportation -- a concept supported by a county study. That study, known as the South Miami-Dade Watershed plan, has failed to gain traction, however.

''There's something to be said for enhancing that Busway district to get more homes built in that area,'' said Stauts.

Some council members, including Mayor Roscoe Warren, were receptive to the idea. But Council member Lynda Bell said she would need more information before deciding to support such a decision.

''I think there's a bit of idealism here,'' she said.

``This is Florida. People like their cars.''

Construction on the project is halfway complete, said Scott Brand, a spokesman for Pistorino & Alam, the engineering firm hired for the project.

Brand commended the council and Stauts for their advanced preparation for the upcoming Busway opening.

''I haven't heard other municipalities in the past who have been so involved in the design and planning of the Busway,'' he said.

During a City Council meeting following the workshop, Florida Power & Light presented its tentative plans to open a new nuclear power plant at Turkey Point.

Right now the idea is still under consideration, said Ramon Ferrer, an FPL manager.

Reference Article

Homestead Pavilion Circa 2018?

2007-05-23T15:33:00.001-04:00

Scott_Schroeder/ddrc@ddr.com wrote:

Thank you for your interest in our property. We have not announced our tenants or confirmed a construction timeline yet.

----- Original Message -----
From: Angel Lazo [lazoal@yahoo.com]
Sent: 05/22/2007 09:30 AM MST
To: Scott Schroeder
Subject: Homestead Pavilion

Hello,

I am a concerned citizen from Homestead, FL and would like to know when DDR will be breaking ground at the Homestead Pavilion located on Campbell Dr and the FL Turnpike. In addition, is there a list of anchor stores coming to the Pavilion?

Thank you for your assistance.

Regards,

Angel Lazo

Homestead Still in the Running for Southcom Headquarters

2007-05-23T14:03:00.001-04:00

Congress considering Homestead for SouthCom headquarters

By Eric Kalis
   The Homestead Air Reserve Base is being considered by Congress as an alternative site for a new US Southern Command headquarters after plans to build next to the existing complex in Doral were halted last year, Homestead officials say.
   SouthCom officials have said the unified command's preference would be to build a 709,000-square-foot headquarters on 40 acres next to their current complex at 3511 NW 91st Ave.
   The Homestead complex may have emerged as a contender, however, after staff members of the House Armed Services Committee discreetly visited the site earlier this year, said City Manager Curt Ivy. After city officials found out about the visit, Mr. Ivy went to Washington in March to gauge their interest in Homestead, he said.
   "We did not initiate this," Mr. Ivy said Tuesday. "At the time, [committee members] said they were committed to Doral. That could have changed since."
   Homestead officials are preparing to put the city's best foot forward in case the Air Reserve Base emerges as a serious contender for the headquarters, Mr. Ivy said.
   The main priority for the city is to make sure SouthCom remains in Miami-Dade County, Mr. Ivy said. "We do not want to be in a contest with Doral," he said. "We had already accepted that Doral was going to be the site. Our first concern is for SouthCom to stay in Miami-Dade."
   The House committee rejected the Pentagon's proposal last year to lease the Doral headquarters and 40 acres from the state, opting for a scenario in which the Pentagon would own the building and lease only the land from the state.
   The Senate Armed Services Committee was to vote Wednesday (5/23) on the Department of Defense's 2008 budget that includes a $237 million appropriation to build a new SouthCom headquarters.
   The House committee has approved the budget and the SouthCom funding.
   Within its budget report, the House committee lists several conditions to apply to any lease with the state for the headquarters. The conditions include the flexibility for other federal agencies to use the property even if SouthCom no longer needs the site, acquisition of adjacent property if needed to complete construction of the headquarters and application of the same lease terms to any additional properties obtained for the site.
   SouthCom's current lease with the state's General Services Administration for the Doral site expires next year.
   In a statement, US Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, whose district includes the current headquarters, declined to give a preference between Doral and Homestead. "Our community benefits immensely from SouthCom's continued presence, and I am committed to doing everything in my power to retain it in South Florida permanently," Rep. Diaz-Balart said.Ý"I am encouraged by developments pointing in that direction and will continue to work toward that goal."
   Pentagon officials say a new complex is needed to adequately protect the unified command, whose mission is to protect US interests in the Caribbean and Latin America.
   SouthCom is one of five unified combatant commands. The joint command is comprised of more than 1,200 military and civilian personnel representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

Reference Article

Verdict: HOMESTEAD 1 - REDLAND CO. 0

2007-05-22T05:42:00.001-04:00

Ruling goes against company that over-dug city lake

A judge has ruled that the Redland Construction Co. breached its contract with the city when it over-dug a city lake.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

A lawsuit filed by the Redland Construction Co. against the city of Homestead for terminating its contract to excavate a city lake was dealt a setback when a judge ruled that the company's breach of contract claim cannot go forward.

Circuit Judge Gill Freeman also ruled in favor of the city in its counterclaim, which alleged that it was Redland Construction that had violated the contract when it over-dug the lake by nearly 30 feet.

Homestead City Attorney Joseph Serota said the May 9 opinion was significant, even though there are still two other claims that will proceed.

''It really knocks out their case,'' Serota said. ``They breached the contract and we are entitled to judgment.''

The issue of damages still must be considered by the court, Serota said. The city is seeking more than $15,000 in damages, according to the countersuit filed Oct. 16, 2006.

In her ruling for summary judgment, Freeman denied Redland's claim that the city was contractually obligated to give Redland a chance to remedy the over-digging.

Redland Construction has filed for a re-hearing on the judge's ruling.

''We think the judge's construction of the contract is not correct,'' said Andrew Hall, the company's attorney.

The city's digging permit was revoked by the county Department of Environmental Resources Management on Nov. 29, 2005, after DERM found the digging limit had been exceeded by 26 feet. The permit allowed digging as far down as 52 feet.

In December 2005, the city terminated its contract with Redland, and the following April, Redland filed suit.

The suit, which seeks $9.7 million in damages, called for the reinstatement of the deal, asked that Homestead be prohibited from removing fill that has remained on the property and that the company be allowed to attend meetings between city and county officials on reinstating the revoked digging permit.

The city's permit has already been reinstated and with a hefty price tag: $390,000 in fines and administrative fees to DERM, and 171,850 in fines, attorney's fees and other costs to the South Florida Water Management District.

Of Redland's pending claims, Serota said: ``I don't think they are that strong.''

In addition to its suit against Redland, Homestead also has sued Redland Construction President Charles ''Pinky'' Munz for breach of contract and William Ratcliff, a surveyor hired by Redland to certify the lake depth, for negligence. Those suits are pending.

Another suit, filed by Redland against council member Lynda Bell, is also still pending. That suit accuses Bell of violating the company's constitutional rights when she spoke out last May against a council decision to award Redland a nearly $415,000 paving contract.

The contract was awarded to Redland despite the company having already filed suit against the city.

Bell said the decision by Judge Freeman, who is also presiding over her case, is a good sign.

''Clearly the court has found he is the reason for his termination,'' Bell said of Munz. ``It just stands to reason, I would think, that this looks good for my case.''

Reference Article

IT"S ALIVE! & THEY'RE BACK!

2007-05-20T22:34:00.000-04:00

The M&H TownCenter has been taken off life support and will face a public hearing on June 18, 2007 in Council Chambers.

This is the tenth amendment to the Development Order since 1976. The Regional Planning Council has advised Mr. Latterner of their analysis and findings and indicates they may participate in the public hearing, concerning the proposed changes.

The hearing has not yet been heard and Mayor Warren has indicated his feelings on the subject in the special Homestead pullout in Saturday's Miami Herald. These are his words and I quote, Warren said, " he would love to see a town center-type project built in the city where people could walk to dinner, the movies and shopping."

A copy of the letter sent from the South Florida Regional Planning Council has been obtained a summary follows. The issues associated with the Regional Planning Council's concerns are boundary definitions, traffic impact analysis, approved development discrepancies within 8 of the 24 different sectors.
Several exhibits submitted contain errors in legal property description and golf course use and failing to include the 11/7/94 ordinance as it was amended by the City Council.

However, this upcoming public hearing item has failed to comply with Condition I of Ordinance 75-11-70 regarding affordable housing. This condition specifically requires that " As agreed to by the applicant, TEN PERCENT of the total number of residential units approved...shall be ultimately offered to provide housing for low and moderate income families" as defined by Miami-Dade County and HUD.
Further that the applicant shall establish covenant that "shall be delivered to the South Florida Regional Planning Council prior to recordation thereof ".

This is a huge issue for the Eastside of Homestead, submitting documents showing differences and discrepancies, omitting documents such as Ordinances directly related to the project and the non-compliance of an agreement, forcing the SFRPC to demand a covenant.

The question is why have a public hearing now, with a City Council headed by a Mayor who is quoted as stating he would love to see a Town Center-type project, despite the problems with the amended proposed changes?

Citizens for a Better Homestead

2007-05-19T16:42:00.001-04:00

allot.

Worried about property taxes?

Tired of having no voice in Homestead's decisions?

Wondering why Homestead officials claim they cut taxes, but your tax expense still rises?

Worry no more, you have a voice. You can work to limit your Homestead tax expense.

You can help control tax increases by joining a citizen-sponsored group, which is doing something about outrageous tax increases.

For more information contact www.brianforhomestead@gmail.com .

In the coming weeks, view the www.homesteadishome.com blog, and watch for the premiere of our website, www.abetterhomestead.com.

This is a group of individuals whose goal is to give Homestead's property owners and registered voters a voice in Homestead's property tax increases and to assure that the citizens of Homestead will approve any increases by ballot.

Unregistered Lobbyists Penalties Handed Out

2007-05-18T17:17:00.000-04:00

At the C.O.W. meeting this past Tuesday, the issue of penalties for an unregistered lobbyist addressing the City Council or Planning and Zoning Board was dealt with.
A one month suspension will be the penalty beginning on May 21, 2007 according to a council member.
There were six other unregistered lobbyists not in compliance with the code that have also addressed the City Council and the Planning and Zoning Board since the start of this year.

Call To Action!

2007-05-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

Citizens for A Better Homestead will be meeting
Sat. May 19th 11:00am @ the Harris Field Pavilion.

A Growing Homestead: Annexations Move Forward at County Hall

2007-05-18T06:58:00.001-04:00

Planned annexations can now move forward

Homestead and Florida City will be able to proceed on planned annexations now that the county has lifted a nearly two-year moratorium.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Two South Miami-Dade cities, along with a host of others, can move forward with planned annexations of unincorporated areas, thanks to a recent decision by the Miami-Dade Commission.

A 20-month moratorium on annexations and incorporations was lifted last week by the commission, although the board did tentatively approve a new moratorium on incorporation. That ban, which will likely take effect by September, will not affect Homestead and Florida City, which both have applications in to annex land.

Homestead is looking to annex at least 262 acres of vacant land both southwest and northwest of the city, said City Manager Curt Ivy.

Two applications have already been received by the county -- one was even on track for approval before the moratorium. They include: a 60-acre tract bounded by Southwest 288th and 296th streets, between 189th and roughly 192nd avenues; and 162 acres running from Southwest 304th Street and 194th Avenue to the south and west, up to 296th and 300th streets, jogging east to 288th Street at U.S. 1.

The city is also in the process of finalizing several other applications, Ivy said.

They include a vacant 40-acre parcel between Southwest 328th and 324th streets, and 194th and 192nd avenues.

''What we have asked for is vacant land that the owners have asked us to annex into the city,'' Ivy said. ``We've been trying to do this for quite some time.''

Applications that were already on track but held up by the freeze -- including one of Homestead's -- must go through the approval process all over again, said Jorge Fernandez, the program coordinator for incorporation and annexation for Miami-Dade County. That includes a new staff review, followed by stops at the county's Planning Advisory Board and County Commission, he said.

That would apply to only three cities, however: Homestead, Coral Gables and Miami Shores.

''I don't think it's fair to the cities or the County Commission to give them information that's over two years old,'' Fernandez said. ``So we have to update everything.''

Florida City has one application on hold at the county, because it was submitted during the moratorium, said Mayor Otis Wallace.

The property is bounded by Southwest 368th and 328th Streets and 212th and 192nd Avenues. The land was once the subject of a dispute, between Florida City and a Redland group seeking to incorporate. But, Wallace said, that boundary issue was settled years ago.

Twenty-five percent of registered voters in the area must sign a petition to be annexed into Florida City, Fernandez said. That requirement is not extended to Homestead because the land that city is seeking is vacant, he said.

Because a good chunk of the land sought by Florida City -- between Southwest 202nd and 212th Avenues -- falls outside the county's urban development boundary, just one house per five acres will be allowed.

''This property basically gives us an opportunity to present a more relaxed lifestyle out there,'' Wallace said.

``That will be a new product for us, so that's a good thing.''

Reference Article

COUNCIL LAND USE VOTING RECORD 11/2003-5/2007

2007-05-16T19:50:00.000-04:00

The numbers contained in this report are from every City Council meeting since 11/10/03 to the present. These are strictly land use applications and requests for zoning variances such as smaller parking spaces and complete zoning change for a parcel of land. There are density issues, liquor licensing, hours of operation etc.
This study was undertaken after Angel Garrote asked Mayor Warren how many no votes he had cast. In fairness to the Mayor that probably would not be something you could instantly recall. The South Dade News Leader's Mike Dill wrote a piece saying the Mayor had zero no votes for the past year. Here are the results for each council member. One of the no votes was unanimous for an applicant in the Southwest area of the city with questionable permission from area neighbors, proven false at the application reading.

Council Member	Yes Vote	No Vote	Deferral Yes	Deferral No
Roscoe Warren	286	1	1	1
Jeffrey Porter	254	1	1	0
Norman Hodge	241	7	0	1
Amanda Garner	274	3	2	0
Judy Waldman	217	4	2	0
Lynda Bell	280	18	1	0
Steve Losner	219	23	1	0

REDLAND v. CITY, TAXPAYERS WIN

2007-05-15T19:16:00.000-04:00

The judge presiding over the Redland Co. lawsuit against Homestead has issued a summary judgment throwing out of court Redland's lawsuit. Details are minimal at this point, more information will be available once it is known.

The city can now counter with their own action to recover damages, fines, penalties and additional engineering costs due to the actions of the Redland Company according to a council member.
This is a clear win for Homestead, we were long overdue in my humble opinion.

The Homestead City Council must now look very carefully at who they consider giving any city contract. There are many fine companies eager to have an opportunity, give them a chance. Scrutiny of purveyors does not cost anything, and in fact may save money in the near and long term.

VICE MAYOR CLARIFIES

2007-05-13T14:02:00.000-04:00

HOMESTEAD
VICE MAYOR REPLIES
TO `MISSTATEMENT'
The article regarding the discussion between Steve Shiver and me [Zoning talk becomes shouting match, Thursday] during the course of his representation of a client requesting yet another town house project of nearly 10 units per acre contains a serious [misstatement] that cannot go unchecked.
The writer indicated that I would ask the city attorneys to render an opinion regarding my participation in discussions involving clients.
There is no need for me to do so, as it is clearly unlawful for me to participate in matters involving my clients.
The real issue is whether the fact that I am the resident agent for an entity in which an applicant, its representative or anyone doing business with the city has an interest, creates a conflict.
It is an important distinction that Shiver did not say he was my client, which he emphatically is not, but that I am the agent for service of process upon an entity.
That is true, but as I indicated from the dais, I have always been very careful to avoid even the appearance of conflict and would not risk my elected office or my right to practice law by improperly participating in any matter that creates a conflict.
In many aspects, Homestead is still a small town, and the fact that I may have clients who in turn have business relationships with any number of people who may have business before the city is probably inevitable. It is certain that I am not aware of many of those relationships.
The ethics laws governing attorneys preclude me from discussing the private matters of my clients, which Shiver has now opened for public consumption in his anger against me -- who dared stand in the way of ''his'' land-use request, even though it was clear he had the votes needed to prevail on behalf of his client.
I want those who have elected me to represent them and those who are new to our community to be certain that I clearly know when to walk out of a vote, and will stand strong in the face of any unwarranted attempt to remove me from debate.
STEVEN D. LOSNER,
VICE MAYOR
HOMESTEAD

Reference Article

Florida Panther Issue Concluded? NOT!!!

2007-05-12T08:55:00.000-04:00

EFBD Panther Issue Unresolved Despite Claims No Panthers Present, Expert Study Required, Keep The Locals Out

SOUTH MIAMI-DADE

Second panther hit by car in South Dade

An endangered Florida panther, found along the 18-mile stretch to the Florida Keys, was the eighth killed on Florida roads this year.

BY CURTIS MORGAN

cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com

For the second time in just over a year, an endangered Florida panther has died on a South Miami-Dade road.

The cat, found Wednesday along the 18-mile stretch to the Florida Keys about a half-mile south of Card Sound Road, was the eighth killed on Florida roads this year.

Such events, like the cats themselves, had been extremely rare on the Southeast coast.

Before a panther death last February on Card Sound Road, it had been nearly 20 years since a documented vehicle strike in the area.

GROWING POPULATION

Darrell Land, panther team leader for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said the recent deaths point to an expanding population of panthers encountering an expanding population of people.

Considered at the edge of extinction in the 1980s, the panther population has nearly tripled in the past two decades with an infusion of healthier genes from a cross-breeding experiment with Texas cougars.

But the secretive cats, which seek out vast open spaces, are running up against more roads and development.

''They have now kind of fully occupied whatever habitat is out there,'' he said.

That's the main reason wildlife managers are exploring the possibility of transplanting cats elsewhere in the Southeast to expand their range and numbers.

The population of cats prowling Everglades National Park and marshes, open fields and pine rocklands to the east and south has been estimated at perhaps 10 or so animals.

But the two recent deaths have been 10 miles or more east of the park in areas once considered abandoned by the cat, but in recent years under pressure for development of homes and rock mines.

ROADKILL A CONCERN

Roadkill has become a growing concern for state and federal wildlife managers.

Most of the deaths have occurred in the prime panther territory of Southwest Florida.

From five to 11 of the animals have been struck annually over the past few years, usually at night when the animals are on the move and hunting.

Officer Jorge Pino, a spokesman for the FWC, said a caller first reported seeing the dead cat before midnight Tuesday.

Though cat roadkill could hit a record again this year, Land believes the population in the wild has shown it has stabilized enough to absorb the repeated hits.

''The good news is that it appears like these losses are being replaced annually,'' he said.

R.I.P. EFBD Encore!

2007-05-10T06:32:00.001-04:00

School-building board dissolved

The agreement that created a special-taxing district for building schools in Homestead was terminated Monday by the district's board.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

The board established to oversee a unique specialtaxing district that was to build three K-8 schools in the eastern part of the city voted to disband Monday, thus ending the troubled Educational Facilities Benefit District in Homestead.

By a 4-1 vote, the board agreed to cancel an agreement between the city, the Miami-Dade School system and the county that called for building the schools using development fees collected within the district. Now the Miami-Dade Commission, which established the district in 2005, must dissolve it.

The district was the first of its kind in Miami-Dade -- and only the third in the state.

Homestead Council member Lynda Bell said she voted with the majority with a ''heavy heart,'' as she had lobbied hard to create the district. She is the City Council's representative on the educational district board.

But a series of problems, including a dispute over contamination at the site of the first planned school, stymied the effort.

The developers' impact fees were collected by the school system, but were never distributed.

''The EFBD was one thing and one thing only: It was a funding mechanism to build schools,'' Bell said. Without the release of the fees, ''the ability to remain a funding mechanism has gone away, so I don't think we should keep it just for the sake of existing,'' she said.

Only one educational district board member, Ofelia San Pedro, the deputy superintendent for business operations for Miami-Dade schools, voted against disbanding.

''The superintendent's wish was not to dissolve the EFBD,'' she said.

Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew met with city leaders last week to discuss options for building schools in the city, with or without the district.

But Taylor Smith, the educational district manager, told the board that his interpretation of Crew's comments at the meeting was very different from San Pedro's.

Smith quoted Crew as saying, ``We've gone down the foxhole as far as we could go. Good effort, but we'll have to take a different direction.''

One direction discussed at the meeting was for the school system to pursue building a K-8 school on a seven-acre parcel located near the Oasis community. That land has been set aside by the developer for a school, but would have to be bought.

Crew asked Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren and City Manager Curt Ivy at the meeting to try to persuade the Oasis developers, which include Lennar Homes, to donate the land for the school, Warren said.

During a City Council meeting later Monday, the Council considered a resolution supporting the educational district's decision to cancel the agreement. School Board member Evelyn Greer, who gave an update on school construction, pleaded with the council not to pass the resolution. She succeeded.

Warren said he wanted to tread lightly, as Crew told him he was ''committed'' to building schools.

''I think the city being in the middle right now and not taking a position is the best leverage we have,'' Warren said. The majority of the council agreed with him, deferring a vote on a resolution for at least 30 days.

Hugo Arza, a local attorney and School Board appointee to the educational district board, said: ``I saw this as the dawn of a new way of building schools. I'm disappointed to see the public-private partnership was not able to work.''

Reference Article

Council News: Welcome Starbucks! and Family Feud - Do you have a DOG in THIS FIGHT?

2007-05-10T06:22:00.001-04:00

Zoning talk becomes shouting match

The City Council approved the city's first Starbucks, a controversial town-house development and $1,800 per month for the Homestead Soup Kitchen, while tensions ran high between a council member and an ex-mayor.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Round two of the simmering feud between Homestead Vice Mayor Steve Losner and former mayor and county manager Steve Shiver erupted during a City Council meeting Monday, when discussion about a zoning change turned into a heated shouting match.

Shiver's consulting firm, Global Technology Partners, represents the developers of a proposed 20-acre town-house project who were seeking a zoning change and site plan approval for the 198-unit development.

Losner, an advocate for limiting development on the city's east side, opposed the project, as did council members Lynda Bell and Judy Waldman.

But Shiver seized upon Losner, saying the vice mayor -- who practices law -- had a conflict and should not vote on the issue.

''Mr. Losner, you represent me on two public companies. I think that you need to be conflicted out of this discussion,'' Shiver said.

Losner is listed in public records as the registered agent of dozens of corporations, including at least one of Shiver's companies, Homestead Flagler LLC. Losner defended his decision to vote, saying he did not believe he had a conflict.

''I will not leave this dais, I will not make myself a victim of your extortion,'' he replied, noting that in the past he has recused himself from votes involving business partners when he felt a potential conflict existed.

''I am not going to risk my law license or a sanction by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics to vote when I have a conflict,'' he said.

Losner said Tuesday that he may ask the city attorney for a legal opinion on whether he should recuse himself from voting on applications filed by clients.

Before the vote, Shiver apologized for ``the outburst.''

Losner and Shiver last clashed in November, when Losner claimed that Shiver burst into his office hurling obscenities and making threats in response to a critical draft audit of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. Losner filed a police report, but no charges were brought.

The council ultimately voted 4-3 to approve the Shiver-backed project, named Royal Home Villas, at Southwest 336th Street and 169th Avenue, despite objections from residents concerned about infrastructure keeping pace with development.

Also during the meeting, the council approved the city's first Starbucks. The 1,500-square-foot café, with a drive-through window, will be built at 1029 N. Homestead Blvd., right off U.S. 1.

''It is with great pleasure that we bring a Starbucks to the city of Homestead,'' said Gale Springer, a consultant on the project.

''Let me know when I can get my first mocha Frappuccino,'' joked Bell.

Also approved: A five-story self-storage center at Campbell Drive, east of Southwest 162nd Avenue, after the applicant, Campbell Storage, agreed to have only one sign on the property that faces Campbell Drive.

During an earlier meeting on the matter, Losner had expressed concern that the facility would overshadow the brand new Homestead Hospital -- also five-stories -- if the signs faced the Florida Turnpike.

The council also agreed to help relieve the struggling Homestead Soup Kitchen, which recently lost half of its $50,000 annual budget after missing the deadline to renew its funding from United Way.

After impassioned pleas from Soup Kitchen board members Bob Jensen and Dan Carter, Waldman proposed that the city subsidize the organization's utility bills. The council agreed to kick in $1,800 per month from the city's contingency fund, retroactively to last October.

Jensen said Tuesday that the money would be used to pay utility bills and buy food, which the Soup Kitchen has had to do more of lately since Farm Share, a group that distributes free food to the poor, has had its funding cut.

Others at the meeting also stepped up to help, including Miami-Dade School Board member Evelyn Greer, Jensen said.

''Some people can just really be wonderful,'' he said. ``When Rev. Clinton Terry included the Soup Kitchen and our clients in the [meeting's] opening prayer, I somehow thought it was going to be a very good evening.''

Reference Article

R.I.P. EFBD

2007-05-07T19:58:00.000-04:00

Plan to build Homestead schools is killed
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
An ambitious plan to build schools in Homestead using construction dollars collected in a designated district was killed Monday when the board overseeing the effort voted to disband.
Under an agreement between the Miami-Dade School system and the city of Homestead, the Educational Facilities Benefit District would have brought three new K-8 schools to the eastern, newest section of the city.
The agreement, which called for building the schools with fees assessed on new development within the special-taxing district, was the first of its kind in Miami-Dade -- and only the third in the state.
''I saw this as the dawn of a new way of building schools,'' said Hugo Arza, a local attorney and School Board appointee to the educational district's board. ``I'm disappointed to see the public-private partnership was not able to work.''
The educational district has been mired down recently as the school system and educational district's board wrangled over who should pay for costly site preparation for the first K-8 school.
A last-minute intervention by Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew could not save the effort.
The board voted to cancel the agreement with the school system, the county and the city. The Miami-Dade County Commission, which established the district in 2005, must officially dissolve it.
Only one board member, Ofelia San Pedro, the deputy superintendent for business operations for Miami-Dade schools, voted against disbanding.
''The superintendent's wish was not to dissolve the EFBD, '' she said.

Reference Article

Homestead Hospital is reborn

2007-05-07T09:35:00.001-04:00

Homestead Hospital is reborn

PATIENTS AND STAFF BID FAREWELL TO THE OLD HOMESTEAD HOSPITAL AS A LARGER FACILITY OPENS

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

At 11:20 a.m. Sunday, with a squeal, followed by some hearty laughter in the room, 6-pound, 15-ounce Ramon Quiala entered the world.

It was a monumental day for his family -- for the young mother who bore her first child, for the boy's father, his namesake. And for the proud, exuberant grandfather too nervous to watch, yet too overwhelmed by anticipation to leave.

In many ways, Sunday, too, marked the rebirth of Homestead Hospital -- a new, $135 million facility about three times the size of its predecessor.

And Ramon was the first child to be born inside the hospital, owned by Baptist Health South Florida.

''This place, wow, it looks like a hotel in Beverly Hills,'' said Ramon's grandfather. Of his 10th grandchild, he said: ``The first baby! I am very happy.''

Only hours earlier, the old building -- on the other side of town -- closed for business. At the same time, the emergency room in the new facility, on Campbell Drive and Southwest 147th Avenue, opened, becoming Miami-Dade County's first new hospital in at least a decade.

A team of hospital staff, emergency response workers and a Canadian-based relocation crew spent the morning emptying out the hospital of people and equipment. Doctors, nurses, technicians, case workers and about 80 volunteers assisted as nearly 100 patients were loaded into 17 ambulances and medical vans headed toward the new facility.

Homestead police officers manned intersections while the ambulances went back and forth between buildings.

By all accounts, everything went smoothly.

''The move was excellent. They were so good, so well organized, so concerned about me being comfortable,'' said Vanessa Zamora, 32, who gave birth to a 9 ½-pound baby girl, Valeria, Saturday evening -- the last child born at the old hospital.

Stephen Taylor, the Miami-Dade operations manager for American Medical Response ambulance company, said the Sunday move was a ''piece of cake'' compared to the evacuations he led of hospitals in Punta Gorda following Hurricane Charley in 2004.

A HICCUP

The ambulances and medical vans were equipped with 15 cardiac monitors and 30 stretchers, he said. And before the patients left for the new facility, their room numbers were written out on their wristbands.

The only hiccup occured at about 9:30 a.m., when a man walked in off the street into the old emergency room, apparently unaware that the emergency room stopped admitting patients at 6 a.m. He, too, soon found himself aboard an ambulance to the new facility.

Some patients, like an elderly woman who wiped away tears with manicured hands as she waited in the ambulance bay, needed some consoling before boarding. Dr. Mark Hern was nearby to offer words of support:

''I've got good news for you,'' he told a man complaining about back and stomach pain. ``You're going to a brand new, comfortable bed in a new hospital.''

Indeed, all the rooms in the 120-bed hospital are private. In the emergency room alone, the number of beds has doubled -- to 44 -- compared to the old facility.

''It's like heaven on earth,'' Sue Green said of the new surroundings. The 87-year-old was brought into the emergency room at 7 a.m. with leg, chest and abdominal pain. ``It's clean, neat; it's beautiful. The equipment is just outstanding.''

But the closing of the one hospital to make way for the newer, more technologically advanced facility was somewhat bittersweet. Some staff members shed tears as they packed up the last remnants of the World War II-era hospital, once known primarily for its founder, James Archer Smith. Others recounted stories to ease the sting.

''Definitely, there were some fond memories at the old hospital. You would walk down the hall and see people you know and run into them in the cafeteria. It was like a small little town,'' said Dell Slavin, a social worker case manager. ``We're hoping to preserve that and bring it to the new hospital.''

PRESERVING HISTORY

Homestead residents, like Sue Shiver, who was being treated for pneumonia, said they hoped the old building's rich history is preserved even as the building takes on new form. Miami-Dade Public Schools is in negotiations with Baptist Health to convert the hospital into a medical arts high school.

''I'm glad that we're going to have such a great facility, but I'm a little sad about this one,'' said Shiver, the mother of the former Homestead mayor and county manager, Steve Shiver, and wife of Florida City Commissioner R.S. Shiver. ``I hope they put this one to good use.''

Reference Article

EFBD vs. School Board: A Question of Respect

2007-05-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

HOMESTEAD

New-schools plan's fate still up in air

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew has recommended the city and the school system take 90 days to cool off before making a final decision on whether to dissolve the Educational Facilities Benefit District.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

City leaders met with county school system brass Tuesday to discuss the fate of a beleaguered special-taxing district established to build three K-8 schools in Homestead.

But after the nearly two-hour, private discussion with Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew, Homestead officials said they are no closer to resolving the disputes that have plagued the Educational Facilities Benefit District.

''It was a good meeting, but I don't think it's going to change our direction on the EFBD,'' said City Manager Curt Ivy, who joined Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren at the meeting.

Construction of the first school in the educational district has been stalled as the school system and EFBD board wrangle over who should pay for costly site preparation. At its meeting last month, the board recommended dissolving itself, and gained support from the Homestead City Council.

Crew reached out to city leaders as a result.

His staff said he expressed belief that the educational district still has a shot at working, and he asked all sides to take a 90-day ''cooling period'' before making any final decisions.

''I am confident that our conversation will yield productive results,'' Crew wrote in a letter sent to Warren on Thursday.

But that may not happen.

The educational district board meets Monday morning and could decide to terminate the agreement with the school system. Some have suggested that scenario is likely.

''Here's the deal: There are several parties to the EFBD [agreement] -- the county, the School Board, the EFBD board, and the city. Any one of them can terminate,'' Ivy said. ``The city may not do anything. And I know that the EFBD board can't wait to terminate.''

The agreement established a special-taxing district that would earmark developer impact fees for schools inside the district.

Warren, however, said he was hopeful another suggestion by Crew could be implemented. Crew recommended the school system move forward with plans to build a K-8 school -- possibly alongside a separate learning environment for ninth graders -- on another seven-acre site near the Oasis community.

The site was initially set to be used for the third educational district school, but could be substituted to build the first school, Crew said.

''I think the ideas brought forward by the superintendent were good ideas, were feasible,'' Warren said.

The only catch: The school system would have to purchase the land because the property -- unlike the first school site, at South Canal Drive and Southwest 162nd Avenue -- was not donated, Ivy said.

''We committed to that as soon as we get confirmation of the site's availability, that we would proceed immediately to start on some conceptual designs,'' said Ana Rijo-Conde, the school system's planning officer. ``We were very much encouraged by the tone of the meeting and what was discussed.''

NEW MEANING TO NEW CITY HALL NEIGHBOR {HOOD}

2007-05-05T17:50:00.000-04:00

Homestead Police Department officers and detectives chased down and arrested an armed robbery suspect around 9:33 a.m.Wednesday morning. The suspect was arrested for armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted criminal and resisting arrest without violence after robbing the Mexico Market at 407 Park Place. Police recovered an undisclosed amount of money, a white shirt, a kitchen knife and a skull cap from behind a washing machine on Flagler and NE Second Drive, where the suspect was hiding. News-Leader staff writer Mike Dill, ran the story in the Friday edition of the South Dade News Leader.

Citizens Unite To Cap City Spending!

2007-05-04T15:49:00.000-04:00

Meeting at Mistretta Park Saturday May 5th 10:00am
143 NE 9th Court Homestead

Mario's: Cuban Food That's Worth the Drive

2007-05-04T15:07:00.001-04:00

Molto Mario's

Cuban food that's worth the drive

By Bill Citara

Published: April 26, 2007

Telling your average Miami foodie to drive to Homestead for really good Cuban cuisine is like telling an Eskimo to fly to Miami for snow.

But you better lose the mukluks and have your boarding pass in hand, because even if you live in Miami, it's worth the journey to Homestead for a meal at Mario's Latin Cafe. Maybe you haven't heard of it, but the locals sure have, at least judging from the crowds both inside and ensconced on Mario's spacious outdoor patio on a pair of recent visits.

What they've heard is that Mario's serves huge portions of Cuban-slash-Latin food (plus the occasional gringo favorite like pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, and chicken fingers for the kids), food that's full of rollicking good flavor, yet is blessedly affordable. (Most of the twenty or so entrées are under $10; if you absolutely must splurge, the most expensive item on the menu, the New York steak, costs all of $14.99.)

They've heard the place itself is sweet: big and comfortable, with homey little murals on the walls and lots of cozy booths; that it's open for takeout 24 hours a day, and even delivers in selected areas from 10:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night; that the beer is cold and the café cubano can make dead men soar like Dwyane Wade. They've heard the people are sweet too, that service is smiling and friendly, also efficient, that for any hint of 'tude you'll have to go further up the turnpike.

How good is Mario's? Well, as good as the thumb-size, barrel-shape croquetas, packed with chunks of ham and fried to a crisp mahogany. As good as the beef-filled empanadas, triangles of light, flaky pastry encasing deeply flavorful ground beef. (The ham and cheese ones aren't as interesting, though — bland like a plain ham sandwich with hardly any of the advertised cheese.)

Mario's kitchen has a serious love affair with garlic, adding it generously to many dishes and providing tiny plastic cups of it at the table. If much of the Cuban food in this town seems timidly seasoned and dull, prepared by chefs who have barely even heard of salt, Mario's bold spicing and free hand with the stinking rose will make your taste buds sit up and take notice, especially in the shrimp in creole sauce, a ramekin swimming with plump, fresh-tasting shrimp in modestly spicy-garlicky tomato-based broth strewn with sautéed onions and red and green bell peppers.

Masas de puerco shows why Cuban restaurants are to pork what Michelangelo was to painting church ceilings. Fat chunks of pig as big as a baby's fist are slow-cooked to almost teeth-free tenderness, then fried up crusty and presented with a slice of lime and dab of raw, minced garlic to complement their impressively rich, meaty flavor.

An evening's special of arroz con pollo was just as tasty, half a chicken cooked until the meat fell off the bone with the merest wave of a knife on a mound of dusky ochre rice. With the exception of some limp, mealy fries, sides (choice of two per order) were very good; the soupy, cumin-scented black beans were great.

Tres leches cake was damn good too, moist and flavorful, with dollops of caramel-tinged whipped cream piped on top and plenty enough for two, the final reason why even a snow-loving Eskimo should mush on down to Homestead to eat at Mario's Latin Cafe.

1090 N Homestead Blvd, Homestead; 305-247-2470. Open Monday through Friday 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 6:00 a.m. to midnight. Takeout open 24 hours.

Reference Article

Homestead Hospital: Grand Opening May 6th.

2007-05-03T14:13:00.000-04:00

HOSPITAL GRAND OPENING
MORE THAN 5,000 SOUTH MIAMI-DADE RESIDENTS FLOCKED TO THE NEW HOMESTEAD HOSPITAL TO GET THEIR FIRST LOOK INSIDE THE FACILITY, WHICH OPENS FOR BUSINESS SUNDAY

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com

Lunetta Brown's eyes scanned the room, moving from the built-in cabinets against the lavender wall to the private bathroom to the faux-wood floors.
In two weeks, in this room or another like it, she will bring her sixth child into the world.
''Wow,'' was all the 24-year-old expectant mother could muster. ``Wow.''
''It's like home,'' Martearia Harris, her 7-year-old daughter, chimed in.
Brown, her mother and two daughters were touring one of seven birthing suites at the new Homestead Hospital on Campbell Drive at Southwest 167th Avenue.
They were among about 5,000 eager South Dade residents who got their first look at the 135,000-square-foot hospital that opens for business Sunday.
Organizers had anticipated about 2,000 attendees at the community grand opening -- complete with tours of the new facility -- but were pleasantly surprised at the higher numbers.
The event kicked off at 1 p.m., but by noon, crowds already had begun lining up outside, said Georgina Gonzalez-Robiou, a spokeswoman for Baptist Health South Florida, the hospital's parent company.
''When we opened the door, people just stopped'' and looked inside in awe, said Anne Streeter, another hospital spokeswoman. ``I cried. It was just so overwhelming.''
The public response to the first new hospital in Miami-Dade in more than a decade confirmed what hospital officials already knew: that South Miami-Dade was in desperate need of a new, state-of-the-art facility.
''People have been waiting for this. Obviously, they've been coming out in droves,'' said Homestead Hospital CEO Bill Duquette, soaking up the excitement as he received congratulatory handshakes and hugs from friends and supporters.
''What a great thing for Homestead to have,'' he said. ``We're very proud to be able to give this to the community.''
For retired couple Pat and Christina Guggino, the opening of the new hospital couldn't have come too soon.
They recently made the move from Key Largo to Keys Gate in Homestead to be closer to the hospital, they said.
''We're looking for modern convenience,'' said Pat Guggino, 82.
They toured the pulmonary and mammogram facilities, which they said they were most likely to use.
Others, like Brian Dunaway, 29, a former Homestead Hospital employee who recently took another job, said he had to come by to see the finished product.
The difference between the new building and the old one was ''night and day,'' he said.
''I've seen it for three years coming up. I wanted to see everything fleshed out,'' said Dunaway, who worked in patient admitting.
``It's beautiful, it's like a hotel.''
Millie Cocke, supervisor of care management at Baptist Hospital in Kendall, also made the trip down to the new facility, which is just blocks from her home.
She said nothing beats the open-air atrium of the main building, and the latest in modern technology that the new hospital offers.
''Homestead residents really needed a new hospital,'' Cocke said. ``What Baptist has done for the community is just beyond words. To reach out to a community that is really growing -- it's a real gift.''

Reference Article

EFBD - Still Alive?

2007-04-29T09:45:00.000-04:00

Mr Crew, when asked at the town hall meeting at South Dade High School about the EFBD schools, denied ever having heard of EFBD in Homestead. His attention has been focused on it now. Will the schools arise like the Phoenix out of the arsesnic mire?

Crew tries to save new-schools plan
Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew will meet with city leaders Tuesday to try to salvage a special-taxing district set up to build new schools in Homestead.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
Fearing the end could be near for an embattled school-building partnership between the Miami-Dade school system and the city of Homestead, Superintendent Rudy Crew has stepped in, asking the city to rethink its plan to back out.
Crew sent a letter to City Council members asking them to hold off on terminating the agreement that created the Educational Facilities Benefit District, known as the EFBD.
The plan calls for building three K-8 schools, the first to be constructed by the school system, and the others with fees assessed on new development within the district.
The council has given preliminary approval to cancel the agreement, and was set to make the decision final May 7.
But Crew asked for a sit-down with Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren to see if the parties can work out their differences and keep the educational district afloat.
''Despite present difficulties, which I am certain are not insurmountable, I firmly believe that this is not the time to second-guess the value of our partnership nor to abandon or negate all the time and effort already invested,'' Crew wrote the mayor and council on April 12.
Warren accepted Crew's offer to meet, which they will do 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Also present will be Homestead City Manger Curt Ivy, Miami-Dade Schools' Chief Facilities Officer Jaime Torrens, and Taylor Smith, manager of the EFBD.
The meeting will mark the first time in the three-plus years that the city has been working with the school system on the educational district that the superintendent has personally intervened.
School system spokesman Felipe Noguera said Crew didn't want to let the opportunity to build the schools slip away.
But City Council member Lynda Bell, who also sits on the educational district board and has pushed for disbanding it, had another theory.
''I think as long as the School Board has been calling all the shots, they've been very comfortable,'' said Bell, who expressed frustration that EFBD board members will not be part of the meeting with Crew.
``Now that the EFBD made a recommendation to disassemble themselves, [Miami-Dade schools officials] are scramblingBell said.''
Progress on the EFBD, created by county ordinance two years ago, has hit a wall because of disputes over contamination at a Homestead site donated for the first school.
School system officials maintain they cannot accept the land, at South Canal Drive and Southwest 162nd Avenue, until it is free of contamination.
Board members for the educational district said, however, that they cannot clean the land until the school system releases the development impact fees.
So far, no funds have been released.
Warren said he plans to have a frank discussion with the superintendent about EFBD board members' frustrations and concerns. He said he will try to ascertain whether funds are readily available for the first school and if the school system is in a position to release the money.
''We need schools in Homestead,'' he said. ``We need a plan to make it happen. I am just hoping that he can intervene and put the effort back together.''

Citizens Unite To Cap City Spending!

2007-04-27T20:22:00.000-04:00

In order to address effectively the problem of rising property taxes in the City of Homestead, a group of citizens is forming a committee of electors to amend the City of Homestead Charter to limit ad valorem tax increases to 8% percent above/over the roll back rate, unless a higher rate is approved by the voters of the City Homestead.

We will also be forming a political committee to support this initiative, and are open to discussion of other changes that will protect residents from future financial burdens.

The benefits of limiting the rate of increase of property taxes, goes far beyond the simple enjoyment of more of your own money in your pocket. Limiting government spending slows inflation, helping to preserve the value of savings and retirement funds. It also forces lawmakers to exercise responsibility and oversight while planning for the future, as errors cannot be covered by simply raising taxes. A cap on tax increases also keeps a government financial crisis from becoming your financial crisis as they tap your pocket to cover the city's shortfalls. Furthermore you can free yourself from being a one issue tax voter when selecting candidates for political office. Lower taxes also increase property values, again putting more money in your pocket, and making housing more affordable for all citizens and also creating an ownership society where we all have more of a stake in our city.For more information on joining the committee of electors, or to help with this effort, please call me at 305 246 2125,or
email me brianforhomestead@gmail.com Brian L. Judge

2005 Still Fishy Deal is a Blast with 2006 FAB FIVE Kool-Aid Vote

2007-04-25T14:15:00.000-04:00

In 1999, Homestead, under Mayor Steve Shiver and the City Council, gave exclusive mining rights for the city owned rock quarry to the Redland Company. The Redland Company is owned by Charles "Pinky" Munz, in exchange for Redland paying a $1.4 million debt owed by the city.

The city retains ownership of the property and is charged a fee for blasting, dredging, processing and delivering the fill within the Villages Of Homestead, DRI.

This arrangement goes on with the City not monitoring what is happening at the site and subsequently in the press releases of companies in business with the Redland Company.

July 19, 2005, a campaign kick-off is held at Keys Gate Country Club a scant few hundred yards from the rock quarry. Munz is on the record as a contributor of Roscoe Warren, Amanda Garner, Judy Waldman and Norman Hodge giving $400 to each of their individual campaigns. Just remember 4 x $400 = $1,600 = $450,000 in about ten month's time.

The fund raiser saw the usual developers, contractors, business people, local residents who share the Kool-Aid and enable them. They raised several thousand dollars each which were used during the campaign.

July 26, 2005, one week after the fund raiser for the four incumbents, The Redland Company signs a deal to lease their 38 acre Redland lake to Neptune Industries.

At the time of this posting we assumed it was the city owned lake. City Manager Curt Ivy has since researched this claim and the Redland Company leased property owned by a family member to Neptune. I regret the initial posting and stand corrected. However, it should be noted that the City had that information since March 10, 2007 and it took several weeks to get clarification.

Redland dug about 30 feet past the DERM imposed limits and saltwater could be present in the lake.

We know based on the DERM testing several test wells show saltwater intrusion, due to the excessive digging.

DERM shuts down the mining operation, late 2005, November or December, Homestead is reprimanded, subject to fines and sued by the Redland Company for around $10,000,000 it could be slightly less than that.

In May of 2006, ten months after making campaign contributions to four of the FAB FIVE, a paving contract for around $450K is bid on by Redland and several other groups. The city manager and staff choose the second ranked bidder due to the ongoing and unresolved problems with Redland, including the $10,000,000 lawsuit. FAB FIVE is beside themselves, Vice-Mayor Losner and Councilwoman Lynda Bell are in complete disagreement with the FAB FIVE. The customary incoherent debate plods on with each FAB FIVE member discussing the virtues of Redland's bid.

How much pink Kool-Aid can $1,600 buy?

The Kool-Aid was flowing, and with a simple "YES!" Mayor Warren, Councilwomen Garner and Waldman, Councilmen Hodge and Porter awarded a paving contract to a litigant against them and it was not the first time. A contract worth over $450,000 was on it's way to a company who ten months earlier, the principal contributed to the campaigns of four incumbents, courtesy of the FAB FIVE.

This action occurred despite an infuriated public insisting not to award a contract to a plaintiff in a lawsuit where the city is the defendant.

On March 10, 2007, the Neptune Industries piece was located, describing their contract with what we thought was the City owned lake quarry. As indicated earlier it was not the City owned site but Redland's own property.

The link was immediately sent to the City Manager, then it was sent to the City Attorney, his response was if Curt Ivy asks me, I would be happy to look into this for the city.

Urge the City Council to do something, anything, perhaps turning the tables for once, making someone else a defendant for a change. Aside from the aquaculture story what remains is still the Redland Company excavated too deeply and the city is charged with the penalties, fines and monitoring costs due to the improper actions of the Redland Company.

Two votes are not enough, minimum required is four, what will you do FAB FIVE?

The entire deal for a $1.4 million debt payoff has cost the city well over $7 million, possibly as much as $11.5 million and counting. I will end with a cautionary note and the links which were vital in shining the light of day on a very murky rock mining deal and quarry. There are six supplemental agreements to the initial contract, murky is the closest word to describe these , most of the supplemental agreements have cost the city additional cash. City even financed the settlement of a Florida Rock and Sand lawsuit against the Redland Company.

The City of Homestead requires a City Council dedicated to the people of Homestead and not the interests of their contributors and enablers remember that when voting, this episode is a disgraceful exhibition of amateurism by all parties involved in this. Sadly, it is not the last.

To date just in fines, penalties and additional engineering, monitoring and testing the city has recently spent over $875,000, Mr. Munz spent $1,600 for four votes, and was rewarded when Jeffrey Porter also voted yes and he did not get a dime in July of 2005 for his campaign as he had a four year term. $1,600 on a $450,000 paving contract.

Remember this episode in November, Lynda Bell and Steve Losner voted no for this, they were correct, the FAB FIVE were wrong and have cost the taxpayers money.

We are fast approaching six months since the Council Internal Auditor was fired, we were promised a replacement. This is not the only position requiring a replacement, as of today my count is six including the auditor. Several bloggers contributed facts and assistance to this posting, it was a long process and the information is verifiable.

The goal of this post was to alert readers of the blog that Homestead can be saved, it does not have to be a corrupt city, run by the corruptible and their enablers. The psychotic ramblings justifying their votes are one thing, even more demented is the feeling of adoration that the FAB FIVE think they have from developers and their subordinates. This may come as a shock FAB FIVE, if you were not in control of zoning and development, your fan club would be disbanded and if you were out of elected office, those dollars you craved and sold us out for would be lining other candidates campaign war chests. You took an oath, it obviously meant nothing.

MiamiHerald_com 02-11-2007 Agreement for fill dirt is reinstated. mht

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1999-07-29/news/homestead-s-dirt/

Magnet School a New Role for Old Hospital

2007-04-21T09:48:00.000-04:00

Magnet school a new role for old hospital
Miami-Dade schools are working up a deal to buy the old Homestead Hospital, which would be used to house a new medical tech high school.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
The old Homestead Hospital could be reborn as the county's first medical technologies high school, if the Miami-Dade school district signs a deal with Baptist Health South Florida.
The school district is negotiating to buy the hospital to open a special-interest high school for about 700 students hoping to pursue careers in the medical field.
Students from across the county would be eligible to apply, similar to the process for magnet schools like New World School of the Arts, Coral Reef High and Mast Academy.
''It's a very exciting project,'' Ana Rijo-Conde, planning officer for Miami-Dade Schools, said of the proposed school, which is still subject to School Board approval. ``I don't know of anywhere else where they would have this.''
The district submitted a $7 million bid for the hospital site and was ranked first by an evaluation committee, Rijo-Conde said. The hospital building went up for sale as Baptist plans the May 6 opening of the new, state-of-the-art Homestead Hospital east of Florida's Turnpike.
The old hospital opened in 1940 and was long known for founder James Archer Smith.
WOULD FILL NEED
Tanya R. Walton, a Baptist spokeswoman, said the hospital system believes the high school would be ''the best fit for the community,'' especially considering the growing need for skilled health care workers.
''Anything we can do to cultivate the youth to take advantage of these opportunities will benefit not only the community, but Baptist Health as well,'' she said.
Although there are other high schools in the county that offer programs in health-related fields -- such as Robert Morgan Educational Center and Miami Lakes Educational Center -- the Homestead school's curriculum would be dedicated solely to medical arts.
One major benefit of using a retrofitted hospital as a school is the medical technology already in place, said Lourdes Rovira, associate superintendent for curriculum and instructional support for Miami-Dade Schools. About 30 percent of the hospital's equipment will be left behind, according to the school district's proposal.
Patients' rooms would be replaced by classrooms and surgical suites would be transformed into science laboratories.
Courses would be taught in nursing, dental assisting, vision care and first response, among others. The offerings would primarily focus on ''those areas of medical technologies where there are workforce needs,'' Rovira said.
PROFESSIONAL PATH
It also would be a good program for students interested in going on to medical school. College credit could be offered for some courses, Rovira said.
It would be ''a program that you can start in high school and continue in a technical or college program,'' she said. ``We're at the preliminary stages, but we're really looking forward to the possibilities.''
Dr. K.K. Bentil, president of Miami Dade College's Medical Center Campus, said the school could be a rich source of future Miami Dade students.
''It would be a beautiful transition,'' he said. ``And even while they are there, we could arrange to have some dual enrollment.''
Palmetto High sophomore Klhee Bang, who hopes to become a neurosurgeon, said if such a school had been around when she was starting high school, she would have applied.
''For people who are really serious about medicine, I think it's a really good idea,'' said Klhee, who added that it would give pre-med students a leg up when applying for college.
SPECIALTY MISSION
The proposed school is part of Superintendent Rudy Crew's attempt to reform secondary school education through specialized fields of study.
A handful of ''boutique'' schools are moving forward or in the works, Rovira said, including an international language school in Coral Gables, a law enforcement academy in Miami and a rigorous math and science middle and high school near Metrozoo.
''I think some of these schools are going to have a wait list the second year after being open,'' Rovira said.
``Nothing wrong with too much interest. That is a problem that we are ready to address.''

Reference Article

Miami-Dade schools may buy old Homestead Hospital

2007-04-19T20:46:00.001-04:00

Miami Dade County Public Schools is in negotiations to buy the old Homestead Hospital from Baptist Health South Florida, which is moving to a new facility in May.

Baptist put out a request for proposals on the 120-bed hospital facility and the public school system was the winning bidder, said Tanya Walton, spokeswoman for the nonprofit hospital.

The school system plans to use the old hospital at 160 N.W. 13th St., as a magnet school for medical students, she said.

The facility is about 100,000 square feet.

The new Homestead Hospital on Campbell Drive is to open to patients on May 6. Baptist is then to leave the old facility for the $135 million-plus project of about 300,000 square feet.

Reference Article

Homestead's Lack of Due Diligence; Unregistered Lobbyist

2007-04-19T13:54:00.000-04:00

4/16/2007, the Homestead City Council heard an application presented by Jenn Helms of Global Technology Partners.
This is the lobbying firm owned by Steve Shiver, as it was explained to me by Mr. Shiver, apparently Jenn thought because her boss was registered she was registered. She is not a registered lobbyist.

This statement naturally indicates one of two distinct failures in recognizing the City and County rules of lobbying by the former Homestead Mayor and former County Manager as well as our City.

Mr. Shiver is not a neophyte to politics and is it conceivable this was a simple mistake?
The second theory is, are people so familiar to Council, City management and staff that the records that should be on file, of who is presenting an application are overlooked?

The application passed by a 3-2 vote in favor of approximately 200 more townhomes, near the accident prone roadway known as Palm Drive.

PALM DR. REDUX - 2 More Today

2007-04-18T21:33:00.000-04:00

As I write, the sirens are wailing behind my house. Air rescue chopper taking driver to ER. Van hit the light pole just after the usual eastbound curve was missed again. I thought it was my house that was hit. This morning there was a rollover at 162 Ave. and Palm Dr. during school entry hours.

Oh well, guess we just have to get used to it. Unless someone wants to put up some dough and fix the situation.

City Council Settles on Price for City Hall Property

2007-04-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Council settles on price for city hall property
Homestead's City Council settled on a price for a property that it took over for a new city hall, approved two new developments and moved to annex another property into the city.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
The Homestead City Council has taken the first steps toward annexing a vacant, 40-acre parcel into the southwestern sector of the city and also has approved two new residential developments to the east.
Kicking things off at Monday's council meeting, the Homestead Middle School jazz band treated the audience to some tunes after Vice Mayor Steve Losner proclaimed Tuesday, April 17 as Eugene Timmons Day, in honor of the school's band director.
After the musical interlude, the council set about its business, approving a payment to the former owners of a parcel taken by the city through eminent domain for a planned new City Hall.
The council unanimously agreed to pay $700,000 for the property, at 261 Parkway St., which will be used as the new building's parking lot. The price was somewhere between what the city wanted to pay for the land -- $650,000 including attorneys' and other fees -- and what former owner Zenaida Fonseca had hoped for: $820,000, said Steven Taylor, an attorney representing the city.
The council also approved two rezonings to allow for construction of new developments. San Remo Homes was given the green light to build 30 single family homes on 6 ½ acres at Southwest 320th Street and 162nd Avenue. The project was approved 4-1, with Losner casting the dissenting vote.
Council members Jeff Porter and Lynda Bell were in Tallahassee on city business and could not attend the meeting.
Losner was also in the minority on a request by Royal Home Villas to rezone a 21-acre parcel at Southwest 336th Street and theoretical 169th Avenue for 198 town homes. The project was given preliminary approval by a 3-2 vote, allowing up to 9.9 units per acre -- just shy of the maximum density allowed.
''We are in the midst of a disaster here,'' said Losner. ``We are building ourselves into a community of empty units.''
Losner said two years ago he opposed a change in the city's future land-use map that allowed up to 10 units per acre on the site at issue. Council member Judy Waldman also objected to the application, saying traffic congestion along Southwest 167th Avenue is out of hand.
Council member Amanda Garner, however, defended the applicants, saying they followed the council's process.
''Now we have someone come in fitting the mold and we're punishing them,'' she said, representing the majority position.
Also during the meeting, the council unanimously agreed to ask the Miami-Dade Commission to sign off on an annexation of property between Southwest 324th and 328th streets and 194th and 192nd avenues. Owner Tomas Mesa plans to build single-family homes on the site, according to a petition he signed.
The county, which has had a moratorium on annexations and incorporations for more than a year, will likely decide whether to lift that restriction at its May 8th meeting, said City Manager Curt Ivy. If the moratorium is lifted, the city can proceed with several proposed annexations, he said.
A resolution to create a special-taxing district to build three new K-8 schools in the city was deferred to the council's next meeting.

Reference Article

Another Insurance Company Leaves Florida

2007-04-16T18:02:00.000-04:00

USAA (United Services Automobile Association) recently ranked #1 for customer service, provides banking, investing, automobile, property, and life insurance to Active duty, Reserve, and Natn'l Guard U.S. military service members and veterans. Sadly, effective April 11, 2007 they will no longer be issuing new home owners insurance policies in Florida. They will however, continue to write new policies to Active duty military members who move to Florida on military assignment orders. They will also continue to honor and renew any exhisting policies on primary residences. For other homeowner, renter, or fire insurance policies, USAA will send legal notice of non-renewal within 100 days before the expiration date of that policy. It will then be your responsibility to find other coverage for that property.

Enclosed Letter from the USAA CEO Bob Davis:

Dear Florida Members,
I am writing to let you know that recent legislative and regulatory actions in Florida have created an untenable property insurance market in your state. Florida politics have severely restricted USAA's ability to charge adequate property insurance rates for the risk the association bears on behalf of its Florida members. These actions jeopardize our ability to protect the long-term viability of the association, as well as the assets of our members. Please consider the following facts:
1. Over the past 10 years, USAA has paid approximately $220 million more in Florida homeowner insurance losses and expenses than it has collected in Florida homeowner premiums.
2. Florida residents account for 49 percent of USAA's exposure to natural disaster risk, yet make up only 9 percent of USAA policyholders and pay 12 percent of USAA's property insurance premiums.
3. With more than $2 trillion in coastal property exposed to the risk of catastrophic hurricanes – and a history of frequent, strong storms across the state – Florida has the most challenging property insurance market in the country.
Therefore, the State of Florida has left us no choice but to take the following actions in order to limit potential future losses, and to protect the association and its members.
1. USAA will only provide new homeowner or renter insurance policies for the primary residences of active military members required to move to the state pursuant to military orders.
2. If your primary residence is in Florida and insured by USAA, USAA will continue to underwrite your existing homeowner or renter policy.
3. If your primary residence is located outside of Florida and insured by USAA, USAA will continue to underwrite one existing homeowner, fire, or renter policy in Florida.
4. Property insurance policies in Florida in excess of those cited above will be non-renewed upon written notice from USAA and in accordance with Florida's laws and regulations. We expect this change to affect about 10 percent of our 270,000 Florida members.
We regret that Florida policymakers have forced us into this position, but without the ability to price insurance appropriately, it would be irresponsible to continue to place the entire association and its membership at risk. You may view a comparison of Florida homeowner insurance rates at FloridaToday.com. Additionally, you may wish to contact your state's lawmakers and regulators.
We value your membership in USAA, and will continue to serve your auto and life insurance, banking, and investment needs, as long as the State of Florida permits us to do so. If the Florida insurance market becomes more rational in the future, we will most certainly reconsider our position.

Sincerely,
Robert G. Davis
Chairman and CEO

PALM DR.: Dead-man's Curve Does It Again

2007-04-15T20:08:00.000-04:00

We hope not, and pray for the people in the vehicles. At 200 yards east of the Venetia/Grove entrance, a black Lexus crossed the median and hit a silver Ford Taurus head on. Sorry for the picture quality, but the scene had not been processed, so the police would not let me any closer. Do I have to reiterate the need for traffic control on this road, and especially at this intersection, soon to have the new Miami-Dade Fire Rescue station and the new Publix. Also, notice the school zone sign in the picture. Is there enough evidence yet to get a traffic light, maybe two in this area?

Homestead City Council - Takes First Steps to End EFBD Deal

2007-04-15T11:14:00.000-04:00

An article in the Miami Herald Neighbors by Rebecca Dellagloria, Sunday, April 15, 2007 recounts the continuing saga of theEFBD schools for Homestead, specifically the Keys Gate section. To quote the last paragraph, "We've gone through this entire process to end up in the very same place that we were three years ago."_Erik Fresen, a land-use advisor with law firm Holland & Knight and educational district's chairman.

Plus Ça Change, Plus C'est La Même Chose: the French know about this very well.

Conflict of Interest? Councilman Hodge's Nonprofit Interested in Mayor Warren

2007-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Nonprofit interested in Mayor Warren
A nonprofit organization formed by council member Norman Hodge listed another public figure as a board member: Mayor Roscoe Warren.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
As a minister at the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Homestead, City Council member Norman Hodge says his New Year's resolution was to branch out and form his own youth ministry.
In February, Hodge incorporated a nonprofit named A New Life of Victory as the first step toward his goal. He also enlisted his friend and mentor -- Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren -- to serve as a board member.
Hodge said he asked Warren to serve primarily because of the mayor's knowledge of grant writing and other financial assistance through his job at Florida Memorial University. Warren is vice president for enrollment management at the university, overseeing financial aid and scholarships.
''That expertise can help guide us in some of the directions we would like to go,'' Hodge said of the new group. ``That's probably the only part of the process he would play -- as an advisor.''
The documents Hodge filed with Florida's secretary of state list the corporation's mission as ``providing various social and economic services to help build stronger communities.''
The organization also could assist first-time home buyers with getting down payments and finding affordable housing, Hodge said.
''The whole purpose was not to put limitations on what the organization can do,'' he said.
While initially supportive of volunteering his service, Warren said he did not know Hodge had already incorporated the nonprofit. He said he made it clear to Hodge that he would not serve on the board of the organization -- or any others -- until at least six months after he retires from public service.
''I told him it would be a beautiful thing if he could make it happen. And once I'm out of office, I wouldn't mind,'' said Warren, whose term is up in November. ``I don't see it as a conflict, but it would be perceived as a conflict, so I wouldn't do it until after I leave.''
Though Warren is eligible to run for one more two-year term, he has remained mum about his plans.
Kerrie Stillman, a spokeswoman for the Florida Commission on Ethics, said there is nothing in the ethics code that would prevent elected officials from having a business relationship, for profit or otherwise. But Judy Nadler, a senior fellow in government ethics at Santa Clara University and a former Santa Clara mayor, agreed with Warren's assessment that such an arrangment could prove sticky.
''Certainly it's a potential problem,'' she said.
One of the main areas of concern for any public official, let alone two working together, would be fundraising, Nadler said. Because most funds are raised from ''people with means'' -- including other officials -- ''it would certainly be an ethical problem if either the office or title was used to influence potential donors,'' she said.
Another potential conflict would arise if the nonprofit applied for funding that the City Council would have to approve, such as Community Development Block Grant funds that are supplied by the federal government but are awarded by cities, Nadler said.
''It doesn't mean that individuals who are in public office can't be involved in charitable causes,'' she said. ``It just means they have to be absolutely mindful of what they do and what influence, if any, their office has and be very aware of how it looks to the public.''
Hodge said he probably would need to do some fundraising in the beginning, and he intends to apply for grants from faith-based organizations. He said it is unlikely that he would seek any government funding, however.
Hodge pointed out the organization is still in its infancy, and that he has yet to file the necessary documents to gain tax exempt status as a 501c(3).
''It's a work in progress,'' he said.

Reference Article

Bye-Bye EFBD

2007-04-10T23:42:00.000-04:00

City Council voted tonight to cancel the interlocal agreement regarding the EFBD which will result in the dissolution of the EFBD. The current plan is for a K-12 charter school to take over the site and build the school which they already have in the works. By dissolving the EFBD the homeowners within the boundaries will not be assessed. The City will try to pursue collecting the impact fees collected by the school board thru other means. I believe they are shooting for a 2008 school year opening. Sounds like a plan.....

Arby's Coming to Florida City

2007-04-10T18:10:00.000-04:00

New Arby's Coming to the Out Parcel between Home Depot and Office Depot on South Dixie Highway/US1.

Homeowners Beware: Fly by Night Management Companies

2007-04-09T06:50:00.000-04:00

The Pine Grove condo association claimed it had back-to-back bookkeeping problems with its management companies. Checkbook entries were hit or miss, leaving the association $60,000 overdrawn at one point. But one management firm blamed the association and its officers. A new manager counted more than $100,000 in outstanding bills. Not our fault, the manager said. It was the association that was out of kilter.
The back and forth is an example of the problems that develop when owners who are generally unschooled in accounting and building operations hire outsiders to manage their property and the books. As the number of communities governed by associations rises nationally, South Florida is witnessing growth in the number of complaints filed with the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation against licensed community association managers.

In Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, the number of complaints rose by almost 200 percent to 63, the biggest increase seen in South Florida, in the fiscal year ended June 30. In Broward County, complaints were up 50 percent to 30 in the same year. The count already is ahead of the previous year with 35 complaints in hand since July 1. Palm Beach, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties grouped together in Region 8 saw a 24 percent increase in a year.
About 286,000 communities were governed by associations in 2006 nationally, up 10 percent from 260,000 communities in 2004, according to the Community Association Institute.
More than half of those living in community associations surveyed nationally by Zogby International in 2005 said they have community managers.
At Pine Grove near Florida’s Turnpike in Kendall, the main issue was the state of association finances. T&G Management Services took over at Pine Grove in March 2005. By the end of July, the association found out its bank account was $60,000 overdrawn. “They screwed up our finances,” said Teresa Gavalda, treasurer of the 374-unit association. “It was sloppy bookkeeping — nothing was stolen — but it was sloppy bookkeeping.” T&G did not keep the association’s books up to date, she said.
The association president was writing checks, but some were not recorded, others were recorded twice and some had the wrong numbers. Pine Grove fired T&G in October 2005, and Gavalda filed a complaint against the company with DBPR. It took the agency that polices association managers a year to say T&G did nothing illegal. T&G is listed in state corporate records as an active company but does not have a listed telephone number. The association searched for a replacement and hired Alhambra Property Management in January 2006. “We had problems with the accounting from the beginning,” Gavalda said.
At the start of the contract, Alhambra said it would walk the property to see what needed to be repaired, but Gavalda said that never happened, and residents got no answer when they tried to call the company. “A lot of management companies are notorious for not returning calls,” said Bill Raphan, assistant to the state condominium ombudsman, which monitors association-governed communities in Florida. But Alhambra was quick to return a call for comment on Pine Grove. “When we came on, there was no money.
The association had over $100,000 in outstanding bills. They couldn’t pay. They couldn’t pay us,” Alhambra president Marlene Menendez said. “We knew they had problems. We didn’t know the extent.” She said the association was self-governed for a few months, which state law does not permit, and its accounting system was a disaster. Menendez gathered outstanding bills to arrange a payment schedule and recommended holding a meeting to impose a special assessment to pay them. She said some signed blank checks were found while gathering the financial documents. “The board at that time was run very loosely,” Menendez said. It took her company about two months to set up an accurate community database while collecting fees and paying bills at the same time. Menendez said she also did a reconstruction of the 2006 accounting year, but the process was lengthened because of multiple means of bill collection. She blamed the conflicts on two association presidents who “wanted us to do things that were not statutorily correct,” Menendez said. She said the president at the beginning of her employment wanted her to prepare checks for vendors who did not submit bills.
The next president wanted her to change a proposed budget being mailed to residents after the board had approved it. “The budget was voted on and approved by the board, and it has to stay that way” unless it is changed by another vote, she said. Gavalda said it came down to “bad service” and Alhambra was fired last August. Menendez said her initial contract was never signed, and the parting was mutual. Pine Grove has since hired a community association manager. An accountant who comes in once or twice a week is still trying to organize the association’s books from 2005 and 2006. “Now, thank God, we are back from oblivion,” Gavalda said.
Licensing system Under state law, a community manager must be licensed if the community has more than 50 units or an annual budget of more than $100,000. Applicants must complete 18 hours of education, pass an exam, clear a background check and pay a $275 fee. The system has its detractors. It’s the “same as quite a few people who are given driver’s licenses who should not be on the road,” said Gary Poliakoff, who practices community association law as the managing shareholder of Becker & Poliakoff in Fort Lauderdale.
The main duties of a manager are controlling and disseminating funds, preparing documents, holding meetings and coordinating maintenance, he said. One of the biggest problems cited by Poliakoff is the misappropriation of funds. “A large concern is kickbacks from vendors,” he said. “It probably is the biggest concern that is ongoing in associations.” Another issue with managers is liability for potential losses. While they are required to have a license, they are not required to carry insurance or bonds. “If the community association management company were to commit an act of gross negligence … there wouldn’t be assets for the association to go after,” attorney Eric Glazer of Glazer and Associates in Hallandale and Boca Raton said.
While individual community association managers are required to have licenses, management companies are not. “Management companies do not have to be licensed in the state of Florida, which is an incredible fact,” Raphan said. “When dealing with management companies, it is difficult because they are not regulated.” Most large management companies carry insurance, Glazer said. But smaller community associations with smaller budgets are less likely to hire insured management companies. Glazer said other management problems include failure to maintain adequate records and administer annual elections. “With the larger community association management companies, it is never really a problem,” said Glazer, attributing most problems to smaller mom-and-pop companies. But even with state complaints on the rise, attorneys are quick to say they are still uncommon. “I have to stress that these instances are a rarity and certainly not the norm,” attorney Donna Berger of Becker & Poliakoff wrote in an e-mail. She is vice chair of the firm’s community association law practice group.
Management overload? Some managers make problems for themselves. “Sometimes the managers tend to take over too much responsibility or the board gives them too much,” Raphan said. “They are supposed to do what their contract says — not making the decisions.” The ombudsman’s office acts as a liaison among associations, residents and managers. Most of the problems between owners and management companies focus on records requests and maintenance issues, Raphan said. Getting rid of a problem property manager is usually easy, but the management contract rules, said attorney Steven Fein of Fein & Meloni in Plantation. “If the manager screws up, the board has to look at the contract for their options,” he said. Fein insists on a contract clause with a probationary cancellation period of 30 or 60 days with or without cause. But some associations sign contracts without legal review and without cancellation clauses, which can make removals costly. “When you get a three-year contract where the marriage has failed after a couple months … it’s going to be a very expensive divorce,” he said. DBPR is responsible for investigating when complaints are filed. Ivan Ondrus, a former office manager at the Sea Edge Cooperative Apartments in Hallandale Beach, is the target of one investigation.
A complaint filed by former Sea Edge board president Robert N. Fischer accused Ondrus of fraud by allegedly typing his name on a blank stock certificate to become a unit owner without disclosing to the board that he was the buyer. Sea Edge bylaws call for board approval of buyers after interviews, and Fischer said, “The bylaws were violated because there was no interview.” Ondrus claims he was interviewed, but he would not identify the board members. “I don’t want to put names on this, the previous board,” said Ondrus, who would not comment further. Broward County property records list him as the buyer of a $260,000 unit Feb. 26, 2006, but the association questions the legality of the purchase.
The ownership dispute prompted a call to Hallandale Beach police May 31, 2006, when Ondrus found the unit locks had been changed. Ondrus showed police his ownership papers and received new keys, a police report said. The officer gave condo association president John Laporte a verbal warning, but the association is still challenging Ondrus’ claim to ownership. “There is a real possibility that it will result in litigation” over the interview issue, said association attorney Marcus C. Aguirre of Becker & Poliakoff. The complaint filed with DBPR alleges Ondrus forged Fischer’s signature on a cover page about the unit sale. “I didn’t sign it,” Fischer said. The dispute over signatures could be relevant to Ondrus’ ownership but is not something the association would legally pursue, Aguirre said. “What happened at Sea Edge is the exception, not the norm,” he said. Jessica Burke can be reached at jburke@alm.com or at (305) 347-6685

Reference Article

The Shores Gate Closure Sparks Debate

2007-04-08T10:16:00.000-04:00

The closure of one entrance leading into the Shores community has sparked debate among some hmoeowners who said they weren't informed of the associations's decision beforehand.

By Rebacca Dellagloria

rdellagloria@miamiherald.com

When Dulce Collazo was picking a lot for her new home in the Shores residential community in Keys Gate, a key factor was being near an entrance into the neighborhood.

So, she selected a corner lot just around the bend from the gated entrance on Southeast 19th Terrace and South Canal Drive.

To Collazo's surprise, one day in late March as she was trying to leave, she noticed the gate was gone. In its place was a median filled with trees and shrubbery.

"We found out they were closing the gate because we drove up because we were going to leave," said Collazo, a nurse. "they never told us anything."

"Collazo's neighbors, the Rosados, also said they were not notified in advance that the South Canal Drive entrance would be closed for good as of March 22.

"Wen they've done stuff in the past, they send out letters, but for that, they didn't," said Tania Rosado, a student at Carlos Albizu University in Doral.

Rosado and Collazo say it is an inconvenience to those living closer to South Canal Drive than the other two entrances, at Palm Drive and Southeast 16th Street, who now have to drive around to either enter or exit the community, the largest in Keys Gate with 713 homes.

But members of the Shores Advisory Council - the neighborhood group that serves as an advisory body to Keys Gate's master association - said the closure was necessary, as a safety measure, in order to prevent unwanted guests from entering.

Timothy Craig, council president, said some visitors would follow other cars through the security bar rather than cehcking in at the guard gate. Other cars would simply drive through the bar without stopping, Craig said.

"The overidding concern in our neighborhood, is our community, that is expressed very very strongly, is security," said Craig. "If it was security vs. convenience, it's not a very big decision."

Craig also said the closingof the entrance had been discussed at several association meetings and that plans had been in the works for months. He said the response he has received from residents has been "overwhelmingly positive."

The issue is on the agenda for the next association meeting on Thursday. If enough residents say they are not happy with the entrance closure, it will be reopened, Craig said.

Fellow board memeber LaTrese Brown, who pushed for the closure - and with good reason.

"It was a breach of security back there", said Brown, who said she had concerns about safety in her neighborhood. With the closure, she said, "we'll be able to control who come in and who doesn't come in."

Brown said the majority of residents who go to the association meetings agreed the gate should be closed. But, she noted that less than 10 percent of residnts usually show up.

Ultimately, residents like Willy Perez, 28, said they want to be kept informed - and to have their vocies counted.

"If this is an association, at least they should have sent us a flier," Perez said.

"at least give us a chance to make a decision.

Article Reference:

Miami Hearld Neighbors South

Sunday, April 8th 2007 page 3

New Schools Update

2007-04-08T10:06:00.000-04:00

Progress report given on crowding
Miami-Dade School Board member Evelyn Greer updated Homestead and Florida City residents last week on plans for new schools.

BY ANNIE WILLIAMS
U/Miami News Service

If you ask a parent, teacher or School Board member about the No. 1 problem with South Miami-Dade schools, they'll all probably give the same answer: overcrowding.
Students are unable to register for the courses they need, get through busy hallways in time for class nor find a parking space. Those are big problems, said School Board member Evelyn Greer, whose district ranges from Kendall to Florida City.
Speaking to the Greater Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce on March 22, Greer updated area residents on the progress of the School Board's five-year capital plan, which aims to put new schools or modular classrooms in every neighborhood around the county by 2010.
Two years into the plan, the school district has added 60,000 classroom seats, with 16,000 already in South Dade.
''We are on time, on budget and have been seeing surpluses,'' said Greer, who regularly gives briefings around her district. ``It is the first time in known history that there will be plenty of space in every school in South Dade.''
There are seven completed modules and five schools under construction in Greer's district.
The biggest project is the new South Dade Senior High, at 16701 SW 284th St. The $95 million facility is scheduled to open in August 2008 and have room for 3,500 students. The current high school has about 2,600 students.
Some residents who attended the meeting seemed encouraged by the plans.
''We need more high schools,'' said Sam Brown, a mother of four South Dade students.
Three more high schools are in the preliminary stages and will focus on providing specialized programs.
''There are no complete magnet schools south of Coral Reef and that is way too far,'' said Greer, referring to the senior high on Southwest 152nd Street. ``We're trying to drive the academic standards up from the ground and provide higher quality programs.''
One of the new high schools, to be built on land near Metrozoo donated by the University of Miami, will specialize in math and science.
'This school will energize middle schools' math and science programs'' as well, said Greer. ``This offers kids with a family history of no college education a high quality program to get them into college.''
Construction for the school is scheduled to begin in 2008, to be ready for opening in 2010.
Also planned is a performing arts school near the South Dade Performing Arts Center under construction in Cutler Bay and possibly a medical arts school at the old Homestead Hospital, which is being replaced with a new hospital. No deals have been inked on acquiring the hospital.
''Market forces are waylaying our plans,'' Greer said, referring to the Homestead school.
In addition to new high schools, South Dade Middle School at Southwest 290th Street and 197th Avenue, and Goulds Elementary at Southwest 236th Street and 112th Avenue, are scheduled to open in August 2008.
And two new K-8 centers are near completion -- one near Palm Glade in the Redland and another near Mandarin Lakes in Naranja. A third K-8 school planned near Keys Gate is experiencing delays because of concerns about possible environmental contamination on the donated site, officials said.
''We are one of the areas exploding in population. With more homes, more schools are going up and that provides more services to our community,'' said Eileen Wood-Medina, principal of Redland Elementary School and supporter of the current plan.
With projections to open the schools in South Dade by 2010, Greer said she hopes high quality programs will generate demand and create a cycle where the community is involved in demanding better schools.
''The five-year plan is plenty; we just don't want it to become the 10-year plan,'' said Katy Oleson, the chamber's chair-elect. ``But it's going fine as long as they stay on track.''

Reference Article

FPL: More Nukes at Turkey Point

2007-04-05T12:28:00.001-04:00

FPL says Turkey Point among possible sites for new nuclear plant

By Joseph Mann
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 4 2007

Florida Power & Light Co. said Tuesday that its Turkey Point nuclear power complex is one of more than a dozen potential sites being evaluated for building a new nuclear power plant.

Juno Beach-based FPL, which already operates nuclear reactors at Turkey Point in Homestead and St. Lucie County near Fort Pierce, said that a proposed nuclear plant could be part of an overall plan to increase the company's generating capacity by 28 percent, or 6,700 megawatts, by 2016.

In announcing the outlines of its 10-year power generation plan Tuesday, FPL said that its customer base was expected to grow to 5.9 million customers by 2016, up from 4.4 million subscribers today.

New power plants will cost FPL billions of dollars and will help meet burgeoning demand for electric power among its customers. But consumers eventually will pay the bill. Pending approval by regulators in Tallahassee, the costs of new generating facilities are factored into electric power rates after the plants go into operation.

The 10-year program, which is updated each year and submitted to state regulators for approval, aims at diversifying FPL's fuel sources to help stabilize future power costs, conserving energy and using renewable energy resources. Currently, the company generates electricity using 50 percent natural gas, 21 percent nuclear power, 9 percent fuel oil and 5 percent coal. It also buys about 15 percent of the power it needs from other utilities.

FPL estimates that energy conservation over the past 25 years avoided the need to build 11 medium-sized power plants. It expects to avoid the need to build four more plants through 2016 by encouraging customers to conserve energy.

Although FPL has not committed to building a nuclear plant, the company advised the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission last year that it intended to submit a license application. It also has been looking for potential sites since last year. These are initial steps in a long process -- including choosing reactor and technology, obtaining state and federal licenses and construction -- that could take about 12 years before a plant is completed. FPL says a final decision on building the nuclear plant is not expected for "several years."

FPL filed its 10-year plan with the Public Service Commission late Monday.

Other power generating facilities under construction or planned for the near future include natural gas-powered plants for Turkey Point and western Palm Beach County and a coal-fired plant in Glades County.

The Turkey Point natural gas plant, to be completed this summer, will cost about $600 million, while the West County Energy Center in Palm Beach County has an estimated price tag of $1.3 billion. FPL's projected coal plant in Glades County will cost about $5.7 billion. A new nuclear plant could cost between $5 billion and $6 billion.

Joseph Mann can be reached at jmann@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4665.

Reference Article

Proposed Tax Cuts Worry Homestead Officials

2007-04-01T08:04:00.000-04:00

Proposed tax cuts worry officials
Homestead will be slammed if state legislators approve any of the property tax reforms being considered to reduce the tax burden on residents.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
As cities weigh proposed legislation aimed at reducing property tax woes for Floridians, one thing has become clear: Lower property taxes will mean less money for local governments.
And Homestead is already planning for the crunch.
City Manager Curt Ivy said last week that he has issued a memo to all department heads to freeze the hiring of all ''nonmissioncritical staff'' for the time being. Ivy also said some capital improvement projects and all major purchases face review.
Few cities in South Florida have reaped the rewards of the development boom of the past few years like Homestead. Finally recovering from the havoc wreaked on South Miami-Dade by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, city coffers have been flush with new taxes and fees that have fueled municipal projects, including repaving streets, adding sidewalks, improving parks and beefing up police services.
During last year's State of the City address, Mayor Roscoe Warren boldly asserted that more money was being brought in through permitting and developer impact fees than in property taxes. And initiatives that had long sat on the back-burner -- like creating master development plans for each of the city's four sectors, and putting away money in reserves for the first time -- could finally be realized.
But the well is drying up.
Construction of the new homes that nearly doubled the city's population during the past three years has leveled off.
And now, state legislators are weighing tax reforms that threaten to reduce Homestead's property tax revenues by $8 million -- almost half of what the city says it needs to pay for services.
''We were just starting to get our feet back underneath us, and now they are starting to get pulled back out,'' said Jan Smith, Homestead's finance director.
Ivy described a legislative proposal to double homestead exemptions from $25,000 to $50,000 -- in addition to the city's dwindling revenues from permitting and impact fees -- as a ``double whammy.''
''When the state finishes with us, we'll have another financial crisis,'' said Ivy, who took over as chief administrator when the city was on the verge of bankruptcy in the late 1990s. ``I feel like we're still the bug and they're still the windshield.''
Homestead used its newfound wealth to play catch-up for all the years it spent rebuilding from Andrew -- ''a lot of little incidental things that were there under the surface,'' Ivy said.
The city paid back $7 million in debt from water and sewer bonds, as well as bonds to pay for sidewalk projects and street resurfacing taken on prior to Andrew. From 2000-06, the city hired 23 new police officers, added code enforcement officers and doubled the size of its development services department. Overall, staff increased by 45 positions.
The city also established a policy to set aside 10 percent of its general fund in reserves, in case of another Andrew -- something it had not done before.
Before that, ''We budgeted everything. And whatever was left was rolled over to the next year's budget,'' Ivy said.
Ivy was also quick to note that the city gave back to residents. Over the last four years, the city reduced its property tax rate by $2.25 per $1,000 of taxable value -- providing more savings for homeowners than other local municipalities.
Ivy resents the characterization by some state legislators that cities have been irresponsible with surpluses.
''The state is painting a picture that we are smoking cigars made of $20 bills, but we're not,'' he said. ``We're being fiscally responsible. And we're the ones that provide the municipal services to the cities -- not them.''
Now the city is looking at where it can scale back -- and doesn't see many good options.
Even before the state began to consider property tax relief, the city was looking at how to cut items funded with developers' fees, Ivy said.
The police, public works and parks departments have already been asked to eliminate some projects that were not yet budgeted. And further cutting will come.
Ivy and Deputy City Manager Mike Shehadeh are hoping that small cuts here and there won't cripple city services.
''The number is going to be significant, but it could be a number of smaller projects put together to get that significant number,'' Shehadeh said.
Both administrators said they are skeptical that legislative plans will bring about the desired results.
''The state tackled windstorm insurance in 30 days. We don't know if that's a real fix, it's a quick fix,'' Ivy said. ``They've got a real group hug going from that; now they want to keep the group hug going by fixing the property taxes. . . . I think there could be a lot of unintended consequences.''

Reference Article

Florida City: Mega-Development Approved by County Commissioners

2007-04-01T07:10:00.000-04:00

New affordable housing moves one step closer
The Miami-Dade Commission approved three controversial applications to amend the county's Comprehensive Development Master Plan in deep South Miami-Dade.

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
A planned megadevelopment of 940 homes west of Florida City won preliminary approval from the Miami-Dade Commission Wednesday, when the group voted unanimously to amend its Comprehensive Development Master Plan to allow the project.
The approved development is a scaled-down version of a project that the commission previously had rejected.
Last year, the commission upheld the Redland Community Council's denial of a land-use designation change from estate density to residential on the big, 119-acre project and a separate, similar one on 10 acres. Both are located between Southwest 336th and 344th streets and 192nd and 197th avenues.
But this time the commission approved land-use changes for both applications with some modifications, allowing no more than 420 homes on the acreage west of Southwest 194th Avenue and no more than 520 homes on the land to the east. That is roughly seven units per acre less than the developers initially requested.
The plans also include a set-aside of 10 percent, about 90, of the homes for so-called workforce housing to be priced between $160,000 and $225,000.
''This is kind of a bitter pill, but I'm swallowing it because it's better than the alternative,'' said Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson, who represents the area.
Sorenson initially moved to deny the request but changed her motion after receiving support from only one other commissioner, Dennis Moss, who also represents South Miami-Dade. The approval went against recommendations from county planners.
Still, the applicant, Q2 Florida City LLC, must apply for zoning approval from the Redland Council before shovel can be put to ground. Actual construction would likely be years off, said the applicant's attorney, Juan Mayol.
The State Department of Community Affairs also must sign off on the land use changes.
Also approved on the second go-round by the commission was an application amending the master plan for a similar, single family/town house project on 20 acres, also at Southwest 344th Street and 192nd Avenue.
That property, owned by Palm & Tower Investors, falls within Moss' commission district, and this time he was supportive -- though for a lower density than requested.
Mayol, who represented the applicant, initially proposed setting aside 20 percent of the project for workforce housing under a new, voluntary zoning classification.
Known as ''inclusionary zoning,'' developers would be given a ''density bonus'' for setting aside homes for people earning 65 percent to 140 percent of median household income. That group includes working professionals such as nurses, teachers and firefighters.
About 100 residents, gathered by Princeton activist Ken Forbes, came in support of the project, saying it would make homeownership attainable for lower-income residents in Florida City.
The city, Mayol said, wants to annex that property and the 119-acre and 10-acre properties west of its boundaries.
But Moss was not swayed.
''I just don't want folks to come down here thinking that if the application is approved, folks from Florida City can come lining up and afford these places, and that's not the case,'' he said. ``I don't want people to be used in this process.''
The commission approved amending the master plan to allow a slightly less-dense project, with no more than 8 ½ units per acre, provided the site plan follows certain ''urban design'' standards such as no walls surrounding the development, lots of open space and pedestrian-friendly streets. Sorenson was the lone dissenter.
The developer agreed to keep the workforce housing element but cut it to 10 percent as a result of the reduced density.
A handful of residents, including Robert Moehling, owner of the popular Robert Is Here fruit stand, opposed all three applications, saying they were too dense.
''We're bordering on being annexed to Florida City without being able to vote on it,'' said Moehling, whose home and business is just yards from the sites. It is ``putting more people in where they shouldn't be.''

Reference Article

Homestead Hospital: On Cutting Edge

2007-03-30T08:11:00.000-04:00

Homestead hospital is on the cutting edge
A first look at Homestead's new hospital shows a blend of high-tech machines and family-friendly designs.
BY JOHN DORSCHNER
jdorschner@MiamiHerald.com
Homestead's new million-dollar-a-bed hospital not only has the latest CT scan machines and ultra-modern operating rooms, but if you want to stay overnight with a patient, you can sleep in a chair that folds out into the bed or sit at a desk and hook up your laptop to the Internet.
These were some of the highlights unveiled Thursday, when Homestead Hospital executives provided two Miami Herald staffers with the first view journalists have gotten of the inside of the 120-bed, $135 million facility scheduled to open in early May.
Workers were still performing finishing touches, drills buzzing to install light fixtures in the soaring three-story entrance, small screwdrivers adjusting a $1.5 million, 64-slice CT scanner that can give highly detailed looks at patients' organs.
Many areas -- even in intensive care -- have windows, on the theory that natural light gives a healing effect, along with subdued blues and beiges on the walls and floors.
The facility, on suburban Campbell Drive, replaces an aging and overcrowded building in central Homestead. The old hospital, serving many poor and uninsured patients, has been a money loser for years for its owner, Baptist Health South Florida, and the system expects to lose perhaps $30 million this year on the new and old Homestead facilities.
But the southern part Miami-Dade County, booming with development and flush with plenty of open space for more, is likely to provide an ever-growing patient base for the hospital. Its closest competitor is Jackson South, a public hospital 18 miles away.
The Homestead facility is built for expansion. With 40 acres already taken by the main facility and medical office building, 20 acres remain for future development.
Chief Executive Bill Duquette says the five-story facility is designed so that wings can easily be added, which would allow it to grow to 350 beds.
STORM READY
Homestead Hospital is also ready for storms. It's designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes. Project manager Nelson Roque said that storm reinforcement added 10 to 15 percent to the building's cost, but since the Baptist system is essentially self-insured for wind damage, the design could save money in the long run.
Efforts to strengthen hurricane protection could also help patients. With generators and underground fuel tanks, the hospital is prepared to continue operating independently for five days after the strongest storm. ''We don't want happening to us what happened to those New Orleans hospitals after Katrina,'' said Duquette, referring to patients being abandoned and left dying in the heat.
For emergency room patients who have spent hours in the present Homestead waiting room or on carts in the narrow hallways of its ER treatment areas, the new facility will seem like a palace, with multiple waiting rooms for adults and children. The new ER has 44 beds, each in its own private room -- compared to 22 beds in a cramped common area.
In event of natural disasters -- anything from bird flu to hurricanes -- each ER room is set up with double supplies of oxygen and other necessary services, meaning the area could quickly start serving 88 patients.
The new ER is connected to the hospital's radiology department, so patients can get an X-ray or a CT scan without being wheeled to a different area of the hospital, as happens now.
The entire hospital is digitalized. A doctor in a fourth-floor patient wing can instantly see the results of an X-ray online and can order a prescription at a computer terminal.
The second floor has four large operating rooms, with all equipment attached to the ceiling, allowing the staff to move freely. High-definition monitors attached to the walls can be used to show the latest radiology or lab results of a patient. Chief of Surgery George Tershakovec called the new operating rooms ``a dream come true.''
BABY LOJACK SYSTEM
In the third floor obstetrics wing, the hospital has set up what is essentially ''a baby LoJack system,'' says Chief Nursing Officer Gail Gordon. Anyone trying to take a baby out of the hospital will set off alarms at the doors.
The fourth and fifth floors are patient rooms. All are private, designed to allow caregivers to work on one side of the hospital bed (which cost about $15,000 each) while relatives wait on the other.
Baptist administrators asked for the input of doctors and nurses throughout the design process. When the medical professionals complained they have a hard time envisioning how blueprints translated into real spaces, Baptist created full-size mock ups in a warehouse. Nurses and doctors inspected them, said Gordon, and suggested improvements.
A community open house is planned for April 28. The hospital is scheduled to open May 6.

Reference Article

EFBD: Aresenic Contamination Stalls New School Construction

2007-03-29T05:52:00.000-04:00

Contamination stalls new school construction
Construction on the first EFBD school in the city will take even longer to begin -- if at all -- as concerns have been raised about arsenic contamination.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
The fate of the long-awaited first Educational Facilities Benefit District school in Homestead is up in the air as environmental concerns about its land have surfaced.
Slightly elevated levels of arsenic detected in the soil and groundwater have delayed construction of the new school as the Miami-Dade School system and the Educational Facilities Benefit District, also know as the EFBD, wrangle over the $7 million clean-up.
The EFBD, a unique special-taxing district, is funded through developers' impact fees, which usually go to the county for the construction of new schools countywide. In the EFBD area, the money is funneled to a nonprofit agency to build schools only inside the district.
The school system agreed to build and pay for the first school for the EFBD on land donated by Keys Gate developer Michael Latterner, with site clean-up to be paid for by the EFBD, said Homestead Council member Lynda Bell.
But the system is now saying a total cleanup may be too costly and questions loom over who would pay.
Nelco Testing & Engineering services, the firm hired by the EFBD, had started the cleanup, said Joy Ashby, an environmental engineer on the project at Southwest 162nd Avenue and South Canal Drive.
Ashby said the plan to decontaminate the land included de-mucking about 10 feet of soil from 80 percent of the property and replacing it with new fill.
The remainder of the land would be covered with about two feet of new soil, and monitoring wells would be placed into the ground to measure arsenic levels in the water, Ashby said.
When the site cleaning is complete, Ashby said, the future school children ``will not have direct contact with the arsenic in the soil.''
But work on the site halted last month when the system refused to release the EFBD funds to the nonprofit for the work, said Judy Brostoff, president of Michael Latterner and Associates.
'At the 11th hour they told us, `We can't release the funds to continue,' '' said Brostoff, also a director of Homestead EFBD, the nonprofit agency. ``The contractors said they can't work without being paid.''
At the time, the project was being managed for the school system by facilities chief Rose Diamond, who has since resigned. Now, the project appears to be at an impasse.
Ana Rijo-Conde, the planning director for Miami-Dade Schools, said the system cannot accept the property in its current state or with ground monitoring wells in place.
''For schools, there is only one way to clean land, and that is to completely decontaminate the site,'' she said. That position does not sit well with the EFBD board. It said the environmental concerns are nothing new and that a plan had been in place to turn over the land in phases as each portion was decontaminated.
Somewhere along the way, the rules changed, it said.
''We thought we were pretty much on track. And then they came back and said they couldn't accept the land by state law,'' said Bell, the council appointee to the EFBD board. 'We said, `Since when? Why haven't we known about this? Why weren't we informed?' ''
The project -- already years behind schedule -- now faces an uncertain fate.
Homestead's School Board representative, Evelyn Greer, said the potential cleanup costs could threaten the EFBD's ability to finance future school construction.
Beyond that is the basic issue of whether the current site will be too costly to clean regardless of who pays for it.
''We need to figure out whether it's worthwhile to proceed on this piece of property,'' Greer said. ``Probably it is, but we need to figure out how it can happen.''
This isn't the first obstacle the EFBD school has faced. Initially set to be open by August 2006, the project was first pushed back for panther habitat restoration efforts and when a portion of the site was found to be wetlands.
The Army Corps of Engineers later determined the land was not a panther habitat, but portions of the 39 acres designated as wetlands cannot be developed.
If the project moves forward on the current site, the property would house both the first and a second EFBD school. The wetland area will likely be used as a shared park facility between the two schools, Bell said.
Rijo-Conde said the school system has already spent about $1 million on planning the school for the site.
''We've made it very clear to everybody that we are still very committed to our part . . . to build the first school,'' she said. ``We want to proceed with the project.''

Reference Article

EFBD Site: Arsenic and Old...Panthers

2007-03-26T18:31:00.000-04:00

Sad to report that the street news has it that work stopped at the EFBD school sites in Keys Gate due to arsenic pollution. First it was the mysterious, unseen, possible Florida panther habitat that held it up, until the last of the breed was killed on Card Sound Road, now arsenic pollution. What next for this valuable property? Science has discovered an arsenic eating plant that removes the pollutant. Perhaps it can become an arsenic eating plant nursery.

This real is a blow to the community since our kids need local schools, people are paying the EFBD tax and still no school, and our community is lessened by not addressing this important need for educated cititzens.

Arsenic disrupts hormones: see graphic.

Homestead Property Taxes Illustrated

2007-03-25T11:18:00.000-04:00