HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2020-09-10 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 10, 2020
5:05 PM
First 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 10, 2020
FIRST BUDGET HEARING
NOTE: FIRST BUDGET HEARING TO DISCUSS FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND
TENTATIVE BUDGET.
5:05 PM CALL TO ORDER
Present: Chair Hardemon, Vice Chair Russell, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
Commissioner Carollo and Commissioner Reyes.
On the I0th day of September, 2020, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida,
conducted and broadcasted its first 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 5:12 p.m., and adjourned at 9:22 p.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Carollo joined the virtual meeting at 5:20 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 first budget hearing of the City of
Miami City Commission. The members of the City Commission are Senator Alexander Diaz de
la Portilla, Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes, Vice Chair Ken Russell; and me, Keon Hardemon, the
Chairman. Also on the dais are Arthur Noriega, City Manager; Victoria Mendez, the City
Attorney; and Todd Hannon, the City Clerk. Madam City Attorney, please state the procedures
to be followed during this virtual first budget meeting and related first virtual budget hearing.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This evening the City is
holding its first virtual budget meeting and the related virtual budget public hearing Jrothe
purpose of fixing the proposed millage rate, adopting a tentative budget, and approving the
various agency budgets. There will be a virtual final budget meeting and virtual final budget
public hearing on September 24, 2020 at 5:05 p.m. 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 or at any specific location, utilizing communications and media technology such as
telephonic or video conferencing as provided by Section 120.54(5)(b)(2) 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 City Code section about lobbyists is available in the City
Clerk's office, or 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 or online at municode.com. In accordance with Section 2-330 and (g) of the
City Code, the agenda and the material for each item on the agenda for this virtual first 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. Any person may be heard by the Chair for not more
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
than two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission, unless modified by the
Chair. Since 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 elected
officials and City Administration throughout the day so 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
Chairperson closes the public comment period. 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.comlgovernmentllivepublic-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-19. 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 permitted to enter City Hall. All interested persons are required to
abide by all State, County, and local emergency orders, and are 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 City 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 Florida Statutes specifically authorizes the City to prescribe
procedures or forums for an individual to use in order to inform the board or Commission of
the desire to he 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 virtual budget meeting. The public has been given the opportunity to
provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity in time before the
meeting. These public comment options established and provided for, for this budget 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 notice to the public via the City's social media
channels and published online at miamigov.com. When the City Commission takes action or
votes on any proposition before it, it shall do so by roll call, 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 Statute 221.0065 Florida Statutes and 286.0105 Florida Statutes, as well as
Florida Administrative Code 12(d)-17.005, no verbatim record is required regarding a public
hearing required by Chapter 200. A copy of this video meeting may be acquired 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 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 budget meeting and related budget public hearing, 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 be broadcasted live for members of the
public to view on Miami TV, at miamigov.com, through the City's Facebookpage, on the City's
Periscope channel, on the City's YouTube channel, and on Comcast Channel 77. The
broadcast will also have closed captioning. The City has not selected a virtual platform that
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
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 this meeting.
Commissioners, please confirm you are comfortable with the notice provisions as set forth in
these uniform rules and procedures as we have established for this virtual public first budget
hearing.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Mr. Min: Thank you.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ALL BUDGET ITEM(S)
7882 DISCUSSION ITEM
Office of the City
Clerk
PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
FOR THE SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 FIRST BUDGET VIRTUAL HEARING.
RESULT: PRESENTED
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So let's go to public comment then.
Manuel Otero (Web Administrator): Operator 2, you're live.
Unidentified Speaker: Ma'am, go ahead. You've live with the Commission.
Myra Cruz: Hi. Hello?
Unidentified Speaker: Ma'am --
Ms. Cruz: It sounds like they're still talking.
Unidentified Speaker: -- go ahead. They're listening.
Ms. Cruz: Okay. Hi. Good evening. My name is Myra Cruz. I live at 50 Southwest
loth Street, Miami, Florida 33130. I am here virtually to speak about the Division
of Resilience and Sustainability, and particularly to increase support for this
division. First, I want to thank you for meeting with Catalyst Miami and community
members yesterday to discuss the budget. We really thank you for spending the time
to discuss these issues with us. We also want to thank you for meeting on climate
adaptation projects and initiatives. It definitely goes a long way to ensure resilience
here in our City. But I would also like to make recommendations to further enhance
and push this work forward, and really bring your focus to providing full-time
mitigation to the outreach and climate justice staff as part of the Division of
Resilience and Sustainability. It's important to focus on adaptation, but it's also even
more important for -- to focus on ways to increase mitigation here in our City.
Without that, we really are setting ourselves for failure in the future if we can't
address these issues fully and comprehensively. As well as important to consider
accountability measures, there is a budget addendum that we worked on at Catalyst
Miami and community members that we spoke with you about yesterday that
includes performance metrics, floor mitigation, and community engagement. And we
greatly encourage you to take a look at those and consider including those as an
addendum to your budget. Once again, thank you for your time and thank you for
the work that you've done so far. I hope that you consider these recommendations.
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Mr. Otero: Operator 3, you're live.
Unidentified Speaker: Hello, ma'am. You're live with the Commission now. Go
ahead.
Sofia Cuenca: Hi. Good evening. My name is Sofia Cuenca. I am the program
manager at Healthy Little Havana, at 515 Southwest 12th Avenue, Suite 525, Miami,
Florida 33130. I want to thank you for your time and this opportunity to speak here
today in support of the Neighborhood Enhancement Teams. As an organization who
mission is to develop and support a healthier Little Havana by addressing the social
determinants of health, we believe it is of utmost importance to allocate adequate
resources to the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) offices. From a public
health perspective, I am genuinely concerned of the negative impacts a reduction of
NET offices will have in our community. The Marlins NET Office opened barely a
year ago, and was strategically designed to serve the needs of the residents of Little
Havana, a community of largely overpopulated low-income immigrants with an
array of social and economic disadvantages. It has previously been stated that NET
offices will be combined and services will not be impacted, but the inequities that
exist in our community when it comes to access to transportation and the number of
resources that are provided at the physical NET Office locations must not be
ignored. The NET Office provide a window to the City services, and it is partly their
grass roots efforts that help improve residents' trust and perception of government
services. At Healthy Little Havana, we are working on diverse projects with varied
partners in the areas of education, employment, public space, and housing. And I
hope that as the Commission makes this difficult decision, they sincerely consider the
residents of Little Havana and how the decisions being made at this table are
impacting the health of our community members. Thank you so much for your time.
Mr. Otero: Operator 1, you're live.
Unidentified Speaker: Hello? Hello. Ma'am, you're live with City Commission.
Ann -Marie De Melo: Hi. Good afternoon. This is Ann -Marie De Melo with Urban
Health Solutions, located at 425 Northeast 22nd Street. UHS (Urban Health
Solutions) is dedicated to community, health considerations and policy plans and
programs. It's non -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Urban Health partnership has served
the City of Miami by collaborating with residents and stakeholders to address health
disparities for the past nearly 10 years. And as a public health professional and
board member of Healthy Little Havana, I'd like to state my strong opposition for
any recommendation to consolidate NET offices. In particular, the Marlins Park
NET Office in Little Havana has been an invaluable partner for our residents, and to
be able to establish positive relationships with our law enforcement, to be able to
address the plague of litter and illegal dumping in Little Havana. And on a daily
basis, they are the boots on the ground. They're really our connection to the City.
And in considering to consolidate or remove this public resource in our most
vulnerable community, it just doesn't make sense. It's difficult to understand. And
just hearing the priorities from our Commission and our Administration, I have to
believe that you all want a stronger City, you want a more resilient City, you want a
more economically viable City, a healthier City. And the only way we can do that is
by not cutting the resources in these vulnerable communities, but uplifting that
community and providing the resources that they need so that they can connect to the
City. And I can't say enough what a wonderful partner the NET Office has been.
And it's disappointing to think that there's a possibility that our budget and our
resources don't reflect our priorities. I hope we can find creative mechanisms to be
able to bring the resources and the funding we need to support them. Thank you.
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Mr. Otero: Operator 2, you're live.
Unidentified Speaker: Ma'am, go ahead. You're live with the Commission.
Constance Collins: My name is Constance Collins. I'm the Executive Director of
the Lotus House Women's Shelter. Tonight Lotus House is sheltering close to 490
women and children who, but for this shelter, may be forced to stay in violent and
abusive situations, risk losing their children to foster care, or face hunger, injury, or
death out on the street. They are among the most fragile and vulnerable in our
community, many with special medical and mental health needs, elders, pregnant,
and youth. Over 250-plus of our children each night are between -- largely between
the ages of birth and the tender age of 5. Throughout this pandemic we have
sheltered nearly 1,000 women and children. We remain fully operational at
capacity, at tremendous cost, never shuttering our doors, because we are an
essential service. Our dedicated team put their lives on the line, because lives are on
the line here. We have asked for $450,000 to provide partial funding for 53 beds for
women and children in the coming year. Last year, we were assured by the
Commission that we would receive 400,000. Only about 180,000 materialized. We
are asking for parity with the $460,000 annual funding provided by the City to
shelter men living on the street. Your budget reflects the City of Miami's priorities.
We ask for meaningful substantive financial support for high special needs women
and children experiencing homelessness as a priority, and we are not the only ones
asking. The change.org petition we launched requesting Mayor Suarez and each of
you to provide more funding for emergency shelter and supportive services for
women and children has over 13,453 signatures to date, and counting. Your help is
more than life -changing; it is lifesaving. Thank you.
Mr. Otero: Operator 3, you're live.
Rachel Collins: Hello?
Unidentified Speaker: Hello, ma'am. You're on. Go ahead.
Ms. Collins: Rachel Collins. I appreciate the opportunity to speak. I just wanted to
say please allocate more of the money, to redistribute the wealth, because there are a
lot of homeless people in the City, and the healthcare crisis and the climate
emergency will exacerbate the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I urge the leadership to invest
in solutions, but treat the root cause of these disparities rather than Band-Aids. We
don't want charity. We want justice. And part of that has to do with funding these
weapons that are used against the citizens of Miami, such as tear gas and rubber
bullets, which is wrong, and the protestors -- the non-violent protestors that I'rn in
communication with have, fallen victim to these shows of force. And so, I yield the
rest of my time. Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker: Operator 1, you're live.
Unidentified Speaker: Hello, ma'am. You're on live.
Mya Stein: Hello. My name is Mya Stein. I'm a student at the University of Miami,
and I'm located at 1250 South Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida 33130. I'm calling
you today because I'm deeply concerned about the lack of protection and investments
in environmental health and the preservation efforts in regards to Miami's natural
resources and ecosystem. I urge the City of Miami to increase the Division of
Resilience and Sustainability's budget so that the following issues can be addressed:
Consultation of outboard pipes and working (UNINTELLIGIBLE) construction site
dumping, expanding waste and recycling infrastructure, sewage and septic tank
leakages, sea level rise, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) pollution, and regulating harmful
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chemicals and fertilizers. 1 hope you consider these recommendations, and thank
you so much for your time.
Mr. Otero: Okay. We're going to go now to recorded public comment.
Antonio Dellaglio: Hi. My name is Antonio Dellaglio. I'm a resident of Miami at
665 Northeast 52nd Street. I'm calling in support of the downtown bike network. I
would urge the City Commission to support this effort. There's ample support and
research that supports the reasoning for it, such as reduced traffic congestion. It
would position Miami as a world -class destination, similar to every other major
metropolitan city around the globe, and obviously, the environmental impact is much
further -- much less for a city who's already very vulnerable with the environment. I
ask your support for the bike network, and it's important that this issue is not delayed
any further in the interest of real estate developers. Thank you for your time.
Abegail Ape: Hi. My name is Abegail Ape, and I'm representing the Brickell
Homeowners Association, with a membership of 35 condominiums in Brickell. The
Brickell downtown community is a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) engine for the City of
Miami. Yet, we have struggled to have basic services completed in our community.
Since February of this year, I've been submitting tickets via 311 to get Brickell
Avenue service. There is trash and overgrown shrubs all down the avenue and it
looks very poorly maintained. Since the City of Miami maintenance team runs on a
grid system, I was informed that they would not be able to get our avenue serviced
until October of this year. That means ten months of an avenue that's looking
raggedy and not up to par. I am requesting that a team focus on our area to keep
our space properly maintained and to return the charm to the heart of our city. I ask
the Commission to please take my comment into consideration and to address this
issue. Thank you.
Ms. Ape: Hello. My name is Abbey Ape. I am a resident at 244 Biscayne Boulevard
in downtown Miami. I'd like to speak on the closures of several of the NET offices,
the one that includes the closure of the downtown Brickell NET Office. I'm very
concerned about this as there's hundreds and thousands of residents within the
downtown and the Brickell community. And I think that keeping resources in a very
populated and transient community is critical to our growth. I don't think that taking
resources from our community is what is wise at this time, so I would ask that you
please keep open the downtown and the Brickell NET Office. Thank you.
Gabriella Rodriguez: My name is Gabriella Rodriguez, and I live at 13862
Southwest 102 Lane, 33186. I'd like to comment on the budget for the Division of
Resilience and Sustainability. The City of Miami's Division of Resilience and
Sustainability, which directly addresses climate action and has been moved under
the Office of Resilience and Public Works, which includes storm water, sewer, and
tree maintenance. Although the office budget is increasing, the division that tackles
carbon reduction is decreasing in staff time and budget. This is unacceptable.
Climate (UNINTELLIGIBLE) needs to be supported by increasing staff and funding.
I ask that you please reconsider the budget to allocate proper funding for
sustainability and community outreach staff members. I am a 21-year-old
community educator myself who speaks to people around Miami about the climate
crisis, particularly, our vulnerable youth. I know that education and outreach is
incredibly necessary for the resilience of this city. We need more feet on the ground
to support, protect and prepare our communities. Do not forget, the climate crisis is
not one issue that you can solve with a Band-Aid. Please stop treating it like that. A
change in climate is the greatest threat to the City from hurricanes to the
gentrification of families, and combatting it with very little resources, funding, and
staff is a blatant injustice to the constituents of the City of Miami. This is not how
you act in an emergency. Thank you.
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Justin Trieger: Hello. My name is Justin Trieger. I live at 1926 Northwest 17th
Street, and 1 am also the Vice President of the Allapattah Neighborhood Association.
Thank you for the opportunity to share comments this evening regarding this current
year's fiscal budget -- or proposed fiscal budget. I and many members of the
Allapattah community feel very strongly that both our NET Administrator, Yariel
Diaz, and his staff should retain their positions regardless of whatever reductions
are made budgetarily in the NET Department's budget for this current year. Yariel
and his staff have made themselves an indispensable part of our community. They've
been at the center of a lot of great progress that we've made, both in coalescing a
bunch of neighborhood organizations and individuals towards collective goals, and
he and his staff truly set the bar in terms of what a public representative should be.
Our understanding, based on the community budget reviews a couple weeks ago, is
that any staffing decisions in the NET offices would be made based on seniority or
civil servant guidelines. Understanding that that is a factor, we feel very strongly
that it would be in the City's best interest and it would be the best use of resources to
retain these highly impactful individuals. So whatever we have to do to keep this
rock star in his current position, along with his other staff members, I encourage you
to make that happen. Thank you so much.
Arnold Novar: Good morning. My name is Arnold Novar. I am a citizen of
Wynwood, Miami. My address is P.O. Box (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Miami, Florida
33137. I'm calling in pertaining to the budget and the proposed closing of the eight
NET offices, including the Wynwood/Edgewater Office. I guess my question
regarding this is, how was this decision made? Or why were the selected offices that
are proposed to be closed chosen, and is there a way to better spread out the open
offices compared to the closed ones? Because from my understanding, the eight
offices that are proposed to be closed are essentially located in the City, and we're
looking at Overtown, Wynwood, Little Haiti. And that's like literally the entire
center of the City. So I'm trying to understand why the offices that are selected to be
closed were the ones selected and how is that process done. And how can it he
better organized to cover the majority of the City, and not having to make people
who live in that center of the City have to travel long distances to engage with their
NET offices? So that's basically my, question in trying to understand how that
process works, because it seems to me that if you close those offices in the center of
the City, then you're literally closing off an entire portion of the community that
really needs support from the City and needs to be directly in contact and
communication with the City.
Alejandro Avenu: This is Alejandro Avenu. And my address is 1010101 [sic] Circle
Court, 154 Circle Court. And I'm calling fbr the Division of Resilience and
Sustainability. I'm calling on behalf of Gemsee (phonetic) to ask the City Mayor and
Commissioners to prioritize the carbon emission and climate resilience work. The
Office of Resilience needs to hire more staff that will help us find more solutions to
the vulnerable Florida coastlines. We need you to be the leaders that we need right
now and help us -- give us a fighting chance for a sustainable future.
Carolina Fernandez: Hi. My name is Carolina Fernandez (UNINTELLIGIBLE),
and I live at 555 Northeast 30th Street, Miami, Florida 33137. I'm speaking today
as a constituent who is concerned about the current and very visible effects of the
climate crisis in Miami. No matter what our political leanings are, we cannot deny
the fact that our City is getting hotter and hotter by the year. Hurricanes and
extreme weather events are becoming more frequent by the year, and even our
beautiful bodies of water will become unsustainable for marine life as water
temperatures continue rising. Although the climate crisis is something that will
ultimately affect us all, including our own children and grandchildren, it is hitting
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) communities hardest right now. To name just one example,
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when storms happen and flooding forces people out of their homes, not everyone has
a place to go or the financial means to pay for repairs and make their homes
inhabitable again. The City budget related to climate action should be bigger than
just .03 percent of the total City budget. The Division of Resilience and
Sustainability needs to be supported with more funding and staff. In addition, our
City needs to invest in addressing greenhouse gas emissions and de -carbonization.
While the City is doing a lot on adaptation in current projects, it's lacking in its
support of these areas. We're relying on you, our leaders, to prioritize your
community's concerns and make investments that address the climate crisis so that
our residents can live and thrive here for generations to come. Thank you for your
time.
Daniella Molina: Hi. My name is Daniella Molina. I live in Miami at 15840
Southwest 133rd Ave., and I'm calling about the City of Miami budget hearing. I
want to ask that you reallocate funds away from policing and towards climate
resilience and sustainability. There is no bigger issue than the climate crisis, and
the City of Miami is at the forefront. We should be a model city, but instead, we're
years behind, spending money trying to fix the symptoms instead of fixing the root of
the problem. We need to divest from fossil fuels and invest in creating renewable
enerb . (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ask you to please put our people's lives first. This
crisis will only get worse no matter how much we adapt to the problem. We need to
focus on mitigating it, as well. Divest from fossil fuel; invest in renewable energy.
Thank you for your time, and I hope you hear our concerns with an open mind and
an open heart.
Andrea Crumrine: Good morning, City of Miami leaders. My name is Andrea
Crumrine, and I live at 517 Northeast 121st Street, North Miami, Florida 33161.
Today I encourage all of you to increase the budget for the Division of Resilience
and Sustainability. Your commitment to this division is more important now than
ever for the future of Miami and Miami -Dade County. Specifically, I would like to
encourage you to increase the budget to allow for appropriate staffing necessary for
meaningful climate action, greenhouse gas reduction, and carbon mitigation. 1
encourage you to expand this important division for the future of Miami and Miami -
Dade County. As local leaders of the City of Miami, you too carry the responsibility
to set an example for all South Florida. Thank you in advance for your careful
consideration.
Genesis Barrio: Hi. Good afternoon. My name is Genesis Barrio. 1 live in 923
Southwest 12th Avenue, Apartment 2, Miami, Florida 33130, part of District 3,
under Commissioner Joe Carollo. The agenda item I'd like to comment on is
regarding the budget. Now, I am a 26-year-old who grew up in Little Havana. I
came back to Miami after college because Miami is my home. Miami is my future,
but there will absolutely be no future for me or for Miami if our City does not
prioritize the responses to climate change. We are in a climate state of emergency.
Therefore, it is imperative that the Division of Resilience and Sustainability receive
adequate staff support and priority in funding. Thank you.
Olivia Collins: Hello. My name is Olivia Collins. I'm the Director of Programs for
the CLEO Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to climate change education and
advocacy, located at 2103 Coral Way in Miami. I'm submitting my comments today
to speak on the proposed City budget for the City of Miami. The proposal, as
currently outlined by the budget, shows that the budget for resilience work would be
cut by 50 percent, showing $831,000 last year, compared to $409,000 this year, and
shrinking full-time staff from five positions to three. While I commend the City of
Miami for all its work in adoption and flood prevention, we really have to focus our
efforts on mitigation and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, getting to the
source of the problem. If we want to hold true to the claim that we are a resilient
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city and working in line with the declared climate emergency, then our budget must
also reflect this. Another issue of concern is the fact that the budget proposal does
not have a dedicated staff to manage the greenhouse gas mitigation plan for the City
of Miami. When we consider that Miami is one of the most vulnerable cities in the
US (United States) to the impacts of the climate crisis, I don't know how a staff of
barely three can take on the mammoth task of protecting the City of Miami and its
most vulnerable residents in tackling the greenhouse gas mitigation plan. This will
require more staff and staff that are dedicated to community outreach. I would like
to recommend that the budget for resilience work be significantly increased to reflect
the amount of work that is still needed to uplift our communities in need and protect
the City from the impacts of climate change, like extreme heat, flooding, bigger
hurricanes, saltwater intrusion and so on. If we truly care about the future of the
City, then we need to propose a budget that reflects the work needed to protect it,
because resilience is more than just sea level rise. It's about people and their
livelihood. Thank you very much.
Mariella Lopez de Albear: My name is Mariella Lopez de Albear. I'm a resident at
661 Northeast 68th Street, Miami, Florida 33138. I'm also an activist and an
advocate for the Upper Eastside and all the surrounding neighborhoods around me,
as well as in the City of Miami, for that matter. I'm placing this phone call
September 9 at 2: 56 p.m., and I want to talk about the NET Office that we have on
the Upper Eastside, which is very, very much necessary, especially since we have a
lot of renegade businesses that just come on in and find loopholes and do whatever
they want to do, and not adhere to the Historic Board recommendations and taking
up to the Commissioners. And they know that loophole and that roundabout. And by
the time that, you know, anything can be done, a year has already passed, and then
they get away with it, like Little Bites and their mural, and also La Placita, with their
mural. And God knows, if we don't have that office and we don't have these people
that we need so much that are so very dedicated professionals, kind, with empathy
and respectful to anyone that comes into there and has any issues, especially Cindy
Cruz and Shay; they're amazing people. And really, we need to keep that office. It's
a must. You cannot get rid of it, because if you do, you will definitely have a big
problem with renegade businesses and buildings and so forth, and residential
construction that will not be to Code, and they will just get away with murder.
Behind my house at 642 Northeast 68th Street, they built a fence without Code, and
they had no permits, no nothing, and they took advantage of the COVID, and they
know that the boards are not meeting, and therefore, there goes that fence, illegally
there forever and ever until things get back to normal, which hopefully, they will,
and soon. So I wish all of you the best, and to be healthy, wear your masks, and
please, whatever you do, do not get rid of the NET Office in the Upper Eastside. It
will be a real problem, and it will be a real mess if we don't have these people who
are supervising our neighborhood and making sure that people are complying and
that things are in order. Thank you.
Emma Lopez: Yes. I'm the owner of the lot at 683 Northeast 68th Street, 33138.
And I'm calling in reference to NET (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It's a very necessary
office for the neighborhood, the Upper Eastside. And I appreciate that you don't
take away that office. We all need it. And please, my number is 305-332-3291, and
my name is Emma Lopez. And the property is 683 Northeast 68th Street, 33138.
Again, it's in reference to NET work office that we all in the neighborhood of the
Upper Eastside need their services. They are courteous, they are professional, and
always try to solve the problems. Thank you very, much. And if anything please call
me, the phone Heft, 305-332-3291. Thank you.
Louis Vasquez: Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Lou Vasquez, 3225
Northwest 3rd Avenue, Miami, Florida. In reference to the Wynwood NET Office
closing, I would like to address an important reason to strongly consider keeping the
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Wynwood NET Office open. First and foremost, the NET Office is an essential direct
line of communication with our community. We must remember that we have a large
group of elderly residents, and they have had the comfort of knowing that they can
walk to the office and speak with someone directly about their concerns and issues in
the neighborhood. I cannot state strongly enough how vital and effective this office
has been in dealing with chronic issues in the neighborhood. And Sonya Brown has
been an essential, excellent liaison between the City and the residents of Wynwood
Norte. The administrator has a unique knowledge and understanding of the
neighborhood and the issues that require ongoing attention, and this will be lost. I
understand that the City's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) financial challenges due to COVID
and other factors, but perhaps we can consider maintaining the office actually open,
for example, two to three days a week. In closing, I ask our elected officials to
understand that Wynwood Norte has been waiting, patiently waiting to be recognized
and given the attention that it deserves. Taking critical resources away is
detrimental to all of the stakeholders who have invested their lives and livelihood in
this neighborhood. Now that Wynwood has renewed interest and growth in quality
of life, we ask that you help us with maintaining the services we have fought so hard
to get and now find our self with diminished line of communication with the City of
Miami. Thank you.
Emilia de la Fuente: Hi. My name is Emilia de la Fuente. I'm a resident at 214
Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. Over the course of the years, I've seen the
wonderful work that the Downtown DDA does, and this message is to encourage the
Commission to pass the budget that was proposed. I'm thankful for your work and
that of the DDA. Bye-bye.
Unidentified Speaker: Hello. My name is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). My address is 9854
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) Boulevard. And I'm calling for the Division of Resilience and
Sustainability. I'm asking the City Mayor and the Commissioners to prioritize de-
carbonization and the climate resilience work. The Office of Resilience needs more
funding, not only for solutions, but for staff, as well. Climate is something that's very
important and something that needs to he looked at now. If its not looked at now,
the repercussions will he immense, and it's not something that we can hold off it's
just simply not. And as someone who has lived here my whole life, as someone who's
just graduated from high school. I would like to see the community do the work and
look good for our future generations; not just. for mine. Thank you.
Vivian Perkins: Yes. This is Vivian Perkins. I would like to ask you to please
reconsider the Model City NET Office in Model City, because we need all the hands-
on help we can get to improve this area. Many violations -- abandoned buildings,
alleyways, unsafe structures, many areas. They're leaving construction materials,
tires. It's a garage dump around here. It's loud music. Graffiti to run away
businesses. We need opportunity to improve and protect our children, our
community. We're struggling around here. Let's work hard to make Model City a
model city, indeed. Thankyou.
Natalie Rivas: Hi. My name is Natalie Rivas. I live in 330 74th Street, Miami,
Florida 33141. I'm calling to submit a public comment regarding the City of Miami
budget. I would like to support the prioritization of de -carbonizing our economy and
our transportation. We all know that the climate crisis has negative impacts on our
health; increased and extreme weather events, like hurricanes; increase in sea level
rise; increase of algae blooms, and the degradation of our ocean. It's a huge impact
on our economy, on our food and water, security, and we really need to prioritize
climate resiliency and climate justice, especially for marginalized communities, and
we need this to be reflected on the budget. Thankyou.
Unidentified Speaker: In September 2019, the City of Miami declared a climate
emergency. The declaration states that we are facing a, quote, "climate and
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ecological emergency that threatens our City, region, State, nation, civilization,
community and the natural world." They continued stating that, quote, "The City of
Miami commits to a Miami -wide normalization effort to averse global warming and
the ecological crisis. The City of Miami must end greenhouse emissions as quickly
as possible, and no later than the year 2030." With that said, the proposed budget
for the 2020/2021 fiscal year opposes these statements by only providing 0.03
percent of the City of Miami's budget to the Division of Resiliency and Sustainability.
The climate crisis is an urgent issue that should have a much larger budget than
what is being proposed. Without adequate funding, Miami is unable to reach
sustainability targets. If the City of Miami doesn't commit to their climate
emergency declaration, our City will continue as a place where rising sea levels
threaten its future existence. Sea level rise and flooding provokes contaminated
water issues, and compromised sewage systems along with the displacement of
thousands of Miami residents. Currently, 98 percent of properties in downtown
Miami face high risks of flooding Low-income communities will face greater
challenges from food, security as saltwater intrusion disrupts agriculture and
availability of safe, reliable drinking water. As a result, our City will eventually
become uninhabitable. It is clear that Mayor Suarez and the City of Miami are not
taking action to protect our future. The City of Miami needs to fund the Division of
Resiliency and Sustainability, and take action upon the climate declarations, such as
reaching net zero emissions and educating the community about the climate crisis.
As human beings, we deserve a livable future, and whoever tries taking that away
from us is acting in the most evil way imaginable.
Zelalem Adefris: Hi. This is Zelalem Adefris. I'm the VP of policy and advocacy at
Catalyst Miami and that's located at 3000 Biscayne Boulevard, in Miami. I am
calling -- it wouldn't be like me not to make a comment at the budget hearing, so
thank you so much for taking meetings with us and -- to address our concerns to the
Division of Resilience and Sustainability. I am just calling to encourage you to add
in our budget addendum with the performance metrics related to climate action into
the final adopted budget, as well as to ask you -- in this year and in future years -- to
up the number of full-time staff dealing with our climate crisis through the Division
of Resilience and Sustainability from a mitigation (UNINTELLIGIBLE) greenhouse
gas reduction (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We certainly need it. All right. Thank you so
much, for your partnership. Bye.
Daniel Mesa: Daniel Mesa, 120 Northwest 34th Street, Miami, Florida 33127. I'm
calling to support increased funding for the Division of Resilience and
Sustainability, especially in the area of de -carbonization. Thank you.
Riza Fernandez: Yes. Hi. My name is Riza Fernandez, and my address is 992
Northwest 5th Street, Miami, Florida 33129. And I'm calling regarding the NET
Office for Little Havana at Marlins Park. I am the Chair of Live Healthy Little
Havana, where the NET Office and its staff and Director have been a tremendous
support to our community and our residents throughout this pandemic, and
throughout the years it has been operating at the Marlins, dealing from illegal
dumping, the trash, helping with COVID relief with food distribution, being part of
our volunteer committee for a healthier Little Havana, in reference to public spaces,
and different issues that we are working on in Little Havana. And we want to ask the
support of our Commissioner to please do not take down the office. It is vital and
important to our community of Little Havana. And so, we ask you to please support
it, as well as a project for Henderson Park for lighting. For over two years, we've
been asking for lighting for the turf area. Please support it in our budget. And thank
you so much, Commissioners.
Ana Cortez: Hello. My name is Ana Cortez. My address is 15002 Southwest 6lst
Lane, Miami, Florida. And I'm calling for the Division of Resilience and
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Sustainability budget hearing. I'm also calling to ask the City Mayor and the
Commissioners to support de -carbonization and climate resilience work that is
currently being performed by our Office of Resilience. This is the office that not only
needs more budgeting, but we need more staff We need more people to he out there
to be proactive in finding solutions so that we can go ahead and make Miami -Dade a
stronger city and more resilient when it comes to hurricanes and any future disaster
that we may face. I'm calling not only on behalf of this generation
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), but I'm also calling for the next generation that are coming,
and also for the wildlife that cannot speak for itself Again, I am calling to ask the
City Mayor and Commissioners prioritize de -carbonization of climate resilience
work here in the county of Miami -Dade County. Thank you kindly for your time.
Have a lovely day. And please, I ask that you be the leaders for the future that we
need right now. Thank you.
Joyce Nelson: This is Joyce Nelson; 2535 Inagua Avenue; a resident since 1974 and
taxpayer since then. I'm calling regarding the City budget that's going to be taking
place September 10. I am advocating for the Division of Resilience and
Sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability for de -carbonization. While
the City is doing a lot on adaptation and flood projects, it is lacking in its support of
these areas. To be specific, the budget related to climate action has been cut in half
this year, lowering it to just .03 percent of the total budget. We're moving in the
wrong direction. Climate resilience should be a primary concern. Thank you.
Mira Rubell: Hello. Mira Rubell. My family are the founders of the Rubell
Museum, 28 years in Wynwood and now in Allapattah. We are thrilled to be here.
We are thrilled to be part of this community. And I just want you to know that
without Yariel Diaz' participation, collaboration and help, I don't see how we could
have managed to open this museum in time for Art Basel last year. His active hands-
on commitment to this community and to us, and to every person living here is
profound. He puts together these circles of community people to figure out issues
and problems and solve them. And the important thing is that he knows how to bring
people together, figure out the issues, and figure out how to solve problems. His --
connecting us; not only to the community, but to the police that is in charge of this
place, making us feel safer, making us feel more connected, making us feel that we
be -- we have become members of this community is kind of -- I have to say -- kind of
heart and soul of Allapattah, because when we have a problem, when our Director
Juan (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has a problem, the first person we call is Yariel. And it's
important to know that, because we know how busy the police is. We know how busy
the Commissioner is. Everyone's doing what they're doing. But he's like focused on
the day-to-day issues of solving problems, and frankly, without him, I can't even
imagine how we can do what we do. And that office is so critical to us. And I also
want to say that he is going to help transition Allapattah from this industrial
neighborhood into a viable residential working neighborhood. This is not about
gentrification. This is not about replacing or displacing a single resident from
Allapattah. This is about creating a community where people live and work
together.
Nicole Gazo: Hello. My name is Nicole Gazo. My address is 12700 Southwest 91st
Avenue. And I'm coming to speak in behalf of the Commission's and the Mayor's
decision to lessen the budget for resiliency this year, and kind of reduce the staff that
it's getting, given that the people who are now going to be working on resiliency only
to dedicate 80 percent or 50 percent of their time because they're tackling other
Public Works issues. Now, given that Miami is the ground zero location for climate
catastrophe, this is extremely irresponsible, and goes to show where the true
qualities of my City stand. If you truly thought that the climate emergency was truly
an emergency, we would be spending billions of dollars, just like the money we got
from the Marine Corps for that bay infrastructure project, which is also "adaptated"
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[sic_ just so you all keep getting billions of dollars to implement flood projects and to
implement projects that will only place gum on top of a hole in a boat at sea. That's
kind of like what the adaptative strategies are. If you truly thought that this climate
crisis was an emergency, all those billions of dollars would have been going towards
investing in clean energy. Obviously, we need to adapt to the climate crisis, but first
and foremost, we should have been on our way to 100 percent clean energy at the
moment. Remember that if we want a Miami for everyone, especially your children,
fossil fuels are not the way, and only spending money on adaptative strategies are
not the way, either. We need clean energy ASAP (as soon as possible). We need to
de -carbonize. Thank you.
Mark: Hi. My name is Mark (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from -- my address is 1320
Southeast 31 Street, Homestead, Florida, 33135. I'm calling in to talk about climate
change and the importance that work continues to happen. It's important to me,
because I'm a teacher and I teach students, and I want to make sure
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) being done to protect our environment, especially in our City.
We live in the City, of Miami. It's an incredible city, but sea rise, storm drains,
different issues that happen every year that occur because climate change and it's
important that we continue the work, and it never stops, no matter what, and I just
wanted to leave that message. Thank you and have a great evening.
Arely Lozano Cantu: Good morning. My name is Arely Lozano Cantu. I am Health
and Community Development Program Manager at Urban Health Partnership, an
organization that was in Miami -Dade. I live in Broward County on 1400 Northeast
57th Street in Fort Lauderdale, but I dedicate a lot of my time and energy to the
Miami -Dade community and different communities that are served by the NET
Offices. So my public comment today is to speak on -- in support of the
Neighborhood Enhancement Teams a/k/a NET offices available to multiple and to all
Miami -Dade residents throughout Miami -- throughout the City of Miami. I -- we
work -- our organization works in Overtown, Allapattah, and Little Havana, among
other communities in the County, hut these are the ones that are pertinent to City of
Miami. And all of those three communities rely on the efforts, support, connection,
and services that come through and by the NET teams. So we really -- I really
believe that it is a detriment to our communities, who are actually suffering more
than ever due to the pandemic, to cut this off of the City's budget, because -- or some
of them -- because they really do serve the purpose that they were intended to serve.
And all of the communities that I mentioned -- Overtown, Allapattah and Little
Havana, the community members use the NET offices as a safe place, as a place
where they know they can attend and join, and come for Zumba classes, or to fill out
a complaint that they couldn't do on 3-1-1. I think it is extremely important that we
continue to support this sort of City -led engagement of community members that
don't always have all the accesses or knowledges to be able to access the
bureaucratic processes, the information and education that is available. Please
continue to support --
Emily Gonzalez: Hello. I am Emily Gonzalez, a student at Coral Gables Senior
High School, representing (UNINTELLIGIBLE). The youth are asking you to please
take climate action. This year in March, my own home was flooded and impacted by
sea level rise. I remember it was a rainy day, and I was home writing an essay. And
so, my mom tells me to come, and I notice that water is entering my apartment. The
water kept getting higher and higher every 30 minutes. That really made me
nervous. When I looked outside my building, I remember that I just cried and broke
down, then just feeling hopeless. It came to the extent where it felt like I couldn't
protect my mom. We lost internet for days. I had to buy new materials', such as like
a refrigerator, couches and more. Every time it rains now in Miami, I am terrified
that it will occur again. Mayor Suarez, I know that if no action is taken, my
apartment will be flooded again. Day by day, I am losing my hope. I am begging
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you to please prioritize de -carbonization and climate resiliency work. 1 don't want
anyone to go through what 1 went through. You still have time to make positive
change. Thank you.
Eric Ofengand: Greetings, Mayor Suarez and Commissioners. My name is Eric
Ofengand, and I am with 350 South Florida. I'm speaking to you from the shores of
North Biscayne Bay, where we saw a massive fish kill and algae bloom, and just a
few weeks ago, caused in part by record high temperatures. This is just one of the
many climate change impacts we are already experiencing in Miami, and we will
only see more until we make a serious effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
across our society. I'm concerned about the future of the Office of Resilience and
Sustainability, which was created for the sole purpose of combating climate change.
Several questions remain unanswered about the City's plan to merge ORS (Office of
Resilience and Sustainability) with Public Works, specifically how much money and
staff hours were budgeted on carbon reduction projects. Miami cannot afford any
delay in reducing our carbon footprint and needs to actually increase the budget and
staff for carbon mitigation projects if we want to be serious about honoring the
commitments made to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) plan and the climate emergency
declaration that was passed last year. I thank you for your time and look forward to
working with you in the future to make Miami truly a sustainable and resilient city.
Samuel Latimore: My name is Samuel Latimore, President of the Charles Hadley
Neighborhood Association. I live at 937 Northwest 55 Street, Miami, Florida. I5n
here to oppose the budget item that tends to close two offices, two NET offices in
District 5. Via a Miami Herald message, the City of Miami proposed closing several
NET offices. It was revealed that those offices were the Little Haiti and Model City's
office. At a recent virtual budget meeting, I asked Mr. Casamayor the rationale. He
could give me none, except to say "density." Density was not the issue and is not the
issue, I submit, after looking at the data regarding demographics. It appears there
may be some other issues. Additionally, in reviewing the budget, I see that 11
positions were removed from the NET operation versus all these smaller units for
other departments. 1 suspect and contend that Mr. Casamayor's intention was to
deliberately impact one of the most needed services in the City of Miami. The Model
City's NET offices should not be merged and placed at the Upper Eastside. I
contend that this would be an impossibility for residents who utilize the services, for -
- many, many services that NET provides. I am in -- oppose this. And I question the
motives that were put into this decision to close those offices. I suspect that there
were some other issues that we were not aware of that forced them to remove 11
positions from the NET Program, and to close two of the most busiest offices that
serve people; mostly the underserved, the elderly, children, and other --
Patrick Gajardo: Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Gajardo. 1 reside at 1432
Northwest 28th Street, Miami, Florida 33142. Hello, Commissioners. I'm calling
today to express some concern I have regarding the reductions in NET services
being proposed by the City budget for the upcoming fiscal year. We are all
experiencing the ,financial burden of reduced revenues during the COVID-19
economic recession, and I understand that budget cuts are both an unfortunate and
very difficult necessity at this time. Tough decisions must be made. And while broad
sweeping actions, such as (UNINTELLIGIBLE) may be expedient and easy, its
outcome may result in very talented and effective City employees being displaced
solely as a result of their lack of tenure. As a lifelong resident of Allapattah, I've
never seen so many people of this community more engaged, active, and proud of its
neighborhood. A big part of that is the work Yariel Diaz has done during his tenure
as the Administrator of the Allapattah NET Office. For the past several years, Mr.
Diaz has made himself and his terrific staff an indispensable part of our community.
Allapattah is going through a lot of change. Losing Mr. Diaz could have a direct
and detrimental impact to our community. I know I speak for many here in
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Allapattah when 1 say we cannot, must not let this happen. 1 request that the
decision makers, whomever they may be, revisit this decision and do not approve this
budget until there are assurances that Mr. Diaz and his staff will keep their positions
in the Allapattah NET Office. Thank you.
Clara Ransom: Hello. This is Clara Ransom from 1901 Cortez Street, Coral
Gables, Florida, with Parents for a Future Miami. Last November, the City of
Miami passed the climate emergency resolution, which recognizes that we are in a
climate emergency and that the changes needed to address it require World War II
style mobilization. It also says that the City of Miami wishes to be a leader in
addressing the climate emergency. We are in September 2020 now, almost 10
months later. And we have not seen much activity on the climate front coming from
the City. Then this summer, we learned that the City has slashed the budget for the
Office of Resilience and Sustainability; the one little office that was doing whatever
it could to address the climate crisis. Let's just say that if the US had treated the
mobilization for World War II the way you are treating the climate emergency, we
would all be speaking German by now. The climate crisis is worse than World War
IL If we lose this battle, there will be no winners and there will be no place to hide.
Earth is our only home. Our lives, our children's lives, and all life on Earth is at
stake. You must act now. Thank you.
Laura Aguirre: Hello. My name is Laura Aguirre, and my address is 3069 Day
Avenue, Number 5, Miami, Florida 33133. I'm here speaking on behalf' of Audubon
Florida and as a lifelong resident of Miami who looks forward to continuing to call
the City my home. Firstly, I'd like to thank the Commission for the opportunity to
comment on the proposed budget. My comments are directed towards the budget for
the Department of Resilience and Public Works. This is a difficult budget year and
we are gladdened and grateful to see that the budget and staff for the Office of
Resilience and Sustainability has been maintained as that office has merged into
Public Works. As that office, however, is folded into the Department of Public
Works, we ask that the budget narrative for Public Works he amended to reflect the
priorities of both offices, including the community outreach and climate mitigation
work that is so important to Miami's resilience. And additionally, while we
understand the budget constraints this year, we also recognize that it is imperative to
grow the Citv's capacity for greenhouse gas emissions reduction. To that effect, if
not this year, then in future years, there must be an increase in staff dedicated
entirely to greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Without amplifying the budget and
staff for climate mitigation, the City's commendable progress on climate adaptation
will not and cannot meet the threat of current and future climate impact. We thank
Mayor Suarez and Mr. Alan Dodd, and, of course, the staff of the Office of Resilience
and Sustainability, and the staff of the Department of Public Works and all of the
City staff that have been working on resilience issues. We thank them for their
leadership on resilience, and we look forward to working with the City in the
upcoming year. Thank you so much.
Mr. De Armas: Hi. I'm (UNINTELLIGIBLE) De Armas. I live at 18766 Southwest
78th Court, 33157, in Cutler Bay, Florida. I'm a member of 350 South Florida. And
I'm incredibly interested in having this year's budget have a huge focus on
prioritized climate resiliency related work. This includes things such as increasing
the staff and budget allocated for the ORS, and enacting policies and plans that don't
just adapt to the climate crisis but mitigate it. It's one thing to be able to put a Band-
Aid over things and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is a completely different one. We have to
address the root cause, the source of the climate crisis, and as a result, be able to
enact long-standing beneficial change that not only impacts -- positively impacts
current generations, but those to come. I don't think there's any need for us to be
comparing ourselves or have any interest in comparing ourselves to the work that's
being done in Tampa or Orlando. At the end of the day, we can become a model
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city, and we're more than capable of becoming a model city on climate action and
climate resiliency. And 1 know with budget increases in climate resiliency related
things, we're more than capable of doing so. I appreciate you guys taking the time to
listen to all of our thoughts on this, on the budget hearing, and at the end of the day,
I'm very interested in seeing more resources, more funds be allocated to climate
resiliency related things and I appreciate your time. Thank you.
Gabriella Espinosa: Hello. My name is Gabriella Espinosa. I reside at 12601
Southwest 188th Street, Miami, Florida 33177, and I'm here to speak about the
Division of Resilience and Sustainability, and just how much it's getting in the
budget. I'm really concerned, because 1 don't think we're investing in our facture.
The whole City of Miami and, you know, the rest -- Miami -Dade County is going to
get affected by sea level rise, and it's going to affect poor communities
disproportionately. And it's not fair that these communities have to pay the higher
price. We can't move out when hurricanes hit, and when other -- real estate
companies want to -- you know -- make their stake and move people out of the
building. But I'm urging you now to please think about this as an investment in the
future, because it's going to cost more. It's going to be harder to make these
decisions when sea levels are rising faster and faster, and we can't keep building
seawalls. And at a certain point, we have to have a strategy. And if you invest in
this division, and in also lowering greenhouse gas emissions and involving the
community in the decision -making process, it'll he an easier process. And it's just
the time to re -imagine, like, where do we want to put our dollars? So, please, just
think about this, and thank you for the work that you guys do, okay? Thank you.
Jessica Gutierrez: Hello. My name is Jessica Gutierrez, and I'm a resident of
Miami at 15134 Southwest 161 Street Place. During the pandemic, I started an
organization that's been advocating supporting the South Florida community during
COVID-19. In one of our food distributions that we hosted, I met a 63-year-old
person that was experiencing homelessness in the month of March through the
month of May. This individual is a hard-working person that lost everything with
medical hills after suffering an accident, and not understanding how to navigate the
complex health and legal system. His only option was to live on the streets until he
can afford secure housing again. In seven days, I was able to organize, advocate,
and secure housing for this elderly person. This should not be the responsibility of a
sole person, and is a perfect example of the systematic problem within our local and
national government. I ask you to take action and allocate 10 percent of Police
budget to affordable and secure housing, debt relief, and homeless rehabilitation.
We're asking you to please decrease Police funding if you truly believe in public
safety. Criminalizing the house -less and capitalizing off human beings is not public
safety. Also, make sure the -- that the Office of Resiliency is properly funded. Please
don't let us down. Thank you.
Mae Cochran: Hello. My name is Mae Cochran. I live at 615 Harold Avenue in
Opa-Locka. However, I work with Curley's House of Style Food Bank, and so I'm
here to speak about the funding for the food bank. We thank the Mayor and all the
Commissioners for all your wonderful support. However, we need an additional
$150, 00 in funding over and above whatever you're considering. With COVID-19,
it's caused us to have an overwhelming increase in the demand for food, and we have
a greater need for more funding, because we have to serve up to 30,000 people in a
month, due to the high loss of jobs, their loss of income, for individuals and families,
even the veterans since we serve countywide. Our community is in great need, so
please give us even greater funding so that our seniors, our children and families,
our veterans, and everyone in need will have sufficient food to survive through this
pandemic. Thank you so much.
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
Jason Manowitz: This is Jason Manowitz, 1848 Southwest 11 th Terrace, Miami,
Florida 33135. Honorable Commissioners, City Manager, City Attorney, other staff
I'm calling in support of the downtown bike master plan, which 1 believe is an
outstanding item on your agenda for today. As you know, our City lacks quite a bit
of infrastructure in terms of support for cyclists and other mobility, programs. It's
pretty dangerous to ride a bike pretty much anywhere in the street. I would know
this because I'm a former professional bicycle racer. And I used to cycle from my
home in Shenandoah all the way down south to Black Point almost every day; simply
become far too dangerous for me to be out there in this environment; not because of
COVID, but simply because people are not paying attention. I'm certainly hoping
that you guys are supporting this resolution. I can tell you there are lots of examples
of how a master plan and the ability to support cycling improves the city. I urge you
to look at the City of Minneapolis; how they've reused old transit lines to surround
their city not only with accessible and dedicated bike lanes and walking lanes, but
also building businesses around the loops, whether they be restaurants, bars, bike
shops, coffee shops. It's a pretty amazing thing. You could find information of it
online, I'm sure, pretty easily. And it's certainly a beautiful city to visit in the
summer; although, I'd stay away in the winter. It's a little cold. So I urge you to
support the downtown master plan. Call on me for anything you need if I can
participate in some way on any boards, on any information you need about cycling,
the dangers of cycling in the streets we currently have, as well as the different kinds
of cycling that need to be supported. I've got quite a bit of information on this and
personal experience in my 53 years on the Planet Earth. Anyway, I hope you're all
well, safe, and I appreciate your time. Thank you.
Mr. Otero: That is the end of public comment.
Chair Hardemon: If there aren't any other videos or any other public comments --
any other person that walked into City Hall?
Mr. Otero: No.
Chair Hardemon: No? All right. So that concludes our public comment. I'll close
public comment at this time.
BH - BUDGET HEARING
BH.1 DISCUSSION ITEM
7737
Office of
Management and
Budget
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ALL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA INCLUDING
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CITY'S PROPOSED FY 2020-21 MILLAGE
RATE AND FINAL BUDGET.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair Hardemon: Okay. I want to recognize the Mayor and the City Manager, butt
don't know if you have anything more to say right now, or I'll move directly on to our
Budget Director. Mr. Rose, you have some required language that you must read
into the record; is that correct? You're muted, sir.
Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management and Budget): Yes, sir, Mr.
Chair. The language that I need to read into the record is the following: The
proposed general operating millage rate for the City of Miami is 7.6665 mills for the
fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and ending September 30, 2021. That
City ofMiami
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
operating millage rate is 4.15 percent higher than the State -defined rollback rate of
7.3608 mills. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much.
BH.2 DISCUSSION ITEM
7722 A DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND TENTATIVE BUDGET
Downtown FOR THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
Development
Authority
rRESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair Hardemon: So let's move on to the rest of the agenda. BH.2. BH.2 is the
DDA (Downtown Development Authority) proposed 'village and tentative budget.
Vice Chair Russell: Do you need a motion on the item, Commissioner -- Chairman?
Commissioner Reyes: I would move it.
Vice Chair Russell: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Second it. Any discussion?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Commissioners, BH.2 is just a discussion item.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Let me see.
Mr. Hannon: I think the DDA Executive Director or someone just needs to read a
brief statement into the record, and then we can move on.
Cristina Crespi: Hello, Commissioners.
Vice Chair Russell: We're not approving the millage?
Chair Hardemon: Good morning.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Ms. Crespi: I have to read a general statement into the record, so thank you so
much. The proposed general operating millage rate is 0.4681 mills for the Miami
DDA for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020 and ending in 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. Is that it?
Ms. Crespi: Yep, that's it.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Thank you. Do we have the -- I mean, are we going to
adopt the budget now, or what are we doing?
Chair Hardemon: 1 mean -- let me see something. One second.
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
BH.3
7724
Downtown
Development
Authority
Vice Chair Russell: That's BH.3.
Art Noriega (City Manager): Well, BH.3 is the millage.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENTS, PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL TENTATIVE MILLAGE
RATE FOR AD VALOREM TAXATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 200.065,
FLORIDA STATUTES; DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL
LIMITS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ("DISTRICT") OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"); LEVYING AN ADDITIONAL AD
VALOREM TAX ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE
DISTRICT AT THE RATE OF 0.4681 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF TAXABLE
VALUE OF SUCH PROPERTY IN SAID DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
FINANCING THE OPERATION OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("MIAMI
DDA") FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; PROVIDING THAT SAID MIAMI DDA
TENTATIVE MILLAGE SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THE MILLAGE
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE VII,
SECTION 9 OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND SECTION 166.211,
FLORIDA STATUTES, AS WELL AS ANY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
IMPOSED BY THE SAME; PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL
NOT BE DEEMED AS REPEALING OR AMENDING ANY OTHER
RESOLUTION OR ANY ORDINANCE FIXING MILLAGE OR LEVYING
TAXES BUT SHALL BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION
THERETO; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0271
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: So BH.3. That's the --
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Chair Hardemon: Motion to approve BH.3?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second.
Chair Hardemon: So properly moved and seconded that we approve BH.3. Any
discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
BH.4
7725
Downtown
Development
Authority
Chair Hardemon: All against?
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE PROPOSED
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-20-0272
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Commissioner Reyes: Let's move -- I move BH.4.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Any discussion?
Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
BH.5 RESOLUTION
7669
Off -Street Parking
Board/Miami
Parking Authority
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF OFF STREET PARKING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 IN
THE OPERATING AMOUNT OF $20,922,545.00, EXCLUDING
DEPRECIATION AND OTHER NON -OPERATING EXPENSES OF
$5,805,835.00.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0273
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 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: Is there a motion on BH.5?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Move.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Is there discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
BH.6 RESOLUTION
7705
Midtown
Community
Redevelopment
Agency
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND APPROVING THE PROPOSED
BUDGET OF THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
("MIDTOWN CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE
EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,279,146.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021, AS
APPROVED BY THE MIDTOWN CRA'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0274
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion to approve BH.6?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved and seconded. Any discussion? Seeing none, all
in favor, say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
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BH.7 RESOLUTION
7793
Southeast
Overtown/Park
West CRA
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL GENERAL
OPERATING AND TAX INCREMENT FUND BUDGET OF THE SOUTHEAST
OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
("SEOPW CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE
EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF $80,658,212.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0275
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: The Chair will entertain a motion to approve BH.7.
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Chair Hardemon: Seconded by --
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: -- the Chair. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say
"aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
BH.8 RESOLUTION
7791
OMNI Community
Redevelopment
Agency
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND APPROVING THE ANNUAL GENERAL
OPERATING AND TAX INCREMENT FUND BUDGET OF THE OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
("OMNI CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE
EXHIBIT "A," IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $62,856,996.00 FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30,
2021
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0276
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
NAYS: Carollo
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion to approve BH.8?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Chair Hardemon: Seconded by the Chair. Any discussion? Hearing none --
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
Commissioner Carollo: For the reasons that had previously stated --
Chair Hardemon: Noted for the record.
Commissioner Carollo: -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla is -- you, as Chairman
of this board, I don't believe that he has been given all the appropriate information.
I don't believe that this year's budget nor last year's budgets have been balanced
budgets, so for those reasons, I will be voting "no."
Commissioner Reyes: If that's the case, and there's some questions that -- Are they
serious questions? I'm going to withdraw my --
Commissioner Carollo: This has got to do with the people --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that are there, the Executive Director and others. They
know the --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: -- commitments that were made. There have been games
going on, so they purposely wouldn't have to abide for those commitments. And you
just can't hide those monies the way that they're hiding. That's not what the State of
Florida requires when you have to present a balanced budget.
Commissioner Reyes: I was aware of that; that's why I move it. I've been trying to --
Well, I mean, I agree with you, and if there is any question about any of these
budgets, we have --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, this is going back for several years.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. We can have a
whole bunch of questions about a whole bunch of these budgets, and I can move to
reconsider the Downtown Development Authority budget, because I had a whole
bunch of questions. If you want to go back -- if you want to go down that road, we
can do that. We'll go from the beginning. If you want to have the debate in detail
about what the dollars that have been committed by the Omni CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency), the different entities, we can have that conversation. But to
make an allegation about something -- First of all, I'm the Chairman of the Omni
CRA. I'm fully aware of whether the staff -- whether you agree with the staff or don't
agree with the staff I'm fully aware of everything that's in that budget. 1 do my
homework, and I'm very thorough in what do.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner, excuse me. Do you approve, and you agree
with the budget?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I agree with the budget as --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, then --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- but it's important to explain it. The details
matter in these kind of conversations, so.
Commissioner Reyes: You (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Commissioner Diaz de la Fonda- We can work on the details, of course, including
a commitment that I made publicly twice to the Bayfront Trust that 1 would commit to
the $2 million that Commissioner Carollo is talking about. There is no problem with
that. I made that public statement, that's my commitment, and my word is my bond.
And --
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner I know that you will keep your commitment,
but here's the problem: It's more than $2 million. It's 2 million per year, and they're
quite a few millions in arrears that they haven't paid. I don't think they told you
about all that, or explained it to you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I am fully aware of -- I also know that when we
did the extension to the Omni CRA that that -- those obligations were changed, and
that's not a debate I want to have today. I was, in fact, going to have a CRA meeting,
an Omni CRA meeting that I wanted to have to be able to go through the details of
this entire -- not a problem -- issue that we need to discuss.
Commissioner Carollo: But --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But there are always concerns. In fact, I can
have some concerns over the Bayfront Trust, too, and I have concerns over the
Downtown Development Authority and the Park West/Omni -- Park West/Overtown -
Commissioner Carollo: This is not about you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I understand.
Commissioner Carollo: This is about what's happening there, and I've stated this
when I voted against this budget the last fiscal year when you weren't here. I'm
stating it again, and the same thing keeps happening. So I'm not going to be part of
something that is being done that 1 believe is in violation of the State requirements of
balanced budgets, and that's all that I'm saying. Now, you know, if people don't like
it, I'm sorry, but, you know, I've been saying this for some time. I took on the Vice
Chairmanship of this, not because I wanted it. In fact, if you guys could find a way
where I don't have to be Vice Chairman --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, I --
Commissioner Carollo: -- the most --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- was the one that asked you. 1 was the one that
asked you to be Vice Chair.
Commissioner Carollo: Even more so, find a way that I don't have to be a member
of the Omni Board, I will -- and the other CRA board -- I will gladly, not be part of it.
So I'm laying it straight on. What I am fed up with are bureaucrats that don't do
nothing but just get a paycheck, and they don't care which Commissioner comes in,
or at the door. All they care is about getting their paycheck and sitting in their
plumbs all day; keep giving me the same story. And the Budget Director, because
it's convenient for him, he just goes along with it. State law on a balanced budget, I
don't believe has been followed in the last several years, nor has it been followed in
the budget this year, and that's my opinion. I don't want to vote for something that I
might be in a position that I personally will file a complaint with the State in all the
prior years for a budget not being balanced.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Fonda- Okay, Commissioner. But as Chairman of the
Omni CRA, 1 guarantee you that we're doing the things the way that we -- 1 think
they need to be done, but there are some changes that we're going to make, and
that's my personal guarantee and -- as Chairman of the CRA.
Commissioner Carollo: Look, I believe in your word that you're going to try to do
everything that you can. But if by now, they haven't found within the budget where
they're going to make the Bayfront Park Trust whole or -- I don't know what it is now
-- 7, 8 million that might be owed. And 2 million more per year, it's never going to
happen. Each year, it's going to be the same thing. And, look, I'm only going to be
here for a few more years. It's going to be someone else that comes. But if the Omni
CRA doesn't want to pay it, then it should go about it the right way. Meet with the
County, the City, and dissolve it in the right way, but not in this fashion. You know,
the rule of law has to be followed as the State demands it. And just because the
Budget Director wants to go along and say, "No, this is all fine the way we did it"
and an Executive Director that wants to make a political decision doesn't mean that
it's correct. Where in that budget does it say that the monies are going to come for?
And again, we're not talking just about $2 million, Commissioner. It's a lot more
than that. And all that I'm saying is, if you don't want to pay it -- in fact, look --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, Commissioner, Commissioner --
Commissioner Carollo: -- I'm beginning to think that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the
Bayfront Park Trust, 1'll gladly leave the Chairmanship of the Bayfront Park Trust.
All that this is doing is costing me more work.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- Commissioner --
Commissioner Carollo: I'm trying to find additional dollars for the City of Miami.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- first of all -- and me, too. That's exactly why I
cut $19 million in the last CRA meeting that we had of monies that we should not he
paying to Miami -Dade County, and that's exactly why I don't think that we should
have -- make commitments that were made before I was Chairman of this board to
the Port Tunnel, to the Adrienne Arsht Center, and the list goes on and on, and the
35 percent give -back to the County; a really bad deal. And I'm not criticizing any
previous -- I don't think it was even you, Commissioner Russell. I think it was the
previous Commissioner in your district that cut some of these bad deals. So I'm not
even talking about you. It's just that these deals were all done before I got here. I'm
trying to fix something --
Commissioner Carollo: Before all of us got here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and --
Commissioner Reyes: Before all of us.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I'm trying to fix something that I think -- that
was done before my, time here at the City of Miami. But today, as Chairman of the
Omni CRA, I recommend that we pass this budget and that that deference be given to
me, as I did -- as I always do -- to you, to Chairman Reyes and the Downtown
Development Authority --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- to Chairman Russell, to Chairman Hardemon,
in the respect of CRAs, and that's what I ask for you to do.
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Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair, Mr. Chair, I --
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: -- I'm moving it because I -- in deferment to Commissioner
Diaz de la Portilla, and I know that he means well, and I trust him that he is going to
do everything that is possible. And I recommend that the two colleagues, they get
together and try to solve this problem, and try to find a solution that -- I mean to this
argument, because before you came here, I remember two previous budgets that I
have been part of it, that same question arised [sic] before, and 1 think that it's about
time that we get -- I mean, get together and recognize if it is a debt or if it's not a
debt, the amount, whatever it is. And -- but we should pass this budget, because it is
recommended by the Chairman --
Unidentified Speaker: And I'm not.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and he has a commitment to work towards the resolution of
this problem that exists between the Omni CRA and Bayfront Park. And therefore, I
move it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I'll second it. Thank you, Commissioner.
Chair Hardemon: All right. So there's a motion and a second, correct?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: For the record, this was left in Commissioner Diaz de la
Portilla's lap by the previous Chairman.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: He knew what was going on. Back then, we had a colonel
as the Manager, and everybody was playing the game --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, was he a colonel? Was he a colonel?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 thought he was like a captain or
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). I don't know.
Commissioner Carollo: -- you're going to make me say something that's not
politically correct, with a "C" before the colonel. But -- so you were left with
something that your staff --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that you inherited it -- knew about, and that's the first
thing they should have informed you about; the real money that was owed. Now, I'm
not as worried about now. I'm worried about previous years, because I fully intend
to take some action on all these previous years. I have an Executive Director. I'm
the Vice Chairman. Has he bothered to sit with me and explain all that with me after
-- as Commissioner Reyes stated? The last two years, I've taken this position and
I've voted against the budget for the reasons that I've stated then that I'm stating
now. No. So I don't want to be part of something as Vice Chairman now --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I'm going to talk to -- I'm going to speak to
Mr. Walker and make sure that happens, Commissioner, because he needs to sit
down with you and talk to you, and to every Commissioner about what he's doing
and what his thinking is, and what -- past commitments before I was Chair. So every
Commissioner has the right to be respected by every staffer in this government, and
if that hasn't happened, the first phone call I'll make tomorrow morning is to Mr.
Walker to make sure that he calls you and he sets up a meeting -- or calls your Chief
of Staff and sets up a meeting with you to make sure that you have that conversation
with him. Because that's the right thing to do with any Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: I really don't have the time at this point in time after the fact
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's a different conversation then.
Commissioner Carollo: -- to hear from Mr. Walker. You know, I am sorry, but I
cannot vote for someone -- or for something, rather -- that I am against, and feel that
is in total violation of the State requirements that there has to be a balanced budget,
because an organization like this, if it owes money and there's no fiscal way that it
could show that it could pay it, it doesn't have a balanced budget. We're supposed to
be able every year to pay all our debts. We're not the Federal Government that has
a printing press. This is why the State requires of all of us to have a balanced
budget. If the City of Miami would have a couple of million dollars and it would be
in arrears, maybe 7 or 8 more million, that by contract we had to pay, and we don't
pay it, we would not have a balanced budget if we just ignore it. And this is what's
been happening for several years now, and I am not going to just go along with it
and, you know, pretend that it's not happening. So once your Director can figure out
where those dollars are coming from, then he could give me a call. But he didn't see
that fit before. He's not going to see that fit in the future, nor will he see it once he's
no longer there.
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There's over 200 CRAs in the State
of Florida, and there's been enough shenanigans around the State that there is such
a spotlight on these organizations. Each of us has come into our positions with a
skeptical eve on CRAs. I remember when Commissioner Reyes came in and he asked
for audits on all the CRAs. Mr. Guba has been conducting an audit of the Omni
CRA and the others, and I don't believe it's been released yet, but I think that that
will shed light on this situation. If there is an accounting error that is not balancing
the books, that will be shown by this independent audit, and we can fix that. But I
think we really want -- we've all worked very hard to make sure that our CRAs are a
correct example of the mission of the statute, and that, you know, we are carrying
out that mission in an appropriate way. So I just ask that we wait for the results of
that audit and that we take action. If there is any accounting mistakes, we fix it, but
if there's not, we should stand together and really be proud of our CRAs and the
accomplishments that they're doing. So I support this budget, and I appreciate
everything that's in it.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, there's no accounting mistakes here. What
has happened here is, when you were Chairman, you decided that you were not
going to give those $2 million, and you let it accumulate and accumulate, and we
had this conversation publicly. You left, the Budget Director came, and, you know,
he gave a whopper of a story. We all know what went on there before.
Unfortunately, now it's falling in the lap of Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. But
he's not to blame for this, nor am I pointing the finger at him. I'm pointing the finger
at you. You're the one that started this. It's your guys that are running the show
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
there. And you think that you're going to get different people in a fight with each
other so that it comes out to your benefit. And what I'm telling you is that Pm not
voting for this, because 1 fully intend to file a complaint with the State of Florida on
the previous years that you were there as Chairman that we did not have a balanced
budget, and let the State decide if there was a mistake like you're claiming, because
there's no mistake. Everyone knew it and the minutes are clear what was going on.
And let the State decide if the CRA had a balanced budget or not. And let's be
specific. We're not talking about all CRAs. We're talking about the Omni CRA that
you were the Chair.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman, through the Chair?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: So the balance you're talking about is the money that would
have been owed to -- now Maurice Ferre Park for work that was never done by the
City in Maurice Ferre Park. Right? So --
Commissioner Carollo: Tell the State that, okay?
Vice Chair Russell: I just --
Commissioner Carollo: Tell the State that. The agreement was an agreement --
Vice Chair Russell: -- Please, I've allowed you to speak. You can (INAUDIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: -- between the County, the City and the CRA said you had
(INAUDIBLE) --
Vice Chair Russell: I would like to retort. And for the record -- because it's -- I
don't -- I do not believe there's an accounting mistake. There was a hill not paid for
years before 1 got there, because it was never spent. And there was a disagreement
at that time between the CRA and the City whether or not that bill was due. The
CRA contended that because the City had never spent the money that the CRA did
not owe it to the City. And so, with your predecessor, I came to a handshake
agreement to settle on the $2 million issue. And with you, I came to an agreement to
settle on the $2 million issue, the extension --
Commissioner Carollo: That's not what nay predecessor told me; that he came to
any agreement with you.
Chair Hardemon: Lets let him finish his (INAUDIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: So that will be honored, 100 percent. And when we voted to
extend the Omni CRAs life, that was again concretized. That was memorialized in
that moment that -- and you and I looked at each other, and we made that
agreement. So I'm not quite sure where we have a disagreement at this point. That
money is coming to Maurice Ferre Park. The extension of the CRA is absolutely
happening, and to my knowledge, all of the accounting is square. So if you want to
file a complaint, that's fine, but I don't think it's anything personal about me. This is
about a bill that came long before I was there. We don't believe it was owed, but we
cane to a settlement to pay $2 million to Maurice Ferre Park and the Bayfront Park
Trust to manage that, and every intention to honor that, and I know Commissioner
Diaz de la Portilla does, as well. So, I mean, I see where you're coming from that
you don't think it's balanced. I would leave it to the Auditor to say whether it is or
not.
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Commissioner Carollo: No; I'm going to leave it to the State of Florida.
Vice Chair Russell: And we will respect your vote either way at this point.
Commissioner Carollo: Fine. And this, you see, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
why I cannot vote for this. When you look at the contracts, they were made when
none of us were around between the County, the City, and the CRA. It talked about
giving 2 million a year; none of the talk or the fancy talk that this guys giving now.
How in the world can the Bayfront Park Trust spend any monies there when it don't
have them to spend it? So what he's trying to say is we got to spend the money first,
and then get reimbursed. That's not what the global agreement ever said between
the City, the County, and the CRA. Then he tried -- when he had Colonel Gonzalez -
- to say that the money had to come right to the City; that the City had to control it
and decide. And then even this time around, unbeknownst to all of you -- maybe he
knew about it, I don't know -- but the rest of us didn't know -- they even took 300,000
from that money so they could spend it on something else, because one of the fat eats
called the colonel up and told him he wanted the money. And we didn't find about
that until just a few days ago. So this is why I will not vote for this, and this is why
I'm going to take the actions that I'm going to take.
Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further discussion on the matter, all in favor of the
item, say --
Mr. Hannon: Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: Yes?
Mr. Hannon: Chair, just for the record, the item will be amended in accordance
with the memo dated August 31, 2020, from the Executive Director Jason Walker.
Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further discussion, all in favor of the item, say "aye."
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Ave.
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
Commissioner Carollo: Nay.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
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BH.9 RESOLUTION
7727
General
Employees' and
Sanitation
Employees'
Retirement Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GENERAL EMPLOYEES' AND SANITATION
EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT TRUST ("GESE RETIREMENT TRUST FUND"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $3,068,775, EXCLUDING NORMAL COSTS OF $54,121,724
AS ACTUARIALLY DETERMINED, TO PROVIDE FOR THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE GESE RETIREMENT TRUST FUND FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0277
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.9, GESE (General Employees and Sanitation Employees)
Retirement Trust Fund. is there a motion?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved. So moved.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Any discussion?
Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That was an "aye," Todd.
BH.10 RESOLUTION
7728
General
Employees' and
Sanitation
Employees'
Retirement Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GENERAL EMPLOYEES' & SANITATION
EMPLOYEES' EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN ("GESE EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $110,903.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE GESE EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0278
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.10. Is there a notion?
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved. Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
BH.11 RESOLUTION
7761
Firefighters' and
Police Officers'
Retirement Trust
BH.12
7796
Civilian
Investigative
Panel
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FIRE FIGHTERS' AND POLICE OFFICERS'
RETIREMENT TRUST FUND ("FIPO RETIREMENT TRUST FUND"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $2,181,634.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE FIPO RETIREMENT TRUST FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0279
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.11. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: It's properly moved and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing
none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE CIVILIAN INVESTIGATIVE PANEL, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT
OF $1,174,000.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1,
2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0280
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
BH.13
7784
Liberty City
Community
Revitalization
Trust
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.12. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Any discussion?
Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENTS, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF
THE LIBERTY CITY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION TRUST ("TRUST"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $809,711.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; FURTHER
APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE TRUSTS MASTER PLAN, ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "B".
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0281
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.13. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
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BH.14
7729
Bayfront Park
Management
Trust
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST IN THE AMOUNT OF
$1,929,651.00, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE
EXHIBIT "A", TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS,
MAINTENANCE, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THE MILDRED AND
CLAUDE PEPPER BAYFRONT PARK AND MAURICE A. FERRE PARK FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0282
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.14.
Commissioner Carollo: Move.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: And seconded. Any discussion?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can we talk about the Bayfront Park
Management Trust budget, or can we do that some other day?
Commissioner Carollo: Sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. In fact, if you'd like to make
the motion, I would be happy to resign and you could make Commissioner Russell
the Chairman.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, let's not get carried away.
Commissioner Carollo: Take some more work off my hands.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let's not get carried away, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, so he could blow more of your money and the
City could get less.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are we going to do a line item on things? We
can go line item and line item on everything, because that's what we do. Or we can
have a conversation about things down the line.
Commissioner Reyes: I know -- through the Chair. I know that you are going to get
together and you're going to have a serious conversation about the things, and
you're going to resolve those problems.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There's going to be a serious conversation,
because, to me, the most important thing is that every Commissioner is happy with
their respective positions on this Commission and their boards and their --
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Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And to me, that's important. And if there's
discrepancies and disagreements, then we sit down and we talk about them --
Commissioner Reyes: Sure.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and we work them out. Unfortunately, we have
-- which we didn't have in Tallahassee -- because we crafted it that way, we -- you
know, we have the Sunshine Law here.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So we can't sit down and talk and have these
conversations before this public meeting. But these commitments --
Commissioner Reyes: But publicly you can do it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- that were made will be met and consensus will
be filed, because that's what we need to do here. Look, we all need to work together
Commissioner Reyes: Mm-hmm.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- to make Miami forward. We're all in a major
crisis right now, and we need to do everything we can to help our City move
forward. And my commitment to you, Commissioner Carollo and Commissioner
Reyes and Commissioner Russell, and Chairman Hardemon, is to do everything I
can to make things work for this City; that's my commitment.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's why Tin here. That's why I ran for this
position. I'm not about anything else other than that. So we'll make it work. And if
there's a commitment that was made with Bayfront Park Trust Management Fund
that was not met, for whatever reason, what happened, then -- you know -- and what
happened before happened before. We're in a new world and a new situation now,
and a better world, 1 think, than we were before. And we just have to make things
work. And if that commitment was made, that commitment will be met. How we do
it, that's what the conversations are going to be about, but we're going to get there.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, this is not about a commitment; it's about a
contract that was entered before you, 1, nor anybody that's sitting here today was
ever here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But it could have been a bad contract; that we
had a whole bunch of bad contracts.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, then, the way that you need to undo it is for everybody
that was a signatory to that contract has to come to an agreement --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: -- not the way that Commissioner Russell wants to do it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I agree.
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Commissioner Carollo: Simple as that. You have to follow the rule of law. And by
the way, just, you know, since you brought it up, 1 -- you know, the Bayfront Park
Trust has a budget of under $2 million. Onini CRA is over 80. The other CRA,
Hardemon is, is over --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But not in administrative fees. We'll talk about
that.
Commissioner Carollo: Reyes is 12 million. I don't know how many millions Mr.
Russell has in those boards that didn't mean anything, you know, that he was so
upset that he didn't get the others. He has more in those -- you know -- other boards
that he's in, in the Grove and Midtown and even the budget that Bayfront Park Trust
has. So you're all welcome to it and the headache's with it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Have we gotten to the Midtown CRA yet?
Because that's coming up now. Oh, we already passed that one. Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: We already passed that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because that's BH.6. I'm looking at it, yes,
because I'm not sure what they do, but that's different than Commissioner Russell.
We could talk about it at the next Commission meeting.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, my gosh.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's an important conversation to have too.
Commissioner Reyes: You know --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But Midtown is doing pretty well. There's not a
lot of blight and slum going on over there, too.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Got to focus on some of the other areas.
Commissioner Reyes: Through the Chair --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And by the way, the amount of levity --
Commissioner Russell, every once in a while, you have to be able to laugh, because
part of this process is having some levity; and so, along the way, we'll have serious
conversations, but there will be a little bit of levity, too. Okay? Is that good for you,
too?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm good.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Come January, that'll be levity for a lot of people.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) smile. Don't force it.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Reyes.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So let's go ahead and --1 move the question on --
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Chair Hardemon: There's a motion.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the Bayfront Park.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
BH.15 RESOLUTION
7749
Virginia Key
Beach Park Trust
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST ("TRUST"), ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE AMOUNT OF
$812,000.00 IN ANTICIPATED REVENUE, $300,000.00 FROM CITY OF
MIAMI OPERATING FUNDS, $423,000.00 FROM TRUST CARRYOVER
FUNDS, $5,000.00 FROM TRUST CASH WITH FISCAL AGENT, AND
$1,000,000.00 FROM 2021 ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL, FOR A TOTAL
AMOUNT OF $2,540,000.00, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT,
OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TRUST FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30,
2021
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0283
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion to approve BH.15?
Commissioner Reyes: So move.
Commissioner Carollo: Discussion.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: It talks about a million dollars from Ultra that's not going
to be corning. 1 want to clam this now, so we're not told later on that because Ultra
didn't pay, the City's on the line for that million.
Commissioner Reyes: Question, Mr. Chair. Is the million dollars from Ultra
included in the budget as revenues? Because that was a one-shot deal ifI don't -- ifI
remember correctly. He said when it was scheduled to change venue with -- to
Virginia Beach, there was -- I mean, there was an agreement that 1 million of the 2
million would go to the museum, as a contribution to the museum. Well, that million
was not a recurring revenue that would go to Virginia Key; to Virginia Beach Trust
Fund. And it was not, it was not. It was a one-shot deal. That was my -- I voted in
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favor of that. And 1 -- according to my recollection, was -- it was a one-shot deal. If
they are including that million dollars in the budget at this tine, that is not right.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Mr. Forchion can clam --
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Forchion is actually on the call to --
Guy Forchion: I am on the call. Good evening, Commissioners.
Commissioner Reyes: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Forchion: Good evening. If you do recollect, there was --
Chair Hardemon: Could you state your name for the record, please?
Mr. Forchion: Yes, indeed. Guy Forchion, Executive Director of Virginia Key
Beach Park Trust, 4020 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, Florida 33149. And our
budget does reflect a second million dollars from Ultra, which during an. earlier
Commission meeting, a second million dollars was allotted to the Historic Virginia
Key Beach Park if there was an Ultra that took place 2020, March. That did not
occur, but it was understood that in the following year, the Trust would receive a
second million dollars, and we asked these questions, also, as to whether or not we
should include it in our budget. We were told, "yes," to include it, because that was
an item that was voted on, a second million dollars from Ultra. It is not part of our
actual operational budget, but we are set to receive it if there is a Ultra Music
Festival in 2021.
Commissioner Reyes: That means -- excuse me, sir. Through the Chair. That
means that whatever the million dollars going to go to the Virginia Key Beach Park
Trust? That is -- my recollection was --
Mr. Forchion: That is my understanding.
Commissioner Reyes: It is not mine. My, recollection was -- is -- and I want -- I
mean, maybe we can postpone this voting until we clarify this. And I think that I --
specifically, I clamed that it was a one-shot deal.
Mr. Forchion: Well, I'm sure that Chairman Hardemon can speak to it, also,
because we do appreciate the support that you gave us there on that second million
dollars. It was not designed to reoccur every year; and that was not my
understanding. But what is my understanding is that there was a second million
dollars from the Ultra Music Festival. We just did not have one in 2020. Hopefully,
we will see a way that 2021 would have one, and we are prepared for that million
dollars, really, to be set aside for endowment or museum only.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, I'm proposing that we go back -- and it's not that -- I
don't have anything against contributing to Virginia Key Park Trust, but that money
that we get from Ultra, that should be spent all over the City, because there is need
all over the City, in roads and sidewalks, a lot of things that we need. And also, our
general fund is taking a great hit of $23 million.
Mr. Forchion: Understood, Commissioner, and --
Commissioner Reyes: And I want to make it clear. I don't think that it was made a
recurring contribution from Ultra. It was a contribution at the time that the event
took place at Virginia Key --
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Mr. Forchion: No, that was --
Commissioner Reyes: -- when the venue was changed.
Mr. Forchion: -- the original agreement of a million dollars for when the event
actually took place.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Mr. Forchion: And there was a second million dollars to reoccur. I don't want to
speculate on what was envisioned in years following that.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't recall that.
Mr. Forchion: And I don't know if Commissioner Carollo, if you'd like to speak to
that sum. We'd appreciate your assistance also.
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to see the minutes in that vote.
Chair Hardemon: Right. I think the best way we do it, we just refer.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. I mean, let's go back. If that's the case, I agree
with you 100 percent, and we did it. But maybe because of my age, my mind is going
a little bit -- but I don't recollect that it was -- a vote fbr additional million dollars
was taken.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah. I remember there was a discussion about a second million
dollars that was --
Commissioner Reyes: There was a discussion, but not a --
Chair Hardemon: No, no. I mean, like, there was an action. There was some action
taken. So we just have to refer back to it.
Commissioner Carollo: If I may ask, did you ever get the million dollars from when
Ultra held the concert at Virginia Key?
Mr. Forchion: Yes, we did.
Commissioner Carollo: You did get it?
Mr. Forchion: Yes, indeed.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So that million dollars, you have in the bank; that's
not in question. It's only the additional million dollars for this coming year's budget
-- correct? -- this fiscal year budget.
Mr. Forchion: Correct, correct.
Commissioner Carollo: Correct. And that's what I was talking about. I think maybe
it all got mixed up. If you would have, I think, clarified for Commissioner Reyes that
the other million, it's in the bank already, you have it, and --
Forchion: I have it.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that's when it was held the previous year, it would have
been clear. The problem that I have is this: That Ultra is not happening this next
fiscal year; no way it's going to happen. The City, first of all, is not going to have
Ultra to give you a million dollars.
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Commissioner Reyes: Mm-hmm.
Commissioner Carollo: But even if we had some form of money, I don't know what
kind of shape we're going to be in to be able to give it. So my point being is that I
feel very uncomfortable with what could be interpreted that we're going to commit to
a million dollars, or could be requested that while Ultra didn't happen, so City, make
us whole for that million, if -- to clarify, this here that you will only get the million
dollars if Ultra does happen within thatfiscal year.
Chair Hardemon: And Commissioner, let's just do that, because, remember, it's a
proposed budget. It is under Ultra reserve. It is not a dollars that the City of Miami
has to pay. And so, if the million dollars is not --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: -- you adjust the -- you adjust that line item, because it's just a
proposed budget. And so, we can keep that in mind and continue to move forward.
Commissioner Carollo: IfI can -- can anybody answer us? Because Commissioner
Reyes asked a question and it was never answered from the Administration, if that
million dollars was included in next fiscal year's budget, or the Ultra money was?
Christopher Rose: Good evening, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of
Management and Budget. No, we do not have it in next year's budget. We would
have to amend the budget if Ultra were to occur, and we would address it at that
time.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well, let's see the appropriate way to have done it
because we knew Ultra was not corning. So I'm glad that at least that was not put
into our budget -- the City's budget. So with the caveat that I mentioned, Chairman,
I have no problem voting for this.
Chair Hardemon: Absolutely, because this is -- the thing about our budget versus
their budget -- "their," meaning the Trust -- is that in our budget, we plan on
spending money. The Trust is basically holding that money for -- once that
development comes, they can staff it and --
Mr. Forchion: And move forward with this.
Chair Hardemon: They're not going to be spending a million dollars in the next
year.
Commissioner Carollo: Understood.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: That's understood.
Chair Hardemon: So there is a motion and a second on --
Commissioner Carollo: Make the motion.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor, say "aye."
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The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries. BH.16.
Mr. Forchion: Thank you, Commissioners.
Chair Hardemon: Thankyou, sir.
BH.16 RESOLUTION
7792
Coconut Grove
Business
Improvement
District Board
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE COCONUT GROVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ("BID"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $4,769,426.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT,
OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0284
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion on BH.16?
Commissioner Carollo: Move.
Vice Chair Russell: So move -- second.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Any discussion?
Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can Commissioner Russell give us like a line -by-
line item?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, this is two and a half times the budget of Bayfront
Park.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know. Well, you know what? Okay. I'll third it
-- if we can third the motion, I'll third the motion. Let's see. Go ahead and vote. I
call the question.
Commissioner Carollo: And he went crying to those nice boys, Eleazar and now
Juan something that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I call the question.
Commissioner Carollo: -- the bad guys here didn't give him anything.
Chair Hardemon: And I'll second it.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) recall Joe Carollo. Get him, get him.
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BH.17
7777
Wynwood
Business
Improvement
District Board
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can you second a calling of the question? I
don't know.
Chair Hardemon: I think can do it.
Commissioner Carollo: Get him.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Call Robert's Rules and see what they tell us. I
don't know.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
OF THE WYNWOOD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ("BID"),
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A", IN THE
AMOUNT OF $1,153,579.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT,
OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0285
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): I'm sorry. We already voted on BH.16. That passed
unanimous. We're on BH.17 now.
Chair Hardemon: Oh, I'm sorry. That's what I meant. I just read it incorrectly. So
to correct the record, that motion was for BH.17.
Mr. Hannon: And who is the mover and seconder?
Chair Hardemon: The motion was moved by --
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Carollo: I made the motion --
Commissioner Reyes: I'll move it.
Commissioner Carollo: -- to approve it.
Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) made a motion.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner Carollo was --
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Commissioner Carollo: I'm benevolent.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair Hardemon: And you could have the Chair as the seconder. Well, to be clear -
Commissioner Reyes: To be clear, who's on first and who's on second? Where are
we at?
Chair Hardemon: Exactly.
Commissioner Reyes: Where are we at now? Because I thought that we had voted
on Bayfront Park and Virginia Key was the discussion of Ultra and a million dollars.
Now, when we move to --
Chair Hardemon: On BH.16 -- I thought we just did BH. 16.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Which is Coconut Grove --
Commissioner Reyes: Coconut Grove.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and then we did the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and
now we're doing Wynwood.
Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Wynwood BID (Business Improvement
District).
Commissioner Reyes: Now we are in Wynwood.
Chair Hardemon: All right. Is there a motion to approve BH.17?
Mr. Hannon: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Carollo moved it, and seconded by the Chair.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
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BH.18 RESOLUTION
7811
Office of
Management and
Budget
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENTS, AFTER A DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING, RELATING
TO THE PROVISION OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND
PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); IMPOSING SOLID WASTE
ASSESSMENTS AGAINST ASSESSED PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN
THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2020 AND
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; APPROVING THE RATE OF
ASSESSMENT; APPROVING THE ASSESSMENT ROLL; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0286
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.18.
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What is that?
Christopher Rose (Director, Management and Budget): So, good evening,
Commissioners.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Wait a minute. We have two --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, here it is. I got it.
Commissioner Reyes: BH.18?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Solid Waste.
Commissioner Reyes: BH.18, okay. Solid Waste.
Chair Hardemon: BH.18.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Any discussion on BH.18?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, just quickly.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: You know, we're charging under 400 bucks a year per
household solid waste fee. My understanding, it actually costs us about 700 a year.
And our new reinstallation of the recycling -- which used to be a revenue source for
us -- is now a one million -dollar hole because of the economies of recycling. So we
are really going to need to look at Solid Waste, both practices and fees in the future.
I, of course, support it as it is right now. I don't think we can burden our residents
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with this any further, but we need to recognize that this is a big loss leader for the
City right now.
Commissioner Carollo: That's nothing new, Commissioner. It's been happening
every year, but it's not as high as $700.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Hannon: I'm sorry. It was moved by Commissioner Reyes, seconded by?
Vice Chair Russell: I'll second it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And perhaps, Commissioner Russell, we look
maybe next year at privatizing it. It's something you could think about.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, on that one, guys, as much as I like the public and
private sector to come together on certain things that maybe the public sector doesn't
do as well, that one I would be very hesitant to because --
Chair Hardemon: Exactly. I'm glad to hear you say that, Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Carollo: I -- and I'm going to tell you why so that, you know, we
understand it. We could go out and we could get companies that will tell us they will
do it cheaper. Once we sell our trucks and all our equipment and everything, prices
start going up and service start not being the way they're supposed to, then we're
dead in the water, because for us to get back into the game and do it ourselves, it's
going to cost us so much more, and we're going to be at the mercy of whatever
company that we gave it to. So I would not be in favor of that. There are other ways
that we could help with the budget. This is why to me it's asinine that we're cutting
back on Code personnel for the Solid Waste Department when that's part of our
problem. The reason that our costs are going so much higher is because we're
letting anybody dump whatever in our streets, and we're not taking action.
Commissioner Reyes: That's true. Thank you. I have that problem in my -- through
the Chair. I have that problem in my district. And I have to admit, I patrol my
district. 1 am reporting every time that 1 see illegal dumping. As a matter of fact,
I've been requesting cameras. But I think that what they are telling me is that the
Police Department is the one that manages that. They are the ones that are
managing those cameras. And we are not getting any reactions or any actions. I
think that we should --1 mean, Solid Waste should be the ones that should be looking
at those cameras and by to find those people that come and illegal dump in our
districts.
Chair Hardemon: One of the things that I would also like -- I just want to put on the
record is that the Solid Waste Department gives many of the people who work for the
Solid Waste Department real chances at having good jobs in the City of Miami. And
so, a lot of those employees are second -chance individuals; not all, but a lot of them.
They're the backbone of what makes the City move forward. And if you don't pick up
garbage, you just skip one day and imagine all the calls that you get, all right? So
imagine two days of pickup, we have a real serious problem. So I think back to the
days of some former Commissioners in the City of Miami that were -- especially
women, where they called for the homeowners to bring their garbage and dump them
in front of City Hall -- right? -- in protest. And so, you know, I just want everyone to
understand how important it is, not only for the City of Miami that we continue to
provide the service at a reasonable rate, but to the employees who work for the City
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
of Miami, and really give us the best of them, not only during the times when things
are easy, but during the times when things are hard. They're the first there in
storms. They're the first there -- they're working during COVID. 1 mean, they are
the backbone of this community. So I just want to keep that in everyone's mind. And
so -- but obviously, the Senator -- when you brought that up in the discussions --
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) didn't mean for this to continue to talk about it as far as we
have. And so, I know that he's a man that believes in the people. And obviously, the
fee has been the same for a long time. And we may at some point need to address
that fee. Certainly, there are some other issues that are going on that exacerbate the
issues in our communities, such as short-term vacation rentals and the amount of
garbage that they create. They have some lost revenue there, especially for those
that -- where their short-term vacation rentals are actually legal. There are many
that are illegal, and I'm sure there are some lost revenue there as far as fees, as well.
So I mean, it's just a whole litany of discussion that needs to be had regarding the
fees. But, of course, we love our department for all the work that it gives to us, and
we're going to continue to support them. There was a motion.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah, I -- I just want to say something, because it was asked
directly. I'm definitely not in favor of privatizing Solid Waste. I really love this
department and the people that work there. And especially after being through a
couple hurricanes with them, I recognize them as sort of unsung heroes of the City.
They work so hard and it's a great group. And what we're faced with today on this
whole budget and starting to try to divide this pie and look inward at our own
employees and the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) offices, et cetera, this is
not -- the true fight isn't amongst ourselves and within our departments. We are
getting screwed by the County, screwed by the State, and screwed by the Federal
Government on the aid that we need to stabilize this municipality. It is absolutely
unfair that a City of Atlanta -- simply because they had a few thousand more people
than us -- that they get $80 million directly from the Federal Government. They're
not cutting right now. They're taking care of what they needed to do. Our City was
the front line on this virus. We've done what we needed to do to bring the
transmission rates down. That has affected our bottom line. That has affected our
economy, and no one is there to help stabilize us. So I would work with any one of
you on advocating with our local, State, and Federal legislators to work this,
because I know the Senate is back in session. Several of you have much more
experience than I in dealing with them. And I think we need to come together with
our Mayor and really bring this message forward, because we're at a point where
we're going to start having to make cuts that hurt people and families and our City
and our services, and it doesn't have to be that way. The money is there at the
Federal level. It's simply tied up.
Commissioner Carollo: That's exactly what Mayor Gimenez wanted to see, because
once he loses the congressional seat, he wants to come back here and run. And he
wants to claim that, you know, they got elected, because look at the mess these guys
have made of the City. This was done on purpose.
Commissioner Reyes: Listen, I know -- through the Chair. I agree that it is not fair,
because we don't have a five hundred thousand people living in the City. And our
census, that 10 year census, has us short by about 80-some thousand. But that's the
rule of the game. What we have to do is try to get as much as we can and try to
influence our elected officials at the Federal and State level, and also stress the
importance of our residents to fill the census, you see. And we have to be -- and I
know that all (Os, we have been in the radio and we have been talking to different
groups, because it is important -- it is extremely important that everybody that lives
in the City of Miami is counted, so we reach that threshold --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That amount, yeah.
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Commissioner Reyes: -- and then when we reach that threshold, we won't be in this
predicament again, you see.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Mr. Chair -- Commissioner Carollo, may I
ask you a question? Have you seen any polls that he may be losing that race, you
think, or --? I haven't looked (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Well, look, maybe I was not politically --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I've heard rumors about it, but I haven't seen any
polls.
Commissioner Carollo: -- maybe I wasn't politically correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no.
Commissioner Carollo: Then again, no one ever accused me of trying to be
politically correct. But I do have to say this, because I see now that Francis -- little
boy -- Mayor, the little boy that runs that, that attacks our Mayor, attacks you,
attacks me, attacks many in our government --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That fake Twitter account you're talking about,
yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: He's going to come at me, and I just want you to know who
he is. He's Carlito "Little Boy" Terror that's doing this. He attacks me. I want him
to understand -- Carlito "Little Boy" Terror -- that the gloves are off and to look up,
because the missiles have been sent and they're going to land at his head real soon,
with no mercy. And he doesn't know what fight they picked. They picked it with the
wrong guy; him and all those little characters that are getting this. I hope it not
from the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security). But I do hear
that there were people bringing -- you know, the first few weeks and more of the
COVID pandemic -- in a lot of masks and other equipment, gowns, et cetera, at the
airport. There was a company that was registered here in Florida that was a
Delaware corporation. And it's going to be really interesting, you know, once, you
know, the dots are crossed. It might be quite embarrassing.
Chair Hardemon: There was a motion and a second on BH.18, correct? All right. 1
want to make sure that it's recorded for the record. Is there -- all in favor of the
motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? That motion carries.
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BH.19 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.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record: Item BH.19 was deferred to the September 24, 2020, Final
Budget Hearing.
Chair Hardemon: Gentlemen, we're moving into BH.19, 20 and 21. Before we get
there -- and, you know, obviously, we are a board, and we can make decisions as we
see fit -- right? -- today and in our next budget hearing. But those of us -- we do
know that when it comes the -- our budget, the second budget hearing is the end-all,
be-all when it comes to any amendments that we want to make to the budget. And so,
I'm just saying that to say that if you would like to reserve much of our, you know,
amendments to that meeting, obviously, it would have an effect on how this meeting
moves forward. If we get into making amendments upfront today, while we can make
those amendments -- but, you know, again, we're going to be making amendments at
the next one, as well. So I don't know anyone's position on it, but I'm just kind of
saying it and putting it in the wind. As Chairman, I'll do whatever it is that you guys
ask me to do. Or whatever motion that's made and seconded, I'll entertain. But I
just kind of wanted to put that in the wind before we get there.
Commissioner Carollo: Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Can you see the books that I have here?
Chair Hardemon: I see it -- I see them.
Commissioner Carollo: Do you know what these are?
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, they're budget books.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, I got them today. And I shouldn't have to be going
after our own staff to make sure I get them. So I wanted to show you that and tell
you when I got it so that you all could understand then why I'm going to take certain
positions. But before we go any further, there's at least a million and a half dollars
that I don't see in the budget. And we're going to have another unbalanced budget if
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Meeting Minutes September 10, 2020
we don't put that in. And I'm talking about a million and a half in recall; not for me,
1 got no problem. It's for three of you that come November, different people are
going to come recalling. So it costs about 480,000 per head, for each person. So
you should put about a million and a half. And again, it's not for me, because I'm
not going to have any problems at all. But this is the kind of games that are going
on. And this is the kind of potential dollars that people are threatening that we're
going to have to spend.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I think that Mr. Winker -- I think the IRS
(Internal Revenue Service) is looking for Mr. Winker, so 1 think Mr. Winker will be
gone from the picture, so we won't have that problem anymore. So -- you know --
and we could go down the list of characters -- right? -- that are involved in
disrupting the good work the City of Miami is doing, just to disrupt and create
problems and wreak havoc when we have serious issues to deal with and serious
people that need to deal with serious issues, as we're doing. And let's do that. And I
think Commissioner -- Chairman Hardemon, we have BH.18 -- 19, 20 and 21. And I
don't know if you want to have amendments or not now. I do think that we're going
to have a clear conversation -- it's kind of the elephant in the room, right? -- about
the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) offices; that we need to close them
down and kind of create a new structure. I think that conversation needs to be had
today instead of just putting it off to another day and see how we save $3 million for
the City of Miami and we bring government closer to the people, and I think it's a
good conversation to have. Now whenever we get to that item -- and I don't know if
you want to do it at BH.21 or BH.20 -- I mean, BH.21 I think is where you're going
to do it, right? We're going to do the whole budget.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Correct, correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I mean --
Chair Hardemon: I have a --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I think that's a good conversation to have. I
mean, I think we keep our -- you know, we address that issue. I think it's a big issue
for us.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, I think that's certainly a big issue, an overarching issue
that we can talk about, because what it does is it gives the Budget Director some
direction at least fbr the next meeting. I kind of was more so speaking into getting
into these (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more things. But what you're saying is a big topic
that has a budgetary effect and not necessarily getting into the weeds for each item.
That's all that I was saying.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, okay.
Chair Hardemon: I have a -- one second. Okay, I thought I had a hand that was
raised, but I do not have a hand that's raised. Okay. So let's move on now to BH.19.
This is the 2021 multiyear capital plan. Is there a motion or any discussion on that?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll make the motion. I want to ask -- maybe our
City Manager can tell us like some of the key points here that we need to be aware
of
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Chris can go through the details. Chris, do you
want --?
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Christopher Rose: Good evening again, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of
Management and Budget. The capital plan before you is a six -year capital plan. It
has -- and I'm trying to get to the page.
Commissioner Carollo: Is that in this book, Chris?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, the one (INAUDIBLE) today, okay.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. In fact, on page 34 of that book are the new appropriations that
are proposed in this capital budget. That's the last page of the new appropriations.
They go about three pages back. And you can see a summary of what the funding
sources are. And if you go through the pages right before it, you'll see each
individual project that is being proposed new. You'll see that we have our impact
fees, our stormwater fees, our local option gas tax, marina revenues, and a
contribution from the general fund, various other sources that are going into capital
projects. And it is, in fact, as small as we could get it this year with the funds that
were available. We really did try to keep it at a minimum right now. So I present it
before you for your consideration, and I can answer any questions you may have.
Commissioner Carollo: What -- if I may real quickly -- capital -- proposed capital
improvements in the budget do you have there for District 3?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So if we go to page 31, there's a column -- it's about the third
column, maybe the fourth column there that says "District." And you can see that
there is Domino Park concrete floor repair and FF&E (furniture, fixtures &
equipment) replacement; Jose Marti Park flood mitigation, Henderson Park new
lighting -- which was brought up by one of the callers earlier tonight -- a new park at
3699 or 3701 Southwest 1st avenue; and Spring Garden Point Park historic
building. I can go continuing on the next few pages. On page 33, there is a project
which is in District 3, repairs at Marlins parking garage. And that concludes the
new projects in District 3, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. What's the total amount, Chris?
Mr. Rose: My apologies. I have my staff totaling it up right now.
Commissioner Carollo: Usually, in budgets like this, you would find a total in each
district, which is like a department, so that's why I'm asking that.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: I'd like to see how much money is being spent in each
district.
Mr. Noriega: The total in your district is 5.595 million.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Let me write this down. Again, I only got this this
afternoon, so bear with me. What is the amount again, Mr. Manager? Five point --
Mr. Noriega: Chris, correct me if I'm wrong, but I added up 5.595.
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Commissioner Carollo: This is for District 3?
Mr. Noriega: Correct.
Mr. Rose: We're double checking.
Commissioner Carollo: How about for the rest of the districts? Let's see District 2,
what he's got. I'm just curious.
Mr. Rose: We are totaling all of them up. Give my folks just a moment please. I
apologize.
Commissioner Carollo: District 2 I'm sure won't have much. It's a rich district, you
know, pretty up to date on everything. They've got the best of everything. It's the
poor districts, like 3 that usually should have a little more. Madam City Attorney,
what is the definition of an ambulance chaser in Black's Book of Law? Would you
have it there by any chance? I'm curious about something.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I can look it up for you.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, if you could get it to me, please.
Chair Hardemon: I don't know if that's in Black's Law Dictionary.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The what? It's not good, huh? We put the light
on, we put the light off. I don't know what to do anymore. Is it better dark or is it
better lighter? But it's still better than Vicky, by the way. Vicky's been in the same
closet for the past seven months.
Mr. Rose: Commissioners, if you'll hear with us. I've got (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
totaling each up right now.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah. While you're still --
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that was in a line item, Chris.
Mr. Noriega: Chris, I need you to also break out the citywide number, too, when you
present.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I don't know what you guys going to say, "citywide,"
whatever. I would imagine maybe that the Marlins parking is what you consider
citywide. But what I want is whatever amount of dollars are going into each district
in capital improvement projects, and then we could try to break it up in different
ways. I see Reyes there; he's got a grin. I don't know if he knows that he did real
good or real bad.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no. I only have two projects, two parks. I mean --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's got about $2.8 million for Shenandoah,
which is pretty good.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I found that one, Commissioner. 1 found it was a
good deal for your people. 1 agree with that. It's a good thing for --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, yeah. I really appreciate it. And I appreciate all the
help that you have given. And before you got here, Commissioner Carollo, he was
very, very, very helpful in assisting me in obtaining those funds. And also, the Chair,
also, was very good.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Commissioner. I'm glad that some people have
a good memory.
Commissioner Reyes: No, yes. That's the only thing that I have in my favor.
Commissioner Carollo: You've got me worried, Chris. Is it that much money that all
these other guys are getting? Mine, you all were able to do real quick. Predictions
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) on the UM (University ofMiami) game tonight?
Chair Hardemon: Not if you keep asking all these quest -- I'm just playing.
Commissioner Carollo: UM by at least three touchdowns.
Commissioner Reyes: At what time the game starts?
Commissioner Carollo: 8.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, 8.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: We'll be there by probably the fourth quarter.
Commissioner Carollo: There we go. Here we go.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Took care of the lighting problem.
Commissioner Carollo: Got anything yet, Chris?
Mr. Rose: I -- we've got it, sir. So I'm going to read them off to you, starting with
District 1 and ending with citywide. District 1 is $1.1 million. District 2 --
Commissioner Carollo: 1.1.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. District 2 is $5.074 million.
Commissioner Carollo: District 2 is how much?
Mr. Rose: 5.074. District 3 we have verified is $5.595 million. District 4 is $1.2
million. District 5 is $900, 000. And citywide is $14.9 million.
Commissioner Carollo: 14.9.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So --
Chair Hardemon: The --
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Commissioner Carollo: Break down -- so that you can amuse me, Chris -- the 14.9
million, almost 15 million that you claim are citywide, how much of those fall into
each of our districts? Because 1 want to see if your interpretation what citywide is is
going to be mine.
Chair Hardemon: Before -- and also, I think on the record, you stated that Spring
Garden Park -- that the improvement of Spring Garden Park was a part of District 3,
but that would be a part of District 5.
Mr. Rose: You are correct, sir. And we -- district -- Spring Garden Point Park is in
District 5. And we have it incorrectly listed in District 3. So we would need to take
$300, 000 out of District 3 and add it to the District 5 totals that we -- that I just read.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, so now District 5 is 1.2 million. Thank you,
Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: You're welcome, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: You got your books earlier, I didn't, so I wasn't able to find
that. Thank you. And I'm 300 down. Okay.
Chair Hardemon: You're not doing too bad.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, let's see. Let's see once you break up that citywide;
that he claims is citywide. The Marlins parking is not citywide. You know, that's all
Pr me. I don't know what good it does my residents, but that's not considered
citywide.
Mr. Rose: So what I can do is I can read out the citywide projects that are in the
capital budget, the new appropriations.
Commissioner Carollo: But, Chris, what I've asked for is on the -- your
interpretation of citywide, how many, of those fall in each of our districts so we get
total dollar amounts? 1'l1 look at what they're. for later; so I can determine if I agree
with your assessment or not.
Chair Hardemon: And Commissioner Carollo, is that something that we can have
provided for the next budget hearing?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I figure that it'd be something quite easy for him to do.
They've been working at this for so long and --
Chair Hardemon: So the only --
Commissioner Carollo: I mean, even in Doral -- I will tell you this: That when I did
budgets, City Manager, with the Budget and Finance Directors, the books were a lot
bigger than these two; a lot bigger, because we had a lot of line items so that we
wouldn't hide anything. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to dedicate in going
through the budget like I used to in Doral and have to work weekends, late at night
with staff that I appreciated their effort to do budgets. I don't have that here.
Otherwise, Chris, you'd be in trouble, real trouble.
Commissioner Reyes: You know, as a matter of fact, when I worked at the Parks
Department, it was line item by line item and books were like this when I was
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: We're not getting that here.
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Commissioner Reyes: I remember.
Chair Hardemon: Is there any other questions that we have besides what Mr. Rose
is looking up? Is there any other question from any other Commissioners, any other
discussion aboutBH.19? No. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: So he's looking at that. Let's have another discussion. It's
only a million bucks, so don't anybody get all excited. But it's a million bucks we
need badly in our budget since Mayor Gimenez decided that we weren't going to get
any (UNINTELLIGIBLE) money and he was going to take it from us so that we could
look bad and maybe not be able to balance budgets this year, next fiscal year, and
have all kinds of problems. Back in last year's fiscal budget, when we had a
discussion, I in fact championed giving a host committee for the college
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) world series a million dollars. Times have changed
drastically. I think we all would agree. First of all, we don't even know if we're
going to have a College World Series. If we do, we're only going to have a fraction
of the people coming, and they're all going to be staying basically and spending their
money somewhere else other than the City of Miami. It's being held at the Joe
Robbie Stadium. And I'm sorry, I'll always call it Joe Robbie Stadium. He was my
friend. He was one of the best owners we ever had in football. And he built that
stadium without getting any money from the taxpayers. Now, I think that the County
should be responsible for that additional million dollars. I mean, they've stolen from
us I don't know how many tens of millions of dollars. So I'm not going to be in favor
of giving this million dollars out. I think we need it much more in our budget., where
we could use it, depending on which way the majority would like to go, in saving
some of the jobs of people who were taken out, in the NETs that we're looking to
undo. I'm waiting to hear some of the ideas Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla has
that might be enlightening and it might be a cold shower, I don't know. I'll wait to
hear from him.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm here.
Commissioner Carollo: But I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I showered at like 7 in the morning, so Thu fully
showered, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: -- know that the million dollars is very badly needed in our
budget. And I'm not going to be in favor of giving a million dollars to a College
World Series if we even have it. What we're going to get out of it is practically
nothing.
Chair Hardemon: And Commissioner Carollo --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Commissioner -- ifI may, Mr. Chair?
Chair Hardemon: Well, that's in the annual budget, correct? That's in the -- right.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I believe this is in our --
Chair Hardemon: And Commissioner Carollo, you know, I don't dislike that
argument.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Me, either.
Commissioner Carollo: I knew you don't like it.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Mr. Chair, neither do 1. And 1 was going to
make another one beyond that one. How are we going to give $4.8 million to the
Underline, a park for rich folks, and we're cutting, you know, the only pool that we
have in Allapattah for poor kids? I mean, there's argument after argument after
argument about priorities that could be made, right? We could be here until three in
the morning talking about priorities. And Commissioner Carollo's completely
correct. $1 million for a football game in the middle of the crisis that we're facing
now is absurd. It shouldn't even be a conversation. It shouldn't even be a
conversation, like the Underline shouldn't be a conversation --
Commissioner Carollo: 4.8 million?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- at this juncture, or a bike lane. I'm sorry,
Commissioner Russell.
Commissioner Carollo: Chris, you didn't tell me that. 4.8 million? No wonder I got
my books late.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. I mean, it's like -- these are no-brainers.
That people have these debates about --
Commissioner Carollo: Are you serious? 4.8 million? Is what he telling me
correct, Chris, that we're going to give --?
Ms. Mendez: It's up to 50 million.
Commissioner Carollo: Huh?
Ms. Mendez: It's up to 50 million. I believe we can answer that --
Coniniissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But 4.8 million this year.
Commissioner Carollo: But 4.8 this fiscal year?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But 4.8 million this year.
Commissioner Carollo: This fiscal year we're giving them 4.8, Chris?
Commissioner Reyes: Through the Chair. When I first got here, the commitment
was 50 million. Victoria is right. And I objected to it, and they came out with some
additional funds -- I don't know from where -- and the commitment went down to 30
million. And I'm still opposed.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, Chris, where is -- where are those $4.8 million
coming from?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. The 4.8 has already been spent between a few years ago and this
year. It has been budgeted in past years. It is not new funding, either in the current
year or next year. There is about 11 million already budgeted for the Underline, but
not paid yet. It is all park impact fees according to the ordinance passed by the City
Commission a few years ago that obligated the City up to $50 million of park impact
fees collected within the Underline catchment area, of which we've collected about
11 million --maybe a little bit less -- that we collect within -- it's got some different
nuances to it -- but roughly a thousand feet on either side of what is the Underline.
And that is according to ordinance, and the City is -- at least the budget is under
obligation to pay that so --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hold on a second. According to whose
ordinance?
Mr. Rose: The City of Miami's ordinance.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, oh, so that means that we could actually --
we actually, have the ability to pass ann ordinance, a new one?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, right?
Commissioner Carollo: But let me go back to what Chris said, because he's jumped
back and forth.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That could change, Chris.
Mr. Rose: Yes, it absolutely could, with the will of the Commission.
Commissioner Carollo: Since I have not been able to read the budget, because I got
my books today, I'm going on what Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla just said, 4.8
million in this budget. Now you're telling me -- from what 1 understood, Chris, and
correct me if I heard you wrong -- that this is money that they spent already without
us approving it in a budget. Remember, this is like if the money that the Omni CRA
(Community Redevelopment Agency) owes, Bayfront Park, if I would have spent it
all without getting it. Imagine -- not that we have it. But how much of that money is
in this budget that we're giving them this coming fiscal year? Are we giving them the
$4.8 million, like I heard, or not?
Mr. Rose: No, .sir. We've actually already given them $4.8 million. There is a
commitment of up to $50 million.
Commissioner Carollo: I heard all that, Chris, but I'm worried about the $4.8
million now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What have you allocated this year in this budget
Jrothe Underline, in the 2021 budget?
Mr. Rose: So no new funding. In the 2021 budget, no new funding for the
Underline. It is already 11 million that is sitting there allocated in the budget from
past years, not even '19/20.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That we could de -allocate, right -- or reallocate?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. With the will of the Commission --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Mr. Rose: -- absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's all the will of the Commission, obviously.
We're the elected officials.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'm going to tell you now --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. But we can't reallocate $11.8 million
away from a park for rich folks to maybe -- don't know -- some kids that want to
swim in a pool in Grapeland, or in Allapattah, or in Little Havana, or some other
priorities that the Commission decides. So you have $11.8 million that you've set
aside for this park. And by the way, I think that park -- that whole concept is like an
$120 million gig, right?
Mr. Rose: I don't know the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With everything else -- State funding, Federal
funding. They've got a whole bunch of funding sources, right? The whole idea is
like a hundred and something million dollars, right?
Mr. Rose: I know that it's $50 million in the City of Miami. I don't know what it is
outside the City ofMiami.
Commissioner Dial de la Portilla: You don't know what the whole budget is for the
whole Underline project? I think Commissioner Russell knows. He's a big advocate
for this project, for the whole idea -- from State funding to County funding to City
funding, Coral Gables and every other city that has -- we all -- you know it's 120.
You come from the State. You know it's over a hundred million dollars. That's --
right? It's a nonprofit that is seeking over a hundred million dollars total from
different sources to build a park for people to -- you know -- ride bikes and drink
smoothies, and do all these things there, right? And -- right? Modeled after the
High Line in New York, right? Are you aware of that, Chris?
Mr. Rose: I -- forgive nie, sir. I am the Budget Director for the City of Miami, not
for the rest of the Underline project. I know that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, but you -- but if you're allocating some
dollars for an entire project and you're the Budget Director for the City of Miami,
then you know what the entire cost is, right? Because you know what percentage
we're paying into it.
Mr. Rose: I know we're paying 50 million for the five miles that are in the City of
Miami.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For the five miles.
Mr. Rose: That's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And you don't know what the whole project
costs? You're just paying 50 million, because -- you're paying 50 million without
knowing the whole cost?
Mr. Rose: That's correct sir. I am --
Chair Hardemon: From what I see online --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, you know what? I think you should know.
Commissioner Carollo: But then you were demanding, Chris -- up until the other
day -- that Bayfront Park had to show where we were going to be spending that
money, before you were claiming the City could give us that money in Bayfront Park.
You were saying that the auditors told you that there had to be an MOU
(Memorandum of Understanding) signed. But here's all this money that there was
no problem -- no idea of how it was going to be spent. They just told you it's going
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to be spent somewhere in the Underline that's miles and miles, and there was no
problem for that there.
Commissioner Reyes: I've been objecting since day one.
Mr. Noriega: If I may intercede here a little bit. And obviously, this clearly has a lot
of history to it. I think we need to go back to the original resolution that was passed.
Look at the language and how it was allocated, and the amount obviously was an
"up to" amount, right? That was a reso -- am I correct, Chris? It was a resolution.
Mr. Rose: I actually thought it was an ordinance, but it could have been a
resolution.
Chair Hardemon: I would think it would be an ordinance, because I think what it
did was it captured fees --
Commissioner Reyes: Impact fees.
Chair Hardemon: -- near the Underline,within a certain distance from the
Underline.
Mr. Noriega: Vicky, can we confirm what it was, just so we can clarify exactly what
was passed?
Chair Hardemon: And I think --
Mr. Noriega: So they have a fill l breadth of what they're dealing with in terms of
future money and future allocation. I think it needs some clarity.
Ms. Mendez: So with regard to -- right -- the agreements, the agreements are up to
$50 million, subject to availability. If you don't have the monies available, because
you have to fill in holes -- and last time we checked, we had 23 million in holes -- if
that money is sitting there, it can obviously be de -obligated, reallocated to another --
and due to subject to availability, that's what the agreements -- the grant agreements
say. So, yes, you can withhold that money based on how it was drafted, if it's not
available anymore.
Mr. Noriega: But it's park impact fee money. Let's be certain about that, too. You
can't just use it for anything.
Ms. Mendez: No, obviously.
Mr. Noriega: Whatever you allocate it for -- if you defirnd it, you allocate it, it has to
go back --
Ms. Mendez: Right. It has to be the same bucket.
Mr. Noriega: Appropriate use.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The same bucket, the same silo. It has to fall in
the same silo.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, the meeting --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So like, for example, it could fall in Grapeland
Park, or it could fall in any other park, right?
Mr. Noriega: Correct.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The same silo.
Mr. Noriega: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I think some of our parks have a lot of needs
that are not in Underline, right? So, yes, we understand how budgets are allocated,
right, because we put them in different silos. But my understanding -- through you,
Mr. Chair, I apologize. I'm kind of like doing what I didn't do in Tallahassee. I've
just gotten used to the City of Miami that we're having like a kitchen table
conversation along the way. But it's kind of like -- it's sort of like -- if we're talking
about 11.8 million that have been -- not allocated, maybe just put aside -- right, Mr.
Rose? -- for this project, this commitment, or whatever you want to call it, MOU,
whatever it is. How could we take that money away from that and say, "Hey, let's
kind of reprioritize now"? Is there something wrong with doing that? Is there a way
to do that at all in the way it works here?
Mr. Rose: So I would defer partially to the City Attorney in that the ordinance
governed how much would be set aside for the Underline.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we could change the ordinance. I mean, we
could change the ordinance.
Mr. Rose: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We could file something -- put something in the
agenda to change that ordinance next Commission meeting.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir, absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So that doesn't concern me. That's nothing. I'm
sure we'll find the votes for that, because I don't think anybody here in this
Commission, anyone in their right mind, frankly, would actually be talking about
giving $11.8 million to a park when people are hurting the way they're hurting and
parks are not being upkept the way they should be upkept. So -- I mean, so to me, it's
not a question of changing the ordinance. You keep on going back to the fact that
there's an ordinance. We understand that. Mr. Manager, you never clamed
whether it's a reso or an ordinance. Whatever it is, we can change that, right?
Ms. Mendez:: So far, we only find resos, but just -- we're checking, we're confirming.
So far, we have about four Underline resos that we're --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Four?
Ms. Mendez: -- looking for. Four.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They have a heck of a lobbying team, wow.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. And if I may, Commissioner, through the Chair. In the
Underline page, it says that they need for the part of the City of Miami, they're still
$22 million short, $22 million. And I had the same argument that you had. If we are
going to use our impact fees, there are a lot of parks in every one of our districts that
needs to be repaired, rebuilt. There are pools that they're not working. There are
pools that they're not working that have been there for the past 50 years. And we
have to build new pools and serve our people instead of that -- I mean, try to imitate
New York, which by the way, I've been, and it didn't impress me at all.
Chair Hardemon: But look, I'd like to --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: May I, please? And then I'm going to call on the Vice Chairman.
Remember that the ordinance talks about parks that are within a certain distance
from where the Underline would be -- and I'm sorry -- I think dollars that are within
a certain distance -- generated from within a certain distance from the Underline.
So that's kind of how they narrowly tailored it. You know, I will say that the idea of
the Underline, I think, it's a wonderful addition to the City of Miami. I think it does
have -- it would have a tremendous effect on everyone who chooses to use it and in
those areas where it is. Obviously, 1 don't have an Underline in my district, but I've
improved the alleyways within my district, and I did it with dollars that were strictly
under my purview. And I know that that had a tremendous effect upon the
neighborhood. And so, I think that it could be a good thing. And obviously, not all
of our dollars are going to be going towards -- not all of the dollars for park impact
fees are going to be going towards an Underline. So I think that we're going to have
dollars that are available. I want to say, over the past few years, we've been
generous as a Commission with each other in where those dollars were going. When
Commissioner Reyes brought out -- I supported you -- I don't know if it was last
budget hearing -- but millions of dollars towards your parks because of what was
needed there. And I think that's generally how we've been able to do that. And I
want to kind of also -- before we go back to Commissioner -- go to Commissioner
Russell, I want to kind of remember to direct us -- there was an idea that was voted
for by Commissioner Carollo and that first million dollars that I think you can
probably find a majority there in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a million dollars that could
be used in many different ways, because that's unrestricted dollars. And so, how
about we tackle those issues that we know that we can and then kind of leave the
other issues for a fight for the next time.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: And that's just my thought about that. But 1 want to recognize the
Vice Chairman, and then we'll move on to any other Commissioner that wants to
speak.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, yeah, I remember when the
Underline -- when I first learned about it, I was skeptical, wondering who wants to
go to a park along US 1, you know. But I -- after attending the charrettes with the
communities and understanding the concept better, I became a believer in it. This
was an initiative of the Mayor to create this funding source. I remember when we --
when he brought the legislation. And it does touch three of our districts, I want to
say, and it runs right along Commissioner Carollo's district and Commissioner
Reyes' district. And they're trying to -- through those local charrettes -- have each
section of the Underline serve that community and so it's not, just one fancy park, like
under one design, but each neighborhood got to put in what it's going to be. My
question for the City Attorney -- and my point to that is that I am supportive of it and
I hope you all would be too. I know we're in a financial crunch. But my question is,
based on not only the legislation we signed, I'm sure there was an MOU
(Memorandum of Understanding) or a contract that accompanied that, Madam City
Attorney, if we were to undo that legislation and cut off that funding a few years after
they had gone into it with those commitments and maybe spent money and done
whatever, are we exposed at all? Are we liable at all?
Ms. Mendez: Right. So based on those agreements is what I was discussing earlier;
that we said based upon availability of the funding. So if we don't have the funding,
we can't give it to them.
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Vice Chair Russell: But if it's park impact fees that were generated, it's there, right?
It doesn't have to do with the overall City's financial capacity, because we couldn't
turn park impact fees into money for, you know, jobs or anything like that. So we --
Ms. Mendez: Right. It can only be used for capital and those type of things, the
same -- the things that park impact fees can be used for. But if you no longer have
monies for that in other places for your capital projects, then -- you know, it's
whether it's available or not, at the end of the day.
Vice Chair Russell: No, I understand that argument. But -- so have you studied the
wording on it? Because that's where the details will be -- if the word "available" is
what's used, because the money has been generated by those developments that have
happened within that radius and it has been created. Now whether we need that
money elsewhere is the question that's being raised by the other Commissioners,
which is a valid argument. But my question to you is, are we legally exposed if we
were to change our minds on that? And for the record, I'm in support of -- I
understand they're coming back to us with a reduction in the ask. They're no longer
asking for 50 or even 30; that there's an intended amendment basically to cap the
ask and limit it to a lower amount.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's the intend -- I'm sorry. What's the
intended amendment, whose amendment?
Vice Chair Russell: That the Administration and the Underline are going to come
back to us not asking for the $50 million anymore.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's news to me. Wait, hold on.
Commissioner Reyes: Never heard of it.
Vice Chair Russell: So as -- so they're just --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know about it, but no one else does, so what
is that?
Vice Chair Russell: I've learned briefly about it on a tour of the first section that
they've started to complete, which hugs both Commissioner Carollo's district and
mine, through that Brickell area right under the Metrorail. And during that tour, I
was to understand from Meg Daly that we'll be seeing something coming down the
line at some point which will be reducing the ask, based on their projected needs and
their understanding of what our projected growth is. They don't expect to see the 50
million or want it; that it's going to be a much lower amount, but that they would --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's that amount, Commissioner?
Vice Chair Russell: Chris Rose, have you had talks on this?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, you had talks, Commissioner. I mean --
Vice Chair Russell.: Yeah, but I'm speaking --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- you're the one that had the talks.
Vice Chair Russell: -- to him, so, you know, my understanding, it's going to be more
in the 14 million range, something like that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, that's it? Okay.
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Mr. Noriega: Yeah. The number that has been indicated to me -- and I haven't seen
the documents yet -- but the number that was indicated to me --1 did the same walk-
through that Commissioner Russell did -- was roughly about $15 million.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Fifteen? One -five?
Mr. Noriega: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: But that we would not have any further obligation beyond that.
I think it could be --1 think we'd be exposed. 1 think there's an argument you could
make that says that we don't have the money, but there's certainly an argument that
could be made that says, "No. It was generated and under the contract we have with
them, that we owe it."
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'm really amazed that I'm hearing you give that
argument, but you give a different one on the contract that the Omni CRA, the
County, the City had on giving the monies to Bayfront Park. There you give a
different argument. But here, it's the argument that you want to give on this one.
Well, how can it be such for this money, but not for the other money?
Vice Chair Russell: Just read the wording of the contract. This isn't my project.
The Underline is not my initiative. I'm just saying --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's exactly what I've been telling you for several
years.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you're defending it, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the contracts that were signed before
that you don't want to listen to.
M. Mendez: We have a termination provision --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, we do. That's -- all contracts have
that.
Ms. Mendez: Right, but the City -- termination, if by the City, the City shall be
relieved of all obligations under this MOU, except for those obligations that
expressly survive the termination of the MOU. And then we have the availability
provision, as well. So, obviously, nothing is foolproof but we do have outs.
Chair Hardemon: So --
Ms. Mendez: But again, nothing is foolproof
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, that's the best thing I've heard all night.
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) an action?
Chair Hardemon: And right now, we're on BH.19, right? I know we had some --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: -- (INAUDIBLE) questions. I want to be able to move through
this agenda if we can.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
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Commissioner Carollo: Back in '19, Chris, one more question for you since you
were busy putting together for me the breakdown on the 14.9, almost $15 million,
countywide. In my district, on the monies that were to go to the Marlins garage, how
much was that?
Mr. Rose: In the new budget --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's the only one we're talking about, next fiscal
year's budget. That's what we're here Jr.o1 don't know what else we're here for.
Chairman, are we here for something else than the new budget?
Mr. Noriega: $3,195,000.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me?
Mr. Noriega: $3,195,000.
Commissioner Carollo: $3,195,000.
Mr. Noriega: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Surprise, surprise. And so, what's really maybe going to my
district is only $2,100, 000. It looked good before; $5, 295, 000. And thank god, that's
after the Chairman recognized that there was 300,000 that was for his district. And
you don't think that the Marlins garages is something that's citywide, whatever that
means, Chris?
Mr. Rose: We could absolutely, show it as citywide, sir. Right now we have it shown
as District 3.
Commissioner Carollo: Because you wanted to blow it up so it would appear that,
gee, I'm the one that's getting the most money, that I'm just crying wolf. I
understand, Chris. I know the school you went to and who your inentor was, so I
understand how that works.
Ms. Mendez: Commissioners, 1 wanted to point out we didn't pass any ordinances.
Everything was done through resolutions.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Mr. Rose: I agree.
Chair Hardemon: That was a resolution?
Ms. Mendez: I'm sorry?
Chair Hardemon: That was a resolution?
Ms. Mendez: They were all resolutions. I can send them to you.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, so out of the new allocations that are district,
supposedly, I have 2.1 million, because the 3,195,000, even Chris
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) anything that he would consider citywide. District 2 has
5,074,000. The rest of the districts are -- you know -- way low. How does that
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happen, Chris, that District 2 gets so much more than the poorest district when
District 2 is the richest? Because this has been happening time and time again.
Commissioner Reyes: Mm-hmm.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. We go through an extensive capital appropriation process, and
we go through --
Commissioner Carollo: But when you say "we, " who's "we"?
Mr. Rose: All of the departments. We meet with each department and see what their
requests are. We meet with the Office of Capital Improvements while we go through
those. And we look at the needs and what generates those needs; not just what
someone says what the needs are, but we look at why someone is saying what those
needs are. And there are things, such as the Marlins garage, where we have needed
repairs. We have engineering --
Commissioner Carollo: Which we agreed to is something that should be countywide,
because how is that going to benefit the residents of any part of my district, when, if
anything, it would benefit the whole City?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. We will reclassify that into a citywide from now on. We will do
that.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'd like for you to send me, Chris, very spelled out in
each district, but in particular, mine and District 2, all the projects that have been
assigned, and how the conclusion came for those dollars to be spent. And then if you
could go back the last couple of fiscal years and see how capital improvement
budgets were assigned, also. And please, don't, you know, hide citywide or not.
Include what you consider citywide also in those budgets. But having said that, on
the other 15 million that you had citywide that you had to add another 2,100,000 to,
have you broken it up by district already?
Mr. Rose: We are in process of that. I got caught up in the discussion; my
apologies, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Oh, okay, Chris. Well, I hope I would have it in sufficient
time, not the day before the second reading of this.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Mr. Noriega: Commissioner, if 1 may. There are some items, especially that are
classified citywide -- and I'll make specific reference when you look at the list that
specifically relate to Police and to Fire. I'd love to get your interpretation of how
those ought to be allocated, because they don't technically fall within a district, per
se, so those kind of clearly are. We're going to have a hard time identifying what
district they fall in, per se, because they are specific to a department. They are a
capital expense, but they really apply towards the overall operations of those
departments. So --
Commissioner Carollo: I understand that Mr. Manager.
Mr. Noriega: -- we'll try to clear that up, but I'd like your input on that, as well.
Commissioner Carollo: I appreciate it. And let me clarify this to you so that there
will be no mistake in your mind. I appreciate the work you've been doing. My line
of questioning to the Budget Director has nothing to do with you, or your leadership,
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or your management. Thank god that we've had you here, because 1'd hate to see
what would have happened if you hadn't been around and we had this other
character. When COVID-19 hit, it was a very unfair situation for you, because you
were just here barely a few weeks, and all you've been doing is dealing with the
worst pandemic that not only our City, our County, our State, but our Country has
ever seen. So I appreciate the hours that you've been putting, the time and effort,
and all that you have done. This is a pattern of what's been going on with the Budget
Office and how they cater to some and try to stick it to others. And I'm fighting for
my residents. I'm fighting for residents that -- for the most part -- are not well versed
in the English language; many are new immigrants, some are not even here with
papers. They're what -- so-called illegal immigrants. But I don't look at that. 1 look
at how I can help people that live in my district, period. And those are the kind of
people that you don't see calling in, screaming, demanding, trying to defame any of
us. These are hard-working people that, you know, don't know how their money is
being spent, or what service they're getting, or why. And this is why it's so important
for Cornrnissioners that represent the poorest district of the City not to be shy in
fighting for the monies that those residents deserve, and that's all that I'm doing.
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion to approve BH.19?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Commissioner Dias de la Portilla moved the item
back at 7:37p.m. There was no second.
Commissioner Carollo: Chris, you got the breakdown for me on the 15 million? I
mean, I know 2,100, 000 is Marlins Stadium -- or garage -- excuse me. What's the
other 15 million for? Do you have that yet?
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Clerk, note the Chair as the second.
Mr. Hannon: Understood, sir.
Mr. Rose: One moment, sir. Let me confer with my staff. Give me just a moment
here.
Mr. Noriega: Can I make a suggestion? Capital budget only requires one reading.
So if there are questions and issues that we need to address, maybe we can defer this
item to the next meeting, allow me to do a deeper dive with each of you and address
any specific issues you may have, because at this point, it may take a while to kind of
pull up some of the information, and I want to make sure it's accurate. I don't want
there to be any mistakes, especially in a public forum. So I think it would be better
for us to handle this individually in the meantime, and then that way, we come back
at next meeting and re present this, and maybe there'll be some modifications or
adjustments, but it'll be done so with direct input from each of you.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, I would appreciate it very much. Chris has
had the advantage of having this for months and months. I've only gotten it about
five hours ago. So I would appreciate that very much.
Chair Hardemon: I have a question.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think that's fair. I think that's a fair approach,
so we can have -- make some -- if I may, Mr. Chair. I think it's a fair approach, a
more reasonable approach, so we can be more methodical in how we make these
decisions, because these are important decisions we're making. So I think the
Manager -- you know -- give him the opportunity to come back with some -- you
know -- more important information that we need.
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Chair Hardemon: 1 have a question for Madam City Attorney. So Items BH.19 and
BH.21, can those be both deferred? Like can we defer those items or continue them
until the next agenda? Is that possible?
Ms. Mendez: Hold on one second, because we have particular notes on here. So
BH.18 --
Chair Hardemon: No, not 18; 19.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no. We're done with that.
Commissioner Carollo: 19, 19.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, 19 is the capital plan.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Ms. Mendez: Right, so you can reset it, because it's subject to -- because it only has
one reading, like the Manager said. So it can be reset --
Chair Hardemon: But what about --?
Ms. Mendez: -- and you have time to talk about it.
Chair Hardemon: BH.21 only has one reading, as well?
Ms. Mendez: Hold on for that one.
Chair Hardemon: I think that one has two, right?
Commissioner Carollo: Two, two.
Chair Hardemon: That one has two.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It has two readings, right?
Ms. Mendez: 21 -- it's an ordinance. It's an ordinance; it has two.
Chair Hardemon: Okay, so then --
Ms. Mendez: The other one was a reso.
Chair Hardemon: So then I'll take that superseding motion, the motion to continue
Item BH.19.
Commissioner Carollo: Moved.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? That motion carries and is continued, BH.19.
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BH.20 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 TENTATIVE
RATE OF 7.99000 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.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: BH.20.
Commissioner Carollo: I'll move that. That's setting the --
Chair Hardemon: The millage.
Commissioner Carollo: -- millage rate.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The millage, I'll second that.
Chair Hardemon: It's properly moved and seconded.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It's an ordinance, Chairman. May I read it when
you tell me to?
Chair Hardemon: Yes. It's been properly moved and seconded. I don't think there's
going to be any discussion. Madam City Attorney, read it into the record, please.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor of the item, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? That motion carries.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, I'm wondering if --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's an "aye." It's an "aye." I'm sorry. I didn't
press the button fast enough.
Mr. Hannon: No worries. Unanimous, 5-0.
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BH.21 ORDINANCE
7736
Office of
Management and
Budget
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ADOPTING A
TENTATIVE 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.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
NAYS: Carollo
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item BH.21, please see
"Public Comment for All Budget Item(s)."
Chair Hardemon: Okay, BH.21.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): An ordinance --
Commissioner Reyes: That requires two readings, right?
Chair Hardemon: Read it into the record, please.
Ms. Mendez: Yes, two readings.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Senator, you're recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair, can we talk about the NET
(Neighborhood Enhancement Team) offices now? Is this the time to do that or are
we not there yet?
Chair Hardemon: It's a good time to probably take that million dollars, and then
you could have the NET office conversation later.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Well, the -- There's been sort of a
lobbying effort from some City employees to keep their jobs or not keep their jobs,
you know. And to me, that's disturbing. And I don't want this to drag out for a two -
month -- to a two -week period until we have the next meeting. So I think it's better to
sort of have the conversation now, if it's the will of this Commission. And do we
want to have a more streamlined system where we have district offices that are
directly accountable to the people that they elect -- right? -- directly accountable and
responsive, and bringing government closer to people, or do we continue to have this
convoluted, bloated system that doesn't work? I think it's a good conversation to
have. Change sometimes is difficult, I know. I dealt with a lot of that when I was in
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Tallahassee when we tried to make structural changes. But 1 think this is something
that is good for the City of Miami. 1 think it'll save us $3 million. 1 think it's
something that we should talk about and move forward, and sort of create district
offices for Commissioners who are directly accountable to their constituents, people
that, you know, are elected -- are duly elected. And then they have the opportunity to
select the people that are going to be representing them within those geographic
boundaries. And I think this is something that we should have a conversation about.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner I'm all ears. Explain to me what the idea is.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm interested.
Commissioner Dias de la Portilla: The idea -- and I've discussed it with our City
Manager three days ago -- is that we create -- instead of having -- I believe we have
13 NET offices -- and I don't know how many top-heavy administrators we have
there. I think it's up to -- or maybe 19. The number could be wrong. Mr. Rose,
correct me. But it's sort of to kind of streamline that to five offices, one per district,
per Commission district. And then, if the Commissioners decide within that budget
they're allocated -- and that budget could be as much as a million dollars, because
there will be -- right now, I think it's a little bit over 8 million, so this will bring it
down to 5 million. It's a $3 million savings for the City of Miami at a time that we
need that $3 million savings. That we -- that Commissioner and that district can
decide if he wants to have two Commission offices to better serve the people that he
was elected to represent, then that Commissioner can decide to have two. That
Commissioner can decide to have one. But it's at the discretion of the duly elected
official from that area. And it kind of -- it all works together, right? There's a
synergy that's created between the duly elected official for that particular
geographic area, that district, and the people that he thinks that could better, you
know, represent those people and respond to those people. And that's kind of the
thinking. 1 think the City Manager and I had an in-depth conversation. I know he
also had it -- I know we had that conversation. He also had it -- I think he had an in-
depth conversation with some of the staff members; that they think this is probably a
good idea to streamline government and bring it closer to people and to make it
more efficient. And I think efficiency during these times is critical, and I think
responsiveness to the people that elect us is important, and accountability is
important. And to have this bureaucratic mess that we have now, this back and
forth, these overlapping areas that, you know, one NET office represents, you know,
two different districts and this competing interest and back and forth, it's just too
much confusion. I think it's better to kind of streamline it, and make it more specific
to specific geographic districts that each Commissioner represents.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner, its very interesting, and you mentioned the
magic word, which is "efficiency." Since day one, I've been asking for analysis --
efficiency analysis for every single department, and NET is another department that
we have. And if by streamlining the way that you are proposing, we can save money,
and at the same time, provide the services -- quality services and probably improve
the quality services since we are more -- I mean, Commissioners are going to be
more in charge of what the people that are working in the NET offices than what it is
now, that we have to go through layers of government and all of that. But my
question -- and I would like to sit down and talk to the Manager since you and I, we
cannot have a conversation because of the Sunshine Law, but -- and see what are
going to be the consequences towards -- I mean, to the employees that are not
working on the NET offices. Are they going to go back to the departments they came
from? Because I would really hate to see anybody lose their jobs. You see, people
that they -- I know that we have Solid Waste employees that they are serving at the
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NET offices. Are they going to go hack, or we keep them? And all of those little
details, 1 would like to have it, and 1 would like to really analyze what are the
consequences and how much we can improve the services that were stated. And even
if we can add to the services that we provide at those NET offices -- or not going to
be NET, but those district offices -- even if it's not a possibility, or the availability, or
they are being able to issue or start the process for permits that they are not -- I
mean, that it's not a construction permit -- I mean, you have to change a door or
replace a gate, something like that, minor construction permits or building permits,
that they could -- people can come to our offices -- I mean, those offices that you are
describing -- and come and be able to solve all the problems right there. And I think
that would be more efficient, not only for the residents, but also for the City as a
whole. And we would provide an extremely -- I would say it's going to be very
helpful to the Building Department, and maybe we can expedite those permits,
instead of having residents to go through all of that. But I would like to see all those
details before we vote on it. And I'm going to be very honest, it is very -- I think it's
very sound logic what you are presenting. And -- but I want to make clear to all
those employees, that right now they are very much afraid, and they are -- I know
that I've received -- I don't how many texts I did receive. But I received a bunch of
texts that they are going to lose their jobs. This is not to eliminate those people --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No.
Commissioner Reyes: -- that are working now. And, I mean, they could go back to
their positions and go back to the departments, but we will be able to hire also and
keep it in-house --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and it's going to work with all the benefits -- what benefits
are going to have for people that we -- all of those little details I would like to have.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Mr. Chair, if1 may, through you?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, I agree with you. I don't want to
hurt anyone or have anybody lose their job. That's not what this is about. This is
about efficiency and accountability. And the conversation I had with our City
Manager was about, you know, whether he's going to shift some of those
responsibilities to other departments that he can streamline and coalesce some of
those responsibilities so he that can save some dollars. We're all looking to save
money here, but we're also looking for accountability, right? So as far as the
concept -- and Miami -Dade County does it. It's one of the few things they do right.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So every Commissioner has a district once --
right? -- and those Commissioners are accountable to those constituents, and the
people that work there are responsive to those constituents. So it's very clear. It's a
very clear line of responsibilities and responsiveness that exists. So it doesn't mean
that if you are -- if you now have a district office, that you cannot turn around and
say, "I want to hire these very efficient people that work in this NET office to come
work for me now," because now they are going to -- the people that know the
community and know the area and have been doing this work for, in some cases,
decades, right?
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But yes, of course. Everybody has an
opportunity to apply and be part of this process. It's just a question of streamlining
it, making it more accountable, making sure that people are closer to their
government. And then the Manager and the Commissioners will work together to
make sure we replace some of these other people. What I don't think we need is the
bureaucratic overlay that we have of so many other people that -- you know -- have
all these mixed responsibilities, that maybe can be placed somewhere else. And I'll
tell you something -- to your point, Commissioner Reyes -- no one's going to go to
the MRC building, whether it's a brand-new beautiful building in downtown in front
of the river. You know, the people that live in Allapattah are not going to get in their
car or on a bus and go to downtown Miami to solve their problems --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and wait five hours. It's better they go to a
district office with some of those problems; not all of them, but some of those
problems can be solved.
Commissioner Carollo: Gentlemen.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's government closer to the people. That's the
idea.
Commissioner Carollo: This is important. This is important. The opposing team
scored 7 on us on their first possession, but we just made it up in our first, so we're
7-7.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm not as worried anymore.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm watching from the corner here.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm not as worried anymore. I wanted to give you an
update, so we can keep this fine conversation going.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I saw it, but I was kind of focused on my
argument and you got -- it took my focus away for a second.
Commissioner Reyes: Another -- through the Chair. Another concern that I had --
and you addressed it -- is that given the shape of certain districts, like mine, for
example. It's an odd shape, and we are not going to go about it why it was done like
that. I remember the date that it was done the way that it was presented to the
Commission. And I know, and you know why it was, I mean, done that way. But I
need to have if I'm going to -- right now I have two NET offices that serve my
district. And I definitely will need to have -- if I'm going to have offices, we'll need to
have a couple of officers. And --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You'll have two and a half. As an example, you'll
have two and a half and we'll split the cost.
Commissioner Reyes: And that's what I was going to say. You and I -- that we have
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because we're together, right? We're next to
each other.
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Commissioner Reyes: Carollo and 1, that we have bordering districts. We can also
work from the same place, because as I do understand right now that our NET
offices are paying rent, you see, at the places that we are, and if we're going to split
all of those charges of those costs, and also, we are -- well, I, personally, I think that
we can look into our parks and maybe we can have -- or have some of the buildings
that are in those parks that they could be converted into offices. And I don't know,
but it's a very nice concept. I would love to have more information about it. And I
personally believe we're going to be more efficient.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry, Commissioner Carollo, yes.
Commissioner Carollo: I think this concept has a lot of merits that we need --
Commissioner Reyes: It has, it has.
Commissioner Carollo: -- to look at. And I'd like the opportunity to speak to the
Manager on it.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: I would also like to get from the Manager so that we could
have it, the budget and -- line item budget -- not like Chris does it -- line item from
each of the NET offices' that we have so that, you know, we can get an idea of real
savings and who we have, and where the money's going to. So I think this merits
some serious discussions next time we meet on this for the second reading. And it's
certainly something that is attracting my attention.
Commissioner Reyes: And out of this -- and Vicky, please, turn the light on, because
now -- I mean, before when you turn the light on, you look like human. Now you
look like a ghost.
Commissioner Carollo: My god, I see it as well. Now she looks like a ghost.
Commissioner Reyes: No, look at her now.
Commissioner Carollo: A little better now, a little better. Okay. You looked like a
Humphrey Bogart movie before, the black and white.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: 1 used that -- 1 hope you didn't mind me using Bogart,
because I could've used, you know, like one of those Capone movies, you know, the
attorney to the mobster and all that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Something like that, right?
Ms. Mendez: I'm the mob lawyer, right? I'm the mob lawyer, so that would have
been fine, too.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. And when do you think, Commissioner, that we can --
you can have all the -- I mean, our "Ts" crossed and the "Is" dot about your proposal
that we could analyze it with Administration?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think that -- well, maybe -- I don't know if you
want to do it now, but maybe if we memorialize the idea or the concept so we move
forward in that direction. We're moving forward in that direction, right? So I
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haven't heard from our City Manager yet, because we had a really long
conversation. And 1 haven't heard from our Chairman, either, or Commissioner
Russell kind of what the feeling is of the Commissioners and our City Manager --
know his feelings. We talked about it -- of where we want to go, what direction.
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to sit with all the -- I mean, with all the questions
-- the answers to all the questions that we have -- I mean, that I have, and I give the
opportunity to the Chairman and the other Commissioners so that they can ask other
questions before we move forward. I am very confident that we can -- that we're
going to find common ground on this. And now that it is obvious that nobody is
going to lose their jobs, I believe this is not going to hurt anybody and people are
going to keep their positions, some of then, and someplace else, or at the district
offices. And they're going to be serving the people, like they have been doing before.
But this streamline is going to represent a substantial savings for the City of Miami.
And in my opinion, when you eliminate those layers of bureaucracy that we have
now, it will be more efficient.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. And Mr. Chairman, Commissioner
Russell, I think you -- Mr. Chairman, I think Commissioner Russell wants something
there. Come on. Mr. Chairman, can you fbcus on this debate? This is an important
debate for me. I know -- Are you watching the UM (University ofMiami) game?
Chair Hardemon: I don't have the luxury of' watching the UM game. James is
complaining in my ear about that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: You know, Senator, I'm a man that likes to hear good ideas. And
so, you know, if you have something that's a cost savings to the community and you
can get still great service from our department, and we have the flexibility to say --
for instance, I think that there was a number -- there were a number of NET offices
that were proposed to he closed in my district. And obviously, 1 believe in the work
that our employees do. And I know 171 be leaving, but I think -- I don't want to
handicap the next Commissioner, because, you know, we need to understand exactly
what it is that the NET departments do. And the way that my district is set up, those
neighborhoods are very unique. They're very, very unique, from the Upper Eastside,
to Liberty City. You have Little Haiti, Overtown, and then the Wynwood District. I
mean, those are very distinct neighborhoods, and many of them don't travel to the
same space. They're not -- you know, you think they won't travel to City Hall or the
411 -- whatever, the 111 building, whatever the number is. They're not -- certainly
not coming to other places, like Overtown, and they're in the Upper Eastside. And
so, one day they will, I'm sure, but in the way that we're doing business, 1 just find it
highly unlikely. And so, 1 particularly find it very interesting if I can find a way to
continue to maintain many of those offices that are being closed so that we can
continue moving forward. If I can do that, then I'm all typically for supporting your
initiative, especially when -- because I've -- you know, I guess this could tie up, you
know, the next Commissioner, but I mean, I'm willing to sacrifice some of the budget
for the office in order to have some representatives from the NET offices to be
available. So -- but 1 certainly wouldn't voluntarily give that up. I mean, if we could
find space in the budget, like how we saw that million dollars that Commissioner
Carollo has been eyeing for quite some time.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You saw that, you saw that.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah. I mean, that's part of the money that we --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You caught that one.
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Chair Hardemon: I'm with that, you know. But I do think that 1 want to see what it
is. I like the idea -- like for instance, between this hearing and the next hearing, we
could get more information about exactly what you want to do. We can see where
the money's coming from, the savings so that it's there. But I'm, you know -- your
idea of how you want to streamline it and it's flexible for all of us, I mean, that's not
a bad concept. And so, you know, I'm willing to move forward with your idea when
we -- you know, but we don't have any details cemented about which offices are
being closed or -- just I want to be able to see the proposal so that the next time that
we talk about this, 1 can say, "Okay, this NET office, that NET office." You know,
let's have the discussion about the budgetary effects for each one of them and how it
affects the district, our district office, et cetera. But you're right. I think the idea of
having a district office is important. I actually -- because I'm Chairman of the
Southeast Overtown/Parkwest CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), I have my
own small office at --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I do, too.
Chair Hardemon: -- Overtown. Right, yeah, yeah, exactly. It's a small -- but even
still, you realize it's very difficult for our residents to go to those spaces. Parking is
an issue, the location is an issue. You have to go through a building that they close
at certain times of the hour.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: So in that case (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And it doesn't have the
familiarity that everyone is used to. So I recognize that there's even problems with
me having that space, so that's why we're always at City Hall. And we try to invite
our residents to City Hall as much as possible, but it is problematic. I think having -
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely.
Chair Hardemon: I mean, driving through the neighborhoods, you see it in the
State, especially. It says, you know, "Senator Diaz de la Portilla's Office, this way."
I mean, that's pretty good, because now everyone knows exactly where you are. So I
recognize that there are certain strengths to that. But I also want to be sure that I
don't put my residents at a disadvantage for those that have the ease and the
flexibility of touching a NET office that is right there in their backyard.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Mr. Chair, not to belabor the point, but if
you would allow me to ask our Manager to sort of walk very quickly, give us, you
know, a summary of what we spoke about and what your thinking is on this.
Mr. Noriega: I think, unless -- I mean, the only one that hasn't spoken is
Commissioner Russell. Maybe (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Noriega: I mean --
Vice Chair Russell: I'm glad to weigh in on this. When I first came into office, I had
big dreams jor changing NET office. And so I want to understand whether we're
trying to address solely the financial crunch, or if you really see an operational
opportunity to improve how the residents are served, because obviously, I'm in favor
of addressing both. But I have come to fall in love with my NET office and the way
they help take a burden off of my office in terms of constituent services. We work
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very well, hand and glove, but the system is not set up to do that. 1 do agree with
you, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, in that, and it's been hard to find that rhythm,
because, you know, we are handling our own constituent services in the office, and
then the NET office is getting some, and we're not using a combined system. We're
sending the departments, they're sending departments, we're working with the
Manager. I had originally, you know, asked to meet all of the NET offices -- you
know, this is four or five years ago now -- to see what could we do to change that
system so that they were almost an extension of the Commission office in a sense, so
that we were -- you know, constituents really felt served and not bounced around,
you know, because 1 don't want to say once a constituent calls me, "Well, you call the
NET" and then the NET says, "Well, you call this department." I want them to have
a concierge that takes care of them from the start to finish of their problem, and
that's what NET can be. Whether they work under a Commission office or
independent, it sounds very complicated to me, and I don't know the best answer to
that. I know we're in a budget crunch. I don't want to see us lose anyone. I want to
see us continue to fight for the revenue that's owed to us. But I'm open to talking, but
I do want to preserve and save our team. They really, really are the face of our
government to our community. And the ones that I work with, I know they pull their
weight. They work so hard. So these are very tough decisions to make, but that's
where I am at this point. I'm open to some changes that help us work more
uniformly, but I don't really want to just chuck the system out. I don't want to undo
NET as a body, but I'm open to continued talking.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner -- through the Chair. If I might take the liberty
to give a directive to the City Manager to meet with every single one of the
Commissioners, and once you and the City Manager have sat down and you have
ironed all the -- I mean, your ideas within your residents and you have gone back
and forth, and then come and sit with every one of the Commission -- or
Commissioners -- so we can provide our input into it and take it from there. I think
that it is fair that everybody gives their input. Just like Commissioner Russell now,
he has a concern about losing people. I have it, too. And as we -- in our discussion,
it was clear that nobody is going to be fired (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We will be able to
retain them, but working for us. But I would love to get all the points -- I mean,
everything on paper and give the opportunity to everybody to have their input in if
you agree with it.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, can we have you and you -- if you could
direct the Budget Director -- provide to all of us by Monday -- you should have it by
tomorrow, but at least by Monday -- a list of every NET office, line item budgets,
how much each person makes, how many people we have, their positions, every bit of
expenses going there, and then the total at the end so that that could help us get
some ideas of what we could do.
Commissioner Reyes: I will -- Commissioner Carollo, if I may, I will also include
the savings that we are going to obtain, and also what would be the consequences
for the employees, because we want to dissipate any doubt about any of the
employees, that they have been scared by other people that they are saying that we're
going to abolish NETs and that's not your intention. And from what I gather, the
intention of Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla is not to eliminate it; it's to make it
more efficient and streamlined. And if we can get everything on the clear what we
can -- I mean, how much are we going to save with -- the problems with this, the
problems with Human Resources or the Civil Service status of those workers, if
they're going to lose it, everything to place -- I mean, we have to put it on the table
so we can make a very educated decision on this.
Mr. Noriega: So I'll use this opportunity to sort of address a couple of questions and
some of the feedback. So this is obviously an idea that materializes part of a
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conversation Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla and 1 had two days ago when we
were doing the budget briefing. We talked through it, as he mentioned, at length.
But what I had asked when we sort of concluded the conversation was the
opportunity to get, obviously, additional feedback from the rest of the elected
officials, which we're doing on this platform, and so that I would have very clear
direction in terms of what my specific -- you know -- ask was; in particular, what the
analysis would entail, and what I would need to come back with in terms of
information. So, obviouslv, this is a major undertaking, because you have to
determine a lot of things on a lot of levels. Obviously, there's a level of service
concern, right? There is a number of HR (Human Resources) issues that have to be
addressed, as well. We have union contracts in place. There are very specific issues
that have to be sort of -- we'll call them, 'projected out," in terms of where people
end up in terms of positions. And then there are specific issues as it relates to an
addition to just the -- you know -- rollback rights that certain employees have.
There's also this issue of you know, who those employees will work for right? You
know, you're going to have some of those employees, obviously, or most assigned to
the Commission offices themselves. And some others will come back to certain
departments, depending on what level of service they provide or specific service they
provide. So there's a lot involved in that process. One thing I can do immediately is
give each of you a current line by line as to what that NET budget looks like by NET
office, inclusive of personnel, equipment, and obviously, whatever office expenses
there are. That I can do immediately. We'll have that to you right away. As far as a
robust discussion in terms of what a plan would look like, I need a little more time
for that, because I want to have an intelligent conversation with each of you. So I
want to create very clear expectations in terms of how those conversations are going
to take place; more particularly, because I want each of you to be well informed,
right? So this is not a decision any of you are going to want to make lightly in any
way, shape or form.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Mr. Noriega: You're going to want to understand all the details to that. And for the
staff to put together that level of information, you know, I want to give ourselves a
little time to do that. So let me reconvene with my staff. We haven't done any work
on this at all. I wanted to get very clear direction on it at this meeting. Let me
reconvene with my staff. I will send a notice out to each of you identifying when I
think I'll be ready to meet with each of you individually. And then, the hope is that
we can have a -- obviously, very good, productive conversation individually, and
then again, one in two weeks.
Commissioner Reyes: Through the Chair. And also, you mentioned that equipment,
you see, and we have -- every single NET office have equipment. if we are going to
take over those --1 mean, the Commission is going to take over those offices, and we
also will need equipment, you see. We are -- I mean, we should be able to -- I mean,
you should be able to provide us with the required equipment to provide the services
or include the services that has been -- and I'll tell you, I am very happy with my --
the two NET offices that I have. Everybody that works there, I'm real proud of them
and I want to keep them. And I wish they all can remain working with me. And my
commitment is that I will not vote for anything that will cost them their jobs. I will
not do that.
Mr. Noriega: So kind of to create some clarity here, there are some exceptional
people that work in NET. I've gotten --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Mr. Noriega: -- and even in the short time that I've been here, a number of
compliments with regards to NET staff in almost every single one of your offices.
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But this actually will provide an opportunity, because each of you individually work
with your NET administrators probably closer than 1 would, because that's the
nature of how the structure is set up now. You have a pretty good feel for how they
function, how competent each of those individuals are, their level of productivity. So
we just need to see -- to get some of the feedback from each of you, as well, as we
continue to kind of put the structure together, because your input is actually
probably the most valuable in this process in terms of the people themselves.
Commissioner Reyes: Thank you. Thank you very much.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But -- if I -- and I don't know if I should say this
now, but I'm going to do it anyway. There is a reality here. I mean, the City of
Miami has 4,526 employees. I think we're eliminating 19 of them -- right? -- filled
positions in this proposal. There are people that are going to lose their jobs. It's a
budgetary crisis. And there's some people that are not -- there are a lot of competent
people in the City of Miami, but some that are not. I mean, that's just the reality of
any business. I mean, my dad does it and he's 83 years old. And he runs a mattress
factory and he's still -- you know, he had to get rid of two employees two months ago,
because the economy didn't allow it, right? So, I mean, government has to do the
same thing. Our job is not only to protect and keep everybody employed, but we
have to be efficient, because the people that elect us want us to be efficient and to
save them -- either we cut services or we cut some employees. And Grapeland
give you an example. Grapeland Park, which is a big hit to my district, it has a pool,
the only pool in District 1, that will be open from -- it's open seven days a week, and
now it will be open two days a week. It's a $500,000 savings to the City of Miami,
and I'll swallow that. But I understand that difficult economic times sometimes
demand difficult decisions. I can't go into any situation saying I'm not going to get
rid of anyone in any job in any situation, because it's not realistic, and it's not
correct. So, Commissioner Reyes, there are going to be people that are going to lose
their jobs no matter how hard they lobby not to lose those jobs, because we're not in
the lobbying business. We're in the efficiency business, and in protecting our
constituents.
Commissioner Reyes: Hold on a second. Nobody's lobbying me, and I don't believe
in lobbying. The thing is, what I'm doing is and what I5n saying is, those people that
they are very hard workers, they have done their job, and their positions are
determined that they are positions that are needed. I mean, those people deserve to
stay working. But --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: --1 do understand that there's duplicity of services sometimes,
that there are positions that should be eliminated, because they are not fulfilling
their needs that they should be doing, or because there is a certain duplicity of
services. I do understand that. And I will agree with that, you see. But those people
that they are out in the field, that they have been doing a great job, I will not vote for
them to -- I mean, because they have placed their best efforts.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's true. We agree.
Commissioner Reyes: I am not --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're saying the same thing. We're saying the
same thing.
Commissioner Reyes: I am not blind, because I've been in touch with the City of
Miami for a long, long time, even though I wasn't working with it -- I mean, for the
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City of Miami. But I've always been in love with the City of Miami, and I always
follow the City of Miami. There are people that they deserve not to be working for
the City, of Miami and you know that, okay? They don't fulfill their job requirement
the way they should be. And there are sometimes departments that they have created
positions that they were not needed.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I do understand that. I'm not referring myself to that.
And I know that we have to make difficult decisions, and that's why people elected
us. People elect us to do not only popular decisions, you know, but also difficult
decisions that benefit the City, you see. And I don't believe in lobbying and nobody
lob -- I mean, you know that I'm close to a lobbyist, because of my son, but he's not
lobbying here, okay? But --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no. I'm talking about City employees
lobbying --
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- or emailing and all that kind of stuff. They're
trying to save themselves.
Commissioner Reyes: You know what happened is -- and we have it in Spanish that
is called "radio bemba," you see.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Si, radio bemba.
Commissioner Reyes: Radio bemba. When the --
Coniniissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Rumor mill, the rumor mill.
Commissioner Reyes: -- rumor mill start going, it's no way to stop it. And people
now, they are saying, "Oh, they are going to do away with the services of NET.
NETs are important." Yes, they're important, and we're going to keep them.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Commissioner Reyes: If we go this route, we're going to keep them, and we're going
to improve them. That's what I want to do. And we want to keep those people that
deserve to be keep -- save their jobs, save their jobs. That's the only thing that I'm
saying.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: I think that we are on the same page.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, we are, absolutely.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I agree with both of you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's great to end up in agreement, Commissioner
Carollo.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, man.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll sleep like a baby tonight.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, having an agreement with you means a lot,
Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm sure you will. I'm sure you will.
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, the motion -- well, actually, that's
interesting. Do we want to memorialize the concept of creating district offices as we
explore it?
Commissioner Reyes: Well, I think that -- what 1 did is --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or maybe a directive?
Commissioner Reyes: A directive, a directive.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: And then we can go the whole nine yards when we come back,
if we all agree with it, we just go ahead --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and we take the position --
Commissioner Carollo: Before we do anything else, its 14-7 now. We're doing
good.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, good, fantastic.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm watching the score. They got it behind me
here.
Commissioner Reyes: Who are they (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm watching on here. I'm watching you guys
here, and I'm watching them over there.
Commissioner Reyes: Who are they playing? Who is Miami playing?
Chair Hardemon: Can you let us out? I'm a University of Miami graduate, okay?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know you are. I know you are.
Later...
Chair Hardemon: So listen, guys, I don't want us to lose track.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not the only point I wanted to make before
we --
Chair Hardemon: And we still haven't had a motion on BH.21.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
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Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: I'd just like to clam that last directive, because there was a
discussion. I don't know if it was fully clear of what the Manager's guidance is right
now on this concept of the NET. Tin not ready to take a step that sends a message to
the NET Office that we're going to do this at this point. I'd like us to talk individually
with the Manager with any ideas we have. I certainly have ideas of how we can
improve NET, but I'm not ready to send any message that says we're looking to
abolish NET at this point.
Commissioner Reyes: Let me --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That wasn't a directive, though.
Commissioner Reyes: The directive is not to abolish it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The directive was different. We could vote on it.
Commissioner Reyes: Nobody said about abolishing the concept of the NET. We're
saying that we are trying to -- but the idea is to reform it, to reform into Commission
officers -- I mean, offices' or whatever, but to reform it and to -- well, that we
streamline the process by which we -- when we need to do something. Instead of
going through all the layers of bureaucracy, we can have more direct, as
Commissioners, direct -- I would say, power -- to tell the people what to do, you see.
And I am all for efficiency, and if we can increase efficiency and also increase the
level of services at the NET offices, I'm all for it. But we are not eliminating -- that's
not the idea. It is just bring this new concept and try to give them form, just in the
concept about district offices and with people working under that district offices,
which is what the NET was at the beginning; that was the intent of the NET, to bring
government closer to the people. I remember that when they were formed and that
was part of the argument of the NET offices. And you might remember that,
Commissioner Carollo. When that was formed, it was -- the concept was bring
government to the people, where the people, they don't have to go to City Hall or to
any other offices.
Commissioner Carollo: That was the idea.
Commissioner Reyes: That was the idea. And if we can go back to that idea and
bring the offices closer to the people, and where they can go and solve the problem
and eliminate some of the bureaucratic layers, I'm all for it. And that's why the
directive to the City Manager is to take all of those concepts into consideration and
bring a proposal, and discuss with us. What's the score, Joe?
Commissioner Carollo: Still 14-10, but we might be scoring soon.
Commissioner Reyes: No, because I see you watching over there and --
Commissioner Carollo: We might be scoring soon.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: All right. So do we have a motion on BH.21?
Commissioner Reyes: A motion where? Oh, BH.21 ?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So move.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't think we have to vote on it, right?
Chair Hardemon: It been properly moved.
Commissioner Reyes: It's been moved. I'll second, right?
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, it's properly moved and seconded. Seeing no further
discussion, all in favor --
Commissioner Carollo: I have a lot of questions -- as I think you all know -- that I
won't bring up now. And, you know, this I got today, as I keep reminding Chris. So
not that I don't trust you, Chris, but I can't lift my car up. I don't have the strength,
you know. And I think you know what that means. So, I'm not going to be voting for
this tonight. I reserve my right after I read it and I'm prepared to bring some
additional suggestions to vote for it next time, or not to vote for it, if I don't agree
with it. but here, as you see, another $100,000 you took from my district, Chris,
without discussing it with me, without saying a word to me. And there's an
additional $557, 000 that we might be able to take out of the budget -- I don't know if
any of these things are going to happen -- early next year. I don't think, you know, in
January of next year or February, we're going to be having all kinds of parades and
stuff and everything. So I'll leave this for discussion when we meet again so that we
don't hold up the meeting any further. But I'm concerned with Code, taking the most
knowledgeable people out of Code. I'm concerned -- and other people that we need.
I'm concerned out of Solid Waste, taking their Code Enforcement people, with all the
dumping that we have in the City. I'm not so sure that this is the time to do it, until
we get a hold of that. I want to see what's happened with the cameras that I asked to
be placed in the budget, were approved. Are they up to help us catch people that are
dumping stuff? I might want to come hack after I discuss with the Manager in
bringing a rewards offering for residents that can help us convict individuals that
are dumping in our City. I would gladly pay people to help us stop that dumping,
because at the end, we're going to save money with all that we're spending in
additional payments that we have to give to the Countvfor the dumping, fees.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: So there's quite a few things that I want to discuss, but I
know it's late. I made it clear I'm not voting for this. This is first reading. So that
will give me time for second reading to go through it and vote for it. I just want to
ask the following: Do we need a motion, Mr. Manager, on what we request of you of
the NET offices, or are you clear on what we asked?
Mr. Noriega: Crystal clear.
Commissioner Carollo: The other concept that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla
and Commissioner Reyes were discussing, while I was keeping my eye -- making
sure that I kept you guys abreast of the game tonight -- do you need any kind of
motion on that, or did you grasp the concept that was being put out?
Mr. Noriega: I'm clear on what my course of action is and its individual meeting --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: On re -districting, I think the Commissioner is
talking about.
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Mr. Noriega: Oh, no. On the re -districting piece, I know what we need to do there,
as well.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Noriega: I've had a conversation with the City Attorney on it.
Commissioner Carollo: Oh, all right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: All right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So you had a conversation. You already had a
conversation -- Madam Attorney -- I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, if I may. And I know you
want to go home. I know you want to go home. Just give me a minute. Madam
Attorney, so you had a conversation with the Manager about a re -districting process
and how we're going to move forward, right?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Right, timelines, and -- very, superficial, just
talking about past practice and --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can you get down to -- can you get into the
weeds now and kind of move it quickly so we can move what we need to move?
Because I know this whole superficial thing, in the City of Miami, you know,
everything takes forever. Let's kind of like try to do it fast, just get into the weeds
and -- with the City Manager -- and try to figure it out.
Ms. Mendez: Will do.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. I don't know if that's a directive or --
Mr. Noriega: And get her out of the closet, as you say she's in. We'll get her into the
weeds. We've just got to get her out of wherever she's parked herself there for the
last six months.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we can't get her out of the weeds. She's
stuck in a cave somewhere, but along the way, I'm sure we have some weeds.
Mr. Noriega: We're going to get her out. We're going to get her a little Vitamin D.
Commissioner Carollo: It used to be that I would call the City Attorney, and you
know, I could get her in a fair amount of time. Now I don't know. She's so busy that,
you know, it's hard to get a hold of her and speak to her.
Commissioner Reyes: Do you get a hold? You're lucky.
Ms. Mendez: I don't know, but today is "Mess with the City Attorney Day."
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, of course.
Ms. Mendez: But I'll make sure that I am more available, Commissioner Carollo, if
I'm not answering the phone quickly enough. But I think everybody can get me.
Now I'm going to be staring at my phone more than usual.
Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further unreadiness, all in favor of the motion --
Mr. Hannon: Chair, my apologies. Mover and seconder again?
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Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Mr. Hannon: The mover and seconder
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second it.
Mr. Hannon: Reyes and Commissioner DLP (Diaz de la Portilla). And the motion is
to pass BH.21, as is?
Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor of the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As is and first reading.
Commissioner Reyes: First reading, first reading.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With reservations on my part, too. I have the
same reservations that --
Commissioner Reyes: I do, too.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- Commissioner Carollo has, but we'll come
back to it, I guess, in the second reading.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair Hardemon: All say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
Commissioner Carollo: No; against.
Chair Hardemon: The motion passes. Thank you very much.
Commissioner Carollo: I can't -- look, Chris --
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. This meeting is
adjourned.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chairman, before you go -- Mr. Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, I'm here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chairman. Did he leave us?
Chair Hardemon: No, I'm here.
Commissioner Reyes: No, he's still there. I mean, he's about to leave.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, he just moved to somewhere else. Before
you go, so how many more meetings before you go to the dark side, to the County
side?
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Commissioner Carollo: He's got until November 17.
Chair Hardemon: No; I think it's three.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You have three more with us? Okay, well, so
three and counting, all right?
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, that's not true.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good luck in your race. It's moving forward.
Commissioner Carollo: He's got a lot more than that.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you for that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good luck in your race moving forward.
Commissioner Carollo: Listen, you got one more in September --
Commissioner Reyes: Two in October.
Commissioner Carollo: -- two in October --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Three.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and probably one more in November.
Commissioner Reyes: One more in November.
Ms. Mendez: The November one, I believe, is November 19 and we only have --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Just after. Hell be a County Commissioner by
then.
Commissioner Carollo: Not necessarily, not necessarily.
Ms. Mendez: Unless you change --
Commissioner Carollo: It's the one we give you the party at, so it's got to be before,
Commissioner Hardemon.
Commissioner Reyes: Or a special meeting. We can call a special meeting before
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: They put me in charge of your party.
Chair Hardemon: Hey, my birthday is October 20 so --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, wow. It's all going to -- all the celebrations
are going to happen in a two -week period. That's good, that's good.
Chair Hardemon: All right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good seeing you guys. Good seeing you,
Chairman.
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Commissioner Reyes: It's a --1 mean, really nice seeing you.
Commissioner Carollo: Stay safe everybody.
Chair Hardemon: Bye everyone.
Commissioner Reyes: Stay safe.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Time to watch the game.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, see you later, guys.
Vice Chair Russell: Goodnight.
Ms. Mendez: Bye.
END OF FIRST BUDGET HEARING
NA - NON -AGENDA ITEM(S)
NA.1 RESOLUTION
7881 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY
City Commission MANAGER TO ENSURE THAT ORDERLY CONDUCT AND PROPER
DECORUM ARE MAINTAINED DURING MEETINGS OF THE CITY
COMMISSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION
286.0114(2), FLORIDA STATUTES AND SECTION 2-33 OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI CODE OF ORDINANCES ("CITY CODE").
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0287
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: What we should do now is open up the public hearing fbr today's'
agenda. So at this time, I'm going to open the floor for public hearing. What we can
do first is see if we have anyone at the lectern at City Hall; if not, in the live phone
calls. And then finally, we go into the recorded public comments. So at this time, I'll
open the floor for public hearing for that.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: What are our rules of procedure when individuals come to
make personal insults against either members of this board, this government, or
others?
Chair Hardemon: If I remember correctly, if someone is making comments that are
offensive, we may ask them to leave the chambers, they could be barred from future
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meetings, they could be subject to arrest, because we have rules in regard to
clapping and heckling, and things of that nature. So we do have rules.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Just because we're doing this meeting virtual doesn't
mean that somebody virtually could -- and inaybe doesn't even live in the City, like
many, that have opined in the past -- can come and make all kinds of insults, and we
don't have a right to cut them off, whether they left them pre-recorded or they come
in person, I believe.
Chair Hardemon: I would agree with you.
Commissioner Carollo: And Madam City Attorney, are is the Chairman and I
correct?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It depends if it's being disruptive. Remember that
there's a body of case law that says that we can get the -- even the middle finger
pointed at us, and it's a form of free expression. So to the extent that it's disruptive
and we need to remove someone, yes; to the extent that its not complimentary,
depending on how vulgar it is, we could potentially lower the volume and things of
that nature, but it really depends on the issue, Commissioner.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What if it's defamatory? What if it's defamatory
and it's taped and it's played before us, and nobody screens that tape and allows it to
be played, and it's slanderous or defamatory? Does that fall under the First
Amendment right to defame and slander someone?
Ms. Mendez: But the case laws are very difficult with regard to elected officials --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know.
Ms. Mendez: -- to the extent that --
Commissioner Carollo: You know what? Madam City Attorney --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But not the legal part of it; not the legal part of
it. I think the Chairman addressed it the right way. The Chairman said that people
could be -- you know -- subjected to a whole bunch of different things. We have a
right not to allow people to -- whether it's a virtual meeting -- and Pin sorry to
interrupt you, Commissioner Carollo, but, you know, I was very offended because --
I was very offended; probably more offended than you were, because it was -- what
was said is defamatory, it's wrong, and it shouldn't be tolerated. And I know the
Chairman agrees with us that whenever -- from now on, moving forward, that's
virtual or live, that we pre-screen some of these calls, and if someone -- who's
probably going to be subject to arrest, because he doesn't pay his tax bill -- comes
before this Commission and -- or tapes something and comes before -- to this
Commission and does things and says things that are that bad and that ugly, we
shouldn't allow it. We shouldn't allow that, and I think you agree with me,
Chairman, and I think every Commissioner here would agree with that, because no
one would want that done to them. It's wrong. And we have to be very strong in
making those comments and be very firm in standing together with our fellow
Commissioner in this regard. It's a wrong thing to do.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes. You're recognized, sir.
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Commissioner Carollo: You need a resolution? I'll be happy to make one; if not, if
you think you could do that on your own; to instruct the City Clerk if anyone is going
to speak to defame anyone, whether it's us or people not present here that he uses his
finger to cut them off and take them out, and then they could go to that ambulance
chaser that tries to pretend he's a victim, that's got a lot more problems than I would
ever want to see in my life to represent them, and they could all play victim. But
what we should not allow here is ,for the same small group of people to come and
keep repeating lies after lies after lies, because you repeat a lie -- in their philosophy
-- a thousand times, they feel they could make it into the truth. So my request, Mr.
Chairman -- and if you need a motion, I'll be happy to make it -- is to instruct the
Clerk that -- since we're not in a live meeting where you could do it -- if there is
anything defamatory that's being launched for him to cut that individual off or the
recording off.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I'll second that motion.
Chair Hardemon: I don't think it's required, but --
Commissioner Carollo: It's not required, but I just said, "If you needed to."
Chair Hardemon: I -- It's perfectly fine to accept it as a motion. It's been properly
moved and seconded. And I -- listen, what I would like to do is use the language that
the City Attorney reads into the record, which is that any person making offensive
remarks or becomes unruly in the chambers will be barred from making further --
from ftrther attending City Commission meetings, and may be subject to arrest. So,
obviously, there is a bit of decorum that's required in our meetings. And I would
agree that the City -- I would need the City Clerk's assistance in keeping those sorts
of comments or remarks from being made by either stopping of their recording,
moving on to the next person. Because we're in this sort of setting, there's nothing I
can really do about it. I don't control the video or peoples comments at all. So I
think that would be fair. I recall -- Vice Chairman, you're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I recognize that in other bodies,
they have language with regard to ad hominem attacks, where you're not attacking
the issue, but you're attacking the person; and so, they simply don't allow that,
period. So there's no objective nature of whether something is defamatory or not,
whether it's true or not, you simply just cannot attack a person directly, which might
be a good blanket piece of language if you're thinking of an actual motion. But
you're right; it does already say it in our preamble Jrothe day that anyone that is
attacking -- or the words you just used -- you already have that ability. But I would
be very supportive of an ad hominem issue, because it just keeps things from getting
personal.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah. Its interesting. Over lunch, I was actually talking about
that comment; that I thought it was unnecessary, and it's unbecoming; that it doesn't
emphasize the point. It just real takes away from the message, whatever your
message is. And so, that's unfortunate. So seeing no further comment on that issue,
all in favor of that motion; say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? That motion carries.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, just so you know, I'll do my best to work with
Communications and IT (Information Technology), but I do not control -- the only
ability that I have is to control someone that's speaking here in the chambers.
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NA.2
7883
City Commission
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Mr. Hannon: So I'll just have to see how Communications and IT can handle those
situations.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, then we need to get the Manager then.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I -- Mr. Chair, if I may? Then, Todd, if you don't
control it, find someone that does. But before they go public, somebody's got to
screen them, and those kind of personal attacks, then you don't play them.
Chair Hardemon: And if, jor instance, if we're hearing something that is offensive in
the moment, Mr. Hannon, if there's any way that you can communicate with them.
I'm assuming IT would be where you are, they'd be at least in the other office; if not,
you need to find a way that we could send a message to IT to automatically -- I
mean, that's not something I want to have to monitor as Chairman. I want to be able
to focus on the substance of the business and not answer to the attacks. So if there's
any way that you can assist in communicating to IT who controls the function of the
public comment, that would be wonderful.
Mr. Hannon: Understood, sir.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Okay. So now we're ready --
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, since the Clerk does not control IT, we don't
control IT. Only you control IT. What say you?
Art Noriega (City Manager): No, it's easily -- we can easily -- we go through all the
comments anyway, Communication does, so we can review those comments ahead of
time and determine whether or not a comment is -- fits that criteria, and they'll
remove it.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Very good. Very good.
DIRECTIVE
DIRECTION BY COMMISSIONER ALEX DIAZ DE LA PORTILLA TO THE
CITY MANAGER TO INITIATE THE PROCESS FOR REDISTRICTING TO BE
READY IN 2021 TO COMPLETE REDISTRICTING.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But before I let you out, I want to discuss one
more quick thing.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And then we'll let you go, because 1 want to
watch the game, too. And that's the -- and I know it's not a budget hearing, but 1
think it's important just to bring it out, because 1 can't discuss it individually with
any of you. 1 think that we -- 1 had a conversation with our City Manager about
beginning a re -districting process. Every 10 years in Tallahassee, we would re-
district, and we would create new districts based on population shifts to make sure
that every district had its proportional representation, right? The voting age
population was more or less the same in each district. We've had those population
shifts in the City of Miami, so we have some districts that have a lot more voting age
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population residents than others. So some people are being over -represented and
others are being underrepresented. So every 10 years, after every census, we did
that in Tallahassee -- right? -- for congressional district and State Senate district,
and State House district. We probably -- I would recommend that we do the same
thing now and we begin that process to make sure that, you know, one man/one vote
concept is respected, and that we have these single -member districts that are
proportionately represented in the City of Miami. It's not an easy fight to have,
because, you know, everybody wants to protect a particular neighborhood. I don't
want to take over Spring Garden, although I love that place. I would love to live
there, Commissioner Hardemon. It's a beautiful place. I'm buying a house there,
but I'm not going to do that. You'll be gone anyway, you know, so you'll be fine. But
Chair Hardemon: Just don't tear down any houses.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- there is kind of a proportionate representation
argument that's to be made by the courts, as you know, Commissioner Hardemon,
that needs to be addressed every number of years; normally, it's every 10 years. And
sort of begin -- direct -- I would like to direct the City Manager to begin to look at
hiring a law firm and some demographic experts to begin to look at that process for
us to be able to re -district and to have that proportional representation in the City of
Miami after -- I don't know when was the last time we did it. Ms. Mendez, I think it
was 10 years ago or 11 years ago?
Ms. Mendez: 2013 or 2014. We were late.
Commissioner Reyes: 2014.
Ms. Mendez: We were late the last time.
Coniniissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We were late to the -- we were kind of late to that
process, right?
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And kind of to establish a process where we do it
every 10 years on a moving forward basis, kind of that we understand that, hey,
Miami is seeing a lot of population shifts, especially downtown Miami is growing
very rapidly. I think, Commissioner Russell, just what I've seen, I mean, I don't have
any specific data, but your district is growing very quickly. So you're probably
representing more people than you should be representing. I'm representing less
than I should be representing, and that's kind of like the balance we need to find.
Commissioner Reyes: You're absolutely right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So everybody's more or less 100,000, you know,
people.
Commissioner Reyes: I agree with you, and if I may suggest that we are now in a
census period right now. And --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That we're what?
Commissioner Reyes: We are in the process of having a new census, you see. and in
order to have, I would say, a realistic picture of what -- how a population is divided,
I don't know fit would be smart to wait for the results of the census, but be ready to,
once we get the census reports --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, normally it happens -- or in Tallahassee --
1'm sorry, Mr. Chair, through you, sir.
Chair Hardemon: Sure.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What normally happens is, in Tallahassee, it's
sort of like, you know, from say '20 to '22 or '20 to '20 -- 2010 to 2012, and then --
because the elections are 2012 -- right? -- or 2022, in this case. And so -- but we
have elections that are in odd years.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz- de la Portilla: So we kind of have a different process, but we
have to work on the estimates, because the census will release an estimate on what
they think it's going to be. They're already released it, right? And we'll have an
idea. Solve re -district (INAUDIBLE) --
Commissioner Reyes: By 2021, by 2021.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For 2021. So we will do --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, agree with you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We would have a process that would begin now
or right after this election, and then kind of have it ready for 2021, and then present
a new map and go through all the legal hurdles and -- there may be some challenges,
there may not be.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And if we do it right and we have the right, you
know, lawyers, and we do it right, 1 think we should be fine. It shouldn't he a
difficult process. There will be some -- there's always some territorial wars that
occur between politicians, because that's just the nature of the game. That's the
reality. But the lawyers will kind of guide us as to what we can do and we cannot
do; and so, we get the right mix.
Commissioner Reyes: I do agree with you. And I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In our City, in particular, we always want to
protect our categorical representation that we have in our City. That's very
important, and 1 think the lawyers recognize that, too and we'll recognize that, too.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So there will still be an African -American
district. There will still be --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And you know, a white district, which is -- you
know, District 2. That's always been the balance that we have here in our City to
keep our City strong, so that will always be respected, obviously. But some of the
population shifts that occur -- because right now in Miami, we really have a lot of --
people are moving all over the place, that those boundaries that existed before don't
exist anymore.
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ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Reyes: They are disappearing.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, there are people moving to Edgewater that
never lived in Edgewater.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, people moving to Overtown.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Now there are people moving to Little Havana
that didn't live in Little Havana. But all those shifts have occurred, but the
proportion of representation, still, it has to be respected. We kind of have to find
that balance. And I think that we can have a great debate. And by the way, why not
add more, you know, more debates to all the debates we have already in the City of
Miami? I want to keep my new job interesting; otherwise, I'll get bored.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The whole re -districting process will make it
even better, you know.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And we have so many other things to deal with,
right, Commissioner Hardemon -- Chairman?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why not add something else to the mix?
Commissioner Reyes: And maybe we can get to the point that we swap. You know,
I'll give you this, and you give me -- I'll give you this, and I'll take the other one.
Chair Hardemon: Don't force me to add another four meetings before 1 leave.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We won't do it before you leave --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) help us get there.
The meeting adjourned at 9:22 p.m.
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