David Singer is running for councilmember of Palmetto Bay District-2. As Chief Financial Officer and CEO of Berkowitz Development Group, his professional focus is on real estate and commercial-property development and management. Born in South-Dade and raised in what is now the Village of Palmetto Bay, he attended Coral Reef Elementary, as well as Palmetto Junior and Senior High Schools.
I believe there is an overall feeling among Palmetto Bay residents that certain aspects and actions of our municipal government are not being conducted in a transparent manner. I would like to address the concerns of residents who believe that governance at Village Hall is taking place behind closed doors. I want to open up the Village Hall to more transparency.
Asked what I would do in my first 100 days, if elected my first course of business will be to interview all the Palmetto Bay charter officers to ensure that they are in agreement with community priorities – because I have been elected to respond to resident wishes. It is extremely important to impress upon Village management that its primary function is to act on policy as directed by council, not special-interest groups.
I would also address the Village’s massive traffic problem. I plan to sit down with the village manager and any members of staff engaged in traffic calming to review all related reports to gain an understanding of just how and why Village Hall has made decisions regarding traffic changes implemented over the last nine months. I believe since talking with many, many village residents, their top priority is getting this growing issue under control. As such, the Village should seek assistance from the best traffic engineer and urban planner available.
I will then focus on the problem with planned overdevelopment in our community. If residents feel disheartened now by the degrading quality of life caused by growing traffic, they must understand that the root of the problem is allowing Village Hall to continue down its path of unchecked overdevelopment. My plan is to review and determine whether the zoning of the downtown district (with 6,000 new apartments/condos) and the Palmetto Bay Village Center (with 485 new apartments/condo) was properly implemented.
I hope to have your support for the District 2 seat.
David Singer is a graduate of Florida State University School of Business. He also received a Certificate of Accounting after two years at University of Miami, holds a Florida CPA & Florida Realtor License, and worked as a public auditor at Kenneth Leventhal & Company. Singer is on the Executive Board of Directors of the Real Estate Education & Research at FSU, he is a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants & American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Contact David Singer at 305-903-3700, via e-mail at dmsinger@bellsouth.net, via his website at www.davidmsinger.com, www.electdavidsinger.com, or on Facebook.
1. Have election of each council members be restricted to only voters in his/her district–not the whole town. Whole town for Mayor and vice mayor only.
2. survey town for empty parcels of 5 or more acres. Ensure that town gets first refusal on ALL parcels of such.
David,
Two changes–and these have been expressed to various council members.
1. Change the voting for a council member from the whole town to the council member’s district-only. Mayor and vice mayor from whole town. This is standard, regular sane legislative practice.
2. Do a survey of the town where’s there is 5 or more acres owned or vacant or owned by a municipality. Make sure the town has the first right of refusal on all of these parcels–so not another PT and Old Cutler = latter a crime/shame. PT = cohorts between PT and the then village lawyer!
Perhaps even before your first 100 days, you should appoint someone to proof read your e-mails prior to publication.
Hello David, I read your article with interest and have one minor question.
Why was the stop sign at 174 st. and 87th avenue moved some years ago? It was a 4-way stop, then they removed the stop for 87th Ave sometime before hurricane Andrew.
I suggest we change it back to a 4-way stop in order to help residents get onto 87th Avenue, which is is impossible when traffic is heavy and dangerous when traffic is light but going too fast.
Bill OBrien 8740 S.W. 175 St. (we have lived here since 1974)