He may be a lame duck mayor, but Manny Cid drew more than 80 owners of businesses large and small, bankers, educators and real estate executives who filled a ballroom at the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main to hear what he had to say.
Cid has led the town council for eight years and served on it for 12 years. He is running for mayor of Miami-Dade County and said it needs “someone focused on being the administrator of the county.”
He is hoping the state legislature reforms property insurance this session – “it’s a disaster …that’s why rents are so high in Dade County.”
Cid said he was proud of progress made in Miami Lakes during his tenure and listed a more dense downtown built by The Graham Companies; how more businesses and restaurants are opening, the low crime rate and infrastructure projects.
“We’re going to have a huge turnover on the [town] council,” Cid said. “Six of us are leaving or changing positions. But the positive thing is the group that comes in next is on cruise control.”
He described how the council set taxes at the rollback rate; a stormwater plan paid for with bonds and fully-funded transportation and development projects.
Cid also mentioned the Baptist Emergency Center that will open this year and will reduce response times for local patients.
“I think that’s one of the things I’m proudest of,” Cid said of the changes in town. “When you get something, you’ve got to leave it better than how we received it.”
The next chamber luncheon is set for Feb. 14 at the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main, 6842 Main St.
Networking begins at 11:30 a.m. The speakers will be Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Tony Fernandez and Councilman Ray Garcia.
To register go to MiamiLakesChamber.com.