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Miami Herald, The (FL)

September 23, 2004 Section: Neighbors EA Edition: Final Page: 3E

ACTIVIST UNOPPOSED FOR MAYOR

YUDY PINEIRO, ypineiro@herald.com Community activist and attorney Gary Matzner automatically became the new mayor of Pinecrest on Tuesday, when no one filed to run against him. Matzner, who helped lead the fight for incorporation along with longtime friend and current Mayor Evelyn Greer, will replace Greer who was forced to retire after serving the allowed two terms. Two other council members, Barry Blaxberg and Leslie Bowe, are also giving up their council seats this year due to term limits. Blaxberg's District 1 seat was filled Tuesday by community leader and attorney Gail Serota, who like Matzner, didn't receive any opposition during the village's candidate qualifying period. Serota is vice chairwoman of Pinecrest's planning board. There will be one spot on the council up for grabs: Bowe's District 3 seat. Voters will choose between Dwight Hill and Nancy Harter on Nov. 2. Hill is an executive vice president at Mellon Bank and considers himself a children's issues activist. He's served on several board of directors, including at the Palmer Trinity School. ``I have no ax to grind,'' Hill said. ``It's not like I'm coming in here thinking there's a major wrong that needs to be righted. I think they've done a great job, and we have to keep doing a great job.'' Harter, Palmetto Middle School PTSA president, said she wants to run for the seat because she wants to concentrate on growth issues. ``As Pinecrest continues to mature, I am not sure that all the development decisions are improving the quality of life for our residents,'' Harter said. As for the two who get to skip elections, Matzner and Serota said they just want to work on keeping the village in good shape. ``When you're involved with politics, and you talk about getting things done, you're usually happy if you get 50 percent accomplished,'' Matzner said. ``But [the Pinecrest council has] exceeded those expectations, and I just want to keep up the good work.'' Said Serota: ``I'm not going into this with any set agenda. Pinecrest is a very well run and fiscally sound village, and I want to keep it that way.'' Matzner and Serota have been involved with the village since it incorporated nearly eight years ago. Matzner helped raise $4 million for the village to buy Pinecrest Gardens and was appointed to the Pinecrest Gardens foundation to help raise more money for the park. Now, Matzner thinks the village should do away with the park's entrance fee - long a controversial issue for some village residents who think they shouldn't pay to go to a park they already paid for once through a bond issue. ``I'd like to eliminate the admission charge until we finish construction for everything there,'' said Matzner, who just wants to see more people at the park. Matzner, who will be sworn in after the Nov. 2 election, becomes the village's second mayor. Greer has held the post since incorporation and is now seeking a seat on the Miami-Dade School Board. Serota agrees that Pinecrest Gardens will be a challenge and the hardest issue facing the new council. But as vice chair of the village's planning board, she says she is used to finding a middle ground between the community and the individual's needs. ``I think that on the council I can continue the tradition of resolving these conflicts,'' Serota said. Copyright (c) 2004 The Miami Herald

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