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Home My WebLink AboutSEOPW OMNI CRA 2007-01-29 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com * IMCORP GROTED lEmSIE Co l 11, • Meeting Minutes Monday, January 29, 2007 5:00 PM FREDERICK DOUGLASS ELEMENTARY (in the Cafetorium) 314 NW 12TH STREET MIAMI, FLORIDA 33136 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Michelle Spence -Jones, Chair Angel Gonzalez, Vice Chair Marc David Sarnoff, Commissioner Joe Sanchez, Commissioner Tomas Regalado, Commissioner ************************** CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 49 NW 5th ST, SUITE 100, Miami, FL 33128 Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax: (305) 679-6835 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 INVOCATION Minutes are transcribed verbatim. Periodically, agenda items are revisited during a meeting. "[Later...]" refers to discussions that were interrupted and later continued. Present: Commissioner Regalado, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sarnoff Absent: Vice Chair Gonzalez and Commissioner Sanchez On the 29th day of January 2007, the Board of Directors of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Districts of the City of Miami met in regular session in the Cafetorium of Frederick Douglass Elementary School, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Michelle Spence -Jones at 5:01 p. m. and was adjourned at 7: 09 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: James H. Villacorta, Interim Executive Director, CRA Kevin R. Jones, Assistant General Counsel, CRA William R. Bloom, Special Counsel, CRA Pamela E. Burns, Assistant Clerk of the Board Chair Spence -Jones: Good afternoon. We're going to officially call the January 29 meeting to order for the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). I'd like to ask everyone to please take their seats. Before we get started, I want to make some little slight changes to how we do our CRA meeting. I do believe it's really important to start off things in the right way, so I'm going to ask my colleague to my second right, Commissioner Regalado, to, at least, give us a small prayer to start. Commissioner Regalado: Thank you. Invocation delivered. ORDER OF THE DAY Chair Spence -Jones: OK. I'd like to just make two little quick announcements. First of all, I don't know if the principal here -- is here. I want to, at least, say a special thank you to Principal McGinnis, which is one of the schools that I have adopted in Overtown, at Douglass Elementary, and at least, thank her staff for allowing us to use her space here in the heart of Overtown, so I want to say special thanks to the staff here at Douglass for their support. We're going to go ahead and get started on the meeting. I do want to say that the meeting -- I'd like to, at least, be done by at least 7 o'clock, and hopefully, we'll be able to move pretty quickly on the agenda. I do have another engagement, so if the meeting needs to continue, then I ask for, at least, my -- well, we don't have a quorum then, so the meeting will have to be over, so -- unless Commissioner Sanchez actually comes, so just wanted to -- wanted folks to be mindful of that. [Later...] Chair Spence -Jones: It is five minutes to 7, and we're going to be done by 7, but before we do that, if you have any questions, please step to the mike, but we are going to be done by 7. I want to also acknowledge our new chairwoman of the Overtown Oversight Board, at least. She's here, if she can stand up. Where is she? I saw her. Let's give her a hand. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: She's going to be doing some great things in the area. City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 FINANCIALS 1. 06-02289 CRA REPORT FINANCIAL SUMMARY THROUGH MONTH ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2006 Financial Summary.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: So I'm going to ask now that we turn it over to Jim, our executive director for the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), to give us a financial summary or a financial report on where we are. It's number 1 on the agenda. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yeah. The first item on the agenda is the monthly financial report, and the CRA's CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Miguel Valentin, will give you that. Miguel Valentin (Financial Officer, Community Redevelopment Agency): Good evening, Chairman [sic], Commissioners. I just -- I want you to go over the combined statement of financial position. The first item that you will find is the cash unrestricted. We are disclosing the amount of $80,000 for Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA, and 100,000 for Omni CRA. Also, I wanted you to look at item number 2. In the footnotes area, you will see, on the last sentence, that we allocated 546,744 toward the affordable housing project that we just started, and those monies, they are within the $9.1 million that we're disclosing under Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA, and there is no reportable conditions. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. I just want to tell you thank you for definitely adding that to the footnotes because I -- that's one of the things that we have requested to have happen to make sure that we keep it on our -- the top of our minds to how important it is to make sure that the affordable housing issue or crisis is being dealt with it, at least in the Overtown area. I want to just ask my colleagues, you have any questions about the financial report? Commissioner Sarnoff.• No. Chair Spence -Jones: So do we have a --? Mr. Villacorta: We usually don't vote to -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK, you don't -- Mr. Villacorta: -- accept -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK -- Mr. Villacorta: -- them. Just -- they're just presented. Chair Spence -Jones: -- so no other questions? So I guess we can move on. Thank you so much, Miguel. 2. 06-02307 CRA PRESENTATION PRESENTATION OF AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. PRESENTED James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): And item number 2 on the agenda is the presentation of the annual audited financial statements from our City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 outside auditor, Sanson, Kline -- Commissioner Regalado: That's the one we got, right? Jim, that's the one we had -- that's the one we got several days ago? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: Oh, I read it. Mr. Villacorta: This -- Richie Tandoc: Good after -- Mr. Villacorta: -- is a state required report that we have an outside financial auditor come in and audit our books every year. Mr. Tandoc: Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Chairman [sic] and board members. My name is Richie Tandoc. I am a partner with Sanson, Kline, Jacomino & Company, in charge of the CRA's (Community Redevelopment Agency's) annual audit. First, I'd like to thank Jim and his staff for assisting us in completing this audit on a timely basis. We continue to complete the audit in a timely and efficient manner, in cooperation with the City's finance staff. We completed the audits and issued the finance statements for the Southeast Overtown/Park West, Omni, and Midtown Community Redevelopment Agencies back on December 5, 2006, and we delivered copies of each of the reports, along with our opinions, and the management letter to each of the board members. Our opinions were unqualified, meaning they were clean opinions, and they were dated December 5, 2006, which was the last day of our fieldwork. In addition, we issued our reports on internal control and on compliance and other matters, also known as the Yellow Book report, as required for governmental entities, all of which were also unqualified opinions and dated December 5, 2006. We were not aware of any significant unusual transactions recorded by the agencies during that fiscal year or any changes to the agencies' accounting policies. In fact, the accounting policies used by the agencies were consistent from the prior year and were those policies prescribed by accounting standards. We're not aware of any fraud or illegal acts that occurred during the fiscal year involving senior management or any fraud or illegal acts involving any employees that would cause a material misstatement to the financial statements. In addition, we had no significant audit adjustments during our audit. Lastly, my firm and all of its professionals continue to be independent, in fact and in appearance, of the agencies and the City of Miami, and we have not performed any other services for the agencies for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006. With regards to our management letter issued for the agencies, that report was prepared in accordance with the rules of the Auditor General of the State of Florida, and for the fiscal ended September 30, 2006. We noted no material observations, reportable conditions, or material weaknesses. This is reflective of the overall continuous efficiency and effectiveness in the agency's accounting operations from year to year. If you have any questions specifically about the financial statements or the management letter, I'd be happy to address those. Chair Spence -Jones: Colleagues, do you have any questions for him? Commissioner Sarnoff• No. Commissioner Regalado: I don't have any -- Commissioner Sarnof No. Commissioner Regalado: -- question. City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 RESOLUTIONS 3. 06-02290 Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Regalado: I just want to know why don't we have any attorneys here. Mr. Villacorta: I'm not sure where the -- Chair Spence -Jones: City Attorney is. Mr. Villacorta: -- City Attorney is, and we usually don't have -- Chair Spence -Jones: They all knew where the meeting was, right? Mr. Villacorta: -- the outside counsel come, unless there's an issue, so that we don't incur the cost. Commissioner Regalado: It's fine by me. I mean, you're an attorney, so we save another salary, you know. Chair Spence -Jones: Has someone reached out to Mr. Hernandez to make sure that he knows where he's going for the meeting? He -- Mr. Villacorta: I know they keep our attorney pretty busy with multiple projects. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, Jim. Commissioner Sarnoff. You're full-time now, right? Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so any other questions before we --? We don't have to move this. All right, so, for the most part, we got a clean bill of health? Mr. Villacorta: No, unqualified, clean bill of health as to financial management, accounting procedures and internal controls. That has not been the case three years ago, when we would have 20 audit findings, and they would carry over from year to year. I think -- I want to thank the CRA staff for the fine work they're doing. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you so much. Mr. Tandoc: Thank you. CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA") AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,000, WITH LOGAN CORPORATION FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF BANNERS ON STREET LIGHT POLES IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE CRA'S NORTHWEST 3RD AVENUE BUSINESS CORRIDOR AS PART OF THE NORTHWEST 3RD AVENUE BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAM; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.534000.0000.00000. City ofMiami Page 5 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Cover Memo001.pdf Financial Form.pdf Backup001.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Regalado, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sarnoff Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Gonzalez and Commissioner Sanchez CRA-R-07-0001 Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so we're going to move on to the next thing on the agenda, which is -- I'm going to turn over to our executive director. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 3 is 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 6,000, with Logan Corporation for the purchase and installation of banners on street light poles in the general vicinity of the CRA's (Community Redevelopment Agency's) Northwest 3rd Avenue business corridor as part of the 3rd Avenue business corridor beautification program. We solicited proposals from three different firms. Logan Corporation provided us with the most complete and responsive bid. Examples of the banners are included in the package behind the financial summary memo. Chair Spence -Jones: If I can just add, to my colleagues, this is a project that we started a few months ago in regards to the 3rd Avenue beautification project. I believe some of the members of the 3rd Avenue beautification project is -- they're here tonight. If you all -- can you just stand where you are? I think Principal McGinnis from the school is actually here. I don't know if there's any others that are here, but I want to at least -- Principal McGinnis, if you could please stand. She's a wonderful, wonderful principal here at Douglass, and her students were charged with coming up with several designs for one of the banners, and this is the one that was selected by the committee that will actually go in the Overtown area highlighting the kids' work, so we want to -- let's give the -- let's give Douglass kids a hand for their hard work. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. It was a joint, I guess, combination be -- Cathleen McGinnis: Joint effort, but the winner (INAUDIBLE) -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK, from Booker T. Cathleen McGinnis: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Principal McGinnis, so this is just a part of the several different things that we're going to do as a part of the beautification project. Commissioner Regalado: Move it. Commissioner Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: OK, great. This item passes. 4. 06-02291 CRA RESOLUTION A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ("CRAS") AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO UTILIZE THE CITY'S OPTION TO PIGGYBACK ON THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S CONTRACT WITH DELL MARKETING, LLP FOR THE PURCHASE OF COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $21,000; FURTHER DECLARING THE EXISTING COMPUTER EQUIPMENT SURPLUS AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DONATE SAID EQUIPMENT, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO NON-PROFIT CORPORATIONS OR OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CRAS' REDEVELOPMENT AREAS; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND, ENTITLED "EQUIPMENT," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10030.920101.664000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Legislation.pdf Backup.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Regalado, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sarnoff Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Gonzalez and Commissioner Sanchez CRA-R-07-0002 Direction by Chair Spence -Jones to the Executive Director to meet with the Veterans Employment Transition Service and the Overtown NET Director, Loren Daniel, to come back with a recommendation to donate surplus computers to the Overtown resource center on 3rd Avenue to assist with job placement and job training support by the CRA meeting currently scheduled for February 26, 2007. Chair Spence -Jones: We move on to number 4 -- S. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 4 is a joint resolution of the Boards of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agencies authorizing the executive director to utilize the City's option to piggyback on the State of Florida's contract with Dell Marketing for the purchase of computer equipment, in an amount not to exceed 21,000; and further, declaring the existing computer equipment surplus, and authorizing the executive director to donate the equipment, at his discretion, to nonprofit corporations or other community based organizations within the CRA's (Community Redevelopment Agency's) redevelopment areas. The present computers that we have are outside warranty and not being maintained by the City IT (Information Technology) Department. They've recommended that we replace them to accommodate the upcoming change to the Vista operating system, and there's also a color printer in there that's seven years old, costing us more to repair than it would be to buy a new one. City ofMiami Page 7 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions? Commissioner Regalado: No questions. I mean, it makes sense, so I'll move it. Commissioner Sarnoff: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. This motion -- I mean, this item passes. I just want to add real fast, Jim, regarding the -- and I want to share with, at least, my colleagues -- one of the things that we're looking at doing and one of the things that's really missing in the Overtown area is support to provide job placement and job training to many of the residents in Overtown. I know, at one time, we had had something in Culmer Center with South Florida Workforce, and it left at one time or another, but we have a lot of key projects that are going to be taking place over the next two years that I think it's really important for us to have the opportunity to have residents from Overtown to come off the streets into an office and actually get assistance, which would include job placement and job training, also to create a homebuyer's club and rental assistance for many of the projects that are going to be taking place, so one of the things that I wanted to actually ask Mr. Villacorta to do is I know one of the organizations -- Can I just get you guys for one second? I want to make sure you hear me on this, and I'm sorry. -- is to make sure that the computers that are going to be donated, we wanted it -- to have it go towards this Overtown resource center that would take place or will actually be on 3rd Avenue, so that the public can actually walk in off the streets, get their resumes completed, get any kind of assistance with -- that they need for placement. If they're interested in purchasing one of the units that we're creating in the area, or either rehabbing their buildings, they don't have to go through so much red tape. They have someone that they can go to right off the streets to, you know, provide assistance, so I know that the veterans placement center or employment transition service is somebody that we're looking at working along with, so I'm going to ask that, Jim, if you can, please, by the next meeting, if you can maybe sit down with them, along with -- I don't know where Loren is. Loren Daniel (Overtown Neighborhood Enhancement Team Administrator): Right here. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Loren, I'm sorry. I missed you. -- along with the NET, so that at least it's coordinated and that they're working together. I would love to see you come back with some sort of recommendation, but we definitely need to have this with all of the projects that are coming in the Overtown area. Many of the people complain that they don't know how to access the projects. I don't know if Mr. Cutler wants to put anything on the record before we move on on why this is essential that we have something for the Overtown resident. Charles Cutler: Charles Cutler, 706 Northwest 4th Avenue. At this point, it is essential that we have something in place, something visible that the residents can see that they can benefit from, and I think that this resource center would be a good mechanism to be able to touch in -- touch bases with the facilitation of the employment community -- the employer community and the Overtown community in specific. Over the last few months, we put to work 40 residents here in Overtown, and I want to say thank you to Mr. Dunn. He's been instrumental -- Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, yeah. Mr. Cutler: -- in helping us to accomplish that objective, and we have -- Chair Spence -Jones: Stand up, Mr. Dunn. Mr. Cutler: -- some other employers that's in place, but it is crucial because, right now, we're City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 like kind of flying by the seat of our pants, and we need to put something together that's much more stable so that we can bring a professional, organized approach to job placement and serving the Overtown residents. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Charles. I just want to add, guys, today, for instance, I had a meeting with Royal Caribbean in reference to some projects and stuff that they want to do within Overtown, and one of the first things I asked them is, do you have a training type program that the residents of Overtown can benefit from? And they're like, Commissioner, we would love to have that happen. Where do we start? So what I'd like to be able to do is be in a position that, when these companies and corporations need to hire or train individuals, that they can go to a center and actually receive, you know, people that are already trained and ready to -- Oh, thank you, Mr. City Attorney. You're with us. You don't look like Pete Hernandez, though, or Bill. Mr. Cutler: Commissioner -- Chair Spence -Jones: Bill is actually right behind you. Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Mr. Cutler: Commissioner -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Mr. Cutler: -- I'd like to put on the record also that the Urban Development Group, they've been instrumental in employing residents from Overtown also, and I would like to also take the opportunity to say thank you to them for that. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so we -- we're trying, so the idea is to make sure every company that I run into, I'm always saying -- Miami -Dade Transit has about 4, 000 jobs that are going to be coming onboard -- 2,000 now, and three or four years from now, another 2,000, and we've been in talks with the County Commissioner and along with the Transit director is that before they start going all over to find people to work in those buildings, at least start with the people that are in the neighborhood first, so I just would like to have a place to really point these people to to make sure -- and I know that the City has had this -- I don't know, what is it, first source or -- what -- some hiring -- Miami Works something, and it just is not -- honestly, it has not been working the way that we really need for it to work, and I think we need to be on the grounds with this, so I just wanted to make sure that you knew that that was something that I was going to be asking for Jim to come back with to us to look at putting some sort of center in place. All right, so -- well, any questions on that before we go on to number 5, I believe? Commissioner Sarnoff. No. Chair Spence -Jones: 4. Commissioner Regalado: 5. Commissioner Sarnoff. 5. Chair Spence -Jones: 5. Mr. Villacorta: 5. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, 5. 5. 07-00081 CRA RESOLUTION City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL, WITH AKERMAN, SENTERFITT & EIDSON, P.A. FOR REPRESENTATION AND LOBBYING SERVICES BEFORE CONGRESS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES REGARDING LEGISLATIVE ISSUES AND APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS, FOR A TWO-YEAR PERIOD COMMENCING FEBRUARY 1, 2007, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $48,000 ANNUALLY OR $96,000 OVER THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT, PLUS REASONABLE EXPENSES AS APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $48,000 FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND - "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000 AND IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $48,000 FROM OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND - "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Backup.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Regalado, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sarnoff Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Gonzalez and Commissioner Sanchez CRA-R-07-0003 Note for the Record: Commissioner Sarnoff accepted Chair Spence -Jones' request that he work with both the CRA state and federal lobbyists to ensure that the CRA has a legislative agenda in place and provide a report in 30 days. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Number 5 is a joint resolution of the Boards of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agencies authorizing the executive director to execute an agreement, in a form acceptable to General Counsel, with Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, for representation and lobbying services before Congress and federal agencies regarding legislative issues and appropriations to the request for a two-year period, commencing February 1, 2007, in an amount not to exceed $48, 000 annually. In the past, we've used Akerman Senterfitt to lobby for us. They've obtained significant amounts of funds, namely to help Camillus House. We'd like to broaden their mission to include housing issues and infrastructure issues. I believe we have someone here from Akerman to -- Chair Spence -Jones: And I think one of the things we also talked about was historic preservation because one -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- of the things -- I don't know if Dr. Fields is here -- that's been a big challenge for them with the insurance of their buildings and a whole bunch of other things that's City ofMiami Page 10 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 going on for them, so not just for that building, but all of the buildings that we need to try to, at least, save that are within the Omni area and in the Overtown area, so I don't know if you want to, at least, bring some sort of comments before the Commissioners or you want to speak first before they bring their comment. Mike Abrams: Well, if I could just introduce myself. Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Mr. Abrams: My name's Mike Abrams, and I've been the primary person on the account for the last several cycles with Akerman Senterfitt, and I'd be delighted to answer any questions. We've been charged with funding for Camillus House primarily in, you know, each of the past years, and I think we've been successful on behalf of the Authority, and you know, be glad to answer any questions. Peter England from Camillus House is also here today. Commissioner Regalado: I have a question. Mike. Mr. Abrams: Yes, sir. Commissioner Regalado: Thank you. I've known you for many, many years, and you are most effective. One of the problems, several problems in this area are, of course, the problems that everyone in the City and the County has, but the Chairperson has been fighting for social programs, and one of the issues that we had had in the past is the waiver of the 15 percent in Congress of the use of CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) money for social programs. Is there the possibility that you could navigate through Congress getting a waiver? Because, you know, when I got this waiver in '97, the late Commissioner Teele told me, when I finish, there's going to be problem, but the fact of the matter is that it help a lot of people in social programs -- service, and they did it once for us. Do you think that it's possible to, through the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), push that item in Congress? Mr. Abrams: Well, I think, if I understand what you're talking about, it's -- what's happened now is the formula is discriminating -- Commissioner Regalado: Right. Mr. Abrams: -- in certain cities -- Commissioner Regalado: Right. Mr. Abrams: -- including the City of Miami, and you know, to be hon -- yeah. We could help and add to the fight, except for, I would say, that all our delegation members are kind of already for it, so I think our value added is not as great in that area as other areas. This, you know, is a fight that's kind of a League of City [sic] type of fight because every time you tweak the formula, there's cities across America that lose, and there's cities across America that win, and it would be easy for me to come up here and say we could make a contribution. I think we can, but I think it would be somewhat limited as opposed to what we could do in other areas. Commissioner Regalado: No, but what I'm saying -- Mr. Abrams: You know what I'm saying? Commissioner Regalado: -- is not change the formula. What I'm saying is get a waiver to go up to 25 percent for the City of Miami, and they did it for us -- Carrie Meek did it for us several years ago, you remember, and instead of only using 15 percent of CDBG for social programs, to use 25 percent of CDBG, and that would sort of diminish the punch that we have been getting for City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 the last three or four years of reducing for social programs. It's not changing the formula at all. Mr. Abrams: OK, I'm sorry. Well, I misunderstood you. Yeah. I mean, if you charge us with that, we'll give it a shot for sure. My plan is probably to be back in Washington in two weeks anyway and meet with our delegation members, and I'll definitely approach them on it, Commissioner. You know, if that's what you all charge me with doing, we'd be delighted to. Commissioner Regalado: You know, I think it's important because every year we have to start looking here and there for -- and dip into the general fund, and I know there's so much fund, but the need is so big in social programs that if we -- it would be good to ask Mike, on behalf of the CRA, just to look into it and see if we can do it. Mr. Abrams: If I could just add, you know, without regard to how we feel about the change in leadership in Washington now, I would think all members of the Delegation would say that from a South Florida point of view, we've probably been enhanced because ever since Congresswoman Meek's retirement, we haven't had somebody on appropriations from South Florida, which has handicapped the community. We now have Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who does come into Dade County, on appropriations. Not only that, she's the chair of one of the subcommittees, so I think that helps us all, and of course, Kendrick Meek now is on ways and means, and I could see him looking at this issue amongst other issues, including housing, and it just sort of gives the aura -- it gives the Delegation, I think, a different aura and different place in the process, so I kind of generally feel better about where we are as a delegation, and I think, you know, for instance, the three minority members of our delegation would probably say the same thing too, just in terms of -- you know, because they're united on their issues, by and large. The problem is, you know, have we been in leadership; in the last two years, we haven't been. Commissioner Sarnoff.• And Mike -- Mr. Abrams: Yes, sir. Commissioner Sarnoff.• -- Commissioner Sarnoff. Forgive me, but I only see about three or four pages here -- Mr. Abrams: Sure. Commissioner Sarnoff.• -- and I don't see any criteria, or organization format, or any suggestion as to what exactly you're going after, or what you do, or any policy decisions that the CRA has set. Could you help me on that? Mr. Abrams: Well, I -- you know, typically -- and we represent public entities in Washington. We have very few private clients, and our niche is appropriations, you know, trying to get money in the budget, and what typically happens when we're engaged is we sit down with what is generally, you know, public entity or semi-public entity and establish an agenda together, you know, with that agency, usually involving that -- you know, bringing money back to South Florida, and you know, and then we go out and achieve objectives that you, as the policymakers, set. Now for the CRA, for as long as we've been involved, the agenda has been very narrow, and that is obtaining money for Camillus House, which I think the policymakers of the City have felt is very important. We had -- you know, we've done that to the tune over -- of over $1.1 million. We had 200,000 in the budget this cycle, but it imploded, you know, with every other earmark. The Chairperson has, as the executive director's alluded to, you know, expanding some of our responsibilities to including other issues, and you know, we're glad to try to do that -- Commissioner Sarnoff.• Well, I'm not quite -- Mr. Abrams: -- so -- City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Sarnoff -- under -- I'm kind of a beef guy, and I'm trying to figure out where the beef is, and -- Mr. Abrams: Well, the beef -- I mean, the beef has been in appropriations. Commissioner Sarnoff Right, so -- Mr. Abrams: OK, I mean, it's -- it -- well, I don't mean to cut you off, but I mean, it's a finite -- Commissioner Sarnoff My mother could do it; you could do it. You feel free. Mr. Abrams: Well, you're the Commissioner, I'm not. Commissioner Sarnoff But -- yeah, that's true. I wasn't Commissioner when she cut me off. I think she still would. Chair Spence -Jones: It doesn't matter -- yeah, it doesn't matter -- Commissioner Sarnoff• I think she still probably would -- Mr. Abrams: Yeah. Commissioner Sarnoff• -- but here's my question. Do you set out for us to look at every bundle of money that's out there and we decide what to go after? I'm looking at the interface. Mr. Abrams: OK. All right. Fair question. What we try to do -- I mean, there are 11 different budget entities -- appropriations bills -- or maybe it's 14 appropriations bills that come out of Congress, and what -- generally, what we do is sit down with you, as the policymakers, and understand your priorities, and then narrow it to what we think is doable, you know, and which are the appropriate public entities. We lay that out together with you and target it. For the -- specifically, for the CRA, it's been an HHS (Health and Human Services) budget, and it's been for Camillus House. Now, you know, the housing is -- and workforce issues are in a different budget, but there's no reason why we can't try to, you know, obtain dollars for specific objectives there. Remember, we're competing, you know, against a wide variety of legitimate interests up there from South Florida, be it the City of Miami and their overall agenda, or Miami -Dade County, or Jackson Memorial Hospital, the list just goes on and on and on, so I think, you know, you have to be realistic and you have to target your objectives in a way that makes sense and is definable, and we do that with you. Commissioner Sarnoff• So -- let me -- when do we interface? When does that happen? Mr. Abrams: Well, it's going to have to happen now. Commissioner Sarnoff• OK. Mr. Abrams: OK, because the bud -- Commissioner Sarnoff• I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss any pages. Mr. Abrams: Yeah. I -- I've got the same pages you 've got, so I'm -- Commissioner Sarnoff• OK. Mr. Abrams: -- you know, I mean, I think the budget -- we've probably got about 30 days left on City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 the budget request deadlines. It's the end of the month where we have to submit it to our delegation, so on the budget, those are things that we have to do now. Commissioner Regalado's issue is something that evolves over the course of the entire session, and you know, any other issue, if this is a substantive issue, then of course, that could go on an on forever, but appropriations has very specific time frames and benchmarks. Commissioner Regalado: So you're not -- you have not received any, Mike, direction of trying to get funding for any grandiose projects? Just -- Mr. Abrams: For this -- Chair Spence -Jones: If I -- Mr. Abrams: -- cycle? Chair Spence -Jones: Let -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Let me just add on this real fast. We -- one of the issues I had coming in this seat -- and I think we have the state lobbyist too -- Where is he? Mr. Villacorta: Doug. Chair Spence -Jones: State lobbyist there -- is immediately I sat down with Jim and said, Jim, you know, we have these people hired to do work for us in Tallahassee and Washington. What are they doing? Right, Jim? Mr. Villacorta: Yes, you did. Chair Spence -Jones: And I really want to sit down and meet each one of them to understand what we're paying for, and at the end of the day, what are the results? What are we trying --? Are they bringing home --? I don't know if someone said bringing home the beef to us in the CRA, because that's what we need them for, so I had lunch, I believe, or at least a meeting with the state lobbyist, and then I had a meeting with your firm, and we outlined some preliminary things that we thought were important, and it's a good thing that I had that meeting originally because, if we didn't, the state application that went in, we would have missed, you know, so I just wanted to really make sure that they understood -- I think part of the problem has been that the lobbyists have kind of like been doing -- operating off of old commands and not necessarily based upon whatever the new direction is, and we just can't have that. We need to be able to utilize these individuals to help us help these areas, so one of the things that I would like to see happen is if Commissioner Sarnoff can help head up, if he does not mind, helping -- working with both our state and our federal lobbyists to make sure that we have a legislative agenda put in place to make sure that -- you know, it's a great time in D.C. (District of Columbia) right now, you know. We should be able to bring home -- I don't want to say the bacon, but bring home something else, you know, to the people here in Omni and in the Overtown area, so I wanted to ask Commissioner Sarnoff if he would mind heading up working with them to help putting -- put together some sort of legislative agenda for them. Commissioner Sarnoff. No, and just by the fact that they're lawyers, we should put them on a percentage, so this way they'll bring home more bacon or they won't get fed. Mr. Abrams: That's against the law. Commissioner Sarnoff. Is that? City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Abrams: Yes, it is. It is. Chair Spence -Jones: We don't want anything against the law. We've been doing great. Mr. Abrams: I -- Commissioner Sarnoff.• Did you see the lawyer's turn -- his face turn white when I said that then? Chair Spence -Jones: So is that a "yes," Commissioner Sarnoff, that you --? Commissioner Sarnoff.• I'd love to do that. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Mr. Abrams: OK, but can I --? Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Mr. Abrams: I just want to say this because I want to be very clear on this, and we've been representing the CRA since Commissioner Teele has been chairman, and we've had very specific assignments, and the assignments -- you know, the assignment was and the mission was to bring dollars back for the relocation of Camillus House because that was the policy priority of the CRA. Chair Spence -Jones: And we're not saying that we don't want to help the Camillus House. Mr. Abrams: No, no. I know. Chair Spence -Jones: Camillus House -- we're not saying we're not trying to -- Unidentified Speaker: I didn't hear that. Chair Spence -Jones: None of us are saying that. Mr. Abrams: No. They -- I know -- Unidentified Speaker: I didn't hear that. Mr. Abrams: -- you're adding to our agenda. I just want to go back in history because -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Mr. Abrams: -- I -- Commissioner Regalado: But it was. The policy years back, it was Camillus House for allocation. Now that we have it -- well, there may be other priorities, you -- Mr. Abrams: Sure. Commissioner Regalado: -- know, and I'm sure that we -- the battle on Congress is -- I mean, we all know it's -- the dollars are not there. My only concern is that someone has sent the idea or the direction that you should focus on grandiose projects like getting money for the streetcar or the tunnel or whatever, you know, and I just want to make sure of that. City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Abrams: No. That -- I could assure you, Commissioner, that that hasn't happened -- Commissioner Regalado: Great. Mr. Abrams: -- and would be premature since we're -- our contract has lapsed, and we're not under contract with you, but we've been thinking about it in the interim -- Commissioner Regalado: OK. Mr. Abrams: -- the things we could do for you. Chair Spence -Jones: So can -- Commissioner Sarnoff, is it possible for -- being that he said it's 30 days -- you to, perhaps -- I know now we're putting it in your lap -- Commissioner Sarnoff: Are you kidding me, having Akerman Senterfitt come to my office, who I've litigated against for years? Of course I can't wait for that. I only have about -- Commissioner Regalado: He'll do it tonight. Commissioner Sarnoff. -- four or five files open with these guys. I mean, I -- they'll be coming in midnight. Don't worry. Commissioner Regalado: He'll do it tonight. Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. Mr. Abrams: Let me -- well, you know, I knew I was too happy when you put out the general call for lawyers, you know, earlier in the meeting, Madam Chairperson. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Sarnoff: I will make sure it happens. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Mr. Abrams: We'll be delighted to come to your office. Commissioner Sarnoff. No problem. Chair Spence -Jones: OK Mr. Abrams: Naturally. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Thank you, so do we have a motion on this item? Commissioner Regalado: Move it. Commissioner Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. This item passes. City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 DISCUSSION ITEMS 6. 07-00122 CRA DISCUSSION PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE CRA BOARD CHAIR HAS REQUESTED AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI'S CHIEF OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND BUDGET REGARDING THE STATUS OF A POTENTIAL CRA BOND ISSUE. Cover Memo001.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: And we move to item number -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): 6. Chair Spence -Jones: -- 6. Mr. Villacorta: Item number 6 is an update on the status of the potential CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) bond issue from the City of Miami's chief of Strategic Planning and Budget. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Larry, it's so great to see you over here. Before you get started, though, I'd like to, at least, say a couple things to my colleagues. [Later...] Chair Spence -Jones: Larry, you didn't get a chance to do your presentation. Is there anything you want to say before --? I mean -- Larry Spring: Oh. Larry Spring, chief of Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Performance, City of Miami. Commissioner Regalado: I told you that it was better for you to go last. Mr. Spring: No. That's fine. Commissioner -- actually, I was asked here to come and speak on the bond ability of the TIF (Tax Increment Fund). I think, since we went through that exercise the first time, a couple things have happened. The first time, Stiffel Nicholas and my department participated in development of those bonding capacity numbers in a very peripheral way, by providing for tax base information to the consultants. They came back with a number. I think it was 212 for Omni and 128 for Southeast Overtown/Park West, and that's when the committee was formed and you went through that whole process. Since that time, I was asked, because the original consultant did not want to look at those numbers any further out than they had already done their analysis, the City engaged its own financial advisor to do a further analysis to see how far the bonding capacity for the CRAs would grow. We assumed that the CRAs would live to their fullest life, which is around 2036, or somewhere around there, and we took a very conservative approach to adding projects to that analysis, and by conservative, I mean we looked at projects that had been approved by the City Commission, were already under construction, so they were significantly moving. We also only used their -- the estimated construction cost as a basis for adding them to the tax rolls, so we went through that whole process. Chair Spence -Jones: They're listening, Larry. Mr. Spring: I know. City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: You guys are listening to Larry over there, right? You can hear? Go ahead. Mr. Spring: At that time, I think, when we started that process, you and I had had a conversation. You were very clear with me that you wanted housing first because some of the projects that the Commissioner did name, the streetcar, the tunnel, the Bicentennial Park, all that stuff came up as we were going through that process, for us to kind of do simply -- no policy decisions were made -- a financial analysis of what would be the impact to the CRAB if this came on and this came out, and it also included the 35 percent for the Performing Arts Center. Again, I think I went to that last committee meeting and I stated on the record then that in order for any of this to happen, a lot of variables would have to come together, one of which the County would have to agree to extend the life of those CRAs to those times. Two -- Chair Spence -Jones: One second, Larry. Mr. Spring: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: Guys, I mean, can -- my colleagues, I want to make sure that we, you know -- we did have Larry -- Commissioner Regalado -- Commissioner Regalado: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and Commissioner Sarnoff, we did have Larry stay around for number 12 [sic], so we, at least, need to give him, at least, some common courtesy to listen to what he's presenting. I want to be respectful, if nothing else. Mr. Spring: Thank you. Where was I? Chair Spence -Jones: You were somewhere in the County. Mr. Villacorta: The County has to extend -- Mr. Spring: Oh, yes, yes, yes, the variables. The variables to get any of the bonding capacity because the CRAs, right now, they end 2017 and '012 [sic], Jim? Is it '017 [sic] and '12? Mr. Villacorta: Yeah -- Mr. Spring: The current -- Mr. Villacorta: -- 2013 and 2017. Mr. Spring: 2017. From today, that's not really enough time to do any bonding, so we would still need an extension on the life just to do what Stiffel Nicholas calculated. All these things came up. Again, the baseball was in the paper. I have personally not been in any baseball meetings or anything of that nature. I have been working on the assignment that I was given before, which is to do the financial analysis on extending the CRAs to see what the bonding capacity would be, granted that we, you know, did the 35 percent; we looked at -- well, the streetcar project was in the original projects list -- the Bicentennial Park, so that's the exercise that I've been undertaking. We've been revising those numbers. I've been going back and forth with the executive director on that analysis. At this point, actually, we're doing some fine -- you know, some fine-tuning right now still, so the numbers aren't completely done, but I did share them, at a minimum, with Commissioner Spence -Jones, just to show her where we could potentially go, which I think, at that time, this Board actually approved going ahead and investing $30 million in affordable housing, based on that -- those preliminary numbers, which City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 again, I can say we felt comfortable with doing because the analysis was so conservative, but also keeping in mind that the -- those variables would have needed to be met at some point, and potentially, we would have pay-as-you-go dollars, so that's kind of where we are. 7. 07-00119 CRA DISCUSSION PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE CRA BOARD CHAIR HAS REQUESTED A DISCUSSION ITEM BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA CONCERNING THE NEED TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES. Cover Memo001.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move to number 7 on the agenda. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 7 is a discussion concerning the need to keep the public informed of the activities of the Community Redevelopment Agencies -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK Mr. Villacorta: -- and I think this grew out of some of the articles that were coming out where the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) didn't have knowledge of what was going on. Chair Spence -Jones: I think actually goes beyond that. I think that -- Commissioner Regalado, I think you said it to me best in the very beginning, and you've also said it just in general a lot of times -- I can't really see your face. Unidentified Speaker: Oh, I'm sorry. Chair Spence -Jones: It's OK. -- how important it is to market our message about what the CRA is doing and the Omni and in Overtown, and a lot of times, the CRA gets beaten up, and we really don't know what they're doing, and I think that this is how this discussion really started is making sure, whether or not it be newsletters, that information gets out to the residents about the programs that are available, just making sure people understand what the CRA's doing. I think you might have mentioned that to me in my second CRA meeting, as a matter of fact. Commissioner, you need to figure out a way either to bring a marketing person on board there or either look at bringing an outside firm to assist with getting the message out, so this is kind of really -- the discussion was really to figure out and ask you guys how you felt about the idea of either having someone on staff that can work to just make sure -- even everything about the -- even the Web site, just keeping that updated. That's not happening, so a lot of the information is outdated, so it's just really important that the residents understand what the CRA's doing for them in the CRA area, so I wanted to find out from you if you would be open to either -- Mr. Villacorta: An RFP (Request for Proposals)? Chair Spence -Jones: -- yeah, an RFP going out for either a marketing firm to do it or would your suggestion be to just hire a marketing person? I know we do have a part-time person that's there now, Hilda; is that right? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, but she's there on a part-time basis, but we need somebody that has very strong marketing, PR (Public Relations) skills to do that, and the question is would you prefer to have a marketing firm come on board to do that, or would you -- would your suggestion City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 be to have a person be hired to do that? Commissioner Regalado: I would issue an RFP about a marketing firm because it has to be very specific. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: It has to be a firm that understand how the communities interact together, what is the role of these agencies, what -- how do we get input from the people, which is really more important than putting out the message, how do we project the programs and the projects that the CRA is involved in, and the reason I said that is because, you know, remember when we took that Sunshine tour -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- that we were like in two or three cars and -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- the people said, what is going on? I mean, nobody knew -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- and it was an important thing maybe for the -- even for the people around the buildings to understand what was happening, so I think it's important that the people understand in the area, but also understand outside the area what is the role of this agency, what are we doing, what are we plan to do, and to get input because, after all, the money that this agency gets and how it's expended is money that is not going to the rest of the City, and so, you know, it's something that I look at it for many years, but in the past, we have not done that, but I think your idea -- I mean, it doesn't have to be something like big. It's just a modest project to see how it works, and that was my point a long time ago. To bring a person, you know, you have to charge that person with so many responsibilities -- Chair Spence -Jones: I know. Commissioner Regalado: -- that it will be unfair to the person, and you would burden the budget of the CRA, so I mean, in MSEA (Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority), we used to had an agency, and they did pretty well. It was on a retainer basis, and did -- Chair Spence -Jones: Who -- do you know who that was or you don't remember? Commissioner Regalado: I don't remember, but -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK Commissioner Regalado: -- it's easy to find. Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. We could look that up. Chair Spence -Jones: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and there's a couple of -- that we can just give you from a recommendation standpoint, but I just think that it's -- you said it to me in my second meeting. Commissioner, you need to make sure that you put in place something to promote to the neighborhoods what is happening in the area. Commissioner Regalado: But you know, let me tell you why I said that. I worked with FDOT City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 (Florida Department of Transportation) in many, many projects for many, many years, seven -- eight years ago with the 8th Street project, then five years with Coral Way. Whenever FDOT takes a major project, they bring some marketing outside firm, and these people, they go door by door, by business, by residents. They organize the meeting. They discuss, and when the final product is done, there are no problems with the project, you know. Everybody has opined, and everybody is on board, so it helps a lot to ease the wrinkles in many things, so that's the idea. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner -- we're actually -- we're going to take public comments -- the way that I run the meeting is after the meeting is -- that's the end of it. Steve Hagen: Well, it has to with this topic, though. Chair Spence -Jones: I know -- OK, but we're actually -- this is just a discussion item, so at the end of the meeting, the public discussion, you definitely -- I'm going to leave it open for you to come and bring -- put comments on any item that's there, so can you just please, if you don't mind --? Mr. Hagen: Well, maybe it might affect your decision on this item. Chair Spence -Jones: Well, we're actually not really make -- we're just having a discussion at this point. That's all. It's not a resolution or anything. Mr. Hagen: It has to do with the location of the meeting. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Excuse me. We need your name for the record, please. Mr. Hagen: Steve Hagen, 725 Northeast 73rd Street. Chair Spence -Jones: But, Steve, you can go ahead, and I -- what I don't want to do is -- I'm going to go ahead and let you -- Mr. Hagen: Well, I'd just like to suggest that to choose one spot, I think, for your meetings because a moving target's hard to hit. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Mr. Hagen: I mean, if you keep moving meetings around, unless a person is wired to the Internet -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Hagen: -- then they don't know where the meetings are from month to month. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Steve. Mr. Villacorta: We do publish notice of the meetings in the Herald [sic], the Daily Business Review, and the Miami Times -- Chair Spence -Jones: And if I could -- Mr. Villacorta: -- and Miami Today. Chair Spence -Jones: -- add, Steve, the only reason why we try to, at least, shift them between Omni and between Overtown so that, at least, we spread it around between both, so that's -- I City of Miami Page 21 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 think that that's been the reason why those meetings have been taking place like that, but I want to get back to the discussion at hand. We're not really actually making a decision. We're asking, one, if you guys would have an interest in that happening? I've heard from Commissioner Regalado. Commissioner Sarnoff, do you have any comments at all on that? Commissioner Sarnoff. Well, I was curious why there's -- who this Hilda is and why she's part-time. Mr. Villacorta: She used to be -- Commissioner Sarnoff. There's Hilda. Mr. Villacorta: -- full-time. Commissioner Sarnoff. That's Hilda? Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Commissioner Sarnoff. Right there. Unidentified Speaker: She's right here. Commissioner Sarnoff. Oh. OK, Hilda. Can -- could you do it if you were full-time? Mr. Villacorta: No. Hilda Tejera (Special Events Coordinator, Community Redevelopment Agency): I'm sorry, sir? Commissioner Sarnoff. No. I guess I was just curious, listening -- you know, we had a part-time person, and we're talking about creating a new position or a new firm to handle this, and I don't know what anybody's qualifications are, so -- Commissioner Regalado: I would tell you about the qualification of Hilda, and I know her from many, many years. Actually, she work with me in a radio station many years ago, and she came -- she done all her life production work. She was one of the producers in the Johnny Carson Show, which has been off the air like for 30 years, so Hilda, I'm sorry -- Ms. Tejera: I was five. Commissioner Regalado: -- but -- Mr. Villacorta: It's child labor. Commissioner Regalado: -- I mean, she was very young and -- but she's the one that organizes - Chair Spence -Jones: She does all the events. Commissioner Regalado: -- like all the events -- Chair Spence -Jones: She does the events. Commissioner Regalado: -- and all that -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: -- so -- Chair Spence -Jones: And she does a great job with the events. Commissioner Regalado: -- you know, it -- I mean, she can do it. I don't know if she want to. I don't know the executive direc -- I don't really care. I just think -- I think she can do it. I think that she would be a great asset. I can tell you that. I know her work, but I just don't know the mechanics of -- I'm just saying we need somebody, that's all -- Mr. Villacorta: We -- Commissioner Regalado: -- or in -- or a person or -- Mr. Villacorta: -- had her working full-time for us, and the City stole away half of her time, and she was split between the City's Office of Communications and the CRA, and there are a lot of CRA projects that I don't think the public is aware of; the bay walk improvements in Omni, the water and sewer upgrades in Omni, the old fire station number 2 rehabilitation in Omni, the PAC (Performing Arts Center) streetscape, the Miami Women's Club grants, the Dade Heritage Trust grants for the City cemetery in Overtown, the rebuild of the Northwest 3rd Avenue project, which will be starting in August, the -- it's currently in design -- $30 million housing initiative in Overtown's historic Folklife District, the grants to the 3rd Avenue businesses, the grants to Greater Bethel and Mount Zion for infrastructure improvements to their buildings, the building rehab program with DMP (Downtown Miami Partnership), which is start -- which is already underway on 3rd Avenue, our support for the Black Archives and events at the Lyric Theater, and perhaps, we haven't been as -- Chair Spence -Jones: Vocal. Mr. Villacorta: -- vocal in getting out this -- the words to the community -- the fence around Frederick Douglass Elementary. This school had no fence around it. That was something the CRA did for the school, so perhaps, what you might want to consider is putting out an RFP, and then that'll give you proposals from different firms as to what they could do, and you'll have your option to review those and take or reject any of those, or in the meantime, we can see who might be good to be brought on board to assist Hilda. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so am I hearing from my colleagues that you're open to -- Commissioner Sarnoff. Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- that? So maybe, in the next meeting, you can bring back -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: -- something to us to further --? Mr. Villacorta: We'll get an RFP out for proposals, and we'll bring those proposals back to the Board, and -- along with -- Chair Spence -Jones: And before we make any decisions, we'll have it on the agenda as a resolution. Mr. Villacorta: Yes, yes. Chair Spence -Jones: OK? City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. It might not be in time for the next meeting, but certainly, by the -- Chair Spence -Jones: No problem. Mr. Villacorta: -- following meeting. Chair Spence -Jones: No problem. Mr. Villacorta: OK. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Jim. 8. 07-00120 CRA DISCUSSION PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE CRA BOARD CHAIR HAS REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON THE CRAS' ACTIVITIES DURING THE UPCOMING STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. Cover Memo.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on to the next item, which is the -- number 8, and this has something to do -- we talked about a little bit of it earlier. Our state lobbyist is here, Mr. Doug Bruce. The other lobbyist kind of took the brunt of everything from you, so -- but I'm sure Commissioner Sarnoff has some more left for you. Commissioner Sarnoff We'll talk about pizza this time. Doug Bruce: I like that. Good. I'm just glad my name is not Larry. Chair Spence -Jones: Got to say your name and -- Mr. Bruce: Oh, I'm Doug Bruce, Doug Bruce & Associates, in Tallahassee. First of all, let me say I quite agree -- Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Excuse me. Can you speak closer -- Chair Spence -Jones: In the mike. Ms. Burns: -- into the microphone, please? Mr. Bruce: Is it -- is that better? Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Ms. Burns: That's better. Mr. Bruce: Oh, OK. Sorry. First, I quite agree that the legislative program should have focus and substance and direction, and it should be prioritized, and we are on the way to doing that. I think I look forward to working with Commissioner Sarnoff on that, and this session begins March 6, and we just completed a special session on insurance reform, which I'm sure you're well aware of. The deadline for the community budget issue request was just a couple of weeks ago, and we got two requests in for the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), one for water and sewer improvement and the other for some road improvements, and we've been working with the select committee on affordable housing, which Speaker Rubio has appointed, and they're City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 about to complete their work, and hopefully, work in some advantages for the CRA with that package. In the next day or two, the Governor will be releasing his budget, and we'll begin in that process in earnest, and we'll be on our way. I think that what I'm hearing is that the legislative schedule that they've laid out is pretty aggressive. They were looking to get into conference committee as early as the third week of session, which means that we need to do some serious communicating on these two (UNINTELLIGIBLE) requests in the short term -- and I welcome the participation of all the board members to do that, either by telephone, e-mail (electronic mail), or what's best effective is coming to Tallahassee. They like to hear from me, but they're far more responsive to people from back home, so I'll be glad to answer any questions. Commissioner Sarnoff: That's my charge too, right? Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, it's your charge. Commissioner Sarnoff: OK. No problem. Commissioner Regalado: How many CRAs are in the state of Florida? Mr. Bruce: Wow. Now that's a question I don't know the answer to. I'm sorry, I don't. I know that there's been a lot of -- the last four, five years, there was a major conflict between the counties and the CRAs because a lot of CRAs were being produced and set up that were really not what most people felt were the -- feel the role of a CRA in addressing blighted areas, so -- and that -- they passed major legislation last year to address that and further restrict the creation of CRAs, so -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. That was my question because I heard that there is, I guess, a move in the legislature to sort of stop -- Mr. Bruce: Throw out the anchor on CRAs -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Mr. Bruce: -- to retard them. Yes, sir. It doesn't totally stop them. It is very restrictive, though, far more restrictive than the law we had before, and I think we'll have to live with that -- the state will have to live with that for a while before it's addressed again, I'm sure. Commissioner Regalado: OK, thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. No other questions? Commissioner Regalado: No. 9. 07-00121 CRA DISCUSSION PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE CRA BOARD CHAIR HAS REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON THE ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING THE UPCOMING SUPER BOWL. Cover Memo001.pdf DISCUSSED Discussion on the item resulted in the resolution below: (9.) 07-00155 CRA RESOLUTION City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 A RESOLUTION (subject matter: resolution modifying grant for BET jazz concert to allow CRA to hold event between now and June.) Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Regalado, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sarnoff Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Gonzalez and Commissioner Sanchez CRA-R-07-0004 Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on. We're moving well. It's five minutes to 6. We're going to move on to number -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Number 9 -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- 9. Engine, engine number 9. Mr. Villacorta: -- and this was an update on the activities surrounding the Super Bowl. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. I just wanted -- before you start, Jim, I just want to just bring a couple of things to attention. This was all centered around us trying, to at least, get the Overtown area ready for masses of people coming to the community. As you know, there are several things that were kind of almost like stops in the midst of trying to get some of these things done, but we have been moving rather quickly on some of the items, and I wanted to, at least, acknowledge the 3rd Avenue Committee that is all here now, including the chair, for their work to really make sure that we got the gateway project in order, the Roots in the City project in order, the buildings identified to be painted with DMP (Downtown Miami Partnership). If my 3rd Avenue Committee is here, if you can stand up for one quick minute, please? I have my chair, Ms. Stephanie Van Vark -- OK, good -- and David Alexander from St. John. I did see Reverend -- I mean, excuse me -- oh, here you go -- Reverend Williams in the back. They've been working very hard to pull the whole streetscape 3rd Avenue project in place to make sure that it looks beautiful. Thank you, guys. Am I missing somebody else? Unidentified Speaker: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) McGinnis. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Unidentified Speaker: Cathleen McGinnis. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, I already -- yeah, I did her already -- and Principal McGinnis. Real fast, on DMP -- Stephanie, do you want to, at least, say a little bit about where we are, or do you want to just go ahead and do it all, Jim? Mr. Villacorta: If, I mean, Stephanie -- Chair Spence -Jones: She's giving it to you, Jim -- Mr. Villacorta: Giving it to me. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and Jim, you guys have been doing an awesome job, you and Clarence, our new -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. City of Miami Page 26 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: -- assistant director. Let's give Clarence a hand, the assistant director for the CRA -- Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: -- working hand in hand. Mr. Villacorta: The new assistant director of the CRA, Clarence Woods. We've been working with Downtown Miami Partnership to provide a business facade program, and -- on the Northwest 3rd Avenue. There was a lot of meetings with the 3rd Avenue Streetscape Committee deciding on what they would like to see there. We went to the individual business owners and have provided them with grants for painting, upgrading their windows to impact resistant glass so they can take the iron bars off their windows, putting in awnings, and providing additional signage. Right now, because we wanted to get something up in time for Super Bowl week, we've concentrated on the painting, but in the next few weeks, you'll see these other elements of the plan rolling out. There was a long discussion of the colors and negotiating with individual business owners. That plan's moving along. The banners welcoming people to Overtown should be approved this week and be in production next week. The plantings with Roots in the City have already begun. There's a lot of new things coming on, new vegetation and flowers being planted. The gateway signage is awaiting approval from the State, as to the location; that there's no utilities in the area that we want to place the sign, but I believe we got that today, so hopefully -- Chair Spence -Jones: Good. Mr. Villacorta: -- in the next four days or five days, we'll have the Overtown gateway sign at Northwest 3rd Avenue, across from Mt. Zion Church, just south of Mt. Zion Church. The -- I mean, we had planned for some events at the Lyric Theater surrounding Super Bowl week. We were going to try and -- there's another major element to that plan. It's a mural on the Metrorail overpass at 3rd Avenue and 11 th Street. We've negotiated with artist Purvis Young, a local artist from Overtown, who's internationally known, and he's agreed to let us use some of his artwork to decorate that overpass. In addition, we were going to have a jazz event at the Lyric Theater to support the Lyric Theater. You may remember approving a budget for that. The -- due to the Super Bowl and the cost of the hotel rooms, even if there's some available, and we were going to also have that in conjunction with an exhibit from the Schomburg and the Lyric, and the Black Archives of Jazz on Little Broadway. Those -- some of the logistics of that have made that impractical, and I think we'd like to move that event -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. I think that -- Mr. Villacorta: -- to -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- we had a meeting -- Mr. Villacorta: -- June. Chair Spence -Jones: -- today with the Black Archives today, and one of the things that we'd like to do is maybe move that to June, which is black music month, to give us more time to really plan it, and by then, hopefully all of the buildings will be completed. The gateway should be up, and all the signage should be in place so that, at least, the area, it really looks like something is really happening in Overtown, so the only thing that we would want to make the adjustment is to move it to June, which is black music month at the Lyric. I also want to say thanks to Loren from the Overtown NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) because he worked very hard, along with the Purvis people, to make sure that we actually had, you know, the mural put in place. Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. He really was a sparkplug in getting the artist to provide his artwork to City of Miami Page 27 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 us, and he's come to a lot of the late night meetings and Saturday morning meetings, and the whole committee has been very hard-working in getting this beautification program moving, and you're about to see a radical change on 3rd Avenue. Chair Spence -Jones: And David, thank you so much from St. John. You guys worked very hard. I know I drove you crazy with trying to make sure that it was right, but I really, really -- the whole idea for my colleagues is to really make sure that when people ride down 3rd Avenue, whether or not they live in Overtown or not, they at least see clean buildings, clean spaces, and people see something is really going on, plantings, just so that people feel good about where they are, so -- and it's great that we have Roots in the City. We were able to expand their work to include hiring some of the people from Overtown, and that's important for people to see other people from the community actually working, and I see Mr. Dunn in the back; if you could just stand. He's been doing an outstanding job. If we can give him a hand now. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: To see so many people from Overtown working, planting, and putting flowers and trees in, and we're just thankful for that, so we're looking at at least moving, you know, our activities until June, which is a very important time for African Americans. Juneteenth is also celebrated during that particular time, so we just wanted to, at least, make sure that we put that on the record. Mr. Villacorta: Perhaps we should have a resolution modfing the grant for the Super Bowl event -- the jazz concert at BET (Black Entertainment Television) to allow us to have that event any time between now and June -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK Mr. Villacorta: -- or in the month ofJune. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so do you want -- how do you want to do that? Mr. Villacorta: If you -- Chair Spence -Jones: Just want to -- Mr. Villacorta: -- want to make that motion. Chair Spence -Jones: Like to make a -- do you --? Commissioner Sarnoff: I'll make a motion that it be extended through June. Mr. Villacorta: OK. Commissioner Regalado: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Good. 10. 07-00123 CRA DISCUSSION PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE CRA BOARD CHAIR HAS REQUESTED AN City of Miami Page 28 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 UPDATE ON THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST CRA'S HOUSING INITIATIVE. Cover Memo001.pdf Backup001.pdf DISCUSSED Direction by Chair Spence Jones to the Executive Director to schedule a report by LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation), at the CRA meeting currently scheduled on February 26, 2007, on suggested housing projects to begin immediately. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so we're on to number -- Commissioner Regalado: 10. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): 10 -- Chair Spence -Jones: --10. Mr. Villacorta: -- and this is -- Chair Spence -Jones: We're almost there, Larry. Mr. Villacorta: -- an update on the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA's (Community Redevelopment Agency) housing initiative. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Villacorta: If you'll look in your agenda items, you'll see that we've identified five properties. At the last CRA meeting, the Board authorized the expenditure of some of the $500, 000 that you see in the financial report that's been drawn -- that's been allocated or earmarked for the rental housing rehabilitation. We spent some time going through each of these properties. We felt that the one that we could make the biggest impact on is the St. John CDC's (Community Development Corporation) 35-unit apartments. A large number of those apartments had become unusable and were sitting vacant. We've started the rehab process. You can see the before and after. The -- we've begun painting. We will be moving inside, and hopefully, within the next four weeks, we'll have a third of those vacant units back on line and available for the public. These are two- and three -bedroom units, which would be appropriate for families that are currently without housing. Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to add, Commissioner Regalado, I know that you and I did a tour and you kind of gave me some, I guess, good advice on addressing the issue that we were having in the Liberty City area from a homeless perspective, and we -- the last time we visited, I don't think that we had a Commission meeting since then, but the idea -- so that everybody here understands -- was to ident fy vacant buildings within the Overtown areas or vacant units that could be rehabbed and put back in the area so that people can actually move into those units, whether or not they be a part -- whether or not they be homeless or whether or not they just need a place to live that have been on waiting lists for a long time because that's one of the issues that I'm having within my district. Not am I only trying to address the Umoja Village issue, but I also have a waiting list of people that were displaced many, many years ago from buildings being knocked down in Overtown and in Liberty City, so the idea was to make some of these units available to those folks that have been waiting, and also to begin to address the current issues that we're having, and Commissioner Regalado was very helpful with visiting various sites within the Overtown area. We're waiting to hear back from CP -- CIP (Capital Improvements Program) regarding some of those buildings. Some of those buildings we saw, Commissioner Regalado, were more challenging than we thought they would be, unlike St. John's units, which City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 only required a little bit of work to really get those back in motion, and I believe we got people already lined up to go into those units already as we speak, but some of the other units, through the Homeless Trust, after we visited with them -- I guess you gave them direction from a meeting that you were in, and they came out immediately, and one of the biggest issue is some of those units are rooming houses, and they can't really fund projects or fund programs that are rooming -type houses. It has to be actual units, so we're trying to figure out what makes the most sense, but there are a lot of units -- I believe Reverend Williams, as a matter of fact, that's sitting in the back, there are a lot of storefronts that have units on top of them that are apartments that are not in use right now that individuals could be living in these spots if we're able to rehab and make those dollars available. We should not have one building or one space that can be rehabbed not being rehabbed, so that's what has kind of been our charge is to try to ident fy -- we have ten at St. John's that we know that we're using. We've looked at a few other buildings to see if those are possible, but I don't want to get into a situation where, by the time we finish rehabbing something, we could have built a whole building, so it just doesn't make sense, so you know, we have to -- you know, it was a little different in Liberty City because it didn't really take a lot for some of those buildings, you know, to really be rehabbed, but some of these buildings we're talking about in Overtown that we have identified, there're structural issues that, you know, from -- not only just from a roofing standpoint, but the structure of the building will create a problem, so I just don't want us to go down that road and spend a ridiculous amount of money on trying to rehab something that is -- it just doesn't make any sense, so Jim has been -- along with his staff, have been going to various locations that -- and there are people that are actually calling us now saying, hey, look, I have a apartment building that just needs some help. We need to rehab it. I believe Loren from the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) has also identified some buildings for the CRA that, you know, we could help like immediately to get some families in, where the rents are very reasonable. I just want to make sure, in the process of us doing this and whatever we put dollars into, that there's some sort of agreements with the owners that we don't have them jacking up the rent after we've made the buildings look, you know, presentable and all of that, so we want to make sure that we, at least, put that in place, but I wanted you, Commissioner Regalado, to know that I took your charge very seriously, and we are well on our way with trying to find or make some of these units available. Commissioner Sarnoff. Can I ask a question? Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Sarnoff. Because I didn't know that we did this. Do we actually rehab private person's buildings? Mr. Villacorta: We would, if they will enter into an agreement to hold the -- Commissioner Sarnoff. Restrictive covenant? Mr. Villacorta: -- rent at affordable. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: We haven't -- Commissioner Sarnoff. Is it a restrictive covenant? Mr. Villacorta: -- gotten to the point that we've required a restrictive covenant, but we have required agreements that they hold the rent to affordable levels. We could -- Commissioner Sarnoff. If it's not a restrictive covenant, how in the world could it be enforced? City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Right. Well, we haven't actually reached that point with these owners. Chair Spence -Jones: We've just been getting -- Mr. Villacorta: In the past -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- the quotes, really. Mr. Villacorta: -- we supported tax credit housing, where there has been -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but St. John's -- Mr. Villacorta: -- restrictive covenants. Commissioner Regalado: -- is restricted. Mr. Villacorta: No -- yeah. St. John's already is restricted. Commissioner Regalado: I mean, the only one -- Mr. Villacorta: It's restricted for -- Chair Spence -Jones: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Mr. Villacorta: -- the next 40 years. Commissioner Regalado: -- we've done is St. John, and St. John is restricted. Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Regalado: I mean, they cannot go up, and mind you, this is the issue here, and it's important for Commissioner Sarnoff to work with the lobbyist. I mean, just -- everybody knows it's a serious issue, but when we went to St. John, the problem that St. John had -- well, they can't raise the rents, but they have raised their insurance in such a way that it is impossible for them to continue functioning, and it's something that, you know, needs to be dealt with in the State Legislature. These people are locked. They cannot raise the rent, which is fine. I mean -- Commissioner Sarnoff: I'm not -- all I'm suggesting is, if you're about to rehab a private person's building, that you have in place a restrictive covenant that would prevent that person who is the owner of that building from raising rents -- Commissioner Regalado: Oh, of course. Commissioner Sarnoff: -- but -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Sarnoff: -- just as important, the shrewd guy that he might be, could sell that building. You have the agreement with him, and now the new owner has no such restrictive covenant; it didn't run with the land, and now you have a rehabbed building at citizen taxpayer's expense, and now you have a person enjoying the fruits of somebody else's labor. Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but you should do like the City does with rehab and residential home. You should -- well, you -- if you live 15 years or 5 years, you know, the loan becomes a grant. If you sell, you give us back the money, and that'll work. City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: No. I'm -- Commissioner Sarnoff.• That has its loopholes too, to be quite candid with you. I mean, that has its problems too because you're dealing with a bunch of LLC (Limited Liability Company) corporations. You're dealing with people who -- you know, I'm -- as a lawyer, I'm sick and tired of hearing about the reputation of the person that we're dealing with because that person's reputation has nothing to do whatsoever with the corporation that you're signing on the dotted line, and those people allow corporations to fall like some people like leaves on a tree to fall. Donald Trump has declared bankruptcy, what, three times? Mr. Villacorta: And still has the casinos. Commissioner Sarnoff.• And out of 27 corporations, yet, I would suggest most people don't even know that -- Commissioner Regalado: Right. Commissioner Sarnoff.• -- so unless you have something that runs with the land and unless you tie up that land, I don't want to hear about reputations or loans that come due because it's the land itself you're protecting. It's the -- Commissioner Regalado: It's true. Commissioner Sarnoff.• -- investment to the improved property that you're supposed to be restricting. Mr. Villacorta: I think that's what made the rehabilitation of the St. John's property so easy. It was already deed restricted for quite a few more years to affordable housing. The other properties, we're still getting the estimates -- Chair Spence -Jones: We're just getting quotes. Mr. Villacorta: -- of what it would cost to repair them, and we will hold their feet to the fire and get something that is airtight as to a restrictive covenant, depending on the nature of the ownership and what the building's been used for in the past. The Divine Mission, we own it, so that won't be so much of an issue there, but first we're looking at just what sort of expenditure will it take to bring these projects back on line, but I think that's good advice. It should be a covenant running with the land. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so hopefully, by the end of the next meeting we have, we should be able to come back with, at least, an idea of what we're talking about from a cost estimate standpoint, but Commissioner Sarnoff, if there are any suggestions that you can give Jim of other -- what other cities are doing or other areas are using in order to make sure -- I think the biggest issue why we're trying to move some of this is because we know that there's a housing crises going on, and we're trying to figure out something to do to assist the residents that are here, so whatever you can do to work along -- Commissioner Sarnoff.• I just don't want us to appear on the front page in -- Mr. Villacorta: No. Commissioner Sarnoff.• -- two years. Chair Spence -Jones: Right. We won't do that with you being here. We know that. City of Miami Page 32 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Sarnoff.• I know there's some good writers back there. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so you'll work along with Jim to make sure that, you know, you keep us straight, right, Jim? Mr. Villacorta: Definitely. It's noted, and that has been a concern, yeah, that we do need to lock these landowners down to not allow the rents to go up. It might be less of an issue in a rooming house than in an apartment, but the apartment buildings on this list are owned by the CRA, and again, when we see what the numbers come back at, we'll know how to move forward and certainly protect the citizens' monies that are put into these projects. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Are we finished with number 10? I just want to add one thing onto number 10, guys. You know that LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation) -- I don't know if LISC is here tonight, but I know -- I saw Dorothy Fields at one time or another. She's the chairperson of the Overtown Folklife Village District, and they are working on putting together a comprehensive plan on housing. We announced something about four -- about two or three months ago regarding kind of what that plan would be for new units that would be coming on line in the area, and again, the reason, Commissioner Regalado, we -- again, your comment, once again, Commissioner, you need to take some of this money that you have now and make sure you produce something because all these big, grand plans, two years go by and nothing's done, nothing's built, you know, so the Overtown Folklife District is supposed to be working on bringing back to you some suggested projects that could be made available that we can come out of the ground with pretty quickly, so I'm waiting for LISC and them to come back, so Jim, if you can ask that they be prepared to come back in front of us for the February meeting, that would be great, just to make sure that everyone stays on task. Mr. Villacorta: I'll do that. I believe we have a meeting set up in our offices for Thursday or Friday with -- Clarence Woods (Assistant Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Wednesday. Mr. Villacorta: -- Wednesday with LISC and some of the stakeholders to discuss just these issues. 11. 07-00050 CRA DISCUSSION PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE CRA BOARD CHAIR HAS REQUESTED THAT A DISCUSSION ITEM BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL MARLINS BASEBALL STADIUM. Cover Memo001.pdf DISCUSSED A motion was made by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, and died after Commissioner Sarnoff withdrew his second, to state that the official position of the CRA is that the CRA will not participate in any project for a stadium and other related projects that do not directly benefit the residents of the Overtown and Omni CRA areas. Direction by Chair Spence Jones to the Chief of Strategic Planning, Budgeting & Performance to brief the Executive Director and all five Commissioners on various negotiations taking place, and to provide a financial analysis on the benefits to the CRA and its residents by the CRA meeting currently scheduled for February 26, 2007. Commissioner Regalado: I think that Larry should be number 12 in the agenda, and I'll tell you City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 why. Number 11 says please be advised that the CRA (Title) Board Chair has requested that a discussion item be placed in the agenda concerning the potential Marlins baseball stadium -- Chair Spence -Jones: Right. Commissioner Regalado: -- so -- Chair Spence -Jones: You want to know why I put it there? Commissioner Regalado: I'm just saying -- Chair Spence -Jones: I can tell you why I put it there. Commissioner Regalado: -- the only thing I know about this is what I read in the paper, and -- Chair Spence -Jones: And that's the reason why I put it at the end because I did not -- I wanted to make sure that I handled the CRA business first before we took a lot of time with addressing that issue because I want to make sure that I put it out on the record here in the meeting tonight so that there's clarity on it, but I want to make sure that we handle some very important issues first. Now if you're asking for Larry to wait to number 12, Lar -- Was that an expression or that was -- Commissioner Regalado: No, no. Chair Spence -Jones: -- a sigh of relief or --? And Larry -- Commissioner Regalado: No, no. Chair Spence -Jones: -- was already very clear with us that he did not go to work today. He came in just to see us tonight. He worked all day yesterday. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): No. He was at the marathon. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, he didn't want you to say that part. Commissioner Sarnoff He ran 26 miles. The guy is tired. Mr. Villacorta: He didn't say he -- Commissioner Regalado: He didn't run -- Mr. Villacorta: -- actually ran. Commissioner Regalado: -- he ran. Larry Spring (Chief Strategic Planning, Budgeting & Performance): No. I rode, I rode, I rode. Chair Spence -Jones: So -- Mr. Spring: No, but if you need me to stay, I'll stay, but I don't know what I'll be able to contribute to that conversation because I read it in the paper just like you did. Commissioner Sarnoff• Well, wait. Mike -- isn't Mike Vasquez here? City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Mike, what --? OK. We're going to bring order back to the meeting. Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait. Let's just bring -- Chair Spence -Jones: No, no. Commissioner Sarnoff• The only person that seems to know is the Herald, so let's -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Sarnoff• -- bring them up to testify. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. We're going to -- let me do this. Meeting back in order. Mr. Spring, do you have a problem with staying until after number 12 [sic] is discussed? Mr. Spring: No. I'll stay, I'll stay. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado, you would like for him to stay? Commissioner Regalado: I always like Larry to stay. Chair Spence -Jones: So, Larry, you will be staying, OK? Mr. Spring: Not a problem. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Thank you. All right. He wants you to wait. Mr. Spring: Oh, so I'll -- Chair Spence -Jones: You can just have a seat. Sorry. You can -- there's some -- Commissioner Regalado: No. I'm just saying -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- snacks over there. Commissioner Regalado: Look, I'm just saying -- I just don't want to delay Larry, but I'm just saying one thing is tied to another, according to what I read, so why, you know, get on Larry's case now if we don't know? Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, I wasn't going to get on -- oh, you was going to get on Larry's case? Commissioner Regalado: If he mentions the streetcar and the tunnel and all that, yeah, I would. Chair Spence -Jones: OK All right, so Larry, you'll need to wait 'til number 12 [sic], OK? Commissioner Regalado: OK. [Later...] Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so we are going to move on to number 10, correct? No, number 11. Mr. Villacorta: Number 11. Chair Spence -Jones: We have a number 12 now, right? City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Or do you want to combine 6 -- Commissioner Sarnoff 11. Mr. Villacorta: -- and 11? Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): 6 and 11. Chair Spence -Jones: 11 and 12 [sic] together? Ms. Burns: There's no 12. Mr. Villacorta: 6 and 11, yes. Commissioner Regalado: No. The 12 -- Chair Spence -Jones: You -- Commissioner Regalado: -- it was the 8 [sic] originally. Commissioner Sarnoff• Was it number 6? Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, yeah. Ms. Burns: There's no 12. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, right. Commissioner Regalado: That's why -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Regalado: -- we put Larry at the end because that way -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Let -- before we start talking about number 11, I should say -- and Larry, you can -- I guess you can make your way to the front. You're not coming to the slaughterhouse, but the one thing that I really wanted to -- the reason why I wanted to put this on the agenda is because I needed to be very, very clear, as the Chair of the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), my position on this whole thing, and I got several calls. As a matter of fact, the way I found out about it was because of Mike from the Miami Herald. I had no idea at all that there was even a discussion around a Marlins baseball stadium at all, and immediately, after the story took place, the very next morning, I called my trusty executive director, reaming him out -- Mr. Villacorta: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- saying how dare you have any conversations about a Marlins baseball stadium and we don't know anything about it, and he said the same thing to me was I was -- I'm clueless, just like you are. I had no idea that it was -- there was even a discussion about it. I just really wanted to put this on the record, and also allow for my colleagues to have a discussion about this issue, so that, at least, we're all on, you know, whatever page we're on, but we're all on the same page regarding this issue. I think that it's very, very important that we focus on the things that we've promised to the Overtown residents for many, many years and have not been able to deliver on as of yet. We were just sitting here talking about buildings -- City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: -- you know, rehabbing buildings that have been -- nothing has happened to these buildings in God knows how long. Some of these property owners have had these buildings in their families for 20, 30, 40 years and have never received any help from the CRA or anybody, and they've been struggling trying to keep, you know, their buildings and their properties, and just people in general. I cannot begin to tell you how many people call my office daily saying that they don't have a place to live or they need a job or they need support with their businesses, and to even remotely think that we could even be considering anything beyond helping -- especially, if we're talking about -- I'm not talking about, Fred, really the Omni CRA. I'm talking about the Overtown CRA because that was the discussion, was expanding the boundaries for the Overtown area to include a baseball stadium. I just want to make sure that I'm very, very clear tonight that I do not support putting a baseball stadium in the Overtown area over the people that have been waiting for God knows how long. It is important that we deliver housing and the things that we have promised to these people before we consider anything else, adding any -- not saying this is directed towards you, Larry. I'm not saying that this is directed towards you. I'm just simply saying that, a lot of times, projects get on lists, you know, and we don't know how they got there because, in the beginning -- so I want to be very clear on this -- I was charged by the person that was there before you, Commissioner Winton, as the -- to chair this committee to go out to the community and ask them, you know, what type of projects they would like to see in the Omni area and also in the Overtown area, and I believe Fred Joseph was also a part -- we all appointed people to sit on that committee. It was told to us that these people were to work along -- work together to ask for the community to come and put their projects on the record of what they'd like to see. There were people that came and put projects that were $2 million, $10 million, $200 million, but nobody -- the committee and Fred can tell you this -- no one on that committee said that we were approving or any particular project was going to be funded one way or the other. It was a public process that Commissioner Winton had asked or charged me to do. We did our duties. The committee did a great job with whatever information that we got in, and at that particular point, everything stood still. Never, in any one of those meetings, was a baseball stadium even discussed, OK, so I want to make sure that that was very clear because if we're going to do public process, then that should have been put on the record if that is the policy in which we said was going to govern how we give away these bond dollars towards projects, so there were several other projects, and Fred, and I do know who -- what other -- Where are the committee members? Where are you guys -- if you're here, please stand up. -- that were on the committees?. OK, Fred is the only one here tonight. Fred Joseph: Last man standing. Chair Spence -Jones: Right. I think we had, at least, about eight or nine committee members that were on that from all different areas, and you can believe me. These folks were very tough when it came to a lot of these projects; streetcars was one them. There're a lot of projects people were like, you know, that the City, you know, was presenting and the committee members that worked hard on their Saturdays and other days to say, hey, look, we need to make sure that before we do anything else, we take care of the commitments that we've made to the people in Omni and in the Overtown area, so I just wanted to be very, very clear. I don't know how clear I can be. Commissioner Regalado: No. We can vote on a motion, and I move that the CRA official position will be to state that the CRA will not participate in any project that has to do with spending for a stadium and other related projects that are not in the direct benefit of the residents of the Overtown and the Omni area, which the CRA serve. I would move -- I would be specific on this motion by saying the baseball stadium, the Performing Arts Center, the streetcar, and the tunnel, plus, the Bicentennial Museum Park. I know it's harsh, but the problem is that CRAs are known to be piggybank, Madam Chair, and you know, every time that someone has these grandiose projects, they think about it -- hey, let's use the CRA because, you know, the City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 CRA is the most formidable excuse not to embarrass elected officials because you don't have to raise taxes or go into the general fund of the County or the City to fund different projects. They just take the money. People don't realize, you know, we can issue bonds, and we don't have -- to the electorate for the approval. It's a free ride, and I know what you want to do, and I know that it's the right thing, that is, to help the people in the area, and I think that we should stop all these people that want to use the redevelopment money of the poor to fund their pet projects and grandiose projects that they have thought about it because they don't have the courage to go before the voters of the City and to go before the City Commission to dip into the general fund, so you know -- and I was listening to you, and same thing happened to me, but with a different view, and you know, I -- in the morning, very early, I read the article, CRA money for baseball stadium, and I said, here we go again. I'm still out of the loop, you know, because I've been out of the loop for so many years, but no. I was not alone, so my proposal to you is to state officially what you have told us, which, by the way, I agree with you 100 percent to do it, and to do it plainly so they don't mess anymore with the CRA, and if they don't like it, so be it, so that would be my motion, Madam Chair. It's only three of us. Applause. Commissioner Regalado: Hey, I got a question for the attorney. Chair Spence -Jones: Let me -- real fast, because I'm seeing my executive director -- you've turned like three or four different shades over there for a minute. I mean, I've never seen you three different colors, Jim, but I don't know if you have a comment, then I know Commissioner Sarnoff has a comment before we deal with this motion. Mr. Villacorta: No. I was just thinking of the calls I got from each of you saying how can you tell -- but I mean, if you want to pass a motion that the CRA will not support any project that is not a benefit to the Omni and Overtown residents, I mean, I don't think there's anything stopping you from doing that. There are negotiations as to how different projects may or may not be included. I mean, if the County wanted to expand the CRA to pick up the Stephen P. Clark building and put it on the tax rolls, and -- which it isn't now -- pay for a stadium with that, if they wanted to do that, that might be something you might want to consider at some later date. Chair Spence -Jones: I got lost for a minute. Did you --? Mr. Villacorta: No. I'm saying -- Commissioner Regalado: But -- Mr. Villacorta: -- the Stephen P. Clark Center is a major building. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: It isn't on the tax rolls. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, OK. Mr. Villacorta: If they wanted to put their courthouses and their public buildings onto the tax rolls so that you would receive -- Chair Spence -Jones: The benefits from them. Mr. Villacorta: -- the TIF (Tax Increment Fund) -- the increased TIF and use that to pay for a stadium, I mean -- City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but this is not the issue. Mr. Villacorta: No. I mean, I'm being facetious. Chair Spence -Jones: OK Mr. Villacorta: I know that they wouldn't do that, but -- Commissioner Regalado: This is not the issue at all, and I understand that you're having a hard time, and Larry is taking the brunt of all this -- Mr. Spring: I haven't said anything. Mr. Villacorta: He's been quiet. Commissioner Regalado: I'm curious. Are you talking to the manager that doesn't manage or the strong mayor now? I mean, who makes the decision here at the County? Mr. Spring: I mean, if the Board would allow me to -- Chair Spence -Jones: Put your name on the record. Mr. Spring: Larry Spring, chief -- Commissioner Regalado: But before Larry, I'm just -- I just want to say, you know, look, it's very simple, very easy to understand. For the last 10, 20 years, the CRA has had not a good history. We, you know, are trying to make things right, and after so many problems, after so many years of projects not done and hopes that have been postponed for so much time for the residents, we're here trying to do the right thing. It is an insult to the people of the area for us even to allow that conversations regarding the extension of the CRA, as if they want to do a favor to us, has to do with supporting the Miami -Dade County taxpayers' Performing Art [sic] Center, the streetcar project, the tunnel. Mind you, these are good -- well, not the Performing Arts -- projects, but we cannot allow the governments to play again with the future of the resident. At least, that's just the way I think. If I'm, you know, going to really pushing forward in the CRA's -- and I understand that many people believe that this is the easiest way to solve much of the problems, but you know, I think that we need to go on record that they have to think of other ways to get the money for all these projects and not at the cost of the people of Miami. I spoke to Larry, and he was very -- and really, I trust you always, and you have been always, always so -- Chair Spence -Jones: Honest. Commissioner Regalado: -- truthful with me, and -- but we -- I was trying to make the numbers, but he knows about numbers; I don't. I'm dumb on numbers, and I was saying, if they want 35 percent for the PAC (Performing Arts Center), if they want like 5 to 10 percent for the tunnel, if they want 5 to 10 percent for the streetcar, if they want 10 to 15 percent for the doomed park museum project, well, I think that the poor will get like half of a percent, and he was saying, no, no, no, no. It's more than that. It's probably 3 percent, so I'm just saying -- I don't know. I mean, Madam Chair, I know it's difficult. I don't want to put you in a very awkward position. I would do that just to send -- this is shock therapy. This is only shock therapy to send a very clear message, you know, so -- so, you know, that's all I wanted to say. Chair Spence -Jones: Well, I put it -- Larry, we're going to let you speak, but I put it on the agenda for a purpose, so that we could have the healthy discussion about the issue, so that, at least, the residents and the folks that are here could hear it from us. I -- before I make my City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 comments on it, I'd like to, at least, allow for Commissioner Sarnoff to, at least, put his five cents in -- Commissioner Sarnoff. Well, I just want to -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- seventy-five cents. Commissioner Sarnoff: -- make sure that we're not doing a Nick Saban here. I will not go to Alabama. What did he do? Mr. Spring: He went to Alabama. Commissioner Sarnoff: No. I think there's no doubt that there's -- it's very easy with the stadium issue. I have never believed in giving billionaires multiple millions of dollars; seems like they have plenty of their own, and I think everything else you said is correct as well, so I'm more than willing to second that motion. CRAs do nothing in the wrong hands but deplete cities of their financial wherewithal, counties of the ability to fund schools, and inevitably, it's the undoing of California. That's exactly how California has ten percent of its available budget, as a result of all the CRAs and mass proliferation of CRAs that they've created. CRAs should serve a purpose, and if they don't fulfill that purpose, they should be shut down, and when they do fulfill that purpose, they should be shut down, so inevitably, CRAs should be shut down. That's the idea behind them. I proposed a tax -- what I call tax relief at the last meeting. I had a very good conversation with Larry Spring, and I think the best way to give tax relief so that people can port their tax bills is not to continue with CRAs in perpetuity, so I happen to agree with you all. I think that the CRA should be stated, stated for a purpose, none of which you've described in your motion, which I'm -- I will second your motion, and they need to be retired, and these CRAs should be retired as soon as they can. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. [Later...] Mr. Spring: With regards to baseball, again, I, Larry Spring, have not been in any meetings. Your office called after that article and gave me a little bit of a reaming also, and I had to state that I knew nothing of it. You know, at this point, you know, the Board can, you know -- I would -- we were going to have to come back to this Board eventually to deal with all of those issues -- the global issues that we have been working on and we have been negotiating with the County, also included with the executive director, but again, I'm just kind of that -- the numbers guy who takes a look at the numbers and see if things work. There -- you know, based on our preliminary look, the numbers do look very healthy. We will be able to -- I think the benefit district is for those things that benefit, like you said; the housing, the infrastructure, and those were the priorities on our list. The expansions of the Southeast Overtown/Park West that we were looking at didn't, you know, include that exercise. It dealt with expanding it so that additional housing could be performed, and we showed numbers in that -- to that impact, so -- Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Larry. Does -- do my colleagues have any comments for Larry's update? I do have something I want to add if you do. Is there anything you want to add to --? Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. The $30 million that we committed, there wasn't any discussion about the bonding. It was about the TIF -- Mr. Villacorta: TIF revenue. Mr. Spring: Correct. City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: -- so the commitment doesn't have to do anything with the bonds. Mr. Spring: Absolutely. Commissioner Regalado: OK. The commitment doesn't have to do anything either with the extension. Mr. Villacorta: Correct. Mr. Spring: Well, you can reach that $30 million threshold without the extension. Commissioner Regalado: Exactly. Mr. Villacorta: Exactly. Mr. Spring: However -- Commissioner Regalado: Exactly. Mr. Spring: -- I do want to state that the time frame for meeting that may need to be pushed out because it is dependent upon those projects, and you see two of them are almost completed on Biscayne now, being completed and being added to the tax rolls. That's one of the things I've been looking at, like even with bonding capacity, we're talking maybe 2010 will be the pri -- you know, the -- Mr. Villacorta: The earliest. Mr. Spring: -- perfect date to actually go out because you'd have both the revenue history to support the bonding capacity already in place before you went to the market and said, you know, here we are. Here's our stream. Can we bond against it? Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but Larry, if I remember -- maybe I'm getting too old; I'm forgetting -- but there wasn't any discussion of any need for bonds when we committed the $30 million. Mr. Spring: I wasn't at that meeting, so I -- Commissioner Regalado: Well -- Mr. Villacorta: We can meet the $30 million -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: -- budget instruction over five years without extending the CRA or issuing bonds Commissioner Regalado: Thank you very much. Mr. Villacorta: -- based on the projections -- Commissioner Regalado: Thank you very much. Mr. Villacorta: -- the conservative projections with the existing boundaries -- City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: That's all I wanted to -- Mr. Villacorta: -- of our consultants. Commissioner Regalado: -- say. [Later...] Commissioner Regalado: And I just want to say something. Yes, the need is great and the CRA funds are needed, but the County needs to extend the boundaries because it is the right thing to do. The County needs to extend the life of the CRA because it's the right thing to do, not to use that as a leverage to fund all their failed projects, like the Performing Arts Center, who has, at the third month, a deficit of $600,000, where they projected 500,000 for the whole year, or the museum park, where they don't just have the money from the private sector, and it will be another Performing Arts Center. I -- look, I just think that we need to be really clear. I just think that if we state the position that, you know, we want to use the CRA to help the people, not to fund projects that people think and come up with all these plans, and I understand your problem. I told you that I understand what I was doing and putting a lot of pressure on you, but I think that we need to send a clear message, and you know, I know that we have only three board members here, but they didn't show up. I mean, I came. Last meeting, I came. I haven't miss one CRA meeting in ten years. One, one single one, and I'm here, so you know, if you want me to vote, I'll vote, but I think it's important that we send a clear message. We are not going to allow -- at least, not this board member -- that they blackmail the underprivileged people to just throw a bone because they need some of the money or much of the money to fund the project. It's very simple. It's very simple, and I know it puts you guys in a difficult position. I know it puts Larry in a difficult position. They won't even talk to you after tonight, but -- and I need that -- James is in a very difficult position, but you know, that's the way it is. We have to -- you know, some -- my grandmother said, you need get -- you need to blush really big once and not be blushing a little most of the time, so it's -- that's the way I do it. That's the way I am. If they don't like me, well -- Mr. Spring: Madam Chairwoman, if I might? Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, Larry. Mr. Spring: I -- some of the things you said were true. Those negotiations are very difficult, and there is a lot of leveraging going on, to say it nicely. I will say that the County staff has been professional in us going through this process. I have to admit that. They're not like saying you have to do, you know, these things. We've been having very professional conversations. I would, however -- and I'm not trying to stop your vote in any way, shape, or form, but it may be beneficial, before you take this move, to take a look at the finalized financial analysis so you can see what we're talking about, see that we will be able to deliver after -- well, I should say the CRA will be able to deliver on those initiatives that this Board clearly wants done before everything else, and yes, the 35 percent is definitely -- you know, it's in there, and it's being held - - you know, it's being positioned in a way that, you know, we want this and you guys want that, so let's -- you know, let's work together and get it done, so -- Commissioner Regalado: Really? Chair Spence -Jones: So what is Larry suggesting? Mr. Spring: My suggestion was simply that before you take a final vote on this, that we give you - - provide you with that financial analysis. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so his suggestion is to give us a financial analysis first before you vote City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 on it? Commissioner Sarnoff Fair enough. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Sarnoff is saying fair enough. Are you OK with that, Commissioner Regalado? Commissioner Regalado: No, I'm not. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, but -- OK Well -- Commissioner Regalado: Hey, I'm one of three, so you know, you just vote me out. That's all that there is to it. I understand. You know, I can hear some people have probably said that's irresponsible. That's not good government. Good government, we need first the numbers. We need the financial statement, but this is not about a financial statement. This is sending a message to the people that want to bully the poor people of Overtown and the needs of the Omni, period. End of conversation. That's all that there is to it. You want to bully us, we'll respond back because that's the only way that bullies understand. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: Let me suggest because I have actually had a chance to sit in at least one of those negotiations, and they -- the County staff has been extremely nice, but there are some serious overtones -- undertones about what they want to see happen, and what I don't want to have happen is it to come back in any way that we don't -- that it ends up affecting the folks in the Overtown area in the long run, so if -- and I don't mind bringing it back. Larry, if you can -- do you think you can meet with each one of the Commissioners to brief them on this before then? Mr. Spring: I'm certain that me and James definitely can do that. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so we -- Commissioner Sarnoff• Let me just make -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Sarnoff• I'm going to withdraw my second, so you no longer have a second motion. Mr. Villacorta: OK, and you can bring it up at the next meeting. Commissioner Sarnoff• Correct. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, so -- all right, so it dies, so we're going to -- Are we requesting that Larry now briefs every single last one of the Commissioners, not just Commissioner -- Mr. Spring: And Jim. Chair Spence -Jones: And Jim, of course, and of course, Jim, to make sure that we have a full understanding about, one, the negotiations because I think they do need to under -- fully understand where we are, and to provide them with an analysis on, you know, what this potentially can do for the CRA and for the residents in the area, the constituents in both areas, and we want to have that ready to go by the end of Februaiy for that meeting? Mr. Spring: Not a problem. City of Miami Page 43 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Regalado: And tell them that they were like -- Chair Spence -Jones: But I think that this was a good exercise because I think that we're sending a very strong message that we have to take care of the residents first, and I appreciate you coming out, Larry, to at least give us a briefing on that, and we look forward to getting an update from you the end of February. Mr. Spring: Absolutely. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Mr. Spring: Thank you. [Later..] Chair Spence -Jones: OK, we're going to take five minutes to do this guys, OK? So let's start with Mr. Joseph first. Mr. Joseph: Fred Joseph, 1717 North Bayshore Drive -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Joseph: -- Omni Advisory Board. I want to thank Commissioner Sarnoff for the comment about dissolving the CRAs. We do think there's a time limit on them. I happen to be one of the individuals that moved into a blighted area, and our tax base was very low at the time, where our tax base is very high now and the TIF is growing, so we do have a reason to keep it alive. We're not interested in funding the projects like Bicentennial or any other projects that should be funded out of general funds, or -- that park was -- said 600 million bond, but not a dollar spent till the private sector -- they don't have four percent in the private sector yet, and they never will probably obtain it. We have arts areas right now that can't pay their own way. As far as the Performing Arts, that was the engine that drew a lot of the condominium building that will help the TIF (Title). I'm not opposed to helping it, but not at blackmail. Commissioner Regalado is absolutely right. You will get more with us with a lollipop than you will with a hammer. We are the taxpayers and the people behind me are the taxpayers, and we know what we need in the Omni area. I did sit on the Saturday evenings and all the other activity, and we kept saying, if you're not going to fund for the homeless and the housing, let me go play with my grandchildren. I don't need to be here with you people -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Joseph: -- and they kept promising me that my time wasn't wasted, and it's free, and you don't know what my hourly rate is, so that was expensive for me, and if you're not going to follow through with it, I'm going to be very upset because the people behind me deserve it, and we're willing to fund it, but not parks, not the tunnel, not the baseball, not our district, but I would honestly say, if you asked me to be on a board, I'll be happy to fight for it. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank -- Mr. Joseph: Thank you very much. Chair Spence -Jones: -- you, Fred. City of Miami Page 44 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you. [Later...] Chair Spence -Jones: Next one. Nina. Nina West: Nina West, 3690 Avocado Avenue, Coconut Grove. I agree with the Commissioner, that you should end the CRAs altogether and get the money out of the general funds, and also never fund a stadium, but I want to ask you a question, and that question is, all of you Commissioners, just about a month ago, voted for adaptive reuse of two-story buildings for warehouses and changing the zoning from a residential to C-2, and a couple of years ago, we came down here with some people from Detroit to identify buildings for adaptive reuse, and the telephone call we got was, well, wait for an RFP (Request for Proposals), and everybody's still waiting for that RFP, and this is two and a half years later, so I mean, I have no connection -- I'm a retired person. I have no connection with the building business, but I have a connection with the City, and I think it's a disgrace that the CRAs take all this money and they use it for everything but what it's intended for, and I think the general funds, where people can see this in the light of day -- now Mr. Spring is going to tell you we're going to put this on the tax rolls, but how is he going to guarantee there will be no cost overruns for the building of the stadium, so the tax roll is going to be pretty much the same. It'll rise with the taxes around it, but the cost overruns on the stadium cannot be capped. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Nina. Steve Hagen: Steve Hagen, the chair of the parks and public space committee of Miami Neighborhoods United. I just wanted to do a little bit of education because I think it is worthy to use, perhaps, CRA dollars to do a natural improvement to Bicentennial Park, if there's to be any discussion at all about enlarging the CRA area. In 1972, there was a bond issue to buy the land, which is now Bicentennial Park, and it failed, and then two years later, it came back, under Mayor Kennedy, the late Athalie Range, Charles Hadley, were all pictured in the Miami Herald posting up signs that said "Parks for People." Well, because of the black community, it passed, and that's how we bought Bicentennial Park. One hundred percent of the black precincts turned out and voted to create Bicentennial Park, so for that reason, I believe it would be worthy to use the CRA money, if that's a possibility, to do a natural improvement to Bicentennial because it really never got the landscaping that it deserved, and this City needs a great central park. It doesn't need large buildings and museums that could be placed other places. It doesn't need restaurants. There was a -- 350 people participated in a charette back in 2004. It was probably the best attended charette that was ever -- or public meeting that the City of Miami ever had, and essentially, this administration has ignored what the participants of that charette said. Only seven tables out of twenty-eight or twenty-five percent of the people thought it was a wise idea to put two massive museums in Bicentennial Park. Everybody said the park needs to be improved and made into a green park, where people can go and recharge themselves because this City is overwhelmed with cement. We're 55 out of 55 cities in this nation in terms of the amount of park space that we give our people, and in -- back in 1974, when the bond issue passed, the black community was promised a park. I'm still researching to see whether the black community ever got that park, so from that standpoint, as this thing moves forward, if you would consider that, it would be a great aid to not only the people of Overtown, but to everybody in the City of Miami to create a great park. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Steve. Gentleman in the blue, you're the last one. Elvis Cruz: Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57th Street. I've been going to City Hall since 1980. This is my first ever CRA meeting. I came because, at the last City Commission meeting, Commissioner Gonzalez said that in all the years the CRA has been in existence, it has not built City of Miami Page 45 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 one house in Overtown. Chair Spence -Jones: Go ahead. Mr. Cruz: I've looked into CRAs, and if anybody's interested in finding out more about them, go to redevelopment.com, and you can find out all about them. CRAs are, at best, inefficient and wasteful; at worst, they are corrupt. They turn into slush funds for empire building schemes. Commissioner Regalado, you stole my thunder today, and I'm glad you did because when you say it, it gets listened to a lot more than when I say it. I applaud you for standing up and telling everyone that the emperor is not wearing any clothes and that the CRA should not fund the empire building schemes and the pet projects and the legacy building. Please shut down all the CRAs. Thank you. Sam Gilmore: How you doing this evening? My name is Sam Gilmore, 3171 Northwest 57th Street, in Miami, Florida, and the concern I have this evening is not necessarily where you spend the money, but making sure that we're a part of your spending the money. I was on the Performing Arts Center, and I had a 50-man crew out there working, and I got people from downtown to work on that project, so there were some jobs contributed to that to the black community, but there are so many other projects that you have that we are not included on. If there was any way possible -- and the numbers will be shocking when you get them -- is there any way possible for the CRAs to report back, not mandatory, but just report back to you what the number is in black participation from the contractors? We would greatly appreciate it. What's happened is we've started not looking at the numbers. We don't want to look at these dismal numbers. I did one out at the airport after they killed the ordinance in 1996, and we went from .3 percent up to 10 percent black participation. After the ordinance was killed, it went back down to .3 percent, and all we're asking you to do, if there's any way possible, to look at the numbers. What's your participation with black contractors? What's the participation in terms of even the Hispanic companies with black workers? How are they receiving that money back in the community? You can rebuild all of this, but without jobs, we won't be here to enjoy it and we won't be part of the contributing community, so I ask that you look at those numbers. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, Sam. We'll definitely make sure that -- I don't know if you have something to add to it, Sarnoff. Commissioner Sarnoff No. I can't agree with what you just said more. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Sarnoff• Any time the City does anything, not just the CRA, to its own building, I mean, it has got to start entering into a concept known as community based contracting, and whether that contractor's going to be the -- a subcontractor, but it's got to be with the people around the area that are -- that can go to work right there and can benefit from those jobs because you're right. Affordable housing is a symptom; it's not the problem. The symptom is you can't have a house. The problem is you don't have a proper job. You are so right. You hit the nail right on the head, and I don't care what anybody said for the past two hours and five minutes; you said it all right there. Chair Spence -Jones: OK Jim, if we can just make sure we provide him with a -- Judith Sandoval: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- some sort of -- Ms. Sandoval: Judith Sandoval -- City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Definitely. Ms. Sandoval: -- 25 -- Chair Spence -Jones: Last person is Judith, and we're closing out for the night. Ms. Sandoval: OK. Judith Sandoval, 2536 Southwest 25th Terrace, that's Silver Bluff. Commissioner Regalado is my Commissioner. I've been working with him on a lot of things in the City, our neighborhood and others, for years now, and I know how heartfelt is the emotion that he presented tonight. I think it is a shame that you didn't pass that motion tonight because between now and February, the other Commissioners of the City of Miami, the developers, and Manny Diaz are going to play every bit of pressure they can dream up, every dirty trick to get that money that belongs to you. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Judy. The meeting is now officially adjourned. Thanks so much for coming out. REPORTS NON -AGENDA ITEMS NA.1 07-00156 CRA DISCUSSION BRIEF DISCUSSION REGARDING THE EXPANSION OF THE CRA BOUNDARIES. DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to add real fast, just on your comment, in closing, and then I want to, at least, allow for, at least, five, ten minutes of comments before we close out because I do want to be -- want us to be over by a certain time, but I think that the issue of you know, the CRA, the expansion of the boundaries -- I mean, I can, at least, say, from the Overtown perspective, it is very important that we look at expanding the boundaries for Overtown. Currently, we're stopping at 14th Street. Much of the housing stock in that area, our existing area right now is kind of somewhat depleted. We need to, you know, expand the boundaries to, at least, go to 20th Street to, at least, pick up the Town Parks in there that need so much work and so much support, and they represent a big part of Overtown. Expanding that boundary -- those boundaries will allow for us to be able to preserve some of the housing stock that we do have in the Overtown area. It also -- originally, when the lines were put together, until we started working on this issue, it did not include 7th Avenue, which I thought was very important to include in Overtown because of the biomedical center that's coming on board that the folks in Overtown will be able to benefit from the TIF regarding that, so that was not included, and that's now -- now that will be included in the extension of the life of the -- the extension of the -- or, excuse me, the expansion of the CRA boundaries. While I do understand my colleagues' viewpoint, I hope that they both understand mine from the standpoint of again, you know, in the very beginning, we talked about Overtown residents waiting for something to happen, and I can't really speak about anything that happened before me, neither -- none of us can, but I can speak about where we must go now. Here's the opportune time to now be in a position to really do something for the Overtown residents, and I think that we need to think from that perspective to make sure that, at least, they're able to benefit from these things that can come from the CRA being there. Unfortunately, that's not been the track record in the past, but I think that the leadership that we have in place will ensure that the folks in Overtown benefit from the things that we want to see happen. I think that the -- hopefully, the negotiations, Larry, that you guys will continue to do with the County regarding this issue, you will continue to push very hard on the things that are very important to -- I'm just speaking from the Overtown perspective side of it because I know that Fred and -- making sure from the Omni perspective there are some key City of Miami Page 47 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 things -- I just want to make sure -- again, I know that there are some key projects in the Omni area that are very important to also complete in the expansion and the extension of life for the Omni area, which is really, more or less, my counterpart's area, but I do know that, at least -- mean, it's obvious. You came to this meeting tonight in Overtown. You see that there's clearly some things that need to be done, that need to be completed for the folks here in Overtown, so I just want to make sure that, as we talk about the life of the CRA, that we talk about or we think about the people that have been left behind for so long, and while I do understand that, you know, there's questions around whether or not the CRA is really -- it really benefits the community like it should or it hasn't, you know, I think that we need to take a proactive role in making sure that it does. I have a responsibility to make sure that that happens. We all have that responsibility to make sure that it happens, so I just really wanted to, at least, make sure I stated that for the record. I know that Jim, along with our attorneys, and Spring will continue their negotiations now that we have a strong mayor in place, and I'm assuming those negotiations will pick back up, and again, these are things that -- some of these projects that are on that list -- well, hopefully -- that were on that list were things that the County was kind of like putting over, if I'm not mistaken, our head saying that, if we're going to do this, then these things have to be considered. They clearly weren't things that we were saying that we want to have happen. It's, you know, people putting the -- I don't want to say the barrel over our head saying that we're not going to even consider the expansion of the life or the expansion of the boundaries unless you do these things, and the reality is is that we know the folks in certain areas need to have it. The water and sewer improvements in Overtown need to be upgraded. The infrastructure is horrible. I mean, there's a lot of key things that have not been done in a very long time in this area, so when we start talking about, you know, shutting down this or not doing that, we need to make sure -- just like we say that we don't want to build a Marlins stadium and all these other things that we don't want to do before we take care of the people of Overtown, then I think that the same thing -- the same energy that we put into saying that we want to, you know, do something for the folks in Overtown first, we need to make sure that that is put in place before we consider not even keeping a CRA around, so -- and I do understand your viewpoint, but I just want to make sure that we deliver to the people first. That is so important, and I think it is time for them to see some real things happen before we could even consider this. Here's some funds that could really, really make a difference. I mean, just in -- just this little bit of time, in six and seven months, we've been able, to at least, turn some things around, and I can only imagine if we had the real resources to really make that happen, so I just wanted, to at least, have Larry come out to, at least, make sure you understood what he was doing, and I also wanted to make sure that I put the Marlins stadium issue out there so that everyone's real clear, and I want everyone to also understand my viewpoint. We do not have two sitting Commissioners here at this time to even weigh in on this discussion, and I'm sure that it's probably going to come up as another discussion, but I do want to say that it's very, very, as far as I'm concerned as the Chair of this committee, that I would not have any consideration for anything else unless we deliver on what we've promised first, and that has been my stance from day one, so in closing, I want to -- because I said that we wanted to be out of here by a certain period of time. I want to, at least, open up the -- oh, we have a motion that we have to entertain. Commissioner Regalado: Yes, I know. NA.2 07-00157 CRA DISCUSSION BRIEF DISCUSSION REGARDING CRA APPOINTING MEMBERS TO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BOARD. DISCUSSED Commissioner Regalado: And Madam Chairman [sic], if I may ask, we have an appointment of two -- probably, you know, two members of the Performing Arts Center Trust on the February 8 meeting, but it says confirmation. City of Miami Page 48 Printed on 2/16/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Who --? Commissioner Regalado: Who suggest those names? Commissioner Sarnoff. We -- Chair Spence -Jones: I have no -- Commissioner Sarnoff. We don't -- Chair Spence -Jones: I asked the -- Commissioner Sarnoff. -- get to pick them. We only get to confirm them. Commissioner Regalado: Well, guess what? You know, he should be there representing the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) and the City. Chair Spence -Jones: And I think we asked -- I think you might have asked or someone asked that, since we are putting money into it, the CRA should actually have two appointments -- Commissioner Regalado: Exactly, and -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- on the board. Commissioner Regalado: -- that is my point. I mean, that is my point. One point four -- I mean, that's something that we cannot take away from them, so 1.4, and they want more and more and more, and yet, we have to accept the people that they want. Why? Why? If we have people like Fred that really understand, because he has been there in bad times and good times, and he can be, you know, the person looking after the interest of this $1.4 million that the CRA is giving, so you know, I'm -- I just want to find -- I'm trying to find out with the Administration -- the last appointment that the City had was Joe Arriola's son, but I don't know -- Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Commissioner Regalado. We love you. City of Miami Page 49 Printed on 2/16/2007