BREAKING NEWS: Council Sets Emergency Ultra Meeting. How It Can Act

WE MUST UNITE: Key Biscayne is holding a special council meeting Monday, Nov. 5 after it was revealed the Ultra Music Festival is planning to relocate to Virginia Key in March 2019.

Key Biscayne’s outgoing Village Council is holding a special meeting Monday at 6:00 p.m. about the Ultra Music Festival’s possible move to Virginia Key. I commend the council for acting swiftly. With the City of Miami scheduled to vote on this on November 15, time is of the essence to respond.

Here are some DO’s and DON’TS as the council considers its options for a mobilization and communication campaign, which I believe is crucial in the short time before Nov. 15.

DO: Authorize the manager to take this crisis head-on and give her the budget authority to do so, which will require aggressive outreach, crisis communications, and yes, lobbying. 

DON’T: Get into a lengthy debate about strategy and messaging. That’s the manager’s job, working with her team. Moreover, you never want to telegraph your strategy. Unfortunately, this is a case where the Sunshine Laws can work against you if they wind up tipping off an adversary. Agree on a directive and communicate it to the manager clearly. 

DO: The council should take on the role of mobilizer-in-chief while the manager takes the operational lead. If each member of council could get 10 people (including people from Brickell and the environmental community!) to show up at a meeting that’s 70 people right there. This is an area where each council member can be really effective. I will be at the City of Miami meeting November 15 regardless of the election outcome, and I will bring 10 people with me. Join me!

Again, I commend  the council for taking this action. Let’s stay united for KB.