June Village Council Rundown

The June Coconut Grove Village Council meeting focused on new developments, improvements, and changes in the Grove.

The most surprising change announced at the meeting was the resignation of CGVC Chairman Patrick Sessions who shocked the council with a prepared statement that cited unforeseen occurrences in his personal and business life as his reason for stepping down. However, Sessions also acknowledged conflicts between himself and city officials, which he felt had resulted in the unfair treatment of the CGVC and Grove residents, as another factor in his resignation.

“I am hopeful that whoever follows me will be able to mend some fences,” Sessions said. “I think the best thing I can do for the council and the constituents is to step down.”

Improvements at Ransom Everglades School and developments in the Village West were also brought before the council.

Ellen Moceri, head of Ransom Everglades School, addressed the CGVC to discuss plans to build a regulation-sized swimming pool at the school’s Bayside Campus in Coconut Grove. The pool would be built where the tennis courts are located and would replace the current 38-year-old pool, which has been corroded by saltwater. A City of Miami planning board approved the plans for the pool despite neighbors concerns of added noise and lighting.

Jihad Rashid, president and CEO of the Coconut Grove Collaborative, also addressed the council for their official support of the Gibson Community and Educational Center and the Grand Avenue Kiosks.

The Gibson Community and Educational Center would feature 55 units of affordable housing for the elderly and an educational center, which would provide intergenerational programs for the community. The council unanimously agreed to pass a resolution offering their support for the development and requesting that District 7 County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez release $5 million in government obligation bonds for the project.

The development of the Grand Avenue Kiosks was also unanimously supported by the CGVC. The kiosks would be stationary hut-like stands where local vendors could sell hand-crafted jewelry, artwork and other items. The project has been vetted by the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department. The Grand Avenue Kiosks are pending approval from the property owners of the kiosk locations and City of Miami District 2 Commissioner Marc Sarnoff.

CGVC Vice Chair Felice Dubin expressed her support for the developments.

“If it can start improving the Village West than I think it is great,” Dubin said. “We want [the Village West] to be a part of the community instead of a separate part of the community.”

In an effort to bring the community together and provide support for those in need, Christ Episcopal Church volunteer Vivian Guzman appeared before the council to discuss the church’s food pantry, which is in need of donations. The pantry provides items for grocery bags that are delivered to Grove families every three weeks through collaboration with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Residents interested in donating items are encouraged to contact Christ Episcopal Church at (305) 442-8542.

Council member Heather Bettner discussed a community outreach event on hurricane preparedness taking place on July 14 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Frankie Rolle Community Center. The event, which is sponsored by Shell Lumber and Hardware, will feature a Red Cross spokesperson that will provide resources and information on how “to prepare before, during and after a hurricane,” Bettner said.

The next council meeting will be held at The Grove Spot on July 15 at 7:00 p.m.