Friday, July 4, 2008

Comments Before the Board...

Here are my comments to the Miami Dade School Board during their Wednesday, June 13 meeting. Again, many thanks to those that took the time to present themselves before the board on this important issue!

Good evening, Board Members. Last week, each of you received via certified mail copies signatures gathered from individuals in our community asking for the relocation of proposed high school HHH1. As you look through those petitions, I would ask that you consider what stands behind each signature. Please think about the families each signature represents. Please think about the homes and property each signature represents. An entire community stands to be heavily impacted by this ill-advised project, and they reach out to you tonight for resolution.

Two months ago, I stood before you and tried to bring light to the lack of public process that has plagued this project since its inception. Over the past two months, this deficiency has manifested itself ever more clearly.
  • For nearly two and a half years, the Facilities Planning Office worked to acquire and design this project and made no honest effort to inform or involve the host community.
  • Without the benefit of public input, they now propose to impact our neighborhoods with increased traffic, noise, lighting and truancy.
  • Most troubling, they quietly secured what could have been a highly contentious exemption to the county’s CDMP without the benefit of public scrutiny. In violation of accepted smart-growth policies, the proposed school now sits within a half mile of the UDB, and would serve to entice and justify continued westward development.
Because the community was not involved in the early stages of this project, we now find ourselves saddled with a project that our community does not want, the county does not recommend, and has resulted in the seizure of private property through the use of eminent domain.

At my last appearance, Dr. Holloway, you questioned the manner in which the Facilities Planning office had proceeded with regards to this project. You were right to do so. I would encourage, and expect, all of you to continue this line of questioning, and determine for yourselves whether or not this office made a reasonable and honest effort to involve the host community that would be so heavily impacted.

This issue goes beyond a single school. It is about fundamental principles in public administration. It is important that you take this opportunity to demand better and acknowledge the need for community engagement with regards to $68 million public works projects. If this is the sacrificial lamb upon which this lesson must be learned, then so be it—WE MUST RELOCATE HHH1! In light of the severe operational cuts this board has just approved, we fully support the need for a review of the 5-year capital plan, as noted by Ms. Greer and Ms. Rivas-Logan. We would also welcome a motion by the board tonight that directs the Facilities Planning staff to immediately begin finding an alternate location for HHH1, and to do so with full transparency and in collaboration with the host community.