Village West residents gain two representatives in Village Council elections

Village West residents now have two people from the community to represent them on the Coconut Grove Village Council – Stephen Murray and Renita Ross Samuels-Dixon.

The two candidates were among the top 9 vote-getters from a field of 17 candidates in the Nov. 3 election, in which Patrick Sessions, a developer and Grove resident for 45 years, received the highest percentage of votes – 9.2 percent. Samuels-Dixon received nearly 7 percent and Murray about 6.3 percent of the 10,555 votes cast in the race

Lottie Person, an outgoing Village Council member from Village West, stood outside the Frankie Rolle Center, 3750 S. Dixie Hwy., on Election Day encouraging people to vote. Samuels-Dixon volunteers waved signs and passed out brochures at almost every precinct in Coconut Grove yesterday.

“113. Who is that? 113. Who is that? Re-ni-ta,” she yelled.

The hard work paid off and Dixon took almost 7 percent of the vote, the sixth highest percentage for a single candidate.

Samuels-Dixon said she was thankful for her team’s effort and the support of her community.

Though she lives in the Village West, she campaigned on a message of unification. There is no West or Central Grove, just Coconut Grove, Samuels-Dixon said.

“The work is just beginning and we need input from all residents to provide ideas and suggestions to how we can sustain and bring equitable living conditions to all in Coconut Grove,” she added.

Receiving about 6.2 percent of the vote, Murray, 21, became the youngest resident ever elected to the Village Council and one of the youngest elected officials in the history of Miami.

For the past three months Murray, a Democratic Committeeman and University of Miami student, conducted a rigorous grassroots campaign. He held barbecues, knocked on doors and spoke at home owners’ meetings as he tried to frame himself as the outsider who would fight for the Village West, unswayed by political pressures.

“I am extremely humbled and appreciative of the individuals who did the hard work to get me elected. I could not have done it without the people who came out day after day for someone they believed was the best person to serve their community,” said Murray early Wednesday morning.

The focus of Murray’s agenda will be scaling back gentrification efforts on Grand Avenue and balancing budget allocation which significantly favors the Northeastern Grove community.

Billy Gore, a Grove resident and uncle of the San Francisco 49ers Frank Gore, said the Village Council needs to make sure that Coconut Grove is not overlooked by Miami City Commissioners.

“We pay the most taxes of any Miami community. We built this city,” Gore said.

Other winners are incumbents David B. Collins (7.7 percent) and Felice Dubin (6 percent); and first-time candidates Kate Callahan (7.4 percent), Michelle Niemeyer (7.3 percent) David Eric Wells (7 percent) and Heather Bettner (6.5 percent)

Every candidate received an email from Martin Zilber, Village Council outgoing chairman. He congratulated them on the election and requested to meet with new members. The first time the new Village Council will meet is Nov. 12.

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