HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-80-0549i
RESOLUTION NO. 8 0- J 4 9
A RESOLUTION �CKNOWLEDCING CANCELLATION OF
THE 1980 MIAMI/BAHAMAS GOOMBAY FESTIVAL AND
ALLOCATING UP TO $3,000 FROM THSPECIAL
��S U E. P;� T1VE COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, TO REIMBURSEFTHEFE -
DC��'`''� T MIAMI/BAHAMAS GOOMBAY FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
�'' -N 1 S FOR EXPENSES INCURRED IN PREPARATION FOR
F1- THESUBJECT TO
k-;L.L 0 W" MISSIONDOFESTIVALPROPER�DOCUMENTATIONHFORUSAID
EXPENSES.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA:
Section 1. The cancellation of the 1980 Miami/Bahamas
Goombay Festival is hereby acknowledged.
Section 2. Up to $3,000 is hereby allocated from
the Special Programs and Accounts - Quality of Life -
Community Festivals, to reimburse the Miami/Bahamas
Goombav Festival Committee for expenses incurred in
preparation for the above festival, subject to the sub-
mission of proper documentation of said expenses.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 24
ATTEST:
RA14 H G. ONGIE
CITY CLERK
PREPARED AND APPROVED BY:
ROBERT F. CLERK
ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY
day of July, 1980.
MAURICE A. FERRE
M A Y O R
AP VEU A(S TO FORM A' 1D CORRECTNESS:
G. O R i' F. K N O X, J. '— ---^ --- -
CITY ATTORNEY
"U rCu l'IENTINDEX
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5
CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA
INTER-7FFIc' MEMORANDUM
,o Joseph R. Grassie
City Manager
V004 Angel R. Bel amy
Assistant to City Manager
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U.TL July 18, 1980
FILE
s:)41k,_' Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival
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_•.�1-cTuR.s Memorandum from Chief Harms
At the June 26, 1980 City Commission Meeting, Commissioner Plummer
requested that a report be made regarding security and crowd control
in Coconut Grove for the Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival. This festival
was originally scheduled to be held on June 7 and 8, 1980, however, it
was postponed to August 9 and 10, 1980 due to the May 17-19 civil
disturbance.
A meeting was held on July 15 to discuss the concerns of the City
Commission. The meeting was attended by Mr. William Stirrup and Ms.
Pinky Sands of the Miami/Bahamas Festival in the Grove, Inc., Lt.
Herbert Altman, Commander of the Special Events Unit in the Police
Department, Tony Collins, and myself.
The original Security/Crowd Control Plan for the Goombay Festival
included 18 police officers on Grand Avenue from Douglas Road to
MacDonald Street, the area authorized to be closed by the Commission
for the festival. Due to the civil disturbances in May, the Festival
Committee expressed a concern for the need of additional police protec-
tion on streets intersecting Grand Avenue, both east and west. The
Police Department was requested to station one police officer at each
intersection, one block easterly and westerly of Grand Avenue (total of
8 officers) throughout the festival route; Margaret Street, Elizabeth
Street, Hibiscus Street and Plaza Street. In addition, the sponsoring
organization volunteered to hire neighborhood residents to serve as
block monitors to guard the booths during the night hours to inform
police officers in the event of vandalism.
Since the July 15 meeting, there has been civil unrest within the City
of Miami. The recent disturbances resulted in a recommendation by the
Police Department that the Goombay Festival be cancelled since they
could not provide adequate staff to guarantee a successful festival.
The Administration concurred with the Police Department's recommendation.
An emergency meeting of the Goombay Festival Committee was called on the
evening of July 17, 1980. Several reports were considered by the
Committee including (1) a report by Major Reese regarding the concerns
of the Police Department and their recommendation to cancel the Goombay
Festival, and (2) a report by myself regarding the Administration's
posture of supporting the Police Department's recommendation.
80-549
As a result of a genuine concern to avoid any possibility of precipi-
tating an incident, the Festival Committee voted unanimously to cancel
the 1980 Goombay Festival. The Committee did, however, indicate that
some expenses had been incurred in planning for this year's festival
and asked for the City's cash support in meeting these obligations.
While the amount of those expenses have not been substantiated by the
necessary receipts, the Committee estimated expenses to be not greater
than $3,000. I have requested an accounting of all expenses.
I am therefore recommending that (1) the Goombay Festival be cancelled
and (2) the Goombay Festival Committee be reimbursed for legitimate
expenses that were incurred in preparation for the 1980 event.
RSUP���;- +,ylE
DOCUr .
FOLLOW/
- 2 -
.0U A
Joseph R. Grassie July 17, 1980 HZD 2-3-7
City Manager Goombay Festival
�U.1.w�C� QQ.c.c.ca-ti
Kenneth I. Harms
Chief of Police
After -evaluating the advisability of holding the Goombay Festival, I have
concluded that the Police Department cannot adequately staff this function
to the degree necessary to assure its success. Consequently, I recommend
that the Festival be cancelled.
KIH:mec
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80- 549 }