Board of County Commission Meetings

The BCC is back from summer break and ready for the new fiscal year! Our September meetings are on the 1st and the 16th. Below are some important items to look out for on the September 1st agenda.

• An ordinance proposed by Team 8 that implements the United Nations' Convention to End Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the County level. This ordinance addresses economic, educational and health issues that disproportionately affect women in our community.
• An ordinance requiring the Mayor to provide a written social equity statement for any proposed county ordinance. The statement would analyze any effect a proposed legislation may have on housing affordability, employment, wages, cost of living, etc.
• PASSED: A resolution directing the Mayor to study the feasibility and benefits of starting a county I.D. card program.
• A resolution supporting SB 120/HB 45 in the state legislature. This bill would prohibit discrimination in Florida on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Special Taxing Districts: several items which will raise or lower the rates for many special taxing districts which provide street lighting, security services and landscaping for communities throughout Miami-Dade.

Meetings may be seen online through the Miami-Dade website. You may also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information.

Tell the Board your Budget Priorities

The budget hearings for the next fiscal year take place on September 3rd and 17th. The hearings begin at 5:01 pm at the Stephen P Clark Government Center (111 NW 1st street). I urge all residents to attend and speak about their budget priorities. If you are unable to attend, make sure to catch the meeting live on the Miami-Dade County livestream.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to receive the most up-to-date information on the budget process.

Get Hurricane Ready

We all breathed a sigh of relief this weekend as Tropical Storm Erika was downgraded. I was thankful to see that residents took the necessary precautions and were tuned in to the latest updates on the storm. It is imperative that we all prepare for hurricane season. If you haven't put together your kit and plans, make sure to get hurricane ready. The Miami-Dade Office of Emergency Management is an excellent resource. Take a moment to plug your address into the evacuation and flooding map to see if your neighborhood is vulnerable in a storm event.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Team 8 at [email protected] or at 305-378-6677. Our number one concern is the safety of our County residents. We want to be sure that you have all the information you need to stay safe.

Introducing the District 8 Small Business Academy

Team 8 is proud to launch the first District 8 Small Business Academy! The month long program will provide training and resources to our local businesses so that entrepreneurs have the tools they need for success. Our office is dedicated to economic development in South Dade. We created the Small Business Academy with input from the priorities expressed at the South Dade Solutions Summit. The academy is free of cost, just remember to RSVP on the Small Business Academy registration page.

A very special thanks to our sponsors: Partners for Self-Employment, Hispanic Business Initiative Fund, Economic Development Council of South Dade, Miami-Dade County Small Business Development Division, The Beacon Council, CareerSource of South Florida and the Florida International University Small Business Development Clinic.

Step-Up 2015 Kicks Off this Month

The Children's Trust and Catalyst Miami bring the Step-Up program to South Dade for its second year. Step-Up is a training program that develops neighborhood leaders so that they may address critical community needs. Free childcare and dinner are provided at each session. The program begins September 17th and meets every Thursday at the Goulds Park Community Center (11350 SW 216th street). Contact Gina Ha at 786-414-1296 or [email protected].

Biking Through Black Creek

Wheels Florida sponsored a lovely bike ride through South Dade. We began at Black Point Marina and rode through the beautiful Black Creek Trail. A special shout-out to Victor Dover and Mack Cycle for organizing the trip. Thank you to Sue Kawalerski of Bike305, Eric Tulberg of BPAC (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee) and David Henderson of BPAC for joining the ride. 

Beautiful day for a South Dade bike ride

Save the Guac!

The Miami Herald recently reported on the ambrosia beetle that is threatening Florida's avocados. We have been working with our Miami-Dade County Agricultural Manager to bring attention and funding to this issue. Find more information on our Redland Raised produce and remember to buy local and enjoy our delicious local fruits and veggies.

Special Guest Post: District 8 Intern Leemay Chen

As part of our Great in District 8 series, we asked our awesome summer intern Leemay Chen to write about her experience working with the County. Thank you, Leemay, for your work and positive attitude!

I became part of the District 8 Team in July and worked through the summer before leaving for Swarthmore College in the fall. I was tasked with helping on constituent services and with the engagement team. I handled intake, data entry and many more daily tasks that goes on in the District 8 office.

Throughout my time in District 8, I was immersed in the inner workings of a commission office. Like many offices in the county, the District 8 staff takes on large work loads every day and one of the challenges is to make sure all phone calls are answered and that callers get the right assistance. I was happy to help by answering the phones and dealing directly with constituents who needed access to county services. Team 8 trained me how to deal with complex cases. Their confidence in me and warmth towards the residents made me believe in our government and the people working for it. My experience with Team 8 solidified my goal of working in law and public service. I am proud to have worked with Miami-Dade County and District 8.

Team 8 at the farewell lunch for Leemay at delicious District 8 restaurant, Golden China

District 8 Backpack Donation Drive

In the spirit of helping residents prepare for a successful back to school season, Team 8 organized a backpack donation drive with several community partners. After posting a an open call for school supply donations, we worked with several South Dade nonprofit organizations to make sure the supplies and backpacks were delivered to families in need. A special shout out to the following organizations for helping us distribute the supplies:

Leisure City/Modello Optimist Club of Florida, Speedway Church, Camillus House of Homestead, Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services, Communities in Schools of Miami, Pediatric Associates of South Florida, Miami Behavioral Health Center, Veteran's Services Specialists, Institute for Child and Family Health, United Evangelical Christians, South Florida 4U, Inc. WeCare, Jesus is the Way Ministry. Many thanks to our donors: Baptist Health Systems and Landmark Aviation.

Team 8 Walks in District 8

District 8 continued the Walk in District 8 program in the South Dade Park neighborhood. We braved the rain and thunder to chat with our neighbors about their area needs. We heard concerns and welcomed many excellent suggestions to enhance our beautiful District 8.  We are looking forward to our next walk and always welcome residents to join us. Thank you to the volunteers who came out this August!

Loved talking to our District 8 neighbors