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 Dear
readers:
Our community has tried very hard to incorporate for
the last five years to create the city of Doral. There have been many
obstacles in the Doral incorporation process and the county reacts to
the prospect of our incorporation as though it's a huge problem.
It is when we feel closest to succeeding that we truly
realize that we are far from it yet. Our incorporation feels like a
Disney World ride, they make you feel like you are close to the end,
but in reality you still very far.
As I mentioned in my last editorial, our commissioner,
Dr. Miriam Alonso, helped to create an Advisory Committee to negotiate
the terms of our incorporation. There are several things to report in
regards to that, including we had our first meeting on July 25, and
there are new changes to the process.
Recently, the county commission (with the exception of
our commissioner and Commissioner Jimmy Morales) approved a resolution
for special elections on October 3, 2000. They are asking to change
the County Charter so that any new city created after September 1,
2000 cannot change their Municipal Charter without the approval of the
two-thirds of the Board of County Commissioners. In other words nine
commissioners will be required to approve any change.
This resolution was the product of the findings during
the Miami Lakes presentation for incorporation and some commissioners
noted the lack of legal power from the committee to enter in any
contractual agreement on behalf of the new city. As a result, the
newly elected city officials can elect not to abide by those
agreements reached with the county.
This resolution is a clear indication that some
commissioners and the county manager do not trust the people that
represent the areas that wish to incorporate. Unless, that is, they
are worried that the deal they may offer to the new cities is not such
a good one, and they will use this tool to control them.
Our duty as citizens is to go out on October 3 and
vote against the amendment that will make us second-class citizens.
Some commissioners do not listen to their people and make decisions
that cannot be supported by the voters. This has to change.
We are very fortunate to have a commissioner that
listens to her people and who does not fear on representing us in the
best possible respectable way--thank you Dr. Alonso.
You can contact me with any questions or comments at odelt@yahoo.com.
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