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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2020-09-24 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 24, 2020 5:05 PM Final Budget Hearing City Hall City Commission Francis X. Suarez, Mayor Keon Hardemon, Chair, District Five Ken Russell, Vice Chair, District Two Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner, District One Joe Carollo, Commissioner, District Three Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 SECOND BUDGET HEARING 5:05 PM CALL TO ORDER Present: Chair Hardemon, Vice Chair Russell, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner Carollo and Commissioner Reyes. On the 24th day of September 2020, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida, conducted and broadcasted its final virtual budget hearing session from its regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular session. The meeting was called to order by Chair Hardemon at 10:54 p.m., recessed at 11:58 p.m., reconvened at 12:01 a.m., and adjourned at 2:42 a.m., on Friday, September 25, 2020. Note for the Record: Vice Chair Russell joined the virtual meeting at 10:54 p.m., Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla joined the virtual meeting at 10:54 p.m., and Commissioner Reyes joined the virtual meeting at ll: 00 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk ORDER OF THE DAY Chair Hardemon: Welcome to the fiscal year 2020/2021 second budget hearing of the Miami City Commission in these historic chambers. The members of the City Commission are Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes; the Vice Chair Ken Russell; and me, the Chairman, Keon Hardemon. Also on the dais are Arthur Noriega, the City Manager; Victoria Mendez, the City Attorney; and Todd Hannon, our City Clerk. Madam City Attorney, please state the procedures to be followed during this second virtual budget meeting and related virtual second budget public hearing. Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This evening the City is holding its second budget meeting and second budget public hearing for the purposes of fixing the final millage rate, adopting a final budget, and approving the same for the Downtown Development Authority. Pursuant to Executive Order Number 20-179, issued by the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis on July 29, 2020, municipalities may conduct meetings of their governing bodies without having a quorum of its members present physically for any specific location, and utilizing communications media technology, such as telephonic or video conferencing as provided by Section 120.54(5)(b)(2) of the Florida Statutes. 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 the Code section about lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's office, and online at municode. com. Any person making a 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 this City Code section is available at the Office of the City Clerk and online at municode.com. Pursuant to Section 2-330) and (g) of the City Code, the agenda and the material for each item on the agenda for this budget meeting was published and made available to the Mayor, members of the City Commission, and to the public at least five full business days in advance of the meeting. 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 miamigov. com. City ofMiami Page 1 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Any person may be heard by the City Commission through the Chair and upon registering, pursuant to the published notice for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission, unless modified by the Chair. Because this is a virtual meeting, as authorized by the Governor of the State of Florida, members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by visiting miamigov.comlvirtualmeeting to upload their two -minute video comments to be played during the virtual Commission meeting, or to submit their written comments via the online comment form. The comments submitted through the comment form have been distributed to the elected officials and the City Administration throughout the day so that the elected officials can 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 up until the time the Chairperson closes the public comment. Members of the public may also call 305-250-5353 to provide comments via the dedicated City of Miami public comment voicemail, where individuals will be able to leave a two -minute message that will be played during the virtual Commission meeting. Members of the public may also pre -register to provide live public comment by phone during the meeting. You may pre -register by calling 305-250-5350, or online at miamigov. comlgovernmentllive public - comment. All comments submitted will be included as part of the public record for this virtual meeting and will be considered by the City Commission prior to any action taken. The City will accommodate any speakers desiring to appear in person, subject to all applicable emergency measures in place to prevent the further spread of COVID-I9. The City has set up a terminal in the event members of the public wish to travel to City Hall to provide public comment. Speakers who appear in person will be subject to screening for symptoms of COVID-19. Any, persons exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 will not be entered -- will not be permitted to enter City Hall. All interested parties are required to abide by all State, County, and local emergency orders, and urged to remain at home and practice social distancing. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before the Commission takes action on such proposition. When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public must first state his or her name, his or her address, and what item will be spoken about. Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may notify the City Clerk. Section 286.0114(4)(c) of Florida Statutes authorizes the City to prescribe procedures or forums for an individual to use in order to inform the hoard or Commission of the desire to be heard, to indicate his or her support, opposition, or neutrality on a proposition. The City, through its multiple comment options has provided five different methods to indicate, among other things, the public's support, opposition, or neutrality on the items and topics to be discussed at today's meeting. The public has been given the opportunity to provide public continent during the meeting within reasonable proximity in time before the meeting. These public comment options are established and provided for, for this virtual City Commission meeting comply with Section 286.0114 and Section 120.54 Florida Statutes. The City has also created a simple set of instructions explaining how the public may submit their comments with either option. Those instructions were provided in the notice to the public via the City's social media channels and published online at miamigov.comlvirtualmeeting. When the City. Commission takes action or votes on any proposition before it, it shall do so by roll call vote, which shall be recorded by the Clerk and included in the record. Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by the City Commission for any matter considered at this meeting may need a verbatim record of the item. Pursuant to Section 200.0065(3)(h) and 286.0105 Florida Statutes and Florida Administrative Code Rule 12D-17.005(2)(c)(22), no verbatim record is required regarding any public hearing required by Chapter 200 of the Florida Statutes. A video of this meeting may be requested at the Office of Communications or viewed online at miamigov.com. Please note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by City staff and the City Attorney on the items on the agenda today. Please silence all cell phones and other noise -making devices. The City is using Zoom to hold its September 10, 2020 -- Pm sorry, September 24, 2020 budget meeting with elected officials and City staff"participating through video conferencing. Zoom is a cloud platform for video and audio conferencing collaboration, chat, and webinars across mobile devices, desktops, telephones and room systems. In order to ensure that the public has the ability to view the meeting, this virtual meeting and related hearing will broadcast live for members of the public to view on Miami TV, at miamigov.com, through the City's Facebookpage, on the City ofMiami Page 2 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 City's Periscope channel, on the City's YouTube channel, and on Comcast Channel 77. The broadcast will also have closed captioning. Additionally, the City has not selected a virtual platform that requires the public to purchase or download any additional software or equipment to watch this meeting. Aside from the Zoom platform and that the participants will be appearing remotely, the public will have no discernable difference in their ability to watch the meeting. Commissioners, please confirm you are comfortable with the notice provisions as set forth in these uniform rules and procedures we have established for this meeting. Vice Chair Russell: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Affirm. Mr. Min: Thank you. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL BUDGET ITEM(S) 7947 DISCUSSION ITEM Office of the City PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC Clerk FOR THE SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 FINAL BUDGET VIRTUAL HEARING. RESULT: PRESENTED Chair Hardemon: So now I'm going to open the meeting for public comment. So the way that we will do it -- I'm assuming we don't have anyone live, but we do have some callers, maybe. Manuel Otero (Web Administrator, Innovation and Technology): Yes. Chair Hardemon: So we're going to take the calls, and then we'll move to our pre- recorded comments. So this is the opportunity for public comment. Each person will be given two minutes to address this body; state their first name, their last name, the nature of their request; and, of course, what item is being discussed. The floor is open for public comment. Mr. Otero: Call Taker 3, you're live. Unidentified Speaker: Ma'am, you're in the live Commission meeting. Go ahead. Jada Portela: Great. Good evening. My name is Jada Portela. My address is 5797 Southwest 31st Street. The ZIP is 33155. I am calling for the Lotus House Women, Youth and Children's' Shelter. They have requested $450,000 in funding, and the City, of Miami budget has only slated 100,000 to the Lotus House. The $450,000 request is equal to what men's shelters receive, and is a conservative ask during a time that is busier than ever with increased needs, not only due to capacity, but also due to having children 24/7. This includes infants. Over the past 15 years, they have sheltered thousands of women and children in Miami, most of whom are persons of color, lacking meaningful access to safe affordable housing, childcare, education, economic opportunities and social and economic justice. Most shelters focus on the needs of adults. This special and very important shelter provides a safe haven for women and children. This sanctuary provides gender -specific needs of women, and also puts children first. They are taught skills that will enable them to get jobs and provide for their families. These women will break the cycle that was once marked by violence, poverty, and discrimination. I personally volunteer at the shelter with my eight -year -old daughter, and I also have a four -month -old baby girl. We see firsthand the lives that they are transforming. Many women that were once helped City ofMiami Page 3 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 by the Lotus House will work there to give back to new women and children in need. We should all invest more in this special location. You can easily see where every dollar goes. This $450, 000 is life -changing for women and children in our great City of Miami, and they need our help. Thank you so much. Mr. Otero: Call Taker 1, you're live. Unidentified Speaker: Go ahead, sir; you may speak now. You may speak, sir. Sam Latimore: I may start? Unidentified Speaker: Yes, sir. Mr. Latimore: My name is Sam Latimore. I live at 937 Northwest 55th Street, Miami, Florida 33127. I've been a citizen there for just over 45 years. I had originally planned to talk about the -- opposing the transfer of the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) Office to that of the District Commissioners. We are still at that position. We feel that the positions -- that the NET Program needs to remain under the City Manager, as spelled out by Code. According to the City Charter, Section 4, neither the Mayor nor the Commission nor any member therefore shall direct, request, take part in or subordinate in any manner to interfere with the City Manager or prevent the City Manager from exercising his or her own judgment in the appointment of officers and employees and administrative (UNINTELLIGIBLE). This rule specifically -- this Charter specifically says that the NET offices should remain under the control and supervision of the City Manager. We are suggesting that we follow the Charter, we don't do anything to alter the Charter. Additionally, I would like to thank the City Attorney for requiring that we follow the Charter. Although I've heard all different kinds of way to avoid adhering to the Charter tonight, she was steadfast in saying that the City Commission should do the right thing and follow the Charter. Therefore, I would suggest that the City, in terms of the City Manager, continue to supervise the NET Office, and the City Manager proceed with selection of the Police Chief by the Charter. Thank you and have a nice evening. Mr. Otero: Call Taker 2, you're live. Unidentified Speaker: Sir, go ahead. You're live with the Commission. Hello, sir. Sean Moy: Hi. Good afternoon, Commissioners, City Manager, City Attorney. This is Sean Moy, Union President for Miami General Employees; good talking to you guys. I just wanted to express our support for the NET offices, and as far as the employees, the service center aides, the service center reps, we don't oppose the district offices; we simply want to work in partnership with the Administration and the Commission. We simply want to protect the jobs of those employees that have been longstanding employees that have long tenure, for more than 10 years. A lot of these employees do live in the community', provide these services, but we do have something comprehensive. We just don't want to see the employees lose their jobs, and we want to work together to be able to achieve this. We just had a meeting. We've had the opportunity to sit down and to see how many employees are going to be impacted. We tried our best (INAUDIBLE). We want to work together in partnership. We think that we could achieve some things (INAUDIBLE), or maybe even creating a difference of salaries to be able to save the City money. So we're simply asking an opportunity to sit at the table and to have this discussion with you guys. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Mr. Otero: Call Taker 1, you're live. City ofMiami Page 4 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Unidentified Speaker: Go ahead, sir; you're live. Patrick Guajardo: Okay. Unidentified Speaker: You can speak now. Mr. Gajardo: Hello. Good evening. My name is Patrick Gajardo. I reside at 1432 Northwest 28th Street, Miami, Florida 33142. And I currently serve as President of the Allapattah Neighborhood Association. I'm here to speak on Item BH.7. Commissioners, I'm counting on all of you -- the Mayor as well as other officials and public service departments throughout the City of Miami that are intent on serving our communities as efficiently and as effectively as possible. And although your goals and ambitions may not always be met, in large part because of your efforts we're fortunate to call Miami one of the best cities in the world. In addition to that, one department that I feel plays a vital role in this as well is the NET Department. I realize some may not see it this way_, but if we've learned anything over the past couple of weeks, it's that there are a lot of people in our City that share my same sentiments. I understand that we're living through some difficult times right now, and some tough decisions have to be made, but it's puzzling to me how our Commission has come to the conclusion without giving consideration to its constituents that dismantling NET is the best form of recourse to save our City some money. This plan gives us no assurances, whatsoever, this move will save money for our City. No elaborate plan has been brought forth and shared with the public, aside from a proposal to increase each Commissioner's budget, with each Commissioner opening a satellite office in their respective district. Already, we've had a couple of Commissioners go on record to say they're going to need multiple satellite offices in their districts. Other Commissioners have proposed sharing satellite office space and expenses, which, to me, sounds like a sunshine law violation. Right now, there seems to be a lot more questions than there are answers. This proposal was made two weeks ago, and it looks to me that it's being rushed simply because of a budget deadline. Such an impulsive decision should not he made, but should be carefully considered, studied, and analyzed. I may not he able to speak for other parts of the City, but as a 45-year resident of Allapattah, I can assure you one thing in Allapattah that works great is our NET Department. I implore you to do the right thing here. Listen to our pleas and take what we say into consideration and thought. Don't dismantle NET. Thank you and have a good evening. Mr. Otero: Now we're going to the recorded public comment. Myra Cruz: Hi. My name is Myra Cruz. I live at 50 Southwest loth Street, 33130. 1 worked at Catalyst Miami, a local nonprofit, as the Climate Resilience Program Manager. Given my position, I've had the honor of working with different staff from the Office of Resilience and Sustainability, which I know is now being called the Division of Resilience and Sustainability to mark the changes made to the office. As I mentioned, I've worked a lot with staff on various projects, which I know they work really hard and are very talented. Given that, I do believe that there is a need for more capacity funding and staff to focus on other areas, such as mitigation, greenhouse gas reduction efforts and really believe in equity and climate justice principles, which means having more community outreach and feedback, which really does take a lot of time and dedication. There's other important issues that should also be focused on, such as public health, clean energy, energy efficiency. Really, the list goes on in terms of amount of work that is needed and needs to he addressed in order to get to all of the issues that we're facing as a City. I believe to have the most impact that more funding is needed to fund more staff to supplement the group that you already have in place, similar to how the County Office of Resilience and Sustainability has done. For example, they have one staff that is City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 purely dedicated to community outreach. I think that model has worked for them, and it makes sense for the City to consider something similar. 1 think we must match the scale of the action that is needed to address the causes of climate change and the impacts that we're feeling, so I highly recommend considering the recommendation for having more funding for staff time and to have more staff in general included in this work. Thank you, and I hope you address these comments as they were not addressed during the last budget meeting. Monica Soderman: Hi. My name is Monica Sauderman. My, address is 535 Northwest 41st Street in Miami, 33127; Buena Vista West neighborhood. 1 would like it on the record that I'm supporting Miami Neighborhoods United resolution in favor of preserving the NET offices as they stand. Grace Solares: Hi. This is Grace Solares, on behalf of Miami Neighborhoods United, and individually. Miami Neighborhoods United supports the continuation of the NET offices as they presently exist since removing them or limiting them in amount or locations throughout the City will directly impact the quality of life for those residing in the City. MNU -- although sensitive to the desire of the City Commission to reduce the expenses of the City, MNU nonetheless recommends that both the City Commission and the City Manager, find alternative departments where to implement cuts. Knowing full well of the ineffectiveness of the 3-1-1 services, we request the City of Miami maintain the NET offices with the respective personnel. We believe that there are certainly other sources that would provide a greater savings with less damage to our residents and our neighborhoods. Miami Neighborhoods United and all of its member neighborhood associations know how invaluable the NET offices are. They are the lifeline between government officials and our City residents. MNU fully believes that the NET offices are done -- if they are done away with and replaced by five district offices, one per district, such offices will simply become political arms of the respective Commissioners, and the real danger of selective aid to residents is quite evident. City departments must be apolitical; otherwise, the specter of Charter violations will he constantly at play. Therefore, Miami Neighborhoods United requests that the City Commission and the City Manager reconsider the proposed elimination or decreasing of NET offices throughout the City. MNUfurther requests that the City budget as presently drafted be reviewed and amended, and the proposed funds to be taken from the NET offices be switched to the other departments in order to keep the NET offices intact for the benefit of the residents and voters of the City of Miami. Thank you. Mariela Lopez de Albear: Yes. My name is Mariela Lopez de Albear, and 1 reside at 661 Northeast 68th Street. I would like to make my public comment in reference to the NET Office at the Upper Eastside. It is imperative that you keep staff on there and that you keep it alive. We need it in order to monitor all the things that go on in our neighborhood, which are not to Code or to permit, and many violations that happen. And especially now, during the pandemic, we need them more than ever. They're very professional and they really do help the neighborhood and we need them, so please do not dissolve this office. It's much needed and imperative that you keep it. Thank you so much. Bye-bye. Susan Brogan: Yes. My name is Susan Brogan, B-R-O-G-A-N. I'm calling -- I'd like to leave a message regarding the budget meeting, the final considerations. And my address is 1040 Northeast 78th Road, Apartment Number 1; that's Miami, 33138. And my, message is this: That I understand there is a potential closing of the NET offices, and I'm calling to suggest that this be -- not be done. We need our NET offices. We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) here in the NET Office in the Northeast Section, which is on Biscayne and near the park there; that the NET Office is so helpful in feeding in and giving us information, feeding out information about what's going on in other departments, and coordination. They're the first step of information that we City ofMiami Page 6 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 go to, to find out who to talk to when things are -- I'm in an area that has king tide down -- just below 79th Street in that Little River area close to the bridge on 79th Street, and we've had to coordinate over the past couple of years to coordinate the various departments for pumps and for traffic, and everything else. And most of that is funneled through -- or the information about it is funneled through the NET Office. Not having a NET Office would be a great complication for our neighborhood and less communication between the residents and our government. We need to have more communication between our departments of government and the residents, more participation. I feel everybody can do a more efficient job. Thank you very much. Constance Collins: My name is Constance Collins. I'm the Executive Director of the Lotus House Women's Shelter, and I'm here with our leadership team. Domestic violence homicides accounted for 15 percent of all homicides countywide in 2018. Miami was among the cities and counties with the deadliest outcomes. According to the State Attorney General's report of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, 90 percent of all decedents are female. Victims of violence are often forced to flee their homes in certain safety, and domestic violence is a lead cause of homelessness for women and children. This year so far, Lotus House has sheltered 1,111 women and children, 830 of whom were victims of violence and trauma. More than half of all those sheltered were children; 157 were youth; many were elders, and 66 percent had disabilities. We are asking for your help with 450,000 in funding for Lotus House, equal to the amount budgeted for the men's shelter in our community. We are joined by over 13,400 others who signed our Change.org petition asking you to provide more funding. The funding will allow us to provide over 19,000 shelter beds this coming year, with supportive services for women and children desperately in need during this pandemic. Unlike many agencies, we did not close our doors; instead, we remained fully open and operational, and expanded our programming, because the lives of vulnerable women and children are quite literally, at stake. Emergency shelter for women and children is needed now more than ever. If you care about the most vulnerable in our community, please allocate $450, 000 for Lotus House for the coming year and help us save and change lives. Thank you. Andrea Iglesias: Good afternoon. My, name is Andrea Iglesias; resident at 8630 Southwest 42nd Terrace, Miami, Florida 33155. And I am the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and Executive Director for Urban Health Partnership, here to speak on Agenda Item BH.67736. Urban Health Partnership is a nonprofit, focused on improving health, wellbeing, and equity in our underserved communities in Miami and in the region. Through our various initiatives, we have worked closely with residents and community -based agencies, and have often collaborated with Neighborhood Enhancement Teams, NET offices throughout Miami, especially the NET offices located in Little Havana and in Overtown. 1 am speaking today in support of these important agencies and their ability to continue to serve those communities effectively. In particular, we have worked closely with the Marlins NET Office in Little Havana. We have seen firsthand the positive impact that they have on residents in the area, many of which are in vulnerable populations, are recent immigrants, and lack the resources to live healthier lives. Their support of the Little Havana residents is now more vital than ever in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the many additional challenges being faced by residents, including life or death circumstances. We ask that the Marlins NET Office, along with the other NET office teams, including the Overtown office that are so important to the community are continued to be fully supported in the budget so they can continue to make a real difference to residents in need. Thank you for your time. Ana Selache: Hi. Good afternoon. My name is Ana Selache (phonetic), and I am speaking in regards to the budget. I wanted to start off by saying that I am not a City employee, and I am here to advocate in regards to the NET offices that are City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 considering being closed throughout the City. We really need these NET offices to stay in place. They provide the community, with benefits, resources, and aid, and so many other beautiful things. And 1 also wanted to urge you all to expand our City Resilience budget. While the City is doing a lot of good things flood projects and adaptation, we need to have a specific call to action for additional staff to address climate change, mitigation, sustainability, greenhouse gas reduction, and everything in order to meet our goals, missions, and performance and everything. So thank you so much for your time. Have a great day. Javier Gonzalez: Javier Gonzalez, 3622 Solano Road, Miami, Florida 33133, and I'm speaking against closing the NET offices. My comment: Good afternoon, Commissioners. As a former chairperson of the Coconut Grove Village Council, I know how important our local NET offices are to our residents. In the four years that I served the public, I always knew that I had the support of Madeline Pacheco and her staff. I can't count all the times that she assisted me, and by extension, the Village Council in resolving issues, questions and concerns that were presented to us. Her participation in community meetings where she updated and informed residents about coming events and projects was priceless. While I understand that the City is facing budget shortfalls, please do not close what is seen by many residents as their only source to access local government and services. In closing, we've been down this road before in closing NET offices only to realize how important they are to our local communities. Please keep them open. It's critical for our residents, and I think closing them is a had move. Thank you. Anthony Parrish: Hello, Commissioners. My name is Anthony Parrish. My offices are at 3678 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133. I'm calling regarding the NET Office closures that you've proposed in your budget. Commissioners, I was appalled to learn that you are proposing to close some or all of the NET offices that have served Miami citizens so well for over two decades. NET was created to decentralize some of the everyday services that citizens need without having to traipse down to the Riverside Center every time. The NET offices and their personnel have done that well for years now. They are the face of the City. For once, please consider the convenience to the taxpayers. Even in this time of forced budget restraints, it is important for the residents of the City of Miami to believe that the City and its officials are serving them, rather than the other way around. Please keep the NET offices. Thank you. Unidentified Speaker: Hello. My name is (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and I live at 6751 North Kendall Drive, Pinecrest, Florida 33156. 1 work with an organization called Parents for a Future Miami. I'm calling the Commission to address the NET offices being closed throughout the City. The NET offices provide community benefits, resources and aid that are an investment in the local community and the economy. 1 urge the Commission to keep the NET offices open. 1 mentioned that I am not a City employee. I am not related to somebody who is a City employee. I am, however, related to my own children. You also have your own children. I'm sure everybody here wants their children to have a good life. In order for them to have a good life, our children need a stable climate. Right now we are in a climate emergency. In November last year, this Commission has courageously passed a climate emergency resolution. I quote from the resolution: "Reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions around the globe will require a coordinated emergency mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II. The City is committed to pursuing policies and programs that are ecologically sustainable, equitable, and just for all. The City wishes to act as a global leader by catalyzing the unified and coordinated climate emergency mobilization effort. " End of quote. We are ready to help. When can we get started? Thank you. City ofMiami Page 8 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Eleazar Melendez: Good morning. My name is Eleazar Melendez. My address is at 1861 Northwest South River Drive, in the City of Miami. I'm here to speak against the proposed amendment to the budget that was suggested last week when several Commissioners said that we should eliminate the NET Department, the Neighborhood Enhancement Teams, and take that budget of approximately $7 million in the same form or in a reduced manner and give it to the five Commissioners to apportion between their offices. The exact details of the proposal are not readily available, to be honest. The memo that was supposed to come out to explain these changes in detail was not included in the documentation that was put on the City website a week ago. Yet, from what 1 understand, what this proposal would do is take about a million dollars, more or less, from this budget, give it to the Commissioners' offices for them to use as they want while at the same time, potentially eliminating 35 positions within the City for people that are likely not going to be able to find a position elsewhere at this time of crisis. At a time when folks don't know where their next meal is coming, we're telling people and we're seeing that we're in a time of economic despair where folks don't know if the eviction moratorium is going to come and go, and they won't have a roof over their heads. There's no other way to say it. It's immoral and wrong for the Commissioners to more than double the budget for their offices. Again, it is immoral and wrong for Commissioners to more than double the budget for their offices at a time of economic crisis. It makes no sense, and it has no excuse. A budget is a reflection of values. Having worked in the City, I know this, and it is not the right values to tell everyone else that they need to tighten their belts, tell everyone else that they need to behave, and then serve yourself and the people around you with a big spoon. Do not vote for this amendment, Commissioners. Do the right thing. Thank you. Rachel Collins: Hello. My name is Rachel Collins. I am a lifelong resident of Homestead, and I would like to call to talk about the City budget and specifically funding money, emergency funding to mitigate climate change. Global warming is the largest threat that we face in a peninsula, and as the City of Miami, a metropolitan area that sets the tone for cities like mine, which is why last year, I organized with many other students, youth, activists, along with experts and professionals and adults to declare a climate emergency. The headline was on November 22 of 2019 where Suarez says that every dollar spent on prevention saves $7 post -recovery costs. What that means is that we need to get to carbon negative as soon as possible. Every day that we delay, we are throwing all of this -- all of these taxpayer dollars down the drain, and our economy and the lives of the future along with it. So please mitigate, reduce CO2 as soon as possible, as well as all greenhouse gases. Stand up to fossil fuel companies, we're begging you. Thank you for your time. We need your leadership and I will -- you'll keep hearing from me until this movement is made. We need to respond to the climate emergency. Jen Sheik: Hi. My name is Jen Sheik (phonetic). I'm a Miami resident. I'm at 454 Northeast 76th Street. I'm calling in support of the NET offices. I know there is a proposal to potentially, move them into the Commissioners' office. I think that is a bad idea. I think our NET Office is doing a great job, and I know there's a proposal to co -locate some of the offices, which would be much more effective, and I hope that you will consider that option. Any -- potentially even given that offers us more support and even more jobs to complete, I think having our neighborhood connection within our neighborhood is really important, and they're a really effective group and could be given even more responsibility, if needed. Please do not decrease what you're asking of the NET offices. Thank you. Lina Yemen: Hi. My name is Lina Yemen (phonetic), and I live at 6620 Southwest 57th Avenue, in Coral Gables, Florida 33143. I'm calling first of all to say thank you to the Commissioners for listening to the budget hearing speakers and increasing funding for affordable housing, as well as reversing the decision to City ofMiami Page 9 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 remove people from their homes who are behind on rent at the moment. 1'd like to ask, however, that we also give attention and funding towards mitigating climate change. Specifically, 1 think that there needs to be more staff to address climate change mitigation, sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction. And I also think that the City budget documents should reflect climate justice, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reductions goals. So thank you again so much for your time, and I hope that you please consider my comments. Dalton Hesley: Hello. My name is Dalton Hesley. I live at 801 Brickell Bay Drive, Miami, Florida 33131. 1 am calling in regard to the City of Miami budget; specifically, the Office of Resilience. First, I would like to thank the City Commission Jrotaking the time to hear nay comments, and then recognize that I realize the City has to work on projects related to adaptation and flood protection. But I would like to see additional staff resources and action to address climate mitigation, sustainability justice, as well as the associated greenhouse gas reductions. Additionally, I would like to see these goals, missions, and performance targets within the City budget documents reflect these motivations. It is one thing to prioritize protecting our City; it's another to ensure preventing issues around resilience. The health, sustainability, and prosperity of our community is completely reliant on our ability to prevent these disasters from occurring in the first place. So we should strive to create a blueprint for other cities to learn and adapt and mitigate in our fbotsteps. Thank you. Zelalem Adefris: Hi. My name is Zelalem Adefris, and I work for Catalyst Miami at 3000 Biscayne Boulevard. I'm calling in support of increased funding for the Division of Resilience and Sustainability, specifically related to climate justice, community, outreach, and carbon mitigation, greenhouse gas reductions. I really hope -- we had so many great speakers in the last meeting, and I really hope these issues get addressed and that we see more staff support to kickstart the many initiatives we need in order to address climate change and the root causes of climate change here at the City. All right. Well, thank you so much. Oh, and lastly, I'd love to see mention of climate action and climate justice in the performance matrix and the missions that are written in the outdated budget. All right. Thank you so much. Bye. Brian Sehr: Hi. My name is Brian Sehr (phonetic). My address is 535 Northwest 41st Street, Miami, 33127. I would like it on the record I am supporting Miami Neighborhoods United's resolution in favor of preserving the NET offices as they currently are. Thank you. Aisha: Hello. My name is Aisha, and I am submitting this video to you Commissioners, to the board, just to speak and to affirm that the Lotus House located in Miami, Florida is completing such a great mission, which is to serve and to help our youth, to help our children, and to help our women, as well, especially with the homeless. When you are deliberating and making your .final decisions in regards to the funding, I would just ask that you please consider the Lotus House located in Miami, Florida. Funding is needed to uphold their standard, their vision, and their mission for the Lotus House, itself. They are serving such a community, and they are unable to, to the fullest capacity, because they do not have the funding, they don't have the space, so please consider them in your deliberation for the funding, and please extend funds to them, because they are asking to have more than enough to be able to service more of our people in Florida. Thank you so, so much, again. Bye. Natalie Rivas: My name is Natalie Rivas. I live at 330 74th Street, Number 12, Miami Beach, Florida 33141. I'm calling to advocate for climate justice in the City of Miami. I know that the City has been doing a lot in resiliency, regarding City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 adaptation and flood projects, hut I'm calling specifically for additional staff to address climate change mitigation, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reduction. In addition, we'd like to see specific goals and missions and performance targets within the City budget to document and reflect climate justice, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reductions. Lastly, I'm not a member -- or staff member of the NET offices, but I would like to advocate for the NET offices to not be closed as they are investments in our local community and help address community needs. NET Office locations should be based on indicators of community needs. Thank you so much. Fred Teger: Hi. This is Fred Teger, residing at 2843 Bayshore Drive in Coconut Grove. I'd like to say something regarding the Neighborhood Enhancement Team, the budgeting for that. And I strongly support that we continue the budget for all the NET offices, but in particular, in Coconut Grove, the NET Office provides an essential service. And I'd also like to speak for its Director, Madeline Pacheco, which -- who performs a very valuable function. It would be a shame for us to lose that function in the community. Thank you for your consideration. Bye. Richard Howell: I am Richard Howell. I live at 3629 Grand Avenue, Number 402. I am calling regarding retention of the NET Office. I strongly support retention of NET. Camilo Mejia: My name is Camilo Mejia. I live at 3482 Frow Avenue, Miami, Florida 33133. My comment is regarding NET offices. I'd like to start by saying that I am not, nor have I ever been an employee of the City of Miami. I'm a concerned City of Miami resident and community, advocate who has worked with NET offices in three different City districts. I can tell you that NET offices are crucial to community members looking for help to make ends meet, care for their children, and elderly and disabled friends and relatives, .finding job opportunities, and for issues having to do with community safety and wellbeing. NET offices should not be limited to one per Commissioner, but be placed where there's community need, based on the district's geographic area, population, socioeconomic makeup, access to public transit, and other considerations. Please do not dismiss community concerns as lobbying, and do everything in your power to preserve NET offices. Thank you. Barbara Mills: Yes. Hi. My name is Barbara Mills. I'm a resident of Coconut Grove, and a business owner; 3743 Grand Avenue. And I am calling in reference to the NET Office, the West Grove NET Office being closed. 1 am not in favor of that. Also, I'm calling to ask if it can remain open, because the services that they provide to the community is of value to the community. There has not been a time that I have called -- and this has been on several occasions that I've called and asked for their assistance -- that they had immediately resolved my issues without any hesitation. Therefore, 1 am calling in support of them remaining open, because the community really do need the services that they provide. And for years now, from one move to the next move, they have been engaged in the community for whatever they can do to provide to make it a better place for the residents in the West Grove. They have been totally available, even if they did not do the job themselves. They have never given me another number to call, another company, or another place of business to get my problem/issue rectified. They have always themselves took it upon themselves to call whomever needed to do whatever needed to be done to get it resolved. So I am totally in favor of them remaining in West Grove. We are desperately in need of their assistance and the services that they provide to our community. Thank you for hearing me out, and please consider keeping them, because we need them, especially in the West Grove community. Thank you so much and have a great day. Thank you. City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Justin Treiger: My name is Justin Treiger. I live at 1926 Northwest 17th Street, and 1 am the Vice President of the Allapattah Neighborhood Association. 1 would like to reiterate our support for the resolution drafted by Miami Neighborhoods United requesting that the Commission retain the existing structure of the NET Department, and fully fund the department. It's the most forward facing and critical department that most of the public interacts with on a daily basis, and we should honor that commitment and dedication to their service by fully funding the department and keeping its structure rather than looking at creating district offices as was suggested at the last budget meeting. I would instead encourage the Commission to look for cost savings elsewhere so that we can retain our valuable and beloved NET Department and staff Thank you. Laura Leyva: Hello. My name is Laura Leyva (phonetic), and my address is 3069 Day Ave., Number 5, Miami, Florida 33133. I'm here speaking on behalf of Audubon Florida and as a lifelong resident of Miami, and current resident of the City of Miami. So firstly, I'd like to thank the Commission for the opportunity to comment on the proposed budget. And my comments are concerning the budget for sustainability work and resilience work; firstly, just recognizing that the City has done so much, particularly concerning flood mitigation and adaptation work. But I understand that resilience has been made a citywide priority, and that's encouraging and heartening, and I'm excited to see that continue to grow. At the same time, there is an oppressing need for increased staff that can work on greenhouse gas emissions reductions, climate mitigation, and sustainability work specifically, and can increase the capacity for those projects. So if we amplify the budget and staff for climate mitigation, then the City's commendable progress on climate adaptation will be able to be complemented. Additionally, I'm asking that the goals, and missions, and performance targets within the budget narrative reflect those particular concerns; climate justice, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reductions so that they are specifically articulated in the budget documents. Thank you so much. Adrian. Madriz: Hello. My name is Adrian Madriz. I live at 1990 Northwest 4th Court, Apartment 11, Miami, Florida 33136. 1 would like to -- please, 1 request that the City of Miami divest from the Police and invest in affordable housing. I also want to state that we understand that resilience is a citywide effort and that the City is doing a lot on adaptation and flood projects. We are specifically calling for additional staff to address climate change mitigation, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reductions. In addition, we'd like to see the goals, missions, and performance targets within the City budget document reflect climate justice, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reductions. Thank you very much. Leonardo De Armas: Hi. I'm Leonardo De Armas. I live at 18766 Southwest 78th Court, 33157, Cutler Bay, Florida. I'm a member of 350 South Florida, and I'm calling to voice my concerns over how the City is handling the climate crisis. Many adapted projects have been executed and are being planned. This crisis calls for mitigation efforts which, unfortunately, aren't being prioritized to the same extent. I'd like to see additional staff and funds be allocated to the Office of Resiliency and Sustainability so that mitigated actions may be undertaken, along with further actions to improve the Citv's sustainability, and reduce fossil fuel reliance and greenhouse gas emissions. I'd also like to see the performance metrics and targets pushed forth by the Community Resilience Action Group reflected in the City's budget. Thank you for your time. Alissa Hernandez: Hi there. My name is Alissa Hernandez, resident of 4501 Southwest 154th Court. I was previously the intern for the Office of Resilience and Sustainability and conducted the City's 2018 greenhouse gas emissions inventory. I would like to raise the alarming fact that the new Division of Resilience and Sustainability absolutely needs an increase in staff staff time, and funding. My City ofMiami Page 12 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 analysis of emissions, along with my position and time with the ORS (Office of Resilience and Sustainability) showed me that Miami has the necessity for a large- scale climate -driven team. Even with my assistance on other projects, it was apparent that the ORS needed more staff and bandwidth to accomplish the ambitious goals of a Miami that is both resilient and sustainable in all possible ways. Climate change and mitigation are rooted in the citizens, not just government Administration. Therefore, government Administration needs to ensure that there is a liaison on staff solely focused on climate community outreach. I'd also encourage all Commissioners to reach out to local government -- I'm sorry -- local environmental nonprofits or institutions and askfbr a Climate 101 course to truly, thoroughly, and comprehensively understand all the relating issues our City and County are facing. We want to be an example not only for large cities, but Jrotropical coastal cities around the world. Please do what it takes to place Miami at this level, starting with the resilience and sustainability staff. Thank you, Commissioners. Paulina Santana: Hello. My name is Paulina Santana, and I am a resident of Miami, Florida. My address is 55 Southeast 6th Street, Apartment 3508, Miami, Florida 33131. I was calling because I wanted to state that women, youth, and children experiencing homelessness need safe and supportive shelter now more than ever. Please make sure that Lotus House is funded the same, if not more than the men's shelters. Right now, men's shelters are receiving $450,000 from the City while Lotus House is slated to receive $100,000. This is unacceptable. So please, please, we really would appreciate it. I think it's really important that women and children have safe shelter during these devastating and unprecedented times. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Are there any other public hearing comments that need to be made? Mr. Otero: No, sir. Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further public comment, I'm going to close the public comment section at this time. BH - BUDGET HEARING BH.1 DISCUSSION ITEM 7897 Office of Management and Budget A DISCUSSION TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED FY 2020-21 MILLAGE RATE, TENTATIVE BUDGET AND ALL OTHER BUDGET ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. RESULT: DISCUSSED Chair Hardemon: I want to recognize either the Mayor, or the Manager, or the Budget Director. I'm not sure who is going to take the lead. Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management and Budget): Yes, sir. Good evening, Commissioners. I have some language that I need to read into the record before the meeting gets going. That language is required by State Statute. It is: The proposed general operating millage rate is 7.665 mills for the City of Miami for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and ending September 30, 2021. That operating millage rate is 4.15 percent higher than the State -defined rollback rate of 7.3608 mills. Thank you, Commissioners. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What was it last year? City ofMiami Page 13 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Rose: It is the combined rate of operating, and that is the same rate this year, neither up nor down. The operating rate last year was 7.5665 mills. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And 7.6 -- ifI may, Mr. Chair. I'm sorry. It's 7.5 -- 7.66 this year? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Yes. So -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And 7.56 last year? Mr. Rose: That's correct; .1 mill difference between the two. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know that's (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Okay. Continue. Mr. Rose: That is the language that needs to be read into the record. Thank you, Commissioners. Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. BH.2 DISCUSSION ITEM 7802 A DISCUSSION OF FINAL MILLAGE RATE AND FINAL BUDGET FOR THE Downtown MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. Development Authority RESULT: DISCUSSED Chair Hardemon: And now we -- we basically move on to -- I know there's some specific language that needs to be read into the record from the Downtown Development Authority. Christina Crespi (Executive Director; Downtown Development Authority): Hello. Good evening, Commissioners. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good evening. Commissioner Reyes: Good evening. How are you doing? Ms. Crespi: Good. So I have to read language into the record. The proposed general operating millage rate is 7.6665 mills for the City of Miami for the fiscal year beginning on October 1, 2020 and ending September 30, 2021. That operating millage rate is 4.15 percent higher than the State defined rollback rate of 7.3608 mills. Commissioner Reyes: Any questions? Well, I am going to move it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll second it. Vice Chair Russell: Discussion? Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Discussion. Commissioner Carollo: Translate for me, Manolo. What is she talking about? City ofMiami Page 14 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Reyes: She's talking about the budget, DDA (Downtown Development Authority) budget. Okay. That's fine. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman? Chair Hardemon: You're recognized. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. We've all heard a lot of advocacy from the public and from Constance regarding the Lotus House budget. I remember we worked at this last year, where the City allocated 100,000 and are allocating their 100,000 again this year. And the goal was to try to put together some support from the different agencies -- the DDA, the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) at the time -- to see if we could get them to between 3 and 400, 000. That was the goal. I know the DDA has a large line -item budget for homeless investment, but I don't believe it has been allocated to any of the specific agencies yet. I was going to ask you, Commissioner, or -- Mr. Chairman -- or Christina -- if you could help us understand if there is any room for Lotus House, and if there's anything we can do as the DDA. Commissioner Reyes: Well, when we meet, we'll talk about it, but we can't -- we're going to talk about it. Now that you're talking about Lotus House, I remember that last year, we contributed from my AP, we contributed $10,000, and I made a challenge to you and everybody else of my colleagues to match it. And besides that, I got to tell you this: I don't know if you know, we have been contributing to -- I mean I personally -- every -- I have sent, I mean, numerous times, I've been sending groceries and different type of contributions to Lotus House. But I think that -- and also, out of my office account, we -- I contributed -- personally, I contributed another -- an additional $5,000. I will ask that from everybody, that is so concerned about it if we -- can match it. I'm going to contribute $10, 000 this time, and an additional 5. That's going to be $15,000 that I'm contributing to Lotus House, which I agree, they need funding and they're doing a hell of a good job. But -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Now, Commissioner -- Commissioner Reyes: -- regarding DDA, I -- we will be discussing that when we meet. Yes, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 don't want to up the ante, but 1 think Commissioner Russell asked for between 300 and 400, 000. So what I will try to do - - and I'll instruct Mr. Walker to do some Omni CRA since I'm in a very generous mood today. The whole day, I've been in a super generous mood. Commissioner Carollo knows that. 1 think the Lotus House does a great, great -- they do great work. Commissioner Reyes: Great, fantastic, yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I think that the Omni CRA maybe can contribute 100K -- Commissioner Reyes: Good. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- 100,000 to help that extra -- Commissioner Carollo: I'm confitsed. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- coming from our budget, because I think -- City ofMiami Page 15 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Reyes: Besides -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I know the work they do, and I had a couple of Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- former employee that was working on all my campaigns and was very active with them, and I know the work they do. I personally know the work they do, and 1 think that we should do what we can. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: This is a tight budget year, a tight budget year. We get it. But they're good, and they're very serious in what they do, and they're very committed to what they do. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I think the Omni CRA can do probably 100 and kind of help you get where you want to get, Commissioner Russell. Commissioner Reyes: And I know that -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And don't expect this generosity in the next Commission meeting. We're done with this generosity after today. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Well, but I was going to ask you to take me to dinner, you know. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, we could do that too because I haven't eaten anything. Commissioner Reyes: But what I'm saying is, I mean, we -- I know that we're going to deal with it, because we have talked about it. And Christina and I, we have talked about it. And I've been contributing -- personally contributing to Lotus House. And what I'm doing is -- I mean, besides our contribution, I just want to know how much - -I'm contributing another $15,000, you see. Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'm not contributing anything. And let me tell you why. Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) last time? Commissioner Carollo: Yes, Lotus House does a wonderful job. But when we have 126 positions in the Police Department that are going to be laid off -- we have a whole bunch more -- 34 in the Fire Department and others throughout the City -- we got close to a couple of hundred employees that we might be laying off -- Commissioner Reyes: You're right. Commissioner Carollo: -- even though some are positions we haven't filled, but the vast majority are layoffs. You know -- Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: -- it's a very different year. City ofMiami Page 16 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes. Commissioner Carollo: Very different year to be giving dollars. I mean, I'm very grateful, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, the 2 million, but your predecessor left you with another 6 million in debt. And -- but I didn't know you had a hundred left. You can bring that down to 5-9. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not me. Sad to hear about it. Commissioner Reyes: My contribution doesn't come from -- Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair and Commissioners, I do apologize for the interruption. The recording system that we have needs to reset at midnight -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Mr. Hannon: -- so I need us to recess our meeting right now. Commissioner Reyes: Let me finish this -- Chair Hardemon: No, no, no, no. We can't finish. He has to recess. Mr. Hannon: I do need to recess now -- Commissioner Reyes: Well, recess then. Mr. Hannon: -- so that the recording system can reset at midnight, and we can start again at 12: 01. I do apologize. Coniniissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, fine. Commissioner Carollo: Don't turn into a pumpkin, Christina. Ms. Crespi: So I'm just going to re -read BH.2. Okay, Todd? Because the language is wrong. The numbers are wrong. Mr. Hannon: Just bear with me for just another second. Commissioner Reyes: Christina, before you read that, I want to clam where the money comes from; my contribution, okay? Because I don't want a misunderstand -- Ms. Crespi: The DDA budget? Are you talking about --? Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, no; my contribution from my office. Ms. Crespi: Oh, okay, sure, sure. Go ahead. Mr. Hannon: Okay. So, Chair, we're good to go with the recording, but it sounds like we need to go back to BH.2. Is that correct, Madam DDA Director? Ms. Crespi: Yes, please. Mr. Hannon: So, Chair -- Chair Hardemon: Okay. No, it would be BH.3, right? City ofMiami Page 17 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Hannon: BH.2 is where 1 saw on the guide where the DDA Executive Director reads the millage statement. Chair Hardemon: Well, at this time, we'll read the millage statement into the record, because we did the public hearing for it, so -- Mr. Hannon: Understood, understood. Chair Hardemon: -- she can read it into the record. Okay. Mr. Hannon: Understood. Ms. Crespi: I'm sorry. It's late and I read the wrong thing, so we're going to redo it. Chair Hardemon: Please. That's a big mistake. Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay. I just want -- Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to -- now that we are live -- that understand what Commissioner Carollo -- his statement about the amount of people that we have to let go, and I know most of that comes from the general fund. The fund that I'm using to help Lotus House is from Anti - Poverty, and that cannot be used for anything else but that purpose. And we have a lot of'poverty in my district, but this is a good cause. Okay? Commissioner Carollo: Well, I got about 100 plus homeless in our parks across the street. Commissioner Reyes: We do have a lot of them. Commissioner Carollo: Can you help with some of that money there to do something with them? Commissioner Reyes: Are you talking to me? Commissioner Carollo: Well, actually, Ms. Crespi, your Executive Director. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. We've been working with the homeless. Commissioner Carollo: Why don't you enlighten us with that? Commissioner Reyes: We have a homeless program, and we're working directly with the Trust and also with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) de la Calle, for example, and all that. We're working very hard with our -- those programs. Commissioner Carollo: Maybe you can buy us a bunch of one-way tickets. Commissioner Reyes: Oh, I wish I could do that for you. Commissioner Carollo: Vegas, those wonderful places like Portland, Seattle, maybe New York. Commissioner Reyes: San Francisco. Okay, Christina. Vice Chair Russell: Christina, if I could -- you need to read your thing. Ms. Crespi: Can you hear me? Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Go ahead. Yeah, you could read it. City ofMiami Page 18 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 BH.3 7803 Downtown Development Authority Ms. Crespi: Okay. So I'm going to read the correct language for BH.2. I apologize for that mistake. The proposed general operating millage rate is 0.4681 mills for the Miami DDA for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and ending September 30, 2021. The operating millage rate is 1.78 percent higher than the State -defined rollback rate of 0.4599 mills. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I move and -- it was moved and seconded. And I want to move -- Do I have to move it again? No? Okay. Okay, Mr. Chair. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL FINAL 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; 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 SAID DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE OPERATIONS OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; PROVIDING THAT SAID FINAL 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-20-0305 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. So my question wasn't fully answered, though; if I could. just get a little help. If you could refresh my memory, Christina, in -- whether it's in BH.4 or in this item. What is currently line-itemed within the DDA budget for the homeless, and how much of it is actually allocated versus waiting to be allocated? Christina Crespi (Executive Director, Downtown Development Authority): All right. So we have $120,000 allocated in our budget for homeless programming, but 1 will say that we have allocations in the budget related to the DET (Downtown Enhancement Team), our Pit Stop Program, and things of that nature. You know, we hire formerly homeless individuals. We try to be part of the solution by giving them jobs. So when you tally up the entire budget towards homeless programming, it's close to about $800,000. Vice Chair Russell: But the unallocated portion is just over 100 at this point? City ofMiami Page 19 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Ms. Crespi: About 120, 000. Vice Chair Russell: Okay. I -- you know, I'm advocating on behalf of Lotus just hearing where they're coming from. I know what they do, and I know we've been trying to put together about this amount for the last couple years, so I hope you all are able to come to some agreement at the board to help them out. And thank you, Commissioner Reyes; and certainly, thank you, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. I know it goes to a good cause. With homeless children, I mean, it doesn't get more dire than that, so thank you all. Commissioner Reyes: You are welcome, sir. Are you going to contribute anything -- Commissioner Carollo: Who? Commissioner Reyes: -- from your budget? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Reyes: No, I mean -- Commissioner Carollo: Marble tops. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Mr. Chairman -- Chair Hardemon: The item has been properly moved and seconded. Seeing no further discussion on the item, say "aye," if you approve. The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Against? Commissioner Carollo: Christina, it's -- Chair Hardemon: Motion passes. Commissioner Carollo: -- depressing -- Chair Hardemon: BH.3. Commissioner Carollo: -- that after -- we were told that if we wouldn't hire someone in the past that was going to be the great white hope that DDA (Downtown Development Authority) would come down crumbling but look what happened. We got you here. Ms. Crespi: Thank you so much for that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And we're very lucky. Ms. Crespi: I'm happy to be here. I'm, happy to serve the community, and I'm so happy to work with all of you and wish you a quicker night than -- you know -- past midnight. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Stay safe. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Christina. Commissioner Reyes: Thank you. Thank you, Christina. Be safe. Good job. City ofMiami Page 20 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 BH.4 7808 Downtown Development Authority Ms. Crespi: Bye. Thank you. Commissioner Reyes: Good job. And we will talk about the Lotus House and all the other problems, I mean (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Ms. Crespi: Absolutely. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Ms. Crespi: We're here to help find solutions. Thank you. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Chair Hardemon: Do we still need to approve the annual budget though for the DDA (Downtown Development Authority)? Ms. Crespi: Sorry, say that again. Chair Hardemon: Do we still need to approve an annual budget for the DDA? Ms. Crespi: Yes. It's BH 2, BH.3, and BH.4. Chair Hardemon: Right. Commissioner Reyes: Move it. Chair Hardemon: But the motion was for BH.3, right? That's what we just approved. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE FINAL ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("MIAMI DDA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $11,595,000.00 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, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; 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, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0306 City ofMiami Page 21 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes Chair Hardemon: Now, we need to approve the -- 1 need the motion to approve BH.4, which is the annual budget. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Christina Crespi (Executive Director, Downtown Development Authority): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion? Commissioner Reyes: Move it. Commissioner Carollo: Motion -- second. Chair Hardemon: Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor of the motion, say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries. Ms. Crespi: Thank you so much. Have a great night. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You, too. Bye-bye. Commissioner Reyes: Bye-bye. BH.5 ORDINANCE 7735 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 FINAL RATE OF 7.9900 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, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13925 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes Chair Hardemon: All right. Now, so we're moving to the -- adopting the millage for the City of Miami. The millage rate for the City of Miami has already been read into the record. That's correct, right? City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management and Budget): Yes, sir. Chair Hardemon: So then all we need is a motion to approve the -- BH.5, correct? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll move it. Commissioner Carollo: Move. Chair Hardemon: Been properly moved and seconded. Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It's an ordinance, Chairman. Commissioner Carollo: Yes, ordinance. Commissioner Reyes: Second. Chair Hardemon: Read it into the record, please. The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 7.99? Ms. Mendez: 7.9900 mills on the dollar. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Okay. Chair Hardemon: All in favor of the motion, say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries. BH.6 ORDINANCE 7736 Office of Management and Budget AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ADOPTING A FINAL BUDGET AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO OPERATIONAL AND BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN NECESSARY ACTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER AND DESIGNATED CITY OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS, FINANCIAL CONTROLS, COMPLETED PROJECTS, PROJECT CLOSE-OUTS, EMERGENCY PROGRAMS AND FUNDING, ACCOUNTING ENTRIES, AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH FOR GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES IN PROGRESS AND FOR NECESSARY RELATED DOCUMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND EXECUTIONS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13926 MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s) RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S) MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes Note for the Record: A motion was made by Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, seconded by Vice Chair Russell, and was passed unanimously, to allocate one City ofMiami Page 23 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 million dollars (51,000,000.00) to Districts 1, 3 and 4 Offices and seven hundred thousand dollars 0700,000.00) to the Mayor's Office for constituent services to be provided by their respective offices. Furthermore, constituent services currently provided by the Administration within Districts 2 and 5 will remain status quo. For additional minutes referencing Item BH.6, please see "Public Comment for All Budget Item(s). " Chair Hardemon: All right, gentlemen. BH.6. Commissioner Carollo: Last item. Chair Hardemon: Last item. Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Chairman, I'm going to read the title. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, please. Chair Hardemon: Sure. The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney. Chair Hardemon: All right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Chair Hardemon: Discussion. Vice Chair Russell: Yes, please. Chair Hardemon: Vice Chairman, you're recognized. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. Gentlemen and everyone, I know that we must submit a balanced budget by law within the next five days to the State, and everyone is doing what they can to balance that budget. These are hard decisions, and I certainly don't judge anyone for taking even hard decisions that we need to take statutorily. What I need to understand before we make these decisions is whether or not the Administration has done everything it can to get the maximum amount of money from the Federal Government that is due to the City; if we haven't, then we're giving up without fighting; without fighting for our people, for our family, our fellow employees. And if we have and there's nothing left to do, then here we are, and the cuts have to be made. But I just have a couple questions for the Administration if you all could indulge me, because it's been said -- and you all have heard it for the last few weeks -- Atlanta got $80 million; we got zero. In the last census, Atlanta was well under 500,000, just as we are. Why was Atlanta able to recalibrate above 500,000? They're now at 5-0-6, by a hair, and we are still under by 15,000. Whether it's Mr. Manager, Chris Rose, Madam City Attorney, who can help me understand how the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act calculates this census number, and what needs to be done? Because there's only two other cities in the country in our boat, and to me, that means we should be able to find some help, whether it's from Senators Scott and Rubio, whether it's from our others in DC (District of Columbia). The fact that Atlanta was able to recalibrate that 5 percent and get there, but Colorado Springs could not, Raleigh could not, and the City of Miami could not, that little hair of a difference is killing us. And when we have to just fold, we are laying off people that have families; working families, who should be serving this community in the recovery City ofMiami Page 24 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 and not being a part of our burden that we're going to need to service. And so, 1 understand the cuts that may need to come. I'm just not willing to give up yet until 1 know that we do not have access to those funds. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair? Vice Chair Russell: So I just -- if I could just get some answers from the Administration on -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: -- how Atlanta got 500, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for us to get 500. Commissioner Reyes: My question is in line with yours. The question is, have we tried to recalibrate? Have we done anything to recalibrate? Because if we haven't started any action to recalibrate and to -- and have -- I mean, I don't know -- a recount or whatever it is in order for us to reach 500,000, then -- I mean, I don't know how we can do it if we don't start the process. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: When we start the redistricting process and we hire a demographer, and we start that process, then they'll be able to calibrate or -- Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- extrapolate, or whatever you want to call it -- Commissioner Reyes: Exactly. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- exactly what we have in population. That could lead to a lot of good things for us down the line once we say, "Hey, by the way, this is what the numbers really look like." Commissioner Reyes.. But as of now, we haven't done anything. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As of now, we haven't done it, yes. Commissioner Carollo: Well, I disagree. Vice Chair Russell: 1 just want you to remember, a year -- a little over a year ago, 1 was talking at Commission about what it means to become a mega city -- meaning hit that 500,000 -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Vice Chair Russell: -- and the potential to annex Blue Lagoon or -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Brownsville. Vice Chair Russell: -- Brownsville, yeah -- and would that put us over? And, of course, we didn't have the foresight at that time of the crisis we'd be in, or we -- Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Vice Chair Russell: -- definitely, would have moved faster on that. We -- Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, I hate to bust your bubble, but we've been talking about this for decades before you got here. I remember when -- and Commissioner Reyes is smiling, because he probably remembers this -- City ofMiami Page 25 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: -- Commissioner Teele and I discussing that -- Vice Chair Russell: Really? Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: -- years ago in a Commission meeting. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: So this has been an ongoing battle to the City getting there. I even remember as a young Commissioner, Mayor Ferre talking about that, on his tail end of his last term. Commissioner Reyes: Mm-hmm. Absolutely right. Commissioner Carollo: The fact is that there's so much the Administration could do. They can't make up numbers. And in this one, I have to say that the Administration has tried everything within their reach to get the money. The problem here is not how many people we have or don't have; it's not the Federal Government. The problem here is the County. Mayor Gimenez wanted to punish the City. Mayor Gimenez wants to put us against the eight ball so when he loses the congressional race, he could then make another comeback immediately, and try to run for Mayor of the City and try, to have us in a financial bind so he could play savior when he runs, and that's where the real problem has lied. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. -- through the Chair -- Vice Chair Russell: Could I just ask the Manager directly though if you could help me with a little guidance on this, Mr. Manager or Mr. Rose? Art Noriega (City Manager): Commissioner Russell, I've got to defer on this one. I'm not sure how we would have gone back and made an appeal to recalibrate numbers relative to our census numbers. Vice Chair Russell: Do we know what Atlanta did? Mr. Noriega: How Atlanta got to their number? No, I have no idea how Atlanta got to their number. I can easily find -- I can by to find out. Vice Chair Russell: Please, please, because they figured out a way and it made the difference between 80 million, and they're not having the conversations we're having right now, and I've got to believe it's possible. And I'm not saying you haven't done your job, or you haven't tried, but I think there are possibilities out there that we're just not yet aware of, and Atlanta figured it out, whatever that is. And if we missed the boat, if they did moves last year that we didn't do and -- you know -- they could -- they didn't have a crystal ball, either. They just were -- happened to be recalibrating and re -extrapolating their numbers. Maybe they're doing then what Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla's suggesting we do now, and they got ahead of the game. I don't know. But once I know that there is nothing out there for us, you know, it gives me a little more peace of mind to make harder decisions. Mr. Noriega: Yeah. I'll defer to the Mayor, because he's had the communications with Washington, especially the White House, and our Senators with regards to -- City ofMiami Page 26 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 you know -- some of our available options in light of that different -- that small differential between us and Atlanta, so I'll kind of let him speak to that. Chair Hardemon: Mayor, you're recognized. Mayor Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, so what happened with Atlanta is Atlanta's 2010 number, which is when we did the census last, was significantly under -- not significantly -- but it was under 500,000 by -- I believe it was 20 or 30,000. The -- what the Treasury Department did was, they took the 2019 adjusted census number; that's what got them over the 506,000. Our adjusted 2019 census number is 468; that's our adjusted 2019 number. So if they took our adjusted 2019 number, we'd still be 32,000 under. Nevertheless, I reached out to the White House, specifically asking them -- because 1-- and frankly, I think politically it would be a smart move on the White House's part to find a way -- there's three cities in America, and I don't have the other two off the top of my head, but there's three -- two other cities -- Vice Chair Russell: One was Colorado Springs. Mayor Suarez: -- that are within 5 percent of the 500,000. And so, our argument was, look, you know, we should be considered, along with those other two cities. It wouldn't -- you know, there's only 34 cities, I believe, that got the direct payment. So there's very, very few cities in the United States that actually got the direct payment. I believe it's 34. So this would have expanded it if they would have considered a city that was within 5 percent, would have expanded it to 37 cities. So that's the overture that we're making. I mean, I welcome any other elected official, obviously, making any overtures that they feel that can be made, because remember, what that would do for us -- first of all, that would get us $80 million -- right? -- essentially. But that money could not be used under the current legislative regime for what they call revenue shortfalls. So then what we would need is the second piece, which by the way, both the Senate and the House versions had revenue shortfalls in their hill, right? So irrespective of whether we got more money, which is part of the new potential second round, or CARES 2.0, or the Heroes Bill, or whatever you want to call it, even if we would have gotten more money, or even if it would have been more money, and even if it would have waterfalled down, right? So I was talking to the Mayor of Los Angeles today, Mayor Garcetti, and he was saying that the better way to have done it would have been to do it based on CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) allocations as opposed to the half a million population, which, obviously, didn't waterfall -- did not waterfall down. And it wasn't just us that didn't get it. Dallas didn't get it. I spoke to the Dallas Mayor. I mean, there's so many cities that I've spoken to, Mayors that I've spoken to over the last -- you know -- two months that have complained that they also did not get the money. So the counties did not only withhold it from us, but they withheld it from cities across the United States. So this is something that's affected a tremendous amount of people. So I -- again, the reason why Atlanta got it was because their adjusted number went slightly over 500, and they were able to convince the Federal Government of that. Our adjusted number is still slightly under 500. We're still trying to get like a 2020 -- no. You know, 2020 is when you actually do the new census, right? So we're trying to -- we're still trying to work it. But then the second piece of it is, we need to get Federal legislation that would allow us to use -- to spend it on revenue shortfalls, which is in, by the way, both the House and the Senate. So if anything passes, I'm fairly confident that a couple of things will happen. Number one: It'll extend the deadline, because the deadline was December 31. And I can tell you -- I can guarantee you -- and I'm sure Commissioner Carollo will agree with this, and Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla and Commissioner Reyes will agree with this. The County is not going to spend the $475 million by December 31. That is not going to happen. They -- there City ofMiami Page 27 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 was an article in the Miami Herald talking about just in the restaurant fund, that $30 million restaurant fitnd, I think they had spent 475, 000. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Mayor Suarez: 30 million. So there is no way they're going to spend all that money. So they're going to ask for an extension. They've also indicated they're not going to give the money back; that's not going to happen either, right? So they're going to ask for an extension. And then, of course, that second piece of legislation, if it -- if either bill passes, even the more conservative bill, it would allow us if we had money to use it on revenue shortfalls, which is what we've been hoping for. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And if I could just follow up, Mr. Chairman. So, Mr. Mayor, one of the other cities that's like us is Colorado Springs, and 1-- Mayor Suarez: That's right; that is one of them. Vice Chair Russell: -- reached out to Mayor Suthers' office. And, Commissioner Carollo, to your point -- Mayor Suarez: I think Raleigh, North Carolina is the other one. Vice Chair Russell: Yes; Raleigh, North Carolina. Mayor Suarez: Yeah. Vice Chair Russell: So to Commissioner Carollo's point, what they said is, "Yeah, we were in the same pickle as Miami, but our county shared with us. So we're not as good as we would be if we had gotten direct funding, but we're about halfway there; and so, we're satisfied." Mayor Suarez: And what's ironic -- and they had -- their last offer was at 50 percent, right? The -- when they had offered the 135, which is what they took to the County Commission ifvou all remember. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Mayor Suarez: And then they lowered it from that to 30, and then they brought it back up to a hundred. And the hundred was supposed to be split 75 million in reimbursements, and 25 million in new programs. We gave them 90 million in spending, right? You guys remember that because you guys all put that together. And what's ironic is they haven't given us a penny of the hundred million, not one penny. And as far as I know, they haven't given anybody a penny of the hundred million. And now, they're talking about giving the hundred million based on population, which is just crazy. I mean, it's crazy to think that after all this that we fought and we've been saying from the get -go to please treat us based on population, now they're talking about distributing the hundred million, because they realize you can't -- how are you going to pick from all the cities, right? What's the criteria? There's no criteria. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Mayor, if I may ask -- because that's a great point. If I may ask, distribute the hundred million among the 13 Commission districts, like little mini slush funds they want to create, or amongst cities? Mayor Suarez: No. So the slush fund was the other 370 million. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. It's a big slush fund. City ofMiami Page 28 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mayor Suarez: It's a big one. So -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a Slurpee. Mayor Suarez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) apiece. According to the cities based on population, it's 270 of the 475 million, which is roughly 56 percent of -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wow. Mayor Suarez: -- that's our population in comparison to the County, right? If all the cities were incorporated -- I'm sorry -- all the cities that are incorporated, their population is 56 percent of the entire County population. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. But we talked about the poverty level in Miami, right? You and I had this conversation and the whole Commission had this conversation -- right? -- that we have a poorer city than -- you know -- than a Doral and -- you know -- a Miami Beach. Right? Mayor Suarez: No doubt. Commissioner Reyes: We are one of the poorest cities in the nation -- not only in the County -- in the nation. Mayor Suarez: The saddest part is you guys did today something very, very important with the mortgages and with the extensions, and all that money could have gone into those programs. Those programs were already there. The criteria is already there. All we had to do was fund the programs, and we could have just given more money out. So they didn't have programs. They don't have criteria. By the way, I put the County Mayor on the spot in a meeting with the League of Cities. I put Jennifer Glaser Moon on the spot. I put -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Did she say anything behind her mask? Mayor Suarez: I put Glaser Moon on the spot. I put Ed Marquez on the spot. You know what I mean? I asked them -- you know -- "How much of the money have you actually spent?" Right? They hadn't spent any of the money. And they're not going to spend all the money by December 31. I don't think that's even possible at this point. Vice Chair Russell: So, Mr. Mayor, it sounds like what you're saying is there is no hope at this moment to see something additional corning in a recalibration, but if the next act is passed that we're optimistic for something. Mayor Suarez: So I think there's two pieces. The first is on the first CARES Act. I think unless something happens where they're given more time and they realize -- the County realizes they can't spend it, or there's new leadership at the County in the next month and a half. And both the candidates for Mayor have both been sort of pro -City on this issue. So -- you know -- my hope is that something like that changes. That's one possibility. The second part is, we need legislation to authorize the expenditure of those funds in -- for revenue shortfalls. But then, of course, if there's a second part to it -- if there's a Part "B," then there could be potentially more monies. And there's been talk -- as early as today, I was talking to -- I was on the League of Cities leadership call today, and they were talking about the possibility of there being a smaller package prior to the election, so that's the hope. Vice Chair Russell: If that's the case and there is a horizon here, there's a potential, there's a light at the end of the tunnel -- you know -- the hard decisions we're having City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 to make have some permanent -- you know -- repercussions for folks, would it he prudent for us to dip a little deeper into our reserves for the moment to buy a little time to get to those potential 'yesses" versus making the cuts we need to balance our budget by the end of this week? Would that buy us a little time, perhaps, to find that additional money -- or advocate for -- and go full court press, whether it's against the County, the State, or the Federal Government, to help stabilize this City? That would just keep us from having to let our people go. Mayor Suarez: Look, I -- the problem is, it's just hard to rely on something that's so uncertain, you know? We haven't -- and 1 want to commend, and 1 haven't mentioned the Chairman. But the Chairman was an incredibly staunch advocate throughout this process as the President of the League of Cities, fighting for this. So - - you know -- you're relying on, "A, " the County's good will, which hasn't happened, right? Then you're relying on, "B," the Federal Government to legislate, which we know is deadlocked. You know, if they do legislate, obviously, I think we would immediately -- as we've done in the past -- put the money to work, whether it's in our budget or in the programs that we've established that we know our working -- right? - - and they're helping people that are severely impoverished. I just don't know if Chris can balance the budget on those promises. Vice Chair Russell: I know Chris would not advocate for -- Commissioner Carollo: He can't. Vice Chair Russell: -- dipping further into the reserves, but I'm wondering if this Commission has any will to do so, to buy some time and help some of our employees. Commissioner Carollo: The only good will, Mayor, that I've seen from the County has been to "el favorito." I understood he was doing quite well in particularly the early days of the crisis, bringing in the PPE through the Miami International Airport, and there was a certain company that was registered in Miami. It's a foreign corporation. You know, why would the favorito klan need to hide ownership through a foreign, non -Florida corporation? I don't know. I don't know. What is being done to the City of Miami is totally wrong. And let me say this to you, Mr. Mayor: You and I have had difference. We've worked very closely together on many things, also. But if this man thinks he's going to come to the City of Miami after what he's done to every resident of Miami to run for Mayor in the next election, there's no way it's going to happen. And 1 right now commit to you my support over this individual for next year. Mayor Suarez: Thank you, Commissioner. I appreciate that. It means a lot. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's kind of a no-brainer at the end of the day; right, Commissioner Carollo? Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely, absolutely. We've all stuck together, whatever difference there is -- you know -- between any of us, we've all came together, like men of good will should in a time of crisis. This happened in the City of Miami. I never thought that a former Fire Chief a former City Manager -- and please, Commissioner, don't remind anybody who appointed him -- would ever have done this to the City of Miami. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1'll tell you who ran the campaign in 2011. You created that Frankenstein, and I kind of helped to keep it alive later on. Commissioner Carollo: I created a few monsters. City ofMiami Page 30 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) off the record later on. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. But I wish that it's not going to be so, what we're going to have to do today, but it is. And at the same time, we haven't been given any wiggle room by the biggest unions. Commissioner Reyes: That's -- Commissioner Carollo: So we have no other way to go. Vice Chair Russell: I know there's some big proposals with regard to NET Office, and there's a lot of other cuts in other departments, as well. Is there a way that -- is there a will to hold the line until this election in November to see whether the new Mayor is going to be more cooperative and more just with the cities? And what would that cost us -- and maybe that's a question for Chris -- from our reserves to not have to make these heavy layoffs for this extra month? We're really just talking about another month. So to balance our budget for this week and get us to the next month to make those hard decisions if that's where we truly are at that point. Chris? Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management and Budget): Good evening, Commissioners. We've got a lot of recommended changes from the book that we would like to get in front of you. If we wanted to dip into reserves for one month, it would be -- I'm calculating as I speak right now, but what we need is about $16.8 million. So divide that by 12, and that gives us a one -month number. Mr. Noriega: Chris, Chris -- Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Mr. Noriega: Hold on a second. That's not entirely true. So think of this in terms of this: Some of the positions that we're talking about are unfilled positions. So what l would do is calculate that based on just the positions that are filled -- Vice Chair Russell: Good point. Mr. Noriega: -- right? Because it's less. So it's not quite at 16 million divided by 12. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah -- Mr. Noriega: It's less than half of that. Commissioner Carollo: -- but here -- and the Manager is right about that. But here's the problem that I see: That not for this fiscal year coming now, you said what the whole is, but the following one is going to he much greater. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: Much greater. And how much greater it'll be, who knows, but it's going to be much greater than this one. So if we get ourselves in a bigger hole, then what are we going to do then for the next fiscal year; lay off even more people? So I don't think it's wise to spend what we don't have in hand as much as we would like to. And I agree with the Mayor on that. You know, the two main unions that we have made decisions. They -- look, let's not stray. Very few people in our country have not felt the wrath of COVID-19 financially. It's been across the board. Our City, employees, we're not asking them to take pay cuts. What we asked them was to work with us in monies that we had agreed to get them in extra from the past if they could wait a little longer until we would get over this hump. They declined. City ofMiami Page 31 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 They'd prefer to see some of the younger employees be laid off. And we weren't talking again about cutting back anybody's salary;: just not applying the additional increases. 1 could understand that they feel that they deserve that, and 1 truly could understand that. But what I can't understand is if they know that what has happened with COVID-19 has been a pandemic unlike anything our country has seen in our lifetime, why they couldn't be flexible in this. This is not something that we did on purpose, that we planned. This has hit everyone. So they made the choice -- we're just following through on the decisions they made -- that they prefer the additional pay increases to a majority of the membership in those unions versus not taking them now, waiting a couple of years, and not having to lay off so many people; that's why we're in the situation we're in. Thanks to "el favorito's" father and this situation. But I will not vote to throw out the dice and put ourselves potentially in a bigger hole for next fiscal year, so then what we're going to have to do in layoffs would be even greater than what we're presenting today. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, were you referring to Fire and Police? Because my understanding was that AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) was offering a freeze on their increases. Commissioner Carollo: I did. If you heard me clearly, I said, "our two biggest unions." Commissioner Reyes: The biggest unions. Vice Chair Russell: Got it. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair, I have a question for Chris. Don't we have some requirements that state that we have to keep a certain amount of reserves that state -- don't we have a minimum requirement of reserves, Chris? Mr. Rose: Forgive me; I was muted. Commissioner Reyes: Chris? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. We do have a minimum requirement according to the State. I would have to calculate it out, but it's a relatively low number compared to where we are even now. We would probably be in the 40 million range, somewhere in that range. But if you would give us a moment or two, we will calculate -- Commissioner Reyes: No, that is fine. I just wanted to know if fwe have met -- Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to know. Commissioner Reyes: -- the minimum requirement. And also, I do agree with Commissioner Carollo. We cannot -- I mean, we don't know what's going to happen next year. You see, the economic recovery, and particularly in this part of the country, which our economy depends mostly on tourism and service -oriented industries, we are in for a long -- I mean, for a long recovery, and I think that it will be unwise for us now to start getting from -- I mean, depleting our reserves without knowing what's going to happen next year, you see? And I hope that the recovery could be accelerated if certain things happen in this, you see, and if the results of the elections are the way that I expect it, and investors, they don't shy away from investing in the United States, or taking money out of it, but we don't know. We don't know what's going to happen. We don't know. We don't know if we -- how much we're going to get, if we get any funds from CARE that we can cover other things, you see. I mean, we are -- there are so many uncertainties that I don't think that it is -- at this time, I don't think it is responsible to get our hands in our reserves without City ofMiami Page 32 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 having any clear -- 1 mean, at least some idea of what's going to happen next year, you see? And what really happen is what Commissioner Carollo, what he was stating, and then that's the same thing that I have talked to the City Manager, that our two major unions, they don't want to -- it is not that they are going to forgive those increases, salary increases, no. It's they don't want to postpone it to a later date, you see, but that's what we asked them, the payments to be postponed, and the salary increases to be postponed. It's not that they are going to lose it. But that's the way it is, and we have to make decisions, and as Commissioner Russell just stated, very hard decisions. But that's why they elected us, and we have to do it, and that's it. Commissioner Carollo: Well, let me just take another couple of seconds in thanking the general employees from AFSCME -- Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: -- for having taken the step that they did in working with us. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir. I add myself to that thanks. Vice Chair Russell: Well, how do we reward that tonight though? How do we show that those who are being flexible with us, we can try to be flexible with them? Commissioner Reyes: Well, may I suggest we are going to be -- I mean, we're going to be discussing contracts pretty soon, and we have to take into consideration those people that helped us when we need help, and helped the City -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, the -- Commissioner Reyes: -- and put the City before their own interests. I mean, they are committed to our City, because -- I been watching here and what -- I hate to say this, but there's a lack of commitment to the City, you see. There's a lack of commitment. We are committed to the City, but there's a lack of commitment to the City, you see. Commissioner Carollo: But you know what I was suggesting? Commissioner Reyes: And the general employees, they are committed to the City that has employed them and has treated them right, you see? Commissioner Carollo: What I would suggest, Commissioner -- and Pin sure you have a pretty good relationship with Daniela -- get something in writing from her that she will commit 100 percent to doing right by the City, and she could put a number down that she will give to the City. Some of us will try to do the same thing - Commissioner Reyes: With Bovo. Commissioner Carollo: -- with Bovo. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. I volunteer to do it -- I mean, to ask him for it. I mean, we all could go and ask him for it and get a commitment from him too. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, Mr. Chair, is this the appropriate time to move to deal with our district offices within our budget? So I would like to move that we allocate $1 million to each of the five Commission districts; $700,000 to the Mayor's office to compensate for some of -- you know, to help some employees who City ofMiami Page 33 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 continue some of the functions, and have that debate how we can save close to $3 million for the City of Miami -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, the numbers -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and then we can have the conversation about it. So I want to make that motion so we can have that conversation and see -- Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner; if I can for discussion purpose -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: -- the numbers that we were sent yesterday were different. We were talking about -- or at least the Administration -- 658,000 per Commission office, and 426,000 for the Mayor's office. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's what I have in front of me. And then I -- in fact, I have the whole 11 page memo, Commissioner, that they issued, which was not the conversation that I've had with our City Manager and with our Mayor, and they can attest to the conversations that we've already had -- the numerous conversations -- about how we're going to bring government closer to the people, make districts offices that are accountable to the people and responsive to the people; how sometimes we need to make these changes that may be difficult, because people are -- you know -- they're entrenched bureaucracies. Commissioner Carollo: Look, I'm not questioning that. What I'm saving is -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, I know, but let me finish my thought. We saw the internal -- ifI may, Commissioner -- that there was an internal lobbying effort -- we saw it in the public comments -- by this entrenched bureaucracy that wants to continue this inefficiency instead of allowing duly -elected officials to create district offices that are accountable to specific people that are elected so that if you call a NET Office right now and you say, "1 have this problem," and they don't solve the problem, nothing happens, because they don't have to solve the problem, because nobody can fire them. Commissioner Carollo: That's true. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Now, we have a lot of good NET employees, and some of them -- and maybe a lot of them -- may very well be hired by the different district offices -- Commissioner Reyes: That's for sure. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- that we're going to create, because there are a lot of good people. I mean, alone in the district that I represent, I have five people already in my mind that are great people that can work -- some may not want to work with me, but the ones that do are okay, because they're very competent and they do a lot -- but now they're accountable. And so, it's -- and on top of that, it's a system that has a level of hierarchy -- right? -- top to bottom, duly elected officials, an office that is responsive -- same geographic boundaries so that we're responsive, and we bring government close to people, so that the people that we represent can go directly to a district office and say, "I want this problem solved." And if that problem is not solved, guess what happens. That Commissioner is not re-elected, because that -- those people say, "Wait a minute. He didn't solve my problem, or she didn't solve my problem?" And that's the accountability that we want to bring; that efficiency, that -- you know -- that you're responsible for this work. And I am duly elected; Commissioner Russell's duly elected. All of us are duly elected, and we City ofMiami Page 34 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 have that accountability. On top of that, if in a tight budget year with all the difficulties we're going to face, this is a savings of last year's NET budget. And 15n not going to go through specific people, because that's not the right thing to do. $8,637,000, right? That's the number. This proposal is $5.7 million, right? One million for each Commissioner's office so they can hire who they think will be responsive and accountable, and good for the people they represent, and -- versus 8.6, a little bit more and change. So that's almost a $3 million savings. Commissioner Reyes: I would like to hear the Manager and what are his thoughts about that proposal, because I've stated -- clearly stated that with that amount, 658,1 won't be able to establish the offices that I want to establish in order to provide to my whole district, which it's a very big district -- I mean, it's a big district that I -- and it is odd -shaped, as you well know, just like yours, and that I'm going to need have people all over, and I won't be able to cover the needs of my district with 658. We need more money. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And let me piggyback on that. There's a memo that -- I don't know if you wrote it, Mr. Manager, or if Chris Rose wrote it -- but that memo doesn't reflect the conversations that we've had. And by the way, these conversations were not only between you and I and the Mayor and I at different points, hut also, at the last meeting that we had, there was a clear indication by Commissioner Reyes on the fact that he wanted to have two district offices; one in Shenandoah and one in the north, because of the diversity of the geographic distance and the diversity of his district as -- I have the same issue. But we have a budget, and we say, "You know what? We want two districts or three or four district offices or one," and every Commissioner can determine that. So to come back with a number that doesn't reflect the numbers that were clearly discussed to allow this efficiency to take place to allow this responsiveness to take place, this accountability to take place concerns me. It's the will of this Commission to allocate dollars. It's the City Manager's responsibility to present us with what he thinks is the best option. Mr. Rose, I don't see you here on the screen, hut I don't know if you wrote this or you came up with these numbers, but 1 can go down the list -- I have it here in front of me -- of how you're shifting positions to other departments, and I get that. I get that. And maybe the savings is not 3 million. Maybe the savings is a million and a half, but the reality is that a lot of businesses and a lot of people are hurting. And when businesses are hurting, you know what they do? There are layoffs. And they have to figure out a way to tighten their belts and save money. And I find that in government, and I found it in Tallahassee, and 1 find it here now, as well, that somehow, people are never laid off. They never go away. Even if-- so I see, without mentioning names, but I see a job that's 162K a year shift to somewhere else, to Human Resource; another job that's -- you know, it's sort of like -- of course, there's not going to be any savings if you constantly shift people. So why don't they work towards efficiency, get the real savings in place, beyond the savings, because the savings are part of the conversation, but not -- the responsiveness to the constituencies that we represent, the efficiency in government, the -- abandoning a system that does -- hasn't -- does not work. Miami -Dade County did it; one of the few things they did right many years ago -- decades ago actually, -- that now we have a system where we have geographically centered district offices that respond to the people we represent, and we are accountable for them. And I don't understand why this proposal that's before us that was a draft that was issued yesterday doesn't reflect that common-sense approach to what's happening today with our economic downturn and our economic difficulties that we're facing. It needs to reflect that, and we need to figure out a way to be efficient, to be accountable, and not be afraid of change. Change is very difficult, I know. I get it. I was in Tallahassee many years and it took -- I was able to change some things; not a lot, but I was able to change some things along -- in my career. But when I come here, as I get older, I want to be able to really -- during these difficult times, unprecedented times that we City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 face now -- have the opportunity to say, "Let's do something that's good for our citizens, for our residents." And to me, that's what this proposal is about. That's what I think we should be dealing with, and we should -- l f you want to vote it down, vote it down. If you want to vote it up, vote it up. I think it makes sense. It makes economic sense, it makes political sense, and it's about time that we have the courage to make the difficult decisions to change things that have not worked. Mr. Noriega: Can I answer that question? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You can. It's not a question; it's a statement. Mr. Noriega: Well, no, but you made a comment about how difficult it is to make change and make cuts. So remember that we have labor agreements. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know. Mr. Noriega: So labor agreements all have minimum staffing levels, right? The reason why we can't cut Solid Waste -- right? -- and why there are 13 positions; technically, 26, but half of those are vacant that are moving over back into Solid Waste, which were part of NET -- why those aren't being cut is because there are minimum staffing levels required in Solid Waste, so those positions I can't cut. They're going back to Solid Waste, and they're going to provide the same service that there were going to be providing as part of NET, but it won't be incorporated into it. That's a million and a half dollars, okay? So that's a million and a half dollars that we're not saving -- right? -- so when we proposed the 658 -- right? -- part of that issue for us was trying to get to some reasonable savings amount. Under the proposal at a million dollars per office and 700,000 to the Mayor, the actual savings from what we're spending this year -- not even what we proposed in the original budget -- is a meager $400,000. So because of the fact that we are in a lot of ways constrained by -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That meager -- Mr. Noriega: (INAUDIBLE) is part of the problem. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- $400, 000, Mr. Manager, is a little bit less than the savings of closing down Grapeland Water Park for five days of the week. So to me, it's not meager. Mr. Noriega: I know. But it is in comparison to (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Any little bit that we can save -- Mr. Noriega: -- and that's all. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And by the way, I don't want to go into the details -- because I know them -- of the specific jobs; which ones are the ones that are protected jobs and which ones aren't, because I don't want to tar -- I don't want to focus on any individual, because it's not right, because there are a lot of good people that work in these NET offices. So I want to try to stay away from that conversation if I can; I'm going to try to. I know what the savings can be, because I've worked on a lot of budgets over many years. I may be a rookie in Miami, but I'm not a rookie in politics and in budgets. And I know where the savings is and can be, and it's really more like 1.2 million, and that's significant in a year that we're looking at cutting a lot of other things. So when you come back to me after we've had a conversation -- no, no, we had three conversations -- and I've had multiple conversations with our Mayor on this. When you come back and I get a memo that City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 says, "Hey, it's 656 over here," or whatever, 658 and -- that's not what we talked about. That's not what we talked about. Mr. Noriega: Commissioner -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not what we -- Mr. Noriega: -- you get to -- this body gets to determine whatever you want to spend with regards to this particular -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I know that. But its important -- Mr. Noriega: Well, my job, my -- wait a minute. My job is to -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. Mr. Noriega: Commissioner, my job is to identify -- right? -- for you what that budget looks like, given the parameters you set for me. Okay? I'm telling -- I'm just telling you -- right? -- that under the proposal that you're discussing now, which is a million dollars per office -- right? -- the savings year to year, this year, the actual budget this year for next year is $400, 000. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's 1.2 million. That's okay. We're going to have that debate. We'll have Mr. Rose come in, and we can go back and forth. But it doesn't matter, because that's -- because if its 1.2 or 400, it's still a savings. And on top of that, forget the money for a second. We already established there's a savings, right? Now, on top of that, you have efficiency, you have accountability, you have transparency. You have all the things that the people want from their elected officials. So if they don't like what an elected official does in a particular district, they'll vote against that elected official. If they don't like the people that represent that elected official in a particular district, you know what? They'll show it at the ballot box. But what you -- so you have a savings, so that defeats that argument, because -- whatever the amount is. And then you have accountability and transparency and efficiency. What's the debate about? Mr. Noriega: But I'm not sure anybody's debating you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no. I'm debating -- Mr. Noriega: I'm giving you the actual facts. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no, no. I said, "What's the debate about?" 1 didn't say, "We're having a debate." Mr. Noriega: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's -- I'm saying it's common sense to do something like this. Mr. Noriega: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I don't understand what the pushback is, and why a memo -- or a draft or whatever the heck it is -- Mr. Noriega: That's -- Commissioner, nobody's pushed back on this at all, by the way; quite the contrary. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm reading it. City ofMiami Page 37 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Noriega: But what's the pushback? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The pushback is the memo that you issued that was contrary to what you and I spoke about. Mr. Noriega: But that's a budgeted number, right? Those are numbers, by the way. I'm not -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, numbers. Mr. Noriega: But 'pushback" references the issue of the ideology behind what you're talking about. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Mr. Noriega: I've never pushed back on that, not once. I don't have any issue with what you're proposing to do. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Perfect. Mr. Noriega: The issue is what that cost -- right? -- and what you want to 5pend on it; that's really what we're talking about, right? So if it's a million dollars per office, it's a million dollars per office. My job is to tell you -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's what I mean. Mr. Noriega: -- that at a million dollars per office, this is what it costs overall -- right? -- and this is the potential savings this budget year to next year. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So you're telling me -- Mr. Noriega: But let me -- wait. Let me finish. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So you're telling me that we saved $400, 000 (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Mr. Noriega: From this point -- yeah but wait a minute. But that -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I'm saving the City of Miami $400, 000. Mr. Noriega: Just hear me out, just for one second. Just hear me out -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 am. Mr. Noriega: -- because ultimately, you get to make the decisions. It's not my decision. You -- what I'm saying to you is, remember that we originally proposed a budget that reduced the existing NET offices. You remember that proposal, right? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Mr. Noriega: There was a savings embedded in that. It was $1.3 million, okay? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Mr. Noriega: So the difference between that -- right? -- and what you're proposing is less, which means I've got to find that other money from somewhere else; that's all I'm saying. City ofMiami Page 38 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So let's find it. Mr. Noriega: That's all. I have to find that money somewhere. It's not impossible. I'm just telling you it's got to be found somewhere. That differential's got to be found, because that was our original proposal. Commissioner Carollo: If can chime in for a second. Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir. Commissioner Carollo: When we had the first budget hearing, did we discuss at the time the million dollars per office? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: I believe we did, now thinking about it, but, you know, I could be wrong. Help me out, the rest of you. Did we discuss the million dollars in that? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We did, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner Russell, what do you remember? Vice Chair Russell: I do remember the discussion. Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner Reyes? Mr. Noriega: Commissioner Reyes, you're muted. Commissioner Carollo: They muted you down. Commissioner Reyes: I don't know why -- it's sabotage. I've been sabotaged. It could be the Russians. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That never happens. Commissioner Carollo: At least they're taking turns on each of us. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Exactly. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They got me too. Commissioner Reyes: I do -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They got me to, so that's okay. Commissioner Reyes: I do remember that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, in his proposal, he said if we get -- every one of us get $1 million, we can do this, blah, blah, blah. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well -- Commissioner Reyes: And it was mentioned. A million dollars were mentioned. Now -- City ofMiami Page 39 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Carollo: 1 just want to get that on the record, that's all. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. But -- Commissioner Carollo: But my other -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: -- concern right now is what the Manager said. By not working on the numbers, on a million, or at least having ready if you would run into this problem numbers for the million versus the amount -- the 658, plus whatever the Mayor gets, now we're in a situation that for us to finalize this budget, you got to find about $2 million, ill see it right, more or less. And, Chris, where are we going to cut it from in the budget? You tell me. How many people you want to lay off from your department? Commissioner Reyes: Additional. Mr. Rose: So sir, we've got a lot of different moving parts from the proposed budget. And I have been working all afternoon to find different ways to accomplish this. And as the Manager said, there are also shift strength issues in both the Solid Waste and in the Fire -Rescue labor contracts. So -- Commissioner Carollo: But we all knew that from the start. There's positions that they could fall back to. We know that. Mr. Rose: As we get deeper into it, I'm not sure that there are enough positions for them to fall back into, so I think we're going to have to find even more funding than that. So as I said, I've been looking for funding throughout the budget to see what other things we can defer, and also, backing out the AFSCME, because they are working with us. So it is a lot of different things. I am close. We're getting close to it. And 1 hear the million dollars and the 700,000, 1 think, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla said for the Mayor's Office ifI heard that correctly. Commissioner Carollo: That's what he said. Mr. Rose: Okay. I just want to make sure. (MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON) Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) very clear, 5.7. And I would like -- and Chris, I would like -- I'm sorry, Commissioner Carollo, to interrupt you, but this is an important point, because I'd like the Mayor to come in, also, because we've had conversations. You know, and to me, conversations and discussions -- we can't have it between ourselves, because of the Sunshine law that some State legislators passed over there and I don't know what the heck they were thinking. But we can have it with our City Manager. We can have it with our Mayor. And it was very clear, very clear that this was the goal; not to hurt anyone. And a lot of respect for a lot of our NET workers and employees that have done great service to our City. That's not what this is about. I already said what I thought this was about. But the Mayor and I had these conversations, and I had the conversation with our City Manager, and it was fair, at the Mayor's request, that he would get 700, because he needed to have people that would carry the workload of the shifting -- right? -- of the fact that we're eliminating some of these positions, and he's going to have all of these calls coming into his office, and he's couldn't handle it. I get that, and that was a fair -- and I never had this -- I never came up with this idea when I first started -- we were talking about it -- without always thinking that City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 everybody has to be accommodating, every City Commissioner and the Mayor. All of us have to have people that are responsive to their constituents, and have enough manpower to get things done. And 1 would like the Mayor to at least give us -- you know -- what are your thoughts on this, Mayor? And you could share some of the private conversations you and I had on this. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but Commissioner, if I could just finish for a second before the Mayor takes the floor. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. I'm sorry to interrupt you. Commissioner Carollo: Because he's going to take a while, and rightly so. My concern right now is, how can we vote for a balanced budget when we don't know where we're getting that extra money from based upon the budget that they created, not hearing from us. And something else you said before, not getting into names, like you said, but you're absolutely right; the sacred cows that we have that are protected, I mean, we have numerous of those that haven't been touched, people that -- you know -- are sent from one department to the other constantly, because they don't produce, so send them off somewhere else. Now, the previous Manager let go some top Managers up here for whatever reasons, but they weren't working out. You think that he brought them back to the salary that they were in that they had to fall back to? No. They were left with their same hundred -plus thousand -dollar salary, cars, benefits, not a penny less, for a much lower position that they were sent to. I mean, I can go on and on and on. And this why I'm -- you know -- concerned. And you're right in what you're saying. When we have one department alone that I could think of the one guy that's the only one in the department that has all the certification and qualifications that are needed, he's out the door on the layoffs. But the ones that are left on top, they, you know, barely have a high school diploma. I mean, I'm sorry. I have problems with some of these decisions, and -- you know -- to make now decisions on the rush tonight to give a balanced budget is not fair. So I don't know if we're going to have to come hack and how legally we could do it, Madam City Attorney, but maybe Chris wants to proffer some ideas that he has right now. Chris. Mr. Rose: Through the Chair. I see Commissioner Reyes has his hand up and I would not want to speak before him, but he is muted right now. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Here I go again. I just want to ask a simple question. And Mr. City Manager, have you gone deep into every department budget and tried to cut expenditures that they are not totally necessary? I can tell you why, you see. The Fire Department has three boats, you see. The Police Department has a helicopter, and 1 don't know why they need it. You see, there are certain expenditures -- and when Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla was talking about efficiency, I commented to bringing that up, also, because since day one, I've been asking about going, I mean, into every single department and try to be -- I mean, make an efficiency analysis and cut positions that they are not needed or expenditures that they are not needed, and that is a fact. What you said is a fact. And we see people and you mentioned -- and I'm not going to mention names -- that they are promoted or changed from one department to the other, like if we had a policy that we are going to reward inefficiency, you see. And I want to know if you have gone into the departments before we start cutting and all this, or we can pass the budget, because I know that we have to pass the budget, and we get the promise that you're going to go with a scalpel and you're going to start cutting all those unnecessary expenditures, you see -- I mentioned a couple of them. And I know that if you go deep into -- any one of us that go deeper into one of those departments, we're going to find -- City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Commissioner Reyes: --1 mean, millions of dollars that -- and positions that they're not needed, you see. And that's what I've been asking all along, and you're absolutely right, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. We need that. Carollo, you are also right when you said, "Well, if we do it now, what is going to happen?" You see, at this moment, just trying to -- Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, we just saw a prime example of the stuff that can't keep going on this way. 1 asked the Budget Director a simple question: What did he have that he could proffer to see if we could balance this budget tonight based upon the discussion we've had here? What does he do? And I didn't want to say anything more at the time, because I don't want to fluster him fully. He tries to use you to block my question so that he doesn't have to answer me then. And -- you know -- look, I'm too old for this kind of baloney, Chris, okay? Maybe that's what you were taught at the County by the guy that was your mentor, but -- you know -- I'm not the kind of chump that falls for that. Now, you've had an extra few minutes to find something. What do you have for us tonight to see if we could take a vote and give a balanced budget tonight? If you don't have anything right now, just say it to me. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So a couple of things. To balance the budget, to put the additional $1.9 million in to put the budget at a million in each Commission district, plus 700,000 in the Mayor's Office. And we would also need to not cut as many positions in the Fire Department as we had thought when we were proposing this earlier this week. We would need to come up with a large number. The number that I see is $7.6 million. There are some things that I would proffer to you to do to accomplish that. I -- Commissioner Carollo: Hold on. I'm sorry. I'm a little slow, especially after midnight. And I don't turn into Cinderella, but you got to go a little slower for me. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: How did we get from approximately 2 million to over 7-plus Million dollars? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. The -- Commissioner Carollo: When you had proffered a balanced budget with the exception that you didn't listen to the Commission's request of the one million per office and the Mayor's amount. Can you go over that part again? Mr. Rose: I can do that again. Commissioner Carollo: Slowly, please. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So it's -- Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Mr. Rose: -- a little less than $2 million. And I may, be slow after midnight, as well, sir, so I'm -- Commissioner Carollo: Actually, it's a little more than 2 million but that's fine. City ofMiami Page 42 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Rose: All right. And then if we were to put the Fire Department cuts that were in the first go -around in the book and in the second go -around that we've talked about for the last week here, that would be $5.6 million. Commissioner Carollo: Additional? Mr. Rose: Additional; yes, sir. That would get us at a -- within the contract limitations of 161 positions at any given time working in Fire. That is something that we have come across tonight as we have been going through it. And so, the Fire contract would not allow us to do what we were proposing earlier. And 1 want to tell you that that is something that it is my fault. I have come across it and I am working to come up with rectification of that. Commissioner Carollo: And we have a real emergency in our hands that 1 don't see how we're going to be able to finish a balanced budget for tonight. So Madam City Attorney, Igo back to my question. Legally, what can we do -- hold hands, whatever -- so that we could extend this meeting to another date? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, can we hear from the --? First of all, and Mr. Rose, you have the solution, and you have the answer, right? He's been working on it for a couple of weeks. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. You're going to give us that solution and that answer, right? You're going to give all the Commissioners that make the public policy of the City that answer. But our Mayor has been wanting to address the Commission. And I think it's important or respectful that he does that so that we can get to where we need to get, at least from his perspective. Mayor Suarez: Thank you, Commissioner. And thank you so much for letting me chime in on this. So you've been very consistent from the beginning on multiple conversations that your revision of the NET into the district offices and allowing the Mayor's office to have more fiends to be able to provide constituent services that will naturally, overflow into the Commission offices and into the Mayor's office was a million dollars per Commission district plus $700, 000 for the Mayor. That -- I think one of the reasons why the whole thing was so confusing was that the prior budget was 8.6, so that is basically a $3 million savings. And so it's a little bit befuddling that something that cost $3 million less somehow only saves $400,000. And so, 1 think that's been the frustration over the last few days as we've been discussing this issue. I do want to point out that even though it does only save 400,000 from last year's budget, there's an additional 700,000 in savings in the next year's budget. So really, the savings is 1.1 over two years, because once the employees come off of the -- become essentially employees of Commission offices, their pension liability restructures and is different. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Mayor Suarez: And so there's a one point -- I mean, even under that construct of only 400, 000, it's still a $1.1 million savings over a two-year period. Commissioner Carollo: Well, no, it would be 1.5. You got 400,000 the first year. Then the second year, you kick in the million -one. Mayor Suarez: I thought it was 700, but it may, be a million -one -- it may be -- I may be off on that. City ofMiami Page 43 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I came up with 1.2 so -- Mayor Suarez: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the max is 1.5, 1.2, 1.1. You know what? It's still a savings. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Mayor Suarez: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right? I'm sorry. I'm interrupting. Mayor Suarez: Chris, what's the savings on year two with the Commissioner's plan - - or Art? I don't know if you -- either one of you have that. I thought it was 700 in year two, but I could be wrong. It could be more than that. But at the very minimum, it's 1.1 over two years, potentially, 1.4 or 1.5. So that's -- I mean, that's a decision -- you know -- that you all have before you. And if that's the decision of the Commission, which of course, I'll support, I think the second part is it's also a re - envisioning of the way the department works. And it's allowing Commissioners to have -- and the Mayor to have an opportunity to be more directly involved with the constituent services that -- you know -- are obviously the bread and butter of what we do as elected officials. And so, that's something that -- you know -- it's important to all of us -- you know -- who strive every, single day to provide the very best of services that we can to the residents that elected us and that chose us. So -- you know -- I'm supportive of that initiative, and I think that you've been consistent from the beginning on that process. There's been no confusion. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Mayor. Commissioner Reyes: I mean, the question here is that all gins agree that by having the Commissioner's office and having the personnel provide services is going to be more efficient. It's going to be more direct, and we are going to improve on the quality of services. I mean, I'm sold on that. Now, the problem is, how are we going to fund this. And based on the savings that we -- I mean, this change is going to produce, how much is each Commissioner going to receive to have enough personnel to have -- 1 mean, to improve and to maintain the level of services? That is the question. And Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla has been very, very consistent, and since day one, he said, "a million dollars per office." And I think that we -- all of us said, "Oh, yes, a million dollars," and we started thinking and planning on a million dollars. Now we have 658. But I don't know how you feel and how we are. And 1 don't know -- I know that we cannot, I mean, divide monies like you divide bread -- I mean, Jesus divided the bread. And there is a certain amount of funds that have to be used. The more that there is on a certain item is the less that have to be taken from others. That is why I suggested that we go into the departments and find more savings. And if not, I don't know about you, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, but I think that we have to come up with a compromise on how we can reach a million dollars. It may be at the middle of the year, or maybe at some other time, as savings -- as they go into the departments and start saving -- I mean, cutting and cutting unneeded expense. And that savings that they will come into the district offices or, I mean, we get our hands on that $719,000 that represents the savings that it is directed towards the Commissioners' offices. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But Commissioner -- and I know Commissioner Russell has his hand up. I don't want to -- I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I think Mr. Rose -- City ofMiami Page 44 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 because 1 asked him a question that he told me he had an answer to. 1 want to hear that answer. And then 1'll listen to what everybody else wants to say, what Commissioner Russell wants to say and Commissioner Hardemon, obviously -- and Chairman Hardemon. But it's important that Mr. Rose gives us the answer, which is the same question that Commissioner Reyes just asked, right? Mr. Rose: Through the Chair? Chair Hardemon: Yes. Mr. Rose: Thank you. And yes, Commissioners. It's late, so my apologies. I did not explain myself well. If we do go back to the memo that you have -- that you've had since yesterday -- and we put all those changes in, there were a few additional changes that we need to make, and including putting in what we need to put in for a million dollars in the Commission offices and 700,000 in the Mayor's office. And the way we would do that is part of it is we have a transfer of left debt service that we have determined that we do not need to make in the new year, because we have fund balance in the current year. Also, today, we found that there was a FIND (Florida Inland Navigation District) grant that was not given, and we had a match for that FIND grant, so we do not have to put the match in, either. We also have found that there are forty 50-year recertification that we have some money for, so we are not going to put additional funding in there. Commissioner Carollo: Chris, can you give us amounts when you're giving us -- Mr. Rose: Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: -- this different stuff? Mr. Rose: Sure. So the -- Commissioner Carollo: The FIND grant. Mr. Rose: -- FIND grant is $1.250 million. We found out right around noon today that that grant was not going to be given, so we can free up 1.250 of that match. It's a 50/50 match. Vice Chair Russell: Which project was that? Mr. Rose: That is the dockage behind the Knight Center. I am looking for the "B" number, but that has -- right here. Vice Chair Russell: For the water taxi. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Well, amongst other things,, but yes, it is the seawall there any everything else. So we actually today found out all of our FIND awards -- and this one was one we did not get awarded, so it does free up that match. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm glad you discovered all that today, but you know what? So we found the money, so it's been moved. We have the money, correct? Mr. Rose: Amongst all those different things that I said, yes, sir. And we're also backing out the AFSCME, so we do not need to lay off all those positions and all that, too, so that helps out a bit, as well. So yes, we have found the money. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, so I call the -- City ofMiami Page 45 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Carollo: Can you --? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- question and then we can have the debate about it. Vice Chair Russell: Call the question. Don't call again. Commissioner Carollo: I'd just like to -- Chair Hardemon: I want to -- Commissioner Carollo: -- get the amounts that you found on each category that you found. I'd like that on the record, please. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So -- Commissioner Carollo: I don't want people to think you're a magician. Mr. Rose: No. It -- iif I made it look easy, I certainly did not intend to do that, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Well, Chris, let me say this to you, and please listen to me. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: The only thing you got over me is that I don't have the time jbr many reasons to go through this budget the way that I know how to go through a budget. Furthermore, I couldn't even go through the budget the way you give them, because I don't have line items. Commissioner Reyes: That's a problem. Commissioner Carollo: This is how you hide a lot of stuff this is why I want to get on the record what amounts you're getting, from where, so we know. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. And if I may, add, now we found the money and I'm glad the money was there. But I want -- still want, Mr. City Manager, to go into every single department, including Fire and Police and all of that, and those unnecessary -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Reyes: -- expenditures and question, what do we need this equipment for. Why do we need this? And not only them; every single department, you see. Start questioning and let's do an efficiency analysis of all of them. And I bet you we're going to find millions of dollars, you see? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. It's government, right. Commissioner Reyes: I mean, for example -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's government, Commissioner Reyes. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, absolutely. You see, Police Department has a helicopter. It's one point some million dollars. Why? You see. I mean, how many times I have seen --? I live in Flagami and I never see a helicopter do anything for anybody else, you see. City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 think it's like 1.9, something like that. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a beautiful helicopter, though. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, I said it. Commissioner Carollo: And you know, there is a precedent for that. When we had the financial crisis, we did sell back then the helicopter that we had. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And services will continue to be -- I mean, the police continue to provide the good services that they provide. I mean, and 1 just mention that as one item. There's a bunch of items that we can either dispose of or other expenditures that we are -- I mean, if we deem that they are not -- or you, Mr. Manager -- that they are unnecessary, you will have our backing -- I mean, my backing. And I know that every single Commissioner feels the same. That in order - - I mean, just for you to get rid of that -- those expenses. And that way, we can save some people from losing their jobs, you see. Chair Hardemon: I want to call on Commissioner Russell. He's been patiently waiting. Let's hear him. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I appreciate not calling the question yet, because there are some unanswered questions that we need to solve. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah but, Commissioner, there was a question that I had posed several times now to the Budget Director. I want to get in the record before I vote on this line item on where he found this new money; how much is coming from where, on the record. Mr. Rose: Through the Chair? Chair Hardemon: Please. Mr. Rose: Okay, so -- Commissioner Carollo: Look, you could go through the Chair, behind the chair or under the chair. I just want an answer. Mr. Rose: My mother raised me to be respectful, sir, so -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, yeah, I'm sure. Mr. Rose: -- I'm going to read them right down the line. So as we said, the Knight Center, no FIND grant match is 1.250. The debt service that we are not going to have to pay is 1.912. Commissioner Carollo: One point -- Mr. Rose: 9-1-2. Commissioner Carollo: -- 9-1-2. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: And the FIND grant was 1.2 -- City ofMiami Page 47 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Rose: 5-0. Commissioner Carollo: -- 5-0. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Reyes: That's $3 million. Mr. Rose: Yes. Commissioner Reyes: 3.1. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the money. Commissioner Reyes: There's the money. Mr. Rose: The -- we do have to cut the Fire Department less than what we had proffered, because of shift strength, and the difference is $3.9 million. We need to honor the contract and stay within the confines of that contract. To continue to get that done, we have a million dollars of forty 50-year recertification that we can delay. We have the $493, 000 of savings that the Manager referenced earlier in the net savings. Commissioner Carollo: We have how much? Mr. Rose: 493. Commissioner Carollo: Okay so it went up from 4 to 493. Mr. Rose: The Manager rounded it, and I'm giving you the exact number. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But normally, you round up; you don't round down. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I would have rounded up at 5. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 500. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Even my bad math -- I was never good at math, by the way -- even I know that. Commissioner Carollo: Can you explain the forty 50-year certification, the million dollars? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. We had put a million dollars in forty 50-year recertifications for next year, anticipating the need for those in several of our facilities. We had an identical number in the current year, and we have not touched that money. So what we were going to do was use the current year money rather than new money next year, sir. Commissioner Carollo: All right. Mr. Rose: The 493 of savings that we talked about, when AFSCME 1907 agreed, that meant that we could back out $553,000 of attrition that we had had to put in. City ofMiami Page 48 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Carollo: How much? Mr. Rose: 553, 000. Because we were getting rid of so many vacant positions, we could not count that money twice. And then the final piece of the puzzle is there is a $2 million Rebuild General Fund Reserves in non -departmental, and we're going to take -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: How much? How much? Mr. Rose: It is $2 million, and we are going to take 1.072 of that number, leaving 928,000 still in that number, sir. Commissioner Carollo: And what is that called again? Mr. Rose: Its called the Rebuild General Fund Unrestricted Reserves. Commissioner Carollo: And what has that been used for? Mr. Rose: That is a reserve to ensure that -- In the last two years, we have had that reserve there in hopes that we could rebuild the unrestricted reserves of the City after some of the payments that we had made a couple of years ago. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Rose: And so -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Carollo -- Commissioner Carollo: Is that where the coins for the colonel's confederate money was coming from? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- before you reference the Colonel, based on my bad math, we could probably get 1.2 million for each Commission office and 850 for the Mayor's office based on those numbers, just on my bad math. But you know what? Let's not get greedy here. Let's leave it at one million each Commissioner and 700 for the Mayor's office, and we're good to go, unless Commissioner Russell has an objection. I know he appreciated my earlier generosity. Commissioner Carollo: The bike lanes he wants. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I think the math works, because we made it work and -- you know -- let's move it and let's call the question. Let's vote for it. Commissioner Carollo: Hold on. Chris, now how much did you say we needed overall? Mr. Rose: That total should come to 6.280. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, this total. But how much did you say before we needed? Mr. Rose: I had said 7 million, and I am coming back off that number, because we are still reducing -- Commissioner Carollo: You had said more than 7 million before. Mr. Rose: Forgive me, sir. I thought that was the number I had given. If -- City ofMiami Page 49 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Carollo: No, it was more than 7 million, Chris. Mr. Rose: I do not mean to give you the impression that, number one, that this is easy, or number two, that I'm not balancing, because we are balanced with these numbers that 1 have read to you. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well, you're not, because in the conversation that I had with the Manager and you -- through the Manager, since you like that "through" word -- 1 understood there were some additional dollars that you were going to be putting in some of the departments that we should have been cutting that much. Mr. Manager? Mr. Noriega: Yeah. So he -- we've never given him an opportunity to actually go through the full fledge of adjustments to the change memo. In that, included is the money that's going to go back into Code as we discussed. There are a couple of other changes, actually, which need to be put into the record, as well, but they are changes and modifications from the change memo that was released yesterday to what our present condition is as of today. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Explain that better, because I'm not understanding. I'm not seeing the change to the change memo. I want to vote tonight, so I'd like to see where that money, is coming from. I don't understand the way you explained it. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So to put -- to make Code whole, it would take $390, 000 more, and we would take that additionally from the Rebuild General Fund Reserves. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So it's the extra money that you have, and you're still going to have over hallo million dollars in the Rebuild Fund. Mr. Rose: Yes, .sir; 538. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. That explains it. The additional positions that are corning into Building that we also need are being paid from the And that the Building Department has, as we stated. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. And that is in the proposed budget, sir, yes. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. Any other positions, Mr. Manager, that you are including or re -budgeting that -- you know -- by the statement that you made, it gave me the impression there were more. I'm just wondering. Mr. Noriega: They're not position related. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Rose: There is -- Commissioner Carollo: So if they're not position related, what are we putting the additional dollars for, if I may ask? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. There is just one more thing that I need to read into the record, in addition to everything in the change memo and everything that I've explained this evening. And that is, earlier today $2 million was voted upon to come from the Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) to the City, so I'm going to need to amend the capital budget to both receive those funds and then transfer them to the Bayfront Park Management Trust. City of Miami Page 50 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Carollo: Well, why do you have to be the -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're welcome. Commissioner Carollo: -- guy that collects it, Chris? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're welcome. Commissioner Carollo: Why can't they give it directly to the Bayfront Park Trust? As we discussed this before -- Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: -- the City has the right to audit the Bayfront Park Trust any time it wants to. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. And -- Commissioner Carollo: Why does it have to go through you so you could be the gatekeeper? Mr. Rose: No, sir. I want to get out of being the middleman as fast as I possibly can. Commissioner Carollo: But you don't have to be the middleman. You created yourself as the middleman. I thought you were going to tell me -- that you were going to stick your hand behind you, and you had a check. Mr. Rose: No, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's tomorrow morning, Commissioner. Can we vote on this? Mr. Noriega: Chris, Chris. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but where I'm going is that -- Mr. Noriega: Explain it. I asked the same question, Commissioner. Chris, explain to them why it is it has to come to us first, and then we transfer it out, please. Just -- it's an easy explanation. Mr. Rose: The global agreement that the City, the County and all parties -- Omni CRA and Southeast Overtown CRA -- agreed on so many years ago actually states that the money will come to the City, then to go to the Bayfront Park Management Trust. So -- Commissioner Carollo: If that's the case, that's clear enough. But Madam City Attorney, in case he had another lapse of memory, just in case -- you know -- he had a Biden moment, can you get ahold of that contract -- like I think I've been asking for -- and can you give me the language, so I could read it myself and understand exactly what it says there on the money transfers? Ms. Mendez: He has to accept it, Commissioner, but he sends it right over to you. He just has to get it and then -- and send it. City ofMiami Page 51 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Carollo: I hope he would do that, but regardless, if you could please humor me and get a hold of that contract that -- you know -- it's like a -- you know -- a secret. Nobody can get a hold of it. You know, it's kept hidden somewhere. Ms. Mendez: So I thought that -- Commissioner Carollo: If you could get a hold of it so I could read it and we could go through it all. And send a copy to Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, too so that if I miss something, he might be able to pick it up. Ms. Mendez: I apologize, Commissioner. 1 thought that you already received it. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no. Ms. Mendez: I will follow up with that. Commissioner Carollo: See, this is what we were talking about, about what happens in the City of Miami. Everything is "manana, " you know, and "manana" never comes unless you put your foot down. Ms. Mendez: Well, you will get it tonight, right now. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Manager. Chair Hardemon: Mr. Rose, have you fully explained all the numbers for Commissioner Carollo? Mr. Rose: Yes, .sir. Chair Hardemon: Wonderful. Mr. Vice Chairman, you're recognized. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I have some questions about the employees that are within NET and some of the duties that may or may not be transferred over to our Commission offices before I can agree to this sort of thing. First, let's talk about the manpower, because I'm not fully understanding how a NET employee can transfer into a City Commission office. There's union issues they have. There's benefits they have. I don't know or see how that seamlessly transfers, and if it doesn't, that means we'll be hiring new -- or expecting them to let go of their benefits and take pay cuts to fall in line with what our Commission offices can pay, or they'll have to find something new. So if that's an assumption, I need to know that they are taken care of. And if I understand, the rollback or the natural rollback for NET is Solid Waste Department; am I correct? And if Solid Waste can absorb a good number of those NET employees and there's a shortfall there to absorb more of them, I want to see that we can take care of that team from NET. I understand where Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla wants to be efficient, but if there's a light at the end of the tunnel for us, there should be for them, as well. In Solid Waste, we purchase 10 to 12 trucks every, year, recurring expense, and that's about $2.9 million. Could we defer the purchase of some of those trucks and use that to help make sure that we absorb every one of these NET employees that doesn't have a place to go if this transition happens, at least for now? Because -- Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely; you always can. City ofMiami Page 52 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Vice Chair Russell: And so, 1 would like to propose that to make sure that our hardworking NET folks aren't -- you know -- out on the street, because we can't figure out a seamless transition into our offices. And then, when it comes to that transition to our offices, I asked for what the duties are that the NET office actually takes care of because we always say, "constituent services," right? And our offices do that, as well. But I got a list of 35 different tasks that the NET office -- you know - - takes care of every year, and a lot of them are things that I don't believe should be in our Commission offices: a lot of the permitting things, a lot of the noise waiver things, "no trespassing" affidavits, income tax, assistance with food stamps, Golden Passport, on -demand transportation, graffiti, garage sales, Certificate of Use receipt assistance. You know, my office isn't prepared to take on a lot of these things. And so, my question is, if we're getting a budget and we increase our manpower to handle constituent services and the things that a Commission office should, what is the Administration going to absorb in terms of services? Because what I don't want is to have a big surprise a few months from now where these services are just not happening at all, because the Administration thought the Commission offices are going to take them; we thought it's not part of our job. Has that been analyzed in this transition? Bar inspections, youth employment hiring events and workshops, TEPs, TUPs (Temporary Use Permits), farmer's markets, temporary banners, vacant land TUPs, covering the City boards and sign installations, the Mayor's tree lighting ceremony, farm shares, PZAB (Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board) meetings, maintenance of traffic meetings with Public Works. I'd like to understand that a little better before I agree to this, because, number one, the people have to be taken care of And number two, we have to make sure that we continue to offer consistent services to our residents. If those two things are taken care of in this budget tonight, then I'll vote with you, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. But I -- and it sounds like it's solvable, but I need clarity on these answers. So can Mr. Rose help me out with the garbage trucks, and will that provide additional revenue that can help take care of employees? And Mr. Manager, can you help me out with some of these duties that our offices will or will not be taking over? Mr. Noriega: Fernando and Angela are going to jump on to talk a little bit about responsibilities and the transition, and then also, as it relates to rollback and the other responsibilities. Ms. Mendez: Commissioner Carollo, we just sent you the agreement. Commissioner Carollo: I just received this while I stepped out. Thank you very much. Ms. Mendez: You're welcome. Commissioner Carollo: 1 should open up a champagne. Vice Chair Russell: And who can -- and Mr. Manager, who can address whether or not we can defer the purchase of garbage trucks and whether that would create a savings enough to absorb NET employees who are potentially at risk here? Commissioner Carollo: For one year, you certainly can. Vice Chair Russell: Well, then I'd like to hear from the Administration. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. There is no new money in this budget for purchase of garbage trucks. We had done that in the current year that is ending now, and we had enough in this current year's budget that we did not need to purchase them in the new year. So there is no new money that can be freed up for what you're saying, Commissioner Russell. There is enough space in the Solid Waste Department to take the waste City ofMiami Page 53 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 collectors that are in NET and he absorbed. And all that, again, has to do with the shift strength issue, so they will be moving into Solid Waste. Vice Chair Russell: How many is that? I know it's in the memo, but help me. Unidentified Speaker: I believe 13. Mr. Rose: That's correct, yes. Chair Hardemon: So let me ask, when we look at the schedule that has the top employees in NET -- so we have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight -- about nine -- I would say eight. That would be the Director, the Assistant Directors, Assistant to the Director, Special Projects Assistant, Special Projects Coordinator, and Administrative Service Manager; those employees. Are all of those employees being absorbed back into the Department? Fernando Casamavor (Assistant City Manager): answer some of that, if that's okay. Chair Hardemon: Please. So, Commissioner, let me try to Mr. Casamayor: There are two employees that you mentioned on that list that are responsible for noise waivers and other permits. So one position would be transferred to the Building Department to deal with the noise waivers, because that is a construction function. And another position which would be eliminated -- the ''unction would be absorbed in the special events area in order to do that work that that person currently does today. Those are some of those there. Yes, the Director and the Assistant Directors, I don't believe there's any room or anything planned for any of those positions to continue on. There's nothing that we're transferring from that area. As for the waste collectors that are in -- Chair Hardemon: Before you go forth, before you get to waste collectors, so you're telling me out of a list of -- one, two, three, four -- one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Out of the eight top, how many of those individuals will not have a job? Mr. Casamayor: I believe we have two individuals, including one that's going to be utilized to help with our disparity study that we have been utilizing -- of the eight that you're mentioning, if I'm correct -- and 1 don't have it all in front of me -- six would be -- six positions would be eliminated. And Chris, correct me if1'm wrong, please. Mr. Rose: That's correct. Chair Hardemon: You're saying six positions -- Mr. Casamayor: Of those eight that you mentioned. Chair Hardemon: But six -- well, they will all have work somewhere else in the City of Miami? Mr. Casamayor: They may have rollback rights to other positions, and that's something that, you know, we know what -- we know who has rollback rights, but the ultimate effect of the rollback itself -- and I'll let Angela talk about that -- we haven't calculated the full on -- all the way to the end of the rollback, because it affects other individuals, as well. Chair Hardemon: Chris, what I'm trying to understand is if some of these positions are going to continue to be paid, they're going to continue to -- not necessarily City ofMiami Page 54 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 positions -- some of these employees -- let's put it that way. Sonze of these employees will continue to have work in the City of Miami, which means that we'll still be paying them a salary. How much would it be for me, for instance, to maintain the NET offices in my district? Allowing the Commissioners to do what they want to do, but if I were to maintain my NET offices open, how much would it cost my district? Mr. Rose: I do apologize. I'm not sure how to answer that question. On top of the million dollars that your office would be getting? Chair Hardemon: No, just tell -- don't tell me on top of the million dollars. Just tell me how much does it cost to keep my NET offices, just mine. And don't -- and if you have -- for instance, if. you have employees that you will be paying, because you moved them to another area, don't include their money, because that's something that you already planned on absorbing. Mr. Rose: Understood. So the plan is for all of the waste collectors to move over to Solid Waste, and Solid Waste would absorb those. So really, what we're talking about -- and forgive me, sir, if you would tell me which -- Chair Hardemon: Sure. I have Little Haiti, Model City, Overtown, Upper Eastside, and Wynwood/Edgewater. So I have five. Little Haiti, Model City, Overtown, Upper Eastside, Wynwood/Edgewater. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You have five? Chair Hardemon: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're lucky, Chairman. Chair Hardemon: No, I'm not. I'm not too lucky if we close them all down. Mr. Rose: It is going to take me a moment to calculate that, .sir. Chair Hardemon: You do that, please. Please, but do that. It's important to me. Vice Chair Russell: I'm interested in that number, as well. Commissioner Reyes: Chris, through the Chair. 1 have a spreadsheet here that we received that it shows the budget by office, NET budget by office. And Chris, 1 think you have this, and you can find the cost for each of the NET offices, you see. And that is -- I mean, that includes salaries, regular salaries and wages. And if I'm not wrong, it includes the Solid Waste employees that they are going to be rolled back. And I don't know if this is right or wrong, but Model City, for example, is 534,913; Overtown, 507,425; Upper Eastside is 408,766; and Wynwood/Edgewater, which is yours, also, is 518, 292. Those are the one, two, three, four -- I mean, I got four here. Ms. Mendez: Mr. Manager, I think you have a new analyst there. Commissioner Reyes: Well, I just keep the information that I received, and I'll go through it, and this is what it shows. Now -- and also, if you go down on it, you will find the salaries of each of the waste collectors that are going to be rolled back, you see. This is how it is. And this is the spreadsheet that I received about a month ago - - no, no, after a few -- just after the meeting that we had, the week after. And that is your analysis. This is the Administration analysis; it's not mine. I don't know if'that answers your question, Mr. Chairman, but it's -- I mean, I've been calculating my expenditures based on this spreadsheet, you see, because I have two NET offices that work with me. I have Coral Way and I have one that it is in Flagami that also serves the whole area and serves -- it's close to Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. City ofMiami Page 55 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Rose: Through the Chair. Commissioner Reyes: The answer is here. Mr. Rose: Yes. Chair Hardemon: You are recognized. Mr. Rose: Commissioner Reyes is correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There was a proposal -- I'm sorry. There was a proposal -- before any of this conversation about our district offices -- to go from 13 NET offices, that old word that we -- you know, hopefully, after tonight, we won't use anymore -- from 13 to 8. That proposal already, exists. Commissioner Reyes: I thought it was seven. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So that's not the argument that we need to be making. It's whether a million dollars per Commissioner is an efficient use during difficult economic times of our taxpayer dollars. Do we need more than that to have eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 employees working for us? Or do we need something -- a bloated bureaucracy that's unaccountable to anyone? That's really the issue. It's not the reverse argument that, hey, we have this, and we have that. But does it not work? And on top of that, if you look at the chart that we got when Manager Noriega came to us with his proposal to go from 13 to eight offices, he showed all the -- a list of employees -- again, not to go with names. I don't want to talk about names or mention names -- but there was like nine people that are roamers, people that drive around, and there's no accountability. We don't know what their specific job title is and what they do and when they do it, and there's no chart of who's answering the phone and who's showing up at the right time. So to me, to continue to protect a bloated bureaucracy, entrenched bureaucracy over efficiency in difficult economic times is not what we should be doing; that we have an efficient number of employees that are good employees -- and I'm sure a lot of them are NET employees -- because, again, the Solid Waste people are going to be absorbed back to the Solid Waste Department. So those are going to continue to do the work that they do, and those are the ones that really make the least amount of money. But the efficient people that we keep in our office, we should -- we have to tighten our belts, too, as every restaurant owner is doing in Miami and throughout the country, but in our city that we represent, as businessowners are doing. Some are shutting down, some are going bankrupt, right? So why can't government do the same thing? If we have difficult economic times, let's tighten our belts and let's get people that are doing what they need to be doing at the right time and the right place, and sort of consolidate these services and say, "This is what we" -- and put a set of goals and things that they need to be doing for the constituents that we represent that elected us to represent them. So the argument that we -- and Commissioner Russell, with all due respect, this back and forth about no one should lose a job, really? Really? People lose jobs all the time in the real world. Get out of government and go to the private sector, and see what happens. If they're not efficient -- if it's not an efficient system, then let's make it efficient or try to. So to me, that's an argument that does not work for today's situation, today's economic crisis that we're facing in our City. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to understand where you were going with your questions to Mr. Rose. Chair Hardemon: I think Chris has -- you have the numbers, Chris? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. City ofMiami Page 56 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Vice Chair Russell: I want to understand what you're proposing. Chair Hardemon: Well, I want to hear the numbers first, then I'll -- Mr. Rose: So, first of all, Commissioner Reyes is right. It was an email that I sent to all Commission offices, to you all and your Chiefs of Staff, last Monday, the 14th, at about 7..30. Now, what the Chairman asked me to do was not count people that we already counted. So if we've already taken care of the waste collectors and moved them to Solid Waste, then that's really just going to leave the NET Administrators, the service center aides, and the reps in each of those offices. So I will read out what remains in those offices. So Little Haiti would be 211,902. Model City would be 204,893. Overtown would be 190,391; Upper Eastside, 137,155 and Wynwood/Edgewater, 198,188. Commissioner Carollo: Well, Chris -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: One million. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: If -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I'll call the question, Chairman Hardemon. I mean, you got your million bucks there. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but my question is, in what you sent late last night, on Page 2 of the second paragraph -- actually, the first -- it says, "Each Commission office will be increased with the equivalent of one NET Administrator, one service center representative, one service center aide, and three waste collectors, 658,000 per office." Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: You said that all the waste collectors were being transferred, but here, you had three per office. Mr. Noriega: There are waste -- let me answer that. There are waste collectors that are embedded in each office, and then there are waste collectors that actually -- what they call roaming. Those were the ones being moved back to Solid Waste. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Noriega: The positions referenced in the memo are just for reference purposes. We clearly understand that each individual district office will staff it as they see fit -- right? -- based on how they plan to manage that staff. We just used those as a point of reference. Commissioner Carollo: Well, I appreciate you clarifying that, Mr. Manager. In my case, in my district, I believe that I'll certainly need them, because we -- as you all know, I have a tremendous amount of dumping in District 3 like you have in some of your districts. So -- you know -- I just wanted to clarify what Chris has said before, and I'm glad that you clarified it. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman. City ofMiami Page 57 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir. Vice Chair Russell: You got the numbers, so what is it that you're thinking? Chair Hardemon: Well -- so, first of all, the motion that the Commissioner -- that Senator, you're trying to put forth is only on this part, and then we still have to do the entirety of the budget, right? I'm understanding -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Chair Hardemon: Okay. So what I'm going to do is -- and within District 5, 1'd like to take the number that was just quoted on the record, if that is correct; if it's less (INAUDIBLE) all of the money -- the balance of the money -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's 947,339. So take the million -- Chair Hardemon: Right. Yeah, that'll -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You'll be up 53. Chair Hardemon: Yeah. No -- yeah, I understand that. I understand. But whatever it is, I want to make sure any dollar that I have comes to me. Understand that. So what I wanted to do -- and 17l move along with whatever the majority says. But what I would like to do with my portion is to keep my offices open by allocating my office dollars for next year to go towards maintaining the status quo in District 5 with District 5's NET offices: Little Haiti, Model City and Overtown, Upper Eastside, Edgewater/Wynwood. That's what 1 will do with my money. Conmiissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, if it works, because I did the math already. And by the way -- I'm sorry -- the math that Mr. Rose -- he did 211,902; 204,893; 193,091; 137,155, and 198, right? Is that correct, Mr. Rose? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And can you total that up? Mr. Rose: I can. I got them horizontally, and so, it will take me just a moment to total them up. Commissioner Carollo: I thought we lost Angela in Venice. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You saw her there in Venice? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In the gondola. Mr. Rose: All right, Commissioners, so the Wynwood/Edgewater, Upper Eastside, Overtown, Model City, and Little Haiti offices all totaled together are $942,529. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, so that's good. I was off by 5,000, so that's okay. Chair Hardemon: That's the number that I have. I didn't want to be wrong. Vice Chair Russell: So the concept here is a hybrid system where some of the Commission offices will take the money and fund the district office in their office -- City ofMiami Page 58 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 or however they would like in their district. What you're proposing, Commissioner Hardemon, is to maintain those offices open, those locations open and staffed with everything, except -- so some of the positions won't stay in those offices, right? Because Solid Waste will go to Solid Waste? Chair Hardemon: Well, no, no, no. What I'm saying is I want to have the status quo Vice Chair Russell: Status quo. Chair Hardemon: -- of service, because if f you've got some of these positions that are going to -- I'm sorry. If you have some of these employees that will continue to be funded, my point is that they can continue doing the work if I maintain my offices, because they're going to be funded. So it's not as if we're losing any money, so they could still have the same function, but I want to maintain all of those -- because I have five. I mean, that's a significant amount of work -- to maintain those open. I mean, that's a very good majority of the NET offices right there in District 5. Mr. Noriega: If I may, Mr. -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. And I could have three, or I could have two, but I get my, million, Commissioner Carollo gets his million. Everybody -- Commissioner Reyes gets his million, and you get your million. And you want to have five offices? That's fine, too. So it's not really a hybrid. It's kind of like -- you know -- the dollars are allocated through your office. The NET system goes away, but you can keep it in place, and you could hire the same employees. Ion going to hire -- I already have in mind who I think 1 want to hire. Vice Chair Russell: And if I'm not mistaken, though, that's not quite the case, because they are going to maintain their status within the unions, correct? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not what I'm proposing. Their status goes -- the Solid Waste people go to Solid Waste. Vice Chair Russell: No, no; in Commissioner Hardemon's case. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Commissioner Hardemon could do what he wants in his district, of course. But that doesn't mean that we all have to make the same choice, right? It's just a budget allocation that we can define internally within our own district office. And by the way, it's also geographic in nature, because the administrative part of it is that we don't want to have these boundaries that are overlapped -- right? -- because then we have a district office that goes into -- you know -- like Commissioner Reyes and 1 share one, but a lot of his constituents go to that office, and then a lot of my constituents go to the same office. That's something that we can work out. But that's something that can be worked out through the Administration in terms of efficiency, because we're looking for efficiency here, right? I don't want to get rid of the Flagami NET Office, which will now be a district office. It could be a joint office that works for both. So we're trying to find savings and efficiency and responsiveness and accountability, and transparency so that people know that this is where they go. And when people get a problem solved, they know their Commissioner did it for them, and when they don't, they know the Commissioner didn't. That's what we're talking about. And I think that it's almost -- it's two different ways of saying the same thing as Commissioner Hardemon -- that Chairman Hardemon just said right now. He can keep his five offices. No one's going to fight that. That's what he wants. But that's his choice. But we and Commissioner -- but the rest of us should have a similar choice -- right? -- the ability to make a choice for our people and the people that City ofMiami Page 59 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 elected us, and how it works for us, for our constituents. I think 1 could do my work as a City Commissioner with seven, eight employees, 1 think. Vice Chair Russell: I get it, and I'm going to respect that with you, but I love my NET offices'. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Maybe you can't, butt can. Vice Chair Russell: If there's a way -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 know that -- so I want to call the question. Let's vote on it. Vice Chair Russell: I'm not done. I'm not done. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well no, fine. You can go on until 4 in the morning if you want. The votes are the votes. Vice Chair Russell: I'm just trying to get some answers. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And if I don't have them, I don't have them. Vice Chair Russell: I was waiting to he recognized for 40 minutes. Now I've been recognized. I'm tiying to get some answer, so please let me get the answers. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, go ahead. Vice Chair Russell: I recognize what you're trying to do. I'm tiying to support you, but I'ni trying to save some people that I work with that I want to continue working with, and if they have to come into my office, I know it ain't going to work. But I think Commissioner Hardemon -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I want to have the efficient services and not government -- not save government jobs, so I have a different ideology. Vice Chair Russell: I get that, I get that, but I think Commissioner Hardemon, has come up with a hybrid that works really well that you will be able to do what you're looking to do. It still creates a savings for the City. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Mr. Noriega: Commissioner -- Vice Chair Russell: Can we do an analysis like that for my district, please? Very quickly. Mr. Noriega: Commissioner, let me be clear about something. We can't have some districts have NET employees that are employees of the City, and others have employees of the district offices. That won't work. Vice Chair Russell: I believe that's what Chair Hardemon just said. Mr. Noriega: It has to be one system one way or one system the other. It -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There's no hybrid. City ofMiami Page 60 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman, you're asking for status quo, so how does this work? Chair Hardemon: Sorry, may I -- you asked me something and I didn't hear it. Vice Chair Russell: Sorry. You were asking for status quo, but the City Manager is saying you cannot -- you either have to -- we have to go all one way or all the other way. You can't have NET offices that are administrative employees -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, Commissioner Hardemon is turning his NET offices into district offices, and that's the way it should be. Vice Chair Russell: I'm trying to understand that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's all he's doing. Vice Chair Russell: I'm trying to understand that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that makes sense, because it makes sense for him and we're doing -- and we're all doing the same thing. Vice Chair Russell: It doesn't make sense to me yet, so I'm trying to understand. It's very late, so please bear with me. Commissioner Hardemon, are you bringing these people under your payroll so that they would no longer be union employees, but they would still maintain their jobs at that cost level and in those offices, or are you leaving them with the Administration with their representation with the unions? Chair Hardemon: No, no. What I would wanted to do was to leave them with the Administration and with their representation. Vice Chair Russell: The Manager is saying you can't do that. Chair Hardemon: I can't see how we can't do that. Vice Chair Russell: I agree with you. I think you should be able to. I don't see why not. Mr. Noriega: Then you have to have a reporting structure. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Rose, are you doing the analysis for my district? Mr. Noriega: They have to report to somebody -- right? -- because they're City employees, right? So we're going to have a hybrid NET office that only functions in two districts? Chair Hardemon: I don't know. Mr. Noriega: That's -- Vice Chair Russell: No. Each district could do -- Mr. Noriega: -- going to be cumbersome to manage. Vice Chair Russell: Each district will be managing it the way they want to manage it. Mr. Noriega: But you're not actually managing it. City of Miami Page 61 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We have scooters in one district and not in others. Mr. Noriega: Remember, what he's proposing is he's not going to manage anything. That management's going to fall back on the Administration again. He's not managing it. He just wants to take the money, and fund it. Chair Hardemon: Who manages the NET Directors now? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No one. Mr. Noriega: The NET Administrator -- I mean, the NET Director. Ms. Mendez: The Manager, the Manager. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why would a Commissioner not want to have people that are accountable to him or her, and who are accountable to the constituents that he or her were elected by? So at the end of the day, it's more semantics than anything else, right? I mean, you could call it whatever you want to call it, but you want a Commissioner who's elected to have people that are responsive to the people that he represents or she represents. So the system you come up with managing is up to you. I want to have the freedom of having people in my district -- Vice Chair Russell: And you should. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the people that elected me work under my supervision so that if they don't do the work that they're supposed to do for my constituents, I could say, "I'll find somebody else." Chair Hardemon: You should. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the idea. That's what accountability's all about, and that's what transparency's all about. The buck stops with the Commissioner, the duly elected official. I think that every Commissioner should want that. Chair Hardemon: I'm not --1 know one thing: I'm not arguing against what you're asking for. And I'm saying to you that I'm fine with voting along with what you're asking for, but this is what I want for my district. And I want them to report -- and I want those people to still report to the Manager. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Rose, have you done the analysis for my district? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So let me reiterate that I -- that the Solid Waste employees are going to Solid Waste, so they are not in the calculations that I'm putting forth. So the Coconut Grove office, plus the Downtown/Brickell office -- are those the two that I should be looking at, Commissioner Russell? Vice Chair Russell: Yes. Mr. Noriega: Yes, yes. Mr. Rose: Okay. 369,097. City ofMiami Page 62 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Fonda. That's way too much for that district. You walk away like a bandit on this one, Commissioner Russell. Vice Chair Russell: I would be able to maintain the status quo of services that my residents are happy with right now, and I've heard them loud and clear. And if Commissioner Hardemon's proposition allows you to do what you're looking for, as well as the other Commissioners, and the City Manager conies around and agrees to it, we can live with this hybrid system, and I can gladly vote with you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Carollo: But Ken, look, you don't need all that money, a million dollars. You could get half of that, give it to Lotus House; what's left, you know, you might pay for the bike lanes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's why you have to be careful -- Commissioner Carollo: You've got plenty of money. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- when you ask a question that you know the answer before you ask the question, like a good lawyer; right, Mayor Suarez? You know, you have to know the answer before you ask. But I think the combination works for everybody. I think it works for everybody, and it works for what we're -- Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Reyes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- trying to do here in Miami in these difficult times, as well. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. May I clarify the way that I understand it? You see, we're going to get a substantial amount of money. I mean, we going to get -- we all are going to have a budget of a million dollars. With that million dollars, you can open up an office. Now, we're concerned about the people that been working in our NET offices. You are at the liberty of offering a job to the person that is directing that office, the NET office at this time. If the person decides to stay and work with you, that person is welcome to stay with it. And as a matter of fact, I don't plan on reducing any salary. Now, same thing goes to the waste collectors. If they want to give the Civil Service status and they want to work with you, they can stay and work with you, you see? I have people that are waste collectors. They say, "No, 1 want to remain with you, because you're going to be here for a few years, whatever it is, and I'm about to retire, you see, and I know that I like to work with you." Can -- I mean, consider hiring me. 1 said, "Yes, of course," because I know them, you see? You have the flexibility, but that has to be by mutual agreement between the people that you are hiring. And the difference is that you -- as a Commissioner, you are now the -- you are the employer. You are hire -- the City is the employer, but the hiring is done by you, by the Commissioner. And the people that want to work with you, they will stay and perform the job that you order them to do it or if they are work -- I mean, you are the one that is going to dictate what they're going to do, when they're going to do it and how they're going to do it, you see? And you can demand as much as -- well, humanly possible, you see. And you can demand that they -- I mean, emphasize the public service and that they -- if you like to see your district clean, but then you schedule cleaning and all of that. And if you're going to work -- like you said, you're going to have farm share, well, you get those people that have been serving while they were at NET and helping you farm share. They're going to come and help you; you understand? I mean, the functions that they have been doing now, they are going to be doing it -- they're going to keep on doing it, but with the difference is that now they are working for a Commissioner, and that Commissioner City ofMiami Page 63 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 has the power of hiring and firing and also, to have -- 1 mean, develop what is the job description. I mean, I'm going to hire you, but you are going to do this, this, this, and that -- okay? -- and the hours of work. And if you want to increase your manpower but you don't have enough money to keep it up, you can hire a couple of part-timers to come and do -- I mean, help you out in certain chores that you think that they are -- you deem necessary for your district. And it's very simple. Chair Hardemon: Well, certainly -- I mean, Commissioner Reyes, you're articulating the position that the Senator has articulated, I mean, perfectly, so I think you all are correct. In my circumstance, I want to -- Commissioner Reyes: No, I understand yours. Chair Hardemon: Okay, so we're all on the same page. We're just -- Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no. I understand what is your position. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're all on the same page. Can we vote on it and then vote on the budget, and then take a nice, long sleep and a restful night? Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yeah, please. Vice Chair Russell: The direction's clear, though. District 2, District 5, status quo; 1, 3, 4, the new district office. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Our independent budget, yes. Mr. Noriega: Well, let me say something. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And the Mayor's office, 700. Vice Chair Russell: Yes. Mr. Noriega: I need to put something on the record. So this is going to be very difficult to manage. We'll do whatever your wish is, but I'm telling you, this: Having a hybrid system where different districts have different setups is going to be a little cumbersome so -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You'll figure it out. That's why you get -- Chair Hardemon: You'll figure it out. (MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON) Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- paid the big bucks. Vice Chair Russell: Best Manager ever. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That works. Everybody's happy. Commissioner Reyes: Call the question. Vice Chair Russell: Now, I'm ready to call the question, Senator. Mr. Hannon: Chair, (INAUDIBLE). Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Commissioner Russell. City ofMiami Page 64 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Chair Hardemon: The Senator made a motion. The Chair will -- well, Ken -- Commissioner Ken Russell will second. Seeing no further discussion, all in favor, say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: All against? Ms. Mendez: As amended. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, as amended. Mr. Hannon: This isn't for the whole budget. It's my understanding this is just -- Chair Hardemon: This isn't for the whole budget, right. That was just for that -- Mr. Hannon: One component. And Mr. Budget Director; you're clear on this particular amendment? Commissioner Carollo: Mayor, if I may ask, do you have an office that your people are going to work out from? Mayor Suarez: Yes, Commissioner, but we'll be happy to share with all of you if you want -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'm asking that because I'll be willing to donate space. Mayor Suarez: I would appreciate that tremendously, because I think it would be important for the Mayor's Office to have a presence throughout the City. Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And by the way, I agree with that. I think in Allapattah, too, we want to put someone that you want there; that -- you know -- could sort of -- you know -- be a liaison between our office and your office, and so we can -- Look, the coordination matters and the conversations matter; you know? And people being aware of what's happening in different -- it's important for the Mayor. It's important for the district Commissioners. It all works. So I agree with Commissioner Carollo. That's something that I would be willing to do, too. I think it's a good idea. Commissioner Reyes: And Mr. Mayor, 1 could offer you also space if I had space, because I have little offices. But if you're willing to sit in the chair and meet people there without a desk, you're welcome to come to the -- I mean the Commission offices in Flagami and in Coral Way. 1 mean, you're more than welcome to come and meet the people there and work from there. Mayor Suarez: I built both the offices in your district so -- Commissioner Reyes: I know, I know, so you know how big they are. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because I think you come from the same district, so you'll be okay with that. Mayor Suarez: Yes, we are. We are. You know, as a matter of fact, I'm finishing some of'the projects that he started. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, yes. Mayor Suarez: You're doing a great job. City ofMiami Page 65 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Manager, may' 1 ask -- I'm sorry, through you, Chair. Can Mr. Rose go through all the details of the remaining parts of the budget so we can sort of --? You know, we had a lot of debates the first budget hearing on the things that we were going to support, and -- you know -- there was a little bit of debate and confusion about some of these things. Can you go -- can he go through the whole thing for us, or can I instead just make a motion to pass the budget and we move on? Commissioner Reyes: 1 think that you should make the motion. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, 1 want to make the motion then to pass the budget -- Commissioner Reyes: That's it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and move on. How about that? Commissioner Reyes: Okay, let's move on. And hey, listen -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I move that we do that. Chair Hardemon: I do -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And if somebody will second that -- I don't know if anyone will second it. Commissioner Reyes: I second. Commissioner Carollo: I will second for discussion. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Commissioner Carollo: For discussion. Commissioner Reyes: Wow. Chair Hardemon: I do have -- Commissioner Carollo: Chris -- Chair Hardemon: -- a small amendment. Commissioner Carollo: -- are you proffering in this motion, as part of this motion what you stated before; the dollars that were being placed back in the budget for the areas that were discussed previously? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Chair Hardemon: I have one -- Commissioner Carollo: There's an amendment -- I believe that's what it should be called, but you could correct me Ulm wrong, Chris, or City Attorney -- in what the Commission has before it right now. Those additional dollars are not included, correct? City ofMiami Page 66 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Ms. Mendez: That's a Chris question. Commissioner Carollo: That's who I'm asking. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So if I can clarify for the Clerk, the change memo is one large floor amendment, and then on top of that are the numbers that I read into the record earlier tonight. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Rose: And in addition to that, we -- I also then read into the record Code Enforcement, and that is where we are right now, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, so that's all been read into the record. And that's the floor amendment; that if the maker of the motion agrees with it, then we can move forward. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Diaz de la Portilla, I think that he will agree with it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Pm sorry. I had to go to the -- Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, the little boys' room. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- little boys' room. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Chris, go ahead and fill him in again. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry, sir. I missed that. Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So the change memo is one grand floor amendment, and then the numbers that 1 read into the record earlier tonight is an amendment of that, so all of that together is the budget that you are voting on tonight. Ms. Mendez: And all the changes with the NET and the hybrid system, and all that. It has to be part of the ordinance change, because you're changing the table of organization, so all that's in there. Commissioner Carollo: So that's all part of the amendment. Mr. Rose: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. Chair Hardemon: I do have one unreadiness, one request that I had of this body in the last meeting. My last budget hearing, all of us sacrificed our late and early events, so that would have been events that probably we had planned for the end of this year and especially into next year for the beginning of the year. So, for instance, one of the major events that we have within our district is the Martin Luther King Parade -- right? -- so that's early January. And all of us sacrificed all of our early events. One event that was rolled into it that I never anticipated to be rolled into it, because it's so much further away is an event that's on April 4. That's the MLK (Martin Luther King) vigil, so that's when we commemorate the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. I believe that by that time, we will be able to, as a City -- you know City ofMiami Page 67 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 -- to have these events still, and 1 would like to maintain that event in the budget. That's the only request thatl have. Commissioner Carollo: Well, Chair, I hear you loud. And the facts are that we're probably not going to be able to have any of these events. Commissioner Reyes: Yep. Commissioner Carollo: In my district, we're giving up the Three Kings Parade. We're giving up the Gay8 Parade. We're giving up additional funding Jroother activities such as that, because I don't think they're going to be held either. So that's the only reason that I was in agreement to, as a group, from both sides of the track, to take all those monies out. Chair Hardemon: Oh, no, we did, we did. And that's when we agreed on all the events. My point to you is that I believe that Chris went a step too far when he went and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) towards the middle of the year. We never discussed anything toward the middle of the year. We have earlier (INAUDIBLE) that we sacrificed for, as well, within the district. Commissioner Carollo: Well, what you're asking for is what; for this to be discussed in the middle of next year again or --? I'm not understanding. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, he's going to be gone. He wants to discuss before November 3. Chair Hardemon: At least, right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Chair Hardemon: Well, I mean, I want it to just be included in this budget, right? So basically -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is it 130 -- is it 100? I forget the amount. I don't have it in front of me. I'm sorry. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no. It's 200-plus thousand. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In each one, right? One is 130 and the other one Chair Hardemon: (INAUDIBLE) 230. The ones that are early -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 230, okay. Chair Hardemon: -- fine. The ones that -- Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Chair Hardemon: The ones (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: That's going to be for what part of the year; in January, correct? Chair Hardemon: No, that's April. Commissioner Carollo: April. City ofMiami Page 68 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Chair Hardemon: April 4. Commissioner Carollo: Gay8 is for March. We've taken it out, everything for it. I mean, I've gone as far as taking even the New Year's money out. And look, I want to see the money for Martin Luther King Parade. That's something that's been a tradition for all of us, just like the -- Commissioner Reyes: Three Kings Parade. Commissioner Carollo: -- Three Kings, just like a newer tradition, the Gay8, a New Year's Eve celebration at Bayfront Park. But -- you know -- we're either going to agree to take everything out together on both sides of the track, like I said, or -- you know -- we put it all in. You know, we can't put it in one end and not in the other. Chair Hardemon: The reason that I would -- Commissioner Carollo: I made sure I told that to the Administration -- Chair Hardemon: The reason that (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: -- from the beginning. Chair Hardemon: -- why they did that instead of doing what we discussed on the dais, because on the dais, we talked about the early events. It was (INAUDIBLE) the early events. Because -- and I have early events (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but Gay8 is March. March and April is -- you know - - going to be basically the same. And frankly, unless there's a vaccine -- and I don't see a massive vaccine going out by March, by April -- I don't think we'll have anything en masse until by summer of next year. There's no way that we're going to he having -- or he able to have all these kind of events. Chair Hardemon: I think we'll be out of the -- by that time, we will not be under any .further emergency ordinance. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chairman, it's April, hopefully. If we're not out of it by April, then we're going to be in real trouble. Commissioner Reyes: We are in a big mess. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're going to be in real trouble. Can you do it with less? I mean, I don't have any events in my district. I'm only closing down my - - the only pool I have in my district for a savings of $500,000, and had to take that hit. And nobody wants to go and have any event in my district, so I don't have any of that until we have more dollars, right? But can you do it with less, at least -- you know -- just to be sensitive to the crisis that we're facing? Chair Hardemon: Yeah, I could agree to less, yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm willing to help you. I'm willing to support you. I think it's an important event for our community. I think it's an important event for our community. Commissioner Reyes: It is very important. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I will support you, but I would feel better if you said, "You know what? I could do a scaled -down event, " because less people will City ofMiami Page 69 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 attend maybe because it's -- you know -- social distancing and everything else, and do 150, for example. You know what 1 mean? Something that we can say, "Hey, you know what? We took a little bit of a haircut on this." Chair Hardemon: Senator, I'll take that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And 171 support you on that. Commissioner Reyes: And I will support you, too, but I want also, in all fairness, that we also include -- if possible, because I think that Three King Parade is in January. It could -- maybe we won't be ready for it. But also, I mean, have a reduced budget for it, and try by -- Jroboth parades, try to get some patronizing from the public sector -- I mean, the private sector, you see -- Commissioner Carollo: Well -- Commissioner Reyes: -- like Publix, Sedano's, and all those -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So then what we do is, we go to Chris Rose again and we say, "Okay, and I want my water park open an additional day" -- Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- which is about IOOk -- instead of two days a week, three days. And we also say that we do the Gay8 Parade, which is an important event for Commissioner Carollo, and we allocate some dollars for all these things, right? Commissioner Carollo: Well -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And we come hack (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: -- I would suggest -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- 150, 150 -- Commissioner Carollo: -- like we -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- 150, 150. Commissioner Carollo: I would suggest like we did -- Commissioner Reyes: It is very important, those parades. I'll support -- 1 support Mr. Hardemon. I've been going to that parade for many years. Chair Hardemon: No, not (INAUDIBLE) parade. Commissioner Reyes: I mean, and it is very important for the community, just as Three King Parade is very important for -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The Three Kings Parade is a Cuban American tradition. MLK is a tradition in the whole country, but obviously, it's a special significance to the African American community. Commissioner Reyes: It is quite significant, and I'll support you on that. City ofMiami Page 70 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And -- you know -- the Gay8 Parade is an important event for our community -- you know -- so all these events matter. It shows that we care. We're culturally and racially sensitive and ethnically sensitive to each other and what's important to us. And so, if we do it, we do it for everybody - - right? -- and we go to our City Manager and Mr. Rose -- I think he fell asleep or got scared -- and say, "Hey, you know what? The same way you" -- Commissioner Reyes: We need so much for this. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hello, Chris. "The same way that you found the money at 12 o'clock today for our district offices, you go back, and you find the money for these events that are important to our communities." Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: Well, let's do this. Like we did a year ago when I think you threw in another hundred thousand for the parade: Let's split the baby, 150 for the Martin Luther King Parade, and we'll put 150 for the other events that we mentioned in -- that are held in Little Havana. All three of these events, frankly, are citywide events. We all go to the Martin Luther King Parade. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I have a pool -- I have one pool in Allapattah. It's not a park for rich people or anything like that, but it's a pool for poor kids that's going to be open -- that there's a $500,000 cut, so we only open it two days a week, Saturday and Sunday. So I also want 150 for District 1. I can't walk away from the conversation without getting my 150 for my people. So everybody gets 150 -- Commissioner Reyes: Well, listen -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and for whatever they think is important. Chair Hardemon: I want to be clear. Commissioner Reyes: I don't have a pool -- I don't have a parade and I don't have a pool. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you got 500,000 for your Shenandoah pool. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE) million dollars. Commissioner Carollo: Guys, guys, guys. Commissioner Reyes: No, but the thing is this -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That was last year, right? Commissioner Reyes: -- what is fair is fair. What is fair is fair. I don't want (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: Seriously, guys, the -- Commissioner Reyes: I don't want to see that pool closed. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) have to do it, you see. Commissioner Carollo: I didn't want to go there, but if we're going to do this, all three of these events, Martin Luther King Parade, Three Kings, Gay8, they're truly citywide events that cover all of us. They just happen to be one in Commissioner City ofMiami Page 71 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Hardemon's district and two are held in my district. But they're citywide events that everybody in the City goes to them. Chair Hardemon: How much is the Gay8 Parade? What -- I mean, how much is --? I don't see that on the -- Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Chair Hardemon: You call it the Gay8 Parade? Commissioner Carollo: There was an amount put aside to it that was taken out, but it was included in the amount that we put for entertainment last year of 100, plus the other 75. Chair Hardemon: But it's not in the change memo. So is it in the budget or is it not in the budget? Commissioner Carollo: It's not in the budget. No, it's not in the budget. Chair Hardemon: That was fbr -- Commissioner Carollo: That was taken out. Chair Hardemon: -- how much for the Gay8? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The Gay8 was 130, if I -- I don't have it in front of me. I'm sorry. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, no, it wasn't that. Coniniissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What was it? Chris? Mr. Rose: Commissioners, I don't have a record of us supporting the Gay8 Parade with funds there. Commissioner Carollo: You do, Chris. That came out of the 100,000 for the entertainment and parades that we had put into Little Havana. When Commissioner -- let me try to refresh your memory. When at the end of the last budget, like this, you brought up that you needed more money for the Martin Luther King Parade. We also assigned an equal amount to the other parades, and that's how it was done back then. So we're doing the same thing again now, nothing different. Chair Hardemon: And 1 want to be clear that this isn't the Martin Luther King Parade. Commissioner Reyes: It's the vigil, right? Chair Hardemon: I agreed at last budget hearing that all of the early events -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a vigil -- right? -- the vigil. Chair Hardemon: It's a vigil. Commissioner Reyes: It's a vigil. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a vigil, right. It's a difference. It's two events, right. City ofMiami Page 72 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Reyes: It's two different things. Chair Hardemon: All the earlier events were in January. Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's what I meant, and I apologize. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, it's a vigil. So it's two different events; the Martin Luther King Parade and the Martin Luther King Day. The other one is later. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, which is in January. Chair Hardemon: The parade is supported by the County in January. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Chair Hardemon: But the (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's January 19 or whatever, I think it is. Chair Hardemon: -- is not supported by the County. Commissioner Reyes: Which, by the way, I think that in January nor the MLK Parade or the Three Kings Parade will -- I mean -- Chair Hardemon: And that's why -- right. And that's why I stated that I was forgoing those amounts, because I realize that those events probably will not occur. Commissioner Reyes: Those events will not be -- okay. Chair Hardemon: And I was asking (INAUDIBLE) -- Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And this is all for the vigil, that's what it is. Chair Hardemon: And I agreed for a reduced amount for the one that's in April, because I believe that one could happen and will probably happen. Whatever money I have within the district -- well, the next Commissioner, hopefully, will have within the district, they'll scrape up to make it happen if they really believe in it even more. So, you know, that's why I was willing to agree to the 150 that you proposed to me, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I can support that. Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, me too. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely. Vice Chair Russell: So is it 150 per district for events? Commissioner Carollo: No -- well, no. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, nothing for Coconut Grove and Downtown Miami. That's a rich area in Miami. We -- Vice Chair Russell: Well, we let go (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They don't need any more government help. Vice Chair Russell: -- stuff like that. City ofMiami Page 73 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, 1 think we do 150 per district for the Commission to allocate wherever every respective Commissioner decides to send that money -- the events that are important, that that -- I think the Commissioners know what's important for their community. That's why I advocated for the district offices. You know, we know because we're elected and -- Commissioner Carollo: Guys, look -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- but we think that the Three Kings Parade matters, the Gay8 Parade matters, the MLK Parade we know matters. All these things matter. And so every Commissioner should have the right to pick. Commissioner Carollo: They do but I'm sorry. In a budget that we're laying off so many people, I -- you know -- Commissioner Reyes: And I can -- Commissioner Carollo: -- I'll forsake mine and find the money somewhere else for them. Commissioner Reyes: Me, too. Commissioner Carollo: That they have it but -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: -- I can't put anything more in the budget like this. Conmaissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I will forsake my Grapeland Park and have my kids not have a pool for five days out of the seven days. I'll do that, too. And we give Commissioner Hardemon -- Chairman Hardemon his 150 for his Martin Luther King vigil. I think the Three Kings Parade -- because, I mean, you know, I'm Cuban American. I think it's something important for our culture and our people, and we do 150 for that, no matter where it is. It is a citywide event. That's a very good argument. And the Gay8 Parade, too, so we -- I will not do mine. Commissioner Russell don't get greedy. Don't do yours, and we'll do the other three, and that's 450, and that works for me. I'll accept that. Commissioner Reyes: Let's do one thing. We don't know if by January we will be able to have gathering of people. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But at least we allocate it. Commissioner Reyes: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) shift it from the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the year. Commissioner Reyes: Hold on a second. Alex, hold on a second. Let's -- we know that this vigil is in April, that we hope we going to be out of it. If we are not out of it and we are -- I mean, still there is -- will not be allowed a concentration of people, then we don't use those funds. And if by January we find that the -- I mean, it is lifted, the ordinance that we cannot meet, then we find the money for the Three Kings Parade and for the Gay8, and that's it. City ofMiami Page 74 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We'll do a budget amendment later on, so is that cool? Commissioner Reyes: Later on. We do it later on. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. That's the way to go about it. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. But 1 think Commissioner Hardemon, because he's leaving in November -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- he wants to -- and I understand that he wants to -- it's an April event. It's a vigil that's important for -- Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- an important part of our community. We give him the 150 -- Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- for that event and then we come back, and we talk about -- Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. And if the event -- I mean, with the covenant that if the event doesn't take place, it comes back to -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, yeah. It comes hack to the budget, yeah. Commissioner Reyes: -- the budget, and that's it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I'll move the 150 for -- Commissioner Reyes: And we have him covered, and we have everybody covered. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the Martin Luther King vigil. Commissioner Carollo: And I'll identify the area that if it does go forward in April, that it could be taken from. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: The half a million or more dollars that we got in the Rebuild General Fund. Commissioner Reyes: Okay, that's fine. Okay, guys. Chair Hardemon: So I think we're -- Commissioner Reyes: Is that it? Are we ready to vote? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, so I'll move that the 150k for the Martin Luther King vigil. I think we could move that -- City ofMiami Page 75 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Mr. Hannon: Conznzissioner Diaz de la Portilla. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- as part of the budget. I'll move that. Commissioner Reyes: And with the covenant that -- Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, you already made a motion on the - Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With the covenant that was mentioned by -- Mr. Hannon: -- (INAUDIBLE). Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- Commissioner Carollo. Mr. Hannon: -- as part of that motion, which would require a second. And that -- again, Chris Rose -- I'm sorry, Mr. Budget Director. You're clear, 150,000 for MLK Parade only. Chair Hardemon: No. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The vigil. Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, the vigil. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The vigil. Commissioner Carollo: The vigil. Mr. Hannon: I'm sorry (INAUDIBLE). Commissioner Carollo: April vigil. Commissioner Reyes: The vigil that's in April. And the covenant that I proposed is if by any change due to the restrictions of gathering of people that it doesn't take place because of -- I mean, the government doesn't allow it, that that 150 will go back to the -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. And it's a unique circumstance because -- Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- our Chairman is moving to greener pastures. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So he wants to make sure he leaves that here when he leaves us for -- takes the County's side on a lot of these issues. Chair Hardemon: I heard the grass is rather brown there. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Be careful what you ask for, Commissioner. Be careful what you ask for. Chair Hardemon: All right. So it's been properly moved and seconded with all amendments to approve this budget with what's been stated on the record. City ofMiami Page 76 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Vice Chair Russell: Just a moment, because there was some fungible money we were talking about with those events right there, and 1 didn't understand where it was coming from, because I just wanted clarification from Mr. Rose. I had thought all that budget money was already redistributed throughout the budget. Mr. Rose, are you still there? Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. And Commissioner Carollo is correct. A hundred and fifty thousand for the MLK vigil from the Rebuild the General Fund unrestricted -- Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely. Mr. Rose: -- reserve -- yes, sir. There is enough there to do that. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: Got it. Is there any more room, Chris and gentlemen, to help Lotus House a little further towards their goal -- Commissioner Carollo: No. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. Vice Chair Russell: -- to set 100 from the City? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. We're done. It time to go to bed, Commissioner Russell. Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 100 from the CRA. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Don't get greedy. We're done. Vice Chair Russell: It's not for me; it's for the kids. Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (INAUDIBLE) committed $100,000. Did you commit anything from your budget, Commissioner Russell? Vice Chair Russell: If I have available to commit, Pm happy to. Commissioner Reyes: I committed 15. Vice Chair Russell: 1 don't even understand why (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And he committed 15. Vice Chair Russell: -- you know I have the smallest API (Anti -Poverty Initiative) of the City, so. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, you have anti -poverty funds, right? Have you committed anything to Lotus House? I committed a hundred. Vice Chair Russell: That's what I'm saying, the anti poverty, we have -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Reyes committed 15. Vice Chair Russell: -- the smallest of the City. City ofMiami Page 77 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Everybody got to pay -- Commissioner Carollo: Call the question. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- a little bit into the pot. Commissioner Reyes: Call the question, okay? Commissioner Carollo: I call the question, Chair. Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further discussion, all in favor of the motion on the floor, say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries. Our budget is complete. Congratulations. Mr. Rose: Thankyou, Commissioners. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, everybody. Commissioner Reyes: God is great. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thankyou, Chairman. Ms. Mendez: Mr. Chairman, this is your last budget with us. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, hut he's got a couple more meetings with us, I think, right? Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Chair Hardemon: Right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Maybe three. Commissioner Carollo: Well, we started Thursday. Now it is Friday at 2:42 in the morning. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, and I'm going to have three more special meetings I'm going to call just to spend more quality time with our Chairman. All right? So we'll have three special meetings in October, Chairman. Don't worry about it. Commissioner Carollo: He wants to make sure you're properly indoctrinated. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Exactly. You're a Miami guy, remember that. You're not a Dade County guy. Chair Hardemon: No problem. Commissioner Reyes: You have a job. You have to bring money to Miami. City ofMiami Page 78 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir, CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) dollars. Commissioner Reyes: That's right; CARES dollars and roads dollars, also, you see. Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I'm going to deliver for my City. You'll see. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Chair Hardemon: Thank you, everyone. Commissioner Reyes: Okay, guys. It's been a pleasure being with you guys. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you. Goodnight, everyone. Get some rest. Commissioner Reyes: Goodnight. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Bye-bye. Commissioner Reyes: Bye. BH.7 RESOLUTION 7812 Office of Management and Budget A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") FISCAL YEAR 2020-21 MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN ("PLAN") AS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE COMMUNITY PLANNING ACT, SPECIFICALLY SECTIONS 163.3161 AND 163.3177, FLORIDA STATUTES (2019), 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-20-0307 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item BH.7, please see "Public Comment for All Budget Item(s)." Chair Hardemon: Do we want to tackle BH.7 first? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that'll be good. Chair Hardemon: All right. Commissioner Carollo: Move. Commissioner Reyes: Second. City ofMiami Page 79 Printed on 3/28/2022 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2020 Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded to approve Item BH.7. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor of the motion, say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Motion carries. END OF SECOND BUDGET HEARING ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned on Friday, September 25, 2020 at 2:42 a.m. City ofMiami Page 80 Printed on 3/28/2022