Candidates for Mayor of Palmetto Bay

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Karyn Cunningham

  1. Why are you running again for the mayor’s seat in Palmetto Bay?

“I am running to continue the important work ahead that preserves the greatness of our village and prepares us for the future.

“I have spent the last four years focused on getting our village back on track by putting our financial house in order, revamping our Downtown code, standing up against county overreach, working with local businesses to assure their success, prioritizing policy to make us more sustainable, and addressing our resident priorities — public safety, sidewalks and streets, and parks.”

  1. What do you consider the most urgent issue for village residents? How will you tackle it?

Fiscal ResponsibilityI have taken important steps to make our village fiscally sound and more responsive to our residents. I passed a budget that puts money aside in reserves, creates a maintenance fund for our public buildings, adds police officers, and secures our future. Getting there has not been easy, but we have managed to keep our taxes lower than when I first took office in 2014 and one of the lowest amongst cities in Miami-Dade.”

  1. Why do you consider yourself to be the best person for the job?

Development I have led the way in holding the line on development by decreasing height and density in our Downtown area, eight stories to five, 7,500 units to 2,500 units, and keeping transit-oriented development on the US1 commercial corridor where it belongs. I have stood firm in opposition to the county’s plans for preempting our zoning and other initiatives that will negatively impact our quality of life. I have brought programming and partnerships to help our businesses thrive with over 100 new businesses opening in the height of the pandemic.

Environment and InfrastructureTo plan for the future of our village and create a more sustainable village, I initiated policy that will reduce flood risk and lower flood insurance premiums, budget money to improve water quality, increased funding for long overdue drain cleaning, sidewalk repairs, street paving, and eliminated the use of dangerous pesticides in our park and public spaces. We have prioritized canals to protect wildlife and keep them safe for those who enjoy kayaking and boating while working to identify those that need bank stabilization.

Parks and Public SafetyI have prioritized and enhanced our park and public spaces because these are the places our community gathers. We have expanded our programming for all ages, including our seniors and teens, and expanded events that bring our residents together. I am also proud of the work we have done to make our village safer for our residents. The numbers show that our commitment to public safety has resulted in some of the lowest crime rates in the county.”

  1. What closing statement do you want to make to our readers?

“I am excited for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. How we deal with future development, environmental concerns, traffic, and transit will impact our quality of life for years to come. I am proud of all that has been accomplished, but our work is not done.

“With your support, I look forward to continuing to move our village forward while continuing to maintain the fabric and vibe that we have all come to call home. I will continue to lead with integrity and purpose to make our village an even better place to live, work, learn, and play.”

Campaign website is www.karyncunningham.com/.

Eugene Flinn

  1. Why are you running for this seat in Palmetto Bay government?

“Palmetto Bay’s best days are ahead of us. That is why I’m running; because the current administration has lost its way and I have the experience, vision and commitment to get our village back on track. 

“I am committed to stop the administration’s reckless overdevelopment policies, to curb their tax-and-spend policies as well as implement meaningful traffic solutions. My vision is to include all residents and create updated plans responsive to our needs. It’s time to renew our commitment to a resident-driven form of government that once again engages and listens to our residents and not to special interests seeking to exploit it.

“The current state of parks is an affront to our motto ‘the village of parks.’ In 2017, we started a revised Parks Master Plan process, holding numerous meetings with residents. Not only has the master plan not been completed in four years, the parks aren’t even being maintained. That will change under my administration.

“Enough with the endless lawsuits! I’d rather see those legal fees used for maintaining our parks or for our police. I am the only candidate with the record of successfully resolving lawsuits.”

  1. What do you consider the most urgent issue for village residents? How will you tackle it?

“Overdevelopment. Our village is being overrun by high density apartment buildings towering over our once quaint, peaceful bedroom community. We will work together to bring the promised restaurants and resident-friendly retail.

“The current administration’s policies run in stark contrast from what our village was always meant to be. As your next mayor, I will draw from our original vision and return to the principles that made our village a great place to live and raise a family. We must also focus on key issues such as Miami-Dade County’s Rapid Transit Zone (RTZ) that will profoundly impact our village, if not properly managed. I have experience and an excellent track record in dealing with Miami-Dade County. We must plan and work within the law and make quality decisions rather than the current lazy method of turning important decisions over to the courts.”

  1. Why do you consider yourself to be the best person for the job?

“I have experience building community and consensus. As an elected official, I involved all residents, not just those who agreed with me, and got things done. I won’t shirk decisions or let projects drag on for years. I’ll act on grants, unlike the current administration which allowed millions in grants to be squandered or returned. Under my leadership, residents will participate in village planning, see our work come to decision and see results — all without multiple tax increases over the last few years including property tax increases, the FPL Franchise Tax, and the increase in stormwater fees.”

  1. What closing statement do you want to make to our readers?

“This is a campaign about competing visions. Do we reverse the vision of the current administration who believes in higher taxes, high-rise development and uncontrolled spending, or my vision, of resident participation, transparency, lower taxes, protecting our bedroom community’s lifestyle and promoting fiscal responsibility?

“Village voters will have two very different visions on the ballot this November. We must return to town hall meetings to bring our community together and involve residents in the future of our community.”

Campaign website is www.eugeneflinn.com/.

Alan John Farquharson

My name is Alan John Farquharson, just like my father. For this reason, my grandpa called me AlJohn — and so can you.

  1. Why are you running for this seat in Palmetto Bay government?

“I am running for the seat of mayor in Palmetto Bay because we need to start making decisions based on what is good for residents, instead of any other factors that may come before that. All of Miami is going through a phase of redevelopment, and Palmetto Bay is not exempt. The decisions of today will have a lasting effect on not only us, but future generations of people who live here.

“We need people in office who are in tune with the times and care about what residents truly want enough to push for it to become reality. I am running for mayor of Palmetto Bay to give the village a third option — a voice in the center. No more right vs. left. Decision making with no strings attached, only what’s best for residents. Period.”

  1. What do you consider the most urgent issue for village residents?  How will you tackle it?

“The biggest issue for our village at this moment is the election itself. Being on the ballot is how I plan to take care of it. It’s not about me; it’s about us. We need three new people in office so that we can, thankfully, cut ties with the past in order to create for ourselves a future we can all be proud of. This future must preserve the fundamental that made us great in the first place — the single-family home.”

  1. Why do you consider yourself to be the best person for the job?

“Because I am raising a family here right now. I know how great this place already is, and I can see the vast amount of untapped potential which could benefit us all. This will take a person of hard work and honesty at the helm.”

  1. What closing statement do you want to make to our readers?

“It’s not often you get the chance to change the status quo. We have that chance. We must take it, Nov. 8. Three out, three in — Farquharson, Gorman, Jones.”

Farquharson’s website is https://aljohnformayor.com/.


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