Neighborhood Improvement Committee reviews Palmetto Expressway beautification, waterway initiative and proposed FY2026–27 budget; no quorum

The Miami Lakes Neighborhood Improvement Committee met and, with no quorum present, reviewed updates on a Palmetto Expressway beautification effort, a town-led waterway protection initiative and a proposed committee budget for fiscal year 2026–27. Because members lacked a quorum, the committee did not take formal votes and instead heard status reports.

Chair opened the meeting and announced that, “we don't have a quorum, so we cannot officially vote on anything,” and said the group would proceed with updates. The committee then reviewed old-business items and staff updates; no staff reports were given.

Mister Sotto provided the committee's primary update on beautification beneath the Palmetto Expressway. He said the town had agreed to move forward with a resolution to apply on behalf of the community and that he was coordinating with a staff contact, Omar, to assemble materials for a conceptual application. "The ball is rolling," he said, and added he would forward existing paperwork to Omar and hoped to report next steps at the next meeting.

On agenda item 7P, leak awareness and waterway protection, Miss Salazar told the committee the town is pursuing an initiative rather than an ordinance. "They don't wanna do an ordinance," she said, and she reported she was trying to identify who decided to proceed with the initiative; until that is finalized she recommended removing the item from future agendas.

The committee also discussed the Florida Friendly Fertilizer Initiative that the town is promoting. Miss Salazar urged the town to make the program materials easier to find on the town website so residents would be more likely to use them.

Under new business, the chair briefly walked the committee through the proposed FY2026–27 committee budget. The chair said he adjusted several line items, including $700 for beautification, $200 for quarterly HOA support and $3,500 for a pedestrian and bicycle initiative. Members noted little formal action could be taken without a quorum and agreed to table budget action until a future meeting with enough members present.

The meeting closed after a short round of announcements. The chair moved to adjourn at 7:57 p.m.; the motion was seconded by Mister Estraz and carried. The committee provided no formal votes on ordinances or budget items during the session.