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Domingo Castillo
District 11, Sub Area 116
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Mr. Castillo was elected to District 11 Community Council in August 2004. Being the first Dominican-American to be elected to a public position in South Florida and his election is considered a historical achievement by the Dominican Republic immigrant community. A permanent resident of West Kendall for more than 12 years, he has been a strong advocate for community services and civic involvement since his arrival, commenting:
“Since I moved to West Kendall, I have been deeply involved in my community as a volunteer for public schools programs and charitable organizations. My family and I have been supporting our community through several programs sponsored by different corporations and community groups.” Through his work with the community, Mr. Castillo was named the “Volunteer of the Year” in 2003.
Mr. Castillo has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University where he graduated with Honors. He also holds a Certificate of Specialization in International Business. He is also a Microsoft Certified Engineer (MSCE) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Mr. Castillo works as a Sr. Staff Network/System Analyst for a publicly-traded company. He was honored with his company’s most distinguished employee recognition by being inducted into “The Circle of Excellence” in 2004 in appreciation for his valuable contribution and remarkable work.
Mr. Castillo provided the following questions and answers:
What are the challenges and opportunities for the Community Council District 11?
“The landscape of our community is changing fast! Everyday we face a slew of challenges as natural consequences of our community’s growth. One of the Council’s tough challenges is to manage this growth, but I view it as a marvelous opportunity to improve our quality of life.”
How can we effectively manage the community’s growth?
“This is an interesting question and a controversial subject due to a diversity of factors that converges on it. I think that we need to look at it from a holistic point of view. I feel that one effective way is to build a strategic partnership among key players of the Community --- the residents, developers and the government – Miami Dade County. By working together, spotlighting the common bond that ties us together as stakeholders in the outcome --- rather than the differences, make a strategic alliance that will generate exceptional opportunities to improve the quality of life in our community.”
What is your message to this community?
"The Community Councils were primarily created to make zoning and land use decisions in a setting more accessible to the community. Our community’s quality of life hardly comes from eerie ideas or adrift planning, but from active participation in the decision-making process that affects its development. I encourage the people of West Kendall to participate more often in the Council meetings.
Your input, opinion and participation are crucial to shape our community’s future. As our beloved U. S. president Thomas Jefferson said, 'eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.' As citizens of this country, our responsibility goes beyond casting our votes at elections; it also involves overseeing government actions and active participation, such as giving inputs on issues, infrastructure, development plans, or budgets that impact the future of our community."
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