In the Coral Gables election today, voters are choosing between hitting the gas or putting the brakes on what many have called a recent drive to redevelop much of Coral Gables — going higher and wider and bigger.

And not just in the mayoral contest between Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick, the sole dissenting voice in every single one of the oversized projects recently approved in the City Beautiful, and former Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli, who was booted from office in 2001 because he wanted to build a mega City Hall annex building and close Biltmore Way and has been endorsed by the pro development forces.

Read relatred story: Coral Gables mayoral race takes a nasty, ethnic turn

Certainly overdevelopment — or, at the very least, zoning and land use variances that allow higher buildings with more density and less setbacks — has become the biggest issue of this campaign cycle, overshadowing all the rest, even public safety. Every race has been painted with this brush. The Riviera Neighborhood Association, which feels betrayed by the Paseo project approval despite their repeated objections, have gone so far as to recruit candidates in two commission seats.

Because it’s not enough to replace the mayor with someone less willing to bend the city code for developers. If Slesnick wins, but Mike Mena or Commissioner Pat Keon win their respective commission races, she will still be the lone dissenter on many of those votes. If former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers, who is running against Keon, and anyone else in the other group win but Valdes-Faui gets his seat back, the same thing will happen, because Valdes-Fauli will likelyl join Commissioners Vince Lago and Frank Quesada to create a three-vote majority that will basically allow them to redevelop anything they want.

That’s why it is important for voters to elect a clean sweep Tuesday.

Just like they did in 2001, when they elected a new mayor (coincidentally, Slesnick’s husband) and two new commissioners to stop the City Hall annex and reopen Biltmore Way, voters today must elect Jeannett Slesnick, Withers and either Merlin Ebbert or Randy Hoff to stop the railroading that they have seen from developers.

Read related story: Hoff, Mena stand out in 4-way Gables commission race

This is why the group Gables Neighbors United (which is pretty much the Riviera folks) have endorsed Slesnick, Withers and Ebbert. They’ve come up with a nifty little acronym to help people remember: SEW.

Ladra has made it clear that she supports Slesnick, for the aforementioned reasons and also because the negativity of the Valdes-Fauli campaign should not be rewarded. I’m also hoping that Withers wins, even though he has hardly campaigned, for the aformentioned reason — and maybe also because Keon is supremely arrogant and is only going to be worse if she wins this.

And we’d be happy with Ebbert but we prefer Randy Hoff for that commission seat because, in addition to the fact that Ladra still loves her first responders and that he’s earned it through years of service with the police department, he can give us a good handle on employee issues. It’s good to see an employee on the dais. Especially in Coral Gables, where city employees are part of the fabric. Still, there’s likely to be a runoff in this race. But the anti-development forces win on Tuesday if the runoff is between these two.

Either way, voters need to carefully consider each race, not just one, if theyt really want this election to make a difference at all.

The Coral Gables election Tuesday is the most important event this week. But it’s not the only thing happening.

The Cortadito Calendar for the second week of April has a protest, a council meeting, horses and trees. And, of course, something or two about transportation. Don’t we always have something on transportation?

It would have been heavier, but every single one of the county committee meetings scheduled for this week were cancelled. All of them. Ladra will try to find out why.

And sorry about Monday getting away from us. I don’t like Mondays so if you want your shindig to be on this list for sure, don’t risk it. There are six other days to choose from.

As always, please keep sending information about your government meetings, candidate forums and political powwows to edevalle@gmail.com and they’ll keep — or start — appearing in the Cortadito Calendar. Unless it’s on a Monday. Then it’s 50-50.

TUESDAY — April 11

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. — The Coral Gables election is finally upon us. Voters will elect a new mayor and could elect two new commissioners — although one of them won’t be all that new. The mayoral race is the one being watched the most, with Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick facing off against former Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli in a contest that has turned ugly — and ethnic. Look for Ladra’s recommendations coming soon to Fresh Colada.

8:30 a.m. –The Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club is back to a weekly gig. And it looks like there’s only going to be one. Longtime moderator David Kelsey, the president of the South Beach Hotel and Restaurant Association who had planned a dueling Tuesday Morning club featuring one of the hated developers of Miami Beach, has given up. In an email he said he didn’t have the stamina to fight the activists, who in his words, took over the meetings like in a coup. So, there will only be one breakfast meeting in Miami Beach on Tuesdays. Today, the guest speaker is another Group 2 candidate, Rafael Velasquez (two other Group 2 candidates have already been guests). Former Mayor Matti Bower is moderating again at Puerto Sagua Restaurant, 700 Collins Ave.

7 p.m. — District 3 residents in Palmetto Bay can see the first presentation of traffic data about their specific neighborhoods at a public meeting Tuesday night at Village Hall, 9705 East Hibiscus Street. The results of a citywide traffic calming study have been piece-mealed into district specific power point presentations. The one for District 1, for example, was already given last week and can be seen here online. The gist of this study is to find location for traffic calming devices and identify what devices will be used. Speak now or forever hold your peace when, not if, they put a circle or speed bumps on your street.

WEDNESDAY — April 12

10 a.m. — The Doral City Council meets Wednesday morning and will spend too much time talking about accounts receivables software and the credit card processing contract (going to Wells Fargo) and the building and funding of two informational/police kiosks in the city. But they also may have to refund $55,000 in development fees to Doral Preparatory Charter School and will consider the approval of a $1 million contract to replace the artificial turf fields at Doral Meadow Park. They may also award a $2.1 million contract for canal stabilization to Enco Engineering Construction and a $570,000 contract for street sweeping to SFM Services. There are some smaller contracts also and the ratification of the city’s agreement with the police union. The whole agenda is published online here. The council meets at City Hall, 8401 NW 53 Ter.

5 p.m. — There’s actually a tree advisory board in Palmetto Bay and it meets Wednesday evening. Ladra couldn’t get an agenda online but Councilwoman Karyn Cunningham invited people to participate via an email blast, so they are seeking some input. What do you think about the canopy in the village. Where could the municipality plant more trees and foliage in the public right of way? This seems like the best place to opine on that. The meeting is at Village Hall, 9705 East Hibiscus.

THURSDAY — April 13

6 p.m. — The newest member of the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust, Melissa Dynan, will be sworn in at their next meeting Thursday evening. In addition to the regular progress reports from the Miami-Dade Department of Transit and Pubic Works and the regular financial and strategic committee reviews, the CITT will be discussing resolutions that urge the count to (1) acquire the easement of land along Southwest 137th Avenue, (2) apply for a federal grant for $960,000 from a pilot program for transit oriented development, (3) enter into a multi-year agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to build a $1.8 million bus depot park and ride lot called Tamiami Station (the state would fund half), and (4) approve a contract extension with Southern Gas Companies (dba Florida City Gas) for compressed natural gas for the department of transit and public works.

FRIDAY — April 14

5:30 p.m. — This is no ordinary dog and pony show. The 2017 International Agriculture Horse and Cattle Show, the highlight of Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto‘s social calendar, is having it’s 10th year. Souto, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and a slew of other electeds, most likely including Commissioners Esteban Bovo Jr., Jose “Pepe” Diaz and Rebeca Sosa — who can count on Souto to vote their way 99% of the time — are having a reception Friday afternoon at, where else?, Tropical Park, where Souto’s beloved Ronald Reagan Equestrian Center, 7800 Bird Road, was built with taxpayer dollars and opened in 2013 (and is pictured to the right here). Ladra thinks its by invitation, but if we got one, that means it can’t be too selective. Just RSVP with Aldo Gonzalez or John Montes at 305-222-2116.

SATURDAY — April 15

10 a.m. — Shouldn’t Donald Trump release his tax returns? A lot of people think so. Some of them will gather downtown Saturday at Miami’s “Show Us Your Taxes March” in front of our federal building at 51 SW First Avenue. Ladra isn’t sure a protest in front of a federal building on a Saturday when nobody will notice is going to sway President Donald Trump as much as, say, a protest in front of his golf course property in Doral. But I’m not organizing this. The march is expected to end at noon, also. So I guess two hours is about as pissed off as some activists can get on a Saturday in April.

With little more than a week to go before the Coral Gables election, voters are getting a mailbboxful of promises and endorsements and attacks. The mailers in Coral Gables are almost always something to talk about — and this year is no exception.

From the endorsement of a former governor to the image of a university that had to be pulled to the giant, trifold of Herald stories from the city’s ugly past that landed in mailboxes Saturday — the Gables has been deluged in postal politics for a couple of weeks now.

The most prolific mailing candidate in this election has to be Mike Mena, who is running for commission in Group 3. Nobody in that race has come close and, in fact, Ladra is not certain that Serafin Sousa, the non candidate, has sent any mailers at all. Marlin Ebbert and Randy Hoff will have each sent two or three by election day. Hers focus on her standing with the anti-development residents and says that she will listen to and speak for them. His focus on his service of almost 30 years as a police officer and include two separate endorsements from former Chief James Butler and former Assistant Chief Ana Baixauli, which should have been one piece with both of them combined. Hoff could have sent another message on the second piece.

Meanwhile, Mena has sent so many mailers that voters are coming to expect a new one when they get home from work. They were getting one every day the week that absentee ballots dropped. But are they memorable? Nah. They’re pretty much cookie cutter. Take his picture out and plug in another young, ambitious lawyer from Miami or Miami Lakes or Miami Beach or wherever and you have the same thing. He uses phrases like “common sense” and “commitment to security.” Yawn.

Read related story: Hoff, Mena stand out in 4-way Gables commission race

That was the same reaction Ladra had with former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers‘ endorsement from former FIU President Modesto “Mitch” Maidique, who coincidentally had picked up an election package and who, Ladra suspects, has an itch to run for office (this endorsement could be a tit for tat). I’m sure it was intended to connect with the hundreds or thousands of FIU students and alumni in the City Beautiful, but it was eh for the rest of us who didn’t go there and there are just as many of non FIU students in the city. Withers, a proud graduate of the University of Florida, would have been better served to use the University of Miami logo.

Then FIU and former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera complained and Withers had to take the image of the smiling Maidique in front of an FIU buillding — letters blazing in neon at the top — off his social media.

“The Withers campaign and you should be aware that neither the campaign nor you are authorized to use the FIU logo or imagery without the express approval and licensing of FIU,” wrote FIU General Counsel Carlos Castillo in a cease and desist letter last week.

Cabrera, who actually did go to FIU (Withers didn’t) and actually led the alumni association at one point, filed a complaint with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. After all, Withers is a Gator! A bull Gator at that, who actually had a skybox in Gainseville at one time and has flown up to see the games.

Read related story: ‘Chip’ Withers vs. Pat Keon because of the Paseo project

“He should have known better. To mislead and say you have done it before without repercussions is completely wrong,” ,” Cabrera told me after Withers was quoted in the Miami Herald saying he had done it before. “I can’t recall him using a university logo before,” added Cabrera, who worked on three of Withers’ past campaigns.

The complaint says Withers intentionally misled voters into thinking that he got the FIU endorsement vis-a-vis Maidique because it implied that he was still the voice of the university.

“The mail piece sent by Withers specifically attempts to confuse voters into believing that Modesto ‘Mitch’ Maidique is still part of FIU and endorses Withers in his oficial capacity. While the piece states that Maidique is the ‘former’ President of FIU, it lists him as a current professor and thus provides the endorsement as part of Maidique’s oficial capacity, an illegal act,” wrote attorney JC Planas in the complaint, because a state university cannot endorse anybody.

“Perhaps the most blatant violation in the piece is the use of the FIU logo in the picture. Had the campaign simply used a picture of Dr. Maidique actually taken in front of that building, it still would likely have been a technical violation. However, super imposing his picture on a larger than ordinary picture of the building with the logo, was a deliberate attempt by Withers to deceive voters into thinking the endorsement was something other than that of an ordinary public citizen with no current leadership role at the University.”

Yeah, maybe. But what Ralph and JC really did was make a blah mailer and make it newsworthy and infinitely more interesting. Now, Ladra wants one for her collection.

Not as much, however, as I want that mailer with commissioner Jeannett Slesnick in a hot rod. In it, she is nicknamed “Speedy Slesnick” for her lack of support for a 5 MPH reduction that does nothing if there are no police officers to enforce it. “Stupid,” is what most voters reacted when they got it. The piece is so bad, it’s good. I want to frame it and hang it on a wall.

Read related story: Coral Gables mayoral race takes nasty, ethnic turn

Ladra also wants the mailer sent by Raul Valdes-Fauli‘s political action committee over the weekend (more on that later), which could be the largest political mailer any voter anywhere has ever gotten. It’s practically a postal billboard. But I only want it because it features me prominently — in several Herald articles from when I covered Coral Gables for the daily newspaper in 2008 and 2009… which means it’s an attack of former Mayor Don Slesnick, who beat Valdes Fauli in 2001. Talk about sour grapes! But guess what? Don Slesnick, who inherited a lot of those problems as well as a recession, is not running now. And, frankly, Jeannett Slesnick — who should, and Ladra suspects will, be judged on her own merits — will make a better mayor than her husband did.

Still, this piece is worthy of applause. It highlights the bad headlines in yellow and makes the stories look like they’re on microfiche with a back background and reverse type on the dates they were published. It’s brilliant campaigning, if somewhat disingenuous. I remember those stories. In fact, I remember Mayor Slesnick complained to the Herald editors about me and asked to have me reassigned. He said I had a “hidden agenda” (don’t they always when they don’t like what I write?). But I wasn’t reassigned because there was no agenda. And when I confronted Slesnick about his complaint, I delivered a print out of all the positive stories about the city, which far outnumbered the bad ones.

Of course, voters are not going to get a mailer on those. Because, like I said, Don isn’t running to get his seat back, unlike some people. And Jeannett Slesnick is running on her own record, not anyone else’s.

Valdes-Fauli must be a bit nervous because he has been the one mostly on the attack. Sure, there have been a few mailers about his endorsements, which include Gov. Jeb Bush, whose low energy cost him the presidential nomination last year, and current empty suit and Mayor Jim Cason and commissioners Vince Lago and Frank Quesada. The message is: If you want things to stay pretty much the same and the development to continue, vote for Raul. Again, Ladra gets the feeling that whoever is running Cason would run Valdes-Fauli, too.

Meanwhile, Slesnick’s mailers have stuck to the endorsements and the issues and the reasons why she is the best candidate for the job, not why Valdes-Fauli ain’t. Voters will get a bi-fold this week with several Gables residents and leaders — including former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (a Democrat) and former State Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (a Republican).  The mailer ran as an ad in Sunday’s Herald’s Neighbors section. Ladra likes that one if only because it has so many people in it.

She also sent a 20-page magazine about the development — her signature issue and the one thing that can help push her over the top. It details her vote on the different projects and shows that she is not against all development, only what she calls “unacceptable development that strays quite a bit from our master code.”

Perhaps she felt the need to set the record straight. Valdes-Fauli — whose had several attack mailers that intend to mislead the voters — had already sent one out that said she actually voted for the Paseo project. That’s just a lie. A lie nobody believes.

The record clearly shows she voted against it, the sole commissioner in a 4-1 vote. She did vote subsequently on votes benefit the city and to lessen the impact to residents. That’s her job. She’s not going to vote against things that are going to make an already approved project better.

Proposal sounds like development bait and switch

Before members of the city of Miami’s Historical Preservation Committee meet Tuesday afternoon to consider an application to “restore” the Coconut Grove Playhouse, they ought to look up the word restore in the dictionary.

Then they ought to categorically deny this proposal because it is more about redeveloping our historic gem of a theater and turning it into another Cocowalk than preserving its legacy.

That’s not the only thing opponents of this plan — who plan to flood City Hall — are concerned about.

They worry that there is enough retail and restaurants in the Grove that don’t need the competition. They worry that all the loading access points for service vehicles and garbage trucks front the residential abutting Charles and Williams streets. They worry that the two lane Main Highway in front of the theater and garage may be expanded (where they’ll get the space, Ladra doesn’t know).

What’s certain here is that there is enough concern and residential hand-wringing about this to take a second look.

Miami-Dade County, which is funding the “renovation” project, wants to demolish the 1,100-seat theater and replace it with mixed-use development: A 300-seat theater, a 200-seat restaurant, some retail, possibly apartments and a 400-plus space parking garage. The only thing that will be restored is the entrance facade and box office. How is that a restoration? What historic restaurant was there?

It’s a slap in the face to true preservationists and theater lovers — as well as voters.

“Its absurd for them to demolish the Playhouse,” said Carmen Pelaez, a playwright whose play RUM & COKE had an extended sold out run in the BlackBox at Coconut Grove Playhouse in 2003.

“Its history didn’t happen in the facade, it happened on both its stages. It’s one of of the the only historic theaters in Miami of national importance and it’s earned its right to be restored to its original MainStage and BlackBox configuration,” Pelaez said.

“Our goal should be to restore it’s reputation as a first class regional theater where pre-Broadway runs can develop next door to smaller curated productions giving local theater makers the chance to interact with their international peers and Miami theater goers can benefit from a thriving theatrical community in the heart of Miami.”

That sounds about right. In fact, it sounds a lot like what voters had in mind when they approved the $15 million the county wants to use (in total $20 M) on this project. The funds come from the 2004 Building Better Communities Bond, where voters approved $15M of the pie for “reconstruction of Coconut Grove Playhouse to restore its structureal integrity and add to its performance and educational capabilities.” The other $5 mil come from the 2005 Convention Development Tax Bond for “the reconstruction and expansion to the Coconut Grove Playhouse to remedy structural deficiencies and improve the programmatic capabilities of the theater.”

Notice that nowhere does it say restaurant. Or apartments. Or Coach store. Notice the bonds were to expand the theater, not shrink it to less than a third of its size.

In 2004, two years before the doors closed because they couldn’t sell enough tickets, the Coconut Grove Playhouse had an economic impact estimated at more than $20 million per year and a report said it was responsible for up to 40% of the commercial activity in the area. Forty percent! That information, plus the promise to match the public funds through private fundraising, is what drove voters to approve a $15 million bond grant, again, to “restore [the] structural integrity and add to performance and educational capabilities.”

Now, 13 years later, the county is instead pursuing a plan that would invest that $15 million, plus another $5 mil, in the building of a brand new 300-seat theater behind the historic theater’s entrance facade and turning it over, free-of-charge, to an organization with an average annual operating budget of $1.3 million, including public money that is not guaranteed forever. Ladra was informed that the county ignored its own criteria of requiring the “major cultural instutition” it provides the lease to have a $1.5 annual million budget. But the only year that Gables Stage had that, activists say, is in 2013, when it got an $800,000 grant from Miami-Dade itself.

Then Ladra also hears that there wasn’t really an open, competitive process for the 99-year lease with Gables Stage and the Florida International University. These two are fine institutions and wonderful providers of theater, and as the mother of a 16-year-old thespian and musical theater enthusiast with very few options out there, I’m excited about the educational opportunities (hoping they are affordable). But was the process fair? And couldn’t a more collaborative effort by many other theater companies be better? Some in the theater industry feel like it was a cooked deal that “wreaks of favoritism.”

And then there is the undeniable feeling — supported by recent multi-million property sales — that this is being railroaded through as part of a bigger picture redevelopment of the old Grove main street business district. In other words, this may be driven by money, not art. Activists and Playhouse lovers feel blindsided. They say that Miami Dade Cultural Affairs Director Michael Springer had promised not to demolish the theater in 2013. But now, they say, they feel like this has always been the plan.

In 2013, another architect — a man who has restored Miami Freedom Tower, Miami City Hall, Miami Woman’s Club, Gusman Center for the Performing Arts and Vizcaya Village — had presented a plan to open a 700-seat theater and restore some of the interior of the Playhouse. Richard J. Heisenbottle wrote a letter recently published in the Coconut Grove Grapevine that also ought to be considered before the current plan moves forward:

“From the outset of discussion on the re-birth of the abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse it has been assumed by the Miami-Dade County that only the front façade of the building is contributing to its historic designation. This assumption was made because the authors of the approved City of Miami Historic Designation Report, placed one sentence to that effect in the designation report.  This one sentence probably went unnoticed by many HP Board members as they voted for its designation, but years later that one flawed sentence has shaped the assumptions on which Miami-Dade County’s cultural facilities building program was based.  That assumption is that except for the main façade Miami-Dade County can tear down the remainder of the Richard Kiehnel designed theater and build a new 300 seat theater in its place.

“It is questionable whether those who authored this report ever toured the theater’s interior. For if they had, they would not have missed the remarkable original proscenium arch, low relief plaster ceiling, cornice moldings and twisted columns all of which are still intact and contribute to its historic character and its historic designation.

“This flawed assumption has resulted in the county commission voting to go forward with cultural facilities building program for a new 300-seat theater that is seriously flawed from cultural, economic and historic preservation perspectives. There are literally thousands of successful restored historic theaters throughout the country from Broadway to Main Street and the Coconut Grove Playhouse deserves to be one of them.”

There are a lot of people who feel a 700-seat theater would do more for the Grove than another restaurant. It would bring more people into the area that would then eat before or after a show. It would bring 700 people extra in, not 300 people and then a few hundred who were coming into the area anyway but now choose a new eatery to spend money in.

“At Washington University School of Business one of the first things we learned was that a business must define itself, what it is and what it does,” said activist Barry White. “The Coconut Grove Playhouse was and always should be a theater, a cultural and educational icon, and an economic driver for the area. In those roles it does not need to compete with restaurants and retail in the area for whom it is only supposed to attract visitors.

Some people would like to see two theaters remain.

“A 300-seat theater with 200 performances a year will attact 60,000 people annually and, at an average $35 per seat, produce $2.1 million in revenue. Adding a 750 seat theater with 200 performances a year would add 150,000 visitors per year and, at $35 per seat, add $5.2 mil a year. That is a total of $7.35 million in theater revenue and an additional 210,000 visitors to the Grove annually,” White said in an email to me where he directs himself to the historic preservation board.

Activists also feel that Mike Eidson and The Coconut Grove Playhouse Foundation have caved in to the county’s pressure to demolish the historic theater, which, again, violates the voters’ mandate to use our tax monies to restore, not demolish, this landmark.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez, who seems to be in favor of the current plan but did not return a text late Monday from Ladra, has always been one to listen to his constituency and change course if he needs to. I hope he will put the brakes on this project until we can learn more about the possibility of a full restoration.

There is concern that the decision Tuesday is already made, that money is talking here and that the hearing is just a show before the rubber stamp. Hopefully, there will be enough opponents to cause some pause of the demolition of this historic place. Because once the wrecking ball has gone through it, it will be too late.

Like Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera told everyone at the December 8 town hall meeting about the playhouse future: “This theater belongs to the people and the people decide what happens to it.”

And by “people,” Ladra is pretty sure he meant us, not those who stand to profit from building apartments.

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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