Mayor's Playhouse veto is upheld
The City Commission voted in favor of keeping the Mayor's veto in place. It wasn't actually a vote in favor, but there weren't enough votes against. it. The vote was a 3-2 in favor of overturning the veto, but a 4-1 vote was needed to do that. Commissioners Ken Russell and Keon Hardemon voted to uphold the veto.
As usual, the public spoke at length in favor and against the issue. It was mayor against mayor as both mayors spoke - City Mayor Francis Suarez spoke about his veto decision and County Mayor Carlos Gimenez spoke in favor of the county's project.
I'm still not quite sure why Gimenez is so invested in this in that he needs to show up at every meeting. Does he really care if the state takes back the theater, which seems to be a big part of his argument?
Mayor Suarez had facts and figures. Real facts and figures; not rhetoric, which seems what Gimenez is good at. Suarez says the county has no money for the job, he said the City of Miami and the Miami Parking Authority are putting the money behind the plan. Not the county. "They have not dedicated one dollar of their bond money, to the restoration of the playhouse," said Mayor Suarez, referring to the county. The county's plan is not a fully funded plan."
The Mayor's veto reinstated the HEP Board's decision. An attorney for the mayor, Eddy Leal, said that the appeal was illegal and should not have been permitted. At the HEP Board meeting, the County asked that the HEP Board vote at that moment, rather than come back at anther meeting to discuss changes. The County preferred the vote at that moment. The HEP Board denied a certificate of demolition on the spot, which should have been the end of of discussion since the County asked for a final vote at that moment.
In the end there were not enough votes to overturn the Mayor's veto regarding the historical nature of the Playhouse.
"The county does not respect the process," said Mayor Suarez, when it comes to adhering to the HEP Board, the veto and the full process.
The county will sue now.
posted by Tom Falco at 12:20 PM
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3 Comments:
I'm not savvy computer wise. IF I were, AND if I BELIEVED it was sufficiently IMPORTANT to preserve the Coconut Grove Playhouse I'd crowd fund a project to do just that. If old money and new money collectively do not rise to the occasion then tear it down. Perhaps propose a partnership to combine 50% public funds and 50% crowd funding.
Congratulations everyone!!! We will now spend the next five years waiting for the litigation to be settled all the while the existing building will fall into a worse state of disrepair which will then cost more money to renovate (that apparently no one has at the moment) and we will continue to not have a Playhouse to enjoy!!!
Great job everyone on this accomplishment. At least you managed to prove your point that old buildings should be preserved -- it won't be enjoyed for the foreseeable future but it's still standing!!
Mayor Suarez is making heroic moves, well done. Let the sows begin ASAP.
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