Politics

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.
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Election Day 2009: Results in

Election Day 2009 is over. The polls are closed. The results are in.

No single candidate for the Coconut Grove Village Council received an overwhelming majority of the 10,555 votes cast in the race, according to the Miami-Dade Elections Department.

But, the nine candidates that had the highest percentage of votes are as follows: Patrick Sessions with about 9.2 percent; David B. Collins with about 8 percent; Kate Callahan with about 7.4 percent; Michelle Niemeyer with about 7.3 percent; David Eric Wells with about 7 percent; Renita Ross Samuels-Dixon with about 6.8 percent; Heather Bettner with about 6.5 percent; Stephen P. Murray with about 6.3 percent; and Felice Dubin with about 6 percent.

Voter turnout countywide was low, as is the case in most off-year elections.  About 22 percent of Miami-Dade County’s 312, 392 registered voters showed up to the polls Tuesday, the Elections Department said.

The canvassing board must still certify the results.

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Barack Obama Visits Miami

In his two-day visit to Florida this week, President Barack Obama left behind $1.5 million to buoy Democrat congressional races and $200 million in federal stimulus to boost the state’s energy capabilities.

“The president showed a real commitment to Florida for only having had nine months in office,” said Adam Sharon, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami.

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Coconut Grove Village Council Elections

On November 3, Coconut Grove residents will go to the polls to elect their Village Council representatives. All nine spots on the advisory board are up for grabs as the current members’ four year terms expired this fall.

Two incumbents are not seeking reelection, current chair Martin Zilber and Village West activist Lottie Person. Person, who has lived in the Grove since 1999, said she wanted to give young voices an opportunity to be heard.

“Four years is enough for any one person. It is time to give someone else a chance,” she said.

The body was created in 1991 when the Grove was advocating secession. It communicates residents’ concerns over municipal services and development to the Miami City Council. While the council deals with issues affecting the entire Grove, Person is the only currently serving member representing the Village West.
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