Stephen Murray Activism -- West Grove Political Beat

SITE UPDATED AND MOVED

2010-06-13T11:36:00.003-04:00

http://www.stephenmurrayactivism.org now redirects to http://stephenmurrayactivism.wordpress.com

All new updates will be on that page!

Coconut Grove Village Council February Agenda

2010-02-15T16:59:00.002-05:00

Coconut Grove Village Council February 2010 Agenda

Tell Miami Beach Police Dept. NO to Gay Bashing

2010-02-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, an article published in the Miami Herald caught my eye. Miami Beach police officers allegedly harassed a tourist named Harold Strickland last March because of his sexuality. This display of intolerance is unacceptable on many levels and should not be tolerated in our County. No one deserves to be discriminated against for any reason.
Please sign this petition to send a clear message to our local officials that this type of behavior will not go unpunished.

-Stephen Murray
Coconut Grove Village Council

Response to City Commission Chairman's Press Release

2010-01-23T18:44:00.010-05:00

City of Miami Commission Chairman Marc Sarnoff released a statement yesterday in regards to the tragic death of cyclist Christopher Lecanne last Sunday on the Rickenbacker Causeway at the hands of a drunk driver. I agree with the Chairman’s position on the systemic problems revealed by this situation and would strongly support any measures he introduces to address the gaps exposed in our emergency response services. However, in his press release, the Chairman states:

“This tragedy highlights the dangers our cyclists and runners face each day on our roads from careless and drunk drivers. Next Thursday, Jan 28th at 5pm, the City Commission will decide whether or not to extend the hours alcohol in local bars from 3am to 5am. I’ve already received hundreds of emails from local cyclists warning of the danger, since so many rides on the Rickenbacker originate in Coconut Grove. This was even before the tragedy with Mr. Lecanne. I urge anyone with concerns to attend this important meeting to ensure their voice is heard by Commissioners. It is our duty to keep our roads safe.”

The attempt by Chairman Sarnoff to politicize this tragedy is unfortunate and inappropriate. This incident allegedly occurred after the driver had been out in the downtown area at one of the 24 hour establishments that are permitted elsewhere in the Chairman’s district. The driver had numerous moving violations and this tragic accident points out the need to punish bad behavior when it occurs rather than preemptively restricting the actions of law-abiding customers. Pushing this into the debate about Coconut Grove’s Special District restriction on establishments serving alcohol underscores the Chairman’s determination to prevent the changes desired by a majority of his constituents. Both the Village Council and Chamber of Commerce have overwhelmingly voted against his position.

This is a reflection of the unfortunate political climate surrounding this divisive issue. Looking forward, I hope we can rise above this level of discourse to find an acceptable compromise to the controversy gripping our community. In these tough times, the City's time and resources would be better spent addressing the current financial crisis, investigations by the SEC and the culture of corruption that plagues our politics. Hopefully, under the Mayor's leadership, economic growth will be promoted by the City, not stifled.

-Stephen Murray

FIU Student News Service Video from Campaign

2010-01-15T22:09:00.004-05:00

I know this is long overdue, but this is the video done at my Meet and Greet BBQ back in October. Thanks to everyone who put on the event and to the journalists from FIU who made the video!

Village Council Agenda for January 21st Meeting

2010-01-15T18:58:00.002-05:00

Cgvc Master Agenda 1 10

Hope to see you there!

Stephen Murray
Councilman

Haiti

2010-01-15T18:42:00.001-05:00

As you are all aware, Haiti is in a major crisis. The situation is devastating and heartbreaking. Luckily, people like my friend Melanie Aron are doing amazing work gathering supplies to be sent to help the international relief effort. Now is the time for our community to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Melanie will be doing two more drop offs this weekend.

Supplies needed are: (Click Read More)

SHELTER:
Sheets, blankets, towels, tents /tarps, clothing

POWER:
Candles, flashlights, flashlight Batteries – D cells, matches / lighters, lanterns + lantern oil

MEDICINE:
Rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, bandages, gauze, aspirin, soap, baby diapers

FOOD:
Canned food with TAB OPENINGS not requiring can openers – soup, tuna, energy bars, bottled water, baby food, dehydrated milk, etc.

Please TRY make sure that your donation is placed in BOXES or STURDY PLASTIC BAGS. If you can, please mark your box/bag indicating what’s inside.

Contact Melanie at 305-746-9850 or tal790@aol.com.

Stephen Murray

Councilman

Endorsement of Philip Stoddard for Mayor of South Miami

2010-01-09T18:50:00.003-05:00

I have just heard that Dr. Philip Stoddard, a biology professor at FIU, has decided to run against incumbent Horace Feliu for Mayor of South Miami. Phil and I have been working together since last April, when he first reached out to me about the Florida Power and Light transmission line issue. Since that time, he has been leading the charge regionally against FPL's proposed transmission lines, rate increases and added nuclear power plants at Turkey Point. His efforts have been instrumental in raising awareness about these issues. Phil is a true activist and someone of high moral character that the people of South Miami would be lucky to have represent them.

I urge you to cast your ballot for Dr. Philip Stoddard on February 9th.

-Stephen Murray
Councilman

Long Overdue Update

2010-01-09T12:16:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. My vacation in New York is wrapping up and I'll be returning to Coconut Grove early next week. The next Village Council meeting is on Thursday, January 21st. The agenda is still being finalized, but so far it looks like we will be voting on the bar closing time issue, discussing the helicopter service and Muvico, and hopefully unveiling some details about revamping our website.

New York has been extremely cold. I'm only just starting to get used to it (right in time to leave). It was nice to see family and friends after a pretty turbulent November and early December. I've been getting updates on what is going on in Coconut Grove and I'm currently monitoring a few different issues. As soon as I get back I will post some further information.

As always, please do not hesitate to call or email me with any concerns.

-Stephen Murray
Councilman

Coconut Grove Village Council Meets Tomorrow

2009-11-17T20:06:00.002-05:00

The Coconut Grove Village Council will be meeting tomorrow night from 6-8pm at the Abanico Theater (3138 Commodore Plaza). There are two things on the agenda: 5am Closing Rule and Introductions for New Council Members (like myself). I encourage you all to make it out and show your support.

I just wanted to say how disappointed I am in the current situation with the Village Council. I have kept very quiet on this issue over the past week to allow the 'powers that be' try to work things out, but I find it unacceptable that we have yet to get a straight answer from anyone at the City as to why we cannot meet in City Hall. It is unfathomable to me that the Village Council, which has met at City Hall for quite a few years now, has had our meeting venue taken away with very little notice and no real explanation. If the intention is to allow more neighborhood associations to meet at City Hall, why cancel the only one that currently does meet there? It just doesn't make sense to any rational person.

Whether or not this is an attempt to silence the Council is a moot point -- we will continue to meet, we will have our meetings video-taped and streamed/archived on our new website, and we will continue hearing and voting on the issues that are important to Coconut Grove. All this fiasco has been successful in accomplishing is creating a more outspoken and angry incoming Council.

It is in the City's best interest to remedy this situation in a fair and amicable way.

-Stephen Murray
Councilman-Elect, Coconut Grove

Victory!

2009-11-08T21:12:00.002-05:00

Friends,

On November 3rd, all of the hard work that we put into this campaign paid off -- I was elected to the Coconut Grove Village Council. I am the youngest person to ever have the honor of serving this community and one of the youngest elected officials in Miami's history. Thank you to the 681 people who came out and voted for me. A lot of people gave their time and energy to help me achieve this and will forever have my appreciation for their support and dedication. Hope Mohr was instrumental in getting the word out in the Center Grove, organizing the Meet and Greet BBQ and keeping me motivated and energized throughout the campaign. I cannot thank her enough. Nancy and Oliver were my biggest champions in the West Grove -- knocking on doors, passing out fliers, and speaking with their friends and neighbors about me. Many others were involved in some way or another and you know who you are. Thank you!

For me, the work has only just begun. We are faced with some major challenges here in Coconut Grove that must be addressed. While I will not assume office until January, I have already started working on putting together an agenda, will be giving a few speeches before January, and testifying in front of the current Council on Thursday about the 5am closing rule. I am working on three projects right now in the West Grove, the details of which I will release soon.

Coconut Grove is at a critical time in its history and needs real leadership to ensure its success. It is my promise to the residents I serve to make sure that our officials are up for the challenge. With a new mayor, new commission chairman and two new commissioners, it is essential that the needs of Coconut Grove's most forgotten and left behind community are not further neglected moving forward. I wish our officials the best of luck in their coming terms and hope to work together to address issues of mutual concern.

I care deeply about Coconut Grove and will continue to fight for you.

-Stephen Murray
Councilman-Elect

November 8th Miami Herald Article
November 4th Grand Ave News
Congratulatory Letter from Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL)

Get out and Vote!

2009-10-27T10:54:00.003-04:00

Friends,

The campaign is starting to come to a close. Early voting began yesterday and goes through Sunday. The polls are open from 7am-7pm until the weekend, and then on Saturday/Sunday they are open from 9am-1pm. Our Early Voting location is at Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive. If you don't want to early vote, election day is Tuesday, November 3rd, where you will be able to vote at your assigned precinct polling location:

Precinct 532, Christ Episcopal Church, 3481 Hibiscus St
Precinct 540, Douglas Park Community, 2755 SW 37 Ave
Precinct 546, Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Dr
Precincts 581 & 582 & 998, Museum Of Science, 3280 S Miami Ave
Precinct 583, Miami Fire Station #8, 2975 Oak Ave
Precinct 584, Frankie Rolle Service, 3750 S Dixie HWY
Precinct 585, Elizabeth Virrick Park, 3255 Plaza St
Precinct 586, Miami Dade WASD, 3575 S Le Jeune Rd
Precinct 587, Plymouth Church, 3400 Devon Rd

If you do not know your assigned precinct, visit http://www.miamidade.gov/elections/precinct-finder.asp and enter the necessary information.

Thank you all for your amazing support, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

-Stephen Murray

Media Updates

2009-10-24T15:04:00.000-04:00

Our Meet and Greet BBQ was featured as the centerpiece of the Miami Herald's story about the Coconut Grove Village Council candidates. You can read the article and see a few pictures of the event here.

The November issue of Miami Monthly Magazine has a picture of Morgan and I on page 59, "In and Around Town with Erika King," along with campaign supporters Vanna and Alex. It was taken at the Full Moon Party held at the Barnacle a couple weeks ago. Pick up a copy and check it out!

Grand Ave News has video statements from all of the candidates. Visit www.grandavenews.com and click on my picture.

There should hopefully be an article in next week's Miami Hurricane about my candidacy. I will post a link when it goes up.

Thank you to everyone who has been following my campaign and showing their support. We are only about a week away from election day. Early voting starts Monday, please come out and vote!

-Stephen Murray

Picnic and Theodore Gibson Memorial Fund

2009-10-18T22:08:00.001-04:00

584:

The picnic was a huge success. Thank you so much to the people who made it out to have a nice afternoon in the Community Green Space. We had over 75 people come through at various points; some stayed the entire time and others came in just to say hi and grab lunch. A special thank you to the amazing individuals who put the entire thing together: Hope Mohr, my Event Coordinator and go-to gal did an amazing job of organizing everything and reminding people about the event. Michelle Wedderburn and the ladies of Simply Jerk who catered the event. Morgan, Vanna, Bob, Deter, Melanie, and Andrew who all helped out immensely. I couldn't have done it without you all and I am extremely thankful for your help. We had quite a few special guests and many news outlets were there to cover it. State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera and his legislative assistant Joeseph Ruiz, who I've been working with on the FP&L issue both made it out as well. Tom Falco, Editor of the Coconut Grove Grapevine, was there as well and wrote this post (and took a great picture of Councilwoman Michelle Niemeyer, State Rep. Lopez-Cantera and I).

Tonight, Morgan and I went to the Theodore Gibson Memorial Fund's annual fund-raising dinner at Jungle Island. It was nice to see a lot of familiar faces from the West Grove, and we made some new friends as well. Coincidentally, I was sitting next to Vanessa (Thelma Gibson's niece) and Stephen Murray (her husband), so now I have some 'family' here as well. A thank you also goes out to Melissa Meyer, my neighbor and member of the fund's Board of Directors, who invited us.

We are only about two weeks away from the election. Let's keep the momentum going.

-Stephen Murray

What needed to be said last night can not and will not wait.

2009-10-16T12:33:00.003-04:00

Last night was supposed to be the televised candidates forum for the Coconut Grove Village Council election. Since I do not have any real proof on some of the theories as to why the plug was pulled, I can not go into that yet. What I can say though is that regardless of the shut down, I have a couple things that I had planned on saying that still need to be said.

The 5am bar closing issue has been the subject of much debate. I have made my position very clear on this issue: we must stay competitive in one of our greatest pulls for business. The concerns many of us share can be addressed by better enforcement of public safety laws as they are done elsewhere in the City, and can be done without an ordinance that specifically constricts our already hurting businesses. Public opinion overwhelmingly supports this position. However, back door politics are currently taking place to block action and scare our residents.

Now is not the time to shy away from the mission of the Village Council. We must not be afraid, we must not allow this type of misconduct to go unchecked, and we must not let scare tactics govern Coconut Grove.

And my message to those in positions of power who wish to subvert the voices of dissent – I am not running for the Village Council to be your enemy nor your friend; I am running to partner with you and to support the decisions you make that keep the best interests of our residents at heart. But mark my words: I will publicly call you out when you fail to do so. For far too long, you have been permitted to intimidate our friends, colleagues and businesses behind closed doors and under the cloak of anonymity, but that time has now passed. The only thing worse than a playground bully, is one that doesn’t have the decency or the courage to fight their battles out in the open. Here in the Grove, we can and we will be better than that.

It is my pledge to you that I will never back down from fighting for what I believe is best for the community I serve.

-Stephen Murray

PS: On a completely unrelated note, Happy Birthday to both my mom and little sister (the other day). I love you both!

Campaign Meet and Greet and BBQ

2009-10-08T14:43:00.008-04:00

We will be having a campaign Meet and Greet / BBQ on Saturday, October 17th, from 1-3p.m. in the Community Green Space right off of SW 32nd and Grand Ave. The event flier, which includes a map and some extra details, is included below. We are looking to turn out about 100 people, and it would be great for you to be one of them. Please get in touch if you have any questions about it.

-Stephen Murray

StephenMurrayMeetandGreet

Stephen Murray for Coconut Grove Village Council

2009-10-06T16:55:00.013-04:00

Candidate Bio

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Miami (Class of 2011, BBA in Political Science), Research/Teaching Assistant in the School of Business, Community Activist in the West Grove, and the Democratic Party Committeeman of Precinct 584. I am originally from New York, but lived overseas most of my life (4 years in Austria, 5 years in Hungary). My parents still live in Europe and I travel back and forth to see them during my breaks. I worked as a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee in the summer of 2006 and was the Lead Field Manager for the Philadelphia office and a top averaging door-to-door fund-raiser in the country at the time.

I bring a fresh perspective to the table. (click Read More)
Working as an activist has me out in the community a lot and talking to people has given me a good look into what they feel isn't being done right here. I also have worked with local government on a range of issues and understand the process of making sure the problems we face are being taken care of. Personally, I have been given enough excuses. I am tired of hearing why something can't be done when a little hard work and effort could go a long way to help more people. I’m not afraid to stand up for what I believe in and fight against those who try to write others off. We can be doing a better job and I will make sure of it.

Coconut Grove needs to be reaching out to the young people that live in this community. There are many students and young professionals living in the Grove and it's about time we got engaged in the debate about our future. As a Councilman I would make a big effort to get other young people involved in the projects that are important to our community. Just in this last couple of months, many other students have gotten involved either through my campaign or through the Grand Ave News project or the efforts of the UM School of Law and we need to make sure that involvement is continued.

A short sampling of my accomplishments:

I resolved an animal neglect dispute that had created a neighborhood battle, making the situation better for the dog and for the residents who were involved.
I have taken on Florida Power and Light about their new transmission line project and rate increase, bringing the problem to the attention of our elected officials and working to resolve the issues between neighborhoods and the utility company.
I adopted two dogs, fostered and re-homed five stray dogs and a cat, all of which were left on our streets and in our parks. Addressing the stray problem, not only in Coconut Grove but county-wide, is a top priority of mine. The number of animals that are being abandoned continues to skyrocket and finding homes is increasingly difficult for the many rescuers in the area.
As a Democratic Party Committeeman, I have registered many new voters and represent 1,300 Democrats to our local party, working to turn out almost 70% of registered voters in 2008.
I raised over $1500 for the only soup kitchen operating in the Village West, all of which came from donations by Coconut Grove residents and will help keep them running through December. Due to tough economic times they had seen an increase in demand of the essential service they provide to the community and needed the funds to fill their budgetary gap.

My strong dedication to the entire community would make me an asset and I would strengthen our voice to really make a difference.

-Stephen Murray

Some affiliations: Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Local Board Member of the Selective Service System (nominated by Governor of Florida and serve at the will of the President of the United States), and Notary Public in the State of Florida.

Village West HOATA

2009-09-27T20:08:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow night is the monthly Village West Homeowners and Tenants Association (HOATA) meeting at 7pm in the Frankie Rolle Center. HOATA President Pierre Sands has invited all of the Village Council candidates to come and give a short introduction at the meeting.

See you all there,

Stephen Murray

Coconut Grove Village Council Campaign Flier

2009-09-20T18:20:00.002-04:00

Coconut Grove Village Council

2009-09-16T13:16:00.001-04:00

584:

StephenMurray_CGVC

H1N1 Meetings with Miami-Dade County

2009-09-04T14:20:00.002-04:00

584:

With flu season fast approaching, Miami-Dade County's Health Department will be hosting six town hall meetings with constituents and community leaders around the county.

Ours will be sponsored by County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez at the Frankie Rolle Center (3750 S. Dixie Hwy, 33133) on Friday, October 2nd from 6-8pm.

Click here for more info.

-Stephen Murray

South Florida Regional Planning Council's FPL Meeting

2009-09-03T12:05:00.004-04:00

584:

Last night was the South Florida Regional Planning Council FPL meeting at the University of Miami's BankUnited Center. As you all know, I have been involved in this debate over the transmission lines since March. Last night's meeting had the most insulting and condescending tone of any interaction I've had with FPL by far. From my count, there were roughly 150 people there, 20 employees of FPL, and a half-dozen elected officials.

The meeting started off with a presentation by Mike Halpin, from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's "Siting Coordination Office." He revealed himself as basically being a puppet for FPL. If he is one of the lines of defense between the phases of "proposal" and "certification," then we are really done for.

After that came a presentation by FPL's Henrietta McBee, a director of some sort. Her speech was read directly from something written by their PR department I assume, and the inflection she was using in her voice should have been reserved for a kindergarten class. Yet again, the public was forced to sit through another one of FPL's biased and statistic-filled nonsensical psycho-babbles. The presentation given by Ms. McBee changed the entire mood of the room in just a few minutes, having the exact opposite effect than I think FPL had hoped for.

Next up it was time for "Questions and Comments." This really was just a chance for the public to talk at a podium in front of a dais with four unmanned microphones. Questions were not answered and comments fell upon deaf ears. The whole time, I couldn't help but think of the saying about a tree falling in the forest. We were told after the first couple questions that FPL refused to answer in public, and were going to be cowardly answering questions "one-on-one" in the back of the room. This made it very clear that FPL does not want to have a dialogue with the public about this line because they know that we are unequivocally opposed to it.

Some notable contributors to the one-way conversation were:

Philip Stoddard from FIU, who gave some counter-evidence to the health argument
Michelle Niemeyer, Coconut Grove Village Council, who asked them a record amount of questions in a span of three minutes
Brian Beasley, Vice Mayor of South Miami
Timothy Meerbott, Councilman of Cutler Bay, who gave a brilliant bait and hook question to Mike Halpin

About two dozen people spoke before I had a chance to get up there, and by that time I was frustrated and tired. I talked for about two minutes, mostly reiterating what had been said before to just make sure FPL knew that every single person in that room was leaving angrier than they had been when they arrived.

As usual, thank you for nothing FPL.

-Stephen Murray

(Photo credit Eye On Miami blogger GeniusofDespair)

Greater St. Paul AME Church Update

2009-09-01T19:55:00.002-04:00

584:

To date, our efforts to help fund the soup kitchen run by the Greater St. Paul AME Church have been largely successful. We have raised almost $1000, enough to fund over 2.5 months, but will need to sustain these levels of fund-raising to assure they can meet their rising demand.

Thank you to those who have given so far. You are invaluable to your community.

-Stephen Murray

FPL issue finally getting the attention it deserves

2009-09-01T12:04:00.005-04:00

584:

Finally, after months of making a stink about FPL's plans to build 105 foot transmission lines down the US1 corridor, people are really starting to take notice. Our elected officials seem to finally be getting it, much to the hard work and persistence of Rep. Lopez-Cantera's office. However, FPL continues to use its immense political and financial clout to strong-arm the general public. They are experts at giving the impression that they care about what their customers' concerns are, through token 'public meetings' and vague letters that hide their true intentions, yet always seem to come out on top. Enough is enough. Please come out to one of the last public meetings on this issue. Representatives from many different agencies will be there and it is time for each and every one of us to be vocal in our opposition of this project. Click here for details.

-Stephen Murray

Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church Soup Kitchen

2009-08-26T14:45:00.003-04:00

584:

I met with Barbara Jordan and Rosa Williams yesterday in the church's conference room to discuss their program. It was a very interesting conversation and we found out that the three of us share a lot of similar views on Coconut Grove, which was very refreshing.

Thank you to those who have either pledged or given contributions to their program. They make every dollar count and really have made a difference in this community for decades.

Please get in touch with me if you are interested in contributing.

-Stephen Murray

Stephen Murray Activism / Up Not Out

2009-08-14T14:15:00.001-04:00

584:

I have set up two domains recently. The first is Stephen Murray Activism (http://www.stephenmurrayactivism.org), which is currently being built as a portal into my daily work as an activist in Coconut Grove. It will include my blog, twitter, linked-in, and project list. Sort of like an online journal/resume. The second is Up Not Out (http://www.upnotout.org), a work-in-progress non-profit organization, whose purpose I will not yet get into. Right now, they both forward to this blog.

-Stephen Murray

Herald Article on FPL

2009-08-11T12:47:00.001-04:00

584:

Another article on FPL in the Miami Herald. Details of the meeting with Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera.

Read here.

-Stephen Murray

Miami Herald finally reports on City of Miami Salaries

2009-08-04T11:11:00.003-04:00

584:

The Miami Herald has finally picked up on the story about City of Miami employee salaries. It is amazing that it took so long as these figures were leaked back in mid-July and the blog world has been talking about it ever since. What I find incomprehensible is that the average salary of a City of Miami employee is roughly $106,000, in comparison to the average City of Miami resident which is under $30,000. We are one of the poorest cities in the country (we compete every year for being in the bottom three, along with Detroit and El Paso). How is it that our City employees' salaries have been permitted to skyrocket without any outcry? The Miami Herald should be reporting on this every single day -- and the fact that they don't is evidence as to why newspapers are a dying breed.

Take a look for yourself at the salaries (Courtesy of Coconut Grove Grapevine).

-Stephen Murray

Reactivated Twitter Account

2009-08-03T17:02:00.002-04:00

584:

I decided to reactivate my Twitter account today. Hopefully I'll remember to use it more often now.

You can follow me on: http://www.twitter.com/murray584

-Stephen Murray

Campaign Finance Report 2

2009-07-28T11:00:00.001-04:00

584:

The mayoral campaign finance analysis received very mixed reviews. From the establishment, it was generally negative; from everyone else, very positive. To answer those that questioned my motives: I don't work for any candidate and I haven't endorsed any candidate. I will not stand on the sidelines for this or any election if there is something that needs to be talked about. Understanding the circular flow of money in the political system is essential and should be part of our daily political discourse. Money is behind corruption, money drives power, money encourages favors. Anyone who has followed Miami politics knows that corruption is no stranger to this city.

For the past year, I have been trying to work with incumbents to find solutions for many of the problems I see here in Coconut Grove. What I have found is that there is a reason many people become cynics and lose their optimism. Year after year, we are manipulated to elect one of two candidates who both are being funded by the same people. The cycle continues, and as usual, the common person is left behind.

To those who wish to keep the truth quiet -- good luck.

-Stephen Murray

Updates

2009-07-28T10:44:00.002-04:00

584:

A couple quick things -

Had my Selective Service Citizens Board training over the weekend. Was really interesting learning the history of the draft, how it could be used today, and the process on how it be implemented if need be. The Navy officers that trained us were informative and personable, and I enjoyed the afternoon very much. As usual, I was the youngest person there by about 50 years, furthering my point that our generation needs to disconnect from the daily drama and get involved. It is sad that people are surprised to see someone 'my age' that is active in the community. Are we really that apathetic?

Got commissioned as a Notary Public in the State of Florida last week too. I figured that any time someone actually needs a notary, it is at an inconvenient time, so I went ahead and took the class and got my commission to help out people in the community. So shoot me an email if you need my services, I'd be happy to help.

I've been looking into starting an OpenSecrets.org/FollowTheMoney.org website for Miami-Dade County. Been in talks with many people in the transparency community and will be looking to get a grant to fund it. Doing campaign finance analysis really inspired me and sparked an interest in the circular flow of money in local politics. I also spent about 15 hours building a database for every major contribution for the Regalado campaign and have found some more interesting things that I will be publishing closer to the election. Sanchez's database is in the making.

Another thing I was working on was getting the Coconut Grove Village Council on the ballot in November. After a lot of back and forth between Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami and the Village Council, we reached a solution and the Commission passed a resolution last Thursday authorizing the CGVC to piggyback on the city election.

The FPL front has been a little quiet the last couple of weeks. Rep. Lopez-Cantera's office has been very helpful in getting a meeting set up in August, so I will post the details of that after it happens. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend that meeting because it will be held during my trip. FPL's public outreach consultant also gave me answers to the questions I sent them and sent me a copy of their 10-year Site Plan which I'm currently reviewing.

A week from today, I'm off to Greece for two weeks to visit my parents and sister. I will be out of touch by phone, but will check my email regularly. Really looking forward to the trip, and glad my friend Kuba is coming along.

That's all for now,

-Stephen Murray

Follow the Money - 2009 Mayoral Election

2009-07-19T14:26:00.000-04:00

584:

With the Mayoral election heating up, I decided to go through the financial documents for both candidates to see where their funding is coming from. It is always both very interesting and very revealing to follow the money. You can pass your own judgment on how these contributions should figure into the decision on who to vote for in November. These were matched either by name, address or by searching corporate info through www.sunbiz.org. Most information is available through a simple ‘Google’ search, including client lists, employees, and more. This information may include slight inaccuracies (both positively and negatively for each candidate), but it was compiled through extensive research. There are many more developers I did not include, and this list is in no way complete.

Joe Sanchez

Marlins Stadium and MLB:

· Irwin Raij: MLB’s counsel in its successful efforts to facilitate the negotiation and approval of a new stadium for the Florida Marlins in Miami. - $500

· John McHale: Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer for MLB - $300

· Jimmie Lee Solomon: Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations MLB - $500

· Robert Manfred Jr.: Executive Vice President, Labor Relations & Human Resources, MLB - $500

· Robert A. Dupoy: President & Chief Operating Officer MLB - $500

· Thomas Ostertag: Senior vice president and general counsel for MLB - $500

· David Samson: President of the Marlins - $500

· Cindi Samson: Wife of David - $500

· Michael Hill: Manager of Florida Marlins - $500

· Peter Loyello: Spokesman Florida Marlins - $500

· Sean Flynn: Vice President of Marketing for the Florida Marlins - $500

· Claude Delorme: Senior Vice President, Stadium Development at Florida Marlins - $500

· Wayne Katz: Attorney in NYC, represented the Marlins in its negotiations for a new stadium in South Florida - $500

· Jeffrey Loria: Owner of Florida Marlins - $500

· Julie Loria: Wife of Jeffrey Loria - $500

· Keli Zaloudek: Executive Assistant of Jeffrey Loria - $500

· Maxwell Davidson: NY art dealer, probably connected to Jeffrey Loria - $500

· Michael Steinhardt: Famous American investor, friend of Loria - $500

· Judy Steinhardt: Wife of Michael - $500

Other Developers / Real Estate:

· 13 LPs/LLCs owned by Corporate Creations Network located at 121 Alhambra Place #1100 - $5300

· Citisquare Group - a developer with 9 subsidiaries - $4500

· 7 Listings under 169 East Flagler Street #1600 - $3500

· PH Hotel Inc, Heagrand inc, PH Retail, DoubleGrand Bar Inc, Julie Gnmes, Florida Intl Realty Service and more (Same listed address) - $2770

· RJF Family Trust, 3 others located at 1877 S Miami Ave - $2000

· The Mael Family (all listed living in NY) own Jam of Jacksonville which is a bust company in FL - $2000

· Law offices of Solowsky & Allen PA - $2000

· Namin Construction - $2000

· Goldman Properties (Under multiple LLCs at 804 Ocean Dr) - $2000

· 3 Telecom Companies located at 2620 SW 27th Ave - $1500

· The Related Group - at least 2 - $1000

· Santa Clara Apts Ltd, affordable housing project that received Government grants headed by former County Manager Joaquin Avino - $500

· Foley & Lardner LLP PAC - law firm that does real estate law - $500

· Baker Construction Company, listed as a Ohio address, doing an addition to Miami Intl Airport - $500

· PBSJ Corporation PAC, a political action committee for a construction company - $250

Tomas Regalado

· Brown Development - $7500

· Norman Braman, 11 car companies - $6000

· Nifah and Partners, engineering company, not 100% sure on connections- $6000

· Emil Porto, real estate - $5000

· Canepari Family, Real estate developers Gatehouse Group- $4500

· Munilla Family, construction - $4500

· Little Bongo LLC and other ‘Farm’ properties - $3000+

· Rodolfo Rodriguez, Miami Latin TV and other companies - $3000

· Gutierrez Properties Inc, property management - $3000

· Jilk Investment and others - $3000

· Maurice Weiner & HMG Advisory Corp (1870 S Bayshore Drive) - $2500

· First Commercial (7900 NW 155^th St) - $2500

· Paul Dudley, owner of Linden Airport NJ - $2500

· Carlisle Development Group LLC (2950 SW 27 Ave) - $2500+

· Vazquez Family (CEM Management and More) - $2450

· Sandra Holdings and World Waste and others- $2200

· Estrella Family, insurance industry - $2000

· Gibraltar Miami LLC - $2000

· Gary Gerson, development firms - $2000+

· Gardner, real estate - $2000

· MacDuff America Inc, insurance company and two underwriters - $2000

· Vazquez Family, Meat Packing Companies - $2000

· Charles De Lucca, other golf related industry - $2000

· Commodore Plaza Parking LLC and owners - $2000

· Leyva Family, Continental Electric Co (6950 NW 77 Ct.) - $2000

· Fashion Outlets Inc - $2000

· Negrin Family - $1900

· Rickenbaker Marina, President, Manager and wife, and Founder - $1700

· Brickell Commerce Plaza - $1500

· Solowsky and Allen, law office – $1500

· Perricone Marketplace - $1500

· Zitro Inc (8105 W 20 Ave), electric company - $1500

· 948 Holdings and others - $1500

· O.J.J Nursery, landscaping - $1500

· Chavez S. Florida Interiors, construction - $1500

· Half-Circle Property and others, property management - $1500

· Samuel Oliver 2 max contributions in 1 calendar year, Pittman Lawgroup, City of Miami listed as client - $1500

· Richard & Louise Allen, attorneys - $1000

· Hodica Security/Parking -$1000

· B.C. Property Holdings, 4500 Holding (4500 Biscayne Ave) - $1000

· Coral East Development and others (10 NW 42 Ave) - $1000

· Fasto Alvarez and Assoc (2828 Coral Way) - $1000+

· Casablanca Seafood Grill / Fish Market - $1000

· Wolfson Family, affordable housing - $1000

· Priequez Family, consultant - $1000

· Law Enforcement Systems, Long Island NY - $1000

· Abamart Corporation - $1000

· Rachman Family, insurance - $1000

· LFLP Holdings and Cargil Int Corp, import/export - $1000

· Happy Homes, insurance adjusters - $1000

· Palm Bay Studios, real estate owned by Ehrlich - $1000

· Law office of Joseph Carballo - $1000

· China Hardware (720 NW 27 Ave) - $1000

· Beuchamp Construction Company - $1000

· Law office of Alex Hanna - $1000

· Environmental Site Assessments, Storm and Land cleanup - $1000

· Key West Harbor LLC (2640 S Bayshore Dr) - $1000

· Gonzalez Family, ‘executives’ - $1000

· Wildfire Amusements and Winners Circle - $1000

· Bernard Wolfson - $1000

· Miami Fraternal Order of Police - $500

· The Holtzman Group, political consultants - $500

· Becker and Poliakoff PA, lobbyists - $500

· Epic West Condo LLC (701 Brickell Ave) - $500

· Fraternal Order of Police Jacksonville - $500

· Miami Police Hispanic Officers Union - $500

· Onier Llopiz – $500

· Skip Braver - $500

· Cigarette Racing Team - $500

· Javier Arritola - $500

Double Entries or 2 Max Contributions from Same Entity (Under Investigation):

· Samuel Oliver (04/28/09 #172 and 06/29/09 #757) - $1000

Hopefully you find this information helpful,

-Stephen Murray

Update: I have spoken with a representative of the Regalado campaign that has shown me the returned contributions for most of the double entries. They have been removed from that column and added correctly to the main list.

Amend Miami-Dade Anti-Tethering Ordinance

2009-06-12T14:50:00.001-04:00

Target:

Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County, Florida

Body:
This petition serves to gather support to amend Miami-Dade County's new Anti-Tethering Ordinance. After dealing with a repeat offender over the last few months who refuses to untie his dog and does not care about the fines he has received from MDAS, I have come to conclude that this law does not have teeth it desperately needs.

Continuous tethering of a dog is an act of animal cruelty and should be treated as such.

As quoted from The Humane Society's website:
"In addition to the psychological damage wrought by continuous chaining, dogs forced to live on a chain make easy targets for other animals, humans, and biting insects. A chained animal may suffer harassment and teasing from insensitive humans, stinging bites from insects, and, in the worst cases, attacks by other animals. Chained dogs are also easy targets for thieves looking to steal animals for sale to research institutions or to be used as training fodder for organized animal fights. Finally, dogs' tethers can become entangled with other objects, which can choke or strangle the dogs to death."

We, the undersigned believe that the Miami-Dade County Commission must amend the law as follows (full Ordinance on petition website below):

********************
Code Section
Description of Violation
Civil Penalty
>>5-21
Unlawful tethering of dog - First Offense
Warning with 30 day correction period

Unlawful tethering of dog - Second Offense
$100.00 and an additional 15 day correction period.

Unlawful tethering of dog - Third Offense
$500.00

Unlawful tethering of a dog - Each Subsequent Offense
$500.00 & One count of Animal Cruelty ($500 fine (plus a $10.00 surcharge) and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days).

******************

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THIS PETITION

Thank you,

Stephen P. Murray

Changes to Civilian Investigative Panel Ordinance

2009-06-05T14:40:00.000-04:00

584:

A couple weeks ago at the Village of Center Grove Homeowner's Association meeting, members of the Civilian Investigative Panel came to discuss the possibility of changes to the ordinance that governs their panel. They are one of the most independent panels in the City of Miami and are charged with investigating and making recommendations of solutions when police misconduct or brutality are alleged.

From their website:

The powers and duties of the panel are:

To conduct investigations, inquiries and evidentiary hearings into allegations of police misconduct.
To make factual determinations, facilitate resolutions and propose recommendations to the City Manager and Chief of Police.
To review and make recommendations regarding the Miami Police Department’s existing policies and procedures, including training, recruitment and discipline and provide input to the Chief of Police prior to implementation of new or revised policies and procedures.
To request issuance of subpoenas for the purpose of obtaining evidence from witnesses, production of documents etc., after consultation with the State Attorney and CIP Independent Counsel.
To issue reports to the Mayor, City Commission, City Attorney, City Manager, Chief of Police and the public.

They were created by us, the voters, several years ago in a ballot initiative. Currently there are 13 members who are taken from the community at large (through advertising, etc.) and then nominated by the panel and confirmed by the City Commission. The reason they were at the meeting I attended (and then the following night at the Coconut Grove Village Council meeting giving a similar presentation) was due to the fact that some City officials would like to see the ordinance changed in order to appoint its members only by the Mayor, City Commissioners and Chief of Police. The damage this would do to this panel's independence is substantial.

From my standpoint, we have a considerable amount of crime in the West Grove. I'm not one to quickly pass judgment on the motivations of criminals, given the various socioeconomic disparities that factor in to most crime. That being said, police officers must follow specific procedures and policies when apprehending and arresting alleged criminals that does not cause excessive harm or injury. On top of that, many people who have been victims of police misconduct end up not being convicted of the crime they were initially arrested for. It is up to us as citizens to judge what misconduct is, and this panel MUST retain its independence in order to do so. YOU could end up being the victim, so these changes to the panel could impact YOU.

This is nothing against the City of Miami Police Department. I have interacted with quite a few police officers here in the Grove and there are many great cops patrolling the streets here. We have probably the best and most personable Neighborhood Resource Officers in the entire city, who generally care about the well-being of our residents. The purpose of this panel is to address the few 'bad apples' who overstep the limitations of the power that we as citizens grant them.

Please click here to take a quick look over the ordinance changes.

Come out on June 11th to City Hall at around 9am to show your support for this panel and to ensure these changes are not made.

Thank you,

-Stephen Murray

****UPDATE****

This was received yesterday afternoon by email from Carol Abia:

"In a meeting today regarding the June 11th City Commission meeting, Commissioner Spence-Jones’ Legislative Policy Advisor notified the City Administration that Agenda Item FR 1, relating to the Civilian Investigative Panel and proposing an amendment affecting the appointment of members to the Panel will be deferred. The item will be placed on the July 9th Commission Agenda. We are attempting to secure additional information as to reason(s) for the request to defer the item."

****/UPDATE****

It's already June?

2009-06-01T15:13:00.000-04:00

584:

Time is flying, which is surprising considering the gloomy weather we've been having the last week and a half. Biggie has been bouncing off the walls, as walks don't cut it for a dog with his level of energy. Hopefully we will get a couple weeks of nice weather soon....

There is a lot to report on. Things with the FPL issue are going well and moving along quite fast. I was able to email back and forth with Commissioner Anderson (Coral Gables) about their stance, and while they have not yet passed any type of resolution, they are working hard to figure out the potential impact of the transmission lines on their city. Another municipality may be introducing a similar ordinance soon, although I'm not yet able to confirm that. As soon as I can, it will be up here. Next week, I will be meeting with an Associate Vice President at the University of Miami, as well as a Board Member from Canterbury Preschool (located on UM campus), about the impacts these lines will have on the university and the dozens of young kids at the preschool. A meeting is also being planned with State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera, but the date has not yet been confirmed.

Friday night was the Young Democrats Kickoff Reception at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach. It was actually a very fun night. Started off with free drinks, which got everyone extra friendly, and turned out to be a great event to network and meet all kinds of interesting people. I spent most of the night hopping around from group to group, and made a couple new friends from all over Florida. Below is a picture of Henry Crespo, Outreach Vice Chair for the Miami-Dade Democrats, and I from that night.

Stay dry!

-Stephen Murray

FPL Update

2009-05-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

584:

The fight against Florida Power and Light's proposed transmission lines along the US1 corridor continues to gain momentum. Many of the municipalities in the area have already passed resolutions in opposition to these lines, including Cutler Bay, Pinecrest and South Miami. Last week, the Coconut Grove Village Council passed a similar resolution, the full text of which is as follows:

This resolution was passed after Councilman Alyn Pruett and myself gave presentations about what our committee had been doing and what our future plans are. To summarize, now that the Village Council has passed a resolution, we will be approaching the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County to lobby for similar resolutions to be passed. That way, the entire county will be standing together in opposition to these lines. The beauty of this issue is that it is entirely non-partisan and really shows how our community can stand united when we want to.

I'm also in touch with Commissioner Anderson of Coral Gables and representatives from the University of Miami, as our committee is trying to reach out to as many people, organizations and companies as possible that have a stake in this fight. We will also be meeting with Representative Lopez-Cantera soon to see what can be done by Tallahassee to help us on the state level.

In related news, the Miami Herald published a great article about the issue. Thank you to Tania Valdemoro who has been doing an excellent job following this story and giving our side fair representation.

That is all for now, will continue to update as things progress.

-Stephen Murray

Semester Over, Summer Plans and More

2009-05-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

584:

Had my last exam yesterday and handed in my last paper. Very nice feeling to be done for the semester, and now I'm able to focus a lot more on working for you.

Been hashing out my summer plans; I will be working part time at the University of Miami. Of course, my responsibilities as your Committeeman will take top priority. The summer is an excellent time for young people to get involved with politics, especially with the Miami municipal elections coming up in November. If you are a college student and are looking for something to do this summer, feel free to get in touch and I can point you in the right direction.

Otherwise, Coconut Grove will be participating in the Pow-Wow event later this month, where people from the travel industry from all over the world will come to check out our great city. Many of the organizations in the Center Grove have been preparing already, and I'd hope that some folks from the West Grove choose to get involved and show the rest of the world what we have to offer as a community.

On May 30th, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party will be playing host for this year's Jefferson-Jackson dinner, which is held at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach. DNC Chairman Tim Kaine (Governor of Virginia) will be the keynote speaker, so it should be a good event. I'm going to be attending the seminars during the day, but the price tag for the dinner is rather steep so I don't think I'm going to be attending that. If anyone is interested in attending seminars, please visit http://www.miamidadedemocrats.com and sign up.

Also, this year's Florida Democratic Conference will be held again at Disney World, and I should be attending as a Delegate. Our county is responsible for sending registered Democrats who ARE NOT Executive Committee members to this event, and I would like to get at least one person who is not heavily involved from the West Grove to this important event. I will be driving there, so transportation will not be an issue for anyone interested. Please contact me for more info.

That is all for now, I will be blogging more frequently now that I'm out of school so keep checking back for more updates.

-Stephen Murray

Tree Canopy in the Village West

2009-05-02T14:46:00.000-04:00

584:

I've been doing a lot of walking lately, and one of the big differences that I've noticed between walking in the Center Grove and walking the West Grove is the lack of a cohesive tree canopy. As summer is fast approaching, more people are out walking and enjoying the weather, but here in the West Grove we are out in the sun with no shade over our sidewalks pretty much the entire time.

After discussing this at length with Cindy Karp (Democratic Committeewoman Precinct 583), we decided to get in touch with the City of Miami to find out what is being done. On Thursday, I had a conference call with the chief administrators of both of the Grove NET Offices, and I was pleased to hear that they are already working together on the issue. We've set up a meeting and will have representatives from the Treeman's Trust and the Coconut Grove Village Council to figure out how we can unify efforts and maximize what is being done in the area.

Part of the problem is that once the City places the trees, it is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain them. In order for the program to be successful, we would need a large scale education program for our residents that explains the benefits of having trees planted as well as the maintainence required to keep them healthy.

I feel very strongly that this would be extremely beneficial for the West Grove. Trees are great for the environment, provide shade (which can lower residents' electricity costs), and raise property values by beautifying our neighborhood. This is something we can all stand behind.

Please let me know if you'd like a tree placed in your swail (the area between the sidewalk and your property line) via email and I will pass it along to the City.

-Stephen P. Murray

FPL Issue

2009-04-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

584:

I promised I'd give my opinion on the FPL issue this week, so here it is:

First, a brief history of what is going on. The Florida Power and Light Company, your electricity provider, is attempting to upgrade the power lines along the US1 Corridor, linking the area to the Turkey Point Power Plant. The proposed line goes directly through the city, snaking up along US1, passing South Miami, Cutler Bay, Pinecrest, Coral Gables, and Coconut Grove. These lines would be above-ground, presenting a multitude of issues to residents of the aforementioned neighborhoods. A committee was formed by the Coconut Grove Village Council, which I am now sitting on, to address this issue and we intend on proposing an alternative plan for FPL. Many of the other municipalities have passed resolutions stating their oppositions, and the Coconut Grove Village Council should be passing a similar resolution in mid-May at their next meeting.

A further explanation, from our committee's first report:
"FPL has stated the new transmission lines are needed to provide better power reliability and capacity to meet future power needs. The proposed transmission lines will be overhead, and carried on single pole concrete pillars 80 – 100 feet tall. Construction is scheduled to occur between 2012 and 2016. "

The issues, again taken from the report are as follows:

The proposed overhead power lines may have a considerable negative visual impact at key entrance points to the Grove along South Dixie Highway. The poles are not attractive.
The proposed overhead lines, even though “hardened” to withstand hurricane force winds are never-the-less vulnerable to high wind events. If they come down for whatever reason, they could cause safety issues for Grove residents.
The proposed overhead power lines, with their associated visual, and potential safety issues could have property value implications for properties within and immediately adjacent to Coconut Grove along the South Dixie Highway corridor.

I've come to the conclusion that it would be far more beneficial in both the short and long term to our community for FPL to put the lines underground. While the upfront costs are significantly higher, it is essential that the West Grove not have yet another eyesore intentionally placed in our area. We cannot allow our property values to decrease any more than they have, and more importantly, if we are to be hit by another major hurricane, I fear for the safety of our residents and their property. These 100 foot poles WILL come down and WILL cause damage to the surrounding houses and businesses, regardless of the storm-proofing measures FPL claims to take while building them.

We are looking for more input from the community as we take the issue up the government's chain of command. This is an issue that is easy to understand and rally behind because of the many adverse effects of it, and I encourage you to get involved. Please give me a call if you are interested in helping this important cause.

-Stephen P. Murray

Weekly Update

2009-04-14T15:48:00.001-04:00

584-

Been a busy couple of weeks for me. The semester is starting to come to a close, which unfortunately means a lot of exams and essays.

A couple of upcoming events:

Tonight (April 14) at Blanche Dog Park (Located at Shipping Ave and Virginia Street), Commissioner Joe Sanchez will be having an informal meet and greet from 6-8pm. He and I will just be walking around and talking about issues, so if you are there, please come up and introduce yourself.

Tomorrow (April 15) is the monthly Village of Center Grove (Homeowner's Association) meeting at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (2990 S. Bayshore Drive).

Thursday (April 16) is the Coconut Grove Village Council meeting at City Hall. If you cannot make that meeting, it is televised on Channel 77, and also streamed online at http://videos.miamigov.com. Some items on the agenda include: A sidewalk on McDonald Street (which I think is an excellent idea), the upcoming Film Festival, Coconut Grove Relay for Life, and an update on the Florida Power and Light Committee. The FPL Committee is headed by Harlene Kennedy and is trying to prevent high voltage, above-ground lines from being installed in the Grove. An ideal situation for our safety during a hurricane would be for FPL to install the cables underground.

Next Monday (April 20), is the Homeowners and Tenants Association Meeting for the West Grove, at 7pm in the Frankie Rolle Center located at 3750 S. Dixie Hwy. I haven't gotten a copy of their agenda yet, but will post more information when I receive it.

As always, I'd love to hear from you so please shoot me an email or give me a call.

-Stephen P. Murray

Anti-Tethering Ordinance Passed

2009-04-01T17:11:00.000-04:00

584-

Miami-Dade County has just signed into law an ordinance that prohibits tethering (tying up outside) your dog. This has been a big issue for me (as a dog owner), and I'm very glad with the result. I see a lot of dogs tied up within the West Grove, and this post serves as warning that the county will be enforcing this legislation and the penalties include fines up to $500.

Quoted from The Humane Society's website:
"In addition to the psychological damage wrought by continuous chaining, dogs forced to live on a chain make easy targets for other animals, humans, and biting insects. A chained animal may suffer harassment and teasing from insensitive humans, stinging bites from insects, and, in the worst cases, attacks by other animals. Chained dogs are also easy targets for thieves looking to steal animals for sale to research institutions or to be used as training fodder for organized animal fights. Finally, dogs' tethers can become entangled with other objects, which can choke or strangle the dogs to death."

To those who believe that a chained dog is the best way to protect your house, studies have shown that dogs who are inside the house (behind the door) are better at deterring criminals because they are more difficult to subdue.

With the summer months just around the corner, please keep your dog inside during the day. You would not believe the countless cases I see and hear about where dogs left tied up outside wind up either dead or in seriously bad condition.

Do the right thing -- treat your dog with the love and respect it gives you every day.

-Stephen Murray

Upcoming Events

2009-03-24T14:32:00.000-04:00

584-

Last night was the monthly Village West Homeowners and Tenants Association (HOATA) meeting. This was the first one that I've attended, and enjoyed it very much. For those of you who have never been, these meetings allow any resident to voice their opinion, hear from representatives of our elected officials, and get a sense of what our community organizations have been up to. The next meeting will be on April 20th, at 3750 S. Dixie Hwy. (Frankie Rolle Center). I encourage you to come.

Some other events:

From Harlene Kennedy: There have been some concerns expressed about Florida Power and Light's intent to put up high-voltage power lines throughout neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County.Commissioner Katy Sorenson has organized a community meeting to discuss this and other safety issues with FPL representatives. It will be on Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 6:30 PM at the South Miami-Dade Government Center, 10710 SW 211 Street, Cutler Bay. I will be driving to this event and have room for three more people, so please email me if you are interested.

The AllGrove Crimewatch has a meeting on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009, at 7:00 PM at St. Stephen's Church.

I have received some mild criticism that I have been 'pro' City Commissioner Joe Sanchez. This is not true, as I have not made a decision yet as to who I will be supporting. What I can say is that Commissioner Sanchez has made an effort to come to the West Grove twice within one week to speak with our community leaders about issues, hence why he occupied two posts on this [new] blog.

That being said, his opponent, City Commissioner Tomas Regalado, will be having an event on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009, at 7:00 pm at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (2990 S. Bayshore Drive). I hope that he intends on doing a West Grove meeting too, and I will probably go to this event to encourage him to do so. I'd like to reiterate that I have not made an endorsement for any candidate.

In other news, The Miami-Dade Democratic Party has been gearing up for the 2010 Senate elections. We have three Dade Democrats in the race: US Representative Kendrick Meek, State Senator Dan Gelber, and North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns. I will be working to make sure all three of these candidates make an effort to come to the West Grove to talk to us about issues.

Yesterday, I was out with my dog Biggie for three hours walking around the West Grove trying to meet as many of you as possible. There are 1,160 of us and I've been chipping away at that number in an effort to get to know everyone. Also, you should be receiving a mailing from me in the next two weeks asking you to get involved as a volunteer. This is part of my effort to reach out to homes that do not have internet access, so please take the time to read what I'm sending.

That is all for now, as always please feel free to call or email me.

-Stephen Murray

Some Updates

2009-03-21T19:06:00.000-04:00

584-

It has been a very hectic week. Met with a bunch of interesting people and made some great connections. Thanks to all who were able to take time out of their busy schedules to talk with me about Village West issues.

I realized that I still use my cell number from when I lived in Philadelphia, and it is long distance for many of you. I have set up another line that is local, if there is no answer on the first few rings it forwards the call to my cell phone (free for both of us) and then we can talk as if we were both on local numbers. Please use: 305-403-9637 for any future calls.

Last night at Basil on Grand Ave, City Commissioner Joe Sanchez (Dist 3) met up with some leaders from the West Grove. It was a very good opportunity to hear some of his ideas about affordable housing, community revitalization, his strong commitment to parks and public spaces, and a long record of preserving neighborhoods. I will try to keep you updated in advance about any future meetings like this.

-Stephen Murray

Welcome to the West Grove Political Beat

2009-03-15T18:58:00.000-04:00

Hello all, and welcome to my blog.

When the blog-craze first hit a few years ago, I never signed up for one. I was too busy playing video games and using some of the early social networking tools and figured I had nothing too worthwhile to say. While I still don't really have much to say, I do now have a mission and a purpose for myself, and hope to make some fundamental changes in the way the Democratic Party operates in the West Grove.

This was an historic election, and being able to witness first hand as many members of Precinct 584 went to the polls to vote for our nation's first black President was an experience I will never forget. I have much respect and admiration for President Obama and believe he is doing a fine job, given the mess he inherited from our previous administration.

The huge win that we as Democrats achieved was due to the hard work of people like Lottie Person, our Democratic Committeewoman, who went door-to-door registering voters and stayed at the polls from 7am-7pm on Election Day. We had a 69.7% Voter turnout here in our neighborhood, and it is my goal in the next four years to get that number to 85% and increase the amount of registered Democrats from 1,160 to 1,400.

My first responsibility as your committeeman is to be the main line of contact between voter and elected official. I have been working over the last few months to forge relationships with our elected officials at every level of government, to ensure that YOUR voice is heard. I am always open to talk, whether in person, by phone, or by email. You may see me walking around the neighborhood with my big brown dog, Biggie, so feel free to stop me to say hi.

The other half of my job is grunt work: Voter registration, canvassing, volunteer organization, fund-raising, mailings, working on election day, etc. I would appreciate any volunteer help I can get to make that job easier and to get better results, and if you are interested, please give me a call as soon as possible so we can get something started together. With the help of concerned neighbors, we can increase our voter turnout numbers which will increase the urgency of OUR issues in our elected officials' eyes.

Right now I am working on getting a newsletter together that will introduce Lottie and myself to all of you -- and reach the audience that isn't able to access this blog. I also plan on going door-to-door to meet everyone I can.

Together we can bring a new sense of pride and prosperity to our neighborhood. Projects like ROOTS of Coconut Grove are a great addition to our community, and I would love to hear ideas for more things we can do like this in order to improve the quality of living for ALL of our West Grove residents.

-Stephen Murray