Looks like it's Julio Robaina's fault - lack of any Miami-Dade mayoral debates in northeast M-D to bring their area's unique issues to light

Heading south on U.S.-1 from Hallandale Beach you enter Miami-Dade County and the City of Aventura, with Aventura Hospital on your right. November 16, 2010 photo by South Beach Hoosier.

Looks like that blog post of mine that's been on hold for a bit about the lack of any Miami-Dade mayoral debates in northeast Miami-Dade, to bring their their area's myriad issues to light, looks to be getting closer to print as a result of this afternoon's interesting response from Comm. Sally Heyman's office to earlier missives of mine.

As originally conceived in my head a few weeks ago, my future post was going to blast the putative civic and community leaders in Aventura and North Miami Beach and environs for their community's unwillingness or inability to offer up a suitable venue -with some photos I recently snapped of some prospective locations where the event could've taken place- but clearly, you can't have a debate if someone is actively avoiding you.

Now, we know that is in fact the case with former Hialeah mayor Julio Robaina.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: District4 <District4@miamidade.gov>
Date: Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Subject: RE: Miami--Dade mayoral debates/forums in District Four

Sent on behalf of Commissioner Sally Heyman:

3 events were scheduled in Northeast Dade and Robania declined to come to all.

Office of Commissioner Sally Heyman

1100 N.E. 163rd Street, Suite 303

North Miami Beach, FL 33162

(305) 787-5999

(305) 787-5998 fax

"Delivering Excellence Every Day"

Miami-Dade County is a public entity subject to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes concerning public records. E-mail messages are covered under such laws and thus subject to disclosure. All E-mail sent and received is captured by our servers and kept as a public record.

Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 9:53 AM
To: District4
Subject: Miami--Dade mayoral debates/forums in District Four

May 26th, 2011

Dear Comm. Heyman:

I would greatly appreciate it if your staff could share with me any information they have first-hand knowledge of regarding any public Miami--Dade mayoral debates/forums that have taken place anywhere in District Four since the recall went into effect in March, or of any prospective debates scheduled before the June 28th runoff, with date, time and location.

My research into this matter thus far has shown that there have been approximately ZERO debates in the past and ZERO debates planned for the next four weeks, despite an abundance of facilities within your District that would be more than adequate for the purposes of hosting a debate/forum where NE Dade citizens, could share their unique concerns and issues with the candidates.

Now that there will be a run-off election between Mayor Robaina and Comm. Gimenez, I should think that it would be more important than ever that some, city or non-profit in District Four seize the opportunity to make sure that voters in NE Dade get the very same opportunities to see and hear the candidates, in-person as those in parts of the county south and west of downtown Miami already have -multiple times.

Thanks in advance for your assistance in this matter