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MINUTES OR THE OMNI COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
MEETING
January 22,1996
ITEM SUBJECT LEGISLATION PAGE
NO. NO.
1.
(A) DISCUSSION CONCERNING STATUS
DISCUSSION 2-25
OF THE PROPOSED OMNI INTERLOCAL
12/7/95
AGREEMENT.
(B) BRIEF DISCUSSION REGARDING
METHOD OF SELECTION TO THE
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TRUST.
2.
DISCUSSION CONCERNING MARGARET
DISCUSSION 25-29
PACE PARK CLEANUP INITIATIVE -
12/7/95
REFER $3,500 REQUEST FOR FUEL TO
BE USED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS FOR SCHEDULING AT A
FUTURE COMMISSION MEETING.
3.
BOARD INSTRUCTS CRA EXECUTIVE
DISCUSSION 29-31
DIRECTOR TO PREPARE A REQUEST FOR
12/7/95
QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) FOR HOUSING
CONSTRUCTION IN THE SOUTHEAST
OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AREA (Blocks
25 and 36) -- SELECTION REVIEW
COMMITTEE SHALL INCLUDE A
LIMITATION OF TWO CITY
EMPLOYEES -- BRING SAID ISSUE
BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
4.
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS
DISCUSSION 31-36
DISCUSSION(S)e
12/7/95
(A) ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY BOARD
MEMBER PLUMMER REGARDING "CHINA
CITY PROJECT" AS BEING WITHIN THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE CRA
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
(B) CHAIRMAN DAWKINS AND BOARD
MEMBER PLUMMER EXPRESS CONCERN
OVER ATTEMPTS TO RENAME PROPOSED
HEALTH CENTER IN OVERTOWN AFTER
FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR JEFFERSON
REAVES (DECEASED), AND NOT THE
LATE ANNIE MARIE ADKER.
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF THE
OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
On the 22nd day of January, 1996, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) met
at the Grand Condominium, of the Doubletree Hotel in the Key West Room, 1717 North
Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida in regular session.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Miller J. Dawkins with the
following members of the Board found to be present:
Chairman Miller J. Dawkins
�..,r... Vice Chairman Stephen P. Clark
Board Member J.L. Plummer, Jr.
Board Member Wifredo Gort
ALSO PRESENT:
ABSENT:
Walter J. Foeman, City Clerk
Maria J. Argudin, Assistant City Clerk
Herb Bailey, Executive Director
Robert Friedman, Special Counsel
Board Member Joe Carollo
An invocation was delivered by Chairman Dawkins who then led those present in a
pledge of allegiance to the flag.
1 January 22, 1996
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. (A) DISCUSSION CONCERNING STATUS OF THE PROPOSED OMNI
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
(B) BRIEF DISCUSSION REGARDING METHOD OF SELECTION TO
THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TRUST.
Chairman Dawkins: We are now in session.
Board Member Plummer: So be it.
Chairman Dawkins: All right. Is there a motion on the minutes of the last meeting?
Board Member Plummer: So move.
Vice Chairman Clark: Second.
Chairman Dawkins: All those in favor.
The Board Collectively: Aye.
Chairman Dawkins: Now we come to the meat of it, the discussion of the Interlocal Agreement.
Is there anyone here from the County who wishes to be heard first?
Vice Chairman Clark: They're not too interested, are they?
Chairman Dawkins: No, they're not, Mr. Mayor. All right. Now, we will open it up to the
public, and then we can hear from the Board Members, unless you want to be heard first.
Board Member Plummer: Well, I got a question.
Chairman Dawkins: Yes.
Board Member Plummer: We put together a package which we sent to the County, and they
were supposed to approve or disapprove, and - I don't know. Have they... What's the latest
transaction with the County? Have they approved?
Chairman Dawkins: OK. The County...
Board Member Gort: No, I... Yes, sir.
Board Member Gort: The County sent a memo, which I gave - not a memo, a letter - which I
gave to everyone, where Commissioner Penelas asked the County Manager to respond to
questions which we had about the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), and we
developed, J.L., a response to each one of them, and we have not heard anything from them.
Now, anything else other than that, J.L., I don't...
Board Member Plummer: OK. So I guess the bottom line is, my question really is, what is the
posture as of today?
Mr. Herb Bailey: Commissioner, as of today...
2 January 22, 1996
Board Member Plummer: Stop. That's enough for me.
Mr. Bailey: The County Finance Committee will have a public hearing on the Interlocal
Agreement on the 24th. We have met with their staff and gone over the counterresponse they
have made to the last submission we sent to them, which was agreed to at a meeting here in the
Omni. We have indicated there are two items on there for which there are some serious
problems. One of them is they have suggested that the County take over from the City the right
to issue permits, and issue certificates of occupancy for any project that the County is doing
within the Omni area, which is primarily the Performing Arts Theater. We indicated to them that
is not a prerogative of the Community Redevelopment Agency. That is a jurisdiction that rests
with the City of Miami, and they would have to address their concern to the City Manager and
the City Commission. And we felt that that type of request should not be a part of the Interlocal
Agreement. The other concern we have, they have rejected our offer of one million dollars
($1,000,000), and have insisted that we put into the Interlocal Agreement that the County will
get up to one point forty-three million ($1.43 million) of tax increment monies from the Omni.
However, after we have analyzed the available revenues within the Omni District, we don't even
have a million. Next year's contribution is projected to be six hundred and forty- eight thousand
dollars ($648,000), which is substantially less than what we had estimated it to be at the
beginning of the period. We have discovered that two things have happened. The Jefferson
Building has been removed from the tax roll, because the School Board now owns it, and there
were some appeals in terms - in regards to the tax assessments, and they were granted to some of
_..the_property owners, and the overall assessable value of the area went down. So what we started
out with, which is almost a million -two, some ten years ago, is now worth about six hundred and
forty-eight thousand ($648,000). And we estimate that after Plaza Venetia finishes its transition
to a condominium, and everybody applies for homestead exemption, the six hundred and forty-
eight thousand ($648,000) next year will be substantially less than what it is today. So it seems
to me that we are in a situation here at Omni whereby if the County insists on taking everything,
and "everything" now meaning what little we're going to get - six hundred and forty-eight
thousand ($648,000) - there is nothing that the City can be in a position to do to improve this
area, to redevelop it, or to create any value, because we have nothing to work with.
Chairman Dawkins: In other words, J.L., what I see is the County is making no effort to assist us
in increasing the tax base here. The County continues to decrease the tax base. And every time
we look up, it's something. Now, Mr. Bailey said that they wanted one... They still want one
point four million dollars ($1.4 million), when the Taxing District only is producing six hundred
and forty-eight thousand ($648,000) now. But the School Board took the Jefferson property off
of the tax rolls, and the same School Board gave the homeless people a piece of property that we
could have put something on and added back to the tax rolls. So everybody is - is chopping at
the bits to rob us, and nobody... The Plaza Venetia is going condo, and everybody in there is
going to apply for homestead exemption. So when they... That will be... This six hundred and
forty-eight thousand ($648,000) will go down lower. And the... The County is saying to us,
"We want that plus anything we can steal from you." And for some reason, like I told Mr.
Joseph, we are going to have to start - if we have to meet every week - we in this area are going
to have to start to meet to draw... And the Mayor will, if I'm not here, the Mayor will chair it.
We're going to have to meet to let people know that this area isn't going anyplace. We're not
going to let certain people continue to sell off the choice property, and we're going to develop
this area so that we will continue to have affordable housing and a decent place to live. So J.L., I
don't know where we're headed or what we're going to do, but after Commissioner... After
Board Member Gort speaks, J.L., I give it back to you, unless the Mayor wants to say something
after Gort.
Board Member Plummer: Mr. Dawkins, if I may - and I'll ask my colleague to yield.
3 January 22, 1996
Chairman Dawkins: They may not yield. Wait till they yield.
Board Member Plummer: Well, that's their problem. There's two things...
Board Member Gort: I yield.
Board Member Plummer: There's two things that I think that I think this Board should be aware
of as you... Firstly, you're aware that the Mayor... You, the Commissioners, appointed me to
the Performing Arts Trust.
Chairman Dawkins: Yes.
Board Member Plummer: There's been some very, very enlightening things that I've found out.
For example, without a thing where they have any money - was it eight hundred or six hundred
thousand dollars ($600,000)? - that they loaned to a Homeless Assistance Center. And they're
saying that this was, in fact, for the purposes of a loan of money, and I questioned where they got
the money from. Second of all, we were informed at the last meeting of the Performing Arts
Trust that, in fact, this meeting of the 24th, that they felt that it was between the two Managers to
sit down and work this matter out, and they were very confident that there would be a
compromise reached. So basically, that's just my report to my colleagues from the Performing
Arts Trust. Thank you.
__-Chairman Dawkins: Mr. Gort.
Board Member Gort: I received the agenda for the Dade County Finance Committee Meeting on
the 24th, and this Interlocal Agreement is part of the agenda for that date. That has not been
changed or amended?
Mr. Bailey: No, it has not. It's been...
Board Member Plummer: No, it's still on.
Mr. Bailey: It's the 24th. It's still on.
Board Member Gort: But I'm still... Which contract is in there? Which Interlocal Agreement?
Mr. Bailey: The one that they will discuss on the 24th will be...
Board Member Plummer: Ours or theirs?
Mr. Bailey: ... the County's recommendation, which is a counter -recommendation to the one
that we have submitted.
Vice Chairman Clark: We have a copy of this right now.
Vice Mayor Gort: We have a copy of the one from the County?
Mr. Bailey: Yes, you have a copy there with you, yes.
Board Member Gort: Am I on?
Mr. Bailey: It's all in the packet.
Board Member Gort: Now?
4
January 22, 1996
Mr. Walter Foeman (City Clerk): I think so.
Vice Chairman Clark: OK, you're on.
Mr. Bailey: And the memorandum from the County Manager to Commissioner Penelas is dated
December the 18th. It's a full packet of what we have submitted as a result of the meetings
we've had here, and also the recommendations that they are offering in response to that
submission we've made. And as I indicated, there are items on there which are just routine
items, which we have no problem living with. But the two most important ones would be the
money and the City giving up its right to permit and give a certificate of occupancy.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Just a minute. Just a minute. Mr. Mayor?
Vice Chairman Clark: No, sir. Willy, are you finished?
Board Member Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chairman Clark: You know, with this Omni Redevelopment Interlocal Agreement, it
doesn't look like they're trying to do anything, but just to insult the City.
Chairman Dawkins: That's right, Mr. Mayor. Mm-hmm, that's all. I mean, they just do... And I
_ agree... I agree with the Mayor. The County does not appear to be in any mood to work
cooperatively or harmoniously with us. Now, that's my personal opinion.
Vice Chairman Clark: Well, in here, Miller, it says that "The County demands that the Omni
Redevelopment Plan be amended to include the Performing Arts Center Project. The subject
amendment shall be reviewed by the County Housing and Urban Development Authority Board
prior to the adoption by the County Commission, and advertised public hearing." This is a
routine process.
Chairman Dawkins: Read this part right here, Mr. Mayor.
Board Member Gort: Yeah.
Chairman Dawkins: That's the part that's disturbing.
Vice Chairman Clark: "The County shall have building and zoning powers over the design and
construction of the Performing Arts Center, including permits, building inspections, and issuance
of a certificate of occupancy." It's in the City of Miami, isn't it?
Chairman Dawkins: Yes. That's our duty, and they want to take it from us, Mr. Mayor.
Anybody else before we...
Board Member Plummer: I just have one other question.
Chairman Dawkins: Yes, J.L.
Board Member Plummer: If we don't want to enter into any Interlocal Agreement, can we just
tell them, "Thank you, no"?
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Board Member Plummer: Or do we... Are we forced to enter into an Interlocal Agreement?
5 January 22, 1996
r-
Chairman Dawkins: Let's hear from the attorney, and then... I think that we are already into an
Interlocal Agreement. I think what the problem is, is the County is desirous of making us accept
that in the Interlocal Agreement, and that's not in it. Now, let's hear from the City... from the
Attorney.
Board Member Plummer: Here's your mike.
Mr. Robert Friedman, Esq.: Is this on? The... Excuse me. The County's delegation of
redevelopment powers to the City of Miami with regard to the Omni area...
Mr. Bailey: Turn your mike on.
Board Member Plummer: I don't think they really work.
Mr. Bailey: They're working. They work.
Mr. Fred Joseph: They're working, but some of the levels are down.
Chairman Dawkins: If you pull it to you... You have to pull it to you, I guess.
Vice Chairman Clark: Get close to it.
Board Member Plummer: Eat it.
Mr. Friedman: The...
Ms. Sheila Anderson: Try to talk into the microphone.
Mr. Friedman: OK. Can you hear me now?
Ms. Anderson: Yes.
Mr. Friedman: OK. The delegation of those powers were conditioned upon or contingent upon
the City and the County entering into an Interlocal Agreement. So in effect, there's no
completion of that delegation until there is an Interlocal Agreement.
Board Member Plummer: Well, then explain this one for me. The Agreement that we're into
presently only speaks to the Performing Trust; is that correct?
Mr. Bailey: There is no Agreement that we're in.
Mr. Friedman: No, there is no Agreement.
Mr. Bailey: The Agreement has never been finalized, and it was submitted in 1985.
Mr. Friedman: Yes. You...
Mr. Bailey: We are in no Agreement as of this date.
Board Member Plummer: Well, then why are we being asked to modify the Agreement, which
doesn't - from what you're telling me - exist? How do you modify something that doesn't
exist?
6 January 22, 1996
Mr. Bailey: Well, that's one of the conditions for the County approving the Interlocal
Agreement, if we modify it to suit their needs.
Board Member Plummer: Uh-uh.
Chairman Dawkins: You're headed in the right direction, Commissioner - I mean Mr. Plummer.
Go ahead. Go ahead. Anything else, sir, for the Attorney?
Board Member Plummer: Yes, just tell them... Tell them to call us next year.
Chairman Dawkins: Anything else from the Attorney?
Mr. Friedman: No, that covers it.
Chairman Dawkins: Now, we'll hear from Mr. Joseph, and then...
Mr. Joseph: Chair, Commissioner Dawkins, I want to address J.L.'s comments, because we have
been in negotiation to try to see if we could work out some fashion. Mr. Bailey is correct. We
are working on something. And what we have set aside is the revenues that we had promised to
commit to. They're asking that we commit to future revenues, which we're not willing to do, as
Mr. Bailey has well presented. The other item that we are well aware of, and that is that the
funds, as you're speaking now, are around six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000), and they're
asking for a million -four. They're aware and we're aware that the funds will come as Tax
District in here rises. But we're not willing to give them any more than the original million,
million -one. Also...
Chairman Dawkins: Well, how are you going to give them a million -one if we don't have it?
Mr. Joseph: Well, no. It says those funds, I believe, up to four million - I mean a million -four.
We don't want to give up to a million -four. But you're right. If we don't have it, we're not
going to give it. And then that Interlocal can stay stymied.
Board Member Plummer: What are they going to do? Rob a bank?
Mr. Joseph: But the other side that they have asked, which was not addressed here at the dais,
and that is this. They've also said they don't want any representation from our district, if you'll
read it, in the Performing Arts - I mean in the Interlocal. They don't want you zoning, they don't
want our opinion, how to put roads, or what to do. And that's why we are saying, no. We're not
interested in doing such a thing that... again, back to "Pay us but don't represent us." That's not
fair. So we want representation. The other side that we're looking for tonight... And I don't
want to throw the bath water out with the baby, but my problem is this. We do want the
Performing Arts. There's ... Nobody has ever said we don't want it. We do want it where it's
going to go. We just want to formulate something that's going to be able to be lived with years
from now, when maybe none of us will be here, but we will all have made a good decision
instead of a bad one. Now, J.L. brought up a good point, and that is that if we just say to them,
"The one we sent you is the only one we're going to sign," that's what I hope you will do, is say
that, because as you gentlemen know, we worked for almost two years on this item. And for
them to come back and insult us and tell us some new one... And, I mean Mr. Bailey and I were
shocked when it first came up. And it's coming back up again. The Finance Committee has got
it set for January the 29th.
Board Member Gort: Twenty-fourth.
Chairman Dawkins: Twenty-fourth.
7 January 22,1996
Board Member Plummer: Twenty-fourth.
Mr: Joseph: Well, mine says 29th.
Board Member Plummer: Maybe they changed it.
Mr. Joseph: That's right. And one of your City employees ran down there one morning on a
whim that they were going to call one. They just, you know, delay it. So what they're working
on is us just caving in, and I'm hoping you won't do that. And our body here at the Omni,
Venetia and the Grand, are hoping you won't do that. Don't cave in to them.
Vice Chairman Clark: We're not caving in.
Chairman Dawkins: If I may regress...
Mr. Joseph: Thank you.
Chairman Dawkins: Thank you. If I just may. Would you stand, former Commissioner Barbara
Carrie.
(APPLAUSE)
Chairman Dawkins: No, remain standing, please. Remain standing. This Commissioner... This
was the Commissioner when I first appeared before the County with this Interlocal Agreement.
This was the Commissioner when Joe Gersten held this..
Vice Chairman Clark: Hostage.
Chairman Dawkins:... this Interlocal Agreement hostage, and Barbara Carrie and I tried to pry it
out, and it hasn't gotten out yet. Am I correct?
Vice Chairman Clark: Absolutely.
Chairman Dawkins: Thank you.
Mr. Joseph: May I... I don't want to interrupt the Chair, but Barbara Carrie has been to our
meetings, and our own representative, Art Teele, hasn't ever addressed us or even knows we
exist. So maybe we're looking at a good change.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. OK. Maybe so. Oh, I.... Oh, I... Oh, well.
Mr. Joseph: Maybe that tape skipped.
Mr. Bailey: Mr. Chairman...
Chairman Dawkins: OK, Ms. Anderson. Sheila.
Ms. Anderson: Mr. Dawkins, CRA, in the language of the draft before you and proposed by the
County, there also is a section that talks about neighborhood representation, and which there is
no neighborhood representation. It talks about private organizations, and then does not mention
a taxpayer or a voter from this district. And I think you need to address that issue, as well,
before the County proceeds any further, and give the taxpayers who are paying this money - for
whatever purpose it's going to be used - the representation they're supposed to have.
8 January 22, 1996
Board Member Plummer: Mr. Mayor, may I bring you up to date on that, very quickly, since the
subject was broached?
Chairman Dawkins: Yes.
Board Member Plummer: They have a very funny way of doing things at the Performing Arts
Trust, of how the Miami City Commission will select their members. And there are supposedly
two; a former Commissioner, and you just appointed me for 30 days, I found out, and now I'm
unemployed with the Trust. Now, you will be forced to make another decision in the next
Commission meeting, I think it is, between Brother Benjamin, myself, and Bill Bayer. We don't
name who we want. They surrender names to us, and then we are to pick one of those names.
I...
Chairman Dawkins: Send them all back.
Board Member Plummer: Well, OK, that's fine. Now, I asked why, when the other... the vacant
one by the Commissioner who was not reelected, and they said they were holding that one till a
later date, because they wanted to balance the Trust. Now, I don't know that they're very good
jugglers, or what they are. What I'm bringing to the Commission's - to this Meeting's
edification is the fact that we thought we just named who we wanted to the Trust, and that is not
the case. They proffer names that they will submit to you who they choose, and you must pick
,—from.-those three. I guess you maybe can reject them and they'll submit three more. I don't
know. But all I'm telling you at this particular point, that's the way this thing runs, and as far as
I know - and I might stand corrected - all but two seats were filled at the last meeting. One of
those belongs to the City, of the Commissioner who did not win reelection.
Chairman Dawkins: Mr. Board Member, if you can recall, when they first started with this
Trust, they appointed me and somebody else to represent the City of Miami on the Trust. It was
two Commissioners. And that was our representation. Now, when did they change, J.L.?
Board Member Plummer: Well, you're getting... Of this group, it will be sent to you for the one
seat, which...
Chairman Dawkins: No, no, no. But at the very beginning, though, in order to get the City to
participate, we were given two spots, two Commissioners.
Board Member Plummer: You still have two spots.
Chairman Dawkins: Two Commissioners, though.
Board Member Plummer: Well, no.
Ms. Anderson: No, no.
Board Member Plummer: It could be, or it could not be, depending on the selection of this
Commission.
Chairman Dawkins: But they would... Well, it's no place written, unless they can show it to me,
where the Performing Arts Trust has the right to dictate to the Commission that we have to
accept what they offer.
Board Member Plummer: Well, I'm not going to argue the point. I didn't read the charter or the
bylaws. I'm merely telling you what took place at the last meeting.
9 January 22, 1996
Chairman Dawkins: But that doesn't have to make it right, J.L.
Board Member Plummer: Oh, you may have a good point there, Mr.... Well, you're... That
wouldn't be your part to look into, would it?
Ms. Anderson: If I may have a word, would you like me to tell you...
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Come on, Sheila. Speak, Sheila.
Board Member Plummer: OK. We'll get somebody else to look into that one.
Ms. Anderson: The Trust has designated seats for the five major performing organizations.
They select their own representatives who have tenure. City of Miami Beach and City of Miami
are given seats on the Trust, and nominations are solicited through public advertisement. The
Nominating Committee meets, and according to the laws and the bylaws of the Performing Arts
Center Trust, three names must be submitted for every public appointment that is made. City of
Miami, County, and Miami Beach fall under those, that category. The idea is to have public -
members of the public participate, who represent the areas in the City of Miami. And frankly,
Donald Benjamin and other people from the City of Miami have submitted their names and
nomination more than once.
Chairman Dawkins: I beg to differ with you. The City of Miami is in the County. Don
Benjamin lives in the City. Therefore, he lives in the County. Just because he lives in the City
of Miami is no reason why he cannot be appointed as a County member.
Ms. Anderson: Well, that's true.
Chairman Dawkins: You do not have to lock him into the City.
Ms. Anderson: That's true.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Thank you.
Board Member Plummer: Yeah.
Ms. Anderson: But you have nominations that are submitted to you based on those public
advertisements, and names that are submitted from the community.
Board Member Gort: So we have three names.
Board Member Plummer: Yeah.
Ms. Anderson: And that's where you are getting some of the choices, and perhaps not as - not
necessarily by category or geography.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Well, I got off the Trust because of this kind of foolishness, and I will
stay off because of it.
Ms. Anderson: We're trying...
Chairman Dawkins: That's just what you all are doing, nothing but foolishness. It's plain... I
mean, it's.... What's that guy's name that does... You see it and now you don't? Richard
Copperfield? He does better than this.
10 January 22, 1996
Board Member Plummer: It's more like Ripley's "Believe it or Not."
Chairman Dawkins: Mm-hmm. OK. I'm sorry, Mr. Yaffa. Mr. Mayor, did you have
something to say?
Vice Chairman Clark: No, no.
Chairman Dawkins: Any other Board Member got something to say? Go right ahead, sir.
Mr. Phillip Yaffa: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's incredible to believe that it was in 1984 -
almost 12 years ago - that I first started working on the formation of this Tax Increment District.
And some of you will recall that it was quite an effort to get the City and the County to agree to
the formation of this District in the first place. The District sat fallow for the last 12 years. For
the last eight years, since 1980...
t
NOTE FOR THE RECORD: Board Member Carollo enters the
Board eeting at 7:25 p.m.
i
Chairman Dawkins: Up here, Joe.
�h� a Board Member Plummer: Hey, guy.
Board Member Gort: Hey, Joe.
Vice Chairman Clark: Hey, Joe.
Mr. Yaffa: It was since 1987/1988 that we have been trying to get this Interlocal Agreement
signed between the City and the County, and it's been an incredible yeoman's job to get it to this
point right now. In commenting on the existing draft of the Interlocal Agreement, I'd like to add
one more point that I think is dangerous for the CRA and the Interlocal Agreement, in addition to
the money - which I'll come back to in a moment - and the permitting under the South Florida
Building Code issue, which Herb Bailey brought out. I note, also, in the draft that the
Commission is giving up its condemnation rights to the County in this area.
Chairman Dawkins: You mean we would be.
Mr. Yaffa: Under the... Under the County's...
Chairman Dawkins: We would be.
Mr. Yaffa: You would be, under the County's draft, under the County's counterproposal.
Chairman Dawkins: Well, we would... OK. OK, now.
Mr. Yaffa: Under the County's counterproposal to the City's draft, the City is going to give up
its condemnation authority in the District to the County. And although I'm the eternal optimist
about the development of this neighborhood, I fear that in the future years, as this neighborhood,
hopefully, will develop, giving up your condemnation rights to a larger body that's farther
removed from the Omni area, I personally feel is a problem. I think that working with private
developers and assemblages of land, especially in the West Omni area, in the area west of
11 January 22, 1996
a
Biscayne Boulevard, where land assemblage is going to have to take place to incur development,
I am afraid that giving up that authority to the County could delay the process so long, and
having a number of Commissioners that are so far removed from the area, and I would like to see
you, as well, aggressively pull back your condemnation authority, and not give that right up to
the County. In terms of the money, the budget for the Performing Arts Center has constantly
expanded from its initial projections, back when Touche-Ross did a study back in the late 1980s.
This body, after public hearings held this summer, determined that we would, from the Tax
Increment District, allow the first million dollars to go towards the bonding of the Performing
Arts Center, and the excess, if any, to be used within the neighborhood. Carr -Smith will soon
come out with a study. Carr -Smith, under a contract with the DDA (Downtown Development
Authority), has been doing a study on the impacts of Performing Arts Centers in other cities of
the United States. What they mean, in terms of the neighborhood, in land values, and in spurring
and being a catalytic project for other economic development. When that study comes out - and
I've seen the preliminary draft - that study is going to show you that Performing Arts Centers are
tremendous economic catalysts if they are well planned with corresponding public and private
development. Just putting up the building and saying, "We have a beautiful hundred and sixty-
nine million dollar ($169,000,000) Performing Arts Center," with nothing else on the program,
will not make those buildings the economic catalysts we need. And that's why it's important for
the Commission or the CRA to explain to the County that we're not going out just to grab
money. We don't want to just cavalierly say, "Take the million dollars," and nothing more. We
need those excess funds in order to be able to put it back into the neighborhood to produce the
infrastructure, and to attract the development the Performing Arts Center will help spur. I was
shocked when I learned today that our District, in the last five years, has lost 50 percent of its
increment. In 1990/91, we had a million two hundred and seventy-eight thousand dollars
($1,278,000) in increment. In 1995/96, we're down to six hundred and forty-eight thousand
dollars ($648,000). That ought to raise flags. Granted, the Jefferson Store came off the tax rolls,
but the Jefferson Store did not account for a decrease of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000)
worth of taxes. We're not talking assessed valuation here. We're talking about the tax dollars
that the assessed valuation produces. That is a major decrease in land values in this area. If we
don't want to see that drop continue, it's very important that we allocate some of these funds
back into the neighborhood. I think that it is the feeling of myself and my neighbors that the
Performing Arts Center is going to be a tremendous catalyst for the redevelopment of this area,
and I think that we are happy to donate or use part of our tax dollars, our specific tax dollars - it's
our tax increments that are doing this - towards the Performing Arts Center. But I think that we
need to make the County know that we need other dollars outside of the million in order to
further improve the neighborhood, which, in turn, will assure the success of the Performing Arts
Center. That is one more point to speak of. So I hope that my argument is understood, that
we're not just cavalierly saying, "We want the money." We want that money to put back into
this neighborhood in order to build the infrastructure and attract development that the
Performing Arts Center will raise interest on. There's now...
Vice Chairman Clark: Mr. Yaffa, excuse me. Just a minute. Have you read...
Mr. Yaffa: Yes.
Vice Chairman Clark: Have you read a copy of their Interlocal Agreement with the City of
Miami?
Mr. Yaffa: Yes, I have.
Vice Chairman Clark: You know, it looks like this tax increment was formed just for the simple
reason to build a Performing Arts Center.
Mr. Yaffa: Well, as you are well aware, in 1987, when this District was formed...
12 January 22, 1996
1
Board Member Plummer: The Interlocal was before the Tax Increment - before the Performing
Arts.
Mr. Yaffa: .. the Performing Arts Center was still in the discussion stages. There was no site,
and it certainly wasn't selected in the Omni until 1990.
Board Member Plummer: Yeah.
Mr. Yaffa: Until years after this Tax District was formed. What's happening now, Mayor, is
} that the... They are writing the Interlocal Agreement. We need to amend - and Herb, I think we
might have done this already - we need to demand our redevelopment plan, by law, in order to
allow these funds to be utilized for the Performing Arts Center. And I saw a draft of that, Herb.
I don't know exactly what status that's in now.
Chairman Dawkins: The what, now?
Mr. Yaffa: We have... We need... The redevelopment plan, the tax increment dollars must
follow, by law, a redevelopment plan. Currently, our redevelopment plan, as initially passed in
1987, amended in 1989, did not specifically state that funds could be used for a Performing Arts
Center.
Chairman Dawkins: That's right. Mm-hmm.
Mr. Yaffa: So the City does have an obligation, I think, to the County, although I... I wasn't
quite sure...
Mr. Bailey: We don't have an obligation.
Chairman Dawkins: Wait a minute. Wait. What obligation does the City have?
Mr. Yaffa: No. If we want to... If the Tax Increment funds... If you, as the CRA, decide that
the funds - that a good use of our Tax Increment funds is towards the Performing Arts Center,
then we need...
Chairman Dawkins: Oh. If we decide that.
Mr. Yaffa: If you decide that.
Chairman Dawkins: Then we have an obligation.
Mr. Yaffa: Right.
Chairman Dawkins: If I decide against that, I don't have an obligation.
Mr. Yaffa: That's correct. And I think that...
Chairman Dawkins: OK. OK.
Mr. Yaffa: And I think that at the two meetings that the CRA held here over the summertime, I
think it was the citizens...
Board Member Plummer: But we don't have any... We don't have any Agreement.
13 January 22, 1996
0
W
Vice Chairman Clark: We don't have any damned funds, anyway.
Board Member Plummer: But we don't have any Agreement.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. J.L., says... Go ahead, ask the question out loud, J.L.
Board Member Plummer: Well, you know, I'm losing something here. We have no Agreement
on both parties' side. So where... You know, we have nothing going. I don't understand why
we have any obligation. You know, you don't have an obligation unless there's a contract.
Mr. Yaffa: But by State statute, the Redevelopment Authority...
Board Member Plummer: We haven't collected any money.
Mr. Yaffa: No. Well, the money... You know, interestingly enough, J.L., the County did, for
years, and the City did not. And the County put aside money to fund the Trust for two years.
They had a million and a half dollars aside. The City budget never did allocate those funds.
This goes back to 1990, '89 and '90.
Board Member Plummer: Right.
Chairman Dawkins: Wait, wait, wait. The City - the County has two point something million
dollars in the Omni Redevelopment Fund.
Mr. Yaffa: No. They pulled it back in the general revenues.
Chairman Dawkins: Beg your pardon?
Mr. Yaffa: They pulled it back to general revenues several years ago.
Board Member Plummer: It's in the general revenues.
Chairman Dawkins: Well, then... But, you see, you have to say that. I know that....
Mr. Walter Foeman (City Clerk): It's not in the Trust Fund.
Chairman Dawkins: ... you know that, and all these other people, they don't know that there is
not a penny in the Development Fund.
Mr. Yaffa: There's not a penny. There's not a penny.
Chairman Dawkins: So the County didn't put anything into it, and the City did not put anything
into it.
Mr. Yaffa: That's correct.
Chairman Dawkins: So don't stand there and lead people to believe that the County, in its
infinite... or in its wisdom, or in its benevolence, set up a fund, and because the City did not put
anything into it, they took it back.
Mr. Yaffa: I apologize for any misconception.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Thank you. OK. Mm-hmm.
14 January 22, 1996
Mr. Yaffa: Let me go on. The Interlocal Agreement...
_...Chairman Dawkins: Go right ahead. Please do. Please, Phil.
Mr. Yaffa: The Redevelopment Authority is vested in the County. The County can delegate that
Redevelopment Authority to the City.
Chairman Dawkins: And they did.
Mr. Yaffa: They haven't.
' i. Bailey: They have not.
Mr. Yaffa: The Interlocal Agreement is the document which delegates the total authority of the
County back to the City. The County, in effect - and perhaps Mr. Friedman can either expound
or correct me on this - the County could say, "You don't want an Interlocal Agreement? Let's
rip it up. We will be our own Development Authority and proceed."
Mr. Bailey: They couldn't...
Board Member Plummer: Well, if they could do that, why haven't they?
Mr. Yaffa: But they can't get funds from the City Trust Fund.
Mr. Bailey: They cannot use the Tax Increment money for the Performing Arts Center...
Mr. Yaffa: Right.
Mr. Bailey:... unless the City agrees to amend the plan to include it.
Mr. Yaffa: Right.
Mr. Bailey: We do have some options.
Mr. Yaffa: Right. And I think that it's very important that we have an Interlocal Agreement that
sets out the various responsibilities. And I find the Interlocal Agreement that has been proffered
by the County acceptable, with three exceptions.
Chairman Dawkins: But the only problem I have - me, personally. Now, I don't know about the
other members - the only thing I have with what you're saying, Phil, is that everything you say is
pro Performing Arts Theater, and that... And then everything else is secondary. That's the only
problem I find with what you're saying.
Mr. Yaffa: Well, I think that, again, based on the public hearings we had... And as you know, I
mean, I've been working on this Performing Arts Center...
Chairman Dawkins: Well, hold it, now. Hold it, because I had some public hearings, too.
Mr. Yaffa: No, we had two right here from this summer.
Chairman Dawkins: Well, I've had two out there.
Mr. Yaffa: Mm-hmm. I mean my sense is, and... Again, my sense is that the... that after 15
years...
15 January 22, 1996
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Take over, Mr. Mayor, because I'm getting a little...
Vice Chairman Clark: No, no, you're chairing it.
Chairman Dawkins: No, you need to take over right now.
Mr. Yaffa: After 15 years of this community working towards the development of this project...
Chairman Dawkins: OK. I'm going to let the Mayor take this a while.
Mr. Yaffa: After 15 years of development - of working towards the development of the
Performing Arts Center, that this community is as close as it is, that I feel that for basically a few
pennies, we should not let the ball drop. We need... This community, I believe, needs the
Performing Arts Center, and I think the Performing Arts Center is definitely the savior of the
Omni area.
Vice Chairman Clark: No doubt about that. That's... You're right there.
Mr. Yaffa: I think it is absolutely the most major public project that will act as a catalyst. On
the other hand, the building, in and of itself, will not do it. We need additional funds in order to
create infrastructure, assemble land, and entice private development to come into this area, as a
__..result of the Performing Arts Center. And that's why I thought it was a very good compromise
to say we would give the first one million dollars ($1,000,000) of increment towards a bond float
for the Performing Arts Center, and any excess of that increment...
Vice Chairman Clark: But then it says...
Mr. Yaffa: ... would be used into the neighborhood.
Vice Chairman Clark: But, Phil, then it says, "No less than one point four million dollars ($1.4
million) in Tax Increment revenues annually shall be set aside."
Mr. Yaffa: Right. You... That's right. You need to go back to the draft that you proffered to
the County, which said that you would give up to the first one million dollars ($1,000,000). And
that came out of the two public hearings that we had here. So I... That's what I'm saying. I
think there's three items - there's three issues - that I find distasteful in the County's
counteroffer. One is the money...
Board Member Plummer: Steve, all you got to do is just put in there just not to exceed.
Mr. Yaffa: One is the money, two is giving up your Zoning Board to the County, your zoning
and permitting, and three is giving up your condemnation authority. I don't think those... I think
the money is one issue, but your authority in terms of regulating the South Florida Building
Code and in your condemnation authority, I think, are other issues. So let me get to my final
point, and I'll turn the mike over. So I think, to make my position clear, at one point... Taking
one point four million dollars ($1.4 million), especially since the increment only has six hundred
and forty-eight thousand dollars ($648,000) in it now, it's going to be years before that
increment reaches the one point four. The second issue, which is a little more current, which is,
again, a reason why I think that it's imperative that this Interlocal Agreement be moved forward
rapidly, is the County will not go out... Under the current scenario, as I understand it, the next
three years - so we're talking almost the rest of this decade - will be taken up with Pelli doing
their design drawings. Let's assume that that's even accelerated to two years, and let's assume
that we put some pressure on him. And I... As a dev... I can't imagine taking three years. As
somebody pointed out to me, nuclear power plants are designed in a lot less than three years.
16 January 22, 1996
Board Member Plummer: They're talking two, and they shall make that decision within 90 days.
Mr. Yaffa: Well, my understanding from the County, his contract allows him 36 months to do
his design drawings. Now, I understand that there could be an accelerated program. But let's
use even an accelerated program. Let's say that it's 1998 before the design drawings are
completed. So it will probably be 1988 (sic) or 1999 before the County goes out into the
marketplace to buy its bonds. That leaves - and this is a very important point - that leaves the tax
years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 with potential, of using the existing numbers, the potential of
six hundred and eighty-four thousand dollars ($684,000) a year to go into the Trust
unencumbered - not encumbered by our grant to the Performing Arts Center. Our Performing
Arts Center dollars do not have to be accumulated. In fact, it would be better - and Herb, again,
is the expert on this - it would be better if we did a small bond issue with that six hundred and
eighty-four thousand dollars ($684,000), so that our Tax District would have a history of
performance when it went into the bond market. Even if we don't bond, though, even if we
don't need that history, it is time now for us to become aggressive, for you, as our CRA, to
become aggressive, and take that six hundred and eighty-four thousand dollars ($684,000)
that's two point five million dollars ($2.5 million) over the next four years - and start plowing it
back into this neighborhood. You have heard my neighbors speak to you this summer, saying
that we need Margaret Pace Park cleaned up. We need work done in there. We need the drug
addicts taken out of there. We need the prostitution taken out of there. We need our waterfront
cleaned up. We need our lights fixed. We need our streets repaired. And the Tax Increment
dollars are the perfect vehicle to do that. And nowhere in the Interlocal Agreement does it
address what is going to happen to our current increment from now until they're bonded, which I
project will be at least four years from now. And I think it's incumbent upon you, sitting as the
CRA, to go back to the City Manager and say, "Hey, in this City budget, you better take out the
three hundred and sixty-four thousand dollars ($364,000) that's coming from the City so we can
place it in their Trust Fund this year. There is, for 1995/96, a three hundred and seventy-nine
thousand dollar ($379,000) allocation of increment from the City, and a two hundred and sixty-
nine thousand dollar ($269,000) allocation from the County. We can't... We have sat back
passively, and with all due respect, I think we've been very, very good neighbors to our
community, to the City of Miami, because we have not gone down to City Hall, and we have not
pounded on your desks, and we have not said...
Chairman Dawkins: And you haven't gone to the County.
Mr. Yaffa: We have not... We have not gone to the City...
Chairman Dawkins: OK, then. And you haven't gone to the County.
Mr. Yaffa: Commissioner, with all due respect, we were... We know that we've been through a
budgetary crisis in this community at the County and the City level...
Chairman Dawkins: OK. I'm...
Mr. Yaffa: ... and we were asked very politely to throw our hats down, to say, "Listen, we're
going to be good citizens. Don't force us to allocate this money now." And we sat back, like
good little boys, good little soldiers, and we said, "OK, let's get through this. We don't have a
project that we need the money for right now identified, and so we will not make a stink." Now,
however, it's 1995. Now, I think it's time for my neighbors, for this area, to enact what we did
in 1987 in the formation of this, and I think it's incumbent upon you, as our CRA, to go to the
County, go to the City, fulfill your promise to us, start funding the trust this year. And we'll
start... We, as a citizen advisory group, will have our next meeting and tell you how we'd like to
see those monies being expended. Thank you.
17 January 22, 1996
(APPLAUSE)
Vice Chairman Clark: Phil, you talk about taking the money on a bond issue ourselves. They
said, "Thereafter, the City may issue bonds secured by Tax Increment revenues for any purpose
delineated in the plan as amended, after approval by the County, which shall be subordinate to
any debt incurred by the County for the Performing Arts Center."
Mr. Yaffa: Yeah. Actually, as I think that out, I don't believe that we could issue a bond issue
prior to the... prior to the Performing Arts Center. That would not work. But understand, Mr.
Vice Chairman, that we do not have to bond these funds. We can sign a contract - the Trust can
sign a contract, and we could spend six hundred and eighty-four thousand dollars ($684,000).
And I will tell you, you'll have no trouble at all... Under even the most cursory examination that
I've made, I see that we need at least a million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) to
make Margaret Pace Park look even a semblance of a decent facility.
(APPLAUSE)
Vice Chairman Clark: All right. Willy, you have the floor. What do you want to say? Mr.
Gort.
i Board Member Gort: Mr. Mayor, I think, more or less, we're all saying the same thing. I think
what I'm hearing from the public hearing is what I heard in the past, is we need to go back to the
County and tell them, "Look, the Interlocal Agreement, we agree on just about everything except
two points," and those are the two points we're discussing here, and I think we should go back
and let them know. All we're going to be able to do is one point one million dollars ($1.1
million), they could bond ten million dollars ($10,000,000) out of it, and the condemnation
authority. I think he's got a point there, and that's the... I think that's the only thing we disagree
on. Am I correct, Herb, or is there anything else?
Mr. Bailey: May I just make one point? The County has not delegated to us for the Omni area,
nor have they done it for Overtown, the condemnation rights for the Redevelopment District.
We had put into our Agreement the provision whereby we would have those rights, because we
thought, as Phil has said, it would be more appropriate for us to decide which properties we were
going to condemn and redevelop. So at this moment, we do not have condemnation rights. And
just one other point. Unless the Interlocal Agreement is signed, giving the City the delegation
and the right to manage the Trust Fund, we will never be able to issue debt as a CRA.
Board Member Plummer: I agree with that. Herb, may I ask this question? Have you informed
the County since - of their meeting, which was two days off, that the maximum amount that
we're looking at is six forty-eight? Have you so informed them?
Mr. Bailey: We've informed them. In fact, to be fair about it, Mr. Plummer, the submission that
they sent to us informed us that there was only six forty-eight, and we were very surprised. So
we checked it out, and they were correct. They are very much aware of the amount of money
that's available.
Board Member Plummer: So where does... The discrepancy is going to be filled, how?
Mr. Herb Bailey (Assistant City Manager): Well, what they're saying, "We know you only have
a certain amount now, but whenever you get more, we want to have that, also, up to a certain
amount."
Board Member Plummer: Well, isn't that going to have to be on an annual basis? I mean, the
way I read this, they're asking for a million -four annually.
18 January 22, 1996
Vice Chairman Clark: Absolutely.
Mr. Bailey: Well, it's conditioned upon...
Board Member Plummer: Now, based on that, we don't have a million -four. Where... I mean,
are they going to say, "OK, we're going to loan it to you at an interest and you pay us when you
get it"?
Mr. Bailey: The meeting I had with the staff two weeks ago, they understood that it's up to one
point four annually, if it's available. If not available... And the question is whether that's
cumulative?
Board Member Plummer: That's my question.
Mr. Herb Bailey (Assistant City Manager): And the other question there that would have to be
resolved at the meeting that's on the 24th, we expect to testify to the fact that we think one point
four is excessive, much more than we have, and can only be on an annual basis, if available, not
cumulative.
Board Member Plummer: Well, what I would hope to see written in is whatever number we
agree upon, not to exceed an annual.
Mr. Bailey: Yes.
Vice Chairman Clark: What you have now, anyway.
Mr. Bailey: Well, the agreement we sent to them had all of this language in it. I think we have
already addressed those issues, and we forwarded those concerns to the County with the proper
language, indicating that we would give up to an amount, and that was it. And it has been
rejected, or at least counteroffered, based on what we have before us today.
Chairman Dawkins: May I ask staff, how many times did the City Commission, and as the CRA
Board, submit the Interlocal Agreement to the County for approval? How many times?
Mr. Bailey: We have submitted it one, two... About four times. And how many...
Chairman Dawkins: Four times.
Mr. Yaffa: This year.
Chairman Dawkins: No, no, wait, now. Wait.
Mr. Bailey: Well, once when Mr. Gersten held up, and three times since.
Chairman Dawkins: Beg your pardon?
Mr. Bailey: We've submitted at least four times.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Mr. Bailey: Since the beginning.
19
January 22,1996
.ti
Chairman Dawkins: And each time, it's either held in suspense, or it comes back at the time...
When it's time to argue about the Performing Arts Theater, it comes forward. And only at that
time.
Vice Chairman Clark: That's the only time it comes back.
Chairman Dawkins: Now, Mr. Yaffa, you... I mean, I beg to differ with you. It is not the City
of Miami that you should be jumping up and down on. This Interlocal Agreement has been to
the County since 1985, and they have never brought it back to us. And I must...
Mr. Yaffa: I assure you that I will be at the 24th Finance Committee Meeting, and I'll...
Chairman Dawkins: No, see...
Mr. Yaffa: And I'll make this speech there, as well.
Chairman Dawkins: But, see... But you should have been there with me when Joe Gersten held
it hostage, and I asked him to release it. OK?
Mr. Yaffa: I was there, too, Commissioner.
Chairman Dawkins: OK, all right then. See, but... But it looks like the City Commission and
the CRA are the only ones that's holding this up.
Board Member Plummer: I mean, they're asking us to modify something that's not in force.
Mr. Yaffa: Listen, let me put on the record - and maybe my neighbors don't know this - the
CRA and the City of Miami Commission have been incredibly responsive to these issues in
relationship to what you've taken out of the public hearings. This holdup - and it's always
been - this holdup has been at the County level.
Chairman Dawkins: Thank you. Mm-hmm.
Mr. Yaffa: And the County... It was either held up for the homeless funds, for more money out
of the Performing Arts Center, or just straight politics. And...
Chairman Dawkins: Or for bond... Or until they could get the special bond issue.
Mr. Yaffa: And let my neighbors know that the City Commission has clearly moved this thing
along. And Mr. Bailey has been nothing but responsive in drafting this language and getting it to
the County. And every time, we get stonewalled at the County level.
Vice Chairman Clark: They got a new project.
Chairman Dawkins: Mm-hmm.
Mr. Yaffa: And that's on the record.
Vice Chairman Clark: He's got a new project, every time.
Mr. Yaffa: And just two more things, now. Herb, I just want you to know, the last time I talked
to the County Finance Director, they are not going to issue bonds labelled Omni Venetia Tax
Increment Financing Bonds. They are going to have a general bond issue, of which they are
going to pledge Tax Increment funds. But they're not going to have... And this changes, I
20 January 22, 1996
know, weekly. The last I was told is they will not issue... Like you issued Southeast
Overtown/Park West Development bonds.
Mr. Bailey: Yeah, yeah. I'm aware of their financing structures. It's a rather complicated one.
I'm not at all certain it will fly. But regardless of whether it will or will not fly, the fact of the
matter is, is that whatever funds we have will be committed to that purpose. And it's a rather
intricate bond issue, for which we are just maybe one tenth of the whole piece.
Mr. Yaffa: The package, right. The other point...
Chairman Dawkins: Is Mr....
Mr. Yaffa: The other point I'd like to say on the record and have... and not necessarily... I don't
want anybody necessarily respond to this. I want to let you know that the Interlocal Agreement
also speaks to funds for the homeless. And I don't think that this has to be an issue. This has
been an issue that's held this document up for months, if not years now. What the Agreement
does, though, it gives the City Commission or the CRA - I forgot now - the authority to decide
whether they want to expand any funds in this district for the homeless. And I don't think I have
to tell you how this group feels about spending any of our tax dollars towards supporting the
HAC (Homeless Assistance Center).
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Thank you. Mr. David Morris is here. Would you like to have
something to say, Mr. Morris?
(APPLAUSE)
Vice Chairman Clark: He's the Finance man with the County.
Mr. David Morris: Thank you.
Vice Chairman Clark: David, we're not mad at you, now. You're our pal.
Mr. Morris: I can always duck. I want to do a little bit of clarification in terms of...
Board Member Plummer: For the edification of the people here...
Mr. Morris: I'm sorry. Yeah, thank you.
Board Member Plummer:... state your name, and who you are, and who you represent.
Board Member Carollo: Thanks, Charlene.
Mr. David: I'm David Morris, Assistant County Manager, and dealing with Herb and all of you
on the Omni issue. I want to clarify one piece that I heard, and we will be hearing this at the
Finance Committee on Wednesday, and then based on what they decide, to the County
Commission on the 6th of February, Tuesday. The one point four million dollar ($1.4 million)
figure comes from two places. As Mr. Bailey and I have spoken, our Commission has passed
one thing, the CRA Board has passed another, and at the staff level, we really don't have a good
way of working it out. The County Commission, in their financing plan for the Performing Arts
Center, has passed a motion that asked for approximately twelve million dollars ($12,000,000).
And the one point four million dollar ($1.4 million) figure came from the amount that we figured
would be necessary to fund that. I would like to clarify that the one point four million dollar
cumulative' . Ifigure sp nothis a one resolution
four million discussed
s ($1.4 mil Finance
n)nfigure - theeeamisouunnt
21 January 22, 1996
necessary, again, in our figure, to bond twelve million ($12,000,000). One of our concerns is
that because the tax increment is down, the one million dollar ($1,000,000) limitation imposed
by the CRA will not provide the funds to bond even the ten million dollar ($10,000,000) figure
that the CRA had discussed at the time they offered the one million, and that there needs to be
room for it to grow above the one million dollar ($1,000,000) figure, so that over the period of
the life of the bond issue, we will be able to fund, whether it is the ten million dollars
($10,000,000) that the CRA said, or the twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) that the County has
said. In terms of the condemnation rights, I... My recollection on that is that goes back to a legal
issue about whether or not the County can give up the condemnation rights. I believe that what -
Mr. Bailey can agree with me on this, I hope - and that is that in the past, whenever
condemnations have needed to be done, the County and the City have - and the CRA - have
worked together, in order to get that done. But I believe our - if I remember rightly - our
attorney has told us that under the State law, that is something we cannot delegate to the CRA.
Vice Chairman Clark: Or to the City.
Mr. Morris: Or to the City. The... I think those were the two issues I heard. I apologize for
coming in late, but I was at...
Chairman Dawkins: Oh, that's quite all right. Mm-hmm.
{ Mr. Morris:... another meeting.
Chairman Dawkins: Can I ask you a question? The Performing Arts Theater's funding proposal
that is presently in place to go out to the bonding market, then it has in the total amount to be
bonded, ten million dollars ($10,000,000) earmarked to be financed by the City of Miami
providing one million dollars ($1,000,000) a year as a fee for that ten million dollars
($10,000,000). Is that a correct statement?
Mr. Morris: I have not seen anything like that. The figure I've always used is the figure of the
twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) that has been... that was the County Commission's request
in the funding plan.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Well, I'll ask the question the same way. The funding package that is
in place for the funding of the Performing Arts Theater that has not been let, that is still on the
drawing board, it has a place in there for twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) to be bonded by
the City of Miami's increment tax financing.
Vice Chairman Clark: Yes.
Mr. Morris: That's one piece of it, yes.
Board Member Plummer: That's a correct statement.
Chairman Dawkins: Beg pardon?
Board Member Plummer: That's a correct statement.
Chairman Dawkins: So therefore, we are here discussing a Performing Arts Theater that does
not have the funding.
Board Member Plummer: Well, the total package is not in place.
Chairman Dawkins: J.L., either you have a credit card or you don't.
22 January 22, 1996
t
i
Board Member Plummer: Well, what they're... What they're proceeding on is the fact that
they're going to be deriving so much from the private sector, there's going to be so much from
government, there's going to be so much from City of Miami, there's going to be so much from
corporate Dade County. All of that, they have under works at the present time. They have one
lady - I forget her name - who is the director of the fund raising. Is she here?
Chairman Dawkins: Well, what happened with Bayfront Park when that happened, and Naguchi
Park, and all, when they were supposed to raise the money?
Board Member Plummer: They didn't make it.
Chairman Dawkins: Thank you.
Vice Chairman Clark: You know, David, here's a memorandum from - to the Finance Trust
Fund Committee for a meeting on January the 24th.
Mr. Morris: Yes.
Vice Chairman Clark: In that, it says, "Update on other current bond issues" - plural - "fire
bonds, sales tax utility bond refunds, EFA University of Miami refunding, Seaport refunding,
Aviation refunding bonds, Water and Sewer swap proposal." They're talking about a two
....hundred and ninety-five million dollar ($295,000,000) revenue bond. It says, "Resolution
authorizing..." They have already passed that resolution.
Mr. Morris: For the Aviation bonds? Yes.
Vice Chairman Clark: Yeah. Ordinance...
Mr. Morris: Correct.
Vice Chairman Clark: Revenue bonds. First reading... They passed it on the 16th.
Mr. Morris: Yes.
Vice Chairman Clark: This is all... You know, if you got a... If you came out with a revenue
bond issue, you better have the money to pay it off, because that's not general obligation. That's
a big difference.
Mr. Morris: Correct. But...
Vice Chairman Clark: People understand that. So I don't understand how they're... They're
talking about a two point six billion dollar ($2.6 billion) PAP revenue bond issuance.
Mr. Morris: And that's the Aviation, and that's the authorizing ordinance. That's not the bonds
themselves. We'll be coming back with individual resolutions for each when they're...
Board Member Plummer: And then you got the Seaport coming out. The Seaport is after that.
Mr. Morris: The Seaport is a refunding from existing bonds. It's not anything with the Maritime
Park. The...
Board Member Plummer: Mr. Chairman, if I may.
23 January 22, 1996
Chairman Dawkins: Yes, sir, Mr. Plummer.
Board Member Plummer: We've been here now an hour, and I don't want to deny any member
of the public the right to speak, but I haven't heard anyone from this dais or from the public who
say, "Change the proposal that you presently have before Dade County," in any way. Now, if
there's not to be any changes, I think we ought to move on to the next subject.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Board Member Plummer: Now, I'm not trying to deny anybody the right to speak, but I haven't
heard anyone say, "Let's make a change to the present Interlocal Agreement presently before the
County." OK?
Ms. Kluger: I'll be glad to do that.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Board Member Plummer: They've talked about other things, about members of the Trust, we've
had the condemnation and all of those other things which are satellite issues, but I have not heard
one person mention, "Let's change that which is presently there."
Chairman Dawkins: OK. So therefore, with that, we'll move to...
Board Member Plummer: Excuse me, sir. Like I say, I don't want to deny anybody the right to
speak.
Vice Chairman Clark: Well, nobody is jumping out of their seat, J.L.
Board Member Plummer: But unless somebody has got something else to offer, I... I don't
know.
Chairman Dawkins: Well, I...
Mr. Morris: I don't want to be misunderstood that our position certainly would be to change that
one million.
Board Member Plummer: Yeah. We understand your position, and we wish you would start
understanding ours.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Vice Chairman Clark: Well, that's not up to David.
Board Member Plummer: No, I understand that.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Mr. Morris: Thank you for the opportunity.
Chairman Dawkins: All right. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Morris.
Vice Chairman Clark: You've been very helpful.
Board Member Plummer: Next item.
24 January 22, 1996
Vice Chairman Clark: Next case.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Mr. Joseph: Now, what we... If you're looking for something that we want to offer,
Chairperson, you have made the best premise for it, and that's the one we did give them. Leave
it alone, and... or negotiate what - the items we have said we would negotiate. We have in front
of you a letter that I have tried to put towards Parker Thompson. I have set up with Herb Bailey
what type of arrangements could be done that would help the developing area here, but this area
needs it. As Phil said, there's... We have to move forward with the interlocal now so that we
can start using it prior to them needing it for the Performing Arts. Margaret Pace Park, our
lights, our streets, inter... you know. And go for development. We can get that done now. Let's
do it.
( Chairman Dawkins: OK. Thank you. All right. OK. We hear... This Board hears you.
(APPLAUSE)
Chairman Dawkins: We will... Someone will go to the hearing tomorrow.
Board Member Plummer: Wednesday.
Chairman Dawkins: Wednesday. I will go to the Commission meeting when it meets, and tell
ithem exactly what we, the citizens and taxpayers out here feel.
i
------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. DISCUSSION CONCERNING MARGARET PACE PARK CLEANUP
INITIATIVE REFER $3,500 REQUEST FOR FUEL TO BE USED BY THE
i ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOR SCHEDULING AT A FUTURE
COMMISSION MEETING.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman Dawkins: Anything else?
Mr. Joseph: We have... Annette wants to come and speak to you in regards to another item,
Margaret Pace Park.
Board Member Plummer: That's not on the agenda.
i
Chairman Dawkins: That's not on the agenda.
Vice Chairman Clark: We can't do that tonight.
Chairman Dawkins: Not tonight. We have to put... See, we got one more item, and we're going
to have to get out of here.
Board Member Plummer: Well, let me just say one thing, if I may, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Joseph,
you and anyone else who wishes... Did you put your name in as a nomination for a Board
Member?
Mr. Joseph: No, I did not.
25
January 22, 1996
Board Member Plummer: All right. I would strongly suggest...
Mr. Joseph: I have asked.
Board Member Plummer: OK. I would strongly suggest - Sheila is there at every one of the
meetings, OK? - that you go down there, and you scream at that Board - OK? - about the
representation that you're asking for to be considered.
Chairman Dawkins: Yes.
Vice Chairman Clark: Which you don't have now.
Chairman Dawkins: You ought to say you want to hear it. You want to hear it.
Mr. Joseph: I have asked Parker Thompson to put whoever is the president of the Grand
Condominium Association, and I've asked that - that she... Mrs. Kluger. She has put it in twice,
and it's been lost, you know. You know. So are we asking? Yes.
Chairman Dawkins: Come to the mike. Come to the mike.
Mr. Joseph: We're working hard...
Chairman Dawkins: Annette, come to the mike.
Ms. Eleonor Kluger: I knew it would get lost, and so I personally delivered it, and I got a receipt
for my application to the Board.
Board Member Plummer: This go around?
Ms. Kluger: No. On May 5th. I did not ever even get the courtesy of any kind of letter of
explanation, or anything from the Performing Arts. So what they do is, they screen who they
want for you to be nominated, to go to your nominations. In other words, they have a
Nominating Board. People do give in their application for it, and they pick and choose which
ones they want to have before they get any kind of vote.
Chairman Dawkins: And they don't want me or you.
Ms. Kluger: They don't want me, that's for sure.
Chairman Dawkins: Or me.
Board Member Carollo: Well, Annette, I'm told that new Commissioners get a one-time pocket
item on their first meetings here. So you're going to be my pocket item.
Ms. Annette Eisenberg: I am honored. Actually, I'm here because Eleanor Kluger and Fred
Joseph are constant people at our urban... on the DDA (Downtown Development Authority)
Urban Services Committee. And they've asked us, could we help them with the Margaret Pace
Park problem. Unfortunately, Margaret Pace Park is out of the DDA area, so there is no money
to be expended. So we went a little further, and we found that the Army Corps of Engineers will
come out and clean the water area of tons and tons of debris. And they will come out and do it
free. They can only do it weekends, and they have loads of jobs, but they can do it in June. I
came here tonight not to ask the Board for the money, but some way, we've got to pay about
thirty-five hundred dollars ($3,500) just for gas - no manpower, no equipment - and that can be
done if we can find...
26 January 22, 1996
Chairman Dawkins: Go see each Commissioner at the City of Miami, and we'll come up with
thirty-five hundred dollars ($3,500). Go on to the next item.
Ms. Eisenberg: Fine. Wonderful. See, you got your park cleaned.
Mr. Joseph: Yes. Thank you very much, because it's a forty...
(APPLAUSE)
Mr. Joseph: ...forty-seven thousand dollar ($47,000) expenditure that they're willing to put out,
but we have to buy the fuel.
Ms. Eisenberg: You got it.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Well, we'll buy the fuel.
Mr. Joseph: And I had gone to DDA and asked for it, but they...
Chairman Dawkins: J.L. Plummer will put it on his funeral...
Vice Mayor Gort: We could probably provide the fuel
Mr. Joseph: We're out of the district.
Chairman Dawkins: J.L. Plummer will put it on the funeral home fuel bill.
Board Member Plummer: That means...
Board Member Gort: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Dawkins: OK. Go right ahead, sir.
Board Member Plummer: That means it's a dead issue.
Board Member Gort: Mr. Chairman:
Chairman Dawkins: Yes, sir.
Board Member Gort: We might even be able to provide the fuel ourselves at a lower cost.
Vice Chairman Clark: Whatever.
Board Member Carollo: Fred, make sure these guys don't get amnesia.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
Mr. Joseph: Well, under the Army Corps of Engineering, they have to get from their own
reservoir. That's not our problem. But as...
Chairman Dawkins: We will find the money.
Mr. Joseph: OK. Thank you.
27 January 22, 1996
--"*) I'll -
Chairman Dawkins: We got the money, OK?
Mr. Joseph: Thank you.
Chairman Dawkins: Now, don't talk yourself out of it, now. Don't talk yourself out of it. OK?
Mr. Joseph: No, I don't want to talk out of it. I want our constituents here...
Board Member Carollo: Be quite, Fred. They could take it back.
Mr. Joseph: Yeah. I want our constituents here to appreciate the fact that the... not that you're
the City of Miami tonight, but that you are the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), and
we have them here in our area and working towards getting something of our own money spent
in our own area.
Chairman Dawkins: OK.
(APPLAUSE)
Chairman Dawkins: Now, we have one item... We have to recess as the Omni, and reset as the
Overtown CRA. Is there a motion?
Board Member Plummer: So move.
Chairman Dawkins: Second.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD,
THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:01 P.M.
28 January 22,1996