Anti-Social
We' not anti-people, just anti-social media. Interesting topics, with some logic, originating from the island paradise of Key Biscayne, Florida.
Anti-Social
Council Candidates: Michael Bracken & Nicholas Lopez-Jenkins
OUR FINAL TWO CANDIDATES for Key Biscayne's Village Council are on the show -- Michael Bracken and Nicholas Lopez-Jenkins. Neither is completely new to public service, with both serving on important committees.
Bracken served as a member of the island's Undergrounding task force, while Jenkins served on the Virginia Key advisory board. We ask them about the "Big Dig" that could cost more than $310 million to protect Key Biscayne from sea level rise -- critics say it will cost much more and is overkill. What do they think?
ELECTION DATES
- Mail ballots go out - Sept 26
- Last day to register — Oct. 7
- Last day to request mail ballot — Oct. 24
- Early Voting Oct 21 - Nov. 3
- Election Day - Nov. 5.
The views expressed in the following program are portions were pre recorded and again and again. I think she
Unknown:she will always be my
Tony Winton:friend. Live from Miami, Florida. This is anti burned. I'm Tony Winton
Jan Dillow:and I'm Jan Dillo. Gee, Tony, you think tweets can
Tony Winton:I don't know about tweets, but I heard that
Jan Dillow:I gotta cancel my trip to Holland. Yeah, I don't
Tony Winton:things that could give you cancer. Uh, well, we've not quite grown it seemed that the summer was, it was the slow course, summer's over, but we've been in this continuing flow of conviction, and we have, just as that trial was ending, we have a district 37 and that trial is now underway in Miami, Dade and We'll be following that one. Yeah, and it's, it's an interesting case, because you're kind of seeing the the know how he got involved, and why it was important, how much involving Frank Artiles, a former state senator who was on And it's also showing you how we need local reporting to keep us other organizations in the in the city are covering it, But it's just, as I said, the impact of that, you know, these sense, the larger story of of this case, and I would say in topic. Well, local journalism or local politics do Well, that's true, three seats. One incumbent is running for reelection, Frank sitting in our studio right now.
Jan Dillow:Yeah, welcome Mike. Hi guys. This is Michael
Tony Winton:Michael Bracken, and tell us a little bit about you're the president of a company that makes trash chutes.
Michael Bracken:Yes, sir. Trace linen shoots, also pneumatic
Tony Winton:So like when I was like, dumping my garbage this
Michael Bracken:most likely, depending on which kind of you
Tony Winton:If it's a Dade County project or if a South about something getting something getting stuck in that
Michael Bracken:please get them stuck, because that's a very
Tony Winton:All right. Well, we have a number of really big issues here going on in Key replumbing the island with pressurized miles and miles of And the Atlantic Ocean Side, as well as utility, undergrounding, that has been set. Some candidates are saying it's time additional time it has a more useful life. Others are it is potentially a very large expense. So we're looking at the other phases, the official estimate remains about $310
Michael Bracken:Good question. So let's just make sure I fully of concerns about that. I don't want to see the project stop. years, serving with Brett moss, and we spent a lot of time understanding the underground requirements. And I believe roads, is it's, it's an it's a big nuisance. It's a real pain particular moment. I don't want to get off track when it comes community needs to potentially be better educated on what the says it's a $75 million project. Is that? What does that Are we going to Palm Beach like when we looked at the and we said, Okay, what you know? What did you do here? What And I think the community is a little overwhelmed by a number sure maybe Jan does. I'm not sure that that's a good number, And I think, you know, this is a big project for the key and for projects in the Middle East. I've worked on, working on a lot of money, but you can come on a construction job, you can looking at as well. I just think the community needs to be better get stalled, because if, if we have, we're just one storm away with the power situation, and we have A cat four storm, and it don't want to be in that situation. I want to be in We've been kicking this can down the road for a long time. And doesn't all go into one hole, anyway. So, you know, if you there's all different ways to do the electrical work, directional groups, maybe run them at different time scales, different about that. I mean, how would that work with because isn't the mean, John, I think that. I think the the approach went, I water. Okay? Okay, in the same hole. Okay, so now I'm not, like, I'm not an project manage experience. I'm not, I would not express to be an expert on undergrounding, there's slightly more costs associated with running them good way to expend the money to run a $75 million project. You those people in place. And I think we need to make sure that, be frank, I'm really the only person that's running with those
Tony Winton:Do you think that the current leadership team of construction experience under his belt. And you have the team management. Do you think that the village has chosen wisely
Michael Bracken:. I think the villages chose good people. I air engineers could be doing a better mark better job of know, what is a give you example, Tony, what does a feed if he was getting things that we live on a unique island. We communities that we could be going to and talking to about feedback. And I we may already be doing this, okay, didn't we?
Jan Dillow:Didn't you do that already with the underground.
Michael Bracken:We did it with the underground. I'm not sure 46 million now, right? How long ago was that? I can't
Tony Winton:according to, yeah, according to the what, what the, the actual budget that is coming up for a final vote in a few
Michael Bracken:correct. And I think that's appropriate, lot of that pipe, a lot of that wire is not underground. And so needs to be looked at as a holistic group that I have a right approach. This has to be a holistic approach for the whole yeah, it gets more expensive. But the bigger problem is it I agree with we're eroding our our asset values when, when we have overground, overground wiring. We have flooding on the Beach Island. And they go, these guys got all this stuff fixed. business person is going to make those evaluations, and I'm very concerned that we're getting farther and farther can talk about this all day. Well, it's a very big project.
Tony Winton:There is little doubt that the people understand this is a project for the future. The debate appears be what's going on and and you know, we have pressed the other huge stories this year was a track. One involving the death it came after a lot of debate and a lot of discussion and an village has done now, what needs to do in the future, so and
Michael Bracken:The tragedy, tragedy that with with Megan, is really long time, and you know, it's just terrible. I'm gonna village do this improperly or poorly? We learned a really, looking back and trying to to lay blame on people, I don't see continuing. Banning these products makes sense. However, people that are in motorized wheelchairs, people are in
Tony Winton:already, already covered by the statute. Yeah,
Jan Dillow:I think, I think that one's asked and answered.
Tony Winton:Well, if I may. I'm sorry. You said it, ' question. And the question would be, how did the village arrive Absolutely okay. So how does that happen again? So you don't
Michael Bracken:So Tony, so my understanding of this, I think certain directions. Do you know whether that correct? That not have the ability to restrict their usage. Is that correct or
Tony Winton:guess, a question of the perfect being the enemy past, there's been no change in the state law, and it also had question is, what was the political dynamic in the trying to see, like, how do you, how do you approach a thorny
Michael Bracken:think a thorny problem needs to be talked about and get out, get the hard, hard questions out. I mean, that spot. I think the council has a responsibility to put people on council's role more as a board of directors and and I, you supposed to be directing the long term strategic plan. We're you know, the manager should be coming back to us with solutions problem. And I think in the future, people are going to
Tony Winton:we're getting tight on time. Jan?
Jan Dillow:Well I wanted to ask you particularly about since be voting on the second reading. What's your view of the silver
Michael Bracken:we talking about David Martin's project. I I've actually resigned as the president now retired. He is a I know him. Know him well. Would
Jan Dillow:you have to recuse yourself then on that I
Michael Bracken:probably, I probably would have to, yeah, forward and they use garbage chute systems, we will be their too many people in their that organization, I mean, Michael 12 of their projects currently. So I have a very tight, very
Jan Dillow:do you think that that? So, you know, community that's sort of anti develop, anti development. I
Michael Bracken:the new state ordinances, state ordinances.
Jan Dillow:But what's your view, I guess, in general, on
Michael Bracken:mean, I mean, I think development is, needs to answer. But I mean, yeah. I mean, am I saying I'm anti case by case basis and make sure they meet the requirements of
Jan Dillow:possibly the needs given the climate change issues
Michael Bracken:we have to look. We're my mother was deputy rising. Well,
Tony Winton:we are, believe it or not, we're almost at the time candidates. No problem. Closing argument. Closing arguments. You whatever.
Michael Bracken:No, I'm not going to, I'm not going to do person for the job I would appreciate. I appreciate the
Tony Winton:Brevity is the soul of wit. Everyone just remember
Jan Dillow:Well, thank you for coming, Mike.
Michael Bracken:Thank you guys appreciate it, right? And
Tony Winton:we will be back in just a minute with our next
Unknown:and We gone down the trails of the pearcock Bridge. We
Jan Dillow:age, and we're back. I'm Jan Dillo.
Tony Winton:I'm Tony Winton, and thank you for listening to
Jan Dillow:And we are with our final candidate. It's
Tony Winton:Candidate
Jan Dillow:So right here on Anti-Social, you will have heard you again. Nick, nice to see you guys, too. Hopefully going last other candidates have said. On the other hand, they've been when is it that these voting? When? When do voter? The mail in
Tony Winton:and that's to remind everyone in Dade County, really, people talk about the election day in November. The like to vote by mail. It's convenient, and that means that set messages and let the voters know what you stand for. So we'll start with you. You, Mr. Jenkins, you are, this is Insurance business, right? I understand it involving drones.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:It's a I am and actually, the drone actually clean high rise residential and commercial pretty cutting edge technology. I met somebody through a parent show on, I would love, I would love that. So that's kind of if you focus on some of the technologies that have been going last you know you have a good idea of what we're going to
Tony Winton:We're going to start off with a question about
Jan Dillow:Don't we want to ask him why he's running?
Tony Winton:Oh, yes, we do want to ask him now, yes, why are you
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:I will say I it's it was. It was quite something that, honestly, it increased my resolve to you mentioned before, to become involved in the Virginia Key council, which has really taken off in Key Biscayne since we business. Is probably the worst time to run for council, but I'm doing
Tony Winton:it. So so we'll get to the number one question, it ad nauseam, but it's the series of resiliency projects. to two to move forward with the first phase of that zone one. that you were in support of a pause. So we kind of know a should be doing.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:Well, not so much a pause, but I said I very impressive. It's very persuasive, and I agree with almost embarrassing that we have not dealt with that before. The had some modeling done about what, you know, what we were at, you know, 3938 wells that we have at the village and seeing that can be done simultaneously. Obviously, we're in the planning help buttress, actually, the desire to get something done. So be, that actual physical information, tends to get full point in time, the back and forth about about where we stand consultants, because I know we've been consulted out in Key fears, because I think a project of this size, obviously the even on the approval of the actual citizens. I want to try it'll be more persuasive, and whatever we decide to do
Jan Dillow:with that, because I know there are some people out But the reality is, is that it was created when there was no in king tide season. So you can still. You can already see water question is, you know, even if those current system does have needs to take than it currently does.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:I think, I think you have a good point right under our feet. It won't take away. And it's, it is the fact that the system is probably towards the end, and that this price tag, because the price tag has ticked up, yeah, and that's typical, especially in the kind of inflationary period that Well, but
Tony Winton:to be clear, though, the people who voted that it's over designed. The diameter of the pipes is too just over designed, and that key, Biscayne, should just get little economy car. That's kind of what I'm hearing. What do you
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:Well, I think there is, there is we have have, we have things that we have to plan out for the future. Exactly. It's a long term solution. Look, there's, I mean, that, I just think I said, we need to present a case. I'm a not having some hard data, as far as being able to say, okay, aren't working, just having that and laid out simply so that, Look, I'll be honest with you, it's funny. You have a something that's been an ongoing process for years. So I've
Tony Winton:lost count how many stories we've written about it.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:so it's so it's like I said, I just, I that'll last generationally for 30 years, that I have all the
Tony Winton:move on. Okay. So next topic we were asking about hit by a 12 year old riding an E bike. But that was the that was It could have used all along. It could have done it a year ago. could have written tickets for scooters on sidewalks. They be introduced again. But instead of doing that, the village place? And the second question is, how do you how do you avoid everyone knew about, everyone predicted that a tragedy was in
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:I have to say, I fully support the ban in most things, there's obviously two sides. To a specific issue in the state of Florida. I'm making an at the state level. I think we all know that when somebody is under the driving age, I think this is pretty clear to is a tragedy and of itself. And I think I said, I'm hoping, if blame on anybody that you know in a hindsight situation. But I devices. But I have many of my my friends that did have kids and had always been nervous about their kids riding around. intersection your car, you look left, you look right, you look just waiting for somebody to become in the wrong way at 20 an absolute tragedy, but I fully support the ban at this point in
Tony Winton:me ask it a different way. You're running dais. Are you willing to cast a vote that's going to be
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:absolutely, I said, my, my, my, always. My said, it's for work, for commerce or something like that. to have insurance, unless you have to have something that's that's shown out through this tragedy,
Jan Dillow:Another issue that's been very, very well talked it. There were also some issues related to our police force and well? Or, if there, do you believe that there's other
Tony Winton:the reprimand. Yeah, yeah, it's, it was, it was
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:far as the actual case is concerned, police, I mean, they have such a difficult job and sometimes tend imagine, I have a my cousin who's a who's a very successful situations by not trying to, by kind of trying to take backgrounds and all those I had a chance to sit down with Todd future. It's, I mean, it's impossible to filter out we've adopted some standards that. But it
Tony Winton:was more than that. They had a specific report about
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:like I said, it's the due diligence actually because if you're not able to prove something, or I feel comfortable that where we're at right now, we're doing have a four and a six year old. The most important thing for me the families that are involved. And I said there was a trial
Jan Dillow:hopefully there'll also be, we're getting two new
Tony Winton:a proposal, and we could ask about that. I mean, but you'll be dealing perhaps with a budget amendment very current spending plan that's in front of the village?
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:I think I said it's, it's, I like to see of the property values in the village. I've always viewed us actually a great job. I mean, I'll be honest to say, from even addressed at Council. I remember speaking a couple of around with a state grant. Yeah, so it's, so it's, it's really, of service. But I said, if we've all had interactions with, you deal with village employees is pretty positive. So let
Tony Winton:me switch to another topic. We asked a lot of that, there'll be all kinds of site plan approvals and a whole best shape the future of the island in terms of the mix
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:Well, I will say this and this, I'm
Tony Winton:sentimental and there is no hat in the studio.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:right. Well, I say this as a said, a dream forest. I love to travel. Love to go a hotel. I'd saw the selling price, I knew that would that was impossible, land that size. Plus, like I said, the developer has the whenever, when, uh, Mr. Martin showed his, uh, that's the site like I said, top notch, and they deleted the restaurant, and they Will obviously be a boom to the tax base and Key Biscayne as long as we it held on longer than than probably we all impressive. And I also, I will take on this one last compliment sitting in the audience, I saw how he engaged each of the sign of somebody who wants to be who's obviously a developer, just putting up a big building and just saying, look, there's will be a nice addition to the island, both from a tax base
Jan Dillow:Well, I think we're coming up on time, aren't we?
Tony Winton:we have time maybe for one more question we have
Jan Dillow:your alley, right? Yeah.
Tony Winton:So, well, I mean, one of the, one of the aspects officers. Part of the constraints that the chief was shootings, a sad, very sad part of life here. There is an idea
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:It's a sad state of affairs, of where maybe in a bubble here, to a certain extent, about what goes it's locked up. You can't get to st Agnes if you don't come And that was probably part of the redesign, yeah, yeah, that that has to be that way. So as far as metal detectors in the
Jan Dillow:I think it's, well, right now, it's Broward, mainly would potentially be the K through a too. Because, yeah, I
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:guess you're right, yeah. So it's a point in time. So I said it's sad but true. If it's if it you know, I said, for the safety of our children, I think it's
Jan Dillow:The worst part about it, to my thinking, is that it's
Tony Winton:and other other solutions. It's always, you hands. No, it
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:shouldn't have them. It's always harder to
Tony Winton:that does take us to the end of our time. So every candidate for village council of key. Biscayne, beautiful. My
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:hat is back on, by the way, so a very formidable list of people running for office. I think I have the willingness to do it again. So it's hopefully, it's a lucky that we all found this paradise, because it truly is want to live anywhere else. I said, we've had choices. There's cultural standpoint, from my neighbors, from everybody that this council, this last council was incredibly effective, and I of of civility and camaraderie to something, and bring people community buy in. So I appreciate your consideration to
Tony Winton:Nicholas. Lopez Jenkins, thank you for coming on
Unknown:have we gone down the trail bridge as you return
Tony Winton:to LN and we are back on antisocial as Mr. Lovis
Jan Dillow:we finish up our series. This is the first series
Tony Winton:Well, thank you. You've done a very fine job a couple of candidates, we didn't get to ask every know that they're of a lot of interest, because people tell us
Jan Dillow:and you know, it's we're moving we're moving
Tony Winton:well, we're going to close the show with a and we depend on your support. It's the kind of news that we
Jan Dillow:we want to give a shout out to all the people who and that you're not going to be reading somewhere else, right? deductions. So we are a 501, 3c, and everything that you donate
Tony Winton:independent, dot O R G, is our website. KB, you can support us. And if you know someone in the business appreciate all of that, and thank you for listening. Yes.
Jan Dillow:Thank you. And just one more thing, Miami Day is you, because those matches really do help to get to bring
Tony Winton:Right? A match is you are basically encouraging
Jan Dillow:is and you can do, you know, 500 1000 several 1000,
Tony Winton:Thank you, considering it. All right. Well,
Jan Dillow:Thanks very much for listening.
Unknown:Bear cut bridge the.
