Tomorrow, Tuesday November 10, Council will provide direction to the Village Manager as to the permanent use of the Village-owned empty lot at 530 Crandon Blvd., and the most pressing need of our community will not be considered as part of the use - even though the property is zoned for schools. Their decision will impact the great majority of the residents, including those without children interested in community cohesiveness, life-long learning and intergenerational programs. But you still can do something about it, even if you do not support a high school
 
Council has already expressed its intent of turning 530 Crandon into a permanent public park, ignoring the public process conducted by the IBI Group with the 530 Crandon Focus Groups and public charrettes, which overwhelmingly supported an educational multi-use facility (see page 16 of their report here) and, once again, wasting our tax money and ignoring the community involvement.
 
Why would Council pursue a park at 530 Crandon Blvd.? The IBI report clearly concludes: "Key Biscayne residents feel the majority of their parks and recreation needs are currently being met" (see conclusion on page 12 here). Very simply, Council continues the practice of wasting our tax money by hiring external consultants to make it appear as a public process and then doing whatever they had in mind by either manipulating the outcome of the studies or just plainly ignoring the results - and the will of the majority of residents.
 
Serving a community requires vision, courage and leadership. And none of these qualities can be seen in the majority of our Council members, which are just interested in preserving the status quo. We have to wonder why some of our Council members run for the position, except for just being in the picture and represent the establishment. We only need to take a look at the community projects undertaken by this Council over the last few years. Can you just recall one that does not stink? Remember the consulting projects on the charter high school, red cameras, burying of the power lines, landscaping, community center expansion, beach renourishment... Nothing has happened with these projects after significant investments have been made in time and money.
 
High school advocates have clearly demonstrated we can create a great high school and intergenerational center in our community, without any subsidies for its operation. However, Council continues to ignore the high school deficiency, continues to brush-off public school advocates, and declines engaging the community in a transparent public process - which would clarify allegations and diminish divisions among community members. And now Council wants to make sure the only place available to build the schools gets used for a "politically correct" cause.
 
Council has already used all imaginable excuses to avoid a public and honest debate within the community on the high school subject. They have also used all the tricks in the book to derail the initiative- such as not implementing their approved ordinance on a High School Advisory Board, changing minutes of their meetings, reversing decisions, trying to discredit renowned consultants and instilling fear, uncertainty and doubt in the community. They just disapprove it as the high school initiative would go against the status quo and the establishment.
 
Furthermore, Council has not allowed the high school project to be openly discussed and evaluated by the community. Why? Very simply, all of the Council members either send or have sent their kids to private schools and the majority belittles public school education. In addition, most Council members believe public schools are not worthy of our community, and its advocates do not dominate the polls.
 
We can sit back and allow Council to continue mismanaging our scarce resources and brushing-off advocates of public education, or you can make a difference by standing up against the status quo, calling and emailing Council members, writing letters to the Islander News and Miami Herald, reaching out to your neighbors and community organizations, and actively participating in Council meetings.
 
The future of your community depends on you. Do something about it! Even if you don't support a self-funded high school.

 

Regards,
Angel Martin

 

 

Reference documents: 

Nov. 10, 2009 Council meeting agenda: http://www.keybiscayne.fl.gov/clientuploads/PDF/Clerk/agendas/cm_09-11-10-tab3.pdf

Complete IBI Group report and recommendations:
http://www.keybiscayne.fl.gov/clientuploads/PDF/Clerk/agendas/ws_09-10-22-tab1.pdf