Patrick Sessions; running for Village Council

We have asked the Village Council nominees to send us a little something about themselves and their vision and their reason for wanting to be elected to the Village Council. Here is the next in the series, Pat Sessions:

As a resident of Coconut Grove for over 43 years and a resident of Miami for over 60 years, I have watched the Grove go through major changes, both good and bad. Sometimes considered the “step child” of Miami, the Grove’s special character and needs have often been ignored. As a member of the Village Council, I want to represent the residents and business owners of the Grove and make their wishes heard by the governmental officials who directly influence the quality of life for all of us who live, work and pay taxes here in the Grove.

Prior to my retirement, I spent most of my professional life as a builder and developer, both for large corporations and with my own company. This practical experience adds an expertise to the Village Council that will greatly help it in reviewing the complex issues that are presented for review by its residents and the city. I have spent my entire professional life planning, permitting, budgeting and executing all types of projects, residential, commercial and civic. The combination of sound planning based on the needs of the Grove’s citizens and the ability to negotiate with the myriad of governmental agencies to get these plans enacted is critical. The use of common sense to develop these plans with the financial ability to implement them are the keys to maintaining Coconut Grove as Miami’s most unique community.

Law enforcement plays a critical part in our quality of life. No community can thrive residentially or commercially if it does not provide security for its citizens. As an advocate for missing children and as a former sworn law enforcement officer, I have worked extensively with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies on a wide range of law enforcement issues. With the current budget crisis, it is critical to be sure that the Grove residents and businesses, in all parts of the Grove both residential and commercial, continue to receive the law enforcement services they now have and deserve. We must also continue to work to make sure the City of Miami does an even better job by maximizing our tax dollars with traditional and innovative law enforcement techniques that really make a difference.

Coconut Grove is a very special place to all of us, with our unique blend of cultures, homes, businesses, parks, and waterfront. The tree canopy, sidewalks and bike paths all help make the Grove one of the most desirable communities in the country. It takes vigilance and hard work to preserve these great attributes and sometimes good intentions are just not enough. Help me use my experience, expertise, common sense and integrity to insure that the recommendations made by the Coconut Grove Village Council reflect the desires and needs of all of Coconut Grove. Let’s all work together to make sure Coconut Grove is preserved and enhanced, not exploited.

For more information, email Patrick at patsessionsCGVC@aol.com.

Other candidate bios published were: Stephen Murray, Renita Samuels-Dixon, Will Furry, Heather Bettner and Javier Gonzalez.