Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1985-09-17 MinutesU CITY AF MIA M-1 *' 1 NCORPIORATED 18�96 �,of � OF MEETING HELD ON September 17, 1985 (SPECIAL) PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK CITY HALL MATTY HIRAI City Clerk n INDEX MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 17, 1985 ITEM SUBJECT LEGISLATION PAGE NO. NO - I. DISCUSSION ON PROPOSED FY 85-86 DISCUSSION 1-16 BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI. 9/17/85 2. REQUESTING DADE COUNTY TO PROVIDE A M-85-967 16-19 REDUCED BUS FARE FOR SENIOR CITI— 9/17/85 ZENS. 3. DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRI— DISCUSSION 19-20 TORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI 9/17/85 AND SETTING THE MILLAGE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI. 4. MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CITY ORDINANCE 20-21 OF MIAMI. 10039 9/17/85 5. DEFINING AND DESIGNATING TERRITORI— ORDINANCE 21-22 AL LIMITS OF D.D.A. AND SETTING 10040 MILLAGE IN D.D.A. 9/17/85 6. MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE ORDINANCE 23 D.D.A. 10041 9/17/85 7. BRIEF DISCUSSION ON CITY MANAGER'S DISCUSSION 24 NEW PARK'S PLAN 9/17/85 8. BRIEF COMMENTS REGARDING CONTROVER— DISCUSSION 25-26 SIAL STATEMENT FROM OFFSTREET 9/17/85 PARKING AUTHORITY. VA MINUTES OF SPECIAL MFFTIhG OF THE. CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA On the 17th day of September, 1985, the City Commission of Miami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in the City hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida for holding the second public hearing on the fy 85-86 budget-. The meeting was called to order at 5:07 O'clock A.M. by Mayor Maurice A. Ferre with the following members of the Commission found to be present: ALSO PRESENT: Commissioner Demetrio Perez, Jr. Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins* Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo** Mayor Maurice A. Ferre Sergio Pereira, City Manager Lucia Allen Dougherty, City Attorney Matty Hirai, City Clerk An invocation was delivered by Martin Fine who then led those present in a pledge of allegiance to the flag. *Commissioner Carollo entered the meeting at 5:12 P.M. **Commissioner Dawkins entered the muting at 5:14 P.M. 1. PROPOSED FY 85-86 BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI. Mayor Ferre: Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is an official City of Miami Commission meeting. It is the second public hearing on the proposed Fy'86 budget at its first public hearing on Fy'86 held on September 12th, the Commission approved the following changes which are reflected in the annual appropriations ordinance of Fy'86. (1) Increase the Fy'86 financial commitment to fund eighty additional public service aides. (2) Authorize the purchase of up to fifty additional patrol vehicles. (3) Establish a goal to incorporate a hundred fifty additional civilian employees in the Police Department budget in order to release experienced officers to active crime fighting responsibilities. (4) Increase the parks improvement fund by seven hundred thousand dollars which will provide a totally resource of a million additional dollars for the City's park system for Fy'86. Funding the for the above changes will be obtained from cable television dedicated funds earmarked for drug enforcement initiatives, six hundred thousand dollars. Funds dedicated from the police forfeiture fund earmarked for narcotics investigations, a million dollars. A reduction of the Fy'86 contingency account and a decrease in the contribution to the capital improvement fund of a million eight hundred thousand dollars. The percentage increase in millage over rollback rates... Mr. Surana: two and nine tenth of a per cent. Mayor Ferre: Ok. The specific purpose for which ad valorem tax revenues are being increased. Mr. Surana: Partial funding for public safety services two million four hundred three thousand four hundred thirty-two dollars. Mayor Ferre: The City Commission will now listen to citizens who wish to make comments regarding the proposed millage increase and we then need to go into gl 1 September 17, 1985 deliberations for the reasons for the increase over the rollback rate. At this time the Chair will recognize Mr. Martin Fine. Mr. Martin Fine: Mr. Mayor, and members of the Commission, I want to thank you for the opportunity of appearing here. I want to thank the Manager for being kind enough to schedule me first since I had an appointment. I must say Mr. Mayor, starting off as we did with the prayer. I'm not sure that's the best omen, but I am happy to share these thoughts with you. I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to exercise my privilege as a responsible citizen. As some of you know, I take that seriously and I think that it's important for me to share with you the fact that I'm not here representing any particular group. I'm specifically not representing the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, although, I have the honor of being Chairman of that organization. I would like to make known to you my personal views on some serious issues now affecting the future of the City of Miami and in my opinion the future of all of Dade County. I'm not going to go into great detail. I think what I would like to do is just share with you, then answer some questions if you have and share some comments with you. First of all I would like to say to you that I think the highest degree of citizenship that anyone of us can exercise is to be a responsible citizen. I think where a lot of our friends get mixed up is they think only those of you who are brave enough to be in public office ought to be dealing with matters like the budget. There are literally a million and a half of us out there who should be dealing with these issues and should be assisting you and should be giving you our thoughts and our ideas and our dreams and our aspirations and that's some of what I would like to try to do today. Firstly, may I think you and tell you that I am particularly grateful that you have, it appears to me from what I read, although, I have seen the budget, added approximately 2.8 million dollars for assistance to the Police Department in one form or another. I assume that's going to get more officers on the street and Chief Dickson has mentioned to me and to many others, that he is very pleased with that. Although, I'm sure if he had another five million dollars or so he could use it, but I think that's a step in the a big good direction for Miami. Mr. Plummer: For the record, it's 3.4. Mr. Fine: 3.4. Thank you very much. Obviously, that's a lot of money and as one who has lived here for almost forty years I can tell you I think crime and the problems attending to it are the single most important things in the minds y' of most of the citizens of this community. What I would like to do is just mention four items that I would like to talk about and then I will talk about them individually. These are four areas of interest. (1) I think we need to face realistically what I believe is an impending financial crisis that is on the horizon and that obviously, is known to you better than to me and that's the proximity and the gravity of the Florida State Constitution mandated tax millage cap of ten mills. There is no question in my mind that as I read your budget, you are about 9.86. When you talk about 9.86 it really doesn't mean anything unless you can assess the total amount... unless you know the total amount of assessable property in the City of Miami, which you know is in the billions, but the figure I have received from your department is that if you were to go to the full ten mills, all you would be able to receive is an additional million two hundred fifty thousand dollars. That seems like a very serious situation to me and it's one that I think you need to deal with. (2) I think you need to face the need for cost containment and to set some spending limits and to adopt what I think is the new buzz word in governmental affairs and that is privatization of public business by reaching out to certain industries to render certain services for the City and I would be glad to give you some specific examples of that. (3) 1 would like to suggest that a specific way that you could implement that plan and accomplish another big goal of this city, that of providing exhibition space is to expand the existing Dinner Key Exhibition Hall to... from it's sixty-six thousand square feet at least to a hundred thousand square feet. That you do it in concert with this overall design you are doing now. And that you put out an RFP for a private entrepreneur to lease that space and possibly to contribute to its cost of expansion and revitalization and refurbishing and I will discuss that with you in a minute. And the last one is, to deal realistically and forthrightly with the pension fund problem and I will get into that at the end of this. But those are the four areas of concerns that I would like to share with you. I would also like to refresh the memory of some of you who have served on the Commission a long time and mentioned to some of you who have gl 2 September 17, 1985 All just started a few years ago, that you all used to have a City of :Miami Budget Review Commission. I served on that for about a decade with I'.ie late Mitchell Wolfson. I always had a feeling it was an exercise in futility. I never felt we were getting the information we needed, nor the assistance we needed and I think if I had a fifth recommendation I would suggest to you that you really need to do that in a very meaningful manner with a lot of very fine people, very capable people, who had the experience. The kind of people I think about is someone like Charlie _ , who were director of the budget for Lindon Johnson and this great Country of ours and bankers and accountants and others who are used to doing these kind of figures. I'm not talking about me, obviously, but people who really know what they are doing in terms of actual hands on experience and so let me share some of these ideas with you and Mr. Mayor, you just ring the bell whonever you think it's getting late. If you would give me a couple of minutes notice I will wind up. I would start- out by saying that I believe Miami is among other things a boutique city. It is the only large metropolitan area in America that does not operate a hospital, doesn't operate a school system, doesn't operate a transportation system, doesn't operate a library system. All of these are capital intensive and they are deficit types of operations. Each one of them cost the government that operates them a lot of money. No matter how efficiently they operate. For example, Jackson Memorial which you all know was owned by the City, was transferred to the County. It now operates at a deficit of sixty million dollars. The transit system will have about a ninety million dollar deficit. So, it seems to me that you all have a relatively easy budget to deal with in that you don't have these heavy cost items that most major metropolitan areas have. You know, the next question might be well, what does the City do? What does it operate? What functions does it give it's citizens or provide for it's citizens? one, is a Police and Fire Department and I think you all do a superb job with that. You have a Sanitation Department, you have a Parks Department, you have a Building and 'honing and Planning Department and you have several others like Community Development, Economic Development and tourism related activities. All of this means to me that ;Miami has a unique opportunity to be a fiscally sound and fiscally responsive city and I just have it in my mind that while you all try your best to do it and the people who work here try their best to do it, that it isn't being operated much differently than it was ten or fifteen or twenty years ago and I don't think you can afford to do that, because we are at that millage cap now and I think there are efficiencies that need to be carried out and perhaps some of your functions that need to be transferred or need to be dealt with in a different manner. There are several observations and suggestions I would like to make and again I want to just... perhaps the most important one. As I understand it your millage now is 9.86 in this current budget. Is that correct approximately? Mayor Ferre: That's correct. Mr. Fine: So, obviously, that leaves you just very little and I just wondered if you all recognized that it's a million two hundredfifty thousand that you have left if you assess all the real estate. obviously, you have some... Mayor Ferre: That assumes Mr. Fine, that we are not going to have anymore growth. Mr. Fine: I was going to say that does not take into consideration the extra growth you have, but inevitably you also have extra growth in salaries, extra growth in pensions, extra growth in a lot of other factors and it seems to me that the cost of government is coming about geometrically and your ability to fund it is coming about arithmetically and we are going to be in big trouble and I would recommend that we start facing up to the fact that isn't anyone's fault. I don't think we ought to start ascribing fault or find a villain. What I think it is a matter of time is catching up with us and we need to deal realistically with that and rather than wait until we have a financial crisis on our hands, I think you ought to begin to act like you have one now and deal with it in any one of several different manners. Let me try to be specific on the other items that I want to discuss with you. One, is the overall theory of accountability of government and I think we need to deal with whether or not we are providing, you are providing the services of this city in the most efficient manner at the least possible cost. Now, I need not remind you that the citizens of this state have had an opportunity to express themselves by signing a petition that they wanted to reduce the taxes. gl 3 September 17, 1985 I was part of a group that felt that was wrong and it was over killed and I would do it again, but I am very sensitive to the fact that I think the taxpayers are entitled to hear from you as to whether or not we are operating this government at the most efficient level that we can. Let me just share with you that most of us are probably unhappy with the large expenditure of the Defense Department of the United States Government, but there is very little we can do about it. We are impotent to deal with that. We are generally impotent to deal with State revenues and expenses, but the government that's closest to us is the City of Miami and so we are here to talk about what we can do and I would like to give you one example. I read an annual report of the Ryder System which as you know, one of the largest trucking companies in America that is based right here in Miami, and right on page 11 of that report is a picture of a bus being maintained and washed in the City of Dallas, Texas and I was curious and called one of my friends at Ryder and indeed, they have a contract with the City of Dallas, Texas to maintain their entire bus fleet. I mentioned that to the Manager and the Manager very graciously said he would be happy to meet with any company that wants to submit that kind of proposal. I would submit to you intuitively, I can't prove this, that that company or any other well organized company that's profit motivated can maintain your vehicles at a cheaper price than you can, do it more efficiently, can have better parts buying capacity, can get better prices on all their purchases than the City can. I wonder, for example, if the City of Miami is buying parts for its automobiles in concert with the County. I would be willing to wager that it's not. And in not doing so I think you are losing money and in not doing so you are costing me more money and the taxpayers of the City more money. I do not think you are doing that intentionally. I think I know that you really need to look into that kind of thing and see what can happen to that sort of situation. I think that probably everything but fire trucks are susceptible to that and one way to deal with that would be not to turn over the entire fleet operation to some company, but to take some portion of it and test it against the rest of it, and I would recommend that in everything from police cars to garbage trucks you try to do that and see if you can't save some money. I would like to take to you about Dinner Key Exhibition Hall. It's my understanding it now consist of sixty-six thousand square feet. Mr. Plummer: It's over a hundred Marty. Mr. Fine: Ok. Mr. Plummer: When we made the addition on the far side it's now... it's just slightly above a hundred thousand. Mr. Fine: I'm happy to hear that. I just want to tell you that I have got those figures from the City and it doesn't matter to me. Whatever it is, it isn't as big as it ought to be in my opinion, but the most important thing that I want to share with you is that I think that you ought to consider expanding it. What has happened is you all know more than I that there are now three or four new marvelous hotels in Coconut Grove. I think additional exhibition space would we essential to the growth of this community and I want to make it very clear that I do not propose or suggest to you that it be instead of an exhibition hall Downtown, that it be in addition to the one Downtown, that it be in addition to the expansion of the Miami Beach Exhibition Hall and I can almost assure you beyond any question of a doubt that you will never have too much exhibition hall space in this community and what I think you would be doing in Coconut Grove is again, to use that term "boutique", I think you would be having a boutique facility, because you would cater to smaller groups, smaller meetings, smaller conventions, smaller exhibition halls or rather smaller exhibition groups who would want to come here and have the charm and beauty of Coconut Grove, but who would only be five minutes from Downtown Miami. It's my understanding and knowing you J. L., you know the exact penny. I understand you all lose two hundred fifty thousand dollars a year in the operation of that. I would be willing to wager that a private entrepreneur bidding on that, paying you some rent, taking all the responsibility from you of dealing with that would be able to pay you a reasonable amount of rent and would operate at a profit. Why? Because the very nature of the free enterprise system allows that entrepreneur to promote and to do things that you would never think of doing, because it's not your business to promote. I know there are people over there charged with that responsibility and I do not in any manner mean to impugn their ability, their gl 4 September 17, 1985 integrity, their zeal and their dedication and devotion of the City, but I believe by the very nature of the process someone who has an obligation to pay rent- and put units and events and attractions in there will do it more effectively than any person who is on the City payroll to do it. Mr. Plummer: Marty to answer your question, T. think you will be happy to know we are now ready to go out with an RFP on the Marine Stadium. We have one or two at least of big time United States promoters, not just local. If that were to work out I'm sure that this Commission would look favorably on all other facilities. Cesar Odio has been talking with a national firm who is interested in taking over possibly the Marine Stadium and the Baseball Stadium. So, we are looking at that and you do have a good suggestion and I think that this Commission will be pursuing it as we already are at the Marine Stadium. Mr. Fine: Obviously, I'm not telling you anything you don't know if you are already doing that, but I would recommend to you that you not wait for the Marine Stadium, because this is entirely different. See, T think if you were to get a group of people together like Wiser and Margolis and Monty and Ken Treister and lots of people who have vital business interest in this community, this part of the community and who have tremendous experience in doing that, that they might help you construct an RFP and probably lots of others that I don't know, the folks own the Coconut Grove Hotel. You would probably have close to a thousand hotel rooms here and the people Downtown should, in my opinion, be thrilled with it. They will not have a problem, because some of these people will end up back Downtown at Bayside and around. The last item I would like to share with you is the pension fund. I imagine that there was one facet of this budget that you would like to forget and never hear about again whether it's in litigation or in a budget as the pension fund and I had not made a study of the pension fund, but over the years I have seen the budget and reviewed it and I didn't bring it here today because I have asked for a copy of the budget and haven't gotten it yet, but I'm sure I will. I will come down and pick it up from someone. My impression of the pension fund is as follows. One, let me make it clear that I do not advocate in anyway tampering with or interfering with vested pension rights of any person who has ever worked for the City. Whether I did or not you wouldn't do it and you shouldn't do it and I want to make it clear, especially, to my colleague Lucia, City Attorney, I am not saying we ought to tamper with any vested right anyone has. I am of the opinion, however, and my understanding probably is correct, that your pension fund is substantially higher ... Thank Miller. Thank you very much. I have about ten of these at home that Mitch and I used to go through. Maurice, you would remember, because he did this to you. Every once and a while when I would get excited about an issue he would pat me on the shoulder and say "Don't worry, they are not going to pay any attention, but at some point and time it will come to pass" and now I think it has come to pass. I believe that your pension fund payments to brand new entering employees is who I'm talking about, is substantially higher than Metropolitan Dade County, which as you know is part of the State system. Now, this is the other statistic that sort of boggles my mind. It is my understanding and impression that your pension plan and I want underlined "I understand it," it's my impression. I really don't know it, that your pension plan provides a greater benefit to entering employees than I would say seventy-five per cent of the top ten businesses in this County. There are some statistics that your City administrators have and I think they include companies like... well, I won't mention companies. I will say major banks, major commercial establishments, one or two of the airlines. Now, I want to tell you in words of one syllable, you are paying more than I'm paying my employees and I'm paying their taxes and I don't want to pay them anymore for higher pension plans than I think is necessary to attract the people to come to work here. Now, that really is the long and short of it. I am a major taxpayer in this County, in the City and I think more importantly than my own taxes which I'm really not all that worried about, is the fact that I can't believe that you have to pay that kind of money to attract people to work for this wonderful city and I think that... and I'm not accusing anybody of anything. I think that what happens is you sort of go along with the system and you sort of say "Well, that's what it's been for years and that's what I would like it to be and I don't want to change anything". For example, I don't know why you have to pay more than Metro. I don't know how much Metro pays, but I found out that they are part of the State system. That means to me that they are paying the same pension benefits that the State is paying. gl 5 September 17, 1985 Why do you need to pay more than the State? if people can't come to work here for the same thing that we are paying at the State or the County we have got a problem. Mr. Mayor, let me just close by saying this. 1. want to make it very clear. that I come here in the most constructive manner I know how. I have come to thank all of you for serving. I have come to thank the people who work for the City for working and I'm saying that I think it's essential that we create some sort of crisis mentality in our treads and Maurice, I would finish with this. If I had the guts to do it, I. would convene a meeting of some of my friends and may be at the Chamber and around and say I have just come from a meeting of the City and the County Commission, because the same thing hold true of the County and they have a ---each of them ---a payment due on a major general obligation bond on Monday and this Friday afternoon at 4:00 O'clock and both of the Finance Directors and both of the City Managers have said we don't have the money to pay it. Well, I think what would happen is that all the people in the room, the bankers and the lawyers and the accountants would start a rescue operation much as they did in New York City and someone like Felix Roatin would come forward and say I will do it, but I want certain controls and I want certain assurances and I want certain guarantees. Well, I would recommend to you that you do that now. Don't wait until you can't make the payment, because I assure you at the rate you are going you won't be able to make some payments and that the spirit of why I'm here. Mayor Ferre: Mr. Fine, let me thank you for your presentation and for the courage and outspokenness which we all respect and admire. I would like to answer the three points that you basically made. With regards to the pension fund and this is, please, not any personal criticism. It's just that I understand that you are a very busy man and you do not... you can't read all the newspapers, nor do you always watch television and nor can you be fully informed as to what the City of Miami is doing. I would like to inform you that when we finished the litigation that has been plaguing the City for many years called the "Gates Case" which you are aware of. That very same day I made a statement and this Commission passed a resolution that we could no longer afford to pay pensions as we had been paying them before that time. The reason this was not done before is because legally we could not since we were in the middle of a very complex and a very heavy duty lawsuit that ran in the millions and millions of dollars as you know. The Manager and we are talking about Sergio Pereira, because this happened while... this happened about three months ago, was instructed to immediately retain the best experts that he could find so as to change the pension system for all new employees starting January 1st. Now, the reason... I know you didn't know it or you wouldn't have made the statement you made. Mr. Fine: No way. Mayor Ferre: Yes. Now, the reason why we are concerned about the pension system that you mentioned which is a State system and I think it was my colleague Commissioner Plummer who pointed out or I pointed out and he has some statistics on it, that it is a well—known fact that the pension plan of the State of Florida is in much worse condition than the City of Miami and it is a lot closer to bankruptcy than ours is and ours is not close at all to bankruptcy. As a matter of fact our actuarial studies and our people feel very comfortable with the premise that now that we have gotten the Gates Case behind us we feel very comfortable with it. That does not mean that we are satisfied with the pension plan and I think all of us on this Commission and I'm sure you will hear from the others feel that is time for us to reevaluate the City's present pension system for future employees. We can't by law affect those that are already employees that are covered by this pension system. Now, with regards to the question of privatization, which is I think the issue that you are talking about. I have personally written a memorandum to the Manager and I sent him and members of the Commission and to Ms. Dougherty, I think, a copy of the Wall Street Journal article that came out about a month and a half ago talking about the modern trend in America of privatization, I think is what the word that the Wall Street Journal used and to that point this City Commission went on record about a year ago instructing the Manager, then Manager, to immediately find a proper corporation that specializes in studying these things and to start with the number one issue which was the garbage and trash collection in the City of Miami to see whether or not it made any economic sense to go to private garbage and trash collectors. An RFP went out. A company was chosen. It was a good company. gl 6 September 17, 1985 It's based in Chicago. We are spending a lot of money and they will be coming back with a report within this next month or two. Now, with regards to the privatization of other departments. Now, we do not feel that we can privatize the Police Department or the Fire Department, but we do feel that there are other departments that can be privatized and the Manager is now and I'm sure he can speak for himself and give you a report and he will read it from his budget message which, unfortunately, you were unable to read and by the way, any time you want a budget message your secretary knows how to get my secretary or anybody on this Commission and I would personally hand deliver to you a budget message. You will find in that budget message inside and the Manager will read it to you in a moment, is that specific point. We are already well under way in looking at the ability for us to contract out the maintenance of vehicles. The maintenance of equipment. We are looking for ways to cut those expenses. With regards to parks, we are also as you will see in a memorandum that the Manager has released, i think today, looking for ways to get neighborhoods and corporations and people involved in the maintenance and the upkeep of our parks and get... and require perhaps a better system. I dread to think that we wouid have to resort to what Miami Beach is doing which is as you saw the paper this morning, chopping down trees so that they don't have to trim them for five years. I mean, that is... Mr. Fine: Well, you can look at Miami Beach and see what they are going to be doing and we will be doing that in the City and the County if we are not careful. Mayor Ferre: Let me address two other issues, which you mentioned. One dealt with the Coconut Grove Exhibition Hall. You mentioned Mr. Marty Margolis.. You mentioned Woody Wiser. There is an association and the association is headed by Mr. Marshall... What's Marshall's last name? Steingold. Marshall Steingold and it's called the "Coconut Grove Hotel and Merchants Association". Now, they are presently... they have presently looked at the Coconut Grove Exhibition Hall and we have been... they have been, I'm sorry, negotiating with the Aspen Institute with the idea of trying to get the Aspen Institute somehow to take an interest and with that as a basis to put out an RFP to get the private sector along with the City of Miami to expand the Coconut Grove Exhibition Hall. It's a great idea. We thank you for... and I want to tell you that Marshall and the hotel owners are very interested in doing that and I think it's a super idea. We need to study that. Now, with regards to... Mr. Fine: May I just respond to that one phase? You know, I have a second home in Aspen and I'm a member of the Aspen Institute. I attended a seminar there this year and I remember when they tried to do this last year here at Mayfair House. I would suggest to you with all due respects that they are going through a reorganization now at the Aspen Institute and I hope your RFP or your concept is not built around that. Mayor Ferre: It is not. The idea is basically... what we need here is kitchen facilities, meeting rooms expanded and that's something that I think the private sector is working and elaborating an idea that they are coming to talk to us about at the proper time once they have gotten together and they have their act together. Now, with regards to the privatization of other facilities, I might point out to you that exhibition halls traditionally lose money. There is not one single exhibition hall in America that makes money, not one. They do not exist;... they are money losers. So, any exhibition hall, if you make it bigger you just lose more money and I'm not opposed to it based on that, because I think it's a serve that we have to render to our hotel industry and perhaps the private sector would be willing to relieve us of it and perhaps run it as a consortium of all the Coconut Grove hotels and that's something that we need to look at. Now, with regards to... Mr. Fine: Pardon me. May I ask is there any bonded indebtedness against that? Mayor Ferre: No, sir there is not. Mr. Fine: Well, there is no exhibition hall in America that doesn't have a bonded indebtedness against it. So, you know more about that than I do, but I want to call to your attention that to the best of my knowledge I have never seen one financed other than with bonds in one form or than other or private entrepreneurs and I have a dear cousin as you know, who owns Capital Center U and he would be glad to trade you Ills mortgage for lots of the mortgages you have around here. I think that that facility because it has no bonded indebtedness can, indeed, be operated by a private group at a profit. Mayor Ferre: T think it's a good recommendation for us to pursue. Now, with regards to marinas, narks, tennis courts, golf courses and things like that, I think that perhaps those are areas we also need to look at, but I might point out to you that this City committed a mistake in the past by going out and taking out marinas and letting the private sector run them for a while and T might point out to you that since we have taken them back we have made some very very substantial profits in running Lhese marinas. So, that's something that we are going to have to deal with. One Last thing. Mr. Fine: And then I would like to when you finish. Mayor Ferre: Yes. There is one last thing that I wanted to mention to you. You mentioned a financial crisis and the press is obviously here. I want you to know that when New York got into its financial crisis and MACK was created as you pointed out, it honest to goodness was in a financial crisis because of its tremendous indebtedness and it ended up going in its ratings from the "A" that it had to a "C" rating and below that for a while. Now, the City of Miami, unlike New York City, owes the State of Florida constitution permits a fifteen per cent of our assessed value. Now, ours is under three per cent. In addition to that our bonded indebtedness is slightly over ten per cent of our total budget and it's under twenty per cent which is one of the lowest in the South of a major American cities. As a consequence of those two figures and the fact that our total debt does not exceed a hundred thirty million dollars for a city of this magnitude, we as you know, have an "A" rating. It is one of the highest ratings in the State of Florida and furthermore, in the past two years in every single bond issue that we have sold, we have sold it substantially under what Metropolitan Dade County and other authorities in South Florida are selling their bonds for. Now, the only reason I point this out is because I think that both Standard and Poor and Moodys is looking upon the City of Miami as a fairly well financed city. Now, with regards to this pending financial crisis. When I first became Mayor of the City of Miami the coffers of the City were receiving about twenty or twenty-five million dollars in ad valorem taxes. The ad valorem taxes of the City were being paid by the homeowners of Miami. Seventy-five per cent of our taxes in the year 1970 were paid for by little home owners, property owners. Today we are not too far from a hundred million dollars from ad valorem taxes and of that well over sixty per cent is paid for by the commercial sector of our base and not by the homeowner. The homeowner is now paying about thirty-five per cent. We hope, all of us on this Commission want to take that down to twenty-five per cent, but that hundred million dollars and it's actually eighty what? Eighty-nine million dollars that we get now from ad valorem taxes. That eighty-nine million dollars Mr. Fine, is about... it's getting close to fifty per cent of our budget. There was a time in the City of Miami when John McMullin was saying Miami is about to go bankrupt, that it was down to thirty-five per cent. In order words in the good old days of Miami, Ok, our ad valorem taxes shrunk down to thirty-five per cent our of total budget. We are now close to fifty per cent. I submit to you that there is no other government in the State of Florida that is as close to fifty per cent in their total budget that comes from ad valorem taxes as the City of Miami. So, if there is a pending financial crisis for the City of Miami believe me that it will affect Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Metropolitan Dade County much worse. Coral Gables, Hialeah much worse than it will affect the City of Miami and lastly with regards to this financial crisis that may be in the horizon. When you read that Metropolitan Dade County is about to embark on a ninety million dollar per year deficit for its transportation system, if they are lucky, that means that you know it's going to be over a hundred million dollars, then I submit... and they are also almost... Mr. Fine: They are at 9.91. Mayor Ferre: They are higher than we are, not that it makes any difference, but I assure you that by the end of the next fiscal year or two, we will be well over a hundred million dollars in ad valorem taxes and that the City of Miami is in fairly good shape. Now, that does not mean and I well recognize, that prudence would mean that we would now approach our problems in a very gl 8 September 17, 1985 cautious manner, because obviously, there is going to be some federal cut backs and obviously, there may be some state cut backs and so on, but I would say to you, we are all in this same boat together, of these Florida cities; but I would in the same breath tell you that of all the Florida cities the most fiscally sound is the City of Miami. Mr. Fine: Mr. Mayor, let me just close with a comment or two. First of all I appreciate that civics lesson and as always you give a good one. I did not use the word "crisis" with any sense of trying to panic anyone, but rather... Mayor Ferre: Well, that's going to be the headline in Lhe paper tomorrow. Mr. Fine: Well, I would hope it isn't because I Lhi.nk that they can deal with their headlines anyway they want to, but the fact of the matter is if 1 said there was a problem I think we would get a yawn. I'm trying to get some attention. Let me share with you that I as a citizen of Dade County have the same concerns with the County and I have expressed it to the County and the County has these deep deficit operations LhaL are problems and I think we need to deal with them. I think the time to get... to really get well Is when you are not hurting to badly and it's no different from medicine today. All of us are in to well medicine as opposed to waiting to get sick to go to the doctor. I'm suggesting to you that we become aggressively concerned about how we can do things better, more efficiently and more cheaply and in that regard I thank you for the opportunity to come here and discuss it with you. Mr. Carollo: Marty, I hope next time you two want to have a very in-depth discussion on the financial well-being and history of Miami, you guys can work something out, do it over lunch. I will even treat. Mr. Fine: Well, I thank you. 1 will be happy to be there with you. Thank you very much. Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Fine, before you leave, sir. You said that we do not own or we do not have to pay for hospital, therefore, we are lucky. On the 30th of January 1942 the City of Miami gave land to Dade County and the covenant with that land was that Dade County would pay for indigent care for the City of Miami residents. So, I mean, I don't see where we, as Commissioners, should reel sorry for Dade County for having made an agreement. Ok, sir. Also, we the City ---not me now, because I wasn't here ---but this... Mr. Fine: You weren't here in 42 Miller during that? Mr. Dawkins: No, not on this Commission, but I was here though, Marty. We also, I think at one time owned some land that is now called the Seaport. Ok. But again, this Commission saw fit to give it to the County. Ok. Now, and all these things somebody had the wisdom to give up that belongs to the City of Miami and now because they are in trouble, you know, that we should feel sorry, you know, I'm ready... I will take the Seaport off their hands any time they get ready, you know. We will take it tomorrow and be glad to take it. Wouldn't we, Mr. Mayor? Mayor Ferre: Yes, but not Jackson Memorial Hospital. Mr. Dawkins: No, no. We got a signed agreement here with them. See it say they would... this is the Jackson Memorial Hospital. Mr. Fine: When you finish I would like to respond to that. Mr. Dawkins: Ok. The other thing is I agree with you as to the purchasing. Now, the Manager and we have been discussing the purchasing of police vehicles. What's the budgeted amount for purchase of police vehicles, Mr. Manager? Mr. Pereira: About six Hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Dawkins: No, no, I mean per unit. Mr. Pereira: Fifteen. gl 9 September 17, 1985 �`' Mr. Dawkins., Fifteen thousand. The County is purchasing them for nine thousand on a State contract. So, like you say, why aren't we purchasing on the same State contract, Marty? I mean, I agree with you. See. So, we are together. The other thing is I also have instructed the Sanitation Department that since they are talking about civiliani.zation then don't sit down and wait until it happens, go hire you a consultant that will take the RFP and bring back a proposal where this Sanitation Department can bid on providing sanitation services and it becomes the entity that operates the Sanitation Department and that many people would not be out of the job. The other thing is and you and I don't have to get into rapid transit, because l voted against that, but that's rapid transit. That's Dade County's baby, you know. They are the ones who decided to go South and bring White folks up to Liberty City and work and then bring it up here with me and now they don't have no ridership and they got a problem. The other thing is, you know, we added police ... tell him how many police did we add and Dade County didn't add a one? We added police when everybody came down here and said add police, we added them. Dade County refused to add them. So, now Dade County has got to come up and add police. So, now we are... So, they are the ones who failed, in my opinion, to meet the needs that you are addressing now and again, if you will... somebody over here can do the research ---a couple of four or five months ago Merritt Stierheim refused to match with... hey, amigo when you were over there didn't Merritt Stierheim refuse to match some federal dollars and because he didn't match the federal dollars they were lost to the County? That's all right, I will go to the library and get it myself since you can't remember. See, but these are the things that got them in the problem that they are in, Marty. Mr. Fine: Miller, let me just respond very briefly, if I may. I think we need to learn in this community to be able to share some thoughts and opinions without pointing fingers at anyone and I didn't come here to point ... pardon me, just one minute. I didn't come here to point the finger at this Commission. I came here because I really feel an obligation as a citizen to say these things and it nothing else, the mere fact that you say that the County is buying police cars for nine thousand and we are spending sixteen tells me my forty-five minutes here was well spent. I don't want to deal with that. Mr. Plummer: We are not spending sixteen thousand for police cars. We are spending sixteen thousand, more than sixteen thousand by the time you put in radios, mobile digitals, the special equipment, the light bar and all of that and I'm sure the County's will not be any cheaper. Mr. Pereira: Furthermore, if I might interject here. We bought our cars this year on the same State contract that the County has. Mr. Fine: Good. Mr. Pereira: And the parts also, by the way, we buy them out of the same. Mr. Dawkins: But Marty, you have never come here pointing fingers. See. But I have no problems with pointing the finger. Ok. Mayor Ferre: Mr. Manager, you want to read into the record and for Mr. Fine's edification the statement. Mr. Fine: I don't need to take time.... Mayor Ferre: Well, but I mean, you brought out some important things. This is a public hearing and you got the press here. I think they need to be answered. Mr. Fine: Sure. Mr. Pereira: Mayor, I think that in your response you alluded to the three items certainly, that Mr. Fine brought to our attention. I will point out to you on page five of my budget message where there is a subsection called "Implementation of the concept of privatization" and basically, we are, you know, we want to introduce this concept to Miami government in Fy'86. It's something that, you know, I have stated to you and it certainly is part of the record and on the budget message. In terms of the pension fund as you alluded gl 10 September 17, 1985 All to under the leadership of the Commission and the efforts of your administration, we are in the process of... we have advanced tremendously in looking at a new pension plan. We have engaged our attorneys in New York City to look at the effect of having a new pension plan in connection with the refinancing of our existing outstanding, you know, liability which is an issue of concern to your administration and certainly an issue of concern to you. In terms of some of the facilities that we have, we also alluded in the... in our budget message that we will be... that we are reviewing and we will be making some recommendations to you as to the possibility of having the private sector operate some of our facilities. These are issues that have been addressed as part of tie budget message as well as during the course of the business transaction and Lhe Commission. In terms of... Ok. That's all I want to say sir. Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you. All right, thank you, Mr. Fine. Mr. Fannatto. Mr. Ernie Fannatto: Ernie Fannatto is my name and I'm president of the Taxpayers League Miami and Dade County and the homestead Tax Exemption League in Dade County. Mayor Ferre: Don't forget the bus riders Mr. Fannatto: We have formed a new organization here in Dade County called "Bus Riders Action League of Dade County", because Metro government is on the verge of wrecking the economy of the businessmen in City of Miami and I'm going to elaborate on that a little later Mayor, but I'm going to start off by saying Mr. Manager, you are the one who is going to take the flack on the budget. You are to recommend a budget to the taxpayers ... I mean, of the taxpayers to the Commission and they should only be the very necessary projects, not all that everybody wants, because if you are going to do all that, you know, what you are going to have, you are going to over budget and have a big increase in taxes. I want you at least to hold the line. I don't care if some of these people's projects, even though they are important are cut and cut and if you don't do that you are letting the taxpayers down. I'm going to start off by saying if you undertake too many projects you can't become economically and financially efficient and I hope you remember that. And I'm going to start off right now by saying what my priorities are here in Dade County. First, I want to congratulate Mayor Ferre, Commissioner Dawkins and Commissioner Plummer. I heard the workshop and they said they were a hundred per cent for Police and Fire and so am I, because without police and firemen you are going to have a second class community. We need to cut crime and we need to cut it bad. tie need our policemen, we need our firemen to be Johnny on the spot. Now, let me tell you I happen to be living in one of the senior citizen projects that the firemen have been there Johnny on the spot. Mr. Chief of Police, your people have been making rounds too and I want to thank you very much for it. But I... Mayor Ferre: Well, thank you very much, Ernie, for your statement and I want to tell you just on the record how proud I am that a citizen like you spends as much time... I couldn't believe that you sat through all those budget hearings and it just shows you the dedication that you have and we are all very proud of that and thank you very much. Mr. Fannatto: Well, I happen to be the representative of the Harry King Towers and we did have it pretty rough there until the Chief of Police doubled up his effort and right now they make the rounds, crime is cut. And I'm going to say what I said before, until they break up these young gangs of three, four and five, we are never going to cut crime, but I think the Chief is doing that and I see him. Now, I want to talk about my priorities and I said they are Police and Fire. Next to that I want to see taxes cut. I want crime cut. I want to help the handicapped and disabled and without a first class bus system we can't transport our people who come here and come to our city or Miami or Dade County. The tourists must be transported and the working people have got to be transported to and from work in a reasonable amount of money and they haven't been doing that. Metro is on the verge of going to a dollar twenty-five cent fair. Mr. Carollo: You know why, Ernie? gl 11 September 17, 1985 Mr. Fannatto: I will tell you why in a little while. Mr. Carollo: Because of Metrorail, that's why. Mr. Fannatto: Yes, it's Metrorail and I want to congratulate the Herald. You see this here, the three elephants? That big white elephant. Let me just tell you about that. I say this here and I said it before and Mr. Freeman and I was . I wasn't for this project, because you can't perform a big city project in a rural county without paying the price in the feeder system and that's what's happening and you know what they are trying to do to Dade County. You know what they did? I will just tell you the ridership and I think you folks should... Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Fine say don't point your finger. Mr. Fannatto: What? Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Fine say don't point fingers. Mr. Fannatto: He didn't bring up the ridership. That's the most important thing of all that I wanted to bring up. Mr. Carollo: Go ahead and do that Ernie. Mr. Fannatto: That is in here. That the ridership in Dade County only rode: in Metrorail three million two hundred thousand. Now, it was only half built, but the best part of Metrorail was built. So, if you double that when it gets built, if it was built it would be six million four hundred thousand. Do you know how many people rode the buses? Sixty million one hundred thousand. Now, these are the figures of the Planning Department of Metro, not mine and they admitted it. But what are they doing? I will tell you what they are doing and this is some of tile... They had the audacity to come out and say if they raised the price of parking downtown from five to ten dollars, it will help the ridership of Metrorail. Now, isn't that childish? We have got hundreds of millions of dollars that you folks have voted for and so did I recommend, otherwise, the taxpayers would be paying four or five hundred dollars more in taxes downtown and they... we have a lot of business people, attorneys who have clients, doctors who have clients. We have big stores. We have all the merchants on Flagler Street and by the way they are all against this statement. It's a childish statement that was made by Clara Oesterle, Keyser Company and... Mr. Carollo: The Non -group? Mr. Fannatto: Who? Mr. Carollo: The Non -group? Mr. Fannatto: No. Anyway I will hit this in a minute. But anyway Clara Oesterle is a very fine person, but let me just tell you about Clara Oesterle... I'm going to call them like they are. She has been the cutest financial headache that this County ever had, and let me tell you something, she is out to break this here bus system regardless what they are doing. They are taking about forty buses, thirty to forty buses off of the line... thirty to forty... Mr. Plummer: Ernie, you know, that this is not the County hearing all right. Oh, ok. Mr. Fannatto: Yes, it is because it involves the businessmen of this City when they don't have a bus system. Mayor Ferre: All right, Ernie, we need to move along. Mr. Fannatto: No, no, I want this said because they are going to raise the fare. They are going to cut the buses and you are not going to have any buses downtown to move your tourist around and the people that go to work and I'm going to tell you they are out to break this County and I want to... I'm proud of the Miami Herald this time. They come out and told the people... gl 12 September 17, 1985 Mr. Carollo: Ernie, Ernie,... Mr. Fannatto: Wait a minute. But this man told the truth, Mr. Carollo: For the record, those are not Republican elephants. Mr. Fannatto: Well, I don't know about these elephants, but there are only three of them; There should have been more. Yes. But that part is all right. Mr. Carollo: It they would have put one ►.►ore Ernie it would have fell through. All the problems they have with, you know, the beef. Mr. Fannatto: I think that Clara Oesterle should go back home and wash dishes and cleaning clothes. I hate to say it. She is the finest person you ever want to meet, but she is one of the worst business people we ever had and I know it's going to get back to her, but the time has come when we have got to do something. Anyway I would like to see something done in the direction of helping the disabled and the handicapped. That's ray next priority. Mayor Ferre: I think that's a wonderful suggestion. Mr. Carollo: Mr. Mayor, I can't let this go on without clarifying the record. Ernie, I think you have had a little mental lapse there. Everything you said is great, but you forgot that it was the morning and afternoon Miami Herald together with the Non -group that they lead that brought us Metrorail. They were the ones that said that this was going to save Dade County, that it was not going to cost the taxpayers anything, that is was going to pay itself and now what we have is a situation that most likely because of Metrorail you are going to be seeing Dade County in the next three to five years go as close as you possibly can to the verge of bankruptcy. Ninety million dollars deficit because of Metrorail that might be very very conservative. You will probably be closer in the near future to over a hundred twenty million dollars. Now, these are the guys that want to meet every month and tell us how we have to run this community, the same guys that brought you Metrorail, the same guys that brought you the 1980 riots after they stirred up this whole community. You forgot that Ernie. I mean, of course, they got to cover themselves to talk about it now. Mr. Fannatto: But they did come out with the truth on this one though. But they did come out and said Metro... Now, I want to show you folks a whole page ad that I had. Mayor Ferre: Mr. Fannatto, we will let you finish your statement, but we have already gone now fifteen minutes. Mr. Fannatto: Yes, but I do want the people to see where I stood on Metrorail. Mayor Ferre: I will give you five more minutes and then we got to cut off. Mr. Fannatto: I said it's time for the truth and that it will never work. It's not financially feasible and let me tell you if this keeps up and we don't do something about it the homeowners in this City and County are going to hock their homes. They are eventually going to lose them, but I do want to... Mr. Carollo: I agree with you in that Ernie. Mr. Fannatto: Now, I just want to conclude by saying Mr. Manager, I don't want to keep saying what I did. You are the one that should take the leadership. You have got a good staff, you inherited a good staff. I think you were intelligent when you where on Metro. I think you are able to digest some of the constructive recommendations they make to you and I don't want you to come up with anything less than holding the line, no matter what it is cut all the projects to the extend that you are going to hold the line. Do �. something for the taxpayers and you know what, if you do that I will be the first one to come up here and say Mr. Manager, I want your contract extended. Thank you. 81 13 September 17, 1985 4.r i Mr. Plummer: What contract? Mr. Fannatto: Wells when his contract expires there. Mr. Carollo: What would you do if he don't do that Ernie? Mr. Fannatto: If lie holds the line I would be glad to do it because I think that it would be a wonderful gesture to the taxpayers... Mr. Carollo: What would you do if he doesn"t do that Ernie? Mr. Fannatto: Well, you know, what else could you do but... you criticize a little bit here and there. Mayor Ferre: Thank you very much, Mr. Fannatto. Mr. Fannatto: You are welcome. Thanks for the extra time. Mayor Ferre: All right, and now we have Admiral Van Edsall. Mr. Van Edsall: Mr. Mayor and gentlemen of the Commission, my name is Van Edsall and I live at 10240 Southwest 127th Street and I'm here today representing Miami Citizens Against Crime and I would like to make a few comments about the police budget. I would preface it by saying that on the way here listening to the radio I heard excerpts of remarks by Chief Dickson relative to the situation on 1-95 and the great work that you, the Commission, and Chief Dickson have done in cleaning up that mess is certainly appreciated by myself and my organization and the citizens of the City and the county. That's a great step forward. I'd like to just for a moment, go back to 1981 and come forward very quickly. In the period 1981 to 1983, the City of Miami added some 22% more policemen - uniformed policemen. Your arrest rate during that same period went up by 35%, and your prime rate crime down by 5%. Mr. Carollo: Excuse me, Admiral, sorry to interrupt you. You said that between ... Admiral Van Edsall: 1981 and 1983. Mr. Carollo: ... In 1983, we added how many more police officers? Admiral Van Edsall: Increased the force by 22%. Mr. Carollo: Between 1981 and 1983? Admiral Van Edsall: Yes, sir. Mr. Carollo: I think you will find that it might have been a little more, because ... Admiral Van Edsall: I read the numbers straight out of the uniformed code of the State of Florida. Mr. Carollo: When I came aboard in 1979, and throughout 1980, and the beginning of 1981, I don't know what we were budgeted for. Admiral Van Edsall: I'm talking on -board numbers. Mr. Carollo: However, what we actually had on board, was closer to 650 sworn police officers, which means that today, we have 400 more, that is more than 22 percent, where there might be a slight discrepancy maybe, if you are only counting up to 1983, maybe that comes to 22% increase only to 1983, and the rest came after 1983. Admiral Van Edsall; Mr. Commissioner, I just get the numbers straight out of the uniform crime reports, which are a reflection of what the City reports. Mr. Carollo: I don't know who made those drastic mistakes, then, but since 1981, we increased the actual sworn police officers, by approximately 400. I know, since I made every single motion before anybody came over here to tell us that we needed more police officers. gl 14 September 17, 1985 vs'>. Admiral Van Edsall: The numbers reported by the City to the State were 859 on board in 1981, and 1,045 on board in 1983. That is 22%. Mr. Carollo: Chief, can you ... Admiral Van Edsall: But, that is not my major point. Mr. Carollo: ... pull somebody out. It is important to clarify that issue. Can you pull somebody out - not for now, but if you could get those numbers for us and send the Commission a copy of all those numbers and the Miami Citizens Against Crime also, please. Admiral Van Edsall: My fundamental point was in the period 1981 to 1983, you took great action increasing the police force. Arrest rates, which is the fundamental function one expects of policemen, went up significantly, and the crime rate came down. That was great. In 1984, policemen actually on board decreased by 30 or so, from 1,045 to 1,019. Your arrest rate went down. The crime rate went up, and a couple of other significant things were happening. Number one, calls for service were going up. Your calls for service by most professional policemen, are nonproductive in terms of doing of the pro -active things that we would want our police force to do, so that was a detraction. The second thing that was happening in the City of Miami, was both good and bad, and that is the number of special events and the number of police man hours devoted to special events, were going up in 1984. That is good in the sense that that is the life and blood of our co►mnunity, in a sense - those kind of things like Miss Universe and Grand Prix and so on and so forth, but they are eating up a lot of police man-hours. So, those things called up and special events are eating man-hours. That was going on in 1984, so in 1984, what happened? Your arrest rate went down significantly, 19% and your crime rate went up 5%. In 1985, those trends are continuing, that is to say, calls are still going up. Special event man hours are going up. Arrest rates are going down and the crime rate is going up 11% in 1985, thus far, so the situation remains serious. Now, in your budget, you are requesting, as I understand it, 80 additional Public Service Aides ... Mr. Plummer: A maximum of 150. Admiral Van Edsall: Increased from 70 to 150 ... 80, is the number, as I understand it. Sir? Mr. Plummer: That is correct, sir. Admiral Van Edsall: That is great. Public Service Aides are a fine tool. They help a lot, and we applaud you for that. The second thing you are recommending, as I understand it, is up to 150 additional civilians, which would free police officers to get on the street. That also is a fine concept. I think perhaps given what you have done in the past two or three years, because you have been doing a good deal of that in the past two or three years, much to your credit, I think that the number of 150 additional civilians may begin to eat away at sworn officers who you really cannot free up to put on the street, because there are some police officers in what one might classify as administrative duties which really cannot be exchanged for a civilian, so I think you need to look closely at those numbers - I know your Chief will. Mr. Plummer: Well, so you will know, Admiral, okay? ... the Chief has identified already, if I remember correctly, and he can speak to it - 156 positions that can be freed up in his estimation and his recommendation. Admiral Van Edsall: The last ingredient that I want to mention to you, as I know you folks are very well aware, is you have two permanent substations coming on line sometime in the fiscal year in which you are budgeting for now towards the end of that fiscal year, and those two substations, as great as that concept is, and we were certainly in favor of it, they are going to require manpower, so our suggestion, or recommendation is that you look closely at the 150 civilian figure, take some of that money that would go into that number and put it in the additional sworn officers that would allow you to deal with the substation question, allow you to deal with the special events increase that is eating up police manpower, and to give you some ld 15 September 17, 1985 incremental start on getting at some higher numbers in your sworn officer force. That is the substance of what we have to say and would be. Everything we have suggested is within the money scope that you have already provided for, so in essence, we are really saying, look at that number of 150 civilians, and make some of them police officers, and we believe that will help Chief Dickson and his force. Thank you, very much. Mayor Ferre: Thank you very much. Are there any other speakers at this time? Does anybody else wish to address the Commission? One last time, is there anybody in the public who wishes to address the Commission on this budget? Mr. Plummer: I move to close the public hearing. Mayor Ferre: Is there a second? Mr. Perez: Second. Mayor Ferre: Further discussion? Call the roll, please. UPON MOTION DULY MADE AND SECONDED, PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF THE MEETING WAS CLOSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins Commissioner Demet-rio Perez, Jr. Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo Mayor Maurice A. Ferre NOES: None ABSENT: None 2. REQUESTING DADE COUNTY TO PROVIDE A REDUCED BUS FARE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. Mayor Ferre: Are there any further amendments or changes? Mr. Dawkins: I have one. Mr. Manager, on Page 247 of your budget, on contributions, I see $25,000 to the University of Miami, for what? Mr. Plummer: Do you want me to answer for you? Mr. Dawkins, we entered into a contract with the University of Miami. Rather than going money into publicity, some years ago, we guaranteed them a $25,000 payment per year for 10 years, to pay for, as I recall, something that the baseball stadium out there, and we are still on that 10 year contract, sir. Mr. Dawkins: This was not a contribution. This was a payment. Mr. Plummer: It is a contribution as such, but it is an obligation that we incurred many years ago. Mr. Carollo: It has got nothing to do with the season tickets, right? Mr. Plummer: No, sir. It is the baseball field out at the university itself. Mayor Ferre: All right, anything else? Mr. Dawkins: I would just like to say that since the University of Miami has got a baseball field, I'd like to see Florida Memorial have a basketball field that needs some lights or something for $25,000. r' Mr. Plummer: I would say the proper way to do that, Commissioner Dawkins, is to have them make a proposal to the Commission and we can consider it. a Id 16 September 17, 1985 Mr. Dawkins: All fright, then I will go back then and let's scratch this $25,000 until we consider all of it? Why not? Mr. Plummer: You can't do it because we are under a contractual obligation. You know, if we could do it, I would say yes, but we made an agreement with them to make these payments, and that was part of their financing program. I will assure you that I will be looking favorably towards Florida Memorial College when they make their presentation, but I just don't see how ... you know, if I am mistaken somebody correct me. it is an obligation. What do you wish to do, Commissioner? Mr. Carollo: I would like to leave here by 7:00 P.M. o'clock, Gentlemen. Mr. Plummer: Start reading! We'll be out of here by 6:30 A.M. Mr. Manohar Surana: Action on adoption of final millage, item number 4. Mayor Ferre: We are now ... go ahead, Mano, what is the next thing? Mr. Manohar Surana: Okay, Actions by City Commission, which is item number D, within D we have item number 3, adopt the final millage, which is item number 4. Mayor Ferre: I will tell you, before we do that, there is one thing that really doesn't perhaps relate to this, because we could get it from the Federal Revenue Fund. Now, and this is not my idea - Ernie Fannatto had this idea. I think it has some sense. You know that by increasing this bus fare to a dollar, it creates a very serious problem for a lot of senior citizens. A lot of these senior citizens live within the boundaries of the City of Miami and it is not our responsibility, because the buses belong to the County, and it is something that we should ... but, on the other hand we are being affected. A lot of citizens are being affected. We take a lot this revenue - Mr. Manager, how much do we have in Federal Revenue this year in Social Services? Mr. Plummer: Social Services, $1,000,005. Mayor Ferre: I am going to tell you. I am not knocking the importance of the other Social Services that we ... but Plummer has a very simple formula, and that is food. Food! And that has priority over anything else - hot meals. But, most of these senior citizens get that food by getting on a bus and riding to either Robert King High, or to the Allapattah Center, or they get medical, and I will tell you, we are subsidizing some of these ... Mr. Manager? ... we are subsidizing some of these people with transportation plans that we are paying for and I am not out to knock them, but I do think that I would like to pass a resolution that would go like this ... that I would recommend that the City of Miami Commission go on record as asking the Metropolitan Dade County to permit senior citizens between the hours of 9:00 o'clock and 12:00 o'clock to be able, for medical and health and food purposes, to use the Metropolitan bus system for 50 cents, rather than $1.00, just during that period of time. Now, should they refuse to do that, I think we need to look at the possibility of our helping these senior citizens, provided however, that the total sum not exceed $100,000. Now, I would imagine that it would be much less than $100,000, but I am talking about people over 65 years of age, that are residents of the City of Miami and have proof of it, that somefiow, we work out some kind of a system, that out of that Federal Revenue, that we receive $1,000,000 for social services, that that be given some kind of priority. Mr. Plummer: Second your motion. Mr. Dawkins: Under discussion, senior citizens already have a reduced card, so are we saying that we will give them another one, Mr. Mayor, or ... Mayor Ferre: No, what I am saying ... Ernie, you explain it. How much are the seniors ... the seniors now get 25 cents off and they pay 75 cents, and all we are saying is ... Mr. Fannatto: They have a reduced rate - they pay 35 cents now. x Id 17 September 17, 1985 ft r Mr. Dawkins: Each way? Mr, Fannatto: Every time they go on the bus they pay 35 cents, and then the fare is ... Mr. Dawkins: So that is 70 cents, is that what you are saying? Mr. Fannatto: Yes, they go two ways. Of course, if they get a transfer, it is 10 cents extra. Mayor Ferre: How much does the senior citizens pay? Mr. Fannatto: But now, they are going to raise it to 50 cents, plus 25 cents. Mayor, the reason I didn't talk about that, our senior citizens presidents- of all the ten senior citizens were supposed to be here and he isn't here, but being as how I brought it up, the senior citizens will not be able to pay no $1.00 after regular hours either, and that is what they are going to do! Mayor Ferre: Ernie, we can't subsidize the bus system of Miami. Mr. Fannatto: No, no, I realize that, but if you could subsidize the cheaper rate, you will help out a lot - from 9:00 o'clock to 12:00 o'clock, or 9:00 o'clock to 1:00 o'clock for senior citizens and that would be a big help. What you are saying is ... Mayor Ferre: Well, all I am saying is, Mr. Manager, look into it. We are not going on record now as to making a decision, but look into it. How can we help senior citizens? Mr. Fannatto: I just want to finish up by saying that they definitely are going to raise the senior citizen's rate. Now, do you know what they charge in Broward County? ... 25 cents for senior citizens, and that is for any hour! Mr. Dawkins: But, they don't have a rapid transit to pay for, Ernie? Mr. Fannatto: What do you mean, the buses? Mr. Dawkins: No, Broward County. Mr. Fannatto: Oh, you mean they have the Metrorail to pay for. Mr. Dawkins: Yes, Broward County doesn't have a Metrorail to pay for. Mr. Fannatto: Oh, I agree with you! You are right on target when you say that, but the point about it is, the Metrorail should be cut. If the buses are cut, why isn't Metrorail cut? They are getting almost as much buses and their bus riders are carrying 60,000,000 riders and they only carry 3,000,000. Mr. Plummer: Put them on Metrorail. Mayor Ferre: Okay, thank you. Mr. Plummer: All right, there is a motion on the floor, and seconded. Unidentified Speaker:Just for your information the fair now is 35 cents each way. It is 25 cents for the transfers and it will be 50 cents when they raise the new fare now to $1.00. For the senior citizens it would be 50 cents. They said it was going to be $1.50 both ways. Mayor Ferre: $1.50 for a senior citizen? Unidentified Speaker: It is 50 cents plus 25 cents for the transfer. Mayor Ferre: Mr. Manager, we obviously can't settle that here, but that is something that we need to look at. I am just talking about from 9:00 o'clock to 12:00 o'clock to let them go get that meal and come back home. I am talking about ... Mr. Dawkins: Or go to the grocery store or wherever they have to go; get their medications ,t 5r 1 t; I 18 September 17, 1985 t Mayor Ferre: They know that from 9:00 o'clock to 12:00 o'clock that for 50 cents or for whatever, they can go out and come back home. Mr. Plummer: Call the roll. The following motion was introduced by Mayor Ferre, who moved its adoption: MOTION NO. 85-967 A MOTION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI COMMISSION GOING ON RECORD IN FAVOR OF ASKING METROPOLITAN DADE COUNTY TO PERMIT SENIOR CITIZENS TO PURCHASE A REDUCED BUS FARE OF 50C (INSTEAD OF THE PROPOSED $1.00 FARE) AND BE ABLE TO USE THE METRO BUS SYSTEM BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:00 A.M. AND 12:00 NOON IN ORDER TO FACILITATE TRIPS FOR MEDICAL VISITS, LUNCHES, ETC.; FURTHER STATING THAT IF METROPOLITAN DADE COUNTY WERE. TO REFUSE, THE CITY OF MIAMI WOULD INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,000 TO ASSIST CITIZENS RESIDING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WHO ARE OVER 65 YEARS OLD; FURTHER INSTRUCTING THE CITY MANAGER TO REVIEW THIS MATTER AND COME BACK WITH HIS RECOMiMENDATIONS. Upon being seconded by Commissioner Plummer, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote - AYES: Commissioner Demetrio Perez, Jr. Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo Mayor Maurice A. Ferre NOES: None. ABSENT: None. 3. DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI AND SETTING THE MILLAGE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI. Mr. Plummer: I move agenda item IV. Mayor Ferre: All right, is there a second? Mr. Carollo: Can item IV be read, please? Mayor Ferre: Wait a minute, there is no second - is there a second? Mr. Dawkins: Second. Mayor Ferre: We have to do this legally now. All right, further discussion? Read the ordinance. Mrs. Dougherty: I am sorry that I have to read this ordinance, as well as Number 6 in its entirety. Mayor Ferre: Call the roll. Id 19 September 17, 1985 AN ORDINANCE - AN ORDINANCE DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAXATION; FIXING THE MILLAGE AND LEVYING TAXES IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1985, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE: Passed on its first reading by title at the meeting of September 12, 1985, was taken up for its second and final reading by title and adoption. On motion of Commissioner Plummer, seconded by Commissioner Dawkins, the Ordinance was thereupon given its second and final reading by title and passed and adopted by the following vote - AYES: Commissioner Demetrio Perez, Jr. Commissioner ,tiller J. Dawkins Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Mayor Maurice A. Ferre NOES: Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo ABSENT: None. ON ROLL CALL: Mr. Carollo: If I could explain my vote, even though the millage rate has stayed the same,it is a fact that taxes indeed have gone up - the main reason they have: gone up, even though the millage rate is still the same, is that the County has appraised property higher than they did last year. Every piece of property that you could just about look at in the City has been appraised for much more. For instance, mine, for no reason at all is appraised at $27,000 more than last year. Now, that's before I put up the fence Mr. Mayor, I hate to see what it will be next year! But, that will be somebody else's problem after I sell it. I would hate to see the Mayor's with his fence. Therefore, since I have always voted against tax increases, I have to vote no. i THE ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE NO. 10038_ The City Attorney read the ordinance in its entirety into the public Y' record and announced that copies were available to the members of the City Commission and to the public. 4. MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI. Mr. Plummer: I move agenda item V. Mayor Ferre: Is there a second? Mr. Dawkins: Second. Mr. Plummer: Only if the City Attorney reads faster. Mayor Ferre: Further discussion? It has been moved and seconded. Read the ordinance. Mr. Dawkins: Do you have to read that in its entirety? Mr. Plummer: It is an ordinance, read it. Mrs. Dougherty: No, Item Number 6. r Mr. Plummer: It is an ordinance. Read it. Mrs. Dougherty: No, it is not. ld 20 September 17, 1985 Mr Plummer! item V on thy agenda is an otdinance+ Mayon Pette! Putthet discussion? Call the toll on Item V3 AN ORDINANCE - AN ORDINANCE MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986; CONTAINING A REPEALER PROVISION, AND A SEVERABILTTY CLAUSE. Passed on its first reading by title at the meeting of September 12, 1985, was taken up for its second and final reading by title and adoption. On notion of Commissioner Plummer, seconded by Commissioner Dawkins, the Ordinance was thereupon given its second and final reading by title and passed and adopted by the following vote - AYES: Commissioner Demetrio Perez, Jr. Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo Mayor Maurice A. Ferre NOES: None. ABSENT: None. THE ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE N0. 10039. The City Attorney read the ordinance into the public record and announced that copies were available to the members of the City Commission and to the public. 5. DEFINING AND DESIGNATING TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF DDA AND SETTING MILLAGE IN DDA. Mr. Plummer: I move agenda item VI. Mr. Surana: No, just the title. Mayor Ferre: Is there a second? Mr. Surana Excuse me, Commissioner Plummer, we have go through that`... Mr. Plummer: Well, hurry up! Mr. Surana: Discussion on proposed millage rate and adopted tentative budget for the Downtown Development Authority. A. Percentage increase in millage over rolled back rate -response 2.1%. B. Specific purposes for which ad -valorem tax revenues are being increased. Response - Purpose: Partial funding for Salary and Wage Increase - $6,907. C. City Commission listens and responds to citizens comments regarding the proposed millage increase and explains the reasons for the increase over the rolled back rate. Mr. Plummer: Does anybody wish to speak to item number VI? ... any member of the public? I move item VI. Mayor Ferre: Is there a second? Mr. Plummer: Read the ordinance. Mayor Ferre: Who seconded it? Mr. Plummer; Aawkine. id 21 September 17, 1985 Mr. Dawkins: No, I did not second it ! Mayor Ferre: Demetrio? Mr. Plummer: Do you second VI? VI is on the D.D.A. Mayor Ferre: All right, Perez seconds. Mr. Plummer: Read the ordinance. AN ORDINANCE - AN ORDINANCE DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OF THE. CITY OF MIAMI LOCATED WITHIN THE. TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAXATION, FIXING THE MILLAGE AND LEVYING TAXES IN THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT LOCATED WITH TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1985, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986, FIXING THE MILLAGE AT ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE TEN THOUSANDTHS (.1429) MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF THE NONEXEMPT ASSESSED VALUE OF ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN SAID DISTRICT AND PROVIDING THAT THE SAID MILLAGE AND THE TAXES LEVIED HEREIN SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THE FIXING OF THE MILLAGE AND THE LEVYING OF TAXES WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, WHICH IS CONTAINED IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 30 OF THE CITY CHARTER; PROVIDING THAT THE FIXING OF THE MILLAGE AND LEVYING OF TAXES HEREIN SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IMPOSED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI; PROVIDED THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL NOT BE DEEMED AS REPEALING OR AMENDING ANY OTHER ORDINANCE FIXING MILLAGE OR LEVYING TAXES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1985 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986, BUT SHALL BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND ADDITION THERETO; AND PROVIDING THAT IF ANY SECTION, CLAUSE OR SUBSECTION SHALL BE DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL, IT SHALL NOT AFFECT THE REMAINING PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE. Passed on its first reading by title at the meeting of September 12, 1985, was taken up for its second and final reading by title and adoption. On motion of Commissioner Plummer, seconded by Commissioner Perez, the Ordinance was thereupon given its second and final reading by title and passed and adopted by the following vote - AYES: Commissioner Demetrio Perez, Jr. Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Mayor Maurice A. Ferre NOES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo ABSENT: None. THE ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE N0. 10040. The City Attorney read the ordinance in its entirety into the public record and announced that copies were available to the members of the City Commission and to the public. Id 22 September 17, 1985 6• MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE D.D.A. Mayor Ferre: Now we are on item VII. Mr. plummert Move agenda item VII. Mayor Ferre: Is there a second to agenda item VII? Mr. Perez: Second. Mayor Ferre: Perez seconds. Read the ordinance. Mr. Plummer: Call the roll. AN ORDINANCE - AN ORDINANCE MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986; AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO INVITE OR ADVERTISE FOR BIDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF ANY MATERIAL, EQUIPMENT OR SERVICE EMBRACED IN THE SAID APPROPRIATIONS FOR WHICH FORMAL BIDDING MAY BE REQUIRED PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION TO THE ORDINANCE MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986 FOR THE OPERATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA; PROVIDING THAT IF ANY SECTION, CLAUSE OR SUBSECTION AFFE T THE DECLAREDLL BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROVISIONS OF IT SHALL NOT THIS ORDINANCE - Passed on its first reading by title at the meeting of September 12, title and adoption. On 1985, was taken up for its second and final reading by the Ordinance motion of Commissioner Plummer, seconded by CommissibyPerez, title and passed and was thereupon given its second and final reading by adopted by the following vote - AYES: Commissioner Demetrio Perez, Jr. Commissioner J• L. Plummer, Jr. Mayor Maurice A. Ferre NOES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo ABSENT: None. THE ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE NO. 10041. he c record and The City Attorney read the ordinance into to the members of CitylCommission and announced that copies were available to the public. 23 Id September 17, 1985 1 00101-�< E Pt4_ 4' II� , f-Hf Y Jr 7. BRIEF DISCUSSION ON CITY MANAGER'S NEW PARKS PLAN, Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Manager, you set--out-a special park initiative. You guys been through that while I wasn't here? Mr. Pereira: Did we go through it while you were here? Mr. Dawkins: While I wasn't here. Mr. Pereira: No. Mr. Dawkins: Okay, I would like to say that I am in favor of this, and the reason I am in favor of it, is you are saying something here about you are going to put nine people to work, is that correct? Mr. Pereira: Yes, sir - or more. Mr. Plummer: Or more. Mr. Dawkins: The other reason I am concerned, Mr. Manager, is, in two or three previous budgets, and I will read to you what I am going to give to you in a memo form. The last two City budgets have reduced most City services to provide expansion and improvement of police and fire services. Approximately $20,000,000 was removed from all public City operations while funding for police and fire operations rose by about $22,400,000 during this period. These reductions necessitated the layoff of 260 City employees, as well as eliminating 740 CETA positions. The results of these cut backs was a deterioration of services. Trash collection was reduced from once a week to once every two weeks. Parking mowing and cleanup was reduced in frequency. Recreation programs and services were cut back and maintenance activities were allowed to deteriorate, so if you are telling me that with this you are planning to attempt to correct some of this, then therefore I am with it 100%. Mr. Pereira: Yes, sir, that is the intention. Mayor Ferre: I also think it is important for people to be acknowledged when they do something creative and positive for the City, and at this time, I would like to on the public record recognize Miller Dawkins, who has, for the four years that he has been on this Commission, had as one of his principle preoccupations, the improvement of quality and services of the parks. I think through this persistent, harping, if you will, in a positive sense on this issue, I think that the Manager has come forward with, I think, an imaginative proposal, with a lot of hard work by Carl Kern and many others in the Department, and I think this is a good step in the right direction. Hopefully, with the $1,000,000 that we will be adding to the reserve, we will have a much better park system. Mr. Dawkins: Okay, Mr. Mayor, I appreciate that, but I also have to say that without the other four members of this Commission, it would have been for naught, because if we had not had a City Manager who understood that he needed three votes, he might not have changed his mind. The other Commissioners did... Mr. Plummer: The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Mayor Ferre: All right now, anything else? Id 24 September 17, 1985 N 11 8. BRIEF COMMENTS REGARDING CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENT FROM OFFSTREET PARKING AUTHORITY. Mayor Ferre: All right, anything else? I think we have a statement that needs ... somebody wants to read into the record, and I think we can't deny him that right. (INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COrDIENTS) Mayor Ferre: Yes, but we have a hot issue and we have all of these people here from the Off -Street Parking Authority and they want to read a statement. Mr. Plummer: Sorry to disagree with you. I think they want to get off the hook. Mr. Carollo: It is nothing that is going to cost us any money. Mr. Plummer; Well, you know, let me just go on the record, okay? ... and I am going to go on the record that Commissioner Carollo lead the lead in this particular issue at the last Commission meeting. This Commission took a policy. It is not going to change its policy. Mayor Ferre: Plummer, wait a moment. In the first place, we did not ... but, what we did, is we expressed an opinion. Mr. Plummer: Exactly. Mayor Ferre: Okay, now ... Mr. Carollo: An opinion of a policy that we had gone on record as supporting before. Mr. Piummer: That is correct. Mayor Ferre: That opinion is not going to be changed, I understand that. Mr. Plummer: All right then, let them make their Press conference, okay? They are the ones that are empowered to make it. Mr. Carollo: That is right. As far as I concerned, there is no safeguard in the constitution for treason and anarchy, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Plummer: That is their decision, Mr. Mayor, and as far as I am concerned Mayor Ferre: I've got no problems with any of that, except that they have a right to make their statement. Mr. Plummer: That is right, but not at a budget hearing! Mayor Ferre: Well, I will be guided by the majority. in Anything that the majority wishes to do on this Commission. I do think that this is a hot public issue. These people have come here wanting to make a statement on the record to the Commission, and I think they have got a right to do that and I think we have got an obligation to hear it. Now, you know, I hate to ... anybody that doesn't want to hear it, that is fine, but we are still in session, and I think that we have to extend to Mr. Roger Carlton, as the Administrator ... and I don't know if Mr. Weaver is going to read a statement for the Board, or whether this is an official statement from the Board, or what have you. We have got the attorney for the Parking Authority, and they want to tell us where they are at. Mr. Plummer; Is there anything in their request, Mr. Mayor, that has asked for action of this City Commission? 1d 25 September 17, 1985 uz­ Mayor Ferre: I don't think so. I think they are just informing us, but they want to do it on the record. Mr. Plummer: Send me a memo. All you are going to do is make a hot situation hotter. It is their responsibility. We knew that when we took our positions and as far as I am concerned, you know, they have got to take a stand, and whatever their stand is, they take it. Now, there is nothing this Commission can do to overturn their decision. There is nothing we can do to alter it, and I don't think this Commission is going to change its stance, so you know, I just ... I guess I am taking exception to the fact that they are coming here, and these are my good friends ... they are coming here to get off the hook. They are catching the heat, and they are going to have to take the heat, so take a position, but why do you have to do it in front of this Commission? I mean, is this the only forum in town? You need a quarter? Roger has got plenty of quarters. You can call the press. Mr. Carollo: The only request that I would like to make is that whatever decision you make is to send Mr. Kadafy in Libya a copy of it, so he can see that his money has been well spent on terrorism. Mayor Ferre: Is there anything else to come up before this Commission? Mr. Plummer: Call the newspapers! Mayor Ferre: We stand adjourned. THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION, THE MEETING HAS ADJOURNED AT 6:41 P.M. ATTEST: Matty Hirai CITY CLERK Id Maurice A. Ferre M A Y O R * I NCOKP10RATE-B * 26 September 17, 1985 A