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The Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) announces the election of its new Chair and its First and Second Vice-Chairs.
Robert Wolfarth, who was serving as the Trust’s First Vice-Chair, was elected as the new Chair of the CITT. Wolfarth represents Miami-Dade County Commission District 4 on the Trust.
Mary Street, who represents Miami-Dade County Commission District 5, was elected as First Vice-Chair, and the Honorable Peggy Bell, who represents Miami-Dade County District 8, was elected as Second Vice-Chair.
“I am deeply honored to have been elected as Chair of the CITT. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to drive forward the Miami-Dade SMART Plan and uphold our responsibility as stewards of the half-penny surtax, a commitment made by our community two decades ago. I am unwavering in my dedication to fostering collaboration among our esteemed colleagues to realize the shared vision of the People’s Transportation Plan,” said Chair Wolfarth.
Wolfarth added, “I want to extend my sincere congratulations to our First Vice-Chair, Mary Street, and our Second Vice-Chair, Peggy Bell, as well as all the dedicated Trust members who serve alongside us. Your dedication and support are instrumental in achieving our goals. Together, we will continue to work tirelessly for the benefit of our community.”
Wolfarth joined the CITT in 2019 when he was appointed to the Trust by former Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman to represent District 4.
Wolfarth, who resides in Miami Beach, has extensive entrepreneurial experience as a real estate professional. Throughout his career in the private sector, Wolfarth has been responsible for the development of several thousand housing units, including affordable housing along transit corridors.
First Vice-Chair Street, who was appointed to the CITT in 2021, is an attorney in the Miami office of Foley & Mansfield, PLLP, where she focuses her civil litigation practice on medical malpractice defense and appeals. She is an advocate for improving transit and mobility services, safety, and access throughout Miami-Dade County, to benefit both users and non-users of these services.
Second Vice-Chair Bell, who was appointed to the CITT in 2021, was the Town of Cutler Bay’s first female Mayor in 2014. Prior to serving as the Mayor of the Town of Cutler Bay, Bell also served on the Town’s Council and worked as a licensed Florida Realtor for 20 years.
Javier A. Betancourt, AICP, Executive Director of the CITT, said he looks forward to working with the new CITT Officers in accomplishing the goals of the People’s Transportation Plan (PTA) and the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan.
“Congratulations to our new Chair, Robert Wolfarth, and to our First and Second Vice-Chairs, Mary Street and Peggy Bell! With their extensive experience and knowledge of transportation in our County, I am confident they will do well representing and guiding the CITT,” Betancourt said. “On behalf of the Trust and our staff, we also want to thank out-going Chair, Oscar J. Braynon, for his wise and steady leadership during this tenure these past two years.”
The new Trust Officers were elected at the CITT’s September 2023 Full Trust monthly meeting held last week. The Officers will be officially sworn in at the next CITT Full Trust meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 5 p.m.
Photographs of the new Officers and their full biographies are available upon request.
The CITT is the 15-member body created to oversee the implementation of the People’s Transportation Plan, which is funded by the half-penny sales surtax that was approved by Miami-Dade County voters in November 2002.
The CITT currently has vacant seats in Districts 9, 10, 11, and 13, as well as a vacant seat representing the Miami-Dade League of Cities. The CITT is accepting applications for these seats.
To learn more on how to apply, visit the CITT website and click on the ‘Member Recruitment’ tab on the left side of the homepage; or call 305-375-1357 to request more information and a copy of the application.
For information about the CITT and the People’s Transportation Plan, the public is encouraged to visit the CITT’s website, or call 305-375-1357.
