Lasaly Changkachith seeks Palmetto Bay council Seat 3

Lasaly Changkachith wants to bring what she calls "calm, collaborative leadership" to a Palmetto Bay Village Council she says has been consumed by infighting.

Changkachith is one of four candidates certified for the nonpartisan Seat 3 race in the Nov. 3 general election. She registered as a candidate on June 9 and qualified on Aug. 3, according to the village's registered-candidates page. The other candidates are A.J. Lara, Alan Farquharson and Carl Crawford, according to BallotReady election data.

Changkachith said on her campaign website that the council "has become mired in division, chaos covered not just by the Miami Herald and WLRN, but by the New York Times." She said she is running to "replace infighting with calm, collaborative leadership and thoughtful proposals that protect the character and essence that make Palmetto Bay home."

Candidate information

Changkachith grew up in Homestead, according to her campaign website. After living in Chicago and Atlanta, she and her husband chose Palmetto Bay for its tree canopy, safety and ties to Biscayne Bay, she said.

She and her husband raised three children in the village, she said. Two sons graduated from Coral Reef Senior High, one through the International Baccalaureate program and one through the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet. Her daughter graduated through the School for Advanced Studies. Both sons earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and her eldest son serves as a first lieutenant in the United States Space Force, she said.

Changkachith said she has a background in science and technology. She was a regional badminton champion at Homestead Senior High School and coaches the badminton team at Coral Reef Senior High, she said.

Experience and public service

Changkachith serves as chair of the Village of Palmetto Bay Resiliency Committee, according to her campaign materials. She described herself in a Miami Herald voter guide as "the only woman among four candidates for Seat 3," saying she brings "a service-first mindset."

She said she has volunteered at pine rockland restorations, recycling drives and beach cleanups. She also served as a scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America, coached a winning Odyssey of the Mind team at Frank C. Martin K-8 and helped her family spearhead fundraising to build Wat Buddharangsi, a Buddhist temple in the Redlands, according to her campaign website.

On the issues

Changkachith listed three campaign priorities on her website:

Fiscal responsibility: She said tax dollars should serve residents first and called for fiscal transparency and accountability at every council vote.

Traffic relief and safer streets: She said she wants to expand roundabouts, reduce speeds, set policies for e-bikes and scooters, and protect pedestrians and cyclists.

Green spaces, water and the bay: She said she wants to protect pine rocklands and mangroves, safeguard the Biscayne Aquifer and enforce responsible zoning.

On Referendum 4, which would shift council elections from at-large to single-district voting, Changkachith said she opposes the change. "Since council decisions affect the whole village, residents should keep voting at-large," she said in the Miami Herald voter guide.