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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMeeting MinutesCity Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 PH.7 07-00558 Department of Community Development 40,000, now person that makes 90,000 or --? Ms. Gomez: No. It's -- basically, it's on a person of one will be up to $56 Commissioner Regalado: So one -- and before was? Ms. Gomez: It was in the 40's, low 40's. Commissioner Regalado: So it's $50,000? Ms. Gomez: Correct. Commissioner Regalado: After 50,000? Ms. Gomez: And it's family incom -, meaning everybody in the family, there's a maximum amount of money that they can rn. Commissioner Regalado: Jo if a person makes more than 50,000 --? Ms. Gomez: They're of allowed to buy the house. Commissioner %egalado: They're not allowed to buy, OK. Vice Chair an Sanchez: All right. Any further discussion? All right. It's open to the public. Anyone om the public wishing to address this item, please step forward and be recognized; comi : back to the Commission for discussion. Hearing none, it's a resolution. All in favor, say "a The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Vice Chairman Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. This makes it easier for families to qual. That's -- RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION EXTENDING THE CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXCEPTIONAL, INC., THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2007; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, TO THE EXISTING AGREEMENT, WITH SAID AGENCY, FOR SAID PURPOSE. Motion by Vice -Chairman Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Spence -Jones, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez R-07-0265 Vice Chairman Sanchez: All right. PH.7, resolution. Barbara Gomez (Director, Community Development): PH.7, we're requesting the transferring of fund from the Community Development program that was awarded to the Association for the Development to be transferred to Single Family Rehab for the provision of Single Family Rehab Program. This is 144,124.04. Vice Chairman Sanchez: All right. I make -- well, I would make a motion to deny this, and -- City of Miami Page 83 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 Commissioner Sarnoff Second. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- it's -- Well, you can't. You're -- Commissioner Sarnoff I know. I've just shut up. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- the Chair. I need a second for the purpose of discussion. Commissioner Regalado: I'll second. Vice Chairman Sanchez: All right. For discussion on the item, Barbara, we've had a conversation on this. I think if we send a clear message out there that we're in the business of helping people, not pulling the rug from underneath them. I think that we, the government, has stepped forward to help a great agency that has really focus on providing great service for people that are disabled in our community, and it's not to our fault or their fault, and I think that when we sit down at the table with them and see the hurdles that they're placed on -- and it's not their fault or our fault. Right now they're going through the process of getting permitting, and they've had some obstacles in the way. The only thing that I ask is that somehow if we could work with you to somehow switch the funds to allow them 90 days -- and I think, within 90 days, they could get the -- yes. Listen, I could only go as far as I could go -- where I think, 90 days, they could start that process if we're willing to commit with them on the permitting process to help them out. Ms. Gomez: Commissioner, first of all, let me say that it is a great training facility, if we could build it. Unfortunately, they have had a lot of hurdles, not only from the planning perspective, but right now, they do have a shortage in their budget, which is approximately $75, 000. I don't think that they will be able to get $75,000 in 90 days. If you want -- and the representative here from that association is here, and they can -- she can address you better than I can. If you want us to continue working with them -- and we've been working with her since 1998 in this project - - we're going to have to give her additional time. There's no way that, through fundraising or the County, she will be able to get the money to complete the project. Vice Chairman Sanchez: I understand that, and you've said it better than I have. We have been working with them. They're a great organization. If they weren't a great organization, I wouldn't -- Ms. Gomez: Right. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- be wasting my time, but they are a great organization, and I think that if we could work with them to allow them a reasonable amount of time for them to get this done, I just hate to pull that -- Ms. Gomez: Right. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- fund away from them -- Ms. Gomez: Right. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- when they are -- Ms. Gomez: Right. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- they have already done a lot of things to try to get this accomplished and get -- be -- you know, get it to be a reality. City of Miami Page 84 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 Ms. Gomez: If you're -- if you want us to continue working with her, I do not have a problem working with this organization, but -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: But I want to -- Ms. Gomez: -- then let's cap it at September 30. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- put a time frame. Ms. Gomez: Let's cap it at September 30, give her that -- the time for the executive director to look for these funding. If she can, then we can revisit it again. Vice Chairman Sanchez: Helena, please come up -- Ms. Gomez: And Helena can address the Board. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- and address the Commission. I have the outmost [sic] respect for what you do. Ms. Gomez: Right. Vice Chairman Sanchez: 1 see what you do, and if everyone saw what you did, I think, out of the kindness of their hearts, they would work with your organization to try to help you. 1 think you need to explain what we're trying to do here to try to help you accomplish, which is where we're trying to get a kitchen for your facility, and you cater to individuals with disability. Helena del Monte: Exactly. Helena del Monte, executive director of the Association for the Development of the Exceptional, 2801 North Miami Avenue. Honorable Commissioner, City Manager, and Madam Director, in a nutshell, we all -- it's been expressed what we do. We take adults with developmental disabilities, and we empower them with different employability skills, then we place them in the community. One of the areas that we've been very successful at is in the food preparation and restaurant maintenance. We get them jobs all over the fast food markets,--restaurant-markets: For -the -past seven_years _we_'ve_heen_doing.rt_program_i conjunction with Dade County Public School Systems, where we train them in their professional training kitchen at the HAC (Homeless Assistance Center) Center, and it's always been our dream to bring that professional training kitchen, which would be basically like a small Johnson & Wales, but catered to their disabilities, into our program so we no longer have to incur the liability of doing it elsewhere. I think the main obstacle for this project is it has been that we've gotten our funding in very small amounts, so we've been leveraging monies for the past eight years. It's not like we were given the bulk of the funds and we've taken eight years to do the project. We were first given 50,000 back in '99. Then two -- three years later, we were given another ninety-seven, eight, of which those monies have already been spent. Then we were caught up in the boom of the construction business, where everything tripled. After Wilma, we were also, you know, at a standstill. Miami lost contractors. Nobody wanted to do a small project such as ours, and then, all of a sudden, we found that the ninety-seven, eight that we had was really nothing to be able to do a project of this magnitude, so a year and a half ago, we were given another hundred and forty -thousand, you know, by this Commission, and we're very, very grateful of that, and it was like a year and a half, two years ago, that we really began to see the probability of building, so that's when we started our -- and I want to also say that we've been very instrumental in finding in -kind funds, like for example, the firm of Wolfberg, Alfred, Alvarez & Partners, which 1 want to thank, did the architectural pro bono, and that's wonderful, but that also means that we're at their mercy. Sometimes they take a little longer than -- you know, so it's been like one thing after another, and you know, again, an investment has already been made of ninety-seven, eight, which is the old money that has already been spent because we've purchased our equipment and in soft cost -- City of Miami Page 85 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 Vice Chairman Sanchez: All right. Ms. del Monte: -- so basically, it is the new money that has not been spent yet, and we've had a lot of problems, especially with the fire segment of the permit, but I think that, once and for all, you know, we're getting through that hurdle, and as the clock goes on, then everything in Miami continues to be at a higher cost. Also, I want to say this is a cost reimbursable. We buy a box of nails, and we get the box of nails, you know, back, so zero stays with the agency. It's just the merit of having the kitchen that will not only serve adults with disabilities, but maybe we can open it up to single mothers to -- I mean, to a whole world. Vice Chairman Sanchez: Ms. del Monte, by extending it to September 30 -- Ms. del Monte: I can get probably -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: No, no. Ms. del Monte: -- my permitting, but I can't have the kitchen done. I need an extension of a year to have the kitchen done, and I'm shorted -- I'm short 70,000, and I will do all in my power to beg other sources, but I can't do that kitchen in three months, Commissioner. It's impossible. Commissioner Sarnoff What -- let me -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: City Manager. Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Mr. Chairman, if you allow me. I do concur with your September 30 date, in order to keep monitoring the progress. The item has been -- is going -- right now, the project is going through the permitting process, and there are some issues related to fire that, I understand, they're reasonable, and they should be able to resolve those items, so they could get the permit. She also needs an additional 70 to $75, 000 to be able to move forward. I think that if we could tie to the September 30 date, number one, having the permit, getting the funding, and be able to, at least, break ground or initiate the project, that would be more doable. Ms. del Monte: Yes. Vice Chairman Sanchez: Listen, I don't want to fund you to fail, OK? Ms. del Monte: Of course, and -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: The reason why -- Ms. Gomez: Right. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- you're here is, as I stated before, you have a great organization, and I think it's our responsibility to help organizations that are out there performing as they should be, and 1 have organizations that don't come in front of me because I disagree with the level of service they're providing, but with you, it's an exception, so if we're able to work together through the leadership of the Administration, the department, and yourself, I am more than OK with it, and 1 think the other Commissioners may want to add. I would make the motion to extend it to September 30, with the conditions that have been proffered by the City Manager. Commissioner Sarnoff I just want to understand something, and that's about the 75 or $70,000 shortfall you have. Can you explain that? Ms. del Monte: It's just that to be able to continue, you know -- or the actual construction phase of the project -- City of Miami Page 86 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 trV Commissioner Sarnoff Right. Ms. del Monte: -- we're $70, 000 short. Commissioner Sarnoff So it's not an operating shortfall; it's a construction shortfall. Ms. Gomez: Construction. Ms. del Monte: All construction; there's zero operations here. It's a cost reimbursable project. Vice Chairman Sanchez: But with all due respect -- Commissioner Sarnoff No. I under -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- I think that when we're in a situation like this -- Commissioner Sarnoff That's a much better -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- there's always -- Commissioner Sarnoff: -- place to be. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- you could always cut back a little bit. Commissioner Sarnoff Correct. It's a much better place to be than there be operating shortfalls. Ms. Gomez: So what we are saying is that we will modify the resolution to extend till September 30, and by September 30, we would have permits pulled, and the construction should have started, and the funding, the shortage, we would be able to account that the project is completed funding. Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Manager. Mr. Hernandez: I wanted to add that if you would authorize the Administration, the department to look to see if we have a way for the City to cooperate with bridging that funding gap. Vice Chairman Sanchez: Fine with me. Mr. Hernandez: Because of the fact that I understand it is a very worthwhile -- Commissioner Sarnoff Can we -- Mr. Hernandez: -- project, and -- Commissioner Sarnoff -- take that as a friendly amendment to you, Commissioner Sanchez? Vice Chairman Sanchez: It's in your district; I would. Commissioner Sarnoff. Well, it's your motion; that's why I'm asking. Vice Chairman Sanchez: I'm prepared to withdraw it if you -- Commissioner Sarnoff I'd like -- well, I'd like to use your motion and add the amendment that the Administration would help find further funding sources. City of Miami Page 87 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 Vice Chairman Sanchez: Absolutely. Commissioner Sarnoff There is a public hearing. Would anybody like to make comment? Hearing none, seeing none, we're up for a vote. Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Before you vote, please, I need clarity. We have a motion on the floor originally for the denial of the resolution, and then -- Ms. Gomez: So we are amending that resolution. Ms. Thompson: Oh, hold on. Vice Chairman Sanchez: We're amending the resolution. Ms. Thompson: Hold on. Vice Chairman Sanchez: The resolution right now that stands is to extend this resolution, September 30, with the conditions that have been proffered by the City Manager. Ms. Thompson: Again, you have a motion on the floor first to deny the resolution, OK? Vice Chairman Sanchez: I withdraw the motion. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Thank you. Vice Chairman Sanchez: The motion that I will proffer is to extend 30 days with the conditions that have been proffered on the record by the City Manager, and I, of course, as the maker of the Ms. Gomez: To extend till -- Vice Chairman -Sanchez: --.--.motion -- _ Ms. Gomez: -- September -- Ms. del Monte: September 30. Ms. Gomez: -- 30. Vice Chairman Sanchez: September the 30, accept the friendly amendment. Ms. Thompson: And your seconder? Vice Chairman Sanchez: The second -- Commissioner Sarnoff The second was Spence -Jones; was it not? Commissioner Spence -Jones: Yes. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Commissioner Sarnoff. So let's call for a vote. All in favor, please say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. City of Miami Page 88 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 Commissioner Sarnoff All those against, please state your opposition. It carries. Jorge L. Fernandez (City Attorney): Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Regalado: Mr. Chairman, ifI may. Mr. Fernandez: Just want to make sure that the Clerk is clear. The item, as stated on the agenda, was to take the money away from Development of the Exceptional, Inc. and pass it to CDBG (Community Development Block Grant). Ms. Thompson: Correct. Mr. Fernandez: Now the motion that just passed was to keep the money -- Commissioner Sarnoff Right. Mr. Fernandez: -- where the money presently is and give it an extension of time. Commissioner Regalado: Correct. Mr. Fernandez: Are you clear? Ms. Thompson: Yes, and that is why I wanted to make sure because I think we lost the fact that there was a motion to deny on the floor -- Mr. Fernandez: Yeah. Ms. Thompson: -- and we needed to deal with that first. Mr. Fernandez: That's right. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Commissioner Regalado: Mr. Chairman, if I may. You know, the thing of the kitchen has been on and on for years, and I think we need to resolve that. We also need to start thinking about the June meeting that we're going to have for Community Development because this year, as every year, there will be a deficit from the federal government, and there will be the need to fund all the programs that we have been funding. I know that there is the political will to go into the general fund to look for the balance of the deficit, and I am always, always supportive of that because social services is part of the daily operation of the government, but I have to tell you that if we are going to prepare for what is coming -- and it's coming -- and if we do something in terms of funding, and then after the fact, at budget time, we have to do a reduction all across-the-board, and if we defund some small amount of money from social services come the next fiscal year, this will have an extraordinary impact on social services because one percent is bad; two percent is bad, and ten percent will be that she would have to let go five patients or ten clients, and you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Center will have to cancel 50 meals, and Little Havana will have to do this, and De Hostos -- so I -- you know, I think that we should just be aware that social services, we need to fine-tune where the funds are coming because, you know, when drastic time comes -- and it will -- you know, there will be the need to say ten percent across-the-board. We will all agree with that, but there will be a collateral casualty, that is the social service. I'm just saying that we need to think through this issue because it's very important because any department can live maybe with a ten percent cut, but no social program can live with a ten percent cut, so that's -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: All right. City of Miami Page 89 Printed on 1/10/2008 City Commission Meeting Minutes May 10, 2007 PH.8 07-00559 Department of Community Development Commissioner Regalado: -- an idea. Vice Chairman Sanchez: OK Madam Clerk, I think we voted on that, and -- Ms. Thompson: Yes. Vice Chairman Sanchez: -- which item do we move on to now? We're in -- Ms. Gomez: PH (Public Hearing) -- Ms. del Monte: I just wanted to -- Ms. Gomez: -- 8. Ms. del Monte: -- thank -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: PH.8. Ms. del Monte: -- everybody. Vice Chairman Sanchez: Thank you. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), GRANTING TO PALMETTO HOMES OF MIAMI, INC. ("PALMETTO HOMES"), AN EXTENSION OF TIME UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2007, IN WHICH TO: (1) COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION OF, AND SELL, THE HOME LOCATED AT 5812 NORTHWEST 15 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA , AND (2) COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 1468 NORTHWEST 61 STREET AND 1466 NORTHWEST 61 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA; STATING THE INTENTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION RELATED TO THE CONVEYANCE OF TITLE TO THE PROPERTIES LISTED ON EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE MODIFICATIONS TO THE DEEDS THAT CONVEYED THE PROPERTIES FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI TO PALMETTO HOMES, AND ALL NECESSARY OTHER DOCUMENTS, FOR SAID PURPOSE. DEFERRED R-07-0266 A motion was made by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Spence -Jones, and passed unanimously, with Chairman Gonzalez absent, to defer item PH.8 to the Commission meeting currently scheduled for May 24, 2007. Motion by Commissioner Spence -Jones, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be RECONSIDERED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez Motion by Commissioner Spence -Jones, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. City of Miami Page 90 Printed on I/10/2008