Miami Lakes SNAP committee approves $1,000 for costumes, $500 for workshop; members to attend Pooptoberfest but not staff a table

The Town of Miami Lakes SNAP committee voted on several budget and event items at its Sept. 7, 2025 meeting, approving two small allocations and adding new items to its October agenda.

Committee members approved a motion to allocate $1,000 from the committee’s line item for costumes for the Arts for Autism dance-class performance at the town’s 25th‑anniversary celebration. The motion was moved and seconded during the meeting and the chair declared the motion passed. No roll-call tally was provided in the meeting transcript.

The committee also approved a motion to allocate $500 for an employment- and job‑skills workshop proposed for October (dates were discussed as Oct. 3, Oct. 8 or Oct. 14 depending on facility availability). The motion authorized $500 from the SNAP training line item to support the workshop; the committee discussed possible partners (DeMoya Foundation, CARD, New World Consulting Solutions) and asked staff to pursue presenters and venue scheduling.

Public comment and agenda items included a presentation by Jessica from the Town of Miami Lakes parks department about Pooptoberfest, an outdoor dog-focused event scheduled for Oct. 11. Jessica said the event is the town’s second dog event and that organizers had vendor and sponsorship tiers; she asked whether SNAP wanted to participate. "This is our second dog event," Jessica said during public comment, and she asked whether SNAP would set up a table and how many chairs and tents would be needed.

Committee members voted to add the October item to the agenda and later discussed Pooptoberfest logistics; the group decided it did not need to staff a formal SNAP table but that members who could attend should wear committee shirts and report back on the event. One committee member offered to attend and represent SNAP and report at the next meeting.

Other discussion items included early planning for a special‑needs resource fair, ideas for game nights and sensory‑friendly features for parks, and outreach related to the mayor’s gala and silent-auction sponsorships. Several members asked staff to help coordinate outreach to vendors and to share sponsorship packages; no formal motions were taken on those planning items during the Sept. 7 meeting.

The committee approved the meeting minutes and closed the session. Follow-ups requested during the meeting included confirming workshop presenters and dates, sharing the Vision Zero survey link from the consultants, and having New World Consulting Solutions or similar vendors attend a future meeting to provide quotes for proposed workshops.