Mpo Meeting Case Study
The MPO meeting began with a roll call and the pledge of allegiance. A majority of the MPO Governance Board were in attendance including, non-voting member FDOT District Six Secretary Gus Pego. Also present was Florida House of Representative Kionne McGhee, FDOT Assistant Secretary Brian Blanchard, Mayor of Miami-Dade Carlos Gimenez, Deputy Mayor of Miami-Dade Russell Benford, Director of MDX Louis Martinez, Mayor of Palmetto Bay Eugene Flinn, Mayor of Cutler Bay Peggy Bell and Mayor of Village of Pinecrest Cindy Lerner.
During the meeting, the MPO Governance Board spent a large portion of its time discussing the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan—a multi-county transit projected aimed at improving transportation throughout Miami-Dade …show more content…
FDOT Assistant Secretary Brian Blanchard took to the podium to say a few words before departing to catch a flight. Mayor Gimenez then presented to the board his stance on the plan and vowed to support it.
Following Mayor Gimenez presentation, Florida House of Representative Kionne McGhee commended the board for their diligence in seeing the plan through and introduced to the podium Palmetto Bay’s mayor, Eugene Flinn, Cutler Bay’s mayor, Peggy Bell and Village of Pinecrest’s mayor, Cindy Lerner. Mayor Flinn, Bell and Lerner all addressed the board and expressed their interest in assisting the board in its fight to make the plan become a reality. The mayors’ support of the plan stem from the beneficial impact the corridors will have on their residents.
Despite these positive statements, MPO board member Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr. argued that although the plan is a great one, he is skeptical of its ability to come to fruition. He stated the citizens of Dade County have agreed, in the past, to allow funding for specific projects presented to them by government leaders only to see nothing occur. Commissioner Bovo also stated that the state’s inability to follow through with plans previously presented to South Florida residents have created a lack of trust, and that the community needs to be told specifically how the board envisions the funding and construct process of the six future corridors to
During the meeting, the MPO Governance Board spent a large portion of its time discussing the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan—a multi-county transit projected aimed at improving transportation throughout Miami-Dade …show more content…
FDOT Assistant Secretary Brian Blanchard took to the podium to say a few words before departing to catch a flight. Mayor Gimenez then presented to the board his stance on the plan and vowed to support it.
Following Mayor Gimenez presentation, Florida House of Representative Kionne McGhee commended the board for their diligence in seeing the plan through and introduced to the podium Palmetto Bay’s mayor, Eugene Flinn, Cutler Bay’s mayor, Peggy Bell and Village of Pinecrest’s mayor, Cindy Lerner. Mayor Flinn, Bell and Lerner all addressed the board and expressed their interest in assisting the board in its fight to make the plan become a reality. The mayors’ support of the plan stem from the beneficial impact the corridors will have on their residents.
Despite these positive statements, MPO board member Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr. argued that although the plan is a great one, he is skeptical of its ability to come to fruition. He stated the citizens of Dade County have agreed, in the past, to allow funding for specific projects presented to them by government leaders only to see nothing occur. Commissioner Bovo also stated that the state’s inability to follow through with plans previously presented to South Florida residents have created a lack of trust, and that the community needs to be told specifically how the board envisions the funding and construct process of the six future corridors to