The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCC 1989-06-29 MinutesME MINVftS OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COltSSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA On the 29th day of June, 1989, the City Commission of Miami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in the City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida in special session to consider business of public import, namely, the official investiture of Commissioner M. Athalie Range. The meeting was called to order at 11:56 a.m. by Mayor Xavier Suarez with the following members of the Commission found to be present: Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Commissioner Miller Dawkins Vice Mayor Victor De Yurre Mayor Xavier L. Suarez NOTE: Commissioner Rosario Kennedy had resigned on June 20th, 1989. ALSO PRESENT: Cesar Odio, City Manager Jorge L. Fernandez, City Attorney Matty Hirai, City Clerk Walter J. Foeman, Assistant City Clerk NOTE FOR THE RECORD: Vice Mayor De Yurre stated he would leave to attend a demonstration march on behalf of Orlando Bosch on S.W. 8 Street at noon. Mayor Suarez: OK, we appreciate and we will come to order in just a second. We appreciate the adjustment made by the new Commissioner in trying to be here a little bit before twelve out of respect for the request of the Vice Mayor. And all of you, including some media that I see and the family and friends also that you have made an effort to be here a little bit on the early side to adjust to that request. And so, at this point, I would like to call the Commission to order and Father Doherty - did I pronounce that correctly, Father? -who is the Pastor of the new Commissioner's church, Holy Redeemer, I'd like to ask you, Father to give an invocation at this point. Please stand. An invocation was delivered by Father Doherty. Vice Mayor De Yurre then led those present in a pledge of allegiance to the flag. 1. OFFICIAL INVESTITURE OF NEWLY- APPOINTED CITY OF MIAMI COMMISSIONER, M. ATHALIE RANGE (GROUP IV). Mayor Suarez: It's a symbolic thing but I want to say that today the first church service that I attended out there - I was elected in 1985 - was at the invitation of the new Commissioner at Holy Redeemer, so I don't know that I've kept that up every Sunday after that, but I certainly have tried and I started off on the right foot. In any event, we have in the audience, of - ;a course the Mayor of OpaLocka, Bob Ingraham, former Miami City Police Officer, cs a Sergeant. We have the former Mayor of OpaLocka, Helen Miller out there somewhere; there she is. And, I guess, with all due respect for Commissioner Dawkins, the highest ranking elected Black leader in this area, most effective State Senator Carrie Meek. Welcome. (Applause) Mayor Suarez: Madam City... ri 1 JUAO 29, 1969° TM- 11 Mr. Plummer: Miller.. Mayor Suarez: Commissioner Plummer. 1-1 Mr. Plummer: Based on the wearing apparel of Senator Meeks, we now have a Blues Sister. Mr. Dawkins: I second the motion. Mayor Suarez: Madam City Clerk, do we proceed to take the oath of office? Ms. Hirai: Yes, sir, please. Mayor Suarez: There's no need to do any canvassing or anything obviously, because this is by appointment... Mr. Plummer: Please, please. Mayor Suarez: I've never done one of those so I believe Father will be administering the oath of office and... where's our new Commissioner? Commissioner to be, Athalie Range, ladies and gentlemen. (Applause) Father Doherty: Please repeat after me. "I, M. Athalie Range do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America and of the State of Florida... And in all respects faithfully discharge the duties of City Commissioner, Group Four, Of the City of Miami Dade County Florida." (Applause) Mrs. Rosario Kennedy: Just make sure, Mrs. Range, that you keep these four guys in line. (Applause) Ms. Range: Thank you. Thank you very much, Commissioner Kennedy, I will see _ to it that they are in line. My Honorable Mayor Suarez, my fellow i Commissioners, Father Doherty, Pastor Nadin and all here present. I look back to some 24 years ago, when it was my privilege to stand in this place, at this spot to have been given the first opportunity by appointment to serve the City of Miami in the capacity of an appointed City Commissioner. Following that, I - - successfully ran for the office and served an additional term and the years = have gone on. We've climbed the rough side of the mountain and there is still much climbing to be done. I thank, from the bottom of my heart, our — Commission in its totality for having given me the privilege to come and to _ — serve again. Especially do I thank Commissioner Dawkins for having considered me to begin with and all of the others who followed his lead. There is much that I can say but there's so much more to be done. Words and promises are - sometimes cheap and for naught. But it's when we bring these promises into fruition, that is all the really, really counts. And so, I make very, very few promises. But I say this to you. I promise this entire community, Black, White, Hispanic, others who've come from other distant shores that because _ Miami is indeed a melting pot, because we all find refuge some way or other here in the beautiful City of Miami, that the time has come - it's not rapidly approaching - but the time has come when we must truthfully and meaningfully set aside the importance of ethnicity. We are Americans all, don't you agree? (Applause) Ms. Range: We're Americans all. And you will find, as I occupy the seat, I = will move in any direction which is for the betterment of our beautiful City' =, of Miami. (Applause) a: fr' t G June 20, 1909 ` 'Ms, Range Race, creed or color will be secondary and it must be secondary, trot bnly by Athalie Range, but by every Commissioner who sits here and by each of you who will somehow be affected by the governing. And so I promise you, with all of the energy that I have, you can rest assured that every vote I bast will have been thought out carefully and I will do it to the very best of my ability. I promise you that I will be exactly what I'm placed here to be. I'm placed here to be a caretaker, but I promise you that I will take good care. (Applause) Me. Ranges We take our babies each morning to the babysitter to have the baby taken care of and mom and dad goes on his way. And then it's up to the t intelligence and the integrity of that babysitter to take the beat care of the baby that it can. Feed the baby, love the baby, spank the baby if it's necessary, but be sure that the best of care is taken. Because I prefer not to continue at random with words, but there is so much work to be done that I prefer to work rather than talk about the work. There's a very fine old adage in just a very few words which says, it appeals to all of us. It says this, "As far as Miami has come, as many successes as we've had, the betterment of race relations and all of the things that go along with it, I want each of us to always remember that we still. have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep." Thank you. (Applause) Mayor Suarez: Father, thank you very much; newly appointed Commissioner, thank you for those beautiful words. Senators, Mayors, former Secretary of State of the State of Florida, Jesse McCrary, who's back there already celebrating; former Miami City Attorney, George Knox, ladies and gentlemen, thanks for being here with us today. Madam City Clerk, Commissioners, unless we have any further business, to City Manager, City Attorney, we're otherwise adjourned to do the good fob that the Commissioner has indicated we must be about doing instead of talking about it. Thank you for being here. This meeting is adjourned. THERE BRING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO CONS BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 12:09 P.N. Xavier L. Suarez N A Y O R ATTEST: _ Natty Hirai — CITY CLERK Halter J. Foeman ASSISTANT CITY CLERK ( S E A L d t ; i 2 r-5 a Lj June 29, 199�. f F t