Dear Friends and Neighbors: 

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! On Monday, May 1st, we had a Foundation meeting followed by our May Regular Council Meeting. In addition to recognizing some amazing residents and community members, we had a full house for our meeting! Many of the speakers came to share their ideas on an item sponsored by Vice Mayor Tellam for a Humane Wildlife Management Plan. Thank you to all who came out in-person and joined through our virtual lobby. ✔️The item passed, with a few changes, by a 3-2 vote (with Fiore and Matson voting no).

The item calls for the Manager and designated staff to work with organizations that were outlined in the item to bring recommendations to the Council to create a plan for wildlife maintenance in the Village. The Council had identified this as one of it's top four priorities during our recent Visioning Sessions. While it is unfortunate that some are using this as a political platform, the majority of those that came to speak brought ideas and solutions. This is a unique opportunity for us to create a model for our Village and perhaps one that other community's can adopt.

I sponsored Item 11 B regarding Public Comment forms. There has been much misinformation spread through email blasts from the opposition. Thanks to those that called or wrote to get the facts.

👉FACT: In March of 2020 as we entered the COVID pandemic, the interim manager, at my request, created an electronic form so that the public would be able to participate.

👉FACT: Because public participation is vital to our Village of Palmetto Bay Council and our residents, I believe the "Public Comment by Form" is an important component for residents to be able to express themselves and their positions on items.

👉FACT: My item is intended to allow for written comments and to keep them as a part of the record, but not to have them read at each meeting. With the help of our Village Clerk, we surveyed the other municipalities to see how they handle comments. Click here to see the responses we received.

Two of the cities shared that they use e-Comments through the Granicus system (this is the same system the Village uses for our agendas and videos). The Village Manager was able to share how the e-Comments work. We will be looking to add e-Comments to our software so that your written comments will be able to be viewed by everyone before, during, or after a meeting. It will also allow for us to analyze responses by the number that support or oppose, giving us real time statistics and data. The Village continues to provide for a hybrid meeting with a virtual lobby where comments can be given real time by raising your virtual hand. ✔️The item passed 3-2 (with Fiore and Matson voting in opposition) and will come back for second reading in June.

You can view the Council Meeting Log of Final Action here or catch the video by clicking here. In addition to the two above items, we also passed the following items:

✔️ AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO GOLF CARTS (Fiore)

✔️A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OFPALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO SPECIAL EVENTS; APPROVINGTHE ANNUAL “PALMETTO BAY INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION” ONJULY 4TH, 2023 (Administration)

✔️ You can click on the log of final action to see all of the items and how your council voted.

Over the weekend, Alexander Montessori School marked their 60th anniversary with a grand celebration at the Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables. Vice Mayor Leanne Tellam and I were on hand to congratulate Beverley McGhee, who founded the school with her husband James. Because three of the school’s four campuses are located in Palmetto Bay, and Beverley herself is a Village resident, Alexander Montessori School has a very special place in our hearts. The Vice Mayor and I presented Beverley with a proclamation to thank the school for the love, devotion, and care it gives to all its children while encouraging them to reach their full potential. Congratulations to Beverley McGhee and all the staff and faculty at Alexander Montessori School for reaching this incredible milestone, and for being such valued members of our community!

As always, I am here to answer questions or lend a helping hand and I encourage you to tune into reliable sources of information. Click to sign up for the Village Newsletter. Please feel free to contact me at kcunningham@palmettobay-fl.gov or at 305-799-0695. Together we are making Palmetto Bay an even better place to live, work, learn, and play.

Warm regards,