When the mayor of Miami Lakes delivers the annual State of the Town address sometime next month, the event will be bittersweet for a man who fought for nine months to get his job back following his acquittal of federal bribery charges.
It’s the first speech to list the town’s accomplishments and goals for next year for Mayor Michael Pizzi since 2013, when Governor Rick Scott suspended him from political office following his arrest.
He’s glad to be back, but his speech might be based on the accomplishments made by other council members during his absence from the dais at Miami Lakes Town Hall.
Nevertheless, Pizzi and council members are focusing on the town’s future and resume rendering municipal services residents and business owners have embraced since incorporation.
In words that should effectively serve as a speech for a brighter future, the mayor will mention the town’s accomplishments for the current fiscal year that include completing two major storm water drainage and canal bank stabilization projects for $1.3 million, and what lies ahead for 2016.
State Representatives Manny Diaz and Jose Oliva and State Senator Rene Garcia helped the town secure $1.3 million funding for two storm water drainage and canal bank stabilization projects.
Governor Rick Scott vetoed $800,000 of the funding for the second part of Miami Lakes' canal stabilization project of the remaining portions of the Golden/Peter Pike Canal and drainage updates on the west side of town.
But Scott allowed the town to keep $300,000 the lawmakers secured for drainage improvements for the Lake Sarah neighborhood, as part of the town’s storm water master plan.
The town is currently making drainage and roadway improvements to Lake Martha and Lake Hilda for an estimated at $1.9 million.
For next year, Miami Lakes anticipates the opening of the new youth center at Picnic Park East and the new clubhouse at Miami Lakes Optimist Park.
The new fire station on the west side is also set to open sometime this year to place firefighters in a better position to respond to emergencies in areas west of the Palmetto Expressway.
In addition, a new dog park is set to open this year, an off-lease dog recreation area at 14048 Palmetto Frontage Road (N.W. 77 Court).
For transit improvement, the town amended its Miami Lakes Moover bus route to better serve the 6.5 square-mile city, including a twice daily connection to Hialeah Miami Lakes High School.
The extension to HML will provide about 400 Miami Lakes residents attending the school the opportunity to take transit to school to help reduce traffic gridlock.