Paul Neidhart — area businessman, activist and former Palmetto Bay councilmember — has become the new executive director of the Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade (EDC).

With the departure of the previous director, Herb Parlato, in December to take a job in Broward, Neidhart has taken the helm of the organization that promotes and assists local businesses and development in the Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Perrine areas.

Vanessa Derenoncoart assumes the role of executive assistant, running much of the day-to-day operations and other key functions. She’s Neidhart’s “right hand.”

“Both of us came in cold,” Neidhart said. “The big push initially was the 12th annual Memorial Golf Tournament, which has taken a lot of our time, but we’ve been trying to make as many meetings as we can since we’re trying to get to know the people in the community a little better. And now we’re going to start pursuing the various economic development issues.”

Neidhart said that he is not happy with the turnout for the meetings so far.

“I really wish that we could get more people,” Neidhart said. “The meetings are free, unlike some organizations, and I’d like for folks to come and see what we’re doing. We’re making changes to the newsletter, jazzing it up and going twice a month, and Vanessa is doing a great job on that.

“We’re improving distribution and we’re going to be including information on the big water and sewer project so people who are affected by it will be able to keep track of that,” he added.

“We’re working hard to get good speakers and we hope to not only bring back some of the people who used to attend but also to attract new people who can benefit from what we have to offer.” Neidhart has high praise for Derenoncoart.

“She does all of the work,” Neidhart said with a grin. “She’s very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.”

Derenoncoart, who has an MBA from Nova Southeastern and did her undergrad work at Barry University, said she genuinely enjoys her job.

“What appeals most to me is the opportunity to give back to the community,” Derenoncoart said. “I’ve been a resident of Palmetto Bay for 16 years. I’ve seen the changes from the moment it was incorporated. As a business owner, it means a lot to me being able to help other businesses grow and continue to invest within our community.

That definitely drew me in.” Derenoncoart explained that her background helps her function as a liaison for area business owners, government offices, investors and others in south Florida and beyond.

“I work a lot with small businesses,” she said. “I’ve always helped promote small businesses within the county, within the state, different projects, different vendors, so that knowledge of what it takes to help the small business become a larger business or a corporation that is first and foremost.

“Second is my construction lending background. In order to promote a large area like South Dade with our land and the availability of land to grow, you have to have an understanding of how to work with investors and developers.” Derenoncoart said that even with the current economic conditions, you don’t have to look far to see that the area is still growing.

“Although the market has taken a downturn, that doesn’t stop construction,” she said. “For example, the School Board Credit Union is going up right behind us. Just in the last month and a half that Paul and I have been here, we’ve received several important phone calls, one from an investor in Boston, a market research company that wanted to get information so that they can construct housing in the Naranja area, which happens to be one of our charrette areas.

“They called the EDC and we were able to get them that information. We had another person who called that wanted to put a medical laboratory in the area. We directed him to Cutler Bay, so we’re helping the municipalities; we’re helping to bring business down here. We do our part to follow through so that if we cannot help them, we send them to the correct person or party to help them. It’s all about putting our place on the map.”

To learn more about the EDC, which is located at 900 Perrine Ave. in Palmetto Bay, call 305-378-9470 or send an email to < info@edcsouthdade.com >.

A former Miami-Dade Police Hammocks District Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) chair was honored by a county proclamation, naming Feb. 24 as “Frank E. Irizarry Jr. Day” in recognition of his community service.

Signed by Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson, Commission chair Dennis Moss and Mayor Carlos Alvarez, the document was read at the CAC’s Feb. 24 meeting by Dallas Manuel, aide to Moss, accompanied by Alfie Sergio, aide to Sorenson.

The document honored Irizarry for 32 years service, including working with the “Mom and Pop” Small Business Award Selection Committee and West Kendall Municipal Advisory Committee for Ethics in Business and Government.

Irizarry, who became the new head of the West Kendall Business Association in 2010, is vice president and branch manager of FirstBank in Lago Mar.

Cutler Bay’s fourth annual Founders Day Celebration on Feb. 20 had picture-perfect weather and a crowd of about 1,800 people who turned out to enjoy the old-fashioned neighborhood event.

Founders Day is the celebration honoring the first official meeting of the town council on Feb. 6, 2006. To celebrate the occasion the town threw a huge party at Cutler Ridge Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring picnic food, local entertainment and displays of animals, police and fire equipment.

Diane Kessell sang the National Anthem to start activities, followed by Caribbean music by Panman Steel Drums and jazz by the Robert Morgan Educational Center Orchestra. Then at noon Mayor Paul Vrooman welcomed everyone to the event and introduced the other members of the town council — Vice Mayor Edward MacDougall and Councilmembers Timothy Meerbott, Peggy Bell and Ernie Sochin, as well as town manager Steven Alexander.

Mayor Vrooman said that the Founders Day Celebration was an important opportunity for residents to have fun, especially in light of recent national and international problems.

“An event like this brings us back to our roots,” Vrooman said. “It brings us back to our fundamentals about people getting together in a community and having a good time. We’ve got the Women’s Club that spent all week baking for this event. We’ve got kids from their high school bands here. We’ve got families just out having a good time.

“With everything that this country has been through in the last year and a half to two years, or decade, nobody can take this away from us. So we’re going to celebrate that.

President Clinton once said that there’s nothing wrong with this country that can’t be cured by what’s right with this country. What you see here is what’s right with this country.” MacDougall agreed with that view and was pleased with the turnout and the level of fun residents were having.

“I think it’s a wonderful event,” MacDougall said. “It brings people together. It’s one of the things the whole town needs to make sure its residents are in touch with each other and understand that it’s, as it’s always been, a good neighborhood.”

Under the big tent attendees enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken paella, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips and watermelon, with sodas, punch, lemonade and water to drink. For dessert literally thousands of cookies, cupcakes, brownies and other sweet treats were provided by the Whispering Pines Woman’s Club and the Cutler Ridge Women’s Club.

Ongoing entertainment included the rock band “Medallust,” a Karoake contest, the Mocko Jumbie Stilt Walkers, a rock climbing wall, bounce house, super slide, video game arcade and face painting. Hot air balloon rides were planned for the first time, but windy weather conditions made that impossible.

Public Works director Ralph Casals and staff members handed out “Green Bags” to everyone to commemorate Cutler Bay’s Silver certification in the LEED program by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Parks and Recreation director Alan Ricke commented on the new arrangement of the food, entertainment and display booths this year.

Louise Lockwood (left) and Jean Welsh of the Whispering Pines and Cutler Ridge Women’s Clubs display a sampling of the desserts their groups provided.

“We decided to switch things around this time because we wanted people to get acquainted with the new soccer field,” Ricke said. “Also, we wanted to use the new pavilion building for the food. It all worked out pretty well.”

As usual the big event concluded with the infamous Town Council Pie Auction, in which anyone could place a bid to hit the official of his or her choice with a pie in the face. But in a new twist, an alternate form of public humiliation was offered in which the official could choose to sing the auction winner’s favorite song in lieu of taking a pie hit.

MacDougall, Meerbott and Sochin went for the Karoake option, but Vrooman and Bell good-naturedly accepted pies in the face.

“I love our residents too much to inflict my singing on them,” Vrooman explained.

The annual Food Fight wrapped things up as those residents who dared participated with messy but gleeful enthusiasm.

During a special groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, Mar. 23, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson, Cutler Bay Mayor Paul Vrooman as well as other council members took the first step that will bring long-needed street lighting to residents of Cutler Bay’s Lakes by the Bay subdivision.

The morning ceremony at SW 216th Street and Old Cutler Road near the Lakes by the Bay entrance included Vice Mayor Ed MacDougall and councilmembers Tim Meerbott and Peggy Bell as they joined the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department in the project, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Street Lighting Improvement.

The streetlights will brighten SW 216th Street from Old Cutler Road to SW 87th Avenue in Cutler Bay. For this project, Commissioner Sorenson committed $571,159.84 from ARRA funds. ARRA money totaling $2,839,223 was used to fund that project, another street lighting project on Franjo Road from SW 184th Street to S. Dixie Highway, three roadway resurfacing projects on SW 104th Street from SW 117th Avenue to SW 107th Avenue and ADA bus stop access, internally illuminated street name signs, and pedestrian crossing signals (LED countdown).

“Thanks to ARRA, we had the funds necessary for vital street lighting improvements in Lakes by the Bay as well as other public works projects in District 8,” Commissioner Sorenson said.

Councilmember Bell was instrumental in making the Miami-Dade County streetlight project happen, according to town clerk Erika Gonzalez-Santamaria and Public Works director Rafael G. Casals. “Since the Town’s incorporation, Councilmember Bell and town staff have been involved with the Lakes by the Bay Homeowner’s Association and attended several HOA meetings, concerning the lack of streetlights along SW 216th Street,” Casals said. “Originally, the Lakes by the Bay developer installed solar lights along SW 216th Street that were very dim and some that were inoperable.”

After Bell and Casals met several times with Miami-Dade Public Works Department’s Street Lighting Division and Sorenson’s Office, everyone was in agreement that the existing dark unsafe conditions along SW 216th Street needed to be addressed. Plans were completed by Miami-Dade County Public Works Department, but they still needed a funding source.

“Once the federal stimulus funding became available to Miami-Dade County, both town staff and Councilmember Bell continued to express the need for funding this project,” Casals explained. “The SW 216th Street project was selected as one of the countywide street lighting improvements, within the county’s ARRA allocation.”

Bell explained her commitment to the project and the need for improved lighting in the area.

“For many years the Lakes by the Bay Homeowners Association and I have been working on acquiring street lighting for SW 216th Street,” Bell said. “This county road is a main thoroughfare for traffic heading to the local elementary and middle school, as well as Black Point Marina. As the road is located in the Town of Cutler Bay, I asked for help from our staff. Though there was no money available for the project, I enlisted our Public Works director, Ralph Casals.”

Bell said that they worked cooperatively with the county to accomplish this goal once the county was able to secure a stimulus grant to pay for the lighting. She appreciated Commissioner Sorenson’s efforts to improve the lives of Cutler Bay residents.

“This goes to show how great things can be done when the right people work together,” Bell said. “I thank our commissioner and her county staff; the HOA president, Jackie Shand, and her board, and our town for getting this project off the ground. The lighting will be finished in 120 days, which means our children will no longer be waiting for the bus in the dark when school begins next fall.”