As a prelude to Miami-Dade’s September budget hearings, County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez has scheduled six town hall meetings throughout the county to discuss his proposed $4 billion budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Among the town hall meetings is one scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, August 6, at the North Dade Regional Library, 2455 N.W. 183 Street in Miami Gardens. Gimenez and county staff will be on hand to address the budget and...

The Miami Lakes Town Council held its regular monthly meeting on July 9 at the new Government Center building and took the following actions: • Councilmembers approved an ordinance on second reading to adopt a new official zoning map, which doesn’t change the zoning or classification of any property but rather reflects existing ordinances and approvals. The adoption of a new official zoning map is consistent with the Town...

Newly elected Miami Lakes Toastmasters’ officers received officer training for their upcoming terms at the Toastmasters Leadership Institute held in Boca Raton in June. Nearly 400 Toastmasters from Jupiter to Miami gathered at the Olympic Heights Community High School in Boca Raton to learn more about how to carry out their duties as club officers, and to network, share ideas and be inspired. The Miami Lakes Toastmasters Club was...

At the July , regular Miami Lakes Town Council meeting, lawmakers tentatively kept the existing 2.3518 rate for property taxes for the 2013-14 fiscal year, which is $2.3518 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The proposed rate, which is the same as the two previous years, is projected to generate about $5.6 million in property tax revenue for the proposed budget estimated at $14.8 million. The tax roll reflects a gross taxable value of...

On June 25, State Representative Manny Diaz Jr., and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr., hosted a town hall meeting in Miami Lakes at Royal Oaks Park Community Center to discuss issues affecting area residents and their experiences at the recent Legislative Session in Tallahassee.  Annexation was the gist of residents’ concerns after hearing rumors the town was mulling adding an unincorporated area north of the 6.5...