April showers bring May flowers, but what do elections, transportation meetings and town halls bring?

The Cortadito Calendar starts April off with a long day on transit and transportation talk as the new Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization, the old Metropolian Planning Organization with a new name, meets for two meetings Monday like its in a hurry or something. Then we have another massive Tuesday before us.

What is it about Tuesdays?

As always, please keep sending information about your government meetings, candidate forums and political powwows to edevalle@gmail.com and they’ll keep appearing in the Cortadito Calendar. Try having something on a Wednesday or a Friday.

MONDAY — April 3

10:15 a.m. — The Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (the old MPO) will start an marathon of meetings at 10:15 a.m. Monday — not 10 a.m., not 10:30 a.m. — to discuss fiscal priorities. There will be presentations about financing options as the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority lays out the toll road structure and the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust talks about tax increment financing. There will also be a discussion about integrating any south rail corridor project to a Homestead park and ride.

1:45 p.m. — The same Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization continues its work — like there’s a fire somewhere — with its mobility meeting, in which they will discuss the possibility of establishing a transit authority. Is that another taxing agency? There will also be more presentations as the MDX gives one on its strategic plan and a guy named Jim Wolfe talks about the Coppenhagen tour and pilot project.  They will also hear about the Miami-Dade Quick Build Program. Does it seem to anyone else like a lot is happening on this front?

TUESDAY — April 4

8:30 a.m. –The Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club returned last week with commission candidate Joshua Levy and Puerto Sagua Restaurant was packed (see the photo t the left, courtesy Daniel Ciraldo). This week, the guest speaker is Zachary Eisner, who is also running in Group 2. Next week, we’ll hear from yet another Group 2 candidate, Rafael Velasquez. This looks like it is the real Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club. But longtime moderator, David Kelsey, who is president of the South Beach Hotel and Restaurant Association, hosts another TMBC meeting at another location. He originally was going to launch April 11th but now it’s been postponed to April 25. Meanwhile, this breakfast club will meet this Tuesday morning Puerto Sagua Restaurant, 700 Collins Ave.

9:30 a.m. — The Miami-Dade County Commission is giving mo’ money away at their meeting that begins at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. That includes $19.4 million in information technology equipment and software, $5.5 million to Jacobs Engineering engineering design services for stormwater sewer stuff, another $5.5 million to Ricondo & Associates for aviation planning and consulting services, $5.5 million for training in the human resources department (two separate contracts for $2.5 and $3 million), and $1.6 million for three buses. They’re also going to talk about using some of the County Hall property for a clinic for employees and a day care for employees. And they will probably give final approval to Resorts World Inc, the Genting casino people, to develop a hotel and retail over the Omni bus terminal. The meeting might end by 3 p.m., which is lucky for Commissioner Xavier Suarez because Ladra is certain he will want to go to…

3 p.m. — The city of Miami’s Historic Preservation Board will hear plans from Miami-Dade County and Florida International University to rebuild and re-open the Coconut Grove Playhouse and it looks like there will be plenty of public comment — both for and against. Sure, there are activists and others who support the restoration of the historic building and bring theater back to the Grove. But others think the restoration is really in name only, since the only real part that gets saved is the facade. The proposal aims to demolish the interior of the building and replace the 1,100 seats with a 300-seat theater, a 200-seat restaurant, some retail space and a 400+ space parking garage. Nearby residents are also opposed to having all the loading and garbage access abutting their properties on Charles and Williams avenues, as well as the possible expansion of Main Highway from two to four lanes. They hope that Archtectonica and Jorge Hernandez, the firm and architect proposing this, don’t speak for two hours and “suck all the air out of the room.” This should be a lively discussion.

7 p.m. — A community workshop on the expansion plans proposed by Bal Harbour Shops will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Sea View Hotel, 9909 Collins Ave. The controversial plans have been scaled back from the original proposal to add 300,000 square feet of retail and they no longer want to buy the historic City Hall building adjacent to their property. But some believe it’s still too big and there’s concern about their offer to build a second city hall on Collins Avenue. Why would the village need another city hall, unless they still want to take over the old one? Someone ought to ask that Tuesday night.

WEDNESDAY — April 5

All day — It’s Miami-Dade County Day in Tallahassee and that means that some of our commissioners are going to be in the state capital, urging legislators to pass laws that benefit us and seeking public funding for projects here. They’re going to have paella around noon and then meet with Gov. Rick Scott and the cabinet, Miami-Dade Delegation Chairman Jose Felix Diaz and other 305 legislators before the Mambo Kings reception at Maddox Square at 7 p.m. and the after party at the Hotel Dade Days regulars include Mayor Carlos Gimenez and commissioners Rebeca Sosa, Jose “Pepe” Diaz and Esteban Bovo.

THURSDAY — April 6

11 a.m. — The Miami-Dade Chairman’s Policy Council is expected to meet Thursday to discuss the process for awarding $14 million in grants to non-profits and community organizations. This buck was passed to them at the last commission meeting, where commissioners were unable to give the grants as recommended by the county’s long and thoughful process mostly because some favored political groups were cut out. But Ladra is not certain it’s going to happen, since it’s still Dade Days in Tallahassee and there is an awards luncheon for people in our community that commissioners may want to stay for. There was no preliminary or official agenda online over the weekend.

FRIDAY — April 7

10 a.m. — Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava will cut the ribbon on the new Accelerate South Dade: Small Business and Nonprofit Incubator at an event from 10 a.m. to noon Friday in Cutler Bay. She will be joined by Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and Town Manager Rafael Casals at the event at 10700 Caribbean Blvd., Suite 301. Also going: Leroy Jones, Executive Director, Neighbors and Neighbors Association, Inc. (NANA) and representatives of the Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade, The Beacon Council, the Small Business Development Center at FIU and CareerSource South Florida.

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It’s the last week of the first month of the new year — and there’s lots going on.

From the megamall discussion at the Miami-Dade Commission to an upzone request in Doral to a town hall “brainstorming session” (read: campaign event) in Coral Gables — this is where and when we watch our government and politicians in action.

But also, it’s the first week without a Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club in Miami Beach. Sad. Someone please, please find a new venue before the election cycle gets in full swing.

As always, please keep sending news about meetings, campaign rallies, political club powwows and other events to edevalle@gmail.com. Last week, we had to add a couple of last minute items after posting because there were important events we weren’t aware of and should have been. This is your Cortadito Calendar, after all.

TUESDAY — Jan.  24

9 a.m. — The controversial  metal flower sculpture at Segovia Street and Coral Way and the North Ponce de Leon Boulevard Mixed-Use Overlay District will be hot topics at the Coral Gables Commission meeting Tuesday. Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick wants to put a question on the April ballot asking voters if they want the flower sculpture, which many residents have complained about, to remain or be moved elsewhere (more on that later). Commissioners will also take their first vote on the North Ponce Overlay. They’ve been talking about it since 2014, getting feedback from the community on this effort to develop North Ponce commercially but also protect the residential neighborhood adjacent to it. It aims to provide buffers and pedestrian connectors and to support historic preservation. As if that wasn’t enough, they will also consider beginning negotiations with a vendor on the redevelopment of two downtown parking garages. Commissioner Vince Lago wants his colleagues to consider the creation of a “parking code.” They’ll also talk about a 25 MPH limit in residential zones. And Mayor Jim Cason has a “special message.” Oh, boy. You might want to take a snack.

9:30 a.m — You may want to take two snacks to what looks like a mammoth Miami Dade Commission meeting Tuesday. They will consider spending a lot of money Tuesday. A lot of money. One contract on the agenda is for a $428.7 million to Trillium Transportation Fuels for compressed natural gas as well as issuing $100 million of the Jackson Memorial Public Facilities bond monies, another $11 million in bond funds (to be repaid by the developer) for a pubic housing project known as La Joya Estates in District 9, and a $3 million contract to Bermello, Ajamil and Partners to plan and design the master plan for the seaport. They will also consider resolutions urging state legislators to (1) enact legislation that would divert excess MDX funds to Miami-Dade County for transit projects, (2) contain utility fees and (3) oppose legislation that would allow concealed weapons on university and college campuses, among other messages they are sending to Tallahassee. They will also talk about two neighorhood traffic studies, the awarding of 59 grants for a total of $470,000 ($308,000 to promot tourism and $160,00 for cultural groups), enhanced penalties for wage theft and creating three more of those special taxing districts (for street lights). Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez will also provide ideas on possible funding for The Underline, which is not controversial (not yet, anyway; wait until he starts awarding the work) and reports on the costs of creating a multi-use path around Miami Executive Airport and preventing condominium association fraud, for which he has apparently assembled a Condominium Fraud Task Force comprised of Miami-Dade Police with the help from officers in Miami Beach, Surfside, North Miami Beach and Aventura. Ladra doubts commissioners will get out of there before 6 p.m.

7 p.m. — Developer Armando Codina, who built downtown Doral, wants the Doral City Council to upzone 10+ acres north of 41st Street between 107th and 109th avenues, from business and office residential to — what else? — high density residential. The council will consider this on Wednesday so former Doral City Attorney, Joe Jimenez — who know works as Vice President of legal and government affairs for Codina — is going to have a community workshop meeting the day before to address residents’ concerns. The powwow begins at 7 p.m. in the first floor conference room at City Hall, 8401 NW 53rd Ter., and will end after the last question is answered, Jimenez said.

WEDNESDAY — Jan. 25

9:30 a.m. — Even though a lot is happening Tuesday, this is the Miami-Dade County Commission meeting that everybody is talking about this week. Wednesday’s meeting is on amendments to the Comprehensive Master Development Plan and the main item on the agenda is the megamall and shopping themed amusement park called American Dream Miami on some 200 plus acres north of Northwest 178th Street between I-75 and the Florida Turnpike (more on this later). This is the land that Gimenez made sure the developers got at a discount price while he secretly negotiated the deal for months. Wednesday is only the first of several public hearings that could draw a lot of speakers. The main opposition so far has come from the owners of the competing malls and people who live in Miami Lakes or Pine Springs North, who already have to deal with blasting from the nearby quarries. On Wednesday, we will really get to see how this fight is going to shape up.

9:30 a.m. — The Pinecrest Village Council has will continue a worskhop from last week on the development of a strategic plan that directs the Village’s efforts and actions as well as informs the budgetary process for the next five to eight years. It is in council chambers at the Pinecrest Municipal Center, 12645 Pinecrest Parkway.

6 p.m. –Developer Armando Codina, who built downtown Doral, wants the Doral City Council to rezone 10+ acres north of 41st Street between 107th and 109th avenues, from business and office residential to — what else? — high density residential. The application says this use is consistent with the surrounding area and the city’s master plan objective of providing a wide range of housing options and rates. Of course it does. Ladra expects quite a few people to speak against this planned development of 250 units, to be called Doral 4200, because traffic in Doral is already a huge problem. The developers even expect push back, which is why they had that workshop meeting Tuesday. Newly elected Mayor J.C. Bermudez made the traffic due to overdevelopment part of his campaign. Ladra can’t imagine he’s going to be favorable. And the council is also considering a site plan for a medical plaza on the west side of 109th, among other things. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 8401 NW 53rd Ter.

THURSDAY — Jan. 26

6 p.m. — Coral Gables Commissioner and 2017 mayoral candidate Jeannett Slesnick will have another one of her community meetings. This one is called a “brainstorming session” and residents are asked to weigh in on a number of topics, including traffic, annexation, city services, speed limits and development, among others. Hmmm… wait a minute. Those look like campaign issues. Is this a live poll in disguise? “She wants to hear from you,” shouts the email blast, and that is a great campaign message. She is so in touch. And is that why there is a registration that starts at 5 p.m.? Slesnick already has an enviable email list but there’s no harm in adding to it. And this will provide her with more official contact with voters — but she’s always in contact with everybody, so Ladra is sure she would do it anyway. It just becomes extra helpful two and a half months before the election. And it being a city event, it won’t costs the campaign a dime to have this event in the Alhambra Ballroom at the Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave.

6 p.m. — Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto has one of his town hall meetings at Kendall Soccer Park, 8011 SW 127 Ave. Residents who live in that District 10 area can go and learn about services or give their complaints to the commissioner and/or his staff. If you miss it, don’t worry, there will be another one next month at the West Dade Regional Library.

FRIDAY — Jan. 27

9:00 a.m. — The Citizens Independent Transportation Trust hosts a “Municipal Transportation Workshop” every year to provide information updates and new program requirements to officials from the cities receiving Surtax funds. After opening statements by OCITT Executive Director Charles Scurr, they will discuss future initiatives, best practices, a major corridor overview — all are on the agenda, which is designed to engage the participants in panel discussions and allow municipal representatives to present and highlight their transportation achievements using PTP funds. This event also allows municipalities to communicate directly with Transportation Trust and other county staff to discuss matters of mutual concern. In the theater at the History Miami Museum, 101 West Flagler St.