Miami Dade celebrates 50 years of Foster Grandparent Program
From David Volz
The Miami Dade County Community Action and Human Services Department (CAHSD) commemorated 50 years of the Foster Grandparent Program and the many dedicated foster grandparents who have volunteered decades of service to the community. The program provides grants to organizations that engage residents 55 years and older in volunteer service and provides one-on-one support to children with special needs to improve their academic, social, and emotional development.
“This win-win program brings children and grandparents together for love, support and benefit for the whole community,” said County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Miami-Dade County is a proud sponsor of the Foster Grandparents Program as it supports the engagement of older adults in our community who have so much to contribute. By sharing their time and experience, we can meet critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, and other community priorities.”
The Foster Grandparent Program was developed by Sargent Shriver as part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty” in 1965. The belief that inspired the founding of the program was that low-income older adults across America have extraordinary gifts to share with vulnerable children in a wide variety of settings. The program is part of The AmeriCorps Seniors, a network of service programs that annually supports the engagement of nearly 500,000 Americans 55 years and older, who in exchange for their service, receive a stipend, lunch, reimbursement for transportation and training. Participation in the FGP volunteer program does not affect any of the participants benefits such as Social Security, SNAP benefits or governmental housing.
“We will continue to recognize these volunteers and their ongoing intensive relationship with the young children they serve, helping to meet community needs,” said CAHSD Director Sonia Grice. The volunteers in this program help children learn to read and provide one-on-one tutoring; mentor teenagers and young mothers; care for premature infants or children with disabilities; help children who have been abused or neglected. Foster Grandparents serve from five to 40 hours weekly, in Public Schools, Head Start and Day Care Centers county-wide.
“Our volunteers not only build multigenerational friendships with their assigned children, but also with the staff at the sites where they serve,” said Shari Garcia, CAHSD’s Elderly and Disability Division’s Foster Grandparent Program Coordinator.
Fort Lauderdale Commission agrees to part ways with City attorney
From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale Commission agreed to fire City Attorney Alain Boileau during a recent meeting. This was considered retribution for alleged mistakes he made during a controversial election that included having three commissioners waiting a month to take office. Boileau’s job was in jeopardy since new Commissioner John Herbst demanded his firing soon after he was sworn into office on December 6.
Herbst did not have enough votes that night. However two new commissioners said they had lost confidence in Boileau and wanted him to leave.
The vote was 3-2. Vice Mayor Warren Sturman joined Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman and Herbst in agreeing to terminate Boileau. Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman wanted Boileau to stay and argued that it was a bad decision for a city facing a series of complex challenges that needed the skills of a person with an expert legal mind.
“You have helped navigate the city through some very difficult times,” Trantalis said to Boileau after the vote.
Boileau served as City Attorney since 2018. The contract separation terms required to place Mr. Boileau on a 60-day administrative leave and to be issued a severance of 20 weeks of pay with benefits. Assistant City Attorney D’Wayne Spence was named Interim City Attorney, effective immediately.
Commissioner Steve Glassman showed respect to Boileau. “I want to thank Boileau for his many years of legal service to the City of Fort Lauderdale. His professionalism, knowledge of the law, and dedication to the city are all greatly appreciated. I with him nothing but the best in his future endeavors,” said Glassman.
The City Commission approved the second reading of an ordinance to rezone 0.77 acres of land located on the east portion of 1700 N. Andrews Ave. The land will be rezoned from Community Facility (CF) District to Residential Multifamily Low Rise/Medium Density (RM-15) District. In a separate ordinance, the Commission approved to rezone an additional 0.42 acres of land on the same site from Community Facility (CF) District to Community Business (CB) District. The applicant has proposed to construct 11 townhouses on the currently vacant site that is now zoned RM-15.
Following a request from members of Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, Inc., the City Commission approved a resolution to name the Botanical Garden at Stranahan Park as the JoAnn Smith Botanical Garden. JoAnn Smith is a member of the Citizen’s Volunteer Corps, a member of the Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Club, and, since 2005, she has been one of the master gardeners of the Botanical Garden and the driving force in the selection, planting, and maintenance of the unique and rare plants that continue to adorn the garden. Ms. Smith was also named the City of Fort Lauderdale Citizen of the Year in 2018. “I brought this request forward because JoAnn has devoted so much of her life to sustaining the historic Fort Lauderdale Women’s Club and creating the phenomenal gardens that surround it,” said Glassman.
The City Commission approved the first reading of an ordinance to streamline the alarm registration and fee collection process for residential and commercial alarm users by using an outside vendor. Staff aims to improve the alarm registration and collection processes with the new ordinance structure.
