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Award Worthy
By Bari Auerbach
Hollywood has the Oscar awards; Broadway has the Tony awards; and now Sunny Isles Beach has its own “award worthy” initiatives, accomplishments and events thanks to the City Commission, Police Department and members of city staff earning accolades for “outstanding performance in leadership roles.”
Best In Blue
Police Department proud of L.E.O. (Law Enforcement Officers) Awards… “On February 18, over 750 people gathered for the L.E.O.’s – Miami-Dade’s answer to the Academy Awards for local law enforcement,” said Police Chief Fred Maas. “The event was held at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Hotel and popular CBS-4 reporter Brian Andrews was the emcee.
“The entire City Commission was on hand to witness the event as winners from the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department were presented with beautiful bronze statues of the L.E.O. Lion. Our winners were from the Motorcycle and Traffic Unit with Team Leader Ken Hackett along with the entire team of officers: Steve Hamedl, Steve Brenton, Thao Doan, Javier Estevez and Yohans Martinez.
“Also winning for investigative agent of the year was Sunny Isles Beach police detective Steve Diaz for his extensive undercover work in prolonged narcotics and money laundering operations for the DEA. Sgt. Don Reynolds was first runner-up in the Community Policing/Crime Prevention Category. Sgt. Reynolds won January’s Officer of the Month award for his dedication to community policing and problem solving.
“This now makes ten L.E.O. Awards the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department has won since the inception of the event in 2000.”
Best News
When it comes to lower taxes, the winners are: Sunny Isles Beach residents!
Presenting a State of the City address with a sunny outlook, Mayor Norman Edelcup noted, “The city’s financial condition is very secure and strong. This condition allowed us the ability to complete all scheduled capital improvement programs. This past year, our tax base was increased by 21 percent from the previous year to $3.9 billion [therefore] the Commission enacted a millage rate reduction from 3.35 to 2.95 per $1,000 (of assessed property value) thus resulting in a reduction of our city’s tax rate.”
Best Compromise
“On behalf of the City Commission, we’d like to thank residents for their show of support to work together!” Mayor Edelcup recently reassured Golden Shores homeowners concerned about the impact of a proposed roadway, “We’re willing to sit down around a table and work out compromises. The dialogue we’ve started is hopefully just the beginning of a long series of meetings…In the end, we’ll have something more beautiful…We welcome your input and will continue to keep you totally in the loop of what’s going on with these projects so we can all be pleased by the end result.”
Golden Shores resident Steven Trattner added, “I would be remiss in failing to mention that as part of discussions I’ve had with city representatives, who for the most part have been very supportive and cooperative, we’ve begun to explore a number of potential comprises that could achieve the objectives of the city, the developers and residents of Golden Shores such as creating multiple traffic calming configurations, widening roads, creating more green space and buffer zones.”
In keeping with the goal to have an alternate route in case an emergency situation blocks Collins Avenue, the Commission has also approved the concept of creating a bridge connecting North Bay Road between Winston Towers 100 on 174th Street and the Porto Bellagio condominium across the canal to the south. To avoid “compromising” the serenity of the area, the Commission assured residents the bridge will be utilized for foot traffic and emergency vehicles only.
Best De“fence”
“Why wait for accidents to happen?” Making safety a priority, Vice Mayor Rosyln Berzin proposed an ordinance adopted by the Commission requiring commercial marina owners and operators within city limits to install and maintain a safety fence or railing lining the perimeter of all docks located adjacent to a walkway.
Marina owners will be required to pull permits for the safety fences within 60 days from the date the ordinance is passed; and then they’ll have an additional 90 days to complete installation. The second reading of the ordinance will take place at the March 16 City Commission meeting.
Best Free Offer
Who needs Price Waterhouse? Sunny Isles Beach has FREE Income Tax preparation and counseling by AARP volunteers! See Judge Manuel Ramos and Charles (Chuck) Haspel at Colonial Bank (18256 Collins Avenue) every Tuesday and Thursday. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Best Public School
Winner in the category of “smart” moves: Due to the growing number of families with children moving to Sunny Isles Beach, the City Commission is “continuing education” goals by working with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to build a kindergarten through eighth grade school at 182nd Drive and North Bay Road.
The City Commission recently voted to increase an $8.5 million grant awarded to the Miami-Dade school district by another $1.5 million to help acquire a 2.1 acre school site. According to Mayor Norman Edelcup, rising land values created the need to increase the grant amount.
Best Donation
Da Vinci displays “art of generosity”: Developers of the Da Vinci condominium recently announced a $1 million donation to the future Sunny Isles Beach public school. The donation was proffered during a Dec. 8, 2005 City Commission meeting just before the City Commission granted Da Vinci’s request to allow 100 percent tandem parking, in which two cars can fit in one spot, based on conditions including mandatory valet parking and an emergency generator.
Best Debut Appearance
New City Manager lands leading role: This month, Sunny Isles Beach is welcoming new City Manager John Szerlag, appointed by the Commission following the departure of former City Manager Christopher Russo. For the past six years, Mr. Szerlag served as City Manager of Troy – a 35-square mile city in Michigan; population 85,000.
Best New Park
Seeing more green and open space: The new Town Center Park at 17200 Collins Avenue highlights renaissance development planned to span 172nd to 163rd Street – and now, the City Commission is encouraging the creation of even more parks and open green space.
Mayor Norman Edelcup explained, “The city was able to create the Town Center Park by designating the land on which the park is built as a ‘sender site’ under our TDR (transfer of development rights) ordinance…Therefore, I’ve proposed an amendment to our TDR ordinance in order for us to be able to perhaps acquire more land for parks.
“The ordinance will provide incentives to owners with properties abutting Collins Avenue to convert these properties to parks…Simply put, properties abutting Collins will be eligible for the public land enhancement bonus which is provided to properties within the Town Center district. The proposed amendment [would also let] the city provide property owners a maximum density of 80 units per acre; and a maximum floor area ratio of 3.75 if the property is offered to the city for park purposes.
“We’re basically encouraging property owners [to recognize] the best utilization for that land is to donate it to the city for parks and [in return] receive the TDR provisions included in this proposed ordinance.”
More particularly good park news is that the Town Center Park will soon have a restroom addition; and a new active park featuring a little league baseball field is being planned adjacent to the future school site at 182nd Drive and North Bay Road.
Best ‘Savior’ Behavior
Golden Shores residents applaud city’s post-hurricane response: “The residents of Golden Shores wish to extend our thanks for ice and water during our great need after Hurricane Wilma,” Ellen and Mary Wynne wrote in a thank you letter addressed to the City Commission and Police Department. “Please thank each and everyone involved in this human service…We will never forget your concern and your quick response to our needs.”
Best of Show
1st annual Talent Show earns rave reviews: When the Health & Community Activities Committee hosted the city’s premiere talent show in January, over 300 guests gathered at the Marco Polo Ramada Plaza Beach Resort’s Persian Room for the entertaining event. Featuring singers, dancers, musicians and more diverse performances, the show proved what many fans often say: “Sunny Isles Beach is not only beautiful – but talented too!”
Best Building Record
Largest concrete pour in Southeastern U.S.: The Trump Royale condo in Sunny Isles Beach has a “strong foundation” for success following a concrete pour large enough to make a four-foot wide pathway from Miami to Atlanta!
The record-setting concrete foundation pour taking place the first week of 2006 was arranged by the Trump/Dezer organization for Trump Royale - a $180 million dollar condominium on the east side of Collins Avenue. Coastal Construction Company was awarded the contract for the pour involving a crew of 700 workers and 150 Rinker concrete trucks.
Best for Business
Sunny Isles Beach joins Chamber of Commerce….In what could be called a “savvy business merger,” Sunny Isles Beach has joined forces with the Aventura Chamber of Commerce. Now local merchants can take advantage of opportunities to network and build business at regularly scheduled meetings. For more information, phone: 305-947-0606.
Best Cable Station
Channel 77 Must See TV: Channel 77 is the city’s newly updated TV channel dedicated to Sunny Isles Beach news and information. You can watch and learn about upcoming meetings, see city scenes and even historic trivia. There are also schedules of cultural trips, activities and shuttle bus routes as well as recaps of Commission meetings that will eventually be televised.
Best Entertainment
Sunny Isles Beach Feels the Latin Beat: Right after Valentine’s Day, everyone fell in love with “Latin Night” when the city hosted its monthly Sunny Serenade concert at Samson Oceanfront Park. The music was a flamenco pop sound mixed with tropical rhythms, performed by PAYE. The new music style was extremely popular, attracting a large audience exceeding 300 music lovers by the end of the high-energy evening.
Best Library
Read all about the benefits of having a Miami-Dade County Public Library branch at Sunny Isles Beach Government Center: Check out ongoing adult programs plus special upcoming events including St. Patrick Day Arts & Crafts on March 15 from 4:30-5:15; Puppet Theater on March 29 from 4:30-5:15; and a Teen Chess Club meeting March 22 from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. For details, visit the city’s website www.sibfl.net
Best Address
There are so many more ‘award worthy’ city initiatives, it wouldn’t be possible to give them all honorable mention here. Suffice it to say it’s residents who are the real winners when it comes to enjoying the highest quality of “life with a view” in Sunny Isles Beach !
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