Letter to the Editor MIAMI HERALD May 9th, 2014
The recent departure of our last city manager hopefully heralds the end of an autocratic style of government which minimized the flow of information and marginalized the input of citizens. While optimistically wishing that I am correct, I am concerned. In the City’s “E-News” of May 7, there is another “announcement” about expensive public art pieces being planned for the two “Segovia Circles” at Biltmore Way and Coral Way.
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This is a project conjured up by the departed manager without broad-based input. In fact, it appears that someone in the city has narrowed the list of “artists” to five “semi-finalists.” This is reportedly a $1 million-plus project which has never had a public airing with the citizens who live in the area. The circle at Coral Way it the main entrance to the Greenway Drives – one of our classic historic neighborhoods bordering Granada Golf Course. One would think that the residents should have a voice in determining if (1) they desire to have large art work in the circles and (2) if so, what type of art work. After all, this will impact the vision and value of our homes.
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Those of us who live on the Greenways already host one of the City’s most active outdoor centers in our front yards. We have golfers, joggers, skate-boarders, bikers, walkers, walkers with pets (large and small), excessive on-street parking caused by catering events at the Country Club as well as overflow rush hour-traffic (morning and evening) from Coral Way. The homeowners take this activity in stride seven days a week from before dawn to well into the evening.
You would think that the City government might consider that it would be appropriate to give us the courtesy of weighing in on “nice-to-have” but certainly not essential projects which will impact our quality of life. I strongly support art in public places, but I might suggest that the city focus, instead, on solving the crime problems which greatly impact our standard of living.
Isn’t it time to go back to the days of open, participative government with a warm, embracing administration where citizens can be heard?
Jeannett Slesnick, Coral Gables
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