HomeMy WebLinkAboutVirginia Key Beach Park TrustMemo
TO: Emilio Gonzalez, City Manager
From: Guy Forchion, Executive Director
Virginia Key Reach bark Trust
Date: January 12, 2020
Re: 2019 Annual Report
Pursuant to City Code Sec. 2-890 (Annual report of city hoards and committees) I have attached the
following document.
VfrginiaKerb beack FA Trust
2019 Annual Report to the City of Miami
The Historic Virginia Key Beach Museum Park Project
gained unanimous City Commission financial support
in 2019
Virginia Keg beach Far� Trust
M 1551 O N 5TATEN ENT
Our mission is to carry forward the vision for the development and use of Virginia
Key Beach Park, promoting and maintaining absolute public ownership and access,
fostering its perpetuation as a passive open green -space that includes nature trails,
recreational facilities and museum structures appropriate and compatible with the
nature of Virginia Key; preserving it as a valuable resource to be enjoyed for
posterity, and to honor the rich historical legacy of the social and civil rights history of
South Florida.
Virginia Keck beack rA Trust
Annual Report to the City of Miami
1) Whether the Board is serving the purpose for which it was created
2019 was a critical and successful year for the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. The Trust was able to
continue to fulfill its mission of preserving Historic Virginia Key Beach Park as a valuable cultural and
environmental resource by increasing historic park tours, record -breaking volunteer participation,
hosting the world -renown Ultra Music Festival and gaining the City of Miami Commissions unanimous
support for operational funding for the Historic Virginia Key Beach Museum Park Project.
The Historic Beach Park continues to maintain listings on the United States National Register of
Historic Places, the Florida Heritage Trail and City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation
(HEP) list.
2) Whether the Board is serving current community needs.
The Trust has proven its success in serving the community's need for public park space by its
increasing number of families and community -based organizations that have partnered with the Trust
and use the Historic Beach Park facilities. Annual visitation has consistently surpassed 100,000
visitors and the Historic Beach Park continues to be the home of three (3) summer camps in fiscal
year 2018-2019, an award -winning youth soccer practice team and voted the New Times 2018 Best
Live Music Venue.
3) A list of the Board's major accomplishments.
Major accomplishments during FY 2018-2019:
1. A partnership between the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust, Black Archives/Lyric
Theater, Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum and Greater Miami
Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) was successful in attracting the
African American Association of Museums Annual Conference to Miami in 2020.
2. A growing list of agency and event partners: Bang University, Zen Village,
Florida International University Sea Level Rise Center, Florida International
University History and Library 'Digital Archival Partners, University of Miami
CAAD, Love Bum Festival, House of Creatives Festival, Grassroots Festival of
Music and Dance, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Key
Biscayne Chamber of Commerce, Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce.
Completion of the 10"' Annual YMCA Junior Marine Biology Summer Camp
3. Sea Grass Adventures environmental education programming partnership with
Biscayne Nature Center and Dade County Public Schools
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4. Partnerships with TREEmendous Miami, International Coastal Clean -Up,
BAYNANZA, Debris Free Oceans, Big Blue and You, for Historic Site restoration;
on Virginia Key..
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5. Cultural and historical education programming partners include The Black -n -
Archives (Lyric Theater), Historic Hampton House, Historic Black Police
Precinct and Courthouse Museum and others; historic and environmental
programming and tours partners include with HistoryMiami Museum, the Frost
Museum, GMCVB, and Dade County Public Schools.
6. Shoreline and upland ecosystem restoration and environmental maintenance is
over 2,175 volunteers; over 6,580 volunteer hours at a value of more than
$165,000 of in -kind support from community partners in 2019. Volunteer
participation totals have more than doubled since 2017.
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4) Whether there is any other Board, either public or private, which would better serve the
function of the Board.
The Virginia Key Beach Park Trust has continued to gather support, partners and praise from
community members, private and public -sector leadership. The Trust draws on the extensive
knowledge and expertise of Board Members representing pioneer families, environmental awareness
and a range of professional fields, which have been assets to its continuing progress and successful
leadership. Future success will require a governance model that will include the support of a non-
profit 501c(3) organization that will focus on fundraising, public -private -partnerships (P3) and
marshalling increased community expertise.
5) Whether the ordinance creating the Board should be amended to better enable the Board
to serve the purpose for which it was created.
The criteria set forth by the ordinance that created the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust have served the
Trust well. However; following the unique financial difficulties that struck the nation during the "global
economic meltdown," also known as the "Great Recession" resulting in the City of Miami's withdrawal
of all direct operational funding to the Trust from 2009-2016. The withdrawal of funding to the Trust
caused many aspects of operating the Historic Beach Park property in a sustainable and progressive
manner to be compromised.
The City of Miami's annual funding contribution to the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust should be
restored at a steadily increasing level to match the Trust's staffing and operational needs as the
Museum and Beach Pavilion facilities are brought online.
The Trust ordinance should be amended to provide Trust employees full participation in the City of
Miami retirement and pension system; issuance of purchasing cards (P-Cards) are needed and
assurance of workers compensation coverage at all times.
6) Whether the Board's membership requirements should be modified.
The existing membership eligibility requirements for Trustees should explore the inclusion of at -large
Trustees who may not reside, work or own property in the City of Miami but reside in Miami Dade
County and have a strong bond with the Historic Beach Park. This would allow the Board to reach
farther into the South Florida regional area to take advantage of community expertise for board
development. Otherwise, the criteria set forth by the ordinance that created the Virginia Key Beach
Park Trust have served the Trust well.
7) The costs Both direct and indirect, of maintaining the Board.
The Trust's purpose, powers and duties comprise a great responsibility to the community, which the
Trust continues to fulfill with great dedication, but also with extreme difficulty due to the
aforementioned financial crisis which resulted in the City of Miami's withdrawal of all direct operational
appropriations to the Trust and reluctance to re -apply full operational funding. The Trust requires an
annual City of Miami contribution for community outreach, security, fundraising, special educational
programming, advertising and promotional materials, cultural and historical collections management
and volunteer coordination to effectively provide service to the community. A clearly defined capital
improvements fund should be allocated to the Trust to guarantee needed property improvements and
maintenance to fulfill a 10-year HVKBP improvement and sea level rise capital plan.
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VIRGINIA KEY
BEACH PARK