Sharing the City Hall dais
Today Mayor Tomas Regalado brought up a resolution before the City Commission regarding the Village Council and homeowner groups using the dais in City Hall. According to the mayor, there are dozens (over 30) homeowner groups from Shenandoah to Coral Gate and of course Coconut Grove's own homeowner groups, all within city limits. Coconut Grove and the Village Council were never brought up by name.
As you know, in recent months, the Mayor has had the Village Council removed from City Hall. The Mayor would like a rotation of groups using City Hall so that everyone may be seen on Comcast Cable Channel 77. As of yet, ATT Uverse does not show the hearings on their system.
Starting in January, the city will draft a program to allow for air time access on Channel 77 and the use of City Hall's chambers as a meeting place for the homeowners and other groups, including the Cocoanut Grove Village Council.The motion was passed by the City Commission unanimously.
I know one or two homeowner groups in the Grove who would be very happy just keeping their meetings to themselves. I know I have been removed from a North Grove group's email list and I live in the North Grove! Censorship does live in the Grove.
posted by Tom Falco at 4:30 PM
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19 Comments:
I always thought the Cocoanut Grove Village Council was afforded a more elevated status due to their history, age, and election process.
Now it's just another "activist group."
Thanks Tomas!
PS, did he ever get back to you Grape?
want outside people to be able to watch from home: Ustream.tv or livestream.com either one can be setup in minutes w/any laptop + webcam and some wifi.
boom there its done.
Three words: "Divide and conquer." The Coconut Grove Village Council is elected to represent ALL the people of the Grove. You do not have to pay dues to be represented by us, or to own a home in a certain neighborhood. We bring the Grove together to discuss issues and then take the Grove's positions on those issues to the City and the County. Certain people at City Hall know that the best way to weaken the Grove is to divide the Grove.
Some of you may remember that our current Commissioner was the founder of the "One Grove Alliance" when the Village Council was weak and the Grove was divided and almost conquered. When he was elected to the Village Council, he abandoned that organization. Now that he is Commissioner, two years from facing reelection, he has supported the elimination of the Village Council's schedule of meetings from City Hall while his sidekick, the People's Mayor, sponsors legislation lumping the Council in with homeowner associations.
Hmmmm.
Funny Michelle....I remember reading a comment that you posted talking about how other homeowners associations should strive to have the equal time in City Hall and how the Village Council is an example...yadayadayada
Yes, I was removed from the Grove Park Homeowners' Association email list because I objected to the list being used to promote Sarnoff's campaign for Commissioner and to promote Liliana Dones' Bolshevik quest to have homeowners report on each other for suspicious tree-cutting activity.
You have to toe the line around here, or else....
Lately the Village Council has been representing their own interests - Adam Weirich was pushing his bar for 5am and Lily Donnes who does PR for certain bars and restaurnats pushing for the same thing. it will be interesting to see what Patrick Sessions will push - isn't he a developer? + I heard Michelle does legal work for the bars that want
5am.
I was removed from another homeowner's group because I am for the 5 am bar closing time.
Anon. 11:41, aside from your libel, these people represent what the vast majority of voters want, that is the Village Council's job. If only the City Commission would do the same.
I am not a lawyer, but I thought libel required a statement to be false. If anything that anon 11:41 said is false, please correct his post and tell us what statements are untrue.
Michelle, please try and show some class. I realize that you supported Sanchez, but since Regalado is our fairly elected Mayor, you should provide him basic respect and not toss around your juvenile insults. It makes you look cheap and petty.
And quit harping on the City Hall issue. When you boil it down, home owner groups are more important that the Village Counsel as they at least can create and enforce rules. If the Village counsel ever becomes relevant, then I will start to listen to them.
None of the people mentioned have self interest. Adam's bar will not be open until 5 am if the law changes, Lili and Michelle and myself for that matter are for the cause becuase it is the right thing to do. It has nothing to do with us benefiting monitarily. The comment aboves borders on libel.
I hate to agree with anonymous posters, but in this case they make some good points.
First, let me say I am neutral with the 5am closing time. I think it is laughable that 1 bar, closing 2 hours later, will cause a sharp spike in crime, cover the Grove in litter and deploy rampant groups of drunk revelers torching houses while driving drunk on their way home. I think it is just as ridicules to think that one bar closing 2 hours earlier caused the complete collapse of the Grove economy. I find it more likely that this whole debacle was caused by a couple of people who are directly affected by this ordinance or anti Sarnoff groups jumping on this non issue. Come on people, we all know there are many more pressing issues that caused the Grove to hit wall as a prime visitor destination around Miami.
Now for the anon postings, I think stating the relationships individuals in our counsel have related to this issue should be announced. I am not expecting complete disclosure, but the appearance of impropriety is just as bad as the actual act. I don't want people to remove themselves from this vote, but basic ethics should move those with vested interests to announce that they have a monetary stake in this vote.
The anon poster that called out Michelle for the juvenile comment on our Mayor and Commissioner was absolutely correct. I will respect your views and expect you to defend your positions passionately, but with facts and a defense built on your platform that supports the Grove. I live in the Center Grove and you are my elective representative, your actions reflect upon me and I would appreciate it if you did not hurl childish comments like 'sidekick' and 'people mayor' at other elected officials. I have not seen them publicly insult you, and if they did I would call them out and expect a public apology. Just something for you to think about..
Wow, I guess people believe anything that you say on here. For anon 11:41 and his cohorts, you are very wrong on several fronts.
First the Barracuda will not be open till 5 am if we return the law to the way it was 2 years ago. Do you know how I know this? because it wasn't open till 5am then. Further, they do not have a 5am license.
In regard to the appearance of impropriety - Adam Weirich in first speech to the council on why he should be part of it, was that he lived in center grove AND owned a bar there. He was attempting to bridge the divide.
I also happen to know the attorney who represents most of the bars in the grove - and his name is not michele, so there goes that theory.
Isn't it possible that some of us, absent any self interest, preferred the law the way it was for the last 80 years over the way it's been for the last two years?
Worse than that 11:41 anon is 9:45, because he just assumes things are true without any basis. Is this village so full of fools?
Anon 12:35, I think you are missing the point. I never said Barracuda was or is going to be open until 5, but the owner is on the council and voting to change the ordinance that will allow his bar to apply to be open until 5. Nobody said Michelle was the attorney for the bars, but did legal work for them. I have NO idea if Michelle does legal work for ANY bar, but if she does then it is appropriate that it is brought up. If she does not, then I apologize for re-stating false information. However, my statement on her rude comments still applies. I also stated that none of these issues should keep them from voting, but in the spirit of openness and above board ethics, just let this information be known. It will remove the appearance of impropriety down the road. Do I believe people can vote against their personal interests? I hope so, and providing all this information before the vote will make it easier for me to believe that.
Calvin,
You have no idea what you are talking about. Adam owns a small percentage of a bar. He also owns a house in the center grove. The Barracuda never had a 5am license. And the resolution you are referring to would not give them a 5am license it would simply just revert to the old law. Please quit spreading these lies
Thank you
Calvin - did you miss the televised speech before the council were Mr. Weirich pitched himself as a good candidate BECAUSE HE WAS PART OWNER OF A BAR IN THE GROVE?
How is it a secret, causing an appearance of impropriety if its what you argue as one of the bases for your appointment to the council?
That is the whole point of the village council - to have representatives who have interests in both residential and commerical issues - to have multiple perspectives - to have people with a stake in any recommendation the council may pass. Otherwise, what's the point? Would you prefer that members cannot live, work or invest in coconut grove?
Calvin, I must call you out on this one.
First thing is first. For ANY bar to even apply for a special exception supperclub license it would have to be a minimum of 4000 Sq ft., and/or have a minimum of 200 actual seats that allow for a full course meal to be placed before each seat.
Barracuda meets none of the criteria for such a license. They wouldn't even have the possibility to apply.
As far as Pat and Michelle, hell yea they're business people and work for a living. To suggest that there's a conflict of interest with either tells me there's a few people in the center grove that already see the writing on the wall with the newly formed VC and appear to be desperate. Why do think there's been such an effort by our commissioner to silence them?
Calvin, your thinking would have us belive that you would like everyone on the VC to be jobless and opinionless. Maybe you can run for office next time if you don't like the current crop.
Calvin,
What do you do for a living?
Quit bashing on Calvin. He said if he is wrong then he is sorry. However he is right about another thing. Michelle was less then nice. One of the few Sanchez supporters that show class (there are plenty classless Regalado supporters as well) is Liliana Dones. Always seeing both sides of the issue instead of twisting it.
For all of you that hate Sarnoff....the kettle is calling.
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