Road and baseball field named for Jack McCall

Jack McCall had such a huge impact on the Optimist Club of Miami Lakes that Town Council members granted him the ultimate honor.
At the April 9 regular Town Council meeting, lawmakers sponsored legislation proposed by Mayor Manny Cid to rename the road leading to the Optimist Clubhouse after McCall, and name the 10U baseball field as Jack McCall Field.
Cid said he received so many emails and phone calls from residents to honor McCall and the legacy he left behind.
McCall spent 46 years at the club coaching youths on his T-ball and Mustang leagues Athletic teams he called the Green Machine, a moniker he adopted years ago as the Little League version of the 1970s Cincinnati Reds’ Big Red Machine, and because of his Irish heritage.
McCall, born in Pennsylvania, joined the Optimist Club in 1973 and created a legacy marked by three generations of coaching and participation and he served as the organization’s president and South Florida District Optimist International’s lieutenant governor and two-term governor.
In 2012, he was enshrined in the South Florida District Optimist International Hall of Fame, signifying four decades of devotion to helping youths both on and off the field.
In addition, McCall was inducted into the inaugural class for the Miami Lakes Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, joining former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, the NFL’s winningest coach, former Dolphins tight end Jim Mandich, and former MLB player Alex Ochoa.
To commemorate its 50th anniversary this year, the Optimist Club will enshrine Jack McCall into the organization’s inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2019 in July honoring a man who devoted his life to coaching kids and helped improved their academic skills in the classroom for 45 years.
McCall passed away in March at the age of 83.
In other Town Council news:
• Council members gave their final approval for an ordinance to amend the town’s land development code to post human trafficking awareness signs in commercial areas, hotels, apartment buildings and parks and recreation centers in the town.
At the behest of lawmakers, the town’s Planning and Zoning Board studied the issue and passed an ordinance two weeks ago for council members’ consent in an effort to protect youth and innocent victims from sexual exploitations.
The measure requires the town to post human trafficking awareness signs in commercial areas, hotels, motels, apartment buildings, night clubs, massage pallors, parks and recreation centers throughout the town. All signs will be printed in English and Spanish.
• Council members gave their final approval for an ordinance to change the structure of fees and penalties that are codified to ensure all costs associated with the rights-of-way permits are fully cost recovered. It is the desire that no costs related to a rights-of-way permits is borne by the taxpayers of Miami Lakes.
• Council members gave their final approval for an ordinance sponsored by Joshua Dieguez to change the town’s code to provide for a two month RFP process with town residents input followed by a two month deliberation process by council members in the event the town attorney office is vacant. The process specifically addresses the process for the hiring of an outside law firm, the current model.
In addition, lawmakers gave their final approval for Dieguez’s ordinance to change the process for selecting a town manager should the position be vacated. The Town Selection Committee would be changed to the Town Manger Selection Advisory Board to clear up confusion during the recent search for a new town manager.
• Council members gave their initial approval for an ordinance to establish a dockles mobility program to regulate dockless mobility equipment and motorized scooters within Miami Lakes. The dockless bike-share quickly spread across the county and made it easier for local governments to provide alternative modes of transportation for their communities.
• Council members gave their initial approval for an ordinance to permit decks in the street side yard setback of RU-IZ corner lots providing for a minimum setback of three feet and to allow up to 60 percent of the required yards of such lots to be impervious.
• Council members approved a resolution to authorize the town manager to award contracts for the purchase and installation of playground safety surface, new swing shade structure, and a expression swing set at Miami Lakes Picnic Park West to Robertson Industries and Play-Power Inc not to exceed budgeted funds.
• Lawmakers approved a resolution to give the town attorney the green light to take Eminent Domain action on private property located near N.W. 59 Avenue so the town can proceed with the connector road project along N.W. 151 Street.
The extension and redevelopment project includes the design and construction of a bridge and roadway improvement extending along N.W. 59 Avenue over a canal south to N.W. 151 Street.
The town was able to acquire land near Opa-locka Airport from Miami-Dade’s aviation department but a nearby owner refused to sell his property to complete the project.
• Lawmakers approved a resolution to authorize the town manager to execute a contract with Florida Engineering and Development, Corp. for the N.W. 60 Avenue bicycle/pedestrian improvement project in an amount not to exceed $1.1 million.
• Council members approved a resolution authorize the town manager to execute the interlocal agreement with the county for wrapping of traffic signal controller cabinets operated and maintained by Miami-Dade.
Utility boxes such as traffic signal controller cabinets offer an opportunity to encourage public art and beautification.
• Lawmakers approved Dieguez’s proposal to create a plan for bulky waste pick up during one week each month. He said the idea was inspired by a resident and aligns with one of the purposes for incorporation to provide enhanced service to the community, and consistent with the town’s strategic master plan.
• Council members approved Councilmember Carlos Alvarez’s proposal for additional accessibility regarding meeting with constituents which is an alternate to Mayor Manny Cid’s meeting twice a month on the first and third Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Alvarez’s plan would require council members to work on Saturdays and be accessible to meet with residents and address any of their concerns and offer solutions.
The meetings would also include meeting with homeowners associations and listen to their concerns and how to improve their quality of life.
• Lawmakers approved Councilmember Marilyn Ruano and Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez proposal to reinstate the Miami Lakes’ Blasting Advisory Committee to get council members and residents informed about the blasting issue in Tallahassee and recommend more solutions to the explosions that are allegedly causing property damages.
The Blasting Advisory Committee finished with its business but Ruanao, who created the group, and Rodriguez said members did it good job and that they should continue to help the town address the rock miners’ blasting.
• Council members approved Cid’s recommendation to eliminate the process where residents need to fill out pink card (in opposition to an item) and a green card (in favor of an item) to participate in public comments and change the buzzer for public comments to a clock.
Cid believes the public should be able to speak on any subject without identifying their position beforehand and utilize an actual clock that the public can see the time instead of a buzzer letting them know their time is up.
• Council members approved Cid’s proposal to honor all of the town’s volunteers since incorporation by dedicating a wall inside the council chambers as a tribute to the volunteers.
“I think it’s a great and may inspire future generations to give back,” Cid said.
Councilmember Luis Collazo also wanted to honor Miami Lakes’ first town manager Merritt Steirheim and resident Felicia Salazar who designed the town’s seal.
• Town Manager Edward Pidermann outlined a plan to reduce speeding in the Balgowan area including bike lanes only, traffic circle and a planted median. Pidermann said council members will give their feedback during a council strategic plan workshop which is scheduled for May.