WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2009

City Of Coral Gables Budget Is Approved

On September 29, the City of Coral Gables adopted a budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 which began October 1, 2009 and ends on September 30, 2010. The total budget for this new fiscal year is $147,111,960 — a $2,514,563 decrease when compared to the previous year’s budget of $149,626,523. The City was able to reduce its budget despite significant increases to its operating costs which include rising pension costs and utility rates, among other necessary expenditures. The millage rate, which funds a portion of the budget, was set at 5.895 per $1,000 of taxable value. It’s lower than the rate of 6.150 mills the City had for fiscal year 2007. The current budget is not the cure to all of the City’s financial issues, therefore further belt-tightening and other changes are necessary. Coral Gables, like virtually every city in the United States, is coping with significant financial difficulties. This year is probably the most challenging for cities in a generation.

Employees are working harder to provide quality services with fewer people. Approximately 70 full-time positions were eliminated leaving the City with approximately 800 employees - that’s the fewest number of employees in more than 20 years. As part of the budget, management, professional and technical employees are contributing an additional 5% to the pension system for a cost reduction of approximately $500,000. Firefighters received a 5% pay cut along with other reductions in compensation for a total savings to the City of approximately $1,100,000. Police began contributing 5% of their pay to the pension system. Their pension contribution along with other significant concessions will in the future save the City approximately $1,500,000 annually. Negotiations with the union representing general employees are ongoing.

At 5.895 mills, Coral Gables has one of the lowest rates in Miami-Dade County. Furthermore, out of the total amount of property taxes you pay to the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s Office, 38% is directed to the Miami-Dade County Public School System, 32% is directed to Miami-Dade County, 27% goes to the City of Coral Gables and the balance is sent to the State. While the budget has been adopted, the City will continue to evaluate its operations as we strive to preserve the high standards, quality of life and beauty that make Coral Gables a special place. 

City To Host Town Hall Meeting
On H1N1 Flu Prevention

If you’d like to know more about the H1N1 flu, here’s an opportunity to find out everything you can do to prevent it. The City of Coral Gables and the Miami-Dade County Health Department will host a Town Hall Meeting on Monday, October 19, from 6-7 p.m. at the War Memorial Youth Center, located at 405 University Drive. Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick, representatives from the Coral Gables Fire Department and Miami Dade County Health Department will be present at this meeting.  The event is free and open to the public. Those interested in learning about the preventive measures to avoid the H1N1 flu at home, at school and at work are encouraged to attend. There is great interest in what will happen during the upcoming U.S. influenza season. This Town Hall meeting will address the most important issues to prevent infection, avoid further contamination and recommended medical treatment. For additional information, contact the Coral Gables Fire Department at 305-460-5588.  

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Set For Roundabout

With the planting of six beautiful Royal Palm Trees and additional landscaping and lighting, the Coral Way and Segovia Roundabout is finally complete. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Tuesday, October 27, immediately after the City Commission meeting. The ceremony commemorates the traffic calming measure which has eased the commute during rush hour at this busy intersection. The event is open to the public; light refreshments will be served. Parking is available at the parking lot across from First United Methodist Church on Hernando Street and Coral Way; behind City Hall and along Biltmore Way. A welcoming tent will be placed across the street from the roundabout at the Granada Golf Course. Funding for this roundabout came from Road Impact Fees at a construction cost of approximately $700,000. For more information, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.  

e-News Receives National Award of Excellence

Congratulations to the City of Coral Gables for making an impression at the recent 2009 Savvy Awards Competition. The City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA), the leading organization for local governments that are innovating new and better ways of communicating with their citizens, selected the City of Coral Gables e-News for an Award of Excellence at the National Savvy Awards Competition in the category of Digital Interactive Newsletter. Judges comments heralded the electronic newsletter as “well organized with magazine style articles filled with topics targeting a diverse audience. The Spanish translation again demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to the diversity of their readers.” The free newsletter, produced by the Office of Public Affairs, is e-mailed every other week keeping citizens informed about everything and anything happening in the City Beautiful.  

Celebrate Our City, October 18 – 24

Florida City Government Week is an ongoing effort sponsored by the Florida League of Cities as a very special time to recognize the important role played by city government in our lives. Most importantly, this week is a time to spread the word to all citizens of Florida that they are an integral part of the government that is closest to the people. Cities provide a higher level of service than most governments, are generally rated higher by the public than any other level of government, and yet, many residents are unaware of how city services impact their lives. Several schools in our city are participating in this celebration by having community leaders speak to their students about the role of city government.  Do you know how the City of Coral Gables services has influenced your daily life? Do your children attend summer camps at the Youth Center or are you a senior who enjoys the activities provided by the Adult Activity Center? Send us a note with your experiences on “Coral Gables is My City: I’m Part of It, I’m Proud of It.” The best testimonials will be posted on the city’s website.  

New Hours For Trolley, Youth Center

Due to budget issues, the Coral Gables Trolley is announcing new hours of service effective immediately. The new schedule is Monday to Friday (except the first Friday of every month) from 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. On Gallery Night, held the first Friday of every month, the Coral Gables Trolley service will continue in service until 10 p.m. In addition, the War Memorial Youth Center will be now open on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The facility hours from Monday to Friday remain the same from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The decision to close early on Saturdays was based on dollars versus impact since after 4 p.m. there is very little demand for the use of the Youth Center. For more information on the Coral Gables Trolley, call 305-460-5070; for the War Memorial Youth Center, call 305-460-5600. 

Community To Stand United Against Drugs

The City of Coral Gables will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week, October 23 through October 31, 2009 as this community takes a stand against drugs. The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers murdered Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent, in Mexico City in 1985. This began a tradition of displaying red ribbons as a symbol of intolerance toward the use of drugs. Red Ribbon Week serves as a vehicle for communities and individuals to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of our children through a commitment to drug prevention and education and a personal commitment to live drug free lives with the ultimate goal being the creation of drug free America. Throughout this week, you can pick up a red ribbon at Coral Gables City Hall and wear it to show your support for living a drug free life.  

Gables To Bay Regatta Set For October 17

The Gables to the Bay Regatta is a scenic and challenging low impact paddle race through the waterways of Coral Gables through Biscayne Bay with a grand finish in Coconut Grove. The event is a fundraiser to help with the Waterway Renaissance project which is intended to beautify, clean, protect and enjoy Coral Gables waterways. The regatta begins at 10 a.m. at Gables Waterway on Riviera Drive and US 1 and finishes at Shake A Leg, 2620 South Bayshore Drive in Coconut Grove. At the finish of the regatta, the event will have a fun family celebration with the official band, Live Bait. The regatta will have divisions for canoes, kayaks, standing paddle boats, fun and Shake-A-Leg division. Prizes will be awarded.  The Water Renaissance project, in conjunction with the Coral Gables Community Foundation’s Parknership Program, is a group of residents focused on our area’s unique eco-systems and parks. For more information, click here.  

Gables Community Foundation
To Host Masquerade Ball

You’re invited to a night of intrigue and mystery at the Coral Gables Community Foundation’s annual black tie fundraiser, the Masquerade Ball. Formerly known as “The Greening of the Gables Gala,” this year’s event falls one week before Halloween. Don your black tie and Venetian-style mask, be ready to eat, dance and be merry at the elegant Comber Hall, 1251 Palermo Avenue, on Friday, October 23, 7-10 p.m. This fundraiser event benefits the projects of the Coral Gables Community Foundation. For tickets and more information, call Andria Hanley at 305-446-9670.