Dozens of Miami Gardens residents packed Miami Gardens City Hall Tuesday night, March 26th, to speak out against Councilwoman Katrina Wilson’s proposed resolution to extend city council term limits from two four-year terms to three—a change that would require a 2025 special election costing taxpayers close to $200,000.

The city charter, originally crafted by Miami Gardens’ founding leaders, explicitly limited elected officials to two terms. When Wilson initially proposed this change last summer, it was decisively rejected by both the city’s Charter Review Committee and a vocal public. Residents were shocked to see the measure reappear on the council agenda, calling it a blatant disregard for the will of the people.

The tension in the room boiled over when Councilwoman Wilson began explaining her reasoning for reintroducing the resolution. According to a resident who attended the meeting but asked to remain anonymous, Wilson called resident Karen Hunter-Jackson out by name on the dais, which made Hunter respond by saying “why are you calling me out by name and making this personal. No one here called you out by name.”

Before Katrina could finish her statement, she was interrupted by an outburst from the crowd by Hunter, who is also a former Miami Gardens council candidate. She lost to Councilwoman Linda Julien in last year’s election for Seat 5. The verbal exchange between Wilson and Hunter-Jackson escalated quickly, with yelling that disrupted the proceedings and led to the meeting being abruptly recessed.

Several attendees reported on social media that the conflict didn’t end there. According to witnesses, the shouting continued into the hallway after the meeting, creating a spectacle that many residents described online as “messy” and “ghetto.” Some expressed concern that the optics of the incident could harm Miami Gardens’ public image—especially as the city continues to distance itself from the outdated and harmful nickname “Murder Gardens.”

Despite the negative attention, it’s important to note that Miami Gardens has made significant progress in fighting crime and improving its image. In fact, recent statistics show the city has a lower crime rate than Miami Beach. As Florida’s largest predominantly Black city—and one of the largest in the U.S.—Miami Gardens has defied stereotypes, many of which were fueled by racism and media bias.

The city has become a beacon of success in recent years, securing millions in development deals, attracting world-class events to Hard Rock Stadium, hosting the annual Jazz in the Gardens music festival, and organizing one of South Florida’s largest Juneteenth celebrations—an event sponsored by Councilwoman Wilson herself. Most recently, hometown rapper Flo Rida and his business partner Freezy Prince made history as the first Black owners of a shopping plaza in the city.

Given this legacy of excellence, many residents who spoke to Hy-Lo News said they hope the outburst at last night’s meeting is an isolated incident. Several attendees said they were surprised by Wilson’s reaction, especially given her typically warm and friendly demeanor. Historically, Miami Gardens council meetings have been civil, with past city officials generally maintaining professionalism on the dais.

Still, the message from the community came through loud and clear—residents do not want a third term added to city council limits. One user commented on Hy-Lo News’ social media page explaining that outburst just killed any chance Wilson had at passing that resolution.

Whether this controversial resolution resurfaces again remains to be seen, but for now, Miami Gardens residents are demanding that their voices be heard—and respected.

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