DECEMBER 2012 Runoff Winners Ruiz, Fraga Join Aguilera on Council
Boria Becomes Mayor with Three New Members BY RICHARD YAGER
Luigi Boria, an entrepreneurial computer firm executive and ordained Hispanic minister, was sworn into office Nov. 28 as the City of Doral’s second Mayor since incorporation in 2003. By a narrow 432-vote margin of 4,712 ballots cast in the Nov. 27 runoff election, Boria became the first native-born Venezuelan to head a Florida city, defeating challenger Frank Bolanos, former Chairman of Miami-Dade County’s School Board, 2,372 to 2,140. Just over 25% of Doral’s 17,606 registered voters took time to vote for both a new Mayor to succeed Juan Carlos Bermudez who has served since July 2003, the city’s year of incorporation. Bermudez who did not seek reelection due to term limits has since announced his association with the Miami law firm of Akerman Senterfitt as part of a real estate practice group. In addition, three of four Council members began four-year terms including Sandra Ruiz and Christi Fraga, both needing runoff victories Nov. 27. In the Council Seat 1 runoff, Ruiz polled 2,317 to Elena Ortega-Tauler’s 2,049 while Christi Fraga with 2,533 votes won over Robert Van Name with 2030, both 55-to-44% of total votes cast in those two races. Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera had won the Council 3 seat without a runoff by besting Clemente Vera by a slim 50.5 to 49.4% margin in the Nov. 6 election. The swearing-in ceremony of Mayor
HEALTH CARE CORNER Treating Veins By DR. MANUEL E. ABELLA
A 45-year veteran in the public sector, Stierheim successfully supervised a $5 billion countywide infrastructure expansion as Manager of Miami-Dade County from 1976 to 1986. Among that decade’s highlights were construction of Miami Metro Zoo, the downtown library and cultural complex,
n innovative, minimallyinvasive procedure, more advanced than laser, now resolves Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) without the need for painful surgery and long recovery. When CVI develops, the valves which pump blood to the veins are damaged and the blood, instead of flowing in only one direction to return to the heart, flows back or becomes stagnant. The problem usually begins to present itself as varicose veins. Many patients with varicose veins that go untreated may develop CVI. The solution to CVI is eliminating the vein difficulty, so that the blood flows only through healthy veins. The vein which most commonly presents CVI is the saphenous vein, which travels the length of the leg. Until very recently, the way this problem tended to be resolved was by means of a very invasive operation, which consisted in making a large incision in the leg to tie, cut, and remove the vein (ligation and stripping). Recovery was very painful: the patient’s quality of life was severely impaired. The development of catheter technology allowed for the cauterization from within making the vein inoperative, rather than removing the vein itself, turning it into a simple fibrous cord. Initially, this was achieved using laser energy. A new technology now exists using radiofrequency energy, which is more comfortable and convenient. The procedure consists of a catheter inserted into the vein through a tiny incision below the knee. Unlike painful vein stripping surgery or laser ablation, the catheter delivers uniform, consistent heat to each segment and temperatures do not exceed
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Luigi Boria sworn in as City of Doral’s second mayor. –––––––––––––––––––––
Boria and Council members Ruiz, Aguilera and Fraga was followed Dec. 4 by the Council’s first meeting with the three newly-elected women joining Ana Maria Rodriguez. Boria entered the runoff against Frank Bolanos after a three-way Nov. 6 race eliminated Council member Pete Cabrera who lost to Bolanos by 77 votes in a close battle for second place. A native of Caracas, Venezuela, born of Italian parentage. Boria graduated from the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello, earning an accounting degree, and marrying his college sweetheart, Garciela, in 1982. Now married 27 years, the Borias have two children, Alexander
and Maria Lorena. They moved to the U. S. in 1989 where Boria expanded his TMC-The Magic Computer business by locating in Doral and opening a second company, TWC-The Wise Computer with more than 30 employes in Doral, distributing computers, parts and accessories throughout Latin America. Boria recently continued his expansion by opening a third company, The Magic Computer in Colombia. His community positions include President, Fairways Home Association, 2004-2009; President, Westport Association, 1996-2009; Pastor, Alpha and Omega Church since ordained in 2009 and a bible teacher since 2007.
Stierheim Named City Manager Veteran public official Merrett R. Stierheim was named Doral’s interim City Manager by unanimous vote of the City Council during a special Dec. 4 meeting, the newly-formed Council’s first formal action since the election of Mayor Luigi Boria. Stierheim, 79, temporarily replaces Yvonne Soler-McKinley who informed the Council by letter that she would leave as City Manager concurrent with the departure of former Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez.
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