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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2002-04-12 MinutesMINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA On the 12`h day of April 2002, the City Commission of Miami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in the City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida in special session. The meeting was called to order at 6:06 p.m. by Chairman Tomas Regalado with the following members of the Commission found to be present: Commissioner Angel Gonzalez (District 1) Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton (District 2) Commissioner Joe Sanchez (District 3) Chairman Tomas Regalado (District 4) Commissioner Arthur E. Teele, Jr. (District 5) ALSO PRESENT: Manuel A. Diaz, Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, City Manager Joel Maxwell, Deputy City Attorney Robert Nachlinger, Assistant City Manager Sylvia Scheider, Assistant City Clerk Erica Wright, Executive Director, CRA Anna Rojas, Chief Deputy Clerk ABSENT: Carlos A. Gimenez, City Manager Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk 1 April 12, 2002 1. EXPRESS DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND SINCEREST CONDOLENCES ON BEHALF OF CITY AND ITS CITIZENS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF LUIS SABINES, SR., UPON HIS UNTIMELY DEATH. DECLARE LUIS SABINES, SR. AN HONORARY AMBASSADOR FOR HIS GOOD WILL REPRESENTATION OF CITY THROUGHOUT ENTIRE HEMISPHERE. Chairman Regalado: (INAUDIBLE) convene at 6 p.m., on this Friday, by the Mayor and members of the Commission. Commissioner Joe Sanchez will do the invocation and Commissioner Gonzalez, the pledge of allegiance. Commissioner Sanchez. An invocation was delivered by Commissioner Sanchez, followed by Commissioner Gonzalez, who lead those present in a pledge of allegiance to the flag. Chairman Regalado: Early this morning, the Mayor of the City of Miami, Manuel Diaz, called for a special meeting of the City Commission, and all of the members are present. The Mayor will address the people here and people watching on Net 9. And, of course, the City Commission will make comments, as well as the members of the public. Mayor Diaz. Mayor Diaz: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you to my colleagues on the Commission for being here on such short notice, but I think that that points to the respect and the love that all of us up here had for our friend "El Presidente," as we all called him; a person who, as Commissioner Sanchez indicated, gave his heart and his soul to this community and to the people of this community. I want to share some personal facts about Luis. He was born in the province of Matanzas in Cuba. He came to the U.S. in November of 1959. He came to make purchases for his Almacen and ended up staying at the end, at the request of a friend. He was an investor from the moment he arrived. Bought a business with his friend and a duplex. He opened a Cash -N -Carry and later the first Titan Supermarket. He was introduced to CAMACOL (Latin Chamber of Commerce) (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Humberto (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and Ricardo Gomez. And while initially he had refused to join, he did, after he was introduced to Manuel (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and decided -- he decided it was something that he needed to do. He was a member of the organization for 25 years. And of his greatest accomplishments, one can point to the Hemispheric Conference, which is a conference that has grown to attract participants from all over the world, particularly European countries. And his (UNINTELLIGIBLE) grocery bags every year during Christmas that are given out to so many people in this community that needed of his help and of the help of CAMACOL. He was a leader. He was a man of conviction. He was a man who fought for those who were less fortunate. He was true to the maxim that to he or to him who much is given, much is expected. And everything that was expected of him, he gave and then some. We will miss him. He was one of Miami's greatest leaders and one of Miami's -- one of the best that Miami had to offer and we will miss him. But I will say this, that I am convinced that I, personally -- and I know my colleagues on the Commission -- will continue his legacy and will continue to fight for the projects that he believed in, fight for the people that he believed in, and carry on his memory in this City for many, many years to come. In the next couple of days, as we spend time with his family, the City will give him the highest possible honors that we can through the procession and 2 April 12, 2002 through the burial. So, thank you, and God bless his family. And we are here, as always, to lend a helping hand. Chairman Regalado: Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. Of course, all of us knew and loved Luis Sabines and I'm sure the members of the City Commission have many things to say about him and of him. And I just want to read, for the benefit of the people that are watching and will be watching this special meeting throughout the weekend, some of the details of the hero for the President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce. Sunday there will be a viewing for family only from IOa.m. to noon, and then noon on to 11 p.m., the visitation will be open to the public at Bernardo Garcia Funeral Home, which is located in 4100 Northwest 7th Street. And I'd like to point out that he requested that -- to the family, to Luis Jr., that when he died, he will be brought to this funeral home, which he called part of the beginning of the Cuban community development in the City of Miami. And then on Monday, at 9:30, the procession will leave the funeral home to St. John Bosco Catholic Church for a mass at 10 a.m. And following the mass, there will be a procession to Flagler Memorial Cemetery, 5305 West Flagler Street. So, all of the activities will be done in the City of Miami, the City that he loved, the City that he never left. Luis was a resident of the City of Miami since day one. His first business was in the City of Miami on Northwest 12th Avenue and 3rd Street. CAMACOL, he wanted CAMACOL to be in Flagler Street, so they found that building. And now he lives in Silver Bluff, in my district, and I was very honored. And he died in the City of Miami, the City that welcomed him in 1960, and he will be buried in the cemetery in the City of Miami. So, members of the Commission. Commissioner Gonzalez: Mr. Chairman, I had the honor and the pleasure to know Luis Sabines for many, many years, over 30 years. When I moved to Miami from New York in the 1960s -- was around 1966, Luis Sabina had the Titan Supermarket, as you said before, on 12th Avenue Northwest and 3rd Street, and I was residing on 3rd Street and 11th Avenue. We -- my mother and my family, brought groceries from Luis Sabines. We -- I know of the hard work, the dedication that Luis Sabines put into that supermarket. Then I knew Luis Sabines as the President of CAMACOL, and me being also the president of another chamber of commerce know the kind of work and the kind of effort that he had to go through in order to make CAMACOL the organization that it is today, which is an organization that has recognition from many, many countries. I know of the contributions of Luis Sabines to this community and to other countries of the world. It is a sad -- it's a sad day for the City of Miami. Luis Sabines was a person that was always willing to help everyone. Hispanics, Cubans. He didn't look at races. He didn't look at nationalities. He was open to everyone that live in this community and that needed his help. I remember once saying that he had was "I don't care if you're a member of CAMACOL or not. You have a problem, we're here to serve you and we're here to help you." And that's the quality of leaders that we need in our City. This is going to be a great loss to the City of Miami. But I encourage all of us here in the Commission -- and I know my colleagues and the Mayor, we're all going to be here to support and keep on support this organization and make sure that the legacy of Luis Sabines remain for years to come. Thank you. Chairman Regalado: Thank you, sir. Just -- I wanted to recognize that we have here in the audience many people, friends and colleagues of Luis Sabines. But we have two persons that made history, also. Actually, three persons. And one is former Miami City Commissioner Manolo Rebozo, the first Hispanic ever to become a member of the City Commission in the City 3 April 12, 2002 of Miami; and former City Commissioner Rosario Kennedy, the first Hispanic woman to become a member of the City Commission, and, of course, Chief Raul Martinez, who is the first Hispanic ever to become the City of Miami Chief of Police, which, by the way, was a dear friend of Luis Sabines. And let me say, I spoke a lot of Luis Sabines. And Commissioner Joe Sanchez will call him dad, and I've seen that sometimes he would engage in discussions with Joe. And I have to say that this morning, when we arrived at his house, Commissioner Joe Sanchez was there, as well as Commissioner Gonzalez. And, Joe, I have to tell you that I am sorry because I know how you felt this morning. You really show emotion and it's OK, because this is a person that was loved by everyone. And let me say also something. I spoke a lot to Luis Sabines. I visited him at least once a week in CAMACOL. And I just wanted to say for the other two members of the City Commission, non -Hispanic, that when Johnny Winton was elected, Luis didn't know him very well, but it took only one speech that Johnny Winton gave at the CAMACOL for Luis to fall in love with Johnny. And he would say the best things about you. And Commissioner Teele, I don't have to tell you, because Luis Sabines, with all his -- you know, his difficulty to communicate, he would talk to you and you would talk to him and he loved you. We understand that the Governor of the state of Florida is flying for the funeral, and that's another person who would never miss one of the Christmas activities of CAMACOL, Governor Jeb Bush, before he became governor and when he was Governor -- he is Governor, so -- Commissioner Sanchez: Mr. Chairman. Chairman Regalado: Yes, sir. Commissioner Sanchez: We are truly blessed to live in such a diversified community, because I can guarantee you this much: There is a Luis Sabines in every part of this community. There are people out there that have changed this City. They have contributed to this City. They have been there helping people since day one, and the only thing that I think that this Commission and a lot of people is that these people, when they pass on, especially when they've been out there 87 years or 86 years, that they pass on, that they are buried with full honor. There's no greater pride in life, one who served in the military, such as myself and Commissioner Teele, or one that has wore a uniform or badge or has taken an oath of office, that the sacrifices that are made when the time goes on to meet your Creator, that we honor him fully. And there will be others in our community that will move on, and you can rest assured that I will be up here asking the same thing, that these individuals go with full honor. Thank you. Commissioner Teele: Mr. Chairman. Chairman Regalado: Yes, sir. Commissioner Teele: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission. I learned this morning, of course, as we all did, and I can tell you that I had great difficulty rationalizing or understanding that someone who was here just the same day actually and for the last month in good spirit, in good health -- what appeared to be good health -- could be taken away so quickly. I immediately called the Governor's mansion this morning at, I guess, 6:30. The Governor had already gone. And I spoke again to the Governor's aide at 12 and they assured me, as they've assured -- the family, this Governor is going to do everything he can to be here 4 April 12, 2002 this moment of importance for this City and this State and, indeed, this nation. But you know, those of us who are disciples of Paul and Christianity are taught that this is supposed to be a joyous time, a happy time, a homecoming. It's always difficult for me to see that sometimes. But I will say this in the spirit of trying to lighten the load, Tomas knows better than anyone why I'm going to miss Luis so much. Every Thursday evening that we were here around 6:30, he'd get me a bunch of cookies and he'd pass them up here to me and we'd eat cookies back and forth with each other and communicate as best we could. And so, I'm going to be very, very lonely because we'd meet pretty long and pretty hard. And Luis just had that effervescent, happy personality, the communication. My Spanish was about as good as his English, but we had such a wonderful and have such a wonderful relationship. I think the Mayor and our colleagues have all said that love and compassion is universal. It knows no race. It knows no gender. It knows no color. Luis Sabines is a great man, whose gone home to our Father. And I know that it's a difficult time for CAMACOL, for his friends, and for the people that -- whose lives he touched. But I just want the public, my district, the people that I represent, and the people that are citizens of Miami to know that I'm going to be here for CAMACOL. I'm going to be here for you. Because this is one City with one future, and Luis Sabines was so much and is so much a part of this City. And so, Mr. Chairman, I would ask, if I could, allow our Chief to say a word, because I think, as a courtesy to him, he -- we all know how warm the Chief and Luis got along. I'd like the high privilege of extending my respect to our Chief of Police, because I know that Luis would want our Chief, Mr. Mayor, to say just a word. And, Chief, if you feel up to it, with the permission of the Mayor and the Chairman, I'd ask for you -- and I'm honored to ask you to come up, because I think this City needs to see that we're together. And I appreciate so much what Luis has done, his comments before this Commission, and how he has supported you, as we deliberated on matters that relate to the Police Department over the last six months. Thank you. Mr. Martinez: Thank you, Commissioner. I appreciate this opportunity. I also know Luis Sabines for many years. I grew up a couple blocks away from you, Commissioner, and went to El Primer Titan many, many times. 1, unfortunately, was here without my mother and my father so Luis played a part of me growing up for many years. Luis did a lot for the Police Department, not just with Raul Martinez. I remember when we were trying to sell the south district substation, because the City was going broke, and how he lead the group to make sure that that station that we fought so hard to build one in Liberty City, one in Little Havana didn't go away. He fought very hard to get mounted patrol in Calle Ocho. You know, to add visibility to the merchants. And his motto is and his motto always will be "He never asked for himself. He asked for others." And from all the years that I know Luis, he never asked me for personal favor, never called me about a traffic ticket, never called me about somebody getting arrested. He would call about somebody's business was broken into. Can you make sure it's investigated correctly, so on and so forth. Things that that's our job to do. And I always appreciated that friendship that he had for me and for the Police Department. Because he cared a lot about the police officers. Many officers drank probably gallons of coffee with Luis at his office, and it was not just Hispanic officers. He would be very kind with the African-American officers and people like Bobby Chetham. He would seek Bobby Chetham. I have a picture hugging him because he cared about the Police Department and cared about the community. Many times where, you know, (INAUDIBLE) wonderful day that he's done for so many years where thousands and thousands of people throughout the community go there and probably get their only meal that they're going to get for the holidays because of Luis Sabines. And he works very 5 April 12, 2002 hard with a lot of people here that helped him. So, you know -- and what's funny is, remember what he was here for yesterday. He was here for an issue to help the business people in the community because they were paying hundreds of dollars for an awning, and he was fighting for them to pay seventy some dollars for an awning. It wasn't for him. He wasn't putting an awning, but this is a typical issue that Mr. Sabines would bring here in front of the Commission, which did affect him directly because he was making the community a better community for the people and the business. So, it's going to be a great loss for all of us, personal and professional. And we're all going to miss him. Thank you, Commissioner. Chairman Regalado: Johnny. Vice Chairman Winton: I'm probably the one up here who -- where Luis Sabines and I probably new each other less than any of my fellows Commissioners, and it wasn't because I didn't know who Luis Sabines is. There isn't a single person who's lived in this community, Miami -Dade County community, for more than two years who does not ultimately know who Luis Sabines is. And he, his reputation, is absolutely gigantic. I clearly knew who he was. And I want to relate a little story that happened over the course of just the last few days that I think puts him in the perspective, I think, in which many of us have seen him. I got a call from a friend from out of state today and he and his wife might be transferred to Miami and they're Anglo, and they wanted to know what it's like to live in Miami because they're from the Midwest, and the heavy Latin population we have here. And it's funny because when they called me, I was going through a data book that I get out of Atlanta that was from a real estate company and it had a picture of all of the people in this particular real estate company on one of the pages. And there wasn't anything, anything other than a white Anglo-Saxon protestant male or female among 50 people. You couldn't find that in any company anywhere in South Florida. Never mind Miami. And I told them that I was at a function, which was the Mayor's State of the City Address this week, and I was standing around talking to many very, very good friends. I was talking to the Mayor. Commissioner Teele was somewhere else. But Commissioner Sanchez -- he was there, but he wasn't standing around me. Commissioner Sanchez was around me. There were three -- I think Carlos Lacasa was standing there, Manny Priegues, Gaston Cantans, the City Manager, were all -- that was kind of the group we were standing around talking to each other. I felt like I could have been in any city -- and I've lived all over the United States -- any city in America because I was standing among friends. I was not standing among Hispanics. I was standing among friends. And Luis Sabines was at the vanguard of a change that came across our community that has made us one of the best cities and communities in the world, where we can all sit together and break bread, not as an Anglo or an African-American, or a Cuban American, or an Argentinean, but simply as friends, because we're probably one of the few cities -- and you look at the wars that go on across the world, and it's wars of people who may look very much alike, but they haven't learned how to get along together. And in this community, we have. And Luis Sabines represents absolutely the vanguard and the leadership that has allowed us to become one of the best cities in the world. And to his family, I wish them the best. I know they will miss him immensely. I lost my father just a little over a year ago, and it's a deep hurt but we will all go on and we will all go on to help him continue to build upon the foundation that he brought to our community. Chairman Regalado: Thank you. Commissioner Sanchez. 6 April 12, 2002 Commissioner Sanchez: No. If the statements are over, I think that it's appropriate is to have the City Manager have a Declaration of Condolence prepared and have signed by the Mayor, the Commissioners, to be presented to his family. Chairman Regalado: (INAUDIBLE) the City Clerk will take -- Sylvia. Commissioner Sanchez: To be signed by the Mayor and all the Commissioners, to be presented to his family -- to his son. Chairman Regalado: To be signed by the Mayor and -- it's a motion of condolences. Commissioner Sanchez: Yes, it's a motion of condolences. Chairman Regalado: There is a motion and a second. Commissioner Teele: Second. Commissioner Gonzdlez: I second. Chairman Regalado: All in favor say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. April 12, 2002 The following resolution was introduced by Commissioner Sanchez, who moved its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 02-401 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND SINCEREST CONDOLENCES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF MIAMI AND ITS CITIZENS TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF LUIS SABINES, SR., UPON HIS UNTIMELY DEATH. (Here follows body of resolution, omitted here and on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) Upon being seconded by Commissioner Teele, the resolution was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Chairman Tomas Regalado Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Commissioner Angel Gonzalez Commissioner Joe Sanchez Commissioner Arthur E. Teele, Jr. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. Chairman Regalado: Another motion, Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: A motion to declare Mr. Sabines an honorary ambassador of goodwill, representing our City throughout the entire hemisphere. So moved. Commissioner Teele: Second. Second the motion. Chairman Regalado: The motion and a second declaring Luis Sabines officially what he was all his life, a goodwill ambassador of the City of Miami throughout this hemisphere. And, of course, the Mayor mentioned the Hemispheric Congress and -- as a matter of fact, CAMACOL is having very soon an activity on that area, and so we all will be there to remember Luis and to celebrate what CAMACOL has done. So, there is a motion by Commissioner Sanchez declaring officially Luis Sabines a goodwill ambassador of the City of Miami in this hemisphere, and a second. Just for the record, Madam City Clerk, would you call the roll. It passes five to zero, a tribute to Luis Sabines. 8 April 12, 2002 The following resolution was introduced by Commissioner Sanchez, who moved its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 02-402 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DECLARING LUIS SABINES, SR. AN HONORARY AMBASSADOR FOR HIS GOODWILL REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HEMISPHERE. (Here follows body of resolution, omitted here and on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) Upon being seconded by Commissioner Teele, the resolution was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Chairman Tomas Regalado Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Commissioner Angel Gonzalez Commissioner Joe Sanchez Commissioner Arthur E. Teele, Jr. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. Chairman Regalado: Mr. Mayor. So, with this, we thank you and we invite the people of Miami to accompany Luis Sabines' family this Sunday night, at Bernardo Garcia Funeral Home, Northwest 41 st Avenue, Northwest 7th Street. And the public viewing will be from noon to 11 p.m., a mass in St. John Bosco Church, Flagler and 13th Avenue, at 10 a.m., on Monday. And, of course, we will accompany him to his last resting place at Flagler Memorial Cemetery, at 11 a.m. Thank you very much. Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion to adjourn. Chairman Regalado: Motion to adjourn. Motion and a second. All in favor say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. 9 April 12, 2002 The following motion was introduced by Commissioner Gonzalez, who moved its adoption: MOTION NO. 02-403 A MOTION TO ADJOURN TODAY'S SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING. Upon being seconded by Vice Chairman Winton, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Chairman Tomas Regalado Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Commissioner Angel Gonzalez Commissioner Joe Sanchez Commissioner Arthur E. Teele. Jr. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. Chairman Regalado: This concludes this Special Meeting of the City of Miami Commission. 10 April 12, 2002 THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION, THE SPECIAL MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 6:35 P.M. ATTEST: Priscilla A. Thompson CITY CLERK Sylvia Scheider ASSISTANT CITY CLERK (SEAL) MANUEL A. DIAZ MAYOR 11 April 12, 2002