Kudos to the Town of Cutler Bay, whose officials report that the town’s residents who have flood insurance and who are located in Special Flood Hazard Areas will soon be saving 30 percent on their premiums because beginning October 1 the town will become the first municipality in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties to reach Community Rating System (CRS) Class 4. It’s only the third municipality in Florida to do so. The town is currently at a CRS Class 5 and is saving residents 25 percent on their flood insurance premiums. By improving to CRS Class 4 the town will save policy holders a yearly average of $248 per flood insurance policy. The CRS is a voluntary program for communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Officials credit the team efforts of the Town Council, Town Staff, the Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee and Town Consultants for earning the Community Rating System (CRS) Class 4. That should help everyone out. Congratulations, Cutler Bay!
And congratulations to Dr. Bill Butler of Palmetto Bay! The distinguished 93-year old gentleman who has lived in the Village for 50 years was surprised on June 24th by a proclamation bestowed by Mayor Karyn Cunningham and the Village Council declaring the date “Dr. Bill Butler Day in Palmetto Bay.” Dr. Butler spent the last 33 years of his career as Director of Student Affairs at the University of Miami before retiring in 1997. Among the many accomplishments during his tenure, he championed inclusion for all students and, long before Title IX, Dr. Butler helped to open the door for females to receive athletic scholarships to “The U.”
Many UM students were lucky to have had Dr. Butler as a professor over the years, including Village Attorney Dexter Lehtinen who joined Mayor Cunningham and Councilmembers Fiore and Matson for the recognition. Mayor Cunningham credited Dr. Butler as being a respected educator and author known as “a groundbreaking agent for change for minorities and women in higher education.”
And congrats to Kendal’s The Palace Suites for celebrating its 20th Anniversary. They heralded their milestone with a nod to nostalgia at a “Blast to the Past” Roaring Twenties extravaganza. We hear that guests and residents were greeted by flappers, dancers, a look-a-like Charlie Chaplin and a Roaring 20s cabaret setting. “They enjoyed live entertainment, a delicious banquet and endless champagne.” On hand for the celebration were General Manager Gabriel Garrido and Palace Group founders Jacob and Helen Shaham. The occasion celebrated the community’s many significant achievements since it opened in June 1990. Since opening its doors, The Palace Suites has served more than 1,000 residents and their families. It has provided full- and part-time jobs with benefits for more than 1,500 people including high school and college students. Many of these students have pursued careers in various fields within the senior housing industry through their opportunity at The Palace Suites. All Palace communities support local charities and organizations as their mission to help those who are in need, including The Chapman Partnership, Alzheimer’s Association, Baptist Hospital and The Friendship Circle.
Special Council Meeting – Addressing Medical Cannabis Dispensaries The Village of Palmetto Bay will conduct a Special Council Meeting on Monday, July 15, at 6:00 p.m. at Village Hall, 9705 E. Hibiscus Street, Palmetto Bay, FL 33157. The purpose of the Special Council Meeting is to consider and adopt the following Ordinance on First Reading requiring a public hearing pursuant to Section 30-60.32 of the Village’s Code of Ordinances: addressing medical cannabis dispensaries, medical marijuana treatment facilities, and independent testing laboratories within the municipal boundaries of the Village of Palmetto Bay. It will be immediately followed by a Special Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. to consider Mixed-Use Downtown Development, which was discussed by the Village Council at the Regular Council Meeting of June 3, 2019. During the meeting, the proposer will provide the Village Council with a presentation on the proposed project.
Cutler Bay Active Adults Lecture: Identity Theft, Scams and Financial Literacy. This meeting location has been changed to take place in the Cutler Bay Town Center Community Room on July 9 at 10:30 a.m. That’s Suite 220 at 10720 Caribbean Blvd., Cutler Bay, Florida 33189. Active Adults series of events are for Town Residents aged 55 and over. Please contact Gabriela Blaylock at 786-573-5502 or email her at mblaylock@cutlerbay-fl.gov for more information.
Town of Cutler Bay Council Meeting takes place on July 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 10720 Caribbean Blvd., Cutler Bay, Florida 33189.
Thought of the Day:
When people accept breaking the law as normal, something happens to the whole society. – Orson Welles
Gary Alan Ruse contributed to this column.
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