Once again I must state my case that what happens in North Miami doesn’t stay in North Miami. Even though some of my readers in North Miami Beach bypass North Miami stories, anything concerning our neighbor to the south either directly or indirectly affects NMB.
As reported in the Miami Herald this morning, After spending $100,000 North Miami may ditch carnival plans, its city council will vote on whether or not to proceed with its plans to host a mardi gras carnival in April. Since the proposed route will shut down Biscayne Boulevard from 160th Street to 151 Street, it will require the approval and cooperation from the city of North Miami Beach.
Can you say “Traffic nightmare?”
The consultant, MAJ Investment Group, obviously believes that this is no big deal. Residents of both cities, as well as travelers using our main artery, would disagree. Biscayne Boulevard is already a congested mess on the best of days. A single car accident on this street can wreak literal havoc for commuters and first responders for hours on end. Closing this street for any period of time whatsoever would be an unmitigated disaster. Not to mention a severe drain on our resources.
If either city were to hold a carnival, a much better venue would be along West Dixie Highway, which has much less traffic than Biscayne Boulevard.
Unfortunately, no one asked my opinion.
While North Miami seems to have money to burn (for now, anyway) and plenty of police personnel to handle an event such as this one, North Miami Beach does not. Our police department is in a major transition period, with a new chief taking over only today. In addition, our department is down to a skeleton crew and we have more than enough problems to keep its officers busy around the clock without the added burden of a carnival.
According to the article, North Miami will be the sole beneficiary of the revenue from this mardi gras, which is “30 percent commission from the sponsorships the consultant secures.”
North Miami Beach will receive bupkes. Not counting aggravation.
The good news is that neither North Miami mayor Lucie Tondreau nor city manager Stephen Johnson are inclined to go along with this proposal. Miami Herald reporter Philippe Buteau reported that Johnson claimed that “hosting carnivals isn’t the city staff’s forte” and that the mayor “doesn’t believe the city needs a carnival.” Kudos to both of them!
Since North Miami has already shelled out nearly $100,000.00 in consulting fees just to present this to the city council, as had already been approved by the previous administration, it’s awfully generous of this city council to consider cutting their losses and scrapping the whole mess entirely. It’s also very gracious of them considering the problems it would cause for North Miami Beach, assuming our council would even consider going along with the deal.
The consultant’s representative, Ringo Cayard, was quoted as saying, “We have to be good neighbors. We just can’t impose.”
Considering the imposition this event would be on North Miami Beach, not to mention drivers on Biscayne Boulevard, I commend the mayor and city manager of North Miami for doing the neighborly thing in discouraging the city council from going forward with this plan. Hopefully, they will agree on November 12, 2013 when it comes before them for a vote.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Hey..bite your tongue about W Dixie! There are plenty of residential areas right off W Dixie that would rather not see the Carnival route on W Dixie. It’s not the parade as much as it would be the noise,garbage and general mayhem all day and night. They should have it over by the FIU campus, plenty of open space and parking available! And you didn’t even have to pay me $100K to figure that out. Wonder how many broken sidewalks $100K would have repaired??
If NMB wants a say, they should joint-venture with NM. If not, then — to quote Steph herself — STFU!
It’s largely a PARADE. The whole point is to have it on a prominent thoroughfare. Parades in NYC are not held in Central Park.
The Junior Orange Bowl Parade In Coral Gables isn’t held at the local high school, Youth Center or Biltmore Hotel. It’s right smack down the middle of town. And it “inconveniences” nearby municipalities (it really doesn’t, but I threw that out anyway).
But yes, there are other things that are not parade-related, and I see the point of above poster. FIU seems easier. But easier doesn’t mean better.
It will be a minor inconvenience. Get over it. Have fun, attend. You might even have a good time.
If it helps, pretend it’s a Columbus Day parade, or Israeli Independence Day parade, or Russian Oligarch Day parade — whatever else makes you feel more comfortable.
But the real story here… Sounds like someone hasn’t kissed Lucie’s ass enough to satisfy her ginormously inflated sense of worth.
I recall her saying during the campaign that Carnival would be a wonderful event for the city. I believe she even spoke in favor of it before the NM Council voted 5-0 to move ahead.
I have $100 that says Lucie will embrace the event — and insist that she is the Grande Marshall!
considering the city of NMB must also approve the closing of Biscayne Blvd (no one even mentioned FDOT, who actually controls US1)
this is definitely a subject the community at large should be discussing.
There are many great places this could be held, and I for one think the FIU campus would be an optimal location.