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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW CRA 2010-03-15 Supplemental MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Meeting Minutes Monday, March 15, 2010 5:00 PM SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA CULMER CENTER 1600 NW 3RD AVE. MIAMI, FL. 33136 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Richard P. Dunn 11, Chairman Francis Suarez, Vice -Chairman Marc David Sarnoff, Commissioner Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner Frank Carollo, Commissioner CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 49 NW 5th ST, SUITE 100, Miami, FL 33128 Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax: (305) 679-6835 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. 10-00327 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING THE INCREASING OF THE GRANT AUTHORIZED BY CRA RESOLUTION R-09-0012 FOR PURPOSES OF ASSISTING THE CITY OF MIAMI IN THE FUNDING OF THE RENOVATION OF GIBSON PARK, AT 401 N.W. 12TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, INCLUDING THE PAYMENT OF AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE DEBT SERVICE RELATED TO THE SUNSHINE STATE LOAN ($7,932,854) ALLOCATED FOR SAID PROJECT, AS MAY BE ALLOWED BY LAW. File # 10-00327 Cover Memo 3-15-2010.doc MOTION A motion was made by Chair Dunn, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, and was passed unanimously, with Commissioner Carollo absent, to direct the Interim Executive Director to prepare and execute the necessary documents authorizing an annual appropriation from the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) in an amount sufficient to reimburse the City for the debt service incurred by the City in connection with Phase I of the Gibson Park project. Chair Dunn: Last item. I'm going to pass the gavel to the Vice Chair -- Vice Chairman Suarez - - on this item. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. James Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Supplemental agenda item 1 is a discussion item regarding increasing the grant authorized by CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) Resolution 09-0012 for the purposes of assisting the City of Miami in funding the renovation of Gibson Park at 401 Northwest 12th Street, Miami, including the payment of an amount equal to the debt service related on the Sunshine State loan - - related to the Sunshine State loan, roughly $7,932,854, to the extent allowable by law. Chair Dunn: At the Commission meeting last week, we decided to ask the CRA to assist the City with the building of the Gibson Park. This means that the CRA should assume the debt service for the Sunshine fund for a couple of years. And when we go to the market, then we would address the entire debt. But before we get into a earnest discussion, I would like to open this item up for a public discussion because it will aid in our decision making. So, Mr. Chair, with your permission, can we have some input from the public? Vice Chair Suarez: Yes, of course, Mr. Vice [sic] Chair. I just want to, if we can -- is there -- just kind of -- is there anyone here that is not in favor of this item? Is there --? By a show of hands, is there anyone here who's going to be speaking against the item? Okay. So I haven't seen any hands, so I'm assuming all of you here are speaking in favor of the item? Emanuel Washington: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Suarez: If it's okay with all of you that are here, if we could limit, just for the interest of brevity, the discussion to the first five or six people that can speak on unless there's anything that needs to be added. I will just accept -- or the Board will just accept that everyone who's here is in favor of the item. Mr. Washington, please. Mr. Washington: Mr. Chair, fellow members of the Board. Mr. Mayor, how are you doing City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 today? Good. And members of -- here in the crowd. I just wanted to speak briefly because at the last -- Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Excuse me, Chair. Mr. Washington: I'm sorry. Vice Chair Suarez: Yes. Madam Chair [sic], yes -- I mean, Madam -- Ms. Thompson: Excuse me, Chair. I just need -- Mr. Washington: My name. Ms. Thompson: -- for each speaker to please remember to put their name and their address on the record and then they can start speaking. Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Mr. Washington: My apology, Madam Clerk. Emanuel Washington, 155 Northwest loth Street, property owner. As I was saying earlier, I know at the last Commission meeting there were some concerns arised [sic] from the Commission, and I took the liberty to visit each one of your office today. I didn't get a chance to see someone from Commissioner Sarnoff office, but today I delivered to him some bullets and some things that -- to address those concerns that he had. And the three concerns that he -- that arised [sic] at the meeting was, number one, about staffing of the park, maintenance of the park, and of course, the financing of the park. And the first two, I'm going to speak to, and I guess there's some other peoples here that'll speak to the financing portion of it. But concerning the staff, as you noticed, I pretty much gave you some bullets. And looking at the staffing side of it, the first item I had on there was the Gibson Park and Overtown Community Optimist. We have a 16 year partnership, you know, so the things that -- I know a lot of times when you say that -- how you're going to staff something and has it been done. Well, it's not has it been done. It's been done. For the last 16 years, Gibson Park and the community has had a partnership where we've actually provide service to the community in the form of volunteers, vending -- concessions and a whole host of other things. But for the most part, the point that I want to make out here in the 16-year partnership before I even get into the second item is that I am personally a product of that partnership because I grew -- was born and raised here in this community. As a matter of fact, Mr. Alexander, Koteles'father, was the park -- was one of the park supervisors when I was growing up, raised me, and I came back and actually became a park manager for the first Gibson Park, and I had an opportunity to raise 30, 40 children in the park. As a matter of fact, one of the individuals who I raised, Mr. Ben Hank, I believe he's here, a graduate of the University of Florida, he came back and now he's the park manager. So we have a long history of actually working with the park and the community, so it's not like -- this is not something we're going to try to do; we've done it. So the 16-year partnership is definitely something we've done there. And as I stated here and I put down, we have over 100 volunteers. And you know, I heard the Commissioner mention about financing the other day. And you just put a number to it. I mean, volunteers are not free, but volunteers offer service in -kind, but if you put a number to it and you just take a hundred volunteers -- and we have well over that -- but just taking a hundred of them and they put in at least ten hours a week, and that's just minimum 'cause they do sometimes 20 and 30 hours. But taking the ten hours a week would generate over a thousand hours a week in manpower that they've actually put to the table. If you just put an $8 an hour figure on that, you're talking about well over $400, 000 in revenue that the City don't have to pay to provide a service to this park that we're already providing. And then if you look at over the 16-year history, you're talking about well over $6 million worth of equity that we have actually put into this park. So we have stake in it. We've actually done the things that you're talking about that came up as far as staffing. And outside of that, we also put down the fact that we have community service workers. We have community City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 service workers in the sense of school kids, as well as people who are on food stamps that have to have community service hours. And right now currently we have at least about ten hours a week of community service people actually dedicated to the maintenance of the park, making sure the bathrooms are clean, the floors are swept and mopped. So all of these resources are available to us to make sure that the staffing part is not a major concern. So the City will say now where are we going to get the money to make it happen? Well, it's happening already without money. Going further, Click (phonetic) Charities. We have organizations in the community who have provided service. They actually have a computer lab in Gibson Park that they're paying for. They're paying for the instructor. They're teaching the kids Web -based building program. Outside of Click (phonetic) Charity, we also have -- I didn't even put on here -- the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Center for Social Medicine and Health Equities at the University of Miami. They [sic] also one of our partners that they come and contribute time and effort into the park. And of course, between the volunteers as well as the staff, we basically provide concession also. And if this park is being built, it's going to actually have an adequate concessions program that we can really make it and fund it to do some good things. And again, with the numbers -- because being -- having a financial background myself and mentioning -- the Commissioner mentioned it. I just posed a few numbers, and it has the potential to make at least $500 a day. And if you did that over the next 50 -- at least 50 of the 52 weeks, you're talking about well over $125,000 a year in revenue that this concession can generate that'll provide the things that, Commissioner, you talked about, jobs, ability for people to have a better quality of life. Those are the kinds of things that the partnership that we have brought to the table already have. And last but not least, these other few items, the existing staff that's already there. It's not that we're going to have to bring in new park staff. They already have staff at the park that's being utilized, so it's basically a remake of the park. And of course, RDC (Recreational Design & Construction) is here and there are some other people that are here to talk about the new lighting and new field. There's contracts associated with that that's paying for the lighting for the next five years, energy -efficient lighting that's definitely going to lower the amount of energy being used. The same thing with the field and the watering of you know, grass being planted. A lot of savings will be done on that side. And of course, the building itself is a silver -rated building. I mean, with the greening and the economy today, a silver -rated building would definitely reduce the cost of revenue being spent on that park tremendously. And last but not least, the high efficiency and the maintenance of the park is all there. The whole package is there, so I just wanted to address those two areas. And of course, like I said, later on you guys can get into the financing part of it, which we also have answers to accommodate that so you wouldn't have a problem approving this item. Thank you very much. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Washington. Mr. Williams. Willie Williams: Willie Williams, Pastor Williams, Greater Mercy Missionary Baptist Church, owner/operator of Just Right Barbershop in Overtown as well. As you know, I was born in Overtown, and also I'm the president of the Overtown Optimist. Things were said a minute ago by Mr. Washington and our homework has been done and all we're looking for is the cooperation of the Commissioners and the Mayor and all who's involved so we can get this park on the map. This is long overdue. For twenty -something years I've been running my business in Overtown, and yet, I have not -- have seen something miraculous enough to compensate our children in this community. Our children need more so they can make more of themselves. And I believe that with your help, everything will fall in line, as well as in order so we can get the best for our children for the future. Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Williams. Next speaker, please. Charles Cutler: Charles Cutler, 706 Northwest 4th Avenue. I'm a professional chess player. As a matter of fact, I taught chess on the City of Miami -- I had all 26 City of Miami parks. And we ran into a problem over at Gibson Park because of the facility and we had to go over into the youth center, and that really didn't work out much. We started off small and we started getting City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 more kids to come in. As a matter of fact, Mr. Sarnoff, some of the kids even come from your district to go over on district park to participate in the recreation programs. So we just want to make sure that we do the right thing. And when I first started teaching chess, Emanuel Washington was one of my students. So y'all, thank you, and I hope y'all make the right decision for this community. Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, sir. Commissioner Sarnoff And Mr. Cutler, I didn't realize that's what you did for a living. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Cutler. Next speaker, please. Dale Ayres: Hi. Good evening, everyone. My name is Dale Ayres. I reside at 201 Northwest 7th Street. I'm the president of the Poinciana Village Condominium Association. We're located - - we have two buildings, 64 units, and about 150 residents. And we support this project. I want to also congratulate each of you in your seats, also the Mayor I see here, congratulations. This is my first meeting I've been able to publicly say that. We only have one issue. And unfortunately, we are -- fortunately and unfortunately, for the next few years once it starts getting developed, we are four blocks away from here and we're the only one that has a public pool. And what happens is, unfortunately, due to the current economic climate, we've had to cut things, such as security, and a large percentage of our residents do work, so during the day, our public pool is open. And the money that we had in our reserves, we had to allocate to offset our unique property, which is abutted up against the CRA, which I don't know if most of you know about the Crosswinds development, but you sure will once you get situated. And so that money we had to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to protect our outer circle, but our inner circle where our pool is, the kids will still jump. And last year we drove the City of Miami Police nuts. I work at FIU (Florida International University), so to come home and run kids out, it's very difficult. And our elderly residents are not able to go down there, and of course, they're frightened to go down and run the kids out. So what we're requesting is, because this board has been very supportive in the past, if there's any way that you can help us fund some type of fencing to put around our current fence over the next couple years? We have estimates between 7 and $10, 000 to fence it off, and it would assist us. This is something that happens in most public places. Unfortunately, you don't really think of the effects of the community, but we're the only park in -- or we're the only pool in that particular area and the kids do find their way in. So that is the request. I'm asking to see if you would charge the director to help us assist with that, if that's possible? We would appreciate your time. Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you so much. That concludes the public portion on this item, bringing it back to the CRA Board. Is there a motion? Chair Dunn: Mr. Chair, before the motion, I would like to ask if the park manager and RDC, if they would come forth and share their input from their perspective. Vice Chair Suarez: Yes. Chair Dunn: RDC is the design company. And of course, I see Mr. Larry Spring. He will -- where is he? I saw him a minute ago. Vice Chair Suarez: He's in the back there. Chair Dunn: Please kind of come close, Mr. Spring. Vice Chair Suarez: Don't be shy. Ben Hanks: Ben Hanks, resides at 360 Northwest 20th Street, park manager, Gibson Park. Any City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 particular -- Vice Chair Suarez: You're recognized for the record. Mr. Hanks: Oh, okay. Vice Chair Suarez: Go ahead. Mr. Hanks: Well, I just want to speak on the park situation. Like Mr. Emanuel said it was big for me growing up as a kid, and it's the reason why I got into recreation because of what Mr. Washington was able to do as a role model and give back to us. And I had opportunities to go off after I finished my college and pro career to maybe coach college, but I wanted to come back to my community and give back. And I got a degree in recreation with the opportunity to come back and work. The dollars would have been better, I guess, with the college coaching, but my heart and giving back to the community was something I wanted to do. So I just want to take that time to share and have one of our kids here, Quentin Dunbar, who attend Booker T. Washington, and he's also played for the Overtown Optimist team at Gibson Park. Applause. Mr. Hanks: He'll be attending the University of Florida this year as well. Applause. Mr. Hanks: That's all I want to say. Vice Chair Suarez: We won't hold it against him. Thank you, sir. The representative from RDC. Thank you. Please state your name for -- and address for the record. Joseph Cerrone: Joe Cerrone, Recreational Design & Construction, 3990 North Powerline Road, Fort Lauderdale. Vice Chair Suarez: You're recognized for the record, sir. Mr. Cerrone: Thank you. Chair Dunn: Yes. I wanted to ask you can you share with us the efficiency impact in terms of your design, how it would reduce the cost that we're now experiencing at the present park? Because we do want to put on for the record this is a replacement park. Mr. Cerrone: Correct. Mr. Washington did a very good job. There is -- we're using Musco high -efficiency lighting, which is a green system. They're the only company that can actually make the statement of they're using less fixtures, higher light levels, and the maintenance is actually included in the package. So your fixtures are warranteed [sic] for ten years, without having to do anything for the light fixtures. They will replace the light bulbs over a periodic time. We're using the Myrtha pool system, which has a 15 year warranty. There's no pool company in the country that offers a 15-year warranty on the pool, so there's no money to be spent on that. The building is designed to be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver project. We're a member of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), so that building inherently will be energy efficient. We'll have low flow toilets, low flow urinals, hot water heater will be (UNINTELLIGIBLE). There was going to be a gas heating system 'cause there is gas piped on site. The main field is synthetic turf grass, so there is no chemicals. There is no constant watering. It's an investment in that turf but that turf will be used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 360 -- it will be used forever, and that has a -- they're guaranteed for 10 years. And if they're going to guarantee it for 10 years, you know the life expectancy is far City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 greater than that. There's a lot of -- when we renovate the library, that will also be part of the LEED silver -- the whole park is considered a LEED silver project, so that will be a very efficient system as well. Chair Dunn: Are there any questions? Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, sir. Are there any questions from any of the other board members? Thank you, sir. Mr. Cerrone: You're welcome. Chair Dunn: Mr. Chair, last but now least -- Vice Chair Suarez: Yes. Chair Dunn: -- we may hear from Mr. Larry Spring. Vice Chair Suarez: Yes. Mr. Springs [sic]. Larry Spring: Good evening. Larry Spring, chief financial officer, City of Miami. I believe the Chairman wanted me to reflect on the debt service. Finance did do a new debt service schedule associated with this $8 million piece and what that cash flow would be over the next several years. Because the City was able to return approximately $7 million of our overall Sunshine State loan pool from our ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) project that we had borrowed previously, there are no principal payments for the next two fiscal years. So we were able to save that. So the debt service schedule for fiscal year '10 would be approximately $133,000; fiscal year 2011, 240. And I should back up. We used the assumption that we would be paying at an interest rate of 3 percent on average over this time even though we're paying at 1 percent, as I disclosed at the City Commission meeting. Fiscal year 2012, that debt service, including principal that first -- of 800,000 in that -- in 2012, would total $1, 049, 000; fiscal year 2013, including a principal amortization of 1.5 -- or approximately 1.6 million, would total a million eight; and fiscal year 2014, including a principal pay -down of 1.6 million, will be 1.8 also; fiscal year 2015, including a principal pay -down of 2 million, would be 2.1 million; and finally, in fiscal year 2016, with a principal pay -down of 1.9 million, total payment will be 1.9 as well. So totaling -- total principal and interest over the remaining life would be 9 million and -- $9.1 million approximately. Vice Chair Suarez: Yes, sir. Chair Dunn: Mr. Chair. And Mr. Springs [sic], when the bonds -- when they mature, is it a possibility that we may be able to pay it off by the fourth or fifth year? Mr. Spring: When we issue from the -- Chair Dunn: When we issue the -- when they go to market. Mr. Spring: -- Southeast Overtown/Park West? We could establish a means by which we could pay off the remaining debt or just discontinue to use this as a source -- Chair Dunn: Okay. Mr. Spring: -- and just pay back the two pieces at that time -- or pay back the Sunshine principal remaining at that time, whatever's not used. I mean, I have not looked at it structurally yet. I was just really focused on developing the debt service schedule so -- City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 Mr. Villacorta: Mr. Chair. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Spring. Mr. Villacorta: It could be that the 3 percent interest -- or if we're still getting 1 percent -- it might be better to -- Mr. Spring: It's cheaper money. Mr. Villacorta: -- use this money than the bond money -- Mr. Spring: It's much -- Mr. Villacorta: -- but it's something that we would look at including -- Mr. Spring: Right. Mr. Villacorta: -- in the bond program. And also, the -- we wouldn't be assuming the debt service. We would be reimbursing the City for the payments they're making on the -- Mr. Spring: Correct. Mr. Villacorta: -- debt service. That's a technical -- Vice Chair Suarez: Semantical difference, yeah. Mr. Villacorta: -- difference that comes about because of the interlocal agreements and the statute and the way that we're pay-as-you-go. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Director. Thank you, Mr. Springs [sic]. Mr. Spring: Okay. Vice Chair Suarez: Any further questions or comments? Or would you like to hear from any other members of the --? Bringing it back to the Board, is there a motion? Chair Dunn: Yes, Mr. Chair. Vice Chair Suarez: Motion by Board Chairman -- Commissioner Dunn. Is there a second? Commissioner Gort: Second. Vice Chair Suarez: Second by Board Member -- Commissioner Gort. Chair Dunn: Mr. Chair. Vice Chair Suarez: Any discussion? Chair Dunn: Yes. I just wanted to -- Vice Chair Suarez: Yes. Chair Dunn: -- frame the motion, if I may. Vice Chair Suarez: Sure, please. City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 Chair Dunn: I would like to offer a notion to direct the executive director to develop the necessary documents that would allow the CRA to assist the City in building of the new Gibson Park, in a form that's acceptable to the City Attorney. Mr. Villacorta: No. I see some confused looks. Chair Dunn: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: I think what we're trying to do is direct the CRA to prepare and execute documents that would allow the CRA to reimburse the City for the debt it's incurring from the Sunshine State loan fund to rebuild Gibson Park, subject to approval of the budget on an annual basis -- the payments out of the CRA's budget on an annual basis. Commissioner Sarnoff. Well, I don't -- What do you mean by subject to? Mr. Villacorta: We don't want to commit to a debt and since we're pay-as-you-go, you would have to look at this every year and make the payment. Commissioner Sarnoff Well, what if the Commissioner were to decide not to do it? Then that would fall to the general fund. Mr. Villacorta: Yes, it would Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I'm not prepared to vote for that. So I'm not prepared to vote for "subject to." We make the commitment right here and now -- Mr. Villacorta: Okay. Commissioner Sarnoff -- that we are going to fund this park from the CRA. Vice Chair Suarez: Okay. Applause. Vice Chair Suarez: So -- excuse me, please. Mr. Mayor, would you like to say something for the record? Mayor Tomas Regalado: I just want to remind everyone here -- most of the faces that I see here, I remember seeing them many years ago at the Omni CRA. And at that time, the City did not have the availability of funds, and the Omni CRA committed to build Margaret Pace Park, and it's a park that everybody is proud. I think that what the Chairman is bringing that is the commitment of this CRA to build a state-of-the-art park in Gibson. It's what we are supporting here and -- 'cause we don't want to leave the -- with a message that we might do it next year or we might -- and you know, and then the City Commission will say -- you guys will say, well, let's hold on on this project. I think that we should do the project and move on and be very clear on what the CRA and what the -- Commissioner Dunn is proposing. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. IfI may, I think maybe the way, with your permission, Chairman, to restructure the motion is to say that the CRA will pay all the debt service for whatever debt is incurred as a result of the construction of the Gibson Park project. So if it's Sunshine State loan, if it's 1 percent, if it's 3 percent, if it's 2 percent, if it ultimately becomes some other financing vehicle or if we substitute that loan for some other debt, then the CRA will pay that debt, in essence. City of Miami Page Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 Mr. Villacorta: I think there were some legal issues, one of ascertaining how much we're paying, and to the manner so that it doesn't become a debt of the CRA that has to go and get further approval from the County. Vice Chair Suarez: Can you elaborate on that, please, Madam Attorney? Julie O. Bru (General Counsel): Yes. I think it's appropriate for the CRA to make a motion wherein the CRA agrees to, on an annual basis, budget and appropriate legally available revenues in an amount sufficient to reimburse the City for the debt service on this project. That way you are committing to annually budget and appropriate such amount and you're using the phrase "legally available revenues." It is projected that you are going to have legally available revenues, so I don't see that as an issue. It is a -- you know, you -- it's a commitment to be in there for the long haul and if at any particular year you determine that you have legally available revenues to pay off the entire debt, then you can do so. Commissioner Sarnoff Well, then that begs -- I apologize, Mr. Chair. Vice Chair Suarez: Please, Board Member Sarnoff. Commissioner Sarnoff Through the Chair. Vice Chair Suarez: And Chairman Sarnoff. You're recognized for the record. Commissioner Sarnoff I'm not sure I follow that because what if, in fact, another board determines that they want to do something else and they overlap the funds and there are no longer legally available funds? What I want to fashion -- and the only way you're going to get my approval is if we commit today that this is something that this body is going to pay back the principal of the interest of the Sunshine State loan that we're discussing here today. Now if somebody wants to express it further and say any other further debt they take on, I can support that as well, if you want to enhance the park and do something with that. But to turn around and say available legal funds only invites, in my opinion, mischief. And I'm not going to allow mischief when I don't know the board that's going to be back here in 2015, 2016 -- Chair Dunn: Or next year. Commissioner Sarnoff -- right, or even next year, for that matter. So I'm prepared to support what we discussed supporting at the Commission. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman -- Board Member Sarnoff And I think -- I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I think the Chairman of this CRA seems to be amenable to that. I'm certainly -- Chair Dunn: Mr. Chair, absolutely. Vice Chair Suarez: And I'm certainly amenable to that as well. So I guess what we're looking to you is to put in words legally what we're trying -- our intent, which is -- our intent is for the CRA, in essence, to pay for the park, in essence, for lack of a better legal terminology so -- Ms. Bru: So it'd be a motion of the CRA authorizing an annual appropriation in an amount sufficient to reimburse the City for the debt service incurred by the City in connection with the Gibson Park project. Chair Dunn: So move. Commissioner Sarnoff Second. City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 Vice Chair Suarez: Any further discussion from the board members? Commissioner Sarnoff I do. And I think I owe this community a little bit of an explanation so you understand why it is I said what I said and how I say what I say. I don't always say it as eloquently as a reverend. Chair Dunn: Oh, come on. Commissioner Sarnoff But budget's a very interesting time, and everybody here was elected to prioritize what's in this cup. There's only so much in this cup, that's our budget. And there are competing values that go into any budget. You're going to see it come this September. You're going to see the Mayor's first budget that he's going to produce, and he's going to show you what his values are, and that's going to be in competition with everybody here and we come to a consensus. I merely wanted to point out to this community that I think this community, as I think many communities, but especially this community needs jobs. Because just because many of your folks go to, you know, higher education, when they have the opportunity to return, they don't always have the jobs that are available from other places. Now to give you an understanding of my prioritization, it's always jobs, it's youth, and then the elderly, and that's just the way I see life. I mean, I could tell you -- and I agree with him. Even though the youth make up 20 percent of our society, they make up 100 percent of our future. So I -- and when I said I would yield to Commissioner Dunn on this issue, I do -- I will yield to him 'cause I'm going to say that he understands the community better than I do. But I merely offer you an explanation. And maybe it was the way I was brought up and maybe it's just the foundation that my parents instilled in me. Everything flows from a job. You earn your own money, you don't need anyone else to help you. And it seems to me that should be government's role, is to make sure that it's a fertile ground for jobs and economic development. So when I look at this cup and I look at the competition that'll go on in this cup, better known as our budget, I merely want to explain to you that I always try to find a job because from that every good thing happens. But I do acknowledge an idle hand is the devil's workshop so -- Chair Dunn: Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And before we call the question, I'd like to say something -- a couple of things. One is I just want to clam for the record that the commitment here of the CRA is for phase one of the project. I think it's important because this project has two additional phases, so we want to be clear -- the executive director wanted to be clear for budgeting purposes that we're budgeting for phase one of the project. And I just want to say -- Commissioner -- Board Member Gort, did you want to say something? Commissioner Gort: No, no, no. You finish. Vice Chair Suarez: And I just want to say, before calling the question, you know, we obviously all want parks in our community. Parks are a wonderful thing. You know, they give the youth of our community a place to go and to have fun and to do things that are positive. You know, and as the Chairman said, as time continues and the economy continues to worsen and worsen, it's going to be more and more difficult for us to continue this trend that we've had, which has been a good trend over the last few years of continuing to invest in our parks and in the infrastructure of our parks. And as it gets worse and worse, the economy worsens, you know, we have to make tough decisions. And this is -- we're coming to that point. And I think, you know, I fully support this park, and I wish we had the money to do more parks like this in my district as well. So with that being said, like the Vice Chairman would say, I'd like to call the question. All those in favor, signdy by saying "aye." The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 3/30/2010 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes March 15, 2010 Vice Chair Suarez: Any opposed has the same right to say "nay." Motion passes unanimously. Applause. Chair Dunn: Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. And let me say to my colleagues, especially to Commissioner Sarnoff, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support. As you can see, this is an item that's very, very essential, I believe, to the life, as well as the legacy of this Overtown. And I just find it really heartwarming to see individuals who've been tutored from this same park even when the park was named Dixie Park, when Mr. Alexander's father was there, as well as Mr. Washington, and to the young man now who is -- and good to have you come back home because many of our young, educated individuals from our community don't come back home because of the opportunity to go elsewhere. So I want to thank you all for your vote of confidence, and I'm sure that we will see that this will be a tremendous investment and we will see the return on this investment in the lives of our community in the quality of life. Thank you. Vice Chair Suarez: Thank you. Applause. Chair Dunn: Is there a motion for adjourn? Commissioner Sarnoff So move. Vice Chair Suarez: Second. Chair Dunn: Meeting adjourned. City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 3/30/2010