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RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO DESIGNATE OPA-LOCKA BOULEVARD/N.W. 135TH STREET FROM N.W. 7TH AVENUE TO N.W. 47TH AVENUE AS THE "HONORABLE ROBERT B. INGRAM, PH.D. BOULEVARD"; APPROVING SUCH DESIGNATION; AND URGING THE CITY OF OPA-LOCKA TO APPROVE SUCH DESIGNATION

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WHEREAS, the Honorable Robert B. Ingram passed away on Wednesday, September 5, 2007, at the age of 71; and
WHEREAS, Ingram left behind a string of firsts: in 1962, he and Officer Clarence Dickson became the first African-American officers at the City of Miami downtown police station; Ingram later became Miami's first African-American motorcycle police officer; and still later became the first elected mayor of the City of Opa-locka; and
WHEREAS, Ingram is the only Opa-locka mayor to serve six consecutive terms from 1986 to 1998; and
WHEREAS, Ingram was first elected to the School Board in November, 1998, and continued in that role until his death; and
WHEREAS, Ingram also served as assistant to the president at Florida Memorial University and senior pastor at Mount Zion AME in Miami Gardens; and
WHEREAS, as mayor, Ingram initiated programs in the areas of affordable housing, neighborhood improvement, citizens participation in governmental services; crime prevention; services to senior citizens, and youth programs; and
WHEREAS, as a school board member, he was a passionate advocate for the children of Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, many considered Ingram the dean of African-American elected officials in Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, Section 334.071, Florida Statutes, provides that the installation of road designation signs shall be contingent on the applicable city and county commissions passing resolutions in support of the particular honorary road designation; and
WHEREAS, before the Florida Department of Transportation will install signs reflecting the "Robert B. Ingram, Ph.D. Boulevard" road designation, the City of Opa-locka will need to pass a resolution in support of the road designation, in addition to Miami-Dade County,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature to designate Opa-locka Boulevard/N.W. 135th Street from N.W. 7th Avenue to N.W. 47th Avenue as the "Honorable Robert B. Ingram, Ph.D. Boulevard."
Section 2. Approves the designation of Opa-locka Boulevard/N.W. 135th Street from N.W. 7th Avenue to N.W. 47th Avenue as the "Honorable Robert B. Ingram, Ph.D. Boulevard."
Section 3. Urges the City of Opa-locka to pass a resolution in support of designating Opa-locka Boulevard/N.W. 135th Street from N.W. 7th Avenue to N.W. 47th as the "Honorable Robert B. Ingram, Ph.D. Boulevard."
Section 4. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit certified copies of the resolution to the Governor; the Senate President; the House Speaker; the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation; and the City of Opa-locka Mayor, Commissioners and City Manager.
Section 5. Directs the County's state lobbyists to advocate for the issues identified in section 1 above, and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2008 state legislative package.