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Letter to the Editor: Coral Gables must hire officers

Coral Gables Must Hire Officers

MAY 30, 2016, 4:00 PM

Re the May 20 article City’s critics demand urgency to fill vacant police force positions: The article regarding sworn officer shortages within the Coral Gables Police Department expressed many of the concerns that residents have with the slow and seemingly inadequate process being utilized to recruit and hire the police officers.

The Gables Good Government Committee (GGG), a nonpartisan organization that focuses on quality-of-life issues in Coral Gables, sent a letter to its city manager on April 29 stating: “We urge you to take whatever action is necessary to fill these vacancies as soon as possible so that our city’s residents are provided the superior quality of public safety for which our community has historically been known.”

The negative impact of short-staffing raises red flags: (1) Patrol officers have been asked to work extremely long overtime days, causing fatigue; (2) The department exceeded its yearly overtime budget in May and now must draw overtime pay from new-hire funds; (3) The need to maintain minimum patrol staffing means that motor units, detectives, youth services and marine patrol are understaffed; and (4) Part-time officers may need to be hired for traffic enforcement.

These red flags could be lowered with a one-time, extraordinary effort by the city to recruit, hire and train new police officers.

The police budget has 193 positions, of which 21 officer positions are currently unfilled. Additionally, there are nine open positions due to military service, disability and light duty, as well as seven retiring officers. This means that there will be 37 possible vacant positions, nearly 20 percent of the force, by year’s end. The GGG strongly urges the city administration to listen to its concerned citizens and fill the officer vacancies now.

Deborah Swain,

president,
Gables Good
Government Committee,
Coral Gables

Originally published at The Miami Herald, Copyright Miami Herald Media Company
https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article80921802.html

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October 20, 2015 News Flash

RSVP Now for a Reception on October 26, 2015, 
for Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez‐Cantera

Join us Oct. 26, 2015, at Bacardi USA, 2701 S. LeJeune Rd.,
5:30‐7:00 pm, for a members’ reception
and program with Lt. Governor Lopez‐Cantera .
RSVPs are required: dswain@milianswain.com.

Special Meeting of the City Commission on Thursday, October 22, 2015, at 9am

First Reading of the Ordinances Pertaining to the Paseo de Riviera Project Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way, 2nd Floor

This is a public hearing and the first reading of the following ordinances:

15‐4358 An Ordinance of the City Commission of Coral Gables, Florida requesting an amendment to the Future Land Use Map of the City of Coral Gables Comprehensive Plan pursuant to Zoning Code Article 3, “Development Review,” Division 15, “Comprehensive Plan Text and Map Amendments,” and Small Scale amendment procedures (ss. 163.3187, Florida Statutes), from “Commercial Low‐Rise Intensity” to “Commercial High‐Rise Intensity” for the property legally described as a Portion of Tract A, Riviera Section Part 8 (1350 South Dixie Highway), Coral Gables, Florida; including required conditions; providing for a repealer provision, providing for a severability clause, and providing for an effective date. (PZB made no recommendation; Vote: 3‐3)

15‐4359 An Ordinance of the City Commission of Coral Gables, Florida providing for text amendments to the City of Coral Gables Official Zoning Code, by amending Appendix A, “Site Specific Zoning Regulations,” Section A‐83, “Riviera Section Part 8,” by removing provisions restricting FAR, height and setbacks for the property legally described as Tract A, Riviera Section Part 8; including required conditions; providing for a repealer provision, providing for a severability clause, codification, and providing for an effective date. (PZB made no recommendation; Vote: 3‐3)

15‐4360 An Ordinance of the City Commission of Coral Gables, Florida requesting review of a Planned Area Development (PAD) pursuant to Zoning Code Article 3, “Development Review,” Division 5, “Planned Area Development (PAD),” for the proposed project referred to as “Paseo de la Riviera” on the property legally described as a Portion of Tract A, Riviera Section Part 8 (1350 South Dixie Highway), Coral Gables, Florida; including required conditions; providing for a repealer provision, providing for a severability clause, and providing for an effective date. (PZB recommended approval with various conditions; Vote: 4‐2).

15‐4361 A Resolution of the City Commission of Coral Gables, Florida requesting Mixed‐Use Site Plan Review pursuant to Zoning Code Article 4, “Zoning Districts,” Division 2, “Overlay and Special Purpose Districts,” Section 4‐201, “Mixed Use District (MXD),” for the proposed project referred to as the “Paseo de la Riviera” on the property legally described as a Portion of Tract A, Riviera Section Part 8 (1350 South Dixie Highway), Coral Gables, Florida; including required conditions; providing for a repealer provision, providing for a severability clause, and providing for an effective date. (PZB recommended approval with various conditions; Vote: 4‐2).

GGG-News-Flash-10-20-15_-1.PDFDownload
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Please Attend Meeting on “Paseo de la Riviera” Project for Coral Gables

Coral Gables Residents and Friends:

On August 12 at the City of Coral Gables Planning and Zoning meeting there was a significant turnout of people who came to listen and to speak about the “Paseo de la Riviera” project (where the Holiday Inn is located on US#1).

Most residents never had an opportunity to speak, so the item was continued to September 16, 6 – 9 pm, at City Hall. We urge you to attend this public hearing to provide input on this project which could increase the allowed height from 77 feet up to 190.5 feet on a site just across from low-rise apartments and only one block from single-family residential homes.

The “Paseo de la Riviera” is proposed on the site of the Holiday Inn on US1 across from the University of Miami. It includes two 14-story towers, a 250 room hotel and a massive 234 unit rental apartment building with 860 plus garage spaces. There is understandable concern by the surrounding neighbors about the inevitability of traffic overflow into the residential neighborhood, particularly since there is no traffic light on US 1 and Caballero Blvd.

Please attend this September 16 meeting, from 6-9 pm, at Coral Gables City Hall. Your input is valuable
– Debbie Durrell Swain, president, 

Gables Good Government Committee

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Pedro Garcia Membership Reception, 02/22/2010

The Board of the
GABLES GOOD GOVERNMENT
Committee

Cordially invites you to a membership Reception to meet our
Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia
Monday, March 22, 2010
6:00p.m.–8:00p.m.

at the home of Manny and Annie Kadre
5345 Hammock Drive Coral Gables, Florida
This reception is free for members. A $50 membership fee will be collected from non- member guests. We encourage you to bring new members to join the GGG Committee.

RSVP: Evelyn at 305-448-5672
or email slesnickj@hotmail.com

Gables-Good-Govt-Recp-at-Kadres.PDFDownload
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GGG Founding Board of Directors

Gables Good Government Committee Logo
  • JORGE ALVAREZ, president
  • EVELYN BUDDE, first vice-president
  • ENRIQUE LOPEZ, second vice-president
  • DEBBIE SWAIN, corporate secretary
  • RICHARD DEWITT, treasurer
  • DON SLESNICK, founding chairman

Filed with State of Florida on 02/25/2009
EIN 26-4339894