HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2023-09-09 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Saturday, September 09, 2023
10:00 AM
First Budget Hearing
City Hall
City Commission
Francis X. Suarez, Mayor
Christine King, Chair, District Five
Joe Carollo, Vice Chair, District Three
Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner, District One
Sabina Covo, Commissioner, District Two
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
CALL TO ORDER
FIRST BUDGET HEARING
Present: Chairwoman King, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
Commissioner Covo and Commissioner Reyes
On the 9th day of September 2023, the City Commission of the City of Miami,
Florida, met at its regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive,
Miami, Florida, in regular session. The Commission Meeting was called to order by
Chairwoman King at 10:14 a.m., recessed at 12:17 p.m., reconvened at 12:26 p.m.
and adjourned at 12:27p.m.
Note for the Record: Vice Chair Carollo entered the Commission chambers at 10:33
a.m., and Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla entered the Commission chambers at
11:24 a.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
10:00 A.M. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair King: Welcome to our first public budget hearing for the City of Miami
Commission. It is our attempt at having the budget hearing on Saturday to be the most
responsive government in Miami, Miami -Dade. We want to hear from you. And that 's
why it's on Saturday, so everyone can show up. We're going to begin, as I begin all of
my meetings since I became chair, with prayer. And we have Pastor Anderson from
St. Paul AME (African Methodist Episcopal) that 's going to honor us with prayer so
our meetings can be blessed.
Invocation delivered.
Chair King: Thank you. Commissioner Reyes.
Pledge of allegiance delivered.
Chair King: Everyone may be seated.
Chair King: At this time, we are going to have the statement by the City Attorney's
Office.
George Wysong: Thank you, Madam Chair. George Wysong, Deputy City Attorney.
This morning, the City of Miami is holding its first budget meeting and the related
first budget public hearing for the purposes of fixing the proposed millage rate,
adopting a tentative budget, and approving various agency budgets. There will be a
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
final budget meeting and final budget public hearing on -- held on September 28,
2023 at 5:05 p.m. at Miami City Hall, located here at 3500 Pan American Drive,
Miami, Florida, 33133. These hearings were set pursuant to Resolution Number R-
23-0319, adopted on July 27, 2023, and in compliance with Chapter 200 and Section
166.241 Florida Statutes and all other applicable codes, rules and regulations.
Detailed information about the processes, order of business, rules of procedure and
scheduling or rescheduling of City Commission meetings can be found in Chapter 2,
Article 2 of the City Code, a copy of which is available online at www.municode.com.
Any person who is a lobbyist pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 6 of the City Code must
register with the City Clerk and comply with related City requirements for lobbyists
before appearing before the City Commission. A person may not lobby a City official,
board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of Chapter 2 Article 6 of the
City Code entitled "Lobbyists" is available in the City Clerk's Office or online at
www.municode.com. Any person making presentation, formal request, or petition to
the City Commission concerning real property must make the disclosures required by
the City Code in writing. A copy of the City Code section is available in the Office of
the City Clerk or online at www.municode.com. The City Clerk of Miami -- the City of
Miami requires that anyone requesting approval, relief or other action from the City
Commission must disclose, before the public hearing, any consideration provided or
committed, directly or on its behalf to anyone for an agreement to support or
withhold objection to the requested approval, relief or other action pursuant to City
Code Section 2-8. Any documents offered to the City Commission that have not been
provided at least seven days before the meeting as part of the agenda materials will
be entered into the record at the City Commission's discretion. In accordance with
Section 2-33(f) and (g) of the City Code, the agenda and the material for each item on
the agenda is available during business hours at the City Clerk's Office and online,
24 hours a day, at www.miamigov.com. Any person may be heard by the City
Commission through the Chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition
before the City Commission unless modified by the chairperson. Public comment will
begin approximately now and remain open and public comment is closed -- until
public comment is closed by the chairperson. Members of the public wishing to
address the body may also do so by submitting written comments via the online
comment form. Please visit www.miamigov.com/meetingsinstructions for detailed
instructions on how to provide public comment using the online public comment form.
The comments submitted through the comment form have been and will be distributed
to the elected officials and City administration throughout the day so that the elected
officials may consider the comments prior to taking any action. Additionally, the
online comment form will remain open during the meeting to accept comments and
distribute to the elected officials and City administration up until the chairperson
closes public comment. Public comment may also be provided live at City Hall,
located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, 33133, subject to any and all
city rules as may be amended from time to time. If the proposition is being continued
or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before the City
Commission takes action on such proposition. When addressing the City Commission,
the member of the public must first state their name, their address, and what item or
items they are speaking on. Any person with a disability requiring assistance,
auxiliary aids, and services for this meeting may not fy the City Clerk. The City has
provided different public comment methods to indicate, among other things, the
public's support, opposition, or neutrality on the items and topics to be discussed at
the City Commission meeting in compliance with Section 286.0114(4)(c) Florida
Statutes. The public has been given an opportunity to provide public comment during
the meeting and within reasonable proximity and time before the meeting. Please
note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by City staff and the City Attorney
on items on the agenda today. Anyone wishing a verbatim record of an item
considered at this meeting may request it at the Office of Communications or view it
online at www.miamigov.com. Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to Florida
Statute Section 200.065(3) and 286.0105 and Florida Administrative Code Rule 12D-
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
17.005(2)(c)22, no verbatim record is required for the appeal of any decision made
during public hearings required by Chapter 200 Florida Statutes. This meeting can be
viewed live on Miami TV, the City's Facebook page, the City's Twitter page, the
City YouTube channel, and Comcast Channel 77. The broadcast will also have
closed captioning. Thank you.
Chair King: And at this time, we will have the City Manager to list any items that you
may or may not have that needs to be put on the record.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): There are no additional items to be placed on the
agenda.
Chair King: For my colleagues, do you have any items? No, right?
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Chair King: Not now, not yet.
Commissioner Reyes: No, we are --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: I think we're here to just --
Chair King: Right. Do we have any pocket items? Just formality, do we have any
pocket items?
Commissioner Reyes: I don 't have any.
Chair King: I don't have any, okay.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ALL BUDGET ITEM(S)
14623 DISCUSSION ITEM
Office of the City
Clerk
PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
FOR THE SEPTEMBER 9, 2023, FIRST BUDGET HEARING.
RESULT: PRESENTED
Chair King: And at this time, we will entertain public comment. If there's anyone
here that would like to speak on behalf of the items for our budget, please line up at
each podium. We'd love to hear from you. Good morning.
Alexander Labora: Good morning, honorable Commission. My name is -- is this
working? Maybe now. My name is Alexander Labora. I'm a chemical engineer, an
MBA (Master's in Business Administration) from Wharton, and an attorney from the
uni -- a law -- a JD (furls Doctorate) from the University of Miami. I'm obviously an
avid cyclist and pickleball player.
Commissioner Reyes: Pickleball.
Mr. Labora: I'm here on behalf of myself and other members of the pickleball
community regarding the City of Miami master plan so that you would allow the
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
budget to include the addition ofpickleball courts at the Jose Marti Park. So, thank
you for your time, and I hope you agree to that request. Why do I do it? Because
exercise is good for the health of the community, will reduce the cost on medical bills
and the expense on drugs for either heart or liver and diabetes. So, it will benefit the
community at large, not only because it will create a community of people that help
each other in the pickleball courts and the community as such. And that's why I
believe it is good for you all and the community at large. Thank you very much. Have
a great day.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Wilfrid Pierre: Good morning. I'm Wilfrid Pierre, administrator at Haitian
Emmanuel Baptist Church. We're located at 7321 Northeast 2nd Avenue in the
wonderful District 5. Under the leadership of Dr. Wadler Jules, our current pastor,
but for 40 years, we were under the leadership of the wonderful Reverend Wilner
Mazy. We've been in the community for 50 years. Actually, in July we celebrated our
50-year anniversary. I'm actually here on behalf -- to voice my support for the 40-50
recertification of the churches. The churches, the buildings, the facilities that we use,
we need funding. We need resources to help us to renovate, to modernize, to even
have safer spaces, our buildings to be up to code. And so this is why I'm here to
voice my support for the 40-50 recertification of the churches. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Bill Collins: Good morning, Madam Chairwoman and Commissioners. I'm here to
request that you include funds in your $1.1 billion capital budget to create sidewalks
in my neighborhood in the Pines on Southwest 34th Avenue from Southwest 23rd
Street to Southwest 24th Street. I was here two years ago with the same request, two
years later and nothing's been done. It shocks me that 125 years after our City's
founding that there are still established neighborhoods like mine without sidewalks.
On this particular section of Southwest 34th Avenue, there is a nonstop parade of
pedestrians walking to and from Coral Way, and we are forced to dodge cars in the
middle of the street. This situation is extremely dangerous, and it is only a matter of
time before someone is killed in a vehicle pedestrian car accident. There are also
many disabled residents in the neighborhood who don't have an accessible route to
the bus stop on Coral Way. An accessible route is a requirement of the Americans
with Disabilities Act. Although the housing prices are changing our neighborhood, a
majority of our -- my neighbors are working-class families who are renters. We have
seen more affluent areas receive city attention and funding for roundabouts and
other traffic mitigation measures in the interest of safety. The City should not be
leaving neighborhoods like mine without sidewalks, the most fundamental safety
feature, while it builds roundabouts and speed bumps in neighborhoods that already
have sidewalks. There are other areas in the Pines that should also be included on
the sidewalk construction list. However, this section of Southwest 34th Avenue has
particularly heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic and is especially dangerous. Thank
you.
Chair King: Thank you.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Sir, if I can just have your name for the record?
Mr. Collins: Bill Collins.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, sir.
Chair King: Good morning.
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Monista Lee Kinsler: Good morning, everyone. My name is Monista Lee Kinsler. I
am from A Leap of Faith Foundation and also One Stop Non -Stop Mobile Detail. We
are here to serve our community. We thank you very much for taking the time to
listen to us. We're here to ask for help for the people that we employ. We employ
people day and night for our car wash, pressure washing business, and right now we
at Hard Rock. We do fundraising through A Leap of Faith Foundation. We want to
do a health initiative. We want to take it to the streets. We're not here -- we want to
liberate the people, set the captives free, have life and life more abundantly, pay
living wages so we do not need no handouts and we can have a hand up. So we here
to make a request in our city budget and we appreciate you so we can get back to
work.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Rubin Young: Good morning, Madam Chair, Commission. My name is Rubin Young.
I serve as the director of Grants and Development for Curley House Food Bank. I
serve also under the leadership of Lavern Spicer, 6025 Northwest 6th Court. It's
right there in Miami. I'm not going to tell you the things that you probably know
about Curley House, but I'm going to tell you what you don't know. Curley House
was one of the first food banks in the City of Miami, throughout Miami -Dade
County. It's a boots -on -the -ground organization. Everybody that serves are not
perfect, but we're consistent. We're consistently doing the work that needs to be
done for the people in the community. We serve homeless people. We serve veterans.
We serve our seniors. And we continue to serve this community committedly. We're
asking for support so we can continue doing this work. It hurts my heart to see
people sleeping on the streets. It hurts my heart when you have mothers can 't afford
diapers for their children. It hurts my heart to see people eating out of garbage cans.
See, there 's a science to starvation. People are starving. When they're starving,
they're frying to survive. And then you do the things they have to do to survive. And I
think that we are also helping reduce some of the economic crimes within our city.
And Commissioner, Ms. Chairwoman, we know the fine work that you are doing, and
we want to also continue to do that work shoulder to shoulder. So we 're asking the
City to continue supporting Curley House and every other essential organization
that's out there that's boots on the ground in our city, because we love our city, and
we love the people in our city, and we'll continue to support this city on the front
line. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Camilo Mejia: Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners. My name is Camilo
Mejia. I am the director of Policy and Advocacy at Catalyst Miami. I live at 3482
Frow Avenue. Commissioner Covo is my commissioner. I'm here to support the Heat
Action Plan that you have received or will be receiving very soon, in particular,
preparing facilities that will serve as cooling centers such as parks, community
centers, schools, and then any other building, including increasing the hours of
operation and staff at those facilities, because people who don 't have the fortune of a
lot of you know, green spaces in their communities rely on those facilities to cool
down. So that requires that these facilities remain open for longer periods of time.
Also, I'm here to request for more funding for community engagements so that we
can hear directly from community members to understand how extreme heat is
impacting residents. I would like also for more emergency response trainings, heat
trainings, and education and awareness campaigns to get people ready for these
extreme weather conditions to understand how to protect themselves, with special
attention to outdoor workers who are out there exposed without the proper support
from their employers. Also, I would like to support funding for minority business,
especially the ones led by black women, like we just heard, Leap of Faith, Those
Gifted Hands, and then also Curley's House. We have worked a lot with them and
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they do amazing work in the community. Lastly, please increase funding to address
the housing crisis with a special focus on people who are living in the streets,
increase funding for rental assistance and eviction diversion programs, and support
the home ownership preservation program. Thank you. That's all I have.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Stanley Young: Good morning, Chairwoman and your distinguished colleagues. My
name is Chaplain Young. I'm a chaplain here in Miami -Dade County, mostly here in
the city of Miami. I walk the streets of Miami and I talk to the homeless, the ones
who a lot of people walk by that is in the tents, that is living on the streets, that's
living in their car, that really needs your help. I'm coming with their voice, their
concerns, that I know that you're doing some things with the homeless and the
people who are living on the streets, but there's more that needs to be done. I've got
a master plan to actually to do a plan that needs your help, that needs your
assistance, that needs your funding, that's going to help and assist a lot of these men
and women that's living on the streets. I don't know if you actually know, but the
leading homeless people that are now living on our streets are our seniors. Our
senior citizens are some of our number one people that are showing up in shelters,
that are showing up on the streets that really needs your help, that needs your
assistance. We know that you are working hard to doing things in this area
concerning homelessness in your county, but I want to keep in mind that most of the
homeless people live in Miami. They living on the streets of Miami. It would be very
good if Miami stand up and do more. You 're doing some, but it needs to do more. My
name is Stanley Young, Freedom Prison and Jail Ministry. I have a master plan. Call
me and let's talk and let's fund my budget. My budget is very aggressive for this year
coming up, because I'm really going to just go all out this year. It's a $5 million
budget. It may be more than what you have to offer, but whatever you can offer to
actually get this going, I gladly appreciate it. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Troy Dune: Good morning. I have the pleasure this morning, Chairwoman, of
representing the St. John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1328
Northwest 3rd Avenue in Overtown. We had the pleasure of being incorporated in
1906, 10 years after our wonderful city's founding. Like many other churches, we do
a number of ministries. I heard our brother over here, jail ministry, the food
ministry, the clothing ministry. We build affordable housing in our community and
provide necessary spiritual and mental care. I rise this morning to stand in support
of the 40, 50 year certifications needed. As I mentioned, our church provides a
number of these ministries, but churches all over Miami, whether it's in Liberty City,
Overtown, Coconut Grove, or any of our other wonderful neighborhoods, provide
these necessary ministries, and that would not be possible without these
certifications. So I ask that that be passed. Thank you so much.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, ifI could have the speaker's name for the record.
Mr. Duffle: Minister Troy Adam Duffy, St. John Institutional Missionary Baptist
Church. Thank you.
Chair King: Good morning.
Clara Jenkins: Good morning. My name is Claire May Jenkins and I work with the
Curley House and I get up five o'clock in the morning to go to Curley House. The
senior citizen be waiting on me because plenty of them don't have food. They're
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sleeping on the street. So, I'm asking you, will y'all please help Curley House? We
need more food so we can pass out. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Elaine Black: Good morning. My name is Elaine Black from the Liberty City Trust,
4800 Northwest 12th Avenue. We're here to support the Liberty City Trust's budget
for 2023-24. Our board has met and has developed a master plan that is inclusive of
many of the items that have been discussed here, but our focus is nine areas:
commercial development, youth development, senior programming, housing,
hurricane recovery, and resilience. And we have been involved with this area for
many years, ensuring that we do have a resilience location in the Liberty City
community. And at this point in time, that is the Hadley Park, and we look forward to
that being a point of distribution as we move forward. Our marketing and outreach
to our community, supporting public safety within our community, and ensuring that
we have an adequate swimming program that is encouraging our young people to
learn how to swim. Today, many of our young people are not swimming, and as a
result of that, we are seeing deaths in our community. And legacy. We do not want to
leave out legacy. Legacy is something that we're always involved with to ensure that
the individuals who lived in Liberty City and the greater Miami area are recognized
and their history is known. Overall, Curley's House, 40-year certification churches,
these and other areas are so important for the continued growth of our community.
Thank you so very much, Chairwoman King, for all that you do for our community.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Falicia Douglas: Good morning, Chairwoman. My name is Falicia Douglas, and I
represent Curley's House of Styles, and I am the senior program director. And I just
want to say that it's very -- like, we have a lot of passion and we're very dedicated
dealing with our seniors in our community. And having that we do spend time with
all of our seniors, not just seniors, but disabled veterans, homeless, less unfortunate
families. And again, we're not just a food bank. We do provide them and these
families with diapers, baby clothing, baby formula. We do also provide hot meals on
the go for our homeless population as well. Clothing, hygiene items. And when we do
go to these senior buildings in the city of Miami, we do basically spend time with
them. We just don't go and drop the food off. And they just basically depend on
Curley's House because they trust us. They have that trust in us. And we're coming
with bulks of food, fresh fruits and vegetables, not just a hard whole chicken that
they just want to eat. We basically bring them steak, shrimp, we even have crab legs
for them, lamb chops. So, this is basically the reason why we are here today, having
that we've been in this community for over 23 years fighting and fighting over and
over to basically get the help that we need so we can be able to expand our senior
program and be able to do what we need to do for this community. Thank you and
thank you again for all the hard work that you're doing and we would like your
continued support, Chairwoman. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Albert Gomez: Good morning, Commissioners. Albert Gomez, 3566 Vista Court. Just
going to go down the line here on the line items. The BH.5, MPA (Miami Parking
Authority), something close to the City Manager's heart. There's a chance here to
put -- there's a lot of money, federal money right now for solar canopies and solar
arrays on parking structures. We can get it -- we can get matching funds from the
federal government and that will help develop charging stations with Blink and
different people like that, that are local people, local companies. And BH.6, the
Coconut Grove BID (Business Improvement District), personal situation. I went to
the Junkanoo Festival. Myself -- I had heat stroke, so did my dog. I had to take him
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to the veterinarian. It was so hot. There was no serious tree cover down. The
Bahamas, I met with the Prime Minister. He was so proud that Little Bahamas was
formed. He wants to bring Junkanoo at scale from the Bahamas here. I'd hate for
them to have heat stroke next year. Let's get some large trees down and fund that
within the BID. BH. 19, solid waste assessment. I ask for whatever new funding is
realized by the assessment to go to maintenance of stormwater systems focused to
increase the street sweeping and catchment cleaning, something that Manolo Reyes
has really -- Commissioner Reyes has really fought for. And to that point, something
we've talked about, homelessness and (INAUDIBLE), there's a huge job opportunity
within the SBA (Small Business Administration) to get funding to support matching
funds for job -- blue-green jobs. What Manolo Reyes did with his neighborhood
beautification team, what Commissioner Covo did with the eco squads, we can
finance this and get a whole troop of people that need jobs to help clean our streets
and help solve our flooding problems. It's something so easy for us to do and we
have matching funds from the federal government. I'm going to be meeting with the
SBA officer, the regional officer, on Monday. I would love to share information with
all the commissioners on what grants are available. And then if I can say one last
point, BH.20, the annual plan review, that's the point -- that's the moment that we
can also work on coastal parks. There's tons of money for coastal park renovation.
Eighty homes were lost in my neighborhood, and they had to be cleared out after
Irma. I don't want it to happen again. We have a hurricane very close to us. Thank
you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Maria Donaldson: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Maria
Donaldson. I also work with Curley's House. I also assist a lot of the homeless
people that come to us. The majority of them are women with children, a lot of
seniors. We also have some that come and assist us so that everybody can be aware
that there is a problem. But maybe you should focus in on these homeless people.
They're on waiting lists for Section 8 and low-income housing. I myself waited 22
years to get some kind of assistance to be able to qualms for one of these low-income
housing. It's very sad to see a lot of older people with their little carts. They can
barely walk, 20 bags, and they come to us, like Ms. Jenkins said, at 4 in the morning
just to get a ticket so they can get a bag or two of food. Please, it's very, very
important that you look into these low-income housing lists and if you can facilitate
some of these seniors, we would really appreciate it. And I'd like to thank our Ms.
Lavern Spicer for organizing this facility. Thank you so much for your help.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Roberta Knowles: Good morning, Commissioner King and all other officials. My
name is the Reverend Bobbie Knowles from the Church of the Incarnation on 54th
Street, and this is Bill Anderson, and we represent our church in terms of we
definitely applaud you for what you are -- the initiative that you're sending forward,
and we would like to be a part of that. And so, we're here to talk a little bit about our
church. I'm going to let Bill talk about it.
Bill Anderson: Good morning, Chair and members of the Commission. Again, as she
said, my name is Bill Anderson, and I've attended the Church of the Incarnation for
over 60 years. And in previous times, I've been both senior warden and junior
warden. So, I bring to you some history of what we as our church see as important as
our mission in the community and that's to evolve. But one of the things that we
realize we have to do is maintain a positive, healthy facility. And in order to do that,
we have to meet the certifications of the 40, 50 years. And in order for us to maintain
those, we're going to need additional revenue. So, we are supporting that, just as
many other churches from within District 5 will stand up before you today and
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support this issue amongst you and your members today in the Commission. Thank
you for your time.
Ms. Knowles: Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Lavern Spicer: Good morning, Chairwoman King and Commissioners and the
Mayor. I am Lavern Spicer, founder of Curley's House. We've been in business over
23 years. We are very, very passionate about our community and about them seniors.
Them seniors have worked all of their life. They're not bums. They have worked all
of their life. When they started working, the cost of living was very low. So,
therefore, their retirement checks are very small. They cannot -- it's a lot of them get
five dollars in food stamps. They cannot afford to buy the food out of the grocery
store. If you don't have a personal relationship with them, they're not going to tell
you their business and what's going on in their homes. We have that relationship
with them. Not only do we feed in the streets, we go to the senior buildings to take
them food, clothing, walkers, wheelchairs, personal care items, whatever we have,
we take it to their buildings and make sure they get the help that they need. Not only
that, we have a lot of homeless young women in our district all over staying in cars
with their kids. Some of them come to our place have nine and ten kids. We give them
-- that are 27 years old with nine and ten kids. We give them diapers, food for them,
clothes. A lot of times they come to our house bringing their kids that don't even
have shoes on their feet. So, that's why it's so important that you fund Curley's
House because we take care of them people. We do not give them one frozen hard
chicken and a bunch of rotten vegetables. We give them fresh vegetables, no
outdated food like Falicia said, steaks, pork chops, lamb, turkey, no rotten, hard
chicken and vegetables. We feed our seniors with a lot of fresh vegetables. As much
as they want, they know they can come there, they know when they need help,
regardless of what it is, they can come talk to us about it. Thank you very much. We
are asking you all to continue funding us, and you too, Mayor, thank you for your
help because we cannot do our organization of helping people without your help.
Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Silvio Frank Pupo-Casco: Good morning. Hi, how are you doing? Thank you,
Commissioners, for being here. Chairwoman King, I really want to emphasize a big
thanks for making this on a Saturday, making it much more accessible for everybody.
Huge deal. I think that's a little detail that goes a long way. My name's Silvio Pupo.
If you have not heard of me, I'd love to connect with you and introduce myself. Born
and raised in Miami. I'm from Allapattah. I live in 1291 Northwest 37th Street. I've
been an ambassador for the city of Miami, appointed to the last Commissioner
Russell, given my experience studying in the U.S., in Asia, in Europe, doing business
in Latin America, which has now turned into the Council for Global Competitive
Business in the city of Miami. To this point, I'm also very active in the community.
I've been -- I've trained with the fire department, getting my civilian emergency
response training. I've trained with the police department at the Civilians Police
Academy. I'm a vendor to Miami Dade College, I'm on the board of UM (University
of Miami), I'm a fellow at FIU (Florida International University), all of this to
impress upon you my awareness with the issues of our community. And to this effect,
I'd like to think about systemic and systematic solutions, and how to allow us to
create evidence -based policies that can help us save money and make money to solve
some of these resilience and community engagement issues. To that effect, I have
three things that I'd like to comment on. Number one is digitization. We should -- I
want to propose a special committee and task force that focuses on digitization of the
city, the city services, and accessibility of understanding and intelligence of how to
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see that. For example, using things like augmented reality to bring docket
information out into the real world placed in a way that actual residents can
visualize what we're talking about. Zoning proposals, new building proposals, free
proposals, where's the heat canopy, where's the nearest emergency center. These
are all things we can play and we can display using augmented reality. That's one of
my goals with a new -- a game called Climago. Number two is leveraging the citizen
science. See, leveraging the citizen science, I'll finish this, to use -- to gather the
information in the community, like trees and tree canopy, to create a digital twin of a
tree canopy in Miami, just like Cornell did in New York, that allows us to know not
just what trees, what million trees to plant, but the type of trees to plant, the native
and endangered species to plant, where to plant those trees, and how that can help
us with carbon credits and other financial benefits that we can unlock as a result of
it. Thank you so much for this. I'd love to find out who's interested and how I can
support and get this done with your support. Again, I'd love to just plant some trees
in my neighborhood and engage the rest of the community to be involved. Thank you
for your time.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Sharon Frazier -Stephens: Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners, Mayor,
and the absence of the Mayor, Clerks, and everybody. My name is Sharon Frazier
and I am concerned about the seniors. I am what they call a professional volunteer.
Been lobbying Tallahassee for 30 years in concern of our seniors, our children, and
our veterans. I'd like to tell you a story about a place called Liberty Square. Liberty
Square, the community say we would never be able to have a con -- what they call it?
We called it Concerned Citizens Advisory Committee. I'm the chairwoman of that in
Liberty Square. At Liberty Square Housing Development in the Liberty Square
Residential Center -- and thank you guys for helping support Liberty Square -- we
have also a program. The young lady behind me, Ms. Sophia Howard, she runs a
program that service seniors. And yes, I piggyback on what Ms. Lavern Spicer said
about the seniors. My mom, an 86-year-old senior, lived in Liberty Square housing.
My mom passed away July 21st. Thanks to Ms. Howard, I didn't have the funding to
buy the supplies to clean my mom's apartment, because the same way I found that
apartment, the same way I wanted to leave it. I have a cleaning business. I have
Those Gifted Hands Cleaning Services. I'm not a not -for -profit, I'm a for profit
business. And the money, the taxes I had to send the IRS (Internal Revenue Service),
it's like I walked away maybe with $500. I want to be able to push my business
where I can be able to contribute to the Curley House, contribute to the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) because my passion is the seniors, the children, and the
veterans. My dad was a three -war veteran. My mom now is buried at Lakeburg
Cemetery -- National Cemetery because my dad was a three -war veteran. And I
thank y 'all. But please, Madam Chair, Liberty Square is our heart, that's our jewel.
That's where my mom reside when she passed away. And I want to continue for
those seniors to get what they need. Thank you, and y'all be blessed.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Gerbenn Seraphin: Great morning, everyone. If I may ask if everybody could get off
their phone, because you will want to listen to this story. Great morning,
Commissioner Christine King. Before I begin with the issues that we have here, I
really want to thank you for the beautification that you did on MLK (Martin Luther
King) Boulevard. So, I'm proposing that we have a competition where we get all the
MLK boulevards across the United States, and we can show that we are the best and
we have the most beautiful one. So, I want to thank you for that. So, my actual
address is 46 Northwest -- my -- 46 Northwest 68th Terrace, Miami, Florida. I'm
from Liberty City. I'm from Little Haiti. However, I live at 1128 South 8th Street, San
Jose, California. Now you're probably asking, why is that? Well, I've emailed many
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commissioners, I've emailed the mayor, and I told him, hey, I need this office space
because I'm doing research. I'm doing research on Vitamin D and cancer. I'm doing
research on Vitamin D and malaria. And I'm a student that was first gen. I had a
homeless verification waiver, and I still made it. However, when I was on the wait
list for several prestigious universities, nobody answered me. So you know what I
had to do? I had to go get a gap year and take a seven-day greyhound all the way to
the Bay Area. And once again, like always, not paying attention to the things that I
would like to speak about. And that's something that always happens. And the reason
I'm here is because of our youth. When I went to the Homeless Trust meeting
yesterday at 3:45, they told me the two main jobs that individuals had was in general
labor and hospitality. And I thought to myself why not STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics)? And I understand nobody cares about it, but guess
what? I'm going to make a way. I'm going to make a way to help out our students in
Little Haiti and Liberty City because guess what? I know that I could be a smart
student and I could attend Stanford, Harvard, all these schools, but guess what I am?
But we have other students now being on social media thinking things are cool,
things are straight. It's not straight, bro, and that's why I'm here today to tell you
guys this because the thing is I understand I'm not relaying my message the best
way, but guess what, that's because I'm from the hood. But this thing right here is
very special because it's taking me many places. And I thank you for that time and I
would love to have a meeting with you guys to show my work. Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, if I can get the name -- speaker 's name for the record.
Mr. Seraphin: Gerbenn Seraphin. G E R B E N N S E R A PH I-N. And you guys
can also check your emails because I've sent you many emails at
GXS721@miami.edu. Thank you.
Chair King: Good morning.
Sophia Howard: Good morning, Madam Chairman and all. I thank God for being
here and I thank God for the opportunity to be before you. My name is Sophia
Howard and I'm coming on behalf of Divine Empowerment Resource Center. I run
the senior program over at Liberty Square Community Center. I am very passionate
about my -- the seniors. And I've worked with them for over three years, but I -- in
January I started with -- at Liberty Square. And I came prepared using my own
funding, providing everything that is needed to run the programs. The different
programs that I run: Food Pantry, Arts and Crafts, Empower Today, Divine
Workout. And there is little help that I -- you know, I'm not getting the support, but I
didn't know this type of resource was available. So, I'm learning the ropes. And as I
sit here, I am overwhelmed and so thankful for the opportunity to be before you. I
would love to share more about what I do and how I -- the vision that I have for the
seniors, because since I've been with them, working with them, they -- I met them
one way, but now their lives are so much more enriched because of the program and
the support that I provide for them. I spend time with them, understanding, point
them -- I've partnered with other agencies in order that I find the resource that they
need because it 's like they've been pushed to the side, overlooked, but they are there
waiting just for someone to show them that they care. So by me doing that, I point
them to the right resources so they don't have to feel their way around all this
information. And the services that I provide, it causes them, allows them to be better
and more empowered and want to get out and do more things. So, I'm asking for
help and assistance to allow them that opportunity to explore and be empowered and
independent.
Unidentified Speaker: Thank you.
Ms. Howard: Thank you.
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Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Mark Crutcher: Good morning. My name is Mark Crutcher. I'm the pastor of
Greater Bethel AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church, 245 Northwest 8th
Street. We've been in the Overtown community for 127 years, thankful to be there
and continue to work in the community providing services for folks throughout the
community. When the city was signed in the charter, the founder of our church stood
with the city in support of that. And we're still in support of the effort the city's doing
into the community, and we stand today to support the community, the city, and
helping churches in the community be able to -- with the 40-year certification,
bringing the churches up to code and the things that are needed. We stand in support
of that. We thank you for that kind of support and the thoughtfulness for helping
institutions that are helping people build their lives throughout the community. And
we look to continue working in the Overtown community and beyond to help folk
build their lives to where they need to be. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you,
commissions, for what you're doing. God bless.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Frank Caicedo: Hi, good morning, everyone. My name is Frank, a graduate student
at Dartmouth College. Earlier, you heard my co-founder, Gerbenn Seraphin, speak a
little bit more. He's currently from Stanford. I just want to address this message to
Joe Carollo. Thank you so much for doing so much activities, events in our
community. I am a national dancer for Peru, and thank you so much for bringing
diversity, for bringing in investments for the community. So, I really want to
appreciate you in front of everyone. And just addressing to all the commissioners as
well, it's very important that we continue to invest in STEM programs, especially
helping youth, right? So, right now we're lacking in education, especially in Miami -
Dade County, and I really want everyone to be involved with investing in the youth.
You know, I was homeless at a young age. Now I currently go to an Ivy League
school. I was selected as a Miami Foundation fellow for scholarships. There's so
much more intelligent individuals like me that can go to top schools that can invest
in them back in our community. Only 10 were selected out of 350,000 students who
are qualified for scholarships. You know, I really will appreciate if you can just
address more in scholarship funding, STEM funding. And just a great example,
excuse me, a great example is Joe Carollo, just invest in our community as well to
bring diversity, to bring the community together, make everyone feel involved and
create unity. And additionally, I just want to leave this question for all of you guys,
what in terms of investments from the city, the state, et cetera, that's coming in our
community, just please, please, please fund scholarships for high school,
undergraduate, graduate students to continue to further their education to get back
to the city of Miami. And I just want to leave here today just letting you know since I
won that scholarship from the city of Miami, I am the youngest entrepreneur in the
market where I take individuals from all across the globe to do medical research
with me and they've been in top medical programs, but I know so much more youth
that can also help the community and build the ranking for Miami -Dade County
schools to go up. So, let's just please, please, please invest in our education system
and also invest in the leaders of tomorrow. Thank you so much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Robert Jackson: Good morning. I'm Pastor Robert Jackson from the St. Paul AME
Church. I'm also the vice president of the African American Council of Christian
Clergy. I'm standing today in support of the 40-50 year certification, particularly as
it relates to churches and ministries. I pastor the St. Paul AME Church located at
1866 Northwest 51st Terrace in Miami. Our church has the distinction of being one
of the only churches that have served in both the Overtown area and then in the 50s,
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we moved to Liberty City, 109 years old. As you know, churches have been the
bedrock of our community for so many years. And as the churches have been
established, the facilities have began to be -- the facilities have sort of diminished.
One of the things that is very important is the upkeep of the buildings and facilities to
continue to do ministry. I am asking that the Commission please consider putting
more resources in the 40-50 year certification as it relates to churches and ministries
in the Overtown and Liberty City area. As you know, we offer many ministries, as
you've heard from many of the pastors and ministry leaders who've already come.
But again, we do need your support and we ask that you support again putting more
resources into the 40-year, 50-year certification for churches and ministries. Thank
you so much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Marion Kenneth Brown: Good morning. Good morning to everyone, to the
commissioners and the board. Good morning to you, Mr. Carollo, and good morning
to you, Mr. Reyes. My problem -- well, it's not my problem. I actually came back to
Dade County because it was a serious problem. Some of the clients that I used to
work for actually lost they home in taxes. Doing so, I knew it was a serious problem
that was going on here in Dade County. A few years ago, before my brother passed,
my brother actually was homeless. I didn't know how the homeless people lived or
anything. So, I took it upon myself and said let me -- I wanted to see just how the
homeless lived. So, I took to the streets looking for my brother. And I stayed on the
streets for three days. That's a whole different world than the military. The things
and the condition that those people live under are horrible. I'm laying there and for
a whole day I didn't sleep. I laid up against a wall, roaches running all over me, rats
is actually running in and out of these people 's food that they have to eat. Seeing this
-- and I'm saying that there's people there that can actually solve this problem. Why
are they not solving it? Is it they concern or they don't want to make it their
concern? But it is a serious concern. And when you find veterans, that people
actually fought for the country, so we all can stand up here and come up here and
wear nice clothes and do all of this and say all these wonderful, great things to
people, that's not right. So, if we can come up with a plan to get the homeless people
off the street, really we need them off the street. Not only the veterans, but everyone.
And it's a way that we can do that. It's a way that we can do that. We just have to
refocus and redirect the things that we 're doing. And with that, I appreciate all the
things that Mr. Carollo have done for the community and Mr. Reyes has done for the
community. Because without these guys and without you, Ms. King, I don't think the
city would be where it's at. And again, thank you all.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, may I get the speaker's name for the record? Sir, just your
name for the record.
Mr. Brown: Marion Kenneth Brown.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Brown: Thank you.
Chair King: Good morning.
Vivian Perkins: Good morning. I'm Vivian Perkins. I guess everyone see the odds
that we 're weighing. Some are up, some are down. But the people I represent says it
would be a good idea if all the commissioners would work together for the good of
every district, especially District 5. Please continue. It's a wonderful, wonderful
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thing to watch everyone get along. You never know who you need in this world. It's
just great if we could just do that. We say that we are the representatives of the
community, but I love to say first, every time I stand here, we are from a repressed
community. How we get it solved would be just knowing and understanding that you
don't know everybody's story. How you can solve some of it, ask me. I've been
researching and I have a lot of good ideas of how we can make Miami and make
Miamians happy. I mean, it's a deplorable thing to watch the suffering. It's a
horrible thing that it can't be solved and I'm one that think things need to be solved.
We all agree of seeing a clean and beautiful city. Northwest 62nd and Martin Luther
King, the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful holiday improvements. Yes, it's beautiful. It
warmed hearts just to drive through and see all the beautiful lights. For once, that
was a pleasure for our community. The Neighborhood Association in partnership
with the Liberty City Trust, the leadership from M. Elaine Black, the CEO (Chief
Executive Officer), teaching our youth and young adults toward job incentives,
toward mentoring programs. That's what we need. We need so very much. We need
to start one at a time. But we have to be united. We have to work together.
Commissioners, I give you a challenge. Clean it up. Let's work together. Clean it up.
You hear the outcry. Let's do just what we have to do. Seniors are excited to be in a
part of District 5. The journal information that we receive monthly is to be awarded
because it's personal and it helps us know what we need to do. Thank you for that.
Say what you want, our Heavenly Father is someone that we need to teach us right
from wrong. Our Heavenly Father helps us support religious communities and it's
vital that we do. Each and every person here deserve the help that they're asking for.
In order to get that done, I thank you all for listening. I thank you all for making a
solution that we can all use. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Jean Souffrant: Good morning. Jean Suffrant, 130 Northeast 62nd Street, speaking
on behalf of Father Reggie, Notre Dame de Haiti, and the Pierre Toussaint
Leadership and Learning Center. Thank you for allowing us this opportunity. In
addition to reiterating what many pastors and ministry leaders have said earlier
today, supporting the certification, the 40-50 certification of the churches, I want to
thank this Commission for the support they continue to give to the City of Miami, in
particular, District 5. I'm only asking to continue to make available the resources
that will continue to make organizations like the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and
Learning Center a more thriving institution to be able to offer free services to the
citizens of Little Haiti as we 've been doing for the past 40 years. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Cary Johnson: Good morning. Cary Johnson, 29 Northwest 52nd Street. I'd like to
thank Commissioner Christine King and the rest of the commissioners for the
support that they've given to the Liberty City Trust. You 've done a great job this year
in having the youth off the street. Less shootings, less crime, less things that's being
done in the neighborhoods. Also, it's giving the youth an idea of opportunity on how
to work and how to do things and how to make their lives better. And I see that it's
doing a great thing for the city of Miami in keeping these youths doing things for the
summer. I would like you to keep supporting the Liberty City Trust so that that can
continue to happen because it's making a great change and it's making the city of
Miami a lot better. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Ronald Book: Madam Chair, members of the Commission, Mr. Manager, Madam
City Attorney, thank you, for the record, Ron Book, chairman of Miami -Dade County
Homeless Trust, 4000 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Florida. Thank -- you
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trusted us last year and you found resources to leverage with a large chunk of
change from Miami -Dade County. We managed to cobble together $43 million. We
did what we told you we were going to do. We were going to go out and we were
going to acquire hopefully four vertical buildings. We don't have time to build
housing. We don't have the financial resources to build housing, but our goal was to
go out and buy buildings, repurpose them, and turn them into housing for formerly
homeless individuals. We closed on a building in North Miami where we have 120
senior citizens living. We are in the process of renovating to add some additional
capacity. That is in North Miami. Commissioners, 80 percent of the individuals that
are residing there are off the streets of the city of Miami; 100 percent of those
individuals are senior citizens. As we represented to you last year, if we did not find
the resources to acquire that building, 120 elderly people would be put out on the
streets. We had no place in any shelters for those individuals. That building is
completely full at capacity. We bought out the deed restriction on the property off of
Krome that we discussed with you last year. We paid six and a half million dollars to
the federal government to buy out the deed restriction. We are in the process --
we 've closed on that. We 've set aside $7 million to renovate that. We will be creating
a total of 190 single -unit occupancy units for male population only off of Krome. The
contracts are in the process of being let. We expect to move people in there within
the next 11 months. We are closing on a property in Cutler Bay. Again, another
building that we are repurposing. We're under contract. Closing is already set and
in place. We had a meeting down there yesterday to finalize all the details to get to
closing. We are closing on a building within the next 30 days in Doral, in western
Doral. Get the picture? I came here, I said to you, trust us, we are going to acquire
buildings outside of the city of Miami. We are not adding people, we are taking
people off the streets and moving them into housing, permanent housing. Some of it
is intended to be shorter term housing so folks can transition into more permanent,
long-term stable housing. We have identified a fifth building that we believe we are
going to be able to stretch the balance of last year's resources to buy. It is an eight -
unit building. It is currently being used for homeless housing. We intend to close on
that within the next 90 days. I am back to beg. Look around America. Everybody in
America, every continuum in America is coming to Miami to look at what we're
doing because what we're doing is right. If you look around America, all of a
sudden, when we started buying vertical buildings, they started buying vertical
buildings. In Los Angeles, I went out, I saw the superintendent of schools out there.
Some of you are familiar with that guy. He has begged us to come out there, move
our staff out there where they have 79,000 unsheltered individuals on their streets
tonight and they are building affordable housing for formerly homeless people at the
tune of $800, 000 a unit. We don 't have those resources. If I had 10 percent of the
$17 billion that Gavin Newsom has thrown at the cities out there over the next 24
months, I could finish what we're doing. Background for two seconds. I have not
been back here in a bit. As you know, I'm doing some things that I've got to get into
order for myself. Miami Beach voted to put the expansion of the penny on the ballot
in November of '24. We're working with Surfside and Bal Harbour to do the same
thing. But if I don't continue to buy buildings, here's what we realized three years
ago. We didn't have housing because there is no housing in our community. Ask the
people out here. We realized that if we didn't own it, we couldn't get people out of
the shelters. They're right. This young lady just signed up with me this morning.
Vicky's working with her right now. Got it out of your hearing here. We know we 've
got problems. Our facilities are full. So, if I can't move people into permanent
housing out of the shelters, if can't take people off the streets and move them into
housing immediately, we will continue to go backwards. The goal is, I beg you, find
me six, find me $7 million, Mr. Manager, Madam Chair, Commissioners, let me
continue to do what I committed to do, buy vertical buildings and take people off the
streets of the City of Miami and move them out of the City of Miami where they will
be residing permanently. And I would be remiss if I did not close with looking
straight at Madam Chair through you to Commissioner Carollo. We continue to
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work with the management staff on your 50-unit tiny home development. We have
actually determined that we have a second piece of property potentially. The
Manager, his staff Donny, have all been with us out to the property off of Krome.
They've been with us to look at a tiny home development in Tallahassee, but we 've
identified another piece ofproperty down south off of the Homestead Air Force Base
that may also be available, Commissioner. I want you to know that in keeping with
my commitment to you, to Commissioner Reyes, and to this entire Commission, last
year we continued to advance the tiny home project. Your city still has on reserve the
monies necessary to develop that property. So, thank you, Madam Chair, for being
so indulgent with the time.
Vice Chair Carollo: Ron, before you go, I'm glad you brought up the tiny homes and
you haven't forgotten about it.
Mr. Book: No, sir. You wouldn't let me ever forget anything.
Vice Chair Carollo: We 've known each other since, what, I was 18?
Mr. Book: You were 18, sir. You don't have to remind the audience of the rest of it.
Vice Chair Carollo: I won't. The -- Ron lost an election to me. I'll leave it at that. In
college. But, the 50 homes was going to be a pilot program.
Mr. Book: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: We can build those anywhere from 30 to 60 days, giving myself
a lot of time. The amount that we could build them for is much less than anything you
could buy, and they're going to be as sturdy and probably even more so than
anything that's constructed. Because I'm going to give the City to be able to build
them with something that I had invented years back. And when I ran again in
November '17, I thought that I was going to be able to do that part-time in Latin
America, and boy stupid me, I barely have time to go to the restroom for myself now.
So, I want to be able to revisit that. And if there's any problem with any other people
that's outside of your control like I was told, I'll be happy to meet with them. I'll
bring some of the associations from that area. Actually, that area don't have any
because it's all wilderness. The closest one to it so that we could alleviate any fears.
But that area was ideal because we had the power lines within no more than a
thousand feet away or so, ifI remember. Even if I'm wrong, it'd be 1,500 feet, so it's
right by there. And the sewer lines were, you know, a couple hundred feet. And it was
next to yours, the one that you just spoke about, so this would have been ideal. And
we had enough room there to expand to a lot more, a lot more than 50.
Mr. Book: The property down -- if I could Madam Chair, through you. The property
down south may end up being -- it won 't matter to us --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Book: -- Commissioner, which of the two properties that you and the Manager
and your staff ultimately settle on. We 're commit -- the Trust is committed that after
evaluating your 50-unit pilot, it is our plan to potentially build 50 or 100 in addition.
And again, the infrastructure closeness may be better at the Homestead property
than the Krome property, but it matters not to us. We 're committed to the City.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Book: We committed to provide that property to you, and we remain committed.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Well, to me, if you have another property that is not in the city
of Miami --
Mr. Book: Imagine that.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- that it don't matter whether it's Krome or that one. That one I
hadn't heard about, not until today. But we always have the option, as you know, of
Virginia Key, but you know, some other fine folks that are about five miles away, I
guess they found it to be just too close for them. And that's the whole problem.
Mr. Book: Just saying.
Vice Chair Carollo: But I don't believe the city of Miami should keep bearing -- this
is why I want to spread it out, and I'm glad you're doing that. The city of Miami
should not take the burden of 70, 80 percent or more of all the homeless. Because
yes, while we do have some homeless that are local, you have a tremendous size of a
population of homeless people that come from other states, other parts. Some are
seasonal. Some came seasonal but they like how much that they're welcome that they
want to stay. And, you know, you add up and figure it out, it's impossible for us to
keep bringing people and people and people to take care of while we're not taking
care of our own from down here. It's impossible. And for me, as I stated before, the
people that have to take priority are those that are here. We're running into a
situation now that I'm sick to my stomach in seeing what's happening, that because
property values have gone up, the property appraiser is raising property taxes
extremely high. Now, we got a system that's schizophrenic, that you could have the
same property next to each other, exactly the same amount of square foot of land,
exactly the same house with the same amount of square foot, but one is paying
maybe 100 percent more, 150 percent more in taxes than the other because it's just
crazy the way that it's been done. And when you have retired senior citizens, like I've
heard a lot of talk here of they're limited in their income once they retire. And
instead of us giving them the peace of mind that they could live out in peace and
tranquility with their grandkids, with their families, the rest of their years, we're
putting this huge amount of stress where many are having no choice but to sell their
American Dream, the home that they bought, because they can't afford to pay the
taxes anymore. And now they're faced with a second barrel to that shotgun, that's
insurance. The insurance cost, because of everything we know, it's as high now as a
regular mortgage in some cases. In some others, that's a second mortgage. So,
people that have owned their homes for years are being pushed out because of the
high taxes. And this is why in this budget we've got to find more ways of alleviating
whatever we can from the City of Miami. But I thank you for how you're trying to
work with us. As you know, it's quite important that when our PD (Police
Department), our homeless trust people that work with you, call that we have beds
available because that's the only way that we can help people. But we also have to
face the reality that we have a tremendous amount of people that don't want to be
helped. They don't want to go into any kind of shelter for two reasons. They can't
buy drugs there. They can't use drugs there. And that's the group that we have the
biggest challenge with, individuals that have been a casualty in the war we're facing
today that we have mainland China that's sending by the tons every kind of pill that
you can think of to kill our people. They're sending it through Mexico. They're using
the cartels to bring them here. And you know, after a sure while in some cases, some
longer depending on what they're taking, you know, people's brain is just burned
out. They're not functional anymore. And, you know, we -- it's the reason you see
California the way that it is. You see so many, and frankly all of our large cities in
particularly, but this is a problem now that's across America, not just large cities,
it's mid -cities, small cities. And we could only do so much in individual cities. This is
a nationwide problem that has to be addressed so.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Mr. Book: I've listened to all five of you tell me, we've got all the facilities located in
the city of Miami, don't bring us any more. We're not.
Vice Chair Carollo: And I thank you for that because it's not right.
Chair King: One second, one second. Commissioner Covo.
Commissioner Covo: Mr. Book, I wanted, first of all, to thank you for your work and
to give you an idea that was brought to me by a constituent and that could probably
help you leverage more buildings. Commissioner Carollo was mentioning the mental
health situation. If we could work closer with medical students and medical
graduates and nurses to create in these buildings mini clinics or clinics specifically
to make sure that they can get treated first for psychological reasons and then of
course create referrals to go back if they needed to a psychiatrist. Because
sometimes they get a house, right, they get a bed, but they're not going to go all the
way to Jackson or they're not going to go all the way to finding a psychiatrist. So, if
that assistance could be in the building, we would be creating jobs and we would be
helping the mental health situation.
Mr. Book: Madam Chair --
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair.
Mr. Book: -- through you. That's a great idea. Ms. Millett, our executive director,
who is anything and everything, 24 hours a day, homeless, will coordinate a meeting
with you and your staff for this week. Understand that when we move folks in, they
have a case manager. Case manager's job is to remind them over and over and over
and over and over and over and over about where they can get those mental health,
substance abuse, alcohol, and other primary care related services. But I like the
idea. I saw that recently on a Chicago PD episode where they moved one of the
mental health people into one of the Section 8 projects to do exactly that. So, it's a
great idea, so thank you.
Commissioner Covo: Exactly, so they don't have to go anywhere. They have it right
there. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. So, we have some others that --
Commissioner Reyes: But I just wanted --
Chair King: -- are still left for public comment. Would you like to --?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. I just want to ask you a question. Are you working with
Judge Leifman?
Mr. Book: Madam Chair, through you. Yeah. Judge Le fnan is my finance chair at
the Trust.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Mr. Book: And we work hand in hand.
Commissioner Reyes: How far is he from opening up his establishment? Because I
think it's going to make a great difference.
Chair King: End of year.
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Mr. Book: Soon.
Chair King: End of year.
Commissioner Reyes: End of year.
Mr. Book: Soon, soon, soon. I do expect it by no later than mid -December. He 's
close.
Commissioner Reyes: And Mr. Carollo, we are not getting only addicts from fentanyl
or whatever, all those pills that come from China. We are getting also, and
particularly among youth, that as an old teacher, I had been informed by many,
many, many teachers and principals, we are getting some of our youth that they have
been hooked. Right now they are addicted to vaping because they have some
chemicals in what they are vaping that I don't know if they can do it or if we can
control it that has them addicted. And some of the students, they are becoming sort of
zombies. And they are potential homeless if we don't take action and regulate those
stores and prohibit them from selling some mixtures that are quite addictive. And
also, believe it or not, grass is addictive, too, you see. Maryuana is addictive, too.
Unidentified Speaker: Sure is.
Commissioner Reyes: So, I think that we should go deeper than the Chinese attack
on us and see what's going on in our schools right now. In our schools. What is
going on with our children in our schools that they are failing, they are not doing
their homework, they don't -- they lost interest because of what it is so accessible to
them as those smoke shops that are selling those vapes that are addictive.
Mr. Book: We share your concern and we will continue to work with Project Upstart
and the superintendent who serves on our board as well to do as much as we can.
Commissioner Reyes: You know what I'm saying (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Book: I know exactly what you're talking about, so thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Book.
Mr. Book: Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Pat Santangelo: Good morning. My name is Pat Santangelo. I'm a resident of the
City of Miami, but my address is protected because I'm law enforcement. I'm here to
speak in favor of the Little Haiti Trust. I'm the co-founder and board member of the
Little Haiti FC (Football Club), which is a youth soccer program. Although Little
Haiti Trust cannot really directly help a sport program, the children in my program
are the children of the families that you're all talking about. We frequently visit
Curley's House to get food for the children in our families. Most of our children are
living with guardians or they're homeless. So, it started with the Miami Edison High
School kids nine years ago. Why? Because the kids were not graduating high school.
It's now evolved to boys and girls. We have 200 children from five years old to
young adult at Little Haiti Park. For the past nine years, 100 percent of the kids in
this program graduated high school, including all the kids at Edison. And 80 percent
went to college. The last two years, 100 percent of the high school kids in the Little
Haiti FC are attending college. Now how is that related to the Little Haiti Trust?
Where these people are living need the services of the Little Haiti Trust. And I'm
hoping -- I know Little Haiti Trust has had its struggles over the past years, but I
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
think they're ready to focus, and if they can keep the families of these children in
their homes and prevent them from getting pushed out of the neighborhood, that
would directly help the children in our program. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Samuel Latimore: Good morning, good morning, Chairwoman and Commissioners
and all of the City officials. My name is Samuel Latimore. I live at 937 Northwest 55
Street, Miami, family has been there since 1959 or '60. I'm now residing in the
house. Former retired police major, police academy director, detention
superintendent for juveniles, investigator for child abuse situations, and a number of
-- and a faculty member for Miami Dade College and FIU. In 1980, the social
worker organization, Miami Association of Black Social Workers, drafted a 150-
letter campaign that we sent around the country. We sent it to city officials, county
officials, state officials, and also federal officials. Out of the 150 responses during
that time, we only got one back from Senator Lawton Chiles. And our concern at that
time was that we saw issues because of our background as social workers that was
potentially dangerous. And we were just trying to let the city officials and the county
official know that they need to keep an eye on this tendering, burning, you know,
situation. Approximately five months later, we had the worst riot in the City of Miami
and we have never recurred. I spent some time working with the City of Miami
Police Department, working with them on their response team. I had a chance to
walk down the city with them as a part of that team where we trying to get people to
not respond. My point is that the issue that you're hearing is not issues that you
should not be listening to. There are three more riots -- and I have them after that.
Because at some point, the line gets a little tight. And as we said from the -- we
heard from the homeless people, they're absolutely correct. I ask the question, how
many people of color are participating with the advocacy for homeless, not giving
them food, but who are out there on the street working with those folk. We do it with
the Charles Hadley Neighborhood Association. I want to just say that please listen to
the issues that are affecting this community. Because as it has happened in the past,
the four or five riots, major riots -- and I lived in Liberty City, I was out there, and I
saw the burning buildings and the businesses being destroyed. I would have hoped
that they would have responded to the letter, but one senator sent us some help from
the federal government. The issues that you're hearing are very serious issues and
we're on that tinderbox right now. I say it because I've had experience, business,
I've been out there, I've been in all the facets of it. The last thing I want to say is the
person with the homeless situation -- was that Ron Book? If that was --
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Mr. Latimore: I've been hearing about him for years, but didn't know, Ron, that the
problem was this bad until I began to get calls from young women who had children
who had no place to stay. And I wanted to compliment you --
Mr. Book: Thank you.
Mr. Latimore: -- on that because it's real, ladies and gentlemen, it's real. The young
lady -- Haitian lady, elderly lady that was shot and killed on 28th Ave -- Street, I had
been visiting that lady for the last three years. She would not come off the street. I
had her Baker Acted. She went back there. I was concerned that nobody who spoke
her language interjected themselves. The situation is very hard. I have pictures of
her. But I want to say this, it's very encouraging to hear what I've heard today,
because this is a sound to march. We cannot solve all the problems, but we can do
something. Last thing I want to say is the Liberty City Trust, I have had occasion to
work with the Liberty City Trust through the Charles Hadley Neighborhood
Association, one of the oldest associations. Our oldest member and founder will be
100 in October. And she provides some direction. She makes us look after the
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Haitians. She makes us look after people in school, not from the office, but she tells
us to get out there, as we were doing, and she sends her blessing, Ms. Nancy
Dawkins. The last thing I want to say is that the Liberty City Trust has done an
awesome job. As you've heard from my background, I've had occasion to deal with
all of this stuff. I spent a lot of time on Biscayne Boulevard, especially in front of
Dunkin' Donuts, where you have the 70-year-old lady who sleeps up under the
umbrella during all kind of weather. And I ride by there to check on her. But the
Liberty City Trust, working in conjunction with the Charles Hadley Neighborhood
Association, attempts to address that, those issues. Not only the homeless, not only
the hungry, not only the shelterless, that's what they call it. And finally, I want to say
that you have done a great job. I want to commend District 5 staff for the cleanup.
One of the things that affects children in their minds is the way their community
looks. And if their community looks like we have allowed it to get, then they will
develop attitudes that are antisocial in nature. And so I just want to say to you that
your support of the Liberty City Trust keeps us where they are in the 70s and 80s and
90s and 100s going because they are looking after children, seniors, housing. They
hit the entire gamut. Last thing is please don't give out any money until those
organizations have come before the citizens of those areas and explain the problem.
We have a lot of people coming in begging for money, but the people who are
supposed to be impacted don't know that it exists. I would just suggest to you that
those organizations have an obligation to come over to Charles Hadley Park, go
over to Liberty Square, say, we want to do this, not come down here and beg for
money, and we don't know what you're going to do. And so I would just say to you
all, demand that anybody coming to you must bring some kind of records about what
they want to do in impacting our community. Thank you very much. You all have a
great weekend.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Ringo Cayard: Good morning, Madam Chair, ladies and gentlemen of the
Commission. My name is Ringo Cayard, 110 Northeast 62nd Street, Miami. Think
about it. Every city and every community has their problems. I've been here for 48
years in Miami. And in the proposed budget -- first of all, let me say thank you for
having the meeting on Saturdays. That means a lot to the community, especially to
me, and even for you. So you could sleep early, you don't have to go home at 2, 3
o'clock in the morning. So my community, which is a needed community, not for
anybody's fault, surely not the city of Miami. We have problems back home, major
problems, and we don't know -- we're hoping for God to change that. And I know
every one of you knows what's going on in Haiti. Every one of you somehow knows
some Haitians and understand what's going on. You have two or three items on the
agenda, which are the church money that you're proposing. Little Haiti definitely
needs for the money for the church because whenever there is a problem, we
Haitians, just like any other ethnic group, we go first to the church. And the meager
resources that they have, they have to dish it out, leaving their coffers empty. So,
think seriously in helping us with the Pierre Toussaint request for improving the
work that they're doing. And second, Miami became the mecca for culture. The
whole world is talking about like Miami now. It's not like 20, 30 years ago. I see you
have some money for cultural events coming up, and I strongly hope that we will
have the opportunity to make it happen, you know, the festival, the carnival, and also
our own culture, the Haitian Heritage Month, which it make us believe that we are
still somebody, because it's not easy to know that all hell is breaking on you and
there is nothing you could do about it. So, thank you again for making sure that we
understand that we are somebody. And Commissioner Manolo Reyes, think about it.
Thank you so much.
Chair King: Thank you.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Commissioner Reyes: Chair, we have been friends for how many years? Over 40
years?
Mr. Cayard: 40-something years, yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, when --
Mr. Cayard: That was --
Commissioner Reyes: -- we were both -- both were skinny, you had more hair, and
now you are fat, I'm fat. But we 've always been very good friends.
Mr. Cayard: That was before Joe went to high school.
Commissioner Reyes: That was before Joe went to high school in Miami High and
played football there.
Chair King: Thank you. Come on. I've broken all my rules today, over two minutes.
Mr. Young: I'm so, so, so sorry. I just was reminded --
Vice Chair Carollo: Talking about football, I'm sorry. I have to make an
announcement. We have to leave here by 3 because the Canes are playing at 3:30.
Chair King: It depends on you guys. It depends on you guys. You were going to say?
Mr. Young: I just want to say I love this Joe Carollo, love him. I was just reminded
by Lavern, and I forgot to say this. Curley House, we need a bigger building. We
need to see the help at the nonprofit. We certainly need help. Please, please, please,
please, please help us expand with another building. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: I'm sorry, Chair, the speaker's name? Sir, if you'd just give your name
again, your name for the record.
Mr. Young: I'm sorry, Rubin Young with Curley House Food Bank Thank you.
Chair King: And at this time, I'm going to close the public comment period. Thank
you all for coming. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for being so passionate in
what you do for our community. We have heard you.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH - BUDGET HEARING
BH.1 DISCUSSION ITEM
14476
Office of
Management and
Budget
A DISCUSSION ITEM TO ALLOW DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT
ON THE PROPOSED FY 2023-24 MILLAGE RATE, TENTATIVE BUDGET,
AND ALL OTHER BUDGET ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair King: The budget director. Our budget director needs to read a statement.
Good morning, Maggie.
Marie Gouin: Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners. My
name is Marie Gouin. I'm the budget director for the City of Miami. I will do a brief
little presentation just to go over the budget. In the current agenda, the proposed
millage for the budget is 7.5539 and the rollback rate is 6.6055, and the operating
millage is 7.5539, which is 14 percent -- 14.36 percent higher than the state -defined
rollback. What a rollback is is really the millage that provided the same tax revenues
that you received in the prior fiscal year with some allowances taken. The reason
that back in July -- that's what the Commissioners approved was this millage. But
there is a proposed reduction of $5 million in property taxes, which will be an
amendment to the agenda item for the millage in the budget, which means that -- and
also, the budget that you currently have is based on this millage, this millage I'm
about to read. It's 7.4843, which the rollback rate again, as I stated, is still the same,
6.6055, which means that the operating millage of the 7.4843 is 13.30 percent higher
than state -defined rollback, which I had stated what the rollback is, which is really
the same taxes that you had received in the prior fiscal year with some allowances. I
just want to do some highlights of what is on the current proposed budget that 's in
front of the Commission. The proposed budget is one billion, sixty-eight. It will
generate $102 million more than the prior budget, which is this fiscal year that we're
in. And please note that our fiscal year starts in October and ends in September.
Where the additional 102 million is allocated in the budget is as follows: $24 million
is going for unfunded revenues from the Citizen Independent Transportation Transit,
which is CITT, which is with the County. We have surtax dollars that the County's
holding based on some technicalities that we are working through with them. At this
point, we have to put $24 million in order for us to run the transit, pay debt service
on our surface street and sidewalks bond, and some other operating and capital
expenditures needed for transit. $27.7 million for capital, labor negotiations, and
administration building debt; 22.3 for required salary, positions, and overtime
adjustments; $24 million in internal services for insurance, pension costs, and
information technologies; and another 4.1 million in other contractual services
costs. There's a couple of items that I would like to make sure that we talked about it
when we did the briefing with the Commission, is to make sure that we know right
now there's some needs that's not being met in this budget, which is our fleet, light
and heavy fleet replacement. We do have a -- we need additional dollars to the tune
of about $61 million in order for us to accomplish that. And the other thing I also
want the Commission to know that is we have, based on our assessment fees, we keep
our fees flat, but the general fund is also covering the solid waste operations to the
tune of $7 million. We kept the rate at $380, but it should be closer to over a little bit
over $600 per dwelling. The Office of Management and Budget do have -- we do four
books on an annual basis. The budget in brief is this book, which we also have in
both side of the counters if any citizens would like to take one with them. What it is,
is a summary of the budget document. We have the operating budget book, the
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.2
14363
Downtown
Development
Authority
revenue manual, and the capital budget. And then you can go to
www.miamigov.com/budget and you can get all those documents online. Do you
have any questions?
Chair King: I do not. Thank you.
Ms. Gouin: Thank you.
DISCUSSION ITEM
A DISCUSSION OF TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND PROPOSED BUDGET
FOR THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ("MIAMI
DDA").
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair King: And at this time we are going to have the Executive Director of the DDA
(Downtown Development Authority) come up and make a statement for the record.
Good morning.
Christina Crespi: Good morning on a Saturday. Christina Crespi, Executive
Director of the Miami Downtown Development Authority. The tentative millage rate
and proposed budget for the Miami Downtown Development Authority is .4681 mills,
which is 13.31 percent increase over the rollback rate of .4131. Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: The -- excuse me. The millage is remaining flat, right?
Ms. Crespi: Correct. The millage is remaining flat.
Commissioner Reyes: It 's remaining flat.
Chair King: Thank you.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.3
14364
Downtown
Development
Authority
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL TENTATIVE MILLAGE
RATE FOR AD VALOREM TAXATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 200.065,
FLORIDA STATUTES; DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL
LIMITS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ("DISTRICT") OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"); LEVYING AN ADDITIONAL AD
VALOREM TAX ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE
DISTRICT AT THE RATE OF 0.4681 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF TAXABLE
VALUE OF SUCH PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
FINANCING THE OPERATION OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("MIAMI
DDA") FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024; PROVIDING THAT SAID MIAMI DDA
TENTATIVE MILLAGE SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THE MILLAGE
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE VII,
SECTION 9 OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND SECTION 166.211,
FLORIDA STATUTES, AS WELL AS ANY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
IMPOSED BY THE SAME; PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL
NOT BE DEEMED AS REPEALING OR AMENDING ANY OTHER
RESOLUTION OR ANY ORDINANCE FIXING MILLAGE OR LEVYING
TAXES, BUT SHALL BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION
THERETO; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0361
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Christine King, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: At this time now, we are going to take up the items on our agenda. Are
there any items that my colleagues would like to pull to discuss?
Vice Chair Carollo: Come again. What --?
Chair King: Do you have any --? Because, you know, I'm going to block it. So, can I
have a motion for BH.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's a lot of money.
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh, no, no, no, no.
Chair King: So, you don't want to block it?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Madam Chair --
Vice Chair Carollo: This is too early for so many things.
Ms. Mendez: -- Madam Chair, I don't --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You can't do that, you can't do that.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Ms. Mendez: -- I'm not sure we can do block voting. Just give me one --
Vice Chair Carollo: No.
Ms. Mendez: -- little second.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm not sure we can do block voting.
Ms. Mendez: Just one second.
Vice Chair Carollo: You can 't, no. None of these.
Chair King: Are you sure?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Not on these.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Irrespective of the football game, we cannot do
block voting on these stuff.
Chair King: No? I'm trying to go -- I'm not a football fan. I can be here till like --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we are. And Commissioner Carollo --
Vice Chair Carollo: This is a very important game.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner.
Chair King: Who's playing?
Vice Chair Carollo: UM (University of Miami) against Texas.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Texas A&M.
Ms. Mendez: Madam Chair?
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I have ribs, Commissioner Carollo. I have
Flanigan ribs to watch the game in my office. So, it 's even more enticing for you.
Game and ribs.
Chair King: Madam City Attorney?
Vice Chair Carollo: Like I need to gain more weight. We -- look, some of these we
could defer to the next meeting.
Chair King: No.
Vice Chair Carollo: No? None of them?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You can't.
Chair King: No.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Ms. Mendez: No, there's no deferrals. Thank you for indulging me 30 seconds on this.
Chair King: Take your time.
Ms. Mendez: I believe --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no.
Ms. Mendez: -- BH.3 and BH.21 need to be done separately. So, each one separate
and then maybe --
Chair King: BH.3.
Ms. Mendez: The reason --
Chair King: I have 21.
Ms. Mendez: And 21.
Chair King: 18, 21, and now you're saying 3?
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why?
Ms. Mendez: They need to be done separately.
Chair King: They need to be done separately.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why is our City Attorney saying no deferrals?
Why?
Ms. Mendez: Because we have to have two readings and we can 't --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know.
Ms. Mendez: -- defer them.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we can have a special meeting, so it doesn't
really matter, right, at the end of the day.
Commissioner Reyes: No special meeting.
Chair King: No, no.
Commissioner Reyes: No special meetings.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no. Well, no, well, no.
Vice Chair Carollo: A special meeting to a special meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: A special meeting for a special meeting.
Commissioner Reyes: A special meeting for a special meeting.
Ms. Mendez: So, if you 'd like to return -- if you 'd like -- the ones that have to do with
millage and budget for the main items, those cannot --
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know.
Ms. Mendez: If there are --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But the other ones, we can.
Ms. Mendez: -- one -- if there are some one reading ones, those we could maybe
defer, but you would --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Ms. Mendez: -- you would need to give me a few minutes to pick out which one.
Chair King: We also have to --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Which makes more sense.
Chair King: -- we also have to wait for BH.14 and BH. 17. BH.14 is the Midtown CRA
(Community Redevelopment Agency). They need to have a meeting first --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Chair King: -- pass their budget, and then bring it to the Commission. So that 's one.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Covo: 17.
Chair King: The same one for BH.17, which is the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust.
They need to have a meeting first, and then we can address their budget.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And then we have the Omni CRA also.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We have to have our meeting first so that's why --
Vice Chair Carollo: Madam City Attorney.
Commissioner Covo: So those meetings happen today --
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Covo: -- Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Carollo: On those CRA budgets, do we have to have the meeting today
and approve the budget at first reading or can that be done the next meeting?
Commissioner Reyes: It'd be done the next meeting.
Ms. Mendez: We would have to amend the budget, but I don 't know that -- I don 't
know that you have any meetings set today for those CRAs.
Commissioner Reyes: But we can do it next meeting.
Ms. Mendez: There is a Midtown CRA today, maybe.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Commissioner Reyes: Next meeting we can approve the budget. We have the meeting
next, and then we can approve the budget. Or we -- they can have -- and I think that
DDA (Downtown Development Authority), CRA, and all of those, we can have a
meeting and we can discuss our budget and what -- and approve our budget and then
bring it up. I mean, if there's any changes, every single budget is up for change, can
be changed.
Chair King: Well, the -- for the DDA, they made their statement so we can go ahead --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair King: -- and do what we need to do with that. There's nothing else that 's
pending for the DDA. We can --
Commissioner Reyes: No, we --
Chair King: -- vote on that today because --
Commissioner Reyes: Let 's vote it.
Chair King: -- the statement was --
Commissioner Reyes: It is flat.
Chair King: Right.
Commissioner Covo: And that was my main question, and Christina cleared that as
well.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I know that.
Chair King: Right, right.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: So, how about we go through the ones you don 't want to hear and then
we figure out which ones we must. Can we do that then?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or the other way around, right? Just the ones we
have to pass today.
Commissioner Reyes: Let's pass the one we can pass today.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, let's pass it and then we defer everything
else. Right?
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's easier.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let's pass what we should or we need to --
Vice Chair Carollo: Look --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and then let 's --
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Chair King: We need to address BH.1.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, that we certainly do.
Chair King: Do I have a motion for BH.1?
Ms. Mendez: So, BH (Budget Hearing) --
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, so BH. 1 and BH.2 have already been taken care
of. Those were simply discussion items.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Those are discussion.
Chair King: Oh, only discussion, so we've already done that.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: What have we done?
Ms. Mendez: So, BH.3 --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Discussion items.
Chair King: BH.1 and BH.2 were only discussion items.
Commissioner Reyes: BH.3 -- I move to BH.3.
Commissioner Covo: I second.
Chair King: I second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hold on, hold on, hold on. For --
Vice Chair Carollo: DDA, that's fine.
Commissioner Reyes: That 's fine.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair King: DDA.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the Downtown Development --
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Do we have a presentation from them? Or have
they --?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, they did.
Chair King: We did, we did.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.4
14371
Downtown
Development
Authority
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Other than the briefing?
Chair King: Uh-huh.
Commissioner Reyes: Everything.
Chair King: Um-hmm.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, other than the briefing that I had?
Chair King: Um-hmm, um-hmm.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, fine.
Vice Chair Carollo: There was.
Chair King: Okay. So, I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: BH.3 passes unanimously.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE PROPOSED
ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
("MIAMI DDA") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"), ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
$17,346,000.00, AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE DOWNTOWN
DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AD VALOREM TAX LEVY AND OTHER
MISCELLANEOUS INCOME FOR THE MIAMI DDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024;
AUTHORIZING THE MIAMI DDA TO MAKE TRANSFERS BETWEEN
ACCOUNTS FOR NECESSARY AND PROPER PURPOSES; AUTHORIZING
THE MIAMI DDA TO INVITE AND ADVERTISE REQUIRED BIDS;
PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND
IN ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER
30, 2024, FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0362
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: Downtown Development Authority, BHH -- I'm sorry --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): 4.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Chair King: -- BH.4.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 4.
Commissioner Reyes: BH 4, move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BH.5 RESOLUTION
14125
Off -Street Parking
Board/Miami
Parking Authority
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OFF
STREET PARKING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1,
2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024, IN THE OPERATING AMOUNT
OF $27,226,657.00, EXCLUDING DEPRECIATION, AND OTHER NON -
OPERATING EXPENSES OF $5,177,305.00.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0363
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.5, please
see "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Commissioner Reyes: BH.5.
Chair King: BH.5.
Commissioner Reyes: I move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.6 RESOLUTION
14430
Coconut Grove
Business
Improvement
District Board
BH.7
14506
Wynwood
Business
Improvement
District Board
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE COCONUT GROVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ("BID"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF
$5,170,000.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND
MAINTENANCE OF THE BID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0364
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.6, please
see "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Chair King: BH.6.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Covo: I move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Commissioner Covo moved it.
Commissioner Reyes: Move -- Commissioner Carollo second it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE WYNWOOD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ("BID"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A," IN THE
AMOUNT OF $5,206,000.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT,
OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0365
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: BH. 7.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Chair King: Wait --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I believe --
Chair King: -- wait, wait.
Ms. Mendez: -- BH.7 --
Chair King: We have to --
Commissioner Covo: This one had the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or --
Ms. Mendez: -- needs an amendment.
Chair King: Todd?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, BH.7 is to be amended on the floor.
Chair King: Is anybody going to read the amendment in or are we just going to --?
Manny Gonzalez: Members of the Commission, I don't have -- I'm not going to read it
all, but just to give you some background, it's an amendment basically regarding our
extension. So, it's just basically stating that once we finalize all the steps --
Chair King: The extension, yes.
Mr. Gonzalez: -- it comes live.
Chair King: Yes.
Mr. Gonzalez: Thank you so much.
Chair King: Okay, I have a motion.
Commissioner Covo: Second.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move -- yeah.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Passes.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.8 RESOLUTION
14428
General
Employees' and
Sanitation
Employees'
Retirement Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GENERAL EMPLOYEES' & SANITATION
EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT TRUST ("GESE RETIREMENT TRUST FUND"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF
$3,098,824.00, EXCLUDING NORMAL COSTS, AS ACTUARIALLY
DETERMINED, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GESE
RETIREMENT TRUST FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0366
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: BH.8, GESE (General Employees Sanitation Employees) --
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Chair King: -- Retirement Fund.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Okay.
BH.9 RESOLUTION
14427
General
Employees' and
Sanitation
Employees'
Retirement Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GENERAL EMPLOYEES' & SANITATION
EMPLOYEES' EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN ("GESE EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF
$108,105.00, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GESE
EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0367
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Chair King: BH 9.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Covo: Second.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Passes unanimously.
BH.10 RESOLUTION
14429
Firefighters' and
Police Officers'
Retirement Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FIRE FIGHTERS' AND POLICE OFFICERS'
RETIREMENT TRUST FUND ("FIPO RETIREMENT TRUST FUND"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF
$2,079,777.00, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FIPO
RETIREMENT TRUST FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0368
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: BH 10.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Covo: Move -- second.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Commissioner Covo: We're all competing for moving and second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Covo: Todd, are you sure you're getting the right mover and
seconder?
Chair King: He 's getting it.
Commissioner Covo: Okay.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.11
14471
Civilian
Investigative
Panel
Chair King: See, we are motivated.
Commissioner Reyes: 11.
Chair King: There's a football game.
Vice Chair Carollo: Who's on first? Who's on second, Todd?
Chair King: BK 11.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Who's on third, right?
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CIVILIAN INVESTIGATIVE PANEL, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $
1,390,000.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2023,
AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0369
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: BK 11.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Chair King: Second?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Okay, rocking and rolling.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.12
14467
Liberty City
Community
Revitalization
Trust
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE LIBERTY CITY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION TRUST ("TRUST"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $833,092.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024; FURTHER
APPROVING THE TRUSTS MASTER PLAN, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT B.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0370
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.12,
please see "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Chair King: BH.12.
Commissioner Covo: I move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Hold on. What is the budget on this one?
Chair King: It's the same as last year. There's a difference where for the youth
employment program, we gave them extra money, but they didn't get the money so
they're putting that --
Vice Chair Carollo: Is that different than another one here for half a million?
Chair King: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chair King: Well, that one is a mistake.
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: All right, move.
Chair King: All in favor?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Sorry, it was moved by Commissioner Covo, seconded
by?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Diaz de la Portilla, how about that?
Chair King: Okay.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.13
14509
Bayfront Park
Management
Trust
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST IN THE TOTAL
AMOUNT OF $26,077,873.00, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS
EXHIBIT "A", TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS,
MAINTENANCE, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THE MILDRED AND
CLAUDE PEPPER BAYFRONT PARK AND MAURICE A. FERRE PARK FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0371
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: Bayfront Park Management Trust.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And my apologies --
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Mr. Hannon: -- just for the record, that was unanimous for --
Chair King: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: -- BH. 12.
Chair King: Everything has been unanimous so far. BH.13, I have a --
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Chair King: -- mover and a second.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Passes unanimously.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.14 RESOLUTION
14465
Midtown
Community
Redevelopment
Agency
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND APPROVING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("MIDTOWN
CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $13,436,326.00, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0372
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Covo, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, we're good to go.
Chair King: I am resuming the September 9th, 2023 first budget hearing for the City
of Miami. At this time, I will take up BH. 14 for the Midtown CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) budget. Do I have a motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously.
BH.15 RESOLUTION
14510
Department of
Human Services
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE MIAMI ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COUNCIL ("MAEC"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF
$49,223.37 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATION,
MAINTENANCE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1,
2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: Item BH.15 was deferred to the September 28, 2023, Second
Budget Hearing.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Chair King: We have to skip BH.14. BH.15.
Vice Chair Carollo: Whoa.
Chair King: Que paso? (Comments in Spanish not translated).
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Manager.
Chair King: Que paso? (Comments in Spanish not translated).
Vice Chair Carollo: I'll try to be brief. How much money do we have in here?
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): In the -- in that CRA (Community Redevelopment
Agency), Midtown you're talking about?
Vice Chair Carollo: No, no, no, no, no.
Chair King: No, it's the Miami Arts --
Vice Chair Carollo: BH.15 --
Chair King: -- and Entertainment Council.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- Miami Arts and Entertainment Council.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Mr. Noriega: What item is that?
Chair King: BH.15.
Commissioner Covo: What item?
Vice Chair Carollo: 15.
Commissioner Reyes: BH.15.
Mr. Noriega: Oh. We'll get it -- we'll get it for you.
Chair King: We can defer this.
Vice Chair Carollo: Is there --? Can we defer this until next meeting or --?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair King: We can.
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to know how much we have here.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'd like to know how much we have here.
Chair King: So I have a motion to defer it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Todd --
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- from you -- yeah, it's a motion to defer -- from you, Todd, give
us all the information and --
Commissioner Reyes: And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Carollo: -- the makeup of the board, how the money has been used, how
the projects get approved. I don't know any of that. I want to see how much money is
there, how it's being spent, what process we have to follow, because I'm sure that all
five districts have good art projects.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: I don 't know what the entertainment part component is here, but
we certainly have a lot of entertainment in Little Havana, and I think every one of my
colleagues can vouch for that. We have entertainment at New Year 's that the City and
Bayfront Park Trust contributes a lot to for the whole city. On the 4th of July, we have
entertainment in some of our areas. So, we need to look at all this --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and get a better feel for it to know how we could go about it in
an organized, transparent way.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, okay.
Chair King: So, I have a motion --
Commissioner Covo: We can discuss it.
Chair King: -- and a second to defer.
Commissioner Reyes: To defer.
Vice Chair Carollo: Defer, yes, yes.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): I have the motion, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
seconded by?
Commissioner Reyes: I.
Mr. Hannon: To defer to the September 28th budget hearing -- second budget
hearing.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are we doing BH.14 deferral too or not?
Chair King: No, no, no. We -- they're going to have a meeting. We have to recess so
they can have a meeting --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair King: -- to pass their budget and then we can take it up.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
BH.16
14538
Little Haiti
Revitalization
Trust
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we don't have to take it up today, right?
Because that was kind of the original question, and I thought we were going to have a
conversation about what can be deferred or not. We're going through a lot of millions
of dollars here. Like, for example, the point that Commissioner Carollo brings up, the
$49 million plus for the Arts and Entertainment Council.
Vice Chair Carollo: How much?
Mr. Noriega: No, no, it 's $49,000.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry, $49,000. I'm sorry, sorry.
Mr. Noriega: Please --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I misspoke.
Mr. Noriega: -- don't make it worse.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no. I misspoke, I'm sorry. But whatever the
amount is, right? I'm sorry, I misspoke.
Vice Chair Carollo: He wants to get me going.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I want to get him going, which is not hard to
do (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But anyway, the idea of allocating these thousands of
dollars without having a closer scrutiny and taking a look at it, that 's my only
concern. I understand, you know, we have all studied and we 've all been briefed and
everything else, but I agree with Commissioner Carollo. There's some things that
need to be discussed. And why not give them more time if nothing is lost in the
process?
Chair King: Whatever -- we've taken up the things that we have to take up so we can
defer --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE LITTLE HAITI REVITALIZATION TRUST ("TRUST"), ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
$6,449,000.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2023,
AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024; FURTHER APPROVING AND
ADOPTING THE TRUST'S ANNUAL MASTER PLAN, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "B."
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0373
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: Like BK 16. Can I have a motion and a second?
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Okay.
BH.17 RESOLUTION
14560
Virginia Key
Beach Park Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST ("TRUST"), ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,522,000.00 TO
PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE,
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0374
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Covo, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Chair King: BH.17, for the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust annual budget. Do I have
a motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Commissioner Covo: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously. Thank you all for attending the first budget
hearing for fiscal year 2023-24. City of Miami Commission has now concluded.
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BH.18
14562
Office of the City
Attorney
ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION MODIFYING THE
NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
("OCA") WITH FUNDING, IF NEEDED, TO BE APPROVED BY SEPARATE
RESOLUTION; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Chair King: We can 't take up BH.17 because they have to have a meeting first to pass
the budget.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: Okay and --
Commissioner Reyes: Is that going to be deferred?
Commissioner Covo: It has.
Chair King: Well, they want to have the meeting while we have all of us. It 's going to
be a quick meeting to just pass the budget.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay. I got it. I got it.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: I got it. That 's fine with me.
Chair King: So, BH.18 --
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Chair King: -- must be read -- it has to be read into the record.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chair King: Correct? Okay, the title must be read into the record.
Commissioner Reyes: Find a fast reader, please.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): BH.18.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
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Meeting Minutes September 9, 2023
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll second.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Okay.
BH.19 RESOLUTION
14388
Office of
Management and
Budget
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AFTER A DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING, RELATING
TO THE PROVISION OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND
PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); IMPOSING SOLID WASTE
ASSESSMENTS AGAINST ASSESSED PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN
THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024; APPROVING THE RATE OF
ASSESSMENT; APPROVING THE ASSESSMENT ROLL; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0375
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Sabina Covo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.19,
please see "Public Comments for allltem(s)."
Chair King: BH.19.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Covo: Second.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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BH.20 RESOLUTION
14532
Office of
Management and
Budget
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") FISCAL
YEAR 2023-24 MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN ("PLAN"), AS REQUIRED
PURSUANT TO THE COMMUNITY PLANNING ACT, SPECIFICALLY
SECTIONS 163.3161 AND 163.3177, FLORIDA STATUTES, AND CHAPTER
18/ ARTICLE IX/ DIVISIONS 1 AND 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "FINANCIAL/ FINANCIAL
POLICIES/ ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT/ FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES,"
TO SET FORTH THE CITY'S FISCAL NEEDS FOR CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS, SUBJECT TO AN ANNUAL PLAN REVIEW, TO
DETERMINE PROJECT PRIORITIES, TO ADD NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS,
AND TO MODIFY FUNDING ALLOCATIONS AS NECESSARY; PROVIDING
FOR INCORPORATION OF SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS TO THE PLAN;
AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0376
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.20,
please see "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Chair King: BH.20.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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BH.21 ORDINANCE
14477
Office of
Management and
Budget
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION RELATED TO
TAXATION, DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS FOR
THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); LEVYING AN AD VALOREM TAX ON ALL
REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY AT A TOTAL TENTATIVE
RATE OF 7.8774 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF
SUCH PROPERTY, FOR THE PURPOSES OF FUNDING THE GENERAL
OPERATING BUDGET AND PAYMENT OF DEBT SERVICE, FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER
30, 2024; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Covo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.21,
please see Item Number BH.3.
Chair King: BH.21, the title must be read into the record.
Vice Chair Carollo: Look, yeah, I will move it, but let me be very, very, very clear.
Commissioner Reyes: Tentative, tentative is --
Vice Chair Carollo: It's tentative because I --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- intend to meet with the Manager. I suggest each one of us will
do that also --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- so that we can see how much we can bring the millage down.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, absolutely. But that's why the word tentative.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But is there --? But do we have a reduction --
Commissioner Reyes: Tentative is (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- in that -- in this proposal? I believe we do,
right?
Commissioner Covo: There's a reduction in this.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So that's why it's important. Let's be clear.
There's a reduction already.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, but we -- I mean, I myself we're analyzing if it is the
possibility of increasing --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: A further reduction.
Commissioner Reyes: Further reduction.
Chair King: But we're voting --
Commissioner Reyes: And if we can --
Chair King: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: -- get some funds for the -- I mean, to the residents, to the
taxpayers, the homeowners. So, the word "tentative" is very important.
Chair King: So we have --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Chair King: -- to read the title into the record and --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Chair King: -- for the record, we're voting as is today and then we can make --
Commissioner Reyes: As is today but it might change.
Chair King: -- changes in the next -- the next time it comes up.
Commissioner Reyes: That's the word "tentative."
Chair King: Right, so let's let the City Attorney read the title into the record.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): So, Madam Chair, the only clarification I have to
get -- I'm reading this into the record, but I don't know if we have to amend anything
on the record right now.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Say it on the record, please.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): She need -- you need to -- we need to put on the
record that it 's amended to the reduced millage that was --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Noriega: -- put into the presentation.
Marie Gouin (Director, Management & Budget): Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, put that on the record.
Ms. Gouin: Yes, it has to be reduced to the 7.4843.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Seven point?
Ms. Gouin: 7.4843.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 4843.
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Chair King: So, this item is as amended --
Mr. Noriega: As amended.
Ms. Gouin: As amended.
Chair King: -- to reduce the millage to 7.4843.
Ms. Gouin: .4843.
Chair King: Do I have a --? Vicky, read it.
Ms. Mendez: So, now I'm going to read the title.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll move it.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BH.22 RESOLUTION
14478
Office of
Management and
Budget
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ADOPTING A TENTATIVE BUDGET AND MAKING
APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO OPERATIONAL AND BUDGETARY
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023,
AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024; RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND
CONFIRMING CERTAIN NECESSARY ACTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER
AND DESIGNATED CITY OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE
RELEVANT FINANCIAL CONTROLS, PROJECT CLOSE-OUTS,
ACCOUNTING ENTRIES, AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH AND FOR GRANTS IN PROGRESS; PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-23-0377
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Covo, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.22,
please see "Public Comments for allltem(s)."
Chair King: And the last one is BH.22, approving the tentative budget.
Commissioner Reyes: Tentative, tentative budget.
Vice Chair Carollo: With capital T.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes, right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Capital E.
Chair King: Capital T.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All caps, all caps.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: It 's mandated.
Chair King: May I have a motion?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Right, so, Madam Chair.
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: It 's got to be read.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll second it.
Ms. Mendez: BH.22 has to be adopted as amended.
Marie Gouin (Director, Management & Budget): As amended.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As amended. I'll second it.
Commissioner Reyes: As amended.
Chair King: Okay. Tentatively.
Commissioner Reyes: Tentative.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Chair King: With all capital letters.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, all caps.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Manager, I'll make this brief. And I'm not saying this to be
combative in any way, but no one from staff until the meeting just last week, right
before this meeting, when you had the whole budget then, no one from staff met with
me, with my chief of staff, or anyone in my office, during any time to go over the
possibilities that we were looking at in the budget or to see where some of our
priorities were in our own district. There were some fundings that were put for certain
items in my district that I'm very appreciative, but no one asked us if those were our
priorities or not. So, I would just appreciate that from now on, that before the next
budget, when we do the amended budget, sometime in mid next year, or midway
between this fiscal year's budget, that staff meets with us to go over that. Secondly,
I'm going to want, in every meeting that we have for now on, the list of all the parks.
My district is the district with the least amount of parks in the whole city of Miami.
And I'm kind of getting shocked that even for a small pocket park, it just takes years
to get done. I don 't know what the problem is in our city, but it takes years and then it
comes back two, three times more costly than I think the private sector could do a lot
of it. So I want --
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Commissioner Reyes: Every single drawing.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- all the parks that I'm working on in my district, I want a part
in the budget that will be update on parks for District 3 so that publicly,
transparently, we know what's going on. I'm going to give you one small reason for
this. Since I got elected, not re-elected, since I got elected in November of '17, we
have one park -- a small park in my district that the sign is up that it's going to be
redone. And here we are getting close to six years later and nothing whatsoever has
been done. And I'm petrified with some of the bigger parks that we have, like Ruben
Dario, that's going to be six acres or more, that this is going to be years. I'm
concerned with another park that is in my Silver Bluff area, but certainly,
Commissioner Reyes' Silver Bluff side is going to use it also, that the timetables that
I'm being given are not going to be kept again. And then I could go into all the other
smaller parks and another potential big one that we're waiting for next year so that
we could finalize it. So, if we could do that, and I say this respectfully, if we could put
that in every agenda meeting so that at least my residents could know where we're
heading. I don't want to keep telling people something, and I'm looking like I'm
giving them stories for years. And frankly, I'm doing this also because if we don't see
any headways that we 're moving with the way that the city is structured, Public Works
like this, and particularly, with parks, so that my colleagues could see what we're
going through. And if need be, and fast -track it, we let the public sector come in and
build them.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair, did we voted everything?
Chair King: Not yet.
Commissioner Covo: I want to --
Chair King: Commissioner Covo wanted to say something. We just have 22 left and
then we're going to go into the meetings that we have to have real quick.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. After that, I just want to make a statement.
Commissioner Covo: Commissioner Carollo, I just -- and I would like to invite all of
the commissioners, and I'm going to put this on the record and Mr. Manager already
knows. You just need to walk around our marina and go in the morning to Regatta
Park. District 2 parks are in desperate need of help. So, what I've been doing is that
I've been asking Parks and Recreation for specific dates, like it happened with the
bathroom at John F. Kennedy Park, that it was under construction and closed for
over eight years. So, we are going and experimenting a lot of pain in maintaining our
parks. I get emails and lists of constituents coming into my office every Wednesday.
That's why in the heat plan that I proposed to the administration that, Mr. Manager,
you promised that you were going to have ready soon for us, in that plan, I was trying
to include every type of heat mitigation that we can get for our parks. If you're a
parent, you cannot go to a park in the city of Miami at 12 midday, in most of them,
because there's no shade. So, I think that we need to reinvent the wheel, re -imagine
our parks, and make sure that we can use them. Because if we cannot even do a picnic
because the grass is messed up, because we have events and events and events on top
of our grass, we're not using our taxpayer dollars correctly. If we have an event, we
mess up the grass, and then after that it takes us four months to re -seed the grass, how
are we spending our dollars? I mean, it doesn 't make sense. So, I've been like super
active trying to get this done and I know -- and I call them every day but it's been
hard. I think that we need to find a way to navigate it a little bit better.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think you're absolutely correct and one thing that was brought
up here -- I forgot which of the speakers brought it up, but I offer this to you. The
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speaker was bringing up putting -- planting more trees for shade along Grand Avenue
in your district. I'm sure --
Commissioner Covo: I got them. We have a plan and we 're getting donations and
we're also finding the trees. I did have a meeting with Mr. Manager about that. So,
Goombay Festival is going to next year hopefully have shade and with the right trees.
That's the other thing because if we plant a tree and then the tree is messed up six
months after, we need to replant it and we spend more money.
Vice Chair Carollo: But the point that I'm trying to make to you is that what I've been
seeing is the trees that we buy, they're 6, 8-foot, 10 foot, and we pay for them like if
they were a 25, 30-foot free. So, you know, look at the trees, the type of trees you
might want. I would suggest that we start putting trees that have, you know, pretty
flowers besides the canopy. So at least we have canopy with, you know, at different
times of season. You know, we have flowers.
Chair King: We do have an arborist.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. And you know, if you'd like, let Bayfront Park know, the
executive director, because you know, they have a whole list of all kinds of nurseries
that have big trees, 25, 30-foot, that's not going to take, you know, you having to
finish your two terms and then have to come back for another term somehow, to see
them give shade. You know, if you buy them that big, within a short time, they're
going to be giving shade. And that's the point that I'm trying to make. We need to buy
big trees to give shade quickly. We can't afford to be waiting 10 years for the trees to
get big to give shade.
Commissioner Reyes: Please, please, bring some color. Bring some trees that they
have -- they flower. You see, bring some color. Everything is green. Green, green,
green. I mean, sometimes I wonder if our arborists and people that plant the plants,
they 're colorblind. Because you go into every single circle and it is green. Everything
is green.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: And whatever -- I don 't care where you go, what country you
go, you see, I mean, you're driving on the road and you see -- you can admire the
flowers, you see. And I mean, I'm going to talk about Marbella, for example. You
drive from Malaga to Marbella, and that beautiful highway, full of flowers. I mean,
it's a coastal city.
Chair King: Yes. Well, we have beautiful flowers in Liberty City.
Vice Chair Carollo: Did you get to Puerto Banns then from our bay?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I did. Not like the guy that wanted to get a hold of Dinner
Key Marina and he came to my office and said, I have -- I want to make it Puerto
Banns right here. And I asked him, have you been to Puerto Banns? He said, no. I
have. You cannot duplicate Puerto Banns here. What are you talking about?
Vice Chair Carollo: You --
Chair King: Guys, do you want to --?
Vice Chair Carollo: You could, but --
Chair King: You want to make a vote?
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Vice Chair Carollo: -- it's going to be --
Commissioner Reyes: Let's go back.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- it'll be much, much better.
Chair King: Yes, because we've got to entertain two meetings and I know you guys --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair King: So, I have a motion --
Commissioner Reyes: And a second.
Chair King: -- and a second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: BH.22.
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): As amended.
Chair King: As amended.
Commissioner Reyes: As amended.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: Tentatively.
Commissioner Reyes: Tentative.
Chair King: Tentative with all capital letters.
Commissioner Reyes: That 's right.
Chair King: At this time, our first budget hearing for September 9th, 2023, City of
Miami Commission, is now concluded.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, it's in recess.
Chair King: It's in recess.
Commissioner Reyes: It 's in recess.
Chair King: It's -- oh, that's right, I'm sorry. It 's in recess because we have to have
the two meetings. So, we are going to now have the Virginia Key Beach Trust
meeting.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair, before we go into that, I want to remind Mr.
Manager and Larry, Mr. Spring, we have to continue our conversation about the --
what we have been talking about, about the millage and the use offunds as efficiently
as what we have to do -- we can, okay? I expect to be working with you very closely.
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ADJOURNMENT
END OF FIRST BUDGET HEARING
The meeting adjourned at 12: 27 p.m.
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