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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2009-12-10 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com '., IMCORP GROTED IL E y. • Meeting Minutes Thursday, December 10, 2009 9:00 AM SUPPLEMENTAL (A) City Hall Commission Chambers City Commission Tomas Regalado, Mayor Marc David Sarnoff, Chairman Frank Carollo, Vice -Chairman Commissioner District One Francis Suarez, Commissioner District Four Commissioner District Five Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager Julie O. Bru, City Attorney Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 Present: Vice Chairman Carollo, Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Suarez On the loth day of December 2009, the City Commission of the City ofMiami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular session. The meeting was called to order by Chair Marc David Sarnoff at 9:03 a.m., recessed at 11:45 a.m., reconvened at 3:02 p.m., recessed at 5:43 p.m., reconvened at 6:09 p.m., and adjourned at 8:12 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Julie O. Bru, City Attorney Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk City ofMiami Page 2 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 CITYWIDE HONORABLE MAYOR TOMAS REGALADO SP.A1 09-01391 DISCUSSION ITEM DISCUSSION REGARDING A PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO REGULATE STREET FEEDING IN THE DOWNTOWN MIAMI AREA. 09-01391 Memo.pdf 09-01391-Submittal-Mayor Regalado.pdf DISCUSSED Direction by Commissioner Suarez to the City Attorney to draft an ordinance regulating street feeding in the downtown Miami area. Mayor Regalado: Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry. I'm -- Chair Sarnoff I think you have one more. Mayor Regalado: --I apologize, but I do have an item -- a discussion item, not legislative, but it's important. It's about a proposed ordinance to regulate street feeding in the downtown Miami area. As you know, several years ago the City Commission appointed me as the League of Cities representative in the Homeless Trust. And as part of that, I have attended throughout the years the Homeless Trust meetings, and one of the issues that we address several years ago was the street feeding in downtown. Now working with the different agencies that sit on the Homeless Trust, we were able to establish five feeding centers in the core of downtown. This has been a success because not only the people in need are able to sit down and sit at a table, share a table with people that they know or they don't know, but they are able to use the restroom facilities, clean up, and receive counsel in secure place. This project brought decorum to what we know as the homeless issue. However, economic times brings more people out in the streets, and what we are seeing now is a situation that is getting a little out of control in terms of people that, in good faith, are going to different parts of downtown, Omni, Park West to just fry to do the right thing and offer food to people in need, and there are many. Is this a good thing? It is a great thing. It's -- I mean, this is what a society is all about, but there is a downside to it, and the downside is the situation that we have and that we are facing in terms of health and safety. Now, I have seen the different vans that -- there was a van the other day, Thanksgiving Day, in front of Camillus House, Dania Beach Church. They came all the way from Dania to feed the homeless, but -- and maybe that's what they wanted to do that Thanksgiving Day, and God bless them, but what about if the food was cooked hours before? And Thanksgiving Day was a very hot day here in Miami. I mean, we're talking 80 degrees and a van with no conditions to transport food. They were there for hours. Now the question is are we protecting, in terms of health and safety, the people that we want to protect? We know that an individual was hurt when trying to cross Biscayne Boulevard because somebody just wave him in, you know, free food and all that. It is something that is very difficult, but I think that we need to get the control back. You know, I have pictures here, but this is like secondary because I saw the Litter Busters picking up like two or three hours after all this debris was left across the Arsht Center on Thanksgiving Day. So the point is that we need to do something in terms of health and safety. I made a commitment to the Homeless Trust to bring any draft of any ordinance to the board for the board to discuss and amend, if necessary, so I am not asking you to vote on anything. I'm just -- like you to direct the City Attorney to draft an ordinance that will be brought to the Homeless Trust board. It will be, I'm sure, discussed and then it would be brought to the City Commission for discussion, amendments, approval, or rejection. I think this is a very important issue. And I see Dr. Ahr from Camillus, Ron Book I see, and I wish that they would come up to the podium and tell you that this is difficult because, you know, everybody's trying to do the right thing, but it's one -- right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, so I wish that we are educated from -- and I City ofMiami Page 3 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 know -- the comment that you made is people are hungry. You're right. You know, I really admire your candor, but we need to listen to all of you so we can understand what can we do because the fact of the matter is that we need to do something. Chair Sarnoff Dr. Ahr. Paul Ahr: Good afternoon. Paul Ahr, president of Camillus House, doing business at 336 Northwest 5th Street. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Each of you should get a copy -- should have gotten a copy of a letter that wrote to the Mayor that was delivered yesterday. I just want to make two points. One point is that the individuals who are residing at Camillus House are fed three meals a day, seven days a week so that there is no physical need for individuals to come and feed in the vicinity of Camillus House, except for individuals who have now chosen to live on the street in our area and are probably in some ways attracted by the fact that vans will come from outside the city and within the city to feed there. Second is that Ben and his group, the Collision and the Homeless Trust have recommended a solution which is to basically focus in on this with individuals who are especially well prepared to deal with these kinds of groups, andl am asking that we basically give this a chance to work. I would hope that we would not go forever with it, but till March or April and see if that will reduce it. Our problem is is that there's a tremendous amount of trash left behind. We feel it's our obligation to clean it up. That is not a real good use of our resources. In addition, some of what's left behind are food scraps and food which attract vermin. We have people that are living on -- in our facility basically on mats at street level. We're trying to keep that environment very safe. We have taken the liberty of asking for an opinion from Pat Fitzgerald's office regarding whether or not it would be constitutional for a body like this to either set up a perimeter, "no feeding zone" around a homeless shelter and/or a licensing or permitting program that would essentially have built into it the responsibility of the feeding entity to clean up whatever trash is left behind, and that -- their opinion is attached. Basically, under the right set of circumstances, they believe that either of those approaches would be satisfactory. I very much appreciate the fact that this is back on the oven. I don't know it's in the front burner, but it's back on the oven or on the stove, and we're willing to give the Coalition and others a chance to work that solution, but if it -- if we don't have a noticeable improvement, we'll be asking the Commissioner and the Mayor if they'll help us move the solution along. Thank you. Ron Book: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission. For the record, Ron Book, Chairman of the Miami -Dade County Homeless Trust, and nice to see all of you new faces. Let me pick up where the Mayor left off and comment a little bit on Dr. Ahr's comments. We're where we are on street feeding because of the City ofMiami. We're where we are with downtown feeding sites because when then -Commissioner Regalado brought an ordinance to this Commission -- to the prior Commission, Mr. Chairman, that you will recall it brought all of us to the table to say "We don't really want to criminalize street feedings. Let's figure out how we make that happen." Ben Burton's here. We don't always see eye to eye on some issues. Ben is the executive director of the Miami Coalition Against Homelessness, sometimes sits as a member of the Trust. We don't always agree on the issue of street feeding and panhandling, but we work together collaboratively and collectively to try to come up with a good solution to the problems. The Homeless Trust is here for a reason. The Homeless Trust is here to help set policy, to help implement, to administer, and end homelessness in the community. When then -Commissioner Regalado brought forth that ordinance is when we invited the then -Commissioner now Mayor to become a part of the solution and become a member of the Homeless Trust, and we're proud to call him a participating member of the Trust. And on Thanksgiving Day, when he observed much of what it was, I was standing right there on that warm Thanksgiving Day in my short sleeves feeding people, which he did all day long. The fact of the matter is -- and we've passed out some of our collateral materials -- you will look at the bottom of page two and it talks about stopping street feedings. We largely terminated them when collectively with Mr. Burton and Mr. Vincent and people from Camillus, David Rosemond, David Raymond came together. We had a task force: How do we stop it when everybody said we City ofMiami Page 4 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 couldn't stop it? So everybody understands where the Chairman is. The Mayor knows. I don't support street feeding under any circumstances. It sanctions homelessness. I don't anybody should go hungry. I don't believe feeding people on the street is right for them. I don't think it's right for the community, for all of the reasons why Dr. Ahr already described. I've seen what happens at Camillus. When the van show up, they run out of Camillus because there's a better meal across the street in the van. It's not simply about leaving the scraps on the street and the trash on the street. Somebody's going to get killed. It's going to happen if we don't get this situation under control. The fact is no one should go hungry. The fact is our downtown feeding sites are adequate to meet the needs. We can do better. We can do more. Butl will tell you this, that Commissioner Regalado then and Mayor Regalado now is our partner with the City of Miami that is solving homeless problems, in much the way Chairman -- the Chairman of this body, Chairman Sarnoff, has participated with us on the predator and offender issue to stop that, and we took a major step today, Mr. Chairman, at the Dade County Commission committee by consolidating and dealing with the children safety zone and consolidating for a uniform standard. We're down to 35 people at the Causeway. Thirty-five too many, but we're better than we were. We are close to an agreement with the Governor's office and the DOT (Department of Transportation) to put guardrail up finally. We're days away from finalizing that agreement. Making progress, but it is together that we will solve the problems that they have at Camillus House, and it is together that we will solve the problem of feeding people on the streets of Miami -Dade County and the City ofMiami. When the Mayor brings forth this ordinance, it is our commitment to put it before our 27-person board and together make sure we are responsive to everyone. Nobody will be fully happy with the resolution, butt will tell you that the ideas that the Mayor has expressed to us about setting up permitting processes, by setting up radiuses around places like Camillus House so as to create safety, so as to make sure that litter isn't left on the streets, to make sure that we're not creating health hazards and safety hazards and making sure we're dealing with the welfare of the community. We're committed to that, and we're committed to working together. And it is my commitment, not only to work with the City and the Mayor on working this through the Homeless Trust body, but it is to make sure that the people like Ben Burton and the Miami Coalition and others are part of that solution. Making them part of the solution on the downtown feeding sites was the right thing to do. When we wanted to solve the crimes against homeless, bringing everybody to the table and partnering the School Board was the right thing to do. And Mr. Chairman and members of this Commission, we pledge to you, as we have to the Mayor, we will work together because that is our responsibility. We have reached the success we have as a community because of our partnership with you and your staff. Without the Manager, without David Rosemond, without Catherine Martinez, without all of the members of the City ofMiami's NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) offices and the outreach teams, the green shirts, if you will, Mr. Manager, we wouldn't be where we are. You know that during the budget process how I came and vet because without that team effort, we will be back to thousands of homeless people living on our streets the way we were 16 years ago, Mr. Chairman, and that we cannot accept. And so we will pledge to do this together. Panhandling issues, we've worked together. The City has brought those issues to us and helped drive that agenda. So, Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to address you and your new Commission. Mr. Mayor, I continue to pledge to work together to solving the problems that we continue to have. Eight thousand people sixteen years ago, just barely over a thousand today, that's progress. Chair Sarnoff Thank you, Mr. Book. I always feel like having marshmallows when you're done speaking. Ben Burton: I'm -- Chair Sarnoff Yes, sir. Mr. Burton: -- Ben Burton of the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, 3515 Biscayne Boulevard. I do think that we agree on a lot of issues. I think that this is one issue that we find a tough one. City ofMiami Page 5 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 The reality is that we're dealing with one of the hardest economic times that we've ever dealt with in the past, and people are hungry. What we have done is that we've committed to the point of hiring a person to go and work with Camillus House, to pick up trash, to work with the people who are on the streets trying to feed people, make them part of the feeding program. I appreciate Dr. Ahr's patience. The last thing that a poor person needs right now, with double-digit unemployment, is to have a criminal record. If you have a criminal record and you're poor, it's very unlikely that you're going to be able to get a job. It's going to make you stay homeless even longer. What we're asking is that before anything like an ordinance that might happen that could really hurt people and make them homeless a longer period of time, we're asking for some patience of the Commission, of the Chair, the Mayor to help us work through the problem and give us an opportunity to come up with a creative solution. Again, we are advocates of poor people. Our goal is to try to make sure that poor people don't have to stay on the streets; that they have a place to live, and that they don't have to be on the streets for any longer than they need be. Right now in our community, people who never thought they would address the issue of poverty are addressing that issue. We're one of the top states in foreclosure. Again, we have double-digit unemployment. This is a symptom; this isn't a cause. I don't think that people are just out there. It's no fun to eat on the street and run around in traffic or things like that. No one is frying to do that. And we are frying to be part of the solution, and I ask for your patience. I appreciate you letting me speak today. Chair Sarnoff Thank you. Mayor Regalado: Mr. Chairman. Chair Sarnoff Mr. Mayor. Mayor Regalado: Ben was there at the meeting when I made a commitment of bringing the draft of the resolution for the Homeless Trust to discuss, and I know that they have hire people to clean up after the situation, but eventually -- I mean -- and he's right, we should not attack people that want to do the right thing. However, on Thanksgiving, Ben, some off -duty police officers that were hired by Camillus had to go and tell some of these people to move out of the street because they park right on the middle of the street and open up, so it is a situation that could create a problem in downtown Miami. And so I think -- I just wanted to bring this to the Homeless Trust and then bring it to you individually and as a body to discuss, but something has to be done in the near future. Chair Sarnoff Gentlemen. Commissioner Suarez: You know, I think I -- I think what the Mayor's asking for and requesting is that the City Attorney draft a proposed ordinance and work with the various parties of interest, and so I'd move to direct the City Attorney to do that. Chair Sarnoff Commissioner. Mayor Regalado: You don't need a resolution. She gets the direction, and she would deliver it to your office, the draft, whenever it's done for your comment, and we will forward it to Ben and David and Ron and the Homeless Trust so they can make comments on it. And it doesn't have to come like next week or even on the first meeting of January because they need time to discuss that and -- Chair Sarnoff Mr. Mayor. Mayor Regalado: Yes, sir. Chair Sarnoff One of the ordinances that my office was working on was the City of Dallas City ofMiami Page 6 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 ordinance, which is really an ordinance geared towards the health, welfare, and safety of the homeless. This required that the food be served, stored at temperatures of 41 degrees , that it not get to a certain degree; and safety, that there be hand -washing stations, that the waste water be of a certain type and kind; that resfoom facilities be provided; that standards for food preparation that you would expect from yourself be maintained. And as far as I know, 'cause I looked into this the other day, the Dallas ordinance so far has been constitutional. And all you're asking is that those who are attempting to do good or doing good may have an unintended consequence of actually injuring the homeless. I know you were out there with your daughter Rachel, with Tomas -- Tommy, I should say -- and with Jose. I was out there with Teresa. You were out there with your other half which is I'm going to call Esteban, and everybody was out there that day, and I know it's a hard tradition to go out there on Thanksgiving and feed, and we observed equally what you saw, and there was no really -- they came in vans, like you said that were not air conditioned. They served food that didn't appear to be very well sanitized or sanitary, and you just wondered at the end of the day if you made them ill or not. And it seems to me that we should be concerned with the food that's being served, how it's being served, what standards are prepared in how it's kept so that we're not criminalizing the people who are taking the food, but we are regulating the people who are serving the food. And it seems that should be the main thrust. And I actually have a copy of the Dallas ordinance for the City Attorney, and I would hope that that would be a good starting point for us to work from. Mayor Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And as promised, Ben and David and Ron, we will be sending you the copy as soon as the City Attorney produce the draft and hopefully, we can reach a solution and we can even enroll these people, as you did, Ben, I think it was two years ago, within the framework of the feeding program. The feeding program has been a success and many people have used that. Now that we're here, I'd like to also thank Emilio Estefan for what he did in Bongo's on Thanksgiving Day. They brought 2,000 persons from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you guys in the Homeless Trust transport the people and the people -- there were families there, and so Emilio Estefan and the Estefan family closed Bongo's and they serve the meals for so many people. There was music and it was great at that time. So thank you. SP.A2 09-01405 DISCUSSION ITEM DISCUSSION REGARDING A PROGRAM INVOLVING CAMERAS AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. 09-01405 Memo.pdf DISCUSSED Mayor Regalado: And Mr. Chairman, the -- I only have one more thing, and -- Chair Sarnoff You know, we're limiting you next time just to two items. Mayor Regalado: Huh? Chair Sarnoff We're limiting you next time just to two items. Mayor Regalado: No. I was hoping that you say "in conclusion." Chair Sarnoff I think with the percentage of vote you got, I think you have the floor until you'd like to relinquish it. Mayor Regalado: But -- no. It's just a discussion item. It's -- the -- what they call the red light cameras, and the red light cameras is a hot issue. And we have Ron here, who came for this, but not for that, but he knows about that, and this is a trend that has been apply in many cities in South Florida. Throughout the United States there is a debate about privacy and thing, but the fact of the matter is that there are many cities that throughout the state of Florida that has implemented this. This is a need in the City of Miami because we are number three in the nation City ofMiami Page 7 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 on pedestrian being killed by cars. We have the two deadliest intersections in all South Florida, in the City ofMiami. We are considered a city where people do not drive well, and it is important that we take some kind of action and that we educate the people that use the City of Miami or live in the City ofMiami. There is a bill in the state Legislature that is going to be heard, I believe, on the regular session that could either preempt cities or take some of the revenues for the state of Florida. I'm not sure. Maybe Ron can give us more details. But it's important because most of the small municipalities in Broward have done that. There is -- I know that there is a legal situation here in the City ofMiami with a company. We're not addressing the issue of the company, just the system and what is coming from the State Legislature. So I was wondering, Ron, if you would tell us what is the bill that is being proffered in the State Legislature, which, by the way, last year it was missed by one vote or something. Ron Book: IfI could, Mr. Chairman -- Chair Sarnoff Absolutely. Mr. Book: -- through you, in response to the Mayor. There's the Altman bill in the Senate. There's the Reagan bill in the House. It was, as I expressed to the Mayor, Mr. Chairman, members of the Commission, during Thanksgiving when we were feeding, still in the mix to be considered during the special session. The breakdown as to why it didn't make the call in the special session was a continued debate by some in the Senate where the Department of Transportation and the Department of Highway Safety are talking about how they can get in the business of running red light cameras to grab a greater share of the revenue, an of course, they can't do what needs to be done without the cities, but they somehow want to go out and try to create a mechanism to grab a chunk of the change. The problem is is if you allow Highway Safety and DOT (Department of Transportation) to get into the business of red light cameras and they install them on the state roads, it really conflicts with the municipality's ability to do what they need to do. I frankly would encourage the City on the basis of safety, and I'm not afraid to talk about the fact that there's also a revenue factor in there that benefits municipalities, but the truth is, red light cameras are about saving lives, and that is what they do. And while there is ongoing litigation -- andl will use, Mr. Mayor, ifI could, the city ofAventura, which was, I believe, the first municipality in Miami -Dade County to implement red light cameras, they are the subject of lawsuit. But in the meantime, I believe they have an indemnification provision with the vendor, and I believe that when a bill does pass -- and I am optimistic that we will figure this issue out with DOT and Highway Safety -- and the bill will pass this next regular session after almost 12 years of debate in the Capitol on the issue, that there will be language to protect the municipalities from a litigation perspective. It was not fully in the bill last year. It is embodied in the bill this year, Mr. Chairman and Mayor, and I think that is what will happen. I, frankly, believe that the sooner you move forward, the better the opportunity is from a protection of the revenue perspective. There is continued debate on what the split should be, and everybody knows that the municipalities, if the State does pass a statewide statute, that the municipalities have to end up getting somewhere between 75 and $85 of the total fine. In the bill now there's a range of somewhere between 150 and $165 that are being talked about. A hundred and fifty is there now. There is some movement based on what the trauma centers may end up getting, what brain and spinal cord injury research, including the Miami project to cure paralysis, may ultimately get for research out of it because of the direct correlation between brain and spinal cord injury, but that's the range. But think the sooner you're out there, the better position the City is in. And again, I'm -- while I believe it's about safety, nobody should dodge the fact that there is revenue involved because that just plays to the side of the State saying, well, if revenue isn't the issue, then you shouldn't mind the State grabbing all 150 or $165 of it, so -- Mayor Regalado: Well, thank you. Thank you, Ron. Mr. Book: Thank you. City ofMiami Page 8 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 Mayor Regalado: And Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman, Commissioner -- Chair Sarnoff Let me have some comments, if you don't mind, Mr. --? Mayor Regalado: No. I just want you to understand the sense of urgency. Chair Sarnoff Understood. Commissioner Suarez, nothing? Commissioner Carollo. Let me just say this because I don't think the Mayor is speaking about the revenue side. I think the Mayor is -- I don't know -- for all of you that don't know this, I'd like to refine some of the Mayor's numbers. We are the number -one traffic homicide fatality city in the United States, not number two, not number three, not number twelve; number one. We are the third highest pedestrian fatality rate in the United States. Folks, that is about behavior. It is called bad behavior behind the wheel. All of us, as soon as we get behind the wheel, put on our tiaras and our king hats, and suddenly we become the kingdom of whatever we think we walk through and drive through, and it -- we have got to correct this behavior because unless you want to remain the number -one traffic homicide city in the United States -- and that is a horrible, horrible title to own -- then these traffic cameras will certainly change our behavior. And secondarily, and if you haven't been through the fraffic camera presentation -- I know the Mayor has. I know I have -- remember that 37 murderers have been captured because of traffic cameras, and I think the number is over 300 burglaries have been captured as a result of traffic cameras. Remember, the people that are running the red lights tend to be people in a hurry and those in a hurry just committed a crime, so these cameras are a great idea. I don't this it was the Mayor's intention to bring up the amount of funding it would bring. I think it's more his intention to somehow get Miami off its horrible title of being the highest fraffic homicide city in the United States. I applaud you on this, Mr. Mayor. Mayor Regalado: Thank you. So Madam City Attorney, maybe you can start working on a draft, I guess, and of course, we probably should have it in the agenda by the first meeting of January. Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): We already have the regulatory scheme in place. We're just, I think, waiting for the facility itself the award of the contract for the actual installation of the facilities. Mayor Regalado: Yeah, I know. But one thing -- Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Right. Mayor Regalado: -- does not (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the other. Mr. Hernandez: Mayor, Commissioners, we are in the process of conducting an RFP (Request for Proposals) that we have to finalize, and I'm going to be meeting with staff here to my left to accelerate it and be able to have an item before the City Commission as soon as possible so we can proceed with this program. Mayor Regalado: In conclusion -- Chair Sarnoff And in conclusion. Mayor Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That's all the items that I have. I would really urge you to make some appointments amongst yourself. RESOLUTION SP.A3 09-01375 RESOLUTION City ofMiami Page 9 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION FIXING AND Employee Relations ESTABLISHING THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION FOR MAYOR TOMAS P. REGALADO. 09-01375 Legislation.pdf 09-01375 Summary Form.pdf Votes: Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Carollo, Sarnoff and Suarez R-09-0551 Mayor Tomas Regalado: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman, Commissioner Suarez, I also have some items that I wanted to bring to your attention and vote, and this is part of the supplemental agenda. One item is about the mayor's salary. And it's been -- tomorrow, it will be one month after the swearing in. I have not gotten paid yet. Vice Chair Carollo: Neither have we. Mayor Regalado: It's because of Oracle. But we need to establish officially the salary of the mayor. As you know, I requested a reduction in salary, so the City Attorney is distributing the new resolution. It's very simple. The salary now for the mayor will be $97, 000. It used to be 150, so it will be --150 it used to be. Now it will be $97,000, reduction of $53, 000. And as you know, I have also signed with the City Attorney a reduction in pension, but that's something that the City Attorney will decide if it has to come to the Commission. But we do need this resolution so -- to see if Oracle wish to pay me in the near future. Vice Chair Carollo: Us. Mayor Regalado: You too. Okay. Commissioner Suarez: I'd like to move the item. Chair Sarnoff They finally earn their keep and they want to get paid ahead of time. I don't get it. Mayor Regalado: I'm sorry? Chair Sarnoff I said they finally earn their keep and they want to get paid ahead of time. Mayor Regalado: Right, right. I mean, it's only a month. Vice Chair Carollo: I'm just following the Mayor's lead. Mayor Regalado: It's only a month. Commissioner Suarez: I'd like to move for discussion, please. Chair Sarnoff All right. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Vice Chair Carollo: Second for discussion. Chair Sarnoff Go ahead, gentlemen. Mr. -- sorry. Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Suarez: I just want to commend the Mayor for setting this example. This was City ofMiami Page 10 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 something that the Mayor promised throughout the campaign and obviously, he's here today to deliver on that promise. So I think, from one perspective, we have someone who delivers on their promises, and l think that's important for the community to realize. And l think, secondly, with the challenges that we're going to face closing out fiscal year 2009, hopefully there won't be any challenges in fiscal year 2010, but we're going to be preparing for fiscal year 2011 before we know it. I think this should set the tone for the way that, you know, our city should operate. You know, a true public servant serves for the benefit of the public and not for a financial or economic incentive. And I think this just demonstrates, once again, the Mayor's commitment to the City ofMiami, the residents of the City ofMiami, making this personal sacrifice as an example to the rest of us. Mayor Regalado: Thank you, Commissioner. Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman. I also want to commend the Mayor. I think that it's important to lead by example. I know in the past others have said or have requested motions and resolutions. However, they haven't led by example and this is one case where Mayor Regalado said during his campaign, I will do this, and he has done it, or he is asking to do it. And we will do it. So again, I commend you, Mayor Regalado. Mayor Regalado: Thank you, sir. Chair Sarnoff All right. Mayor, I certainly have to applaud you for honoring your word throughout the campaign. And I may have some different feelings on the reduction because I think you are going to earn your money. And I think the City's going to take a pretty high tax on what it's going to need from you. But applaud the fact that you're staying the course on what you said. Because I just hope that -- I know what you're doing is you're leading by example. I just hope the others in this city see it as an example and nothing more and nothing less than your example. Mayor Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chair Sarnoff All right. Mayor Regalado: You know, I have been sitting here most of the time, except when we went to the Christmas party of the senior centers. And I really have to say that what you all have done and said today in terms of fiscal responsibility, it's the most important thing. I mean, you guys look like if you were here for the last three budgets, and you understand what is happening. You understand what is going on. Actually, next week, the Administration and I will be bringing to you a resolution to terminate the contract or the lease agreement with Flagstone because they haven't paid, and so we need to be conservative with the people's money and we need to send a message to everyone that if you want to make a deal with the City ofMiami, you do need to do what the poor people in Miami have to do, is they pay the rent. And so it's fiscal responsibility, and I really applaud you. It's important that from day one you're sending the message that you are going to be here and watching the people's money, and you have my full support. And I would love to follow your lead as a Commission in terms of the budget. We have promised you that we will start bringing information on the budget process to you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman, Commissioner, and to the new two Commissioners early on. And we're talking March you will have plenty of detail so you're not blindsided by something that could be on that budget. And you will know also when fiscal year 2009 is really closed for the books and you will know all the details so you can understand what is going on. So thank you. Chair Sarnoff All right. So we need to vote on this, on this significant offering of the Mayor. We have a motion, we have a second. All in favor, please say "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. City ofMiami Page 11 Printed on 12/29/2009 City Commission Meeting Minutes December 10, 2009 Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): And the item has been voted on as a modified resolution. Chair Sarnoff As modified -- Vice Chair Carollo: As modified. Chair Sarnoff -- Madam Clerk. Mayor Regalado: As modified. Well, I was told that it is modified -- Ms. Thompson: In all the -- Mayor Regalado: -- no amount of money. Modifies something, whatever. Ms. Thompson: And all that means, Mayor and Chair, is that when the original document went out, okay, with our original supplement out, we may not have had the actual legislation, so the public wouldn't have gotten it. So now you have it and we're letting the public know -- 'cause you pass it out -- that that was modified from what they got when they saw the agenda, okay? Mayor Regalado: Thank you. City ofMiami Page 12 Printed on 12/29/2009