Because strong, proven, professional leadership is what is needed at this pivital time in the Village of Palmetto Bay, the Palmetto Bay News endorses John DuBois in his run for re-election as Vice Mayor.
While we may not agree with Mr. DuBois on all the issues, we believe he has been a stabilizing force on the Village Council and should remain in his seat to continue his work. John is well versed and experienced in government finance, he is not afraid to make unpopular decisions to protect quality of life in the village, and he demonstrates great integrity – and loyalty – to friends, supporters, and the residents of Palmetto Bay.
As the incumbent candidate, John was first elected to this seat in November 2012. He is a businessman, civic leader, and philanthropist who has spent his entire career in the telecommunications industry. He presently serves as president and CEO of Eyecast, a cloud-based video surveillance company he founded in 2008.
John’s business acumen clearly defines his style as Vice Mayor. Often first on the dais to call out overspending and waste, time and again he has proven to be an outstanding steward of the tax payer dollar. He has well established working relationships with local, state, and federal officials. He has also been responsible for securing hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding for village initiatives and services.
Property development along Old Cutler Road, and the inevitable impact on traffic, has been a major concern in this election. John also has taken a public position against future up-zoning of the 69-acre FPL property near the north end of Old Cutler. While he has long been a proponent of smart growth, on this issue John has taken a decisive and consistent stand to protect quality of life for village residents.
He is also unwavering in his support of people in need, as demonstrated by his service as a board member with Camillus House, the largest service provider to the homeless in Miami.
We are well aware John made a decision in early 2015 that may be perceived as risky for a politician – but he does what he believes is right and to this day stands by his decision to support his friends Stanley and Miriam Kowlesar. His generosity of spirit was clearly at the core of his controversial decision to offer assistance to their son, an Iraq War veteran. There is something to be said about committing support for a neighbor and friend in a time of need – it’s called integrity.
John’s opponent in the runoff election, Erica Watts, is a good candidate who ran a solid campaign. Ms. Watts has several qualities that are beneficial for a first-time candidate. However, we believe it is particularly important at this time to have experience in the Vice Mayor’s seat.
John Dubois is experienced, professional, resourceful, and dedicated.
While some may say, “if it aint broke, don’t fix it.” We say, if it’s the right candidate at the right time – don’t change it.
The Village of Palmetto Bay will be well served by allowing John DuBois to continue in his role as Vice Mayor and we wholeheartedly endorse him.
In-person voting in the vice mayoral runoff election in Palmetto Bay takes place Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 7am to 7pm. Please visit Following is a list polling locations. If voting by mail, vote-by-mail ballots must be requested by 5pm, Nov. 16. Please visit the Palmetto Bay website for complete details regarding mail-in options at www.palmettobay-fl.gov. You may also call the Palmetto Bay Village Clerk at 305-259-1234.
Precincts for Palmetto Bay Run-Off Election, Nov. 22
- Coral Reef Park 7895 SW 152 St Palmetto Bay 33157
- Howard Drive Elementary School 7750 SW 136 St Miami 33156
- St. Andrews Episcopal Church 14260 Old Cutler Rd Palmetto Bay 33158
- Christ Congregational Church 14920 SW 67 Ave Palmetto Bay 33158
- St. Richard Parish Center 7500 SW 152 St Palmetto Bay 33157
- Marlin Moore Post #133 16401 SW 90 Ave Palmetto Bay 33157
- Perrine-Peters UTD Methodist Church 18301 S Dixie Hwy Palmetto Bay 33157
- Edward & Arlene Feller Community Room 17641 Old Cutler Road Palmetto Bay 33157
- Southwood Middle School 16301 SW 80 Ave Palmetto Bay 33157
History of the “485” http://eugeneflinn.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-facts-regarding-council-action-of.html?m=1
Do not blindly believe everything you are told. How does Dubois plan to stop the development that includes this history? Does he plan to go to court to strip the developer of the land, while bankrupting our village and enduring years of litigation?
I implore every resident of Palmetto Bay to vote for John Dubois. It is the only way we can get control over the overdevelopment and traffic issues in the Village. His challenger has refused to come out against the 485 apartments off Old Cutler Rd, (in fact she’s justified them on her website) and the overdevelopment planned in the downtown area off US1. If you think there are traffic problems now, it will be impossible to move your car out of the driveway if these 6,500 apartments ever get built. This construction will double the size of our Village and kill our Quality of Life. There are three basic questions that have been asked of Erica Watts which she refuses to answer. 1. Do you believe the zoning of the 485 units was done incorrectly?, 2. Will you stand with the residents of Palmetto Bay and vote to reverse this zoning?, 3. Will you stand with the residents of Palmetto Bay and fight the upzoning of the downtown area?
Has John Dubois come out against other development, except for the 485, the property for which borders his? Has he come out against the downtown development or development on the property that FPL is selling? I don’t think so. Why? Because it does not affect him personally. Does everyone know that he voted AGAINST traffic calming measures in one Palmetto Bay neighborhood? Why? Because it doesn’t affect him personally.
The best respond if anyone become negative and feel free to copy and paste in anything negative
I just want people to remember that in the American Justice one is innocent until proven guilty. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 11, states: “Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense”. Precisely to avoid cases like this in which people that do not know all the facts have decided to make erroneous assumption.
Shame on them and all the politician that had forgotten this.
I would not vote to elect to office any person that had forgotten this. Who knows what else they would choose to forgo when they get to office. They do not get to pick and choose what they want to follow.
They are using this as a political issue instead of focusing on the issues that I am pretty sure their hometown Is facing.
How exactly will John Dubois overturn the vote on the 485? He has been instructed by the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission that he cannot vote on the matter because he has a conflict of interest since he is a neighbor and, according to the developer, tried to make a deal for two townhomes on the land. Dubois is spending money creating false ads about Erica Watts having supported the 485 and promising to stop the development. However, he cannot stop it and doesn’t even attempt to explain how he will try. His only campaign platform is one he cannot control because he is legaly obligated to stay out of it! Yet, residents, and his friends that publish the Community Newspapers, blindly believe that he will stop it. I am confident that that there are more educated residents in Palmetto Bay that know the truth and will vote for Erica Watts. We need someone who is strong, intelligent, dedicated, honest, and law-abiding on our Council. Vote Erica Watts!
Palmetto Bay residents aren’t fooled by John’s fake concern for our Village. On Nov.22 we need to make John a private citizen so he can work full time with his developer cronies (his real interest!) and elect Erica Watts as Vice Mayor. Eric will be voice of all families in the Village.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/miamiherald.relaymedia.com/amp/news/local/community/miami-dade/palmetto-bay/article82348287.html
Drain City Hall of John Dubois on Nov. 22.
I am surprised by this, I mean did you even take the time to get to K now Erica Watts at all ? There have been so many unethical acts since this man has been in office Mr it is time to put a stop to it. He has a 500,000.00 loan out to Mr Singer who has been elected alread. Mr Singer has already said he has no choice but to support him because he owes him. He has not supported the community as far as the alleged pedophile but instead has embraced the accused and his HIS family
If that is the worst thing Erica has done, then I am still voting for her. Her campaign has been much more positive than Dubois’. It seems that John Dubois does favors for people, and uses those favors at a later time to command political gain. We all know that Dubois loaned David Singer $500,000.00 (yes, half a million dollars). Even if Singer were to pay back the money, Singer would still feel obligated to help the man who loaned him that much money. I have also read on Facebook, and saw it confirmed by Michael Miller, that Mr. Miller hosted his daughters wedding on Dubois’ estate in 2012. It must be nice for Dubois to have a friend in the newspaper publishing business who owes him, er, I mean, endorse him.
John Dubois is under ethics violation investigation.
John Dubois also uses what most reasonable people would call very bad judgement as reported by CBS4 News. Here is the video of the news story that aired:
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2016/11/01/palmetto-vice-mayor-not-sorry-for-supporting-accused-pedophile/
There is another issue with David Singer being in debt to Mr. Dubois. Mr. Singer is already voted to the Village Council. Apparently, Mr. Singer only wants to run in order to screw Palmetto Bay. These are Mr. Singer’s words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGb7qC5FWI8 With John Dubois and David Singer being so close with their personal relationship, imagine how things would be if they are allowed to sit on the same Village Council! It would be a disaster for everyone (except for Mr. Dubois and Mr. Singer).
Simply put, we cannot have John Dubois and David Singer on the same council. The results would be a disaster. The only way to keep this from happening is to not allow John Dubois to be voted as Vice Mayor, again. Stop the madness while you still can!
Vote for Erica Watts!
By the way, before any of you political types get upset… I do not work for, Erica Watts. I do not campaign formally for Erica Watts. I have not donated to the Erica Watts campaign. I am simply a concerned citizen who knows that having John Dubois as Vice Mayor at the same time David Singer sits on the council, would be horrific for everybody involved with Palmetto Bay.
This articles are excellent! the reality is that we need a Vice-Mayor that has the experience and will not be a “yes” vote for the Mayor and special interests one council person, what we have to do is look at their voting record specially on the 485 units that will make the traffic in Old Cutler Road a bigger nightmare that it is know.
If Ms. Watts does not respect the citizens and rules when asked not to take pictures for her own benefit, what is she going to do or not if she is elected? WE can not risk the future of our wonderful Village