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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Public Comments Submitted Online for the September 10, 2020 Virtual First Budget HearingCommission Report Solid Waste special assessments Public Comment - September 10th, 2020 September 10, 2020 5:31 PM MDT Public Comment motero@miamigov.com First Last Street Agenda Name Name Address Item Public Comment BH. 2 7722 Discussio n -DDA test test test Proposed testing to see if this form still works. Millage Tentative Budget FY '21 BH. 1 7737 Discussio We are facing a climate crisis in Miami -Dade County. We need to be allocating 3621 sw n - Public money to the Division of Resilience &Sustainability. We need to plan for the future Adam Roberti 3rd ave Commen of our community in an effective way... not by putting band aids on issues like sea miami fl t on Final level rise and saltwater intrusion. Please help us. Millage and Budget To whom it may concern, I understand that the planned budget for the Division of Resilience and Sustainability is about 0.03% of the total. As a Miami resident, I must say it is alarming that you are not prioritizing environmental protection. Climate change is no joke and no matter of opinion. Ike seen the masses of dead fish in Biscayne Bay. I live on the beach and have seen trucks coming in and trying to pour more sand on the shore because the water is already getting too close to the buildings. The threat of climate is one that will affect Miami before it does many other places. It is time for our beautiful home to start pulling its own weight and to set an example for other cities to follow. Miami has built for itself a history of BH. 1 prestige, do not let it fall fall from grace. Over 30% of the city's current budget is 7737 going to the police. I understand the need to feel safe, and I sympathize with the Discussio fact that you probably do too, but the police should not have the force of a small 16001 n - Public military. Providing more gear for them enables both accidents as much as brutality, Saadin Dassum Collins Commen and I think we can all agree that nobody wants accidents or brutality. Police are Ave t on Final meant to serve and protect the community, not to play judge and jury. As you may Millage know, at a national level, people are unhappy with the police. If you want to get and closer to home, just think of the police shootout in Coral Gables that happened on Budget December 5. Residents of the whole county were shocked by this. Due to everything going on, I think it may be a sensible idea to take at least 5% of the budget given to the police and re -invest it in other causes, such as the Division of Resilience and Sustainability. Making communities safer by investing in them is a great approach to prevent crime. The streets would become safer even for the very officers who patrol it. In the end, re -organizing the budget and prioritizing environmental protection would have a positive effect on everyone. Thank you for reading through this. I hope you were able to find some points you can agree on with me, and I hope you have a good day. 7882 Submittal -Public Comments Submitted Online for the September 10, 2020 Virtual First Budget Hearing First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item To the Commission: I am writing today regarding the proposed 2021 county budget. Recently, a group of county residents, including representatives of many prominent community service organizations including Catalyst Miami, put together a list of budget priorities for the coming year, which you can see here: BH. 19 http://bit.ly/miamibudgetdemands I want to express my support for these budget 7812 priorities, and to encourage you to support them as well. I believe the 4305 SW Approve recommendations, which include increased investments in affordable housing, 130th Ct. FY 2020- mental health resources, and alternatives to incarceration, are pragmatic and fiscally Andrew Stermer Miami, 21 Multi responsible, especially when considering the long term benefits of such investments. FL 33175 Year Further, I believe they demonstrate compassion, especially toward the most Capital vulnerable members of our community --a value I cherish and long to see embodied Plan more often by my elected officials and the policies they propose. As Miami -Dade continues to confront the coronavirus pandemic, the question of "what do we owe to each other as citizens?" has been often on my mind. I believe these proposed budget priorities answer that question with moral courage and creativity, as well as sound policy. Thank you for your consideration, Andy Stermer To the City of Miami Commission: I am writing in support of expanding the budget for the Office of Resiliency specifically, and generally to ask the Commission to take seriously the threat multiplier that Climate Change presents to the region and put forth funds to guide the City to a truly sustainable future. I hope I do not need to convince the Commission of the science behind the threats that Climate Change may pose, but can instead use this comment to emphasize that cutting the budget for resiliency will only accelerate the threats we are facing as a community. Not only must we prepare and adapt, but we must mitigate and decarbonize. In order to do BH. 21 this, we must plan and budget. In comparison, Orlando has nearly doubled its 7736 budget for their office of resiliency this year and has over a dozen full-time staff 7231 Approve working on a clean and just transition into the future. But as the epicenter of sea - Belle Annual level rise and increased disastrous storms, Miami should be leading the way in Theresa Pinto Meade Budget resiliency in Florida. Miami became a member of the C40 group in January, Blvd FY '21- committed "to collaborate effectively, share knowledge and drive meaningful, City of measurable and sustainable action on climate change:' Slashing spending on Miami resiliency does not illustrate this commitment. Miami is also developing a climate mitigation plan but without funds and staff to implement such a plan, also shows a lack of commitment to C40 and to overall sustainability. A community is only as resilient as its least resilient members. If we cut funding to the only office that is tasked with making us more resilient, then we will not succeed in making Miami ready for the environmental challenges that we face now --which will only worsen if we fail to mitigate and prepare --and new challenges as they arise in the future. Thank you for your time and attention. Theresa Pinto, J.D., M.S. Community Advocate This comment is about the budget changes to the Division of Resilience and sustainability. The reduction of the budget for this division by 50% as well as the BH. 21 reduction in staff time is unacceptable. We have already begun to see the way that 7736 climate change is disrupting this city and this disruption will only become worse. We 1000 SW Approve need a functioning, dedicated set of public officials working on the multitude of Seetera Annual Nadia 12th issues that climate change presents. The reduction of this division's budget suggests m Budget Court g that climate change is not a priority for this City- a city that has garnered world FY '21 - attention as the "ground zero" of climate change. How can this city declare a City of climate emergency, yet cut the division responsible for addressing the challenges Miami climate change presents? Please consider revising the budget to give the City the resources it needs to adequately address this issue. Thank you. First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item BH. 12 7796 Approve Annual This budget fails to adress the root causes of racial injustice and climate injustice. 24505 Budget Public safety is about safe water and air not riot gear and prisons. Developing Rachel Collins sw 192 FY '21- infrastructure in flood zones while failing to transition to solar power grids is not ave Civilian resilient. Miami is in a crisis. Defund the police and adress the climate emergency Investiga tive Panel BH. 21 The recent fish kills and record breaking temperatures are clear signals that we are 7736 in a climate emergency. The current restructure of the budget and the office of 540 Approve Resilience proposed concerns me. Resilience and getting Miami Climate ready must Arditi- Brickell Yoca Annual be the Cityss utmost priority. If there are lessons learned from the Pandemic is that Rocha Key Budget we must heed the science otherwise it will be more costly and have greater impact Drive FY '21 - on people's lives. Let's make the City of Miami a leader in climate action. Please City of consider funding more staff members to do the job that is needed. Thank you. Miami The city of Miami is threatened by the impacts of climate change, which is getting worst every day. We are at ground zero, many of our city's neighborhoods sit only a few feet above sea -level. Considering the pace at which the sea level is rising, it is BH. 1 only a matter of years before parts of Miami become inhabitable! We need to take 2025 7737 drastic actions now to prevent a future catastrophe. Climate change isn't an issue Brickell Discussio that should be taken lightly. It is happening here and now and we are already Avenue n -Public experiencing some of its effects. We have enough science to back it up and show us Scylla Bleroacq Commen 33129 what we can expect. There is no time left. It should be one of our biggest priorities Miami, t on Final today and in the future. We need the Division of Resilience and Sustainability to get Millage FL the funding it deserves and needs to take the necessary actions that will allow us to and adapt and be resilient to climate change and make our city more sustainable. The Budget Division that tackles carbon reduction should receive more funding and staffing and not less as it does now since it has been moved under the Office of Resilience and Public Work. BH. 15 7749 Approve 4020 Annual The Virginia Key Beach Park Trust is responsible for the management and operation Virginia Budget of the 82 acre Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. The Trust is requesting the approval Beach Guy Forchion FY '21 - of it's FY2020-2021 operating budget $2,540,000 which includes a $300,000 City Drive, Virginia Contribution. Thank you for your consideration and support of this 75-year old Miami, Key historic site. Guy Forchion, Executive Director Virginia Key Beach Park Trust FL 33149 Beach Park Trust The NET program was started several years ago with the intent of providing services to City of Miami marginalized communities. With the onset of gentrification and BH. 1 displacement by new residents, services became more critical. Rising Senior 7737 populations, increasing number of citizens with disabilities, homelessness, and Discussio citizen need for quality of life services, has resulted in Neighborhood Enhancement 937 n.w. n -Public Teams filling a vital gap. Additionally, their work with Code Compliance and Miami Samuel latimore 55th Commen Police has resulted in better enforcement of Code and legal violations. Illegal street ton Final dumping, illegal construction, unsafe structures, community clean ups, overgrown Millage lots, assistance during all types of emergencies, distributors of information vital to and citizens. Additionally they respond to citizen complaints 24 hours a day, and serves Budget as the Ctiy's version of 311. Closing the Model Cities and Little Haiti's offices would be a serious blow to the large needy and marginalized populations they serve. First Last Name Name Julie Williams on Alfredo Salas Eileen Silio shantelle rodriguez Street Agenda Address Item Public Comment BH. 21The Corpus Allapattah NET office is an incredible resource for the community, and its 7736 Christi administrator Yariel Diaz is as fine, dedicated, and hardworking a public official as I Approve Parish have ever worked with. To leave the office open, as is currently planned, but 3220 NE Annual eliminate its administrator position, is counterproductive. To ensure that Mr. Diaz Budget 7th Ave continue to serve his -our -community is alife-enhancing decision for so many of Miami FL FY '21 - us, and a sound investment of a city funds. Please restore the two NET City of 33127 administrator positions that are scheduled to be eliminated Miami September 9th, 2020 Dear Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Koning Restaurants International, LC d/b/a Pizza Hut has been a part of the City of Miami for over 30 years. It is our greatest concern to see the changes that are being proposed for the upcoming budget for the Fiscal Year 202012021, specifically those affecting the Allapattah NET Office. In the last 5 years we have created a bond with your Allapattah Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET) Office and its BH. 21 Administrator, Yariel Diaz. Mr. Diaz and his team have been a tremendous help by 7736 2101 NW introducing our business to the community and opening the doors for our team to Approve 17th become truly successful. Because of this partnership we have created with Mr. Diaz, Avenue; Annual our Pizza Hut restaurant in Allapattah has been recognized at a national level for its Budget Miami, level of involvement in the community. We recognize that Mr. Diaz's dedication and FL 33142 FY '21 - commitment is unmatched. He truly cares about the neighborhood and the City of businesses that are part of it, like ours. We truly believe that losing him and his Miami team will negatively affect this community in great ways. We ask that you reevaluate your position on this budget changes and consider the great work and tremendous positive impact Mr. Diaz and his team have made and continue to make every single day. Without him, we do not believe Allapattah would be the great neighborhood it is today. Please make sure to do whatever necessary to keep him in his position. Sincerely, Al Salas CEO On behalf of my husband, myself and my two children (Sebastian and Julian) My comment is in support of the Allapattah NET Office and the Administrator, Yariel Diaz. Hurricane Irma caused much distress in our neighborhood in 2017. Since that BH. 1 time, I cannot express enough how valuable Yariel Diaz has been to our community 7737 and the NET Office that he oversees. Under his direction and guidance, our Discussio 2925 NW community has evolved, created neighborhood organizations and also helped to n -Public 24th Ave improve our neighborhood park, Melrose Park which the entire neighborhood now Commen Miami, enjoys. He has helped us to make Allapattah shine again. At the government level t on Final FL 33142 you have the City Manager. But each community needs a manager, and that is what Millage Yariel represents to us. Yariel works round the clock to tackle any community issues and that are brought to his attention. Without a NET office and a leader like Yariel, our Budget neighborhood will rapidly deteriorate and so will our property values. Please reconsider any budget decisions that will negatively impact our Allapattah community. Thank you for the opportunity to provide a comment. BH. 1 My comment is related to the Allapattah NET Administrator, Yariel Diaz. It is 7737 extremely important for Allapattah to have someone like Yariel who is so passionate 1101 NW Discussio about the community and directly engaged with the residents and business owners 23 n - Public in the neighborhood. I have lived in Miami for 32 years - in various neighborhoods Street, Commen from Kendall, to South Miami, Little Havana, Edgewater, and Little Haiti - and I must Miami FL t on Final say that I have never seen a NET office that supports a community like the 33127 Millage Allapattah NET, and I truly believe the success of this office is directly related to and Yariel Diaz. He is an essential part of this community and it would be devastating to Budget lose him. First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item Miami is a very special and unique place, one that truly embodies the idea of a BH. 1 "melting pot" that the United States is said to be. But, as time progresses and no 7737 real progress on the climate crisis is made, Miami (and many other places in South Discussio Florida) are going to suffer the consequences, and the unique treasure we call our 18130 n - Public home will soon be gone. This is why I urge you, as leaders and employees of the Veronica Sandoval SW 82nd Commen people, to use the power you have to fight this climate crisis, both in policy and in Ave t on Final finances. We don't need more money for police officers to get more riot gear or to Millage get fancy new buildings, we NEED money out into our community; we need money and to go to our mutual aid groups, social wellness/healthcare groups, and to the climate Budget justice groups in Miami. Please, do the right thing and save our home, not those who continually destroy it and make it worse. Miami and our people are on the front lines of multiple crises, including the existential threat of climate change impacts. Numerous reports and analyses, including those completed by the City and County, among other experts, have shown that the City can waste no more time in proactive investments to both mitigate future climate pollution so we are not contributing even more to the problem and adapt to climate change shocks and stresses. These concerns about BH. 1 shocks and stresses are not a future problem for a future administration or a future 7737 generation. They are part of a larger crisis which means urgent action is needed Discussio now. This means increasing the amount of resources and staff for the City's Division 2539 S n - Public of Resilience and Sustainability. Not cutting it. If Miami want's to stay a world -class Bayshore Christian Kamrath Commen resilient and thriving city for all, it needs a dedicated team and budget that focuses Drive t on Final on coordinating, improving, and transforming the work of all other departments, Apt. PH2 Millage because we all know they are already extremely busy just trying to keep basic and services running for our community. It takes talented individuals and leaders, Budget including a full-time chief resilience officer, whose #1 job is to tackle climate change and build partnerships with other governmental, non -governmental, and private organizations so the challenges are manageable. I urge those of you who represent me and so many others worried about whether Miami will be a safe place to live for our kids and grandkids to not kick the can down the road and pull up short of investing in a future that centers our greatest challenge and opportunity: to fight and adapt to climate change. Thank you. Christian Kamrath First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item Mayor, Chairman and Commissioners, As a resident and business owner in the historic Overtown neighborhood I want express my concern for some of the things that I am seeing continuing to take place in the neighborhood that impacts the quality of life for all those around. First, the issue of homelessness is a real concern in our neighborhood. There are so many encampments in the public space in Overtown that it should be a shame. We allocate so much money to help eradicate poverty in Miami and yet when it comes to the Overtown neighborhood nothing seems to be done about it. How is it as a business owner I'm expected to provide exceptional service to our patrons when they have to ride through the neighborhood and see that first? How is it you expect me to continue to hire people when no one wants to come to my neighborhood because of the ongoing reputation? How do we expect our kids who live in play in this neighborhood, to grow up and be healthy when we are constantly traumatized by walking over feces and smelling urine and seeing discarded needles laying in the streets. Why is this acceptable in the Overtown community? What are the administrators who job it is to handles these problem doing? Don't tell us one thing in Overtown and do something else in BH. 1 another neighborhood. Secondly, I do not want to see our local N.E.T. office closed. 7737 The N.E.T. offices are a resource for us business owners and residents in our local Discussio communities we when can't get through the bureaucracy of different departments 1000 NW n - Public not answering the phones and not being helpful with finding solutions to for the 2nd Ave, Keon Williams Commen businesses in the city of Miami. Removing our N.E.T. offices would be a great MIAMI, t on Final disservice. I recommend that we prioritize the quality of life of our residents over FL 33136 Millage things that do not add to the quality of life. Having a N.E.T. office in our local and neighborhood does that. I have relationships with my local neighborhood resource Budget officers because that N.E.T. office is there. I have a relationship with the director of our local N.E.T. office because I can go into the office or pick up the phone and that person will answer. If I have an issue with the permit my local N.E.T. officer is who I go to first because of the frustration of dealing different departments within the city of Miami. Do not undo something that is working. Think back to why N.E.T. offices were put in place to begin with. It's because they offered a more community approach to the issues that the residents and business owners were facing. Those problems have not gone away and they will be exacerbated again by losing our local N.E.T. offices. Commissioner Keon Hardemon, as a business owner in Overtown I thank you for standing up for us and making resources available for us to continue to do business in the great city of Miami and I would continue to encourage all of our commissioners to work together to continue making our city a great place for the residents and businesses in addition to the tourist that visit here. Commissioners you all have a tough job and I respect the work that you do but please hear my concerns not only as a resident of this great city but also as a business owner who has come back to his city to do his part to make a difference thank you for your time. BH. 21 7736 INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY! Would love for the Miami Budget to focus on Approve investing in public health &social service infrastructures to help reduce the county Des 4202 NW Annual Claudia jails population by at least 25%. And more grants to organization that are doing Rosiers 1ST AVE Budget these types of work. Also to invest in the affordable housing. And at least 10% be FY '21 - reallocated to meet critical community needs related to long term COVI D-19 relief. City of Miami First Last Name Name Camilo Mejia Adrian Madriz Andrew Bowyer Samuel (Retired) Latimore Street Agenda Address Item Public Comment I would like for the City Commission and Mayor of Miami to reconsider proposed budget cuts to NET offices, as they represent the convergence between community BH. 1 residents' most pressing needs and city resources. By cutting down on NET offices 7737 the city would be removing an important lifeline to provide for urgent needs during a 3482 Discussio time of severe economic crisis and will then have to deal with even more severe, Frow n - Public more expensive repercussions. Furthermore, I would like for the City Commission Avenue Commen and Mayor of Miami to increase funding for the Office of Resiliency, rather than cut Miami, t on Final its budget, personnel, and merge it with another department within the city. The FL 33133 Millage Office of Resiliency should be overseeing the city's every investment that has an and impact on the city's residents, from housing, to jobs, to child care, to infrastructural Budget programs and more, in order to ensure every investment the city makes has a positive impact in all its residents and makes Miami a more resilient city for all its residents. Thank you! I want the City of Miami to #defundt hepolice and invest in #BlackR enters, in addition to increasin g the staff and budget of the resilience departm ents. 7625 SW 19th Terrace 937 n.w. 55th street BH. 1 7737 Discussio n - Public I want the City of Miami to #defundthepolice and invest in #BlackRenters, in Commen t on Final addition to increasing the staff and budget of the resilience departments. Millage and Budget BH. 21 7736 Approve I think more funding should be appropriated to the Division of Resilience and Annual Sustainability. Miami's culture and economy is intrinsically tied to the health of our Budget natural resources and there are never enough resources attributed to solving climate FY '21- related issues. This should be a priority for the FY '21 budget. City of Miami BH. 2 1 oppose the tentative budget that includes the closure of the Model Cities and Little 7722 Haiti NET offices. These are two of the busiest offices in the City that handle Discussio numerous health and safety issues. Illegal dumping, graffiti, overgrown lots, n - DDA emergency assistance to the elderly, issuing vital public information, work with Code Proposed Enforcement and Police to reduce crime and address community deterioration. Also Millage deeply involved with home owners associations and stakeholders to improve the & quality of life of City residents. Additionally, the reduction of 11 positions from NET Tentative is more than double any other City Department. Why? What is the basis for such Budget drastic curtailment of services to the most needy. NET was established long ago to FY '21 serve the population it serves. Kilan Shelland Luiza Laura Ashad- Bishop Janvier Leite Guerra - Lopez Street Agenda Address Item Public Comment BH. 21 1 have been consistently disappointed in the City's handling of the Department, now 7736 the Division of Resilience and Sustainability. I am writing to express my support for 201 SE Approve an increase in funding and staff support for resilience work in the city. Let us not 2ND AVE Annual forget that resilience is defined as the ability of a community to bounce back from Miami, Budget shocks and stresses. We are weathering the shock of COVID-19 in the midst of FL 33131 FY '21 - hurricane season. We cannot continue to perform our support for this office and this City of work if we seriously value everyone's future in this city. We must demonstrate our Miami support by increasing the proposed budget specifically for this division. I feel compelled to speak up on behalf of the NET department and all of the various communities it serves. We have been the foot soldiers on the ground since day one working to provide continuity of services during all this time that the MRC and most City departments have been remote. We are out daily in the infernal heat or drenching rain doing food distributions citywide to residents in need. From day one, we have provided EOC assistance 7 days a week, 12 hours per day, manning the COVID-19 hotline, with people calling in for guidance from Dade and Broward counties. We are the conduits that aid in the successful administration of all the BH. 21 various programs, resources and initiatives rolled out by the City and its various 7736 6599 departments. We leave our families behind to be one of the first on the ground Biscayne Approve during disasters. Our team steps in and intercedes in places and during times that Annual Blvd others would prefer to avoid. We have gone nonstop during this COVID crisis, and Budget Miami, this is a heck of a way to say thanks. I've heard it said that NET is not a revenue FL 33138 FY '21 - generating department; well I venture to say that a large portion of the City's City of revenue that flows in is due in large part to NET department's efforts. We are a Miami forward facing department with our hands on the very pulse of each of the communities we serve. Furthermore, because we do so much in the various communities to address and improve quality of life issues, we have a direct effect on property values, keeping businesses in Miami, and ensuring the City remains a viable and attractive place that people would want to visit, live, work, play and do business. In closing, every NET office that gets closed is a voice stripped away from the very communities they serve. Thank you allowing me to voice this. #NETOfficesMatter I do not understand why the police and fire department budgets are increasing so substantially, despite the fact that proposed positions for both of these departments BH. 1 is decreasing and the fact that the city faces decreased projected revenues for this 7737 year and next year. Worse yet is that the budget for Housing and Community Discu Development has been slashed by almost $1.5 million, Parks & Recreation has 1901 n - Pubbilicc decreased by $285,000, and the Office of Resilience & Sustainability is seemingly Commen being eliminated given its proposed budget of $0. As a professional planner myself, Avenuekell Avenue ton Final I'm frustrated by where the priorities of this City (and many others) seems to be. I Millage ask that you not let yourself be bullied into accepting the endless demands for more and funding by the police unions. In doing so, you fail to address some of the most Budget important problems facing this community, including accessible housing, homelessness, health services, and climate change. Let's do better please! BH. 21 7736 I believe it is your responsibility as our elected officials, to listen to us, you're Approve constituents. Constantly ignoring the people who can vote you out is extremely 11851 sw Annual selfish on your part. The people want better rehabilitation for people, better care for 99th In Budget our environm ent and better public transportation. No one wants more highways that FY '21- just benefit private pockets or jails that do the same. It's time to listen to the people. City of Miami First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item BH. 1 I am sharing concerns as a business owner in Allapathah, in regards to the budget 1344 Nw 7737 cut that will possibly eliminate Yariel and the staff from our Allapathah NET office. 36th Discussio Yariel has done a tremendous job aiding residents, keeping the community and local n - Public street businesses like mines informed. Allapathah is changing; however, we have so much Jasmely Jackson Commen Miami more work to do and by replacing Yariel , I am afraid that the good work needed will Florida t on Final come to a halt. On behalf of many businesses in the area that are in full support of Millage 33142 Yariel, we ask that he remains in the Allapathah NET office. Replacing him ,will be and detrimental to the future of our neighborhood. Owner Of Club Tipico Dominicano Budget BH. 8 7791 Approve I am in support of continual funding for Omin CRA but only with the understand that Annual funding is used to complete project that fall under the charter of a Community 1495 Budget Redevelopment Agency. There have been projects, like Mrs. Moore's Bakery, who Cribbs- Terrance Northwes FY '21 - have been under renovation since 2017. There has been negligence with the project Lorrant t 74th Omni manager and those who have been assigned to this project. Individuals like myself Street Commun are looking closely at these matters and ask the city to do the same. Hold Omni ity CRA accountable to unfinished projects.TCL Redevelo pment Agency BH. 7 7793 Approve Annual 480 NW Budget Cribbs- I am in support of Southeast Overtown ParkWest CRA continued funding. It is also Terrance 11th FY '21 - Lorrant my demand that proper according Street Southeas t Overtow n/Park West BH. 21 1235 NE 7736 96 1 AM A VOLUNTEER AT CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH IN ALLAPATTAH. I VE HAD Approve WILLIAM STREET. THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH YARIEL DIAZ WHO IS THE ROBERT MIAMI Budget ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NET OFFICE. WE URGE YOU TO MAKE SURE MR. SON g SHORES DIAZ AND HIS OFFICE ARE FUNDED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE NET'S SUPPORT FY'FL OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. City o City of 33138 Miami BH. 4 7725 Approve Annual Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners We have reviewed in detail the proposed 50 Budget DDA budget with Executive Director Ms. Christina Crespi. DNA is in favor as it Amal Kabbani Biscayne FY'21- contains all the provisions our community is looking for. We kindly ask you to pass Blvd Downtow BH4. as proposed! Amal Solh Kabbani President, Downtown Neighbors Alliance n Develop ment Authority First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item Hi my name is Elvis Mendes I'm a resident of Little Havana and a community liaison BH. 21 for Live Healthy Little Havana and the reason I'm writing this small message is to 7736 ask for your consideration to not close the Net office at Marlins Park because it's 1140 NW Approve really important for the community to have a place where resident can go and plead Annual Elvis Mendes 4TH ST for their rights. Net office has help a lot during these difficult times of Covid-19 Budget APT 2 Pandemic reaching out to the community by creating food distribution, Census FY '21 - outreach, support in bulk trash pickups and many other issues little Havana currently City of has. Net office is a reliable source for the vulnerable community Little Havana is and Miami the closure of this office will deeply affect the community and its residents. Hi I hope everyone is having a good day and I hope that your families are staying safe at this time. I'm a community liaison for Healthy Little Havana and a Resident of little Havana for 4 years. I want to make a comment and advocated in favor of the little Havana NET office of Marlins Park managed by Albert Mora to stay open. The reason why I want this office to stay open is because since they open Albert and their staff work with our initiative and they were super helpful with everything we needed and they are always attending to every event where the community is to BH. 21 help, they are really collaborative. As an example of this I want to let everyone 7736 know that without his help and connection with the Marlins Park Little Havana would 1023 sw Approve never have a Farm Share (that was really helpful and needed at this time during Colmena Annual Rosalba 6 st apt COVID), also he spread information of the census to a lot of residents that didn't res Budget 504 g know that the census even exists. In addition, he is always working with the 311 to FY '21 - maintain our community clean in terms of illegal dumping and he also works with City of the police to try to make a connection between them and the community because Miami here in this neighborhood the residents are really afraid of them due to their legal status but Albert work with Healthy Little Havana and the police really hard to change this and it's been such an amazing journey to have him in our team of collaborators. For this reasons I hope that the Little Havana NET office stays open because they really help the community and a lot of residents doing such a great job this year and a half. Thank you so much for your time and consideration! Have a great day Hello, my name is Alyssa Hernandez. I was previously the intern for the Office of Resilience and Sustainability and conducted the City's 2018 greenhouse gas emissions inventory. I would like to raise the alarming fact that the new Division of BH. 1 Resiliency & Sustainability absolutely needs an increase in staff, staff time, and 7737 funding. My analysis of emissions, along with my time in this position, showed me Discussio Miami's necessity for a large-scale climate -driven team. Even with my assistance on n -Public Hernand 4501 SW other projects, it was aparent that the ORS needed more staff and bandwidth to Alyssa Commen ez 154 Ct accomplish the ambitious goals of a Miami that is both resilient and sustainable in t on Final all possible ways. Climate change and mitigation is rooted in the citizens, not just Millage government administration. Therefore government administration needs to ensure and that there is a liaison on staff solely focused on climate community outreach. We Budget want to be an example not only for large cities, but for tropical coastal cities around the world; please do what it takes to place Miami at this level... starting with the ORS staff. Hello, I am a resident of Little Havana and I work with a non-profit organization, Live Healthy Little Havana. My opinion is in relation to the disappearance of the net office of the Marlins, I think that having opened these offices was very successful for BH. 18 the city because since its opening they have worked very hard for the community, 979 SW 7811 for example in this pandemic they were the first in bringing food to the residents of 11th Assess Little Havana. They have been doing an extraordinary job with the problem of illegal Alejandro Diaz Street Solid dumping of garbage to mention some of the activities that they would stop doing, as Miami Fl. Waste a community liaison they are a great tool for connecting with residents and the city 33129 Fee - FY as well as with the resources available within the community. I hope as a resident '21 they reconsider the closure of the Marlins net office. Closing would only increase the problems in the community by breaking direct communication with the city and its resources. Thank you for the opportunity to be heard. Regards. First Last Name Name Nancy Gutierrez Gabriela Barrocas Bianca Banato Claribel Garcia Melissa Hege Street Agenda Public Comment Address Item Hello, I would like you to reconsider the proposed budget for the Division of Resilience & Sustainability which is currently stated to receive .03% of the budget. Dire attention needs to be given to Miami's ecosystem. Biscayne Bay has numerous BH. 21 issues yet to be addressed. If more resources are not dedicated to the environment, 7736 Miami's whole ecosystem will be affected and the ecosystems throughout the state Approve of Florida. Miami is a breeding ground for a lot of species specific only to that 6320 SW Annual region. We have already seen native trees being removed causing more 17TH ST Budget catastrophes during hurricane season as they are being replaced with non native FY '21 - trees which are not as resistant. It has also aggravated our climate by rising City of temperatures. Please I urge all representatives to reconsider adequately funding the Miami Division of Resilience & Sustainability. It is not only a sound environmental decision but a sound fiscal decision. Please help us preserve Miami and our State of Florida. Thank you, Nancy Hello, It is absurd that in this day in age you would consider decreasing the budget BH. 1 for the division that tackles carbon reduction. The City of Miami should be hiring 7737 more staff and increasing that budget. Take money from the police department. Discussio There is no reason to be increasing their budget. The City of Miami is right on the n - Public water, with many areas already feeling the impact of climate change. We need to 4371 sw Commen invest in services that protect people from natural disasters, which will be a daily 150th ct. t on Final challenge in the years to come. We should be hiring experts and pumping money Millage into prevention of sea -level rise. On another note, if you want to decrease crime, and increasing the housing qnd community development budget would do a much better Budget job of that than the City of Miami Police Dept does. This proposed budget makes me so sad. Do you even care about this city, about it's people? BH. 1 7737 Hello! I ask that you please prioritize decarbonization and climate resiliency work Discussio because it is important. It has many benefits for our future, and can save you 14817 n - Public billions of dollars for the future. I hope that you take into account all the scientific sw 166th Commen research that has been done to demonstrate the increasing CO2 and greenhouse street t on Final gases leading to our current climate crisis. The rising of the seas is occurring now, 33187 Millage and the IPCC reports expected those events to be viewed centuries from now. We and need to put this as a priority because our lives & future depend on it!! Budget BH. 1 Hello my name is Claribel Garcia and I am speaking about the Division of Resilience 7737 and Sustainability. My concern is that the City's total budget for climate action was 4620 NW Discussio reduced to only 0.03%. It matters because the ORS should have an entirely 199th St n - Public different budget than the Resilience & Public Works department budget. Our city is 33055 Commen at the frontline of increasing climate change effects and our budget for the ORS Miami t on Final should reflect that. I hope to see you all take action by providing full funding for the Gardens Millage continuation of the Climate Change Mitigation Special Projects Coordinator and positions, a Senior Program Manager position, and two more manager positions Budget focused on public outreach and sustainability projects. Thank you. BH. 21 7736 Healthy Little Havana is a strong advocate for the Neighborhood Enhancement Approve Teams and believes that reducing their resources will be detrimental to the Little 611 NE Annual Havana community and hinder much of the progress Albert has been able to make 55th Budget in many key issues in the community. We would love to see our partners come Street FY '21- together to advocate for Little Havana and the issues that we as a collective stand City of for -- public space, affordable housing, educational opportunities to employment. Miami First Last Name Name Andrea Iglesias Richard Lydecker Richard Lydecker Street Agenda Address Item Public Comment Good evening, my name is Andrea Iglesias. I am the CEO and Executive Director for Urban Health Partnerships, a public health non-profit organization that has long BH. 1 supported health -focused initiatives and projects throughout the City of Miami 7737 425 NE including in Little Havana, Overtown, and Allapattah. We would like to express Discussio 22nd St. support for the Neighborhood Enhancement Teams who provide invaluable services n -Public Suite to the communities they serve, helping to keep healthier physical and social Commen 401 environments. We have worked closely with the NET Office team in Little Havana t on Final Miami, and can attest to the positive impact that their services and commitment have on Millage FL 33137 Little Havana residents who experience diverse needs and concerns. We believe any and reduction in resources would impair their ability to continue the progress they have Budget made and curtail their ability to build on their successes especially during this critical time during a pandemic when the community relies on them even more. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Suarez, Chairman Hardemon and City Commissioners. My name is Richard Lydecker and I am representing the Miami DDA Board as the Chair of our COVID-19 Recovery Committee. The headquarters of my law firm is based on Brickell Ave, Miami for the past approximately 20 years. After extensive review of my committee, the DDA finance Committee, entire DDA Board and staff who worked closely with the City of Miami administration to prepare a budget for this BH. 1 upcoming fiscal year, I to ask for your support of the proposed Miami DDA FY20-21 7737 budget and millage items — BH2, BH3 and BH4. In mid -March, when the COVID 1221 Discussio pandemic hit, the DDA, thanks to the leadership of our Chairman Manolo Reyes, Brickell n - Public has been actively working towards programs that support a healthy community and Ave, Commen the economic sustainability of downtown Miami. As we all know, we cannot predict 19th t on Final the future, but we have an obligation to ensure a healthy economy and a healthy Floor Millage community, therefore, public safety, neighborhood cleanliness, business relief and initiatives, and activations designed to keep residents engaged and eventually Budget promote tourism is the focus of the proposed budget you are considering today. As we move towards Recovery, the DDA Board has prepared a fiscally conservative budget that reduces our overall operations by 16%, and ensures we are prepared to address the needs of the community to move forward into reopening Downtown Miami in a safe and effective manner. We appreciate the support of the entire City of Miami Commission and are happy to address any concerns or questions before the second budget Hearing on Sept 24th. Good evening, Mayor Suarez, Chairman Hardemon and City Commissioners. My name is Richard Lydecker and I am representing the Miami DDA Board as the Chair of our COVID-19 Recovery Committee. The headquarters of my law firm is based on Brickell Ave, Miami for the past approximately 20 years. After extensive review of my committee, the DDA finance Committee, entire DDA Board and staff who worked closely with the City of Miami administration to prepare a budget for this BH. 2 upcoming fiscal year, I to ask for your support of the proposed Miami DDA FY20-21 7722 budget and millage items — BH2, BH3 and BH4. In mid -March, when the COVID Discussio 1221 pandemic hit, the DDA, thanks to the leadership of our Chairman Manolo Reyes, n -DDA Brickell has been actively working towards programs that support a healthy community and Proposed Ave, the economic sustainability of downtown Miami. As we all know, we cannot predict Millage 19th the future, but we have an obligation to ensure a healthy economy and a healthy & Floor community, therefore, public safety, neighborhood cleanliness, business relief Tentative initiatives, and activations designed to keep residents engaged and eventually Budget promote tourism is the focus of the proposed budget you are considering today. As FY '21 we move towards Recovery, the DDA Board has prepared a fiscally conservative budget that reduces our overall operations by 16%, and ensures we are prepared to address the needs of the community to move forward into reopening Downtown Miami in a safe and effective manner. We appreciate the support of the entire City of Miami Commission and are happy to address any concerns or questions before the second budget Hearing on Sept 24th. First Last Street Agenda Public Comment Name Name Address Item Good evening, Mayor Suarez, Chairman Hardemon and City Commissioners. My name is Danet Linares and I am representing the Miami DDA Board as the Chair of our Finance Committee. After extensive review by the DDA Board and the hard work of staff who worked closely with the City of Miami administration, I am here to ask for your support of the proposed Miami DDA FY20-21 budget and millage items — BH2, BH3 and BH4. Following a decade of economic and population growth in BH. 4 Downtown Miami, the Miami DDA Board entered 2020 focused on two underlying 7725 priorities: Supporting existing businesses while fostering economic development; and Approve enhancing quality of life and street level conditions for residents, visitors and Annual business owners. As the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in mid -March, our efforts 1609 S. Budget shifted almost exclusively to strategies and tactics that supported downtown Miami's Da net Linares Bayshore FY '21- health and economic sustainability. At the time, our message was clear: we cannot Drive Downtow have a healthy economy unless we have a healthy community. Since then, our team n has been promoting and focusing on initiatives that enhance public safety, Develop neighborhood cleanliness, business relief initiatives, and activations designed to ment keep residents engaged. The DDA Board has prepared a fiscally conservative budget Authority that reduces the overall operational expenses by 16%, and ensures we are prepared to address the needs of the community as we move forward into reopening Downtown Miami in a safe and effective manner. We appreciate the support of the entire City of Miami Commission and we are happy to address any concerns or questions before the second budget Hearing on Sept 24, 2020 Thank you for your consideration, Danet BH. 21 7736 Approve 24505 Annual Rachel Collins sw 192 Fund decarbonization Budget ave FY '21 - City of Miami BH. 21 7736 Divert money from the policing budget toward the Department of Resilience and 1035 NW Approve Sustainability. The policing budget is bloated and does not reflect the needs and 47th Annual wants of the citizens. For example, we should not spend $126K on design plans for Amal Rogers Street Budget a new police headquarters. That money could go toward funding things we NEED Miami Fl FY '21- like a cleaning up our bay, hurricane preparedness, Covid-19 relief, and decent 33127 City of housing for all. Miami BH. 1 7737 951 Discussio As a resident of Miami and a witness to the impacts that climate change and Sea Euclid n - Public level rise have and will have in our community, I am concerned by the defunding of Brenna Kays Ave Commen the city's Division of Resilience & Sustainability. Our city has the opportunity to be a Miami fl t on Final leader in the fight against sea level rise and address this climate emergency head 33139 Millage on. Invest in supporting our city in this fight! and Budget As a resident of Miami I am appalled at the lack of resources allocated to climate BH. 21 resiliency and sustainability. In 2020 it compromised only .03%... WE NEED OUR 7736 CITY GOVERNMENT TO DO BETTER. Current scientific predictions place Miami Approve 12969 underwater in the next 30 years. This is terrifying, we need better infrastructure in Ana Rojas Nw 9th Annual terms of sanitary such as updated sewage system, green solutions to flooding such Budget Terr as mangroves and reinforced levees, and finally we need to invest in better and FY '21 - more affordable housing. At the current rate so many low income families will be City of displaced and become climate refugees if we don't act NOW. City of Miami HAS to Miami put more funding into preparing for the future. First Last Street Agenda Name Name Address Item BH. 21 7736 480 NW Approve Terrance CribbsLo 11th Annual rrant Budget Street FY '21 - City of Miami Cribbs- Te rra nce Lorrant 480 NW 11th Street BH. 15 7749 Approve Annual Budget FY '21 - Virginia Key Beach Park Trust BH. 1 7737 Public Comment As a member of the Overtown community I am asking that continued financial support of the Overtown NET office be sustained. Many of the residence of Overtown depend on this central location to conduct business pertaining to permits and to receive resources as it relates to services being offered both through the city and county. In particular, the NET office service as a mini -SAFETY station for the neighborhood. Our local community police; NROs, work out of this location and has proven to be a necessity for reducing challenges that this community faces. Continue to support our NET offices and offer them the support to be more accountable to the communities they serve. TCL As a cultural curator and someone who understands the importance of preserving and sharing history, I ask that the City of Miami support Virginia Key Beach and ALL historical BLACK institutions that share the lessons of Miami's painful birth. It is our responsibility to be honest with our growth that we may continue to grow stronger together. WE thank you, Commissioners for earlier support and look for you to continue sustaining funding for the rebirth of historical Virginia Key Beach. TCL 6465 SW Discussio 112st n - Public Sofia Arnau 33156 Commen N/A Pinecrest t on Final FL Millage and Budget BH. 1 425 NE 7737 22nd Discussio Street n - Public Anamari Ferreira Suite Commen N/A e de Melo 401 t on Final Miami, Millage FL 33137 and Budget BH. 21 7736 Approve Rodrigue 13862 Gabriela SW 102 Annual N/A g Lane FY '21 - City of Miami BH. 1 7737 Discussio n - Public Hernand 4501 SW Alyssa Commen N/A ez 154 Ct t on Final Millage and Budget First Last Street Name Name Address Faye Cochran 6025 N W6Ct 313 NE Maya Symes 92nd St ALISSA FARINA Agenda Public Comment Item BH. 1 7737 Discussio n - Public Commen N/A t on Final Millage and Budget BH. 5 7669 Approve Annual Budget N/A FY '21 - Miami Parking Authority BH. 1 7737 111 E Discussio Flagler n - Public St, Apt Commen N/A 1509 Apt t on Final 1509 Millage and Budget End of Report