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Meeting Minutes
Monday, January 30, 2012
5:00 PM
FREDERICK DOUGLASS ELEMENTARY
314 NW 12TH STREET
SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agency
Michelle Spence -Jones, Chairman
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Vice -Chairman
Marc David Sarnoff, Commissioner
Frank Carollo, Commissioner
Francis Suarez, Commissioner
CRA OFFICE ADDRESS:
49 NW 5th ST, SUITE 100, Miami, FL 33128
Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax: (305) 679-6835
www.miamicra.com
SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agency
Meeting Minutes January 30, 2012
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE
FINANCIALS
1.
12-00023
Present: Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Sarnoff, Commissioner Suarez and Vice Chair Gort
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
On the 30th day of January 2012, the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park
West Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in regular session at Frederick
Douglass Elementary, 314 Northwest 12th Street, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to
order by Chair Spence -Jones at 5: 05 p.m. and was adjourned at 5: 57 p.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Pieter Bockweg, Executive Director, CRA
Clarence Woods, Assistant Executive Director, CRA
Veronica Xiques, Assistant General Counsel, CRA
Priscilla A. Thompson, Clerk of the Board
Todd Hannon, Assistant Clerk of the Board
Chair Spence -Jones: Good evening. We'd like to officially call the CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) meeting to order. Before we start, this is the meeting for Monday,
January 30, for the Overtown/Park West -- south Park West and also for the Omni area. Madam
City Clerk, could you please open us up with prayer and Commissioner Sarnoff will do the
pledge of allegiance, which is behind us, and then we'll officially start.
Invocation and pledge of allegiance.
Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to officially call the meeting to order. And I would like to just
say to my fellow Commissioners, I'm feeling a little ill tonight so I'm going to try to get through
the meeting as quickly as possible, and I know we also have the Omni agenda that we need to
also take up. Want to thank Frederick Douglass for hosting us again, elementary school. Let's
give them a hand.
Applause.
Chair Spence -Jones: We really appreciate it.
CRA REPORT
FINANCIAL SUMMARY FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2011
File # 12-00023 01-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
File # 12-00023 1-30-12 Financial Summary.pdf
DISCUSSED
Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Miguel.
Miguel Valentin (Financial Officer, Community Redevelopment Agency): Good evening,
Commissioners. We're going to be presenting the combined statement of financial position as of
December 31, 2011. We're disclosing the amount of 32, 309,454. Also, if you see -- if you're able
to see, we modified the way that we were presenting the balance sheet. In this way you have an
opportunity as to how we have been allocating the cash that we have in place. Again, there is no
reportable condition to make you aware of. And if you have any question, please feel free to ask
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Meeting Minutes January 30, 2012
RESOLUTIONS
2.
12-00026
me.
Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions on the item? Okay, so with that being said, we're going to
move on to the resolutions. And I believe we only have about four or five items that we need to
address in the Overtown CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency).
CRA RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE
SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY ("CRA") DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO REQUEST
THE CITY OF MIAMI MANAGER TO PRESENTA RESOLUTION TO THE
MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY OF
MIAMI TO REIMBURSE THE CRA THE EXPENSES THE CRA INCURRED IN
PREPARING AND OBTAINING APPROVAL OF THE 2009 AMENDED AND
RESTATED SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN IN THE AMOUNT OF $165,691.
File # 12-00026 1-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
File # 12-00026 1-30-12 Legislation.pdf
File # 12-00026 01-30-12 Legislation (signed).pdf
Motion by Board Member Suarez, seconded by Board Member Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: Chair Spence -Jones, Vice Chair Gort, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Sarnoff
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
CRA-R-12-0006
Chair Spence -Jones: So with that being said, I'm going to turn it over to Chelsa for item number
2.
Chelsa Arscott: Chelsa Arscott, the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) program
administrator. Item number 2 is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast
Overtown/Park West CRA directing the executive director to request the City of Miami to -- I'm
sorry, the City of Miami Manager to present a resolution to the Miami City Commission
authorizing and directing the City of Miami to reimburse the CRA the expenses it incurred in
preparing and obtaining approval of the 2009 amended and restated Southeast Overtown/Park
West Community Redevelopment Plan, in the amount of $165, 691. I just wanted to put on the
record that this account that we are requesting reimbursement from is the Southeast
Overtown/Park West development supplemental fee account. It is a restricted fund account.
Article 3 of the Miami City Code details the process for collection of these fees as well as
disbursement of these fees. It is very specific. They are four accounts, four subaccounts
specifically. One is for administration, one is for recovery of expenses for master planning;
another one is for road and transportation -related improvements, and then another one is for air
quality. So the process for the collection of the fees as well as the specific items that can be
reimbursed under this account is fully detailed in Article 3 of the Miami City Code. But just to
give a little background of the Southeast Overtown/Park West DRI (Development of Regional
Impact) -- the full title of that is the Southeast Overtown/Park West Development of Regional
Impact or SEOPW (Southeast Overtown/Park West) DRI for short. And it provides a process by
which opportunities are created for large-scale new development to locate within the Southeast
Overtown/Park West redevelopment area, and we're talking about the original boundaries back
in 1982, when the City -- the County Commission designated the original boundaries of
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Meeting Minutes January 30, 2012
Overtown/Park West as being slum and blighted. And so, again, this process provides an
opportunity for these large-scale developments to locate within the area and further creates
incentives to encourage the redevelopment, rehabilitation, and reuse of existing structures. The
SEOPW DRI is a tool that complements the CRA redevelopment goals and initiatives. And
again, the purpose of pursuing this DRI process was to recognize the original Southeast
Overtown/Park West boundaries, which is approximately 209 acres within Miami's downtown, as
a single area of high -intensity development. And with that, we were able to develop a master
development order program to determine the total allowable development that could be built out
in that particular area. The development orders which would result from this process serve as a
planning guide with the added flexibility of being adjustable to recognize the evolution of market
demand and technologies. And as mandated by State Statutes 380, the primary focus of the DRI
review was to look at the impacts and the needs created by the total allowable development
within the area, specifically on land, water, transportation, environmental, community service,
energy and other resources and systems of regional significance. So to give you an idea, the
original master from an order which was established in 1988 had three increments; the first
having a build out of five years and the following two increments having a build out of ten years.
But back then in 1988, they were looking at about 1 million square feet of office space, 194,000
square feet of retail space, about 1,100 hotel rooms, 9,000 dwelling units and 600,000 square
feet of convention space. That was back in 1988. The proposed increment program, which will
be coming to the City Commission for approval, calls for about 2.3 million square feet of office
space, 1.25 million square feet of retail space, 4,000 dwelling units, 2,100 hotel rooms, and
about 200,000 square feet of conference space. So that kind of give you, you know, an overview
of the DRI process. And again, the contract by which we are proceeding with Increment III is
through the Curtis Group. It's about $1.2 million. So the CRA is fronting all the costs to identify
the total allowable development within this area, and so we're seeking reimbursement of those
funds, as was originally intended when this process was put in place in 1988.
Commissioner Suarez: Move the item.
Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Chelsa.
Commissioner Suarez: Move the item for discussion.
Chair Spence -Jones: I have a motion. Do I have a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff- Second.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, second. You're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have one quick question. It's kind of a
clarification more than a question, which is that you stated at the beginning -- and just for the
benefit of the public, this is a -- the money comes from a special revenue account of the City of
Miami.
Ms. Arscott: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: So I just want to clarify that it's not general fund dollars, correct?
Ms. Arscott: No. It's not general fund dollars.
Chair Spence -Jones: The only thing that I would like to add on that, though -- Oh, I'm sorry.
You had a question or a comment?
Commissioner Sarnoff- Actually a question.
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Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, go ahead.
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't see the same thing coming out from the Omni. Does the Omni
also get reimbursed?
Ms. Arscott: The Omni does have a DRI, the downtown DRI, and they do have an opportunity to
have funds cost -- but that process is run by the Downtown Development Authority, not the CRA
in this case.
Commissioner Sarnoff It's handled by the DDA (Downtown Development Authority)?
Ms. Arscott: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Vice Chair Gort: It's part of the DDA, isn't it?
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, no. And I was aware the DDA got reimbursed. I just was curious.
So the CRA is actually the entity that hired the person to do -- or entity to do the DRI?
Ms. Arscott: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Gort, do you have a comment?
Vice Chair Gort: No.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We had -- did we have -- we had a motion and a second. All in
favor?
The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. The only thing that I want to make a recommendation
for -- I know that in my briefings there were some concerns about really just making sure we
have a full accounting from the City's side as to what is actually owed to the CRA. I'd like to at
least instruct Pieter that we get to the bottom of exactly what that number is. And I'm not sure if
that means we need, you know, to audit it or whatever we need to do to get the information. I
know it's been kind of difficult, but I would like for us to do that. Commissioner Sarnoff, do you
want the same thing to happen on your side for the Omni too, just so you'll at least know what it
is?
Commissioner Sarnoff- Oh, I know. I agree, I agree.
Chair Spence -Jones: So if we can at least have that ready for at least our next CRA meeting,
that would be great.
Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Commissioner, I was
just going to say that we do have an e-mail (electronic) from the Finance Department that as of
6/30/11, the total balance in the account is $885,964.51.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, and I know there were some issues or concerns from
Chelsa's side of it, but I don't think you have that number for Omni, so if you can --
Mr. Bockweg: I'll get it for Omni as well.
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Meeting Minutes January 30, 2012
3.
12-00052
Chair Spence -Jones: -- find that out for him, I think that would be awesome.
[Later..]
Chair Spence -Jones: Let's move on to the next item, which is the Camillus House.
Mr. Bockweg: Yes.
Chair Spence -Jones: Pieter, you want to just give us a briefing on the Camillus House issue?
Mr. Bockweg: Thank you, Commissioner. Before I touch upon the Camillus House,
Commissioner Sarnoff, I just got the number as it relates to the DRI reimbursement for Omni,
and it comes to 4,319,139.
Commissioner Sarnoff- And that would be money that the City owes to the Omni?
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Mr. Bockweg: Yes.
Chair Spence -Jones: Wow.
Mr. Bockweg: Well, it's to the DDA.
Commissioner Sarnoff That's the DDA, right?
Mr. Bockweg: It's money for the -- That's correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff- Right.
Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Mr. Bockweg: Okay. Sorry, Commissioner. I just want to put that out there real quick.
Commissioner Suarez: Moving right along.
Chair Spence -Jones: I know. Right?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Vice Chair Gort: Yeah, yeah. I wanted more information on that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's
not that easy.
Commissioner Suarez: We're going to need to have to investigate that one.
CRA RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST
OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE
EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $4,482.38 TO THE MIAMI
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, FOR TROLLEY SERVICES, IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE 2011 ART BASEL EVENT. FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM THE SEOPW TAX
INCREMENT FUND, ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000.
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Meeting Minutes January 30, 2012
File # 12-00052 1-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
File # 12-00052 1-30-12 Financial Form.pdf
File # 12-00052 01-30-12 Backup.pdf
File # 12-00052 01-30-12 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Board Member Suarez, seconded by Board Member Sarnoff, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: Chair Spence -Jones, Vice Chair Gort, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Sarnoff
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
Chair Spence -Jones: And we're going to go ahead and get started with the official financial
summary for December 3/.
Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Madam Chair, ifI
may. I'd like to pull item number 3 off the agenda --
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Mr. Bockweg: -- please.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Spence -Jones: I have a --
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- second and a motion. All in favor?
The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Spence -Jones: All right, this item is removed
Mr. Bockweg: Thank you.
4. CRA RESOLUTION
12-00028
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST
OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A
GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.00, TO THE BLACK ARCHIVES HISTORY
AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA, INC., TO UNDERWIRTE THE COSTS
OF IMPLEMENTING AND RUNNING THE WARD ROOMING HOUSE AS A TOURIST
DESTINATION TO PROMOTE THE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITES WITHIN THE SEOPW
REDEVELOPMENT AREA, FOR A TIME PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED ONE YEAR;
AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE
FUNDS 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 LCOUNSEL; ALLOCATING FUND FROM
THE SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO.
10050.920101.883000.0000.00000.
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File # 12-00028 01-30-12 Financial Form.pdf
File # 12-00028 01-30-12 Backup.pdf
File # 12-00028 01-30-12 Legislation.pdf
File # 12-00028 01-30-12 Legislation (signed).pdf
Motion by Board Member Suarez, seconded by Vice -Chair Gort, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: Chair Spence -Jones, Vice Chair Gort, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Sarnoff
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
CRA-R-12-0007
Chair Spence -Jones: All right, we're going to move on. We actually deferred item number 3,
and we're going to move on to item number 4. The only thing that I would like to mention before
you present this, Clarence, is that I want to thank Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Gort.
We had a sunshine meeting about a couple of months ago in the heart of Overtown at Jackson
Soul Food a very successful meeting. And this is kind of a spin-off to that recommendation that
came out in the community. And that was to look at tourism opportunities in Overtown to try to
drive people to at least spend money in the area. At this point, we have partnered with the
Convention and Visitors Bureau and we will be doing -- starting the kick-off of these tours in
June. We wanted to do this partnership with Black Archives and the Ward Rooming House. As
you know, this place has been closed for a minute. We need to utilize the facilities to the best of
our abilities. So it will be almost like a tourist development stop. They will come there first and
then go from one space to the next. The four areas or communities that we're going to target for
the first part of the June tour would be Little Haiti, Liberty City -- excuse me, Little Haiti,
Overtown, Wynwood and Little Havana, just as a test run for the tour bus operation. So I just
wanted to at least make sure that you guys know that this ties into the Ward Rooming House and
it being the official launch with the Black Archives.
Clarence Woods (Assistant Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): I think you covered it.
Chair Spence -Jones: You are recognized. I just wanted to let them know what it came from. It
was actually their recommendation, so I wanted them to see that it's moving.
Mr. Woods: Good evening -- or afternoon, Commissioners. Clarence Woods, the assistant
director for the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). This
is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community
Redevelopment Agency authorizing a grant, in an amount not to exceed $50, 000, to the Black
Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc., to underwrite the costs of
implementing and running the Ward Rooming House as a tourist destination to promote the
historic and cultural sites within the Southeast Overtown/Park West redevelopment area, for a
time period not to exceed one year; authorizing the executive director, at his discretion, to
disburse the funds on a reimbursement basis or directly to vendors upon presentation of
satisfactory invoices and satisfactory documentation. Commissioners, as -- or board members,
as Commissioner Spence -Jones just mentioned, this item is to underwrite the cost of operating
the Ward Rooming House as a visitor facility/gallery. As you all well know, the Ward Rooming
House has been renovated and we've put a lot into making it the place that it is. Now we just
need to activate it to operate it. And what the Black Archives is proposing to do is to go in and
occupy the space, create exhibits that would include the history of Overtown, even some of the
history of Miami, as well as boards or presentation boards from the only historic black college in
the -- in Miami, which is Florida Memorial College. So that's where this money will go towards.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Commissioner Gort: Second.
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Chair Spence -Jones: I have a motion, second. All in favor?
The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes.
5. CRA RESOLUTION
12-00029
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST
OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE
ISSUANCE OF A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000.00, TO NEW
PROVIDENCE LODGE 365, INC., TO UNDERWRITE THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH
REPAIRS, ADA IMPROVEMENTS AND 40-YEAR RECERTIFICATION OF THE HISTORIC
STRUCTURE AT 937-939 NW 3RD AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; AUTHORIZING THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE GRANT ON A
REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO SUPPLIERS AND VENDORS, UPON RECEIPT
OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; AUTHRORIZING THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE SEOPW TAX
INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO.
10050.920101.883000.0000.00000.
File # 12-00029 01-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
File # 12-00029 01-30-12 Financial Form.pdf
File # 12-00029 01-30-12 Backup.pdf
File # 12-00029 01-30-12 Legislation.pdf
File # 12-00029 01-30-12 Legislation (signed).pdf
Motion by Board Member Suarez, seconded by Board Member Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: Chair Spence -Jones, Vice Chair Gort, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Sarnoff
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
CRA-R-12-0008
Chair Spence -Jones: And we're going to move on to item number S. And just -- again, this is all
a part of -- it's actually kind of -- this was started really before -- I guess, when I -- my first four
years. This was a project that we started with the masons. As you know -- I see the masons in
the room. If they can please stand up, I would love to recognize and acknowledge you, all of the
masons that are here in support of the project. We really appreciate all the stuff that you guys do
for the community. We really appreciate all of that. This is the effort to, once again, put the
retail space back into operation. It's actually being utilized now, but it's having some issues with
mildew and a few other things, so we're trying to make sure we go ahead and get those two spots
open and moving. This will become actually a museum for masons all across the country. And
we know that they represents [sic] hundreds and thousands of people that will now be corning to
Overtown to hopefully see this museum and utilize the space in the heart of Overtown and
hopefully shop in Overtown as well too. So we're very thankful and grateful for you guys being
here. I just wanted to make sure that the Commissioners know that this is also part of the
tourism effort to put people back to work and to make sure that we highlight our culture. So
thank you, masons, for attending. We really appreciate you showing your support. I did see Tim
in the back real fast, Black Archives. I know the Black Archives will be working along with the
masons to at least tell their story, to actually put together the actual presentation boards and all
of the key things so that when people actually come through the building, they have a true
understanding about the history of the masons. So we're excited about all of the stuff that you
guys are getting ready to do. So I don't know if any of the Commissioners have any questions at
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all regarding the building. Okay, great.
Vice Chair Gort: My understanding, you're also going to restore the rooms --
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Vice Chair Gort: -- what used to be the hotel rooms?
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, yes. We had a motion and --
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Clarence Woods (Assistant Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): No. We didn't even
read it yet.
Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. You didn't read it?
Mr. Woods: No.
Commissioner Suarez: She's doing --
Mr. Woods: We haven't read it yet.
Commissioner Suarez: -- such a good job, Clarence.
Mr. Woods: Yeah. That's --
Chair Spence -Jones: I know.
Mr. Woods: -- I don't --
Commissioner Suarez: You don't need --
Mr. Woods: -- need --
Commissioner Suarez: She's doing all the intro work --
Mr. Woods: There you go.
Commissioner Suarez: -- for you there.
Mr. Woods: You got it.
Chair Spence -Jones: I'm sorry. Do you want to read it, Clarence?
Mr. Woods: No. I don't need to. I don't have to.
Commissioner Suarez: Go ahead.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We had a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye.
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Mr. Woods: That was easy.
Commissioner Suarez: You got to take her to dinner after this or lunch or something.
Chair Spence -Jones: No. Don't take me to dinner; take me home.
Commissioner Suarez: Lunch.
6. CRA RESOLUTION
11-01105
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST
OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A
GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND ($35,000.00), TO
NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION, INC. TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE
REDEVELOPMENT AREA; 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 THE SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS,"
ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000.
File # 11-01105 11-28-11 Cover Memo.pdf
File # 11-01105 11-28-11 Financial Form.pdf
File # 11-01105 11-28-11 Backup.pdf
File # 11-01105 11-28-11 Legislation.pdf
File # 11-01105 11-28-11 Legislation (Signed) 11-01105.pdf
File # 11-01105 01-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
File # 11-01105 01-30-12 Financial Form.pdf
File # 11-01105 01-30-12 Backup.pdf
File # 11-01105 01-30-12 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Board Member Suarez, seconded by Board Member Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: Chair Spence -Jones, Vice Chair Gort, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Sarnoff
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
CRA-R-12-0009
Chair Spence -Jones: Item number 6, which is Neighbors to [sic] Neighbors. I know that's
Leroy. Wherever you are, Leroy, please stand where you are. Okay, we all know NANA
(Neighbors and Neighbors Association), right?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Move it.
Chair Spence -Jones: We had a motion and a second. All in favor?
Commissioner Suarez: Commissioner Sarnoff -- Board Member Sarnoff.
Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, let's --
Commissioner Sarnoff: Second.
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DISCUSSION ITEMS
7.
12-00038
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. The only thing that I -- that -- I don't -- does he need to put
anything --? Okay. Let me just mention -- stand up for a second, Leroy. Where are you? Leroy.
We all know the great work that you're doing, Leroy. I wanted to at least make sure that the
Commissioners knew. We had a wonderful meeting right across the street at Reverend Willie
Williams' place with all of the businesses. For the businesses that attended that meeting, can you
please stand up, that were a part of that, every business that attended that meeting? I see -- and
hospital -- anybody that attended that meeting. There were a group of people. We probably had
about -- I'd say about 60 people that were a part of it representing businesses in the area. It's a
very successful meeting. University of Miami is actually coming on board. Their School of
Business that will be providing their interns -- their students from all over the country to work
along with these businesses to make sure that they're sustaining themselves. I just want to make
it clear with my fellow Commissioners -- I was very clear in that meeting, even with my small
businesses, while I want to continue to provide them support to be on their own two feet, it's
extremely important that they create businesses that are sustaining themselves; that we at the
CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) cannot continue to provide the grants for them to live
off year to year. It just can't happen that way. We won't have any money left. So whether or not
the businesses are working -- if they're not, we have to be able to figure out what works and what
doesn't and transition out of that business if that's not working. But what I wanted to really at
least be able to say on the record is that the meeting was a great meeting. I'm glad that we have
UM (University of Miami). I'm glad that we have the Hospitality Institute and everybody
participating in that, but we now got to get our businesses to the point that they can actually
sustain themselves without necessarily relying on, you know, the government to actually help
them, you know, sustain them the whole time. So that's really what I wanted to make sure. And
Leroy has been doing a great job to make sure they know how to manage and operate their
businesses better, so I just wanted to acknowledge that.
Leroy Jones: Thank you.
Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Leroy.
Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Before you move on, may I have your vote?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. All in favor?
The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Spence -Jones: All right.
CRA DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING LOAN FOR FUNDING CAPITAL PROJECTS.
File # 12-00038 01-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Spence -Jones: So we're going to move to discussion items really quickly. The only thing I
want to say about number 7 -- and I'm going to turn it over to Commissioner Gort -- I want to
thank Commissioner Gort for his work and his effort. I believe he met with a few of the potential
projects that are happening in the area. And as stated earlier in our briefings, that these are
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projects that were already on the Dover Kohl plan for many years. Some of them are also
projects that actually went out to bid many years ago that are now finally starting to move. We
are going to be having a town hall meeting in the month of February to unveil some of those
projects, so we're excited about them. But I do want those individuals -- 'cause I want the
community to be engaged in what's happening. But these are some of the projects that we're
looking at -- and Commissioner Gort will actually drill down on it to make sure, first of all, we
have the money to help fund those projects, which I'm sure with his eagle eyes, it's going to go
well, so I'm excited about that. But I want to acknowledge a couple of them. So if you could
raise your hands and -- I want the community to know you can always see them after the meeting
and just definitely touch bases, but we are going to have an overall community meeting to unveil
these particular plans that the community that we'd like to see everyone participate in. The first
one is Island Living, which is right across the street from the park. And that, I believe, is Carlisle
and -- wherever you are, just raise your hand. Is Carlisle here?
Vice Chair Gort: No funding.
Chair Spence -Jones: Alrighty then.
Vice Chair Gort: That's it. They lost it.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Lyric Place, which is a Gatehouse project. That's right by the Lyric
Theater. I believe that's in partnership with not only the Lyric but the masons -- not the masons,
the longshoremen. Where is longshoremen? Is there a longshoreman in the house? That's
finally moving, very excited about that. And then also I believe that's also with the Black
Archives. Wherever you are, raise your hand. So I would ask that you guys, if there's any
questions you guys have on that, please see them after the meeting. But we will have a town hall
meeting for you to officially see the projects after Commissioner Gort has actually, you know,
gone through the numbers and they all make sense. I'm going to ask for Miguel to step to the
mike and kind of give you an idea of what the -- our financial advisor has said, but I wanted to at
least acknowledge them. Is the Culmer Place project, which is I believe the Alonzo
Mourning/wife -- everybody that's associated with that project, please raise your hand or stand
up to your feet. Okay, stand up so we can see you. Irby's involved in that. Okay, so I'm glad
that you guys are really very much involved in what's happening in the community, that we really
appreciate that. Am I missing --? Oh, St. John's -- anybody from St. John's here? Okay, good,
so we have St. John's here. And then of course, is Town Park here? It's not a new project, but we
know -- all my Town Park people, if you're here, you guys have been come -- stand up, please, so
we can see -- so the Commissioners see y'all represented tonight. I want to tell -- I want the
Commissioners to know how proud I am. Let's give them a hand.
Applause.
Chair Spence -Jones: And I have to say this 'cause this is our -- one of our -- probably our oldest
family, community -driven -- community homeownership. And the last four months since I've
been back, my work has been just trying to help them get their house in order and I'm so proud of
them. I'm so proud to see how organized they've been with getting their documents in order. I
want to acknowledge -- Where is my CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) City Attorney?
She's been outstanding. Please stand up. She's been great helping them at least look at their
documents. That's what this is all about. I want to acknowledge her. Clarence, I know we've
been driving you crazy. Let's give Clarence a hand. He's been doing an outstanding job --
Applause.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- with helping them put things in order from Town Park. And this past
meeting -- and then I'm going to turn it over to both you guys to just give a briefing on it. This
past meeting we have, which was outstanding, Congresswoman Meeks office was there and
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hopefully will deal with some of these HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development)
issues, Pieter, when we go to DC (District of Columbia) with our lobbyists, along with Frederick
-- did I say the wrong name?
Clarence Woods (Assistant Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): You said Meeks.
Chair Spence -Jones: I'm sorry.
Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Fredericka Wilson.
Chair Spence -Jones: Fredericka Wilson and Commissioner Edmonson's office was there and we
are definitely moving that along. I'm so excited about the progress that we have made, but I'm so
excited about my community stepping up to the plate and handling their business and I'm so
proud of y'all for that. Miguel, if you can give a quick update on --
Miguel Valentin (Financial Officer, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yeah.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- where we are with the numbers and then, Commissioner Gort, if you
have any comments on it, then we can take it from there.
Mr. Valentin: Commissioner -- Miguel Valentin, CRA financial officer. Following your
directive that I needed to meet with our PFM that took place last Friday, he ran some scenarios
as to how much is going to be the borrowing capacity that the CRA might get through pledging
our revenues. According to those projections, we are able to get around 25 million. That will be
in addition to the 13.6 million that we have right now in our fund balance. These projections,
they are contemplating -- the assumptions that we contemplated were the following. We used --
as a base amount, we used the TIF (Tax Increment Fund) collected from fiscal year 2012, which
represents the lowest amount that we have collected in recent years. Also we contemplated the
current millage. We contemplated zero growth in the area. And also, since the TIF generated in
the -- or the taxable values assessed in the -- within the expanded boundaries, they haven't
generated any TIF revenue. They were not contemplated at all. And the projections were made
taking into consideration that we're going to be obtaining a loan. We are not going to be issuing
bonds. It's going to be a loan. And practically, this is the picture of our projections.
Chair Spence -Jones: And I have to say to you that Miguel is definitely doing this on a very
conservative --
Mr. Valentin: Yes.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- basis and that was really your direction to like, let's not overpromise and
let's do what we really can do and make it happen from that perspective. But Commissioner
Gort, I would like for you to at least expound on it.
Commissioner Gort: Right now the numbers that I received today are a little different from the
numbers that I've been working on from the last week, so that's why I asked them to please give
me all the -- besides the four individuals that I met with, my understanding, if my memory serves
me correct, it was a total of about $39 million, those four projects alone, and then there was the
13, which it was in reserve that can be used. What we're looking at is going to be different
options. Mainly what we want is to get those projects moving as far -- the ones that can move
right away, within a month or two month, to put people to work and really get this -- get the
things going. And we analyze it and the best way to do it is to go through bank loans, which will
be a lot easier and faster 'cause whenever you do a bond issue, you got to have all your projects
together. You got to have -- you have to have all the information necessary to do a bond issue.
What we can do later on is as the increase of revenues improves, then we might be able to look at
all the projects and additional projects, then do a bond issuance to pay off the loans and get all
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the projects together. What I need is now the -- what are the total projects that we want to do?
What is the cost of each one of them? To have exactly what the cost is and then we have to
prioritize. This is the ones that we can do right away. And I think we should look at the ones
that ready; they have all the finance and ready to go right away. Those are the one we should go
immediately, as soon as possible. But we're working very close with the staff, CRA staff, and the
financial advisors. We going over -- I worked with him before so --
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, good.
Vice Chair Gort: -- he's a very knowledgeable man and we'll get to it.
Mr. Valentin: I just -- I wanted to put something on record that still we are exploring -- or we
are enhancing our analysis in order to see if we are able to increase our incapacity.
Vice Chair Gort: The one thing is we want to make sure that when we make a commitment, that
it can be done. I mean, we don't want to have the experience, oh, we going to do it, and then all
of a sudden, says no, we don't have the money. We got to make sure when we okay a project, the
money and the funds are there to be able to do it.
Commissioner Suarez: Madam Chair.
Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Sure.
Commissioner Suarez: If I may.
Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you. I have one question. I mean, I just received this, so I haven't
-- really haven't had a chance to take a look at it in depth. But my one question to you is, are
you anticipating borrowing the money from -- the CRA actually being the borrower? In other
words --
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. That's what I thought. That's what I've been told before, that the
CRA will be the borrower. Okay, I'll take a look at it and ifI have any other questions, I'll --
Mr. Valentin: If you need anything else, I will forward whatever information --
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Mr. Valentin: -- you want.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Miguel.
Chair Spence -Jones: And Vice Chair Gort is actually taking the lead in this portion of it. This is
his world. He kind of knows how this operates and you give stuff to people that know what
they're doing. So I know that Pieter -- if you can let us know what our next steps on this then --
Mr. Bockweg: Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to say that the projects you had listed and
obviously the numbers that were thrown out that, you know, it's all subject to coming to terms --
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Mr. Bockweg: -- and having the funds available. So I want to at least put that on the record.
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The next step, obviously, we will finalize the numbers and get the most updated figures on the
different scenarios that we are looking into, possibly increasing our debt service. We don't know
if we're able to, but we're just going to take a look at that. From there, since we are going out for
a loan, we will put an RFP (Request for Proposals) out and try to get as many respondents as
possible. This is very similar to what has been done in Daytona Beach, Riviera Beach and other
CRAB in the state of Florida. And then obviously, once we have reviewed that with a committee
that we'll establish to review it, then that will come before the Board to ultimately -- you know,
our recommendation to which bank we would create that loan with.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Bockweg: But obviously, the first step is to get the most up-to-date numbers before we even
do that.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we're talking about another 60 days --
Mr. Bockweg: Yes.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- Commissioner Gort, 90?
Vice Chair Gort: It should be less than that.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay --
Mr. Valentin: Yeah.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- great, great.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Madam Chair.
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Is this going to require a bond validation?
Mr. Bockweg: Well, no, because we're not actually going to bond.
Vice Chair Gort: No. We're going to the bank.
Mr. Bockweg: We're actually going for a traditional loan, just like you would get a mortgage on
a house. We would put out an RFP, look for banks to provide that line of credit or that loan to
us, and then we would obviously have the debt --
Mr. Valentin: But --
Mr. Bockweg: -- service tied to that.
Mr. Valentin: -- ifI may. It requires County's approval.
Mr. Bockweg: Right, right.
Commissioner Sarnoff I thought -- yeah, and that was my next question. That's why I was
curious how you get it done in 60 days.
Mr. Bockweg: Well, no. The --
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Chair Spence -Jones: Sixty days from us.
Mr. Bockweg: -- RFP process.
Chair Spence -Jones: He's talking about the --
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh.
Mr. Bockweg: The RFP process.
Commissioner Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- So you wouldn't actually start the bonding -- I'm sorry, not bonding.
Mr. Bockweg: The loan.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- 'Cause this is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 5:38:41.
Commissioner Suarez: The borrowing.
Commissioner Sarnoff This is just a straight up 30-year loan or with a 30-year --
Mr. Valentin: No, 12.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- amortization?
Mr. Bockweg: Twelve years?
Mr. Valentin: Twelve years.
Mr. Bockweg: Twelve years.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- Twelve years.
Mr. Bockweg: And yes, Commissioner, it would need County approval 'cause obviously we are
obligating future TIF revenues to pay off the debt service. So, yes, it would need County
approval.
Commissioner Suarez: Madam Chair. I -- when he --
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. You're recognized.
Commissioner Sarnoff. No, it's okay.
Commissioner Suarez: I guess my question is -- you know, I think, Mr. Bockweg, what might
make sense is to get like a one page summary as to why we're doing this essentially and why it
makes sense --
Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- to do it. I can think of a variety of different reasons off the top of my
head why it makes sense to do something like this, but you know, it's good for the benefit of the
public that we, you know, actually explain it and have it out there for consumption purposes.
Chair Spence -Jones: And just so that we're clear on Commissioner Gort's -- I really wanted the
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Vice Chair to take the lead on this, on this issue, so I guess he can work along with Pieter to
work to --
Vice Chair Gort: Well, one of the things we're asking is the leverage. I mean, we got to borrow
so much, but we going to bring X'amount of money because my understanding is the four
projects, we going to probably invest about $29 million, but in return, we're going to get -- I
think it's about 150 to $200 million that's going to be spent in this community. So I think it's very
important not only the leverage that the -- those loans will bring to this community, but at the
same time, the amount -- the project itself, the benefit of the projects, the amount of employees,
temporary employees because of construction and permanent employees once the buildings or
the work is being done. I think it's very important -- and I've been asking for that so I need that
in order to really continue in this. And now the difference between the bond issuance and this,
we doing an RFP with the different banks and banks have to commit with the CRA also, so
they're looking for places where they can invest their money. And since we have the revenues
that we have, we're able to provide the debt service as a bank will be willing to finance at a very
low percentage; might even do better than a bond issue.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. And I know there was some discussion about validation and I think
it came up in the context of another, you know, pending transaction. But at the end of the day, I
think -- my understanding, a validation is simply that the lending entity does its due diligence on
the organization to determine that it's legally functioning and that the revenue that it's
generating could be legally pledged, you know. And so there may have been some document that
was missing in one case in another CRA, I think.
Mr. Bockweg: The validation process, Commissioner, you're referring to had to do with the
Omni CRA as far as going out to bond for the port tunnel. And it's actually a court action, as
you know.
Commissioner Suarez: And I'm sure that -- what I'm trying to say is that even though a bank will
not do a -- maybe will not do a traditional bond validation process, they're going to do their due
diligence.
Mr. Bockweg: Of course.
Commissioner Suarez: They're not going to lend $30 million without --
Mr. Bockweg: Of course.
Commissioner Suarez: -- feeling comfortable that, you know, the money is, you know, coming in;
that the, you know, CRA is properly --
Mr. Bockweg: Of course.
Commissioner Suarez: -- established and --
Mr. Bockweg: Those documents will all be part of the application. Just as a point of
clarification, Commissioner, as far as the one page summary you're referring to, did you want a
one page summary saying why the loan over the bond or why --
Commissioner Suarez: No, no, no.
Mr. Bockweg: -- we're doing the actual --
Commissioner Suarez: Just the loan generally, like period.
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8.
12-00045
Mr. Bockweg: -- why we're doing the loan at all?
Commissioner Suarez: Right. Like all the benefits to doing --
Mr. Bockweg: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: -- this transaction.
Mr. Bockweg: Okay.
Mr. Valentin: Commissioner Suarez, right off the bat, a loan is quicker --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Mr. Valentin: -- the transaction. And also, in order to put you at ease as to the validation,
remember that the CRA issue bonds back in 1990. That validation was done at that time.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. I don't have any problem. I'm just trying to explain it for the
record so that people understand 'cause some of these terms people don't understand, so the
public can understand what the terms mean and what -- you know, how they affect this decision.
I think there's a lot of good reasons to do it. You know, one of the things is it makes us more
disciplined, you know, in terms of how we spend our money because, you know, you have time
deadlines. One of the things -- you know, we are constantly in the City, on the City side, for our
bonds we are cognizant of time deadlines and --
Mr. Bockweg: Thirty-six months.
Commissioner Suarez: Right. And also, in the case of the City, the bonds that we've issued are
pegged to certain projects, and so there's accountability, you know, there's time deadlines,
there's -- you know, so it gives you a sense that things are being done in an orderly fashion.
Chair Spence -Jones: Any other comments? All right, thank you, Miguel. I have two more items
to address. I do just want to add from the administration side of it, the shopping plaza. I'm sure
you know the shopping plaza, which is right down the street from here. I've also asked them to,
as a part of this whole capital projects and just getting projects moving -- that shopping plaza
has been closed for quite some time now. I know it's something you guys probably were working
on while I was gone. Hopefully, we can get this RFP (Request for Proposals) out and at least get
a little small grocery store in the area. That's one of the things that the community has said that
they'd like to see happen. I think we have two or three grocers that are interested. We're talking
about 40 jobs that could be coming in the area almost immediately, which I think is extremely
important for the community. And then I believe we have two little shops that are -- there's also
an interest in; Blimpie's, along with Lotus House doing some sort of coffee -type shop. So
anything that we can do with the properties that we have so that the people of Overtown can at
least have something right in their neighborhoods is extremely important. So I wanted to at least
make sure that we're prepared in the next CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting to
kind of bring that in February as well.
CRA DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING CAMILLUS HOUSE.
File # 12-00045 01-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
MOTION
A motion was made by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, and was
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passed unanimously, with Commissioner Carollo absent, to authorize the Executive Director to
negotiate an extension of the previous February 1 deadline; further authorizing the Executive
Director to draft and execute a letter agreement for said purpose.
Pieter Bockweg (Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): The Camillus House
item, Commissioner, as far as the contract that was negotiated with Camillus House, there's a
provision in the contract that by February 1, the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), by
written notice, had to notify Camillus House our intention of the property which they're currently
located on Miami Avenue and 8th Street. I am requesting -- and I have spoken to Camillus
House and they are in approval and they are also here represented -- to extend that deadline to
July 1, which is the deadline in the contract that they will actually be relocating to their new
facility on 7th Avenue. The deadline that I'm asking to be extended is the CRA's intention as it
relates to the property of being the second in line for the first right of refusal for that piece of
property. So we actually have the opportunity to purchase that property and ultimately, you
know, develop it or do with what the Board ultimately pleases. But we are the second in line of
the right of first refusal. So I'm asking for that deadline to be extended to July 1 to coincide with
them being relocated.
Commissioner Suarez: Do you want us to pass a resolution to that effect?
Mr. Bockweg: Yes, if you don't mind. And Camillus House is here, if they'd like to put on the
record that they are okay with this extension.
Commissioner Suarez: I'll make a motion from the CRA that we engage in an extension, I guess,
negotiation with them, which they will presumably, hopefully, accept, according to your
representations.
Mr. Bockweg: Yes. That's what that --
Commissioner Suarez: I move --
Mr. Bockweg: -- that's what they have --
Commissioner Suarez: -- that. I move that.
Mr. Bockweg: -- informed me of.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion and second. All in favor on that item?
The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Spence -Jones: I just want -- I see Dr. Ahr. Thank you so much for coming, Dr. Ahr.
Hopefully, we're able to get the item. We know -- I know that him and I have been discussing
trying to figure out the Mt. Zion issue and the feeding on 3rdAvenue, which is -- you know, as we
begin to clean up 3rdAvenue, you know, we're having some challenges with having people from
all over the city coming to that one place on 3rdAvenue to feed. So we're trying to figure out
another alternative space. As you know, this was the same space -- it was one time at Trinity, but
it shifted to Mt. Zion on 3rd, which is now -- it's really becoming an issue. It's like as much as I
clean up, you know, we just have to figure out -- so I thank Dr. Ahr for working with us on, you
know, trying to figure out the solution to that. I don't know if you wanted to officially put
something on the record with that.
Paul Ahr: Thank you, Commissioner. Paul Ahr, 336 Northwest 5th. Fred Mimms (phonetic),
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who's here with us, went over and met with the representative of Mt. Zion. A community group is
coming in there that -- feeding, but I think from the Mt. Zion point of view, it's really causing a
problem --
Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Mr. Ahr: -- in terms of the wear and tear on their buildings. We'd like to speak with you and
Commissioner Sarnoff about, at least while we are still at that location -- And as you heard, we
expect to be out of there by the 1st of July -- allowing that program to come over, if that's okay. I
mean, I know we're moving into the other district so we need to be respectful of that, but it's
creating a real hardship. My belief is is that if that feeding were to be discontinued over there,
we would be just back to more vans and more street feeders. So we've talked to Commissioner
Gort about the whole issue of long-term -- what's going to happen to feeding long term. And I
do have an appointment to present to the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) about what
our plans are for relocation. But we're in the zone now. I mean, we're within 180 days of
moving, so we need to --
Commissioner Sarnoff Dr. Ahr, I just want to be the person driving the bulldozer the day that
you leave.
Mr. Ahr: I said that --
Vice Chair Gort: I got shotgun.
Mr. Ahr: -- we would let you be on it, but we were wondering if you would ever get off of it.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- I may not stop for awhile, but --
Mr. Ahr: And Mr. Cromer's (phonetic) getting really nervous. He wants to see your credentials.
Commissioner Sarnoff I will get my CDL (Commercial Driver's License) before that, I promise.
Mr. Ahr: Thank you so much.
Chair Spence -Jones: And the only thing that I ask is as we're bulldozing and we're driving them,
we're not driving it all to Overtown. So we need to really have a plan because that's kind of what
has happened and we can't think about redeveloping the area and empowering the community
and then, all of a sudden, Overtown becomes a dumping ground. I don't want that. I mean, I'm
the first one --
Applause.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- to support, you know, the homeless 'cause they need help and we need to
support them. They're our brothers and our sisters too. But we got to figure out a way to do it in
a way so it's not one particular district bearing everything. And that somehow happens to
District 5 all the time. So I'm just hoping that you guys can work on putting a plan together that
kind of disperses it in a way that it's not all in one particular community --
Mr. Ahr: I agree.
Chair Spence -Jones: -- 'cause it will make no sense for us to rebuild the -- all the stuff you're
looking at doing, it defeats the purpose.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- Dr. --
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Mr. Ahr: Well --
Commissioner Sarnoff.- I'm sorry. Dr. Ahr, are you working with Dr. Montoya from Miami
Dade Community College? He's doing a big report on homelessness with the DDA.
Mr. Ahr: I don't know. Karen Mahar may be. I'll check, Commissioner.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Would you check and make sure because that report is probably coming
out in the next 40 or 50 days.
Mr. Ahr: Okay. Do we know, Fred?
Unidentified Speaker: No. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 5: 50: 09.
Mr. Ahr: Yeah, okay. I'll check. And if not, I'll reach out to --
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you.
Vice Chair Gort: Let me tell you what we're doing. We had a meeting at the Mayor's office with
the Trust, the Homeless Trust, Dr. Ahr, and some of the people involved with homeless. As we
put all the numbers together, all the different agencies providing services to the homeless, you
got at least about $50 million a year that is being expended in try to help a lot of the homeless.
The -- one thing I think we need and we trying to get the City to take the leadership because we
take it all. City of Miami takes them all. I mean, you got it in your district, my district,
downtown. So it's trying to bring all these agencies together and coordinate all the efforts to
make sure that we support each other. The resources are there so we got to find ways to put them
all together and work as a team. We need to start doing that. So we are working on that. Dr.
Ahr's going to be very helpful with that and we're working with the people in the City of Miami.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- You know, bear in mind, there are a lot of cities, a lot of municipalities
throughout Miami -Dade County that don't have any homeless shelters --
Vice Chair Gort: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff.- Miami Beach, for one -- and simply send their homeless to Miami. And
while -- and some of them don't even pay the requisite fee and tax that we pay. And some of them
do pay that tax, saying, well, we pay the tax; we just don't have to have the homeless in our own
municipality. And that's, I think, the point of the report that Dr. Montoya's doing, which is what
is all the funding sources, what is all the services being provided, and who is it that pays and
who is it that doesn't pay, and who is it that gets to use their community development tax dollars
as part of their general fund. You know, what three municipalities get to do that; 'cause we don't.
And it's just a report to everyone to explain just how fair or unfair the system is because Miami,
and specifically District 5, or even part of District 2, is simply not the dumping ground for
Miami -Dade in general, and it has been historically for the past 30 years.
Vice Chair Gort: Well, even downtown's been affected quite a bit. The development --
Chair Spence -Jones: That's District 2.
Vice Chair Gort: -- downtown's not taking place west because of that.
Commissioner Sarnoff- That's where they all send them.
Chair Spence -Jones: So we -- we're not making it your issue, Dr. Ahr --
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Mr. Ahr: It's just --
Chair Spence -Jones: -- but you know, you are standing at the mike. So we just want to be able
to work with you to figure out how we can address this issue because it is an important part of us
redeveloping the area. And I think that Pieter's also -- we still need to sit down and work out the
details with the commitment that was made out of the Overtown money for the $2 million per
year. I know that happened while I was gone as a part of the overall global, but I know that I
supported the Camillus House, but I did not want a certain portion of those proceeds to be taken
out annually, not at that amount. We were going to spread it out over a certain period of time.
So hopefully, we're able to work through that, Dr. Ahr, because I think the people of Overtown
also need to have some support going, you know, to some of their projects and some of their
initiatives as well.
Mr. Ahr: Well, we talked before the holiday. We've been running some scenarios. As I
mentioned this would be something I'd have to take to my board. We can meet offline on that
and tell you the --
Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Mr. Ahr: -- progress.
Chair Spence -Jones: And thank you so much for being a good neighbor.
Mr. Ahr: Thank you.
Chair Spence -Jones: I really appreciate it.
Mr. Ahr: Thank you.
Mr. Bockweg: Madam Chair, if I may. Dr. Ahr, I don't mean to put you on the spot, but today is
the 30th and tomorrow is the 1st for the deadline so --
Mr. Ahr: Oh, you got one more day. It's not 'til Wednesday.
Mr. Bockweg: Could you --? Well, Wednesday, I apologize. Could you confirm that you're okay
with --
Mr. Ahr: Yes.
Mr. Bockweg: -- the extension to July 1?
Mr. Ahr: As a matter of fact, I was the one who called Pieter and said we're getting pretty close
here. If you want to do it, let's make sure it gets done at this meeting. So we're very happy on the
extension. It's a property that has been appraised. We have an appraisal on it and we do want
to essentially move out and sell that property. We have bank loans that are contingent upon us
selling it, as well as the CRA commitment. Our commitment is to actually -- we've got a contract
with Coastal. And as soon as we're out, our plan is to call up Commissioner Sarnoff and tell him
to put his hard hat on and come because we really don't want it to become overrun, and we think
that that's a high likelihood. So we need to move out and then right away go.
Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Dr. Ahr.
Mr. Ahr: Thank you.
VeronicaXiques (Assistant General Counsel): Madam Chair, ifI may. To clarify, the motion
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you passed was authorizing the executive director to negotiate an extension of the February 1
date. Can you further expand that motion to allow him to enter into a letter agreement that he
doesn't have to return --?
Chair Spence -Jones: Pieter, you want to put that official --
Commissioner Suarez: I will amend -- I'll amend my motion --
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: -- to --
Commissioner Sarnoff.- Seconder accepts.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: -- state that.
Mr. Bockweg: As far as I'm concerned, Madam Chair, the negotiations are over. He has -- he's
okay with --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, but you got to sign the docs and stuff.
Mr. Bockweg: So we'll just --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, it makes sense.
Mr. Bockweg: -- we'll draft the document --
Commissioner Suarez: It's the right way to do it.
Mr. Bockweg: -- and execute that document.
Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Thank you, Veronica.
Commissioner Suarez: Good job.
9. CRA DISCUSSION
12-00027
DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING THE CHILDREN'S TRUST.
File # 12-00027 01-30-12 Cover Memo.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Spence -Jones: With that being said, our last item is the Children's Trust. It's not going to
be very long. Pieter -- and I want to thank Pieter. Pieter was a bulldog in the meeting. The only
thing that I wanted to mention to my fellow Commissioners -- the only person that would
probably remember this is Commissioner Sarnoff -- is, you know, the whole issue with the
Children's Trust. And from day one, you know that we always pushed to make sure whatever
dollars or revenues that were collected, that it stayed within those areas. I think they pretty much
did it in Omni. They did it pretty well because most of the projects, like the Peace Foundation,
they're all in the Omni. But somehow in the Overtown area, once again, there's so many
programs that help young people, that help parents; that they're funding a lot of the larger
agencies -- which I don't have a problem with University of Miami and Jackson Memorial 'cause
they all are providing services. But there are so many other smaller programs, like the Optimist
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NON -AGENDA ITEMS
NA.1
12-00151
NA.2
12-00152
Club, that are -- you know, they're just -- they're dying trying to survive and they get no funding
and they get no support from the Children's Trust. And I know that part of the issue has always
been, well, they don't have the capacity. Then we need to develop something that helps them
build capacity because it makes no sense for Francis -- I see popped in the back -- to be
servicing 400 kids in Overtown and he's doing it on a shoestring budget and having no support,
you know. And that's just -- that just can't be a reality for -- you know, if we're servicing kids in
this area. So I'm asking for the Children's Trust -- and we have been meeting with them --
Pieter's been the bulldog in the meeting. I appreciate you being the bulldog in the meeting -- to
figure out how to -- yes, you can manage the process. I don't have a problem with that. But let's
figure out a way so that the Overtown youth -based organizations and programs or families, they
have an opportunity to at least grow so that they can compete like everyone else. So we're asking
-- School Board rep, I would love for you to sit with us on that committee, you know, for the
Overtown area with the Children's Trust. I'm sure you can bulldog them too to make sure that
the kids in this particular area, you know, they have the support as well. So I just wanted to let
you know that --
Unidentified Speaker: I'd be happy to.
Chair Spence -Jones: I really appreciate that. All right. And with that being said, I think that we
are officially finished on the item. So with that being said, Madam City Clerk, this meeting is
adjourned and we will now go into the Omni.
CRA DISCUSSION
CHAIR SPENCE-JONESACKNOWLEDGED THE CITY DEPARTMENTS IN
ATTENDANCE.
DISCUSSED
Chair Spence -Jones: I do want to acknowledge the City departments. I see a few of them here.
It's great to see that the park next door, Gibson, is finally moving. To actually see the field and
the building itself coming up out of the ground I think is great. I know that the community's been
waiting for it for a long time and I'm just glad to see that it's finally happening, so I wanted to
thank the staff from the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) and also from the City
department.
CRA DISCUSSION
CHAIR SPENCE-JONES ACKNOWLEDGED THE DISTINGUISHED
GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE.
DISCUSSED
Chair Spence -Jones: All right, last item and then we're going to move on to Omni. The last item
is the Children's Trust. I don't know if there's any representatives of the Children's Trust, but I
would like to acknowledge that we do have our School Board representative, Dorothy
Bendross-Mindingall. Let's give her a hand. She's joining us.
Applause.
Chair Spence -Jones: We actually happen to be in her house this evening. So thank you for
having us. And then also, I see bishop in the back, Bishop Adams, from -- we did call you earlier
-- St. John's. Let's give him a hand. I thank you, bishop, for attending tonight.
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Applause.
Chair Spence -Jones: And I'm going to say, it is amazing to see what's happening or
transforming in Overtown. These two ministers, pastors, bishops, whatever you want to call it,
between Reverend Lake and Bishop Adams, just a new energy is happening in Overtown, and it's
-- I'm so thankful and so grateful to have y'all here. It's -- you can actually see the difference
happening on the streets, and I just want to acknowledge your presence.
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