It’s official!<\/p>\n
Last week, during a special Key Biscayne’s Village Council meeting, Councilmembers unanimously approved the wording for a referendum that will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot that sends any stormwater and\/or flood prevention projects exceeding $50 million over a three-fiscal year period to a special public vote.<\/p>\n
According to Village Attorney Chad Friedman, the question, although limited to a certain space by the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections, followed the exact wording that the petitioner, Key Biscayne Neighbors Association, had placed on questionnaires to residents as they gathered 913 official signatures within 44 days (60 days was the window), easily topping the required 839.<\/p>\n
Only the headline had to be structured to match the question.<\/p>\n
“We kept the ballot question verbatim,” Friedman said. “The only thing we drafted is the title and we believe that is consistent with the (original) wording.”<\/p>\n
The referendum question, as it will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot:<\/p>\n
Voter Approval Required for Certain Stormwater and\/or Flood Prevention Projects Exceeding $50,000,000<\/p>\n
It is proposed that the Village charter be amended to require a majority vote of the qualified electors to approve any stormwater and\/or flood prevention project(s), whether separated into separate projects and\/or phases, that are estimated to collectively cost over $50 million within a period of three fiscal years.<\/p>\n
Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?<\/p>\n
Yes ( ) or No ( )<\/p>\n
Councilman Fernando Vazquez asked about “unintended consequences,” such as a Village-wide seawall or beach re-nourishment that could fall into the “flood prevention” umbrella.<\/p>\n
“How do we advise if we have an (emergency repair) … I don’t know what a hurricane will do to us,” he said. “How are we going to manage it, should (a large-scale vital project) arise?”<\/p>\n
Friedman said the petition offers no direct definition of what types of flood prevention projects are referred to in the amendment.<\/p>\n
Village Manager Steve Williamson said there are defined projects, such as shoreline protection, in the General Obligation Bond.<\/p>\n
“That can be looked at if this goes into the Charter,\u201d Friedman said. \u201cThe Charter is similar to the Constitution, where statutes (can be) interpreted. I think there is time, if this were to pass, that Council can make those decisions.”<\/p>\n
Councilman Frank Caplan said, “We have (just) one task tonight,” focusing on only the wording.<\/p>\n
Friedman told Islander News later that if a public vote needed to be held, it could take place as a Special Election at any time during the year, not necessarily having to wait for the November election period.<\/p>\n
Back on March 24, the petitioners’ committee of the Key Biscayne Neighbors Association filed its affidavit commencing proceedings to propose an amendment to the Village Charter by petition. The petition was filed with the Village Clerk on May 21, and by June 4, the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections verified a sufficient amount of petition signatures<\/a>.<\/p>\n Betty Sime Conroy led a group of 10 electors on that petition drive, collecting signatures throughout the week, but especially on weekends in high-traffic areas.<\/p>\n “Getting the referendum wasn’t easy,” said Julio Diaz, a member of that group who spoke on behalf of Sime Conroy, who was out of town this past Tuesday. Diaz spoke about collecting a total of 1,151 signatures in 44 days (although 913 were verified).<\/p>\n The Key Biscayne Neighbors Association, concerned of possible spiraling costs related to projects like these, especially having heard some early estimates to one specific project, simply wanted to give Key Biscayne residents an opportunity to approve or deny any major capital spending, not necessarily doom any worthwhile project that improves the residents’ daily lives.<\/p>\n The Special Council meeting beat the referendum filing deadline of July 24.<\/p>\n Council member Nancy Stoner wanted to go on record, noting that by Mayor Joe Rasco calling for the Special Council meeting (when no regular meeting was scheduled this month), the Village operated in “good faith” with the petitioners and residents.<\/p>\n