 |
 |
 |
 |
Week of September 29, 2005 |
Seven set to be sworn in on county transit panel By Suzy ValentineSeven slots on a Miami-Dade County transportation tax oversight panel have been filled and representatives are to be installed tomorrow (9/30). The Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust is designed to oversee countywide transportation and transit projects and their funding from the half percent transportation surtax on sales in the county approved by voters in November 2002. Appointees for commissioners Bruno Barreiro, Barbara Carey-Shuler, Sally Heyman, Barbara Jordan, Dorrin Rolle and Natacha Seijas, and another representing the Miami-Dade League of Cities, are to be sworn in. Mr. Barreiro, Ms. Carey-Shuler and Ms. Jordan each received a second list of potential candidates in mid-August at the same time Ms. Seijas saw her first list of candidates for this term on the trust. Ms. Heyman, Mr. Rolle and the Miami-Dade League of Cities made their selections before the nominating committee forwarded its recommendations Aug. 11. Term expirations in May led to six of the seven vacancies on the trust. Just Ms. Seijas had to find a replacement. Any commissioner who had rejected a slate a second time would have relinquished the right to choose. Though the county had not imposed a deadline, the commission has the power to appoint a candidate after 30 days if a commissioner could not. One vacancy remains. Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz's representative is on military leave and he has yet to appoint an interim although the commission has amended an ordinance to provide for that procedure. The trust has 15 seats, 13 of which represent commission districts. Mayor Carlos Alvarez and the Miami-Dade League of Cities appoint the other two. Four representatives who are to take the oath tomorrow are to serve their first term. They are Mr. Barreiro's appointee, Jorge Rodriquez-Chomat; Ms. Carey-Shuler's, Anna Ward; Ms. Jordan's representative, Rodney Sanders; and Ms. Seijas' nominee, Angelberto DeCoro, whose term expires in May 2007. Ms. Heyman and Mr. Rolle have reappointed Linda Zilber and Harold Braynon respectively while James Reeder is to represent the Miami-Dade League of Cities for another four years. The trust is to meet again Oct. 28. Unless a panelist resigns or is otherwise unable to continue duties, the nominating committee that chose this round of potential appointees Aug. 11 won't have to meet again until March or April. The trust's executive director plans to advertise vacancies in February. Terms will expire next May for representatives of commissioners Carlos Gimenez, Dennis Moss, Katy Sorenson and Rebeca Sosa. "We're excited to have a full trust," said Nan Markowitz, the trust's executive director, "to continue forward with the implementation of the People's Transportation Plan." |
Top