Just Wanting a Little Civility… And Peace and Quiet Would Be Nice, Too 

To the Editor: 

Re: “What Next?” [Editorial, April 17] 

In last week’s edition you listed the targets of “Operation Clean Sweep”: to rid South Beach of prostitutes, crack dealers, drunken drivers, public urinaters, blasting car stereos/boomboxes and roaring motorcyclists. But, in defending the nightlife industry, you say, “whether or not the overall outcome will be truly positive remains to be seen.”

Do you mean that enforcing the protection of public safety and civility will put South Beach nightlife out of business?

Yours,

Joseph Villari

100 ft. from 106 Collins and ten-year sufferer from noise, noise, noise, 1:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m. Have a nice night! (Morning)

 50 Ways To Say Thank You… And Get Some Ink To Boot…. 

To the SunPost Team: 

Thank you for including me and TARA, Ink in your wonderful power issue!  It is much appreciated. 

Tara Solomon

The Baylink Guide For Dummies 

As one of the people who participated in the initial discussion about the Baylink concept, I was surprised to learn of the conflict that’s taking place around this project. I fully appreciate both sides of the debate; but I also think both fail to realize that the conflict arises only because of the way the original concept has been developed and presented. That is: as a system that includes both the line connecting the mainland to Miami Beach, and the Alton Road-Washington Avenue loop. To my recollection, this is not what the initial vision for Baylink was about; and this is what needs rethinking.

When a few of us first discussed this idea, we envisioned Baylink as an integral part of the east-west corridor project connecting FIU, the airport, downtown Miami and Miami Beach. Its function was not just to link downtown Miami and Miami Beach, but to provide Miami Beach residents with much needed access to FIU and other points in the western part of the county; as well as to furnish quick and efficient service for tourists traveling between the airport and the beach. We didn’t envision the Alton Road – Washington Avenue “loop” that has become the major bone of contention here as an integral part of the project for three reasons: 1) Baylink was supposed to be a county connector not an intra-city rapid transit system;  2) A project involving two very different environments and operating conditions is extremely difficult to design, get approval for, and implement; and 3) We believed Miami Beach alone should decide how its internal transportation system should be designed.

Running along the south side of the causeway, Baylink was supposed to be very simple line – hopefully without poles or overhead cables that might be torn down in a storm - that would enter Miami Beach at 5^th Street, and end at a small terminal somewhere in the vicinity of Jefferson Avenue. With a waiting area and an outdoor café, the terminal would become an important node and meeting point in South Beach. From here, people could take a bus, a taxi or any other mode of transportation along Washington, Collins or Alton Road. If Miami Beach wanted to implement a feeder system, it could make this choice in time. Whether this was a track based tram or a fleet of small buses didn’t matter as long as it operated on a regular, reliable and frequent basis. It goes without saying that the feeder system was supposed to be as unobtrusive as possible, and cause little disruption to the area.

In my view, the mistake that has led to such a divisive discussion and possible derailing of this project lies in having placed Baylink and the Miami Beach transit improvement project in the same package. Given the potential difference in view points between county and local residents, doing so was bound to create the present impasse. Splitting the project into separate but related components that can be implemented independent of one another as desired is a far more productive way of doing things. Countywide needs can be satisfied while respecting local concerns. This is what needs to be done here. The MPO should limit its charge to getting the Baylink line to Miami Beach. Beach officials should provide authorization to bring the line into the city. Miami Beach officials and residents should decide what they want to do about their internal transportation needs, free of outside pressure. Designers should focus on simplifying this project. 

Jorge Espinel

 Light Rail Transit: A Victim of Big Money  

Regarding the light rail system, Northern California's Marin County rejected Bart, that area’s mass transit system, in the early 70's. They feared the trains would enable riff raff to easily come to their area. Now, the commute from there to San Francisco is the worst in the Bay Area (since it is the only direction where there are no trains) and most agree Marin's decision then was bad.
As far as the 1940's system here, to the Beach, much has been written about the demise, nationally, of most mass transit systems that ran up until the 40's. They were axed in the 50's and 60's in cities all over the US as a result of big bucks spent by tire and car manufacturer's who wanted the public to switch to cars. They succeeded in eliminating inner city rail systems in every major and many minor US cities. More cars and tires were sold.
The public didn't object then. After all, we could only wish our bad traffic days came close to their worst traffic jams.
Times have changed and for now and the future of Miami Beach, a light rail system makes sense.

Richard Strell 

 Just a Few Suggestions for the Beach Charter Review Committee 

Re: Requests Made to Charter Review Committee. [“Charter Committee Seeks Public Input During Review Process,” published in the March 27 Beach edition.] 

 Dear Mayor and Commission; 

For several years now I have been asking the Commission to put an item on the ballot that would allow the voters to consider changing the way our City Commissioner’s are elected, by eliminating the meaningless at-large “group seats” currently required by the charter, and replacing them with commissioners elected by geographic “Districts”.  As you know, District elections allow two commissioners to be elected from each of the three geographic Districts of Miami Beach (i.e.: South Beach, Mid Beach, and North Beach).  Candidates would be required to reside in the District where they are seeking election, and would be voted on by the people living in that District.  The mayor would continue to be elected at-large.  Despite the commission not acting on my request, this is nevertheless a very popular concept with strong public support, as was shown by the large number of people who voted two to one for the change in last year’s City Debate poll.   I have asked the Charter Review Committee to give consideration to this change.

Also enjoying some public support, and also recommended to the Charter Review Committee for consideration, is a change from our current City Manager form of government to a Strong Mayor (or Mayor as Manager) form of government.  This change envisions a full-time mayor having the duties of a city manager, with appropriate compensation and perhaps a four-year term instead of a two-year term.  Jacksonville, Florida is recognized as having successfully adopted this form of government.

 There is also the desire on the part of many of our citizens for an independent Redevelopment Agency (RDA) Board, a change that has also been recommended to the Charter Review Committee.  The enormous waste of taxpayer money uncovered a few years ago in an audit of the South Pointe RDA (a loss in excess of $35 million dollars for the preceding ten year period) is believed to have been a direct result of a lack of effective and meaningful oversight caused by allowing members of the city commission and city administration to act in a dual capacity (as both the city commission and city administration, and as the RDA Board and RDA administration). 

This co-mingling of responsibilities effectively reduced, if not eliminated, any public scrutiny of the RDA and its finances for almost two decades, and many believe it continues to do so today, as evidenced by the cursory review of RDA activities and finances given at each commission meeting.  A separate and independent RDA Board, perhaps elected by the people and not appointed by the commission, with separate regularly televised meetings, is being recommended. 

 There is another related RDA issue raised by County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro in his recent remarks to the commission, which is his desire for a representative of the County Manager and County Attorney to each have a seat on the Miami Beach RDA Board(s).  This seems reasonable considering that half of the property tax money received by the RDA comes from the County.  Commissioner Barreiro’s request has also been passed on to the Charter Review Committee.  

 While I understand that not everyone supports these initiatives, it is nevertheless my hope that through the Charter Review process these issues of concern to the community will have a thorough public airing, and I look forward to your support in making this goal a reality. 

Yours truly, 

David Kelsey