Councilman tells Miami Lakes advisory board lawsuit is a private action, urges continued legislative push

A councilman addressed the Miami Lakes Blasting Advisory Board to clarify the status of a recently filed lawsuit and to urge continued legislative advocacy.

“The lawsuit that's been filed is a private action between individuals… It has nothing to do with the town,” the councilman said, stressing that the town is not a party and taxpayers are not funding the litigation. He added that private attorneys involved were working pro bono for the plaintiffs.

Board members asked about the litigation timeline. The councilman outlined the likely path: “I would expect us to be in the lower court from at least six months, maybe more,” and noted appeals and potential Florida Supreme Court review could extend the process to “one and a half to two years.” He said that timeline leaves room for legislators to respond and possibly change the law, which could render parts of litigation moot.

The councilman emphasized the dual‑track approach: the lawsuit is “another tool” but not a substitute for continued lobbying and public education. He suggested the board use the complaint data and the filed complaint’s details to persuade lawmakers and noted the separation‑of‑powers and jury‑trial access claims raised in the filing.

The board did not take formal action on the litigation during the meeting. Members discussed how much detail the town should release publicly and agreed to coordinate with counsel to determine what aspects of the private case can be summarized for outreach materials.

The most recent procedural step reported to the board was that a summons had been filed to begin service of process; the councilman said he would be available to answer limited procedural questions but reiterated the lawsuit remains a private effort.