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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOMNI CRA 2011-11-28 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Meeting Minutes Monday, November 28, 2011 5:00 PM DOUBLETREE GRAND HOTEL 1717 N. BAYSHORE DRIVE OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Marc David Sarnoff, Chairman Francis Suarez, Vice -Chairman Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner Frank Carollo, Commissioner Michelle Spence -Jones, Commissioner CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 49 NW 5th ST, SUITE 100, Miami, FL 33128 Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax: (305) 679-6835 www.miamicra.com OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 FINANCIALS 1. 11-01109 RESOLUTIONS 2. 11-01110 Present: Commissioner Spence -Jones, Vice Chair Suarez and Commissioner Gort Absent: Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Carollo On the 28th day of November 2011, the Board of Commissioners of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in regular session at the Doubletree Grand Hotel, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Suarez at 6: 39 p.m. and was adjourned at 7:05 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Pieter Bockweg, Executive Director, CRA H. Bert Gonzalez, Assistant Executive Director, CRA Veronica Xiques, Assistant General Counsel, CRA William R. Bloom, Special Counsel, CRA Priscilla A. Thompson, Clerk of the Board Todd Hannon, Assistant Clerk of the Board CRA REPORT FINANCIAL SUMMARY FOR PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2011. File # 11-01109 11-28-11 Financial Summary.pdf DISCUSSED Vice Chair Suarez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Madam Clerk. Miguel, you're recognized on item number 1. Miguel Valentin: Miguel Valentin, CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) financial officer. As we're doing every month, we are going to be presenting the combined statement of financial position as of October 31, 2011 for the Omni CRA. We are reporting a cash -- a total balance of 29, 458, 657. And again, there is no reportable condition to report to the board. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you. I just reiterate the same comments from the last CRA item where we discussed about the categorization of the funds. CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED SIXTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS ($16,475), TO DOLPHIN COIN LAUNDRY, INC., TO UNDERWRITE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RENOVATION OF A VACANT COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE, TO HOUSE A LAUNDROMAT, AT 158 NORTHWEST 14TH STREET, MIAMI; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE GRANT ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 2,2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 3. 11-01111 OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.883000.0000.00000. File # 11-01110 11-28-11 Cover Memo.pdf File #11-01110 11-28-11 Financial Form.pdf File # 11-01110 11-28-11 Backup.pdf File # 11-01110 11-28-11 Legislation.pdf File # 11-01110 11-28-11 Legislation (Signed) .pdf Motion by Board Member Spence -Jones, seconded by Board Member Gort, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: Commissioner Spence -Jones, Commissioner Gort and Vice Chair Suarez Absent: Commissioner Carollo and Chair Sarnoff CRA-R-11-0062 Vice Chair Suarez: Item number 2. Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Bert. H. Bert Gonzalez (Assistant Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Good evening, Commissioners. This item is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Omni Redevelopment District Community -- authorizing a grant, in the amount not to exceed 16,475, to Dolphin Coin Laundry, Inc., to underwrite costs associated with the renovation of vacant commercial structure to house a laundromat at 158 Northwest 14th Street, Miami; authorizing the executive director at his discretion to disburse the grant funds in reimburse [sic] basis directly to the vendors upon presentation of invoices and satisfactory documentation. Vice Chair Suarez: Sir, can you please state your name for the record? Mr. Gonzalez: Bert Gonzalez, assistant director -- Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you. Mr. Gonzalez: -- Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you. Corning back to the board, is there a motion or discussion? Commissioner Spence -Jones: So moved. Commissioner Gort: Second. Vice Chair Suarez: It's been motioned by Board Member Spence -Jones, second by Board Member Gort. All in favor, signify by saying aye." The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT DOLLARS AND SIXTY CENTS ($150,358.60) TO BRAMAN AUTO, INC., TO UNDERWRITE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A 12" WATER MAIN ALONG NE City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 2ND AVENUE, INCLUDING PERMITS AND ENGINEERING AND CONTRACTOR FEES; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DISBURSE THE GRANT, AT HIS DISCRETION, ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM OMNI CRA TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS" ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.883000.0000.0000. File # 11-01111 11-28-11 Cover Memo.pdf File # 11-01111 11-28-11 Financial Form.pdf File # 11-01111 11-28-11 Backup.pdf File # 11-01111 11-28-11 Legislation.pdf File # 11-01111 11-28-11 Legislation (Signed).pdf Motion by Board Member Gort, seconded by Board Member Spence -Jones, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: Commissioner Spence -Jones, Commissioner Gort and Vice Chair Suarez Absent: Commissioner Carollo and Chair Samoff CRA-R-11-0063 Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Mr. Chair. Vice Chair Suarez: Item number 3. Mr. Bockweg: Item number 3 is a reimbursement to Braman Auto, Inc. for the installation of a 12-inch water main line for the new Braman Kia dealership. If you recall, this is similar to the reimbursement that we did for City Hall, which is part of our overall plan for the water main upgrades along 2nd Avenue and the through streets between Biscayne and 2nd Avenue. So this is in accordance with an item that has already been passed for -- that was allocated $5 million for water line upgrades. And this -- Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Executive Director. Is there a motion? Commissioner Gort: Move it. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Second. Vice Chair Suarez: Moved and seconded. Any discussion? I'd just like to say that, you know, it's important for us, as an institution, to have credibility and to fulfill commitments. And the commitment that the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) made was to build the infrastructure of that area and take on a lot of these costs from the businesses, which would bring businesses to the area. Because, as we all know, one of the major costs involved in setting up a business, whether it be a restaurant or any kind of business that involves water, particularly now, Water and Sewer has been merciless in requiring people to, you know, bring to the table, oftentimes at the last moment, hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, you know, we had promised the stakeholders of this area that we were going to continue to do this and continue to do this -- and I'm assuming this is not going to be the final time that we do this. We have other water -- Mr. Bockweg: We hope that we can incentivize more people to relocate to the Omni CRA so that we can provide these incentives. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you. All those in favor, signify by saying aye." City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 2,2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. [Later..] Unidentified Speaker: No public comments? Commissioner Gort: Joseph. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Oh, yeah. You got -- Vice Chair Suarez: I'm sorry. Excuse me. Sorry. I thought we did but I guess we didn't. Sir, would you like to be recognized? Al Crespo: Yes, I would. How are you all? Commissioner Spence -Jones: So you got to open -- Vice Chair Suarez: By all means. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- the meeting. Vice Chair Suarez: No, no. Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): No. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay. Vice Chair Suarez: By all means, go ahead. Mr. Crespo: My name is Al Crespo. So I got a question about this water main situation. Aren't water mains handled by the County? Isn't that a County issue, putting water on the streets? That's not a City issue, is it? Mark Spanioli (Director of Engineering and Construction): Good evening. Mark Spanioli, CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). To answer Mr. Crespo's question, generally, whenever you have a new development come into the area, they're required by the County to do certain upgrades to the water and sewer system in order to provide for the development. In this case, Braman's facility was located in an area where the water mains were undersized, so the County required that the developer pay for the upgrades to the water main. Hopefully that answers your question. Mr. Crespo: Well, actually, what they do is ask for a donation. And so the question is, why would the CRA then reimburse anybody? If a developer wants to develop something, you know, I mean, that's part of development costs. You know, the problem is that you have a real problem with infrastructure in this city. I know of somebody who bought a piece of property on Biscayne Boulevard and wanted to put a piece -- put a structure up over 5, 000 feet and was told the same thing and had to bite the cost themselves. And as a result, that project didn't go forward because they had to go like three blocks to do that. But the big question I have for you all, you said you've appropriated $5 million for this kind of infrastructure development, and how much of that $5 million have you spent anywhere other than along Biscayne Boulevard and 2ndAvenue? Vice Chair Suarez: I think that's a good question. Executive Director, can you answer that? Mr. Bockweg: The -- there's -- to tell you the truth, that $5 million has not been spent as of yet. City Hall, as well as Braman Auto, Inc., will be tapping in from that $5 million to improvements City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 for waterline upgrades, which was part of our master plan and which was approved as part of a line item budget to do upgrades. And I think it's important that we don't -- we see this as providing -- and we've had many discussions about this as a board -- that we find ways to incentivize people to come into the area and to help revitalize that area. And these are major costs that these people have to incur, and I think it's a good business model as far as -- and also under the state statute to provide these added incentives for people to come in, revitalize that area, create jobs with that incentives to help, you know, like I said, our mission of revitalizing a slum and blighted area. Mr. Crespo: Okay. You're talk -- ifI may. Vice Chair Suarez: Sure. Mr. Crespo: You're talking about encouraging somebody to come in. You're talking about -- with all due respect, and you know, to Mr. Braman and his folks. I mean, this is a guy that owns a Rolls Royce dealership and a Cadillac dealership and a BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) dealership, all right. And you're talking about -- so he's going to put up a little Kia building and now you go give him money. And as far as the Capital Grille, isn't this the same Capital Grille that I published the e-mail (electronic) about Bert advising the gentleman to suck up to the City Commissioners in order to get this money, huh? I mean, seriously, I mean, you know, tell me where slum and blight is served by giving Norman Braman $150, 000. And also, you know, why are -- why is the City or this taxpayer money being used to fund water that should be provided by the County? That's the County's responsibility. And the developer can go and negotiate with the County over this. And if you put the street line across there, then guess what? Everybody who taps into that is supposed to pay into it too. Now has anything like that been discussed? Do you have any discounts about how much you can get from this? I mean, there are a lot of questions that -- Vice Chair Suarez: Yeah. Mr. Crespo: -- you know, I think you all have failed to consider here. But the biggest thing is -- with all due respect, give me a break, all right. Give me a break. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars to a billionaire? Vice Chair Suarez: Mr. Crespo, thank you -- Mr. Crespo: Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: -- for your comments. My understanding -- and it dovetails exactly on what you said, which is basically that as in your example, the water and sewer bill and the particular business that you were talking about killed that business. In my district, I know for a fact that a restaurant opened on Coral Way and I think 21st Avenue, and because of the water and sewer bill, something that was not anticipated within the initial plan for buying the business, bringing it up to code, you know, fixing it up and operating it, that destroyed the business as well. So it's an ongoing problem, the water -- what happens is at the end of the day when you're going to get your certificate of use, all of a sudden they spring this enormous water and sewer bill, and then you're left essentially at the mercy of Dade County. And my understanding -- and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Executive Director -- is that we haven't planned -- and one of the major things that the CRAs are doing is increasing infrastructure, as you just stated, so that businesses can come and relocate without having to have those enormous start-up costs that are associated with having to reconstruct an entire waterline for a business that wouldn't sustain it under normal circumstances. Mr. Crespo: Yeah, but you're giving money to people on Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 2nd Avenue. You're not giving anybody to -- you're not doing this on Northwest 3rdAvenue. You're City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 not doing this on anyplace else in these districts, right? Vice Chair Suarez: I think -- Mr. Crespo: You know, that's number one. Vice Chair Suarez: Yeah. Mr. Crespo: And number two, this is an issue that you all should be negotiating with the County about, right, rather than using this taxpayer money to do that. This is something that you should be negotiating with the County Commission on, which you're going to have plenty of opportunity to do to try to get over this parking lot tax, right. I mean, this is -- Vice Chair Suarez: Right. No, I -- Mr. Crespo: -- you know, a serious issue, you know. Vice Chair Suarez: We're constantly arguing with the County on a variety of different issues. And I agree with you, it's something that we should argue with the County about -- Mr. Crespo: Yeah. Vice Chair Suarez: -- in terms of the way that they're -- Mr. Crespo: Big time. Vice Chair Suarez: -- treating, you know, people who want to establish legitimate businesses in the City of Miami. However, this is part of a comprehensive plan, from my understanding, if I'm not mistaken -- Executive Director, correct me if I'm wrong -- for the entire CRA, not just one specific property or one specific site, for the entire CRA to have the infrastructure that it needs to be redeveloped. Mr. Crespo: I hear you, but you know what, the only examples you got are a billionaire and a millionaire. Vice Chair Suarez: Well, they're the only people right now that have decided to invest in that area. So once we get -- and by the way, we've dedicated a lot of money in the Overtown CRA -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: Yeah, I just -- Vice Chair Suarez: -- yeah. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- I want to just respond on the Overtown CRA side of it because the question -- you know, you made a statement around the upgrade of the lines on -- Mr. Crespo: Third Avenue. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- you know, 3rdAvenue, that that's what the money should be spent for. That's one of the things that it could be -- Mr. Crespo: No. I don't think the money should be spent for any of that. I think the County should put the waterlines in. That's their responsibility. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay. City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Mr. Crespo: That's why you pay County taxes. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Right. Okay, and what I'm going to say to you, ifI have to wait from -- as from a CRA standpoint, in Overtown for them to upgrade lines, for that to happen, it's never going to happen. If the money was set aside for slum and blight to clear that up in Overtown and to provide the support for the residents that clearly, clearly, clearly need it, then we spent the money to do that. And I think it's extremely important when we start talking about infrastructure improvements that have happened from the CRA side, from the Overtown side, we did exactly that, making sure that we upgraded those lines so that when it is time for major development to come into those areas -- and I'm asking people to come to an area like Overtown, those expenses of -- whether or not it's 100,000 or $50,000, whatever the upgrade is, I'm not going to sit and wait for the County to provide the money when the people are suffering and they need something now. Now, I don't really know what the overall issue is on the Omni side because I'm not -- quite frankly, I'm not the chair of that. But I'm assuming in these two years that I was gone that there was a plan that was voted on for a five-year plan, correct -- a $5 million plan -- a $5 million allocation -- Mr. Bockweg: That's correct. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- to address infrastructure issues. And I think -- and this is what we got to deal with from a leadership side of it. This stuff is about perception. When people read the stuff, they perceive something totally different from what it is. And I think that if the communication would have been we're upgrading all of north -- what is it, Northeast 2nd Avenue lines that are within the Omni CRA, then it would be viewed as a -- from a different perspective. I'm just telling you. It's like we got to start looking at how we're presenting the information because in listening to it, I could see how someone could say, well, why are we doing it just for one person just because their lines are upgraded when, technically, you've set aside -- the CRA has set aside these dollars for infrastructure just period in the Omni area. Is that the correct statement? 'Cause I don't want to have stuff floating around there when that's not really what it was intended to be. Mr. Bockweg: The CRA has a $5 million allocation to do infrastructure improvements from -- on 2nd Avenue from 8th -- from, I'm sorry, 14th Street to 20th Street, from -- and then -- on 2nd Avenue, including the through streets, to Biscayne Boulevard. It also includes Miami -- 1st Avenue, Northeast 1st Avenue. It also includes 14th Streets [sic], which we are doing right now as part of the streetscape project. We have done it on Northwest 3rdAvenue. And again, the premise here is that -- one of the core reasons a CRA is created to begin with is to do infrastructure improvements to allow businesses to take advantage of that so that they can -- do not have to incur that cost and be able to maybe survive a little longer and revitalize the community. The mission of the CRA -- one of its main missions, and we can -- you know, it's in the redevelopment plan -- is to upgrade -- Vice Chair Suarez: That's statutory too. Mr. Bockweg: -- and it's statutory -- infrastructure, and it's really that simple. Commissioner Gort: Let me -- Fred Joseph: Madam -- Commissioner Gort: -- add a little bit to this for your understanding. I think all the infrastructure, the County took it from the City of Miami. Unfortunately, it's about 40 years old. They don't want to pay for it. And every time we have a small business in Allapattah, I got to fight with them -- City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Commissioner Spence -Jones: Yeah, I know. Commissioner Gort: -- to make sure -- 'cause here comes the guy that wanted to create a gym. They already have an existing bathroom. He went to get his permit. He had all the City permit, but then they had to go to DERM (Department of Environmental Resources Management) and DERM required them to spend about $10, 000 to put the pipe. We had to go there and change the guys plan so he could meet with the requirements and he didn't have to pay the $10,000. I think we should go to the -- I've been going -- if you've been watching the meetings, I've been going after the County for this for a long time. And I think it's very unfair in neighborhoods like mine where people want to open up a business, they have a chance, families get together, they put their money together, they don't have that much really, capital, to do so. They need help. And let me tell you, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the County. Mr. Crespo: Let him speak, but I've got a response. Mr. Joseph: Madam Chair, Mr. Chair, let me explain what transpired in -- before Commissioner Gort was on the dais back years ago when it happened. Here's what the executive director has not laid out for you. These funds were allocated and to be reimbursed or to be withheld from the County. The same as they did on North Bayshore -- south -- North Bayshore Drive, those funds were allocated and they were supposed to be reimbursed by the County. They were supposed to put in the new pumps. Only reason we advanced, as the Omni -- and the legal representative for Braman was on our board at the time -- was so those funds could be allocated because the County would not do them at that time. We were going to be reimbursed for them. And this gentleman was correct. And as people came along, they would connect and then that would refund that. These funds were not free. If you'll go back and look at the minutes of probably 2000 and back, you will see where these were laid out. This was not free, and the County was supposed to reimburse out of their part of the TIF (Tax Increment Fund). So if you want to look at it, that is in the minutes. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Well, I -- just adding onto -- I think that that should be the recommendation of this board then, if that is the case. And I'm assuming, Pieter, I don't know if you had this information, then we should go after those dollars back from the County or at least make sure that if we do put these dollars out, that we get the money back into the Omni CRA. I'm sure that every single -- Vice Chair Suarez: I'm fine with that. Mr. Joseph: Did we even get -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- person sitting -- Mr. Joseph: -- North Bayshore Drive money back? Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- I'm sure -- I think that they should ask for both. Did you have -- have you had this conversation with the director of the CRA? Mr. Joseph: Not this director, but many others, yes. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Joseph: They have -- Mr. Bockweg: If I -- Mr. Joseph: -- the fund -- we funded it -- City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Vice Chair Suarez: Okay, Mr. Joseph. Mr. Joseph: -- and they were supposed to reimburse us. Mr. Bockweg: If I may. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay, so -- Mr. Bockweg: If I may. Commissioner Spence -Jones: I'm sorry. Mr. Bockweg: In the actual resolution that is before the board, it states that we get reimbursed for the money. So it's in the resolution that is passed before the board as part of the resolution. Commissioner Spence -Jones: So that answers your question, Crespo. It will be reimbursed back. Mr. Crespo: So the County reimburses you? Mr. Bockweg: The customer. Commissioner Spence -Jones: No, it can't be the customer if we're paying for it. Mr. Bockweg: Well -- no. Commissioner Spence -Jones: It's the people that paid the money. It has to be. Mr. Joseph: When the nightclub was -- when a restaurant was built, all right -- Vice Chair Suarez: Hold on, Mr. Joseph. He's trying to answer your question. Mr. Joseph: -- one second. I can give you your answer. When the restaurant was built across the street, they needed relief from a $70, 000 connection fee. We granted them that relief but it was under the condition the County would reimburse when they did build the project. They refused to do any building. Then we said, okay, we'll do a master plan of many millions of dollars for Bayshore Drive. Our basement would flood. The County would do nothing about it at all. We had cars floating. The -- now it's all dry because we funded, through the CRA, to get that road fixed and the pumps and everything else. The same thing happened on Northeast 2nd and the waterline and also the roadway. Anything you forward to the County out of the TIF money from whatever you call it, the CRA, you should hold back any monies you've disbursed to Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones -- I won't use names, but that have been allocated. That's the system the CRA dictates. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Joseph. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay. I -- can I -- can we get a response from the executive -- Vice Chair Suarez: Mr. Crespo, hold on one second. Mr. Joseph: It's in the Bible. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- director -- City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Mr. Bockweg: I will clam. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- and I got -- I really have to go. Mr. Crespo: All right, so my last -- Mr. Bockweg: I will clam. Vice Chair Suarez: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Mr. Crespo: Okay. Vice Chair Suarez: Just wait one second. Mr. Crespo: Okay. Vice Chair Suarez: Let me recognize the executive director, who's going to respond to -- Mr. Bockweg: We get reimbursed by the property owner, whoever we have the grant with -- Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Mr. Bockweg: -- is whatever credits they get from WASA (Water and Sewer Authority). So they get reimbursed from WASA and then we get it back from the grantee. In this case, it would be Braman. Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Mr. Bockweg: And the same goes for City Hall. Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Mr. Bockweg: And it is part of your reso in the whereas class [sic]. It's the second whereas class [sic] on page number 2. Vice Chair Suarez: Yeah. And again, I just want to say that this is supposed to be part of a continuing project to reestablish the entire waterlines, whether it be for a billionaire or someone who doesn't have two cents to, you know, put together. Mr. Bockweg: This work was going to get done anyway. Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Mr. Bockweg: Mr. Braman, in this case, or City Hall restaurant was -- went ahead before -- Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Mr. Bockweg: -- we were actually going to commence construction. Commissioner Spence -Jones: I'm -- Vice Chair Suarez: Okay. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- just curious, though. I would like to have a copy -- I mean, I'm assuming that this was kind of done in the two years. I would like to have a copy of whatever City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 that plan is for the upgrades -- Mr. Bockweg: Absolutely. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- for Northeast -- is there a plan for Northeast 2nd Avenue upgrades? Mr. Bockweg: Yes, there is. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay, so -- I mean -- so we're -- Mr. Bockweg: Along with 17th Street, 18th Street, 19th Street -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Bockweg: -- 20th Street. Commissioner Spence -Jones: So I think that that will be helpful and that would also clear up any of the misunderstanding or miscommunication. I would like to have it 'cause I haven't seen it and perhaps share it with them as well. Vice Chair Suarez: Mr. Crespo, I think the chairperson has to go. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Do you need -- 'cause I've been having to go -- Mr. Crespo: All right, just very quickly. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- for like 30 minutes. Mr. Crespo: My -- you know, here's the thing. I -- if you say you want to do it across the board Vice Chair Suarez: It's going to be across the board, sir. Mr. Crespo: -- then that's great. But the problem is when you do it piecemeal, think of one of the side effects. You keep tearing up street, repairing street, tearing up street, repairing street. All of this takes a repair and a tear up in order to put the line down. If you say, we're going to put the waterline down the whole street, put the waterline down the whole street and be done with it. Now what you've got is you've got they tore up the street for City Hall. Now they tear up the street for Braman. The next guy comes along, they tear up the street again. It creates all the additional ancillary problems. Vice Chair Suarez: I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense, Mr. Crespo, which is basically that we should do it as a comprehensive -- Mr. Crespo: Right. Vice Chair Suarez: -- development rather than doing it piecemeal. Commissioner Spence -Jones: And that's -- Mr. Crespo: Because then it will -- Vice Chair Suarez: It makes sense. City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Mr. Crespo: -- eliminate the illusion or the perception -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: That's perception. Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Mr. Crespo: -- that you're doing something for somebody -- Vice Chair Suarez: For an individual person. Mr. Crespo: -- individually. Vice Chair Suarez: Right. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Right. Vice Chair Suarez: That makes sense. Okay, thank you. Do I have a motion to adjourn? Commissioner Gort: Move it. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Move it. Vice Chair Suarez: Second? Commissioner Spence -Jones: Second. Vice Chair Suarez: All those in favor, signify by saying "aye." The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. 4. CRA RESOLUTION 11-01112 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THREE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($350,000), TO THE CITY OF MIAMI TO UNDERWRITE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH AN EXPANDED POLICE VISIBILITY PROGRAM WITHIN THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT AREA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.883000.0000.00000. File # 11-01112 11-28-11 Cover Memo.pdf File # 11-01112 11-28-11 Financial Form.pdf File # 11-01112 11-28-11 Backup.pdf File # 11-01112 11-28-11 Legislation.pdf File # 11-01112 11-28-11 Legislation (Signed) .pdf Motion by Board Member Gort, seconded by Board Member Spence -Jones, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Votes: Ayes: Commissioner Spence -Jones, Commissioner Gort and Vice Chair Suarez Absent: Commissioner Carollo and Chair Sarnoff CRA-R-11-0064 Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 4, Mr. Chair, is the re -- the grant to the police visibility grant, in the amount of $350, 000 from the Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). Obviously, their presentation has already been made by the commander of police. This would be a renewal of that grant. Commissioner Gort: Move it. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Executive Director. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Second. Vice Chair Suarez: It's been moved and seconded. Discussion by the board. All those in favor, signify by saying Eye." The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Mr. Chairman, I just have a quick little ques -- no -- Vice Chair Suarez: Sure. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- I'll let you finish. I don't know if he -- is he -- are --? Vice Chair Suarez: Do you want to speak on that item, Mr. Joseph? Fred Joseph: Yes. I believe that grant is very well placed. Fred Joseph, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, Suite 3856. What we're looking at is a greater presence by what I understood, and I'd like to be kept informed by the executive director of not only the presence but it's only in the Omni area that this is being (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and utilize these funds. Mr. Bockweg: That is correct, Mr. Joseph. It's a legal mandate that we have. Mr. Joseph: Yes. And the items of -- this is not their traffic stops or left-hand turn or any of the items. This is more of the base of our -- their presence in the Omni. Mr. Bockweg: This is for additional police services in the Omni. Vice Chair Suarez: Yeah. And by the way, there's a whole packet that was introduced into the record in the Overtown CRA so you can take a look at it and see -- Mr. Joseph: Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: -- what results the program has had. Mr. Joseph: Thank you. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Mr. Chairman, the only thing that I want to mention to the Omni CRA staff, I know that you guys, as a part of the expansion, have picked up a lot of Overtown from 14th Street on, and I know that there's businesses on the opposite side of the street on 14th. I think I see a few of them that have had some concerns with trying to at least connect. I would like for -- 14th going from Overtown to the Adrienne Arsht Center is extremely important. We're going to do the upgrades on the street so they're going to look nice and we're already doing Two City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 NON -AGENDA ITEMS NA.1 11-01171 Guys on one side of the street, but we really want to try to make sure that those businesses, you know -- they automatically come to Overtown CRA 'cause they feel the connection to the Overtown CRA, but it's not in the Overtown CRA. So I just want to make sure that on whatever level we could provide support to those businesses on 14th Street that I cannot pick in Overtown -- up in Overtown. I would definitely like for us to consider that. Mr. Bockweg: Madam Chair, item number 2, the Dolphin Coin Laundry, is on 14th Street -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Bockweg: -- in Overtown, and we have been -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: And I guess I'm more speaking to the young lady that I see in the back there that's been trying -- I don't want you to come to the mic 'cause I don't want to open up the mic to that. But I just really -- I know that they have a business, young people born and raised in Overtown, and they've been trying so hard to keep their business afloat. So I really would like to at least -- Mr. Bockweg: I'll speak to her after the meeting. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- be able to sit down and make sure that they have the support as well. Mr. Bockweg: I'll give her my card after the meeting and sit down and schedule an appointment. Commissioner Spence -Jones: No problem. CRA DISCUSSION REQUEST BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE RESERVE ACCOUNT FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES. MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Spence -Jones, and was passed unanimously, with Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Carollo absent, to grant a request by the Executive Director for eight hundred dollars ($800) from the reserve account to fund travel expenses for lobbying efforts in Tallahassee, Florida. Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Sorry. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Oh, you got another item? Mr. Bockweg: I just have -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: You need me? Mr. Bockweg: No. I need just approval -- just to notify the board -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: Oh, yeah, yeah. Mr. Bockweg: -- Chairman Sarnoff has asked that myself and Bert Gonzalez fly up to Tallahassee to address the workshops for the gambling workshop, as well as the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) bill that is before the House. Because of the mandate that City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 the board has put on myself I need to ask or at least let you know that I need $800 from the reserve to be able to cover the travel expenses. This is under the directive of Commissioner Sarnoff, so I'm requesting $800 from the reserve to travel to Tallahassee. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Well, I definitely don't have a problem with you traveling on my end. They have their own -- or traveling to definitely address what's happening from a lobbying standpoint -- Mr. Bockweg: Right. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- and making sure those items or issue -- you know what my concern was. Mr. Bockweg: I need to come to the board and -- in speaking with you -- and I know your concern and it's well noted, Madam Chair, but I also -- looking -- for the future, when the item -- when the budget comes before you for the actual budget, I will be -- most likely be talking and seeing if we can maybe increase the traveling budget a little bit, but that will be a discussion that we have in the future. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Executive Director. Is there a motion on that -- Commissioner Gort: Move it. Vice Chair Suarez: -- issue? It's been motioned. Is there a second. Commissioner Spence -Jones: You have a second. But I want to just say that I think that you -- I think you're more than capable of handling it. Mr. Bockweg: Yes. I -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay, so -- and I just -- and it's not saying that I don't want anybody else to travel with you. I just think -- as I said this morning in our meeting, we got to figure out a way to go leaner on the CRA. I mean, for me -- and I know that whenever I say that, y'all eyes get really big, like, Commissioner, we're already lean. But we got to figure out -- I mean, the issue is -- the reason why we get a lot of the complaints is because people want to see more things happening. I want to see more of the money going on the streets in the area. So I'm not going to -- you got my second but I know you're going to have to do more traveling because you can't work without being able to go to D.C. to do what needs to be done 'cause I'm going to be saying the same thing about the federal lobbyists. But I don't want to see a train of people going to do that. I think that you can handle it. Vice Chair Suarez: It's been moved and seconded. Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Before you vote, I just want to make sure with the executive director and their counsel that this expenditure would actually be in the form of a resolution now and not just a motion because you are spending funds. Is that correct? Vice Chair Suarez: Does the mover of the --? Veronica Xiques (Assistant General Counsel): At this point, they're just making the motion. When the item comes back as part of the budget, then it'll be part of a resolution. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Commissioner Spence -Jones: Okay. So I guess you can go. City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 2/2/2012 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 28, 2011 Mr. Bockweg: Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: All in favor, sign by saying "aye." The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Vice Chair Suarez: Meeting adjourned. A motion was made by Commissioner Gort, seconded by Commissioner Spence -Jones, and was passed unanimously, with Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Carollo absent, to adjourn today's meeting. City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 2/2/2012