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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1986-09-04 MinutesMINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA On the 4th day of September, 1986, the City Commission of Miami, Florida, met at the Robert E. Lee Jr. High School, 3100 N.W. 5 Avenue, Miami, Florida in Special Session. The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Mayor Xavier Suarez with the following members of the Commission found to be present: Vice -Mayor Miller J. Dawkins Mayor Xavier L. Suarez ABSENT: Commissioner Joe Carollo Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Commissioner Rosario Kennedy ALSO PRESENT: Cesar Odio, City Manager Lucia Allen Dougherty, City Attorney Matty Hirai, City Clerk Walter J. Foeman 1. DETERIORATED HOUSING/NEW HOUSING INITIATIVES IN WYNWOOD. Mr. Fred Santiago., Mayor Suarez and Commissioner Dawkins, for the last 15 years the Roberto Clemente Park has been on the number one list of the parks to be repaired and enlarged and rehabilitated and every single year we have always been left out that something else comes up as a priority and we get left out totally. As I understand now, there's approximately six and a half million dollars to $7 million being set aside for parks and recreational facilities and we are asking that you complete the promises that you made to our community to enlarge the park. And I've got Mr. Pat Gerrits of the Gerrits Construction Company who has a presentation to make as to how much money we need to make the Roberto Clemente Park a full facility park, something that the community can be proud of and something that the Commission can be proud of and here is Mr. Pat Gerrits. Mr. Pat Gerrits: Thank you. Mr. Mayor, Commissioner Dawkins. In the interest of time we passed out what we think the park is going to need, we passed out a plot plan for the park. We, this year, at Gerrits Construction, have put about $6,000 into supporting that park. We've bought the weights, we sponsored Little League teams. The park is old. The park is tired. I, myself, played in that park in 1942 when I was seven years old. The park is basically the same park. It's too small. We're willing to continue to support the park if we can get something to support, but right now all we've got is just a yard. People can't play in it, every single hit's a home run, so they quit playing baseball in it. There's no activity in the park. The park is old and tired. We don't want to sit here and worry about a lot of stuff. We've given you our proposal, we've got a plat plan there, we've got a budget estimate in it. Thank you. Mayor Suarez: What is the estimate, Pat? Mr. Gerrits: (OFF MIKE) (INAUDIBLE) Mayor Suarez: Well, let me tell you that Commissioner Dawkins was the one that made the motion to require that for every dollar we spend on a downtown park, we spend a dollar in the neighborhood parks and we have to figure out the beat place and the beat time and the best way to spend that money. You guys want to make any statement, Sergeant? Vg 1 September 4, 1900 1 (INAUDIBLE COMMENTS OFF MIKE) Mr. Gerrits: We want to continue to support the park, but you've got to give us something to support. It's hopeless the way it is. j Mayor Suarez: Thank you, Pat. Yes, Dorothy, come up. Ms. Dorothy Quintana: I am very sorry that I don't see anybody here. I don't see anybody in here. { Ms. Hirai: Excuse me please, your name and address for the record. i, Ms. Dorothy Quintana: My name is Dorothy Quintana, 263 N.W. 34th Street. I 3 was named Chairlady of Wynwood. From City Hall they sent me the papers so that I can have copies made and I did make them and I did give them to a lot of people. I gave it to the so-called leaders in this Wynwood and I don't see anybody here. I am ashamed that nobody is here because I sent to the trouble of giving the paper to everyone. Mayor Suarez: There's a lot of City staff here. Ms. Quintana: I know that. I know that, so it's not your fault. They can't say that you people didn't care, if we don't care, how can you people care? It's up to us to come here and fight for what we want. If they don't want to, I'm sorry for them. There's nothing else we can do, and I really worked very hard because I gave everyone those papers, so I am sorry to say that I don't see anybody here. Mayor Suarez: Ingrid, you want to tell us anything about your situation. Ms. Ingrid Grau: My name is Ingrid Grau. I am Director for the Rivadelli Center, also Chairperson for the Community Action Agency, Advisory Council in Wynwood. We are very concerned because we have many issues to state to you, or inform to you. For many years now we have been after a city dump site. We have been working very closely with the Solid Waste Department to see what can be done in reference to that. If we, for instance, would like to throw away mattresses or refrigerators, etc., we have to do it in the streets. It's not like the County that they have places... Mayor Suarez: We've just changed that. We've just changed that. Mayor Suarez: Yes. Joe, you want to explain that? Mr. Joe Ingraham: We're in the process, for your information, of finalizing physical plans for the City's first minidump that's going to be located at 1290 N.W. 20th Street - in fact, I just got the blueprints before I came here, with the f inal draft on that. Now it's a matter of going to State EPA and County Duram and doing all the legal paperwork to get it open. It is our hope, within the next few months that they will be open and operational and that's the first site and we're going to be looking for other sites within the City. I certainly appreciate this. Mr. Dawkins: You know, Ingrid, I can't sit here and hear that and not comment. Those of us who live in the inner City, a few of us got automobiles. When you start talking about a minidump, you've got to get the material from your house to the dump and if you don't have a car, how in the hell are you going to get it there? So don't let people come out here, now, and tell you they're going to set up some minidumps and they don't tell you how you're going to get the stuff to the minidump. I thought I heard a "dump site". Mr. Dawkins: A dump site. All right, a dump site. They can't put it near us because we got residential, all of it is residential but you've got to find a vacant spot to put the dump on, am I right? OK, so if it's three blocks from your house and you got a refrigerator, how you going to get it from your house to the dump? See this is fine for the people in the County, because most people in the County have vehicles with which to transport themselves and they September can transport their dump. But, see, I'm not going to let you say that I sat here and put a dump there and knew good and well that you didn't have any way to get the stuff to the dump. Yes, Mr. Ingraham. r Mr. Ingraham: Mr. Vice -Mayor, you're correct in that regard and what we have done for the sake of people in the community like you're talking about, under chapter 22, we made provisions different than the City's had before where if an individual has a special pickup, whether it be... and specifically for bulky waste items - furniture, refrigerators and things of that nature - we will go and pick it up from the residence that the person calls in for. For individuals who can't go to any of the sites that we're able to develop. } Mr. Dawkins: All right, so if we're talking in terms of Wynwood, and we know ' , that everybody in there cannot y y get to the dump, why put a dump there. Just tell the people there that we're going to provide pickup on certain days if you call and don't tell them that I'm going to create a minidump, or what - have -you. 1 Mr. Ingraham: I understand what you're saying but we're doing both things simultaneously and that's going to occur. We're going to have the special } pickups, they can call in for bulky waste items, and we will go and pick them 3 up from a prescribed spot in conjunction with that. t' Mayor Suarez: Joe, what's the number they have to call again? Mr. Ingraham: 579-6721 and you'll be able to do it through your calling there. Mayor Suarez: You want to say that in Spanish, the number that they have to call to get special pickups. Ms. Grau: (IN SPANISH giving telephone number to call for bulky waste pickup and address of minidump.) Another thing that is going on that I feel is an issue is the fact that City of Miami has certain guidelines for the monies that come for housing where Wynwood owners are not eligible because they rent the facility and they do not live on it. In order to rehabilitate a house and a` have this in the Wynwood area, the owner has to live in the house. That is why we have so many deteriorated houses in Wynwood and that's why we have all t the problems because the banks do not give us enough loans because the northwest area is the northwest area, the bad area, and no bank is going to give us a loan. Then we are not eligible because the owners do not live in „.a:. the houses, but they rent. Most of the people who live here are people that do rent houses so they are not eligible, neither through the County nor through the City to participate this and we are trying to see what we can do change c order in ordtha the g guidelines. So, Wynwood, the monies that are designated for the target area of Wynwood can be used in the same area of — _ Wynwood. }`{ Mayor Suarez: The City now has a Housing Authority and we have Jerry Gereaux who directs that to tell us a little bit about the housing situation. Mr. Jerry Gereaux: Ingrid is right about the percentage of homeowner occupants in the Wynwood area. According to the statistics we have, only about 19% of the homes are owned by the people who live in them. The others ;:a s are all rental. Now, we started the single family rehabilitation financing x a program about five years ago and we had an immediate problem with residential areas like Wynwood. At that time we were only making the rehabilitation loans ''4mq5 #. available to owner occupant. We changed the guidelines about three years ago and landords or renters are eligible to participate in the program. kf YAK` j '4 Mr. Dawkins: Are you telling me that we can take public dollars and rehab a private investor's property and enhance it so that he can make more profit and he don't have to pay for it? ' Mr. Gereaux: No, we have restrictions on that. These are loans that we make, Mr. Vice -Mayor. In other words, the money has to be paid back to us and the rate for an investor -owner is higher than a rate for a homeowner occupant. Mr. Dawkins: But if the individual cannot afford to maintain his property, Y= why City of Miami allowing that individual to keep that piece of isY _ the property? i vg 3 September 4, 1986 Mr. Gereaux: Because our first and foremost concern in the rehabilitation program, Mr. Vice -Mayor, is to provide decent safe and sanitary living accommodations for the people of Miami, whether they be renters or owner - occupants. Mr. Dawkins: OK, then what you're telling me is that you're going to go out and rehab some things that I think you should push down and build some new things that people can rent instead of rehabing something that somebody owns who, in my opinion, is ripping us off - us taxpayers - because we are enhancing his investment and allowing him to make a profit at a low interest rate which doesn't make sense to me. That's only me. Mr. Gereaux: What we found out, Mr. Vice -Mayor, is that there is a lot of housing in the City that doesn't lend itself to rehabilitation, either because the housing is too dilapidated or because the economics just aren't there in terms of - you know, it's possible to rehab anything but the rents that you'd have to charge would be astronomical. 1 want to reemphasize the fact that we do loan the money so I feel that at the same time that we are providing improved living circumstances for renters. We are also charging the owner to use our money and that money does roll over so that we can use it again. Mr. Dawkins: How much vacant land is in Wynwood that multiple units could be built on from four up? Mr. Gereaux: OK, as you know, since we've started the agency, we've been undertaking a pretty extensive survey and we don't have it complete, so I'm afraid I can't tell you at this point. Mr. Dawkins: Well, is there any available? Mr. Gereaux: There is some land available in Wynwood, that's correct. Mr. Dawkins: Well, what's wrong with instead of loaning money to an individual, go and build some adequate, affordable rentals so that people can move out of that and if that individual is not able to rehab it and bring it up to code then condemn it and push it down and build some more. Mr. Gereaux: Well, Mr. Vice -Mayor, we're going to be doing both. We've been concentrating over the last several years on rehabilitation and, as you know, the needs have been growing and part of the agency's new work program is to develop new affordable housing in all of the neighborhoods, both in rental complexes and also scattered site home ownership new housing development. So we are going to be doing both. Mayor Suarez: Do we have any plans for home ownership housing Wynwood area? If so, where and how many? Mr. Gereaux: Sure. As a matter of fact, we do. In the Wynwood neighborhood and in a number of other inner city predominantly residential areas. As the residents here can tell you, there's a scatterization of vacant lots that have become kind of dumping grounds on otherwise good streets. We also have some problems with abandoned homes that are boarded up. We have a plan on the drawing board right now using a combination of CD dollars, surtax dollars and other public funding to go in and acquire those lots, build housing on them, prototypical housing, and sell them at the lowest possible cost to low and moderate income people in the area. However, that plan isn't completed yet. There is some detail work that still has to be done. Mayor Suarez: If somebody from the neighborhood wants to call you what number should they call, Jerry? Mr. Gereaux: If they want to call Housing, they should call 579-3336. If you are specifically interested in funding for rehabilitation, you should call 579-3410. Mayor Suarez: Any chance that we could put together what they have in Hialeah, which is that nice pamphlet, very small, that goes out to, I guess, every community center - I don't know where they send it to - explaining housing programs? September 4, Y Mr. Gereaux: We're working on a new pamphlet right now. Mayor Suarez: Ingrid, do you want to give the number in Spanish and explain what his function is - Housing Authority? Ms. Grau: (IN SPANISH - explaining the gist of Mr. Gereaux's statements.) Mr. Gereaux: I also want to mention for the folks that are here tonight that we have brought packages of the rehabilitation guidelines, so if anyone would like to pick them up we'll have them right over here. Ms. Grau: Are those new applications, new guidelines? Mr. Gereaux: They're the guidelines that incorporate the part for the investor/owner. Ms. Grau: (IN SPANISH - explaining the guidelines) Mayor Suarez: (IN SPANISH) Ms. Grau: His figures are right. 19%. Mayor Suarez: (IN SPANISH) Ms. Grau: (IN SPANISH - explaining further) Another thing that I find, now, talking about housing is the fact that we have a lot of scattered housing, scattered public housing around the area and that kind of houses are not well kept - are not well kept because HUD does not enforce their maintenance and since they are in the City of Miami, and since they have some kind of regulations to go by as to the maintenance, and specially the trash that they pick up, that they never pick up, that they are responsible to pick up. I would like to see, you know, what is there for us to do because we have already touched that subject and it comes through this ear and goes throughout. Mr. Dawkins: What happened is that you have not touched the right place. HUD is Dade County, so the City does not control HUD, so what you need to do is get a group of people and go down to the County Commission and tell them what you want and then that way you get what you want because all we can do, as City Commission, is go to the County Commission and tell them we want it cleaned up and they don't do it. Ms. Grau: They don't do it for you? Mr. Dawkins: No. Ms. Grau: OK. Mr. Dawkins: We're been fighting it for the longest..., you know, to make them clean it up, make them bring them up to code, because you've got some housing projects in the City of Miami - the first ones built in the City of Miami - and the maintenance... some of the roofs leak. Well, Mel Adams has gone, but he used to laugh. Ms. Grau: Emilio - Mr. Dawkins: No, no, no. We don't want to hear from you. (INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS) Mr. Dawkins: We don't want to hear from you. Mayor Suarez: While we wait for Emilio, let me announce that Commissioner Plummer wanted to be here tonight but he's being treated by his doctor. He's got a back problem. Commissioner Kennedy is represented here by her staff aide, Marta Aleman, and Commissioner Carollo by Henry Jackson. It is not our intention tonight to take any action specifically, but I guarantee you that all the Commissioners wanted to be here and will know of your concerns and exactly what was stated here tonight. (INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS) LIJ 5 September 4, 1986 s � Mayor Suarez: Marta Aleman. �Y G Mr. Dawkins: Will Commissioner Kennedy's aide stand, please. Mayor Suarez: I think the phone number for Commissioner Kennedy is 579-6005 .y ...:.: -F and Commissioner Car ollo is 579-6007, in case you want to call them about your personal complaints, or whatever, suggestions. Mine is 6010, 579-6010. I don't know yours - 6036? Mr. Dawkins: No, 6026. Mayor Suarez: That was close. Ms. Grau: One more issue. I don't want to touch about crime. Mr. Dawkins: Why not? Ms. Grau: Oh, do you want me to? Mr. Dawkins: No, I don't want you to, but why don't you? I know that they're going to snatch your pocketbook and hit you on the head. I mean, that's common practice in the ghetto. Ms. Grau: Because we'll be here till tomorrow! w..; Mr. Dawkins: OK, all right. Ms. Grau: As I stated before, we have several gangs going on in the area. Also, beside the gangs, I don't know what's happening but I don't think that nobody's touching on the right place in reference to gangs. And now there's a ?: new thing about the graffiti bit. There are little - you cannot call them r.; gangs, but there's a whole bunch of people, frustrated artists that go out and :. have their fights because of the graffiti. That's also coming out of here - t'. i some of them, at least. On the other hand, crime has not bettered, or we don't feel something is being done in reference to crime in this area, and the fact is, because, according to the Police Department, in order to have enough and a lot of police protection you are supposed to call them and inform them - to make a police report. This is saying the Puerto Rican people, usually, are ` #_' ..=;,; not chotas, and they don't like to do that, so we have a very small police It re ortin Even if we see it we just remain quiet, so if you compare the P g' statistics of crime in Wynwood versus Northeast, you're going to have that the Northeast, in statistics, has more crime than Wynwood - in statistics. Yes, indeed, sir, I just reviewed that, because the police reports, all right, they nr call for: "my neighbor has a loud radio." So, in statistics, the amount of... Mr. Dawkins: But you see, Ingrid, what you're saying is true. They have more reports of crime because they are retired and they sit home and they got nothing to do - when they see a stranger in the neighborhood, but call. We are working people. We are not home, so people break into our houses. We've got more crime. Ms. Grau: Oh, yes, definitely. Mr. Dawkins: All right, now we've got more crime in Wynwood than they'll ever think of having in Northeast Miami. Ms. Grau: I understand that, but in paper, black and white, that's what they go for. Mr. Dawkins: But you all, don't tell me about the paper. Tell me that we have to address crime in your area. I don't care about the paper. If you want crime addressed in your area, give us hell up here and tell us to address your problem. Don't stand up there and tell me about the paper. We don't need to know about the paper. You say to me: "Commissioner Dawkins, I got a hell of a crime problem out here and I want you to do something about it. And then I can do that. Ms. Grau: OK, definitely. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Well, do it. We're telling you do it. Mr. Dawkins: All right that's all. yg 6 September 4, 1986 i 74, '!� Y Ms. Grau: But the fact is, what I'm trying to say - I'm not debating you, sir. What I am trying to say is that the police, the process, the way they kf; work is according to the amount of police reports they get in order to get the police protection that we need, we are not getting enough police protection. We are not getting enough patrols. The C shift is doing absolutely nothing. i�.,`• We went out on a walk... i UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: You got it. Do something about it! j' Ms. Grau: We went out.. . UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Get the Chief over here! Ms. Grau: ...August 12th and we walked the streets and we placed a sign in old 2nd Avenue N.W. All the merchants in the area signed and notarized that, yes, if they have a congregation there, that the police could come and arrest them. We have had most of those people that have those signs there vandalized. Now that happens during the C shift and we want to see what can be done in reference to that. Another thing is the fact that all the merchants that have alarms are being punished. Mr. Dawkins: Punished? Ms. Grau: First of all - yes - first of all they have to get a licence to get the alarm. They have to pay for it. Secondly, if the alarm, which is the - responsibility of - let's say Wells Fargo Alarm Company - that alarm goes off, the police comes and fines the place where the alarm - because it was a false alarm. First of all, it's $25. Then it goes increasing to fifty, to 100, =:. etc., etc., etc. I don't think that merchants should be punished for trying to work together with the police in trying to keep their things in order. I think, at the contrary, they should be giving some kind of, you know, some kind of... So that's one thing that, yes, you can do something about it because it's City regulations. (INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS) .-..:.;;` •, Mr. Dawkins: Thank you, Ingrid. Do you speak English? Y 6 Y P B �,� UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: No, no speak English. Mr. Emilio Lopez: My name is Emilio Lopez and you all know me. First of all, I want to thank you for you two to be here and, again, it's a show of the _ others, even though they have people supposed to represent them, it's a show of the other Commissioners' lack of sensitivity for the people in this - community. That's the way I feel and probably some other people in here feel the same way. (APPLAUSE) Before I go and say anything, we were talking about _ — crime and I have a young lady who come in to the side and she wants to speak --- and she doesn't speak English and I think she wants me to be a translator for her. Mayor Suarez: Please, go ahead. Mr. Lopez: And I would like to do that. She is a resident of the area, so I am calling her and then, after she finish, I would like to make a couple of presentations of ideas that I have. Me. Daisy Perez: (TRANSLATED BY MR. LOPEZ) My name is Daisy Perez. She has a business in the area for 17 years, 3100 N.W. 2nd Avenue. They are the owners of the building. A few years ago it was a prosperous business but for 5 years delinquency started to come into the neighborhood. Her business has declined greatly. She is confronting a lot of problems. She has two apartments in the top of her building and there are persons living in the building that are not really up to par. She is afraid vandalism will take place in her business but when they tried to get strong and tried to improve the area they are at the expense of the delinquents. In the last two weeks they tried to enter the building on the top of the building they pulled the iron bars, they have torn down her air conditioning and she has proof of the... They enter the building is in bad shape and they going into the building and we have proof that they in there and they have crack, pot that they are using now. In the morning when she gets there she starts collecting all the cans and such. She starts collecting not only the crack things that kv lfr �� f they use but also the beer cans and whatever. Maybe what she is going to say a now does not have any meaning to you. She is a person having trouble with her -, heart and all this week she's been calling all the departments of the police. They play like a ping -gong ball with her. They cannot do anything. They have j their hands tied. They have given her the telephone number for the drug enforcement and nothing happens. She is against delinquency and she doesn't I know what is going to happen. At night they have parties in her place and she cannot be there all the time. Another family of Nicaraguans, not enough resources came to live at the apartment and they moved in there about two or three days ago and they already want to leave because of the problems. Because at night at about 10 or 11 o'clock all the gangs get together at 31 Street and 2nd Avenue and in the stairs of her property to have the parties; the cars with loud speakers don't let the neighborhood sleep. Mayor Suarez: Let me ask a question of the City Attorney. Madam City Attorney, what's the City ordinance on making noise at night beyond a certain time? What time of the evening can you call and ask for someone to be quiet if they are making a lot of noise in the street? Mr. Dawkins: Eleven. Mrs. Dougherty: If it's a private club or some sort of an outdoor entertainment facility it's after 11 o'clock. If it's generally being a nuisance by private individuals, any time, and if it's... Mayor Suarez% What number should they call if they have a complaint of that sort any time there's a nuisance? Mrs. Dougherty: The Police Department. a Mayor Suarez: 579-6161. 4 Ms. Perez: (TRANSLATED BY MR. LOPEZ) She has one other problem that she is j stating that she called over there and they tell her they cannot do anything. * '- ^,�<,,. Mayor Suarez: If you call 6161 and they don't answer, call 6010 - that's my office - and we'll get somebody out there. Or else call him. Ms. Perez: (COMMENTS IN SPANISH) "`. Mr. Lopez: Again, my name is Emilio Lopez and I have been involved in the Wynwood area for a few years and I know that Mr. Fred Santiago and Mr. Gerrits kn ,' made a presentation about the park and I would like to find out from you, if you can give us a response - I was talking to Freddie a few minutes ago and he said to me that try to find out of they are going to have any kind of commitment and if you're going to discuss the thing about the parks - where, and we would like to be there. Mr. Dawkins: I asked them all - there's no sense in our explaining either ask them all to come up here and hear what we have to say - all of them back there. Mr. Lopez: Young man! Freddie! Mr. Gerrits - all you people, come over here. I just had a question about the park and they are going to let us know what they are going to do. Well, you know, I mean, I just asked him that we were talking about the park and we would like to know what is their, what they are going to do and we're going to talk about the park... They are going to answer that right now. Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Manager. Have somebody come to the mike who can answer some questions about the Bayfront Park. Mr. Odio: I'll have to do that. Mr. Dawkins: How many millions of dollars have we poured into the Bayfront Park already? Mr. Odio: (OFF MIKE INAUDIBLE) Mr. Dawkins: No, no, no. What have we spent there already to develop a park? Mr. Odio: I'm going to guess: sixteen million, I would say. vg 8 September 4, 1986 Mr. Dawkins: Sixteen million? Mr. Odio: Near that, I would say. ,- r } Mr. Dawkins: And I'm the only one on the Commission who said that we should not spend another six million down there. Am I right? Mr. Odio: Yes, sir. Mr. Dawkins: And what did I say we should do with that $6 million? Mr. Odio: That we should spend it on the neighborhood parks. Mr. Dawkins: Now, instead of that, the Commission decided, in its wisdom (four to one) that they were going to spend the money on that park, anyway. And we can't get down to that park. They're going to spend... Mr. Odio: (INAUDIBLE) Mr. Dawkins: Now, wait. You asked me - let me tell you. And then you and I go round the corner and have our thing, OK? All right. So now they tell me we're going to spend $6 million on the inner city and going to add six more million to the 13 million that they've already spent, making nineteen to $20 = million on a park downtown and the inner city parks are in shambles. Now, I .. -a have said, down there and I am saying here to you, my commitment is to the inner city parks. I've told that to all them down there and I will say to you that I have scheduled a hearing on 28th September to discuss reprogramming money. And if you come down there and put enough pressure on the rest... you got my vote - we got one vote. Mr. Lopez: What about Mayor Suarez? Is he committed to help us? -P-.`- Mr. Dawkins: He voted with the downtown park, that's what he did. There's no sense in... There he is. He voted with the downtown park. So if you come down there and put enough pressure on us to make us take that $12 million... r 4,rd f Mayor Suarez: (OFF MIKE) On the 25th. Mr. Dawkins: 25th. Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Lopez: 25th - where? . Mr. Dawkins: At City Hall. I've scheduled it as an agenda item. If you make ti us take that $12 million and put it in the inner city parks, then we can do _ what we want done. That's number one. Number two: stop us from making the - cosmetic changes that we are making in Clemente Park. What are we doing over there now, Mr. Manager? Mr. Odio: I'm glad that they are so involved with the park. It's good to see _ neighbors who will get involved with the neighborhood parks. They were just = showing us in the back what they would like to see in their park. I am going to stop what we were proposing to do there... Mr. Dawkins: What were we proposing to do? Mr. Odio: We were going to resurface the tennis courts and make them brand new courts. We going to have brand new basketball courts right where they are today, but they prefer us to eliminate the tennis courts and to just move the basketball courts to a new area and increase the size of the baseball field so that they can have softball, baseball for both the big guys and the little kids. The idea makes sense because I feel, I think I told you, Commissioner, that we have tennis courts where nobody plays and I'd rather have... Mr. Dawkins: All I'm saying to you is, I agree with you. I would rather them tell me... Mr. Odio: Yes, sir. Mr. Dawkins: Forget about the cosmetic changes because all of you know once we make the cosmetic changes we're going to take our time doing the rest. 9 September 4, 1986 y- Mr. Lopez: Correct. Mr. Dawkins: But if you force the Commission to get the money and make Clemente a top priority, then you'll get it done, but if you let us make some cosmetic changes, we're going to put it on the back burner and get to it when we get ready. Mr. Lopez: We want to put you on notice now that we are requesting that any repairs or cosmetic changes being made now at the Roberto Clemente Park be stopped until we have an opportunity to go before the whole Commission to get them to allocate the monies necessary to do a full facility park, something that the neighborhood can be proud of. Mr. Dawkins: I want you to understand, now. The only way you're going to do that is come there and put pressure on us to take... And, see, $6 million is not going to do what we want done, but we live out here and don't let the other Commissioners sit up there and tell us they're going to give us $6 million because it will not meet our needs. Mr. Lopez: We need your commitment, as much as Mayor Suarez', that when the money is available - which I am sure is going to be available - that at least the 1.8 will be set aside for the Roberto Clemente Park. Mr. Dawkins: I hear you. But there's no Commissioner down there going to let you pit him against the rest of the community. Mr. Lopez: Answer my question, now. Mr. Dawkins: That's what I'm telling you - come and take the $12 million. And with $12 million we can do what we have to do in these parks and start with the worst one and work up instead of coming down there and saying that we got $6 million, we got Shenandoah Park, we got Clemente Park, and we got another park that's in shambles, so now... Mayor Suarez: The Virrick Park. Mr. Dawkins: Virrick Park, all right, so now what we're going to do is, we got $6 million so we're going to take it and give the worst ones $1 million and the others 500,000 - you won't have enough to do what we want to do. Mr. Lopez: I agree with that. Mr. Dawkins: So come down there and make us earmark $12 million and then if some's left we can put it down in the downtown park. Mr. Lopez: A question that I have for you, Commissioner. You mentioned Shenandoah Park and Virrick Park, what was the other one? Mr. Dawkins: Virrick. Mayor Suarez: Clemente. Mr. Dawkins: Clemente Park. I've said - and he'll tell you - I've said down there, the worst park is Clemente Park. Mr. Lopez: We know that. Mr. Dawkins: Then from Clemente Park, we go to Shenandoah. That's another one. Mr. Odio: Commissioner - Edison. Mr. Dawkins: Well, see, Edison, Hadley, Williams Parks are parks that we allowed cosmetic things to be done and it was a waste of money. We threw away the taxpayers dollars. Mr. Lopez: Commission, I think I hear what you're saying. I think what we're going to do is, I would like to talk to you - and I need some names and some people in this neighborhood, so it won't be only the Wynwood area who is going to be putting the pressure on you. I would like to get some other people from those areas and make a coalition to go and see you people, so that you do what you are supposed to do. vs 10 September 4, 1986 �.1 Mr. Dawkins: Coconut Grove has already agreed to be there. Coconut Grove is going to be there on the Virrick Park. Mr. Lopez: Will you give us some names? Or get somebody to give us some names? And we will make the move to have some people over there from other places. Mr. Dawkins: You put the pressure on us and we can take... You see, you've got $6 million, Emilio, you've got $6 million that the County is giving us as a gift for the landing rights to come on your land in the City of Miami. They want to take that $6 million and put it in the downtown park and your inner city parks... Mr. Lopez: You know, Commissioner, what really gets to me when I hear you talk - you say: "Come down there and bring a bunch of people and put pressure on us!" When - I'm not talking about you - when the Commission know, and I hear from Mayor Suarez, and they know these parks are in a shambles and they try to tell us that they are going to fix downtown Miami that nobody uses and expect twelve more million dollars - I mean, it doesn't make sense. My question to you is why do we have to go over there? And I know it's politics, I understand that, but why do we have to go there and take four or five hundred people and put pressure on you to do something that you know has to be done? Mr. Dawkins: You're right. Let's get the record straight. I'm the one ... Mr. Lopez: I understand you. I'm talking to the other ones. Mr. Dawkins: The reason is... Mr. Lopez: That's why I would like to see them over here. Mr. Dawkins: I will tell you why. The White Establishment came down and put pressure on them and made them give it to them. That's why the hell it happened. All those do -good White folks came down there and said: "We want the money!" And the other four Commissioners gave it to them. If I'm lying, ask and he'll tell you. And I sat there and begged and pleaded and asked them: "Please don't do this!" And they voted 4-1 and told me to go to hell. Mr. Lopez: OK, we hear you. Now I got a couple of other things that I would like to propose to you. I just went around the neighborhood and that's why I was late because I've been talking to... Mr. Dawkins: About time you came back to the neighborhood since you moved out of it ! Mr. Lopez: No, no, no. Let me tell you, even though I don't live in the neighborhood - I don't have to live in the neighborhood to know what is going on and you know that. Mr. Dawkins: You know I'm only kidding. You know that. Mr. Lopez: But I have been talking to some people in the neighborhood and I went around and I saw in about ten blocks I saw between 10 and 12 houses for sale. I saw 10 or 12 houses for sale and I bet you that at least 8 of those people who are living in those houses are renting. And those people are paying rent, probably more than you and I, and this is happening not only in this neighborhood but it happens in Overtown and Edison and all over the area. One of the ideas that I had, and put it in your mind, is that when I used to be involved real heavy with community development, I saw many times that the people in community development sent $3 million back to Washington that could have been used to help the neighborhood and my idea to you is, when you have a house for sale, usually the people who live in those houses don't have a downpayment to give to the person to buy the house. Second, the banks redline the areas. My proposition to you is why, with all the federal funding and the housing problems that you are having, why can't you - instead of dumping money and saying "let's paint the house" and half of the people who live in the place they don't qualify because they don't own their houses - put that money in a program in which you say to the people that own these houses: "If you are willing to buy that house we will get the down payment and we will finance that house for you and you guarantee that you will not sell that house and vg 11 September 4, 1906 K even give us some money to fix it." And create like a mortgage company - and I know the banks are not going to go against them because they don't want to deal with the neighborhoods that we deal with - and have those people upgrade the houses and keep the neighborhood intact and don't let the people move and let the houses deteriorate, because it happens. Go around the neighborhood and you will see it. There are houses and I think you people have the power to come up with some kind of idea. They are doing it for the middle classes. The state came up with a program for the middle classes in which they had up to $70,000. Did you read the housing - there's supposed to be a program, a mortgage that low interest for 9% or even lower than the regular housing lending institutions and you can come up with a program to save some of these neighborhoods and allow some of those people become owners of their own house, and maybe with that upgrading the neighborhood a little bit. There's one other thing I have to suggest to you. Mr. Dawkins: The idea is sound and it's something that needs to be done, but you're talking in terms of buying somebody's property and once the individual finds out you're going to buy it, they're going to raise the price. So, in turn, after we take it, Emilio, and bring it up to code which we wouldn't do otherwise... Mr. Lopez: But you don't have to do that, Commissioner. That's the thing. You let the people deal. You set up the process and let the people deal from people to people from owner to whoever wants to buy the house. There are ways to do it. We could talk about it all day, but there are ways to do it, and I understand what you are saying. It's just like if you go to repossess somebody's house and they know it's because the County want to buy it or Dade County want to buy it, it goes up. I understand that. Mr. Dawkins: We have to find a way to acquire the home, make the repairs, bring it up to standard, and keep the payment where people can afford it, Emilio. If we're talking in terms of paying somebody what they... All right, if you've got a place and I'm negotiating with you, and I pay you what you want, I may not be able to make the mortgage payment. But if the City of Miami can take the fund that you're talking about and, through some means, acquire the property and put a family in it at a rate that they can afford to pay, then we're helping them. Mr. Lopez: But that's not I'm telling you, Commissioner. I know you can do it that way, but what I'm saying to you is, if you try that way, like you say, as soon as they know that it is the City of Miami who is going to do it, the price will double. What I am saying to you - you can come up with... This is the way, you know, I understand what you are saying, but I want you to understand what I am saying. Mayor Suarez: Emilio, let me ask the CD people - or Jerry. Did we not apply for Neamia grants from the Federal government? And explain what those are, and how much money might be available for the City of Miami. Mr. Gereaux: We have not applied yet for the Neamia grant. We intend to but we are working on a concept similar to the one that Emilio is... Mayor Suarez: Is it $150 million available in Neamia grants? Mr. Gereaux: There is $150 million available. Mayor Suarez: And it's $10,000... Mr. Gereaux: It's not available right at the moment, but it will be. Mayor Suarez: Could you explain how it works so... Mr. Gereaux: Jeff, have you been working on that one? OK, the Neamia grant is really a program that started in the City of New York where a lot of church groups and the City government and some other people, some private sector lenders actually got together and they tried to come up with a way to put people of modest income - working poor we call them - into home ownership situations. And what it really is, more than anything else, is like a triparty venture for financing housing for modest income people - very similar with what we're proposing to do, Mr. Mayor, with the scattered site program. Mr. Lopez: I will go round mention. vg just put this here on you because what I mentioned to you, you and see it... I've got two more things that I would like to 12 September 4, 1986 0 A Mayor Suarez: OK, make it quick, Emilio, because we're... Mr. Lopez: Yes, I know, I see some people over here. One of the things that happens in this area, about ten or 15 years ago when we were really involved in this area, we were able to have about 10 or 15 social service programs and it seems that every time some of the people have retired of raising hell to you Commissioners, and it seems that every time the programs are going down and more programs are going out of the neighborhood - especially this neighborhood. You can say the same thing for Coconut Grove but in here I'm concerned of this neighborhood. An idea that occurred to me is - and I know that your standard answer is the Federal government is taking revenue sharing and is taking community development and all that kind of stuff - but I also know that there is some money available. I don't know how much money is available - the money that the Police Department confiscates and drug busts and all that kind of stuff. My proposal to you is, and my suggestion to you why, you don't use it. That money is used to destroy our neighborhood. Why don't you use that money that you have from this kind of collection, the way you do it, and use it to sustain some of those social service programs that are so badly needed in this communities. I'm not talking about just Wynwood. I'm talking about Coconut Grove, Edison and Model Cities. If I understand correctly, the last time that I heard there was something like $5 million in the bank, $5 million that you have confiscated in drug busts and all that stuff, and I would like to know if there is any reason why you cannot use that money to keep all the social services... Mr. Dawkins: I'll let the City Attorney tell you why we can't do it. Madam City Attorney, will you explain to him why we can't use that money for what he says? Mrs. Dougherty: Yes, sir, Mr. Commissioner. It may be only used for law enforcement activity and there are only two... Mr. Lopez: Is there any way that we can influence that, Commissioner? Mayor Suarez: Is that State law? That is a State law. Mayor Suarez: We legislative session. Mr. Dawkins: No. There again, Emilio, they're missing our point. We got two people running about begging us to vote for Governor for them, right. So we want the law changed. If you don't change the law, we ain't going to vote for you. Mr. Lopez: OK, I'm listening, but, suggestions, and maybe when I get about this other thing. Mr. Dawkins: That's right. you know, I asked a question, I hear the together with other people we might talk Mr. Lopez: In other words, what I'm talking, maybe, is a coalition of poor people to deal with some of these problems. And my last problem is a personal problem. I have discussed this. I jumped, the other day, on Commissioner Suarez - all over the place, and I probably mentioned it to you a couple of times. You know, I am Puerto Rican. Mr. Dawkins: No kiddingl Mr. Lopez: No kidding. I am Puerto Rican. your system is I see a tripartite system. Mayor Suarez: We saw that. Mayor Suarez: We saw that. One of the things that I see Mr. Lopez: OK. We have a Black system, a Cuban system and an Anglo system and if you are not part of that system, you don't participate. What I would September 4, like to suggest and ask you is - like the Blacks used to do, and the Cubans, and everybody else - now a Puerto Rican is asking you why the City of Miami do not have a Puerto Rican in any position that is going to make a difference to 1 my people? (APPLAUSE) I don't want to hear that so-and-so is half Puerto 44 Rican and half Cuban. No, I'm talking about Puerto Rican/Puerto Rican. And I don't want to see him cleaning the parks. I don't want a secretary for the Mayor. I'm talking about somebody in administration who is going to make a j difference for my people because, like I said before and I mentioned it to you, us - looking from the outside - we see a tripartite system that if you i are not part of that system you just participate and for us to be able to participate we feel that should be inside the system, so that when something happens to a neighborhood that apparently has more Puerto Ricans, you know we have Little Havana, Little Haiti, and all that kind of stuff. We would like to see somebody of my race - and don't tell me we don't have any, because I cannot believe that there are more than 110,000 in Puerto Ricans in here and there's not a Puerto Rican that you haven't been able to hire in a position + that make a difference for us. Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Peter Joffrey, will you come to the mike. Mr. Peter Joffrey... _ Mr. Lopez: By the way... Mr. Dawkins: No, no, no. You wait, now, you wait till I've finished. I let you do your thing. Take it easy now! Mr. Peter Joffrey, where you from and what's your nationality - what you called? Mr. Peter Joffrey: I was born in Patterson, New Jersey. My mother was Puerto 1 Rican. My father is Cuban. Mr. Dawkins: So what do you classify yourself as? 1 Mr. Joffrey: Well, I spend most of my time... UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: He's half 5i Mr. Joffrey: I spend most of my childhood in Puerto Rico. Mr. Dawkins: Will you tell Mr. Lopez that you are one Puerto Rican that we tell just decided to promote and we're going to be bringing up some more and ._.'. him that you're not one of those $20,000 a year individuals. Mr. Odio: Commissioner Dawkins, may I remind Emilio that my grandfather was Puerto Rican? Mr. Lopez: I don't want to hear that. Mr. Odio: He was 100% Puerto Rican. Mr. Dawkins: Emilio, this is what you want to hear, right here. Mr. Lopez: He's just like Maurice Ferre, and he's my friend, but he was in the system for 12 years and he wasn't had the gall to put one of us into the system. Now he left and we don't anybody. We feel naked. That's the problem. Mr. Dawkins: We upgraded him and do you know what the Miami Herald said? He wasn't qualified. But we will get some more. Mr. Lopez: Commissioner... Mr. Dawkins: I ain't got no problem with that. Mr. Lopez: But the problem is that I have written letters to your system - and I've got proof - and I've been given the runaround. The simple question that I asked was: "how many Puerto Ricans do you have working in the system?" That simple. I would like to know. Mr. Dawkins: But nobody has to answer that. You already the answer - zero, zilch. Mayor Suarez: No, no. Explain. vg 14 September 4, 1986 i A A sa Ms. Barbara Ibarra: Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Vice -Mayor. My name is Barbara Ibarra. I am the local chapter president of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women. I do not live in the community. However, many of our members do and on behalf of the community I would like to address you this evening. There is an overall feeling in the community that the Wynwood area is being neglected by the City of Miami. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (OFF MIKE) Amen! Ms. Ibarra: There is a lot of shortage of housing. There is an increase in crime. There is high unemployment. There is inadequate park and recreational facilities for our children to be entertained after school. If you go in and you do research on your own statistics, I am sure you will realize - and it's something I would like you to consider - is doing an analysis of the amount of funding and the amount of spending, the amount of police officers and other services that you provide to Wynwood as compared to other communities in the City of Miami. I would like to know tonight what you intend to do about that. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (OFF MIKE) Nothingt Mr. Odio: Mr. Mayor, before... Mayor Suarez: Yes, Mr. City Manager. Mr. Odio: I just wanted to tell Emilio that we have ordered, at your request, that we have a survey done of all City employees because we do not identify City employees whether they are Puerto Rican, Cuban, or whatever... UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (OFF MIKE) That's the way we get left out. Mayor Suarez: Wait, wait - we're going to do it, we're going to do it. Mr. Odio: Emilio, if you let me... (INAUDIBLE COMMENTS OFF MIKE) Mr. Odio: Puerto Ricans are just like Cubans. Mayor Suarez: Wait, Emilio. (INAUDIBLE COMMENTS OFF MIKE) Mr. Odio: You are just like me, yes. Emilio, we are in the process, right now, of getting back informing us what employees are from what r nationalities. We have an Assistant Police Chief that is Puerto Rican, Juan aR,f Fernandez. He is an Assistant Chief. (INAUDIBLE COMMENTS OFF MIKE) Mr. Odio: I am not saying that we have enough. I am saying that we are in the process of identifying and if once we've done that we will make sure that provide affirmative action. Mr. Lopez: I want to remind you something - and excuse the young lady... - that the City of Miami I think is still under the affirmative action commission. Mr. Odio: We are. It doesn't list Puerto Ricans. It lists Hispanics and that's the problem. Mr. Lopez: Well, we would like that problem corrected. Mr. Odio: Well, I am doing that now on the instructions of the Mayor. If you allowed us to finish the survey, we will have answers for you. Mayor Suarez: Do you have any answer, Mr. City Manager, to her question? Do we have any way of telling how much money we are spending in Wynwood as opposed to the rest of the City? Mr. Odio: Frank Castenada is here. vg 15 September 4, 1986 Mr. Dawkins: That's not going to help any. I'm going to simplify this for ° you. And this isn't the first time I have said it, but I would like for it to be the last time that I've said it. The most neglected area in Miami is Y;. Wynwood. And this isn't the first time I've said this and behind Wynwood 'd4 t 2 comes Coconut Grove. But for some reason we - and I have to take one -fifth of :;-;;. 2.M 1 the blame because there's five of us - we don't seem to want to upgrade - Wynwood. We don't seem - and it just dawned on me when Emilio said what he said - why aren't we actively recruiting Puerto Rican police? Why aren't we i actively recruiting Puerto Rican firemen? Why aren't we actively recruiting... administrators? But I'm not going to get caught in the the budget administration for the simple reason that they're going to tell me only has six slots, therefore... I'm not going to get caught in that. I'm going to start down here at the bottom, put me some people in here so that in the policeman, when time come for him to take the sergeant test, he takes sergeant test and he's promoted. Then he takes the lieutenant test and then >, gradually I get somebody up there. But the reason is - and you don't even t: 1 have to get no statistics - just walk around in the area and we see what is happening. So now is the time, through meetings like this, and, Emilio, Freddie and this gentleman here, they worked with me in my first election and we thought we had it made, didn't we? We said we're going to bring about some l changes. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Sure did. Mr. Dawkins: There weren't no change. They worked on the second one. We f- k, -:, said we got it made, we got rid of two people on the Commission, we got two new ones, we got it made. Am I right? Freddie came with a gentleman who =+ wanted to enlarge his business over here to keep from leaving the neighborhood and put some people to work. The City of Miami hasn't done a damn thing to help him. Am I right or am I wrong? And we got CD funds. We sent him to Charlotte Gallogly to do something but nobody makes this City Commission do nothing for Wynwood. Ms. Ibarra: Well, I would like to address that, if I might. I would like the Commission to please direct the City Manager because I do think, in fairness to the City, that you should have the statistics that we're talking about, and i find out what money, what percentage is not going to Wynwood, then increase that percentage, whether it's 10, 15 or 20%. Mr. Dawkins: ] caught in that. Mr. Dawkins: But don't get caught in no damn percentages. Tell them what you want done and let them do that. Don't come getting no figures talking about... and then say: "Well, we didn't spend no money, but we just spent 10%." That ain't worth a damn. Tell us what needs to be done out here and see that it gets done. See, that's why I'm saying don't worry about no figures and no statistics because they can put us in the computer and come out with anything they want. Ms. Ibarra: Well, we need our police services increased - doubled, if you want to have a number. We need more police services here. We have to get these gangs under control. We need to have people feeling comfortable that they can open their business and survive successfully in this community. We need homes for people. We need more than 19% of rehabilitation cases made available. You should double that. In actual numbers. The number of cases that you actually service and housing circumstances in here should triple. There's like five cases, I understand, in five years that have been devoted to actually taking care of problems in Wynwood. I mean, the numbers are there, the community is aware of it and right now they don't support the Commission and I think you need to come forth with a commitment to this community and I'd like to know in specifics what those commitments are. I don't know that you can do that right now. There's only two of you here. (INAUDIBLE COMMENTS OFF MIKE) Mayor Suarez: Now, wait a minute. On September 11th and 25th - remember those dates - the Commission will be considering the budget for the City, September llth and 25th at 5:00 p.m. That's the time that we decide what departments gat monies and so on. Please be there and help us to go through P., i t 0 that process. And, as far as the parks, you have my commitment on that park and the improvements that Mr. Gerrits has proposed. And as far as any other service - like Commissioner Dawkins - I think that Wynwood is the most neglected area of Miami, too, and you've got my commitment, so you need three votes. Let's work on that and you've got our commitments already. Ms. Ibarra: Thank you, Commissioner. Mr. Victor Sanchez: My name is Victor Sanchez and I work right here in the community of Wynwood. I see the problem of housing and I see no solution because the solution that Emilio suggested - I don't think that City of Miami officials, the people that are running the businesses here, are not aware of certain things. I visit many, many cities throughout the nation and I see these problems going on over and over and over and over with the government buying houses, selling it for the dollars to the people, loan the money to the people and on a very low interest. Evidently we don't have the right official or the ability to do it or this is a city that is yet. I don't know. I see other cities doing it, over and over again, so I would like a comment from the Director of Housing on that. I also like, when I present a problem, I also like to give a suggestion on the solution and I see also on those projects that they are not only privately financed and not only government involved but also large corporations like Prudential, Massachusetts Mutual, banks and other big corporations which is what President Reagan has been saying - big corporation involvement, private industry involvement, in the problem, as a community. I think we should get on the ball and start doing what other cities are doing because this is a big city now. It's not more a town. Mayor Suarez: We have just a few minutes till 7:30. Go ahead. I think he's pointing at you, Jerry. Mr. Gereaux: OK, for those of you that may or may not be aware of it, the City is cognizant of the problems that it has in housing. In this year, in the spring, it formed a department to deal with the housing problems on a community level and I think you are going to see a lot of things going on that the City Commissioners sponsor in the area of housing. Referring to the first program you talked about - the urban homesteading program, where there are FHA foreclosures and those foreclosures go up on the block - we have investigated that time and time again. The problem with the program is that it is a very staff intensive program and there are very, very few foreclosures that actually go to the block in any one contiguous area. However, Dade County does operate a program and we're going to be working on trying to get program operating in the City where Dade County will work out at that time a homesteading situation and then through the surtax money provide funding for the rehabilitation in what is called a soft, or deferred, second mortgage for the modest income buyers of the unit. Unfortunately, Dade County has chosen not to make that kind of funding available, or that program available through the surtax funding and we're planning on doing something about that. Mayor Suarez: Victoria, we have just a few minutes, so make it quick. Ms. Victoria Hernandez: I'm very glad to see you here, Mayor Suarez, and for Commissioner Dawkins to be here. I'm really sad that the other Commissioners are not here. I know that you cannot vote on anything today, that you really came out here with your sincere interest in listening to the people of Wynwood. Right in this school, ASPIRA, which is the organization which I represent has a program... Ms. Hirai: Your name for the public record, please. Ms. Hernandez: Victoria Hernandez, Executive Director of ASPIRA, Florida. Mr. Dawkins: Be careful, now, this is how Gary got fired, so be careful. Ms. Hernandez: I know, I was here. (INAUDIBLE COMMENTS OFF MIKE) Ms. Hernandez: We have a program right here in this school, the Robert E. Lee, as well as in eight other schools in the County but specifically serving the Wynwood area. What's happening with our kids - and you know this and that's why there is that commitment to do something about the parks - there's vs 17 September 4, 19$6 A gangs around here (the 35th Street Players), and there are others. There are other kids who are just looking up to these youth gang members and emulating them, instead of emulating different role models. This summer, ASPIRA just finished a summer program taking little kids on field trips every other day to different places throughout the County because their parents can't afford to bring them or take them anywhere. You know that the dropout rate is serious, especially in the inner city. We service six other schools that are in the City and from Edison, from Jackson, which is in Allapattah, down through Little Havana and Overtown, and yet the $25,000 that we were getting in social service program monies this last year is totally eliminated. FRS is out the door for all intents and purposes. Really, I'm going to be there September llth and 25th. Mayor Suarez: Are you sure about that? We may get the revenue sharing. Ms. Hernandez: Well, if there's anyone lighting up their little candle at night it will be me because talking about cutting programs and services to Wynwood - fine, you get a park and, fine, you do a little bit here and there, but really... ASPIRA's been here serving these kids in the community for five years and you've a commitment with us and now we're just being cut, so we're going to be there September llth and the 25th, just like we've been at the City Commission before. But, please, we need you to make those motions and to also help us and the other Commissioners who are absentees here. Mayor Suarez: I think it's a very important program and somehow I think we're going to find the money for it. I really do and I have a feeling we're going to get the money from general revenue sharing. About 240 Congressmen have signed already, which is more than 50% of the House, and on the Senate side I believe it will also pass. Unfortunately, they are taking till the end of September, maybe beginning of October and I know your fiscal year begins October 1, but come to those hearings. I've a feeling we'll find the money somehow, Victoria. Ms. Hernandez: We'll be there, thank you. Ms. Nilsa Velazquez: My name is... Mayor Suarez: This is the last presentation because we have to go to another hearing tonight. Ms. Velazquez: My name is Nilsa Velazquez. I am the Director of Holy Cross Day Care Center. As you can see I have a representation here. I am very grateful for your support on July 24th hearing allocating more funds for our program. I also want to mention something that during the visit of the Mayor last, I think it was, June we mentioned it and Ingrid mentioned it tonight, but I don't see any response from you, and it's about the police response to the false alarms. And I am very concerned about that because I know that myself and other businesses around this community have been affected because I've heard it at different meetings and it is about the fines. Have you ever really researched about the fines? Who's the ones make the decisions about how much to charge in false alarms? Mr. Dawkins: Somewhere a study was done and somewhere a policy was established that that would be the policy. Now, this is not limited to Wynwood. This is citywide and in the budget hearing this morning the Fire Chief said that Jackson Memorial Hospital owes something like $7,000 in fines and Mercy Hospital owe fines, so it's a policy that's there. Now that doesn't necessarily mean it can't be changed. If it's creating a hardship then it's up to those individuals who are suffering the hardship to bring about a change. Ms. Velazquez: But I am talking about this community. It's a very low income community, small businesses... Mr. Dawkins: You see, I didn't want to say this, I didn't want to say this, but when we talk about everything in this community I am with you. But when you talk about police I have to think in terms of the whole City because we don't have but that many policemen. And you are as astute as I am... He. Velazquez: Yes, but... vg 18 September 4, 1986 Ok Mr. Dawkins: If I take all of the police out here, then we're going to have crime downtown. sit up there and lie to you and tell you that going to do that. Ms. Velazquez: But let me clarify... of downtown and put them out So, I mean, I'm not going to I'm going to do that. I'm not Mr. Dawkins: But I can work with you in attempting to address the crime issue. Now, if you can get a referendum passed that everybody in the City of Miami wants to tax themselves three mils to hire police, that's fine. But if the voters of Miami turn down a request to raise interest rate on $4 million worth of bonds, we just don't vote to tax ourselves. And I'm against any bond issue. Everybody out there knows that. I don't go for no bond issue. So where is the money coming from to produce this extra police service that everyone wants. Ms. Velazquez: I understand that. But it's nonsense that they charge $25 the first time. They charge fifty the second and they multiply that amount in three times that they come. In four times it's $350. Why don't they charge the same for - an adjusted fee...? Mr. Dawkins: All right, what you're saying: why isn't the fee stable? That's what you're saying? Ms. Velazquez: Right. Mr. Dawkins: I have no problem... I don't know, but I can bring that up. Madam City Attorney... Somewhere along the line, the City Commission decided that for false alarms the penalty would graduate. What's the procedure to go back that the fee will remain stable - don't care if you've got 100 false alarms, the fee will be whatever the initial fee is. Mrs. Dougherty: It's an amendment to the ordinance, which would need two readings thirty days after that. Mr. Dawkins: So you've got to come down... and I'm going to tell you it's going to be very difficult to get three votes to do that. But come on down and let's see. Let's see what happens. I don't know, but you've got to change the ordinance where it will not read that the fee will graduate but will remain constant. So that's the way we change. Ms. Velazquez: Remember that we are nonprofit organizations and we depend on your funds. Mayor Suarez: How many alarms have you had? Mr. Dawkins: You asked me how to do it and I told you. Now, don't go... Ms. Velazquez: All right. Mayor Suarez: How many alarms have you had this year? Ms. Velazquez: This year, none, thank God. Last year we had many false alarms. I mean, there is nothing we can do. Sometimes if the weather is bad the alarm goes off. Mr. Dawkins: A cat can go by and set it off. Mayor Suarez: Emilio, make your last statement. We have to adjourn. Mr. Lopez: It's real short. You know, she's making the statement and it's been made to us - not just her, but by many people in the neighborhood - that they have a lot of crime going on. They cannot afford to instal alarms and then when they find out that every time they have a false alarm the thing goes up and up and up... Mr. Dawkins: They're out of business. Mr. Lopez: They're out of business. Remember you are dealing with people who have small businesses and they don't make that much money to have all these things installed. They are really trying to do the best they can and with this kind of things that sometimes pass and do not see how affects some of these neighborhoods you are creating a problem for. vs 19 September 4, 1986 0 Mr. Dawkiass i'll schedule a hearing on that on the 28th. We'll see what we can do about it - on the 28th, OK. Mayor Suarez: Thank you everyone. This meeting is adjourned. That doesn't mean our interest ends tonight. It continues. TIISRR BRING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION,, THE ME03TING WAS AWOUIUM AT 7:30 P.M. ATTEST: !lath Hirai CITY CLERK Valter J. Fosman ASSISTANT CITY CLERK V$ Xavier L. Suarez N A T O R �l+I I yL,►Li�L�� 1If�:.�� 1 n 11. * INCORY OR:►TEII l8 96 20 September 4, 1906