Chairman shift at Cocoanut Grove Village Council

Last night, after a long, drawn out Village Council meeting, Village Council chair, Patrick Sessions (left) had one last statement to make, the comments were personal and did not in any way reflect the official position of the Cocoanut Grove Village Council (CGVC).

Patrick has decided to step down as Chair of the Village Council, mostly because of family and business obligations. He also felt that there was too much personal conflict with the Mayor and District Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, which was affecting the whole Village Council. He will remain on the CGVC, just not as chairman.

Patrick hopes that by stepping down, fences will begin to be mended between the City and the Council.

He says, "From the moment I announced that I was running for a seat on the Village Council, rumors began to circulate that my reason for seeking a seat on the Village Council was to position myself for the 2012 City of Miami District 2 Commission seat election," which he says was not the case. He went on to say, "I was even surprised that Commissioner Sarnoff would call my personal friends to express his concern about the possibility that I would run against him. After I had repeatedly stated that these rumors were not true, I had hoped that would be the end of the issue but it obviously has not."

The election is actually in November 2011.

Patrick went on to say how within hours of the Village Council elections, the new Village Council was inexplicably banned from City Hall Chambers under the guise of "opening up the chambers to the entire community." Many believe that the Council was banned from the Chambers and from tv so that he and others would not get any air time.

He went on: "I am not egotistical enough to believe this policy was aimed at me personally, but it is clear that certain city officials were well aware that it certainly would affect the CGVC and its members visibility and the Council's ability to continue its meetings at its well known venue."

Patrick also feels that his and the Village Council's stance on the 5 am vs 3 am bar closing time (he and they are for bringing back 5 am after mixed feelings on the council) added more strife to his relationship with Commissioner Sarnoff, who Patrick says, "heavily weighed the Commission hearing agenda with pro 3 am speakers to the detriment of the Village Council and other citizens' positions." This was at a January Commission hearing on the subject. Those who were speaking in favor of keeping the 3 am closing time were given long periods to speak, according to Patrick, while he and others were cut off and not allowed to finish what they were saying at the meeting.

As Chair, Patrick abstained from voting on the issue at the Village Council meeting, but the Council voted in favor of 5 am or at least giving everyone a 3 am closing time, which would give the Grove an even playing field when it comes to Miami nightlife.

Right now Patrick feels that relations between the Village Council and the City are frozen, he feels that by stepping down and allowing someone else to chair the council may start to help thaw that relationship. He feels he owes it to the people who elected him and the members of the Council who elected him chairman.

The Village Council members present were taken by surprise by this announcement, but all are happy that he will remain on the CGVC itself. A new chairman will be voted on in the coming weeks.