august 2012 west park news

In this time of globaleconomic crisis, weare confronted by

extraordinary challengesthat require us to cometogether, as a communi-ty, to reconfirm our pri-orities and define the

kind of city we want to be. These sharedgoals are expressed each year in our citybudget. It spells out our needs, quantifieswhat we can afford, and sets in motion theinitiatives and corrective measures that willkeep us on a true course. These are difficulttimes and we will be trying to lessen the taxburden on our residents while maintainingthe high level of services we have come toexpect in West Park. We face the same eco-nomic impacts as national, state and countygovernments. Our city requires that we pro-vide a balanced budget with a reasonablefund balance for emergencies and securityof our community. As a commission wewill review expenses and revenues careful-ly to protect your money as wisely and pru-dently as possible. Our two sources ofincome are state mandated property taxesand fees associated with services, sales andapplicable permits and licenses, some ofwhich have had significant reductions dueto economic conditions.

As your Commission, we are commit-ted to sustaining the important financialreforms that have provided for the stabilityand credibility of our City. Whatever cir-cumstances we face, be assured that we,with the capable guidance of our cityManager will run this City in a fiscallyresponsible way and keep our pact with thepublic to put their interests before all others.We will seek a CCiittyy bbuuddggeett ffoorr FFiissccaall YYeeaarr22001122--1133, in the strong belief that we willcontinue the process of fundamentalreform, that provides the surest path toovercoming the City’s financial challenges,one that respects both the interests of thetaxpayers and our responsibility to futuregenerations.

Finances can be a great challenge forall of us. Or, perhaps I should say, MOST

of us. One guy said: “I never worry aboutmoney. I have enough to last me the rest ofmy life – unless I buy something.” I heardthe story of a wife who had been workingover next year’s budget, poring over figuresall night. She came out to her husband, whowas sitting in the family room watchingTV, and said, “Well I’ve worked out thebudget, now you work out a raise.” I guess

he decided he would have a go at the budg-et so he worked on it the next night. Hecame into the kitchen and told her, “Well,I’ve worked it out but I need a little help.I’ve figured what we’ll need for food, cloth-ing, and shelter. We have a choice of anytwo.” I earnestly believe that we, too, mightnot get all that we want but we will have allthat we need.

I read something very interesting aboutthe dollar bill that I thought I’d share. Theone dollar bill came off the presses in 1957in its present design. This so-called papermoney is in fact a cotton and linen blend,with red and blue minute silk fibers runningthrough it. It is actually material. We’ve allwashed it without it falling apart. A specialblend of ink is used, the contents we willnever know. It is with overprinted symbolsand then it is starched to make it waterresistant and pressed to give it that nicecrisp look.

CCoommmmuunniittyy NNeewwssppaappeerrssAUGUST 2012

www.communitynewspapers.com

WEST PARK NEWSIt’s Budget Time Again!

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WHO’S WHOIn City Government

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VViiccee MMaayyoorrFFeelliicciiaa MM.. BBrruunnssoonn

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CCoommmmiissssiioonneerrSShhaarroonn FFyyffffee

CCoommmmiissssiioonneerrRRiittaa ““PPeeaacchheess””

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CCiittyy MMaannaaggeerrWW.. AAjjiibboollaa BBaalloogguunn

––––––––––––––See BUDGET TIME, page 3

BY MAYOR ERIC H. JONES JR.

Commissioner Thomas Dorsett and Fred Mitchell, Bahamas Foreign Minister,

read the West Park CommunityNewspaper in the Bahamas

BY VICE MAYOR FELICIA M. BRUNSON

In this time of economiccrisis and considerably neg-ative property values, WestPark is confronted byextraordinary challengesthat require us to cometogether as a community toreconfirm our priorities and

define the kind of City we want to be.These shared goals areexpressed each year inthe preparation of ourCity budget. A City’sbudget is its most impor-tant policy action. The budg-et is a plan. It is a financialproposal that annually directsthe provision of public servic-es and facilities. This plan rep-resents the City Manager’s andCommission’s commitment toprovide for the most important citi-zen needs within the boundaries of avail-able revenue or funds. It represents anannualized purchasing of incrementalprogress toward the vision we share for ourcommunity and protection of the quality oflife for which West Park is proud to beknown. It spells out our needs, quantifieswhat we can afford, and sets in motion theinitiatives and corrective measures that willkeep us on a true course.

When you receive your property taxbill or pay your personal property taxeseach year, the City of West Park’s budgetprocess is probably not uppermost in yourthoughts. Yet, the budget is the place to findout how your tax dollars are being spent.

During the next couple of weeks, wewill be working through the City’s financialchallenges, so that it respects both the inter-ests of you, the taxpayers, and our responsi-bility to future generations. Our goal is to

work successfully to develop a balancedbudget.

Realizing that we want the City’s budg-et clear and accessible, that you share whatyour priorities are and that you believe, as Ido, that it puts our City on the right course,I am encouraging you all to come out andparticipate in the budget hearings. Thebudget involves a four part process- theCommission, City manager, Staff, and you.

Although we strive to pro-vide all services at a highquality level, we don’talways hit the target. Weneed your input to help us

determine where we need toget better; where we are doing

just fine; and where we may beover doing it a bit. These con-versations have a dual-pur-pose. They are an important

tool for the city to demonstratethe amount of planning and

cooperation that goes into creatingthe budget. But they also give us an idea ofwhere citizens think their money should go.

As your Vice Mayor, I am committedto sustaining accountability measures thathave created stability and credibility for ourCity. Whatever circumstances we face, beassured that West Park will be ran in a fis-cally responsible way with the public inter-ests before all others. Honesty and trans-parency will be our top goal. I am encour-aging you to come out and be a part of thisprocess.

COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM August 2012

BUDGETING FOR DEMOCRACY

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11.. RReegguullaarr CCiittyy CCoommmmiissssiioonn MMeeeettiinngg WWeeddnneessddaayy,, AAuugguusstt 11,, 22001122 -- 77::0000 PPMM(To set initial proposed millage rateduring the regular Commission meeting.We are required to submit the proposed millage rate by August 3, 2012.)

2. Regular City Commission Meeting Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 7:00 PM

3. FFiirrsstt BBuuddggeett HHeeaarriinngg WWeeddnneessddaayy,, SSeepptteemmbbeerr 55,, 22001122 -- 66::0000 PPMM

4. Regular City Commission Meeting Wednesday, September 5, 2012 - 7:00 PM

5. Special Commission Meeting for Assessment Hearing. Wednesday, September 12, 2012 - 6:00 PM

6. Regular City Commission Meeting Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - 7:00 PM

77.. SSeeccoonndd BBuuddggeett HHeeaarriinngg WWeeddnneessddaayy,, SSeepptteemmbbeerr 2266,, 22001122 –– 66::0000 PPMM

Here’s hoping that for West Park 2012-13 will be a brighter fiscal year as recoverycontinues to get traction. Whatever next year may bring, I look forward to again work-ing with the Commission, our City Manager, staff and the citizenry to keep West Parkstrong and its future even brighter.

Remember to contact me at City Hall with your ideas, suggestions or concerns.I represent you and appreciate your input into the continued success of ourbeloved city. I can be reached at (954) 889-4164 or via email at: [email protected].

BUGET TIME, from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

August 2012 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM

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Never Pay Another Expensive Repair Again

Ly Espinol

If you look on the front of the bill, youwill see the United States Treasury Seal. Onthe top you will see the scales for balance -a balanced budget. In the center you have acarpenter’s T-square, a tool used for an evencut. Underneath is the Key to the UnitedStates Treasury. That’s all pretty easy to fig-ure out, but what is on the back of that dol-lar bill is something we should all know.

If you turn the bill over, you will seetwo circles. Both circles, together, com-prise the Great Seal of the United States.The First Continental Congress requestedthat Benjamin Franklin and agroup of men come up with aSeal. It took them four years toaccomplish this task and anoth-er two years to get it approved.

If you look at the left handcircle, you will see a Pyramid.Notice the face is lighted andthe western side is dark. Thiscountry was just beginning. Wehad not begun to explore theWest or decided what we coulddo for Western Civilization. The Pyramidis uncapped, again signifying that we werenot even close to being finished Inside thecapstone you have the all-seeing eye, anancient symbol for divinity.

It was Franklin’s belief that one mancouldn’t do it alone, but a group of men,with the help of God, could do anything.“IN GOD WE TRUST” is on this currency.The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUITCOEPTIS, means “God has favored ourundertaking.” The Latin below the pyra-mid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means“a new order has begun.”

At the base of the pyramid is theRoman Numeral for 1776. If you look atthe right-hand circle, and check it carefully,you will learn that it is on every NationalCemetery in the United States. It is also onthe Parade of Flags Walkway at theBushnell, Florida National Cemetery and isthe centerpiece of most hero’s monuments.Slightly modified, it is the seal of thePresident of the United States and it isalways visible whenever he speaks, yet noone knows what the symbols mean.

The Bald Eagle was selected as a sym-bol for victory for two reasons: first, he isnot afraid of a storm; he is strong and he issmart enough to soar above it. Secondly, hewears no material crown. We had just bro-ken from the King of England. Also, noticethe shield is unsupported. This country cannow stand on its own. At the top of thatshield you have a white bar signifying con-gress, a unifying factor. We were comingtogether as one nation. In the Eagle’s beakyou will read, “E PLURIBUS UNUM,”meaning “one nation from many people.”

Above the Eagle you have thirteenstars representing the thirteen original

colonies, and any clouds of misunderstand-ing rolling away. Again, we were comingtogether as one. Notice what the Eagleholds in his talons. He holds an olivebranch and arrows. This country wantspeace, but we will never be afraid to fightto preserve peace. The Eagle always wantsto face the olive branch, but in time of war,his gaze turns toward the arrows. They saythat the number 13 is an unlucky number.This is almost a worldwide belief. You willusually never see a room numbered 13 inany hotels or motels with a 13th floor.

But, think about the sig-nificance of this number: 1133oorriiggiinnaall ccoolloonniieess,, 1133 ssiiggnneerrss oofftthhee DDeeccllaarraattiioonn ooffIInnddeeppeennddeennccee,, 1133 ssttrriippeess oonnoouurr ffllaagg,, 1133 sstteeppss oonn tthheePPyyrraammiidd,, 1133 lleetttteerrss iinn tthheeLLaattiinn aabboovvee,, 1133 lleetttteerrss iinn ““EEPPlluurriibbuuss UUnnuumm””,, 1133 ssttaarrssaabboovvee tthhee EEaaggllee,, 1133 pplluummeess ooffffeeaatthheerrss oonn eeaacchh ssppaann ooff tthheeEEaaggllee’’ss wwiinngg,, 1133 bbaarrss oonn tthhaatt

sshhiieelldd,, 1133 lleeaavveess oonn tthhee oolliivvee bbrraanncchh,, 1133ffrruuiittss,, aanndd iiff yyoouu llooookk cclloosseellyy,, 1133 aarrrroowwss..AAnndd ffoorr mmiinnoorriittiieess:: tthhee 1133tthh AAmmeennddmmeenntt..

Just a little something I thought youwould like to know.

In closing I have always found thatpeople are most productive in small teamswith tight budgets, time lines and the free-dom to solve their own problems. The cur-rent state of the economy has placed addi-tional pressures on everyone’s budget, and

local government has not escaped that pres-sure. As we seek to maintain a consistentand quality level of services we must makesound fiscally responsible decisions. Thechallenges facing any government in anurban setting are great; to confirm this, oneonly needs to read the newspapers to seethe fiscal troubles facing local townshipsand cities throughout the Country.Although we are a small group, chosen byyou to move our city forward we know thatwith your understanding and support wewill do that.

Enjoy the rest of your summer as welook forward to another successful year.

GGOODD BBLLEESSSS AAMMEERRIICCAA AANNDD GGOODDBBLLEESSSS TTHHEE CCIITTYY OOFF WWEESSTT PPAARRKK..

BY VICE MAYOR FELICIA M. BRUNSON

““LLeett eeaacchh cciittiizzeenn rreemmeemm--bbeerr aatt tthhee mmoommeenntt hhee iissooffffeerriinngg hhiiss vvoottee tthhaatt hhee iissnnoott mmaakkiinngg aa pprreesseenntt oorr aaccoommpplliimmeenntt ttoo pplleeaassee aanniinnddiivviidduuaall——oorr aatt lleeaasstt tthhaatthhee oouugghhtt nnoott ssoo ttoo ddoo;; bbuutttthhaatt hhee iiss eexxeeccuuttiinngg oonnee ooff

tthhee mmoosstt ssoolleemmnn ttrruussttss iinn hhuummaann ssoocciieettyy ffoorrwwhhiicchh hhee iiss aaccccoouunnttaabbllee ttoo GGoodd aanndd hhiissccoouunnttrryy..””

In his Gettysburg Address, AbrahamLincoln called democracy “government ofthe people, by the people and for the peo-ple.” It means that we are not here to serveour government, but that our government ishere to serve us — and we have the right todecide who will represent us and how wewant to be represented. It means that wehave one of the greatest rights any free peo-ple can have: the right to vote.

Voting is a right that, throughout histo-ry, many have fought for and sacrificedeverything to achieve. It’s a right that peo-ple continue to fight for and that millions ofpeople throughout the world still do notenjoy. As Americans, we have the greatprivilege to live in a free society and votingis the right that makes us free.

WWhhyy SShhoouulldd II VVoottee??Maybe you’re asking yourself, “With

all the millions of people who vote in anygiven election, does my vote really count?”Or perhaps you feel like you can’t reallymake a difference, so why bother? Thetruth is that your vote does count and youdo make a difference every time you vote!

Your vote holds your local and nation-al leaders responsible for the decisions theymake. Your vote sends a message about theissues you think are important. Your voteaffirms our rights as free citizens to electour government and take part in democra-cy. Without voting, there could be nodemocracy.

Maybe you know other people whochoose not to vote because they feel likewhat goes on in the government doesn’taffect them. The truth is, it does…in manyways. Elected officials make all sorts ofdecisions that can directly affect your life.The President and Congress you elect willdecide whether to raise or lower taxes,make economic policies that could affect

your job and decide when or if to use mili-tary force. There are also local elections,which can have an even more immediateand personal effect on you, your lifestyleand your community.

If the right to vote no longer existed,the country would no longer survive as ademocratic nation, but completely totalitar-ian. By not voting, you give away yourright to influence the government overall.More importantly, however, not votingtakes away the “will of the majority thatgoverns this country, but [replaces it with]the will of the minority.”

A person, such as yourself, can vote inorder to get information across, elect offi-cials, and voice opinions as to the future ofthe City of West Park, the state of Floridaand moreover the United States of America.The right to vote has proven to be difficultto achieve for all races and gendersthroughout history. However, now everycitizen has the right to vote in any electionand, therefore, should exercise their vote.•• VVoottee bbeeccaauussee yyoouu ccaarree aabboouutt yyoouurr ccoomm--mmuunniittyy..

•• VVoottee bbeeccaauussee yyoouu bbeelliieevvee iinn ffrreeee ggoovveerrnn--mmeenntt aanndd wwaanntt ttoo aadddd yyoouurr vvooiiccee.. •• VVoottee bbeeccaauussee iitt wwiillll mmaakkee yyoouu ffeeeell ggooooddttoo ppaarrttiicciippaattee aanndd hhaavvee aa ssaayy.. •• VVoottee bbeeccaauussee iitt’’ss tthhee rriigghhtt tthhiinngg ttoo ddoo!!

It is important to vote for not onlyWest Park but America’s future potential.Ballots you cast today will impact yourchildren, grandchildren and all the genera-tions that follow. Vote to improve the worldthey will live in. Voting also sets a goodexample for your kids. If you don’t vote,you have no right to complain about theway the city, county, state and the countryis being run.

““IInn sseelleeccttiinngg mmeenn//wwoommeenn ffoorr ooffffiiccee,, lleettpprriinncciippllee bbee yyoouurr gguuiiddee.. RReeggaarrdd nnoott tthhee

ppaarrttiiccuullaarr sseecctt oorr ddeennoommiinnaattiioonn ooff tthhee ccaann--ddiiddaattee——llooookk ttoo hhiiss cchhaarraacctteerr.. ““

WWeesstt PPaarrkk,, LLeett’’ss vvoottee oonn TTuueessddaayy,, AAuugguusstt 1144tthh!!

RReemmeemmbbeerr ttoo ccoonnttaacctt mmee aatt CCiittyy HHaallll wwiitthhyyoouurr iiddeeaass,, ssuuggggeessttiioonnss oorr ccoonncceerrnnss.. II rreepp--rreesseenntt yyoouu aanndd aapppprreecciiaattee yyoouurr iinnppuutt iinnttootthhee ccoonnttiinnuueedd ssuucccceessss ooff oouurr bbeelloovveedd cciittyy..II ccaann bbee rreeaacchheedd aatt ((995544)) 888899--44116644 oorr vviiaaeemmaaiill ffbbrruunnssoonn@@cciittyyooffwweessttppaarrkk..oorrgg..


If Ever Your Voice Counts, It Is Now!


FFrroomm tthhee PPrrooggrraammss aanndd SSeerrvviicceess DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt

The Neighborhood Traffic Calming Study for Area “C” started with a PublicWorkshop on July 10, 2012. The study is intended to alleviate cut-through traffic andreduce speeding along residential streets. The boundaries of Study Area “C” are:

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During the Public Workshop on July 10, residents and local business owners joinedStaff and consultants from Kimley-Horn and Associates to provide information about traf-fic concerns within the neighborhood and offer suggestions to address speeding, excessivetraffic volume and overall concerns for safety on local residential streets. Following theworkshop, the consultant immediately commenced neighborhood data collection toinclude traffic counts, right-of-way history, etc. Future public workshops for the study aretentatively scheduled for October and/or November, 2012.

Neighborhood Traffic Calming Study

COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM July 2012

BBYY CCOOMMMMIISSSSIIOONNEERR SSHHAARROONN FFYYFFFFEE

MHope you are keepingyourself cool and safe inall this summer heat.The hot weather is uponus and we must be sureto stay away from toomuch sun and high out-door temperatures.

The City Commission has been onvacation this month of July, but we will beback August 1st to continue our City busi-ness and Commission meetings. Meetingsalways begin at 7:00 p.m. on the 1st and3rd Wednesday of each month. Meetingsare open to the public and you may sign into speak if you wish. You may speak aboutany criticisms, compliments or concernsyou might have. We are always happy tohear from you.

Our first order of business upon returnfrom vacation will be approving the City’s2012/2013 budget. The City is required tohold two formal budget public hearingsand there are guidelines as to when thesehearings must be held as well as specialadvertising requirements for these hearing.The first hearing is scheduled forSeptember 5th at 6:00 p.m. and the secondbudget hearing is scheduled for September

26th at 6:00 p.m. There also will be a spe-cial commission meeting for theAssessment Hearing.

Mark these dates down and plan toattend these hearings. You will betterunderstand the process of municipal budg-eting for our City and the long, hard workthat goes into the process. Thanks to ourCity Administrator and our City Staff forall the hours and hours of work they havealready put into this budget process for theupcoming fiscal year.

SSPPEECCIIAALL HHAAPPPPYY BBIIRRTTHHDDAAYY GGRREEEETTIINNGGSS!!

I am honored toannounce a veryspecial birthdaythis month. Let meintroduce you to aLake Forest resi-dent, WALTERE S H L E M A N ,who turned 100years old onAugust 2nd of thismonth.

HHUURRRRAAYY!! WWOOOO--HHOOOO!! YYIIPPPPEEEE!! HHaappppyy BBiirrtthhddaayy,, WWaalltteerr!!

Walter was born in Rothville,

Pennsylvania, the oldest of 13 children. Hegrew up on a farm and still today loves thecountry. He and his wife, Helen, have 9grown children, 19 grandchildren and ninegreat grandchildren. Upon retirement, hewas attracted to the South Florida area andbegan transporting 600 colonies of beesback and forth from New York State to theBig Cypress Indian Reservation. As soonas the children had all graduated highschool, he and Helen moved to SouthFlorida permanently and bought theirhome in the Lake Forest/Twin Lakes

Section of West Park. Being a country guy,Walter wanted to be on a lake with plentyof trees and vegetation, and Helen loved toswim and wanted a swimming pool. Theyhave lived in Lake Forest/Twin Lakes eversince.

Walter served many years in theCitizens on Patrol (COP) Program andearned an award for 500 hours of volunteerservice. He also served as a poll deputy formany years for the Supervisor of Elections.So let’s gather together and celebrate thisoccasion, Walter’s 100th birthday. Youmay contact him and email your bbeesstt wwiisshh--eess aatt [email protected].

WWEESSTT PPAARRKK TTRRAAFFFFIICC CCAALLMMIINNGGSeveral weeks ago the residents of

Lake Forest area were invited to meet withthe consultant regarding a traffic calmingplan for the area. Many residents attendedthe meeting and there were a lot of ideasand concerns expressed to the consultantregarding speeding on the residentialstreets, trucks on 40th Avenue and heavytraffic on the streets closest to the school. Ifyou did not attend the meeting and youhave traffic concerns on your street, contactthe City Hall at 954-989-2688 and let ushear from you now. This is your chance tohave input on this traffic calming project.

HHooww ccaann II aassssiisstt yyoouu?? CCaallll oonn mmee aatt 995544--996633--77774455 wwiitthh aannyy qquueessttiioonnss,, ccoonncceerrnnss aannddccoommpplliimmeennttss yyoouu hhaavvee ffoorr oouurr CCiittyy.. LLeett’’ssaallll wwoorrkk ttooggeetthheerr ttoo mmaakkee WWeesstt PPaarrkk aaggrreeaatt ppllaaccee ttoo lliivvee..

HELLO NEIGHBORS

WALTER ESHLEMAN, West Park resident, celebrat-ed his 100th birthday August 2, 2012.


From The Fire Department

1.) Don’t play with matches and lighters. Ifyou see matches or a lighter where you canreach them, don’t touch them. Go tell agrown up right away.

2.) Ask your parents to install smoke detec-tors on every floor and in the sleeping areasof your home. Smoke detectors can savelives. Ask your parents to show you whereeach one is located.

3.) Remind your parents to test your smokedetectors every month. Make sure every-one in your family is familiar with its pierc-ing sound. Teach them that this soundmeans danger, and they must escape quick-ly.

4.) When your parents change the time onyour clocks for Daylight Savings, ask themto change your smoke alarm batteries. Giveit fresh batteries and your smoke alarm willstay awake and watch for fire while you aresleeping.

5.) In case of fire: DON’T HIDE, GOOUTSIDE! Fires are scary, but you shouldNEVER hide in closets or under beds whenthere is a fire.

6.) To escape during a fire; Fall & Crawl. Itis easier to breath in a fire if you stay lowwhile getting out. Use the back of yourhand to test if a door is hot before you openit. If it is hot, try to use another way out.

7.) If your clothes are on fire; Stop, Drop,and Roll until the fire is out. Shout for help,but don’t run. Running makes fire burnfaster.

8.) Have an escape plan and practice it withyour family. Find two ways out of everyroom in case one way is blocked by fire orsmoke. Practice escaping by both routes tobe sure that windows are not stuck andscreens can be taken out quickly.

9.) Choose a meeting place outside, such asa big tree or the end of the driveway, so youwill know that everyone has gotten outsafely. NEVER go back into a burningbuilding for any reason. If someone ismissing, tell the firefighters. They have theclothing and equipment to safely rescuepeople.

10.) Know your local emergency number.Put stickers and magnets with emergencynumbers on your refrigerator and everytelephone in the house. If there is a fire atyour house, choose one family member toleave your meeting place and call the firedepartment from a neighbor’s phone.

Fire Safety for Kids:10 Important Rules

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BY RICHARD YAGER

When Yleana Escobar graduated with aneducation degree from Florida StateUniversity little did she suspect she wouldbecome a veterinary science teacher.

But that is how things turned out at WestKendall’s Felix Varela High School after amagnet academy for the specialized curriculain Miami-Dade County Public Schools wasestablished in 2005.

“Over 700 students countywide now applyfor just 77 spots we can accommodate eachschool year,” explained Escobar, a scienceteacher at Varela for more than 12 years whonurtured the program into magnet maturity.

Happily surrounded by a cluster of tem-porarily housed orphaned canines, her acade-my position also has led to directing care fora transient population of all kinds of animalssheltered in a growing collection of outdoorpens adjoining a classroom more closelyresembling a veterinary laboratory.

Buddha, an affectionate but homelessGreat Dane, may greet a casual visitor alongwith several yapping pals.

Instead of the usual chalk-smeared black-boards, medicinal supplies in cupboards andshelves with pet food cans line the class-room’s walls.

Floor space holds cages housing stray dogsof mixed breeds while a wire enclosure pro-tects a group of month-old puppies fromgrownup canines.

“They were brought in after being found ina cardboard box from a dumpster,” saidStephanie Pretto, 17, a graduating studentwho, with Kailey Alfaro, 16, provides a tourof the unique premises.

“We house all kinds of animals,” Prettoexplained. “Sheep, goats, cows as well asoccasional raccoons and opossums — all ofthem foundlings or strays.”

Escobar believes Varela is probably theonly school in Florida whose “facilities”include an adjoining barn to house goats,chickens, geese, and rabbits as well as open-air pens and dog runs for homeless canines.

Pretto and Alfaro who both live far southof Varela in southwest Miami-Dade wouldhave attended Southridge High had they notqualified for Varela’s veterinary program, oneof three magnet programs the school offers.

“Upon graduation, I intend to get an asso-ciate degree at Miami-Dade College andenroll in the University of Florida’s veteri-nary school,” said Pretto, a senior. Alfaro, ajunior, hopes to follow the same path aftergraduation.

“Standards for entry at Varela are veryhigh,” Escobar noted. “Of the 700-plusentries, the list gets narrowed down to justover 600 who meet the criteria for accept-ance. Final selections are made in districtoffices, based on academics and studentrecords.”

The program is designed to provide certifi-cation by Florida Veterinary MedicalAssociation as a veterinary assistant but thesequence of college preparatory courses pro-vides academic standards with technicalknowledge and skills for a spectrum ofcareers in agriculture, veterinary medicine oranimal science.

As part of an association of the Academywith the Future Farmers of America, Varelastudents have won national recognition insubjects as diverse as food science, publicspeaking, dog show ring stewarding, floricul-

ture and landscaping.Like Pretto, currently president of the local

FFA chapter, and Alfaro, the historian, moststudents in the program are pointing towardcareers related to animal care — potentiallyas veterinarians or certified assistants,wildlife rehabilitators or in some area of thefarming industry.

The Academy also works closely withFriends Forever Humane Society, a county-wide organization dedicated to rescuing andrehabilitating stray dogs.

With many temporarily housed at Varela,students get “hands on” learning with a con-stant overload of the abandoned canines fromthroughout Miami-Dade.

For details on the Varela program, call305-752-7900 or visit online at <www.vare-lahs.com>.

Veterinary Science Academy plays unique role for strays

Friendly Buddha keeps teacher Yleana Escobarsmiling.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Students Stephanie Pretto and Kailey Alfaro displayorphan pals.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


Hooray for Goombay!Bahamian Independence Celebration

From The Parks and Recreation Department

The Bahamian Independence andGoombay Family Fun Day held onSaturday, 14 July, 2012 at McTyre Parkwas a huge success! The event marked the39th Anniversary of BahamianIndependence and was supported by resi-dents and many Bahamians who camefrom as far north as Stuart, Florida to as farsouth as Homestead.

The Bahamas Consulate General ofMiami, Florida added to the celebration ingrand style. Ms. Rhoda M. Jackson,Bahamas Consul General, Florida, includ-ed a number of different festivities to markthis year’s anniversary.

“This was one of the most successfulcelebrations we’ve ever had,” saysCommissioner Thomas Dorsett. “We had

many visitors from the Bahamas who werevery enthusiastic and now want to joinforces to make this an annual event. Othervisiting dignitaries and vendors were alsovery pleased.”

Other dignitaries who attended theFamily Fun Day included CongresswomanFrederica Wilson, State RepresentativesHazelle Rogers and Perry Thurston, MayorEric Jones, Vice Mayor Felicia Brunson,Commissioner Rita Mack, and members ofthe Caribbean Consular Corps. Attendeeswere entertained with music by the RoyalBahamas Police Force Pop Band, localband Togetherness and a Junkanoo Parade.A vast array of Bahamian cuisine wasserved including stuffed snapper, conchfritters, conch salad and guava duff.Children enjoyed free face painting andvarious games and activities.

Mayor Eric Jones presents Bahamian Consul General Rhoda Jackson with a City proclamation in recognitionof Bahamian Independence, 2012.


FFRROOMM SSAARRAAHH SSIINNAATTRRAA,,Planning Department Manager

Prior to opening any business inthe City of West Park, a Certificate ofUse must be obtained. The Certificateof Use assures that the business isallowed in the zoning district where itis located. It also verifies that thestructure was built for the proposedtype of business.

Businesses must also have a LocalBusiness Tax Receipt. The Certificateof Use allows for the occupancy of thestructure as well as certifying that theuse is permitted. However, the LocalBusiness Tax is a tax on the businessactivity. After a Certificate of Use hasbeen issued, a business may apply forthe Local Business Tax Receipt.

In order to receive a Certificate ofUse, business owners may submit aCertificate of Use application to theCity of West Park. The application isfirst reviewed for compliance with rel-evant zoning regulations by thePlanning and Zoning Department. Ifthe application meets zoning require-ments, the Building Department and

Fire Department will review the appli-cation and inspect the property toensure building and fire codes are met.If the application passes Building andFire Department reviews and inspec-tions, the Certificate of Use is issued.Once the Certificate of Use is issued,the property owner can apply for aBusiness Tax Receipt.

If the application does not passBuilding and Fire Department reviewand inspection, the Certificate of Useprocess goes on hold. The applicantmay then apply for a building permit tocorrect deficiencies. The building per-mit application is reviewed by thePlanning and Zoning Department forcompliance with relevant zoning regu-lations. The Building and FireDepartments also review the applicationand performs inspections. If the build-ing permit is approved, the Certificateof Use may be issued. Once theCertificate of Use is issued, the appli-cant may apply for a Business TaxReceipt.

An application for the Certificateof Use may be found on the City’swebsite at www.cityofwestpark.org.

Certificate of Use: Purpose and Process

Panter, Panter & Sampedro, P.A. congratulates our Associate

Joshua L. Wintleon his election as President of the South Miami

Kendall Bar Association. Mr. Wintle practices in the areas of Personal Injury and Complex Negligence Claims

Panter Building 6950 North Kendall Drive Miami, Florida 33156Telephone: (305) 662-6178 Toll Free: (800) 593-6178 Fax: (305) 662-9472Brett Panter: [email protected] Mitchell Panter: [email protected]

David Sampedro: [email protected] www.panterlaw.com


Byy Annn Lino

A newly formed full service immigration law firm, The Hermanni Law Group,recently established offices in Coral Gables and has since recruited severalnew attorneys to provide clients with a full plate of immigration services. Theimpetus for creating this firm came from Kurt Hermanni, who had earned agreat reputation as a skilled, honest and competent international lawyer ded-icated exclusively to the practice of immigration law.

Hermanni remembers a time when a client’s friend called from New York tohelp his detained nephew get a bond from an immigration judge in KromeDetention Center. Thereafter, the family only wanted him despite the addedtravel expenses.That level of trust and dedication has propelled the HermanniLaw Group to handle cases throughout the United States. That is not hard tounderstand given the number of cases in which immigrants have been vic-timized by less principled and trustworthy attorneys. Passionately committedto serve his clients, Hermanni has developed relationships that have dramat-ically increased his client base through satisfied client referrals.

Seeing the growing demand, Hermanni has recruited a group of outstand-ing lawyers all of whom have a general competency in general immigrationlaw but also have a focus in variety of critical areas. While Hermanni is fluentin English, Spanish and Italian, his entire team his fluent in English and Span-ish.

The firm is currently comprised of five full-time house attorneys: Kurt Her-manni, Senior Partner; Norma Lorenzo, Managing Attorney; and AssociateAttorneys Patricia Hernandez, Consuelo de le Ossa, Jenna McQuid andGreg Greenberg.

The Hermanni Law Group currently represents numerous internationalcompanies throughout the world, with clients in Latin America, Europe, Asiaand the Middle East, in support of their employees’ short-term or long-termplacements in the United States. Additionally, the firm represents clients fac-ing immediate removal from the United States and those seeking asylum,Cuban Adjustment and adjustment status. Successful representations havefocused on defense of marriage fraud claims and cases involving violenceagainst women. The firm’s distinguished clientele includes a former SouthAmerican President and his family, several foreign dignitaries, a former mili-tary General, military attaches, professional athletes, and foreign investorsfrom China, Serbia, Colombia, Venezuela, Spain and Italy.

The Hermanni Law Group is located at 2655 LeJeune Road, Ste. 800,Coral Gables, FL 33134. Ph: 305 640-8222 or Mobile 786-271-6699. Visitour website at www.legalizationlawyer.com.

Immigration Law FirmRecruits Top Staff

SW 56th Avenue Improvements COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM August 2012

Conceptual design of the proposed SW 56th Avenue/Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

From the Programs and ServicesDepartment

The City of West Park is partneringwith the Florida Department ofTransportation to provide street improve-ments along SW 56th Avenue fromCounty Line Road to Pembroke Road.These improvements will enhance the cor-ridor by constructing the following: new

sidewalk, asphalt resurfacing, trafficcalming median, intersection treatment,ornamental streetlights, bike lanes, transitshelters and landscaping.

On Wednesday, June 27, the City helda Public Workshop to provide projectinformation and gather input from our res-idents and local businesses. The project isstill in the design phase and constructionis scheduled to commence in 2013.

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RECENT EVENTS:August 2012 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 17

Bahamian Independence and Goombay Celebration!

August 2012 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 19


BY GRISELLE MARINO

Miami-Dade Fire

Rescue saved three

puppies from a town-

house fire that took

place on Monday,

July 9, in southwest

Miami-Dade County.

Upon arrival, fire

crews were advised

that there was a litter

of puppies still inside

the house.

Firefighters were suc-

cessful in locating

and rescuing the pup-

pies from the burning

home. Paramedics

treated three puppies

on scene by adminis-

tering oxygen with a

pet oxygen mask then

transported them to a

local animal hospital

for additional treat-

ment.

All MDFR trans-

port units are

equipped with a set of

pet oxygen masks.

The masks are used at

fire scenes when pets

are rescued and have

suffered smoke

inhalation. They are

specially designed to fit over an animal’s

snout and come in three different sizes to

accommodate different types of domes-

tic pets.

MDFR has been fortunate to have var-

ious community organizations donate the

masks. Pet oxygen masks are not dispos-

able and can be cleaned and reused.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue saves puppies from fire

Lt. Karen Chambers treats one of the puppies administering oxygen with a petoxygen mask.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Panter, Panter & Sampedro, P.A. congratulates our Partner, David Sampedro

for his recent accomplishment in becoming a

Mr. Sampedro will continue to practice in the areas of Wrongful Death, Catastrophic Injuries, Medical

Panter Building 6950 North Kendall Drive Miami, Florida 33156Telephone: (305) 662-6178 Toll Free: (800) 593-6178 Fax: (305) 662-9472Brett Panter: [email protected] Mitchell Panter: [email protected]

David Sampedro: [email protected] www.panterlaw.com

TeleSwitch Keeps Customers & Clients ConnectedConnecting businesses through state ofthe art communications technology al-lows Teleswitch clients the freedom totruly work anywhere at any time.“We want to make communicationseasier for businesses. Whether you aresitting on the beach or traveling over-seas you can choose to never miss acall or message,” said TeleSwitch Mar-keting Coordinator Mario Hurley.Teleswitch provides unified communica-tions solutions utilizing the latest tech-nologies creating a virtual network in thecloud. If you have a data connection,the client is able to receive calls and ac-cess data as if they were sitting in theiroffice with a regular phone and com-puter. Calls are presented in the exactsame manner allowing the user the op-tion to take the call or opt to follow up ata later time.Founded in 1993 as a distribution houseof telecom hardware which Teleswitchhas successfully continued to this day,has added a solution division providing

customers withunpa ra l l e l edchoices forc ommun i c a -tions services.Te l e s w i t c hmaintains com-munication andvideo networksfor enterprisesof all sizesacross multiplevertical markets

including auto dealerships, financialservices, professional associations andhospitality market. TeleSwitch offersstate of the art solutions combined withturnkey professional implementationservices and post-sales support. Cur-rently Teleswitch partners with Shoretelto provide IP Unified Communicationssolutions. Teleswitch has the largestcertified technical staff in the state ofFlorida for Shoretel including advancedengineers and certified call center spe-

cialists.“From the firstmeeting throughimplementationof the cus-tomized clientprogram, ourteam is commit-ted to a greatcustomer experi-ence and 100%customer satis-faction,” said Hur-

ley.Hurley went on to describe a situationwith one of their business to businessclients, Headquarter Toyota. “They hada sales force making prospecting callsfor clients with no ability to trackprogress. It was costly and inefficient.We were able to set them up withShoreTel Solutions and they now enjoya huge increase in productivity.”Because most operations are manage-able with a computer, clients are able to

see incoming calls, send them to voicemail or transfer to another party, all withthe click of a mouse.Partnering with companies like Shore-Tel, Lifesize, Adtran, Ruckus, Plantron-ics, and Brocade and a warehouse ofproduct lines from leading brandslegacy manufactures like Nortel, Avaya,Cisco and Samsung to name a few, al-lows TeleSwitch to be the one stop shopfor all communication solutions.“Our solutions are wide and varied,”said Hurley. “We offer unified IP commu-nications systems, high definition videocollaboration and conferencing, andnetwork and wireless solutions coupledwith trusted and knowledgeable techni-cal support. We integrate communica-tions technologies in order to provide acomplete solution to our customers nomatter what their size or operational de-mands.”For more information on TeleSwitchcommunications solutions visitteleswitch.com, or call 305-590-5200

Robert PlessetManaging Partner

Kenneth CookeManaging Partner

Page 22 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM August 2012


BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD

Farms in South Miami-Dade County pro-duce most of the winter vegetables for thenation. In the summer, other crops take cen-ter stage, including mangos and other fruits.

Tom Rieder, a member of the Dade CountyFarm Bureau, said farming is the county’ssecond largest industry.

“It’s not just a job, it’s a way of life,”Rieder said. “Some of them [farmers] havegone to college, some have PhD’s. It’sbecome difficult because of the free tradeagreement and with the price of rents.”

Rieder should know, he’s a Realtor atRieder Realty, specializing in agriculturalreal estate, working the agricultural side ofthe business from Orlando south.

“I’ve been doing this for a little over 40years,” he said. “Agriculture has always beenmy focus. There are some real problems theyare having now. This free trade withMexico…”

Another problem is who is going to pickthe crops. The anti-immigration rhetoric andstrong anti-immigrant laws passed inAlabama and other Southern states havescared away many migrant workers. Cropsare often picked by undocumented immi-grants who are willing to do jobs thatAmericans won’t.

“There are a lot of people who physicallycan’t go out there and pick crops for 8-10hours a day,” Rieder said. “The farmingdown here is different from the rest of thestate. Most of our fields down here you gettwo crops a year.”

Those crops can be beans, tomatoes,squash and zucchini. Rieder said they arestarting to see some farmers growing sugarcane on land that ordinarily wouldn’t be usedfor farming but does very well for sugar cane.

Along with vegetable and fruit crops, theRedland and Homestead areas also are hometo land and container nurseries.

“One of our nurseries, Costa is probablyone of the largest in the country,” Rieder said.“We have a type of soil named marl. It holdsthe moisture and, because it does not havemuch rock in it, it’s easy for the farmers toroot prune.”

The soil clings to the roots, which helpskeep the plants and trees alive and thrivingwhile in the containers. It also helps when thetree is transplanted.

However, the nursery business is tied toconstruction.

“When construction fell off, so did the in-ground nursery business,” he said. “The con-tainer nurseries, they are shipping them allover the world. They’ve created a market.”

The advantages of farming in SouthMiami-Dade include access to water and landthat is less susceptible to frost.

Rieder said the Farm Bureau is encourag-ing farmers to look at the idea of selling pro-duce directly to the consumer.

“We’re trying to come up with a method ofbeing able to sell direct, trying to contactrestaurants and clubs,” he said. “We can pro-vide fresh fruits at a better price.”

There also are bus tours available. Thosetours take the people to packing houses andthey can buy fruits and vegetables right there.

“Most produce goes to Lakeland and ispacked and brought back down to Miami,”Rieder said.

Farmers work closely with the FarmBureau and the Farm Bureau works closelywith the agriculture extension offices of theUniversity of Florida on a variety of issues,including pesticides.

One of the most recent issues farmers havebeen alerted to is the Redbay AmbrosiaBeetle, which is harmful to avocado trees.

Rieder said farmers in the region are tryingto get federal funding for experimenting withnew types of farming, like hydroponic farm-ing, that could allow row crops to grow yearround.

Miami-Dade agriculturehelping feed the nation

Pictured are row crops growing in South Miami-Dade County.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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WEST PARK CALENDAR EVENTS

august 2012 west park news

Documents

thekind of city

theone dollar bill

balanced budget

years budget

interests of thetaxpayers

figuresall night

revenues carefully

surest path toovercoming