Brickell Neighborhood PAC Endorses Bush, Silver

In its first endorsement since its creation a year ago, the Brickell Neighborhood Political Action Committee announced it is endorsing Jeb Bush's candidacy for Governor of Florida and William E. ("Bill") Silver's candidacy for District 107 Representative for Florida Legislature.

The two candidates were selected because the Brickell PAC Steering Committee felt that these candidates' positions most closely support Brickell Neighborhood concerns. (See letters of endorsement on pages 4 and 5.)

Residents may recall that the Brickell Neighborhood Political Action Committee was created when members of the Brickell Homeowners Association grew frustrated by local government's unresponsiveness to the will and concerns of Brickell area residents.

After a series of issues in which Miami City Commissioners voted against the 10,000+ residents represented by the BHA in favor of individual or special interests, the idea of forming a PAC took root.

Letters, petitions, open dialog and calm interchange with the proper authorities hadn't worked. Neither had turning members out to Commission meetings to make their opinions known. Legal battles were unsuccessful.

In the summer of 1997 the Brickell Homeowners Association voted to support the formation of the PAC, set up independently of the BHA in partnership with neighboring civic groups. More than 100 residents provided the seed money to start the wheels in motion.

Residents need not be registered or even eligible to vote to participate in the PAC. Anyone with an interest is invited to become involved.

The purpose of the PAC is to watch out for the concerns of area residents in matters of local government and to support and endorse candidates who fairly represent these interests. Making the "Fire Rescue Fee" equitable between single family and condo homeowners was the first item at the top of the agenda. The fee was created by the Miami Commission as a revenue-generating measuring to help alieviate its fiscal crisis. During the first go-around with the new tax, it was set at a rate for condo owners several times that assessed single family homeowners.

Eventually, the Brickell PAC, working with other citizens groups, was able to convince Miami Commissioners that the rate should be the same whether residents live side by side in single family homes or vertically in apartments. Other groups are challenging the legality of the fee and the matter is expected to end up in court.

The Brickell PAC is also credited with helping the Brickell Homeowners Association convince City officials that the commercial Supplemental Waste Fee should not be applied to condo owners as their buildings are residential, not commercial. (See story next page.)

President's Column

By T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs

It really is time to get out the vote. . . the right votes!

As the cover story reports, the Brickell Neighborhood Political Action Committee has endorsed two candidates standing for election on November 3rd. One is a Democrat, the other a Republican, and neither has previously held elective office.

This is the Brickell Neighborhood PAC's first venture into political endorsement. It is a humbling task to speak for a community. The PAC Steering Committee members who participated in the evaluation process are considerably more appreciative of the Herald Editorial Board and other entities that have historically participated in this process.

The PAC's endorsements are obviously based on considerations of which candidates will better serve the needs of our immediate neighborhood and the community as a whole.

These endorsements are being publicized to the voters in our neighborhood. The Brickell Neighborhood PAC was formed to give political voice to Brickell residents. Many attribute our successes in getting the Fire Rescue Fee on condominium units reduced to the same level as on single family homes and also in eliminating the Supplemental Waste Fee on condo associations to the formation of the PAC.

The strength of this voice will be strongly influenced by the voter turnout on Nov. 3 plus the support given to the PAC-endorsed candidates.

To put it baldly, if the BHA's 4,000 registered voters vote substantially for the two PAC-endorsed candidates, the Brickell community's influence at City Hall and County Hall to protect our neighborhood and bring about better governance will be enhanced, regardless of the election outcomes.

So vote. . .and vote right!

Condos Exempted from Supplemental Waste Fee

Success!Condominium owners were exempted from the City of Miami's "Supplemental Waste Fee," the City's newest revenue-generating measure intended for commercial businesses.

After months of discussions with Commissioners, the City Manager and the City's legal department, the BHA was successful in convincing City Commissioners that residential condominium buildings should not be included.

The Commission originally passed the ordinance last spring for "commercial establishments," payable May 31st. According to the wording of the ordinance, condominium associations were considered commercial establishments, and the City mailed invoices for the fee of about five dollars per unit to about half the membership of the BHA.

While five dollars does not sound like a lot of money, for some of the larger BHA member associations, it represented an unplanned, unbudgeted line item of several thousand dollars. The total cost to Brickell Condos alone would have been about $25,000 each year.

Upon learning that the City was characterizing condominium associations as commercial establishments, the BHA protested vigorously, including an appearance before the Commission in late May. Commissioner J.L. Plummer introduced an ordinance correcting the misnomer which was passed unanimously on second reading at the Commission's September 28th meeting.

Informtion on filing for refunds is expected soon.

Security Seminar for Condo Management Personnel Rescheduled

The Security Seminar planned by BHA and the Miami Police and Fire Departments that was postponed due to preparation for Hurricane Georges in late September has been rescheduled for December 2nd at Brickell Place I.

This program, geared for management and security personnel from BHA member condominiums, will begin at 10 a.m. and last until 3 p.m. with lunch included. Coordinated by BHA Secretary Mac Seligman, the session will include information about crime and crime prevention, fire safety, emergency procedures and communications.

The police presentation will cover crimes against persons, car thefts, surveillance procedures and equipment, among other topics. The fire department presentation will cover evacuation plans, fire drills and fire inspections. Security procedures before, during and after natural disasters will addressed as well as communications between building security personnel, police and neighboring buildings.

The seminar will be timely as some Brickell condominiums are experiencing more crimes than in the past, including muggings and car thefts in recent weeks. The perpetrators, often teenagers traveling in groups of two or more kids, are gaining access to properties by scaling walls between properties and from the seawall, at times eluding security personnel.

"As Brickell becomes more populated and people venture out, there are going to be more opportunities for criminals to target the area," Miami City Manager and former Police Chief Donald Warshaw said.

With more commercial development, it's a natural consequence, he explained. It's the bad side of the good and bad equation of commercial growth.

The seminar will give building management the opportunity to get together and plan ways to communicate more effectively amongst each other for more effective prevention.

"As Brickell becomes more populated and people venture out, there are going to be more opportunities for criminals to target the area."

Donald Warshaw, Miami City Manager

Brickell Business Group Reports Full-Scale Boom

Brickell's business group, the Brickell Area Association, reported in its September newsletter that 2,500 dwelling units, nearly one million square feet of office space and 1,200 hotel rooms have been formally proposed for development in the Brickell area. The biggest project on the drawing board is a mixed-use building, the Millennium Tower, which is planned at 86 stories high.