HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1978-09-25 Minutes•
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CI TY OF MIAMI
SPECIAL
COMMISSION
MINUTES
OF MEETING HELD ON
SEPTEMBER 25, 1978
BUDGET HEARING
PREPARED $Y THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLEW
CITY HALL
RALPH 6, ONGIE
CITY CLERK
ElIIIIuIIIIIII IIII.III IIIIII I II IIII II III I I III III II I II III II II I I II III I I I III II I I I IIm Ii m ini III i■
NINUttg OF SPECIAL MEEtINNG OF Tat
eITy COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIhA
* * * * * * * * * *
Ott the 25th day of September, 1978, the City Commission of Miami, Florida, met
at its regular meeting place in said City in Special Session to consider
business of public import.
The meeting was called to order at 9:20 A.M. by Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
with the following members of the Commission present:
Commissioner Rose Gordon
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Commissioner (Rev.) Theodore R. Gibson
Vice Mayor Manolo Reboso
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
ALSO 'RESENT:
Joseph R. Grassie, City Manager
George F. Knox, City Attorney
Ralph G. Ongie, City Clerk
Matty Hirai, Assistant City Clerk
ABSENT: Richard L. Fosmoen, Assistant City Manager
An invocation was delivered by Captn. William (Bill) J an sson, who
then led those present in a pledge of allegiance to the flag.
1. PUBLIC HEARING: PROPOSED USES OF FEDERAL REVENUE
SHARING FUNDS.
Mayor Ferre: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, the morning session is to re-
view the Federal Revenue Sharing.. Do you have an extra copy of the memorandum?
Mr. Grassie: We'11 make extra copies for all members of the City Commission,
Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Ferre: I forgot about mine, I'm sorry I didn't bring it down. All right,
the meeting is yours Mr. Manager.
Mr. Grassie: We are waiting to get copies of your material for you before we
start, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Grassie, could we start?
Mr. Manager: If you'd like we can start without the copies, one or two Com-
missioners don't have a copy.
Mayor Ferre: Well, here, Plummer use my copy.
Mr. Plummer: Go ahead and start, we'll have one here.
Mayor Ferre: No, no, that's all right.
Mx. Grassie: I'm going to ask Rob Parkins to make some introductory statements
to lay the general ground
regards
Federalthe
Revenueprocess
distribution�hrough
in arriving at their recommendations
Mr. Rob Parkins: Thank you, Mr. Grassie.
Mayor Ferre: All right.
Mr. Parkins: The memorandum that was supplied to you discusses the overall use
plan for Federal Revenue Sharing that has been prepared by the Management and
I Or:
Budget Office. Out area; also attached, will relate to the Social Services Programs
within the context of the amount that had been budgeted for Social Services purposes.
Now, this presentation at this moment in addition to those materials that were pro-
vided to you and we'll have additional copies shortly, is simply to refresh memo-
ries at to the City of Miami's relationship to Social Services funding. Throughout
this presentation, the review of recommendations and any comments relating thereto
I'd ask that we keep in mind two basic guidelines. Funding availability and priori-
ties. Now, the first guideline -- Funding Availability - is part of the reason for
the hearing today and in reviewing the proposed use of Federal. Revenue Sharing funds
I would remind all that the purpose of providing Federal Revenue Funds for Social
Services purposes has always been basically to supplement funds currently and appro-
priately provided by those primarily responsible for providing social services to
mm our residents. In addition, as Federal Revenue Funds decline, agencies must seek
and develop other funding sources. We have, to the extent possible, encouraged some
other shift in developing CETA grants and allocations to agencies where the use of
these funds would be meaningful. The second guideline -Priorities- relates to the
� memorandum provided to you earlier. In that memorandum is listed the categories of
■ service that, I believe, we have discussed as priorities for the City of Miami's
services' needs; those being Day/Evening Care, Food Programs, Health Programs,
Counselling Programs, Employment Programs, Recreation Programs, Transportation and
Information and Referral Programs. In addressing these priorities, there were two
approaches considered. One, would have been to take the first priority -Day/Evening
Care- and fund all agencies who applied in that category with any balance remaining
to be addressed to category two and so forth. There would, however, not have been
a balance for category two had this approach been used. In other words, Day/Evening
Care would have used the total amount. The second approach -and this is the one
that was used-- was to attempt to select the best possible agency applying with
emphasis on those who had provided a past history of satisfactory service in this
category. This approach provided a better mix of services and permitted a broader
coverage of City of Miami neighborhoods. To the extent possible, then, we have
provided you with recommendations that we believe would permit a continuation of
existing levels of service within the seven categories discussed through ten agen-
cies. Accordingly, we have been unable to include the other previously funded
applying agencies within our recommendations. The package that you have --that
you should have shortly before you-- includes the breakdown of those funds, in-
cludes the distribution by recommendation and touches briefly on the process
that we used for citizens' participation services. You'll also find attached to
that memorandum an exhibit A that outlines other funds that had been requested.
Now, those funds listed from the applications themselves. To the extent possible
we verified what actual awards had been made and I'll touch on those if there are
any questions related to specific agencies.
Mayor Ferre: Any questions on the opening statement? All right, Mr. Grassie.
Mr. Grassie: Mr. Mayor, I would like if I could -I want to wait just a minute
for Commissioner Gibson if I can. I would like to direct your attention to page
two of the covering memorandum on your package for just a minute and discuss that
with you if I can. This portion of the memorandum really summarizes the entire
use of Federal Revenue Sharing Funds monies.
Mayor Ferre: The Manager wanted us to go with him, Father, on page 2.
■
■
MEM
EMM
C
Mr. Grassie: If I could just take a minute of your time and if we could turn to
page 2 of the memorandum which has a 4-column presentation of figures. I think
that if we review that you'll be in a better position to understand some of the
comments that will follow then about specific funding levels. The first point
that we need to make is that for this current year we have over $10 million
to work with; next year we are going to have under $8 million. So we start out
with that kind of a deficit that we've got to accommodate. If you'll look at
what happened to the General Fund, you will see that we have cut the General
Fund by $1,761,000. The point that I'm trying to make with you here is that
not only are we talking about Social Service agencies having less money to work
with but we are talking about City operations having less money to work with.
The Street Lighting Fund has been cut by $300,000. Recreation extension --and
here I want to point out a policy question to you. Recreation Extenion, Day
Care, African Square Park and the Handicapped Program are 4 City programs which
the City Commission, and particularly Commissioner Gordon, asked that we take
out of the Social Service, Social Agency funding and treat separately because
they were City programs. That is a policy consideration which you will need to
think about to see whether or not you want to maintain that position. What we
need to be aware of is that those City -run programs -and we have 4- Recreation
Extension, Day Care, African Square Park, and the Handicapped Program, those 4
2 SEP 251978
programs have been take at of the pot of money that wal ceviously distributed
to all of the social service agencies and, in consequence, these four programs
that are City -run, have not suffered the cuts that other programs have. Every-
body else....
Mayor. Ferre: Would you repeat the 4 again?
Mr. Grassie: They are Recreation Extension, Day Cate, the African Square Park
Program and the Handicapped Program. Those are the 4 programs that have received
no cuts and this follows -as I understand it- a policy position that was at least
encouraged by the City Commission.
Mayor Ferre: Is the Industrial Home for the Blind part of the Handicapped Program?
Mr. Grassie: No, Sir. No, we are talking about the City -run handicapped program.
Mayor Ferre: I see, okay.
Mr. Grassie: Okay? So that is the basic policy -kind of a distinction. Then you
will see that the other programs have all been cut proportionately, the Park Main-
tenance, the Equipment Replacement Program -which is a City program- has been cut
to zero although most of that money has been put in the General Fund. The Social
Service Program, as you can see, because City -programs were not cut, is cut quite
significantly. Now, if we understand that we start out with $2.7 million less to
work with and we understand what is happening here in terms of the distribution of
money, the basic thing that is happening is that City social service programs are
maintained, all other City programs have been cut, and outside agencies and social
service programs are cut significantly. That's a summary of what's happening with
this funding. Now, if you would like we can talk about the specific recommendations
that are made or you may want to go to the Public Hearing portion of your agenda.
Mayor Ferre: I think that probably it would be best is we went to the public hearing
portion and let members of the public speak and then you can make your recommendation
or would you rather do it in reverse? How long will the presentation take to go
specifically item by item...in your presentation.
Mr. Grassie: If...
Mr. Plummer: Excuse me a minute, Mr. Mayor, except in those cases where there is a
disagreement, is there any presentation to be made by those people who are happy
with what they are receiving? I don't think that it is necessary.
Mayor Ferre: I think that's a good modification, Plummer. So let's just touch in
those areas where there have been cuts which is where I assume the complaints are
going to be. Perhaps you had better address yourself to that.
Mr. Grassie: I'm going to ask...
Mayor Ferre: Let's try it this way, how many people here would like to address the
Commission? Would you raise yours hands please? Eight. We have eight people that
wish to address the Commission.
Mr. Plummer: Let me, Mr. Mayor, if I may just ask, how many people are on this
list who are satisfied with what they are receiving understanding all of the pro-
blems?
(BACKGROUND RESPONSE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: You don't have the list. You mean the agencies have not been told
what you are recommending?
Mr. Parkins: Yes, every agency was contacted.
Mr. Plummer: So these are obviously people who are not being recommended.
Mayor Ferre: Well, let's start over on this side. Would you stand up and tell us
who you represent and what it is that you are here to talk about and then we'll
address it later on.
(BACKGROUND STATEMENT MADE FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: All right.
(BACKGROUND STATEMENT MADE FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
3
SEP 251978
MM
MR
MMM
MMM
MEM
MEM
—MEM
Mayor Ferre: All right.
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF tHE PUELIC RECOttD)
Mayor Ferre: Excuse me?
Mts. Gordon: What group are you?
Mr. Plummer: Wynwood Elderly.
Mayor Ferre: The Wynwood Elderly Program. All rights the School
Industrial Home for the Blind, Ma'am?
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: All right.
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: Tell me what 'children's program this is?
(BACKGROUND RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mayor Ferre: Fine. Captain?
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: All right.
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: Is this a new program?
(BACKGROUND RESPONSE, MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: I see, okay. Yes, sir.
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD
Mayor Ferre: What program I didn't hear?
(BACKGROUND RESPONSE, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: Is this a previously funded program?
(BACKGROUND RESPONSE, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: You have been funded throught the Dade County Criminal in the past,
but not current and you have not been funded from the City of Miami.
(BACKGROUND RESPONSE, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: I see, all right.
(BACKGROUND STATEMENT MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: From the American Red Cross. All right..,
Mr. Plummer: There is one more..
Mayor Ferre: Oh, I'm sorry...
(BACKGROUND STATEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mr. Plummer: I'm sorry I didn't understand you.
Mayor Ferre: Douglas Gardens...
Mr. Plummer: Oh, okay.
Mrs. Gordon: The Day Care Program at Legion Park,
Mayor Ferre; The Senior/Adult Lay Care Program,
Systeti, the
SEP 251978
O' Or
(BACKGROUND COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC* OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: I see. All right, did you get the names of the people so that
they can be addressed...I tried to repeat them in the microphone So that you
could write them down.
Mr. Parkins: We have the organizations...
Mayor Ferre: Yes, the organizations, I think it is important since these ladies
and gentlemen are here for this purpose, that you first address those that have
been recommended, those that have not, and perhaps we can touch on that..and then
we can hear from them and then I assume there is no disagreement from the others
so that we can follow.
Mr. Parkins: Two points of clarification. I touched on this briefly in the
opening remarks and I just want to retouch on these points again. No new agency
has been included. No one who has not been funded before has been included in
recommendations today. Second...
Mayor Ferre: Let's stop right there, of those 8 or 9 people that raised their
hands I want you to understand that we have ongoing programs that we are cutting
and unfortunately there is just no way that at this time that we can take on new
projects. We just have our hands full. I wish we had twice as much and we could
help everybody but we just cannot assume any more things. The ones that we have
unfortunately, even that is more than we could handle. So, unless the Commission
rules me otherwise, I don't think there is any chance this year for a new program
to get any funding and I feel very badly about that, I'm sure the whole Commission
does, but I don't see that we can start any new programs.
Mrs. Gordon: I feel kind of peculiar about the fact that people, Rob, were brought
here without at least being told ahead of time that they weren't....I don't know
who took care of that notification process, but being told that they were or were
not in the recommended list, I mean,..you know, I just heard they didn't know until
this morning...I mean, existing programs cannot be turned off like a faucet, you
know, they just can't and...
Mr. Parkins: We...to clarify now, we had as a primary practice this year notify
every agency from the beginning of our evaluation through our program review of
the shortage of funds and that they should anticipate that there might be a very
real...
Mayor Ferre: Wait, wait..excuse me Rob, I don't mean to interrupt but we are get-
ting into now another area which is to me more important Rose, I agree with you
but I want to take one step at a time. The first step is we want to let all of
you know who are here on new programs that there is just no money available. Now,
if anybody in the Commission wants to speak out on that and say differently please
do so at this time. New programs...
Mr. Plummer: You are not speaking of old programs
Mayor Ferre: Out of the 8 people here that raised their hands, I think 3 of them
of these were new programs and I just want those people not to waste all morning
sitting through representations here when this Commission is not, in any way, going
to vote for new programs and I just wanted to give anybody an opportunity to talk
on that. All right, seeing none, then I assume that that's going to be the Com-
mission policy when we vote. Now, Rob, with regards to notification and the ques-
tion.that Commissioner Gordon asked you.
Mr. Parkins: We had as a practice this year, notified every agency from the begin-
ning of evaluations through program review that the likelihood of being funded
would be very, very slim. We did notify after the memorandum had been created of
recommendations on Wednesday night, we notified Thrusday and Friday with telephone
log every agency to let them know of this Public Hearing and in every instance, to
my knowledge, they were advised whether or not they were going to be on the funding
list or recommended list.
Mrs. Gordon: They were advised as to whether they were recommended or not?
Mr. Parkins: No, to my understanding, they were advised that they would or would
not be on a recommended list, they were not told whether or not they would have
a certain amount of funds allocated. The other point that I did want to clarify
that that there'd be no misunderstanding on this attachment A....
5
SEP 251976
or
1is. Gordon: Who was re ponsible in your office for the notification to the agency
that they were or were not on the recommended list?
Mr. Parkins: We had four evaluatots, three of whom were notifying the agencies
in accordance with their portfolios, that would be Fred Sheppard, Joyce Bell and
Louise Carrasquillo.
Mrs. Gordon: Well, all I can tell you is that I saw people shaking their head
this way and I don't know what is wrong
Mr. Plummer: But the question is, I think, more important Rose, Rob when did you
notify these people that they were not being recommended for funding?
Mr. Parkins: Thrusday and Friday would have been when they were notified of this
meeting. We were not able to tell them specifically the amount that they would
have recommended...
Mayor Ferre: That's not the question, Rob, the question is -tttas the Douglas Tote..
Douglas...
Mrs. Gordon: Gardens.
Mayor Ferre: ...Douglas Gardens Home for the Aged notified when they were called
whether or not there was any cut in funding, or whether they were being funded or
not funded?
Mr. Parkins: All right. I stand corrected now. My understanding is they were
notified there would be a public hearing, there was no discussion as to whether
or not they would be recommended or not.
Mrs. Gordon: See that?, that's what I was trying to bring out Rob, and that in
itself leaves me feeling very queasy and I don't know how you feel about it but I
feel very strange.
Mr. Parkins: I can only emphasize again that we began the whole process this year
attempting to be as clear as possible that the likelihood of funding was going to
be very very slim. May I just conclude in clarifying attachment A so that there is
no misunderstanding in this. Attachment A includes other funding sources requested.
This information came primarily from the applications provided to us and was combined
with the FRS requested when you read the total column. Ignore the total column for
purposes of comparison. The CETA Consortium funded agencies indirectly from Con-
sortium records.
Mr. Plummer: Well, Rob, let me just a final question, I mean, you know, I don't
disagree with Rose or the Mayor. Everybody in business,and this is a business,
has to have a certain transition period if they are to wind down either a reduc-
tion in their program or a termination. Now, why don't we turn it around and let
you justify how these people could in fact -without being informed by your office -
could have had the availability of knowing to reduce their program or terminate it
as of October 1. What justification do you have for not coming with say,..out more
open and telling these people?
Mr. Parkins: All right, again I will say that we have been saying this from the
very beginning of the evaluations, that the funding was limited, that if they
were counting on this for ongoing purposes it was not a good idea...
Mayor Ferre: But that's a general statement...
Mr. Parkins: ...Well, admittedly, but we've been trying to...
Mayor Ferre: Let's take the Douglas Gardens Home for the Aged specifically in the
senior citizens' program that we have going on at Legion Park. What was last year's
budget and what are you recommending this year?
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mr. Plummer: Well, that's one program..it's recommended for nothing.
Mayor Ferre: Well, I'm just singling that one out...how much did we fund l.t.'
last year?
Mr. Parkins: $98,850 last year...
Mayor Ferre: $98,000.
SEP 251978
0
Mr. Parkins: Right, tney requested $123,900. this year and there was no
recommendation made this year.
Mrs.Gordon: Well, how do you come to a conclusion like that do you come to
conclusions by putting numbers in a hat and pulling them out?
Mr. Parkins: No, ma'am.
Mrs. Gordon: If you're doing it on quality then God only knows that yin
couldn't picked a better program.
Mt. Parkins: If you'll look at attached to B...
Mr. Plummer: No, this is not a hat it's a coffee can.
Mr. Parkins: Look at attachment B if you would please, Commissioner, we have
listed the recommended bugget requirements in categories part of my original presentation
this morning. Our selection of St. Alaban's Day Nursery in the Miami Budget in the
area of Day/Evening care was based upon the fact that there was a broader
distribution of funds they were quality programs and that they needed the
matching funds that we would recommend for them in order to continue operations..
In the case of Douglas Gardens and in may other instances they may in fact need
the Revenue Sharing Funds as well for continued operation but there is another
availability through the Jewish Vocational (excuse me)...
Mayor Ferre: Rob, we're getting into the substance of the matter which of course,
is going to be the main subject this morning, but right now I think what we're
trying to concentrate on is the styles and I guess the question really is in
style, not in the substance of your recommendation, but why were the $98,000
program which is obviously dependent on this kind of funding which you obviously
know that some of the members of this Commission are very interested in,all of
us are interested, and Mrs. Gordon in particular has a special interest. Why
do these people, why must we subject them to coming here on a Monday morning,
September 25th, to know at 9:00 o'clock in the morning that they are not being
recommended when you've had that information available for at least several
days? Don't you think that out of one courtesy or whatever you want to call it,
human kindness or whatever that it would have been, especially in an important
program like that, that it would have been a reasonable thing to do for the
Manager or for me personally? And,I would be very happy to volunteer to do that
on an important program. I'm not saying I'm going to do it for everything, but
here's a $98,000 a year program that we've had a lot of involvement in. I think
it's important enough for me to go call on them and tell them,look here's the
reasons and explain to them on a face-to-face basis. Now, I don't know how many
there are like that but I doubt if there are very many. Now, for you not to do
that I think adds to the burdens and the problems that we're going to be getting
into when you have to justify it by substance as to why they're not being funded.
I'm not arguing with you at this point your logic at concluding that they shouldn't
be funded versus something else. What we're talking about is the fact that this
was obviously known. You said in answer to that well, that they were all told
that they were going to be cut. Well, this isn't a cut you cut them out completely.
I mean, zero, zip, from $98,000 to zero, I think warrants some kind of a phone call
from the Manager, from yourself or from somebody that can sit down and go over the
reasons, so that these people don't come in here on Monday morning and get shocked
into the fact that they are down there for zero. Now, again style how many are
there like that? Huh?
Mr. Parkins: Approximately 10.
Mayor Ferre: Huh?
Mr. Parkins: There are ten that were not recommended
Mayor Ferre: I think when we're dealing with human beings, you know, and it's
only ten the least you can do,especially when somebody, you know, is being cut
out those people more than anything else unless you know, if we want to keep our-
selves as being a viable City that has a feel for the people, we're dealing with
human beings that are involved in this thing. There are problems of phasing the
program out. There are problems of, you know, they're entitled to lobby this.
Commission. They're entitled to bring 10 to 100 people with signs here if they
want. This is what these hearings are for. I hate these public hearings, you know,
because they're always heart breaking when you have to say no to so many people,
but that's part of the burden of serving on this Commission and I'm saying that
you're not making it any easier by keeping people in the dark you know on something
which is going to be a very drastic radical change, you know, I can't help but
SEP 251978
.dtriletely agree with Rose Gordon and Father Gibson on this.
Mr. Plummet: Mr.Mayor, let me just make a comment, and, you know, I don't wart
to bring up a sore subject, but you know, I think we have to look at both sides
of an issue. You know, unfortunately, I tried two years ago to get this Com-
Mission to adopt a policy of following the recommendations of the professional
staff. And you know, Mr. Mayor, history will tell us -and it's unfortunate to
say- that this Commission has nowhere near...anywhere near in the past, followed
the recommendations of that Department, and we have, in fact, greatly altered
that which was proposed by this Department, and you know, really I can see the
other side of the coin that says, that if the Department doesn't want to go and
tell somebody something knowing on history what this Commission has done to their
recommendations. Now,...
Mayor Ferre: It can happen anyway, J.L.
Mr. Plummer: ..I understand, but here again, and maybe I'm defending Mr. Parkins
which he is a big boy and doesn't need but, you know, I would hate for him to go
and say to Douglas Gardens, hey, you got zipped and they go with a feeling that
they are not going to get a dime when in fact this Commission, based on history,
has altered these things and they in fact are not as bad off as they think. You
know, this is just a recommendation, the final word for everything is here.
Mrs. Gordon: The point is not that, you are right about that, but my thinking is
that those who are not recommended should be told "you are not recommended", but
we would like to let you know that there is a hearing and so forth...
Mayor Ferre: I agree.
Mrs. Gordon: ...you know, it's a matter of style, it's a matter of, you know, how
you present the case.
Mr. Plummer: Couldn't agree more, but I mean, you know, I don't think that it's
all black and white, it is not clear cut, it has never been clear cut and I don't
think it ever will be, but I'm just trying to say that there is two sides to an
issue and the other side in my estimation is, this is just a recommendation...
Mrs. Gordon: I agree, okay, let's go on then.
Mr. Plummer: ...unfortunately.
Mayor Ferre: See those, as George Santillana said, Mr. Grassie, those who do not
read history are destined to repeat it, and the problem is that sometimes you
complain with justification that this Commission doesn't always follow the Admi-
nistration's carefully...assuming that the staff is going through it very, very
carefully and analyze what program is or isn't, in proportion. You see, what you
do is we end up confusing because of a stylistic mistake we impact substance,
because we are going to make changes of substance here based on problems of style
and that's just completely inexcusable, I'm sorry.
Rev, Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I didn't want to say anything because you've already said
how I feel but I would hope the Administration is hearing us loud and clear, I
hope, you know, if I was getting $100,000 from you, you know, for a year, and I
come here this morning and you tell me, that -you know, man, you are not going to
get a penny, I would hope, my God, I would hope with all of the money we spend,
I would hope that people would find time, energy and know-how to say to these
people -look, you aren't in on that money, we recommend knowing that...I know
how the man feels because it happens every year. We say no we aren't going to
give..they say, we don't recommend; they come right back here and change it but
at least, let me say, I feel more comfortable if you tell these people way in ad-
vance that no, we are not going to do it to you, and let them fill this room anyway.
Mr. Grassie: It's a good point, Father.
Rev. Gibson: ...and you know, Mr. Manager, I told you the other day that one of
your employees taught seven 7 things that I never forget. Mr. Mayor, you wouldn't
want to hear this because this isn't lovely. He said, Gibson in politics we learn
you better cya...you don't know what that is because you know...So my brother,
help me.
Mr. Plummer: Well, Father, nobody has told the Manager yet and he is going to be
in the same trouble when we cut his budget $100,000.
SEP 2 51978
Mt. Gtassie: No, we take the point and we accept the criticism, Mr. Mayor,
Well, would you like to hear comments from the audience at this point or shall
we go down the list to indicate to you which agencies are proposed for funding
and which have asked for funding that are not proposed to receive it.
Mayor Ferre: I assume then that the eight speakers that raised their hands, none
of them are proposed for funding, is that correct?
Mr. Grassie: No, that's not correct, some of them are proposed for funding but
less than what they would like.
Mayor Ferre: Well, then, I think that before they address us I think you've got
to tell us what your recommendation is. Let's go one by one, we'll start over
here, who are the speakers?
Mr. Plummers: Mr. Mayor, might I suggest that the pages...these pages...1, 2,
4, 5 pages be run-off on a photostat machine so that these people may be given.,
(BACKGROUND COMMENT MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mr. Plummer: Are they already out?
Mr. Grassie: We just gave all of our copies...
Mr. Plummer: Oh, all right.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Plummer, I think that as interested as everybody 3
else's case I think what they are all here on is their own,
Mr. Plummer: Oh, I understand it, they should know, you know,...
Mayor Ferre: I think they all know by now, so the point is simply this, let's
start one by one starting on the left here. Ma'am you were here to speak to us?
(BACKGROUND COMMENT MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD)
Mayor Ferre: Wyndwood Elderly Program, Mr. Parkins, would you address yourself
to the Wyndwood Elderly Program.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Parkins, I'd personally appreciate one every one that you are
going to speak on that you preface your remarks on whether they received funding
from the City before or is it a new program; secondly, whether or not the are
presently or have, or are projected to receive funds in this coming year from
another source,every program that you speak on.
Mayor Ferre: Excuse me, J.L., it's a new program, I've already asked this Com-
mission twice and nobody spoke up and so I said that there would be no discussion
on new programs, that we are just not going to fund new programs and I don't want
to take this Commission's time in discussing new programs.
Mr. Plummer: Is Wyndwood...you were funded last year by the City?
Mayor Ferre: No, I'm not talking about you Ma'am, I'm just talking about some of
the people that are going to be discussing things...
Mrs. Gordon: You are also saying funded by Revenue Sharing not Community Develop-
ment or some other source of fund?
Mr. Plummer: Where you funded last year by the City?
Mr. Grassie: Excuse me, let me refer you to line 37 in the long exhibit in your
packet which will give you in summary form the history for the Wynwood Elderly
Center.
Mr, Plummer: They never received City Federal Revenue Sharing funds before.
Mr. Grassie: Yes, that's...
Mr. Plummer: Okay, well that's what I want said, on every program that you speak
to.
Mayor Ferre; Go ahead, quickly,
SEP 251978
iiIuIIII iiiiiiiuI uI i II
Mr. ParktiSt No; Wynwood Edetly Program had not teceiVed Fedeta
Sharing Funds in 7708.
Mayor Ferre: But they received City C.E.T.A. Funds.
Mr. Parkins: C.D. and C.E.T.A. Funds.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, well, that's what I want to know. We're talking here this'
morning, not about Community Development. We're not talking about C.E.T.A.
We're speaking today only on Federal Revenue Sharing.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, J.L. ...
Mr. Plummer: If they're lucky enough to receive funds from those other two
sources it should be noted. I ask the second part of my question, if they are
being funded from some other source tell me so, but in fact, this as far as
the meeting of today is a new program.
Mr. Parkins: That's correct.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, that's what I want to establish.
Mr. Parkins : Basically, it is a Hot Meals Program similar to those we've
offered in other areas of the City serving the elderly citizens of the
Wynwood target area, provides for counseling , recreation, food program,
transportation information referral and escort services, request was for
$11,206.00 basically to supplement staff and had not received Revenue Sharing
Funds in the prior period they had received Community Development recommendations.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, ma'am, do you want to address the Commission quickly? Now,
you realize what you're coming up against, if you haven't been funded... since I
think you've been funded through C.D. and C.E.T.A. you're entitled to say a few
words.
Mr. Wilder I address all of you. I come in rather cold with no, no...
Mr. Ongie: Your name and address for the record please.
Ms. Wilder: My name is Carolyn Wilder. I'm the Registered Agency for the Wynwood
Elderly Program. I'll try to be brief.
Mr. Plummer: Pull the microphone around.
Ms. Wilder: Okay, I think so. The Wynwood Elderly Program has been in existence
for three years and it was funded through Community Development City of Miami
funds. We originally were administered by the Christian Community Service
Agency. As of July 1, of 1978 we incorporated and became atomistics center and
requested funds from the City of Miami Community Development in order to continue
our operation. We were able to receive $41,200 from the Community Development but
with no other money. We do have a meal program sponsored by Catholic Service
Bureau. At the present time, we have no C.E.T.A. money. We have no C.E.T.A.
employees. We run a total operation with the anticipation of running a total
operation on the $41,000 which is totally impossible since we service approximately
400 elderly. We feed, I guess about 110 elderly and a recreation program,ongoing
activities, trips, and similar programs for I would say about another 250. We
have requested Revenue Sharing from the basis that we need additional staff. We
run two mini buses. We pay the total operation of the buses and their expenses out
of this $41,000. Wynwood Elderly would only be able to continue its operations
six months on a total program. There was a possibility of taking just $41,000
and using it for transportation. If you use it for transportation only, we will
then lose our meal program, because we can transport them but where are we going
to transport them to? The whole object is...
Mrs. Gordon: Were you saying, excuse me, ma'am, that this was paying for the
Meals program or that the meals were coming from ...
Ms. Wilder: The Meals program are coming from Catholic Service Bureau.
Mrs. Gordon: That's right, you're not paying for meals. You're not asking us to
10
SEP 251376
pay for meals.
Ms. Wilder: No, we do not pay for ...
Mrs. Gordon: You're asking us to help you with the other aspects of yout ptogtam.
Ms. Wilder: We're asking only the Revenue Sharing Funds to keep our program in
operation so that our buses can bring these people in and we can feed them. In
order to feed them we need assistance to dish out the meals, and to keep them
with social services and with referrals and follow-up programs.
Mayor Ferre: So, we have to ask Rob... we have to ask the question, since,
you see, you really can't take these things completely isolated, Federal Revenue
Sharing from C.E.T.A. and from Community Development. Is there a proposal from
C.D. Funds?
Mr. Parkins: Yes sir, the $41,840 proposed for C.D. funds and they've requested
in for the ... roughly $29,000 in C.E.T.A. positions
Ms. Wilder: Which has been denied.
Mrs. Gordon: Why was it denied Rob? You're in there to say why.
Ms. Wilder: ... only up to now.
Mt. Parkins: No, they have not been denied. There were
final Title XI and Title II budgets concluded after city
and the allocations for social services purposes will be
today. They have a request in.
Mr. Plummer: The point, Rob, you made this point to me and I think you better
make the point here again, you made the point to me the other day that Federal
Revenue Sharing dollars are going down and Community Development dollars are
going up and C.E.T.A. hopefully is going to remain about constant.
Mr. Parkins: Exactly.
review... We had the
needs had been predicted
occurring subsequent to
Mr. Plummer: Now, this woman says she needs $41,000 to provide the transportation
to meals which are provided by the church. She is proposed to receive $41,800 or
$42,000, why is she here complaining?
Mr. Parkins: She's also requested FRS funds to supplement her program with a
social worker, secretary, bookkeeping, accounting coordinator, and so on.
Mr. Plummer: But, ma'am you're here and please I'm sorry to pick on you but
you're the first one and I'm trying to get this thing into prospective.
Ms. Wilder: Me too.
Mr. Plummer: According to this which you provided us Mr. Parkins this woman i
going to receive from the two sources of C.D. and C.E.T.A.
Mr. Grassie: No, she's requested J. L.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, requested. She's got the money from what Mr. Parkins tell
me from C.D.
Ms. Wilder: $41,000. Yes, I have $42,000 from Community Development City of
Miami.
Mr. Plummer: And, logically Mr. Parkins didn't pull this C.E.T.A. money out o
the air. He must think that there is some legitimate to this C.E.T.A. money.
Mr. Parkins: That's correct.
Mr. Plummer: So she is receiving from the City alone $82,253 not directly from
Federal Revenue Sharing.
Ms. Wilder: Mr. Plummer, may I interject. I believe even though there is also,
I would say a difficulty in communication, All we have is $41,000 on record in
order to run a program for one year. We have been told absolutely nothing about
the additional $29,000 request for C.E.T.A.
Mayor Ferre: Except Ms, Wilder that you just heard Mr. Parkins, who is a member
11
SEP 2 51978
of the C.E.T.A. Consortium Board,say that you have not been denied the $29,000
from C.E.T.A. Now, he didn't say that you were going to be given the $29,000
but he also said that it's not been denied now what I assume by that is that
there is an appellant procedure going on. Now, as I understand and correct the
if I'm wrong your program is the one that was at Holy Cross.
Ms. Wilder: Right.
•
Mayor Ferre: And, let me tell you it was the only hot meal program fat senior
citizens and that includes all spectrum. There are all kinds of people that go
to that. Some are Black and some are Latin and some are Anglos and some ate
Catholic and some are Jewish and some are Protestant and some are you know...its
an across the board program.
Ms. Wilder: We're multiethnic yes, sir.
•
Mayor Ferre: And, it is the only program in that part of town and it was taken
Ei
on and was funded by Catholic Services. Holy Cross is an Episcopal Church and,
za
you know, it's a multi type of a thing and it's servicing a community and it's
II the only hot meal program in that area.
IIMr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, the problem that I had if I understood you correctly,
I
you said, why provide the meals if you can't provide the transportation, was that
II your terminology? As I understand it this $42,000 that you're going to get from
C.D. is to provide the transportation to the meals, is that...?
II
Mayor Ferre: No.
Mr. Plummer: He's shaking his head no, and you're saying yes.
Ms. Wilder: No, no. The $42,000 was agreed now would run a total concept program
but will only last us for about six months.
Mayor Ferre: Well, again, I have to go back to our premise here unless some member
of the Commission wants to override this we are not going to fund any additional
programs that were not funded with Federal Revenue Sharing Funds,as you know
Federal Revenue Sharing is going down, not up and so even if that procedure we
have to cut some of the programs. And all I can say to you is I'm very sorry I
hope you can get some revenue from C.E.T.A. funds and Community Development funds
and I hope it works out, and all I can say to you Mr. Grassie and staff is let
the past be the past, but in the future I would hope that we approach with
extreme caution these funding of all these wonderful programs they're all worthy
that we then subsequently have to cut out and leave people with expectations that
have been all of a sudden rising expectations. In this case that's not the case
because we didn't fund anything out of these funds before but I would hope that
we'd be very, very careful with these, especially new programs.
Mr. Grassie: We agree with that Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Wilder: Mr. Mayor, I would just like to conclude and say that I am sincerely
grateful of being able to address the committee this morning and I hope that our
request for the $29,000 from C.E.T.A. would be forthcoming but if not that the
Wynwood Elderly Program at the close of six months would no longer be able to
M continue operations, because we feel that the work that we're doing for the elderly
is essential and that we give them every conceivable service and that in order to
E give the meals we have to have healthy people and to keep them as healthy as
ME
MEM
possible.
Mayor Ferre: Ms. Wilder, I personally know that your program and I've heard from
many sources is a very good program. I hope that we will be able to through other
sources fund this. I hope it'll continue. This Commission is always available.
I've served in this City for 10 years, not once (repeat) do I recall ever closing
the microphones to anybody who wants to address it, if you in the future want to
talk to us we'd be happy to talk to you again.
Ms. Wilder: I thank you Mr. Mayor and I hope that we will not have to close our
doors.
Mayor Ferre: I hope so too. Alright, ...
Dr. Tassey: Good morning.
Mayor Ferre: ... with regards to the Community School Program and the After
School Care, would you address yourselves first Rob to it and then we will .__
12
SEP 251976
Mr. Parkins: Yes, we have traditionally provided a supplement to the Coiiriutity
School After School Care Program.
Mayor Ferre: What line is this Rob?
Mr. Parkins: Actually, that
Mayor Ferre: Excuse me, 6?
Mr. Parkins: Line 6 and 7 in Exhibit A.
Mayor Ferre: Oh, okay.
would be line 6 aid 1 in
Mr. Parkins: We have traditionally provided supplements to the Dade County School
System for After School and Community School Programs. The payback to the City
we had considered to be a high benefit but the amount of funds requested combined
with the fact and this will be repeating myself from a prior year. The fact, the
Dade School System does have its own independent taxing authority and ability to
raise its own funds that we could not include it within a shrinking source of
funds as Revenue Sharing is.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, sir, well then, let me understand, last year for After
School Care you received $192,000. You're requesting $252,000, is that correct?
:sir. Parkins: No, $208,...
Mayor Ferre: Huh?
Dr. Tassey: $252,208.
Mayor Ferre: Oh, you're requesting $208...
Dr. Tassey: It includes a share of dollars as raised throughout the
community.
Mayor Ferre: And what is the recommendation from the department?
Mr. Parkins: We were unable to recommend them this year Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Plummer: Zero.
Mayor Ferre:
The recommendation, where does it say that?
Mr. Parkins: Alright, recommendations are on Attachment B, Exhibit B, lists
just the recommendations by category and if we had included the Community School
and After School Care Program it would have been a day, evening care and would
have used up your total amount.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, so what you're recommending then in item 6 which is
After Schools Care instead of $192,000 you're recommending zero.
Mr. Parkins: That's correct, sir.
Mayor Ferre: And, in the Community Schools instead of $70,000...
Mr. Plummer: Also, zero.
Mayor Ferre: You're recommending zero.
Mr. Parkins: That's correct.
Mayor Ferre: And, they were funded previously;,,,
Mr. Parkins: That's correct.
Mayor Ferre: ... from this, alright,
Mr. Parkins: From Revenue Sharing, yes.
Dr. Tassey: I'm Lou Tassey from the Dade County Community School Program. My
office is at 150 N.E. 19th Street, Miami. We have a tremendously serious problem
which this abrupt action would create for us as a school system for the residents
of the City of Miami, which we serve in these thirteen community schools that
would be directly affected and in the three after school programs which would
1.3 SEP 251976
also be directly affected by a loss of funds. First of all, I think I need to
address the Community School question because that really is the basic one
providing a mechanism to open the community school to the community in a
partnership way by the school system and the city and as well as, the community
and other agencies is basic to offering services and programs. If you'll look
on your Exhibit A, you'll find that the $70,000 which you invest in Community
School Programs return $624,000 so you get $8.00 back in services for everyone
that you spend. Now whether the City finds that it would be desirable to fund
this kind of a project through Revenue Sharing or through some other means is
a problem for the City Manager and for the City Commission to take care of .
We have recommended in previous years that the basic operation of the Community
School Program since we consider the availability of those million dollar and
plus facilities to residents to be basic have requested that the City not put
the type of funding in one that was so unstable as perhaps Revenue Sharing as
it disappears presents greater and greater problems for you. So last year we
recommended to Rob and I believe Rob recommended to the Commission that the
basic funding of $70,000 be provided through some other basic source of revenue.
You do have four community schools which are funded that way. I understand they're
in Mr. Howard's budget this year. Okay, with this $8.00 to one return it provides
this residents of the City of Miami an opportunity to have (13) repeat,community
schools, Fairlawn, Northwestern, Kinloch Park, Primary C, Little River, Shadowlawn,
Silver Bluff,Riverside, Dunbar, plus, Ada Merit, Edison, Allapattah, and Booker T.
Washington, to be opened everyday from the time school closes normally at
1:45 or 2:30 depending on whether it's an elementary or junior until approximately
10:00 P.M. 5 days a week 12 months of the year and on those days when school is
not in session full day care and children's programs are provided for approximately
10 hours. Now, it seems to me to be an investment well worth the city's dollars
to provide those kinds of services. Additionally, those programs serve about
14,000 different City of Miami individuals. And, so what we're talking about with
the withdrawal of $270,000 funds for those basic community school programs it now
means that the school system whose policy has been since 1961 to require that
some agency other than the School Board provide a small share of $5,000 and you
can see that the $5,000 per school makes up a very small share of the $625,000
would be placed in a position of having now to advise residents either to make two
choices, either to advise residents that programs are terminated and closed as
of 30th of September because they no longer would have the partnership agreement,
which is, vital to the offering of the program or to agree to provide those funds
from another source and they have never done that particular thing in the past
because they're interested in that working relationship so that would give you
some information on the basic funding. I would ... well, there are several areas
that I've been down to the Commission for many years trying to get this Commission
to help us in co -sponsoring in the Wynwood area ...
Mayor Ferre: Yes.
Dr. Tassey: And, also in the Jackson area, we've never been successful in that, and
I won't get into that because that would involve some additional work that would
need to be done between the City and the School System. Alright, the second request
has to do with After School Care. I think if the Commission's memory serves them
correctly they will recall that about 4-years ago, this Commission came to the
School System and the Community School Program and said. we have a tremendous need
to serve working mothers and working parents during the hours that schools are not
normally in session because this creates a tremendous problem of children running
the streets and not having organized programs and so forth. Through our Community
School Programs we were able to assist the City and these individual communities
and approximately 450 families which is, if you'll recall from the July report we
trade to the Commission earlier this year some statistics there and some information
about those programs, assist approximately 450 children and families who do not
have child care services available to them from 2 or 3 in the afternoon until about
5 or 6 when parents return home. This year Elementary Schools as you know, are
closing a little bit earlier and we have picked up the slack and started our
program a little earlier so there would be no waiting period in between those
programs. Now, additional problem which this kind of abrupt funding ceasation
would create, creates a problem with us because we have on behalf of the City
and the residents of the City of Miami gone to Metro and gotten money from Metro
to fund an After School Care Program that serves over a 100 children at Shadow-
lawn.
Mayor Ferre: Is that within the City of Miami.
Dr. Tassey: Yes, that's within the City of Miami, but without the Community
School Program there we would have no ability to deliver that program. We have
also gone to the Metro Department of Human Resources through Health S Rehabilitative
services to obtain funds to provide Child Care Programs at Dunbar and Primary C,
especially for those parents who are AFDC and who are on some type of welfare so
that they would have a designated program funded by HRS, all of that is possible
14
S E P 251978
IIIIII ui11 ■11111i111mi■iiiiii■iiii INiiiiaim
because we have Community Schools, so if we take the Community Schools away
we don't have our coordinator, we don't have our secretary, we don't have the
building open after the normal hours and we have no ability to really work
with the community afternoons and evenings. Now, I will have to say that Rob
did let me know that we were not being recommended for funding approximately at
5:30 P.M. last Friday when I called him. I was notified by his office that our
program should be present at hearings today scheduled for 9:00 O'clock and
2:00 O'clock sometime along about Friday,a lady from his office left a message
with mine that there were going to be important hearings on Federal Revenue
Sharing. Therefore, that's our problem.
Mayor Ferre: Let me ask you...
Dr. Tassey: Now, the City can choose to not fund it, of course. They can choose
to fund it and use Federal Revenue Sharing wherein I'm certain that next year we
would probably be faced with a similar problem. The City, if there were funds
available from some other source might choose to place this in part of a regular
portion of the budget, so we didn't have to annually be upset and haggle over the
money at the last 12th hour.
Mayor Ferre: ... let me ask you some questions, first of all, I have three questions
to ask, but first of all, let me just make a statement for the record, on behalf,
I think of this Commission who in the past by the words first of Father Gibson and
secondly of J. L. Plummer set these priorities and I just want to remind the
Commission of the statement in the past when we've had hearing is that the first
priority before this Commission is food.
Dr. Tassey: I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.
Mayor Ferre: Food. Food.
Dr. Tassey: Okay.
Mayor Ferre: The second priority and this is instructions otaff is been the
care and health for senior citizens, and the third has been children. Now, it isn't
we think that you know, we shouldn't take care of our seniors, it's that we think
that food, warm meals has always been the first priority of this Commission with
regards to Federal Revenue Sharing Funds. Now, the question that I want to ask
you...
Mr. Plummer: Can I correct you since you attached my name? And, I ... agree with
you what you've said is complete 99% but Mr. Mayor, in your second category it has
been don't misunderstand sick and elderly.
Mayor Ferre: I understand. You're correct. Food... I stand corrected. Sick,
especially the elderly in the elderly category, and then children. Alright, now
the statement that I want to make to you, I mean the question I want to ask you
is how much is the school millage this year?
Dr. Tassey: Let's see, the same as it was last year.
Mayor Ferre: What's that?
Dr. Tassey: And, that was, Pete was it 9.28 even?
Mayor Ferre: 9 point?
Dr. Tassey: 8.
Mayor Ferre: 9.8.
Dr. Tassey: No, 8 even.
Mr, Plummer: No, 800.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, you have a millage of 800,
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir.
Mayor Ferre: Now, under state law under the constitution as I recall you can
up to 10.
Pr, Tassey: Yes, that's my understanding.
gp
SEP 251978
A
Mayor Fette: Alright, now let me tell you the City of Miami is at 10, okay.
Now, I'tr not saying that the City of Miami has done something... has bit the
bullet and you haven't bit the bullet. The fact is that we've had no choice
but it becomes very difficult for the City of Miami to accept and follow me
on this that we're up at the maximum tax rate and you're not and you're
requesting us to fund something. Now, let's talk about what that something
is. The question is, is that a responsibility of a Municipal Government or is
that the responsibility of an Educational Board? Now, that can be argued in
many, many ways.
Dr. Tassey: Certainly.
Mayor Ferre: And, I'm sure that the arguments on both sides, it would a very
interesting debate because I could take either one of those sides and argue them
with a lot of furor and feeling and I think logic. The point remains, neverthe-
less that we've learned over the last 4-years since the crisis in New York City
that one of the reasons that New York City got into this tremendous which,
thank God we don't have, and got into this crisis is because it went out and
started funding all types of programs, welfare programs, it had 19 hospitals,
it had a city college, a University System which was the envy of the United
States, but the fact is that the City of New York did not have the funds to have
a City College. Now, you say, well, but look at the thousands and thousands of
deprived Blacks and Puerto Ricans and other poor children that were able to get
a college education because of what City College did, but the fact was that
New York couldn't afford it. Now,we'vegot another problem here. See, we get into
this syndrome of what I call the Jackson Memorial syndrome and that is, do you
know what the state does to us, the taxpayers of Dade County, Jackson Memorial
Hospital, zip
Dr. Plummer: That's right.
Mayor Ferre: Now, there is no other state, this is the 8th state in the nation.
There is no state this size where the state completely abrogates, neglects, and
rejects funding for a health system in the largest metropolitan area which is
Dade County, it's unheard of, it's... to me, people who say that we have proper
representation in Tallahassee it's a joke. It's absolutely the most insulting
thing in the world that this billion dollar state budget allocates nothing to the
Health System and so what do we do? Well, we absorb it, because we have no choice
you see. So, Metropolitan Dade County assumes the responsibility and it's creating
a major funding problem because that's the big drain in money is going to Jackson
Memorial Hospital, why? Because the state isn't assuming it's proper responsibility.
Now, that... let's transfer that to this case, if the School System has the right
to go up to 10 mills and is at 8 and the City is at 10 mills and has decreasing
Federal Revenues coming in then whether or not the philosophical question as to
who's responsibile for After School Care or Community Schools which ever side you
take, the fact is of course, it's a great program but the fact is that we are
under economic straps and I don't know that under the circumstances since you still
have some taxing ability that we should assume that. Next,...
Dr Tassey: Would you like me to respond to that taxing .. ?
Mayor Ferre: Well, I'll give you all three of them and then you can...
Dr. Tassey: I understand that we have to have a special referendum whenever the
School System...
Mayor Ferre: To go beyond 8?
Dr. Tassey: ... increases their millage...
Mr. Plummer: Only if you go beyond 10.
Dr, Tassey: ... no, I'm not positive on that...
Mayor Ferre: Well, I am because I voted for it.
Dr. Tassey: ... you need to talk to Dr. Jones and the School Board on
Mr. Plummer.
Mr. Plummer: Mr, Tassey, even if that is correct, okay?
Dr. Tassey: Yes.
Mr, Plummer: Ypu have 2 Wills Pf ;latitude by simply going to a referendum if
16 SEP 251971
7ou;te correct. I think you're not, but even if you are correct...
tr. Tassey: I wouldn't even swear to the 8 mills that I mentioned because I'ta
not positive.
Mr. Plummer: Well, I'll swear to the 10. I'll swear to the 10 because I know
that's where we're at, okay? Now, I think what the Mayor is trying to bring out
each mill represents $3.9 million. You have 2 mills of latitude of which brings
you to $7.8 million.
Mayor Ferre: No, in there's it's much more. Oh, that's the difference of the
County, you remember it's a total millage.
Mr. Plummer: No, I'm told that a mill ...
Pr. Tassey: You're aware though ...
(BACKGROUND COMMENT MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mr. Plummer: Okay, using the City figures...
Dr. Tassey: You're aware Mr. Plummer that the state funding formula for public
schools through the F.E.F. P. program places certain, there are certain regulations
in there which restrict the School Board from levying extra money because they
would in effect be getting less back from the state and be penalizing the citizens
because of the way the tormulas work out.
Mayor Ferre: Yes. Well, see, I was afraid we were going to get into this and
that's why I wanted throw...
Dr. Tassey: ... we would taxing ourselves and sending more of it to Tallahassee
Mayor Ferre: ... I'll tell you let me conclude and I'll try to do it quicker.
I've got two more questions and then you can address the whole spectrum of this
thing. The second thing that I wanted to question is this, you know, the fact
that a taxpayer pay City of Miami tax unfortunately does not preclude them from
paying Metropolitan Dade County tax.
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir.
I4ayor Ferre: Now, the reverse is not true. Now, what I'm trying to say is this
that Metropolitan Dade County has a tendency and more so in recent years to in
areas within the City of Miami say, well, you know, you go talk to the City of
Miami, but the fact is that 24% of all taxes collected by Metro are collected
within the City boundaries of the City of Miami and we're not getting our fair
share because those monies are being spent outside of the City boundaries and
what I'm saying in effect is this, that Metro is being completely hypocritical
when it goes up to Tallahassee and then says even though Dade County gives you
27% of your taxes for the state we're only getting back 17 and we complain about
that it turns around and it applies the same logic that the'state applies to
Metro to the City of Miami, and therefore, we don't get in proportion, the
taxpayers that Metropolitan Dade County taxpayers that live within the city
boundaries don't get their fair share. Now, my question to you is this, let
Metro assume that responsibility, why is it always the City of Miami that has
to assume this responsibility? And, the third question that I have for you deals
with history. The history is that when we could afford it and we had the funds
we were happy to do this. I went and Rose Gordon was with me before the School
Board and we specifically said, this was two or three years ago, that we were
going to go ahead with this but that sooner or later that the School System was
going to have to absorb or assume a greater portion or all of the Officer
Resource Program, the After School Care and the Community School Programs. Now
instead of that happening, not only has it not happened but in several cases
after specific commitments by your Board that they would split it on a 50/50
basis, they didn't. They let us in the Police Officer Program assume the full
burden and last year when I went up before the Board, the Board told me,well
okay, we'll catch up with you this year but we've lost a year and we're sorry
you know, we owe, and the fact is that this Commission is a little bit tired of
hearing from the School Board we owe you, especially when we go up and try to get
a little piece of property and what's the name of that park?
BACKGROUND COMMENTS ... Highland 'Park.
Mayor Ferre: In Highland Park, and they want the property appraised and the
City to pay full appraised value, so you know, my last point is this, that this
17 SEP 2 51978
City is getting a little bit tired of this being a one-way street where the City
is always giving and the City is always the good guy and the City gives you this
and gives you that and you renege on your commitments which you've done specific-
ally and when we come and deal with a small little piece of property you turn
your back to us. This isn't a park, you know, for Joe Grassie or Theodore Gibson,
this is a park for the people in that community, and then, you want us to treat
you one-way but when it's our turn to be treated you don't treat us the same way
that's the end of my statement.
Dr. Tassey: You made a statement, Mr. Mayor, that always you know, we're coming
back to the City and why is it always the City that is being asked to do this?
It isn't quite true because there are 17 co-sponsors and other cities and other
agencies are also co -sponsoring Community Schools. I realize that the way the
project is setup and the way the philosophy of the program is setup is it offers
a chance to with those municipalities or to Metro to make any school in Dade
County that they wish they feel will provide services to people in the community,
a community school, and by their co-sponsorship of $5,000 per year which was the
rate was set in 1962 and it's never changed and this is 1978. And, I'm sure you're
well aware that cost of change considerable in those 16 years. Those programs
became co -sponsored jointly by the School System and by whichever agency is sponsoring
so the question becomes really is whether your City wishes to make these 13 schools
which are well worth about 15 million or more in just facilities alone available
for and an $8.00 to one return for these 14,000 residents of the City of Miami
and if you wish to do that in which way do you wish to do, whether it be Revenue
Sharing or some other means?
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Tassey, would you tell me, sir...
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir.
Mr. Plummer: ... what other municipality participates?
Dr. Tassey: City of Coral Gables, the City of Miami Beach, the City of Hialeah,
the City of Miami Springs, the City of Homestead, the City of South Miami, the
City...
Mr. Plummer: To the same percentage of what you're asking?
Dr. Tassie: ... Village of Virginia Gardens, North Miami Beach, North Miami,
North Bay Village, Miami Beach, and I probably missed one or two.
Mr. Plummer: Alright. Are they participating in the same percentage
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir, $5,000 per school that's the standard rate for the
Community School Program.
Pir. Plummer: Let's not, you say there's 13 within the City of Miami?
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir.
Mr. Plummer: Now, that's $65,000.
Dr. Tassey: No, yes, that's correct.
Mr. Plummer: But,yet you're asking for $208,000.
Dr. Tassey: No, the City already is provided... no, wait a minute that's
After School Care Mr. Plummer. I'm talking about Community Schools. On
Community Schools, we're asking for $70,000.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, line 7.
Dr. Tassey; That's line 7.
Mr. Plummer: Which is in fact $65,000.
Dr. Tassey: Well, actually 24 of that is in Mr. Howard's budget I understand
this year because that was the 4 original programs. The $5,000 for nine schools
which is $45,000 is a co-sponsorship and the additional money is divided between
all 13 schools at about $1,500 a school so that they would have some additional
funds to hire a couple of part-time teachers or provide services,
Mr, Plummer: Speak to the After School.
18 SEP 251978
•
Dr. Tassey: Okay, in the After School Care there are three programs, Silver
Bluff, Little River and Carver.
Mt. Plummer: How many children does that address?
Dr, Tassey: 450 daily.
Mr. Plummer: 450.
Dr, Tassey: Per day.
Mr. Plummer: Per day, Altiglit,,'
School Care?
t'atlntihities ihto the ptbgt-a
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir. Yes,sir, Metro provides support for fide programs, one
in Homestead, Shadowlawn.
Mayor Ferre: Any of them in the City of Miami?
Dr. Tassey: Yes, Shadowlawn. And, also four other programs, two of which are in
the City of Miami and two others which are in a little unincorporated area but are
surrounded by the City of Miami so essentially they serve the City of Miami.
Mr. Plummer: Are they into that program at the same percentage that you're
requesting of us?
Dr. Tassey: Well, Metro provides us with 200, as a peak $240,000 and then $168,
no $171,000 on the other projects, so for those nine centers they're providing
$344, about $400 and some thousand.
Mr. Plummer: Let me tell you where I have a problem you call the After School
Care Program your program.
Dr. Tassey: No, it's ours.
Mr. Plummer: Ours.
Dr. Tassey: Ours.
Mr. Plummer: But yet you're asking
82.5% of the programs.
Dr. Tassey: Yes, sir, that's true. That program essentially was started at the
request of the City to help you with the problem of dealing with ...
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Tassey, that ain't your program it ain't ours. It belongs to
us.
Dr. Tassey: Well, actually, I would hope that all of these programs not only
mine that I'm here speaking on but all that appear on the list really are programs
that belong to the people of the City of Miami.
Mr. Plummer: God forbid that it's not every dollar.
Dr. Tassey: That's why I'm here is because particularly if these programs are
gone I know an awful lot of people that we have been serving in this City for a
long time are going to be without services that they need badly and you could
take that list of schools and take a look at them and I don't think you're going
to find Jimmy Carter living in any of those particular areas.
Mr. Plummer: Nor J. L. Plummer...
Mrs. Gordon: This is a kind of refresher to this Commission, J. L., it was the
City of Miami that really developed the idea for After School Care at a means of
preventing delinquency in the young child who would normally be out in the
streets after school looking for something to do and now I know we are facing
this budget crunch. Dr. Tassey, we want to do the program, the After School Care
Program probably as much as we want to do any program because it's so good and
because it was so good that Dade County decided to follow suit and utilize the
same kind of programming in addition to what we were providing. Now, I'm
wondering whether or not there might not be a source of funds available through
L.E.A.A. for instance. And, if that has been explored at all, by the School
Board?
19
SEP 251979
-
Df� Tassey: There is federal legislation which was passed for Community
Schools several years ago it provided , Pete help me on that, it was one
million and something... pardon. $1.5 million for the whole nation, okay.
We submitted a grant and they said, you people are so far ahead of the rest
of the country in development of community education that we can't fund you for
your, I think, we asked for $70,000 or so that first year. This past year, the
Senate and the House passed a new Community Education Bill, which will provide
several hundred million dollars for the nation over a 5-year period. It is now
in conference in Washington to determine the level of appropriation. Certainly,
we will be applying for funds there as we have for every source that we've been
aware of that would assist us and we have been receiving other funds from other
grantors...
Mrs. Gordon: Right, now this is what...
Dr. Tassey: ... and much of those have been spent in the City of Miami.
Mrs. Gordon: Right, what I would like to think about and see if we can't work it
out is to stall for time so to speak so that they can have the opportunity of
trying to get some supplementary funds, so that the program will not go out of
business. Now, I'm not talking particularly to the Community Schools aspect of
itself because that's a small sum for it serves a very wide population. I'm really
speaking to the After School Care, which I find a very successful program. I'm
not sure but does the Mott Foundation provide funds for programs?
Dr. Tassey: Mott Foundation has provided one of the main source of funding for
incentive grants throughout the country but primarily in the State of Michigan
which is home base and particularly in the City of Flint, we had as you'll
recall, earlier in the history of Community Schools obtained funds from the
Mott Foundation in small sums to enable the City as one of the people who benefited
from that to receive funds to initiate Community School Programs. We submitted
an application to the Mott Foundation last year for additional funds but we're
not selected for funding because they had already spent their millions of dollars
and previously funded projects. The State of Florida has legislation and $78,000
of that money comes to your City through the Community School Program so we're
receiving the maximum there. We're requesting that the State Legislature make a
change in the State Law to provide greater funding for Community Schools but as
you know that has to go through the legislative process and those recommendations
be made again this year as they have in the past. There would be no guarantee.
One word of caution on becoming overly optimistic as to the Federal Legislation at
this point, the existing year funding will be at that same $1.5 million level.
Once the Conference Committee determines the amount whether it be 4 or $500,000,000
or whatever the amount is that they're going to put into Community Education, it
is not expected that those funds would be available to districts until about 1980.
So we're... if we're going to wait a while and hope we got a little while to go.
Mrs. Gordon: So, therefore, what I have heard from you then is a shortage in the
Community School Program not of the $70,000 per s6 but $45,000 is that what you
say?
Dr. Tassey: Yes...
Mrs. Gordon: That some of it is already in our budget.
Dr. Tassey: It would require $45,000 to make sure those schools didn't close.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay.
Dr. Tassey: Okay. They would be severely hurt by the loss of that small amount
even though it's only $1,500 you'd be surprised how much incentive that gives a
community, Ada Merit community just raised $1,600 two weeks to fund some things
that they needed in their Science Lab and they're raising some money now to get
the band back in shape Mr. Plummer, and I think that you know, you can share in
that credit.
Mr. Plummer: You just struck a conflict of interest.
Dr. Tassey: We11, I did? Why?
Mr. Plummer: Because I was a member of that band for throe
Dr, Tassey: Oh;
Mrs, Gordon; Repeat the numbers again
how much do you need to stay open?
20 S P 251978
Mt, flat iet: $45,000.
br, Tassey: $45,000 would be an absolute tniniinum.
Mrs. Gordon: Thousand, is that what you said?
Dr, Tassey: Yes,
Mr, Plummer: That's 10% of out total budget.
Mrs. Gordon: And, then the After School Care how would
out I mean if you can't get the funding from us I don't
to stay open?
Dr. Tassey: We just will not be able to continue ma'am, we would simply have
to say we don't have any money.
Mayor Ferre: I understand your problem. Now, I want to tell you what our problem
is we've got $450,941 to allocate. Now, here's where it's going St. Albans
Day Nursery, the Miami Bridge, Little Havana Activity Center, JESSCA, Coconut
Grove Family Clinic, Belafonte Tacolcy, Sports Development, Action Community
Center, Puerto Rican Opportunity Center, and that's where almost $445,000. Now,
I wish Solomon were around to tell me which one of those programs I'm to cut
to get $45,000 for you.
Dr. Tassey: I realize you have a difficult task.
you handle the phase
know how you're going
Mr. Plummer: You don't need Solomon you need Jessie James.
Mayor Ferre: Okay.
Mrs. Gordon: Rob, or Mr. Grassie, with regard to the amount of money the City
is obtaining from Revenue Sharing if I am wrong correct me, isn't that an
estimate and of that there is a possibility that that number will change?
Mr. Grassie: There is a possibility Commissioner but relatively small. They
do give us the federal estimates ahead of time and they're reasonable reliable.
We have relied on them in the past.
Mrs. Gordon: As I understand it there is conference meetings going on right now
that may change that.
Mr. Grassie: That's correct and the federal government does re —calculate their
formula also based on new information every year so that could make small changes.
Mrs. Gordon: Well, what I'm trying to say is I don't want to the Community
Schools...
Mr. Grassie: I'm sorry it could go down as well as up you know.
Mrs. Gordon: ... to close. They serve to wide a population. I don't want the
After School to close but I mean you know, I don't know how we're going to get
that much additional money but I don't want the Community Schools to close
and so we have to look forward to this adjustment that's going to be available to
some degree. It may not be a million or two dollars but there is going to be an
adjustment.
Dr. Tassey:
Mrs. Gordon: Well, I hope it will too, but nevertheless Lou you made your point.
Dr. Tassey: Okay. If I could just make one comment about ...
Mrs. Gordon: I would hope the School Board would find the money to keep the
After School Care open though to tell you the truth. I think it's a responsibility
of the School Board to pick up what we started and show that it should be done and
by doing it and demonstrating success to the program we have really done a public
service,' feel that the City has done a public service ...
Dr, Tassey: Yes.
$rs, Gordon: ,., and you know I've been an advocate of the program.
SEP 2 51978
Dr. I'asseyt You have excellent ptogtams. If they were not excellent and were
not serving such wide group of people 1 would not even be standing before you
asking for the money. I've be bete telling you to cut us because I have done
that in the past too.
Mrs. Gordon: I'm not talking about the many school programs Lou, I'm talking
about After School.
Dr. Tassey: The overall services that and benefits that come to residents of
the City are too numerous really to mention it this time that's why we felt that
it was more appropriate for us in July to give you kind of a status repott and
that previous intervals to give you information.
Mrs. Gordon: Dr. Tassey, could you tell this Commission the amount of curtail-
ment and vandalism that is taken place at the schools which have the After School
Care Program? There has been a drop in vandalism.
Dr. Tassey: No, I can't because you say the amount. I can't tell you that.
Mrs. Gordon: Well, okay.
Dr. Tassey: I know that there has been a study made of the vandalism in public
schools and a comparison study has been made of the vandalism between schools
that are community schools and schools that are not community schools, those that
are community schools have a lower vandalism rate of loss than other schools,
that's been very definitely proved. It was done right here in South Florida,
I believe at Florida Atlantic University.
Mayor Ferre: There's no question about it.
Dr. Tassey: Mayor, I'm going just make one more because...
Mayor Ferre: That's not the question because that's like saying that the City
College Ststem in New York also cuts down vandalism. Of course, it cuts down
vandalism because ...
Mrs. Gordon: No, the point...
Mayor Ferre: ... poor people that aren't able to go to school otherwise are out
there getting college degrees and making better citizens.
Dr. Tassey: She asked me whether the amount was less and I know it's less but
I don't know how much I couldn't put a dollar on it, I think it's in the thousands.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay, let me get to the point Dr. Tassey. The point I was trying to
make is that since it has proved to be a beneficial vehicle for cutting down
vandalism that therefore that is a cost saving factor to the School Board and
perhaps now they ought to approach the continuation of the program through regular
School Board funding sources taxes rather than a diminishing supply of Federal
Revenue Sharing which is what we're facing.
Dr. Tassey: And, even more importantly it has been a program that has proven
it's ability to help people in a positive way.
Mrs. Gordon: Absolutely.
Dr. Tassey: Mr. Mayor, you mentioned about the SRO's and I'm afraid that I'm
really not involved in that other than I guess I find our projects caught in a
little difference of opinion between the School System and this Commission over
some premises which you obviously feel were made to you and I'm not even aware
of how that has worked.
Mayor Ferre: I understand. I'm not blaming you.
Dr. Tassey: I would hope that our projects would be judged strictly on their
own merit though because if that happens I feel very confident that we can be,,,
Mayor Ferre: Doctor, the problem is that we cannot take the relationsip between
the City of Miami as the relationship between the City of Miami and you personally,
Dr, Tassey: Certainly.
Mayor Ferre; It has to be between the City of Miami and the School Board and to
22 SEP 251978
f
do that we have to put everything on balance. See, and we have to understand
because if you want us to help you with certain things like, you know, After
School Care or Community Schools and the School Resource Officer Program then
we've got to put all this together because this is a judgmental factor. We're
making judgments here.
br. Tassey: I would like very much to continue to help those working parents
and especially working mothers in the City of Miami or anywhere in Dade County,
if possible and that's because they need it...
Mayor Ferre: I understand.
tr. Tassey: And, I've seen the value of what it means to a parent who's working
to know that their child from 1:45 in the afternoon until they pick them up is in
a well_ organized and well supervised and a very cared for program and I also would
like to continue to help the people of the City of Miami as well as all other
people of Dade County to have the schools open and to use them as a resource
because I think it is a lousy business deal for me as a tax payer to have to
sit around and spend thousands and thousands and millions of dollars to build
new facilities when we have plants that are sitting around that are worth a
million, two million, four million, eight million...
Mayor Ferre: Agreed.
Dr. Tassey: ... and we can open for five thousand a piece. Thank you very tnuch.
Mr. Plummer: Doctor, we agree with you. We agree wholeheartedly.
Mayor Ferre: Okay, just for the record, Rose. I just had a phone call from
Parker-Thompson,and the Culture people were here and they were requesting
$45,000. I told them that when we're turning down Community Schools there's
just no way in the world that we're going to have any kind of money for the Dade
County Culture Program. I just want to tell you what I said...
Mr. Plummer: From Federal Revenue Sharing.
Mayor Ferre: ... from Federal Revenue Sharing. 1 understand. Alright, who's
next? Anybody else on this side?
BACKGROUND COMMENT MADE OFF THE PUBLIC.
Mayor Ferre: I can't hear you ma'am, would you come up to the microphone? You're
here on behalf of JESCA, would you give us your name and address and address the
Commission?
Ms. Baise: I'm Mell Baise, and I work for JESCA, the Elderly Program at JESCA,
and after seeing this list, we understand that we're being funded at the same
level, recommended for funding at the same level and we can live with this and
we want to say thank you and we will not make a presentation. Thank you.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, ma'am. Alright, thank you. Alright, the next speaker, yes
ma'am.
Ms. Bartelstone: I'm Rona Bartelstone and I'm with United Family and Children
Services their operation mainstream program which functions out of their
inter -city office located at 345 N.E. 2nd Avenue.
Mayor Ferre: First question, have you been funded?
Ms. Bartelstone: No, and I can appreciate the admonition that was made earlier.
There are just a couple of things that I'd like to point out about our program
so that perhaps in the future we can be looked at in maybe a little bit of a
different light. We are receiving presently Community Development Funds and I'd
like to point out that while those funds are increasing they are not increasing
for Social Service Programs because C.D. is primarily for hardware and not for
software which is what our Social Service Programs are. In addition, I'd like
to point out that we believe we have what is a cost effective program in that we
address ourselves to the total needs of the elderly and counseling has been
identified by Area -Wide Agency and United Way as being one of the major service
needs for the elderly as defined in a needs assesment with the elderly in 1977.
In addition, to our counseling services we have an extensive outreach program
where we are attempting to locate the isolated low-income elderly and handicapped
so that we can develop relationships with them early on and hopefully prevent
crisis and possibly delay or prevent institutionalization of the elderly. We
23
SEP 251979
�� ■i■n iuiiiiiiiiiimiuu iu iii in
also have an exten0c"1 network system for follow-up .i information and
referral which is p.ti.t of our case work function and we believe that because
of the high quality of our services that we are cost effective program and
that we have been very beneficial with only three staff to the downtown
community which is overwhelming elderly, there ate about 52% of the people
who live downtown are elderly residents.
Mrs. Gordon: We lost our commission...
Ms. Bartelstone: Well, I just wanted to point out some of the aspects of out
program so that the Commission could be...
Mrs. Gordon: I'm well aware of the programs that are handled by United Family
& Children Services and I rate at the top of the list of qualified agencies
for consideration and I would be the first one to attest to that.
Ms. Bartelstone: Thank you.
Mayor Ferre: Thank you for your statement and I'm sorry that we can't be of
more help at this particular time. Alright, we're going to go down this way.
What happened to you before, you were sitting here? BACKGROUND COMMENT, Well,
around here you've got to get up real quick so alright, we'll take you at this
time.
Ms. Carrol: I represent the Industrial Home for the Blind Foundation. I'm
Sylvia Carrol.
Mr. Ongie: Your name and address, please.
Ms. Carrol: Sylvia Carrol and it's 900 S.W. 1st Street. Industrial Home for
the Blind Foundation. I'd like to tell you a little bit about our program which
is basically we rehabilitate blind people and we offer professional training to
the blind so that they can work in different activities. The blind who
participate are offered support and a lot of orientation so that they can obtain
confidence and undertake the work that will result in his own benefit. They will
learn a trade so that they can work in some other place and they can be useful
to themselves and to their families. Our purpose is to rehabilitate. We have
about 30 people on the training program and either Spanish or English -Spanish,
you know, we take anyone who is legally blind. Our program is established with the
bi-lingual community who needs training and employment and opportunities. We
have an enrollment of about 85 who are in the recreational program. They come
once a month for cultural and recreation and that is an annual average of 926
clinets. Our program of work in the workshop of the Industrial Home is about
16 blind clients, mainly, they earn a salary which is something that is...
they are being useful to this society and to their fellowmen, they elaborate the
so called which is a blind register by the Industrial Home for
Blind Foundation and also other products that are packed by the blind. We also
have our transportation program. T)»rins, the veer �e trRnCnort from s1iffererit
parts of the City of Miami an average of 3,850 blinds to the different activities
that are going on at the Industrial Home. With our lack of funding we see our-
self, you know, limited in our facilities.
Mrs. Gordon: May I ask a question Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Ferre: Yes, Mrs. Gordon.
Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Parkins, on the breakdown there is
with the initials S.F.C.C. what does that stand for?
$109,000 practically $110
Mr. Parkins: South Florida C.E.T.A. Consortium, that was their request
Mrs. Gordon: Yes.
Mr. Parkins: ... over in the columns headed South Florida C.E.T.A. Consortium
Funded Agency 78-79 shows the amount that they received from the title. Title
VI in this case.
Ms. Carrol: We only received $70,000.
Mrs. Gordon: You granted them $70,000?
Ms. Carrol; Right.
SEP 251918
000
■111111■IIIIIMMINMENE1111111111111111 II III i ■•iiiimuiuni■
Mts. Gordon: And, how much did you have last year from them?
Ms. Carrol: That was $109,000 last year.
Mrs. Gordon: Last year they gave you $109,000 and only giving you 004064
Ms, Carrol: Right, this year only $70,000.
Mayor Ferre: And, in addition the Miami C.E.T.A. allocation was an additioftal
$18,355...
Mrs. Gordon: Last year. And, what about this year?
Ms. Carrol: Those fees are for the employees.
Mrs. Gordon: Do you still have that?
Ms. Carrol: Yes,
Mrs. Gordon: Okay, Rob, will you answer the breakdown analysis on the right;
hand side of the sheet 2 of 5?
Mr. Parkins: Yes, again that's again that's the requested funds from the
sources that are indicated $18,355 C.E.T.A. from the City. They had requested
$109,961. $70,000 of which was funded out of the South Florida C.E.T.A.
Consortium and $14, 512 from the Lions Club Eyebank.
Ms. Carrol: Right.
Mrs. Gordon: But, all they're going to get is $70,000 total that you knot+;:'
Ms. Carrol: Right.
Mr. Parkins: Well...
Mrs. Gordon: I'm talking to Rob Parkins.
Mr. Parkins: No, that ...at least as my understanding would be there's still
a possibility for the Lions Club contribution and the City C.E.T.A. as well.
In our analysis so I can just point out something very quickly we had determined
based on the day-to-day provided this that they had served 230 clients last year
for a total of $565.00 per client, but we reviewed the funds that they had
requested at the total of $143,000 beyond that which was requested from the City
it would have served 254 client of the same amount of cost per client.
Ms. Carrol: Well, from the Lions Club, you know, that's... you know, donation,
I mean, ...
Mayor Ferre: Yes.
lis. Carrol: That is not an exact amount each year.
Mayor Ferre: Well, thank God for the Lions Club and for the interest that the
Lions Club is taking in the blind. They've done a magnificent job throughout the
country with that and without them a lot of blind people wouldn't be able to
have the type of services that are being rendered. The question before us is
that last year we gave them $5,000. They're asking for $20,000 this year and
as I understand it they're down to zero.
Mr. Parkins: In City recommendation for Revenue Sharing Funds that's correct.
Ms. Carrol: They're down to what I'm sorry.
Mayor Ferre: Zero, nothing.
Ms. Carrol: Nothing?
Mayor Ferre: From $5,000 you're being recommended for ge
Ms. Carrol: For zero this year?
Mayor Ferre: That's the recommendation.
25
SEP 251979
34s. Carrot : How car • we know,this , you program sure a you knave, just think
a minute, you know,•t.close your eyes and see what it's like.
Mayor Ferre: We understand that very well, and I personally feel that this is
one of the areas that fits into Plummer and Gibson's category that hot food fof
people first and then that are in need, especially the elderly, and certait►ly
the blind in this community fit into that category.
Ms. Carrol: There's a lot of blind, you know, clients, you know, we have a list
of at least 100, you know, waiting list to be enrolled and they can't be because
we don't have enough funds.
Mayor Ferre: Unless you tell me Rob that they're just not doing the kind of job
that they should be doing.
Mr. Parkins: No, Mr. Mayor, I'm not going to say that.
Mayor Ferre: Then, I personally, on my personally opinion is that I don't see
how in the world we can, at least not give these people $5,000 which is what we
gave them last year. I don't think we can give them more than that.
Mr. Parkins: Again, I only to refresh your memory go back to my original remarks
that we had two areas of concern that we had to use as a point of beginning, the
funding availability ...
Mayor Ferre: I understand.
Mr. Parkins: Alright.
Mayor Ferre: Alright. Thank you, ma''a
members of the Commission?
Mrs. Gordon: No, now Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Carrol: I hope you'll, you know, leave this in mind.
Mayor Ferre: We will. Thank you very much. Alright, the next speaker... am
through with everybody on this side? Alright, Captain you're next.
Capt. Jansson: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I'll just take a couple of minutes to
do probably to the ignorance that I have of the program I'm getting ready to
present to you. I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I just arrived two weeks ago. I'm
talking for the women, the WID program, Women In Distress, which is I understand
Roxcy Bolton used to have this program and in 1974 she received $25,000 from
Revenue Sharing. We took it over three months ago with the, I believe the
United Way, Roxcy Bolton and a couple of names I wouldn't know who they are but
Fernandez, and Rivero. We talked to those people and decided to take this program
over and it seems talking with my fellow colleagues that we were to be funded
through Revenue Sharing is the reason we took this program over. Now, we find
ourselves with the program with a $35,000 budget asking for $12,000 of it from
Revenue Sharing to be used for that program. Also, I might just add due to the
large program that the:Salvation Army has in the City, the various programs that
we have a program of this sort fares far better in this type of operation than
it would if it was out on its own just operating by itself. We have all the
resources of the Salvation Army to deal with this type of a program.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, Mr. Parkins what number is this on? I can't find it on
... Oh, it's item 20.
Mr. Parkins: That's correct. We still carried it under the old title. To kind
of refresh the Commission's memory, I think we're inimately familiar with the
Women In Distress Program over the last three years. We provided $5,000 in seed
money to Mrs. Bolton in response to a special request she made to this Commission,
but we began deliberately trying to find a parent agency that could take on the
responsibilities of Women In Distress ultimately again through Mrs. Bolton's fine
efforts the Salvation Army was agreeable in taking over the operation of the program.
It had been the seed money. we add continued it again for two additional years
because we had not yet found the parent agency. We were successful in doing so
and it would be our opinion based on analysis that would the seed money having
been provided to now have it operated independent of the City by the Salvation Army.
If you're interested in the statistics we determined it based on the funding being
provided other than what is requested from the City. Now, based on the cost per
Client projected by the Salvation Army they could serve 230 clients.
SEP 2 51978
'
Capt. Jansson: I jfr might add one thing to that atthat is the total budget
you said you were to King for an organization to take over the entire program.
We have intended by this program, we've only had it three months to provide
$23,000 of that along with the $12,000 we requested. So the Salvation Army is
going to provide $23,000 of the total operating budget. I would say that that
was a parent organization that you found, if we could get the rest.
Mr. Parkins: Yes. Yes, precisely my point. The original allocation recommend-
ation keeping in mind that that is a reducing fund was for seed money purposes
because there was no one addressing the concerns of Women in Distress adequately
and it's to the army's good credit that they accepted the responsibility. Your
$23,000 is roughly four times the original seed money allocation and again would
serve 230 clients if your cost per client remain the same as it's currently is
projected.
Mr. Plummer: Well, Rob, let me come to a point right here and this speaks to
overall, not to just this project or one of the others. You know, keeping in
mind your premises you told me about the C.E.T.A. down and the community up.
Mr. Parkins: Revenue Sharing down.
Mr. Plummer: Okay. Now, be realistic with me and with these people. What is
the possibility of some of this slack being picked up in Community Development?
Mr. Parkins: There are two problems that would have to be recognized in the C.D.
Social Services Fund.
Mr. Plummer: Right.
Mr. Parkins: One is that we, meaning the Commission has traditionally wanted to
hold a certain percentage of C.D. Funds for Social Service purposes.
Mr. Plummer: As I recall it was about 10%.
Mr. Parkins: Roughly 10% and there were certain restrictions of the use of those
funds and there's ,supposed to be attendant to a physical development project
Capital Improvement. A second problem obviously would be their need to be a
request by the army through the appropriate task force and I think in this instance
it would be Wynwood.
Mr. Plummer: Well, no, I don't read that in Women in Distress.
Mayor Ferre: J. L., excuse me, I've got to be absent for about five minutes.
We can either take a five minute break or ...
Mr. Plummer: It's fine with me.
Mayor Ferre: ... I would recommend that you continue and I'll be back in five
minutes.
Mr. Plummer: Why don't we take a five minute break. Take a five minute break
Maurice.
WHEREUPON the City Commission recessed at 11:20 A.M. and reconvened at 11:25 A.M.
with all members of the City Commission found to be present.
Mayor Ferre: If you'll come back Mr. Plummer you were asking some questions.
Mr. Plummer: Well, Mr. Mayor, I was inquiring in the area of C.D. funds and I
think as I understood the answer. The answer was that they would have to be
serving primarily the target areas. Now, C.D. funds would not,in my way speak to
the Women in Distress because that's Dade County -wide, they don't , let's say
address a certain area, but here's the point, the point is that some of these that
we're allocating here today are and can be readily identified to a particular area.
Now, not picking on one but, you know, without question JESCA and Culmer, that's
Culmer, that is one of the target areas of C.D. JESCA and Coconut Grove, that is a
target area of C.D. and I'm just you know, wondering, we keep saying to people,
hey look, we can't give it to you today from Federal Revenue Sharing hope and pray
that we can give it to you from C.D. and what I was trying to do was establish a
bottomline. Are we sending people away with empty promises or is there a area of
switch, if it may be such if you follow me, that we recognize these programs, they
are good programs. How much layaway dove have in C.D., you know, and what is the
chances since the C.D. money is going up? So I'm just asking not for Women in
Distress in particular, but for the overall, like the Mayor said, I was wrong,
Maybe we are dealing with two areas this morning even though we're only addressing
one we are dealing in two areas because if Federal Revenue Sharing money is coming
27 $Er 2 i97
down and C.D. mone;tris going up (BACKGROUND COMMENT) Excuse me. We11, you
best had better inform Mt. Parkins because that's what he told me and Ism
going on what he told me.
Mr. Fosmoen: We've reached our limit on..,
Mt. Plummer:
Mr, Fosmoen:
Are we getting more C.D. this year than we got last year?
No, sir.
Mr. Plummer: And, what percentage of moneys of the C
dedicate to Social Services?
Mr. Fosmoen: I think Social Services and C.D. is a little over $500,000 out
of a $10,000,000 program.
Mr, Plummer:
Mr, Fosmoen:
Mr. Plummer:
Mrs. Gordon:
Mr. Fosmoen:
Mr. Plummer:
Mr. Fosmoen:
first of C.D.
That's roughly 5%.
5%.
Okay.
What is the legal maximum?
There is no legal maximum Commissioner,
Whatever we set for 10 as I recall was the average.
Ten(10) is a target that was talked about many years ago in
enabling legislation.
the
Mr. Plummer: Okay, Dick, look let me give it to you this way okay, you know, we
can all philosphize what we want and what we think is right but let me tell you
where J. L. is at and it applies to the social service programs of C.D. as well
as it applies to the social service of federal revenue. You know, if we're talking
about a bus bench and I think that's some of the C.D. If we're talking about a
bus bench or a hot meal there's no question which the man who wants with an empty
stomach. If we're talking about sidewalks or a hot meal or being able to be •
treated as a sick individual , you know, all of these amenities are nice but I
think when we come to the point of priorities,what the hell good is it if we
provide sidewalks and bus benches and tress which are all motherhood and we all
want to do, if that man has got to leave the area to go somewhere and to eat.
Now, you know, I'm just saying that... I think it's a matter of priority. I just
think that we can take some of this and we have some flexibility and especially
if we comply with that which they spoke about that C.D. monies must be of the
target area that those people that are in charge of that target area have got to
realize as we have to realize the target of priorities first and foremost. Now,
you know you should Mr. Parkins give us likewise when you give us this the FRS in
which we are discussing. I think likewise you would be duty bound or you whoever
is in charge of C.D. to give us a breakdown of those monies which are dedicated
in C.D. to the particular projects and to the particular areas because I'm sorry
you know, I'm just very sorry I hold to my premise and my premise is first we
the hungry. Second, we take care of the sick and elderly. Third, we take care
of the children and whatever is left over we'll talk about. Now, all I'm saying
is there's nothing (BACKGROUND COMMENT) ... well, I can't Mr. Mayor, I'm addressing
it in a very long dissertation you've notice, yes, but, you know, all I'm saying
is in his particular case addressing his problem. Now, we're telling this man
as we have told others no you've not allocated anything in this budget but there's
a possibility you'll get it from Community Development. Well, I don't see that
because he doesn't meet the qualifications that says it has to be to a target area,
because he serves people area -wide, Dade County -wide. Now, all I'm saying is, is
there the latitude Mr. Grassie that some of these programs here which are without
question in my mind targeted to a particular one of the 8 target areas able to be
switched from FRS over to a targeted area of funding and allow the latitude of us
funding an area -wide program from FRS. Do you understand what I'm saying? You
might not agree with it , but am I...
Mr. Grassie: No, your question is very clear Commissioner. Yes, there is that
possibility. Keep in mind that the C.D. program involves a very substantial
process of citizen participation.
Mr. Plummer: I understand that,
28 SEP 251978
11r. Grassie: So all of the projects that we fund ar `hrouch C.D. basically
come out of a citirtf committee evaluation recommenth..ion and all of that but
if you're asking if we put some of these, let's take the case of the projects
that ate rejected for Federal Revenue Sharing Funding. If we take those
projects and put them into the citizen participation process and they come out
with a favorable neighborhood recommendation, the answer to your question is
yes, that some of that shifting could be made but I think that it would have
to be initiated through the citizen process rather than at this table.
Mr. Plummer: That's well and good Mr. Grassie, but let me tell you, maybe what
I'm talking about is the heat in the kitchen. In other words, why should we
the Commission unjustly sit up here and allow that group to delegate and I
understand we have the bottomline that the final responsibility you know but
eVerycne of these Commissioners sitting up here after the community has involved
itself and spoken do find it a little difficult to sit here and reverse their
decisions but I think what we're finding is those areas of social services
they're shifting over to us and say, well, you take care of it in Federal Revenue
Sharing and we're sitting here saying you take care of it ... Community Develop-
ment, it is civil defense whether you like it or not, you know,and allowing the
target areas and their committees to spend that money in other areas and yet the
bottomline and responsibility comes to us and I'm going to tell you something if
that's the case Mr. Grassie then I got to tell you that next year or now when that
C.D. comes up again that I am not going to be able to afford them them the latitude
of not providing my criteria, food sick and elderly and children. Now, you know
these projects are speaking to their area, to their people, and I think the
primary responsible has got to be their's,I really do. And, if we do that and we
ship some of this here to that it'll free up some of that money which serve area -
wide programs which does not qualify under C.D. enough said.
Mayor Ferre: I guess the bottomline in one sentence is that we have to take all
these things into account and weigh them together rather than separately. Are
there any further statements?
Capt. Jansson: I'd like to get back to our program.
Mayor Ferre: I would too.
Capt. Jansson: Just to familiarize myself with it. I'm under the understanding
that this program as I said before began with an invite from the City.
Mayor Ferre: Yes.
Capt. Jansson: And, at that time the budget was $32,542.00. We had taken this
program over and we've had it for the last three months, this was in 1974 when
the budget was $32,500. Now, we're saying that we're going to do the same
program and the budget is going to be $35,311 and the Salvation Army is putting
$23,000 into it where you were putting the $25,000 we're now asking you for
$12,000 that's as far as the facts goes I know. And, I might just say something
on Mr. Plummer's recommendation or whatever it might have been. The way I
look at what Mr. Plummer was saying is for those agencies who qualify for
Community Development to do so and those that don't be funded through the Revenue
Sharing if that's the wishes of the Commission rather than the other way around
as this gentleman here say it is.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Fosmoen, let me ask a question of you sir, and I'm sorry to
hog up but I think maybe I have struck on an area of latitude that was not
presented before. Mr. Fosmoen, you know, this Commission always prided itself
in the past on Federal Revenue Sharing that with the national average of 5% was
used to cross the nation for social services that we had done 20, okay? We had
always prided ourselves in that. Now, unfortunately we find ourselves this year
of only spending 9.7 percent of the total Federal Revenue Sharing which is just
about half what we have done in the past. Now, this Commission set a limit in
the past as I recall for social service programs in C.D. at about 10%.
Mr. Fosmoen: A little less.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, in that general ball game. Now, you're telling me that what
in fact is the truth of last year is five.
Mr. Fosmoen: About five or six.
Mr. Plummer: Now, is there anything in good conscience morally or otherwise
that this Commission could not stick with that 10% allowing the committees to do
the 5% of social service and the additional 5% of the Commission.
29 SEP 251978
-
Mt. Fosmoen: No, ate's nothing that prevents that Commissionet with a couple
of caveats.
Mr. Plummer: Because caveats will take me to an early grave.
Mr. Fosmoen: Catch 22's if you will. The rules of the game are constantly
changing in Community Development and the Fed's are telling us and told us last
year that we have to begin concentrating our Community Development I've heard
in very specific geographic areas neighborhood strategy areas if you will, and
we've identified four of those and they are working this year in Community
Development and their monies are targeted into those four much smaller
communities, much smaller areas than this 8 large target areas that we have.
Mayor Ferre: That's very, very important that we all understand that and that
is that you may want to propose something but the federal government disposes.
Mr. Fosmoen: It's got to be targeted. The social services have to be targeted
in support of those physical improvements and Commissioner Congress is saying
that C.D. money is a physical improvement dollar. It is not a social service
dollar. I understand what your position is.
Mr. Plummer: You know, Mr. Fosmoen that's all and well and I don't mean to say
this in jest as I do a lot of the times, but by God what good is it to develop
a community from a physical standpoint.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Plummer, please, if you want to get into that argument I would
recommend that you make an appointment and go up to Congress and before the proper
committee argue that this is not the forum for you to discuss whether or not you
agree that C.D. funds should be distributed the way they're being distributed.
The fact remains whether you or I like it or otherwise that we have specific
guidelines to live up to and you know you may want to change but this is not the
forum to discuss that.
Mr. Plummer: But I've already been told that it can be done.
Mayor Ferre: ... he was in the midst of beginning to explain why you cannot do
it. Now, if you listen you'll see why.
Mr. Fosmoen: Now, as I started to indicate Congress and the Fed's who are
writing the guidelines are telling us we have to target our resources into small
geographic areas. I haven't looked specifically at the programs that you're
speaking to today to see whether or not they are targeted into those small
geographic areas and I think that's a follow-up that we have to do to analyze
these social services to see whether or not they are targeted into those small
geographical areas. My impression is that they're not.
Mr. Plummer: Thank you, sir.
Mayor Ferre: I wish it were otherwise. I happen to agree 100% with you and I
have gone on record telling Dante Fascell and Bill Lehman, and Claude Pepper.
Now, the three of them put together don't make up one-half of one percent of
Congress. Now, they may be powerful men but whether or not they can change the
thrust of this whole C.E.T.A. program, Countercyclical Supplement and Federal
Revenue Sharing programs and Community Development, you know, you how that
works like I do. That's why I happen to be a strong believer against centralization
of government. The closer you keep these things that's my argument against the
Miami Herald's position on C.E.T.A. which is you know, let's throw the baby out
with the wash. The fact is that if we got $90,000,000 involved. If we don't
have something to do with it then somebody else is going to make that decision
and if it isn't the City of Miami, it's going to be Metro and if it isn't Metro
it's going to be Tallahassee and if it isn't Tallahassee it's going to be
Washington and I think that we're a lot better off correcting the C.E.T.A.
problems in Miami having the decision making process locally than having it
up in Washington or Atlanta which is where it's headed right now and I think
this is applicable to all of these federal programs but for us to be able to
function we've got to function within the guidelines of what the federal governments
it's their money.
Mr. Plummer: No, it isn't.
Mayor Ferre: Yes. Unfortunately...
Mr, Plummer: Where did they get itrom7 The people,
30
SEP 251978
Mayor Fetre: ... 1ct's the people money but the federal government tells us how
to spend it and we've got to live within those guidelines. Alright, let's
progress now. And, we're back to you Captain.
Captain Jansson: Alright. I just have one thing to add and I'll be through.
The Salvation Army I believe took this program on good faith I don't know all
the particulars of it, but I'm sure some of you do and maybe Mr. Parkins.
Realizing that we would be able to continue this program and I'm sure the
$5,000 seed money would not just that and that alone or the Salvation Army
would not have taken the program , took the house over, refurnished the house,
and carried on the program as we have. Thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Mayor...
Mayor Ferre: Rose.
Mrs. Gordon: ... I have to feel that's a very true statement. I don't think the
Salvation Army would have taken the program had they been told that at the time
that they're all funding from the City would be removed from them. They would
have said thanks but no thanks, you know, we know the need. I believe we have
an obligation here as well as some of the other programs we've discussed.
Mayor Ferre: Alright. Would you mark that down and then when we get to the
discussion that's Women in Distress now under the Salvation Army. They were
funded last year for $5,848 they are requesting $12,000 this year. Alright,
thank you very much Captain. Dr. Regalado.
Dr. Regalado: Honorable Mayor and Commissioners, I have no luck in speaking
fluent English. I am going to appoint Mr. Rafael Villaverde to speak in my
name....
Mayor Ferre: Alright, sir. Thank you, Doctor.
Mr. Villaverde: The association for the youthful age requested a grant on the
FRS (Federal Revenue Sharing for $89,471 and at the same time C.E.T.A. for
$60,828. The Purpose of the program was for a Day Care Center at the Little
Havana Geographical area but also serving the city at large. This Day Care was
intended to serve the poor elderly that will have some kind of a physcial
handicap in order to be placed in a Activity Center or in another kind of a
facility. They will need some kind of prescriptions and attention from a
registered nurse and it is badly needed in the area. We lack the facilities
there and also it was going to be part of a combination with a Hougair Taier
in English it's like a sheltered workshop for the handicapped elderly.
Mayor Ferre: What line is this?
Mr. Villaverde: Okay, we're on page ...
Mr. Grassie: Line 22 Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Villaverde: ... page 3 of 5.
Mayor Ferre: Yes. Did this program ever receive any funding from Federal
Revenue in the past?
Mr. Villaverde: No, sir.
Mayor Ferre: It's very important Rafael that you explain to Dr. Regalado and
I will try to do so later on that the Commission is taking a policy that we're
not going to fund any new programs, and the reason for that is that we have too
many old programs that need funding and we're cutting them off and I just want
him to understand that.
Mr. Villaverde: Let me translate it. Dr. Regalado understands the position
and he asks me if that applies for the C.E.T.A. applications too?
Mrs. Gordon: This is not a C.E.T.A. hearing.
Mr. Villaverde: Okay, good because that was his question.
Mrs. Gordon: No, we're not doing anything for C.E.T.A. now, it's not in o
jurisdiction right now.
SEP 251978
WIMP
mmmm
MEMO
MEM
III I I I I I IIIII IIII I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII■IIIIIIIUI IIIIIIIIIIII I IIIII I■■
Mr. 'Villaverde: Docto. egalado thanks the Commission for the opportunity to
speak to them.
Mayor Ferre: Thank you very much Dr. Regalado.
Mr. Plummer: Let me ask one question just in this particular area: Has the
Doctor ever applied to the committee of the Little Havana Activity Ceiitet fait
a portion of their C.D. funds?
Mt. Villaverde: Okay.
Mr. Plummer: No, by God that's a fait question.
Mt. Villaverde: Yes he has, sit.
Mr, Plummer: And, what was the answer?
Mr. Villaverde: Never answered back.
Mr. Plummer: They never answered.
Mrs. Gordon: Why didn't they answer?
Mr. Villaverde: Why didn't they answer?
Mrs. Gordon: Yes. He wouldn't know but maybe you know?
Mr. Villaverde: That's the same question he's asking himself why he didn't get
an answer.
Mrs. Gordon: I'm asking you though.
Mr. Villaverde: Oh, me?
Mrs. Gordon: Yes.
Mr. Villaverde: No, because that's the Community Development it's not our agency.
You know it's attown meetings where they decide the priorities. And, it was a
priority in the area.
Mrs. Gordon: Yes, it was a priority and you never received an answer.
Mr. Villaverde: Never.
Mrs. Gordon: Who would supply that answer then Rafael?
Mr. Villaverde: The County, Community Development Administration.
Mrs. Gordon: Well, it's the County and also City, City, we're part of that
C.D. allocation. Mr. Grassie, can you answer us on that?
Mr. Grassie: I do not have the answer Commissioner. I believe that, you know
that there is a difference between the C.D. program the City runs and the one
the County runs.
Mrs. Gordon: Yes.
Mr. Grassie: I think that the application that you're talking about is the one
that was made to the County C.D. ...
Mr. Villaverde: Correct.
Mr. Grassie: ... and it is not a program with which the City is directly
involved, you know.
Mayor Ferre: Thank you very much.
Mr. Grassie: We relate to them but we're not directly involved in terms of
their funding decisions.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, who's the next speaker, now?
Mr. Villaverde: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Regalado would like to say one more word to
the Commission.
b
l4ayot Fetre: On, yes, Dr. Regalado.
Dr. Regalado: As yoy know, I don't speak fluent English, but I have something
in my mind and in my heart that is necessary to say today, here. The Day Care
Center for Elderly speaking Spanish they need in this community. It is a
great need, an important need because it is important for the old people and
for the young people too. Young people go to work everyday. The two members
of the faW1y, the principal members, the husband and his wife must go to work
because it is necessary to support the home. The house is the all, the old woman
or the old man expossed to all accidents, to all dangers. Statistics, many accidents
occur every year because of dangers to the elderly. The young people that is
working are very worried. I have been in many factories at the break hours and
I have seen how these people go to the phone and call 'mama are you taking your
medicine? Mama did you take your 9 Be careful'and so on and so. I insist
every year that this is a great need for this community to create a Day Care Center
for Elderly Spanish people, they are left behind all his life and they are depressed,
they are finished only expecting the death as a remedy for this matter, then some-
thing or someone can depend and create a Day Care Center for Elderly they will
be better than now. They will have the company of other persons who speak their
own language and then they will have an idea for tomorrow. Tomorrow will be
every year when a Day Care Center exists. Now, the elderly people don't have
nothing more that a house because the house means for their resting, this is the
reality and I want you to know I have dedicated my life to all the days I can
live. I will dedicate it to advocate for a Day Care Center for elderly people.
Thank you for your attention and please don't forget the elderly.
Mrs. Gordon: Dr. Regalado we won't. I assure you that we are deeply concerned,
believe me.
Dr. Regalado: Thank you very much for all you've done.
Mrs. Gordon: You have expressed yourself very well.
Mr. Reboso: Thank you. Next speaker, please.
Ms. Brown: Lotty Brown, American Red Cross, 5020 Biscayne Boulevard. I realize
this morning that you're not addressing the issue of new programs. However, I'd
would like to say that they adopted a grandparent program, a pilot program being
sponsored by the American Red Cross geared to the reduction of the isolation of
Dade Elderly is a useful program and much needed in the community if somehow,
someday, monies become available I would like for the American Red Cross to be
considered. Thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: How much are you requesting?
Ms. Brown: The matching fund of $2,700.
Mrs. Gordon: $2,700 and that will then grant you how much money on the matching.
of the other end?
Ms. Brown: The match requested the original grant from the older American.
Mrs. Gordon: Yes, how much will you get from that?
Ms. Brown: $24,387 and we need a 10% local cash match. Thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: Thank you.
Mr. Reboso: Next, please.
Mr. Chavez: Members of the Commission, staff members, my name is Skip Chavez.
I'm speaking on behalf of Accion Community Center, a program which was previously
funded by the City which dedicates itself to the transportation of the elderly.
On behalf of the Accion Community Center, we wish to express their thanks to this
Commission in accepting the recommendation from the staff for refunding. Thank you.
Mr. Reboso: Next.
Dr. Solomon: Dr. Jeffrey Solomon, Miami Jewish Home & Hospital for the Aged,
151 N. E. 52nd Street.
Mrs. Gordon: Doctor, I would suggest that you wait a moment or two until the
Mayor returns to his seat. I think he's interested in your presentation...
33
SEP 251978
Dr. Solomon: Thank you, Commissioner.
Mts. Gordon: ... and would like to hear it.
Dr. Solomon:
I'd like to introduce while we're waiting for the Maybt
Fred Hirt, the Executive Director of Miami Jewish Home Hospital and
Olga Cenal , the Director of Physical Affairs.
Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Vice Mayor, do you want to call someone else for►aatd
moment or you want to wait...
Mr. Reboso: We can wait, did you say that the Mayor...?
Mrs. Gordon: Yes, I'm sure he's interested,he expressed himself before.
Mr. Reboso: Okay, is anybody that want to speak in the meanwhile? Any other
speakers?
Ms. Ward: My name is Nestor Ward, and I represent the Tenants Educational
Association of Miami (TEAM). The address is 642 N.W. 2nd Avenue and we'd just
like to have this on record that the City not considering the additional request
for the budget this year and not reconsidering our previous allocation is a
another blow to a low income inner City neighborhood. Tenant Education
Association of Miami has been providing some very vital services to the people
in the Culmer Area. The area of Miami known as the Overtown Area. We were
providing educational, informational, and referral services. During the last
year we've prevented several evictions and when people were evicted Tenant
Education Team was quickly at hand to prevent these people from staying on the
streets and we'd just like to record it that it's a real big blow that we've
been given not being refunded. Thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: What number is that Rob on our list?
Mr. Parkins: It would be number 17 on the ... page 2 of 5, number 17.
Mr. Reboso: Yes, who is next please?
Mr. Torres: I'm going to solicit somebody to help me translate in my Spanish
language to English language.
Mr. Reboso: Arauz would you please do that? Mr. Manager, is it okay for Carlos?
Mr. Torres: (TRANSLATED BY CARLOS ARAUZ) This is Mr. Hector Torres. He is a
new director of the program of Nicky Cruz Outreach. He has come to Nicky Cruz
Outreach from the Young Explorers Association of the United States of which he
is President. This organization which is served by over 250 volunteers in
Dade County has not been helped at all, has not receive any funds from the City
for any of the programs that they have dealt with in the County. The Young
Explorers Organization is not a Latin Organization nor a Cuban Organization. It
is a fully intergrated organization that helps the community in general. In the
past 10 years this organization has provided training for over 500 adults
including many youths in the fields of technology and mechanics and this is the
type of work that they do in the organization. When the Young Explorers organi-
zation was asked to take over the Nicky Cruz Outreach Program one of the first
things that they did was have the old members of the Nicky Cruz Outreach Program
resign and they have brought in a new Advisory Board composed of professional
people including doctors, psychologist, technicians, and otherwise in order to
provide a better service to the community. He says that they did take over the
organization to save anyone because it is their feeling that if anyone has
committed a crime against the community that person shculd be condemned and
they condemn them themselves. We serve the entire community. We serve the
Black community, the Latin community, and the Anglo community. We cannot be
accused of serving just one special sector of the community. We serve the entire
community. They took over the organization because they know that over 1,000
young people need their help, need their advice and their counseling in order to
progress. We have been evaluated as one of the most needed programs of public
service in the community and now all funds have been taken away from the Nicky
Cruz Outreach Program. If someone has committed a crime that person should be
condemned, but the program itself should not be condemned. We ask you to open
your hearts and to help us even right now we do plan to continue and a small
'organization of the Little Havana area has offered a small place for us to
continue the Nicky Cruz Outreach Program. We must continue our work because
this is a very much needed service to the youth to their sons and daughters of
SEP 251978
the elderly and of the people in the community. He feels that this is a major
need of the community and therefore Nicky Cruz should be continued. He's like
to thank you for the opportunity of speaking to you and he prays to God that
they be allowed to continue the program and hopes that you can find some money
in the Revenue Sharing Funds to continue the Nicky Cruz Program. Thank you.
Mr. Plummier: Let me ask you a question just to make the record very cleato
Mr. Arauz through you to the Doctor.
Mr, Arauz: Okay.
Mr. Plummer: You know, we have all read of the unfortunate circumstances
surrounding the program but as in all programs it usually is not the people who
have allegedly done wrong but the recipient who know nothing of these things that
go on. My question for the record is that under no circumstances, not trying
to cast blame but allegations have been made that none of the people who are
involved in the allegations are presently involved in the program of today?
Mr. Torres: All the people that participate in the old Nicky Cruz Program
including the entire Board of Directors are no longer in the program and even
a new Advisory Board has been formed and established.
Mr. Plummer: So the answer for the record is...
Mr. Arauz: I'm asking him Commissioner, if it includes his staff?
Mr. Torres: The Director and the Assistant Directors have also been named
brand new.
Mr. Plummer: That's not the question.
Rev. Gibson: [What's that? I didn't hear that. What did you say?
Mr. Arauz: There is a new Director and a new Assistant Director to the program.
Mr. Plummer: But the question, the bottomline, is any, any that's all of the
old programs still present in the new?
Rev. Gibson: You mean the staff?
Mr. Plummer: That's everybody totally involved in the program except for the
recipients I understand, sure, they would be the same.
Mr. Torres: There is Mr. Soto and Mr. Munoz, who are past employees and have
remained there to help with an audit being conducted by an external firm.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, I just wanted to put it on the record.
Mr. Torres: They have been working by the orders of the C.E.T.A. Consortium
of the South Florida.
Mr. Plummer: I just wanted it on the record. Thank you.
Mr. Reboso: Anymore questions? Next speaker, please.
Ms. Johnson: My name is Rosalyn Johnson, Director of Overtown
Recreation Center.
Mrs. Gordon: Rosalyn, you're not talking loud enough into mike,
Ms. Johnson: Do I have to lean forward, is that better?
Mrs. Gordon: Can you hear her?
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS) ADJUSTING THE MICROPHONE.
Ms. Johnson: Alright, how about now?
Mrs. Gordon: I can hear you.
Ms. Johnson: Do I just need to speak louder?
Mrs. Gordon; That's right Rosalyn,
35
SEP 251978
•
I
IEEE
tis, Johnson: Okay. My name is Rosalyn Johnson from Overtown Recreation Center,
1401 North Miami Avenue. I'd like to introduce my Chairman of my Board, Mr.
Arthur King and I'm going to ask him to address himself to this particular
subject after I finish.
Rev. Gibson: Louder.
Ms. Johnson: After I finish. All the members of the Commission, I'm sure ate
familiar with Overtown Program. From time to time I have been before you and
have presented my program to you in one form or another, but for the record,
Overtown's program is a program for youth. It's a recreational, cultural, and
activity program for the children in the Overtown area. To this point, we have
had a growth in activity. We have had an expansion in activity and the quality
and in the quantity. We have had a growth in the staff as well. They sort of
grew together. At present we are in the process of having electrical work done
to the building through the City of Miami Community Development Office. To
bring that building up to code at the same time for the last two years we have
been negotiating to have a mini park placed in the back of the building which
is to the north, which the City agreed to last year and did the final decision
work on it this year, a couple of months ago. That work is to begin tomorrow.
But before that park was considered we were asked for some assurance of some
forecast of funding for at least 5 years. I took that to mean that the City
did not want to put money into a project and then find that the project was
not going to be there. And so it's a matter of spending money and no program.
I received a letter,such a forecast, such an assurance from Citizen Services
Office which states that the Overtown Program would indeed be recommended for
funding for a period of not less than 5 years, dated last year, that of course,
carries along with it the understanding that the final decision has to be made
by the Commission. I'm having problems with this this morning because first of
all, at 10:30 I learned about the meeting today, here. There has been no prior
discussion with regard to funding. There has been no prior discussion or
references or communication with regard to programming, so I'm really at a loss
for words to come and find that the recommended funding at this point is zero.
I could understand it if it were reduced,but to come and find a zero. I find it
very difficult to understand. The children in the downtown area are the ones
who are going to be left in the street where they were before 1974 when
Dr. Sheppard decided he didn't want them in the streets, but now they're going
back to the streets. You are familiar with the characteristics of the residents
the make-up of the community. You have all the facts in front of you. You know
them all, but the children are the ones that are going to be suffering from this
zero recommended funding. I have no idea as to why. I have no idea as to what
prompted it or what persuaded whoever did the recommendations to recommend that
way. So there are really very few questions I can answer with regards to that
but I did want to bring this to your attention.
Mrs. Gordon: Ok.
Mr. King: Honorable Commission, my name is Arthur King. I am the Chairman of
the Advisory Board for the Overtown Recreation Center. Just to sum up because
Ms. Johnson has really given you the statistics on what has been done there
Overtown. One would only have to go to the Culmer Area and you will readily
understand why a program such as this is so vital for the particular area we
are talking about this morning. As we all know it does involve our children
and as Ms. Johnson has said for us to find about this meeting and find it zero
for that particular center)it's appalling. It is hoped that this Commission
this morning in its wisdom would find someway to do something for the little
kids over there in Culmer better known as Overtown. Any consideration given in
their behalf will be a step in the right direction in making better citizens in
our community. Thank you very much.
Mr. Plummer: Let me ask a question. The papers which we have before us here
this morning indicate and unless you correct I will take as being truthful that
Overtown is presently receiving $259,000 for a Child Day Care Program is that
correct? (INAUDIBLE COMMENT) It is not correct. I show here on mine that
Title VI funds, Child Care Program at St. Luke's is receiving $259,043.
Mayor Ferre: What number is that?
Mr. Plummer: That's item #4.
Mrs, Gordon: Rob Parkins will you answer us and tell us that that is or is not
a fact?
Mr, Parkins;
They were allocated under C,E,T,4. Title VI $259,043 for the Child
36
SEP 2 b 1978
Cate Component,
Mr. Plummer: For this coming year?
Mr. Parkins: That's correct.
Mrs. Gordon: ,Were they notified of thisl
Mr. Parkins: Sure they were. Weil nowt you've beett tio5ed for how Roaa1yn?
Ms. Johnson: Two weeks.
Mr. Parkins: Alright, letters of notification went out of the Consortium about
two weeks ago, but you were allocated $259,943.
Ms. Johnson: I have all the mail that has come into the center since I've been
closed Mr. Parkins.
Mr. Plummer: Well, also let me continue from C.E.T.A. of City allocations
according to my record you have got $48,550 is that correct ?
2•ir. Parkins: You're looking in the request column now Commissioner remember,
Mr. Plummer: Oh, is that request?
Mr. Parkins: Yes.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, is it to be assumed, yes or no?
Mr. Grassie: He can't answer that.
Mr. Plummer: Alright. The Archdiocese,of course,we cannot
assume that Doctor Ben Sheppard in his very persuasive ways
ear will hopefully receive that or...
speak for we can only
in having the Bishop's
]1s. Johnson: The Archdiocese subsidy has already been approved.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, so that's in the bank. And, you have roughly about $2,000
from fees?
Mrs. Johnson: Yes.
Mr. Plummer: I'm also told that you have received about $15,000 in the general
neighborhood of C.D. money from renovations to the building.
Ms. Johnson: Right.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, so the only thing up in the air is the possible C.E.T.A. from
the City allocation $48,500. Now you have ...
Ms. Johnson: I'm not following you at that point.
Mr. Plummer: Well, the only thing that we're talking about is the 48.5 that's
indefinite. In other words, Mr. Parkins has told us that you are definitely
getting the $260,000 from C.E.T.A. VI.
Mrs. Gordon: Apparently, he don't know about it yet.
Mr. Plummer: But he's telling us as Chairman that it's been done.
Mrs. Gordon: I know. Rosalyn, do you want a copy of this?
Mr. Parkins: Yes, I can give you a copy of the allocation sheet from
Consortium ...
the
NY. Plummer: What I'm getting at Rob is leave aside the C.D. improvements for
the building and leave aside the City's allocated C.E.T.A. positions and you're
still talking about this St. Luke has received $300,000.
,Mayor Ferre: Does that include the $37,000 from the Archdiocese?
Mr. Plummer: Yes. I'm including that of Title VI, the Archdiocese and fees
since the C.E.T.A. allocation of the City is up in the air and the C.D. money
of $15,000 is not there. You're talking about that you will be receiving
37
SEP 2 51978
approxiiately $300,000.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay question then to Rob does this allocation permit them the
flexibility that they require to run their entire program. I think that would
be an important factor of the allocation, were.there restrictions attached to
Title VI that would prevent them from running a balanced program the way they're
running it now? Can you tell me?
Mr. Parkins: Well, I'm not going to answer you just that quick yes or no. They
applied for a Child Care Program that will include within it in Title VI a certain
percentage for administrative purposes that can defray some of the administrative
costs they currently covered by Revenue Sharing through that grant.
Mrs. Gordon: Some.
Mr. Parkins: Some. There are certain restrictions by percentages. Percentages
would be one of the basic restrictions.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay, then how would they... I'm asking you because you know, if we
give them some money that they can't fully utilize then we're not really giving
them anything.
Mr. Plummer: Well, Rose, we're not giving them...
Mrs. Gordon: Not we. I'm speaking of the C.E.T.A. Consortium as giving them
but on the other hand the same gentlemen there wears two hats so he has the
control of two areas. How much will the shortage affect them in the delivery of
services to the people in that community?
Mr. Parkins: There may be some of the programs that they had traditionally
offered that may have to be modified. If you'll recall now again in my memorandum
and partly in my opening remarks this morning I pointed out that the declining
Revenue Sharing and the shifting sources of fund will require some innovative
thinking, some changes in program design and so on. Now, there is no question
that there may be some of those components that they had offered in the past that
they might not be able to offer now.
Mrs. Gordon: Do you know what they are?
Mr. Parkins: Very kinds of services. They have meals that they provide to
young people during the summertime. They have karate classes, dance classes,
they have some remedial reading programs, a fairly broad mixture of programs.
It would appear to us that their concentration should appropriately be torward
the Child Care Program and that was one of the reasons that we were strongly
supporting it.
Mrs. Gordon: Is that a pre-school only Rob? Is the Child Care Program pre-school
or is it After School for the older child?
Ms. Johnson: To this point Commissioner Gordon we have not had a Child Care
Program. We have not been licensed to do so. We have a summer day camp which
was authorized by HRS office so this is what we're doing. Now, the rest of the
program primarily is After School. The only time we have all of the children
all day is when school is out.
Mrs. Gordon: Will they be able to function that program with these monies?
Mr. Parkins: You're getting me now into the determination as a Agency Manager
what I would do to direct my resources and I can tell you this that the total
amount they requested from us was for personnel administration and fringe
benefits. It was not a direct program expense.
Mrs. Gordon: The Revenue Sharing request was to compliment the other is that it?
Mr. Parkins: It would be for personnel administration and fringe benefits.
Mrs. Gordon: I think that perhaps since you're not acquainted right now with a
grant that you have been allocated that you ought to get into that right away
and ...
Ms. Johnson: That was my...
Mrs, Gordon: Yes, and get back to it, Tell us what it does for you, okay?
SEP 2 51978
Ms. Johnson: Because 'I'M not fatiliat with -the title at all.
Mrs. Gordon: Pardon me.
Ms. Johnson: I'm not familiar with this title at all,
Mrs. Gordon: Okay, apparently they're not familiar with it tobWouid 'you have
someone from your staff give them the data that they need?
Mr. Parkins: I sure will, yes.
Mr► Plummer: Let me ask a question Mr. Parkins, I was just talking to br. Sheppard
on the telephone. Now, it was my understanding somebody correct the here, that the
Overtown Rec. was St. Luke's Overtown.
Mr. Parkins: That's right.
Mr. Plummer: Now, Dr. Sheppard is telling ne that's a different program now.
Now, is that program been split?
Mrs. Gordon: What is that J. L.?
Ns. Johnson: No, what happened when we first started the program the Charter vas
under the name of St. Luke.
Mr. Plummer: Right.
Ms, Johnson: But the members of the center wanted to name it Overtown
simply added St. Luke - Overtown Community Recreation Center.
Mr. Plummer: Well...
Ms. Johnson: That is the legal name.
Mr. Plumper: ... are we talking about within that structure two different programs,
one a Day Care and the other one a Recreation Center?
Ms. Johnson: Yes, sort of.
Mr. Plummer: Well, don't you represent Dr. Ben ? (INAUDIBLE COMMENT) Well,
please let's get it clear because Dr. Sheppard is telling me on the telephone
that there's two different programs that he now is not a portion of St. Luke's
is that correct?
Mr. Moran: What Dr. Sheppard is talking about is that in St. Luke's Center
which is a Drug Treatment Program,St. Luke's...
Mrs. Gordon: Oh, that's not the same location either.
Mr. Moran: No, it's not the same location. St. Luke's Center is a Drug Treatment
Program with 350 treatment slots which is operated as one of the programs of the
Catholic Service Bureau. Overtown or the St. Luke's Overtown Recreation Center
when it started used the charter of St. Luke's of which Sheppard was the Medical
Director and they started the Recreation Cevter. It's better if everybody forgets
that the recreation center has the name St. 'Luke's connected with it at all. It
is in the Overtown Community Recreation Center. It is a Recreation and Community
Service Center at 1401 N.Miami Avenue. The Drug Program is a completely different
program at 32nd Avenue and N.W. 7th Street. What we're talking about and Rosalyn
if you'll excuse me for hopping in. It's within the Overtown Center there has
traditionally been recreation and service that was his original concept. The
community people, the people in the neighborhood began to force that program
actually into becoming almost a Day Care Center because not only during ...
there's children come their after school, families would drop their children off
in the morning and then sort of disappear and actually force the staff to begin
to care for younger pre-school children, therefore the emphasis to begin to look
at that primarily as a Day Care Center if I'm ... and if I'm not correct
Rosalyn jump in and let me know.
Ms. Johnson: Well, I want to let you finish first.
Mr. Moran: To begin to really expand and to begin to get that center,to be able
to meet the community needs that they were screaming about or that they were
beginning to show and that was a Day Care Program, to do chat required some
changes in the physical structure of the building and in some ... you know, some
39 SEP 251979
1 IIIIII■IIiII IIIIIIIIIIIIIi
644 you know, some property changes around the building. That is the process
that's going on now with the C.D. money is to renovate that building and to
begin to get it into the kind of shape that you need to do the Day Care and
it's my understanding of Title VI, and what I really think happened to the
letter since they were closed it was probably sent to the central office who
knows they're closed who hasn't sent it down until they reopen but that's
what primarily the Title VI monies are for is for Day Care. And, so that's
part of it... That's where it amounts to. Dr. Sheppard was involved with
both programs as the Division Chairman of that segment of Catholic Service
Bureau but they are in fact two distinct things. At the 0vertown there is
only program and we are not talking about how much is going to be recreation
and how much is going to be day care.
Mr. Plummer: Is that within the Umbrella?
Mr. Moran: That's within the Umbrella of Catholic Service Bureau. It's Within'
the one physical plant at 1400 N. Miami Avenue.
Mr.Plumnier: Yes, but I'm getting more confused in your explanation.
Mr. Moran: I'm sorry about that.
Mr. Plummer: Is this grant, item 4, line item on our paper, is that going to the
Catholic Charity Bureau and as such delegated to St. Luke's as such. They will'
decide how much goes to medical and how much to Day Care?
Mr. Moran: No, it is to Catholic Service Bureau for the 0vertown Program. Had
absolutely nothing to do and never has had anything to do with the drug program.
It is strictly to the community service and recreation program in 0vertown. It
is money that have always gone to that program at 1401. It has nothing to do
Mr. Plummer: Have we funded the medical portion?
Mr. Moran: No. Never.
Mr. Plummer: Never has?
Mr. Moran: We never have.
Mrs. Gordon: No, we haven't.
Mr. Plummer: Have we ever been requested?
Mr. Moran: No, we never have.
Mr. Plummer: Okay.
Mrs. Gordon: I'm very interested in the survival of this program, personally
because of the three needs for the kind of programming that is taking place
there and for the children that are utilizing that service in that area cannot
find a substitute service any other place and I feel that among those programs
that we have to address ourselves to is this one and Rob when you do the
analysis if you'll please tell us what is the fall -out that they cannot
continue with and don't have funds for under the grant that was given to them
by Title VI that would help us in determining what need is still present, okay?
Mr. Parkins: Very good, surely.
Dr. Solomon: For the record,again, I'm Doctor Jeffrey Solomon, Director of
Community Services in Miami Jewish Home & Hospital for the Aged. I think today
for us represents a certain amount of irony because in terms of the process we
came this morning to talk about the increase in our grant request. I'm standing
before you talking about having to close this program this week because the
Fiscal Year ends next weekend and there are no funds recommended, and we will have
the unfortunate duty perhaps of having to go back to 176 elderly persons this
afternoon.
Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Mayor, I want to ask you , he's going to tell you something
that you're going to be very interested in.
Dr. Solomon: Based upon this recommendation we will have the unfortunate duty
to go back and tell 176 elderly persons in this program that Friday will be their
last day. I thought I would talk about what are the impacts of that decision
because on paper that goose egg doesn't mean very much. From a cost benefit
40
SEP 2b 1978
point of view and this is eithet the University of Miami's figures not outs.
28 City of Miami residents presently in this program.
Mayor Ferre: How many?
Dr. Solomon: 28, within one month will be in nursing homes that will cost this
community $245,280. 37 family members who have been freed up to go to work while
their elderly parent were taken care of during the day will have to again face
the decision,"do I stop working and stay home and take care of my mother or do
I leave liar alone or do I place her in a nursing home?" It's also ironic in
terms of the fact that priorities two of the three priorities in the Commission
arc fond and health care for the sick and the elderly, these are the two of the
three that we are intermittently involved with of the 10,800 days of care
provided last year provided by the way at half of the cost of the program
throughout the country 21,000 meals were provided, health care was given through
the outpatient department of the home, mental health care for the Mental Health
Center, Home Health Care for a variety of sources, Speech and Hearing Services
for the University of Miami, Bowel and Bladder Training , a whole range of these
kinds of programs. but let me back up for one moment and talk about bang for
the bumps because...
Mayor Ferre: About what, I can't hear you?
Dr. Solomon: Bang for the bump.
Mayor Ferre: Oh, okay.
Dr. Solomon: I think that's an issue which with limited funds has to be addressed.
Just in the past few months there again are many ironies. The International
Congress of Parks & Recreation is coming to the city in two weeks. One of the
places they are coming is Miami's Model Day Care Program at Legion Park. I'm
afraid Al Howard and Bob Heggy are going to have to take them to an empty room.
The United States State Department last month posted 37 administrative programs
from West Germany and Switzerland who saw this Day Care Program and who wrote an
article the German Nursing Home Journal on how alternatives institutionalization
have been developed in Miami and how in fact they could be developed in Europe.
Mrs. Gordon: What's that?
Dr. Solomon: Tonight Channel 7 is featuring a story in the news about this Day
Care Program and how wise the City was in using this kind of a program and funding
as part of their lifestyle series.
Mayor Ferre: That's the first time Channel 7 has ever said nice about us.
Mrs. Gordon: Well gosh, gee -whiz. We give them the story now that they're
not going to continue it.
Dr. Solomon: Talking about not continuing the program. National Education
Televison produced a film at Douglas Gardens Senior Adu]t Day Center, Legion Park
which is due to be released on any two stations in October. The City of Miami
Day Center has been featured on the today program and on the NBC syndicated not
women only show and just last week we were discussing with ABC nationally a
program that they are doing in terms of the eldvrly and innovative programs to
serve the elderly and their plan was to feature this center. Here we're talking
about closing it. The net effect over time in dollars is probably ten times the
amount of dollars that are to be spent on the program. Dr. Regalado spoke this
morning about the needs of Day Care in terms probably far superior than any that
I could provide but I think it's important to note that we're talking about
people, talking about food to people, we're talking about health care to people,
we're talking about cutting it off this week, this week and for us it's just a
little mind boggling because we had no idea about this project at our program
review several months ago we were encouraged to add additional money to the budget
for the addition of a social worker which results in our request this year of
$123,000. At no time up until through our conversations on Friday was it ever
suggested to us that we might have to deal with closing this program. There are
no other sources of funding at this point. If you'll take a look at your charts
you'll not that there's only $6,900 in other sources that come from fees that
the clients pay which range from 50c to $20.00 a week based upon their income,
and since the majority of these people are indigent elderly in this community.
Mrs. Gordon: It's a multiethnic program.
Pr, Solomon: Yes, I think perhaps I shculd point out that the Day Center is a
41
SEP 2 51978
4
Very representative of the overall community in terms of the proportion of
Black, Hispanic and Anglo participants and we are a little higher than in
proportion on the Black side and a little lower than the proportion on the
Hispanic side but clearly it is a multiethnic program and very representative
Of the City of Miami. I'd like to close my remarks perhaps Fred Hirt our
Executive Director may want to add something. By the fact it's very difficult
to deal with the irony of running a program that has been highlighted in six
books and approximately 18 professional articles, enim Brous popular articles,
television, new stories, as a model program and to come without warning before
you and learn that as of Friday it will exist no longer. It's a personal kind
of difficulty but much more when we start thinking of what impact it's going to
have on this community and how do we go these elderly people this afternoon and
tell them we've got to start thinking about other plans not six months from now,
not a year from now but this week I'm not sure how we go ahead and do that and
I wish we had other alternatives of funding that we could say gee, let's talk
to C.E.T.A. or let's talk to somebody else, but this is a program where there
are no other alternatives for 4-years this Commission has stood behind this
program and provided the full funding based upon the needs that Dr. Regalado
spoke about, btsed upon the value of the program thct you have all seen in your
sightness that's there, and yet here we stand talking about ending it.
Thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Grassie, I don't have to point out anymore than what you've
already heard and what you already know about this program and the recognition
that has accrued to the City of Miami and with the dollars that we spend for
public relations, quote,unquote, for economic development, for all the many good
things we put money aside because we want to have a better image for the City of
Miami when we have received countless dollars worth of this kind of recognition
without spending a single dollar for that when we are serving human beings
instead. I'm asking you now to tell us how you're going to be able to put this
program back in because this program cannot be left out unless it would have
terrible repercussions upon the city in my opinion.
Mayor Ferre: Rose, you got to be more specific.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay...
Mayor Ferre: This should be put back in.
Mrs. Gordon: Yes, it should be put back in...
Mayor Ferre: INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENT.
Mrs. Gordon: ... well, I'm not saying we have to give them a more plush program
than they need but I do believe whatever the bare bottom amount is that they need
to survive for the coming year we should do it and I think we should do as J. L.
said before. We should take some programs that have been set into this category
and move them into C.D. where task forces have that opportunity to fund them
through C.D. this one does not fall in a task force category I don't believe and
put this one into the ...either the Revenue Sharing or into the regular budget
under Special Program and Accounts where it was last year.
Mayor Ferre: Enter into the record Doctor what is the bare bottom?
Dr. Solomon: The truth of the matter is that programs level of funding over the
past 4 years or the past 3 years that they've been fully operational was $99,400
in 76, $99,400 in 77, $98,850 in 78, just in terms of bare bottom cost of living
the actual dollars that it would normally cost us is $130,800.
Mayor Ferre: Well, your application was for only $123,900.
Dr. Solomon: Right.
Mayor Ferre: I would suggest that this is not the time for
it by $6,000.
Dr. Solomon: No, I'm not proposing.
Mayor Ferre: Don't misunderstand.
(BACKGROUND COMMENT MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mr. Plummer: Donations represent $7,000.
Dr. Solomon: $7,000 in the sliding fees, but the $123,000 request
could probably
42
SEP 251978
be (educed ... let Lie ask Mrs. Cena1 , somewhere betwee $108,000 and
$1104000 maintaining the current level of service.
Mts. Gordon: Alright.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, I just want to get that.
Mr. Plummer: In all fairness now when you say that that is primarily fat
northend people is that correct? I mean ...
Mrs. Gordon:
Dr. Solomon:
Mrs. Gordon:
Dr. Solomon:
town.
Mrs. Gordon:
Where do your people come from primarily he's saying?
They come from...of the four bus trips made daiiyii.
Yes, right.
Three are on the north end of town, one is in the South
You're getting some. You get a 25% from south.
Dr. Solomon: 25% do come from the south.
Mrs. Gordon: I'm going to say that you can't meet the needs of this whole
community with a single operation but what you have here is a model for this
entire ...well, for the United States and for international sources,really because
by having this model Dade County has gone into the Day Care for Elderly Program,
they have in operation several, however, I'm not going to condemn their program
but they don't measure up to what we're giving the people through this program.
There's no way they measure up.
Rev. Gibson: May I ask a question, please, because I want to highlight something
that the Mayor pointed out and continues to point out? Mr. Howard, I want to put
you on the rccord, you knew all of this about Legion Park?
Mr. Howard: I was not aware that their budget was going to be eliminated, no.
Rev. Gibson: No, no, no, that's not the part... you don't run the budget. Did you
know all of this goody that was taking place at Legion Park?
Mr. Howard: Yes.
Rev. Gibson:
Mr. Plummer:
Rev. Gibson:
Did you tell Mr. ... sir, you stand up to the mike. That's Mr..
Rob Parkins.
... Parkins. Did you tell Mr. Parkins?
Mr. Howard: No, I didn't.
Rev. Gibson: I see, okay, wait a minute. Sir, you know all of this was happening
at Legion Park and was we of Miami were going to be on television tonight, and you
knew all about those articles and books and newspapers in Germany and roundabout?
Did you tell Mr. Howard?
Mr. Parkins: Yes, we have notified the City of Miami Parks Department.
Unidentified Speaker: Yes, we have.
Unidentified Speaker: Not Mr. Howard personally, his department.
Rev. Gibson: Oh I see, you, Martin Luther King said if you want to hid it, do you
know what that saying is?
Mrs. Gordon: No, tell me.
Rev. Gibson: Write it, you know what I mean?
Mr. Parkins: Yes.
Rev. Gibson: The point I want to make is that a point that the Mayor emphasized
last week going through the budget hearing, you know, some people do things in
this community and don't say a word to the rest of us and then later on after it's
done then they say, you know, we thought you knew. It is incomprehensive that if
you're going to cut out, how much that budget that you asked?
43 SEP 251978
MEW
IIISIIIuIIIIIIIIII•IIIIIIIIIII 1111111111111 11111111111111111111IIIIIIIII1111IIIIIII IIIIIIII IIIIui Ilia"■11u'■"
bt. Soloinon: $123,000.
Rev. Gibson: A hundred... how fnuch did you get?
Dr. Solomon: $99,000.
Rev. Gibson: Alright, if cut out $99,000 out of a budget and I'tn not scolding
anybody I just want to hold it up so that next year this wouldn't happen to
us. $90 odd thousand dollars out of a budget cut out a project. Mr. Howard is
in charge of recreation and it would appear to me that Mr. Howard should have been
consulted or talked with,sorn thing was said to him, it would appear to me for
your own good you would have kept Mr. Howard informed of all the accruing
benefits. Man, that's just good PR that's the way I run the church, man, I make
it impossible for those people to cut off that pledge. Now, they may not give
it to me ... they don't have the same excuse or reason, you know, this bothers me.
44 SEP 25 1978
Mayor 'etre: Ali tight, flow, ladies and gentlemen, we do have to bteak and it's
quarter to one. We need to get at least 1 hour, some of us have other things
that we've got to do before we get back in the session Le. 2:00. Are there any
other speakers?... Doctor, I'm going to let you wind up in a moment. Are there
any other speakers here? All right, we've got 15 minutes left, so, Doctor, let
me say that I go along with what Commissioner Gordon has said and I certainly
hope that we can somehow salvage this. I don't know how we're going to do it,
we have to deal with that later on but we're going to try.
Mrs. Gordon: I would think that perhaps we might, if we don't come to a conclusion
at everything today, it might even have to go the route we've done before on it,
on a 1/12 so they don't go out of business Friday.
Mayor Ferre: Well, we'll deal with that after we've heard the last speaker and
then we can get into it, if you want at 2:00 O'Clock or if you want to stay now,
I'm perfectly well to do that, anyway you want. All right?
Mr. Hirt: Mr. Mayor, I just want to thank you and the Commission. I must tell
you that this program is not a typical program. It's very unique, it's a program
which the same individuals here could not even function in another Day Care program.
This is a group of frail people who the purpose on the creation of this program
was to obviate the necessity for institutionalization. Most of these people here
involved in this program today would require institutionalization if this program
didn't begin. And if you recall the way in which this started, the first seven
or eight people of this program were in beds at Jackson Memorial Hospital when we
started in '74, who are in Jackson Memorial Hospital waiting for placement in
nursing homes and those were the first six or seven people that went (inaudble)
Mayor Ferre: Now, but you see, that always leads up to a question. Jackson
Memorial Hospital is a Metorpolitan Dade County function.
Mr. Hirt: But the people involved here were City of Miami residents.
Mayor Ferre: But by us removing the burden on them which is much greater than
this, you would save the County moneys so that question always has to be when
you make a statement like that is,how much is the County putting into this party.
Mr. Hirt: Well, I think it's interesting because the poit you make is a good
one. The major purpose of the point is that most of these people had no where
else to go other than be placed in a nursing home and that would have been criminal.
Mayor Ferre: That;s not the answer. The question goes back to the Metro question.
If we're saving Metro hundreds of thousands of dollars by keeping people out of
Jackson Memorial, have you said that to Metro? Have you said 'look we're saving
you three hundred thousand dollars, we would like for you to give us fifty
thousand dollars?'
Mr. Hirt: Let me tell you, the major problem was that these people were dumped,
are being dumped in any hospital, emergency room in this community because they
have no other palce to place these individuals. They just must be in either
nursing home or on a Day Care program.
Mayor Ferre: You still haven't answered my question. I'm not going to ask it
again because....
Mr. Hirt: But no, because I don't know where the answer if for that point except
that we have gone to the County in other areas and there were no funding available.
Mayor Ferre: Have you, actually, applied to Metropolitan Dade County for funding?
Mr. Hlrt: Yes, we have.
Mayor Ferre: And they turned you down.
Mr. Hlrt: Yes.
Mayor Ferre; They turned you down because they say
funding you and that's all you need.
45 SEP 251978
firs. Gordon: Maurice, I just hope we don't get off into that area of this
discussion regarding this program because this program is very much identified
with the City of Miami program. It's not a Dade County program and I hope to
God we don't get off into that area.
Mayor Ferre: Rose, I realize half of them but unfortunately I cannot make that dis-
tinction in my mind because I think I've got to be absolutely impartial and I've
got to apply the same thing that every single program. I can't distinguished one
from the other just because we have the pride of authorship. The fact is that this
impacts Metropolitan Dade County and I think it's a valid question for this and every
other single program that comes before us. Because the people that are taxpayers
for Miami, are also taxpayers for Metropolitan Dade County. Okay. Thank you
very much, gentleman. All right, the last speaker.
Unidentified Speaker: Mr. Mayor, City Commissioners, members. I will take ap-
proximately 5 minutes of your time. First of all, I'd like to really thank the
Administration's for my opinion...
Mr. Ongie: Your name and address for the record, please.
Unidentified Speaker: W. Charles Jackson, Coconut Grove Family Clinic,
3230 Hibiscus Street here in the Grove. I'd like to, first of all, express the
positive approach in ray opinion that have come out of the City Revenue Sharing
process this year compared to prior years. Secondly, I think that it is proper
to address the personnel where credit is due. And in our opinion the person-
nel have veen working with us on an ongoing basis the last year concerning possible
available dollars and the possibility of less dollars. Thirdly, I think, speaking
administratively, you know, we can sit around and talk about this and that about
the City but there is no question in my mind that the City of Miami provides in
Dade County, a positive flexibility process for people who are concerned within
the community to express themselves openly as opposed to to having go through
a whole technical lot of beaurocratic personnel within City government and perhaps
getting no place, so, I commend the City of Miami, no question about it beyond a
doubt. Certainly, this year we...last year we received City Revenue Sharing
dollars and provided an expanded amount of services that we had....
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Jackson, let me cut through a little bit to see if we can
hurry this proposal, you got $130,000 last year....
Mr. Jackson: We are not griping this year.
Mayor Ferre: What?
Mr. Jackson: Yes, sir, that's correct.
Mayor Ferre: ....and you're down for $100,000 this year.
Mr. Jackson: That's correct.
Mayor Ferre:, All right, now, you've requested $223,000 but I want to tell you that
of the $450,000 that's available you're getting $100,000. Now, tell us exactly what
can we do for you today, sir?
Mr. Jackson: Our major concern again was to express to you legislative personnel
of the City of Miami, that recognizing the tough decisions that you have to make, and
the lack of dollars that is funded down from the federal sources, that even though
we are not receiving the level of dollars that we requested and perhaps a decrease
in our budget and the fact that within the City of Miami Community Development
priority that there is a senior citizen home that has been completed and we are
providing services there, that we will have to work with you although working
through this budget and tighten it and fighting the bullet and again you from....
Mayor Ferre: We are very grateful, Mr. Jackson, thank you very much and I want
to tell you that I personally am very proud of the program there and I'm very
proud that the City of Miami has participated in the wonderful work that you and
your associates have done. All right, now, is there anybody else who wants to
speak? Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Rivero: My name is Eulalia R. Rivero and I'm 40 on the list of those who
requested funds and were not given any but I think that I would like to thank
the Honorable Mayor and the Commissioners for at least considering my agency at
this time. I think like Father Gibson has said, that sometimes we don't
publish or we don't let people know enough of what we are doing, os at this time
I would like to take a few minutes and do exactly that. I think that I represent
the agency in the community who really is called Latin and the American center....
SEP 20 WO
Mayor Ferre: Excuse me,'ks. Rivero, I want to make sure that we all understand
this is item #i40 on your list.
Ms. Rivero: Right.
Mayor Ferre: No, but she wants to address the Commission anyway just to so that
she can explain what they are doing since you are talking about a program as Well
over a half a million dollars, presently funded, servcing the community, she
wants to tell us about it. Go ahead.
Ms. Rivero: Right. Thank you. I think that at this point I only would like
to correct some of the figures on the page that was presented to you. Funds had
been requested for $450,000 to HRS and,of course,they have not been awarded
yet and this agency has been in operation for four years. We are beginning our
fourth year in operation. This is the first time that I address the Commissioners
or any form of government for help and I do want to leave that on record. For ten
years I worked as a phychologist for the City of Miami and in the South Central
area and it was there that I learned of the need of the youth. I also learned
to make recommendations that were never implemented other than the first one
that I've always made for placement.Thus, I helped create an agency who would
then help to implement the other recommendations that phychologists in the
school system and other counselors and other professional people consider vital
in order to help rehabilitate youths and prevent our delinquency program. Since
I believe that my program is a vital help really to not only the City of Miami
but other incorporated cities who form the Metro Commission I do thank you that
you can at least help me present this program today. I've requested a very
small amount in order to help us set up our matching funds who has been greatly
reduced by the fact that our main sources funding came from the Medicare program
of Florida. It's Medicaid not Medicare, it's 20 and under. However, with a
reduction in that program, with the messes of processing in Tallahassee we have
been greatly hurt and our professional need to get paid. And our Professional
and our people need that money. So, that all I was asking the Commission really,
to consider a very small request to help us get off the ground and help other
agencies. When people like Youth Co -Op, like Miami Bridge, like other agencies
have problems they come to my agency and they say'would you help us?' And we
try to help,but the delays in payments and the lack of funds now are really
limiting and really greatly endangering the process and the work of our agency.
I do want to leave this on record and perhaps next year the Commissioners will,
at least, reserve on a certain amount of portion of money for those new agencies
who are trying to really be recognized and are doing, I believe, a good job.
Thank you.
Mayor Ferre: A11 right, thank you very much, Ms. Rivero. Now, anybody else,
members of the public that wish to address this Commission. All right, if not
this public hearing comes to a halt and we will then continue our discussions.
What time would you like to convene this afternoon? Is 2:30 acceptable to
everybody? Is 2:30 acceptable,does anybody has any problems at 2:30?
Mr. Grassie: We advertised at 2:00, Mr. Mayor, but if we get started a little
late I think that will be acceptable.
Mayor Ferre: All right, well, we'll get started at 2... make it sharp, please,
let's be here at 2:30 sharp, okay?
was
The CITY COMMISSION recessed for lunch at 1:00 O'Clock P.M. and reconvened
at 2:40 P.M. with the following members of the City Commission found to be present:
PRESENT: Mayor Ferre, Vice Mayor Reboso, Commissioners Gibson and Plummer.
ABSENT: Commissioner Gordon.
Mayor Ferre: All right, at this time we are going to start with the afternoon
session. I apologize for being delayed. Is Mrs. Gordon here yet?
Mr. 0ngie: No.
Mayor Ferre: Well, then we can begin. I want to recognize Russ Marchner for a
moment. Russ,if you would?
Mr. Marchner: Thank you Mayor and Commissioners. I'm here today as a consultant
for the Real Estate Action Committee of Dade. We have up a 5,400 realtors
throughout Dade County, we have been going to all the cities, the County Com-
mission trying to encourage the City officials and County officials to hold
taxes down , to hold the operating budget down. As you may recall, on July loth
9�'7 SEP 2 51978
of this year we sent a !4
"'cter to you asking that this be *'one and that in future imm
Al
years that you possibly cut back on your operating budget even more, on your
millage but I'm here today to congratulate your Administration, your officials
for...of course, you didn't have much choice on the tillage but keeping the
millage as exactly as it was and also on cutting back on your operating budget
but on behalf of the realtors, we would like to offer our congratulations and
also to work with you in the future, to help cutback on taxes. Thank you very much.
Mayor Ferre: Russ, it's always good to see you. Thank you very much for being
here today. All right. We are not going to come to a conclusion on Federal
Revenue Sharing today and I think, I'm perfectly willing, we'll wait until Rose
gets here to take up as to what we do next with Federal Revenue Sharing.
Father?.
Father Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I was wondering if we could not give them some sort
of hopeful anticipation by asking your staff, are I think, three of you? And
Mr. Fosmoen who is over CD and our Revenue Sharing expert to get together,
Mr. Parkins and that by Wednesday, you know, because as it appears to me that some
of what you're talking about it might be able to deal with CD and hopefully have
some answers before us by Wednesday morning and then since you have a budget
hearing on Wednesday,make that the first item of the day and that would release
you all and wouldn't have to wait and prolong either the rest of the afternoon.
How about that, Plummer?
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD)
Father Gibson: Well, why don't we... okay. Now, lets see,is that Mr. Fosmoen?
Mr. Grassie: Mr. Parkins, Commissioner.
Father Gibson: Right, now, please leave the names with them so that nobody
would go out and say,well you know,it was a lack of communication. Please, give
them your name and telephone numbers, for God's sake. Otherwise I'I1 have a
hard top coming Wednesday morning.
Mayor Ferre: All right, now, what is the format for the afternoon session?
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD)
THERE BEING NO FURTHER MATTER TO COME UP FOR DISCUSSION IN CONNECTION WITH
THE ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING FUNDS, THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING
WAS CLOSED AND A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FY 78-79 CITY BUDGET (WHICH HAD BEEN
DULY ADVERTISED) CAME TO ORDER.
Mayor Ferre: I'll do it in a moment after we hear from the Manager.
Mr. Grassie: We have to things that we want to accomplish, Mr. Mayor, first is to
have Howard Gary report to you on the changes that you have already made in the
budget as you have gone through the departmental reviews. He wants to tell you
how those are reflected in the material which is in front of you and the second
thing is to, as Commissioner Plummer said, open up the floor to discussions from
any citizens in regard to the budget.
Mayor Ferre: All right. How many citizens are present this afternoon that would
like to be heard in this Public Hearing? We have one. Is there anybody else who
would like to be heard in this Public Hearing talking about the budget? This is
the first Public Hearing of the City of Miami on the budget, on the proposed
budget. So we have at the present time two, three members of the public who
would like to speak and -address the Commission. All right, now. we will
turn it over to Howard Gary.
Mr. Howard Gary: Good afternoon Commissioner, before you assimilate the package
which reflects those changes that were requested by the City Commission at the
Budget Review meeting with Department Directors, we weren't able, we didn't have
time enough to make the changes in your proposed budget document but what we've
done, we've changed the ordinance which is attached as well as to provide you
certain information that you can insert in your budget but not in the format
that you have it right now, at least, professionallj printed documents. The
first change we've made is that we restored the executive secretary position
to the Civil Service Board and we provided an appropriation of $25,000 for it,
for that particular purpose. The funding for this comes from the Special Programs
S P 2 51976
and Accounts. We reduced special Programs and Accounts continuity form by $25,000.
The second change is provision of $12,000....
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mr. Gary: ....Again we've taken this $12,000 from Special Programs and Accounts
City wide events and we have placed it in the Department of Tourisinand Ptomotion, Acid
this is for the purpose of the Dinah Shore Show.
Mayor Ferre: All right.
Mr. Gary: The third change is Comnissioner Gordon's requested specifically that we
show her a total allocation for day care. If you turn to Exhibit "B", we've
identified this budget as $378,800 and down below in the highlights, down below
you will see where the sources of revenues are coming from to fund this particular
project, namely $213,000 from Federal Revenue Sharing which you have been discussing
this morning; Child Day Care fees, $86,000; USDA Food Reimbursement, $34,500....
Mayor Ferre: What does USDA stand for?
Mr. Gary: United States Department of Agriculture. Florida Community Affairs
grant, $45,000. Now, we've included this in your appropriation ordinance
that as the Trust and Agency Funds, these funds will be centralized and accounted
for separately. The next change....
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mr. Gary: No, it doesn't include CETA. Rob is trying to find those figures.
The only reason you don't have the CETA here is because they are two separate
Trust and Agency Funds.
Mayor Ferre: Well, while you're getting that information go on to item 4 which
is the Police Department.
Mr. Gary: Okay. Commissioner Plummer asked us to separate the Pension from the
Directors Office and allocate it to the First Division within the Police Depart-
ment. If you look at Exhibit "C" which is right up to Exhibit "B", you will
find that we've made those allocations. This is also, will be included in the
printed budget document and it's really no change in the appropriation ordinance.
This is the same dollars.
Mayor Ferre: Well, item "C" which is the Police which is 4 on your front sheet
and "C" in the back. This is your request. Oh! was that you get the "C" information
and come back.
Mr. Gary: If Mr. Plummer like to take notes, the reason Day Care in not here,
is that we're talking about two separate Trust and Agency Funds. CETA is one
Trust and Agency Funds, Day Care is another.
Mayor Ferre: He understands that but he wants....
Mr. Gary: Yes, we'll get those figures for you, but that's why they are not
shown here.
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mr. Gary: Four, you asked us to...well, we included all of the pension for the
Police Deaprtment in the Directors Office. You asked us to allocate that out
to the First Division, that's done in its attestment "C". The fifth change is
the increase caused to the Planning and Zoning Board to provide for the mailing
and advertising as result of Two -Zoning changes. That was accomplished by removing
$47,382 from the Contengency Fund and placing it in the Planning and Zoning
Administrative Board. The sixth change is the appropriation for Pension. We have
provided money for the pay back opportunity for the watchman, laborer,and custodial
workers as well•as the accrued benefits for retirees. This was accomplished by
Increase and Revenues by $387,840 from the Street Lighting Funds and increasing
appropriations in Special Programs and Accounts for Pension in the same amount.
Mr. Plummer: Is Mr. Gunderson present? Mr. Gunderson, we have a real problem
here or we might have it or we might not have it. Mr. Gunderson, there are two
ordinances relating....
49
SEP 251978
Mayor Ferre: Do you want to turn off the lights? I don't see that there is
any television cameras around here.
Mt. Plummer: ....Relating exactly to this, Mr. Wilcox and et al and company
had brought to my attention and let me tell you the difference --you must tell
me. The first ordinance related to the percentage being applied to that pension
when they were mustered out --the original pension payment ---and the other one which
the Commission directed,is that the percentage would be applied to the present
mustering out,or the present receiving funds. Do I make myself clear or are
you lost? A man retired 20 years ago, he made X number of dollars in pension,
today he makes a different amount or a person who retires today, is that per-
centage of a 1/2/ of %? Is that what we've talked about or 1/2?
Mr. Gary: 1/2, 1/2 of
Mr. Plummer: 1/2
Mr. Gary: 1/2 of % of (inaudible) dollars.
Mr. Plummer: Is that applied to the present pension or the original pension?
Mr. Gary: On the present pension is my understanding.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, that was my understanding but the wording of the ordinance
said the original and what I need to know, and Mr. Wilcox and everybody needs
to know was the actuarial study done on the present pension which we all think
that it was because, you know, they'd be a hell of a big difference between the
figures of original pension and present. It is your understanding that it's the
present pension.
Mr. Gary: Yes.
Mr. Plummer: All right, then I have to turn to you to ask you to correct the
working since it is understood that it is based upon the present pension rather
than the original. Okay? And we can take care of that Thursday. Okay, as
long as that's clear, I just want to make that.... okay?
Mayor Ferre: All right.
Mr. Gary: In addition to the changes that the City Commission requested that
we provide them a certain information, specifically two items....
Mr. Plummer: Weren't you to go to 7?
Mr. Gary: Well, that's not 7, that's a continuation of 6. Should be 6 intead
of 7. The first item is that specifically the Mayor and Commissioner Gordon
requested that we attempt to identify all funds that are available to various
departments and this required a great deal of effort and we•didn't prepare as
in a format.that I think it should be prepared, but we have prepared the
information within a time constraint thatwe give you some indication as to what
funds are available by departments. This is Exhibit "D" in your chart. What
it does it lists department on the lefthand side,lists the contract period, mainly
for those grants --lists those funds that are received by departments from the
General Funds. Next column lists those grants that are received by the departments,
next one is of the Approved Grants, next one of Pending Grants, then we come up
with a total. Are there any question on that one?
Mayor Ferre and Mr. Plummer: Yes.
Mr. Gary: Go ahead.
Mayor Ferre: Let's take for example the City Manager's Office, you notice that
you have $1,000,000 there on Pending Grants CETA I and CETA IV for the
Culmer area, why would that be on the City Manager?
Mr. Grassie: The only reason, Mr. Mayor, is that we've got that project started
as a result of a community initiative which you may remember about a year ago,
which they asked for some visible progress on the Culmer area project. I've
appointed the staff persons in my office and he has been responsible for directing
those neighborhood programs. So that it fs really the only reason that they
appear in this budget.
50 SEP 2 51978
iayet there: All right, sit.
'it, Plummer: Well, the question, let me go one step further Mt, Grassie, let
the use the example of Marine Stadium -Enterprise Operations, Contract- none,
Enterprise Funds- 303, Approved Grants -none, Pending Grants -none, total-303,
but yet it shows here CETA-6 and the grant is for October 1 to, well for a one
year, for 51, 704. Now, we all know that that Marine Stadium is operating at a
loss or it's subsidized by General Funds, now, what is that grant going to be
used for, is it going to be help to reduce the subsidy,or is it for a special
project? I mean, you know, and I'm just using that one as the example.
Mt. Grassie: Are you on page 6?
Mr. Plummer: I am on page 6, yes, sir.
Mt. Grassie: I don't see the 51,000 that you talked about, my figure
is that the same one?
Mr. Plummer: Mine shows Marine Stadium at 51,704 grant --Title VI CETA,
Mr. Grassie: Oh! I'm in the wrong, I'm in the wrong line.
Mr. Plummer: In other w ords,what I'm wanting to know is that going to go those
monies if received, will they go into the normal operation of the Marine Stadium?
Mr. Grassie: Yes.
Mr. Plummer: So that will help to reduce the amount of subsidies needed?
Mr. Grassie: Thay have had CETA workers in that department last year --the current
year-- and this will be continuation of that project.
Mr. Plummer: Oh: so in other words, it's nothing different?
Mr. Grassie: That is correct, it is not different simply relieves the General
Funds of some of the expenses of that operation.
Mr. Plummer: That's what I wanted to know. Did you give me that CETA figure yet,
Mr. Gary?
Mr. Gary: You're talking about the one that Rob is supposed....
Mr. Plummer: Yes.
Mr. Gary: He's still....
Mr. Plummer: All right, well, you'll get to come back to me on this.
Mr. Gary: The last, well, just before the last, we have Exhibit "E".
Mayor Ferre: Now, wait, wait, wait a minute, you're still on "B", you haven't
got enough for "D", you ask for questions on "D". Let me see if I understand
this correctly. What you're saying is that other than the Culmer where we have
$1,000,000 ... in Human Resources you've got $10,700,000 allocated to mostly
CETA allocations, right?
Mr. Gary: Yes. I'd like to make a comment about that.
Mayor Ferre: What?
Mr. Gary: I'd like to make a comment about that if I may. The money for CETA
most of it -except for specific projects that are identifiable which we have in
the various departments --their main there goes to the various departments in
terms of positions that augment munic ial operations. Due to the fact that we
still have that uncertainty regarding CETA, it's very difficult for us to
allocate that out by department; so, for the sake of,you know, putting in it in some
category, place it all in CETA-- I mean Human Resources.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, all right, but,,okay, I understand what you're saying is since
you can't allocated you're putting it in this grab odds for the time being so
that it's really not indicative of the fact that of $1,700,000 total, the fact
that $10,700,00 is there doesn't mean anything.
Mr. Gary: Right.
51.
SEP 25197
Mayor 'ette: Because that'll be redistributed once we get the funds
Mt. Gary" Various departments, right.
Mayor Ferre: Okay, hut that's not so with the Fire or the Police Departfiehts,
they are getting of Approved Grants a half of a million and of Pending Grants,
$600,000.
Mr. Gary: Yes,now, these are specific grant as they opposed to specific projects,
as they opposed to positions that allocate augment operations.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, and the same thing is through with Public Works....
Mr. Gary: Yes.
Mayor Ferre: Of course, the big chapter is Dinner Key and the other $1,100.000-
Street Improvements and Community Landscape, right?
Mr. Gary: Yes.
1
Mayor Ferre: Then we go on, and you get into another big chance which is called
Conferences and Conventions and that's other $7,000,000 of course it's for the
Administrative Building and the Convention Conference Center which is very clear
earmarked. . Then you get into Citizens Services, there you've got $3,700,000
of Pending Grants.
Mr. Gary: The reason they are pending is that there's still some uncertainty
as to the amount of money we're going to get, if we haven't got any grant awards
stating exactly what amount would be allocated to the City of Miami.
Mayor Ferre: Then, in Leisure Services you've got, I guess a continuation...
oh! I'm sorry... Citizens Services-$3,700,000. Leisure Services-$1,600,000,
$1,568,000 USDA, okay?
e
Mr. Gary: Yes, it costs $100,000.
Mayor Ferre: And then, we get down to the Planning Department, you've got
including the CD Funds-$28,600,000 which is something else but on -Pending:
you have zero. So the total then in the City..that we're dealing with $156,000,000....
Mr. Gary: Yes, in General Funds.
Mayor Ferre: ....Of which 97 is the General Funds
Mr. Gary: Right.
Mayor Ferre: 40 is Approved Grants which includes $28,000,000 in Community
Development and the Administration Building, the Convention Conference, the
Dinner Key and so on....
Mr. Gary: Yes.
Mayor Ferre: ....And then you've got $18,000,000 of Pending Grants on
majority which is CETA Funds.
Mr. Gary: Yes.
Mayor Ferre: Right. Now, with $10,000,000 that you have in the nccoun
General category and the rest is spread around, okay.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Gary, page....
Mr. Grassie: There is a little more to that, Mr. Mayor, if you
Enterprise Funds and the Inter -Governmental Funds....
Mayor Ferre: What?
Mr. Grassie: Following on pages 6 and 7 there,the same
Enterprise...,
vast
kind of tabulations for.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, but they don't amounted too much except for the Service
Facility which is $2,700,000,
52
the
Mtn ?hitter: Mt. Gary, in Exhibit
is a revenue?
EH
how do I justify that Homestead Exemption
Mr, Gary: Okay, Homestead Exemption is a revenue mainly because in your Ad Valorem
taxes, well; this is the contribution that we get back from the State as a:result
Of Homestead Exemption....
Mr, Plummer: They make a contribution.
Mr. Gary: Right.
Mr. Plummer: Okay. On the next page, Mr, Gary, Ism looking under State Funds.,.,
Mayor Ferre: Oh! J. L., Ism sorry but you're on "E" now and I want to finish up
nDn
Mr. Plummer: Oh! I'm sorry, I thought you were finished.
Mayor Ferre:
No. I think it's important on "D" when you get to the projected
revenues by funds that you titled up all Federal Funds --I don't know if it's along
a fair thing to do but I think we ought to have a
getting from....
total somewhere above we're
Mr. Gary: All of Federal sources.
Mayor Ferre: Okay, I think we also... would you get those sheets revised?
Mr. Gary: Yes, we will.
Mayor Ferre: A11 you have to go is to have somebody add them and then the State
Funds, I think we ought to have all that added up. I realize where we've got
apples and oranges and every other kind of fruit in there but I don't want
to get the total from what we're getting from this. If you want maybe you can
just give it to us now and we can
Mr. Gary: They are getting a tape for you.
Mayor Ferre: Now, I don't see you can
theNationl Endowment for the Arts is
column. As the Florida Arts Council,
separate other Grants Funds, for example,
Federal Funds that should be under that
I mean, there are small amounts.
Mr. Plummer: Well, they are on in Exhibit "E"... they're all here.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, but they are not under Federal or State Funds and I think it's
just a misnomer. And what's the Public Facilities rentals and concessions?
Mr. Plummer: The boat ramp.
Mayor Ferre: Oh!, oh!, okay. You get that much, $3,600,000? That must include
the Orange Bowl.
Mr. Gary: Yes, yes. If you look over in the thire column. you'll see Enterprise
Funds, all that goes with the Enterprise Funds, Orange Bowl, Marine Stadium, all
of revenues we get from that source. What we've done here on Exhibit "E", is
that on the lefthand side we've indentified all the sources of revenues. There
we've given you the total, then we've allocated it by Funds; so if you look at
the total,then you go the the various Funds, that's how they're allocated.
Mayor Ferre: Well, from wherever sources they're coming from, I think it's
important to this Commission to realize that even though this book says that we're
dealing with $120,000,000 and the General Funds is $97,000,000 the fact is that
we're really dealing with $185,000,000 so,this is not a small operation. Do you
have the budget going back?...Just at a curiosity, you must have your... what was the
total of General Funds in the year 1967? or 68?
Mr. Gary: I don't have it here.
Mayor Ferre: Don't you have a record somewhere there?
Mayor Ferre: I'd like to just have that for my general information and the
,total budget. Okay, that's all my questions on "D", anybody else have questions
on "D"? Mr. Plummer? we're now on "E.
53
SEP 251978
Mt. Plufiuner: Mr. Gary, on the second page of ''E"-=Exhibit "E"==ftet State EtiticiS
you show bete programs for the handicapped $90,000 yet on the budget of the redetal
Revenue Sharing you're showing....
Mr. Gary: What page is that? I'm sorry.
Mr. Plummer: Page 2 of Exhibit "E". You're showing
City programs for the handicapped. Now, is that $90
Mr. Grassie: Yes, that's the program that runs over
sources. I think it's closed to $400,000. It is only
portion that is $45,000.
only half of that amount in
,000 State Funds plus $45,000?
$300,000 when you count all
that Federal Revenue Sharing
Mr. Plummer: I'd surely like to see your breakdown of where it's going.
Mr. Grassie: That's a little bit like with Day Care program in that you have
money coming from three or four different sources.
Mr. Plummer: Yes, but you know, where we're standing up here. Mr. Grassie, and
where we're faced with programs for the handicapped --and that's the Dr. Regalado
speaking to that area-- and, you know, his program is they have to have some handi-
capped to apply and here we're spending $400,000 but yet we're not really addressing
that in the Federal Revenue Sharing except to the tune of $45,000 in that which
you're telling is that roughly 10%. You know, I think that as the finger's being
pointed at us that it's not true, that we're not spending any dollars in that area,
that we are in fact spending $400,000 in that area.
Mr. Grassie: My recollection is that it's approximately that amount of money, yes.
Mr. Gary: Commissioner Plummer, Rob Parkins has just provided me with the infor-
mation on the amount of CETA Funds that Day Care receives.
Mr. Plummer: Well, hold on, let me back...okay, go ahead.
Mr. Gary: The total is $47,134.
Mr. Plummer: $47,000... close enough. That's the total dollars that go into the
operation of Day Care.
Mr. Gary: Yes, these are ...they are in terms of positions.
Mr. Plummer: I understand that it's....
Mayor Ferre: How much?
Mr Gary: $47,000
Mr. Plummer: ....that it's additional moneys, but here again you know, I was just
trying to come to the bottom line... and we're presently serving how many children?
You know I do this every year and you're not prepared?
Mr. Gary: It's not my specialty either.
Mr. Plummer and Mr. Gary: 174.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Gary: Do you want us to add it?
Mr. Plummer: I don't know if somebody intentionally over the lunch period ran my
calculator down so I couldn't do it but it's not vorking0I think that was intentional.
A11 right, Mr. Mayor, okay.
Mayor Ferre: Any further questions on this presentation?
Mr. Gary: Well, we have one other.
Mayor Ferre; All right, sir.
54 S E P 2 51978
114
Mt+ Gary: You've asked us to inform you, well, inform the Budget Committee as
well as to inform you of the next Budget Review Committee meeting. On last page
of the sample of the letter that we sent out to the Budget Review Committee, we
sent it out to all members wherein we stipulate the date of the meeting, the place
to be held, we also kindly recommended an agenda as well as informing them that
some of you may attend as result of your comments at the last Budget Review
meeting we had.
Mayor. Ferre: Thank you very much, Gary. Any further questions to Mr. Gary on
the presentation he's made? If not, Mr. Grassie, do you have anything you want
to add to the statements made?
Mr. Grassie: No, sir, We'll be happy to respond.
Mayor Ferre: All right, now we're going to the Public Hearing session. We have
two speakers and I don't care who begins. There was a gentleman just a little
while ago, did he leave? I've got a feeling that he's going to be a little bit
shorter than your presentation. So, let's see if we can find him and...no, he's
a gentleman with a beard as I recall...dark hair, oh! there he is, doesn't have
a beard, how am I going to explain the one?... All right, is there anybody else
other than representatives of the various unions and the members of the public
that wish to be heard at this time? Are there any other members of the public at
this Public Hearing other than employees or union representatives or their consultants?
Sir?
(UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER MADE COMMENTS OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mayor Ferre: Do you want to address the Commission? This is a Public Hearing,
you're welcome to do it. You can address yourself then if you want. You go right
ahead, there's a microphone. You give in your name and your address for the
record and we're all set, it's good to see you.
Mr. Manus: My name is aaron Manus and I live at 7700 Biscayne Boulevard and
my family owns and operates two motels, the "Vagabond" and the "Gold Dust". I'm
also Vice President of the North East Miami Improvement Association. I've been
here before you many times before, it's always been but the problems concerning
our area, but my presence here today is to try to shed a little light on some men
working in our area. The conditions have improved greatly over the past, or
specially the past three months, since our June meeting here where we had a new
ordinance passed but actually for the past couple of years that the North East
area has impooved, changed its direction more or less, has been the continuing hard
working up from the men on the streets and so are our loyal Police officers, beat
patrolmen. Now, it's been brought to my attention more or less, there is a number
of contracts --the items in dispute here --and there's also a problem with the shortages
of the number of men in the force and this is where I'd like to direct myself to.
The men in our area work very hard, they repond, they know us. We happen to
have two, of the only all night businesses are on the Boulevard and we find out
very quickly, you know, actually yow many policemen are by the lnght time
it takes for the men to respond when something comes up. We don't call for
frivolous reasons --of parking talk, or car with its lights on, or anything like
that. When we call them it's either a violent situation or a potentially violent
situation and the most important thing to us is response time. ANd what happens is
that some times if the conditions are right, maybe it's a Friday night when you seem
to need a little of more coverage than every other night we can usually expect
good three to four minutes as the response time which we consider good but when you're
sitting there waiting, counting the seconds and wondering what's going to happen
next, it seems like an awful long time. Some times though on other nights, on
weekday nights, things like that, it seems to be so short of manpower that it can
take up to 20 minutes for non -actual emergency call. If we don't say that an actual
crime is going on, it can take up to 15 to 20 minutes of response time. Now, the
officers on the street have so many places they could be at one time and what we'd
like to see is a few more men on the streets and if there is any money in these budget
hearings, I hope more money would be allocated towards bringing more men and better
equipment on the s.d•eet so that we can get a little of more protection, a little quicker
response time. It seems that there's two men required to the answer every call and one
of the reasons that there is so few cars in our area, is that when one call goes
out, since it's only one man in each car, they have to send a second car and that's,
that really cuts down on the amount of available police and police protection
to everybody else in this particular area regardless of what area this might be.
55 SEP 251978
NOTE: Mrs. Gordon ente # d the meeting.
l
Mr. Manus: So, on a given night, two or three calls could monopolize the entire force
available in our area and our response time on an emergency, on a violent crime
could be conceivable to be as long as 15 or 20 minutes and this is something that
we worry about quite a bit. I know that there are a lot of times that even we
don't call the police we are conscious of them either going by or not going by,
and there will be some nights when they won't be a passing police car in some
times two to three hours period, and we feel that our area deserves a regular
patrol and enough men to adequately handle that area and whatever conditions are
necessary from the City to be sure that this be solved whether it'd be better benefits,
or better hours, or more pay, for more equipment, or possibly better communications,
more communication equipment. We need something to assure us that when we calls
the response time is kept a standard regardless of the day of the week or
special event like Orange Bowl game, or something like that. The fact that there
is a game in progress at the Orange Bowl shouldn't mean that our area would have,
let's say, only 2/3 of it's normal operating force in that area. We feel that
anything can happen in any time, we'd like to feel that there is adequate provision
being made in the budget so that our present force is better trained, better equipped,
better supplied, basically,better men for more people. Thank you.
Mayor Ferre: All right, AAron, thank you very much. Anything else? Any other
members of the public?
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, can I ask a question before you proceed, I assume that's
all of the public, and once again I guess I've got a comment there, and that is that
I, really, every year I'm amazed, that we dedicate hours to public hearings and yet
only two people availed themselves to the opportunity to come down here and tell this
Commission what they're thinking, and you know, God knows we've advertised it, went
out in the media and things of that nature and I just...it's hard for me to believe
they say when people stay home, they're contented. I'd like to believe that but I
get too many phone calls to the contrary and you know, it's just the most unfortunate.
Mr. Grassie, my next question is of you, sir. The only ones that as I had assumed
that we left to deal with, since I've seen no one else, is the unions. Why all this
high priced help is staying here for the rest of the afternoon, are they needed?
Mr. Grassie: Well, in a effort to be responsive to questions that the City Com-
mission might have, we have asked them to be present but you make a good point of...
possibly that's not necessary.
Father Gibson: Mr. Mayor,....
Mr. Plummer: I know they've all got important jobs to do.
Father Gibson: ....I think they ought to stay, they ought to know some of our
concerns and hear them.
Mr. Plummer: Okay.
Father Gibson: I don't mind you haven't that much being at ease. You'll have no
problem when you get back there, don't worry about that, they'll be there (inaudible)
Mr. Plummer: Well, Father, if my calculator was working, I'd hate to tell you how
much is represented over there on an hourly basis; so, let's go from there.
Father Gibson: Yea, yea, but I...just once a year, man, just once a year.
Mr. Don Teems: Would you like to know, Mr. Plummer? I think I could tell you.
W. Plummer: Go ahead.
Mr. Teems: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners. Don Teems, President of the Miami Association
of Firefighters. Last year at this time, the proposed budget that was presented
to this Commission called for drastic cuts in personnel. I think that it was 167--
people to be laid off-- so as the result of that, the employee representatives --all
the employee representatives of the City --got together to combine forces and hired
an economist, Dr. Marshall Barry, to come in and review the books and see just, you
know, whether the City was telling us the truth or not. I believe the results of
that review is history. This year, the proposed budget calls for the abolishment
of vacant positions in lieu of lay offs. The big difference between last year
and this year, is that three out of four employee groups that are represented in
this City are in negotiations for new contracts with the City of Miami. We're
56 SEP 251979
told that any increases, any pay increases, are going to result in lay offs of
employees. So, the bottom line is no different than it was last year. Last year
we had increases that were negotiated the year before, some didn't --the General
Employees were in conflict with two unions and they've gotten together now,and
they've got that straingthened out. This year they're saying 'now, if you ask
for a pay raise, it's going to cost you employees'. Well, the employee groups
have to got together again, we called Dr. Barry again to review this year's
budget to see if again the City was telling us the truth. And right now, with
your permission,I'd like to present Dr. Barry with his findings on the review
of this year's budget.
Dr. Barry: Hello, my name is Marshall Barry. I'm an economist, an Economic
Consultant in Labor and Finance from Tampa, Florida and I've been here before
and it's good to be back. I'd like to introduce someone else who is very responsi-
ble for what I say and that is my associate in economics, so, Mr. Lawrence Jessup
who is a citizen of Dade County and worked with me also last year to quite an extent,
and he's quite, in my opinion, a competent economist which is I think one of the
highest statements of praise. I'm here today, representing the General Employees --
represented by Al Smith; the Police, rep resented by the Fraternal Order of Police;
the Fire fighters, represented by the Local of the National Association of Fire-
fighters; and the Sanitation Employees Association, in other words, all of your
classified employees. Now, although Don has already said this, I would like to say
it once again, and that is the quote from Dean Mielke--your Labor Relations Director --
in the newspaper recently quoted "if they get a raise at all, there are going to
be lay offs".That's the bottom line. Now,...
(UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTS MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, in the Miami Herald. In my opinion the most succint summary
of Mr. Grassie's budget message of this year and last year although last year was
the outburst of this year because as Mr. Teems said, last year was to give up your
raise to keep your job, and this year if you get a raise you'll lose it. In other
words, in my opinion, and I'll try to... I'm not playing this down because it's
such a serious matter, but in my son Charles' verselike expression it's sort of
'if at first you don't succeed, try and try again'. Now, let me congratulate, begin
by congratulating you, Commissioners of the City of Miami, for showing, in my
opinion, great judgment last year. You were fed in the budget message, and in the
media to degree, but repeated that budget message a chain of horrors of dire
consequences which could not in anyway be avoided. If you recall your 1977-78
Budget Message by Mr. Grassie to the Commission and to the citizens of this com-
munity, he said to you at that time, your only options are (a) Lay off 167 employees
on Octover 1, 1977 to save $3,149,000 in wages and benefits during the year in
order to balance your budget. (b) An option to laying them off for the full year
would be to lay off 167 employees for 30 days and rehire 17 uniformed police,
36 uniformed fire and 114 general employees under CETA which would still require
almost one and a half million dollars in General Funds revenues above those which
Mr. Grassie thought were available and told you were available at that time.
Plus, in order to raise this money, have the Police and Fire contracts renegotiated
down from 5% which was guaranteed the year previously and in their 2-year contract to 2%
which would represent as saving of $780,000 plus, if you want to use the CETA rehire route
you were told by your City Manager, that you should, would have to retain 3% of the general
employees' salaries for an additional $915,000 in savings in order to help balance the budget
or if renegotiation on wages was impossible, then the only other option would be, besides these
straight lay offs of 167 on day one of this current FY in order to make it through the
year, the only other option would be to reduce fringe benefits in order to
generate the required matching funds for the 167 people rehired under CETA. Now,
some of these suggested cuts, because I really want to analyze what happened last
year because I consider this year such a close averse and parallel for what was
said last year. The suggested reductions and benefits which reviewed as ines-
capable by your City Manager because of the serious nature of this crisis, was to
reduce Police and Fire pensions from 2.5 to 2% per year earning power, produce
accidental disability benefits for Police and Fire and General Employees from 66 2/3%
to 50% of pay, to reduce General Employees longevity benefits from 10%
to 5%,to keep pension benefits at 70% of final average compensation and further
the base of final average compensation on the last 5 years average rather than
the 2-year average that's currently used or then we start another option, if
negotiations for wage and benefit reductions were unseccessful and it was unable
to be done amicably and the City Manager said in his message last year because
16 411,
of the seriousness of this crisis, that the City should seek a declaratory judgment,
and statement from the Public Employee's Relation Commission on the City's right
to unilaterally reduce and cut wages and benefits in order to save the jobs of the
laid off employees. There was no way to escape that if all other attempts to
voluntarily reduce wages and benefits failed or if the above recommendations failed,
and this is the whole universe of auctions given to the City of Miami and its
citizens in terms of what service level they would receive from the City Manager's
Administration. If all the above recommendations fail, the City should lay off
additional employees past the 380 positions--167 of them representing working
human beings serving the City --and rehire them after a lapse under CETA,but this
would not solve the problem. Even with 167 laid off employees plus an additional
100 positions placed on CETA which was the available CETA count at that time, we
still fall into a $500,000 deficit by one week from today. In fact, five days from
today. So, the Budget Summary of Mr. Grassie's dire message last year to you, was
there's no way to escape lay offs, cut salaries and benefits, either voluntarily or
coerced,plus rehires on CETA in the basic services or unavoidable for 1977-78. Now, we're
told this year that if there is any raises given there is going to be a cut on employment.
To say the least, in my opinion, the citizens of Miami should be proud of your
judgment last year, because rather than accepting the chain of horrors argument,
accepting a very persuasive nature of the City Manager in his arguments, as sta-
tistical table, you listen, you brought in experts, you determine that in fact his
statements were not valid, and you decided to accomplish what your City Manager
felt was impossible. You, the elected leaders of Miami, found an alternative which
was never envisioned by your City Manager. You maintained the service levels to the
citizens and after all, the only rationale of the City with its own taxing district in
addition to the taxing district in the County, is services, that's what the City is.
Services of people, and you maintained them, you did not have the lay offs. You kept
CETA purposely out of the basic services in City services in Miami. You honored
existing labor contracts with raises and benefits granted as ordered and agreed to
voluntarily by both parties twelve months earlier, and you maintained benefits levels
and gave raises on top of that to non -contracted employees who at the time of the
beginning of this current FY, were not slated for any raise in any written contract,
and all of this was done with no lay offs...Am I too close? Now, if you will, I'd
like to just spell it out in the City Manager's own words because we all have the
benefit of hindsight and that's something I'll give Mr. Grassie; but Mr. Grassie's
pronouncements of dire consequences and disasters were as follows: 0n the meeting
of October 7, 1977, on page 52 of the Minutes, Mr. Grassie said: "If you do not lay
off employees, you will absolutely end in a deficit". What I said was quoted in
the paper was that we could get by this week without laying off employees, we can
get by right now. We do not have to lay off employees, we can find the money, you
are not going to get through the year. What I'm saying is that you are not going
to have enough money to get through the year. You know, you're simply hiding from
budget. You know, you have got to have enough money now to get through the end of
the year. It goes on and on....th, statement to Father Gibson after the motion
not to have the lay offs. The same sort of thing was said in a TV interview which
I listened in awe, after the passing of the motion not to have the lay offs last
fall by the City Manager wherein he said --and I wrote it down at the time --'what
has happened is a cruel hoax on the employees of the City for every day that 167
employees are kept on the payroll, there will be that many more which will have
to be laid oii later in the year'. Mr. Grassie goes on to say for the last time,
I'm quoting him: 'To effect that, he said, yes, no lay offs could be done' but in
fact he will be taking the approach of sticking your head in the sand. Here we are,
on September 5, five days from the end of the year, but no lay offs, etc. as I've
already brought out, honoring of your contracts, maintaining your basic services.
And in addition to that, ladies and gentlemen of the Commission, you have a projected
surplus in the Operating Fund of this City by City's own personnel in Management
and Budget. Now, in the 1978-79 budget, we see the same dire forecast in chain of
horrors which proves so fallacious last year from the same author. The Budget
Message really is not like a transcript to a novel, in my opinion, that is resubmitted
for publication after having been rejected. For example, appropriations for 1978-79
of the General Funds, decrease by $700,000 below last year's level. Comments in
the message --that each 1% raise will cost $500,000 which is not available. There is
a necessity to abolish 84 positions including 10 lay offs and 30 CETA funded positions.
Now, what was said specifically last year during these budget hearings? Because
I think this really in a way is a matter of credibility in terms of the arguments
which I made last year, in terms of the arguments that were made by the City Adminis-
tration and in terms of whatever you, yourself, in your wisdom and I mean that,
decided. Last year, ask Mr. Jessup; if he would to pass out a salary projection
comparison for 1977-78...in a hurry. And this document,by the way,was prepared prior
58 SEP 251978
to the amendments made today by Mr. Gary's office...(you see the similarity in
the figures, because we have not had the opportunity to type this whole page).:
if you notice along the top of this page, there are the various appropriation
levels for salaries presented to you at different times for your approval. The
proposed budget for 1977-78 which is a similar document in time, to and
in,al.so an information available to the document which you're being asked to
deliberate upon for 1978-79. You notice that the salaries only portion is
$51,165,513; other wages, that is such things as shown in the foot note, over-
time, holiday pays, shift differential, out of classification pay driver engineers
plus so►re S67,000 ; other miscellaneous expenses brings a total appropriation for
salary and wages in the proposed budget to $53,067,000. Now, it's interesting,if
you will,to recall with this figure the fact that it was necessary to arrive at that,
that figure,to lay off,according to the City Manager,3.1 million dollars worth of
salaries and other wage items for 167 human beings and of course also, I guess,
"Magic" in Coconut Grove.But if you look at,further down in the page what I call
the BJ salary projection, the actual amount of salaries...that's the horse, yes,
sir, Mr. Mayor, I remember that from last year where the enthusiasm from the
people from that area... If the Barry/Jessup of BJ salary only projection from year
to date or from using the year to date amount of salaries expended and projecting
of the September 9th pay period comes to $49,601,184. Now, the salary projection
for salaries only which was given by Mr. Jessup and myself to the FIU pannel last year,
at the hearings which led to the report from the report from the FIU committee of
experts was $49,785,091 which is in fact a miss from twelve months earlier in
our projection of $184,000 or 4/10 of 1%,and on top of that we estimated high.
So, that's the right side of the error to be on in terms of the budgetary economics.
The City estimate, however, and you might note again, that that salary projection
of September 9th payroll is 49.6 million dollars for salaries. Now, the City
Manager told you that after laying off 3.1 million dollars in salaries,you were
going to have to have a salary budget of 51.1 million dollars. In short, the year
end salary projection without the lay offs, with honoring the wage agreements, etc.
and so forth was ended outless than what the City Manager told you in the proposed
budget last fall it would be, including the lay offs of 167 which did not take place.
Now, our salary projection at this time, excluding the salary reserve, is 1,899
million dollars for year end, which is slightly higher--$399,000 higher that the
salary projection performed by Mr. Gary as of the second status report on the
budget or the salary projection in the budget itself. Now, you notice one im-
portant fact and that is that the salary projection in terms of savings for salaries
that we've come up with,is less than that come up, there was come up with by the
Budget Department. In other words, you've got maybe detrimental to the case of
my clients in a suferficial level, we're projecting a salary savings of a second
status report comparison with Mr. Gary of 1.899 million,whereas he projected a
salary savings of 2.5 million. So, rather than accept his figure, we have elected
to be, you know, to be accurate which is more important and come in with a lower
figure to give you a more accurate representation. It's heart warning and encouraging
to know that Mr. Gary ...today we received from him a third Budget Status Report
which has the Salary Savings figure, let's see, brought to 2.1 million dollars
down from the 2.5 million dollars. That 2.1 million dollars is still too high,
and I'll get into an explanation of why,even though it may appear to be detrimental
to my clients because I want to be accurate again like I was, and Mr. Jessup was
last year. Now, the important thing to note is that the reason why that salary
estimate by the Administration is an error are -several. First there is an error
the 6/12/78 projection of Salary Savings,because the Administration in that pro-
jection included non -salary items such and Severance pay --on that particular
pay period-- CETA salaries and other project funds not included in the salary
appropriation and in addition,the Administration utilized a year to date Expendi-
ture figure for salaries which was an error which has been provided by Mr. Gunderson
to the Budget Department. Mr. Gunderson's figure is in fact of $333.0n0 too
low for the period at which he said it covered; so, that that Accounts for the
difference in our Salary projection --we can reconcile the differences. Now, one
point that I'd like to mention here is that at the Budget Hearing when the July 27
Commission meeting when the second Status Report for the mid -year Budget Review
was presented, Mr. Grassie's emplanation of the 1.1 million dollar increase in
the estimated Salary Savings between the first Salary Savings estimated and the
second Salary estimation was and I quote the Minutes "the important thing to realize
about this,is that what makes the difference is the fact that we're not letting
the departments fill vacancies. Consequently, if we have a Salary Savings of
1 million dollars more than was budgeted, the only way achieve that is by not filling
the vacancies in the short run —that's how we're making up the money. In fact,
because I suppose of a lack of communication, the real reason for the change in
59
SEP 2 51979
the Salary Savings estimation from the July 27th meeting from
the Meeting a month earlier --on June 12th--was that the City Administration
has begun to find its errors and correct the errors in its calculations;they
had begin to take, -they're going to take out Severance pay, CETA salaries, other
project funds not included in Salary appropriations. This particular reconcili-
ation was completed by the Department of Budget nine days prior to Mr. Grassie's
statement to the Commission. Now, on severance pay there is another exhibit I'd
like for you to take a look at,if you will: which deals with the much belabored subject
which I'm sure you all remember quite vividly as to whether is 2.5 something
rather or 2.3 or as it became slightly over 2 million, and then reduced down
below that. As you remember when the original budget was presented to you in a
proposed form last year, it was proposed in the Manager's budget that the salary
savings for 77-78 be set for the severance pay, be set at 2.3 million dollars.
Now, the Budget office backed this up with an estimate which they have asked the
various departments to estimate their own severance pays of a total of 2.556
million dollars that they expected to take place, this is an estimate made on
Novmeber 18, 1977. Now, in fact, then, the money savings from the non -lay offs
was taken out and then Dr.Hendrickson did an analysis which justified the re-
duction in the severance pay down to around 1.7 million which it now stands at.
And if you'll notice very carefully the following figures. The year to date
actual severance pay,including the 9th of September payroll, amounts to 1.449
million dollars. Now, the remainder of the year, we estimate to come out of 1.5
million dollars for severance pay incurred during the current FY. And the reason
why this is actually high ,in my opinion, is that for the bi-weekly pay period of
the 9th of September, the total severance pay paid at that time was $3,573. Now,
the 2.3 million dollars average put in the original proposed budtet represented
an average expenditure on a daily rate throughout the year of a 8.8 thousand
dollars per day. So, we're projecting in effect what was said by the FIU panel
and during the hearings last year and under expenditure from the original budgetary
figure in the Manager's budget of around $800,000 below the 2.3 budgeted.
Mr. Plummer: You gave to us the projection of severance pay....
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir.
Mr. Plummer: ....This is the City's projections, right?
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, this is the projection that was , that was provided
to justify the 2.3 million estimated as conservative.
Mr. Plummer: Okay, but in other words this is not your projection,it's the City's.
Dr. Barry: No, sir. no, sir. That was the estimate...I appreciate you're asking
that... that was the estimate that was solicited from the various departments, you
remember they gave names of people that expected to leave and so forth and that
supported the 2.3 for the Administration during budget hearings last year. In
fact in coming less than Dr. Hendrickson estimated and we'll come in some around
one and a half million dollars which is ....
(UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD)
Dr. Barry: Sir? Rather than a 1.7 estimated by Dr. Hendrickson. Yes, sir.
Now, this is not included this extra $230,000 in the second Status Report and
the projected balance for the end of September by the Administration Budgetary
Review. Now, in the area of fund balance estimates, please recall, if you will,
the terminology of 'miracle million', the charge was made at no matter how many
errors were pointed out on the various schedules presented by the Director of
Finance to the FIU committee,that there was a way of going back and readjusting
.encumbrances so that the bottom line for anticipated fund balance would always
become 1 million dollars. Now, Dr. Hendrickson, if I remembered correctly, and
I think you brought it our in the public hearing.... the series of exhibits that
were given by the City to myself,and to Mr. Jessup and then were submitted to the FIU
panel at the time of the hearing last year. Almost exactly one year ago from
today. In the order, in my possesion in Exhibit UH, Exhibit UI, Exhibit G and
notes to financial statements. Now if you look at Exhibit UH, it projects a
surplus at year end of 1.2 million dollars, is the City projection.
(UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD)
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir? I'm sorry, it's handwritten on an accounting sheet. Is not
In there?...
(UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD)
60 S EP 251978
Dr, Batty: You have, which one, Mr. Mayot?
Mayot Fette: I've got Exhibit "G"...(INAUDIBLE)
Dr. Barry: All right, sir, we'll start with Exhibit "G" then. This is the ctitique
by the City Administration of the FIU panels....critique of the second page of
Exhibit "G" which was a City exhibit,which was schedule"C". You may remember when
the four CPA's came in and swore, attested to accuracy of figures in that particu-
lar schedule. One thing I would like to point out is that if you look at to "C" on
page 1, one of the complaints by the City Administration was that the FIU pannel
reduced encumbrances arbitrarily $683,000. Now, on page 2 which they're talking
about Where the criticism was levied -schedule "C"-the City Adminitration as attested
by Mr. Gunderson and several others, stated that total encumbrances that year-end
9/30/77 would be 2.24 million dollars. Now, according to the auditor, the actual
figure for that was $869,000 encumbrances. That's a considerable overstatement
of the level of encumbrances by the City Administration but I wouldn't be a harsh
on them in criticism, or severe criticism because these public servants had as
they pointed out during that hearing less than a day to attest to this accuracy
of these figures,when it took the auditor some 7 months to come through with a
certified audit for the accounts. So, perhaps too much was expected of them by
their superior, Mr. Gunderson. Also, notewor;hy, is the large number of
contingent torts liabilities which are included in to reduce the fund balance
projected,and these are actually accepted by the auditor as shown in the audit
notes because of the fact that,as you'll see on page 8 of the notes of the Financial
statement, the City of Miami relies primarily in the Legal Department for legal
advice and the opinions as to what are the proper tort liabilities,is taken and given
the City Attorney unchallenged by the auditor. Although has pointed out,the
amount of torts liabilities during those various hearings changed several times.
Now, if you look at UI...do you have UI? The exhibit said 'Projected Fund Balance'
for FY and General Fund for FY 77. This again also with different figures as you can
compare to the ledger. Now it says 74.8 million dollars in revenues-- some 2 million
higher --trying to get at the fund balance, it was pointed out that while they were
subtracting out salary savings anticipated of 2 million dollars. To get to the
fund balance of the miracle million again, they have not included 2 million dollar
offset into the estimated General Fund revenues; so that in fact that volume
figure should have been 3,when this was corrected for the proper statistics and
when charged with that, Mr. Gunderson said that that was just strictly a quick
and dirty estimate and Dr. Hendrickson responded by saying what if any is there
a rationale for a quick a dirty estimate of fund balances. There are number of
things that happened also they could not possibly be, and we're not in anyway
anticipated by either myself or by the City Administration. For example, Peat,
Marwick & Mitchell concluded at Metropolitan Dade County over estimated delinquent
taxes receivable by $783,000 which in an unusual waythey included it in the expendi-
tures for the current year , which increase the expenditure level by $783,000.
The expenditures normally are transactions which take place during that particular
time frame or that FY and I think that that will be more appropriate if they put
into the balance sheet but nonetheless an interssting fact is that on the same
tax roll, because Dade County taxes people in the City of Miami and also would
have uncollected taxed on the same people that by large, at least some of the
same people that the City had uncollected taxes on. Price and Waterhouse made no
such adjustment or comment in their audit for Dade County for the period ending
9/30/77 so, it was somewhat a,: discretionary action.but it did reduce the fund
balance by $783,000. Now, what the auditors failed to do and it wasn't really
required of them at the time, was the consolidation of General funds into the
format utilize the State Uniform Accounting system or the classification of
funds. Now, it was pointed out by Mr. Jessup and myself in our budgetary critique
which we issued last September prior to the beginning of all these public hearings,
was pointed out that special revenue funds had unutilized fund balances and they
were being part counted as part of the operating millage in the City while the
fund balances were being left idle in those special revenue funds such as the funds
for Federal Revenue Sharing, Trust funds....
Mayor Ferre: Dr. Barry, excuse me for interrupting you but...the gentleman back
here...yea, he just... would you call the fellow with the beard right there? You're
the one who wanted to address us before, right? Did you want to address the Com-
mission before?...0h! I beg your pardon, excuse me. I apologize, I thought it
was...I just didn't want somebody to walk away angry. I apologize. I'm sorry,
Dr, Barry, go ahead.
61
SEP 251978
1=11111111 I
bt: batty: Now, this Special Revenue Funds were or so called in the City of Miami
books at that time, for Pension, Publicity and Tourism, Street Lighting,and really
using the General Fund definition, these funds more appropriately belong in the
Genetal Fund. If you look at the State Uniform System of the accounting on page 2,
you'll see an explanation of why that is the case,and on page 3, you'll see an
explanation of why the argument by Mr. Gunderson last year that the balances from
surplus Enterprise Funds could not be utilized to cover the deficits on other
revenue funds was inaccurate by the definition of Enterprise Funds as pointed out
by the FIU panel The balances that 9/30/77 of these funds which all fall into
the ten mill cap now, amounted to an excess of 1 million dollars but were left
out until 10/1/78 from the General Fund. Another argument thatwas utilized by
Mr. Jessup and myself was involved the transfer into the General Fund,of the
Florida Power and Light franchise revenues....(go to the note in back of the
balance sheet).... And if you will, I'm getting into the meat of my speech now,
and I'm sorry it's been so pedantic but I think it's important to go over these
points. Pest, Marwick and Mitchell, your external auditors, in their notes which
were received just recently --this past week....
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Dr. Barry: Yes sir, that's the notes of the balance sheet, that's where there was
a comment about the City Attorney being the source of information as to what is the
tort liability. If you look at page 1-3 of the Peat, Marwick and Mitchell Company
comments and recommendations on financial statements of Miami, these are the people
that conducted the financial audit, in relation to the Florida Power and Light
franchise revenues, it describes in the first three paragraphs why these funds no
longer should be considered Capital Improvement Funds and it goes to recommend --and
this is in the terms of your external auditor, your independent auditor --'we recom-
mend that this fund be dissolved and the receipt in expenditure or transfer of Florida
Power and Light franchise revenue be recorded in the General Funds'.The significance
of this is....
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Dr. Barry: Sir? I'm reading from the a page that has a the top of it Peat, Marwick
and Mitchell & Company (1-3),In relation to the Florida Power and Light franchise
revenue it says 'we recommend that this fund be dissolved and receipt and expenditure
or transfer of Florida Power and Light franchise revenue be recorded in General Fund
because it no longer meets the requirements for definition as a Capital Improvement
Fund. Now, if you look at a memorandum dated September 12, 1978 from Mr. Howard
Gary, Director of Management and Budget to Joseph R. Grassie, City Manager, it ad-
dresses itself to the status of the Capital Improvement Fund and it represents itself
as a summary jointly prepared by Mr. Gunderson, Mr. Gary,with review and comment by
Mr. Reid and it goes on to say that they did not know that Mr.Gilchrist and Fosmoen
did not know why $1.7 million was requested for this purpose because all funding for
Watson Island development should come from the proceeds of the Watson Island Bonds.
Secondly, $750,000 has been provided, and this is as of Septmenber 12,for the Downtown
People Mover even though the funds will not be drawn upon until fiscal year 1979-80,
which would be 12 months from now during which time there will be additional franchise
revenues. Thirdly, $1.64 million has been provided for the Conference and Convention
Center. This is a new request and increases the appropriation from the Capital Improve-
ment Fund for this purpose from $3.025 million to $4.665 million. In goes on to say,
last week you --meaning Mr. Grassie-- mentioned that $1.983 million should have been
appropriated from the Capital Improvement Fund in fiscal year 1977-78, but was not.
Please be informed that this amount of money in effect,is part of the $3.025 million
and it was appropriated and reserved in 1974-75. What this means if you turn to the
third page of this memorandum, the historical rundown of the utilization of the
franchise revenues and Capital Improvement Fund. The bottom of the third page for
FY 78-79 Estimate shows that there's --counting to Fund Balance at the beginning of
the year-- $7.928 million available right now to be allocated from the Capital
Improvement Fund. Now, $3.6 million of that it's going to be transferred to the General
Fund. The rest of it is slotted into the Miley Property which has standing of time
as a project and then the Convention Center which is already addressed and the Downtown
People Mover leaving a Fund Balance ancticipated at the end of this year unexpended,
at the end of this year meaning 1978-79,of $1.771 million as a Fund Balance. Now,
the important point here which calls come out of the joint memo which began this
particular exhibit is shown in the next page where as late as May 26, 1978....
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Dr. Barry: No, sir. these are City of Miami figures that came with the original
62 S E P 251978
theinotandum, over from the Budget Department, Oh!, I'm sorry. Yes. Now,
as Of May 26, 1978 there is no mention...let's see, recently is May 26, there
is no mention of the Downtown People Mover which is now just been slotted as $750,000
Ot the Convention Center, $1.64 million. Instead, there is the guarantee for
Watson Island Fund which was discussed as being unnecessary. Now, if you
take these figures... yes, sir?
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Dt. Barry: Yes, sir.
Mayor Ferre: This is a report memorandum dated September 12. Now, Mr. Grassier
you better pay attention to this, let me ask you a question.
How come the City Commission doesn't have a copy of this and Dr. Barry has
this information out? I went back to Howard Gary to ask him how come Barry
has this and Ferre doesn't? And he said, well. It's an important memorandum.
Now, I understand that...Rose,you've got a copy of this memorandum?
Mrs. Gordon: Right now.
Mayor Ferre: She just got a copy of it Now, would you explain what it's all
al2out, can you explain this to me?
Mr. Grassie: If you remember, Mr. Mayor and members of the City Commission,
when we talked about the budget, one of the things that you asked about was
how the General budget of the City --the operating budget-- related to the
Capital program....
Mayor Ferre: Yea.
Mr. Grassie: ....and we indicated to you, I guess about 10 days ago, that
the Capital Improvement program is in preparation right now and we anticipate
that it will be completed by the end of October...
Mayor Ferre: But that's one of the cruxes of what this whole thing is going to
be evolve around.
Mr. Grassie: ....Now, what you have in front of you.... yes .... and basically,
as I understand the general line of reasoning it is that if there is money in
the Capital Improvement program,that that ought to be made available in the
General Fund.
Mayor Ferre: Now, answer the question.
Mr Grassie: This memorandum is simply one of dozens of analyses that have
to go into the preparation of the Capital Improvement program.
Mayor Ferre: All right, I perceive this...this are public in nature (inaudible).
Mr. Grassie: Oh! yes, you know, they have been going through Howard Gary's
files for months, I'm sure that's how they've got this.
Mayor Ferre: Okay. Now, Howard, was this sent to anybody in the Commission?
Does anybody have a copy of this?
Mr. Gary: No, this was done for the purpose of the Capital budget, it shows
the state of the FPL Fund. As result of discussing the budget with Dr. Barry
in my office, there was a copy on my desk and they asked for it and by law
I have to give to them.
Mayor Ferre: I have no problem with them in getting it, my only problem is
that I don't know how many problems anybody with getting this?
Mr. Grassie: It's just incomplete information, Mr. Mayor,you know, it
asks more questions that it answers, it really doesn't answer very in nv
questions, it simply raises them. It's incomplete, it needs to be put in
the context to the Capital Improvement program.
63
$ P 25978
4
4ijior Vette: All tight, it points out a lot of very key things like for
e :ample, ... .
Dr. Barry: May I suggest an answer, Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Ferre: What?
Dr. Barry:
Manager.
I could suggest an answer that I think it suggests to the
City
Mayor Ferre: Well, before you do that, the point is that, you know, we have
some $150,000 from the Downtown People Mover that hasn't been brought and used
in the fiscal year and won't be drawn until 79-80, it's that being carried..,
and in the 78-79 Fund Balance of $1 million 771 is that...and were projecting
a Balance Projected for 79 at $2 million 4, you know....
Mr. Gary: May I make a comment?
Mayor Ferre: Please....
Mr. Gary: Firstly, these are staff proposals or staff work that was done in
the Planning Department and the Finance Director. These recommendations....
Mayor Ferre: Excuse me, can we take a five minutes break? And then we'll come
back, eh?....
BRIEF RECESS
The Commission took a brief recess and reconvened with all the members of
the Commission present.
Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Howard Gary.
Mr. Gary: All right. Mr. Mayor, I was making a comment in response to the letter
of the status on the FP & L Fund. For 78-79, these were recommendations that were
made by staff, namely, the Planning Director, the Finance Director and myself, in
terms of the available funds and those things that we thought were mandaroty for
next fiscal year. In no circuntances are these funds appropriated or cast
in stone for particular purposes; so, it's really just a work document for the
City Manager to know the status of the various funds. Finally, I'll come with
the Capital budget.
Dr. Barry: May I just say a few things, Mr. Mayor, on that, please? First of,
I'd like to point out the significance in answer to what possible question
could this document answer. The significance really is that if you look at
the last two pages --the hand cap work papers --that the 1978-79 projection
had originally, as late as May 26, called for suggested $1.8 million Guarantee
for Watson Island Bonds and the previous year for 77-78, had called for a
transfer the Capital Budget for Watson Island of $1.7 million. Now, if you
look three pages from the back to the 1978-79 area and the 77-78 Summary
Revenues and Expenditures; that only the $1.8 million transfer in those two
years to Watson Island Bond reserve, not the $1.8 plus $1.7 million is being
suggested and instead even though it's as recent as May and the budget was
in preparation and it's tight and so forth that shouldn't been the lay offs
last year, there's been an introduction of Convention Center proposal, Downtown
People Mover proposal which isn't even going to be expended as pointed out
in the foot note until 79-80 which means that by then there will anther set
of franchise revenues which could be utilized if that were viewed as vital
as maintaining morale and services and raises to the employees. But the main
point is --the one that was made by the auditor -and that point which I've
already given you a copy of, says that 'we recommend that this fund (Capital
Improvement Fund) be dissolved and the receipt and expenditure or transfer of
FPL franchise revenue be recorded in the General Fund'; which means that the
Fund Balances that there are here whether or not you put the People Mover in
as a reserve,will automatically fall out into the General Fund --if the auditors
advice for follow. The problem is, you know, how can you selectively follow
the auditors' advice on certain points that are made and then turn around
in selective manner and say, well, we don't want to follow that advice
tthich would then make the $1.7 million of balance visible in the General Fund
from which most of the salaries are appropriated for employees including raises.
Now, the one thing is maybe possibly the reason why you didn't get a copy of
these work papers was that we had to go to court to get a copy of these papers.
t{e sued the City and Mr. Grassie for those papers..and Mr. Gary.
Father Gibson: I don't get, I don't understand that.
Dr. Barry: Well, the reason why you didn't have them, I said, it is undet
Chapter 119 in the Public Documents Act where Mr. Kaplan represented myself
and Mr. Jessup in a legal action in order to secure copies of these public
records.
Father Gibson: I' m trying to understand. This material is usually a public
material, is that right?
Mr. Grassie: No question about that, Commissioner, and my impression at least
the report that I have are that,the two gentlemen have been in the files and
in the offices and they've actually been provided with a desk to work at as
it they were part of the department,for months. Now, they did have a disa-
greement which the City Attorney defended,which had to do with whether or not
they could come in and go and rummage through the files at will,without speaking
to anybody or asking anybody....
Dr. Barry: No, sir, no, sir.
Mr. Grassie: Now, we were denied that right....
Dr. Barry: No, sir, that is not true....
Mr. Grassie: .... But in terms of what....
Dr. Barry: Mr. Grassie, that is not the true.
Mr. Grassie: I didn't interrupt you.
Dr. Barry: Well, I didn't tell the untruth either. 1 suggest to give a copy
of the judge's order and then....
Mr. Grassie: I'll let that pass,but I think that you probably need to get
from Mr. Gary some impression of what level of cooperation they have received
because the report that I have,is that they have been well received, in fact,
they've had access for everything over there and I assume that's true.
Dr. Barry: I would volunteer that, Father.
Father Gibson: I just want to make sure I don't get the.wrong impression.
Dr. Barry: Following a law suit, sir, we've proceeded good.
Father Gibson: I remember when we were on all of this hassle about a year or
so ago , one of the directions we gave everybody...Mr. Gary,Iwantyou to stand
and answer it? One of the directions that we gave everybody was that since
we have nothing to hide,that we would be more than happy and willing to cooperate.
Now, counsel that's why we pay you... we won't give you that 50 some thousand
dollars you asked for, okay? So, I'm not going to be a lawyer. One of the
reasons you go to court,is because you can't get what you want or you don't
agree, is that right? Now, I'm not going to say who was telling the truth
or who isn't telling the truth but as a layman down in the church when I can't
get what I want I go to court and the "buck" stops there. Now , I'm distressed
because the one thing I try to say to everybody since I've been here, man, you
know, do the right thing, let's make these records available, how do you
answer that, sir?
Mr. Gary: I think initially, there was a disagreement as to all the information
that was to be provided when, and to what extent. We did go to court, a compro-
mise was reached between the City Attorney and their attorney.
SEP 251978
Since that time, l think we've been very cordial to Dr. Barry and Mt. Jessup,
i think We've been accommodating due to the extent that we've permitted them
to take records home,without xeroxing them. I think the price that was reached
at was reasonable. I think Dr. Barry agrees with that, I think it was...,
Father Gibson: I want to agree with you too, he's Trot even have to answer but
you know what bothers me, I thought that the fact that we had said that up here,
thatthe court wouldn't have to say it again, you know, what I hear the court
sayingthat if you don't do it,I might do the other thing to you,and I would hope,
for God's sake not for my sake, if you,and I represent the people, well, since
we have nothing to hide would be so cooperative and sir, I would hope, Doctor,that
you all wouldn't be overbearing and impatient, you know what I mean?
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir.
Father Gibson: I hope we don't do that right now as of this hour, we're going to
forget that past , you know. Doctor, from now on you don't have to go to the court,
you can come and call enough of us and we'll be the court. I think it's cheaper,
isn't that right, Plummer? That's what you told me about burying the dead...,
because you know, you and I have to be the last people anyway.
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD).
Dr. Barry: Father....
Mr. Plummer: That's called "shucking and jivine" on my territory. Dr. Barry,
Honorable sir, may I inquire of the rest of the Commission as to their impression,
and also the Manager, and also to you, sir. It is my understanding that these
meetings today,because we are continuing Wednesday evening, that the meeting
today is to conclude at 5:00, is that correct?
Mr. Grassie: That is correct, sir.
Mr. Plummer: All right. Now, my question, Dr. Barry will you be
that time....
Dr. Barry: Absolutely, sir.
Mr. Plummer: ....So we can say Amen at 5:00 and
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, I believe so.
Mr. Plummer: Okay. One other question, is there anybody else in this audience
that wants to speak other than what Dr. Barry is saying? Okay, so then we know
at 5:00 O'Clock we're going to hold Dr. Barry to his yes answer that he can
conclude by then,and we are going to terminate these meetings and continue them
till Wednesday night, Is that correct?
Mr. Grassie: Yes, sir.
Mr. Plummer: Fine, thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: A point of information that I need to know is what further discussion,
if any, is going to take place with regard to this morning's hearings on Revenue
Sharing, are we going to
Mr. Plummer: Rose, you were absent so let me bring you up to date, specially in
that area where you are vitaly as well as the Commission, but you more so.
Douglas Gardens, it was requested of those people that they meet with Mr. Fosmoen
and Mr. Parkins and hopely by Wednesday morning will come up with some solution.
So, in that area that you're vitaly concerned,before you returned, we took care of it
for you. Go to Tallahassee and fear no more.
Mrs. Gordon: Also, Ms. Johnson's been here all afternoon,and with her matter
also taking up for discussion...it's Overtown.
Mr. Plummer: Well, I personally spoke with her during the break. Is Mr. Parkins
still here? Mr. Parkins, you had offered...this poor woman is not going to sleep
tonight unless you give her a copy of that letter awarding that grant.
Mr. P rkins: We did give you a copy of the grant sheet and we're meeting...
Wednesday afternoon, tomorrow afternoon?
66
SEP 25197a
r. Plumber: But ate you going to give het something to kill het insotnxia tonight
by showing?
Mt, Parkins: I think I did. did I?
Mt. Plummet: Have you got what you were looking for; that you and I discussed
about? Sleep well, thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay. Now, you understand nothing further than this afternoon other
than you get the information you didn't have.
Mr. Plummer: And let's also put on the record for Mrs. Johnson and for you,
Rose. She asked the question of me during the break,'what happens if for some
reason with all of this thing up in the air about CETA that something didn't
come through?' You know, I can appreciate that,and my remarks then, now are on
the record that if her ball game changes then ours, as the Mayor said earlier,
or anyone is welcome to come back to these Chambers. No one has never been
denied the right to speak except maybe Ernie Fannatto but that's the difference.
Continue, Doc.
Mrs. Gordon: The other area of community concern and mine too, is the community
schools and what discussion, if any, was held on that? And no, we're not talking
about the after school, we're talking about the community schools --that is 9
schools each of them funded,I believe, to the tune of $5,000.
Mr. Plummer: Well, to answer your question, nothing.
Mrs. Gordon:
Mr. Grassie:
discussion on
was that this
Mrs. Gordon:
Mr. Plummer:
Mrs. Gordon:
Mr. Plummer:
Any further discussion?
No, I do not believe that the City Commission
that, Commissioner. The only indication that
will be brought up again on Wednesday.
Wednesday? Okay.
Wednesday night.
Wednesday night.
That starts at what,
Mr. Grassie: Yes, sir.
had any further
was made by the Mayor
Mr. Plummer: Concluding at 7:30. Doctor, I'm sorry but I just wanted to get....
Dr. Barry: May I make amends to, I think, perhaps a grievous injury that
I didn't intend,and that is I never had any difficulty atall on personal level
with Mr. Gary,and I had never considered him to set policy in the Department
of Management and Budget....
Mr. Plummer: You're better off than I am.
Dr. Barry: That's why we mentioned Mr. Grassie in the law suit; so, it wasn't
a personal thing between the two of us. I Appreciate his kind treatment. Now,
I'd like you to take a look at another exhibit which I'm passing out now which
deals with the statement made in answer to a question from the Mayor to Mr. Grassie
last week in the hearing on departmental budgets on Monday, I believe it was at
the Police Department where Mayor Ferre asked 'how do the salaries of City
executives compare to those of other cities in the range of 250,000 to 205,000 population
range' and the answer from Mr. Grassie was 'about average in most cases' and this
is an approximate quote, I don't have a tape recorder, a little behind in several
instances and so I'd like you to look into the xerox which is the latest available
comparison of top executive salaries not only National basis and the Southern basis but on
a Council Management fork of government basis where applicable and broken
down by quarters, and the most recent copies of the 1978 Municipal Year Book
put out by the International City Management Association. It's shown in foot note
#1,breaks it down by the Mean --that's the parenthetic average--,lst quarter
Median --that is half above and half below that salary (the City Manager's for
example), and the 3rd quarter which is the figure, the next to the last column,
is the rate of pay earned by that individual in January of 1977 which is a compa-
rable date to the date for reporting by International City Management Association,
and the last column is the current rate of pay or the rate of pay proposed in
work papers,whichever is higher. So, you can see that Mr. Grassie earns ahead of
"7 SEP 251978
ail Southern distributions, quartiles for City Managers and only the lags the
top quartet of the City Manager's on a national scale for cities in the range
of two hundred and fifty to half a million. The Finance Director, Mr. Gunderson, again if
only exceeded by $300 on an annual basis by the top quarter of Southern Finance
Directors but he exceeds the national and Council. Manager Government averages,
Tttrni.ng to,Mr. Knox exceeds every single distribution point as of January 1,1977.
Mr. Plummer: Worth every dammed dime of it!
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir...I'm not saying that, I'm just bringing some facts tel
bear.
Mr, Plummer: You notice that I was quite till that point.
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir. It's a lot dimes. The Director of the Budget, Mr. Gary,
is earning more in January of 77 than every single location --national, Southern,
Council Manager form of government, even the top quarter averages. The Assistant
City Manager, Mr. Grimm, is only exceeded by the top quarter of the Council
Manager government but exceeds national average and Southern average under forms
of government at the local level. The Director of Public Works is exceeded again
only in the top quartile. So, that you see that for these particular salaries
which is all that I could pull out from the work papars because they're often
aggregated together, these salaries are far above average in 1977. And as the
last column shows, they have received raises since that time.
Mr. Plummer: Is your paper silent on Mr. Mielke for a reason?
Dr. Barry: Oh! the reason for that is that the International City Management
Association doesn't rank Labor Relations directors. I don't know whether is
because they don't consider them important enough for....
Mr. Plummer: I was just wondering about your silence., that's all.
Dr. Barry: I appreciate that lead in that. The next exhibit relates specificai
to individual positions... sir?
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD).
Mr. Plummer: In his budget? In who, Mr. Gunderson's budget?
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir.
Father Gibson: Yes, didn't you tell me, dont' you remember when I asked that
question that you (inaudible)
Mr. Plummer: He asked of you what your pay was and you said there was nothing
in your budget projected for an increase, it was your answer.
Mr. Gunderson:Thatwas correct in terms of the salary cost of living increases , but
in terms of the step increases as the Manager spoke subsequent to that,he said
'Commission members I want to make certain that you are not misled, that there are
step increases for all people,but no cost of living increase'.
Father Gibson: I get a little confused with step and....
Mr. Gunderson: There is a range in everyone's classification.
Mr. Plummer: Classified and unclassified.
Mr. Gunderson: Yes. And in that range there are 6 steps-- that is an A
sort of thing.
Father Gibson: That's what you call executive plan.
Mr. Plummer: No, no.
Mr, Gunderson: No, that's classified and non —classified. Now, all the budgeted
positions have that step increase if they're not at the final step-- of course,
if they're at the final step, there is no step increase.
Mr, Plummer: That's 20 years up , Father.
68 SEP 25197
11111111111111111111111111110110111111111iimmiiiminium
1110111■II—■uuiuiii.
W. Gutidetson: So...and there 'ate aothe of tbdae.
rather Gibson: Well, okay....
Mi. Gunderson: Then, there is a possible....
Father Gibson: ....let me forget the methodology, Okay
Mr. Gunderson: Okay.
Father Gibson: ....So that when I talk later, from here on, and you know that
I don't understand all the methodology. When I ask a man about increases. You
see, I have a hard time understanding executives getting increases and the peons
getting none, do you understand? And so, when I deal with this, you know, that's
where I am. I admit... because of my mentality...now, I care, you know. can't
travel as fast as you. But I ask you specifically, looking at you dead in your
eyes and you said no, no, no, And then, isn't some $3,000 more dollars, some
such....
Mr. Plummer: But, Father, that's his step.
Mr. Gunderson: Yea. Now, we said there is a step included.
Mr. Plummer: Father, from the peon of your terminology, from the peon
not in...are you included?
Father Gibson: No.
Mr.Plummer: No. The peon to the #2 peon are... it is built-in on longivity, if
you wish, raises. That's automatic, Father, as long as they're with the City,
okay? Now, the thing that he was addressing was that at this particular time
there were no salary increases included and he is correct. In other words, the
cost of living or negotiated wages, was not included. His step is just like
the lowest person on a totem pole when they're with the City 5 years, when they're
still with the City 10, 15 and 20.
Father Gibson: For how long does he have to be with the City? That's why I'm....
Mr. Plummer: 5 years is the first step, isn't it?
Mr. Grassier That's longivity, there are steps within the range....
Mr. Plummer: Within the range of the 5, and then it goes in 5 year sequences.
That's followed for everybody. By the way, Father, I want to tell you something.
Ten years ago when I started with the City we did have peons, today we don't
have no peons. We've got people...not you, you are not a peon... we've got people
with the City who are the lowest pay scale but let me tell you something, it's
a far cry of what it was 10 years ago... far cry.
Father Gibson: But I just, you know, I just don't want to be misled in my thinking.
Mr. Plummer: The only one who had the gall to increase his salary was an individual
who might suffer the consequences later.
Dr. Barry: Now, if I might continue, I've passed out two additional documents,
one a large request of personnel action forms which record the most recent increases
given to individuals on the unclassified pay schedules of the City of Miami; and
the long sheet is a summary of what comes out of the budget work papers which is
the statement of the modified March 31 level on income on annual basis in the
first column and the second column is a requested level for 1978-79. As this,since this
is viewed as a tight budget and these are not called step increases, they are called
anniversay increases in the work papers itselves, maybe in that terminology butr
I would like to make a few points about some of these increases, if I may.
example, if you'll notice that the City Attorney, for example, went from $43,470
to $47,000 a year.
Mr, Plummer: Now, which document are you from?
Dr. Barry: I'm talking about the one dated at the top the 9th of January '78.
69
SEP 251978
•
ME
ME
MM
•
MEE
EMM
Mt. Punnet: 'You'te talking about this document?
Dt. Batty: No, sir.
rir. Plummet: Oh!, oh', okay.
Dr. Barry: It's the first of the smaller packet.
lir. Plummer: All right, we're talking now about the city'Attorfte
Dt. Barry: Yes, sir.
Mr. Plummer: All right. That's 1978.
Dr. Barry: You say, well....
Mr. Plummer:
document....
Just go ahead, I'm sorry, I was trying to get with you
on which
Dr. Barry: All right, with retroactivity, that level was reached and included
in the 3 1/2% increase for cost of living...no, it's not? What are the exact,
what are the figures then on that? Because this is what the Pension Board has
on you as your current earning power.
Mr.Knox: No, this does not include 3 1/2%, this was an increase which was approved
by the City Commission, just an increase from $43,470 in a $47,00-- approved by
a resolution last December.
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir. you salary is set directly by the City Commission but it
is...the figure $47,000 is a correct figure, right?...in the retroactivity?
Mr. Knox: Back to the first date of the budget here, yes.
Dr. Barry: You went back to the beginning of the budget year or just to the
calendar year?
Mr. Knox: Back to the beginning of the budget year, October 1 of '77.
Dr. Barry:
Now, why is
of March 31
All right, you went to $47,000 and you're scheduled to go to $50,000.
it that in your work papers for your department you're carried as
earning $45,8087
Mr. Knox: I guess that's the accumulative amount that I had earned up through
March of '78 of the $47,000 total.
No, I don't believe that's...that's may be but that's not my under -
Dr. Barry:
standing.
Mr. Knox: Okay, now, if I'm not mistaken, the Deputy City Attorney earns
$43,470, that may be his salary.
Dr. Barry: No, sir. I don't think I have a Deputy City Attorney in here, you've
got your name at the top and if this is not your sheet, this is what the Pension
feels that your sheet represents --your payroll records.
Mr. Knox:
Dr. Barry: It is, that's what it says in the last column over.
Mr. Knox: Right.
Dr. Barry: $47,000. Now, I have a question, if I may direct to the City
Manager, because I want some explanation on this because I can't get one. The
salary level shown for the City Manager was raised in '77 to $52,000 but currently
the payroll records show that you are increased to...because of the 3 1/2%
increase for the cost of living,' imagine, to a figure of $53,820, is that right?
On an annual basis?
Well, I'm just that my annual salary is $47,000.
Mr. Grassie: My recollection of that is this, at the time that the City Com-
mission authorized for all employees a 3-1/2% increase, I denied the 3-1/2% for
three positions --mine, the City Attorney and the City Clerk. At that time,
70
SEP 251978
the City Clerk failed a question with the members of the City Commission,
the conclusion was that yes, that when the City Commission said all, they meant
all, and that was spread to everybody, including these three positions.
Dr. Barry: The question then...I know that's your salary but in your current
work papers for the forthcoming budget request that are not shown in the budget
document,the Commission asked for it, it shows you as listed as $52,000 for the
coming year and 1 wondered about that...rather than the $53,800.
Mr. Grassie: I presume that the staff member in my office who prepared the
budget was in the impression that that was my salary, as a matter of fact, to
tell you the truth so was I.
Father Gibson: You mean to tell me they decreased it?
Mr. Grassie: No.
Father Gibson: Oh' listen...,
Mr. Grassie: No, it's just that that....
Father Gibson: Is that an error?
Mr. Grassie: No, it just that that was...it's just that that was what he thought
he was, it's just an error on his part, yes.
Father Gibson: Man, let's make that right now. If I believe a man is supposed
to get his money, you know, a funny thing, I am the other way too, if a man
is supposed to get his money, he ought to get his money.
Mr. Grassie: I guess I should pay more attention to this sort of thing, Com-
missioner, than apparantely I do , but Mr. Gary points out to me that for last
year this retroactive amount of 3.5 was added to my salary at the Commission's direction.
That amount was total of $1,820 but we did not change the range, so that as of
October 1, my salary would go back to $52,000 because that...the range for...
the amount that you have set for me without this retroactive 3-1/2% is $52,000.
Mr. Plummer: But I also, Mr. Grassie, recall something in the area, correct
me if I'm wrong, something about expenses.
Mr. Grassie: You did nothing about that.
Mr. Plummer: I know we talked about it, whether we actually took that....
Dr. Barry: It's a separate budget item, I mean $2,500, is it?
Mr. Grassie: That was done 2 years ago, the year ago they did nothing.
Father Gibson: Mr. Manager, you know, I don't want to give you anymore than
you ought, than you can use but I don't understand that if you were getting
53 and then going back to 52, what's that?
Mr. Grassie: It's because it was a one shot payment, retroactive payment and
unless you do something about the basic range, then they would go back, yes.
Dr. Barry: All right, let's see if I can continue then. Yours are the 3 or 3.5%
that are not average over the range like for a lot of employees that got less
than that or more, or less I guess, I'm sure. Now, on the Assistant City Manager,
you'll notice in this work paper figures --Assistant City Attorney rather --that
10 Assistant City Attorneys in the modified as of 3/31/78 budget, are being funded
for $1,000 less approximately or $500,000 less than 9 in the projected budget
for the forthcoming year which would represent an increase in the budget for
the salaries for the City Attorneys in the forthcoming year where 10 was funded with
the figure, now 9, will be funded with that figure. The Assistant City Managers, it's
extremely difficult to figure because if you'll look at the foot notes you'll
see that percentage distributions across the various funds are not easily
identifiable in terms of salary figures. Even the work papers do not have
individuals listed with raises after their names. The Labor Relations Officer,
however, Mr. Mielke, if you look further along 2 more sheets, by the way since
71 SEP 251978
10
we are on it...Richard osmoen got over the year a 10.2% raise with retroactivity
410
going back to February 25 for a period of 720 hours at an increase of $1.93
an hour for those 720 hours --a retroactive check, by utilizing the Executive
Pay Plan adjustment moneys during this year of the lay offs. Mr. Grimm, during
the year, received a retroactive check for only 160•hours as he moved from $43,613
per annum to $48,084 per annum or an increase just for those two raises without
the cost of living raise which got into the first figure,in the neighborhood of
4 and a half thousand dollars. The Labor Relations officer is shown within parenthe-
sis is his salary to begin in the year and its increase what in the work papers
is shown and $38,282 and I'd like to ask another question if I may because he's
currently earning $39,558 up from $37.7 thousand. Again a retroactive pay check
fur 400 hours at 89i an hour for Mr. Mielke. But in the new budget is shown evidently
as taking a pay cut from his $39,000 salary down to a $38.2 thousand salary. If
you look towards two pages further, on the sheet that's got a chart on it such as
this you'll see that with the Fund General,Department City Manager, Division of Labor
Relations. The Labor Relations officer, Mr. Mielke's salary is shown as taking
a cut down to $38,282 next year but really in fact he is getting another raise
as point it out in the explanation column, Mr.Mielke is beginning to be funded
with 5% CETA supplement so that in there there's an anniversary increase which
is massed by the utilization of funds from outside the General Fund. Is that a
fact, Mr.Grassie? And I wonder about the procedure for that, I wasn't aware
that was possible.
Mr. Grassie: You're incorrect about the question of the increase, you are correct
with regard to the supplement through CETA. There are two kinds of CETA moneys
in any one program in any title --Title I, Title II, Title VI. One is the regular
money which is available for participants, for the enrolees and the other a much
smaller amount of money, normally about 5% of the total which is available for
the administration of the program. That is the money which pays for all of the
personnel clerks and the people who process the applicants and the doctor and
anybody who is involved in a CETA program. Because of the recent hearings that
we have had with P.E.R.0 and so on, where CETA employees were all covered by
the Bargaining Unit. Now part of the Labor Relations office is in fact devoted to
working on questions that involve CETA employees and that is an administrative
charge which is this case happens to be 5%.
Dr. Barry: And Mr= DeKoning is also getting a 5% CETA supplement.
Mr. Grassie: That's correct, sir, the same reason obviously.
Dr. Barry: But if you look on a...this is the problem with this budget in the
terms of its aggregation. If you look at the next page --page 55 of the budget
for the office of the City Manager Labor Relations, the only mention of CETA in
this particular page at the bottom is the Labor Relations intern who is partially
funded by CETA and there is no mention of the other two individuals in the department
who are being funded from that source partially. Now, the Finance Director is
also in here, if you turn on another page, Mr. Gunderson-- after the page from the
budget --Mr. Gunderson received 1,120 hours of retroactive pay at $1.60 an hour
or check of $1,795 for retroactive pay which took him all the way back February 12,1978
as the etfective date of his new pay schedule which took him to $39,558 up from $36,225
so that he rose in effect $3.3 thousand and thatwaseffective--this is what I can't
understand about the meaning of the term anniversary-- it was a fact it was signed
by the City Manager September 6, 1978,and he is in the new budget for the so called
anniversary increase at $41,369,so in the last year then his salary will have gone from
3-1/2% less than the $36,000 figure to a figure of $41,369 and the only anniversary
I can see, since he's got a raise in September 6,would be within a month that he's
got his last raise, I suppose. Now, the Assistant Director in his office, if you'll
notice on the next page which shows Mr. Gunderson's salary and his Assistant Director's
salary, is also slated for $1,787 raise. Mr. Parkes,on the following page,received
the retroactive check in a raise from the monthly rate of $2,889 to $3,034 for an
increase of 170 some dollars. Mr. Gary, Director of the Budget also received the
retooactive raise that took him back to February 12, 1978, a check for 400 hrs at
$1.105 per hour, or a check of $422, back -dating his increase from April back to
February and raising his annual rate of pay to $39,558 per year. Now, it's shown
in the requert for the forthcoming year to receive $41,179 or an increase of $1,600
approximately for a year after having received an increase of $1.105 per hour
just in April. The other raises are also shown in here and I won't belabor the
fact that, as one of my clients has quite often said -though they can say it much more
succinctly than a person is overburdened perhaps with reading it- He said "Gee, I sure
would rather have an anniversary increase than a raise this year", and perhaps
SEP 251918
the poignancy of that statement speaks for itself.
Mr. Plummer: Now, but Doctor that's not really a fair statement because that
same employee is also participating in anniversary raises just like anyone else,
the point I was making before. And if they are entitled to an anniversary raise
it is projected, it is all the way through. So, I don't think that that's really
and truthfully a fair statement to make. Back, referring to the peon, he gets an
anniversary raise, it is not as much as others....Am I wrong?
Dr. Barry: Well, sir. first of all it's 20 years top out of matter, it's on annual
basis, it's something I'm not familiar with. And since that my...the employees
that I represent have a, you know, a certain number of merits steps and then
they have longevity steps and the top out as for as annual increases -are concerned
in far less than that.
Mr. Plummer: five years....
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, and then they have to wait....
Mr. Plummer: ....Which it's the same as what the top levels do, that's my under...
I'm correct?
Dr. Barry: Now, I wonder if I could have a copy of the Executive Pay Plan, all
I have is a copy of the unclassified rates of pay.
Mr. Plummer: Like anything else, I'm sure it's available.
Dr. Barry: May I make one further point then, Mr. Plummer, but I think there's
some merit to what you said and I think it might cast some light on it. Is that
in addition to these anniversary increases that are sizeble because of the base
when you're talking about percentages which puts its dollars. There is also an
Executive Pay Plan adjustment reserve in the proposed budget for $80,000.
Mr. Plummer: I understand that.
Dr. Barry: Now, that given, that in this unclassified pay plan there's 80 names'
that works out approximately to another thousand for this particular unclassified
pay schedule.
Mr. Plummer: If you were to average it, I'm...you know...
Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, on the average, in addition to the raises that already in-
corporated due to what's called anniversary increases.
Mr. Plummer: A11 right.
Dr. Barry: The point I guess I'm making....
Mr. Plummer: Oh, I understand your point.
Dr. Barry: A11 right,....it's in light of the comment,for example,on the newspaper
about if there are any raises, there has to be layoffs. The tightness of the
budget being so severe again this year as it was last year. And that I guess is why
I spend so much of your time getting in that.
Mr. Plummer: What you're really asking the bottom line in the question is since
they were increases in the Administration and in the top level of the departments
how many were laid off, is the answer you'a like.
Dr. Barry: Well, I wasn't going to be flippant enough to answer that question but
I'll ask that question.
Mr. Plummer: I mean really, that's the bottom line that you're looking for, the
answer is none, it was increased. Am I wrong? Was there anybody laid off because
increases were given in top administration? I think the answer is none.
Mr. Grassie: No, nobody was laid off because of the increases were given.
Mr. Plummer: It took him 30 minutes to get to that point, it took me 30 seconds
to get an answer, so, you know, I hope I can do as well on Wednesday night.
Pr. Barry: Yes, okay.
'7P SEP 2 51978
Mfi P untet: i fully understand what he's tryingito the poittt h
tAkes a de ned good point.
Dt. Garry: All right, thank you, sit.
Mt. Plummer: I understand what he says.
Dr. Barry: It's just one other point and the Conclusion is that l Witt be seeing
you again on Wednesday for a shorter period of time but thet's tatty things 1
have not yet covered.
Mayor Ferre: I'll tell you, I'd like to sit down with you, if I could,...could
we meet an hour before, the meeting here is at 7:00, I'd like to sit down with
you up in my conference room and go over you're thinking.
Dr. Barry: I'll take you to dinner, perhpas?
Mayor Ferre: No, because I'll be in New York and I'll be flying in but I'll
be there by 6:00 and I'd like to spend an hour with you going over this, okay?
Dr. Barry: Fine. I love that. Thank you very much again for your time.
Mayor Ferre: I'll meet you here before 7:00, right?
Father Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I would make a comment because, you know, usually
people say I am a bad boy whether they tell me that...they say that about me
behind my back and I understand that, I live with that daily, that's the way
people in the church do you, you know, Plummer is accustomed to that. I shall s
never forget about two years ago, maybe a little less than that. Remember when
we came here on a havoc, I begged all of you in the respective labor groups
to get you an economist...that's your title, sir?...and let one man to research this mmmmmw
budget. The different unions weren't that smart. I want you to know what has
happened the other day, Plummer, you're the greatest one for reminding us. one
man spoke, and I think, I hope we've got the message, and if you'd had four unions
and standing up here, five, you wouldn't have got the message just as quick nor as
clear. If I've done nothing else while I'm up here, I hope I've sold you all
on the position that either you are going to live together or die apart.
Mr. Plummer: I'm ready to go home. I don't think I really like that, dying apart.
(BACKGROUND COMMENTS MADE OFF THE PUBLIC RECORD).
Mr. Plummer: I've got to think about that one.
Mayor Ferre: All right, we will then convene on Wednesday.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the City Commission, on
motion duly made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at).95
ATTEST: RALPH G. ONGIE
City Clerk
NATTY HIRAI
Assistant City Clerk`
'.
MAURICE A. FERRE
Mayor
♦AAA
MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT
5:10 P.M.
TUB tied
SEP 2.51918