Watchdog Report Vol.15 No. 49 March 8, 2015 EST.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 15 Years of weekly publishing

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding by the Knight Foundation with technical support from the Knight Center www.knightfoundation.org to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

>>>> The Watchdog Report publisher needs help and I hope you will consider supporting me allowing me to stay out in the field so that I can keep at this and report back how your billions of public dollars in government are being spent on a weekly basis. And how to do that is at the end of the WDR. Thank You.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> When UM President Shalala rides into the sunset, she is headed to run the Clinton Foundation in NYC, given her stature finding a replacement at the U no easy task.

One of the community mysteries is over and that was what would University of Miami President Donna Shalala, Ph.D., do when she retires after 16 years and it was announced by former President Bill Clinton that she will head up the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Foundation http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article12863474.htmlhttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article12863474.html and what would the former Sec. of Health  and Human Services under Clinton for two terms do afterwards has been a hot topic and the Watchdog Report was just asked about it this past week and her leaving the university and finding  her replacement is no easy task since she is highly regarded and is considered a Global figure.

>>>> Press release:  Consumers Dominate In the App Economy: New Zogby Poll

By: John Zogby Forbes.com Contributor

When consumers check out at the grocery store, they expect the prices to be fair, the service to be friendly, and the cash register to work. The same can be said of the bank drive-through, the line at the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the quick stop at the convenience store. It is certainly no different when they check out at Amazon, eBay, or overstock.com. Time and convenience rule. Applications have grown in just a few years from interesting novelties to omnipresent assumptions in our daily lives. But in a recent Zogby Analytics Poll, commissioned by CA Technologies, we learned that the “Grocery Store Rule” still holds true. Consumers select apps and they expect them to be user friendly, functioning, and fair. Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/560-consumers-dominate-in-the-app-economy-new-zogby-poll

FLORIDA

>>> Will Mayor Gimenez be able to pry $22 million in state funding to buy Pines Rockland?

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez  is approaching Gov. Rick Scott for potential funding of the acquisition of a large tract of Pines Rockland that is generating significant controversy and protests in the past months, where a Wall Mart was being considered and to acquire this land would at least  be $22 million if the owner wanted to sellhttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article7261517.html and the land was becoming a political nightmare for Gimenez and he is trying to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article12881705.html get the state to pick up some of the tab for the environmentally sensitive land and it remains to be seen if Scott supports the deal and the governor did get support from Gimenez and Commissioner Rebeca Sosa in Dade when he ran for reelection last November and the support was critical to Scott wining the overall race, even though Miami-Dade went Democratic in that election.

>>>> FDLE Dir. Bailey firing still dogging Scott and FL Cabinet, will Ag. Commissioner Putney suffer from FDLE Bailey scandal?

Gov. Rick Scott is now admitting the termination of FDLE Dir. Jerry Bailey could have been handled better after a firestorm erupted when he was fired or resigned (depending on who you believe Bailey or Scott) suddenly and the incident put the Florida Cabinet in the hot seat and the governor has been dealing with the controversy for weeks now with little abatement and a “independent investigation” of the matter is being considered by the Cabinet and Cabinet members are demanding minutes be kept in the future, but calls for an investigation continue.

>>> Will FDLE’s continued Dir. Bailey’s resigning or firing dog Gov. Scott in controversy over FDLE the months ahead? Tries to dispel it with a press release but will Ag. Commissioner Putnam buy into it?

With The Shake-Up at FDLE, the new Gov. Rick Scott administration is getting off to a shaky start when it comes to transparency and good governance and conflicting charges are flying about what exactly went down with the termination of the long serving Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Director Gerald Bailey and whether he was fired or resigned as the governor said. But the controversy continues in the media and is becoming a major distraction for Scott, “who is quoted saying Bailey did a great job [and is being petty,” and a further news story in the Herald shows the debate will not be going away. Since the law enforcement agency has a rich history of being apolitical and not getting involved in political matters.

And while Gov. Rick Scott is still being hammered over the firing, of Florida department of Law Enforcement Director Gerald Bailey. Some of the Cabinet members are calling for an independent investigator be used to investigate the matter. That caught Florida Cabinet members, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CFO Jeff Atwater taken unaware when asked by the press about the firing. Further, Adam Putnam a former congressman for a decade prior to taking state wide office in 2010 is considered to have a bright political future and potentially a gubernatorial candidate in the next cycle in 2020 and he is starting to take the lead in the matter and Putnam knows how serious the ramifications could be of the possible political intrusion with the FDLE that has a long storied history of being a nonpartisan state law enforcement arm but the controversy whether Bailey was fired by Scott and his contradictory statement by the governor that Bailey quite, which the special agent denies since Bailey was set to retire in just a few months which also puzzles critics. And for Putnam the political stakes are the highest and he needs to be the point of the spear in getting this matter cleared up for the longer it festers and lingers it will be corrosive not only to Scott but how the Florid Cabinet is viewed as a whole  and that dark cloud may well infect Putman’s future political career if not resolved for he is in a position to do something about getting to the root of the story and while below is a press release from the governor’s office on the controversy trying to end the debate and it remains to be seen if this explanation will tamp down the controversy, especially since Putnam is a longtime Floridian and he has the reputation of being a straight shooter.

Putnam

What do we know about Putnam’s finances?

Putnam through Dec. 2013 had a $7.8 million net worth and to read his full disclosure form go to http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/Forms/2013/234671-Form6.pdf

On the well-being of our children. Visit The Children’s Movement website to read their stories and share your own. >>> I find it unacceptable, as all of us should, that at least a half-million children in Florida – all citizens — have no health insurance. How could this be in our beloved country that seeks to be a beacon to the world? Health insurance for all children is one of the five major planks of The Children’s Movement. With the support of Florida Covering Kids and Families, The Children’s Movement is working with dozens of local partners to help build a meaningful signing-up initiative in more than a dozen Florida communities. Already we have: Completed 18 KidCare trainings around the state. Signed up, trained and deployed more than a hundred volunteers. Begun to build a growing collaboration between local school districts and KidCare outreach coalitions. It’s a good start, but only the start. If you’d like to become a volunteer, just click here. Another way to help is to make a contribution – of any size – to help support this work. It is easy. Just click here. A real movement isn’t possible without your helping in some meaningful way. Dave Lawrence, Jr., Chair the Children’s Movement. >>> Update: Two encouraging meetings… The first, a visit from the Governor to the Rainbow Intergenerational Child Care center in Little Havana where he discussed his early learning priorities. That includes his support for “Help Me Grow,” a statewide parent resource system where parents would be able — via phone and online — to get and she thought answers to questions about their child’s development and connected with the proper resources. The second, a meeting with future House Speaker, Rep. Jose Oliva from Hialeah. He’s a father of three, a real reader of history and student of policy, and committed to better understanding early learning. Dave Lawrence, Chair The Children’s Movement.

All that brings to me to a Miami-Dade Public Schools initiative focused on the transition from child care to kindergarten. This week I spent time at the superb YMCA in Allapattah, a bit north of downtown Miami. I spoke with Drs. Maggie Abrahante and Marisel Elias-Miranda, two key people responsible for early childhood programs that the superintendent has made a priority in this nationally honored school system. They’ve put together an excellent handbook for parents of children headed for kindergarten, and also:

Wouldn’t that be smart to do in every school system?

Dave Lawrence
Chair
The Children’s Movement of Florida

>>>>And if you would like to see you’re County or state elected leaders financial

Disclosures forms on file go to website (www.et hics.state.fl.us):

MIIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Will Miami-Dade be ground zero for the nation’s largest mall, where is the planning for these projects?

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez pulled another rabbit out of his hat with the announcement of a Super-sized mega mall  potentially the largest in the nation in West Dade and would create thousands of new jobs in the North West part of the County. But people are wondering if there is any plan to all this development and where is the county planning or is everywhere eligible for a community busting project an while the proposed development is near some highways, neighbors are cringing at the expected new traffic that is already a nightmare for many residents and the County Commission will be hearing the issue in the coming weeks but the project could be difficult to stop given the sentiment of the body to do almost anything. If it is going to create jobs in the future and increase the County’s tax base. The mayor says no public money would be involved but that remains to be seen

Commission Chair Monestime tells Chamber “I am here at your service,” wants to “work together with the Chamber,” he tells packed luncheon crowd

What did Commission Chair Monestime tell the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Wednesday at the organization’s annual monthly luncheon? Monestime, a former North Miami Councilman before being elected a County Commissioner in 2010 after he beat incumbent Commissioner Dorrin Rolle in a hard fought race but the man was reelected in 2012 and he was voted chair unanimously of the 13 member body last year and has been going throughout the county speaking to a host of groups and organizations and he is a real estate broker in his private life, and he is married with two children. After Monestime immigrated from Haiti he worked a variety of jobs including cleaning the floors at a Krispy Kreme store and he is being very well received and he is very down to earth in his speaking and in this case he put away his scripted speech and spoke off the cuff to the packed luncheon audience at Parrott Jungle. The commissioner said, one priority was, “Closing the income equality gap, “and he believes closing that gap will create more consumers which will be good for businesses, he said. And he also urged residents to use mass transit “and one of his priorities is to focus on prosperity,” and is why he created “the Prosperity Council, that he wants to work with the Chamber and to “help craft a plan,” The Chair also noted we need the Chamber’s help in this regard but he opened the remarks saying “I am at your service and to hear your perspective,” and his office is open to the public. And he appears sincere in that regard and the remarks were well received by the business community leaders.

What about the $900.000 each articulated buses?

“We don’t learn from the past,” when it comes to these (40 foot) buses and (and the 64 busses the County) was considering buying why don’t we wait to buy big buses to attract riders, “because that alone won’t work since the transit infrastructure is not there and “the cost of maintenance of the bus” and “the conversion to natural gas,” questioned Commissioner Rebeca Sosa. However, Commissioner Javier Souto said the big problem is “conductivity” and the area of the County known as The Unincorporated Municipal Service Area (UMSA) is “not connected with” the rest of the County’s transit infrastructure. “Here we go again, “said Souto “and we have experience with big buses,” and “it was a public relations nightmare,” county Commissioner Bruno Barreiro has said in past discussions and the Super-Size buses cost $900, 0000 each said transit staff and had Commissioner Xavier Suarez saying, “That could buy a lot of trolleys that people love,” he thought.

What about the issue of background checks and the FBI, FDLE and Homeland Security?

County Commissioners Javier Souto during the discussion of fingerprinting and background checks for people volunteering at the county caused an extensive discussion of “the Special Times” we live. He said at the committee meeting a few weeks ago. Souto noted that the Port of Odessa is a sister port to Miami and is in the Crimea and the Ukraine “that is going to war with Odessa,” and we have not done anything.” “You help your sister?” And he said in Miami-Dade there are two Russians in the Russian Parliament [Duma],” who own condos here,” he said the Miami Herald is reporting “and Souto said Miami is at the Center of all that,” and if you are not aware of that “you live in La La land, “said Souto who is also the Commission’s “historian,” the long serving state senator said last week. Editor’s note; The County Commission discussed this item again and deferred voting on it.  The commission in 2005 passed a resolution to use FDLE and the FBI to do background checks “for all county employees,” said staff. But Commissioner Rebeca Sosa was concerned saying “this is a mandate of the state and the FBI.” And at Tuesday’s Commission meeting the legislation was deferred and Sosa said, “The County attorneys are saying this is a mandate from the state FDLE and the FBI and is why I do not support the deferral,” said Sosa after an extensive discussion on the ordinance that the authorities are asking for.

What about the County mayor’s race and the value of Parcel B?

Zapata’s concern was this public money is getting a good return. The former state legislator also noted, the Parcel, “Never became the green space we promised,” to the public, said Zapata. The consultant said,   “It Comes down to the highest and best use for that property.” “And the Heat can’t go somewhere else.” And Zapata just wants the County “to get more bang for my buck,” said Zapata and he also wants the County Commission Auditor to have a “budget Director,” as well. The Carlos Gimenez administration is getting some blow back for his discussions of the County’s Crandon Park being leased to Donald Trump and it is not sitting well with voters who saw Gimenez falling over himself when it came to soccer star David Beckham and a new stadium and while Gimenez says it can’t be sold but could include a management agreement it still seems to stick in voters craw nd people are still talking about it. And for more go to: http://www.local10.com/news/donald-trump-promises-worldclass-crandon-park-golf-course/31389120 And while the Mayor is reporting $500,0000 for the campaign he still is dealing with Raquel Regalado who may run for the top position.http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article9694805.html challengers. And Gimenez needs to be careful that voters don’t get the impression he is beholden to many of these people. Many of who do business with the county and why they are contributing so much to his reelection campaign and other issues was discussed on Helen Ferre’s show Issues on www.wpbt on Sunday at noon.

Further, So far no one has officially announced they will be challenging Gimenez for the office but former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez is considering a run along with School Board Member Raquel Regalado and the mayor’s dynamics with voters has changed since he first ran for the office back in 2011 and he is seen as being overly sensitive if anyone criticizes him and there is some media footage that does make him seem angry when he is criticized and not a warm and cuddly mayor and that imperious attitude is getting old for some voters. And the discontent started with voters when he paid numerous vice mayors significant salaries and benefits that he says is necessary to get top people into government, but critics argue maybe these people should not be in public service. Since it might be for the wrong reasons, since government positions traditionally pay less than the private sector but also comes with a number of perks not found in the private sector.

What about charging to use the now free Metro mover?

Two Thirds of the County Commission has to approve a plan sponsored by Commissioners Sally Heyman and Barbara Jordan to begin charging the “30,000” riders of Metro Mover in downtown Miami that have been riding for free and is not being supported by the Miami Downtown Authority (DDA) and the CITT Trust is also against it. Because it would not bring in the necessary revenue if a toll was charged and was one of the promises voters were told when they voted to tax themselves a half cent for county transit services and brings in some $220 million of which much of that money goes to servicing debt on the transit system that includes Metro Rail but the sales taxes benefits was oversold to the public at the public health hospital nd there was not enough money to full fill the commissioners promises made to the public back in 2002. A host of people spoke against this Tuesday at a commission meeting and the matter is losing support.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>>> Long awaited audit of the County’s Value Adjustment Board is out with some recommendations, County OIG copied

The long awaited audit by the Miami-Dade County School Board of the Miami-Dade County Value Adjustment Board (VAB) has been released and the report makes a number of recommendations and the County’s Office of Inspector General is copied on the document that has become a political hot potato since legal suits are in play and the roughly $40 million funding impact it is having on the District because of taxpayer appeals and the length of processing these filings. To read the audit go to http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_March_10_2015/item3.pdf.

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Accolades continue as JHS has “non risk auditee” status, milestone after some past years that once included an $84 million adjustment to the books back in 2004

Jackson Health System is now “a non-risk auditee,” said PHT Treasurer Mojdeh L. Khaghan, Esq. at the board’s monthly meeting and that’s is a major leap from 2004 when the audits were not accurate and the health Trust back then took a $84 million charge and the fiscal adjustments went as far back as the 1990s at the time and since then under CEO Carlos Migoya’ s leadership the public hospital system has clawed its way back into the black for the past three years and it has a $830 million bond that will finance clinics and upgrade the ageing infrastructure in need of improvement but the organization is reporting 36 days of cash on hand which is a major improvement when there was only some 13 days of cash on hand a few years ago and accounts payable are a respectful 40 days said the Trust’s fiscal staff at the televised board meeting last month. And for more on the improvements go to http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/11/06/dade-voters-approve-tax-increase-for-jackson-health-improvements/ . And Miami-Dade County Commission Chair Jena Monestime gave a shout out to Jackson Health System’s CEO Carlos Migoya at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon saying, “Migoya’s, Jackson’s turnaround has saved A gem in our community, said Monestime in praise of the turnaround.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Candidate Teresa Sarnoff campaigns at Gifford Lane Art Stroll, will find a less friendly crowd when she knocks on doors in the Grove,

Teresa Sarnoff is working on her campaign chops and she campaigned at the Gifford Lane Art Stroll with her husband Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff and the women is getting a feel for what it is like to be aa candidate in a crowded pack of candidates, seeking to fill her husband’s seat as the Miami Commission District 2 representative and the crowd was said to be friendly to her but as she campaigns in the Grove she may find a different attitude among voters that have a beef with her husband who has been a commissioner for eight years and has an ability to put off people, and she is trying to follow in his footsteps and it remains to be seen if this is just an attempt by Marc to keep his finger in politics since he is termed out, but given the number of candidates where the winner just needs to get 51.1 percent of the vote to win and her expected large campaign war chest, these advantages could very well give the neophyte candidate an edge. However she also grew up in the Grove and it remains to be seen what comes out about her past during the campaign, since her attorney husband is her second marriage.

>>>> PAST WDR: The Grace Solaris campaign is knocking on doors, no other Dist. 2 candidate in sight as of yet, in the Grove

The  Watchdog Report spotted Teresa Sarnoff at an event in the Grove last week and she was not campaigning or working the crowd in the usual way and it occurred to me that campaigning may not suit her in the competitive Miami Commission District 2 race that already has a number of challengers who have filed to replace her husband on the five member dais and the Grove used to be a key component in getting elected to the seat held for 29 years by Miami Commissioners J.L. Plummer, Johnny Winton and Linda Haskins were all Grove residents and now Marc Sarnoff after two terms is termed out and his wife’s campaign is expected to be well financed with her husband’s help but she has to start talking to everyday voters and the press something she seems reluctant to do. Further Sarnoff, the husband, can be vindictive and yet he tells residents in a television profile that his goal is to listen to “What is important to you [so it] can become important to me,” He also notes that all the development along the water in Coconut Grove is a good thing and he believes what makes the Grove is “the consistency of it,” and says “Bay shore Drive looks alive,” and the road has a “lot of Montyisms,” he says on the city referring to Monty Trainer. (Trainer went to federal prison for tax evasion).

What about the other candidates for the Dist.2 seat becoming open?

Further on Saturday morning I had a campaign volunteer seeking signatures for candidate Grace Solaris who is also running for the Miami District 2 seat. And she is being well received and the longtime community activist will not be a push over for Team Sarnoff in the coming months up to the November election that could turn into a airwave campaign given the wife’s and husband’s ability to raise money for her campaign (and $2,000 came from Jay/Ellen Solowsky an attorney Sarnoff shares an office with) and her war chest through Jan., 2015 has $82,875. To Solaris who is reporting $57,680 during the same time period. And to review the campaign filings go to http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/City_Clerk/Pages/Elections/CampaignReports15.asp and for Solaris to qualify by petition she needs 1percent of the district’s voters or she can pay a $582.00 qualifying fee.

Village of Coconut Grove

>>>> Commissioner Suarez asks supporters of Grove Playhouse to attend a March 12 committee meeting

With Architectonica winng the contract to create the conceptual plan for the Coconut Grove Playhouse contract that has yet to be approved by the County Commission to draw up possible plans for the iconic Grove Theater. The choice of the firm brings together some strange bedfellows since the architect will likely be Jorge Hernandez who was caught up in controversy regarding the Miami Marine Stadium deal with Miami and The man has close ties to controversial Grove businessman Manny Alonso Poch and his past controversy and conflicts had Marine Stadium proponents withdrawing and removing Poch from the stadium’s not for profit board. And any role Poch might have with Playhouse is unknown but local advocates on https://www.facebook.com/saveourplayhouse

What about any update on the Playhouse?

The Playhouse will be discussed at a County Commission Committee meeting on March 12^th in the afternoon and Commissioner Xavier Suarez is asking supporters to attend the event and show their support for the iconic theater that many Groveites are passionate about and don’t want to be torn down and has spawned a cadre of conspiracy theorists and one just has to go to the web page to see the intensity of the debate.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> City warming up to its 100^th Anniversary bash March. 26, will be the party of the Century

With Miami Beach warming up for its 100^th Anniversary March 26 and the bash of the year is expected to take place during the celebrations that will highlight the past years changes and how the sleepy retirement community morphed into a tourist Mecca and the place to be and the Watchdog Report gives the Beach a Tip of the Hat for reaching this benchmark and in many ways is the tourist crown jewel for Miami-Dade that depends so much on tourist tax dollars. And for more http://www.local10.com/news/free-concert-to-o to: feature-andrea-bocelli-kymani-marley-barry-gibb/31298890 And officials will be missing a major party the Beach is throwing and will feature the Bee Gees and a host of other performer’s, in a free signature concert.

Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club Meeting Date: Tuesday March 10^th Meeting Time: 8:30 AM Meeting Place: Abuela’s Cuban Kitchen, 1654 Meridian Ave., South Beach

Our “meet & greet the candidates” continues with two more candidates for the 2015 Miami Beach City Commission race: candidates Mark Samuelian running for Group 5, and Isaiah Mosley running for Group 4.Previously we had candidates Mark Weithorn and Jeff Cynamon, running for Group 5 and 6 respectively.  Another new candidate is Betsey Perez running for Group 4.  She will be joining us at the end of March. There is no charge for attending and everyone is welcome. David Kelsey, Moderator

Visit our web site at www.MBTMBC.com (Miami Beach Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club).

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>>> The Coral Gables upcoming elections got a surprise when Jeanette Slesnick filed candidate papers recently to run for the open commission seat when Commissioner Bill Kerdyk Jr. steps down in the spring. Slesnick is the wife of former three term Gables Mayor Don Slesnick, II and the candidates will have further forums in the weeks ahead. And Slesnick’s wife may get some blowback from voters for things her husband Don did when he was mayor.

In a surprise move Gables realtor Jeanette Slesnick has filed running for the slot on the dais and other candidates are Tony Newell, Sandra Murado and P.J. Mitchell. And Rip Holmes rounds out the field of candidates and to review the candidate list go to http://www.coralgables.com/index.aspx?page=292 and the low key election is April 14 and the elections are a winner take all race. Since his time as mayor Slesnick’s wife has continued to be active in Gables issues and her entry could make the race a little more exciting.

The Coral Gables Forum will hold its bi-annual Candidates Forum for the upcoming city elections.  Our first forum will be for Group IV and V on March 2nd.  Our second forum will be for the Mayor’s race (Group I) on March 9th.  Both events will be held at the Coral Gables Congregational Church (3010 DeSoto Boulevard) from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.The doors will be open at 6:45pm so audience members can submit questions to ask the candidates.  Our moderator will be Eliott Rodriguez of CBS WFOR-TV.  If you have any questions please contact us at coralgablesforum@gmail.com.For more information on the Candidates Forum and future events please visit our website at www.coralgablesforum.com And here are other planned debates:

Thank you,

The Coral Gables Forum

March 2, 2015 – Candidate Forum for City Commission Seat
Group V – Coral Gables
Congregational Church 7:00pm

March 16, 2015 – Candidate Forum for City Commission Seat
Group IV – Coral Gables Congregational
Church 7:00pm

COMMUNITY EVENTS

minder from Wings Over Miami March 7 and 8, 2015 – The Traveling Tuskegee Exhibit and The Commemorative Air Force plane will be visiting museum This Saturday and Sunday. The P-51 Mustang is on its way from Minnesota and should be at the museum TODAY in the afternoon. The pilot has stopped for the evening in Iowa and will be on his way once again to South Florida. Also, Tuskegee Airman, Leo Gray is expected at the museum Saturday afternoon and for a while on Sunday. We will post his schedule on our Facebook page when he lets us know he is on the road to Miami. The event is made possible in part by a generous grant from the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs. Sunday Morning, March 8, 2015 2:00 AM

>>> KITTEN SEASON IS HERE! MIAMI-DADE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFERS RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE THE BEST CHANCES OF SURVIVAL FOR KITTENS TOO YOUNG TO FEED THEMSELVES

Press release: Spring is near and as the weather gets warmer unaltered stray cats begin to reproduce prolifically. As a result, it is not uncommon to find nests of what appear to be unattended or abandoned newborn kittens. Before jumping to the rescue, Miami-Dade County Animal Services (Animal Services) advises residents to consider the following recommendations to ensure the best chances of survival for the kittens.

WHAT TO DO SHOULD YOU FIND A LITTER OF KITTENS

Resist the urge to immediately touch them or move them. Instead, observe the kittens quietly from a distance for 12 to 24 hours as the mother may simply be out looking for food or a better place to move them to and is likely to return to care for them. Very young kittens cannot fully feed themselves and need their mother’s milk to survive until they are fully able to eat on their own or weaned off the mother.

You can put out cat food for the mom and a box that the mother could use to keep her kittens in (don’t put the kittens inside it, just put it near them). Don’t disturb the kittens as this may discourage the mother from returning to them, or she may move them away from you.

If you sense the kittens are in immediate danger or a dangerous area, such as underneath a car, in an area that is flooding due to rain, etc., look for the nearest safe area to which you can move them—close enough to the original spot— that will still allow the mother to find them. Place them in a sheltered area, away from direct sun, rain or traffic and continue to watch for the mother.

Only take them in if you have observed the kittens for 12 to 24 hours and are SURE the mother is not likely to return. Get tips on how to care for them at home by visiting www.alleycat.org or www.peggyadams.org

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

The best way to reduce the overwhelming number of unwanted cats is to spay or neuter your cats starting at 4 months old. Miami-Dade Animal Service offers low cost spay/neuter surgeries as well as free a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for community cats. For information on low-cost spay/neuter surgeries or free TNR call 3-1-1 or visit animals.miamidade.gov. Become a foster parent or volunteer at Animal Services. Volunteers and foster parents receive training and supplies and the joy that comes from saving a precious little animal’s life. For information on becoming a pet foster parent or volunteer email: pets@miamidade.gov

EDITORIAL

>>>> Convoluted discussion on 40’ articulated buses costing $9, 00,000 does not bode well for solving transit issues anytime soon

A discussion at a Miami-Dade County Commission meeting that involved a discussion of articulated buses turned painful Tuesday when staff took forever to answer questions clearly like how much did a 40 foot articulated bus cost? $900,000 and this lack of clear goals and determination by staff has the county drifting when it comes  to a thoughtful mass transit system and a half cent sales tax dedicated to helping to alleviate that historically that  has had numerous carve outs and what this funding would resolve was over sold  to the public back in 20002 and there is now a transit bureaucracy and while there is a Citizens Independent Transit Trust (CITT) these people can only approve items after the county commission has weighed in and the body is not truly independent  and it has spawned the need for county staff  and its CEO Charles Scurr is the poster child of why so little progress has been made and he is not cheap, getting some $200,0000 in salary that should be measured by what he has gotten accomplished  for no one seems to have a handle on transit  yet the CITT still rakes in millions that come in with the half cent sales tax, and only passed after a 20009 effort for a full cent sales tax failed after numerous scandals and no oversight on how this money was going to be spent but the tax went down in flames in a late July vote back then that commissioners thought they could sneak through the sales tax, since many voters were out of town, but that was not the case and it went down and the second effort in 2002 was much more transparent and was on the ballot of a general election day and it passed but  little progress has been made since then and plans lurch forward after one study after another and this legislative grid lock needs to end and the department needs to pick up the pace for voters want solutions now and in keeping what they were promised.

>>>> New Commission Chairs shaking up the House at County Hall

A revolution is  occurring at County Hall and Miami-Dade County Commissioners are leading it as they continue to challenge the strong Mayor (Form of government) and the Carlos Gimenez administration and commissioners are pushing county staff to explain more fully how the County’s 25 Departments are running and what they are trying to do versus other things they have not been done but were requested  in the past by commissioners and one of the challenges is to actually create a new mass transit corridor that has been discussed and studied to death but has yielded no real results and Gimenez up for reelection in 2016 is going to have to deal with the new found independent voice of the commission that seems to relish challenging the administrative assumptions and the way things have been done in the past and given the new budget cycle in September, Readers should expect commissioners to have framed the overall budget to their liking much more than in the past for the 13 member legislative body is feeling more empowered in their deliberations and this past week’s County Commission Committee meetings. Could be just a taste of this new found freedom With the Gimenez administration and the Commission now being Chaired by Jean Monestime who is pushing a “prosperity initiative” and the role of the body under this new legislative relationship the strong mayor form of government created and resulted in ex-Mayor Carlos Alvarez getting recalled by voters overwhelmingly in 2011 and he was succeeded by Gimenez in the office.

LETTERS

>>> Grove attorney gives update on HEP board hearing on St. Gaudens home

Good afternoon. Please note that the City of Miami’s Preservation Officer, Megan Schmitt, has advised us that the hearing before the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board on the 3529 St. Gaudens Road Historic Resource Nomination application will not take place on March 3, 2015. Instead, it will take place on April 7, 2015. We will keep you informed and hope that all of you can attend.

Regards,

Richard M. Zelman, Esq.

Sacher, Zelman, Hartman,

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