HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2010-07-08 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, July 8, 2010
9:00 AM
REGULAR
City Hall Commission Chambers
City Commission
Tomas Regalado, Mayor
Marc David Sarnoff, Chairman
Frank Carollo, Vice -Chairman
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner District One
Francis Suarez, Commissioner District Four
Richard P. Dunn II, Commissioner District Five
Carlos A. Migoya, City Manager
Julie O. Bru, City Attorney
Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
CONTENTS
PR - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
MV - MAYORAL VETOES
AM - APPROVING MINUTES
CA - CONSENT AGENDA
PH - PUBLIC HEARINGS
SR - SECOND READING ORDINANCES
RE - RESOLUTIONS
BC - BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
DI - DISCUSSION ITEMS
PART B
PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' ITEMS
M - MAYOR'S ITEMS
D1 - DISTRICT 1 ITEMS
D2 - DISTRICT 2 ITEMS
D3 - DISTRICT 3 ITEMS
D4 - DISTRICT 4 ITEMS
D5 - DISTRICT 5 ITEMS
Minutes are transcribed verbatim. Periodically, agenda items are revisited during a meeting.
"[Later...]" refers to discussions that were interrupted and later continued.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
8:30 A.M. - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
Chair Sam off The Mayor has a salute and a proclamation.
Mayor Tomas Regalado: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Presentations made.
9:00 A.M. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Vice Chairman Carollo, Commissioner Gort, Chairman Sarnoff, Commissioner Suarez
and Commissioner Dunn II
On the 8th day of July 2010, 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 Sam off at 9:12 a.m., recessed at 12: 02 p.m.,
reconvened at 2: 23 p.m., and adjourned at 5: 40 p.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Carollo entered the Commission Chambers at 9:12 a.m and
Commissioner Suarez entered the Commission Chambers at 9:13 a.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Julie O. Bru, City Attorney
Carlos A. Migoya, City Manager
Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk
Pamela L. Latimore, Assistant City Clerk
Chair Sarnoff I'm going to welcome everybody to the July 8, 2010 meeting of the City of
Miami Commission in these historic chambers. The members of the City ofMiami Commission
are Frank Carollo, Vice Chair; Francis Suarez, Wedo Gort, Reverend Richard P. Dunn, and
myself, Marc David Sarnoff, the Chairman. Also on the dais are Carlos A. Migoya, the City
Manager; Julie O. Bru, the City Attorney; and Priscilla A. Thompson, the City Clerk. The
meeting will be opened with a prayer by our City Clerk, Priscilla Thompson, and the pledge of
allegiance led by Commissioner Dunn.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Good morning to all of you.
Invocation and pledge of allegiance delivered.
MAYORAL VETOES
NO MAYORAL VETOES
Chair Sam off Madam Clerk, are there any mayoral vetoes?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): There are none?
APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, to APPROVED
PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, to APPROVED
PASSED by the following vote.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Chair Sam off And do we have any minutes we need to dispense with?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Correct.
Chair Sarnoff Can you name them?
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry?
Chair Sarnoff Can you name the minutes?
Ms. Thompson: Oh, yes. Okay, I apologize. We have for your approval the special meeting
minutes of June 2, 2010 and also the regular meeting minutes of June 10, 2010. And if you so
desire, you can approve those in one motion, if you so desire.
Chair Sam off Okay. Is there a motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Motion by the Vice Chair, second by Commissioner Suarez. Any discussion,
gentlemen? Hearing no discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
END OF APPROVING MINUTES
ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair Sam off We'll now begin the regular meeting. The City Attorney will state the
procedures to be followed during this meeting.
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Good morning, Mr. Chair, members of the Commission, Madam
City Clerk, and Mr. Manager, members of the public. Any person who's a lobbyist must
register with the Clerk. Please consult the City Code for a copy of the regulations regarding
lobbyists. The materials for each item on the agenda is available during business hours at the
City Clerk's office and online at www.miamigov.com. Anyone who wishes to appeal any
decision that's made by the City Commission for any matter considered at this meeting may
need a verbatim record of the item. No cell phone or other noise -making devices are permitted
in the chambers. Please silence those now. And anybody who makes offensive remarks or
becomes unruly will be barred from attending any future Commission meetings. Any person
with a disability, please, you can contact the City Clerk for auxiliary aids. And the lunch
recess will begin at the conclusion of deliberation of the agenda item being considered at noon,
unless the Chairman indicates otherwise.
Chair Sam off Thank you, Madam City Attorney.
"[Later...]"
Chair Sam off Do any of the Commissioners or the Administration -- well, let me start with the
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Administration. Do you wish to remove any of the items or modin, them in any way with regard
to the agenda today?
Carlos A. Migoya (City Manager): We have a few modifications, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off What are the modifications?
Mr. Migoya: We'd like to -- on CA.2, we'd like to withdraw it.
Commissioner Gort: Okay, good.
Mr. Migoya: PH.8, withdraw; SR.2, defer to July 22; RE.2, defer to July 22; and PZ.1, defer to
September 23.
Chair Sam off What was the last one?
Mr. Migoya: PZ.1, deferring to September 23.
Chair Sam off Okay. Do we have a motion?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Chair, ifI might. Just to make sure our record is straight,
may I repeat --?
Chair Sam off You want to read them back?
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes. Thank you.
Chair Sarnoff All right. You want to do it or do you want me to do it?
Ms. Thompson: I can do it, if you want?
Chair Sam off Please.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. According to our Manager, we are withdrawing CA.2. PH.8, SR.2 will
be heard and deferred to 7/22/10. RE.2 will be deferred to 7/22/10 and PZ.1, being deferred to
9/23/10.
Mr. Migoya: That's correct.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Mr. Migoya: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right. Do we have a motion?
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Commissioner Dunn: So move.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Gort, second by Commissioner Dunn. Any discussion,
gentlemen? Hearing no discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Any of the Commissioners wish to be recognized to modify or change anything
on the agenda?
Commissioner Dunn: Yes, Mr. Chair. I would like to withdraw RE.8 until, I guess, the
September meeting.
Chair Sam off All right. Is there any other Commissioner who wishes to have any
modifications to the agenda?
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sarnoff You're recognized, the Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I would like to defer to the July 22 meeting RE.4.
Chair Sam off Okay. Any other Commissioners? All right. Gentlemen, do we have a motion?
Ms. Thompson: Excuse me. I'm sorry, Chair. On RE.8, Commissioner Dunn, you said that's
going -- that's actually being deferred to what meeting?
Commissioner Dunn: July 22.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Thank you, Chair.
Chair Sarnoff Was that RE.8?
Ms. Thompson: RE.8.
Commissioner Dunn: RE.8.
Chair Sam off I had --
Commissioner Dunn: Withdraw it. Withdraw.
Chair Sam off I thought I heard withdraw, yeah.
Ms. Thompson: So I want to be clear because he said withdraw and he gave me a date. If you
withdraw it --
Chair Sam off He did. I understood.
Ms. Thompson: -- it will not come back.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Dunn, that's a withdrawal, correct?
Commissioner Dunn: Yes.
Chair Sam off All right.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
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Chair Sam off So you have withdrawal; we have a deferral as stated by the Vice Chair. Is
there a motion on such?
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Motion by the Vice Chair, second by Commissioner Suarez. Any discussion,
gentlemen? Hearing no discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
CA.1
10-00750
RESOLUTION
CONSENT AGENDA
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE BIDS
Police RECEIVED MARCH 23, 2010, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID NO.
204188, FROM TACTICAL WEAPONS USA AND SRT SUPPLY, INC., FOR
THE PURCHASE OF TACTICAL WEAPONS AND RIFLES ON AN
AS -NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS, FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF ONE (1)
YEAR, WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL
ONE-YEAR PERIODS; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS
SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE USER DEPARTMENT, SUBJECT TO THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF
NEED.
10-00750 Legislation.pdf
10-00750 Summary Form.pdf
10-00750 Award Recommendation.pdf
10-00750 Tabulation of Bids.pdf
10-00750 Addendum No. 1.pdf
10-00750 I FB. pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0288
Chair Sam off All right, let's see where we are.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think we're on the CA (Consent Agenda) items.
Chair Sam off Yeah. I know we're going to want to hear -- well, let's just do CA.1. I know
we're going to want to hear CA.3. CA.2 was pulled? Yeah, I think it was. All right C --
Commissioner Gort: CA.2, I want to take it up.
Chair Sarnoff -- CA.1.
Commissioner Gort: CA.2, I got questions. Well, okay.
Chair Sarnoff Let's just do CA.1. Is there a motion on CA.1?
Vice Chair Carollo: So moved.
Chair Sam off We have a motion by the Vice Chair --
Commissioner Gort: Wait a minute. What's CA.1?
Chair Sam off Second by Commissioner --
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Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair.
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Ms. Thompson: I just need to make sure. We have two consent agenda items, 1 and 3. Are we
going to be handling them separately? Is that what we're doing?
Chair Sam off That was my intention, 'cause I understood that CA. 3 had a videotape.
Ms. Thompson: Okay, so there -- then we won't have a consent agenda per se. Each one will
be discussed separately.
Chair Sam off Correct.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off Thank you.
Commissioner Dunn: Second. Was there a second?
Chair Sam off I have you down as the seconder.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Chair Sam off All right. So it is a resolution, CA.1. Anybody want to go on the record just to
tell us very quickly, so -- I kind of shot a little too quickly, as they say, and apparently this is
about tactical weapons and firearms. You're on.
Commissioner Dunn: No.
Glenn Marcos: Thank you. Good afternoon, Commissioner. Glenn Marcos, Purchasing
director. CA.1 is an item before you. It's for the purchase of tactical weapons and rifles,
pursuant to a bid that we issued on behalf of the Police Department. This is a contract that is
for one year, with options to renew for four additional one-year periods. We are
recommending awards to two vendors, the first one being Tactical Weapons USA (United States
of America) and the second vendor being SRT Supply, Inc.
Chair Sam off All right, so we had a motion. We had a second. Gentlemen, any discussion?
Ms. Thompson: Excuse me. I'm sorry, Chair. Forgive me. I have the seconder as
Commissioner Dunn. I'm sorry; I did not hear the mover.
Chair Sam off The --
Vice Chair Carollo: I did.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right. Any discussion, gentlemen? Hearing none, seeing none, all in favor,
please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
CA.2 RESOLUTION
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
10-00751
Department of
Purchasing
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE BIDS RECEIVED JUNE 2, 2010,
PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BIDS NO. 204189, FROM THE PRIMARY
AND SECONDARY VENDORS, AS LISTED IN "ATTACHMENT A",
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND
RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS, FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF DEMOLITION
SERVICES CITYWIDE, ON A GROUP BY GROUP BASIS, FOR A TWO (2)
YEAR PERIOD, WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO (2) ADDITIONAL
ONE-YEAR PERIODS; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS
SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE USER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES,
SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL
AT THE TIME OF NEED.
10-00751 Legislation. pdf
10-00751 Exhibit.pdf
10-00751 Summary Form.pdf
10-00751 Addendum No.2.pdf
10-00751 Contract Provisions. pdf
10-00751 Addendum No.1.pdf
10-00751 I FB. pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
WITHDRAWN PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Chair Sam off Looks like we are up to --
Commissioner Gort: I had a second -- got questions, CR.2 [sic].
Chair Sam off Go ahead. You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: You all heard from the presentation from -- that we had this morning from
Community Development. We need to have these people on board as soon as possible. Now I
had some questions andl understand the City -- you pulled it, but we need the demolition crew
on board as soon as possible. We might even have to use somebody from the County or the
State. I don't know how we're going to do it, but we need to do it fast. We tend to lose some
funds.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry. Be -- Chair, ifI might, I want to be clear --
Chair Sarnoff CA.2.
Ms. Thompson: That's what I wanted to make sure, even though it's been pulled.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort is discussion TA.2 [sic], which I think was pulled.
Ms. Thompson: Pulled.
Vice Chair Carollo: Pulled.
Commissioner Gort: It was pulled.
Chair Sam off Right.
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Glenn Marcos: Glenn Marcos, Purchasing director. As far as CA.2, that is the demolition
services contract that you're referring to, we do have the method of award which allows for a
primary and secondary. We're going to end up holding off until July 22. You will have that
item before you on July 22 with a recommendation for award.
Commissioner: But you're talking about recommending number two?
Mr. Marcos: We -- if it means this recommend -- Well, what we can do is that -- it's to the
primary and secondary, so we can always look at a primary, secondary. As far as who that
primary and secondary will be, that will be before you on July 22.
Commissioner Gort: In looking at the difference -- and when you look at the comparison of the
primary and the secondary, there's a hell of a lot of difference in funds. I mean, there's some
places where the primary was charged $100 and secondary was charging 200 -- $400. In some
cases, it was about maybe 500 percent in excess of the original. So I don't know if there's a
contract out there that the County has or anybody have that can be even lower than this, 'cause
you can piggyback on County and State contracts, right?
Mr. Marcos: Yes, we can. And we can look at that as another way of --
Commissioner Gort: If you can look at some of that and they can come under what you have
right now, 'cause we need to expedite that.
Mr. Marcos: Duly noted. Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right.
CA.3 RESOLUTION
10-00741
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION PROCLAIMING JULY,
Parks and 2010 "PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH" TO CONTINUE A TRADITION
Recreation ESTABLISHED IN 1985, CELEBRATING JULY AS THE OFFICIAL PARKS
AND RECREATION MONTH IN AMERICA; FURTHER SUPPORTING THE
POLICIES OF THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION.
10-00741 Legislation.pdf
10-00741 Summary Form.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0289
Chair Sam off Okay, CA. 3. And I believe the Department of Parks -- Ernest Burkeen, I know
you have a video.
Ernest Burkeen: Ernest Burkeen, director of Parks and Recreation. And this was a resolution
for the Miami City Commission proclaiming July 2010 Parks and Recreation Month. And we'd
like to play the video. It's a one -minute video.
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At this time, an audiovisual presentation was made.
Mr. Burkeen: This just represents a snapshot of the many things that we do, and you can be
assured that I will make sure that the backboards are painted. That was at Moore Park. But
I'll make sure that they are painted. But thank you very much for your continued support of the
Parks andRec (Recreation) Department. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Thank you, Mr. Burkeen.
Commissioner Dunn: Thank you.
Chair Sam off Any Commissioners have any questions of Mr. Burkeen?
Commissioner Gort: I have some questions.
Chair Sam off Go ahead.
Commissioner Gort: Not of the Parks Department itself but the procurement. My
understanding is -- what happened to the transportation summer program? They were going to
have an RFP (Request for Proposals) for it?
Mr. Burkeen: It's --
Commissioner Gort: How are you going to transport people?
Mr. Burkeen: It is going through its process, and we do have vans that we are making use of
right now.
Commissioner Gort: Which vans?
Mr. Burkeen: We have four vans.
Commissioner Gort: City vans?
Mr. Burkeen: We have four City vans, and we're renting four additional vans, and we do have
a contract with a bus -- go ahead.
Glenn Marcos (Purchasing Director): I'm sorry, Commissioner. I heard the latter part of it. I
think you were asking about the bus transportation contract.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Mr. Marcos: The current contract is under an extension of 120 days. We are currently looking
at the most recent bid that we've issued. We're asking for some additional clarifications from
the potential bidders. And once they end up responding to that question, we will be before you
asking for an award of that contract.
Commissioner Gort: Great. When is the summer program over?
Mr. Marcos: As far as the summer program, I'll defer that to the Parks and Recreation
director; however, the current contract is still in existence because we've extended it by 120
days, which should cover the summer program.
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9:00 A.M.
Commissioner Gort: Okay. Nevermind.
Chair Sarnoff All right. Have we --? I think it is a resolution, gentlemen, proclaiming July
2010 Parks and Recreation motion. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Dunn: So moved.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Second by Commissioner Suarez. Any further discussion? Hearing none --
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair. Well, I just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Dunn: I think it's a wonderful presentation. I think it covered just about
everything that needed to be covered.
Chair Sam off I think it was actually --
Vice Chair Carollo: Well --
Chair Sam off -- five full minutes. I made him cut it down some, so if anybody made it on the
editing floor, it was probably because of me. I apologize.
Vice Chair Carollo: I blinked and missed the District 3 part, but --
Chair Sam off All right. All in favor, please say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off You have a unanimous vote.
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC HEARINGS
A sign language interpreter translated discussion of items PH.1 - PH.8.
PH.1 RESOLUTION
10-00756
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Community ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
Development AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, WITH THE
MIAMI BETHANY COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC., TO AMEND THE SCOPE
OF WORK AND EXTEND THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT FROM
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2011, PURSUANT TO
RESOLUTION NO. 08-0695, ADOPTED DECEMBER 13, 2007, FOR THE
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
UPGRADE OF THE PLAYGROUND AREA CURRENTLY BEING USED BY
THE CHILDCARE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM.
10-00756 Legislation. pdf
10-00756 Exhibit. pdf
10-00756 Summary Form.pdf
10-00756 Public Notice.pdf
10-00756 Project Status.pdf
10-00756 Corporation Papers. pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0282
Chair Sam off Gentlemen, we're going to lose our interpreter so we are going to try to go
through the Public Hearings right away. So we're going to start at PH.1 because if we're good
and we get this done by 12 o'clock, Madam Clerk --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes, sir.
Chair Sam off -- we will not incur an additional cost of an interpreter?
Ms. Thompson: No. You won't have a body there; she's got to leave, so we need to get it done
by 12.
Chair Sam off And the City Clerk then will not have to learn this immediately.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right, let's go. PH.1.
Lillian Blondet (Assistant Director): Good morning. Lillian Blondet, Department of
Community Development. PH.1 is a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an
agreement with Miami Bethany Community Services, Inc. to amend the work scope and the
extended term of the contract that they had with us to September 30, 2011. This funding and
this contract will be for installing a child care and afterschool playground.
Chair Sam off All right, so we have -- let me open up to a public hearing. Does anybody from
the public wish to be heard on PH.1, Miami Bethany Community Services, to amend the scope
and extend terms of the contract? Anyone from the public wishing to be heard on PH.1?
Hearing none, seeing none, comes back to the Commission. Do we have a motion?
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Vice Chair Carollo: So --
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Gort --
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair Sarnoff -- second by the Vice Chair. Any discussion, gentlemen? Hearing no
discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
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PH.2
10-00757
Department of
Community
Development
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
ALLOCATION OF CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUNDS, IN THE AMOUNT
OF $100,000, FOR THE PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING PROPERTY TAXES,
LIENS, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CITY -OWNED PROPERTIES THAT
WILL BE USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY
DOCUMENT(S), FOR SAID PURPOSE(S).
10-00757 Legislation.pdf
10-00757 Summary Form.pdf
10-00757 Public Notice.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0283
Chair Sam off PH.2.
Lillian Blondet (Assistant Director, Community Development): Thank you.
George Mensah: Mr. Chair, George Mensah, director of Community Development. PH.2 is a
resolution of the Miami City Commission authorizing the allocation of Affordable Housing
Trust Fund for an amount $100, 000 for the payment of outstanding property taxes, liens, and
maintenance of City -owned properties that will be used for the construction of affordable
housing; authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents for said purpose.
Chair Sam off All right. Let me open up to a public hearing. Does anybody wish to be heard
on PH.2, Community Development Affordable Housing Trust Fund's property tax -- I'm sorry --
in the amount of $100,000 for the payment of outstanding property taxes. Does anybody from
the public wish to be heard on PH.2? You're recognized for the record, sir.
Grady Muhammad: Good morning, Mr. Chair.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. May I, Chair? I need to make sure our
speakers understand they must sign in with the Clerk. If you have not signed in, please, before
you leave the room, sign in that speaker sheet. We need those for our records.
Mr. Muhammad: Yes, Madam Clerk. Grady Muhammad, 5800 Northwest 7th Avenue, Suite
212G. I'm in favor of this, but the question I have is the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, how
did it come about? How to access the fund? Who -- we know CD (Community Development)
controls it because Commissioner -- Chairman Sarnoff, Officer Stefan (UNINTET,TIGIBT,F)
McGill's project in your district that Community Development can't fund because of all of the
problems with the (UNINTET,TIGIBT,F). There is no problem. But the problem that they have -
- we have several fundings, CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), HOME (Home
Investment Partnership), SHIP (State Housing Initiative Partnership), Surtax Affordable
Housing Trust fund. The funds for the DRI (Development of Regional Impact) 2005 from the
hurricane, the funds, as according to them, can only be used for what needs to be done on the
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
property now. My point is, we get creative when it needs to.
Chair Sam off Well, I'm going to --
Mr. Muhammad: I'm speaking to the -- go ahead, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Well, here's what I'm going to do.
Mr. Muhammad: Go ahead, sir.
Chair Sam off I'm going to restrict you to hearing this issue.
Mr. Muhammad: No problem, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sarnoff I will direct you to go speak to the CDBG director to find out if your particular
housing project or your issue is susceptible to any different funding or the funding that I think
you're suggesting is coming from here.
Mr. Muhammad: Yes.
Chair Sam off Now you had a question; I will have the Administration answer, which is where
did the $100,000 come from, and that will be answered for you.
Mr. Muhammad: And under that scenario, from what I remember, I think, when it was created,
the developers who chose not to build affordable housing in the condos put this money aside in
that fund.
Chair Sam off So you already know the answer to your question.
Mr. Muhammad: Of course. You always ask -- you don't ask a question you don't have the
answer to, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sarnoff All right, so you don't really have a question?
Mr. Muhammad: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Butl --
Chair Sam off If you want to direct --
Mr. Muhammad: -- my question is specifically, how to access this fund and who can access this
fund because there is no guidelines or application process or anything that --
Chair Sam off All right, I'll have that answered. How, in any shape or fashion, do they get the
City impact fee money for affordable housing?
Mr. Mensah: The guidelines that was approved by City Commission indicate that before any
project to be funded, it has to be through, one, an RFP (Request for Proposals), or the City
Commission can allocate the funding for any other purpose. That's what the guideline says.
Chair Sam off All right. So either by RFP --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off -- or sponsorship by a Commissioner --
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Mr. Mensah: By City Commission --
Chair Sam off Right.
Mr. Mensah: -- approval.
Chair Sam off You understand that?
Mr. Muhammad: And we definitely would hope you would support that project because this is
needed. It's there. Lights, water, cable.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Mr. Muhammad: Fully furnished.
Chair Sam off Okay, okay.
Mr. Muhammad: Six fifty, Mr. Chairman. That's it.
Chair Sarnoff We're not here to hear that project.
Mr. Muhammad: No problem, Mr. Chair. And next thing, I'm -- how do taxes that are already
owned or on properties owned by the City for previous years --? The City usually doesn't pay
taxes. There shouldn't be liens or fees on properties that the City already owns.
Chair Sam off All right, here's your question. I gotcha. How did this particular piece of
property accrue taxes? Just answer the question.
Mr. Mensah: The City acquire properties through various methods. One of the method is
through a foreclosure on properties that we had -- we give them funding. And so sometime we
foreclose on property that already have taxes on it, and we made decision to foreclose on it and
get -- and be able to acquire the property. That's the reason why we have those taxes on --
Chair Sam off Do you understand his answer?
Mr. Muhammad: Yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Okay. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to be heard on PH.2, please step up.
Hearing none, seeing none, coming back to this Commission. Is there a motion, gentlemen?
Commissioner Dunn: So moved.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Dunn --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sarnoff -- second by Commissioner Suarez. Any discussion, gentlemen?
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record, sir.
Commissioner Dunn: I'm very familiar with this process, having built four houses -- two houses
in the -- in that Liberty City area/Model City area back in 2001/2002. Andl do know that -- as
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
PH.3
10-00758
Department of
Community
Development
a community developer, I do know that when properties are conveyed to nonprofits, many times
they are already liened up. And so before anything can move forward, there has to be clear
title. Andl do know that the City -- Community Development's department is responsible or at
least they share in taking responsibility for alleviating those taxes and liens.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off All right.
Commissioner Dunn: Just for the record.
Chair Sam off Any further discussion, gentlemen? Hearing no discussion, all in favor on
PH.2, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off You have a unanimous vote, Madam Clerk.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") FIVE (5)
YEAR PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY ("PHA") PLAN FOR FISCAL YEARS
2010-2014, IN CONNECTION WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY'S SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE
VOUCHER PROGRAM; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT
THE FIVE (5) YEAR PHA PLAN, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, FOR
REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ("U.S. HUD") FOR THE CITY'S
CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN SAID PROGRAM; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND
CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED, FOR THE SUBMISSION OF THE CITY'S PHA
PLAN TO U.S. HUD.
10-00758 Legislation.pdf
10-00758 Exhibit.pdf
10-00758 Exhibit 2.pdf
10-00758 Summary Form.pdf
10-00758 Public Notice.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Gort, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0284
Chair Sarnoff PH.3.
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Mr. Chair, PH.3 is a resolution of the
Miami City Commission approving the City ofMiami's Five -Year Public Housing Agency plan
for fiscal years 2010 to 2014 in connection with the implementation of the City's Section 8
Housing Choice Voucher program; and authorizing the City Manager to submit the plan to the
U.S. Department of HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development).
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
PH.4
10-00759
Department of
Community
Development
Chair Sam off All right. Let me open up a public hearing, gentlemen. Anyone from the public
wishing to be heard on PH.3, City ofMiami's Five -Year Public Housing PHA (Public Housing
Agency) plan for fiscal years 2010 through 2004 [sic] for the implementation and
administration of the Section 8 Housing. Anyone from the public wishing to be heard, PH 3?
Hearing none, seeing none, coming back to this Commission. Is there a motion, gentlemen?
Vice Chair Carollo: So moved.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Sam off Motion by the Vice Chair, second by Commissioner --
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Chair Sarnoff -- Gort. Any discussion? Hearing no discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off You have a unanimous vote, Madam Clerk.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") DEPARTMENT
OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME DOWN
PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM POLICIES, FOR COMMISSION
DISTRICT 1, AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS IN THE
AMOUNT OF $200,000, FROM THE DISTRICT 1 HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIP ("HOME") RESERVE ACCOUNT FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID PROGRAM; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID PROGRAM AND SAID TRANSFER OF FUNDS.
10-00759 Legislation. pdf
10-00759 Exhibit. pdf
10-00759 Summary Form.pdf
10-00759 Public Notice.pdf
10-00759 Pre-Legislation.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0285
Chair Sam off RH -- sorry -- PH.4.
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Commissioner, PH.4 is the approving of
the Department's Manufactured Home Down Payment Assistance Program Policies for
Commission District 1, as described and attached and incorporated; and authorizing the
transfer of the amount of 200, 000 from the District 1 Home Reserve Account for the
implementation of this program.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Chair Sam off All right. Let me open up a public hearing, gentlemen. Is there anyone from
the public wishing to be heard on PH.4, Department of Community Development Manufactured
Home Payment Assistance Programs [sic]. It -- this is the District 1, I believe they have the
trust for right now.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off Anyone from the public --
Mariano Cruz: Yes.
Chair Sarnoff -- wish to be heard on PH.4? Anyone. You're recognized for the --
Mr. Cruz: Anyone.
Chair Sam off -- record, Mr. Cruz.
Mr. Cruz: Mariano Cruz, 1227 Northwest 26th Street, Miami, Florida. I am also the chairman
of ABDA, Allapattah Business Development Authority. And just this morning, I went by a
house that was manufactured home just one block from my house, 1221 27th Street, and those
houses stand there good because it -- all this hurricane panel are still there. So I am for this
'cause we in ABDA, we do also affordable housing, and we have to do affordable housing not
just for Haiti. We got to start -- charity start at home, okay, here. It's a lot of people, they
losing their houses and everything and we need those money coming for us, and we make sure
that people know the availability of the money 'cause sometimes they don't know or they got the
funds there. They don't know. They are not Mariano Cruz and read the fine print with a
magnying glass with light to check everything. No. This is something good. I'm going to --
I'm glad that Commissioner Gort is doing this thing here. I am for that. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Thank you, Mr. Cruz.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you, Mariano. Having your blessing is very important.
Chair Sam off You'll be on Cruz Radio later.
Mr. Cruz: Allapattah News.
Chair Sam off Allapattah Cruz Radio.
Commissioner Gort: He's on every radio station. Every --
Chair Sam off Allapattah Cruz Radio. All right, we got the Good Housekeeping Seal of
Approval. Probably even --
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Chair Sarnoff -- has a -- well, I --
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Chair Sarnoff PH (Public Hearing) -- anybody else wish to be heard on PH.4? Hearing none,
seeing none, the public hearing is closed, coming back to the Commission.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move it.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Chair Sam off Is there a --? Motion by the Vice Chair --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sarnoff -- second by Commissioner Suarez. Any discussion, gentlemen? Hearing no
discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off You have a unanimous vote, Madam Clerk.
PH.5 RESOLUTION
10-00760
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Community ATTACHMENT(S), GRANTING MIAMI DREAM HOMES INVESTMENT
Development GROUP, INC., AN EXTENSION OF THE CONSTRUCTION
COMMENCEMENT DATE ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6020
NORTHWEST 15TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM JUNE 30, 2010 TO
JULY 1, 2011, AND AN EXTENSION OF THE CONSTRUCTION
COMPLETION DATE FROM JUNE 30, 2011 TO JUNE 30, 2012, FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A FIFTEEN (15) UNIT RENTAL PROJECT FOR LOW
AND MODERATE INCOME PERSONS, AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A",
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR SAID PURPOSE(S).
10-00760 Legislation. pdf
10-00760 Exhibit. pdf
10-00760 Summary Form.pdf
10-00760 Public Notice.pdf
10-00760 Property Information.pdf
10-00760 Letter. pdf
10-00760 Pre-Legislation.pdf
10-00760 Pre -Legislation 2.pdf
10-00760 Pre -Legislation 3.pdf
10-00760 Pre -Legislation 4.pdf
10-00760 Pre -Legislation 5.pdf
10-00760 Pre -Legislation 6.pdf
10-00760 Second Amended Deed.pdf
10-00760 Amended Deed. pdf
10-00760 Pre -Legislation 7.pdf
10-00760 Corrective Deed. pdf
10-00760 Quit -Claim Deed.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Commissioner Gort, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0286
Chair Sam off PH.5.
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Mr. Chair, PH.5 is the granting of
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
extension to Miami Dream Homes for commencement date on a property located at 6020
Northwest 15th Avenue, from June 30, 2010 to July 1, 2011; and also an extension of the
construction completion date from June 30, 2011 to June 30, 2012. This is for the development
of a 15-unit rental project. The developer is still intent on doing this project. And at this time,
the developer is maintaining the property, paying taxes on it, and we recommend the extension
of the time.
Chair Sam off All right. PH.5. I'm going to open up a public hearing, gentlemen. Anybody
from the public wishing to be heard on PH.5 -- it is the extension of the construction
commencement date for Miami Dream Homes -- please step up to the mike. You're recognized
for the record.
Grady Muhammad: Good morning, Mr. Chair. Grady Muhammad again. This is great. We
have --
Chair Sam off State your name.
Mr. Muhammad: Grady Muhammad.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Mr. Muhammad: We have to, Mr. Chair, Commissioner Dunn, bring the density back to our
community and to our residents. And our late Commissioner Teele's process is still moving
forward. Model City was the first. Little Havana Homeownership is the second. Commissioner
Gort's own now is moving forward with the District 1 Homeownership Pilot project. We have to
bring in Model City the density back because if we do not bring the density back on some of
those properties, like we did with (UNINTET,T IGIBT ,F) Africa [sic] Square Park, we will not be
able to have the residents and the people that we moved out of over -- Mr. Hardemon will be
able to speak of the number of people we moved out in this area. But I think this is a wonderful
project and we should support it. This and many other multifamily lots, instead of building
single-family homes on them, we should consider rebuilding some of those units in a better,
more less density complex. But we need to bring density back 'cause if you don't, you're taking
out voters and you're taking out your constituents. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Thank you. You're recognized for the record, Mr. Hardemon.
Roy Hardemon: Roy Hardemon, 655 North 48th Street, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Just like Mr.
Muhammad said, density is very important to our community. And this item and neither PH. 6
has came [sic] before the advisory committee from Liberty City Trust, the Liberty City Trust. It
should have been there first before it came before you all. Anything that was done in the
Liberty City target area should have came [sic] by that Trust, and it's just not happening, by
ordinance. I mean, we supposed to be the voice for the community and every -- this is the
second item that I've seen that's whizzed through this Commission without coming through that
committee. What serves the purpose if you don't use what you got? The density is very
important to our neighborhood. You know, I support the contractor to build more density, but
to keep putting single-family houses where the density suppose to been, that's unheard of and it
will impact our neighborhood businesses, which it's already done. Andl beg ofy'all to set this
back and allow the Liberty City Trust to really deal with the density and what's going on in this
neighborhood. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Thank you. You're recognized for the record.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. Once again, I need to state for the
record, if you are speaking, you must fill out a speaker sheet. We need these sheets for our
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
records. You're supposed to fill them out before you get to the podium. Please do not leave the
building without the speaker sheets being filled out. Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right, you're recognized for the record.
Jumel Calixte: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Jumel Calixte, andl live in 772 --
I mean, 8271 Northeast 2nd Court, Miami, Florida, in Little Haiti. Well, the reason why I'm
here, you know, there is a lot of project going on in the City, which the residents don't know
what's really going on, especially in Little Haiti. And I'm urging the Commissioner, especially
District 5, to, you know, go in the community to spread the words 'cause I, myself, you know,
was, you know, driving around in Little Haiti, I see a lot of empty houses and --
Chair Sam off Mr. Calixte, are you hear to speak on PH.5?
Mr. Calixte: Yes, sir. But --
Chair Sam off Okay. Can you confine your comments to whether you support PH.5?
Mr. Calixte: Well, sir, like I said, we in Little Haiti need a fair share of the pie also because,
like I said, a lot of resident don't know what's going on whenever there is a --
Chair Sam off Your comments --
Mr. Calixte: -- especially housing.
Chair Sam off -- are not directed to PH.5. Your comments are directed to a more general
category. That -- if you want to have a discussion item on that, you're more than welcome to
petition the Manager, you're more than welcome to petition my office, and you can have a
discussion item on generally how things are going in Little Haiti.
Mr. Calixte: Well --
Chair Sam off This -- let me finish.
Mr. Calixte: Go ahead.
Chair Sam off This is about PH.5. If you're not going to confine your comments to PH.5,
you're not going to be recognized any longer.
Mr. Calixte: Well, I understand, sir. But like I said, we are hungry for housing in Little Haiti.
Chair Sam off Okay. And I'm going to cut --
Mr. Calixte: There is a lot of residents who's --
Chair Sam off -- you off if you're not going to discuss PH.5. I understand you have a different
issue, and I'm giving you a solution to that issue. It is not right now.
Mr. Calixte: Well, like I said, I support, you know, this project. But like I said --
Chair Sam off Then you support PH. 5?
Mr. Calixte: Yes, I do. But like I said --
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Chair Sam off And you also want to talk about some --?
Mr. Calixte: -- I -- my question included Little Haiti.
Chair Sam off I understand.
Mr. Calixte: That is my question, because I'm here to represent my community.
Chair Sam off I understand, sir.
Mr. Calixte: Like I said, we have a lot of problem in Little Haiti --
Chair Sam off All right.
Mr. Calixte: -- especially housing.
Mr. Calixte: I'm going to thank you for your comments, and I'm going to thank you for your
comments on PH.5.
Mr. Calixte: Okay, sir. Like I said, I'm --
Chair Sam off And if you want to speak about Little Haiti, you can petition the Manager, you
can petition my office to have a more general conversation.
Mr. Calixte: Oh, yeah, I'll do that. But like I said, whenever I have an opportunity to speak --
Chair Sam off Thank you.
Mr. Calixte: -- for Little Haiti --
Chair Sam off Thank you.
Mr. Calixte: -- I will do that.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record, sir.
Al Hardemon: Yeah. Good morning. My name is Al Hardemon. My address is 655 Northwest
48th Street, Miami, Florida. I can appreciate Miami Dream Home [sic] building these 15
units, but that is not what this resolution is about. It's a extension of time. What has been
asked of them is to give them another year for commencement. There's something wrong that a
construction company or a development company is not ready. If you are requesting funding,
then you should be ready regardless of who you are or what you want to do. I commend what
they wanted to do, but this can't be allowed, these extensions. Someone has to put their foot
down. Either staff get with these developers or someone because it's not serving the City. It's
draining the City's budget.
Chair Sam off You're questioning whether they have the capability, I take it, because they're
asking for a one-year extension?
Mr. Hardemon: Any developer that will ask --
Chair Sam off Fair enough.
Mr. Hardemon: -- for an extension --
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Chair Sam off Let's get your answer.
Mr. Hardemon: Yes.
Chair Sam off That's a fair question.
Mr. Hardemon: That's my concern
Chair Sam off That's a -- and your laser beam exactly on the issue, so let's hear from Mr.
Mensah. Why should we give a one-year extension? What are the capabilities of this
developer? And why do they need a full year? Why not six months? Why not three months?
Mr. Mensah: The answer is very simple. This developer was provided about ten lots some time
ago by the City Commission. At that time, we didn't have the same restrictions that we have
now. So the lots were already provided to the developer. The developer has ownership of these
lots. The developer built six units of single family. He concentrated on building the single
family ones. He completed them. He has another project that he's building right now, which
you will see in PH 6, which he's (UNINTET,TIGIBT,F). It's about 95 -- 97 percent complete.
And so this is the last piece of the whole project that this developer is working on. So we allow
him one year to complete this project on PH.6 and then to start this project on PH 5. One year
because of the fact that we all know that in today's market, getting financing is a little difficult,
so we are giving him the ability to be able to get all his financing together.
Chair Sam off Mr. Mensah. I think the question asked of you, why give the man a year.
Mr. Mensah: Because we think that in a year, it's a better time frame than six months.
Chair Sam off What do you anticipate happening in a year?
Mr. Mensah: I anticipate him being able to get all the financing together. He has the
financing left, about $500,000 that he has left to finish the financing, so I think that in a year
he should be able to do that.
Chair Sam off Why not six months?
Mr. Mensah: If that is the will of the Commission. I provided --
Chair Sarnoff I'm asking you. You're making a recommendation to this --
Mr. Mensah: My recommendation is one year because I think it gives enough time.
Chair Sam off So in my estimation in the private industry that I'm in, a year means you
anticipate something changing, not the man ability to do something.
Mr. Mensah: Well, a year is enough -- because you know that in most -- this project has to get
financing from government basically to make it end. In most government, financing is a year
that we use.
Chair Sam off Okay. That's --
Mr. Mensah: So if he gets six months, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Chair Sam off -- a good answer.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Chair Sarnoff That's a good answer. That's all you had to say. Now you --
Mr. Mensah: I have to think deep.
Chair Sam off There you go. You just quieted down the Chairman. That's good. You're
recognized.
Commissioner Gort: Question. My understanding is in reading this, he has several agencies
providing financing. It's not only the City ofMiami.
Mr. Mensah: No. Actually, initially the City didn't even have any financing in this. He has
financing from the County --
Commissioner Gort: From the County.
Mr. Mensah: -- from private developer, and then he --
Commissioner Gort: SHIP (State Housing Initiative Program) and --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record, Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: Did I not understand you initially in your opening statements indicate
that he had been paying the taxes and different --?
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay. So he's --
Mr. Mensah: He's been paying the taxes. He's been keeping the --
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Mr. Mensah: -- property clean.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay. I'm pretty comfortable with giving him that extension.
Chair Sam off All right. Let me close the public hearing. The public hearing on PH.5 is now
closed, coming back to this Commission. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Dunn: So moved.
Commissioner Gort: Move.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Dunn, second by Commissioner --
City ofMiami Page 26 Printed on 8/10/2010
City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Commissioner Gort: Gort.
Chair Sam -- Gort. Thank you. I had a brain fart. Thank you. Any further discussion,
gentlemen? Hearing none, all in favor, please say "aye."
Commissioner Gort: Aye.
Commissioner Dunn: Aye.
Chair Sam All right. Unanimous vote. PH. 6 --
Vice Chair Carollo: Aye.
Ms. Thompson: I think you need to do that one -- I'm sorry. I think you need to recast that
vote.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Chair Sam All right. We have a motion and we have a second. All in favor, please say
"aye."
Commissioner Dunn: Aye.
Commissioner Gort: Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Aye.
Chair Sam Aye. We have a unanimous vote on four.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you.
Ms. Thompson: No. Actually, we have a four --
Chair Sam Right, four. Was he here too?
Commissioner Suarez: Aye.
Chair Sam Let's do it again.
Commissioner Gort: Call it again.
Chair Sam Let's try it again. We have a motion by Commissioner Dunn, we have a second
by the man I now remember, Commissioner Gort. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sarnoff Five out of five.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sarnoff I don't know if we're the dream team anymore.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
PH.6
10-00761
Department of
Community
Development
Commissioner Suarez: I'm just getting my updates on the LeBron status.
Chair Sam off Are you LeBron or are you --?
Commissioner Suarez: No, no, no, no, no. I'm not --
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: Well, has he signed yet?
Commissioner Suarez: Find out tonight at 9.
Chair Sam off Let me tell you something. The glass is now more than half full.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), GRANTING MIAMI DREAM HOMES INVESTMENT
GROUP, INC., AN EXTENSION OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE
CONSTRUCTION AND CONVEY TO THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BUILDING PROJECT LOCATED AT 1525 NORTHWEST
60TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A",
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, FROM JUNE 30, 2010 TO DECEMBER
30, 2010; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR SAID PURPOSE(S).
10-00761 Legislation. pdf
10-00761 Exhibit.pdf
10-00761 Summary Form.pdf
10-00761 Public Notice.pdf
10-00760 Letter. pdf
10-00761 Pre-Legislation.pdf
10-00761 Pre -Legislation 2.pdf
10-00761 Pre -Legislation 3.pdf
10-00761 Pre -Legislation 4.pdf
10-00761 Pre -Legislation 5.pdf
10-00761 Pre -Legislation 6.pdf
10-00761 Second Amended Deed.pdf
10-00761 Amended Deed.pdf
10-00761 Pre -Legislation 7.pdf
10-00761 Corrective Deed. pdf
10-00761 Quit -Claim Deed.pdf
10-00761 Property Information. pdf
10-00761 Pictures.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0287
Chair Sam off All right, PH. 6.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
PH.7
10-00762
Department of
Community
Development
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Mr. Chair, PH.6 is extending to Miami
Dream Homes six months, from June 30, 2010 to December 30, 2010, to be able to complete
the project known as CD (Community Development) Building. This is a seven -unit property
that will be used for HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS).
Chair Sam off This is for HOPWA?
Mr. Mensah: Yes, Commissioner.
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Chair Sam off Okay. All right, P -- let me open up a public hearing, gentlemen. PH.6. Is
there anyone wishing to speak on granting Miami Homes Investment Group an extension of
time to complete the construction of what appears to be HOPWA-related building or, I should
say, residency? Anyone wishing to hear -- be -- speak on PH.6? Public hearing is now closed,
coming back to this Commission. Is there a motion, gentlemen?
Commissioner Dunn: So moved.
Vice Chair Carollo: So moved. Second.
Chair Sam off We have a motion by Commissioner Dunn, second by the Vice Chair. Any
discussion? Hearing no discussion, all in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off You have a unanimous vote, Madam Clerk.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY")
NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT
#2008.3 AND THE REVISED IMPLEMENTATION POLICIES, AS DESCRIBED
IN EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT THE CITY'S AMENDED ANNUAL ACTION
PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
10-00762 Legislati on. pdf
10-00762 Exhibit. pdf
10-00762 Exhibit 2.pdf
10-00762 Summary Form.pdf
10-00762 Public Notice.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Gort, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Suarez and Dunn II
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff
Note for the Record: Item PH.7 was deferred to the City Commission meeting currently
scheduled for July 22, 2010.
Chair Sam off PH.7.
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George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Commissioner, PH.7 is a resolution -- is
the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) approving the City of Miami's Neighborhood Stabilization Program
substantial amendment, and I'm happy to say this is the last substantial amendment that will be
coming to you, and also the revised implementation policies. And this -- attached and
incorporated -- is to provide and to submit the -- to allow the Manager to submit the City's
amended Annual Action Plan for fiscal year 2008-2009 to US HUD (Department of Housing
and Urban Development) for review and approval.
Chair Sarnoff All right, let me open a public hearing. Anyone from the public wishing to be
heard on PH.7, the Neighborhood Stabilization Program substantial amendment? You are now
recognized for the record.
Al Hardemon: Yes. My name again, Al Hardemon, address 655 Northwest 48th Street. Again,
I'm questioning the fairness of the entire Neighborhood Stabilization Program. When the City
had the opportunity to have this type of funds and not to see the taxes that it should have
generated by now on projects, in my opinion the money was dispersed fairly to these groups,
CD, the Community Development organizations, or whatever. But what I haven't seen -- and I
will continue to speak on this -- is results. Results does [sic] not be restricted to a district. If
the City is giving any money from here on, I will wish this board to put on notice the recipient
of the money that this will be result -oriented. This amount of money -- with the deficits that we
are facing, there should be some happy stories coming out of this project. I haven't heard one
happy story yet. Again, someone -- andl really appreciate the way Commissioner Dunn has
stepped to the plate requiring performance. Let us no longer take this program, if you can -- in
your amendment, let it be known to those recipients that it should now -- should be
results -oriented because we are tied to whatever. That's fine. But that dirt should not be like it
is. There should be results. We cannot no longer afford to not make profit from something that
was given to us, 'cause you won't get it again. This is the second time around.
Chair Sam off Thank you. Anybody else wishing to be heard on PH.7, please step up.
Grady Muhammad: Mr. Chair, Grady Muhammad. I'm hopeful because this -- with federal
funds, that we protect residents and those units that are used to purchase the properties. 721
and 741 Northwest 46 -- 56th Street was given almost one point -- $1, 865, 000 July -- June 18.
They've now given everyone in the building three-day notices. They closed on the building
about two weeks ago. The City just gave them 1.865 million. They just gave everybody in the
building three-day notices. I'm a tenant in the building. That's how I know. So how are we
now under the Real Property -- Real [sic] Uniform Relocation Act of 1970 supposed to be
protected, but now we're already getting three-day notice to be evicted, and the City just gave
them the money less than a month ago. The City would be --
Mr. Mensah: Commissioner --
Mr. Muhammad: -- liable --
Mr. Mensah: Mr. Chair, you want me to answer that question?
Chair Sam off I'm going to let him finish, then I'm going to let you respond.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Mr. Muhammad: The City would be liable if -- and we're working with Legal Services because,
again, I talked to Ms. Mary Johnson, one of the principals. She said we gave everybody
three-day notices so they can go get help from the Hand program and all of that stuff to be
able to get assistance to get the rent paid. That's what Ms. Mary Johnson told me yesterday.
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So again, I'm just putting on the record what are we going to do to ensure federal funds are
protected, the residents are protected? And what I've heard previously, Liberty City Trust was
given assistance. Liberty City Trust is supposed to be doing business facility development, not
helping to find housing. I thought that would be the City ofMiami Homeless Program and
they've never contacted. But again, I'm hopeful the residents will not be evicted on a
capricious or arbitrary decision and the City just gave them the money, Mr. Chair and
Commissioners. Thanks.
Chair Sam off You're recognized, Mr. Mensah.
Mr. Mensah: Mr. Chair, the speaker is mentioning a regulation called Uniform Residential
Relocation Act which requires that if any federal funds is used in any project, that low-income
residents be protected and ensure that low-income residents are not unduly displaced. One of
the things that we did with any project that -- especially with NSP (Neighborhood Stabilization
Program) funds, was to ensure that any project that we funded, there's no displacement; and
therefore, we only funded projects that have the ability to move residents from one unit to
another unit. The same Uniform Relocation Act also indicate that -- use the word bona fide
residents, and bona fide residents is someone who pays their rent on a regular basis. The
Uniform Relocation Act does not give protection to any resident who lives in a building that
decides not to pay rent, and therefore, the -- if anyone -- because the federal government
money is being put in that building, if somebody for some reason is not able to pay rent, the
requirement is that we try to get assistance for that person, irrespective of whether we provide
federal funds or not. So if the landlord is seeking assistance for these individuals who are in
their building that cannot pay rent, that is the right thing to do. That is what they should be
doing. And the thing is that the HOPWA program provides you to have a three-day notice if
you can't pay your rent and then they will help you pay your rent. Hopefully, by the -- at the
end of the six -months [sic] period (UNINTELLIGIBLE) program, that they will be able to have
a job and then they will be able to pay rent. You cannot expect any landlord, even if you give
them government funds, to have tenants in their building that cannot pay rent. That is not
possible. I don't think that is what the federal funds are supposed to be used for. And there are
other funds that are used for that purpose, but not NSP funds. I just wanted to put that for the
record.
Chair Sam off All right.
Mr. Muhammad: Again, no assistance have been offered, as he stated, should be. The City has
Hand money --
Chair Sam off Okay, we're not --
Mr. Muhammad: No problem, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off -- going to have a colloquy.
Mr. Muhammad: We don't need a colloquy, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Your point is -- I'm not sure your point is directed to PH --
Mr. Muhammad: It's PH.7, sir.
Chair Sarnoff -- 7. But you know what, you're as close as you're going to get from me. He
answered your question. It's not qualified That grant is not susceptible. That's what I heard
you say. The grant is not susceptible to what you want.
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Mr. Muhammad: The grant was used -- NSP dollars was used to purchase the property, Mr.
Chairman.
Chair Sam off I -- he -- look, if you're listening to what he said, he said it cannot be used to
give assistance for rent.
Mr. Mensah: No.
Mr. Muhammad: No, sir. I'm not -- I understand that. I'm speaking -- the NSP money was
given two weeks ago. They've now given a three-day notice to every tenant --
Chair Sarnoff Was NSP --
Mr. Muhammad: -- in the building.
Chair Sam off -- money given to this particular place?
Mr. Mensah: The NSP money was used to purchase the property -- a foreclosed property.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Mr. Muhammad: This was foreclosed property. NSP money was used to purchase and it's
going to be used to rehab.
Chair Sam off I got you.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off Understood.
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Chair Sam off Now you understand?
Mr. Muhammad: Mr. Chair, I live in the building, so of course I understand. Again, the
three-day -- they just purchased the property less than two weeks ago.
Commissioner Gort: This is not foreclosure property.
Mr. Mensah: Look, can you --?
Mr. Muhammad: Now everyone in the building has been given a three-day notice to move,
everyone in the building. Now you -- two weeks ago, you just gave them the funding under --
well, Uniform Relocation Act, you cannot now evict these people out of the building. The City
has funding, as he's saying, to assist the tenants that are there and in three to six months later,
but the City has offered no help. The City has just gave (UNINTELLIGIBLE) money to
purchase a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) now evicting the tenants and you can't do that, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to let you have a conversation with
him on the side.
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Chair Sam off If you want to come back and further discuss not this issue, but the issue
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attendant to your particular residents, I'll let you speak.
Mr. Muhammad: Yes, sir, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off All right? You'll work with him?
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off All right.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record, Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: This, of course, concerns me because I do know -- and I'm not quite
clear, and I just need a little bit more clarification because inadvertently, they'll be
bombarding my door when this happens, good, bad or indifferent. Andl do kind of understand
this NSB [sic], andl agree with Mr. Hardemon in terms of -- andl think that's been the tone
and tenor of this Commission in terms of accountability, in terms of getting results. Help me
understand this. People who are living previously, such as yourself Grady, in a [sic]
apartment building, the apartment building is already in foreclosure.
Mr. Mensah: It's been foreclosed.
Commissioner Dunn: Right, right. Hold on, hold on. Now the NSB [sic] funds are now given
to a new owner.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: How do you differentiate or determine who was paying rent and who
wasn't paying rent prior to that with the new owner? From what I heard Mr. Muhammad say,
he just gave everybody --
Mr. Mensah: I --
Commissioner Dunn: -- a three-day. Andl know that's a -- probably a larger issue, but it does
have some validity in terms of -- because the people who were previously living in under the old
owner are in this foreclosed property. Now the question --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Commissioner Dunn: There are a lot of questions. Were they in the building --
Mr. Mensah: Legally.
Commissioner Dunn: -- legitimately or legally? That's number one. We got to address that.
Putting everything on the table.
Mr. Muhammad: Of course.
Commissioner Dunn: Number two, did the new owner give them an opportunity -- andl think
that's what -- 'cause a three-day notice is not a whole lot of time to get hit with all of a sudden,
especially now that you're the recipient of the NSB [sic] funding. So I think that at some point,
it has to be addressed because inadvertently, you're going to have displaced people, homeless
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people, and guess what, they're going to be knocking on my door. So I need some
understanding --
Mr. Mensah: Commissioner --
Commissioner Dunn: -- with that. Am I clear?
Chair Sam off Go ahead.
Mr. Mensah: Commissioner, I can privately talk to you about this project, but I can assure you
that there is no intentional displacement going on. We have a lawyer who is involved in this
project because of the fact that we want to make sure that things are done right, and therefore,
there's a legal -- a lawyer who is vested in the HUD regulations who is assisting the owner to
ensure that everything is done. As to the three-day notice that he's talking about, this is the
first I'm hearing this, and therefore, what I'm going to do is I'm going to go back and talk to the
lawyer, which we deal with, to see if it's indeed the case. I only say the fact that sometimes in
any development, including affordable housing development, there's -- there are times when
you have individuals who decide not to pay rent. When individuals decide not to pay rent or
cannot pay rent because they don't have the income to pay rent, our responsibility is to assist
them to be able to pay rent, and one of the assistance is through the Hand program that he
mentioned, and that is how they're able to pay their rent.
Commissioner Dunn: One more, Mr. Chairman, ifI may? Listen, there have been cases where
I know people when they notice that under the previous owner, the building was in foreclosure
and the owner or the manager was still collecting rent, the previous. What is the record -- how
can we determine the record of whether or not that previous owner was getting rent? Now, all
of a sudden, this new owner comes in. What is a fair and reasonable amount of time for that
owner to give to those previous residents who may have been paying rent?
Mr. Mensah: Okay. I can answer that question.
Chair Sam off Let me -- let Commissioner Gort. I think he has something --
Commissioner Gort: I think -- my understanding is three-day notice is something you give to
the individual, but it sometimes takes sixth months --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: -- because they'll have to go through the process, and they have legal
representative -- legal service representing them. My understanding is a three-day notice is
something that have to be done legally, but that three-day notice doesn't mean they have to get
out in three days. A lot of times they stay there for three, four, six months 'cause they have to
go through a procedure, they have to go in front of a judge, and then the judge makes a
decision.
Commissioner Dunn: That's true. One last -- but sometimes I think some of the residents, they
panic when they get that three-day notice, and I guess they just need to be educated that they
still have a certain amount of time.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sarnoff You're recognized, the Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. A question to the director, by when does this need to be
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approved?
Mr. Mensah: Today.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm reading here that there's a September 9 deadline.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: So why couldn't it be approved in July 22? Andl don't know --
Mr. Mensah: Because --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- what the rest of my colleagues think, but if we had a little bit of extra
time to answer all these questions and sit with you because you obviously know that --
Mr. Mensah: This particular --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- I have more questions.
Mr. Mensah: -- project is very different. But in terms of -- September 9 is the deadline to
spend, to commit all the monies. This -- when you approve it, it goes to HUD; HUD takes time,
review it and approve it before we can commit any of these dollars. So if we move it to July 22
and HUD, for some reason, takes longer than usual to approve it, then by the time -- we won't
have enough time until September 9 to commit all the funds. That's the reason why we brought
it here today. And also, we also have to have 30 days advertising notice, and this has already
been advertised for 30 days -- I'm sorry, 15 days on this particular item.
Chair Sarnoff All right. We obviously have to deal with it. Commissioner Suarez, you're
recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions on this item. And
Mr. Mensah, we met before.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Andl know that you're trying to spend this money in the best way
possible, but I received information today, this morning, that troubles me.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: Andl didn't have an opportunity to sit with you. I would have otherwise
done it, you know, in that fashion. I'm not -- that's -- it's not my style to call anybody out on the
carpet or anything like that. But of the four strategies, of strategy B, strategy E, strategy C,
and strategy D --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- of which we have of the total available amount of $12 million,
approximately 80.3 percent committed, dedicated -- obligated is word that they use in this --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- pamphlet. Can you answer to me how much of that is being spent in
District 4?
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Mr. Mensah: I don't have --
Commissioner Suarez: Can you give me a dollar amount, please?
Mr. Mensah: -- the break out here so I'll not be able to answer it right now. But what I've
asked (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- when I go back, I'll be able to put together -- these funds are
being used for a couple of things, some of them including demolition. And for demolition, I
know that there are projects -- buildings in your district that are part of the house -- properties
to be demolished. Properties to be purchased or properties to be used, I'm not sure. I'll have
to go back. But I just wanted to remind you that in two year -- last -- a year and a half ago
when this plan was put together and approved, HUD gave us the initial areas of greatest needs,
which is what HUD uses in making the determination of where to use these funds. It did not
include most part of District 4. It did not include -- it included mostly District 5 and District 1,
some part of District 3, and a very small part of District 2, but most were in -- most of District
4 was not included. Now, last year, I believe in December, we came back to the Commission.
We revamped the whole thing, and what we did was that we used different methodology that
HUD had given us and then came up with allowing most of the City to be able to qualify under
this strategy. And what we did was that we put an RFP (Request for Proposals) together that
was out there, and every developer and every individual that is in the City had the ability to be
able to come and get any of these funds. It even included us purchasing space on a bus. That
goes through the entire City, including District 4, telling people that we have funds available to
purchase foreclosed property. That did not yield any result. So what we succumb to do is to be
able to give the funds to the properties that came forward, and they just happen to be in some
districts that do have those projects available. That is the reason. But I will give you the
information. I don't have it right now.
Commissioner Suarez: I think -- Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Chair Sam off Oh, please, colloquy.
Commissioner Suarez: -- I feel a little bit like the Vice Chairman with the parks issue here on
this particular item because I'm looking at it -- at the attachments that were given to me by
your office this morning.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: On strategy B and on strategy E, I see zero dollars dedicated to District
4 or going to District 4. On strategy C, I see zero dollars dedicated to District 4 or going to
District 4. And on strategy D, which is demolition, I see zero dollars being dedicated to or
going to District 4. So I have a little bit of a hard time voting in favor of this item when it
doesn't appear to me that under any of the strategies that we would be shifting the money to
and adopting -- there's any kind of possibility that any of that money is going to be used in
District 4. And so I would be in favor of what the Vice Chairman is requesting, even given the
risks involved because I really have nothing to lose in this particular case.
Chair Sam off Could -- would you yield for a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Sure.
Chair Sam off Let me ask you a question, because I want to take this conversation to a slightly
different level.
Mr. Mensah: Yes, Commissioner.
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Chair Sarnoff And I've talked to you about this and I've gotten no traction on it. Forgive me
for my lack of education or lack of HUD knowledge or lack of HUD procedures. It seems to me
that we, as a political body, should reward people who pay their mortgage, as difficult and
onerous as it is. People who actually get up in the morning, go to work; whether they made a
good deal with their bank or a bad deal, they do the labor necessary, the sweat equity that they
put into it, and they pay for their home; where the person directly next door to them has made a
voluntary choice to let their home go.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off And what happens is a home that I may have paid -- I have homes in my
neighborhood that are worth a million dollars, and right next door to them somebody may have
overpaid, may not have overpaid, but decided to walk away. So essentially, I have a bank
property. And the person who is paying taxes to the City ofMiami -- and you may not like the
guy that has that million -dollar home because you know what? He's a rich guy, and nobody
likes rich guys. But you know what his tax payment is, $27, 000 dollars a year. And he's living
next door to a home -- I'll give you an example. Right on the water, 1132 Northeast 84th
Street, two homes abandoned in a row. One of them -- and you'll see this in my pocket item.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off -- the entire roof has collapsed and fallen into a canal. Now this is waterfront
property. I asked Mr. Mensah, and I've been asking him all along, I want to reward neighbors
who pay their mortgages so that we, as a city -- I don't think we ever belong crossing a person's
threshold, meaning we don't belong going inside the door of anyone's home, but what we can do
with, I think, some of this NSP money is stabilize a neighborhood so that these foreclosed
homes or homes in foreclosure -- and Commissioner Suarez, part of my pocket item will also
show that we do have an ordinance that when we spend any amount of money, we get dollar for
dollar back should we be successful holding up the constitutionality of it. But think about this.
Walk through your neighborhoods. If you have a block and on that block there are four homes
in foreclosure -- and think about what they look like. They usually look like the grass is
growing. Worst -case scenario, the doors are opened; people are living in there. Really bad
case scenario: the roof is collapsed. Unsafe structures. Even I don't have an answer why it's
not an unsafe structure, but I'm sure this City has a reason somewhere, somehow, someway how
a roof that has collapsed and fallen into a canal is still a safe structure. I'm sure there's an
engineer that will tell me it is because that's what they do. But my point of this whole
conversation is why don't we stabilize the neighborhood not by purchasing or assisting in the
purchasing of the home, but why don't we spread what we have as far as we can so that his
district, my district, everyone's district here can have unkept homes kept. And he's right, we
pass an ordinance -- I get to say something now I'm proud of -- predating you that we did right,
and we can literally pre-empt the bank who has the mortgage under our law and foreclose, and
then he has a great choice to make. Am I going to make that a pocket park or do I put that out
to bid because the house is just damn good enough? I don't understand why we're not -- andl
can't tell you NSP was intended for this.
Mr. Mensah: No. Commissioner, it was intended exactly for what you just mentioned. The
NSP program is called the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and the idea is that we use
these funds to purchase foreclosed abandoned properties, such as similar to the one that you
just mentioned. If you purchase it, you rehab it, you put somebody in there who's not going to
pay taxes, and then the next -door neighbor will be happy because you don't have that eyesore.
That is what NSP was all about. But as -- and I'm sure you are aware of this -- all federal
programs are, they give you a very good tool, but they also restrict you and say that you know
what? This is a very good tool. However, we only interested in certain neighborhoods. We are
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interested in neighborhoods that meets such characteristics. So you go ahead, you put these
things together, and then you send it to them. They'll review it and then they approve it. Now,
ifI spend any money in an area that they deem not eligible, I'll be coming here in front of you
telling you, Commissioner, I'm sorry.
Chair Sarnoff So your point is most of our neighborhoods that are the more middle-class
neighborhoods are not eligible for this NSP?
Mr. Mensah: Yes. But I have a caveat for you and that caveat --
Chair Sam off What a missed opportunity by the President. But go ahead.
Mr. Mensah: And the caveat is that our regular CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)
program under what is called Spot Slum -- is it called Spot Blight Reasons. We can come and
use our funds to demolish the property or to make the property that you just mentioned. That is
spot. And before I can do that, I have to show that all the neighborhoods is [sic] good. This
particular property is an eyesore in the neighborhood and is bringing the neighborhood down.
Andl have to prove by statistics. I have to prove by pictures, andl have to have it in my files
so that when I use those funds, then HUD will say I used it well. However, I can only use those
funds if Unsafe Structures condemn the building and the City Attorney's Office tells us that it is
okay for us to -- for the City to go ahead and use our fund on that property. So we might have
the end money available, but we can't do that unless we have all the --
Chair Sam off So I'm walking away -- and I'm going to yield to Commissioner Gort -- but I'm
walking away from this conversation with you being told that sorry, Commissioner Suarez, your
folks are just too damn affluent. Sorry, Commissioner Sarnoff 98 percent of your folks are just
too damn affluent. And the rest of you guys -- andl mean that respectfully -- are eligible,
right? Is that what I'm walking away hearing?
Mr. Mensah: No. I don't --
Chair Sarnoff No.
Mr. Mensah: -- think you should away from that.
Chair Sam off Am I getting that wrong?
Mr. Mensah: In a way, yes.
Chair Sam off I'll yield to Commissioner Gort. He always gets it right.
Commissioner Gort: No. My understanding is the home you talk about, that you want
somebody to move in there, my understanding they have income requirement. In other words,
they have to have certain level of income, the person that goes into that home.
Chair Sarnoff But I'm understanding --
Commissioner Gort: I don't know if they'll be able to pay the taxes and the insurance and all
that on those homes.
Chair Sam off Right. But I'm understanding he's talking about a census tract, am I right, that
-- 2
Mr. Mensah: We use census tracts, yes.
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Chair Sarnoff So it's not just the person, but it's the neighborhood.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Mr. Mensah: There is --
Chair Sam off So that's something we can't change.
Commissioner Gort: No.
Chair Sam off Right. Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, thank you. Two things. I think one thing that I took
from the conversation was I think you still have the ability to do a lot -- a spot.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: And regardless of the neighborhood, correct?
Mr. Mensah: Yes. That's correct.
Commissioner Suarez: In other words, if the spot itself, which I think is precisely --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: -- what you're describing -- in a nice neighborhood --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- you have a property that looks like it doesn't even belong in the worst
neighborhood.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Then you have the ability -- and let me tell you, with the technology that
we have today, there really -- there's really no excuse because with my iPhone, I can show you
a building that we demolished in my district -- not with these funds --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: -- andl videotaped it.
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: You know, so you can videotape things. You can take pictures of thing.
You can do all kinds of things to document --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah, which is what we're doing. I mean, I -- in conversation with the Chair --
actually, I started researching this after I had a meeting with the Chair -- with the Chairman
and because of that, we're putting together a procedure on how to do something like this, and
that will allow us to be able to set aside funds for such purposes. Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: But --
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Commissioner Gort: They changed it to do that.
Commissioner Suarez: -- that's what I'm saying. Mr. Mensah, I think you kind of hit the nail
on the head with the last statement that you made, which is if this can be done and we have 20
percent of our money unallocated and there is certainly a need in District 2, there's certainly a
need, I could tell you, in District 4 -- I'm about to get right now the list of abandoned properties
which are registered.
Vice Chair Carollo: Three also, for the record.
Commissioner Suarez: District 3 as well, who only --
Commissioner Gort: One.
Commissioner Suarez: -- I think, has one or two.
Commissioner Gort: One has a lot.
Commissioner Suarez: District 1 has a lot of them and -- right. So --
Commissioner Gort: And 5.
Commissioner Suarez: -- the question -- so my thing is -- so perfect -- we have the dream team
up here and we're all in agreement that this is a big issue. And my question to you is why isn't
this one of the options, one of the strategies?
Mr. Mensah: Well, it is. We allocated $700, 000 for demolition.
Chair Sam off How do we make it -- how do we convince you that three of us, maybe four of us
and maybe even five of us sitting here believe this should be our primary objective?
Mr. Mensah: No.
Chair Sam off And if you're saying because HUD regulations won't allow us, just tell us.
Mr. Mensah: No. Commissioner, you can direct us to say that, because we've used most of the
other strategies in District 5 and obviously District 1. You can direct us and say that with the
$700,000 on demolition, we want you to concentrate mostly on District 2, 3 and --
Chair Sam off I'm not saying that. I'm hying to say something different. What amount --
here's what I have. Total allocated, $12, 063, 702. Total obligated to date, $7,144, 251. Just
because it's obligated doesn't mean it's been spent, right?
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off Okay. Total obligated by 7 -- you have to have it all done by July 31. So -- I'm
looking for my Vice Chair, who's really good with math -- I have about five million something
dollars left, right?
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off Why couldn't this Commission say to you, damnit, George, we want you to fix
neighborhoods and we want you to reward people who pay their mortgages.
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Mr. Mensah: If you --
Chair Sarnoff And if we're awarding -- let me finish, just 'cause I got the Chair.
Mr. Mensah: Yes, sir.
Chair Sam off Just because we want the people who pay their mortgages to -- their house is
next door to look like their mortgages are getting paid too. They may not be, but they look like
that. And then he'll learn that we did something right as a Commission years -- two years ago,
and every dollar you spend there we're then going to go to Madam City Attorney and hold a
sort of Damocles over her head and say foreclose. And then Bank of America's going to say,
wait a minute. I got the first mortgage. And then she's going to go to the Third DCA (District
Court of Appeals) at some point and argue the constitutionality how we can prime Bank of
America. You know what Bank of America's going to do? They're going to fix that property
real fast and they're going to reimburse him for the amount of money he spent on this property.
And if they don't, he has a great choice to make, which is nobody bids on the property; it's his
property; he can have a pocket park. Or he could say I have an affordable housing project, or
he comes up with a strategy that satisfies him.
Mr. Mensah: Commissioner, that can easily be done. I think what I'm looking for from the
Commission is exactly what type of activities. I'll mention one activity, which is demolition
activity, which is eligible, which you already allocated funding for. What type of activity are
you looking for? Because we have -- one of the activities we have is also purchase of
properties. If --
Chair Sarnoff Here's what I'm looking for --
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Chair Sarnoff -- and they could either back me or not back me.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Chair Sam off I don't care what a person's income is. I only care that there is a spot blighted
house, home, property, and the neighborhood essentially is a good neighborhood, andl want
that neighborhood, I thought, stabilized. Andl want to reward the people who are paying their
property taxes, who are paying their mortgages so they feel like their prop -- their
neighborhood is symmetrical, the same, everybody has a certain standard. It -- this may not be
the most populous or popular thing to say --
Mr. Mensah: No. I --
Chair Sarnoff -- and maybe it is in some ways. I mean, I just want to reward those who labor.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair, I can support something like that. I don't know if you
remember, yesterday, in an analogous type of way, I was sharing with you my concerns about
the micro business loan.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
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Commissioner Dunn: And you talked about -- and you helped me -- you clarified for me that
the initial one that has already been approved by this Commission would only assist business
owners who fit in the poverty --
Mr. Mensah: Guideline.
Commissioner Dunn: -- structure.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: And my concern to you was -- I think you will appreciate this, Mr. Chair
-- we have some business owners who are not -- who will not fit in that poverty criteria but need
assistance and who have struggled to maintain their business. And you came up with a solution
Mr. Mensah: Yes
Commissioner Dunn: -- where we can -- where we could assist both.
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Commissioner Dunn: So I think that's what I hear and I support that. We want -- in other
words, yes, District 5 has a -- probably a disproportionate amount of housing that's in
foreclosure or whatever or need to be demolished, et cetera, but we want the entire City to be
stabilized.
Mr. Mensah: Yes. What I'm -- Mr. Chair, what I'm -- the difficulty I'm finding is, as you know
we deal with actual activities, and neighborhood stabilization is composed of a series of
activities that you can do. Some activities are ineligible; other activities are eligible.
Chair Sam off Let me -- 'cause I'm told I have to get this done by 12. Let me ask you this
question, and then I'm going to yield to Commissioner Suarez. Is it possible for you to
reallocate the approximate $5 million that you have not spent --
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Chair Sam off -- toward what this Commission seems to be indicating it wants? Is that
possible?
Mr. Mensah: Yes, very possible.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record, Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll try to make it brief. I just was passed a
note that -- and please, correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Mensah -- under the December 2009
amendment to the NSP that we passed, the area of greatest needs was expanded to include most
of the City, including --
Mr. Mensah: That's correct.
Commissioner Suarez: -- most of District 4.
Mr. Mensah: That's correct.
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Commissioner Suarez: So --
Mr. Mensah: That's what said So what said was that there was --
Commissioner Gort: They made that change.
Mr. Mensah: We made a change because of the fact that we weren't able to -- this money was
not being spent.
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Mr. Mensah: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So we made a change so that every -- most part of the
district -- most part of City would be eligible, and that is what allows us to now be able to
demolish a property in District 4 or District 2 or (UNINTET,T IGIBT ,F), and that's what allows
us to be able to do that.
Commissioner Suarez: Right
Mr. Mensah: And at the same time, that is the reason why we were able to go ahead and take
projects in District 3. For example, we have, I believe, two projects that come from District 3.
So we're able to do projects in various districts for that reason. What happened was that we
have to rely on developers and -- to bring us projects. And so if -- in that particular instance,
the developer didn't bring us the project, then we won't be able to do. On the demolition side,
the one that we control, which is the demolition, that's for the entire city. And the list that was
attached is the list that was provided to us by the Unsafe Structures Unit as a list of properties
that had gone through their process, which means that they now have a demolition order and so
they're able to demolish it, but that is what -- ifI can understand exactly the activities, which is
what I'm finding difficulty in. I know demolition -- I can definitely demolish any property in
your district if it's allowed.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Mensah, I have no problem having two of my staff members go out
for the next week. We can have -- and take pictures of the houses that we have identified or
that are registered on the vacant property list or that are listed as abandoned. Because I think
part of stabilizing our neighborhoods, as the Chairman indicated, is to either increase the --
our parkland or to rehab --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- the houses that are in bad condition in -- a spot home that's --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: -- in a bad condition on a given block.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: So I just don't understand how when we expanded the zone, there's still
no money being allocated to District 4, no money --
Mr. Mensah: No. We --
Commissioner Suarez: -- being spent under any of these options in District 4, very little in
District 3, very little in District 2, and there are mechanisms by which we can spend that money
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in those districts, so I found out about this this morning. I would not have brought -- I would
have brought it up in our briefing, but I got this this morning. So when I saw it, I felt like there
was no other time that I could address this then. Just --
Mr. Mensah: I will make -- my recommendation is okay, we can -- this project, maybe need to
table this item for maybe July 22. I'll meet with all the Commissioners and then go through --
because I need to understand exactly what I'm expected to do, and then I'll -- based on my
knowledge of what HUD expects us to do, we'll be able to come up with a solution. What I will
do is that in the meanwhile, I'll go ahead; and after I meet with you, we will pre -- we will
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) get projects ready and everything ready so that in July 22 when we come
back, that it will go right away. We cannot afford to lose the funding, so we need to be able to
make sure that --
Chair Sam off All right. Mr. Mensah, what I'm going to -- what I want every Commissioner to
do, whether -- I'm going to say to you on the dais what I want, but --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Sam off -- I want to make sure that you coordinate with every department, Police, NET
(Neighborhood Enhancement Team), Unsafe Structure [sic] -- I have a list here, of which
you're welcomed to go through, of 852 unsecured or, I should say, vacant properties.
Mr. Mensah: Seven hundred and seventy-two. Yes.
Chair Sam off Some of them may be secured.
Commissioner Gort: I have a whole bunch of them.
Chair Sam off Right. And I think what you should do is gain a strategy from every
Commissioner; and you might want to say, Commissioners, I'm doing a gross estimate, but I
believe I could take care of 30 properties per district --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Chair Sarnoff -- andl think I'd like you to designate those 30 properties.
Mr. Mensah: Okay. Commissioner, I'll come and talk to you because I think that --
Chair Sam off I'm still not getting it?
Mr. Mensah: No, no. I hear you. I think the problem which -- and I -- you asked me to go and
talk to Unsafe Structures and all those people. My problem is on the legal side. Do I have the
ability to go and decide to demolish a property; or if it's comes to just going to clean or do
cleanliness, let's say, go and weeds [sic] the grass and those things, these funds will not allow
me to do that, and that is the reason why I was asking you.
Chair Sam off Will not allow you to do that?
Mr. Mensah: No. These funds will not --
Chair Sam off Will not?
Mr. Mensah: -- allow me to do that.
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Chair Sam off So you cannot cut the grass, you cannot --
Mr. Mensah: I cannot, no. I cannot.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Mr. Mensah: And that is the reason why --
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mensah: -- I keep asking what are the activities you are expecting of me to do.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort's recognized, then Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Gort: I think it's very important that you put down the criterias [sic] and the
guidelines that this funding have so people can understand how these funds can be used.
'Cause a lot of the misunderstanding that you have in here is think that the funds can be used
certain way, which they can't. And also, you need to explain if there's an income requirement.
If they were going to move in a house that's been demolished, who's able to go in there?
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: 'Cause the person that according to the income -- the standard --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: -- might not be able to pay their taxes or the insurance within that
property, within certain locations. So I understand what you want to do andl agree with you,
but unfortunately, some neighborhoods you can't do that. At the same thing [sic], my problem
is we all have a lot of property that need to be demolished because it's really -- needs to be
cleaned, the neighborhood. Now today, we pull item 2, which I was going to pull anyway,
demolition RFP. I mean, if we don't have people to do the demolition, how long it's going to
take? The next RFP right now is going to take six, seven month [sic].
Mr. Mensah: And Commissioner, I'm glad you brought that up because I want to tell you that I
want ability to spend that $700,000 that we -- the amount for demolition is based on that. And
when I heard it was being pulled, I went to the Procurement director andl told the
Procurement director if this RFP doesn't come July 22, we have lost --
Commissioner Gort: We have trouble.
Mr. Mensah: -- six hundred and something thousand dollars that could be used --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Mensah: -- for demolition. He's aware of that, and he assured me that that's not going to
happen, that they will have a minimum in July 22.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just two quick points. I don't want to keep
belaboring the same issues, but the legal justification for -- and the City Attorney can correct
me if I'm wrong -- demolishing a property is if it's an unsafe structure. If there's a declaration
that --
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Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Chair Sam off -- it's an unsafe structure, you notify the owner of that declaration. They have a
certain amount of time within which they can appeal that -- it's not that long -- and you can
demolish. I mean, it's -- that's the legal justification. That's the legal procedure. Have I
explained it properly?
Unidentified Speaker: To my knowledge, yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay. So that is not that complicated. We just did it very recently in
my district. And then in terms of --
Unidentified Speaker: I'm sorry to interrupt. That is with the County. It's not just the City
process. It's -- the County does the unsafe structure. We kind of work maybe --
Commissioner Suarez: But I'll give you an example. The one in my district was declared
unsafe a year ago, okay, and wasn't demolished for whatever reason. We had to get it
redeclared [sic] unsafe, you know, provide notices to the owners, and then go through the
process all over again because the process had become stale. So there are many properties, I
would imagine, in terms of the vacant and abandoned homes that are already declared unsafe
and unstructurally [sic] sound. Maybe they have to be redeclared [sic] because they may have
gotten stale, but there are properties -- I'm imagining there are properties that are already
declared unsafe or may --
Mr. Mensah: We have 50 of those properties. And what I have asked -- which is on your list,
and -- but we can't demolish any of them unless we have the procurement, the demolition
contract in place. What I have asked the Unsafe Structures Unit to do is to contact each of the
Commissioners' office, let them know the list of -- the list that currently declared unsafe, let the
Commissioner district help us in determining which are the properties they are interested in
demolishing.
Commissioner Suarez: But the second point that I wanted to make, Mr. Chairman --
Chair Sam off Go ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: -- is that -- it goes to the point that Commissioner Gort made. He was
making a point about the income levels --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- of -- and you just stated on the record -- andl want to make it clear
because --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- for everyone here to be clear --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- that you can -- regardless of the income level, regardless of the
neighborhood, you can identin, one property that is on a spot basis that is disrupting a --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
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Commissioner Suarez: -- block.
Mr. Mensah: Yes. I --
Commissioner Suarez: You document it and you can demolish that one property.
Mr. Mensah: Yes. I did state it on record --
Commissioner Suarez: I just wanted --
Mr. Mensah: -- but that is with CDBG funds. Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- that to be clear.
Commissioner Gort: Demolish is no problem.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Mr. Mensah: Demolish is no problem. We can do that.
Vice Chair Carollo: Any further discussion? Do I have a motion?
Ms. Thompson: Excuse me. Before you go on, Vice Chair, you need to close your public
hearing.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. Anyone else from the public wishing to speak on this item? Is
there anyone else from the public wishing to speak on this item? The public meeting [sic] is
now closed, coming back to the Commission. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: I move to continue it --
Commissioner Gort: Move to defer.
Commissioner Suarez: -- till --
Commissioner Dunn: Sec --
Commissioner Suarez: -- the next Commission -- it's continue it, right?
Vice Chair Carollo: I --
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: No. It will --
Ms. Thompson: No. It would --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- be a deferral to the date.
Commissioner Suarez: Deferral then to the next -- okay.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Ms. Thompson: No. You want to be date certain.
Mr. Mensah: To a date certain, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Thompson: Deferred to July 2 --
Commissioner Dunn: July 22.
Mr. Mensah: Twenty-second.
Commissioner Suarez: July 22.
Ms. Thompson: -- 2010.
Commissioner Suarez: Is that okay?
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Vice Chair Carollo: I have a motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner
Gort. Any further discussion or any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Anyone in opposition have the same right to say "nay." Motion passes
unanimously. And with that said, we're right at 12 o'clock, so we will be breaking for lunch.
When would you wish to come back? What's -- I'm taking -- 2?
Commissioner Gort: Two is fine, yeah.
Commissioner Dunn: That's fine.
Vice Chair Carollo: Two? Okay. We will then be in lunch recess until two. Thank you.
PH.8 RESOLUTION
10-00418
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Community ATTACHMENT(S), RELATING TO THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 400-420
Development SOUTHWEST 8TH AVENUE, AND 430 SOUTHWEST 8TH AVENUE, MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS LEGALLY DESCRIBED ON EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE TEATRO MARTI
PROPERTY, CONVEYED TO TEATRO MARTI APARTMENTS, LLC
PURSUANT TO CITY OF MIAMI RESOLUTION NO. 09-0089 ADOPTED
FEBRUARY 26, 2009, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MIXED -USE,
ELDERLY HOUSING RENTAL PROJECT ON THE SITE, REVISING THE
PROJECT RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AS INDICATED ON
EXHIBIT "B", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
10-00418 Legislation. pdf
10-00418 Exhibit. pdf
10-00418 Exhibit 2.pdf
10-00418 Summary Form.pdf
10-00418 Public Notice.pdf
10-00418 Goals. pdf
10-00418 Pre-Legislation.pdf
10-00418 Exhibit A.pdf
10-00418 Exhibit B.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
WITHDRAWN PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
SR.1
10-00425
Office of Strategic
Planning,
Budgeting, and
Performance
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
ORDINANCES - SECOND READING
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI AS SET FORTH AND FUNDED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO.
09-0454, ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 29, 2009, AND PURSUANT TO SECTION
19 OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ENTITLED
"CREATION OF NEW DEPARTMENTS; DISCONTINUANCE OF
DEPARTMENTS;" CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
10-00425 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
10-00425 Exhibit SR.pdf
10-00425 Summary Form FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the Record: Item SR.1 was deferred to the City Commission meeting currently
scheduled for July 22, 2010.
Direction by Vice Chair Carollo to the City Manager to meet with each Commissioner to
further discuss this matter before the July 22, 2010 Miami City Commission Meeting.
Chair Sarnoff Looks like we're now up to SR.1. Yeah. SR.1 is on page 12, gentlemen.
Mirtha Dziedzic (Interim Director, Strategic Planning, Budgeting, and Performance): Mirtha -
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record.
Ms. Dziedzic: -- Dziedzic, Budget Department. This is the second reading on the TO (Table of
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Organization) changes. There's been no modifications.
Chair Sam off All right. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Gort --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off -- second by Commissioner Suarez.
Vice Chair Carollo: Discussion.
Chair Sam off For discussion, the Vice Chair is recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Manager, I think earlier today we had
questions with regards to if we are the ones who can direct a component unit or if we have to go
through you or so forth. I see here that the Civilian Investigative Panel is directly under the
City Commission, so how will we go about -- do we have to get in contact with their executive
director? Do we go through you? From this chart, the new chart, it seems like we don't have
to go through you or we don't go through you. So can you clarify this chart a little bit more?
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): The CIP (Civilian Investigative Panel) is a board that was
created by a Charter provision, but the details about how the board interacts with the City and
other City entities is found in our Code. The Manager's involvement with the CIP is that the
Manager prepares and is involved in the budget process, such as he is with other City
departments. But since the CIP is an independent agency, really the only -- you know, the only
oversight, I think, in my opinion, with the CIP in terms of its personnel would be through the
City Commission, not the Manager.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So my question is how do we communicate with them? Because
it's obvious that through them not providing their -- or not having their audited financial
statements issued, it may have cost us millions of dollars. Andl remember this Commissioner
asking them to come before the Commission with regards to why their audited financial
statements had not been issued. They still haven't come before us. So how do we communicate
with them? I know for a fact we budgeted $464, 000 for their budget, but I don't like to wait till
the next budget hearing for me to say, you know, hey, listen, if you didn't, you know,
communicate with us, then we're going to, you know, cut your funding.
Ms. Bru: You can -- Commissioner, in my opinion, you can communicate to them directly or
you can as collectively as a body just --
Commissioner Gort: Make a resolution.
Ms. Bru: -- express, you know, a desire as a body to hear from them in the public forum. So
you can request that they appear before you at the next Commission meeting.
Vice Chair Carollo: I already did that, so --
Ms. Bru: Well --
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Vice Chair Carollo: -- I want to see what's the proper protocol and what's the repercussion.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Bru: Well --
Chair Sarnoff Well --
Ms. Bru: -- the only real, I guess, hammer that you have is that you control the purse strings.
So when it comes time to budget, you know, you're going to look at how efficiently they're
running the organization and you're going to make decisions about how much resources you're
going to allocate to that based on the level of efficiency that you're perceiving.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Let me go to Commissioner Gort (UNINTET,TIGIBT,F) and I'll come right back
to you.
Commissioner Gort: Can we propose a resolution requesting that they be here?
Ms. Bru: You can do so.
Commissioner Gort: As a body, we can do that.
Ms. Bru: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: No. And that's okay for this instance, butl want to know for the future
how do we -- how -- in other words, let's say we have an issue with a department in the City of
Miami. I know we contact the Manager and we speak to him. However, you know, let's say
with the CIP, Virginia Key Park Trust, and so forth, how do we communicate? You know, not
just for this instance, but for the future. I'm starting to look now ahead. So I want to know
what's the protocol. What -- how should we do it? And mind you that a few months ago, I tried
I tried what I thought was reasonable andl -- you know, I request it and nothing occurred.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman. I think -- I have two ideas. One is
less drastic than the other. The less drastic idea is to have the City Attorney on behalf of the
City Commission write essentially a demand letter to the -- to that agency saying we hereby
demand that you come to the next Commission meeting essentially and present reasons why you
were not -- your audits were not on time and have an auditor. You can include in that demand
letter a warning that if they fail to comply, their funding will be cut as of that date, and we can
direct then the City Manager to literally stop paying their bills. The other more drastic is to
just to have the City Manager as of today stop paying their bills for not having complied with
the fact that you had requested several weeks ago for them to be here and they've basically
ignored that request. So I think either one of those two options is something that can be
considered.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well -- I mean -- look, I don't want -- even though it's quite obvious that
I'm upset, I don't want to take drastic move where right away we want to cut their fundings [sic]
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completely and so forth, but at the same time, I'm looking ahead. I want to see how we can
remedy these issues. How in the future should we have -- maybe not about the audit; maybe
about something else, you know. How -- what's the protocol for our communication? Should
we go through the City Attorney and ask her to draft a letter to them, to the executive director?
Does it have to be any one Commissioner, or does it have to be voted on as a whole, the
Commission? I mean -- you know, so I'm trying to follow what should be the proper
procedures, the protocol, and so forth.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: I agree with you, but I believe we should have all three agencies here
today since we've learned what it cost us --
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh, definitely.
Commissioner Gort: -- for being in noncompliance. They need to realize, they need to
understand how much it costs the City ofMiami for being in noncompliance, and there's going
to be a penalty because there's a cost to us and the taxpayers. So I think either -- we can do
either way, the letter from the Attorney, but I believe we have the power to pass a resolution
asking them to be here and give us a report. That --
Chair Sam off Madam City Attorney, don't we have subpoena power or summons power?
Ms. Bru: You know, there is a provision in the Charter that authorizes this Commission or any
committee of this Commission to compel the attendance of any official of the City or -- and to
investigate the financial transaction of any department. Now I would have to look at that real
carefully because, remember, the CIP is kind of a -- it's a very unique organization within the
City in that it's not a department. And the question of whether or not the executive director of
the CIP is considered an official would be something that we would have to look at the
definition of official. But clearly, clearly, you have the right either individually to pick up the
phone and contact them and say, hey, you know, we want -- I want to talk to you, I want to hear
what's going on here; or as a body, you can say we're requesting that you appear. I mean, I
can take a closer look at the issue of subpoena powers and tell you before the end of the
Commission whether or not, in my opinion, you have the authority to issue a subpoena and
compel the attendance of the executive director should they, you know, be recalcitrant, but I
don't think that you'd have to, you know, resort to such drastic measures. But I will have an
answer for you before the end of the meeting.
Chair Sam off Well, I -- and just before Commissioner Dunn goes. I mean, I remember him on
two specific -- I apologize for referring to you as "him." I remember the Vice Chair on two
specific occasions instructing -- I don't know if you instructed the Manager, but you instructed
somebody to compel their attendance to be here at the next Commission meeting. Now one of
them is going to be here just because they're going to try to get their budget passed. But you
know, my conversations with you have always impressed upon me that each Commissioner
could require the attendance of any board at a Commission meeting. I fail to see why we would
dilute our powers as Commissioners and act as a juridic body to pass a resolution 'cause I don't
want anybody to think, oh, you got to get three people now to compel my attendance. Because
the end of the day, this is supposed to be about the taxpayers' dollars and that's really what
we're all upset about. Andl -- you know, I want to resist passing a resolution simply because I
want him -- I apologize -- the Vice Chair, I want Commissioner Suarez, I want Commissioner
Dunn, even if it's in my district, or a committee he associates with me, I want each
Commissioner to have the ability to command the attendance of somebody and subject
themselves to a public inquiry 'cause it's usually going to be about taxpayer dollars.
Commissioner Dunn.
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Commissioner Dunn: I -- Mr. Chair -- and I want to direct this to you, Madam Attorney. I
hear and do, in substance, agree -- in principle, agree with the Chairman. However, help me
understand the thin line of how much is deemed us crossing that line as having the authority to
direct a director to do something, because I -- help me understand this.
Chair Sam off Not a director.
Commissioner Dunn: I know it's a very -- okay. I know it can be a very thin line. Many times
it should come through the Manager, am I correct? Help me understand that.
Ms. Bru: The three agencies that we're --
Chair Sam off Right.
Ms. Bru: -- discussing about, the Liberty City Trust -- let's talk about the two, Liberty City
Trust and Virginia Key Park Trust. These are creatures -- these are agencies that were
established by ordinance by this Commission. They are directly, you know, as a result of this
Commission's action. That which was created by ordinance can be abolished by ordinance, can
be amended by ordinance, so should you wish to examine how efficiently they're functioning,
whether or not you need these agencies, whether or not a City department could conduct the
affairs that are being conducted by these agencies at a more cost-effective manner, you could
do that and you can abolish the agencies. Interacting with their personnel, you can, as the
Chairman points out. You can interact with them. These are not departments. These are not
the people that are --
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Ms. Bru: -- unilaterally -- you know, it's not the Manager's absolute discretion to govern,
direct or control. So they have to respond to you. They have to be responsive to you. So you
could do it individually or you could do it collectively. The CIP, although not created by
ordinance, it was established by a Charter provision.
Chair Sam off Right.
Ms. Bru: The, you know, mechanics of how the CIP functions and how much resources they get
and so forth and so on has been chiseled, has been, you know, fine-tuned by ordinance. So you
can fine-tune the agency or the entity, you know, by ordinance as long as it doesn't impede the
mission that is articulated in the Charter as to what they perform. So -- and again, with respect
to the CIP, individually any one of you can pick up the phone and request their -- you know,
their attendance or collectively. Now the question about subpoena is something that I do need
to look at a little bit more carefully before I give you an answer.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort, you're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: It goes back to what we were discussing earlier today. We have the Vice
Chairman that requested it twice in Commission meetings. Noncompliance. What happens? I
mean, how can we make people comply? I mean, this is the problem. They're used to certain
administration before where not complying was no problem, but I think we need to send a
message that noncompliance with this new administration is different. You're going to get
penalized somehow. Because you have the Vice Chairperson asked twice.
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Chairman.
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Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: And by the way, you're seeing that I'm not trying to take drastic moves.
I'm being reasonable. However, come budget time, I'm telling you, I'm going to hear it. Oh,
Commissioner Carollo. Oh, my God. This guy, he's crazy. This and that and so forth.
Because --
Unidentified Speaker: At the end of the day --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- at that time, we're really going to discuss all these issues, you know.
And I'm telling you -- I'm already giving you the heads up, you know. You're going to start
hearing it. I can't believe he wants to cut us this much and all that. But, you know, I'm trying
every reasonable way possible. And you see -- and the reason why I bring it up is because of
the discussion we had earlier. Andl see, you know, the Civilian Investigative Panel right under
us so I wanted to get some clarity before we actually vote on it and make a decision.
Commissioner Dunn: But Mr. Chairman, could I come back and --? I think we're all in
agreement. I'm just -- what I'm trying to find out -- andl think you raised that question, Vice
Chairman -- procedurally --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Commissioner Dunn: -- how can we get it done? It's not whether we can get it done.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Commissioner Dunn: What is the appropriate procedure that we must take? And one way --
and I -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) refer -- I'm going to defer to the Madam Attorney. Could we
condition compliance to someone from an agency? If they do not comply, then immediately we
postpone or suspend their budget until they comply. And if they don't comply at all, then we
consider totally defunding that. I mean, is that -- how can we -- ? I'm asking you for the legal -
Commissioner Gort: An ordinance.
Ms. Bru: Again, Liberty City Trust, Virginia Beach Park Trust, these are agencies that you, as
a Commission, created because you felt that the mission of these agencies could be better
performed using an external kind of you know -- not using City personnel. So they have -- you
know, they have executive directors. They have their own people, so forth and so on. You have
the authority to abolish the agency. You have the authority to dictate who can be employed,
how they can be employed, whether or not they need an executive director, whether their
budget should be really handled by the City. I mean, you can create the kind of agency that
you want to create with the proper measures and control. The CIP -- the Charter tells you what
their mission is, but it doesn't tell how the mission gets carried out. So if you wanted to abolish
this infrastructure that the CIP has and put it back under the responsibility of the Manager for
the Manager to administer the work of the CIP either through personnel and everything else,
you can do that. So it's really up to you to decide how best to perform the services that these
three entities are performing, and it's up to you to determine whether their personnel are
performing up to standard, efficiently, cost effectively, in compliance with your policies and
your directives. So you really have all the authority that you need over these agencies when it
comes to the way that they're functioning. The only thing you can't do is impede the mission of
the CIP because the Charter dictates that, so --
Chair Sam off Mr. Manager, you're recognized.
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Carlos A. Migoya (City Manager): This is not -- I don't have a dog in this fight, but -- I
shouldn't say that anymore. I apologize for that word. I apologize sincerely for --
Chair Sarnoff Should we call you "Michael"?
Mr. Migoya: -- that conversation. But seriously, if -- I'm just thinking about this. If you order
me to do something and I refuse to do it, you're not going to defund the City.
Chair Sam off No. We'd fire you.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, exactly.
Chair Sam off We hire and fire you.
Mr. Migoya: Right?
Chair Sam off Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Mr. Migoya: So if you're asking an executive director of an agency to show up and they don't
come here, you don't have to go to the extreme of defunding the agency. You should be dealing
with something with the executive director.
Chair Sam off Well, no. There's a difference there.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Chair Sam off We can only get that executive director's attendance -- let's just put it
euphemistically through you. There may be a subpoena involved, but let's leave that off the
table. You're like a function key on a calculator. Everything -- 99.9 percent of the City we
have to do through you. We can yell, scream, and holler at the City Attorney and fire her on
the spot. We can yell, scream, and holler at the City Clerk and fire her on the spot. We can
yell, scream, and holler at the Auditor General and fire him on the spot. According to Madam
City Attorney, we can yell, scream, and holler and defund two agencies. We may be able to
yell, scream, and holler and defund a third agency and put them under you.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off It's a difference with a -- distinction with a difference. We'll be in violation of
the Charter if we direct our -- let me say it right. We don't hire and fire anybody, except for the
aforementioned people. You're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the law, there's something called a
hearing to show cause. And what we can do is we can put on our next agenda an ordinance
abolishing both of those agencies. And if they don't show good cause as to why they shouldn't
be abolished, then we can simply abolish them. And it's not -- I'm not trying to sound drastic. I
just think, you know, the fact of the matter is --
Commissioner Gort: They're going to get the message.
Commissioner Suarez: -- if you want to send a message --
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Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: -- and you want to bring them here, I think if you essentially, you know,
put on the agenda the abolition of both of those entities, I guarantee you they'll either be here
or will be abolished, one or the other. I mean, 'cause I think the total of both those agencies is
like $1 million roughly, maybe $900,000. So, you know, if they can't show us why we shouldn't
abolish them, then they should just be abolished. I mean, you know, if they can't comply with
the Vice Chair --
Chair Sam off The only thing I could caution you, Commissioner -- andl know the Virginia
Key Trust reasonably well. They're sitting on a lot of money right now and I'd hate to see a
spending spree in the next two weeks. So unless you can somehow freeze their actions in place
right now -- I just don't want to see somebody in a -- I don't think they would do it, but on the
other hand, they're sitting on, ifI recall, over a million --I think over a million dollars. Andl
don't want to see that -- you know, I don't want -- I just want to make sure that there's no -- I
don't know how to put it --
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chairman, I was -- along those same lines, would defunding be more
appropriate?
Chair Sam off Well, they were defunded
Commissioner Dunn: Already.
Chair Sam off I believe Liberty City Trust -- and I'm going to ask the Mayor if he remembers -
- and Virginia Key Trust were both defunded last year. They were allowed to spend down
whatever monies they claimed to have in their respective bank accounts.
Commissioner Dunn: But Liberty City Trust sunsets I believe in September.
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: So -- am I correct?
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly. Yes. I believe they sunset. And Virginia Key, I believe, is
coming before us today for their actual funding.
Chair Sam off Correct. So you might have a direct answer very shortly.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Mr. Migoya: The issue -- the sunsetting of --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, RE.6.
Mr. Migoya: -- the Liberty City, you still have to get the financial statements done this year, so
someone has to do them.
Commissioner Dunn: Yeah. So we still haven't gotten them?
Mr. Migoya: For this year.
Commissioner Gort: We don't have it?
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Commissioner Dunn: Pardon me. Excuse me. Mr. Chairman, I want to go --
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Manager, I thought --
Mr. Migoya: I believe we received --
Commissioner Dunn: -- they were submitted, weren't they?
Mr. Migoya: They (UNINTELLIGIBLE) submitted for last year --
Commissioner Dunn: Liberty City Trust.
Mr. Migoya: -- but what we're saying is for this coming year, even if they sunset September 30,
we still have to have financial statements for the year '09/'10.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Migoya: So even if they sunset, somebody has to stick around to make the financial
statements -- complete the financial statements for this year.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Chair Sam off They have to make the records available to the City.
Mr. Migoya: Right. Otherwise, we'd end up in the same soup --
Chair Sam off Right.
Mr. Migoya: -- next -- at the end of this fiscal year.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman, ifI may. I think we should vote on this item and structure
of the City ofMiami. That's why I thought it was important and appropriate to bring this up.
And give us some time to work with the Administration for possibly next Commission meeting,
bringing something up, either a discussion item or an ordinance or so forth which we could
always discuss, even if it's an ordinance, and see which route we want to take. In that way, we
don't do anything drastic. We -- you know, level heads are in place. We can do something
reasonable, but something that's going to be effective. And -- so that's what I suggest.
Chair Sam off All right.
Vice Chair Carollo: And before we vote, I have another question with regards to the structure.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. Mr. Manager, I just want to have clarity. I see here Larry
Springs [sic], Peter Korinis, Johnny Martinez, Tony Crapp, directly under you, and under them
there's different departments. My question is, are each four of these individuals assistant City
Managers?
Mr. Migoya: There's only two assistant city managers, and that is Tony Crapp and Johnny
Martinez. There -- I have other reports that are not necessarily assistant City Managers.
Michelle Pina is one for ERD (Employee Relations Department). You have the Budget
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director. You have the two chiefs. They're on the side. If you go to the far right, you'll see
them on the side as well. Even though they're not -- their titles are not assistant City
Managers, they're still direct reports of mine and Sergio Guadix, also with Code Enforcement,
among other people.
Vice Chair Carollo: I just -- you know, as a friendly amendment, I think we need to somehow
define that Johnny Martinez and Tony Crapp are assistant City Managers. And I don't know if
the structure is done correctly or what, but I think that needs to be -- somehow be mentioned
and shown in the table of organization.
Mr. Migoya: Okay. Actually, we even had --
Vice Chair Carollo: Because as it stands right now, it seems to me that all four of them are
assistant City Managers. If you -- I'm sure you --
Mr. Migoya: No. I mean, just 'cause they're a direct report doesn't automatically make them
assistant City Managers, but --
Chair Sam off All right. You want to continue?
Vice Chair Carollo: I just want -- you know, I'm looking for direction from the City Manager
since it's his item or the interim director of budgeting because it's their item. I just want to
make sure 'cause -- to have some clarity on the table of organization to make sure that it shows
that Johnny Martinez and Tony Crapp are the assistant City Manager. I don't know if we have
to restructure the way the table is because --
Mr. Migoya: Those aren't functional titles. They're official titles. Just because you're an
assistant City Manager doesn't automatically mean you have the other departments reporting
to them, so -- and frankly, we even thought whether or not to have the names in there; just have
the titles of you know, the infrastructure, director and the operations director rather than the
actual names, but -- 'cause these -- what we have on the table of organizations are the
functional titles, not the official titles. And there are two different titles that are there,
infrastructure director and operations director, which are their functional titles and not their
official titles. You understand the difference?
Vice Chair Carollo: I believe I do. But at the same time, you know, usually -- okay, let's say in
your absence --
Mr. Migoya: We'll add assistant City Managers and that's okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. But let's say --
Mr. Migoya: And it doesn't really matter either way.
Vice Chair Carollo: In other words, like -- let's say the police chief -- you know, you have the
police chief deputy, and then you have the assistant chiefs, right? So there's a structure to
that. I don't really necessarily see that structure here. I see four individuals that appear to me
be in the same line where, in reality, I would think --
Mr. Migoya: They are on the same line. Not just them; the four of them, plus the chiefs, plus
the Budget director. They're all on the same line. If that piece of paper would be wider,
everybody would be on the same line 'cause they're all direct reports to me. Does that mean
that all direct reports of mine are assistant City Managers?
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Vice Chair Carollo: That's my question.
Mr. Migoya: I don't think so.
Commissioner Dunn: May I?
Vice Chair Carollo: Sure.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chairman. From a hierarchal when you set up -- and I know you
know -- that chart, you normally -- you can differentiate between, just from a visible standpoint,
who's next directly to the Manager. Normally -- andl respect your concept, but normally,
there's a distinction where the two assistant Managers would be above -- is that what you're
saying?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: -- the rest -- 'cause it -- and it distinguishes them as the -- because even
though they may be equal on -- I mean, may not -- you're saying they're equal, but my
understanding -- I stand corrected -- is that there's a distinction, Manager, assistant Manager,
then you have your various departments.
Mr. Migoya: Well --
Commissioner Dunn: From a visible standpoint now.
Mr. Migoya: But Commissioner, what we've done here -- which actually it was done before I
got here, but I frankly concur, this is a flat organization. You don't have four direct reports.
You have like ten or twelve or some bigger number of direct reports that you have directly to
the City Manager. If you had a one on one, meaning if you had one City Manager, two
assistant City Managers and everybody reporting to them, then that's not a flat organization.
You'd have inefficiencies. Basically, what you've got is we've named two assistant City
Managers of the actual -- for people that are the chief of operations and the chief of
infrastructure because of their technical, but this doesn't mean that they're higher than the
chief of Police and the chief of Fire. They're not.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Migoya: So -- and everybody has different -- because they all report directly to me. Does
it mean they all get exactly the same pay, everything the same? No. But they all have their
own -- and frankly, in my absence, what we have done, we choose to use -- we don't have the
same person over and over. We have in the past used Larry Spring sometimes as an acting City
Manager. Sometimes we've used Tony Crapp, and sometimes we may use Johnny Martinez.
And it -- there's not one individual who is the deputy City Manager here. It's a flat
organization. And frankly, in case of emergencies, we have Maurice Kemp, the Fire chief as
the acting Manager underneath me in those situations. So it's interchangeable from that
perspective. If you want to have a one-on-one relationship, I would feel uncomfortable because
I'm not sure that it -- I would like to have any one of these be higher than the rest of them.
Commissioner Dunn: Let me --- one last crack at it. But in -- okay, I'll go with the Police
Department 'cause that's one -- or even the Fire Department. You know that if -- in absence of
the Police chief usually there is a deputy right next -- and technically, that deputy is the
number -two person in the entire department. Just looking at the chart visibly -- andl
understand what Vice Chair is talking about and I hear you saying it's flat across. But there --
to me, there's no distinction in terms of -- because there -- I would prefer to see a number -two
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or a number -three person.
Mr. Migoya: Are you directing me to have a number two? If you're doing that, I'll be happy to
take that under consideration, but at this point, there is no number two, no distinct number two.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. And that's exactly what I'm seeing. However, in my mind there was
a number two. It was either Assistant Director [sic] Johnny Martinez or Assistant Director
[sic] Tony Crapp. And in your absence, I would expect that either the Mayor would be
appointing as acting City Manager, Assistant Director [sic] Tony Crapp or Assistant Director
[sic] Johnny Martinez, and we'd be raging it.
Mr. Migoya: With all due respect, that would be in your mind but not in my mind.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Migoya: They're all equal. But if you're directing me to have specific number two and
number three, which I disagree with, but if you're directing me to do that, I'll take that under
advisement and I'll get back to you.
Vice Chair Carollo: And that's why I have questions, and that's why I'm asking you because,
yes, in my mind, that's what I thought we had.
Mr. Migoya: Well, I've given you an answer. If you're not happy with my answer, you guys
give me a direction and I'll take it under advisement.
Chair Sam off You want to bring this back on July?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes. Let's bring this back on July.
Chair Sam off All right.
Mr. Migoya: We're in July. So you don't want to approve the table of organization?
Vice Chair Carollo: July 22.
Mr. Migoya: So what are you telling me to do?
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm telling -- you know what. I'm going to make a motion to defer this to
July 22.
Chair Sam off All right.
Mr. Migoya: Okay, but I would like direction from you as to what you want me to do with the
table of organization for July 22. Otherwise --
Vice Chair Carollo: I would like for you to --
Mr. Migoya: -- you're going to get --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- meet with each Commissioner to discuss this item and we'll bring it
back July 22.
Mr. Migoya: Fine.
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SR.2
10-00692
Honorable Mayor
Tomas Regalado
SR.3
10-00727
Chair Sam off All right.
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Chair Sam off There was a motion to defer. There's a second. Commissioner Gort, you're
recognized.
Commissioner Gort: Question. Does the change of title increase his pay or anything?
Mr. Migoya: Not at all.
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Chair Sam off Can I apply for the job? No, just kidding. All right, so we have a motion --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair. I heard the mover was Vice Chair
Carollo. I didn't hear your second.
Chair Sam off The seconder was Commissioner Dunn.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All in favor for the deferral, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off Okay.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
54 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED (THE
"CODE"), ENTITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS," BY AMENDING
SECTION 54-9 OF THE CODE ENTITLED "PLACING SIGNS ON ANY
PORTION OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY, STREET OR SIDEWALK SURFACE"
TO ALLOW FOR IDENTIFICATION OF DONORS ON TRASH CONTAINERS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF MIAMI; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
10-00692-Legislation-SUB. pdf
10-00692-Submittal-Correspondence-Mayor. pdf
10-00692 Legislation SR. pdf
10-00692 Pictures FR/SR.pdf
10-00692-Submittal-Pictures. pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the Record: Item SR.2 was deferred to the City Commission meeting currently
scheduled for July 22, 2010.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
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Office of the City AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Attorney ORDINANCE NO. 13168, ADOPTED MAY 13, 2010, CHANGING THE TIME
TO QUALIFY FOR THE NOVEMBER 2, 2010 ELECTION FROM SEPTEMBER
3, 2010 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18, 2010, AT 6 P.M. TO AUGUST 6, 2010
THROUGH AUGUST 21, 2010, AT 6 P.M.; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO
GIVE NOTICE OF THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE AND TO
TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY TO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE,
AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
10-00727 Legislation SR.pdf
10-00727 Cover Memo SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
13187
Chair Sam off SR.3, elections.
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Any discussion, gentlemen? Hearing no discussion, all in favor, please say --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): No, no.
Chair Sarnoff -- "aye. "
Ms. Thompson: No, no, no.
Vice Chair Carollo: No. It's an ordinance.
Ms. Thompson: First --
Chair Sam off Oh, I'm sorry.
Ms. Thompson: Wait a minute. Hold on, hold on.
Chair Sam off You're right.
Ms. Thompson: Are you going to open a public hearing?
Chair Sam off You're right. I apologize, Madam Clerk. I was lulled into a sense of
disproportion --
Ms. Thompson: I heard your --
Chair Sarnoff -- by my two to my right.
Ms. Thompson: Excuse me, Chair. Before you open your public hearing --
Chair Sam off Yes, ma'am.
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Ms. Thompson: -- I have the mover as Commissioner Gort.
Chair Sam off Correct.
Ms. Thompson: Is that correct?
Chair Sam off That's correct.
Ms. Thompson: And your seconder?
Chair Sam off Suarez.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right. It is an ordinance and it's a public hearing. Anyone from the public
wishing to be heard from changing the time to qualf for the November 2, 2002 [sic] election
from September 3 through September 18, 2010 at 6 p.m. to August 6, 2010 through August 21,
2010 at 6p.m., please step up. Hearing none, seeing none, the public hearing is closed;
coming back to the Commission. We had a motion by Commissioner --
Ms. Thompson: Gort.
Chair Sam off -- Gort, second by Commissioner Suarez. It is an ordinance, Madam City
Attorney.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Ms. Thompson: Your roll call.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been adopted on second reading, 5-0.
END OF ORDINANCES - SECOND READING
RESOLUTIONS
RE.1 RESOLUTION
10-00742
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Fire -Rescue ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A NEW SPECIAL REVENUE FUND
ENTITLED: "URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE (" UASI") GRANT
PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR 2009", AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE
OPERATION OF SAME, IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,708,461, CONSISTING OF
A GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY, DIRECTLY TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA DIVISION OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
ACCEPT SAID GRANT AWARD AND TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAID
GRANT AWARD; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXTEND SAID UASI GRANT PROGRAM (FISCAL YEAR 2009) AS
NECESSARY AND TO EXECUTE ANY OTHER RELATED MODIFICATIONS,
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
AMENDMENTS OR EXTENSIONS ON ALL MATTERS EXCEPT THOSE
DEALING WITH FUNDING CHANGES; AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE
OF FUNDS TO VARIOUS GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES DESIGNATED FOR
HOMELAND SECURITY EXPENSE PURSUANT TO THE UASI GRANT
GUIDELINES, AS STATED HEREIN; AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT(S), IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM(S), WITH ITS CONTIGUOUS
COUNTIES, MIAMI-DADE, MONROE, AND THE CITY OF HIALEAH, SETTING
FORTH THE PARTIES' RESPONSIBILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT OF THE UASI PROJECT ADMINISTERED
BY THE CITY OF MIAMI DEPARTMENT OF FIRE -RESCUE, CONTINGENT
UPON FUNDING OF SAID PROJECT BEING SECURED.
10-00742 Legislation.pdf
10-00742 Exhibit 1.pdf
10-00742 Exhibit 2.pdf
10-00742 Summary Form.pdf
10-00742 Fund Title.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0290
Chair Sam off All right, RE.1.
Chief Maurice Kemp (Fire): Good afternoon.
Chair Sam off Good afternoon, Chief Kemp.
Chief Kemp: Maurice Kemp, Fire chief. RE.1 is a resolution of the Miami City Commission
establishing a new special revenue fund entitled Urban Areas Security Initiative grant program
for fiscal year 2009 and appropriating funds for the operation of same in the amount of
$10, 708, 461, consisting of a grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security.
So it's the 2009 UASI (Urban Areas Security Initiative) grant.
Chair Sam off All right. Let me open it up to a public hearing. Anyone from the public
wishing to be heard on RE.8 [sic], which is a new special revenue fund entitled Urban Area
Search Initiative program, UASI grant program for the 2009 year, please step up to the mike.
Hearing none, seeing none, the public hearing is closed. Gentlemen, is there a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Suarez, second by Commissioner Dunn.
Vice Chair Carollo: Discussion.
Chair Sam off Discussion to the Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Manager, we're discussing the item for
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
the $10 million, 10.7 UASI grant. I know we spoke about it yesterday. One of the questions I
had was as far as liability. Some of this money will be passed through to other agencies andl
wanted to know should they use it in a matter that is inappropriate or, you know, and maybe
without malice, just don't use it the right way and it get disallowed, are we going to be liable
for that money? Okay.
Chief Kemp: My understanding of it is that this memorandum of understanding that would be
signed between us and the participating agencies explains in detail how the money should be
used and they're agreeing by signing the memo to comply with the rules and regulations
pertaining to the grant. Ultimately, if you want an opinion on who is ultimately liable, I'll defer
to the City Attorney, but my understanding is each agency understands and signs that they
understand the rules as it pertains to the funds.
Vice Chair Carollo: And they're signing -- and I'll defer to Madam City Attorney -- that
understanding -- are they also saying that since we understand if we do not use it the way it's
supposed to or if it's disallowed, then we hold the City free of any liability?
Chief Kemp: Once again, I'll defer to the City Attorney.
Chair Sam off Madam City Attorney, the question that the Vice Chair is posing to you, that
those who use the UASI grant that the City ofMiami is not responsible for, do they hold the
City harmless and will they indemnify us in the event the federal government, Homeland
Security comes after us?
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): I'd have to review the grant. I used to do these grants about ten
years ago. It's been --
Chair Sam off All right. Let's table --
Ms. Bru: -- ten years since I read that specific clause, but I would love to -- you know, I'd love
to do it. If you table the item --
Chair Sam off Let's table the item.
Ms. Bru: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: Before you table the items [sic], I have more questions.
Chair Sam off Oh, please.
Vice Chair Carollo: Can I just put them on the record --
Chair Sam off Absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- so maybe --?
Chair Sarnoff I'm sorry. Go ahead. I didn't mean to cut you off.
Vice Chair Carollo: Do we know the amount of pass -through monies because I see a total
amount of $10, 708, 461, but how much of that is going to be passed through to Hialeah, Monroe
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
County, Miami -Dade and so forth?
Chief Kemp: It's all determined -- this is governed by -- we have an organization called the
Urban Area Work Group. And to your previous question, before any projects are started, they
have to get prior approval from the State through this urban area security work group process.
So they are stating what they're going to do, and they're held to do that at the end. And as far
as the breakdown of the monies, this group has a formula by which we decide how each
municipality will get -- how much each municipality will get and there's a certain amount for
the municipalities and then there's an amount that's a regional amount that's used for regional
projects for the South Florida region, the Miami region. So the answer to your question is
those determinations are done by the formula.
Vice Chair Carollo: Do -- and chief do we know what the formula is? Because I'm just
concerned because a lot of this money will be coming to us, and we are actually just going to
give it to another agency. And we're -- I don't know if we're responsible to monitor. And if we
are responsible to monitor, can we charge an administrative cost because I'm sure there's going
to be some type of cost for monitoring, you know, monies that we're giving to other agencies,
and the State is using us as a pass -through.
Chief Kemp: As far as monitoring is concerned, we are ultimately responsible for all of the
paperwork and all of the accounting on the funds, and we're audited every year because of the
sum of money. We can expect to be audited by two or three different agencies, the State, our
internal auditor general, and the federal government. So, yes, we are responsible for the
accounting. And we get approximately a third of the monies that come through goes to the City
ofMiami because we are the named city. The federal government decided in 2003 that there
were 20 cities that were most likely to be hit by terrorist events. We were one of those cities
named, which is why we are the administrators of the grant.
Chair Sam off I think his question might have been -- I know my note show 3.3 million stays in
the City ofMiami. But his question was of the 3.3 million, do you get to keep some of that as a
result of the onerous obligation of having to do all this reporting and paperwork?
Commissioner Gort: My understanding --
Chief Kemp: That is correct. We have funds for administering the grant.
Commissioner Gort: Three hundred and eighty thousand.
Chair Sam off Three eighty?
Commissioner Gort: My understanding, it's about 380.
Chief Kemp: Yes.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman.
Vice Chair Carollo: Is it there, Commissioner Gort? 'Cause I haven't seen it. I haven't seen
the breakdown of the 10, 708, 000.
Commissioner Gort: It's not there, yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: It's not there. I guess you asked for it or so forth. Yeah, 'cause I don't see
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
it here in the backup material. So we can charge an administrative cost for the bookkeeping,
the monitoring, and all that stuff?
Chief Kemp: It's a lot of work, and we do use the administrative funds to perform these duties.
Vice Chair Carollo: Administrative funds from the 10, 700, 000?
Chief Kemp: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chief Kemp: If you'd like, Commissioner, I will be happy to bring staff to your office and
explain any questions you might have about the grant or any of you. The same offer is
extended to any of you.
Vice Chair Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) table?
Chair Sarnoff You want to table it? Oh, you wanted to table it to find out whether there's a
hold harmless.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Ms. Bru: We reviewed the grant between the City and the feds and that makes us responsible
for the sub -recipient's compliance. Now we're looking at the sub -recipient's agreements to see
whether we've -- but ultimately, we are responsible to the federal government. Now we have to
see how much of that we've been able to pass through to the sub -recipients and what the
guarantee is.
Chair Sam off All right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Table it, please.
Chair Sam off Okay, but I know Commissioner Suarez wants to say something.
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh. Sorry.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman. I think I'm under the
understanding that -- I was told that -- chief correct me if I'm wrong, and maybe Ms. Gomez
may have to answer this question, but -- and maybe I'm -- hopefully, I'm not confused with the
item. Butl was told that before we used to front that money before we were reimbursed and
now we're changing the policy where we're actually not going to be fronting that money. We're
actually going to be -- which I think is better -- a better practice for the City, where we're
actually going to be paying it once we receive -- which could also, you know, lessen some of the
impacts or some of the things that we've seen in our audit, you know, with reference to
uncollected or unreimbursed grants or grants that we haven't applied for and cutting down the
time frame and the cash flow impact of that.
Chief Kemp: You're correct. We -- this has been an evolutionary process with this grant.
Initially, we did it the way that you're describing, that is, the other agencies paid and we
reimbursed them when we got the money from the federal government. And then due to audits
and recommendations, we -- it was determined that the City should front the money. And now
in our current cash flow situation, it's been decided that it will be an even better practice if the
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
agencies went back to fronting the money and then they get reimbursed when we get
reimbursed. So that's the direction -- working with the Finance director, the Manager and
others, that's the direction that we're going to go to going forward.
Chair Sam off All right. So we're going to table this for -- 'til the end of the Commission
meeting. You're recognized, Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: My understanding is, the cities will pay ahead of time. In other words, if
they're not in compliance, we still have the money on this side.
Mr. Kemp: If we don't get reimbursed because they weren't in compliance, then they won't get
reimbursed in the new model where they front the money.
Carlos A. Migoya (City Manager): Or the other alternative could be that you let the County
manage this thing and then we lose control over the grant as well, which is another possibility.
One of the good things about doing it this way, as I understand it -- and Chief Kemp, you can
add to it -- is the fact that we are -- by us administering the grants, we actually have better
control as to how the grants are done.
Chief Kemp: Our Chief Allen Joyce is the urban area administrator for the grant. He is the
person that manages our grant, which is a very important position because, as the Manager
indicated, the County would love to manage this grant. At least years ago, they would love to
have managed the grant because you're in a position to have more say-so as to how the monies
are spent. It's part of a process, the Urban Area Work Group process, but we get a third of the
funds because we are the city that was named as most likely to be hit by terrorists -- terrorism.
So there have been huge benefits to this grant for the City ofMiami, for the South Florida
region and for the other agencies that participate.
Chair Sam off All right. Let's table -- we're going to table this. Do you have an answer?
Ms. Bru: We've reviewed the grant requirements and, in fact, there is an indemnification and
hold harmless provision that is received from the sub -recipients back to the City as the --
Chair Sam off You satisfied with that, that that legally is enforceable?
Ms. Bru: It is. And it also -- it's a requirement -- it's an actual requirement of the federal
government agreement that the sub -recipient --
Chair Sam off All right.
Ms. Bru: -- hold harmless the City as the recipient, so --
Chair Sam off All right, gentlemen, is there a motion on RE. 8 [sicg?
Commissioner Dunn: We already have --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): You already -- I'm sorry. You already -- yes. I'm sorry.
Chair Sam off All right. Any --
Ms. Thompson: You have a motion by Commissioner Suarez, second by Commissioner Dunn.
Chair Sam off -- further discussion? All in favor, please say "aye.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off You have a --
Chief Kemp: One thing to try and snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory --
Chair Sam off About to say --
Chief Kemp: -- in your package --
Chair Sam off -- you know what Judge King taught me. --
Commissioner Dunn: Victory out of the --
Chair Sam off When you hear the --
Commissioner Dunn: -- jaws of defeat.
Chair Sam off -- word "granted, "you just walk away.
Commissioner Gort: You walk away.
Chief Kemp: The package --
Chair Sam off See that right there? All right, motion to reopen.
Chief Kemp: The breakdown is in your package, including the administrative costs. Thank
you.
Chair Sam off Thank you, chief.
RE.2 RESOLUTION
10-00752
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE BID
Fire -Rescue RECEIVED MARCH 12, 2010, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID NO.
177145, FROM IPA CORPORATION, THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND
RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, FOR THE PURCHASE OF FIRE -RESCUE
UNIFORMS AND SAFETY SHOES, ON AN AS -NEEDED CONTRACTUAL
BASIS, FOR AN INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD OF ONE (1) YEAR, WITH THE
OPTION TO RENEW FOR FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR PERIODS;
ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM
THE USER DEPARTMENTS, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED.
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RE.3
10-00753
Department of
Purchasing
10-00752 Legislation. pdf
10-00752 Summary Form.pdf
10-00752 Tabulation Summary. pdf
10-00752 Tabulation -I PA. pdf
10-00752 Tabulation-Harrisons.pdf
10-00752 Tabulation -Global. pdf
10-00752 Tabulation -Law Enforcement. pdf
10-00752 List Equal Items. pdf
10-00752 Addendum No. 1.pdf
10-00752 NFPA.pdf
10-00752 I FB. pdf
10-00752 Group 1-Shirts. pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the Record: Item RE.2 was deferred to the City Commission meeting currently
scheduled for July 22, 2010.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE
ACQUISITION OF PLAYGROUND/PARK EQUIPMENT AND PARTS,
SURFACING, SHADE STRUCTURES AND FITNESS TRAILS, FROM
VARIOUS VENDORS, AWARDED UNDER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF
PALM BEACH COUNTY BID NO. 10C-54B, EFFECTIVE THROUGH MAY 2,
2015; CLAY COUNTY BID NO. 08/09-3, EFFECTIVE THROUGH JANUARY
13, 2012; PALM BEACH COUNTY BID NOS. 08-051 AND 08-051R,
EFFECTIVE THROUGH AUGUST 22, 2010; AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
OF OSCEOLA COUNTY BID NO. SDCO 09-B-082 CJ, EFFECTIVE
THROUGH MAY 18, 2012, ON AN AS -NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS,
SUBJECT TO ANY EXTENSIONS AND/OR REPLACEMENT CONTRACTS BY
THE RESPECTIVE ISSUING AGENCIES; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE
VARIOUS SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE USER DEPARTMENTS AND
AGENCIES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY
APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED.
10-00753 Legislation. pdf
10-00753 Summary Form.pdf
10-00753 Tabulation. pdf
10-00753 Solicitation -Palm Beach.pdf
10-00753 Email. pdf
10-00753 Notice of Decision. pdf
10-00753 RFB.pdf
10-00753 Email 2.pdf
10-00753 Bid. pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0291
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
RE.4
10-00764
Office of Strategic
Planning,
Budgeting, and
Performance
Chair Sarnoff All right, RE.3.
Commissioner Gort: 2.
Chair Sam off No, 2's off right? RE.3.
Glenn Marcos: Good afternoon, Commissioners. Glenn Marcos, Purchasing director. RE.3 is
an item before you. It's a recommendation to piggyback off of various government agencies'
contracts for the procurement of playground park equipment. This contract will be used on an
as -needed, when -needed basis.
Chair Sam off All right. RE.3 is a playground equipment and parts, surfaces, shade
structures, fitness trails from various vendors. Is there anyone from the general public wishing
to be heard on RE. 3? Hearing none, seeing none, coming back to the Commission. Is there a
motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: So moved.
Chair Sam off Motion by the Vice Chair.
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Chair Sam off Second by Commissioner Dunn. Any discussion, gentlemen? Hearing no
discussion, all in favor, please say "aye.'
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off Unanimous vote on RE.3.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION COMPUTING A
PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2010 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER
30, 2011; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT SAID PROPOSED
MILLAGE RATE TO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER
AND THE TAX COLLECTOR TOGETHER WITH THE DATE, TIME AND
PLACE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AT WHICH THE CITY COMMISSION
WILL CONSIDER THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND THE CITY OF
MIAMI'S TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR SAID FISCAL YEAR.
10-00764 Legislation 7-22-10.pdf
10-00764 Summary Form 7-22-10.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the Record: Item RE.4 was deferred to the City Commission meeting currently
scheduled for July 22, 2010.
Chair Sam off RE.4. Oh, RE.4 has been taken off.
Vice Chair Carollo: Deferred.
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Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): RE (Resolution) --
Chair Sam off RE.5.
Alyce Robertson: Good afternoon.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record.
Ms. Robertson: Alyce Robertson, executive director of the Miami Downtown Development
Authority. The item that's before you today is setting the maximum millage for the Miami
Downtown Development Authority District at the .5 mill rate. It has been at this rate since
1965, since the inception of the DDA (Downtown Development Authority). This rate -- also our
tax roll has fell this year, as many of the other tax rolls did. And our -- it went down 11
percent. This repre -- at this level, this represents a 9.42 percent decrease and -- of the roll --
over the rollback rate of 5520. But the DDA is restricted by law of staying at .5. So even if we
weren't above -- or below the rollback, we couldn't go above that rate. So this is before you. If
you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer those.
Chair Sam off All right. Is -- let me open up to a public hearing. RE. 5 is the proposed
millage rate for the Downtown Development Authority. Is there anyone from the general public
who wishes to speak before RE.5? Hearing none, seeing none, the public hearing is now
closed; coming back to the Commission. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: Move.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Suarez. Is there a second? Second. I'll second the
motion.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I just --?
Vice Chair Carollo: Hold on, hold on. Let me -- okay, so there's a motion by Commissioner
Suarez, seconded by Chairman Sarnoff. Any discussion?
Commissioner Suarez: I just want to make --
Vice Chair Carollo: Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: -- kind of one philosophical point. You guys, the DDA, you're at your
cap in terms of the millage rate. The reduction in the ad valorem values is obviously going to
reduce your budget by 9 or 10 percent.
Ms. Robertson: Eleven percent.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay, 11 percent. And you guys are still going to survive, right?
Ms. Robertson: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: You're going to make it?
Ms. Robertson: No. In fact, we've been preparing for this moment. We saw it coming, and
we've been holding back money, cutting back on administrative expenses to prepare for this
day.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Commissioner Suarez: I just wanted that to be aired out andl wanted that to be made public
because there's this notion that -- you know, you guys are up against the ceiling and you're able
to still make it work somehow. You know, you plan for it, you cut back on expenses, and you
know, you have no ability to generate more revenue, but you were able to make it work.
Ms. Robertson: Right and --
Commissioner Suarez: So I just want to make that kind of philosophical point for my own --
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez, I --
Commissioner Suarez: -- purposes.
Chair Sam off I'm sorry, Mr. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Go ahead, Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off So you know, Commissioner, we had a workshop and we projected 15 percent
and budgeted for 17 percent. So we're within what I think is, you know, prudence, but we -- I
don't want to deceive you either. We still have some things to do.
Commissioner Suarez: No. And I think the point is that you did the right thing. You did it
right. You know, you budgeted for the worst -case scenario and it turned out to be not as bad as
what you anticipated, which is actually a good thing, and so you were able to basically live
within your means, even though you have this cap that you cannot exceed. And it just goes to
show that if you plan and you do things properly, you can, you know, make things work. I just
want to make that point, andl wanted you to express that.
Ms. Robertson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. Did you close the public hearing, Mr. Chairman, do you
recall?
Ms. Robertson: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: If not -- yes?
Ms. Thompson: Yes, he did.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, coming back --
Ms. Thompson: But be --
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm sorry?
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry. Before you vote, I have in my hand a substitute to your resolution
that would make it an actual modified resolution, and I did not hear Ms. Robinson [sic] state it
on the record, so I wanted to make sure --
Commissioner Suarez: As modified.
Ms. Thompson: -- that we're working with the substituted document being included.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Ms. Robertson: That's correct.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Ms. Robertson: The reason there's a substitute is because the tax roll is released on July 1, the
property appraisal roll, and the agenda deadline preceded that, so we are substituting the
actual amounts that were in there. But the .5 mills has been the same every year, so it's just the
Commissioner Suarez: I accept the modification.
Ms. Robertrson: -- rollback -- what the rollback rate was.
Vice Chair Carollo: I have a --
Commissioner Suarez: I accept the modification.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- motion by Commissioner Suarez. I have a seconder, Commissioner
Sarnoff -- Chairman Sarnoff. Any further discussion from this Commission? All in favor, say
"aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Anyone in opposition, have the same right to say "nay." Motion passes
unanimously.
Ms. Thompson: As modified.
Ms. Robertson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Carollo: As modified Thank you.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: Do we have Crazy Glue here, by any chance?
Ms. Thompson: What'd he say?
Commissioner Gort: Do we have Crazy Glue here, by any chance? This thing keeps popping
up all the time So does his.
Chair Sarnoff All right. Post Crazy Glue, we're going to commence.
RE.5 RESOLUTION
10-00754
Downtown A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION COMPUTING A
Development PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN
Authority DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ("DDA") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2010 AND ENDING
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
SEPTEMBER 30, 2011; DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO
SUBMIT SAID PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE TO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
PROPERTY APPRAISER AND THE TAX COLLECTOR TOGETHER WITH
THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AT WHICH THE
CITY COMMISSION WILL CONSIDER THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE
AND THE DDA'S TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR SAID FISCAL YEAR.
10-00764 Legislation. pdf
10-00764 Cover Memo. pdf
10-00754-Legislation-SUB. pdf
10-00754-Submittal-Board Memo -Substitution for Item RE.5.pdf
10-00764 Board Resolution.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Chairman Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0292
RE.6 RESOLUTION
10-00777
Virginia Key Beach A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Park Trust ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE VIRGINIA KEY
BEACH PARK TRUSTS (TRUST') FISCAL YEAR 2009-2010 BUDGET,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
$216,519.51, CONSISTING OF THE TRUST'S REVENUE FUND BALANCE
AND PROJECTED REVENUE, AS STATED HEREIN.
10-00777 Legislation. pdf
10-00777 Exhibit. pdf
10-00777 Summary Form.pdf
10-00777-Submittal-Virginia Key Beach Trust Fund Balance and Trend Fiscal Years 2005 Thru Bu
10-00777-Submittal-Virginia Key Beach Trust Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Budget Consolidated.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
Vice Chair Carollo: RE.6.
Chair Sam off RE.6. It is the budget for Virginia Key Trust. Boy, talk about --
Commissioner Gort: Uh-oh.
Chair Sarnoff -- somebody's shoes I wouldn't want --
Commissioner Gort: Uh-oh.
Chair Sarnoff -- to be in.
Commissioner Gort: Uh-oh.
Guy Forchion: Good afternoon Mr. Chairman, Vice Chairman, Commissioners. Guy
Forchion, executive director for the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. This resolution before you
is asking for the approval of a budget amendment of $216,519.51 that consists of trust revenue
funds and projected revenue to September 30. I'm definitely here for any questions or
information that you need concerning this.
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Chair Sam off All right.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Let's open it up to a public hearing, and then we'll come back to the
Commission. Anyone from the public wishing to be heard on RE.5, excuse me.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): 6.
Vice Chair Carollo: 6.
Chair Sam off That is -- 6, I apologize. RE.6, which is the resolution approving the Virginia
Key Trust budget, please come to the microphone. Hearing none, seeing none, coming back to
the Commission. Commissioner Dunn is recognized for the record.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Forchion, as you, I'm sure, have witnessed, there have been a
plethora of questions regarding the Virginia Key Park Trust. And guess at this time, we've got
to get some answers before any action of any sort could be taken. So I yield to my colleagues.
Mr. Forchion: Understood. Any --
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off The Vice Chair is recognized for the record.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Executive Director, were you aware that I had requested several
times for you to come before us or someone from your organization to come before us with
regards to why you were late in issuing your audited financial statements?
Mr. Forchion: I was aware of it after the fact and one time, not more than one time. But one
time by my chairman, who was present and made a presentation, to my understanding, as to
why the audit was late.
Vice Chair Carollo: Does any Commissioner remember the chairman of Virginia Key Park
Trust coming before us and making a presentation on why the audited financial statements was
[sic] late? And there was a second part. I also requested the auditors -- your auditors to come
before us and let us know because the truth of the matter is, the auditors and your organization
could have very different reasons to why the issued financial statements were late. So does any
Commissioner remember 'cause I surely don't? Andl think I would have remembered. So no?
Mr. Forchion: The -- I was not aware that you requested also our auditors, but after my
chairman came back from that meeting and told me that you had made that request, I followed
that evening and sent a memo to you and copied this entire body explaining point for point why
it was running late. I've contacted my staff now and I'm hoping they can bring a copy of that
memo now because I would love to read that point to point, but I can go over --
Chair Sam off Could you just --
Mr. Forchion: -- some of the history --
Chair Sam off Sure. Could you tell us why?
Mr. Forchion: -- of what occurred. If you remember in the second meeting of September last
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year, the Trust budget was zeroed out. And in that zeroing out, it was actually extended over to
the next Commission meeting. That actually rolled into the meeting of December 17 before we
actually came before this body. At the end of October, our entire staff was laid off. So there
were no employees of the Trust. That lasted just a couple of weeks. And members of the Trust
board asked ifI would participate and keep things moving along, and at that time, I came on as
a consultant, 90 days, for transitional services so that we could put a lot of things in place. We
had an audit that still needed to take place. But to cut to the chase on that, that delay in
loading our budget on December 17 that was approved -- and it was not the entire budget; it
was 433, 346, and we had $234,000 still held out. And this body requested if, at a later date,
the Trust needed those funds, to come back before it. That December 17 date, the budget is not
loaded instantaneously, as we're all aware, and that took place in January. At that point, we
have no capacity to spend money, which is a predicament we're in right now for creating
purchase orders.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Forchion: Our budget is not funded. I'm sorry, Commissioner.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: I understand what you're saying. I also believe that we're mixing apples
with oranges. The audit was for the previous years. Therefore, the monies to pay for that audit
should have been from the previous budget, not this coming budget.
Mr. Forchion: No. Again, it's --
Vice Chair Carollo: Therefore, you're mixing apples with oranges.
Mr. Forchion: Well, again, that budget -- because we're going before loading our budget now
when we were there in September '09. It is for the dollars we'll spend now. And so when they
were frozen, we still had no dollars to spend --
Vice Chair Carollo: So --
Mr. Forchion: -- until January.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- you're saying that you had no dollars from the previous budget -- okay,
no dollars from the '09 budget to spend for the '09 audit?
Mr. Forchion: Correct. Because, again, it is paid in the budget -- that audit is paid in 2010,
and it is not loaded. Our budget was not loaded. We rolled over funds but could not pay.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, no, no, no. You do not pay last year's budget with the following year's
monies.
Mr. Forchion: When --
Vice Chair Carollo: You should have properly had money set aside for that year's audit. In
other words, for this year's audit, you should have money set aside to pay for that audit. You
don't carry it over to the next --
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, I just want to add something to what the Vice Chair just
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said, ifI may?
Chair Sarnoff Oh, I'm -- please. I'm sorry.
Commissioner Suarez: When we approved the -- if I'm not mistaken, when we approved the
Decem -- the budget in December, I'm almost certain that there was a line item in that break --
the budget breakdown for auditing services.
Mr. Forchion: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: So I think what the Vice Chairman is trying to say is, in 2009, although
we didn't approve that budget, I'm certain that there was a line item in that budget --
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly.
Commissioner Suarez: -- for auditing services, so that money should be there. That shouldn't
be an excuse why the audit wasn't -- because this is -- I don't know if you were here for the
entire discussion beforehand. What happened was three agencies did not provide their audits
on time; therefore, our City's audit was late, which caused us to be delayed in our credit rating,
in closing our books, and has cost us -- there's been statements on the record that it's cost us
millions of dollars, the delay in our ability to bond for the Marlins parking garage. So
understand the predicament that we're in. We are trying to hold these agencies accountable for
these delays because they are costing the taxpayers of the City ofMiami millions of dollars.
And the Vice Chairman's point, which I think he very clearly stated, is that there should been --
the excuse that you're proffering now to me doesn't make any sense, and I don't think it makes
any sense to him, you know. There should have been money there to pay for the audit. The
audit should have been done beginning, you know -- I don't know. I mean, I'm not an expert,
but I'm saying at the beginning -- the end of the fiscal year is the beginning of the audit. No?
Vice Chair Carollo: What -- your fiscal year is what, September 30?
Mr. Forchion: Yes, September 30.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. By --
Mr. Forchion: Right along with the City.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- November, December, they should have already had the letter out and
start, you know, the audit.
Mr. Forchion: Right. And that process began at that time. The auditor engaged us in
December. Andl can tell you, Mr. Spring made it painfully clear to us how this could affect
the City budget.
Vice Chair Carollo: Not good enough.
Mr. Forchion: He -- well, I would say that he did a very good job in making sure that we
moved forward. And so we moved it forward as far as we could in January because, again, the
line item is there, but our dollars do not move until the budget is loaded. We have no ability to
spend those dollars.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, ifI may? Again, I'm --I have to harp on what the Vice
Chairman said. In 2009, your budget was loaded, okay.
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Mr. Forchion: In 2009 -- and you're speaking to October 1 ?
Commissioner Suarez: Correct.
Mr. Forchion: And that's what I'm saying; it was not.
Commissioner Suarez: You're saying that your '09 budget was never approved?
Mr. Forchion: I'm saying that our '09/2010 --
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Mr. Forchion: -- budget was not approved until December 17.
Commissioner Suarez: Of 2009?
Mr. Forchion: Of '09.
Commissioner Suarez: You're saying the budget which began September 1, 2008 and ended --
Mr. Forchion: No. I'm sorry, go ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. -- October 30, 2009, that that budget was not approved until
December 2009?
Mr. Forchion: No. That budget was approved. I'm speaking to '09 --
Commissioner Suarez: And what the Vice Chairman --
Mr. Forchion: -- 2010.
Commissioner Suarez: -- is saying is that in that budget, which began October 1, 2008 and
ended September 30, 2009, there should have been set aside money to complete the 2009 audit.
Mr. Forchion: Those dollars -- and maybe that is something in our finance department that
should have been arranged that way. But I can tell you that in the '08-'09 budget, those dollars
paid for the actual audit that took place in early '09. The line is there and it took care of the
audit that took place in early '09.
Commissioner Suarez: Then that sounds to me like that's a pretty bad financial practice, that
they're using the next year's budgetary money for audits to do the prior year's audit and --
Vice Chair Carollo: I honestly think he -- I honestly think you're mixing apples with oranges,
all right.
Mr. Forchion: Understood.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. I honestly think you're mixing apples with oranges. We're talking
about -- and I'm not exactly sure how -- andl need to see some financial statements, but the
'08/'09 budget is what we're talking about.
Mr. Forchion: Yes, '08/'09.
Vice Chair Carollo: And I'm sure there was a line item there for auditing services.
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Mr. Forchion: Yes, there was. But I'm just trying to say that --
Vice Chair Carollo: And that was not approved in December of '09.
Mr. Forchion: Correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: That was approved possibly December of '08.
Mr. Forchion: No. It -- and it was not. That was approved in the second meeting in '08.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. So that goes to what we're saying, that the money should have been
there so you could have paid the auditors and -- in other words, the '09/'010 [sic] budget had
nothing to do with the previous year's audit of '08/'09, nor the funding --
Mr. Forchion: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- 'cause the funding should have been there.
Mr. Forchion: Correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: So what we're saying is that the excuse that you're giving us is really not
valid, with all due respect.
Mr. Forchion: And understood. What I'm trying to say is that at September 30 -- and we have
dollars that roll over, and in the budget that we presented to you, it had a line item there for
auditing services, $23,000, and those dollars -- again, when the budget gets loaded, typically
October 1, then those dollars will pay for that audit. Now that may be a financial practice that
-- I can't really speak to that. We had a finance director. And I can tell you that that payment
process into the next fiscal year has been in place because, again, all funds are frozen --
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman --
Mr. Forchion: -- in September 30.
Commissioner Suarez: -- do we have our Finance director here or maybe the Manager can
answer this question? Because it -- you seem to be re -- he's saying he can't conceive of it
being that way. I can't conceive of it being that way. But the way that you're describing it, it
almost makes it seem like you're using the next year's money to do the prior year's audit, and
you're saying that the delay in getting the next year's money is what caused you to be delayed
in doing the prior year's audit. And -- is that what you're saying?
Mr. Forchion: Yes. There were other factors. And again, I mean, I -- andl have a copy of the
memo here andl can go over some of those items, but --
Commissioner Suarez: And what I'm saying is -- and I think what the City -- I don't want to put
words in your mouth, Mr. Vice Chairman, but that's -- not only does that seem to be a bad
accounting practice, that seems to be a bad financial management practice, bad budgeting
practice, and it's a practice that has cost us -- Mr. Springs [sic].
Larry Spring (Chief Financial Officer): I'm sorry. I didn't hear the question.
Commissioner Suarez: It's okay. Let me re --
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Vice Chair Carollo: Sidebar.
Commissioner Suarez: -- let me kind of --
Chair Sam off If he's going to have a sidebar --
Commissioner Suarez: Or Ms. Gomez. It doesn't matter. Anyone can really answer this, I
think.
Chair Sam off Well, let's do this. Let me let Commissioner Dunn -- yield -- do me a favor.
Yield to Commissioner Dunn --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes, I do.
Chair Sarnoff -- and then we'll come back with the practice.
Commissioner Dunn: Let me say, Mr. Forchion, you -- I mean, this places me in a terribly
awkward position. I need to go on record saying that because given our situation in the City,
given what the Virginia Key Trust Park, what it means and what it's all about, you've got to
give us more than what I -- I mean, it's -- and then the other question I have is this has been
articulated and communicated for several -- for months. This has been on the record and for it
to just come now to these Commissioners, to this body, really, it puts me in a defenseless
position. I mean, I -- you got --
Mr. Forchion: And ifI may, Commissioner. Andl hate that you would feel in that position --
Commissioner Dunn: I do.
Mr. Forchion: -- and we in no way would want any --
Commissioner Dunn: But more so --
Mr. Forchion: -- Commissioner of the City to feel in that manner.
Commissioner Dunn: -- for what Virginia Key Park Trust represents, more so than that.
Mr. Forchion: Most definitely. And ifI can touch on a few of these items, and I'm looking at
the memo at the time that I sent to this body and to Commissioner Carollo. The original audit
agreement had four phases, planning and risk assessment, two weeks into October '09; field
work, three weeks in October, November '09; data analysis, formulation of findings, two weeks
in November 2009; and a fourth segment, final test work and reporting, two weeks in December
'09, with a final completion deliverables of January 15. That's what was in the agreement. The
audit agreement was not signed until October 30 and again, on September 30, the entire Trust
was laid off. Our budget was zeroed and all of us were laid off. During August and September
'09, the City ofMiami budget process reduced the Trust budget to zero. It's my understanding
that the executive director and finance director at that time were negotiating with the City of
Miami to add the Trust external audit to the City's. The City declined. The Trust fiscal year
2010 budget was not approved by the Commission until January 21, 2010 and was not
effectively loaded following the Trust -- loaded allowing the Trust to issue purchase order
requests until early February because again, if it's not loaded, we can't spend a dime.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I stop you right there?
Mr. Forchion: Yes.
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Commissioner Suarez: I just have a question on that. Why couldn't you issue the purchase
order for the audit prior to the loading of the new budget? In other words -- Do you
understand what I'm saying? My --
Mr. Forchion: I do.
Commissioner Suarez: And again, this is -- I know I'm kind of -- I'm harping on the same point
andl admire you for sitting here -- kind of standing in the fire 'cause this is --
Mr. Forchion: I've got to.
Commissioner Suarez: You've got to. And this is something that's been building up all day,
you know, so -- you know, everyone else is going to have to do it as well. Why wasn't that
purchase order made in last -- in the prior year's budget when really that expense relates to the
prior year's budget?
Mr. Forchion: That I can't speak to. I was the director of operations. But I can say that the
agreement to move forward -- and this was the first year of a three-year auditing process that
we just entered into. We had a different auditor for three years, put out to bid, got the new
group, Harvey, Covington and Thomas. This was their first year to begin, and that agreement
didn't get signed until October 30. That was literally the last day that all of us were employed,
and then the executive director at that time signed that agreement because it was clear the
audit had to take place. So the agreement got signed October 30, 2009.
Chair Sam off If -- maybe I could give this Commission a little historical prospective. This,
with all due respect, is in my district. We've had a pretty healthy -- sometimes healthy,
sometimes antagonistic relationship. And maybe, ifI go through some of your fiscal year
budgets, this Commission will gain an understanding as to how funded you were, some of your
past practices, some of your robust carry forward balances and how you got those carry
forward balances. For instance, prior to me being here, you had received $9 million from the
City of Miami in 2005. You carried forward from the previous years $824,000. You, like
everybody else back then, got some interest revenue, and you got some grants, and you had a
$1, 797, 000 budget. You spent approximately $1.2 million. You had six full-time employees. In
2006, you increased your contribution from the City ofMiami to$1.3 million; again, before I
got here. You had a carry forward balance of $519, 000. And essentially, you were operating
on $1.9 million, and you then started to increase the number of people you were bringing on
board. In 2007, when I did get here, I was cautioning you guys about how fast you were in
hiring people because I thought you were way ahead of yourself but you were able to get $1.6
million from the City ofMiami. You were able to carry forward $586, 000, you then spent $2.3
million, and you continued to grow. Now, I think you opened in 2008.
Mr. Forchion: 2008.
Chair Sam off Right. And again, you started -- the decline from the City ofMiami started to
happen. And my point of the whole exercise here, 'cause I could push you forward, is look at
your carry forward balances. What you were doing was telling the City ofMiami for years and
years and years, we need 20 employees, 15 employees. You wouldn't hire that many employees
and you would carry forward your budget. That was your practice. Then it came time when
you started to say we're going to open and you started employing people and you started using
some of your carry forward balance. But my point, listening to Commissioner Suarez and
listening to the Vice Chair and you saying our budget wasn't approved, you had the money to
pay the budget -- or excuse me, to pay the audit, undoubtedly. As a matter of fact, ifI were to
ask you what's in the bank account now -- what is in the bank account?
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Mr. Forchion: The bank account right now is the 166, 519.51. That's our revenue deposits
from October 1 last year to May 19 this year. We have 106 and some dollars that are in a
carryover fund that we just recently pulled out of Oracle. It was informed to us on Oracle,
which, to my understanding, is on hold, which is why this request here is purely the revenues
we've earned this year and a projection of $50, 000, which is what we will earn from May 19 'til
September 30.
Chair Sam off And that --
Mr. Forchion: And at that point, we would carry over 106.
Chair Sam off -- brings an interesting topic because you are asking us for $216, 000. You're
telling us how you anticipate spending the $216, 000, but you don't even describe how it is
you're going to derive your revenues.
Mr. Forchion: Well --
Chair Sam off Nowhere on this paper is a description of revenues; merely expenses.
Mr. Forchion: Well, revenues are earned from the amusements on the property and the entry
fees that we charge on weekends, and then rentals of pavilions on the park. We have a few
major events that take place --
Chair Sam off I understand that.
Mr. Forchion: -- and fundraising but that is it.
Chair Sam off But you realize that no Commissioner up here has the historical knowledge --
or maybe they do, andl shouldn't speak for them but some of them may not have the historical
knowledge. They certainly don't have a revenue -generating budget to show how you're going to
do it, whether it's a carousel, whether it's entrance fees, whether it's -- you did the -- I want to
get this right -- renaissance festival.
Mr. Forchion: Renaissance fair.
Chair Sam off Maybe they're coming back again the year -- next year; whether it's, I don't
know, any parties that you guys were able to generate. Nobody sees the revenue side. What
they do see -- andl can't account for $233,000 'cause ifI look at the old budget, in fiscal year
2010 your carry forward budget was $233,000.
Mr. Forchion: Correct.
Chair Sam off So if you're going to have, you said 50,000 -- did you say 50,000 in revenue?
Mr. Forchion: Fifty thousand in revenue from May 19 'til September 30.
Chair Sam off Shouldn't I be looking at a $283,303 budget, and then having still a residual
leftover in 2010 of approximately 70 or $65,000?
Mr. Forchion: Again, the 233 that you're showing is a number that was given to us in -- at
October 1 last year. That number is now 106.
Chair Sam off I -- you know, I got to tell you, I don't -- beyond the issue of your tardy audit
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and the cost associated thereto with the Marlins stadium -- or Marlins parking garage, to be
more accurate, I don't think I have enough information to make a vote on a budget. I just don't
see it. I mean, like -- what you're doing is you're saying here's some numbers, and you can't
describe to me (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- where did the 3 -- $233,303, how did that become 160 --
you said 1 -- how much was it, 1 --?
Mr. Forchion: No. One hundred and six thousand dollars.
Chair Sarnoff One hundred and six. How did that become $106,000?
Mr. Forchion: Those dollars, the 233, we have been allowed to operate using some of those
dollars. Again, when we had our budget passed at $433, 000, October -- from October 1 to
October 30 was the departure of roughly 17 individuals, the staff of the Trust. Many of them
and our executive director at that time, his contract had severance pay in it, individuals -- and
I'm just explaining where the costs were. We had a budget of $433, 000 and then --
Chair Sam off What was the --?
Mr. Forchion: -- October alone, we spent $180,000 in the departure of the entire staff.
Chair Sam off What was his severance? How much did he get?
Mr. Forchion: That I don't know, but I'd be happy to get all of those numbers to you, but the
entire month was 180, 000. And then unemployment for several of those individuals, residual
because, again, the finance department and the director, we were not with finance -- we were
not with unemployment insurance where a portion was being paid away. Again, that is why I
moved forward and said in transitional services for the Trust, a lot of things needed to be dealt
with when this board zeroed its cost.
Chair Sam off You're telling me that the Virginia Key Trust had to pay unemployment without
regard to having insurance?
Mr. Forchion: Yes, it did. That was approximately $50,000.
Chair Sam off I mean, with all due respect, what the hell was your executive director doing?
Mr. Forchion: This project has come a very long way and --
Chair Sam off No person in America operates a business without unemployment insurance,
unless you're General Motors, and even them, they should have.
Mr. Forchion: It was not a direction that -- I'm sure different members of the staff wouldn't
have gone at that time. Again, those decisions were made by the director at that time. What we
were facing in October were those liabilities.
Chair Sam off All right. Okay, so let's move this somewhere. What do we have? Do we have
a motion, gentlemen?
Commissioner Gort: I don't think so.
Chair Sam off All right, this was S -- this is --
Ms. Thompson: RE.6.
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Chair Sarnoff -- RE. 6. Is there a motion to approve the budget? All right, thank you.
Mr. Forchion: Thank you, Commissioners.
RE.7 RESOLUTION
10-00785
District 1- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CHANGING THE START
Commissioner OF THE CITY OF MIAMI DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS
Wifredo (Willy) FISCAL YEAR, FROM OCTOBER 1 TO APRIL 1, EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2011;
Gort AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS FOR SAID PURPOSE.
10-00785 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0307
Chair Sam off RE.7.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think RE.7 is something -- andl think-- and we actually had a
discussion on this before andl wish I would have participated in it a little bit more 'cause I
have some questions. Andl think I was supposed to speak with Alfredo Duran from CD
(Community Development) yesterday, andl don't know what happened; we never did. But
there's -- I'll yield to Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that we're looking at the year that we have coming
up and the problems that we have financially, so we thought it was a good idea to change the
fiscal year for the reason being that we'll get additional funding in April. All we're doing is
changing the fiscal year from the previous (UNINTELLIGIBLE) October 1 to September 30 to
April 1 to May 30. The reason being is to get some additional funding within the City ofMiami
that we can go ahead and apply it to Capital Improvements and so on.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh, I understand your intentions extremely well and, you know, I
commend you for thinking outside the box. However, I don't know if it's necessarily additional
funding. I think what it'll be is we're -- the funding will just come sooner --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- but it's not necessarily additional funding. And then some of the
questions I had -- we just went through the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)
progress, so my question would be, do we need to start a CDBG process right now and are we
going to be --? The same thing that just happened June 21, is it going to be happening in
Christmastime, Thanksgiving time where --? You know, that -- I think -- yeah, I think that's
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going to be issues. I mean --
George Mensah: George Mensah, director of Community Development. If this resolution
passes, it means that we have to do an amended annual action plan, so we have to come --
Vice Chair Carollo: That's what I thought.
Mr. Mensah: -- and then we would have to take back all the monies (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
allocated because this will be a half a year, and so we will have to go back and reduce the
allocations so that they can be -- otherwise, it will give them a lot more money to spend within
a short time -- short period of time. That would defeat the purpose, so we will have to do an
amended annual action.
Vice Chair Carollo: And that's why --
Commissioner Gort: That was not my understanding. My understanding, we weren't going to
reduce and get money back. My understanding is we had to spend the money within the period
that we had.
Mr. Mensah: Well, if we do that, then that means is that -- for example, we just gave -- and I'll
give an example, let's say Curley [sic] House, because that's one. We just gave Curley [sic]
House, let's say, $20, 000 for 12 months. If we compress it, which means that they'll be
spending the $20,000 in six months --
Commissioner Gort: Well --
Mr. Mensah: -- which means you've giving them a lot more money than they normally would
have got. So that's the advantage of --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Mensah: -- that. But what we decided not to do was that if we're going to do this, then
we're going to make sure that nobody gets more money so we will have to scale back so that we
will prorate the amount of money that we'll give them. If we were giving them 20,000 for one
year, then we'll cut it back and give them $10, 000 for six months so that they don't get more
money than they have to.
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly, and that was my point. It's not additional funding. I mean --
Mr. Mensah: No, no.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- there's no additional fundings [sic]. All it is, we're changing the time
frame and I -- you know, in my opinion, I think we're going to throw a lot of things off. They
have a much shorter time to spend the money. We're going to be in Christmas and
Thanksgiving going through exactly what we just went through in -- you know, June 21 where
we're going to have all these people before us. I don't know if it's the appropriate time. You
know we also had the issues with the Mayor's property [sic] initiative that he, you know, did the
additional funding. I don't know if by then we'll be ready to see where we're at with that. So
that -- you know, and those are my concerns that -- and again, I know we had a discussion item
on this andl wish I would have participated more, and you know, a lot of this just hit me when I
-- we just went through CDBG funding, so I guess at the same time, I gained a little more
experience having gone through the process and now seeing what the process really entails.
Commissioner Gort: My understanding, the process is the same one we gone through. We
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have to go to the public hearings, where we have to show all the expenditure, which we --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Commissioner Gort: -- all did in one night at the same time. My understanding is that this can
be adjusted so the people can go ahead and use the money. I mean, if you want to defer for a
few minutes or something, let somebody talk to you because that's the way it was explained to
me. Now, if we're changing the ballgame, then that's a different ballgame.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. And that's exact -- and Commissioner Gort, I always welcome, you
know, discussion and debate and so forth --
Commissioner Gort: Sure.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- because, you know, I think it's important. I think, you know, before, you
know, we vote on any item, we all should know exactly what we have, you know.
Commissioner Gort: No, I understand.
Vice Chair Carollo: And whether the Administration told you one thing or another, I don't
know. All I'm seeing is, especially having gone through the process now, I'm more educated on
what this is.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: And it seems to me like we're going to start the process I think now. I
mean, right away we need to -- ifI remember correctly, andl had various discussions with Mr.
Mensah because everything was told to me about the process in the last minute until I said, you
know what, I need a timeline. I need a timeline to see what comes what because we have 30
days prior notices and that started back in -- I remember --
Mr. Mensah: January.
Vice Chair Carollo: January.
Mr. Mensah: January.
Vice Chair Carollo: And it wasn't even January. It was actually December.
Mr. Mensah: December. Yeah, you were here.
Vice Chair Carollo: You know, I remember. I mean, you had my staff running around, you
know. So then that means that we will have to start now.
Mr. Mensah: Actually, when we looked at the timeline, we have to start September 15 to be
able to meet those --
Vice Chair Carollo: And we'll be doing --
Mr. Mensah: -- deadlines.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- these discussions in Thanks -- or actually public hearing -- we have to
go to a public hearing --
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Mr. Mensah: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) public hearing first, yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- sometime in October --
Mr. Mensah: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and then in Thanksgiving and Christmas is when we're going to have all
of these, you know, entities and personnel coming before us and, once again -- andl don't want
to say, you know, like it was mentioned -- begging, you know, for these dollars and worrying
about what they're going to have to do and so forth where I think we funded them adequately
throughout the year until October 1. Now what would happen is that they will need to use the
funding by April 1 or possibly lose it.
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: So, you know --
Commissioner Gort: And we had several meetings. We gave them certain idea on how to
utilize the funds. The major problem they had was with the HOPWA (Housing Opportunities
for Persons with AIDS) funds; and we got agency, they're willing to comply and they can use
that money. Now if they change the story today, then I got a problem. And it's up to you guys.
Mr. Mensah: Commissioner, I haven't said anything, I haven't changed any story. What -- I'm
just answering questions.
Vice Chair Carollo: Commissioner, would you want to defer this then or --?
Commissioner Gort: Whatever you guys want to do. At this point, you know, we get a different
ballgame. I have -- we've been coming -- talking to them for three months now. Now it's a
different game. Forget it. It's -- they don't want to do it. Fine, don't do it.
Mr. Mensah: Commissioner, we have -- I just want to put for the record --
Commissioner Gort: Just vote it down. That's it.
Mr. Mensah: -- that we have prepared --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Mr. Mensah: -- plans for this. We already have prepared for plans. We came to meet with you
with the Finance Department, everybody, so we have plans for it. I have no problem
implementing this and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Gort: Well, why don't you tell them that we have plan it and we have discussed
it. For the last three months we have been talking about this.
Mr. Mensah: Yes, we have.
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Mr. Mensah: I was just answering questions of what --
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
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Mr. Mensah: -- it entails. And what it entails is that September 15, we have to -- and we did a
timeline. And Commissioner, you had asked for it, about our timeline, and we sent you a copy
of the timeline that we would do if we have to go about this. So we already submit a timeline --
Commissioner Gort: And it can be done, right? It can be done? I was told --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: -- it can be done.
Mr. Mensah: Yes. It can be done, yes.
Commissioner Gort: We had several meetings --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: -- where we even came up with suggestions so you could spend the
HOPWA funds without any problems.
Mr. Mensah: Yes. And, Commissioner, if you remember at the meeting --
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Mr. Mensah: -- what I told you was that it can be done. I would just need your support in
making sure that we don't delay funding because otherwise, we have timeliness issues.
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Mensah: That's what said on record.
Commissioner Gort: Butl want you to explain that to them too. Andl understand the Mayor's
in favor of it too, and we discussed this quite a bit.
Vice Chair Carollo: What's the will of this Commission? Do you want to defer it? I don't
believe in voting it down. I think, you know, at the very least, we should defer it or, you know --
because at the end --
Commissioner Gort: You know, if he needs to ask --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- because the information that I received obviously is dif --
Commissioner Gort: No. I think you should ask all the questions you need to. I think it's very
important that you all have your mind clear in what we're doing.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. You know, and the only reason why I'm saying that is because I just
went through it. And again, I don't want to say I was bitten by that timeline many times or the
lack of having a timeline 'cause I definitely requested it, and now I'm seeing, wait a second,
we're starting this all over again --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and at Christmastime or Thanksgiving, we're going to be here and
there's going to be all these public services entity [sic], you know, asking, begging.
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Commissioner Gort: Commissioner, I understand the process. But if you recall, the process is
we have -- each have one meeting in each one of our neighborhood that is done in one
afternoon. Then we have to have a special meeting one day where we make the allocation once
again. Those allocations have been made already and they've been recommended.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Commissioner Gort: So it's the same process. It's --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. And --
Commissioner Gort: I personally don't mind going through it and -- but I think you should
have all your questions answered.
Vice Chair Carollo: Any -- Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I have a question. I thought the reason why we were doing this was
because we were going to get more money.
Vice Chair Carollo: No.
Commissioner Suarez: Is --
Vice Chair Carollo: No, no, no.
Commissioner Suarez: That's what I thought.
Vice Chair Carollo: No. How so? Mr. Mayor's saying that we're going to receive additional
money. How will we receive additional money?
Mayor Tomas Regalado: We could use more money because we'll be ahead of the budget. We
could use more money in public service and other programs. We just need to have a more
strict timeline in the case of HOPWA. But on the case -- Commissioner Gort is right. On the
case of the public service agencies, we don't need the parades because the money has been
allocated already and we could do the same, but we could use more money if we accelerate the
timeline.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. You're not saying we could use more money. We could use the
same money in a shorter time period.
Commissioner Gort: Shorter time.
Vice Chair Carollo: And the reason why we have -- andl understand you said that we just went
through this so we don't have to go through it. Well, we went through this for October 1
through Octo -- September 30. Or now what you're proposing, October 1 through April or
March 30 or March 31. However, we would have to go through it right now again for the April
1 until March 31 if we do it again, so we would have to start this process again.
Mayor Regalado: Well, we --
Vice Chair Carollo: And as a matter of fact, right now 'cause if -- we're probably behind the
eight ball.
Mayor Regalado: No, we'll do. But still, if we take this road, it would be easier for us to fund
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different programs. We have looked at this and yes, we can do it. They can do it. They say
that they can do it. We just need to be on a certain schedule, but we can do it. I mean, the
Administration said that they can do it.
Mr. Mensah: I just want to put on the record again that -- andl want to explain the reason why
there will be more money for the City, and that is the fact that we received approximately $27
million for a 12-month period. If we compresses [sic] it to six months, which means that you
have $27 million to spend within six months -- now -- and I'll give an example of the public
service, where we have $1.3 million for public service in 12 months. So now you have $1.3
million for public service in six months. If we decide to give pro rata share of the same amount
of money that we gave to the entities, which means that, an example of Curley [sic] House that
received $20, 000 for one year will now receive $10,000. That gives us $10,000 that we can use
for another agency or for the same agency so that they can do more. That is what it entails.
Vice Chair Carollo: Here's my thing. Outside of one agency which -- let me tell you
something, I disagree of what occurred. But outside of one agency it seems like every other
agency receives either more or less the same or above the amount of the previous years.
Outside of one agency and, you know, I won't mention which one it is andl thought it was
wrong. And as a matter of fact, I may try to help out, you know, with some of my reserves. But
that aside, it seems like every agency received the same amount or additional funding for a
one-year period and now you're saying these agencies that received the same amount of
funding or even more than last year, we're going to give you these fundings [sic] and use it
within six months. So they're going to have a whole lot more money and it's not additional. It's
just the same amount of money. And then are they going to carry that over to, you know, the
April? Andl don't think they can. I think they have to use it within the six-month period,
correct?
Mr. Mensah: That's correct. But what we can do is if you commit the money to them, then they
have another day, another time to use those funds. What is also make [sic] available is that --
and I'll use CDBG as an example 'cause CDBG is the most flexible one that we have. CDBG
will receive $8.9 million, so half of that will be $4.5 million, so it means that we will have
additional $4.5 million that we can use for other activities. So in terms of you running the
program and making sure it works, yes. And I've committed to the Commissioner that we have
plans in place to make sure that we'll be able to do it if the City Commission decides to go that
direction, and that is what I can tell you at this moment.
Vice Chair Carollo: And again, I want to clam. Is it additional money or is it the same
amount of money that you have a shorter period of time to use?
Mr. Mensah: The same amount of money with a shorter period.
Vice Chair Carollo: The same amount of money. So in no case is it additional monies?
Mayor Regalado: But what he's saying -- what he's trying to say is -- or what I understand is
that once we allocate it, the agencies will use it. And remember, we are trying to do everything
in order for next year not to try to use the alternative funding that we have in the past years,
which is the Mayor's poverty fund. And so that is why a sort of a sense of urgency that we have
to do this, do the Washington lobbying and all that.
Vice Chair Carollo: But Mr. Mayor -- okay, okay. Let's -- okay, you're saying we need to do
this in order not to use the Mayor's Poverty Initiative fund, which by the way, I agree with you,
and we have spoken about this and that's why we're going to Washington and lobby for it and so
forth. But that means in a few months, we're going to have to make a decision whether we use
Mayor's or general fund monies for this or not, and the reason being is because come
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November or December, we're going to be allocating these monies again. I would imagine that
they're not going to bump up the amount of monies that they've been giving us. They're going
to give us about the same amount, which means we're going to be, if we go by this year,
$400,000 short because we're not going to have the Mayor's Initiative Poverty fund.
Mayor Regalado: That's correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: Now the difference is this --
Mayor Regalado: July 1. The difference is July 1. If we get the -- remember, the federal
budget starts on July 1. Then if we get the possibility that we're looking in Washington, then we
can supplement that money, but we have several month [sic].
Vice Chair Carollo: Right, and that's the thing. We could supplement that money 'cause as it
is right now, we go all the way through September 30 of next year. However, if we do this, then
we go to March 31, April 1, so that means we need to have it even quicker. We need to have an
answer even quicker so -- because if not, it goes -- see, right now the monies we allocated go all
the way through to October -- September 30, so we have, you know, more time. If we go to this
new April 1, we right away start the public hearings, start --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and all that, and we need to get an answer from Congress because if
not, we're going to be funding, starting April 1, $400,000 approximately less than we did this
year.
Mayor Regalado: And you're correct, but that's why we're trying to explore this possibility
because if we do this and we fund, we always have time to look for alternative, and that's the
whole strategy of this use.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Vice Chair Carollo: Go ahead, Mr. Gort --
Commissioner Gort: Do you mind if the --?
Vice Chair Carollo: -- Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Frank Castaneda from my staff has been working on this for a long time
and at the same time, he's very knowledgeable on CDBGs, if he could explain --
Frank Castaneda (Executive Assistant, Commissioner Gort): Commissioner Carollo, let me
explain what we're doing. It's simple.
Commissioner Gort: Introduce yourself, please.
Mr. Castaneda: Frank Castaneda, staff to Commissioner Gort. One year is six months, okay.
The next year is going to be 12 months.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Mr. Castaneda: Six plus twelve is eighteen months. Usually a year is 24 [sic] months --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right -- two years.
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Mr. Castaneda: -- so we're saving six months.
Vice Chair Carollo: Two years is 24 months.
Mr. Castaneda: Right. Two years is -- so we're saving six months, three months per year,
that's 25 percent. That 25 percent resolves the issue of the general fund money going to the
social service agencies. So in effect, we have resolved the issue for public service agencies for
the next 18 months. That's why the Mayor is going to the feds to try to increase the public
service amount to 25 percent and he has 18 months to resolve that issue.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, remember, that 25 percent -- you know, I was the one who sponsored
the motion or at least --
Mr. Castaneda: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- you know, brought it --
Mr. Castaneda: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- forward so I'm familiar with it. I just -- what I'm seeing is that we have
now -- you know, let's say, starting October 1, we have actually have 12 months or even 24
months where -- because the next CDBG budget year you could say or year starts in October.
We're actually now we're going to bring it back to April 1 --
Unidentified Speaker: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- which means that we need to get, you know, the response from Congress
by April 1 instead of October 1.
Mr. Castaneda: But it's 18 months away. The general fund allocation that the Mayor was
putting in is not needed for this year if the year is reduced, so that would save -- that would
have a direct impact on the next coming fiscal year budget.
Vice Chair Carollo: Could we then --? Okay, so if that's true, if we pass this, can we obtain
$400,000 back to the general fund?
Mr. Castaneda: Yes. The allocation from the poverty initiative for this --
Vice Chair Carollo: Will come back to the general fund?
Mr. Castaneda: Correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: IffI could hear from Mr. Mensah on that.
Mayor Regalado: But remember, you just said it; there is an agency that was not funded, fully
funded --
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Mayor Regalado: -- and -- so that's not $400,000 in total. It could be $300,000 back to the
general fund. So -- I'm just --
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Now you bring a different perspective. So what you're saying is --
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'cause the way I was looking at it, it's all this funding that we -- that we're giving these agency
[sic], instead of a year, they have six months to spend.
Mayor Regalado: No.
Vice Chair Carollo: Now -- but what you're saying is all the money that we allocated to these
agencies, we're going to take some back, the money that we -- that -- from the Mayor's --
Mayor Regalado: We have available -- that money will be available come --
Vice Chair Carollo: And we --
Mayor Regalado: -- budget process.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- could bring that back to the general fund And --
Mayor Regalado: But remember, we still need to use part of that money to fully fund one
agency.
Vice Chair Carollo: Gotcha. Okay, now -- see, now I see the picture. Now I see what you're
trying to do. Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: Thank you, Vice Chairman. Can someone just explain to me --? And I'm
clear on it just about -- to the contrary what will happen if we don't pass this? I think know
the answer, but --
Mayor Regalado: The same --
Commissioner Gort: The same.
Vice Chair Carollo: It'll stay the same.
Mayor Regalado: You already approve $400, 000 from the Mayor's Poverty Initiative. We
have -- in order to be fair --
Commissioner Dunn: So you're trying to be ahead?
Mayor Regalado: -- I have to come back to you with the -- and CD have to come back to you
to fund at last year level another agency that it's been part of a historical funding of the City.
And we will have to do the same process next year. However, because of the Vice Chair
motion, this is why we're going to Washington.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Mayor Regalado: And I feel confident -- and I'm going to tell you something historical because
I have historical memory andWilly also does. The week that I was elected in '96, I went to visit
the MRC (Miami Riverside Center), and Frank was the Community Development director, andl
was concerned about the social services, and he suggested that we go to Washington and ask
for a waiver, the 15, 25 percent, and we did that. And at that time, Congresswoman Carrie
Meek and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen help us and we got the waiver for three years.
So there is a precedent that was granted by Congress and by HUD (Department of Housing and
Urban Development), so that's why we have a good shot in going to Washington and get that
waiver, which by the way, for three years will solve most of the problems that we have here with
the public service programs.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Pardon me for -- along those same lines,
do we have that -- those persons or persons who are friendly to this city in place that will
support our efforts in lobbying?
Mayor Regalado: That would depend of Commissioner Carollo, Commissioner Suarez, myself
if we can charm HUD --
Commissioner Suarez: Have faith.
Mayor Regalado: -- next week, if we can get sponsors in the Congress. I mean --
Commissioner Dunn: May I make that suggestion, that we try to get that like we had before?
Mayor Regalado: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, we already have meetings scheduled.
Hopefully --
Commissioner Suarez: We're going to be like Pat Riley. We're going to go and get it.
Mayor Regalado: Yeah, hopefully --
Commissioner Gort: Send (UNINTELLIGIBLE) dream team. I mean --
Mayor Regalado: -- we'll take the dream team to Washington, and -- but no, we do have
already an appointment at the highest level at HUD, and also at the White House and also at
Congress, so you know, this is a big city. This is an important city. This is an election year for
federal candidates, so at least they're going to listen to us and, hopefully, you know, we'll come
back with good news.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Any other discussion? I truly see now what's
trying to be done, what's before us, andl see the pros and cons to it. I do believe it should have
been done differently. I think from the Mayor's Poverty Initiative, we should have seen exactly
what was funded before and so forth and gone along those lines, and then we wouldn't have to
be doing this. I do like the idea of having some monies going back to the general fund You
know, I'm just not crazy of every November and December -- setting precedent that every
November/December, Thanksgiving and Christmas time, is when we're actually allocating these
funds. With that said, Commissioner Gort, what would you like to do?
Commissioner Gort: I moved it.
Vice Chair Carollo: There is a motion by Commissioner Gort. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Vice Chair Carollo: Seconded by Commissioner Suarez. Any further discussion? If I'm --
Madam City Attorney, if I'm chairing a meeting, can I offer an amendment?
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Yes, you can.
Vice Chair Carollo: As the Chair, I could offer an amendment?
Ms. Bru: Yes. I believe you can.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. My amendment would then be --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Carollo: Madam City Clerk. I'm sorry.
Ms. Thompson: Parliamentarian rules, if you're chairing, you would have to turn over the
gavel --
Vice Chair Carollo: That's what I thought.
Ms. Thompson: -- to make a motion or an amendment.
Vice Chair Carollo: That's what I thought.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. That's why I want to make sure.
Ms. Bru: Well, I believe that under Robert's Rules, amendments are freely permitted, but if it's
been the past practice of this Commission to relinquish the chair in order to offer an
amendment, then you can stick to your past practices.
Vice Chair Carollo: I -- Mr. Chair.
Chair Sarnoff You're the Chair; you decide.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, butl don't want to continue to set precedents and since you're, you
know, the Chair and I'm acting --
Chair Sam off You're doing a good job.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- do you prefer for the amendment to be done by the Chairman or do you
prefer the gavel to be passed? And guess I'm reaching out to my colleagues to see what's your
-- you know, so we could get a consensus.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair at the time.
Commissioner Gort: Do it.
Chair Sam off I think you should --
Commissioner Dunn: Give it -- pass the gavel.
Chair Sam off -- proffer the amendment.
Commissioner Dunn: Pass the gavel.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. My amendment is that should we pass this -- Commissioner Gort, I
believe the Allapattah Action Community was budgeted 125,000 last year from the Mayor's
Poverty Initiative?
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. My amendment is that if we pass this, $275, 000 that were initially
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approved from the Mayor's Initiative Poverty fund -- I don't know if that's the exact name of it.
Commissioner Dunn: Mayor's Poverty Initiative fund.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mayor's Poverty Initiative fund -- Thank you, Commissioner Dunn -- come
back to the general fund. And that's my amendment.
Commissioner Dunn: Is that a motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: That's an amendment --
Commissioner Gort: An amendment.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- to the motion.
Commissioner Dunn: Oh, amendment.
Commissioner Gort: I accept the amendment.
Vice Chair Carollo: The maker accepts. Does the seconder accept? Seconder accept. Any
further discussion?
Mayor Regalado: If I may, Mr. Chairman. I don't know if we need legislation to fund -- I think
we do this particular agency, Allapattah Community Action, we do need legislation, andl
understand. I would only ask you if you use the word $275, 000 will be available to come back
to the general fund.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right, but I don't want it to be available. I want it to come back to the
general fund.
Mayor Regalado: I know that you do.
Vice Chair Carollo: Because it's the old saying that I keep saying time and time again --
Mayor Regalado: No. I know that you --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- whenever there is money somewhere in government, someone comes
around 'cause they find a usage for it. So I want it to come back to the general fund.
Mayor Regalado: I -- we just want to understand if you allow the funding for this agency and
work with CD to see how the timeline and how would that affect, but I agree with you. I totally
agree with you. The reason that we're going to Washington is because of that, because of the
commitment that not to use the general fund.
Vice Chair Carollo: I understand. I just want those 275,000 to come back to the general fund.
That will leave available 125,000 from the original 400, 000, and that -- then we'll make a
decision on where it goes and I'm sure we can find a consensus on where it goes.
Mayor Regalado: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Manager, did you want to say something?
Carlos A. Migoya (City Manager): I just wanted to say, if we're going to approve, the
challenge that I've observed this year is the timeliness of everyone spending their monies. If
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we're going to do this double duty for this year, we need every one of your commitments that we
will work very diligently in committing to these funds so that we can get this done in a timely
fashion, so that's the one thing I'd like to ask, if you don't mind?
Vice Chair Carollo: No. Thank you for that, Mr. Manager. I'll be honest with you, it's going
to be tough on me because I want to start some new projects, and CD knows about this, Mr.
Mensah knows what I'm talking about. So it's going to be tough on me. It's going to be an
adjustment on my part. It's not going to be easy. But at the same time, I understand what the
Commissioner is trying to do and, you know, I will yield to, you know, his district. Andl think
his district was really affected. Andl think as a true team member, I need to also step up and
help out. So with that said, any further discussion? All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Anyone in opposition have the same right to say "nay." Motion passes
unanimously.
Ms. Thompson: As modified.
Vice Chair Carollo: As modified Thank you. Thank you, Madam City Clerk.
RE.8 RESOLUTION
10-00718
Districts - A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION REQUIRING FOUR (4)
Commissioner VOTES TO CODESIGNATE NORTHWEST 10TH STREET FROM
Richard Dunn II NORTHWEST 3RD AVENUE TO NORTHWEST 4TH AVENUE, MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS "WILLIS-RICHARDSON STREET;" FURTHER DIRECTING THE
CITY MANAGER TO INSTRUCT THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO
TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED
OFFICES.
10-00718 Legislation.pdf
BC.1
10-00338
Office of the City
Clerk
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
WITHDRAWN PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
END OF RESOLUTIONS
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE ARTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT COUNCIL FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
James Quinlan Chairman Marc David Sarnoff
Vicente Lago, Jr. Commissioner Francis Suarez
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
10-00338 Arts CCMemo 7-8-2010.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Gort
R-10-0293
Chair Sam off Looks like we're on boards and committees.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Board appointments.
Ms. Thompson: If we can start with BC.1, which is our Arts and Entertainment Council.
According to our agenda, we have appointments to be made by Chairman Sarnoff, Vice Chair
Carollo, and Commissioner Suarez.
Chair Sam off All right, Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think you're up.
Chair Sam off All right. I'll go -- James Quinlan.
Ms. Thompson: James Quinlan is going to be reappointed.
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Suarez: Madam Clerk, do I current --? This is an empty seat, the one that I
have?
Ms. Thompson: That is correct.
Commissioner Suarez: All right.
Ms. Thompson: It's a vacant seat.
Commissioner Suarez: Does it require a resident -- is there a residency requirement?
Ms. Thompson: All of them are either you're a resident, you have --
Commissioner Suarez: Or can be waived?
Ms. Thompson: -- you work in the -- That's right.
Commissioner Suarez: Correct.
Ms. Thompson: -- City or you own property.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
BC.2
10-00339
Office of the City
Clerk
Commissioner Suarez: How many votes are needed to waive the residency requirement?
Ms. Thompson: Four fifths.
Commissioner Suarez: We have four here, okay. I proffer Vincent Lago, Vince Lago.
Ms. Thompson: L-A-G-O?
Commissioner Suarez: And he needs a residency waiver. I don't think he lives in the City of
Miami.
Ms. Thompson: He doesn't? Does he own property or work?
Commissioner Suarez: He owns -- not sure if he owns property. He may.
Vice Chair Carollo: Four fifth. Just four fifth.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Let's just go for the waiver, just in case.
Ms. Thompson: Fine.
Commissioner Suarez: Is that okay?
Ms. Thompson: Sure, sure, sure.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Chair Sam off All right. And then the Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm continuing.
Ms. Thompson: He said he's continuing.
Chair Sam off I'm sorry. All right, do we have a motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Motion by the Vice Chair, second by Commissioner Suarez. This will take
four fifths. Everybody pay attention. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE AUDIT ADVISORY
COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Audit Adv Board Current_Board_Members 7-8-2010.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the record: Item 10-00339 was deferred to July 22, 2010 Commission meeting. Item
changed to 10-00856.
Chair Sam off All right, Historic Environmental and Preservation Board.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Okay. No, no. I'm sorry.
Chair Sam off Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize.
Ms. Thompson: BC. 2 --
Chair Sam off BC.2.
Ms. Thompson: -- your Audit --
Chair Sarnoff Audit.
Ms. Thompson: -- Advisory Board. There is a vacant seat for District 3, Commissioner -- Vice
Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I would like to defer this to the July 22 meeting.
Ms. Thompson: Defer to 7/22/10.
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off All right, all in favor, please say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.3 RESOLUTION
10-00799
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE BAYFRONT PARK
MANAGEMENT TRUST FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE:
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Francis Suarez
Commissioner Richard Dunn II
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be
CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Chair Sarnoff BC.3 is the Bayfront Trust Management. Francis Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I'd like to defer until -- or continue it, I guess, since it's the same like
meeting.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): September.
Commissioner Suarez: That's fine.
Ms. Thompson: Okay, continued.
Chair Sam off We have a motion. Do we have a second?
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair Sam off All in favor, please say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.4 RESOLUTION
10-00461
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT
BOARD FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
(Alternate Member)
10-00461 CEB CCMemo.pdf
COECurrent_Board_Members. pdf
NOMINATED BY:
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Commission -at- Large
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the record: Item 10-00461 was deferred to July 22, 2010 Commission meeting.
Chair Sarnoff All right, BC.4, Code Enforcement Board. Commissioner -- I'm sorry, Vice
Chair.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Vice Chair Carollo: Let me defer to July 22 also.
Chair Sam off All right. We have a Commission at -large.
Commissioner Gort: Which one is this?
Chair Sam off BC.4, Code Enforcement Board.
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Chair Sam off Is it a deferral?
Vice Chair Carollo: Deferral.
Chair Sam off All right. We have a motion, we have a second. All in favor, please say "aye.'
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry, who was your seconder?
Chair Sam off It was Commissioner -- it was the Vice Chair andl believe the mover was
Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: It was -- I was the mover and he was --
Ms. Thompson: Correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- the --
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- but that's okay. I got it.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
BC.5 RESOLUTION
10-00650
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION ON THE
STATUS OF WOMEN FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Maud Newbold Commissioner Richard Dunn II
10-00650 CSW CCMemo.pdf
10-00650 COSW Current_Board_Members.pdf
10-00650-E-mail from Jessica Pacheco.pdf
10-00650-Minutes from the 7-8-2010 City Commission Meeting -Agenda Item BC.5.pdf
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0295
Chair Sam off All right, BC.5, Commission on the Status of Women. The Mayor has an
appointment, the Vice Chair has two appointments, Commissioner Suarez has an appointment,
Commissioner Dunn has an appointment. The Mayor -- has the Mayor tendered a name?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): No. The Mayor has not tendered a name for his
appointment.
Chair Sam off Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Continue.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: Maude Newbold.
Chair Sam off We have a motion.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off All right, all in favor, please say aye.'
BC.6 RESOLUTION
10-00800
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
RELATIONS BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Commissioner Francis Suarez
Commissioner Francis Suarez
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
10-00800CRB CCMemo.pdf
CRB Current_Board_Members.pdf
10-00800-Submittal-Memo-City Clerk -Substitution for Item BC.6 Adding Back -Up Documentation.K
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Chair Sam off Okay, BC.6, Community Relations Board. Vice --
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sam off -- Chair and Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I'd like to continue, but ifI can -- with discussion, please. I'd like to
know if the Clerk is going to invite me to lunch for misspelling my name on this particular item.
Do I get lunch out of this or --?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): You can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Commissioner Suarez: Wow, 'cause you did misspell it twice so --
Ms. Thompson: I truly apologize. We had already gone to print and I said --
Commissioner Suarez: It's okay.
Ms. Thompson: -- let me see if he's going to miss this one. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner --
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Ms. Thompson: -- 'cause it --
Chair Sam off At her --
Ms. Thompson: -- was actually two and not one. Okay.
Chair Sarnoff -- choosing.
Ms. Thompson: Now, ifI might, on BC.6, I do need to let you know that we have a substitute.
What was not included in the original publication would have been the memo from the
Community Relations Board with their recommendation and the resume of the individual who is
an applicant, so that's what we have as a substitute, if you are going to be making any
appointments.
Chair Sam off All right. I take it that you're -- everybody's not going to -- they're just going to
defer this, right?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes, I'm going to defer.
Chair Sam off Do we need a motion on that?
Commissioner Suarez: I'm going to continue them, actually.
Ms. Thompson: Now --
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Chair Sam off Continue.
Ms. Thompson: -- I'm sorry. Because we have -- didl hear Vice Chair say anything about his
appointments [sic]?
Chair Sam off Defer.
Commissioner Suarez: He said he was going to continue them, yeah.
Ms. Thompson: Okay and --
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sam off Let's continue it to the next scheduled -- same kind of meeting.
Ms. Thompson: That'll be September.
Chair Sam off All right, very good. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: Move.
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Chair Sam off Second? All in --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off -- favor, please say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off All right.
Ms. Thompson: Excuse me. Can you tell me who was the mover, who was the seconder?
Chair Sam off It was --
Ms. Thompson: Because you kind of crossed over.
Chair Sam off It was -- he made the motion and Suarez made the second.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you. We've got six --
Chair Sarnoff Did you hear me say second Suarez?
Ms. Thompson: -- no. We've got three sets of ears and we're trying to make --
Commissioner Suarez: Frances with an "e. "
Ms. Thompson: -- sure.
Chair Sam off Gotcha.
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BC.7
10-00357
Office of the City
Clerk
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY
TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY BOARD FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED
HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Ricardo Ruiz Commissioner Francis Suarez
10-00357 CTAB CCMemo.pdf
CTB Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0296
Chair Sam off All right, BC.7. This is an important one, Community Technology Advisory
Board. Apparently, the two tardy ones over here, Vice Chair and Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I'd like to name -- which is this one, the Community Technology
Advisory Board --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- Rick -- or Ricardo Ruiz.
Ms. Thompson: R -- can you spell his last name?
Commissioner Suarez: R-U-I-Z.
Ms. Thompson: Ricardo?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes, or Rick.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Ricardo is fine.
Chair Sam off And Commissioner Dunn, you have an appointment.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chairman, remove (INAUDIBLE).
Ms. Thompson: I'm not hearing you. Thank you.
Commissioner Dunn: Yes. I wanted to remove Torrence Mack.
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Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off All right. We have a motion and we have a second. All in favor, please say
"aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off And you'd like to replace who?
Commissioner Dunn: I want to -- I guess I'll continue that.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: Yeah.
Chair Sam off So we have a -- you have a motion on yours, Commissioner Suarez. Ruiz,
right?
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Chair Sam off We have a motion by Commissioner Suarez, second by the Vice Chair. All in
favor, please say "aye."
Ms. Thompson: And we're talking about BC.7?
Chair Sam off BC.7. That was Ruiz, ifI heard correctly.
Ms. Thompson: Yes, correct.
Chair Sam off Right.
BC.7A RESOLUTION
10-00357a
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION REMOVING
Clerk TORRENCE MACK AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY
ADVISORY BOARD.
BC.8
10-00467
Office of the City
Clerk
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0216
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
10-00467 Finance CCMemo.pdf
Finance Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the record: Item 10-00467 was deferred to July 22, 2010 Commission meeting.
Chair Sam off All right, Finance Committee. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I would like to defer to July 22.
Chair Sam off All right. We have a motion. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off All in favor, please say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.9 RESOLUTION
10-00348
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD FOR TERMS AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES/CATEGORIES: NOMINATED BY:
Chairman Marc David Sarnoff
(Citizen)
Vice -Chairman Frank Carollo
(Citizen)
Vice -Chairman Frank Carollo
(Architectural Historian)
HEP Current_Board_Members.pdf
List HEP applicants.pdf
10-00348 HEP Applications.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
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Note for the record: Item 10-00348 was deferred to July 22, 2010 Commission meeting.
Chair Sam off All right, Historic Environmental Preservation Board.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): IfI might just review something with you, Commissioners.
On this board, individuals must be selected from a pool of eligible applicants. They must also
fall into a particular category. As you see, there are two vacant seats for citizens and one for
architectural historian, appointments to be made by Chair Sam off, Vice Chair Carollo.
Chair Sam off All right. I would appoint William Hopper.
Ms. Thompson: You're reappointing Mr. Hopper?
Chair Sam off Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Thompson: Now there is -- what happened with Mr. Hopper, he did not actually reapply,
so he would have, even as an incumbent on this board, had to reapply and he did not. So
you're -- again, your options are those names that are proffered or listed on the memo in front
of you.
Chair Sam off Okay, then I would defer.
Commissioner Gort: Did you say you have a member at -large?
Ms. Thompson: No, no, no, not on this one. You have a -- two citi -- well, available -- or
openings right now, two citizen spots and an architectural historian. We don't have what we
call a "at -large," per se.
Commissioner Gort: So Miguel Seco would qualify for this?
Ms. Thompson: Miguel Seco would qualify as an architectural historian.
Commissioner Gort: I would move that one.
Ms. Thompson: But hold on. According to my records --
Commissioner Gort: That's his appointment.
Vice Chair Carollo: That's my appointment.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Okay, I'm sorry.
Chair Sam off I might consider him. Is he a good --?
Commissioner Gort: All right.
Chair Sam off I think what he said was --
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) get out of there.
Chair Sarnoff -- I'm moving in.
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Vice Chair Carollo: I don't -- I guess I don't know too many architectural historians.
Commissioner Gort: He applied at -large.
Vice Chair Carollo: You know, let me defer for July 22 and --
Chair Sam off All right, so we have a motion to defer by the Vice Chair.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Second by Commissioner Suarez. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off All right, gentlemen.
Vice Chair Carollo: And -- I'm sorry, I didn't hear the name. Commissioner Gort, can you
repeat the name again?
Commissioner Gort: It's on the list. It's the person --
Ms. Thompson: Miguel Seco.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, gotcha.
Commissioner Gort: Miguel Seco. He's on the list.
Vice Chair Carollo: Gotcha.
BC.10 RESOLUTION
10-00466
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT
BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Jesus Bello Commissioner Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Milton Hall, Sr. Commissioner Richard Dunn II
10-00466 NAB CCMemo.pdf
NAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0297
Chair Sarnoff All right, Nuisance Abatement Board Let's bear down on this one, guys.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
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Chair Sam off Yes, sir.
Commissioner Gort: This one I think that we've been discussing --
Chair Sam off Right.
Commissioner Gort: -- all day today, how people need to be disciplined when they don't -- We
have major problems with a lot of the business and a lot of the people. We put fine, they don't
pay, and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) noncompliance. I think we should really give a lot of teeth to
this board. And at this time I'd like to appoint -- my appointment to be Julio Bello, who's a
very active person in this community. He knows the community --
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry, I didn't hear the name.
Chair Sam off Julio Vega [sic].
Commissioner Gort: Julio Bello.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry, last name?
Commissioner Gort: Antonio Bello, Jesus. You know, he changed his name three times.
Ms. Thompson: And again, I apologize, Commissioner Gort. I didn't hear the last name.
Commissioner Gort: Bello.
Ms. Thompson: How do you spell that?
Commissioner Gort: B-E-L-O [sic].
Ms. Thompson: B-E-L-O [sic].
Frank Castaneda (Executive Assistant, Commissioner Gort): Two L's.
Vice Chair Carollo: Bello, like beautiful.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: It means beautiful.
Ms. Thompson: So that's -- Commissioner Gort has made his appointment to his vacant seat.
We have Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Suarez, and Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Suarez: I'm going to continue mine because I have someone that's currently -- a
prior appointee who's serving in that position now, so they can continue to serve for a while.
I'm going to continue mine until September, I guess.
Ms. Thompson: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: I haven't had a chance to meet with him.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Dunn.
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Commissioner Dunn: I'm going to appoint to that board Milton Hall.
Ms. Thompson: Milton Hall.
Commissioner Dunn: Yes.
Chair Sam off And the Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm going to continue at this time.
Chair Sam off Is --
Ms. Thompson: To?
Chair Sarnoff -- do they have quorum? Do they have enough people for a quorum?
Ms. Thompson: No. I don't think they have been -- they've not been able to have one.
Commissioner Dunn: Excuse me, Mr. Chair. Let me distinguish "senior" because there are
two Milton Halls, so --
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: -- Milton Hall, Sr.
Vice Chair Carollo: And I'm sorry. How many members do they need in order to have
quorum?
Ms. Thompson: Just one -- May I check my records?
Vice Chair Carollo: Sure.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Now my understanding is --
Ms. Thompson: There is a five -- they're a five -member board, and at this point of time you
have three vacant positions, three vacant seats, so they only have two active members.
Chair Sam off And what -- and quorum for them is what, three out of five?
Ms. Thompson: It would be three.
Commissioner Gort: We have three now.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Sam off They have three now, right?
Ms. Thompson: With these two appointments.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, so --
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Chair Sam off All right. Three people making those decisions is not easy though.
Commissioner Gort: I understand, but --
Vice Chair Carollo: Hey, we did it for a few months.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir. You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: My understanding is any one establishment or any one facility that has
the -- I imagine it's three complaints, police complaints can come in front of the Nuisance
Abatement Board?
Ms. Thompson: That's -- Commissioner, I don't know. We would have to ask the Law
Department that.
Commissioner Gort: What's the procedure to bring someone to the Nuisance Abatement
Board?
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): To remove someone from the --?
Commissioner Gort: To bring it to the -- no, no.
Ms. Chiaro: Oh, to bring something to the --
Commissioner Gort: A case, yes.
Ms. Chiaro: -- Nuisance Abatement Board. There have to be, I think, a certain number of
violations --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Ms. Chiaro: -- three violations at the same address, andl think there's some other criteria. It's
a police activity, and the police --
Chair Sam off Drug selling.
Ms. Chiaro: -- objectively refer the cases --
Chair Sam off Right.
Ms. Chiaro: -- that is --
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Ms. Chiaro: -- it's not a discretionary issue. If --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Ms. Chiaro: -- an address meets the criteria, it is -- then the address is referred to the
Nuisance Abatement Board.
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Commissioner Gort: Which means that some of the establishments that are creating a lot of
problems for the City ofMiami in different neighborhoods can be brought here and their
license can be removed, so that's why it's so important.
Chair Sam off Yeah. Let me just say this to the Commissioners who are contemplating. This
is a tool or this is a bow in your quiver that you're not using, and this could be --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yet.
Chair Sam off Well, yet, but it needs to be used. And it's -- we've -- we're going to see time
and time again, and we've seen it today in this Commission meeting, people not doing what
they're supposed to, the ramifications it has on a neighborhood, and this is a good tool.
Commissioner Suarez, you're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: I just want to clam that, even though I'm not making an appointment, I
have -- that I have a person sitting there now --
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: --from District 4 that is a prior appointee, so it's not -- the position's
not going to be vacant from the district's perspective. I just haven't met with the person yet and
haven't figured out whether I want to appoint someone else, but for now our district has an
appointee.
Chair Sam off Yeah. The memo I was just handed, Madam City Attorney, is that if you have
three or more drug arrests at a particular place, stolen property found at a particular place,
you can bring it to the Nuisance Abatement Board, and that person is then -- What happens? Is
the property taken away? The risk of losing your occupational license, okay. All right, so we
have a name -- how many names do we have?
Ms. Thompson: We have two names proffered, and now I need a mover and a seconder, please.
Commissioner Suarez: So move.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, second --
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair Sarnoff -- by the Vice Chair. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.11 RESOLUTION
10-00347
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND
RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED
HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Santiago Villegas Chairman Marc Sarnoff
Antonio Garcia City Manager Carlos Migoya
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Sean -Paul Melito City Manager Carlos Migoya
Shelia Womble City Manager Carlos Migoya
Jose Cerdan City Manager Carlos Migoya
10-00347 PRAB CCMemo 7-8-2010.pdf
10-00347-Submittal-E-mail-Edward Blanco.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0298
Chair Sam off All right, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Just for your clarification, I wanted to make sure that
those who have appointments, Chair Sam off, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Suarez, you
must make sure that anyone that you appoint there resides in your respective district.
Chair Sam off All right, I'd appoint Santiago Villegas.
Ms. Thompson: So you're reappointing him.
Chair Sam off Um -hum. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm continuing.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Continuing.
Chair Sam off Okay, the continuing boys.
Ms. Thompson: No.
Chair Sam off City Manager.
Ms. Thompson: Yeah.
Tony Crapp, Jr. (Chief of Operations): The Administration is reappointing Antonio Garcia,
Sean -Paul Melito, Sheila Womble, and a new appointment, Jose Cerdan.
Chair Sam off All right. Is --
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry. Can you spell --? You said Jose Sardon [sicg?
Mr. Crapp: Cerdon, C-E-R-D-A-N.
Ms. Thompson: C-E-R-D-A-N, thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
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BC.12
10-00805
Office of the City
Clerk
Chair Sam off All right. We have a motion --
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair Sam off -- by the Vice Chair -- motion by Commissioner Suarez, second by the Vice
Chair. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
ADVISORY BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Chairman Marc David Sarnoff
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Commissioner Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Commissioner Francis Suarez
Commissioner Francis Suarez
10-00805 EO CCMemo.pdf
EOAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
10-00805-E-mail from Jessica Pacheco.pdf
10-00805-Minutes from the 7-8-2010 City Commission -Agenda Item BC.12.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
Chair Sam off Equal Opportunity Advisory Board. Do I have an appointment to that right
now?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): You sure do. On the Equal Opportunity Board, you
actually have a Mr. Lewis Maurice. However, it is my understanding that Mr. Maurice has
qualified for an office for election, and -- if I'm not mistaken -- and our City Attorney can
address that -- once you quali, according to our Code, it is a resignation from the board that
you serve.
Chair Sam off Do you know what office he's qualified for?
Ms. Thompson: No, sir. I'm sorry, off the top of my head. I can check it out for you.
Vice Chair Carollo: He's -- I'm sorry, I didn't hear the name. He's running for Congress,
District 25.
Chair Sam off Oh, that's right, that's right. All right, a person cannot -- can -- how does that
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work, Madam City Attorney?
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): Qualification for an elective office is considered a
resignation automatically from any board of the City ofMiami.
Chair Sam off For any state --
Ms. Chiaro: Any elective office.
Chair Sam off So even if --
Ms. Chiaro: Any elected office.
Chair Sarnoff -- it's federal?
Ms. Chiaro: Even if -- if it's federal, state, any elected office.
Chair Sam off Okay. All right, so I will defer my appointment. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sam off And Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: I'll waive.
Chair Sam off All right. Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Continue.
Chair Sam off All right, we're the continuing boys.
BC.13 RESOLUTION
10-00806
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE HEALTH FACILITIES
AUTHORITY BOARD FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
David Berley Commissioner Wifredo (Willy) Gort
10-00806 Health CCMemo.pdf
Health Facilities Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0299
Chair Sam off All right, Health Facilities Authority Board. Commissioner -- Vice Chair.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Yes. David Berley.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): David -- I'm sorry, I didn't hear --
Commissioner Gort: Berley, B-E-R-L-E-Y.
Ms. Thompson: B-E-R --
Commissioner Gort: L-E-Y.
Chair Sarnoff L-E-Y.
Ms. Thompson: B-E-R-L-E-Y.
Chair Sam off And Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, I think you know what I'm going to say. Continue.
Chair Sam off All right, should I just take that as a general statement?
Commissioner Suarez: No. I have a couple.
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Chair Sam off All right, we have a motion, we have a second.
Ms. Thompson: Who's the seconder?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Seconder was the Vice Chair, the mover --
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off -- was Commissioner Dunn. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry.
Chair Sam off What happened now?
Ms. Thompson: Vice Chair.
Commissioner Suarez: Continued.
Ms. Thompson: No, no, no, I'm sorry. The mover I had recorded --
Vice Chair Carollo: I moved it.
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Ms. Thompson: -- is Vice Chair --
Vice Chair Carollo: I moved it.
Ms. Thompson: -- and the seconder --
Chair Sam off I apologize.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry.
Chair Sam off The mover was the Vice Chair, the seconder was Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Suarez: That's why we need the buttons.
Ms. Thompson: And seconder was actually --
Commissioner Suarez: That's why we need the buttons.
Ms. Thompson: -- Commissioner Suarez, if you so recognize.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, I second.
Chair Sam off I'm deaf in my right ear. I try not to listen to this side of the table.
Vice Chair Carollo: Ah, come on now. Come on. You know you like the right side. Come on.
Who are you kidding? Come on.
Chair Sam off No. I've gone left. I've gone left. BC (Boards and Committees) --
Ms. Thompson: And your vote is?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Your vote.
Chair Sarnoff We --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Chair Sam off Yes. Everybody, all in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off Okay.
BC.14 RESOLUTION
10-00808
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING, ZONING AND
APPEALS BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
Daniel Milian
(Regular Member)
Ron Cordon
Mayor Tomas Regal ado
Commissioner Richard Dunn II
10-00808 PZAB CCMemo.pdf
10-00808 PZAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
10-00808 PZAB Applications.pdf
10-00808 PZAB New Applications.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Commissioner Gort, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-10-0301
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II and seconed by Commissoner Gort to appoint Ron Cordan,
passed by the above vote of 4-0.
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II and seconed by Commissoner Gort to appoint Daniel Milian,
passed by the above vote of 4-0.
A motion was made by Commissioner Dunn II to appoint Paul Mann, but died for lack of a
second.
Chair Sam off All right, now let's move up to the Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): And ifI may call everything to your attention with this
particular board, you would have -- you -- if you want to make a nomination to this board, that
individual must have completed an application and -- I'm sorry, or be an incumbent from your
Planning Advisory Board or your Zoning Board. So the list of individuals that you have to
select from was included in your memo. The Mayor has proffered some information that I need
to share with you. May I, Chair?
Chair Sam off Oh, please do.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. Ms. Ileana Hernandez Acosta has resigned, and based upon her
resignation, the Mayor is requesting that alternate member Daniel Milan becomes his regular
member appointment, and that his alternate appointment becomes Paul Mann --
Commissioner Suarez: Move.
Ms. Thompson: -- and Mr. Mann is an incumbent, so he is eligible. And then we have -- okay,
all right -- an appointment to be made by Commissioner -- I'm sorry, Vice Chair Carollo and
Commissioner Dunn.
Chair Sam off All right, Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: I'm going to appoint an incumbent in the personage of Ron Cordon.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry. The name is Ron --?
Commissioner Dunn: Ron Cordon. Cordon. I said it right, yes.
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Ms. Thompson: That -- okay. Yes, he --
Commissioner Dunn: He's an incumbent.
Ms. Thompson: -- is an incumbent.
Commissioner Dunn: Right.
Ms. Thompson: You're absolutely correct.
Commissioner Dunn: Right.
Chair Sam off All right, so we have a motion, we have a second.
Ms. Thompson: No, not yet.
Chair Sam off Not yet. Anybody want to move this?
Commissioner Gort: Was the Mayor's appointment?
Chair Sam off You want to do one at a time or how do you want to do it?
Commissioner Dunn: I mean, can I make -- no.
Chair Sam off Why don't we take yours.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Chair Sam off What is your appointment?
Commissioner Dunn: Ron Cordon.
Chair Sam off All right. Let's -- right. Motion by Commissioner Dunn for Ron Cordon. Is
there --
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Chair Sam off -- a second? All in favor, please say "aye.'
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sarnoff All right, now the Mayor's appointment of Daniel Milan.
Ms. Thompson: As the regular and Paul Mann as the alternate.
Chair Sarnoff Let's take it one at a time.
Ms. Thompson: Okay.
Chair Sam off Daniel Milan.
Commissioner Dunn: So moved.
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Chair Sam off There's a motion by Commissioner Dunn. Is there a second?
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Chair Sam off Second by Commissioner Gort. All in favor, please say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sarnoff All right, Paul Mann.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry, I didn't hear Commissioner Suarez's vote.
Chair Sam off I heard him say aye. He usually says yes, but he said aye from way over there.
Commissioner Suarez: I was off the dais when you took the vote.
Ms. Thompson: Oh, okay.
Chair Sam off All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off Now the last one is Paul Mann. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Dunn: So move.
Chair Sam off Motion by Commissioner Dunn. All right, it dies.
BC.15 RESOLUTION
10-00792
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CONFIRMING THE
Clerk APPOINTMENT OF A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE
OFF-STREET PARKING BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Thomas B. Jelke Off -Street Parking Board
10-00792 Off Street Parking CCMemo.pdf
10-00792 Off Street Memo.pdf
OSParking Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0300
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Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Let me --
Commissioner Gort: 14.
Ms. Thompson: -- explain to you, please. In -- on your agenda -- your agenda and your
packets are not matching, so if you would like, because it -- the way that it's listed, all right,
BC.14 is actually your Off -Street Parking Board.
Chair Sam off Okay, let's take that one. Let's make it simple.
Ms. Thompson: Okay.
Chair Sam off Let's just take that one. Off -Street Parking nominated by Off -Street Parking.
Apparently they nominate their own people. Wrong, right?
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry?
Chair Sam off Is Art Noriega here? Who are you guys nominating?
Ms. Thompson: They're nominating Thomas B. J-E-L-K-E.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Art Noriega: Yeah. Art Noriega, Miami Parking Authority. It's Tom Jelke. It's a
reappointment.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Gort: Move.
Chair Sam off So apparently they appoint their own board. They do so with City Commission
approval.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. --
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record, Mr. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: What option do we have?
Chair Sam off I guess we could say no.
Commissioner Gort: You can vote yes.
Mr. Noriega: You can say no.
Vice Chair Carollo: And then they keep nominating -- gotcha.
Chair Sam off Sort of like it's own little filibuster.
Commissioner Gort: I move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
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BC.16
10-00378
Office of the City
Clerk
Chair Sam off All right. We have a motion by Commissioner Gort, second by Commissioner
Suarez. All in favor, please say "aye."
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WAIVING THE
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS BY A FOUR -FIFTHS AFFIRMATIVE VOTE,
AS IT RELATES TO ENID PINKNEY AS A MEMBER OF THE VIRGINA KEY
BEACH PARK TRUST.
10-00378 Virginia Key CCMemo.pdf
VKBTCu rrent_Board_Mem bers. pdf
Motion by Commissioner Dunn II, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-10-0302
Chair Sam off Okay, BC.16. I don't -- I'm not sure. Do we --?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): There is no -- On BC.16, the Virginia Key Beach Park
Trust, no name has been proffered by the board for your consideration.
Chair Sam off Okay, BC (Boards and Committees) --
Ms. Thompson: But -- I'm sorry --
Chair Sam off But, but, but.
Ms. Thompson: I apologize. An appointment was made and -- an at -large appointment was
made and approved by the board for Ms. Enid Pinkney. Following that action, we were advised
that she is no longer a property owner in the City ofMiami, so she would require a four fifths
residency waiver.
Chair Sam off You don't have that -- you don't presently have enough Commissioners on the
dais.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry?
Chair Sam off You do not have enough Commissioners on the dais.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Yes. It's three of us.
Chair Sam off Well, four fifths vote. Is that --?
Commissioner Gort: Oh.
Chair Sarnoff Now you have a four fifths vote, in your opinion?
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
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Chair Sam off All right. So Ina [sic] Pinkney is the name?
Ms. Thompson: That's right. She was --
Chair Sam off All right.
Ms. Thompson: -- appointed. Following the appointment, we were advised that she does -- she
no longer owns property in the City ofMiami, therefore she needs a residency waiver.
Chair Sam off Does she still reside in the City ofMiami?
Ms. Thompson: No. She was owning property, so -- it's own property, reside or work in.
Chair Sam off So she does not reside in the City ofMiami?
Ms. Thompson: That's correct.
Commissioner Dunn: So -- Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: So what -- she's -- so what we need to do in order for her to serve is there
must be a waiver. She's requesting a waiver.
Ms. Thompson: You would have to grant the waiver of the residency requirement.
Commissioner Dunn: I'll move.
Chair Sam off All right. We have a motion by Commissioner Dunn. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Sam off Second by Commissioner Suarez. All in favor, please say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
BC.17 RESOLUTION
10-00823
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
REVIEW BOARD (UDRB) FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Chairman Marc David Sarnoff
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Vice Chairman Frank Carollo
Commissioner Wifredo (Willy) Gort
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Commissioner Francis Suarez
Commissioner Francis Suarez
Commissioner Richard Dunn II
Commissioner Richard Dunn II
10-00823 UDRB CCMemo.pdf
10-00823 UDRB Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
Chair Sam off Urban Development Review Board, UDRB.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): IfI might, Commissioner --
Chair Sam off Please.
Ms. Thompson: -- just share some information with you --
Chair Sam off Absolutely.
Ms. Thompson: -- which is in your memo with your packet. You have appointments to be made
by Chair Sarnoff, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Gort, Commissioner Suarez, and
Commissioner Dunn. There are some individuals who are currently serving on that board who
cannot be reappointed at this time. I just want to give you that information and remind you of
that, and that is based upon Section 62-257(c) of the Code.
Chair Sam off Madam Chair -- Madam Clerk, who is my appointment?
Ms. Thompson: Todd Tragash. He is currently serving. His term actually ended April 9, 2009.
Chair Sam off And how has his attendance been?
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry?
Chair Sam off How has his attendance been?
Ms. Thompson: It has been fine in that I have not recorded or requested from you --
Chair Sam off All right, I'm going to defer mine.
Ms. Thompson: Okay.
Chair Sam off Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sam off All right. Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Well, my understanding I have an appointment, but I have to -- cannot
serve because does not meet requirements.
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Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry, say that again.
Commissioner Gort: This appointment, my understanding the person I appointed last month --
Ms. Thompson: Mr. Seco.
Commissioner Gort: I know.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry? I'm not --
Commissioner Gort: I'm reading the memo that I --
Ms. Thompson: Okay.
Commissioner Gort: -- have in front of me. My understanding is that the person that I
appointed last month does not qualify.
Ms. Thompson: Right.
Commissioner Gort: Right, so --
Ms. Thompson: That's correct.
Commissioner Gort: -- I have to appoint someone else.
Ms. Thompson: That is correct.
Commissioner Gort: Okay. Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right. Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: I'm going to defer.
Chair Sam off The deferment man, Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I continue, of course.
Chair Sam off All right, BC.18.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry. Didl hear Vice Chair on his appointment?
Chair Sam off He was equally a continuer.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
BC.18 RESOLUTION
10-00824
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE WATERFRONT
ADVISORY BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
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Denis Rod Commissioner Francis Suarez
10-00824 Waterfront Memo. pdf
10-00824 WAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Gort, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0294
Note for the record: The appointment by Vice Chairman Carollo was deferred to July 22, 2010
Commission meeting. Item 10-00855.
Chair Sam off Waterfront Advisory Board, BC.18. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: I actually want to defer this to July 22, and I'll have someone by then.
Chair Sam off All right. The continuing/deferring man, Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: For my vacancy, Denis Rod.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Mr. Denis Rod, okay.
Chair Sam off And Commissioner Dunn.
Ms. Thompson: Actually --
Chair Sam off He has two, you're right. I apologize.
Ms. Thompson: So you're just going to fill the vacant seat at this time?
Chair Sam off Commissioner?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes --
Chair Sam off Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- the vacant.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right. Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: I'll defer.
Chair Sam off All right. Is there a motion?
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Chair Sam off We have a motion by the Vice Chair --
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Commissioner Gort: Second.
Chair Sam off -- second by Commissioner Gort. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.19 RESOLUTION
10-00828
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI SPORTS AND
EXHIBITION AUTHORITY FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Nathan R. Kurland Chairman Marc David Sarnoff
Walter Frazier Commissioner Richard Dunn II
10-00828 CC MSEA Memo.pdf
10-00828 MESA Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chairman Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0303
Chair Sam off BC.19, Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority. I will reappoint Nathan
Kurland. Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: I'm going to appoint -- didn't I have an appointee on that? Who was my
appointee?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): This one is a vacant seat here. No one is sitting in this
particular seat.
Commissioner Dunn: I never appointed anyone for that?
Ms. Thompson: According to my records, not if it's vacant. Let me just check for -- just hold
on --
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: -- and I'll check for you.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay. We can -- I guess we can come back to it 'cause I thought I had
appointed somebody to that. I'm just -- and Roland Smith -- but I'm not sure. Didn't I? That's
-- I think I did. A Roland -- Coach Roland Smith.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. You have two seats, two appointments. Mr. Smith was appointed on
February 11, 2010 --
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Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: -- so you still have a vacant seat assigned to your district.
Commissioner Dunn: I still have a vacancy?
Ms. Thompson: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Dunn: What's the requirements? Do they have to live in the City?
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Unless a four fifth, right?
Commissioner Dunn: Okay. Oh, you said they have to -- Oh, I can get a waive -- Can I get a
waiver?
Ms. Thompson: I need to check that because --
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: -- one of the -- if you would just give me time to check.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Chair Sarnoff I'm not sure you can get a -- I'm not sure MSEA (Miami Sports and Exhibition
Authority) you can get a waiver.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. As with all of the boards, they must live, reside, or own property in the
City ofMiami, and with MSEA, they shall be a qualified elector ofMiami-Dade County.
Chair Sam off So you can't get a waiver.
Commissioner Dunn: I can't get a waiver on that.
Ms. Thompson: Not on the elector.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay, I gotcha.
Ms. Thompson: Now what -- but an elector of Dade County.
Chair Sam off Oh, Dade County.
Commissioner Dunn: Of Dade County.
Vice Chair Carollo: Dade County.
Ms. Thompson: Yes, Miami -Dade County.
Commissioner Dunn: Oh, okay. Yeah.
Chair Sam off I thought you said City of Miami.
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Commissioner Dunn: Coach Walter Frazier, my high school coach.
Chair Sam off What was the name?
Commissioner Dunn: Coach Walter Frazier.
Chair Sam off And he was a great guard.
Commissioner Dunn: That was my coach.
Vice Chair Carollo: So move.
Chair Sam off All right, we have a motion by the Vice Chair --
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Chair Sam off -- second by Commissioner Dunn. All in favor, please say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.20 RESOLUTION
10-00830
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE HOMELAND
DEFENSE/NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT BOND PROGRAM
OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
David Berley Chairman Marc David Sarnoff
10-00830 Homeland CCMemo.pdf
10-00830 HD Current_Board_Members.pdf
10-00830-E-mail Regarding Gary Reshefsky's Resignation.htm.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chairman Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
R-10-0304
Chair Sarnoff All right, Homeland Defense Improvement Bond Board, BC.20. I will appoint
David Berley.
Vice Chair Carollo: I will --
Chair Sam off B-E-R-L-Y -- L-E-Y.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): B-E-R-L-Y?
Chair Sam off I'm sorry, B-E-R-L-E-Y.
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DI.1
09-01456b
Ms. Thompson: B-E-R-L-E-Y, David.
Chair Sarnoff And I'll leave you a resume, if you like. I apologize, the Vice Chair --
Vice Chair Carollo: Continue.
Chair Sarnoff -- and the continuing man.
Commissioner Suarez: Continue.
Chair Sarnoff All right, he's continued. So do I have a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: So move.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair Sam off All right, we have a motion by Commissioner Suarez, second by the Vice Chair.
All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sam off All right, gentlemen --
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sam off -- I have a pocket item for you, sorry. Not a --
Commissioner Gort: David, you're going to be busy.
Chair Sarnoff Huh?
Commissioner Gort: David is going to be busy. He's serving on two boards. Good.
END OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
DISCUSSION ITEMS
DISCUSSION ITEM
Department of QUARTERLY UPDATE OF NON -REIMBURSABLE GRANT
Finance EXPENDITURES -THIRD QUARTER FY 2010 (4-01-10 THRU 6-30-10).
09-01456b Summary Form.pdf
09-014546b-Submittal-City of Miami Financial Statement Presentation.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Sam off I guess we'll move to DI.1.
Mayor Tomas Regalado: DI.1 is the grant expenditures, and Diana Gomez will do the
presentation. However, I think it's important that the Manager address one item regarding the
grants so it's on the record that we're trying to do several things in order to keep track and to
have consolidation of the grant management and information so we can, month by month,
inform the members of the Commission. So Carlos, if you want to explain what we're trying to
do with the Grants Departments [sic] and --?
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Carlos A. Migoya (City Manager): Happy to. Mr. Chair, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners. When
we talked about moving Grants to -- under Assistant City Manager Crapp, one of the
conversations that we had was around the management of grants. Today, all our grants are
done by individual departments where -- that's where the technical expertise is. A big piece of
these grants obviously are done by Fire because that's where a lot of the grants come from,
whether they use it for their own -- for the Fire Department or they manage it for the City to do
a lot of the technical expertise, but that's still -- if you look at it, it's still about 30, 40 percent
of the overall grants of the City. There's still a lot of other ones, the CIP (Capital Improvement
Programs) and obviously in the grant and CD (Community Development) and so forth. So one
of the things that we talked about under the Grants Department, under Dorcas Perez, was to
have a group of people that would actually manage the timing of and process of grants to make
sure that they were being done timely. Of course, we've had a few fires since we did that and
have not focused on it, but now one of things that -- over the last week or so that we've been
talking about -- and I'm happy to have Assistant City Manager Crapp; our director, Dorcas
Perez, give you further details -- is to have people that will then monitor -- we're not talking
about centralizing grants. We're talking about centralizing the management of the grants so
that we know at all times how many grants we have and -- that are being processed, where we
are from a timely standpoint as far as processing them so that we get the proper payments on a
timely basis, and as well as making sure that when we go apply for grants, that we do that on a
timely basis so we don't miss any grants. To date, we have never -- we haven't had any grants
returned to us from that perspective, so we -- so collectability has not been an issue. The
timeliness of collectability is a different issue. And frankly, under today's environment, where
our reserves are as tight as they are, the working capital for the City is extremely important,
especially going into the collections for this coming fall with -- taxes start coming in in
November and December and we don't have a strong reserve, and we have to make big pension
payments on October 1 and some -- and other payments. And I see Peter [sic] Chircut over
there nodding 'cause obviously, he's the one that got to make the payments, worry about the
working capital. So we are going to try to make sure that we maintain as close controls over
the working capital as necessary to make sure that we can bring in these grants on time from a
collectability standpoint.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort, you're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: Does this means [sic] we're going to get our reimbursement on time?
Improve our reimbursements.
Mr. Migoya: That's the idea.
Dorcas Perez (Acting Director, Grants Administration): Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Good.
Ms. Perez: Commissioners, to reiterate what the Manager was saying, we're going to have --
Chair Sam off Just for the record, you need to state your name.
Ms. Perez: I'm sorry.
Chair Sam off That's okay.
Ms. Perez: Dorcas Perez, Grants Administration. We're going to have a centralized grants
management process to deal with these issues and to work on getting the reports and the
reimbursements in on a timely basis, and we'll be working closely with Finance to make sure
that that happens. We realize that the current process is not optimal, and we're moving forward
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to have a centralized process for the management as well as the writing of the grants.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Dunn: I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Mr. -- the Vice Chair is recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Question, what are the chances that we could
still collect all those monies? Because some of it goes back to, I believe, 2005, definitely 2006,
but I think even back to 2005, so we're talking quite a few years. What is the collectability?
Ms. Perez: From my understanding, we will go back to the funder; and if all the paperwork is
in, then there should be no problem with getting that money back, but we have to deal with each
individual funder at that point.
Vice Chair Carollo: So you believe that we should be able to --?
Mr. Migoya: Mr. Commissioner, the things that go to 2005, Diana Gomez is pretty well to be
able to explain it. A lot of that is FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Half of it,
we're in the process of a lawsuit with a contractor and FEMA is the backup to that, which is
part of this. And the other half we're in the process of getting the paperwork together. But I'd
like to have Diana talk -- that's $7 million on FEMA for two hurricanes. I think it was Wilma
and Katrina, ifI remember correctly. But ifI may have Diana speak to it, I would appreciate
it.
Diana Gomez: Diana Gomez, Finance director. The Manager is correct. About $7.8 million, I
believe it is, is related to the hurricanes, mostly Katrina and Wilma. All those amounts, the
various departments have been putting together the packages. And there is an amount that's
with HDR (Henningson, Durham, Richardson) and it's about half of that amount that there's
some legal issues going on with HDR and we hope to resolve that before -- as far as the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). We have not received any notification that it will not be reimbursed, so
there's no reason to believe at this point that it will not be reimbursed.
Chair Sam off All right.
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Manager, I understand that there used to be another
Administration and so forth, but this was a finding -from last year that still has not been
corrected, so you know, I'm -- that's why I'm concerned. That's why I'm asking these questions.
Mr. Migoya: This is a finding -from last year, which, of course, we received in March or April.
But even before March or April, this is something that we were aware of. We had [sic] had a
few fires to worry about, and you're right, we have not -- we have kind of dropped the ball on
this one, but this is one that is very important and one that we're jumping on now.
Vice Chair Carollo: You know --
Chair Sam off And historically, so you know, Commissioner Gonzalez, from that seat right
there, made the very same questions about 18 months ago here and said what's the status of the
hurricane -- excuse me -- reimbursements? And the City came back with the exact same
statement they're coming to you today with.
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Vice Chair Carollo: I understand that. It's just a different Administration, andl do see, you
know, improvements with this Manager and, you know, his team and so forth. However, I still
need to, you know, pose these questions because it is a concern. I think I have to do, you know,
my due diligence ifI really do believe that, you know, I have a fiduciary responsibility to the
City. At the same time, if you look at page 15 in your CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report) on deferred revenues, under general, you see $20.4 million that could have a big
impact if we collected some of these funds. Andl would assume that a lot of that $20 million is
from these revenues or these, you know, grants receivables that we haven't, you know,
collected, so this could have a big, you know, dent in our total fund balance. So you know,
that's why I'm raising the question, you know, 'cause it's a concern.
Mr. Migoya: Well, let me just say that it -- that's -- the collection of the 20.4 will not have a
dent on the fund balance, but it will have a big improvement on working capital, and they're
two very different things, so --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, but at the same time, it's under a liability right now, and we -- if we
could remove some of that liability, you know --
Mr. Migoya: Without a doubt, but --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Mr. Migoya: Diana.
Ms. Gomez: IffI may, the deferred revenues in the general fund have nothing to do with the
receivables that we're talking about from FEMA. They are all in emergency services fund. So
nothing having to do with the FEMA receivables have anything to do with the 20 million --
$20.4 million in the general fund.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, when I spoke to the auditor yesterday, it was my understanding some
of that was going to the deferred.
Ms. Gomez: Yes, it's going to deferred in the emergency services fund, a special revenue fund -
Vice Chair Carollo: Which is --
Ms. Gomez: -- not in the general fund. So it's on the same page 15 under emergency services.
Vice Chair Carollo: So instead of 20, it's 9?
Ms. Gomez: Yes, correct. The one in the general fund has more to do with taxes and licenses
and permits that we have collected, but that we have not earned it yet because it's for the new
fiscal year.
Chair Sam off Mr. Mayor --
Mayor Regalado: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off -- you're recognized.
Mayor Regalado: Just -- the same questions that the Vice Chairman pose, I posed two years
ago, three years ago because I follow the FEMA/HDR issue since Katrina and Wilma,
especially in our district, District 4, where garbage and trash debris were not being pick up or
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there was a disconnect between what FEMA wanted us to do and what was the City doing at
that time, supervised by HDR. There is something that has been done. Since this
Administration took over, we have filed suit; that we have not then done that in the past,
although I pleaded with the past Administration to do it. Andl believe that we have other
options trying to recoup some of the money from FEMA. My understanding is that there was
sort of a deadline, July 1, to have all the documents ready, andl believe that -- I think that we
already have, number one, the legal case against HDR because they couldn't produce all the
documents, and number two, we have in place some project to recoup some funds. And so
you're right, this has been an ongoing thing for several years. It dates back to Katrina and
Wilma. And hopefully, we will recoup some of the money.
Chair Sam off Mr. Mayor --
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you.
Chair Sarnoff -- did you say we filed suit?
Mayor Regalado: Yes.
Mr. Migoya: We are in the process of filing suit right now, this week.
Chair Sam off Against FEMA?
Mayor Regalado: No.
Mr. Migoya: No.
Mayor Regalado: HDR.
Chair Sam off Oh, HDR. I'm sorry.
Mr. Migoya: The contractor. But then the fall back to that is FEMA. So whatever we don't
recover from HDR, we will recover from FEMA. And the timing is on schedule to be able to do
just that.
Mayor Regalado: 'Cause remember -- andl -- I guess at that time, I was the only one here that
is here. What the City did was during the debris pickup, HDR will follow the City trucks, but
the City trucks did not got [sic] any real direction. FFJvL4 had specifics. You know, how many
inches, how big, how wide, how thick, and it has to be pick up by different trucks. Now the
Solid Waste did spectacular job cleaning up. However, the supervising team did not adhere to
FEMA specifications. And this is what created all the mess that we were in for so many years.
So the only recourse is to go to the contractor.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. I understand where we're talking about FFJvL4 because it's,
you know, dated the latest from 2006 and so forth. Andl understand when you say the deferred
revenue for emergency services being, you know, the 9.6 million. However, we also have
approximately 21 million of grant expenditures that has not been billed or submitted to the
guarantor for reimbursement that were at least 60 days old. What type of grants were those?
Ms. Gomez: Some of those grants, I believe that's -- hold on -- about -- there are some of them
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which are UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative). I don't have the breakdown of exactly which
grants are -- were not submitted, but I know some of them are UASI grants. There's a lot of
different grants throughout the City. There's probably some capital improvement grants that
hadn't been submitted as of 9/30 and some USAR (Urban Search And Rescue) --
Vice Chair Carollo: So when --
Ms. Gomez: -- as well.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- you were talking about FEMA, you were looking at, you know, a
smaller picture. I was looking at it as a whole. And we have 21 million in grant expenditures
that are --
Ms. Gomez: That's correct. Throughout the City that have not been reimbursed -- submitted --
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly.
Ms. Gomez: -- for reimbursement.
Vice Chair Carollo: And that's what I originally had meant.
Ms. Gomez: Right. And at the same time, I guess we have to consider the timing. This is as of
9/30, so if the expenditure just happened on September 1, it may have not yet gotten submitted
as of 9/30. That doesn't make it late, per se. Some things are reimbursed quarterly, some are
done monthly. So it's -- you can't just take it from -- to say 21 million was not reimbursed. Yes,
that is correct, but you have to really look at the timing.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. But it says not that they were not reimbursed. Had not been billed
or even submitted --
Ms. Gomez: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and they were at least 60 days old.
Ms. Gomez: Right. Submitted for reimbursement. Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Ms. Gomez: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: So at least, you know, they were 60 days old. In other words, we could
have submitted it --
Ms. Gomez: That's correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and we didn't.
Ms. Gomez: That is correct.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez, you're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: I like the idea of having a central --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
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Commissioner Suarez: -- I don't want to call it a department 'cause I don't want to create any
more layers to the City, but having some sort of a central responsibility where all of the grant
monies and applications flow through so we have a coherent understanding of what's going on.
I mean, I think that's what happens a lot of times in government. You see it in, you know, terms
of the military and the federal government. The right hand's not talking to the left hand. And
these problems, as you can see from 2005, grow and grow and grow. So I think it's a good idea
to have some sort of a central flow for this information. The only thing that I would request of
the Administration is that we get, in addition to our monthly financial reports, working capital
and a cash position, monthly cash position of the City just so that we know -- and know it's
cyclical, and the Manager andl spoke about the cyclical nature of our, you know, cash
position, but I think it's good for us to know. You know, just like you have it summarized very
well on our deficit position, our cash position, and our working capital; you can add that to
that graph.
Ms. Gomez: Yeah. I could probably add maybe the balance sheet, which would tell you the
cash as of that particular month.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Whatever is our cash and whatever is our -- 'cause I don't know
if it's two different things that I'm asking you for 'cause the Manager has described working
capital as a certain technical term, which is the assets less the liability --
Vice Chair Carollo: Liability.
Commissioner Suarez: -- minus the liabilities. And then I just want to know also how much
cash, like actual real dollars do we have in our bank account.
Ms. Gomez: Physical cash we have in the --
Commissioner Suarez: Exactly.
Ms. Gomez: -- bank account, in the general fund.
Commissioner Suarez: So if they're two separate numbers, then I'd like to see them both. I
think we should all see them both.
Ms. Gomez: I'll try to figure out a way that makes it make sense and --
Commissioner Suarez: Please. Thank you.
Ms. Gomez: -- try to put it in for the next reporting.
Mr. Migoya: Mr. Chair and Commissioners, the cash position will be easy enough 'cause that
is a actual number. The working capital will be tougher to try to figure out, but we'll figure out
what we can provide so we can give you better -- 'Cause at the end of the day, working capital
is allow of how you're going through, but -- and the cash kind of gives you where you are from
a working capital perspective. But we'll kind of work on this and we'll probably learn --
Ms. Gomez: Right.
Mr. Migoya: -- together as we go through it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
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Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: However, in order to have a true cash statement and so forth, we need to
have adequate bank reconciliations and that's another one of the findings which I find is
unacceptable. I don't want to, you know, jump the gun already, you know, 'cause I know you
have your presentation. But having a material weakness in back reconciliations, that's
unacceptable. So you really don't know what your cash position is because they haven't
reconciled. They're always late, and that's unacceptable.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: My question is in terms of the -- this process being centralized. How was
it, from a decentralized -- what is the difference in terms of efficiency and proficiency in terms
of it being moved from decentralized into centralizing it?
Mr. Migoya: It's not like we're moving anything. We're just adding to what we're doing right
now. Each individual department -- let's use Fire, for example, with USAI grants. Fire will
continue to do the USAI grants and everything else. We'll just have Big Brother now keeping
an eye on Fire to make sure that they send in those grants on time and that we collect them on
time. And if someone is not doing the job within Fire, they will bring it up to the Fire chief.
And if the Fire chief who's usually pretty capable of handling these things but won't, then I --
that's -- it's a check and balance thing -- then I'll be involved. 'Cause at the end, all we're
doing is keeping track to make sure that they're being processed on time. That's all.
Commissioner Dunn: So really, this centralization process sort of serves as a clearinghouse
through your --? It'll be --?
Mr. Migoya: It's really a checks and balance to make sure that they're doing these things
timely. And it's one more check and balance that we need to add to make sure that we -- I
mean, at the end of the day, working capital, although it doesn't add to the reserves, it doesn't
add to the deficits, it's important that we keep track of it and keep our working capital on
check.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Chair Sarnoff Anyone else wish to be heard on DI -- is it DI.1.1 [sic]?
Commissioner Gort: We'll get to this later.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think it's DI.1.2 [sic].
Chair Sarnoff 1.2, I'm sorry, we're on. Well, I guess we're on -- let's open --
Ms. Gomez: Yes.
Chair Sam off Essentially, we're on both.
Commissioner Gort: We're still on the Mayor's (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Sam off We're still on the Mayor's.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think she wants to do a presentation first.
Commissioner Dunn: On D--
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Chair Sam off All right, let's do it orderly. We'll do it at D-- you want to take them both?
Ms. Gomez: Yeah.
Chair Sam off Okay. DI 1.1 [sic] and DI.1.2 [sic] are opened up for discussion.
Ms. Gomez: Okay. DI.1 -- Diana Gomez, Finance director -- is the quarterly update of
nonreimbursable grant expenditures for the third quarter of fiscal year 2010, which is the
period of April 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010. As required by the financial integrity
principles, I'm required to come and discuss any nonreimbursable amounts that the City's been
made aware of. As of this period, there have been no nonreimbursable grant expenditures
reported.
Chair Sam off One more time. Can you -- you want to back that up?
Ms. Gomez: There have been no nonreimbursable grant expenditures reported, meaning
there's no amounts that have been determined to be not reimbursable.
Chair Sarnoff In other words, there's been no conclusion?
Ms. Gomez: No. They're just -- we haven't been told.
Vice Chair Carollo: It's a good thing.
Chair Sam off Yeah.
Ms. Gomez: It's a good thing, yes.
Chair Sam off No. I get it, I get it. It almost sounds like a double negative.
Ms. Gomez: I know.
Chair Sam off There are no nonreimbursable grants.
Ms. Gomez: Nonreimburs --
Chair Sam off Isn't there a better way of saying that?
Ms. Gomez: There are no amounts that have not been reimbursed.
Chair Sam off There you go.
Ms. Gomez: Maybe.
Commissioner Dunn: That's in laymen's terms.
Ms. Gomez: Okay.
Chair Sam off Well, lawyers too 'cause, I mean, we don't like double negatives.
Commissioner Gort: You guys got your own languages.
Chair Sam off Well, I just want to point out to you accountant guys, you financial guys, no
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DI.2
10-00765
nonreimbursable grant expenditures.
Ms. Gomez: Sorry.
Chair Sam off I don't know if that means that's -- he's right. I didn't know if that was good or
bad.
Commissioner Gort: It's like declassed unclassified.
Vice Chair Carollo: I got your back.
Chair Sam off I thank you. I --
Vice Chair Carollo: I got your back.
Chair Sarnoff -- appreciate that. I -- so it's a good thing. All right, good things. Anybody
have any discussion on DI1.1 [sic]?
DISCUSSION ITEM
Department of PRESENTATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 COMPREHENSIVE
Finance ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT (CAFR), SINGLE AUDIT AND
MANAGEMENT LETTER BY THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS, MCGLADREY &
PULLEN.
10-00765 Summary Form.pdf
10-00765 Financial Statement.pdf
10-00765 Single Audit Report.pdf
10-00765 Management Letter.pdf
10-00765-Submittal-City of Miami Financial Statement Presentation.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Sam off All right, you want to go to DI.1.2 [sic]?
Diana Gomez: DI.1.2 [sic]. Diana Gomez, Finance director. DI.1.2 [sic] is the annual
presentation of the financial statements, the comprehensive annual financial statements, the
single audit report, and the management letter. I will do a short -- brief presentation to go over
some of the high-level pointers and then I will turn it over to McGladrey & Pullen, who are our
auditor -- our external auditors, and they will additionally -- make additional presentation to
the Commission. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, this is the financial statements
of the City as of 9/30/2009. The City did receive an unqualified opinion, which is the best
opinion that a government agency can receive. And this means that there's no -- there's
nothing that will qualify the opinion. It's the most assurance that can be given to a set of
financial statements. It was issued on April 20, 2010, and we submitted it to the GFOA's
(Government Finance Officers Association) Excellence in Reporting Certificate program. We
received that certificate last year and we anticipate to receive it again this year. When looking
at the financial statements, page 17 of the financial statements, the focus is on the general fund,
fund level financial statements. Revenues for fiscal year total 471.5 million, expenditures total
526 million. Transfers in and out, transfers in were 47.7 million and transfers out were 46.3
million. The net effect of this resulted in a fund balance decrease of $53.6 million.
Chair Sam off Could I stop you for a moment?
Ms. Gomez: Sure.
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Chair Sam off To the average citizen, what does transfers in, transfers out mean?
Ms. Gomez: Transfers in means funds that are brought in from other funds, meaning they were
collected and reported as revenue in a separate fund, in a special revenue fund, in a capital
projects fund, and then brought into the general fund at year-end or during -- throughout the
year because that's where they belong.
Chair Sam off All right, because --
Ms. Gomez: For instance, an example is PST (Public Service Tax) taxes, a communication
services taxes, FPL (Florida Power & Light) taxes. Because they are pledged for debt service,
they have to be initially recorded in a special revenue fund. And then, once all the payments
have been made, we can bring in -- it really is a general fund revenue, but because we're
pledging it, we have to record it somewhere else, make the debt service payment, and bring it --
then bring it back in. And transfers out -- sorry.
Chair Sam off That's all right. Do any of the transfers in or transfers out include the $20.1
million from the CIP (Capital Improvements Program)?
Ms. Gomez: The transfers out -- we did transfer out -- I mean, I was going to get there.
Chair Sam off Okay. If you are, that's fine.
Ms. Gomez: On the transfers out, transfers out represent amounts that the general fund gives
or contributes to other funds. Of the $53.6 million, which is a decrease in fund balance in the
general fund, it was due primarily to expenditures in excess of original budgets of $25.2
million, as well as the one-time transfers to capital projects in the amount of $20.2 million to
cover the capital project expenditures that were overspent in the capital fund, as well as $8.2
million to replenish impact fee eligible capital project accounts for which previous general
fund contributions had been removed. If you recall, this is what was discussed by the Manager
back when we did the budget amend -- the final budget amendment for 2009.
Chair Sam off All right. To a layperson, I want you to explain what that means.
Ms. Gomez: It means that the general fund had to fund $20.2 million of expenditures that were
incurred in the capital projects fund for which the funding had been removed in previous years.
Chair Sam off You're going to have to go a little deeper.
Ms. Gomez: Okay. Sorry. The general fund -- the capital projects funds had spent -- there had
been some -- a number of projects that had continued to spend after the funding had been
removed. The budget had not been reduced and, therefore, the projects continued to spend,
which since the funding had been removed in previous years, the -- and the projects not
controlled to stop the spending, they created a deficit, a hole. The general fund had to fill that
hole with its own funds.
Chair Sam off From the general fund?
Ms. Gomez: From the general fund To submit it over so that those capital --
Chair Sam off So let me see ifI could summarize what you just said. Certain capital
improvements that were being done in various districts were no longer funded exterior of the
general fund. For instance, Homeland Security bond project, which is certainly a perfectly
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valid way of funding something. For one reason or another, those projects did not receive the
funding from a valid source exterior of the general fund?
Ms. Gomez: No. The -- those projects had -- were originally been pledged dollars from the
general fund in previous years.
Commissioner Gort: They went above that.
Ms. Gomez: So --
Chair Sam off Is it as simple as Commissioner Gort says, they just overspent?
Ms. Gomez: The funding -- since -- they had the money given to them in previous years from
the general fund That general fund monies was taken back into the general fund in previous
fiscal years and those projects continued to spend. So they didn't have the funding behind it at
that point. So since they continued to spend, they created a deficit. No other funds can --
could cover it within the capital fund --
Chair Sam off All right.
Ms. Gomez: -- so the general fund had to cover it.
Chair Sam off So let me ask it then the way Commissioner Gort 'cause I kind of understand the
way he explains it, which is you're going to build a house. The house was anticipated to cost
$300,000, but your significant other got involved and suddenly said that chandelier is a little
small.
Vice Chair Carollo: Is that always the case?
Ms. Gomez: No.
Chair Sam off That --
Ms. Gomez: No.
Chair Sarnoff -- we need an -- no?
Ms. Gomez: I don't believe that that's the way it should be explained.
Commissioner Gort: That's the capital improvement that they did have.
Mr. Migoya: No. I have a better analogy for you, using the same thing, since I've --
Chair Sam off Could you give us one?
Mr. Migoya: -- been divorced too many times. So this is the same house, the $300,000 house
that you put the $300,000 aside, and your wife took $150,000 and used it for her credit cards to
buy jewelry. And now, all of a sudden, you're short $150,000, and you had to come up with a
$150,000 out of your general fund to be able to finish the house.
Ms. Gomez: That's better.
Chair Sam off So by that, you're telling me a project was scheduled to cost "X" dollars, but
some of that money got diverted?
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Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Mr. Migoya: That's correct.
Chair Sam off How did the diversion occur?
Mr. Migoya: The diversion happened in --
Ms. Gomez: '07/'08..
Mr. Migoya: -- over two years where they used -- they took the money from these project
accounts back to the general fund to balance the funds in 2007 and 8 --
Ms. Gomez: Seven and eight.
Mr. Migoya: -- which is what happened, and that was a $20 million that -- which actually, at
my entry to the City, cost a person their job.
Chair Sam off Okay. All right, thank you. I just wanted to make sure I understood that.
Larry Spring (Chief Financial Officer): Can I make one clarification, since somebody said --
mentioned the word homeland defense bonds.
Ms. Gomez: Right.
Mr. Spring: There was no bond money associated with any of these transfers, one. I need to be
clear about this. It was general fund money that had been transferred into the capital fund
previously that was moved out, per his example. So I just want to be clear about that.
Chair Sam off Andl if mentioned that, Larry, it was only --
Mr. Spring: I know.
Chair Sam off To me, it's a valid source of capital fund dollars.
Mr. Spring: No. I got you. I just --
Chair Sarnoff I didn't suggest to you it was used. I'm just saying per exemplar.
Mr. Spring: Okay.
Chair Sam off Okay. I apologize.
Ms. Gomez: No. That's fine. Ending fund balance as of 9/30 was -- in the general fund totaled
$39.9 million. If you look at the balance sheet again, focusing on the general fund fund level
financial statements, assets for the -- total assets for the year were 97.7 million. Cash at
year-end totaled 30.3 million. So that you know, pooled cash balances are needed to be used to
cover cash deficits in October and November 2009 in the general fund due to payments --
payment of the pension cost on October 1. So again, as we talked about the working capital
and cash flow, we have to make a very large pension payment on October 1 and therefore, it
depletes the general fund cash so we utilized pooled cash in order to cover that payment.
Chair Sam off What is pooled cash?
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Ms. Gomez: Pooled cash is the system of cash that the City uses where all the cash available to
the City is pooled together in order to be invested and get the best rate of return, so on and so
forth. It's a method of -- each fund has its own cash assigned to it when we actually do
financial reporting. However, it is a pool of cash of all the City's cash. So when we have to
make cash payments, we take it from pooled cash and then account for it afterwards.
Liabilities for the year totaled 57.7 million. When you look at fund balance -- I'm sorry. Did
you have a question?
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Chair Sam off Please. I'd like some help.
Commissioner Suarez: I -- that's the pooled cash? I think that's one of the two -- there's a
difference between working capital -- and if it's a significant difference between that and
pooled cash, I'd like to know both numbers. I think we'd all like to know both numbers on a
monthly basis. If they're substantially similar, I mean, off by a very small --
Ms. Gomez: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: Give you the discretion, but you know, I think we just want to know,
more or less, how much cash the City has to see if we're getting into any kind of a precarious
financial position from that perspective.
Ms. Gomez: When you look at pooled cash, you're looking at all of the funds put together, all
of the cash, all capital, all special revenue, all debt service funds. It is a much larger number
than the working capital of the general fund. So we can --
Commissioner Suarez: I think we (UNINTELLIGIBLE) both.
Ms. Gomez: -- show you that infor -- we'll try to figure something out so that we can --
Commissioner Suarez: Both, I think.
Ms. Gomez: Yeah, sure.
Commissioner Suarez: I mean, under that -- 'cause I think they're different numbers and --
Ms. Gomez: Yes, they are.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Ms. Gomez: Okay. Looking at the fund balance, we have three categories of fund balance.
Reserved, and in reserve we have $2.4 million for prepaid items, which is typically insurance
that is prepaid, and long term due from other funds of $12.7 million, which has to do with the
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) receivables or the emergency services
receivables. Unreserved designated is subsequent years' budgets. We've put aside the $5
million contingency amount that we put each year. There is still $1.65 million of strategic
initiatives dollars from back -- it's fund balance left over that has been designated and has not
been allocated for any other purposes, as well as management initiatives of -- which is the
balance of the fund balance, is $18.2 million. Unreserved undesignated had a zero balance as
of 9/30. The financial integrity principle reserve requirement for fiscal 2009 was $94.2 million.
The City did not meet that reserve requirement by $69.4 million. Looking at the single audit
report -- well, actually, one thingl wanted to mention about the CAFR (Comprehensive Annual
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Financial Report) and the comprehensive annual report. There was some discussion in the
agenda review about some amounts -- a statement in the MD&A (Management's Discussion &
Analysis) that talked about an increase in the millage rate from year to year on page 6 of the
financial statements. This is comparing 2008 to 2009. So from 2008 to 2009 there was an
increase in the millage rate from 7.2999 to 7.6740. From 2009 to 2010, which is the current
fiscal year, there was no increase. I just wanted to clam that because I know that a couple of
Commissioners' offices had that concern. Moving on to the single audit report, total federal
expenditures for fiscal 2009 were $48.7 million. The single audit report did find -- did provide
a qualified auditors report issued on compliance for major programs of federal programs. On
the state expenditures for 2009, we have $4.2 million. On the state side, we had an unqualified
auditors report. The qualification on the federal program had to do with inventory accounts on
the UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) program.
Vice Chair Carollo: Is that the only reason?
Ms. Gomez: I believe so, yes. So --
Vice Chair Carollo: Which --
Ms. Gomez: -- the inventories were not being performed timely.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- was a finding last year also, correct?
Ms. Gomez: On the UASI program, I'm not sure. On the overall City financials, I believe there
was a finding on the inventory counts. But on the UASI program specifically, I don't know that
there was. I don't have prior years.
Mr. Spring: It wasn't tested last year.
Ms. Gomez: It wasn't?
Mr. Spring: Tested --
Ms. Gomez: Okay, no, it was not.
Mr. Spring: It wasn't tested.
Ms. Gomez: It was -- the UASI program finding was not there in the previous year. The
overall capital assets finding was.
Mr. Spring: Yeah.
Ms. Gomez: So we're talking about the single audit report.
Vice Chair Carollo: Gotcha.
Ms. Gomez: Okay. With the single audit report, they were -- there were several findings and
several different types of finding. They're controlled deficiencies. There's six findings in that
category, two are considered material weaknesses, four as significant deficiencies. When
McGladrey & Pullen takes over in a little bit, they will explain, you know, in more detail, if
need be. Internal control over compliance, there were three findings in compliance. There
were also three findings. Here listed are the control deficiencies having to do with bank
reconciliations, reporting of accruals and accounts payables, payroll processing, Oracle
human resource management system implementation, filing for grant reimbursements, and
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capital asset management. Under the control -- internal control over compliance, there's --
there was findings related to payroll certifications on programs, equipment and real property
maintenance, and program income. Compliance findings were found in equipment and
property real -- and real property management, program income, and environmental reviews.
On the management letter side, the control deficiencies are the same that we talked about in the
single audit. There's one compliance finding and nine other comments. Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Ms. Director, I want to point you to page 28 of the single audit reports.
You know, in accordance with OMB (Office ofManagement & Budget) Circular A-133. I see
here under federal, two spaces down, CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) 90 --
number 97.076 U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Urban Area Security Initiative Grant
program 2004, UASI The status is not corrected. Apparently, there was a finding --
Mr. Spring: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- previous year.
Ms. Gomez: I stand corrected. Yes, there was, if it's listed here.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, ma'am. And the only reason I'm pointing it out is because I
want to make sure that it does gets [sic_ fixed --
Ms. Gomez: Absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and it doesn't happen year after year after year and we just breeze
through it and not really pay attention to it and, you know, gloss through it, and you know --
You know, I really do believe in accountability and that's why I'm pointing these things out.
You know, I'm not trying to embarrass anybody or I'm not trying to, you know, make anyone's
work difficult I just want to make sure that we really look at this, see where the findings are,
and we really do improve and make it better. As a matter of fact -- and again, I may be
jumping the gun already, and I just maybe let you finish your whole presentation. But I mean,
we were actually downgraded from an unqualified to a qualified, so that -- again, that's
unacceptable to me. And you know, I'm just -- again, I just want to make sure that, you know,
we do the correct -- or the corrections for the future.
Ms. Gomez: Absolutely. And so that you know, with the single audit, the qualification is on the
single audit report over federal programs. It's not over the financial statements or anything
like that.
Vice Chair Carollo: I understand.
Ms. Gomez: And also, the programs -- as we mentioned before, the decentralization of the
programs, it is the program manager's responsibilities to make sure that these findings are
corrected year after year. I think that the Manager's moving, and having a centralized
monitoring unit will in fact help this and help guide this into getting these things corrected.
Commissioner Gort: That would help.
Ms. Gomez: Going on to the management letter, the controlled deficiencies are also listed --
the same as in the single audit are listed in the management letter. There is a compliance
finding on excess of expenditures over appropriations and there are other comments; grants
receivable, interfund transfers, pension plans, password settings, IT (Information Technology)
policies and procedures, IT system trail, timeliness of financial reporting, fund balance reserve
requirements, and procurement code violation. So these are the comments that the auditors
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had come up with, andl believe that they met with you -- each of you individually to go over
the comments and answer any questions you have. And in a few minutes, I'll turn it over to
them for them to continue their presentation as well as answer any detailed questions you have.
Couple of things. Looking ahead to fiscal 2010, as of May 2010, projections are currently
reporting the finance -- the fiscal year 2010 deficit of $20.8 million due primarily to reductions
in property tax collections, decreased license and permit fees, and decreases in interest
income. There are management initiatives currently underway to reduce the deficit by cutting
expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year. Cash flow shortages at year-end will require
the use of pooled cash again to meet cash needs for the first three months of the new fiscal year
until property tax collections are received. Couple of things that are happening in the GASB
(Government Accounting Standards Board) world. GASB 53 is accounting and finance --
accounting for derivative instruments. I'm sorry. This was issued in June of 2008. This
statement addresses the recognition measurement and disclosure of information regarding
derivative instruments entered into by state or local governments. The City does not have any
derivatives, so I don't expect this one to affect us. GASB 40 -- 54 is fund balance reporting in
governmental fund -type definitions. This finding will affect the City. It establishes accounting
and financial reporting standards for all governments that report governmental funds. It
establishes criteria for classing fund balance into specifically designed -- defined
classification and clarifies definitions for governmental fund types. So we're no longer going to
have the reserved -- designated unreserve -- or unreserved designated under reserved
undesignated. We're going to have other classifications, such as committed, nonspendable,
assigned, unassigned.
Chair Sam off How much of our fund balance, which stands at --
Ms. Gomez: Forty million.
Chair Sarnoff -- 40 million, which is really 20 because we're over budget. How much of that
is actually not cash in hand but what you qualin, as a receivable?
Ms. Gomez: No. As of 9/30, cash on hand was -- receivables, for the most part, are reserved
for. Cash on hand at 9/30, we had $30 million, so the fund balance was $39 million. So --
Chair Sarnoff So approximately 25 percent of the fund balance is what you qualify as a
receivable but not received?
Ms. Gomez: It might not all be receivables. And there may be other amounts that are -- but
yes. I guess that's an easier way to --
Mr. Spring: Classift it.
Ms. Gomez: -- say it.
Chair Sam off Well, doesn't this get back -- isn't the number of the -- a good 25 percent or
more -- I think it's more -- I -- but you're the accountant, not me. Isn't that what we colloquially
have described on this dais for the past three years the hurricane reimbursements?
Ms. Gomez: No. The hurricane is not in the general fund, so the hurricane reimbursements
are not -- do not affect the general fund.
Chair Sam off No, no, no. My recollection being on the dais was Commissioner Gonzalez
clearly stated -- andl thought you had agreed -- that a number of the receivables which
included grant receivables, FEMA receivables.
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Ms. Gomez: Not in the general fund.
Chair Sam off No. The general fund balance.
Ms. Gomez: No. Because the general fund has its own -- is its own fund, and there are no
grant -related receivables in the general fund. So that's $39.9 million of fund balance is only
what is due to the general fund. The grant receivables are due in other funds and they have
their own respective fund balances. So those receivables are recorded in those funds.
Chair Sam off Well, when you responded to Gonzalez two years ago or a year ago, and you
said not all the fund balance -- and forgive me, I'm going to use a colloquial --
Mr. Spring: If you --
Chair Sam off You want to say something, Larry?
Mr. Spring: Yes. If you would recognize me, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir.
Mr. Spring: Andl know -- I'm familiar with the question that you're asking. Last year, I recall,
it was how much of the general fund balance is actual cash in hand versus how much is still a
receivable. That's the question, correct? And --
Chair Sam off Absolutely, right.
Mr. Spring: -- last year, if you recall, it was difficult for us to answer that question based on
how the financials are presented versus your very basic -- we have --
Chair Sam off I'm getting the same answer I think Gonzalez got about a year ago.
Mr. Spring: Yes, you did.
Chair Sam off Right.
Mr. Spring: So we will -- we'll have to try to -- cash on hand is $30 million, which is listed in
the balance sheet.
Chair Sam off So if we --
Mr. Spring: So --
Chair Sam off -- record our general fund balance at 39 million, less --
Mr. Spring: Thirty of it is in cash.
Chair Sam off Right.
Mr. Spring: Okay.
Chair Sam off Okay. And do we know what the other nine or ten million is made up of? We
don't, right?
Ms. Gomez: It's a net effect of assets and liabilities. So we have some -- a bunch of
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receivables. We have a bunch of liabilities and it's just a net effect of that.
Chair Sam off And the way as a lawyer thinks, if in the event there was a category 2 or 3
hurricane in the City ofMiami, how much of those receivables could be converted to quick
hard cash quickly?
Ms. Gomez: It's hard to tell. I mean, the -- it depends on the collection rate.
Commissioner Gort: Just pray you don't have a hurricane.
Ms. Gomez: It depends on how we get them collected. Some of --
Commissioner Gort: Pray you don't get a hurricane.
Chair Sam off I think you answered my question, which is it's not like, for instance, owning
stock in Citibank or in Apple or -- not so --
Ms. Gomez: These are accounts that people owe the City money for various licenses, permits,
et cetera.
Chair Sam off That may never get paid.
Ms. Gomez: May never get paid, but at the same -- but we reserved for it, so it will not affect
the fund balance as much.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez, you're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, thank you for recognizing me. I'm not an accountant, so
I think I've struggled a little bit with this as well, kind of understanding, and that's why I think
the cash questions that I have are so important to us making educated decisions up here. And
there seems to be some sort of confusion. I understand his question to mean and your answer to
be that of the 39, $40 million fund -- reserve -- general fund reserve balance, of that we only
have 39 of it in cash? That's what -- it appears to me what you just said.
Ms. Gomez: Um -hum. That's correct.
Commissioner Suarez: So -- but that's different from our cash position, our pooled cash,
correct? We may have much more money in pooled cash?
Ms. Gomez: In total cash for the City as a whole, as of 9/30, we have $410 million.
Commissioner Suarez: Pooled cash?
Ms. Gomez: Pooled cash.
Commissioner Suarez: That has nothing to do with monies that we would have set aside for a
pension, correct?
Ms. Gomez: That's correct.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay. So we have $400 million in cash, pooled cash; but of the reserve
monies, we only have 30 million of it in cash --
Ms. Gomez: In the general fund.
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Commissioner Suarez: -- in the general fund. The other nine are outstanding collections,
basically?
Ms. Gomez: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: I just -- I wanted clarity on that, and I'm glad you clamed that for me.
Chair Sam off I apologize.
Ms. Gomez: Okay. So GASB 54, again, it's going to change the way the fund balance is
classified. This change is going to require that I come back to you with changing the financial
integrity principles 'cause right now there are classifications within the financial integrity
principle that says reserves should be this, undesignated, unreserved, so on and so forth. So
I'm going to bring back in the first September meeting a change in the financial integrity
principles to make the changes for GASB 54. And the GASB 57, which is OPEB (Other Post
Employment Benefit) measurements by agent employers and -- This is a statement that was
issued on December 2009. It addresses issues related to the use of alternative measurement
methods and the frequency and timing of measurements by employers that participate in agent
multiple -employer other postemployment benefit plans. We use -- our OPEB, we pay it on a
pay-as-you-go basis. I don't anticipate this to affect us that much. I'm going to turn it over the
Donnovan Maginley, who's a director with McGladrey & Pullen, the City's external auditors,
who will put a couple things on the record, as well as answer anymore questions you have.
Donnovan Maginley: Thank you, Diana. Donnovan Maginley, with McGladrey. Honorable
Mayor, Chair, Vice Chair, and Commissioners, good morning. As Diana indicated, we did
issue a report, which is dated April 20, on the financial statements. That report, just for the
record again, is an unqualified report. That's the highest level of assurance that we can
provide to a set of financial statements. As she also indicated on the single audit, which is the
audit of the federal and state; for the federal side, we did have a quaked report. On the state
side, it was unqualified. The qualification on the federal side was a consequence of a
significance of the finding that we noted, the compliance deficiency that was noted. For the
record, professional standards require me to parlay certain things to you. As you can imagine,
the composition, the compilation of the financial statements require some level ofjudgment in
estimates by management. As a part of our audit process, we evaluate those estimates and
judgments. We have deemed those to be reasonable. All significant audit adjustments that
were noted during the audit were recorded in these financial statements. We had no
disagreements with management in the application of accounting principles and disclosures.
We were not aware of any consultation that management made to any other accountants during
the process. If they did, we would have to report that to this body. Again, there were no
difficulties encountered through the audit. All access to personnel and records were made to us
during the audit. And all -- again, our letter of deficiencies and recommendations are included
in a separate letter which is titled `Management Letter and Single Audit Findings." With that,
without going though each comment, I'll turn it over to any questions you may have.
Chair Sam off Mr. Vice Chair, you're recognized for the record.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Actually, I want to bring back something that
occurred a few months ago. Prior to the issuance of the financial statements, I asked if the
financial statements were going to be issued on time. As a matter of fact, I spoke to -- I have a
hard time pronouncing your last name. I'm sorry.
Mr. Maginley: Maginley.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Maginley.
Mr. Maginley: Donnovan Maginley. Correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: Andl think it was interpreted that one of the reasons that we were not
issuing it on time was due to the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) investigation and
additional layers that the auditing firm had to go about doing. As a matter offact, the reason
why I say it was interpreted that way because I remember that at least two maybe three articles
in the Miami Herald stated that. Now, when I spoke to Mr. Maginley --
Mr. Maginley: Maginley.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- yesterday, I questioned him about that because I really did not believe
that was the reason. And as a matter offact, I see a management letter comment that addresses
the reason why the financial statements were not issued on time. So I want for the record -- and
again, this is not to embarrass anybody. This actually to have some accountability because this
Commissioner believes that accountability is important. If you see on management letter
2009-07, timeliness of financial reporting, on page 19, and it clearly states that the year-end
closing and preparation process was not performed in time, period, to accommodate for a
preparation and issuance of the year-end CAFR in accordance with the due date established by
the City Code. The City agrees with this, and the reason being is the City relies on the
individual audits of its discretely reported and blended component units in order to include the
information in the City's CAFR as required by GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles) and GASB. During this current fiscal year, the audited financial statements of
three component units were significantly late, which delayed the finalization of the City's
financial statements. In the subsequent fiscal year, the City will further work with all
component units to ensure timely submission of their financial statements in order to not
jeopardize a completion of the City's financial statements. So it seems to me that it has been
stated. This is the true reason why the financials were late. And again, this is not to embarrass
those three component units, but I think it's extremely important. Not only that, I clearly
remember requesting that they come before this Commission and address why they are late.
And as a matter offact, I asked that their auditors come before this Commission and address
why they are late. As of today, they have not come before this Commission. So I guess when
any Commissioner, you know, makes a -- what I think is a reasonable request, it just, you know,
goes in one ear and out the other. And again, this is not to embarrass any one of those
component units, but at least this Commission is going to request accountability and we're
going to make sure that next year, we don't have this same problem. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Well, you mind ifI build on that?
Vice Chair Carollo: Go ahead.
Chair Sam off If what the Vice Chair says is correct, Mr. Manager, and if the financials were
not done in the swiftness that he's saying it should have been done, did that in any way
whatsoever affect our ability to go to market earlier with the bonds for the Marlins stadium?
Mr. Migoya: That did slow down the process to some degree. However --
Chair Sam off Then I'm going to ask a question to Commissioner Gort. Had we gone to
market six weeks earlier, what would the cost have been to the taxpayers?
Commissioner Gort: Probably be a lot less.
Chair Sam off Millions?
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Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Probably.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Chair Sam off I've calculated --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Sarnoff -- about $18 million. So because we allowed three agencies to not report and
because they even refused to bring their auditor in front of this Commission, the true cost to the
taxpayers, ifI recall correctly, was between 15 and $18 million.
Mr. Migoya: There's a chance that we -- the thing I would have to go back and check out is
how much were we dealing with on the SEC side, as to the disclosures to deal with the POS
statements during that period of time, whether we would have been delayed anyway. But this --
there may be a chance that your statements are correct.
Chair Sam off Well, I'd like --
Mr. Migoya: But nevertheless, those agencies should have been on time and be able to provide
us the information.
Chair Sam off What agencies were they?
Ms. Gomez: Virginia Key Beach Park Trust, Civilian Investigative Panel, and Liberty City.
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. That is exactly why, prior to March 31, I addressed this issue.
I asked if we were going to issue the financial statements on time; if we weren't, why? And so
forth, because as you can see, these are real dollars.
Chair Sam off This is a lot of money.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir. You're recognized.
Commissioner Dunn: I do want to thank you. Mr. Vice Chair, I do remember vividly those
requests. I was sitting here and you pounded on it. My question -- I have a couple of
questions. First, in terms of -- when I was reading the report, it was stated that we did not have
procedures in place to review or approve interfund transfers. Have we -- do we intend to follow
the recommendations of the -- auditors' recommendations and when do we expect to have this
in place?
Mr. Migoya: Those recommendations came after we made our recommendations for what was
not done for the previous two years that we had no recommendations. But the end of the day,
what we have done is make sure that Budget maintains reconciliation on their accounts on a
project -by -project basis. We have a new CIP director who also will maintain control and is in
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the process of establishing control on their project accounts to maintain controls, and then
there'll be reconciliation by Budget on both sides of their dollars versus matching it to the
other. In addition to that, with the new Oracle system, we are in the process -- the Budget
director andl have already reviewed something. There's a -- it's called a dashboard process
that not only we will be able to look at, but it will on the Web if we get this done. It will --
they'll be a cost to it, but the idea will be that we will have a system where we'll not only be
able to track every project, but the cash to the project; and it will be done by not only staff but
Commissioners and anybody in the public will be able to go to the Web and do this as well.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair, I don't want to re --
Chair Sam off You just continue.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay. Yes.
Chair Sam off Colloquy.
Commissioner Dunn: Now, in terms of -- as in the case of the agencies, what -- for the future,
what would be your recommendation for consequences? If this -- this is pretty serious. And in
the future, what can you recommend?
Vice Chair Carollo: Don't fund them.
Ms. Gomez: Right, don't fund them.
Mr. Migoya: The only thing we can say -- andl think it's up to you to do this -- I would
recommend that if they're not timely, that we defund them.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: That's right.
Commissioner Gort: That's the only way they'll learn.
Commissioner Dunn: We've got to send that message in the future. I mean, if we're going to
get better, it is what it is.
Chair Sam off Well -- and two of those agencies were heavily funded --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Sarnoff -- by this City and had the adequate cash capacity to even hire you, with all due
respect.
Mr. Maginley: Certainly.
Chair Sarnoff And -- I mean, I remember vividly -- I didn't know where he was going --
Commissioner Dunn: Yeah. I didn't --
Chair Sarnoff -- truthfully.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
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Commissioner Dunn: I remember.
Chair Sam off But I under -- I remember vividly; he demanded that they come in front of this
Commission. I mean, not a month ago we demanded the Bayfront [sic] Trust Foundation come
before this Commission.
Mayor Regalado: Bayside.
Chair Sam off Bayside.
Mayor Regalado: Bayside.
Vice Chair Carollo: Bayside.
Chair Sam off I'm sorry. Bayside Trust Foundation. They still have not produced a document.
They're now being investigated by the authorities.
Commissioner Dunn: Let me just respond. IffI may, Mr. --
Chair Sarnoff And know you're on it.
Commissioner Dunn: No, no. But there are mechanisms in place to address the Bayside
situation, so I --
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: -- can at some point give a report to this Commission that I think
everyone will be pleased with.
Chair Sam off Okay. I guess my point of saying all this was, you know, when we allow people
to slip, when we allow people to be sloppy, when we don't demand, as you would say,
accountability, when we don't -- when people don't do as we ask -- we all knew there was --
well, did we know there was a cost? Maybe, maybe not --
Commissioner Gort: We all did.
Chair Sarnoff -- but you had it in mind.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- that's the reason why I brought it up. And in all fairness, it's not like I
got them off guard. I told them way before March 31, hey, are you going to issue on time? If
not, why, and so forth. So I was already, you know -- I guess I had somewhat of a vision of
what may happen, andl was trying to avoid it. And yes, I was adamant about this because of
the consequences, you know. As you know, the stadium is in my district and so forth, so I
monitor it, you know, closely and so forth. And the truth of the matter is, I -- you know, I had
concerns andl voiced them. And listen -- and again, this is not to embarrass anyone. But the
bottom line is, if we need -- if we're going to fix a problem, we have to admit that there is a
problem and we just can't overlook it. And that's why I'm bringing it up again. That's why I
just wanted to start with that because -- as a matter of fact, it was a management letter coming
from the auditors that we were late. I mean, we should have had issued financial statements
March 31 or earlier, like last year.
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Commissioner Dunn: One last thing, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir, you're recognized.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Vice Chair, if you would, through the Manager or whoever, if
something like that occur, please help me understand it in advance. I understand it now. Andl
do respect your ability in terms of accounting, and so I understand it now.
Vice Chair Carollo: Hey, this is just like a new team. You know, it takes some time to get the
chemistry going and so forth, but I think we're going to be all right.
Chair Sam off I --
Commissioner Gort: I think, if they don't comply, unfund [sic] them.
Vice Chair Carollo: Just like the Heat.
Commissioner Gort: Let them know that they're not going to be funded if they don't comply,
period.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. And I just think we need to send, as a Commission, a strong
message out there that we will defund them.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I agree with the Vice Chairman. All due respect to the Heat, which is
forming their dream team, we have our own little dream team up here. But I suspect -- andl
think this is going to be somewhat poetic justice or ironic that those agencies will come before
us at some point during the budget time when their budgets --
Vice Chair Carollo: Coming today.
Commissioner Suarez: -- hang in the balance.
Chair Sam off I believe there's one today.
Commissioner Suarez: So I suspect that they will be coming before us. Andl echo your
sentiments, that it doesn't -- shouldn't have to be that way. When a Commissioner demands
accountability, whether it's from one agency or another, whether it's from one committee or
another, there has to be a response from that committee. I mean, that's just the bottom line. So
you have my support on that, Mr. Vice Chairman.
Mr. Migoya: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir.
Mr. Migoya: IfI may, just to remind you, those agencies report to the Commissioners. They
don't report to Administration. So the direct control of what you're recommending is up to you
because they do report to you and they should be accountable. You're right.
Chair Sam off But his point is -- that's his point. When he asked them to report, they didn't.
Commissioner Gort: They ignore it.
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Chair Sam off So they -- in a way, it was insubordination. Now you might have said, okay,
insubordination, but at what cost. You just learned today what the cost was. All right, thank
you. You have any -- any questions of the Commissioners or comments?
Vice Chair Carollo: I -- yeah. I have a few more.
Chair Sam off Go ahead.
Vice Chair Carollo: I won't --
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- keep you here all day, but I do have a few more. With regard to the
accruals -- and again, it's not to embarrass anyone. I want to have accountability. -- what
departments did not provide or did not submit their accruals?
Ms. Gomez: The year-end accrual process, it's a very -- it's a process where all departments
are put on notice, starting in July or early August, to advise all departments that as of a certain
date, all invoices need to be submitted into Finance in order to be properly accrued for, if in
fact they relate to September 30. I have not kept a listing of all the departments that -- and --
when their accruals came in. But the deadline I believe this year -- this past year was October
10, October 14 and there were significant accruals after that point in time. It'd be unfair of me
to just start naming departments because I do not have an accurate listing, but I would say it's
probably across the City. Most departments had a few, you know, items that are late; and those
items, whether we -- they were given to us through the Finance Department or rather that the
auditors themselves found them. I don't know if you have any in the top of your head that --
Mr. Maginley: No.
Ms. Gomez: -- remember that.
Mr. Maginley: Some of the adjustments that we noted were during the course of the audit. We
tested items that were not recorded, but the majority of the things are what Diana alluded to in
terms of timing that -- submitted to her.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, Madam Director, the reason why I'm pointing this out once again
because I don't want to this to be an occurring thing year after year. We have a finding. I
don't want when I look at it next year, being not corrected. If we don't know -- I -- 'cause it
clearly states here the cause. The cause is due to a break down in the system of controls, lack
of effective supervisory oversight, and untimely submission of information by various City
departments. So if we don't know what those City departments are, how can we demand
accountability and how can we demand that they provide the accruals on time next year?
Ms. Gomez: Throughout the audit process, I do communicate with those departments and
advise them that things are late and need to be accrued, you know, and they need to get it to us.
I can this year keep track of everything that was received after the due date and then report
back through the Manager's office of any invoices that were found to be submitted after the
deadline that was provided.
Vice Chair Carollo: Andl saw from the City's, you know, response that it appears that you
tried to discuss with the various department heads and so forth. However, it seems like they got
away with it. We got a, you know, management letter comment or actually, a finding and
nothing occurred, so --
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Ms. Gomez: It's a very difficult process, and it is a bit frustrating because we still have to get
things -- the books closed and everything reported before the auditors do come out because if
we don't record it beforehand, then they'll find it as an item, and then it will definitely be an
issue.
Vice Chair Carollo: Right. But my question is how do we fix it? It seems to me, if those
department heads know that they have to do it by a certain time, that they do it. 'Cause it
seems to me like they didn't do it and it's going, once again, overlooked and there's no
accountability here.
Ms. Gomez: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: So -- which means to tell me this is going to happen again next year.
Ms. Gomez: Again, I mean, this year, I can commit to keeping a log of all invoices that were
received after the date that it's given on the year-end closing memo. That memo should be
coming out shortly. Andl can continue to keep a list, and anybody that's late will be put on
that list, and I'll report it.
Chair Sam off I think his question --
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sarnoff -- is a little different. I'm going to recognize you. But I think his question is
what policy, procedure are you going to implement to make a diametric change so that you will
not have late reporting.
Mr. Spring: And if you allow me, Mr. Vice Chair. What we've tried to do in the past, and to
your point, is report these issues to the City Manager so he can deal with those directors. What
we can commit to now is to provide that list -- as those departments breach that deadline, to
notifi, the City Manager so he can deal with those individual, you know, directors. Again, it is
something that has been a recurring issue for a number of years.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well --
Mr. Spring: And it has been -- even the prior City Manager actually had several -- in our
biweekly staff meetings, he brought it up on several occasions to instruct the directors to make
sure you get these on time because they have the impact of slowing up the audit. And providing
for, you know, post journal entries and all these things that we obviously you know we don't
want to have, so --
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Gort's recognized for the record.
Commissioner Gort: I believe the discipline in the past was the -- if they didn't comply and
nothing happens to them, so why worry, why comply. I think we have to have some discipline
and something should happen and have these people -- if they don't comply within the time,
something should be happening to them. I mean, there should be a penalty. They should know
-- like these companies -- these new agencies, they know if they don't provide it, they're not
going to be funded. So we've got to look for something that they understand that this is the
change in this Administration. It's going to be a little different. Directors are going to be
responsible for their actions. They're going to be responsible. If they're not, they'll get fired or
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something has to happen to them. I mean, we have to put some discipline into it.
Chair Sam off Well, the only way to implement what Commissioner Gort's saying would be for
when the City Manager is put on notice, that the Commissioners are carbon copied. 'Cause the
only person we can hire and fire is the Manager. So I guess we won't know until you come in
front of us and he gets --
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly.
Chair Sam off -- to say next year, you know, I remember -- I just read my comments from last
year and, Mr. City Manager -- and hopefully it's the same one that's sitting there, but if it's not
-- that's our action to take. You should know way in advance.
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Chairman, that's exactly my point. It's exactly my point, what
Commissioner Gort said because instead of doing this next year, that's why I'm doing it now.
Sort of like I guess in early March when I was saying hey, are we going to issue the financial
statements. What's going on? Well, I'm doing this now instead of next year 'cause I want to
see. This should be some penalty. I mean, if not, then what's going to happen is they're just
going to do it again. And what I don't want is in a few months for some directors to come
before us budget time and then say, man, this Commissioner Carollo. Man, he is hard on us.
Why is he cutting all of our funding? And I just don't see, you know, they're addressing our
concerns; therefore, you know, I think we should, you know, defund them or -- obviously, we
can't defund the whole department, but you know, really look at their funding closely, and there
should be some penalties because -- I mean, if not, this is going to continue year after year
after year. And as a matter of fact, our own CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and Madam
Director saying yes, this is something that's recurring year after year. So again, I'm just
looking at accountability. This is a new Commission. And Commissioner Gort, I have to say,
you hit it right on the head.
Mr. Spring: What we can do, we do have a closing memo. We have a closing process each
year. We put a memo out a couple months before the year-end. We'll work with the Manager
to come up with some --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Mr. Spring: -- something -- some specifics about the deadlines and some, I guess, penalties or
some consequences associated --
Commissioner Gort: Got to be.
Mr. Spring: -- with not turning these things in on time.
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Chairman, if --
Chair Sam off Continue, continue.
Vice Chair Carollo: Just a few more things. I'm -- like I said, I could literally be here all day
just picking out things, but there's just a few more things. I mean, I don't -- I think we all know
about the payroll process and the issues we've had. I think I've mentioned it up here. So I
didn't need an audit for the payroll process. And Oracle, we know those issues. So again, I'm
not going to, you know, touch upon that. The last thing I do want to touch upon, andl think it's
very important, the capital asset management.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Listen, there's no secret. You know, I have a soft heart for First
Responders. I'm a former First Responder myself. But the bottom line is, again, we need to
have accountability. We need to know what those assets are. We need to, you know, have
property depreciations and so forth. And we -- you know, this can't continue. This is something
that occurred last year, as I mentioned. And again, I just don't want it to be a recurring issue
every year. It was a finding last year. It is a finding this year. As a matter of fact, it is stated
that that's why we received a qualified, so we actually got degraded. So the bottom line is, I
want to make sure that it is fixed, you know.
Mr. Migoya: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off You're -- you've changed.
Mr. Migoya: Yeah. I just want to make sure that my previous statement about the agencies
working for you and not the Administration and you having to deal with that, the people in the
City that report to the Administration we are responsible for and we will make sure they are
accountable and make sure that they do things on time. Andl believe that now we have a
different environment altogether in which people know about accountability and they
understand the importance of timeliness and things. Andl think we have a different attitude
and an actual performance level that everybody's really interested in making sure we do
everything on time. So I -- not only we expect them to be on time, but they will be accountable.
If not -- and I just want to make sure that everybody understands that that's the case going
forward.
Chair Sam off All right. Any further discussion, gentlemen?
Ms. Gomez: IffI may?
Chair Sam off All right.
Ms. Gomez: IffI may, Mr. Chair. I wanted to touch on some comments that the Vice Chair had
made regarding the bank reconciliations.
Chair Sam off There's an old saying, out of mouths of victory never snatch defeat, but if you
want to go in there --
Ms. Gomez: I do because --
Chair Sarnoff -- go ahead.
Ms. Gomez: -- I just (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I want to make sure that the Commission knows
that for the current fiscal year, bank reconciliations are being done timely and being done
before we close each month. We still have to do it, a very manual process. That was the
problem last year. We were relying and waiting on a systematic process that would have cut
down a lot of the time that it took. That systematic process did not work out or has not worked
out yet, so that's why we were late because we were waiting on that process.
Chair Sarnoff All right. So stop right there. That's your -- it's your computer system, which is
software?
Ms. Gomez: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
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Chair Sam off Tell me what you've done this year to change that.
Ms. Gomez: The systems are still not working, but we are --
Chair Sam off So next year --
Ms. Gomez: -- doing it manually, so --
Chair Sam off -- you anticipate doing another manual whatever --?
Ms. Gomez: We're doing it manual -- all year long we've been doing manual. But there should
not be a finding because they are being done timely. Even though it's being done tediously and
manually, we are still making sure -- we do not want to repeat this finding, so we are doing it
manually each month within ten days of the close of the month so that it will not be a finding
again. Even though it's very labor intensive, I'd rather do that than have another finding.
Chair Sam off Is there a computer program out there that would satisfy this process so it no
longer is manual?
Ms. Gomez: Yes. And ITD (Information Technology Department) has been working on -- it's a
certain reconciliation report that -- it's just proven difficult to get it exactly the way we need it
to work, and so it is something that is still being worked on. But in the meantime, I don't want
to have another finding, so my staff has been doing it manually each month in order to make
sure that we do not have this finding.
Chair Sam off How is a municipality so different than the private sector? I mean, I hired
somebody in my law office. Three days later, I have a new computer program. Cost me "X"
dollars. I either do it. I don't do it. It's too expensive. I defer it. But I have my options. I
don't feel like I get that here in the City. What I get is can I have $20 million for a new
computer program. I'm going to make this change, that change, this change. And
Commissioner, by the time that's done, everything in the City's going to be automated. Then as
the year progresses, I get, this didn't work, that didn't work. Mayor tells us payroll; people
haven't been paid in months. I'm at a loss for how munic -- it is so much more complex than a
private industry?
Mr. Spring: Well --
Chair Sam off I know you're not IT, but --
Mr. Spring: I'm not IT, Mr. Chair, but I wouldn't want to compare the City's financial system to
what your bookkeeper does in your office 'cause they're two very different things.
Chair Sam off You could go to a large law firm. You could go to Greenberg Traurig. You can
go to --
Mr. Spring: I would tell you that even you go to Greenberg Traurig and try to compare that to
what the City ofMiami does and it's very, very different
Chair Sam off Okay.
Mr. Spring: It is complex. And this is not about excuses. Yes, they should be working. Some
of these issues that we've had in IT, we've demanded on the ERP (Enterprise Resource
Planning) Steering Committee that they be done and be done at a certain time, and we're
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working through that process. Unfortunately, you know, with this implementation -- like
payroll, we turned it on on a day that we kind of collectively agreed to and we pushed for that
day. Well, we've had stabilization issues and now, over the last couple months, we've been able
to work through some of those issues so we can try to start preventing and reducing and
eliminating some of the findings that clearly are in the management letter that we knew
absolutely were going to be there. It is a process. Is it a -- am I happy about it? Absolutely
not. But one of the changes that the Manager did almost immediately was, you know what?
We're going to take Payroll out of ER (Employee Relations) and move it back to Finance 'cause
we have more accountable people. They're more on top. They're -- you know, they're
financially minded. And it's been -- it's a struggle. We're still struggling with it, but we're --
you know, we're making the baby steps. And can I promise you today that all those payroll
findings are going to be eliminated next year? No, I can't. But we will work on them
systematically and try to get to a better end, you know, in a short amount of time. Andl will
point out this, the finding before this payroll finding was we needed to update the system, if you
go back to some of the older management letters. They said we needed to update our system, so
we've done -- we've kind of eliminated one finding and find ourselves in another one.
Vice Chair Carollo: Who were those auditors?
Mr. Spring: That was Rachlin and Cohen.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: My understanding, the system that we acquired, it works very good in
other cities and they're using it. It is lack of training and training the individuals on the
software or --?
Mr. Spring: Yes. We've -- what we've been able to identf are -- there's training issues,
changed management issues. All of those things related -- things that, you know, when you go
through an implementation. Yes, I trained the Chairman on this system, you know, two months
before we went live. Well, he forgot about it 'cause he's not using it everyday. And now we
turn the switch on. It's like oh, what do I do? And, you know, going through that process.
Even in the payroll side, because payroll entry is decentralized making sure that that payroll
clerk in some department input the time appropriately, used the right pay elements, all these
things, because it all comes here to be processed. And if it rejects, five people or six people are
responsible for correcting the payroll of 4, 000. So you know, there's things that we need to
work on.
Commissioner Gort: You're also implementing cross training. I mean, have two or three
individuals --
Mr. Spring: We need to do that as well.
Commissioner Gort: -- in case one gets sick or something like that, 'cause one of the problems
that I've had, a lot of times I call, someone is not in --
Mr. Spring: Can't do --
Commissioner Gort: -- sorry, can't do it.
Mr. Spring: Right. Can't do it, yes.
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Commissioner Gort: He's out for vacation.
Mr. Spring: Right.
Commissioner Gort: What do we do? We stop.
Mr. Spring: Right.
Commissioner Gort: Okay. Thank you.
Chair Sam off Commissioner -- the Vice Chair is recognized for a point of privilege.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. I was going to say on a side note, but the correct way is a
point of privilege. I have a question, speaking about another auditor and so forth. Would it be
correct for you to address us at this time with regards to the procurement process or how we
are for the new --? No? For --
Mr. Spring: Still under the Cone.
Vice Chair Carollo: Still -- oh, Cone of Silence?
Mr. Spring: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Thank you. But it is underway and --
Mr. Spring: Yes.
Ms. Gomez: Yes.
Mr. Spring: Absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- we should be timely --?
Ms. Gomez: It will be presented at the July 22 Commission meeting.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think I read that. It went before the --
Mr. Spring: Audit Committee.
Ms. Gomez: Audit Advisory Committee.
Vice Chair Carollo: Gotcha. July 1 ?
Ms. Gomez: No. Yes, it went on July 1 to them.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you.
Chair Sam off All right. Any further questions of the auditor, auditor general? No, the
auditor general's not up here. Sorry. The auditor or the -- Diana Gomez? Anyone else? All
right, thank you very much for the lively discussion.
END OF DISCUSSION ITEMS
PART B: PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
PZ.1 ORDINANCE First Reading
10-00767zt
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE MIAMI 21
CODE, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, BY AMENDING ARTICLE I, ENTITLED "DEFINITIONS", BY
MODIFYING THE DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FACILITY AND
ADDING A DEFINITION FOR CIVIL REHABILITATION FACILITIES, AND BY
AMENDING ARTICLE 6, ENTITLED "SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS", TO
REQUIRE AN EXCEPTION AND PROVIDE REGULATIONS AND DISTANCE
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCH FACILITIES TO EXIST IN CERTAIN
TRANSECTS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
10-00767zt Exhibit A.pdf
10-00767zt CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
10-00767zt CC 07-08-10 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Citywide
APPLICANT(S): Carlos A. Migoya, City Manager, on behalf of the City of
Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Pending recommendation on
June 30, 2010.
PURPOSE: This will add a new definition for Civil Rehabilitation Facilities,
provide that such facilities shall only exist in the CI -HD (Health District) Zone,
and require distance requirements of two thousand five hundred (2,500) feet
between such facilities.
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
Note for the Record: Item PZ. 1 was deferred to the City Commission meeting currently
scheduled for September 23, 2010.
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS
MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' ITEMS
CITYWIDE
HONORABLE MAYOR TOMAS REGALADO
END OF CITYWIDE ITEMS
City of Miami Page 165 Printed on 8/10/2010
City Commission
Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
DISTRICT 1
COMMISSIONER WIFREDO (WILLY) GORT
END OF DISTRICT 1
DISTRICT 2
CHAIRMAN MARC DAVID SARNOFF
END OF DISTRICT 2
DISTRICT 3
VICE-CHAIRMAN FRANK CAROLLO
END OF DISTRICT 3
DISTRICT 4
COMMISSIONER FRANCIS SUAREZ
DISTRICT 5
COMMISSIONER RICHARD P. DUNN, II
END OF DISTRICT 5
NON AGENDA ITEMS
NA.1 RESOLUTION
10-00849
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
Office FLORIDA, AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 09-0509 ADOPTED ON OCTOBER
22, 2009, AS AMENDED, REGARDING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO
EXCEED $120,000,000 IN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA SPECIAL OBLIGATION PARKING REVENUE BONDS,
SERIES 2010 (MARLINS STADIUM PROJECT) (THE "BONDS") TO AMEND
THE DELEGATION PARAMETERS FOR THE SALE AND ISSUANCE OF THE
BONDS; MAKING CERTAIN FINDINGS AND DETERMINATIONS;
AUTHORIZING ALL REQUIRED ACTIONS BY THE CITY MANAGER, THE
CITY ATTORNEY, AND ALL OTHER NECESSARY CITY OFFICIALS; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
10-00849-Legislation. pdf
10-00849-Submittal-E-mail-Lynn Westall. pdf
10-00849-Submittal-Back Up Documents. pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Dunn II, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Carollo, Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Dunn II
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Meeting Minutes July 8, 2010
R-10-0281
Chair Sam off Okay. What I'm going to do is recognize the Mayor. I know he's going to want
to speak on DI.1, DI. 2, but he does have a pocket item. Mr. Mayor, you are recognized for the
record.
Mayor Tomas Regalado: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman,
Commissioners. We do have some items. I guess it's important to present to you the financial
report, the single audit, and management letter by the external auditors; also an update on
grants [sic] expenditures. Also, we have information on one of the items that I know that some
Commissioners have talk about the grants and the management of the grants, but before, ifI
may, I have a pocket item. Andl understand what is the process and what the Commission has
asked us to do in terms of pocket items. And this pocket item does have financial impact, but
we -- I guess that it's important that we consider -- at least we consider this today.
Chair Sam off Mr. Mayor, before you proceed. I just want to ensure, does every
Commissioner have the pocket item? Okay. I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor. Go ahead.
Mayor Regalado: You do.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry. What was your question again?
Chair Sam off I wanted to make sure that every Commissioner had the pocket item, the --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Chair Sarnoff -- actual draft. Okay.
Mayor Regalado: Yeah. It was distributed last night by me personally. But it is a pocket item
that I don't like. It's a deal that I didn't like, but like we say, always a deal is a deal. And this
has to do with the bonding for the Marlins parking garage. As you know, last October the City
Commission approved certain details for the bond sales. There is an explanation as to why are
we doing this pocket item. It's -- it may seem that it's a little difficult, but we believe that most
of the bonding will be done with savings to the City. A certain part has increased, and we have
the chieffinancial officer here, Larry Spring, to explain to you the process. The end result is
that if you approve this today, by July 21 in New York, the City will be selling the bonds for the
parking garage of the Marlins stadium. If you do not, then we have to cancel the sale and wait
for a better time. So I'd like Larry to explain to you the pocket item itself.
Chair Sam off You're recognized for the record.
Larry Spring: Commissioners, Larry Spring, chieffinancial officer. Back in October when the
City Commission approved the bonding authorization, they set interest rate parameters for both
the taxable and tax-exempt pieces of this bond issuance. Those parameters were actually set at
6.5 percent for the tax-exempt as the cap and 8.5 percent as -- for the taxable as the cap.
Working with our financial advisor and our senior underwriter in their respective desks, they
felt that we were inching closer to market pricing for taxable and tax-exempt or rather more
taxable, we're inching closer and closer to that taxable cap limit. We had a couple of calls
yesterday. We did some runs, and we're coming to you to recommend that or ask for an
additional hundred basis points on each of those caps so that we do have the flexibility to go
into the market. We did pass out last night a couple of exhibits that break down the taxable and
tax-exempt pieces of the issuance. Right now, the way the deal is going to be structured and go
to market, 83 percent of the bond deal would be priced at tax-exempt rates and 17 percent will
be priced at taxables with a blended rate of just over 6 -- it's about 6.2, 6.3 percent. So we're
asking for your approval to increase these parameters. One thing I would like to mention, the
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City was able to, yesterday, secure bond insurance and a surety, a 50 percent surety to reduce
the amount of the debt service reserve we have to carry. What that means is that double -notch
downgrade that we receive is now being offset with Triple -A bond insurance, so this deal is
going into the market as a Triple -A issuance. That cost -- the cost was approximately $3
million, but we're saving the -- andl think we shared this with all the Commissioners --
approximately 7 -- $14 million in higher interest rate had we gone to the market with our
underlying ratings. Additionally, the surety -- the ability to get the surety on the debt service
reserves actually reduces our par amount by approximately 5.7 million. That surety is going to
cost us about 128, 000, and over the life combined, these two items will save the City 15.5
million over the life of this bond issuance. So while there's some bad news that I need to get
some more flexibility and not necessarily -- andl want to emphasize, this is a cap, so we're not
going to this rate, but we need that flexibility going into market. But we have been able to,
through some very hard negotiating, myself and my team, provide the City with some savings,
via these other insurance vehicles, so I'd ask for you to consider in your approval of this.
Chair Sam off All right. Is there a motion or any Commissioner want to make a comment
before a motion?
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chairman.
Commissioner Gort: I'll make the motion. I think this is something they need to put the
documents together. And if they go in the market on that day and -- hopefully, the market -- my
understanding is, the projections that I get from my desk is they might be coming down, so --
but I don't have any problem in making a motion for it.
Commissioner Dunn: I second it.
Chair Sam off All right, we have a motion by Commissioner Gort, second by Commissioner
Dunn. Discussion, gentlemen.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, ifI may?
Chair Sam off Commissioner Suarez, you're recognized, for the record.
Commissioner Suarez: I just want to commend the City Manager and the Finance officer, Mr.
Springs [sic], particularly the City Manager because I have to remind myself every time I meet
with him that he's working for free, and he's putting in these long hours to get the best deal
possible for the City ofMiami on a variety of different things, and this is just one of them. And
you know, this is something that I think we have to do to give the flexibility to the finance team
to make this happen.
Chair Sam off Commissioner Carollo, you want to comment? No.
Vice Chair Carollo: No. I'm ready to vote.
Chair Sam off All right. I have a couple questions, Mr. Manager. The CDT (Convention
Development Tax) -- now that you have bond debt service projections, and I'm looking at the
ones that were provided to me by Larry Spring -- you start out with a debt service of 5.6 million
and you end up at about 11.5 million. You with me? Based on the annual CDT payments to the
City, based on the local -- interlocal agreement between the County and the City, coupled with
the 10 point -- what is it, $10.04 Marlins guarantee per parking space. Based on this debt
service -- andl know it's a projection -- will that cover the payment?
Mr. Spring: Absolutely, in the POS (Point -of -Sale) document. In addition, there are three
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sources of pledge revenues. We have the CDT, which is obligated under interlocal; we have
the parking bulk sales revenue, which is that $10.03 every space, every game; and we also have
the parking surcharge, 15 percent, that is also generated from those sales pledged to that.
Those items combined provide us more than enough coverage to cover this debt service with --
and the bond runs that are in the POS. Not only -- I think we have better than 1.3 percent debt
service coverage during the life of the bond.
Commissioner Gort: One point three?
Mr. Spring: It's higher -- it goes higher, actually. I think it goes from like 1.2 up to 1.5
throughout the life of the bond. We also have money left over to also deal with and pay for
operations, a management fee to MPA (title?), I assume, cap "X" of 750,000 a year, and have
money left over at the end of each year. So the cash flow of just the pledged revenues now --
'cause there are other revenues that are coming in on this as well that are not included in the
bond document. But just with the pledge revenues, we have sufficient cash flow to pay the debt
and operations and have money left over.
Carlos A. Migoya (City Manager): Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Yes, sir.
Mr. Migoya: Just to add something to that, remember this bond originally was going to be
$120 million bond with exactly the same debt expectations. Actually, it's gone up a little bit
since the original.
Mr. Spring: Right.
Mr. Migoya: And at that time the 120 million was -- started off around the 1.1 -- slightly above
1.1, so all we have done in spite -- and with the current -- with the same interest rate estimates
that we're looking at today. So what's happened here is -- and we discussed this last night --
what's happened here, the interest rates actually dropped from the original expectations and
now have come back to where they were originally, but the dollar amounts have gone from
$120 million substantially down at this point. So all that that has done is it actually improved
the debt service coverage.
Chair Sam off Well, I guess my interpretation of what you just said was as a result of the
recession, your cost of construction have come down. Months ago, municipal bond rates were
much lower in terms of the amount it would cost the taxpayers. They've peaked up.
Commissioner Gort thinks they may peak down again, but they're up a little bit. And where you
saved in one, you lost in another, but the overall offset is a net savings.
Mr. Migoya: That's correct. And frankly, what's happening right now in the bond market.
There's two things. One is there's tightness starting to happen in municipalities and the muni
bonds because of what obviously is happening in all municipalities around the country. The
other side, this is a really tough week. Fourth of July week happens to be a very tough week in
the bond market 'cause a lot of the investment bankers take the week off so there may not be as
much liquidity. So we may have actually an improvement on July 21, but we don't know that to
be the case at this point. So we have to err on the side of caution from a cap perspective to
make sure that we can make this deal happen. And even if we go with a higher number, which
is the expected number that we have, we still have plenty of room and much better than the
original deal that we were looking at.
Chair Sam off Who's the insurer?
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Mr. Spring: Assured Guaranty.
Commissioner Gort: Assured Guaranty.
Chair Sam off Assured Guaranty?
Mr. Spring: Yes.
Chair Sam off And what's their rating?
Mr. Spring: Triple A. They're the only Triple -A rated bond --
Mr. Migoya: Assurant.
Commissioner Gort: They're the only one left.
Mr. Spring: Assurant.
Chair Sam off What's that, the only one left?
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) left.
Chair Sam off The only one left standing.
Mr. Migoya: Yeah.
Mr. Spring: Only one left.
Chair Sarnoff It's not AIG (Alternative Investments Group), right? No. I'm just kidding.
Mr. Spring: No.
Chair Sam off All right. Thank you very much. All right, gentlemen, any further discussion?
Hearing no other discussion, it is a resolution. All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Spring: Thank you.
Mayor Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners.
Chair Sam off Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
NA.2 DISCUSSION ITEM
10-00879
A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED FOR THE PASSING OF JULIE
BRU'S MOTHER AND DWIGHT DANIE'S FATHER.
DISCUSSED
Commissioner Sarnoff. Let's take a moment to -- two people very close to this Commission lost
some very close relatives. I'd like to acknowledge Julie Bru's mother, who passed away this
past week; also Dwight Danie's father passed away this week. So if you wouldn't mind, the best
way I know how to prayer [sic], Commissioner Dunn, is just a moment of silence.
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Commissioner Dunn: Yes.
At this time, a moment of silence was had.
Chair Sam off Thank you. All right, gentlemen --
NA.3 DISCUSSION ITEM
10-00880
CITY OF MIAMI CITY CLERK, PRISCILLA A. THOMPSON, CHECKED
WITH THE AUDIENCE IN CHAMBERS TO DETERMINE IF ANYONE
REQUIRED INTERPRETING SERVICES, AND THEN DISMISSED THE
INTERPRETERS AFTER SAID SERVICES WERE NOT REQUIRED.
DISCUSSED
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Chair, before we go back on the agenda --
Chair Sam off Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Thompson: -- just like to try and save some money. IffI can check with those who are in
the audience to make sure I do not need any interpreters, then I can let my interpreters go and
save some money in my budget.
Commissioner Gort: Send them; we can interpret.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. Thank you.
NA.4 DISCUSSION ITEM
10-00882
DISCUSSION BY CHAIR SARNOFF REGARDING VACANT AND
ABANDONED PROPERTIES.
10-00882-Submittal-Vacant and Abadoned Properties. pdf
10-00882-Submittal-CE 2008 Summary Registration. pdf
DISCUSSED
A motion was made by Chair Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, and was passed
unanimously, directing the City Manager to identf $5 million dollars in the FY2011 Budget to
assist with abandoned properties, with $500,000 set aside for an Administrative Task Force,
and $900, 000 for each Commissioner for rehabilitative and teardown costs associated with
abandoned properties.
Chair Sam off Pocket item I'm bringing up -- and I think you all have gotten a copy of it.
Have they?
Commissioner Gort: Nope.
Chair Sam off All right. This was a discussion regarding the abandoned properties, what
action is the City --
Commissioner Gort: Great.
Chair Sam off -- taking to identify and register abandoned properties, abandoned lots; what is
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the status of the City ofMiami ordinance, which I was proud to tell Commissioner Suarez does
exist, which purports to deal with registration; are all the abandoned properties registered? If
not, why not? Does the Community Development Department have money to identf, register,
secure, monitor abandoned property, and Department of Code Enforcement and Police? I've
given you all a copy of the actual ordinance that was passed and the City ofMiami operating
procedures. I know we're going to have, I think, the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team)
administer -- the NET director is not here anymore; just you, huh?
Sergio Guadix (Director, Code Enforcement): Well, I think she's still back there.
Chair Sam off There she is. Let me try to describe something to you guys. I went on a
cleanup last Sunday to what I think is a pretty well-to-do neighborhood only to see -- it's on --
it's essentially on Northeast 84th Street -- about four properties that are in utter state of
collapse, one of which -- do we have the? -- all right. If you guys would take a quick look,
you'll see a number of properfies. But could you move it to the collapsed wall? There you go.
This -- if you look here -- and we should have had better pictures for you.
Commissioner Gort: You can put it in our -- can't you put it here?
Chair Sam off Our video guy, where is he?
Commissioner Suarez: Do you want to mike it up?
Chair Sam off I don't mind. What you're looking at essentially -- what we're looking at is
actually two properties right next to each other. The property you're looking at right there, I
believe a fire occurred. The entire roof has collapsed. The actual boat just next to it is
actually a boat that's been on fire. Across the actual canal is a boat that has been on fire. A
hundred feet to the south is a boat that's been on fire. The house right next to it is abandoned.
I could tell you, in the height of the property market, these were probably 8, 9, maybe even a
million dollar homes.
Commissioner Gort: Yep.
Chair Sarnoff And asked what's the status of the property? And know Haydee was there,
and maybe Haydee wants to step up. Haydee is our director of NET. And nobody really seems
to know what is going on with these properties. And if you've lived next door to them -- and --
well, the reason we were up there -- and Haydee, correct me if I'm wrong -- the neighborhood
just wanted to clean up the five or six abandoned properties on a stretch of probably what, 40 --
maybe not 40 -- 30 homes up and down the street?
Haydee Wheeler (Director, Neighborhood Enhancement Team): In a two -block radial [sic].
Chair Sam off In a two -block radius or a neighbor --
Ms. Wheeler: Good afternoon. Yeah, let me introduce -- Haiti Wheeler, director of the
Neighborhood Enhancement Team office. So within the two blocks, 84th Street and 85th, we
had a list of six properties that right now are abandoned.
Chair Sam off And when I asked you what's the status of the property, just tell me the actions,
the -- not the procedures, but what actions you've taken and how you've tried to coordinate
getting these properties dealt with.
Ms. Wheeler: What I told you was this. The properties, most of them, although registered, as
you can see from the pictures that you have, there is no maintenance to them. I did bring a
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report andl have it per district. In total, since the ordinance was adopted, we've registered
896 properties, 426 vacant lots, and that's -- we assist Code Enforcement. In the particular one
that you actually have on the first picture, the problem there is that -- it's been reported to -- of
course, Code Enforcement has done their part. Then it goes to the Building Department for
demolition and the Building Department has it on hold because offunding.
Chair Sam off Because offunding?
Ms. Wheeler: Um -hum.
Chair Sam off So we have policy -- so -- I could tell you this, gentlemen. I think the fastest
way to lose an election is pass laws and then not have them enforced, andl think we have got to
find a resource -- andl know this goes to the earlier conversation we had with CDBD
(Community Development Block Grant), and I guess it was stim (stimulus) money. I can't think
of something better to use on -- with stim money, if it can be done, than for this City to take
down these homes -- well, I'll let you speak. Go ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: Stim money or no stim money --
Chair Sam off Right.
Commissioner Suarez: -- regardless of whether we have stim money or not, the fact of the
matter is -- even general fund money -- and that's something that doesn't get thrown around
here very lightly -- that is used for this purpose, we're going to get reimbursed dollar for dollar,
costs, attorneys' fees, and the cost of actually doing the demolition. So it has a priority lien, so
it's going to -- we're going to get it dollar for dollar. So whether it's stimulus money or whether
it's general fund money, it really has -- makes no difference. The fact of the matter is we have
to do it. We have to invest the money, set aside some money. This -- you know, it goes back to
some of our discussions about the priority of the $500 million that we get every year in
revenue. You know, we should be setting aside some of this money for this work because we're
going to get it back. It's just a -- it's a turnover issue. You know, it's a cash flow issue. We're
going to have let the cash out for a while, but if we're aggressive -- the City Attorney's office is
aggressive in enforcing this and collecting and foreclosing we're going to get the money back
quickly. But that property and the other one -- the one -- can you put back up the one with the
boards? Is that an unsafe structure?
Chair Sam off Probably not.
Commissioner Suarez: I would think so.
Mr. Guadix: Well -- I'm sorry. Sergio Guadix from Code Enforcement. There's a distinction
between a vacant and unsecured structure --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Mr. Guadix: -- and a --
Commissioner Suarez: Unsafe.
Mr. Guadix: -- an unsafe structure. That determination, it starts out with the Building
Department deeming it that way and then it has to go to the Unsafe Structures Board of Dade
County --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
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Mr. Guadix: -- for it to actually have that designation.
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Mr. Guadix: And then they give it a certain amount of time before the City can actually take
further action. It's a process that takes anywhere from four to six months, unfortunately, and
sometimes longer. So that other property that you had on there, that's one of the reasons why
it's in the system right now. It's been through Code Enforcement. We've ticket the property and
we've referred it to the Building Department, so the next step is to actually get the approval
from Unsafe Structures Board to go ahead and demolish and then have the funding to go ahead
and demolish. One of the things earlier, you had the Community Development Department
here talking about that item for the money that we need for the demolition of at least 50
properties that they have already outlined.
Commissioner Suarez: Identified right.
Mr. Guadix: Maybe that could be one of the ones that definitely goes.
Chair Sam off Here's what I propose, gentlemen. I propose that we do a resolution asking the
City Manager to find $5 million to be distributed to each Commissioner in five equal amounts,
so about $1 million per district, we be allowed to designate the properties that need to be dealt
with, andl mean dealt with whether it's torn down, whether it's boarded up, whether it's mowing
of the lawn. Obviously, you want to utilize City ofMiami ordinance 08-01062 because the
Commissioner's right. You will inevitably get back dollar for dollar --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Chair Sam off -- everything you put into it. I would ask him to do it whether it's -- whatever
source funding he finds. Whether it's --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Chair Sarnoff -- CDB -- well, you know what? Whether it's CDBG, stimulus money, or
general fund money of next year's budget. I -- I'm very strong about this. This is how the City
falls into decay. This is the best spent money I think we could spend to stabil --
Vice Chair Carollo: Can I speak?
Chair Sam off Yeah, absolutely. Go ahead.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Let -- Commissioner, let the Vice Chair, and then I'll --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Sam off -- recognize Commissioner Gort.
Vice Chair Carollo: I have no problem supporting a resolution as stated, except for using
general fund money. NSP (Neighborhood Stabilization Program), CDBG, so -- I don't have a
problem with that. As a matter of fact, I think that's what we were alluding to earlier today with
those NSP fundings [sic]. However, I do have a problem with general funds because of our
dire need. I have no problem supporting you; just general funds is, you know, sacred right
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now.
Chair Sam off Well, let's -- I understand.
Vice Chair Carollo: And you see the financial situation.
Chair Sam off I understand. Let's do this. Let's let him identifi, the funding source. That
would be the resolution. Go ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: IfI can chime in, because we've done this in my district already. It
takes about -- it costs about $20,000 to demolish and clear a duplex lot of -- you're not going to
believe this -- but - four two-story houses on a duplex lot.
Chair Sarnoff Wow.
Commissioner Suarez: But -- so I mean, you can do a lot -- let's say -- let's give it -- let's leave
it at 20. Let's leave it at 20. At 20 you can do obviously 10 for 200 or 100 for 2 million. So if
we did 100, that's 25 per district. Let's say 2 million, that's 25 per district. I think -- I
personally feel so strongly about this that even if we were not being reimbursed, I would feel
comfortable for next year's budget allocating $2 million of the budget to do this. Now, in
addition to that, we will be reimbursed for this. If we do it right, we will be reimbursed dollar
for dollar all this money. I feel so strongly about this because I feel that it goes back to the
central point, which is how are we going -- we have a $500 million budget. If we're dedicating
$2 million, that's not even 1 percent, if my math is correct. Five hundred million, 1 percent
would be five million. So it's half a percent -- less than half a percent, you know, of our budget
to doing this in our neighborhoods, which is so critical. We have these abandoned -- so that's
25 a year, you know, and we will get it -- we will get the money back. I mean, our ordinance
allows us to. We can do it on a test basis so we can prove to the Commission that we can get
our money back. Maybe do for the next year five properties in each district or something, I
don't know, a half a year or something so we can establish our track record that we can
actually collect that money. I feel perfectly confident that we could. In my legal experience, I
feel perfectly confident that we could, but I can understand that some Commissioners may be
skeptical. You know, we've never done it before. So, you know, maybe we can do a pilot
program for a certain period of time where we, you know, do five per district and then once we
collect that money, we start -- we can think of expanding the program to 25 a district, and if
we're getting our money back at some point, it makes sense to do it. I mean, it -- there's no
limitation really.
Chair Sam off Andl know you want to be recognized, but the only thing I'd say to you,
Commissioner, is I don't want to just do five properties next year.
Commissioner Suarez: I don't either.
Chair Sarnoff I want to do 25 properties next year.
Commissioner Suarez: I do too, but -- I do too.
Chair Sam off So I'm going to stand on the 5 million, for him to find $5 million.
Commissioner Suarez: That's more than 25, though.
Chair Sam off That is a lot more than 25, but there's going to be some unforeseen
administrative costs. There's going to be -- some properties you may want to take a shot at
rehabbing because of where they are and how they affix themselves, andl think every
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Commissioner should have the ability to do a million -dollar improvement in his neighborhood
on -- especially when -- like for instance, this block. You know, six houses can destroy an
entire two -block neighborhood.
Commissioner Dunn: That's true.
Chair Sam off So with that said, Commissioner Gort, you're recognized, and then
Commissioner Dunn.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you. First of all, this map, how was it created? Was it created by
our staff?
Mr. Guadix: I'm not sure what map you're alluding to, sir.
Commissioner Dunn: This one.
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): This is a map that was created as part of
our NSP plan application. It was provided to us by Code Enforcement as properties at that
time, two years ago, that were abandoned --
Commissioner Gort: Two years ago.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Okay. Because I can tell you, this -- in looking at my district, this isn't
up-to-date. And I'm glad you brought this up because this -- I was going to bring this up next
meeting. I was preparing to do the same --
Chair Sam off You did sort of bring it --
Commissioner Gort: -- thing. And the reason being is the biggest complaint that I'm receiving
is vacant homes, vacant apartment buildings. And Sergio has been working with us and GSA
and Community Development, and we try to put a strategy together because the problem is not
only the abandoned home. It's the people that go into the abandoned homes.
Chair Sam off Right.
Commissioner Gort: You got your juveniles --
Commissioner Dunn: Vagrants.
Commissioner Gort: -- you got your vagrants, and you have you [sic] drug addicts, and they
using these homes for those reasons. And GSA is working on it, but I agree, we have to step on
this. This is the biggest complaint that I have within my district, and I'm sure it's the same
complaint that you all have 'cause this facility are [sic] being misused. Now I also requested
from the Law Department to try to come up with -- what we can come up with because we had
one building that had major problems that is owned by a bank. We are dealing with the bank
and trying to see if we can acquire that building. I believe it's about 20 apartments, and it's
really a nuisance in my neighborhood. And I'm sure you all have the same thing. We need to
enforce -- I mean, we go back to the basics this morning. People are not complying. We need
somehow to penalize those people so they can learn. Unfortunately, that's the only way they
learn. The other thing that I've asked staff is to analyze -- we have -- and people need to
realize the City ofMiami is the -- it's -- the problems that we have is generated by the County
and by the growth of the whole County itself. We have a lot of County properties within our
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neighborhoods that are not complying with our Code. We need to enforce the Code with the
County properties also. I mean, have -- I have lot of those homes within the District 1 which
are creating problems within my district. I requestedfrom -- and they're following it up. The
need to -- the Code enforcement in the public housing. We need to do that also.
Chair Sam off And you know, maybe part of the $5 million that I'm thinking of maybe some of
it helps Code enforce -- you know, maybe, that's a couple of Code enforcement officers. Maybe
-- you know, I guess what I'm saying is I want to see a real resource put towards this. I want to
give each Commissioner enough so he can say I have -- let's use your number -- 25 properties
that I pretty well intend on having fixed, and that won't fix your whole district. I get it. But in
three years, 75 properties, that might fix your district. And I want to make sure that we come
up with $5 million. Andl don't mind that the City Manager says of that $5 million, I'd like to
give Mr. Guadix four more Code officers or Haydee Reguerra (phonetic), I'd like to give her
three more people or four more people to help out with NET. But I think we have to throw
some money at our neighborhoods. I think when we hear the word neighborhood stabilization,
I know that money was designated to do that, but I'm not sure it's hitting the point. And again,
my point is not to find a way for people to buy property but to stabilize the neighborhood for
those who are paying their mortgages, going to work day in, day out, laboring, like Mr. Cruz
over there, andl won't mention where he gets all of his tax money from. But the point being,
it's to reward those -- not reward 'cause that's not the right word. It is --
Commissioner Dunn: Encourage, support.
Chair Sam off Yes, exactly. Exactly. And you're recognized for the record, Commissioner
Dunn.
Commissioner Dunn: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe the -- and I'm betwixt and between
because I have to agree with you in terms of the $5 million if we're really going to make --
here's the operative word -- an impact because if you just do one or two houses, that's not going
to make an impact because that would only cover, in some of our districts, a half a block, and
you know how many blocks -- square blocks we have in our district. But my question is, I have
-- it's twofold. Isn't there somewhat -- and I'll ask our historians on the Commission -- a
precedent for something similar to this where I think you mentioned or it was alluded that one
year each Commissioner had a list where they could pick, what was it, 30 properties and --?
How was that --?
Chair Sam off You know, we received something -from the Manager about a week ago, two
weeks ago? And the City Attorney gave us the schedule of where we were in the process, and it
didn't seem to me, having reviewed that list, we got very far. But we were at one time asked to
come up with -- I think my first year on the dais -- I don't know if it was 10 or 20 properties that
we thought we needed to deal with, andl could tell you as I sit here, I could pick those same 10
or 20 properties.
Commissioner Dunn: Oh, okay.
Chair Sam off So whatever he has on that sheet, like you could say the words are nice and it
looks like something happened, but I can still go to those properties and find those same --
graffiti, that same abandoned appearance.
Commissioner Dunn: The -- I said twofold, but actually it's threefold. The second question --
and I'm very intrigued. I heard my colleague, Commissioner Suarez, mention that he was able
to get a building demolished with a quick turnaround. Please show me how you did it or who
you went to to get it done because --
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Commissioner Suarez: Begging and pleading. Begging and pleading. In other words, I --
Commissioner Dunn: How long was that when you said --?
Commissioner Suarez: How long was what? From when --
Commissioner Dunn: The turnaround, from the time you --
Commissioner Suarez: Maybe a month.
Commissioner Dunn: Oh, man. Okay. And that's -- but that was because it was on the -- was
that because it was on the --?
Commissioner Suarez: It had already -- I mean, this was a very egregious property. I mean,
this was -- you know, it was two duplex lots. There were eight two-story houses half built on
two duplex lots. They were a very big danger to the neighboring duplexes, which had elderly
residents. I think it'd been up for more than two or three years in that state. They had been
declared an unsafe structure at least twice --
Unidentified Speaker: Right.
Commissioner Suarez: -- so, you know, we were able to use a lot of that prior work that was
done --
Commissioner Dunn: Okay, to move it.
Commissioner Suarez: -- andl was able to basically finish the process.
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: So, you know, I think the Code Enforcement director's right in saying
that it's a process that takes really four to six months --
Commissioner Dunn: I thought so, okay.
Commissioner Suarez: -- in my particular case because a lot of that process was already done.
I came in --
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: -- and kind of lowered the boom, so to speak, and finalized it, finished
the process --
Commissioner Dunn: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: -- with the help of the City Attorney's office and the director of the
department. But I think -- I just wanted to make one comment, ifI could, if you would allow me
to?
Commissioner Dunn: Sure, of course.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman, I can understand why you're frustrated because I can
see that you are number two on this list. You have the second most -- you know, even though
your district, ironically, is one of the wealthiest or the wealthiest, it has the most -- second most
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abandoned properties, which is -- I find astonishing. I did not know that before today. Andl
think the beauty of this is that it can be done as a task force. In other words, there is -- this is a
finite issue, and if we tackle it in that way, we could -- you know, it's like homelessness. You
know, we can reduce the number, and it's not like it's going to be a, you know, concurring
problem.
Chair Sam off Right.
Commissioner Suarez: Once you start to reduce the number or eliminate them, that's it.
They're done. I mean, they're not just going to keep popping up. So it's something that we can
tackle over a five-year span, you know, anywhere from two- to five-year span if we're
aggressive about it. It also sends a huge signal. Once we start to do this and people start to
notice, one of two things is going to happen. Either people are going to start to comply with
the Code, They're going to say my property's going to be demolished. Look what the City's
doing. This is -- you know, this is really happening. Or they're just going to throw up their
hands and say look, we don't have the money to make our properties comply. Go ahead and
you know, do what you got to do.
Chair Sam off You know, let me -- and I'll get to you, Vice Chair -- but let me describe three
cities to you. Detroit, I would say their financial problems are equal or worse than ours;
Baltimore, I actually know their financial problems are worse than ours; and Cleveland, their
financial problems might be slightly better than ours, but hopefully, after LeBron leaves, it will
be worse than ours, and we will be the recipient of it.
Commissioner Dunn: About four and a half to almost five and a half --
Chair Sam off Five and a half hours?
Commissioner Dunn: -- four and a half hours.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: Four forty five.
Chair Sam off I think you have insight you better share. But they have been able to demolish
1,000 buildings, so I call upon Mr. Crapps [sic], our assistant manager, to find out how it is
they were able, these cities in financial straits, demolish 1,000 buildings because we -- we're
not recreating the wheel, you know. We're here to find out and have an impact. And, you
know, Commissioner Suarez, there's an irony here. Obviously the housing bubble has bust, and
a lot of people in my neighborhood or my neighborhoods probably purchased too high and
they're abandoning the properties. But there are people who are shouldering the burden, who
are working, toiling, doing what they have to do to make their mortgage payment and their
taxes to us. And it's just harsh and hard to allow them to continue to live next door to these
properties. I think it's the -- I think it's one of the -- next to police and next to fire and maybe
sanitation, it is what cities should do. You know, it is -- there's two kinds of property owners,
those that care about their property and all others. And in the category of all others are
absentee landlords, and in the category of absentee landlords are banks, both of which don't
care what condition the property is in that they have. And the City of Miami, in the last report
I saw, had about 48 percent of its properties owned by the second category. That is huge. So
there are people investing down here that are from Venezuela, that are from Iowa, that are
from New York City, and they don't really care what the property looks like. They're land
banking. And now there are banks out there foreclosing, taking property back, and they have
no social impetus to turn around and do what you would do or I would do if we were next -door
neighbors, which is take care of our garden, make sure our roof looks good, and clean the front
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of our apron way. And unless we do something as a city to force their hand, it will be like this.
It's been like this in Miami for many, many years. Absent -- downtown -- your dad used to say,
the worst part of downtown is absentee landowners, and he's right. And it's still owned in large
part by absentee landowners. But if we got strenuous and this Commission -- this Commission
shows that it can act in concert. This Commission shows that it can work together. We pick out
the right properties, and we can make a huge impact, not only financially but socially in the
City ofMiami.
Mr. Guadix: Mr. Chairman, may I address the dais? I just want to make sure that the
Commission understands because the first -- how it started was that there was a concern that
the ordinance that was passed on the vacant properties and the registering of the properties
was not being followed. And I just want to make sure that you understand as a result of that
ordinance, we've had 896 properties that have registered. So I want you to know, we have been
enforcing. And we've also taken to Code Enforcement 389 cases for the vacant unsecured.
Now the issue is closing the loop, andl agree with you, that's what we have to do. Close the
loop that these properties are out there collecting fines and everything that we get them
demolished. So I agree with you a hundred percent. We need to work on that on closing the
loop. But we have been enforcing that ordinance.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Director, you said 889 properties?
Mr. Guadix: That's -- yeah, a total between lots, vacant lots, and vacant properties -- vacant
buildings.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. 'Cause, you know, the numbers that we received here on the
documents, are they audited? Did --?
Mr. Guadix: No. This is a report that we get from 311 --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- 'cause --
Mr. Guadix: -- because that's where they get -- when they get registered, they go -- they get put
on 311 as registered and we got those numbers --
Vice Chair Carollo: So --
Mr. Guadix: -- and maybe Haydee can expand.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- realistically, if no one reports them, then they don't show up here?
'Cause I think Commissioner Gort andl would both agree that we don't agree with these
numbers.
Mr. Guadix: And what numbers do you have? I'm not sure what numbers you have.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I'm having total properties, 772. So when you mention 896 --
Mr. Guadix: But remember, those are properties -- I think you're looking at the report that
came like two years ago, and they're just on vacant properties with vacant structures that did
not include lots, so that's a whole different thing that you're looking at. Haydee's right now
passing to you where we got these numbers from the -- from our 311 system.
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Ms. Wheeler: Commissioner --
Commissioner Gort: A lot of it -- the residents in our district do not call 311. They're not
aware of it.
Ms. Wheeler: Right.
Commissioner Gort: They call us and let us know.
Chair Sam off Yeah, exactly.
Ms. Wheeler: Yeah. Commissioner, this does not mean that this is the whole number of the
houses that you will find that are abandoned. That's the difference.
Chair Sarnoff Anecdotally, Haydee, let's say there's 800-plus properties registered. How
many do you think really exist in the City?
Ms. Wheeler: How many?
Chair Sam off Yeah.
Ms. Wheeler: From my tours of the City, you could maybe double the numbers.
Chair Sam off Double that number?
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Yeah, go ahead. You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Andl agree with all my colleagues. The only issue I have is where are
those $5 million going to come from. That's the only thing that I would like to be addressed. I
mean, be it the Manager, be it -- you know, be it -- having it come back to this Commission for
approval.
Chair Sam off Oh, no, no, absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: You understand? That's the only issue I have.
Chair Sarnoff And I'm not -- all I'm saying is I'd like to -- I'm proffering a motion, so let me
proffer it -- and I'll stay with the procedure. I'm proffering a motion merely asking him to
identifi, $5 million of funds so that each Commissioner could have -- let me bring it down. Let's
just say there's -- let's say he forms a task force. He gives a certain amount to certain
administrative personnel. So each Commissioner then has $900,000. So he'll -- it's 5 million,
so it's a hundred thousand per -- half a million dollars that he would have for administrative
task force. Then we would have $900,000 of what I would call actual rehabilitative
costs/teardown costs. And that that be brought back to us exploring every available funding
source from the City ofMiami so that we could create -- so we could budget it in next year's
budget. Whether -- if -- it could be CDBG, and then -- let's say $2 million of it could be CDBG
Vice Chair Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Sarnoff -- and -- but only 3 million -- and 3 million had to be general fund, you have a
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tough question then to ask. Commissioner.
Commissioner Suarez: And I think under that --
Vice Chair Carollo: I have a motion by Chairman Sam off. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second --
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Commissioner Suarez: -- for discussion.
Vice Chair Carollo: Seconded by Commissioner Suarez for discussion. Go ahead,
Commissioner.
Commissioner Suarez: I think, if that were the case, I think -- you know, there's a reluctance
obviously to use general fund money and I understand the reluctance. I think -- you know, let's
assume we could identifi, the $2 million in CDBG money and then --
Vice Chair Carollo: NSP.
Commissioner Suarez: -- or NSP or whatever, that would be lot of money to -- it would be, you
know, roughly a little less than half a million per district. There would be a lot of money to get
started on this. Because remember, you made a good point, Chairman, which is that a lot of
this problem has been exacerbated in the last five years by the fact that we've had this
mortgage crisis and this lending crisis and the economic conditions. So there's probably two or
three times the number of abandoned houses that there were five, maybe even ten years ago
before all of this happened because, as you said, people got overextended. They bought the
house, and they just -- they couldn't pay and then they left and -- or the bank took it over or
whatever. So this is like something that just -- that has happened recently and that can be, I
think, remedied within a pretty brief amount of time, generally speaking, if we're aggressive
about it. Now I think a reasonable monetary turnover would be at least -- I would say at least a
year from start to finish. And that's something that has a budgetary impact. In other words, if
we front the money today, it would probably take us about a year to get the money back, maybe
more, simply because -- I'll give you the reasons why. The court systems are very backed up
with reference to foreclosures right now --
Chair Sam off You're dead right.
Commissioner Suarez: -- so it's a cash flow issue, which is another reason why I wanted to
know the cash flow, working capital, and pool funds scenario because if we're fronting money,
it's going to take us a year, maybe a year and a half, maybe even two years to turn that money
over. I think -- I feel very confident that we'll turn it over, andl think once we're able to do
that, the Commission which would be at that point much more amenable to using general funds
money because we're getting it back. So we're fronting the money and we're getting it back;
andl think under that scenario, the Commission would be amenable to use that money, but
there has to be a track record, you know.
Vice Chair Carollo: And Mr. Chairman, I have a question. In your motion, is -- to -- for the
Manager to identify funding and then come back to the Commission for approval, correct?
Chair Sam off Absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Dunn or Commissioner Gort, I thought one of you --
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NA.5
10-00883
one of the Commissioners had a -- no? Okay. With that said, any further discussion? Hearing
none, all in favor say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Anyone in opposition have the same right say "nay." Motion passes
unanimously.
DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION BY CHAIR SARNOFF REGARDING THE WAIVING OF
RENTAL FEES FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI'S SHOWMOBILE AND
BLEACHERS FOR THE HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE SOCIETY OF
AMERICA.
1000883-Submittal-E-mail-Commissioner Sarnoff.pdf
1000883-Submittal-Commissioner Sarnoff.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Sam off Gentlemen, one last pocket item. It doesn't have to be acted on today, but I
wanted to bring up for conversation. The Huntington's Disease Society of America South
Florida Chapter is having its 19th Annual Huntington [sic] Disease triathlon, which will be
held in Miami Marine Stadium on August 1, 2010. For those of you that don't know,
Huntington's disease is an inherited disease that causes certain nerve cells in the brain to waste
away. People are born with the defective gene but symptoms usually don't appear until middle
age. Early symptoms of Huntington's disease include uncontrolled movement, clumsiness or
balance problems. The Society is asking for my office support, thus this Commission's
support, by waiving a portion of the City ofMiami setup fee. The permit application is
completed and the Society has paid $1, 000 for the use of the facility on August 1. In addition
to the $1,000, there is a charge of $1, 000 per day for the setup, which includes -- which would
be totally $2,000. The Society is renting the bleachers and a show stage from the City and
would like to have them delivered on July 30, which supplies the event -- the supplies for the
needed event. What they're asking us to do -- or they're asking me to do that I'm bringing to
you is to waive the $2,000 additional fee for our facilities and the setup fee. What we usually
don't do, we usually don't waive fees that will have a financial impact. This does have a
financial impact, but you know what? I want to know what the appetite is for this Commission.
I want to know what the procedure is. 'Cause I want to see how we're going to deal with this
from this day forward. It will have an impact. It is -- I will tell you this. All the proceeds of
the event go to the Huntington's disease cure. So --
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: I make a friendly suggestion that you use your office account $2,000 and
fund it since they asked you.
Chair Sam off I understand. And ifI had $2,000 in my office account, I would use it.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Unfortunately, I suffer from having staff from years before to cutting -- it's a
little different coming in the way you did, but I understand what you're saying. You're
recognized for the record.
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Commissioner Gort: Question. My understanding is the fee was $1,000 already been paid --
Chair Sam off Correct.
Commissioner Gort: -- but the City charges for setting up an additional $1,000. The setting
up, does that cost the City any --?
Vice Chair Carollo: Of course. Of course, manpower.
Commissioner Gort: What's the cost to the City?
Tony Crapp, Jr. (Chief of Operations): I don't know offhand. I know --
Commissioner Gort: I don't think it's any --
Vice Chair Carollo: Has to be. Even the workers that are setting --
Chair Sam off Right, right.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- it up. It has to. There has to be a cost.
Chair Sam off It's -- in other words, it is the employees that are out there working.
Commissioner Gort: It's the City ofMiami employees putting --
Chair Sam off Yes.
Commissioner Gort: -- setting it up. Oh, okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: It -- Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off Go ahead.
Vice Chair Carollo: Do we need to decide this now? Can we decide it in July22? Maybe it'll
give us a little bit to think outside the box and maybe, you know, come up with another remedy?
Chair Sam off Oh, I'm sorry. Let me correct -- I've just been told that we're not waiving
salaries. We are waiving the rental fee from the City.
Commissioner Dunn: So Mr. Chair --
Chair Sam off Andl will share this --I'll share the e-mail (electronic) with everyone. It's the
equipment fee that we're asking to waive. Andl -- they utilize, I think, our big -- what's that
thing we have?
Commissioner Dunn: Show mobile.
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Chair Sam off I know there are bleachers involved and -- I forgot. What is that large -- the
stage is it?
Commissioner Dunn: Show mobile.
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Chair Sam off The show mobile. I'm sorry, it's the show mobile. The show mo -- I forgot what
the name of it is. So that's -- that is what they're asking to waive, the rental fee that we charge
for the show mobile and the bleachers.
Commissioner Gort: I'd like to give you a suggestion.
Chair Sam off Go ahead.
Commissioner Gort: If we waive this, we starting a precedent and then every non -for -profit can
come --
Chair Sam off Absolutely.
Commissioner Gort: -- and request. I've had some people come to me, an event that's going to
take place, and asking for funding and for the waiver. My commitment to them is I'll work with
them and I'm getting private sponsors to pay for it. I think that the commitment that we can
make here, I think it's a great organization, we should work with you and try to get private
sponsors to help pay for it. 'Cause once we do this for one, they're all going to come and
everybody's going to be requesting the waiver of fee.
Chair Sam off Okay.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Commissioner Gort: That's my --
Chair Sam off Andl understand. Andl -- that's why I wanted to bring it out. You're
recognized.
Commissioner Gort: And I'm thinking as a lawyer now. If we set out precedence --
Chair Sam off You're dead right.
Commissioner Dunn: I'm really struggling and toiling with this because of one, the nature of
the organization, andl do know that oftentimes there is a request by all of our constituents to
do these kinds of things. What if we consider as a friendly amendment or a friendly approach
to this to limit each Commissioner maybe to maybe one event and limit the amount? That way,
it won't go -- the train won't run off the track because that would at least -- you know you would
have some controls. You understand, Commissioner? 'Cause there -- we're approached by
these kinds of things all the time, but if we set a cap, if you will, and limit it to maybe one per --
and then let that Commissioner at his discretion say, okay, I can -- I got one, but then you're
going to -- you got to deal with your own constituents then. But I mean, I -- you know, that's a
question -- that's -- I think could live with something more like that coming from -- because
now it's not now three coming from or four coming from one district Commissioner, and then
the other -- you know, if we limit it to, and this is our pick -- but then you know, as a
Commissioner, you got to deal with your constituents, so --
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sam off You're recognized.
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly. And then what happens on certain organizations that have events
at certain dates. In other words, what if they come before other events? Now they're asking
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you and you're stuck. You don't want to say no, but then do you hold out for an event that you
do want to fund and so forth. So, you know -- I mean, obviously, it puts a burden more on the
Commissioner and -- I mean, I'm not crazy about it, the idea. I -- andl know we're all in
different situations. I just pony up and give from my office account and back them or raise the
money or, you know, go out there and fund -raise [sic] for them or help them somehow, you
know, like Commissioner Gort stated. That's what I would do. Andl know in the past, it's --
you know, Commissioners have supported each other and so forth. We're just in different times.
We're in that new normal that we've spoken about.
Chair Sam off I agree. And l wanted -- I just merely wanted to see what I could do, what the
Commission's temperature was. I get it, and I'd probably say the same thing that you're saying
to me.
Vice Chair Carollo: However, I would also say you come back to us in a year or two years or
maybe less than that, I don't know, maybe the -- you know, it might change. Just in the
financial state that we're in, it's difficult
Chair Sam off Andl have no problem with (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Carollo: And then setting a precedent is what I'm really afraid of.
Chair Sam off All right. Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: I'll commit to help you raise money for that.
Chair Sam off Thank you. Thank you.
NA.6 DISCUSSION ITEM
10-00884
DISCUSSION REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF LEBRON JAMES
JOINING THE MIAMI HEAT AND WHAT THE CITY OF MIAMI SHOULD DO
TO RECOGNIZE HIS DECISION IF HE DECIDES TO PLAY FOR THE
MIAMI HEAT.
DISCUSSED
A motion was made by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Dunn, and was
passed unanimously, directing the Administration to instruct the Protocol Office to create 3
sets of proclamations and keys to the City for Miami Heat players Dwayne Wade, LeBron
James, and Chris Bosh; however, the proclamation and key to the City for LeBron James will
only be created if he actually signs on with the Miami Heat; further that these items should be
ready for presentation no later than 10:00 AM on Friday, July 9, 2010.
Chair Sam off All right, so, gentlemen, anybody have anything else? Motion to adjourn?
Commissioner Suarez: So move.
Commissioner Gort: So move.
Chair Sam off We have a second?
Commissioner Dunn: Second.
Commissioner Suarez: Second --
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Chair Sam off All in favor?
Commissioner Suarez: -- for discussion. I just want to discuss something. This is very
important.
Vice Chair Carollo: By yourself.
Chair Sam off Mr. Continuance, go ahead.
Commissioner Dunn: All right.
Commissioner Suarez: Yes. I want to continue the motion to adjourn. No. I want to discuss
what we're going to do as a city if we get LeBron James and if we get -- well, obviously we
know we're going to get Dwyane Wade back and Bosh. But what are we going to do as a city if
we get LeBron James? We got to coordinate with the Heat --
Commissioner Gort: Ask him for a donation.
Commissioner Suarez: -- to make sure --
Commissioner Gort: They get 150 million.
Commissioner Suarez: -- that we, you know, really promote this because this is going to be --
this would be enormous for the City. I mean, I know we're joking, but we're -- but this is
serious. This would be an enormous, enormous thing for the City of Miami and it would really
show -- it's another one of those indicators that Miami as a worldwide city is coming of age.
And I just -- I think that we should do something. I don't know what exactly, but I think we
should do something.
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair.
Chair Sam off Is Tim Schmand still here? Tim --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Chair Sarnoff -- step up.
Vice Chair Carollo: Careful, Tim. Careful.
Chair Sam off You obviously have some insider information. You've been sitting here all day.
Did he sign?
Tim Schmand: Tim Schmand, Bayfront Park Management Trust, 301 North Biscayne
Boulevard. I'm here to chat with my chair, Commissioner Carollo, andl have no inside
information on anything ever.
Commissioner Gort: 5: 37: 05
Commissioner Dunn: Mr. Chair, let me just chime in a little bit. Just prepare your -- clear
your calendar for 12 o'clock tomorrow at the Triple A.
Commissioner Suarez: I think that's a good idea. And may -- we may want to consider doing
some sort of a special meeting and bring all the players here and have a proclamation, a media
event, something here in the City, you know, to recognize the Heat for such an outstanding
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effort and these players for choosing Miami.
Chair Sam off What do you think the chances are of getting them to come here?
Commissioner Dunn: He's on his way. I'm serious.
Chair Sam off I got --
Commissioner Dunn: I can tell you where his home is going to be, in Broward County.
Chair Sam off Broward County?
Commissioner Dunn: Yeah, Fort Lauderdale. Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: LeBron?
Commissioner Dunn: I'm telling you, I got inside information, but I can't give my sources. But
let me say this, remember this --
Chair Sam off You're sure of this, aren't you?
Commissioner Dunn: You never heard me this vociferous about anything, have you?
Commissioner Gort: What was that word again?
Commissioner Suarez: I like vociferous.
Commissioner Gort: What was the word again?
Commissioner Dunn: Vociferous. The attorney -- the two attorneys know what I'm talking
about.
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I'll get in trouble.
Commissioner Dunn: Or ada -- I'll use the word adamant then. But Vice Chair -- no.
Seriously -- on a serious note, this has caused Miami's name to be mentioned numerous times --
Vice Chair Carollo: Every second.
Commissioner Dunn: -- all across the world.
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Dunn: I mean, it's crazy. And I do foresee that -- I feel pretty strong that he's
coming.
Commissioner Suarez: And again --
Commissioner Dunn: I'm out here now. I'm really out here.
Chair Sam off All I could say is --
Commissioner Suarez: I think we need to reach out --
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Chair Sarnoff -- I'm really glad I went to school with the vice president of the Miami Heat. I
mean, that's --
Commissioner Suarez: -- to them and see if we can get --
Commissioner Dunn: No, that's good.
Commissioner Suarez: -- them in here and do something.
Vice Chair Carollo: I think so. I agree.
Chair Sam off What do we do? I mean, what --?
Commissioner Suarez: Give them to the keys to the City, give them proclamations, the keys --
Commissioner Dunn: Well, that's true, some keys.
Commissioner Suarez: -- proclamation dishes, everything. Anything we can give them.
Chair Sam off That's my question. Supposing you decided to call a special meeting next week
Thursday --
Commissioner Dunn: Let's have some keys ready tomorrow.
Chair Sarnoff -- would they --?
Commissioner Dunn: Some keys ready tomorrow.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Dunn: We could speak with our --
Commissioner Suarez: Keys, proclamations.
Commissioner Dunn: -- Protocol and then --
Commissioner Suarez: Proclamations.
Commissioner Dunn: -- of course, we cannot overlook our own --
Chair Sam off Well, let's pass a reso (resolution) on it then.
Commissioner Dunn: -- Dwyane Wade because he's really the key.
Vice Chair Carollo: Of course.
Commissioner Dunn: He's the key.
Commissioner Suarez: Super Dwyane, definitely.
Chair Sam off Do you want to pass a reso instructing our Protocol Department to prepare
three sets of keys --
Commissioner Dunn: That's good.
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Chair Sam off -- three proclamations --
Commissioner Dunn: That's good.
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Chair Sam off -- to Dwyane Wade --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Chair Sam off -- LeBron James --
Commissioner Dunn: And Bosh.
Chair Sarnoff -- and Christopher Bosh? I was -- I'm a bigger Bosh fan. I just want to go on
the record.
Vice Chair Carollo: I will make afriendly amendment; to LeBron James should he come to
Miami. I mean --
Commissioner Suarez: Contingent on him being signed, right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, contingent upon him actually coming to Miami 'cause I don't want
that last-minute --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, we don't want --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- at 9 p.m., you know -- let's --
Commissioner Suarez: We don't want to --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- not jump the gun.
Commissioner Suarez: -- be a bad omen.
Commissioner Dunn: Watch ESPN (Entertainment Sports Programming Network) tonight at 9
o'clock.
Commissioner Suarez: There you go.
Chair Sarnoff Look at Dunn. I mean, he just knows something.
Commissioner Dunn: Three hours and what --
Chair Sam off All right, so are we going do that reso?
Commissioner Suarez: So move.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair Sam off All right.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): We just need a direction.
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Commissioner Dunn: They say we don't need a reso.
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): No, no, no. You don't need a resolution.
Chair Sam off Well, here it is. The resolution is --
Ms. Chiaro: Just direct a proclamation.
Commissioner Dunn: Just direct --
Ms. Chiaro: Direct a proclamation, a big one.
Chair Sam off The biggest proclamation we can build, followed by the keys of the City to the
three gentlemen, with the modification that the Vice Chair stated, in the event LeBron James
comes, only for his proclo --
Ms. Thompson: But it is a direction not a resolution.
Chair Sam off To protocol, is it not?
Vice Chair Carollo: It's not a resolution. It's a direction.
Commissioner Suarez: Direction.
Tony Crapp, Jr. (Chief of Operations): To the Administration.
Ms. Thompson: A direction to the Manager.
Chair Sam off To the City -- I guess --
Mr. Crapp: To the Administration.
Chair Sam off -- we direct the City Manager to direct Protocol.
Ms. Thompson: Exactly.
Mr. Crapp: Will do.
Commissioner Suarez: Done.
Chair Sam off To have this done and ready for us no later than 11 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Commissioner Suarez: So move.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'd go with 10 just --
Chair Sam off Ten o'clock tomorrow morning, with that amendment. All in favor, please say --
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Suarez: And now we can vote on adjourning.
Chair Sam off You had a problem with that, Madam Clerk?
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Ms. Thompson: No, no. Then you've actually -- instead of the direction, you've actually
entertained a motion. Andl would word it a motion directing the City Manager to do thus and
so, okay? Now --
Chair Sam off But that's what we did.
Ms. Thompson: Well, no, because now that -- we've got it.
Chair Sam off All right, motion to adjourn. Do I hear one?
Commissioner Dunn: Second -- motion.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Chair Sam off All right, all in favor, please say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Dunn, and was
passed unanimously, to adjourn today's meeting.
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