COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER ATOR, MIAMI SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL

Save the Bees! at 36 Palmetto Drive

9/25/2013

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Bees try to move in to our office space.

Last week, I was in my office and I heard a strange buzzing sound. I did not think much of it and I continued with my work. Thereafter, I realized that there were bees in my light fixture, and in fact, bees buzzing around the house. Angela, my crack secretary, told me about the tattooed beekeeper -- a guy who was in The New Times because he "saves" bees rather than killing them. We do need all the bees we can get, after all.

We called www.tattooedbeekeeper.com and he came right over. He explained that he believed these bees were looking for "new digs" and that once the started to get settled in, he could relocate them. By the end of the day, they were quite the colony on the back of the office. See last two photos. Fortunately, he was able to come back out and on Friday late afternoon, he was able to vacuum all those bees and take them away. See last photo.

You see, he explained that the queen often breaks off from an overburdened hive and will look for a place to "resettle" and for whatever reason, 36 Palmettto was chosen. He does believe he got the queen though -- look at that cylinder, it is full and other bees are trying to get in. That means the queen is in there.

I have to give a great big THANK YOU, and a shout out to the tattooed beekeeper. He was fast, efficient, smart, and understanding. He also offered to set us up with a bee hive of our very own. I passed, as I can't get my husband or kids to clean the windows or mow the lawn, how could I get them to harvest honey!

Also included in this "gallery" is a picture of Lucas, our kitten. He is included by accident, but isn't he cute? Photo credit goes to Suzanne Conlon Wolar. Enjoy.

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UM Supports Jackson Referendum

9/17/2013

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September 17, 2013

Dear Members of the UM Community,

Miami-Dade County voters will soon have the opportunity to decide on the future of Jackson Health System and, ultimately, the well-being of our community—the one is implicitly connected to the other. On November 5, 2013, the county will hold a special referendum on an $830 million general obligation bond to fund vitally important improvements to Jackson’s system-wide facilities.

The bond proposal will ensure Jackson’s viability in three key areas:

Providing unmatched care to thousands of our fellow Miami-Dade residents, regardless of their ability to pay;
Advancing medical breakthroughs with our affiliated UM/Jackson centers of excellence;
Training new generations of health care professionals with the University of Miami.

As Jackson’s partner for more than six decades, the Miller School of Medicine and UHealth’s greater mission depends on a strong and successful Jackson Health System. UM doctors provide most—and in many disciplines, all—of the care at Jackson Memorial Hospital and some of the care at Jackson South. Sixty-four percent of our doctors work at Jackson.

Accordingly, many of the major projects in the Jackson bond campaign are designed to enhance and advance areas where Jackson and UM cooperate most closely, including breakthrough surgeries, top-tier care to newborn premature children, trauma medicine, solid organ transplants, and strokes, to name just a few. And a new UM/Miami Project to Cure Paralysis/Jackson Rehabilitation Center, partly funded by a lead gift to the University, will combine outstanding clinical care with cutting-edge research in a unified and world-class facility.

The landscape of the health care industry is rapidly changing, and these improvements are essential for Jackson to thrive in South Florida’s exceptionally competitive health care delivery marketplace. In particular, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act is giving more people greater choices in selecting their health care providers. With a successful bond campaign, Jackson can make the improvements it needs and our community expects.

Please join me in supporting the future of Jackson Health System.

Donna E. Shalala

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Community SHRED Day tomorrow 4 to 7 pm at the Miami Springs Pool

5/15/2013

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If you have ever had your identity stolen, you know the importance of this event! Tomorrow, May 16, 2013, Miami Springs is having a community shredding event in the parking lot of the Miami Springs pool.

You are permitted, and encouraged, to bring FOUR bankers boxes (of whatever kind of boxes) to be tossed into the truck and shred into oblivion. This is not just paper, but hard drives, computer parts, DVDs. Just about anything can be shredded.

This opportunity does not come up very often. F.R.E.E. shredding. I have had my identity stolen at least twice. Most recently when I filed my 2011 taxes, I was told they had already been filed. I am still waiting on my big refund because I had overpaid. A few years ago, I noted that there were a bunch of Southwest Airlines tickets on my American Express. I had not purchased them and they were from Las Vegas. Again, I had been compromised.

Miami-Dade County if the fraud capital of the world. As a lawyer, I have dealt with it in my practice. This gives the residents a extraordinary opportunity to take care of their personal paperwork without worrying about compromising their personal information. I suggest you spend some time tonight getting your stu

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To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. - Audrey Hepburn

4/26/2013

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“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.” ― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Today is Arbor Day! Once again the City of Miami Springs has been designated a Tree City USA. When I started on the Council, we were in the first budget meetings and I asked where the money for the trees was. I was told that it was in there. I asked where. No one could answer until Tom Nash said, no, in fact, there was not money actually budgeted.

You see, the City would wait and see if they got a grant -- that was applied for yearly -- to see if we were going to plant trees. I found that unacceptable and since, we have had money to plant trees in our budget. Since I am no longer a member of Council, I suggest you look carefully at the proposed budget (in July) and make sure it has money for trees. Our canopy is priceless. It keeps us cool, and makes our neighborhood beautiful.

Today, we celebrated the planting of over 50 flowering trees at Morningside and Lake. I was asked to be the Master of Ceremonies (Mayor Richard Wheeler was last year). I was honored. These 50+ trees are trees that a member of the Board of Park and Parkways grew from seeds that dropped off of her flowering tree. In a few years, it will be a sight to behold. I have a couple dozen of these plants as well and I will be making a hedge in front of my house with them.

I encourage you to plant a tree this year -- the County actually provides free trees to residents. It is simple, really. Only by continuing to improve our canopy will we maintain Beautiful Miami Springs. (Thank you Wally Clark for the beautiful photo.)

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Etsy Rocks

4/18/2013

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If you have not been to www.etsy.com, you are really missing out. I have been a fan of etsy for a while, and you would be surprised what you can find on there.

We met Kerry at the Windmill near Keuka Lake, NY and my sister-in-law loved one of
the handbags in her shop. Turns out, she was on etsy; her store is named JoeyandMe.

I contacted Kerry through Etsy and we discussed what it was that my sister-in-law wanted. Kerry took the time to get it right and I decided to give the handbag to my sister-in-law for Christmas. We gave it to her through my mother-in-law for Christmas 2012. My mother-in-law had tried to go back and get her the same handbag in October, so she was excited to give it to her. When my sister-in-law opened it, she started to cry because she was so excited. It was EXACTLY what she wanted and she was so surprised. I can only give Kerry and JoeyandMe "two thumbs up" because the service was excellent, the product was excellent, and the result was superlative.

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Time for a Facelift

4/18/2013

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Unfortunately, we did not prevail in our election. I have spent the last two weeks catching up... and back at Bikram Yoga. I am starting to come out of the fog. I wish the new Council the best of luck.

I will be updating my website over the next few days. There will not be as much City information, at least for a while, but certainly updates on social events, my family, and my business.

Let's keep in touch. Email (jennifer@jenniferator.com) or call (305-586-6322) me any time.

Regards,

Jennifer

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Citizen Boards Should be Heard, Appreciated, and Valued

3/27/2013

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As appears in today's River Cities Gazette, and as you may have heard, there was some brief (and overdue) passionate debate at this past Monday night's meeting from Councilwoman Grace Bain and Mayor Garcia.

The controversy stemmed from the minutes of the March 6, 2013 meeting of the Architectural Review Board (ARB) to which I serve as liaison -- and perceptions of impropriety by Councilwoman Bain, and later by the Mayor, who (it turned out had not actually read the meeting minutes in advance, by his own admission from the dais) but instead had all present in Council Chambers sit quietly while he hastily skimmed them. As an attorney, I read quickly, but four full pages of text in 45 seconds is insufficient preparation for meaningful comment, much less the comments that followed.

The Mayor attempted to characterize my remarks to the ARB as "out of line" even though the City Attorney, Jan Seiden, clarified that as Liaisons to the Citizen Boards, our role is to listen, answer specific questions, and address issues between the Board and the Council. The attorney further clarified that any of the Council who took issue with my comments had the ability to respond in writing or in person to the ARB, but he declined to join the Mayor and Councilwoman in suggesting that there was anything inappropriate in my comments.

Listening, and responding to questions from the ARB members is precisely what I did. Because he was not present, and did not take the time to read the minutes in advance, he found it politically convenient to instead suggest the discussion relating to the questions and issues posed was "taking control of the meeting."

I've posted the full video below, as well as the minutes from the meeting that drew this response.

Frankly, the minutes of the ARB meeting are not even complete. There is a representation that "discussion ensued regarding why previous Board members left the Board," which was in large part led by Ana Paula Ibarra, who is the only member of the ARB who did not resign nearly 15 months ago. In a nutshell, the ARB worked hard to approve wayfinding signage and to place that signage throughout the City, while taking into account the "sign pollution" that makes finding things in our community so difficult and the cost of design and implementation of the signs.

The plan was approved by the City Council when Billy Bain was Mayor and the City's consultant was asked to build on the ARB plan while tying it into the new zoning code on 36th Street that the consultant was preparing to present to Council. The consultant returned almost a year later, completely disregarded the work done by the ARB, and curried a vote from the Council that approved of their custom (and expensive) plan. I don't think the Council should have dismissed the recommendations of the ARB the way it did and it amazes me that the change of a single person on the Council created a completely different attitude about how we should do business.

As I said in my comments at the close of the meeting, I stand by my remarks. I take my responsibility as Board Liaison very seriously, and I actually attend those meetings -- in that respect, sadly, I am the exception, not the rule. I believe we have smart, talented residents and we must make greater use of our local citizen expertise instead of turning to expensive outside consultants.

I sincerely hope to have the opportunity to continue to support and enhance the role that our Citizens Boards play in moving Miami Springs forward in the coming two years.

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Voting Is Your Right - And Mayor Garcia Is Trying to Tamper With It.

3/23/2013

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In last night's mail (3/22/13), I received an innocent-looking mail piece from Mayor Garcia's campaign.

Inside were two pre-printed, addressed postcards to assist voters in requesting absentee ballots. On the surface, this seems like a very kind and sincere gesture to assist people in having their voices heard. Then my husband pointed out a troubling detail.

Look closely at the address on the back. It's a Miami Springs P.O. Box, and not the actual Miami-Dade Elections Department. For the record, the proper contact information for Absentee Ballot Requests is:

Attn: Absentee Ballot Section
P.O. Box 521250
Miami, Florida 33152

Phone:
305-499-8444

Email:
ABUnit@miamidade.gov

Naturally, the question then, is - what is at P.O. Box 661413 in Miami Springs?

Yes, you read that correctly. The Mayor is trying to trick voters into sending Absentee Ballot Requests directly to him, instead of to the Miami-Dade Department of Elections where they must go to be processed.

The deadline for ballot requests to be received is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27th. That is an awfully tight turn-around time, and there is a genuine risk that someone might send back one of these cards, thinking it is going to Miami-Dadel Elections, and miss the deadline.

Shame on Mayor Garcia for putting campaign tactics ahead of sincere concern, and putting your rights at risk in the process. I think he owes us all an explanation, and an apology.

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Springy Leaks writes about open government, public imput, and ethics law

3/20/2013

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Check it out.
http://wlrn.org/post/floridians-would-get-right-speak-public-boards-under-proposed-legislation

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March Madness: What's a girl to do?

3/20/2013

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I love college basketball. Really love it. I grew up in a basketball family and my mother and uncles went to Indiana University. My grandparents lived in Indianapolis. I even went to IU for my freshman year.

I also really, really love the first round of the NCAA tournament. I have been to see the show more than once and it is much more exciting in person than on TV. Four games the first day and two the second -- it is a virtual basketball bonanza.

I was happy that IU was ranked first at the beginning of the season. But, imagine my surprise when I realized, pretty early in the season, that UM was going to be going to the tournament as well as long as they did not implode. I did not go to UM, but I married into the UM family after all.

Here we are, the tourney is upon us, brackets are set and locations are announced. And much to my dismay, my two favorite teams, UM and IU are in the same geographical division -- the East. How disappointing. I think they should both be able to go to the final four. Both are excellent teams and both play on Friday, March 22. How could this happen to my beloved Canes and Hoosiers? Well, it is going to be a busy Friday, March 22. And I guess they will meet in the sweet sixteen.

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Save the Bees! at 36 Palmetto Drive

Bees try to move in to our office space.

UM Supports Jackson Referendum

Community SHRED Day tomorrow 4 to 7 pm at the Miami Springs Pool

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. - Audrey Hepburn

Etsy Rocks

Time for a Facelift

Citizen Boards Should be Heard, Appreciated, and Valued

Voting Is Your Right - And Mayor Garcia Is Trying to Tamper With It.

Springy Leaks writes about open government, public imput, and ethics law

March Madness: What's a girl to do?

Beautiful
Miami Springs.

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Bees try to move in to our office space.

Beautiful Miami Springs.

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Beautiful
Miami Springs.