November 2007 YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO PREPARED FOR HURRICANE SEASON! We are amidst hurricane season and although information is vast and readily avaialable, you can never be too prepared. Hurricane season begins June 1st and ends on November 30th. If you did not take the opportunity to plan and prepare before the season began, there is no better time than now. The best approach is to be organized; create a personal emergeny prepardness plan which can be executed by every member of your family; have a hurricane checklist. Make sure your plan includes emergency contact numbers, a plan B and a role for every memeber of your household. If you are a special needs person without a care giver to assist you during a storm, Miami-Dade County has a special assistance program for disasters. You must register in advance. Dial 311 for more information. Remeber your pets! If you must evacuate plan to take pets to a veterinary clinic or hotel which accepts them. Pet food, water, ID, collar, leash, proof of vaccinations and current photo. GIRL THERE IS NO REASON TO BE BORED THIS SUMMER! The City's Parks & Recreation department offers an exciting schedule of activities and programs for every age group. This summer get up, get active and get involved. Kick your heels up line dancing, learn how to swim, get fit with water aerobics or join the "Miami Gardens Ballers" adult basketball league. If physical activity is not for you, programs offer an opportunity to socialize, gather or get involved with the acadamy. Enjoy a night under the stars in our Summer Movie Series. Bring your lawn chair and blankets and watch some of the latest movies. Senior Happenings offers weekly senior getherings at various parks. The gatherings are a time to recreate, socialize, and learn from special guests. Teen Summer Nights invites teens to come out on select Friday nights during the summer months to hang out, socialize, watch movies, and compete in Wii tournaments. Some of these activities are FREE and others require a minimal fee. Volunteers are always needed to assist with the athletic sport development and After-School programs. We have only highlighted a few of the programs and activities however there are a number of schediled activities taking place throughout the summer. For a list of these activities, schedules, fees or more information please call our Parks and Recreation department at (305)652-1732 or vist the web site at www.miamigardens-fl.gov. Neighborhood Watch: Help our police make the community a safer place to live, work and play. Every community is looking to improve their quality of life. The Miami Gardens Police Department is enlisting the active participation of residents, in cooperation with law enforcement, to reduce crime in communities throughout the City. Neighbors working together in cooperation with law enforcement can create one of the best crime fighting teams to combat crime. We depend heavily on your assistance in reporting crime to the police. The program calls upon residents to step forward and assist the police in organizing the community into a cohesive unit working toward the goal of building a safer, crime-free neighborhood. Neighborhood Watch groups discuss neighborhood crime problems with the objective of developing solutions to local problems. Neighborhood Watch groups discuss neighborhood crime problems with the objective of developing solutions to local problems. Miami Gardens Police Officers supply crime information to neighborhood watch organizations and instruct these groups in various crime prevention techniques. Our alliance and commitment will establish an infrastructure that in times of disasters or other emergencies, we can come together to find solutions or other positive courses of action. For more information on neighborhood watch in your area, please contact the Community Relations Officers Joe Bradwell and Rosita Clark, at 305. 474.6473. Remember by volunteering you are Removal of Junk Vehicles The City of Miami Gardens is continuing its efforts to keep Miami Gardens beautiful. The next phase of the City’s visual improvement began on June 30, 2008, with a city-wide removal of all abandoned, derelict and/or junk vehicles parked or stored on the public right-of-way within the City limits. This operation will be conducted by the City’s Code Enforcement Department. “The City of Miami Gardens is committed to improving the quality of life for residents, business owners and visitors. It is important that citizens cooperate and support these efforts as it benefits everyone in the community. This is one of many continuing improvements planned by the City to help us meet a number of goals, including a reduction in criminal activity, arson and vandalism,” says Mayor Shirley Gibson. The goal of this operation is to (1) remove all illegally stored vehicles from the public right-of-way; (2) improve the visual appeal of neighborhoods; (3) deter future storage of abandoned, derelict and/or junk vehicles on all public right-of-way in the City; (4) and to eliminate hideouts for criminal elements or activities. A vehicle is considered abandoned, derelict and/or junk if has flat tires, a broken windshield; no tag/expired tag, excessive damage, and missing engine parts such that it cannot be driven. The placement of these vehicles on public property is detrimental to the public safety, health and welfare. If you are aware of any abandoned, derelict and/or junk cars, vans, trucks, trailers, buses etc., on any public right-of-way within the City of Miami Gardens please send an e-mail to codeenforcement@cityofmiamigardens-fl.gov or call our office at (305) 622-8020. We do not require any personal information from callers making complaints or reporting information for this project; please just advise us of the location and description of the vehicle(s). Keep Miami Gardens Beautiful Award The City of Miami Gardens is now accepting nominations for the “Keep Miami Gardens Beautiful Award”. Residents can nominate their own property, or a neighbor’s property. The properties will be judged on their overall appearance and “curbside appeal”. Landscape and gardens are a part of the judging criteria. Each quarter the committee will recognize residential, commercial, and public properties, to receive the “Keep Miami Gardens Beautiful Award”. The committee will also select one City block annually for the Block Award, and award special recognition to selected decorated properties for their holiday displays. Do you know of worthy nominees? If so, please fill out this nomination form and return it to: Keep Miami Gardens Beautiful, c/o City of Miami Gardens, 1515 NW 167 St., Bldg. 5 Suite 200, Miami Gardens, Fl. 33169; or fax it to 305-622-8032. You may reach us at 305-622-8009.Note: The Fall Quarter Deadline is September 15th, 2008.   CONTACT INFO Ula Francoise Zucker Media & Events Coordinator T: 305-622-8035 uzucker@miamigardens-fl.gov Stephanie Saenz Media & Events Planner T: 305-622-8000 x.2004 ssaenz@miamigardens-fl.gov Lillie Q. Odom, Community Outreach Specialist T: 305-622-8000 x.2313 lodom@miamigardens-fl.gov MAYOR AND COUNCIL Mayor Shirley Gibson Vice-Mayor Barbara Watson Councilmembers Melvin L. Bratton Aaron Campbell Jr. Andrè Williams Sharon Pritchett Oscar Braynon II City Manager Dr. Danny O. Crew City Clerk Ronetta Taylor City Attorney Sonja K. Dickens CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS July 2008 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Be a part of the great changes taking place in Miami Gardens. July Council Meetings: Start promptly @ 7p.m. City of Miami Gardens City Hall Council Chambers Wed. July 9, 2007 Wed. July 23, 2007 The City of Miami Gardens, Striving to be the best! The City of Miami Gardens was incorporated on May 13, 2003 as the 33rd city in Miami-Dade County. At a population of approximately 109,000, it is the third largest city in Miami-Dade County. Miami Gardens is a solid, working and middle class community of unique diversity. It is the largest predominantly African-American municipality in the State of Florida and boasts many Caribbean residents. In 2007, the City hosted the 41st annual Super Bowl. In 2009, the City will host the college BCS Championship Game and in 2010, will host the 43rd Super Bowl. For more information visit www.miamigardens-fl.gov

City of Miami Gardens • 1515 N.W. 167th Street, Suite 200 • Miami Gardens • FL • 33169

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