By: Maria Alejandra Pulgar.

Para leer en Español   

Mr. Morgan Levy and Mr. Jesse Jones are legendary names to those who have been living in Doral longer than 8 years. Their hard work and influence shaped up the origins of what the City of Doral has become, so much that without doubt they can be considered its Founding Fathers. Them, along with the late Mr. Rolando Oses and many other longtime residents of Doral since the late 80’s, overcame obstacles to set the foundations for a path that lead on 2003 to the incorporation of the City of Doral.

There are moments when the timely advice of those with more experience and vision is needed. The upcoming November elections would be a turning point for Doral. It is the right time to revisit the values that lead the foundation of the city.

Here is the summary of the very long conversation with Mr. Levy and Mr. Jones, where reminiscences from the early years of the area made way to talk about the newcomers and their acclimation to their new surroundings; the fundamental values of society; what residents should look for on the ideal candidates for City Council and their legacy for future generation.

Who are Morgan Levy and Jesse Jones?

Mr. Levy was born in 1924 in Washington, DC but moved to Miami at 2 years old. He made a business on running summer camps for kids, one of them the very first Space Camp, and has always cared for setting a good example, being honest and working hard. He moved to the Doral area in 1985, when 87^th avenue was a 2 line street and Doral Park was considered to be a retirement community.  He is the founder of the West Dade Federation of Homeowners Association, an organization that at the beginning served as the way to help the West Dade (former name of the Doral area) community to have presence in front of Miami-Dade County Officials in order to provide the area with the infrastructure it was lacking, and it evolved to become instrumental on the incorporation of the city.

Mr. Jesse Jones, from Mississippi, moved definitely to Miami when he was in 6^th grade, grew up here, established his business and moved to Doral in 1985/86. Along with Mr. Levy was founder of the West Dade Federation (WDF) and continues to be very involved on the support of community initiatives through the Doral Community Coalition.

They are the quintessential ‘Doralians’ if that term can be defined as people who love the city, have strong community values of honesty, respect, involvement and an immaculate reputation on community service.

On the history of the Doral area and helping provide Doral with the required infrastructure

ML: In 1985 there was only the Doral Country Club. When we moved here this part was called West Dade.  There was no infrastructure, nothing out there. When the county wanted to build a jail in 25^th street that is when Jesse and I got together and created the West Dade Federation to fight that, and instead of the jail it now houses the Metro Police department headquarters. West Dade Federation was founded to look after the infrastructure, the incinerator, the people, and the Medley landfill, all of those things that were critical and important. We represented the interests of about 8000 homeowners, living in this part of the County, without local government, just the county government that ignored the area tremendously; there was nothing here, no schools, no parks, no streets.

JJ: The Dade County institutions in what it is now Doral, they placed here all the things they did not want anywhere else. They wanted to build a jail and Morgan fought it.  He also helped set up the first elementary school, John I. Smith. The WDF had got 20 acres of land for a High School, we had to fight hard for that and we were successful. Also the County wanted to build the INS headquarters to consolidate every INS facility in the whole county and put it right there, on 25^th street. We fought that and prevailed.  It was the first time ever a community based organization ever defeated the GSA   (General Services Administration) and as far as I know it still is like that.

Along with the members of the organization One Doral, West Dade Federation moved forward on the incorporation process, which started around 1995, “an 8 years battle” as Mr. Levy puts it. Incorporation means becoming an independent municipality. Achieving this helped Doral’s residents to keep the taxes in the City to serve its inhabitants and provide every park, school, road, police department and excellent services the City enjoys today.

On helping the new residents to adapt to their new environment and fundamental values of society

JJ: It is all part of the maturing process of the community. Some people say ‘Why should I speak English?’ I don’t disagree with that as some people do, because their kids anyway are going to learn the language. And this is going to evolve into a bilingual community. If they don’t speak English their children will. It is just a matter of time. Although it is not the right thing to do, because the idea here is that in order to fully get the benefits of living in this country you really have to enter the culture.

JJ: There is a similarity between the southern born Americans and most of the Hispanics, born in South America and it is family core values, we have the same value: Family First. There is a cultural difference not only with the US but among all South American countries, which has to do with the ways the system requires the people to live on those societies. There are different values. They come here and find that some of the rules on how you have to go about your business back there do not necessarily apply here. So the biggest problem that I have found is that when people move here they are people that come with money, not from a particular country, the majority of them come here with money, and they like everything they see so they buy here. And one of the first things I see from some people, not all, all of the sudden they want to do business the way they did there. What I would like to see the parents teach their children, is that when you come here, when you join this new country, this different society, you have to get informed, understand the rules, get the good things about this country that you like and if you want to make a change get involved, participate, because it is possible to change the rules. Do not ignore the rules, just participate and get involved if you want change, which is the way it works. That is what their children are learning at school anyway.

ML: When I get invited to Career Day, I tell children they have to focus on their education, on getting a good education. I tell them not to worry about what their job will be, their first and more important job now is to get a good education, and once you get a good education you can handle any job. I have had many careers in my life and every one I have enjoyed; learn every step of the way. You can do it with a good education, respect your teacher; you get the great part of your education here in these classrooms and that will help you for life.

DFJ: What would be a strong remark to those newcomers to the Doral Area?

ML: you are moving to a community that established its goals and parameters on good government and you have to abide by the rules.

On issues on education and community participation

ML:  There were no schools here and I was approached by three teachers. They said “There is going to be an elementary school, the one you have fought for, and they are having a contest with the Board of Education to come up with a concept for the new school” and I said “I got a great concept for you: Why don’t you call it ‘A City within a School’?” and that is exactly what they did in Jon I. Smith Elementary, and I introduced them to bankers and other  people here in business in the community,  and they had a post office, a bank, everything inside the school. Then we got to build a Senior High School. Jesse fought for that.

JJ: West Dade Federation owned 20 acres of land. We had been trying to get to anybody that was out demanding our high school, we tried to have them to build a High School in 20 acres of land and they wouldn’t do it. They said they needed 40 acres of land to build 5000 students High School. To get a good education that could not be a school that big. Quite honestly when you do research you find that the quality of education with high amount of students it starts to drop at 1100, 2000 is about the maximum to guarantee a good quality education, that is why we secured 20 acres, to build us a high school with the right dimensions to ensure good education. We owned the land, so we gifted the land, to have the school being built, but we went to the School Board to set our position on the land but also on the cap of 2000 for the amount of students. And now everybody knows about the cap in the amount of students.

DFJ: On the school year 2010-2011, due to the increase of population, the Population Restriction (cap) of 2000 students was reached and surpassed. Therefore the West Dade Federation sued the School Board, as it was and has always been the interest to ensure for the children of Doral the best standards of Public Education. A solution to the overpopulation situation came with the creation of the Reagan/Doral Senior High School South Campus on the third floor of the Doral Middle School.

JJ: I hope people understand the reasons for the cap. It has proven it was the right decision. When you see the honors on Ronald W. Reagan/Doral Senior High School, and they continue to succeed, you see the individual and collective achievements of all those students. It is a fantastic school! It is what we wanted, we said to our elected officials “we want Pinecrest quality public schools for Doral” and they got upset, but it was what we wanted for Doral. We got them!

ML: and now they are all “A” schools here in Doral

JJ: I was at Ronald W. Reagan/Doral Senior High School as the Doral Community Coalition donated the golf cart for the security of the school, and I had the chance to talk to the Student Council President and the 2012 Class President. It just put a smile on my face to see these kids, their command of their own thoughts, their maturity level; I looked back when I was on the 12^th grade and all I cared about race cars. The sky is their limit! These are civic minded individuals; they are thinking awards, what a difference on their maturity level.

DFJ: How can we deal with the lack of participation mainly from those who can’t vote because they just arrived to the community and are not citizens? How can they voice their opinion, make a difference even if they can’t vote, and help put in office the people they believe are correct for the city?

JJ: To your question, the people have to find out what is working in the community they live in, things that influence their families the most: schools, churches, parks, learn about them and get involved on those organizations. They have to get involved, participate, get on the PTA, and volunteer their services at their church, at the parks. People can get involved if they choose to; must people don’t.  I know there are a lot of demands, both parents working, but we all can find time to get involved.

DFJ: people have to find the time to be proactive, to make a change.

ML: People who can’t vote but want things to change have to talk to those who do vote and share with them their views.

JJ; the easiest way to support is with funds, but giving time, the most valuable commodity people have, and helping campaign to those candidates they believe fit the values they want to keep firm on the city, is the way people who cannot vote can help put those they want on the decision making posts.

ML: Set Priorities first, and if the first priority is the protection of their home and family the best way to protect them is to get involved and preserve the environment that surrounds their family as a healthy, safe, good environment, where they can grow up. That creates good communities, good politicians and good elected officials. By people who care enough to give their time and serve their communities.

On how Doral became a City and what to look for in candidates to the City Council.

ML: When we started to fight to get a city here our main goal was to have local government close to the people. Our taxes were going to the county and were not coming back, they were not giving us roads, they were not giving us schools, parks, police or any infrastructure we needed. So all of the sudden in 1995 Aventura became incorporated, and our West Dade Federation we had a lawyer his name is John Fletcher, who later became a court judge and we asked John “when should West Dade start thinking about incorporation” and he told me “yesterday Morgan, yesterday”. Lights went on; we had meetings and started an 8 year battle. I was one of a county group of people, to form a coalition of the communities looking for incorporation; it is still operating to support those communities that want incorporation and have not being able to.

JJ: We recall West Dade Federation had to file a lawsuit against the county, and Morgan Levy and Rolando Oses, were the main financers to require the county to let us incorporate. They won the lawsuit, so the county was supposed to let us incorporate, but guess what, they appealed it and the decision was overturned on appeal. The West Dade Federation did not have the money to fight the county. After that Morgan started the fight to become a city, the lawsuit had to have a name on it, and those were Morgan Levy and Rolando Oses.

ML: Rolando Oses was an instrumental part of this process. Right alongside Jesse and me, Rolando worked as an integral part of the Federation.

DFJ: When did those who are now the elected officials of the City come into the picture?

JJ: At that time we did not have any elected officials and our representative Commissioner at the County, was Miriam Alonso, who preceded Pepe Diaz. She had her issues, but she was our biggest supporter. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla  proposed the formation of Community Council were people elected from an area were able to vote on zoning issues, as they lived here. When that happened, we had a race, West Dade Federation was very active, many people went involved and many were elected and ended up on the Community Council.  So time marched on, the West Dade Federation was still acting, we formed a development committee which I chaired, to work with the developers to provide an orderly development of the city, and we were very successful with that. The group that came in now became participating in all meetings and in order to become incorporated we were authorized to form the DMAC (Development Municipal Advisory Council) various people got in that committee, there were 2 or 3 of those in the history of that process, in order to work towards incorporation. And by that time, the group formed One Doral. They felt The West Dade Federation was not doing the job it should been doing; it actually was a matter of differences of understanding on the timing of when to do the things we had to do. By that time WDF was primarily the Anglos, and by this time many Hispanics had moved in, quite frankly looking back on it the way it happened it was better for all of us. The result was good for all of us. Morgan and I are not getting any younger; we had been fighting the county for 15 years. People wanted people who lived here to lead them, Doral elected their leaders. The main differences between the two organizations (One Doral and WDF) were that the West Dade Federation was a community activist group, with no political aspirations at all. The One Doral group had political aspirations and it was a time for that, at that time it was necessary. It was time for those politically motivated people to come in.

ML: Jesse and I are political activists but not politicians.

JJ: They got involved; they began working on the incorporation movement. Pepe Cancio was appointed our Commissioner when the governor removed Mrs. Alonso. He had been on the Community Council, he knew all of us. He was very helpful on the incorporation process. We might have had our differences, but what we want to is to reach out to all the folks in Doral, to ask them to get in touch with their candidates, to analyze their candidates, to get involved, to actually see the people that will represent you. An elected official has to represent all of you. We have to select the people who are most qualified.

JJ: The results of the whole incorporation process were fine because we have now great people leading the city, especially our first elected Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. The people that got elected were cohesive, they worked well together, they were community leaders and they did the right things for the right reasons, and as good as they wer, it was the political skills and the knowledge from Juan Carlos Bermudez that held it all together and continued to reflect and represent the vision that we all had.

DFJ: What would describe the ideal Elected Officials?

JJ: Elected officials have to be people who understand the community. They have to be people involved in homeowner associations, in schools, in the churches and in the community. That is the kind of people we should be looking for: Elected officials that represent their folks not their own interests. We have to defend the interests of Doral and the people of Doral. We want elected officials supported financially by the people who lives here and by businesses here, not from outside the community. That is critical. We do not need someone who defends or is supported by people outside the community.

ML: they need to have experience on what the local government is. With the right leadership Doral will continue to be an example to others who want good local government, transparent, close to people. Without that we can’t survive, we can end up with corruption and that is what we do not want at all

JJ: I can tell you right now Doral has the opportunity and the obligation to be the Coral Gables of Miami Dade. We have the opportunity and the resources to provide leadership to the whole county. We have the opportunity to have the leadership role on how the airport operates, we have remind and carry that flag and require from our elected officials to continue giving that to our community. This obligation is to itself and to the whole county. Doral is very unique, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Our newly elected officials will have to seize that opportunity.

ML: From all we have learned over the past years, those who have a strong voice will take over. Those previous years when we were trying to create a city here all of us Jesse, Rolando Oses, Odel Torres, Pepe Cancio and all the rest, also the people from One Doral, we all had the same basic desires.  We had and still have the strong need for local government controlled by people who live here doing what the people here wants and needs. That is what concerns us now. We need people who care. That is what we voted for, that is what we got and we don’t want to lose it now. We need elected officials who know what the people on the city needs and to work for that.

ML: There is one very basic thing and it is honesty. You have to be able to put your head on your pillow at night and not worry about having lied to anybody.

 JJ: People that allege corruption are measured by two “A”s: number 1, if the allegations are Anonymous you should wrap them up and throw them away. Never pay attention to an allegation that doesn’t have a name on it. And number 2: if somebody puts a name on it and they have it, they should go to the state Attorney general and file a complaint. That is the procedure.  I have a very simple test: if they want to put a name on it and they want to get the state attorney on it. If they don’t I do not pay attention to that kind of allegation. It is easy to go out and put out allegations that are anonymous. I don’t believe on anonymous allegations and it is my position on that.

ML: Let me give you my opinion on how corruption takes over. I work around the county and make conservation speeches. And I always end with the same remarks. Our generation created all these problems; we should not leave the same problems to the next generation. We created these problems for 3 basic reasons, one is ignorance; some of us didn’t know any better. Number 2 is greed; some of us wanted to make money regardless of consequences, and number 3 is indifference, complacency; somebody has to do something about it. And that is what happens with corruption. Everybody sits back, see the people who are corrupt, but they don’t take the time to go to vote and express their views and the same people stay on the same positions. People have to get involved to ensure those things don’t ever happen in Doral. I can’t stand by and see something happening that is wrong and not voice my objection to it. I’m outspoken.  At my age I don’t care who criticizes me for what I say, but I am very careful that I speak for what is best for my community. I have strong family ties; I raised my children to honor always the truth, to be honorable.

JJ: We are not off the track yet, what we need to do is to find a way to give the message out to reach the people to find and know the values. People still have the same values. They have not abandoned what they know is the best of the community. They have to review the candidates and select those that have responsibility and transparency of government.

ML: Transparency. That has always been paramount on the city of Doral, a term first coined by our mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez, who always made sure all Council activity is in the open and people know about it. It is very important!

On leaving a legacy and staying active for the community

ML: This interview is very timely because it is important that the current citizens know what we went through to help create this city and we are now reactivating ourselves, because it has us very concerned how the future is going to be for the city. I have to do it. There are things going on from now and November and I have to be involved. I hope my legacy would be I lived to do what I thought was best and I took the opportunity to do what I think it was good work wherever I was. I used to run summer camps and now I see Summer Camps at Morgan Levy Parks it makes me feel joy. My legacy is doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right group and for the right reasons.

JJ: We are flag-wavers, not politicians. I just hope that I can continue doing things on the spirit I currently do. What I do is for the right reason and I hope I can continue to have our voices heard and reach to audiences who understand what we said and that is helpful for someone. It is a never-ending process.

We hope with this humble rendition to have honored the time given to us by these men of strength, commitment and character, those we consider the Founding Fathers of Doral.

                  

——————- En Español ——————–

Morgan Levy y Jesse Jones: Fundadores de Doral

 Por: María Alejandra Pulgar

El Sr. Morgan Levy y el Sr. Jesse Jones son nombres legendarios para quienes han estado viviendo en Doral por más de 8 años. Su arduo trabajo y su influencia para lograr  el establecimiento de la Ciudad de Doral desde sus orígenes, fueron tales que ellos sin duda pueden considerarse fundadores. Ellos, junto con el difunto Sr. Rolando Oses y muchos otros residentes de Doral de toda la vida, desde finales de los 80, superaron los obstáculos para establecer las bases del camino que condujo en 2003 a la incorporación de la Ciudad de Doral.

Hay momentos en que recibir el consejo oportuno de las personas con más experiencia y visión se convierte en una necesidad. Las próximas elecciones de Noviembre serán un punto de inflexión para el Doral. Entonces, este es el momento adecuado para volver a los valores que llevaron a la fundación de la ciudad.
Este es el resumen una larga conversación con el Sr. Levy y el Sr. Jones, donde reminiscencias de los primeros años de la zona dieron paso a hablar sobre  los recién llegados y su aclimatación a su nuevo entorno y los valores fundamentales de la sociedad; sobre lo que los residentes deben buscar en los candidatos ideales para el nuevo Concejo Municipal y también sobre cual piensan ellos será su legado para las generaciones futuras.

¿Quiénes son Morgan Levy y Jesse Jones?

El señor Levy nació en 1924 en Washington, DC, pero se mudó a Miami a los 2 años de edad. Hizo un negocio de operación de campamentos de verano para  niños y siempre se ha preocupado de establecer un buen ejemplo, ser honesto y trabajar duro. Se trasladó a la zona de Doral en 1985, cuando la avenida 87 era una calle de solamente 2 vias, y el Doral Park era considerada una comunidad para retirados. Él es el fundador de la Federación de Propietarios de West Dade (WDF), una organización que al principio sirvió como forma de ayudar a la comunidad de West Dade (antiguo nombre de la zona de Doral) a tener presencia frente a los funcionarios de Miami-Dade County con el fin de proporcionar el área con la infraestructura que le faltaba, y que evolucionó hasta convertirse en un componente decisivo para la incorporación de la ciudad.

El Sr. Jesse Jones, de Mississippi, se trasladó definitivamente a Miami cuando estaba en 6 º grado, se crió aquí. Es empresario y  se mudó a Doral en 1985/86. Junto con el señor Levy fue el fundador de la WDF y sigue estando muy involucrado en apoyar las iniciativas comunitarias a través de la Coalición Comunitaria de Doral (Doral Community Coalition).

Ambos son la quintaesencia de los “Doralinos” si ese término se define como una persona que ama esta ciudad, tiene fuertes valores comunitarios como la honestidad, el respeto y la participación y además tiene una reputación impecable en el servicio comunitario.

Sobre la creación de la infraestructura necesaria para Doral:

 ML: “En 1985 sólo existía el Doral Country Club. Cuando nos mudamos aquí esta parte se llama West Dade. No había ninguna infraestructura, no había nada. Cuando el condado quería construir una cárcel en la calle 25 Jesse y yo nos reunimos y creamos la Federación de West Dade para luchar contra eso, y en vez de la cárcel, ahora se encuentra allí  la sede del Departamento de Policía de Miami-Dade. West Dade Federación fue fundada para cuidar de los intereses de la gente, proveer la infraestructura, el incinerador, el relleno sanitario de Medley, todas esas cosas que son vitales e importantes. Representábamos los intereses de alrededor de 8000 propietarios, que vivían  en esta zona a quienes el gobierno del condado ignoraba olímpicamente. Aquí no había nada, ni escuelas, ni parques, ni calles.

JJ: las instituciones del condado de Dade, en lo que es ahora Doral, colocaban aquí todo lo que no querían en ningún otro lugar. Querían construir una cárcel y Morgan luchó contra eso. También ayudó a crear la primera escuela primaria, John I. Smith. La WDF consiguió 20 acres de terreno para una escuela secundaria, tuvimos también que luchar duro por ello y tuvimos éxito. El Condado quería construir la sede del INS para consolidar todas las instalaciones del INS en todo el condado en la calle 25. Luchamos contra eso y también vencimos. Era la primera vez que una organización comunitaria derrotaba a la Administración General de Servicios GSA (General Services Administration) y hasta donde sé, esa ha sido la única vez.

Junto con los miembros de la organización One Doral, West Dade Federación avanzó en el proceso de incorporación, que comenzó alrededor de 1995, “una batalla de ocho años”, como dice el señor Levy. La incorporación significa llegar a ser un municipio independiente. Este logro ayudó a los residentes de Doral a  mantener los impuestos en la ciudad para dar servicios a sus habitantes, y proporcionar parques, escuelas,  vialidad, policía y todos los demás servicios excelentes que la ciudad goza hoy en día.

Sobre la adaptación de nuevos residentes y los valores fundamentales de la sociedad.

JJ: Es todo parte del proceso de maduración de la comunidad. Algunas personas dicen ‘¿Por qué debo hablar Inglés? “No estoy en desacuerdo con ello, pues sus hijos de todas formas van a aprender el idioma. Y esto se  convertirá en una comunidad bilingüe. Si ellos no hablan inglés ya sus hijos lo harán. Es sólo una cuestión de tiempo. Aunque no es totalmente lo correcto, porque la idea aquí es que para obtener plenamente los beneficios de vivir en este país, realmente tienes que asimilar la cultura.

JJ: Hay una gran similitud entre los estadounidenses nacidos en el sur y la mayoría de los hispanos, nacidos en América del Sur y es la base de valores fundamentales de la familia. Hay una diferencia cultural, no sólo con los EE.UU., sino entre todos los países sudamericanos, y tiene que ver con las reglas que el sistema requiere para que la gente pueda vivir y  hacer negocios en esas sociedades. Hay diferentes valores. Los nuevos residentes llegan y encuentran que algunas de las reglas sobre cómo hacer negocios en sus países de origen no necesariamente se aplican aquí. Así que el mayor problema que he encontrado es que cuando la gente se muda para acá ,son personas que vienen con  dinero, no  hablamos de ningún país en particular, la mayoría de ellos vienen aquí con el dinero, y les gusta todo lo que ven por lo que compran vivienda aquí. Y una de las primeras cosas que veo en algunas personas, no todos, de repente es que quieren manejar sus negocios de la misma manera que lo hicieron allá. Lo que me gustaría ver que los padres enseñaran a sus hijos, es que cuando usted viene aquí, cuando se une a este nuevo país, a esta sociedad diferente, usted tiene que informarse, comprender las reglas, identificar las cosas buenas de este país que te gustan y si quieres hacer un cambio entonces involucrarse, participar activamente, ya que es posible cambiar las reglas. No ignorar las reglas sino participar e involucrarse si quieren un cambio, esa es la forma en que este país funciona. Eso es lo que los niños están aprendiendo en la escuela.

ML: Cuando me invitan a Career Day en las escuelas, le digo a los niños que tienen que concentrarse en su educación, en conseguir una buena educación. Les digo que no se preocupen por cual será su trabajo en el futuro, sino que su primer trabajo y el más importante ahora es tener una buena educación, y una vez que reciban una buena educación podrán realizar cualquier tipo de trabajo. He tenido muchas carreras en mi vida y todas las he disfrutado, aprendiendo en cada paso del camino. Solo es posible hacerlo con una buena educación, respetando a los padres y maestros. Se obtiene la gran parte de la educación en los salones de clase y eso es algo que les ayudará para toda la vida.

Sobre qué deben buscar los electores en los candidatos al Concejo Municipal

ML: Cuando empezamos a luchar para conseguir una ciudad nuestro objetivo principal era tener un gobierno cercano, un gobierno local para la gente.

JJ: Los resultados del proceso de incorporación al final fueron buenos, porque hemos tenido grandes líderes en la ciudad, especialmente en nuestro primer Alcalde,  Juan Carlos Bermúdez. Las personas que fueron elegidas trabajaban al principio muy cohesionadas, trabajaron muy bien  en conjunto, eran líderes de la comunidad; ellos hicieron las cosas correctas por las razones correctas. Su gestión fue tan buena gracias a las habilidades políticas y  conocimiento de Juan Carlos Bermúdez y juntos lograron reflejar y representar la visión que todos teníamos para la ciudad.

JJ: Los elegidos tienen que ser la gente que entienda a la comunidad. Tienen que ser personas que participen en asociaciones de propietarios, en las escuelas, en las iglesias y en la comunidad. Ese es el tipo de persona que  se debe buscar: Funcionarios electos que representen a su gente, no a sus propios intereses. Tenemos que defender los intereses de Doral y a la gente de Doral. Queremos que los funcionarios electos tengan el apoyo financiero de la gente que vive aquí y por las empresas de aquí, no gente fuera de la comunidad. Esto es crítico. No necesitamos a alguien que defienda o que este apoyado por intereses fuera de la comunidad.

 ML: Tienen que tener experiencia en lo que es un  gobierno local. Con el liderazgo adecuado Doral seguirá siendo un ejemplo para otros que quieren un buen gobierno local, transparente, cercano a la gente. Sin eso no podemos sobrevivir, podemos terminar con corrupción y eso es lo que no queremos en absoluto.

JJ: Yo puedo decir ahora mismo que Doral tiene la oportunidad y la obligación de ser el Coral Gables de Miami Dade. Tenemos la oportunidad y los recursos para proporcionar liderazgo a todo el condado. Tenemos la oportunidad de tener el papel de liderazgo sobre cómo opera el aeropuerto, tenemos que recordar y llevar esa bandera y exigir a nuestros funcionarios electos seguir siendo motivo de orgullo y dando buen servicio a nuestra comunidad. Esta obligación es para sí mismos y para todo el condado.

JJ: Nosotros no nos hemos alejado aun del camino. Sin embargo, lo que tenemos que hacer es encontrar una manera de dar el mensaje y llegar a las personas para dar a conocer los valores que queremos para la ciudad. La gente todavía tiene los mismos valores. Ellos no han abandonado lo que saben que es lo mejor de la comunidad. Los electores tienen que revisar a los candidatos y seleccionar los que tienen la responsabilidad, la transparencia del gobierno.

ML: Transparencia. Eso siempre ha sido de suma importancia en la ciudad de Doral, un término acuñado por nuestro alcalde JCB, que siempre se asegura que toda la actividad del Concejo se encuentra en el abierto y la gente sabe sobre la gestión. Esto es muy importante.

Sobre dejar un legado y por qué quieren mantenerse activos para la comunidad.

ML: Esta entrevista es muy oportuna, porque es importante que los ciudadanos corrientes sepan todo lo que hemos pasado para ayudar a crear esta ciudad y ahora está en nosotros reactivarnos, porque nos tiene muy preocupados cómo va a ser el futuro para la ciudad. Tenemos que hacerlo. Ocurrirán muchas cosas a partir de ahora hasta noviembre, y tenemos que estar involucrados. Mi legado es hacer siempre lo correcto, en el momento adecuado, para las personas correctas y por las razones correctas.

JJ: Yo sólo espero que pueda seguir haciendo las cosas con el mismo espíritu que tengo en la actualidad. Lo que hago es por la razón correcta, y espero poder seguir haciendo escuchar nuestras voces para llegar al público y ser continuar siendo útil para la comunidad. Se trata de un proceso que nunca termina.

Se conversaron muchos temas esa tarde, tantos que no cabrían en la edición impresa. Para leer la completa gama de historias sobre la fundación de Doral y las opiniones en temas de educación y participación comunitaria, los invitamos a leer la versión en línea de este artículo en www.doralfamilyjournal.net

Esperamos haber honrado el tiempo dedicado para compartir con nuestros lectores sus comentarios, por estos insignes hombres con tanto nivel de compromiso comunitario y carácter, por ello los consideramos los Fundadores de Doral.