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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW OMNI CRA 2007-10-29 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Di IN O9P 9I#i1i? Meeting Minutes Monday, October 29, 2007 5:00 PM ICE PALACE (AT BIG TIME PRODUCTIONS) 59 NW 14TH ST. Parking is available on the east side of the building. SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Michelle Spence -Jones, Chair Marc David Sarnoff, Vice Chair Angel Gonzalez, 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 October 29, 2007 Minutes are transcribed verbatim. Periodically, agenda items are revisited during a meeting. "[Later...]" refers to discussions that were interrupted and later continued. Present: Commissioner Sanchez, Commissioner Regalado and Chair Spence -Jones Absent: Commissioner Gonzalez and Vice Chair Sarnoff On the 29th day of October 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 at the Ice Palace at Big Time Productions, 59 NW 14th Street, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Michelle Spence -Jones at 5:18 p.m. and was adjourned at 6: 58 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: James H. Villacorta, Interim Executive Director, CRA Clarence Woods, Assistant Executive Director, CRA Gail A. Dotson, Assistant General Counsel, CRA Pamela E. Burns, Assistant Clerk of the Board FINANCIALS 1. 07-01340 CRA DISCUSSION FINANCIAL SUMMARY THROUGH MONTH ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 Financial Summary.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move on to number 1 on the agenda, which is the financial summary. Miguel Valentin (Financial Officer, Community Redevelopment Agency): Tonight I'm going to be presenting the combined statement of financial position as of September 30, 2007. As you can see under Southeast Overtown/Park West, we are disclosing the amount of 80, 000 as cash unrestricted, and under Omni, we are disclosing the amount of 100, 000. Those two figures haven't changed. Also, I wanted to stress out that for the workforce housing program in Overtown, we have expended $80,185.50 out of 746, 744. Furthermore, I will like to say that for 2008, we are intending to allocate two more million toward this project. Also, I wanted to put on record there is no reportable condition, and we are expecting to have the audited financial statements by January 2008. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Miguel. Commissioners -- any of my colleagues have any questions? Commissioner Sanchez: No questions. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you so much. 2. 07-01337 CRA RESOLUTION A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ("CRAS"), RATIFYING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS RENEWAL OF THE CRAS' WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH PREFERRED GOVERNMENTAL INSURANCE TRUST, FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR, City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 11/6,2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2007, IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,976; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM GENERAL OPERATING FUND, "INSURANCE LIABILITY," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10030.920101.896000.0000.00000. Cover Memo 07-01337.pdf Financial Form 07-01337.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation 07-01337.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0042 Chair Spence -Jones: I'm going to move on to number 2 on the agenda and going to turn it over to the director to walk us through it. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 2 is a joint resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Redevelopment District Redevelopment Agencies ratifying -- Chair Spence -Jones: Jim, can you bring the mike a little closer to you? Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Mr. Villacorta: -- the executive director's renewal of the CRAs' (Community Redevelopment Agencies) worker's compensation coverage with Preferred Governmental Insurance Trust for $7, 967, and that'll cover the period commencing October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008. Commissioner Sanchez: So move. Commissioner Regalado: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. 3. 07-01338 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 HOLIDAY BANNERS ON STREET LIGHT POLES IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.534000.0000.00000. City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 11/6,2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Cover Memo 07-01338.pdf Financial Form 07-01338.pdf back-up 07-01338.pdf Legislation 07-01338.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0043 Direction by Chair Spence -Jones to the Interim Executive Director to come back to the Board with a recommendation regarding risks and liability to the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) on contracts based on the current practices of other CRAs across the country. Chair Spence -Jones: We move on to number 3. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 2 -- or item number -- Chair Spence -Jones: Item number -- Mr. Villacorta: -- 3 -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- 3. Mr. Villacorta: -- excuse me -- is a resolution authorizing the expenditure of $6, 000 with Logan Corporation for holiday banners along -- within the Overtown CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). This was something that the Board requested last year during the holiday season; that they hadn't seen any decorations in the CRA, and -- Chair Spence -Jones: Is it just for the Overtown CRA? We said all the -- I believe that was Commissioner Regalado that actually, you know, was pushing that item to say that something that it should happen throughout all the CRAs. Are we saying --? 'Cause you said Overtown. Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. I think the direction at that time was more in the Overtown CRA because there are decorations along Biscayne Boulevard that go up, and we wanted to make sure that something was happening in Overtown -- Commissioner Sanchez: So move. Mr. Villacorta: -- and this would replace the banners that -- the generic banners that are up at the moment. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado, did you -- would you like to see something happening in the other parts of the dis -- areas? Commissioner Regalado: I do, but I'd like to ask who designed the banners. Mr. Villacorta: We worked with the banner companies and received quotes. There's an example of what they were proposing before you. The CRA staff worked with the banner companies to come up with the design. Commissioner Regalado: Because we have a ad agency that we hired, right, which is -- City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- specializes in holidays activities and designs and all that, and I figured that, you know, if we are going to take this to the next level, might as well have a professional. Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Well, the problem is while we passed a resolution authorizing a contract with that agency, the contract is not in place yet because we're still dealing with getting the insurances that are required by the City. Commissioner Regalado: Okay, on the -- I'd like to -- before I -- I second this for discussion, but before I vote on this, I really need to understand why the delay because my understand -- and here we have Ed O'Dell, I think, is somewhere. Unidentified Speaker: Right here. Commissioner Regalado: Oh, okay. Ed O'Dell is a old colleague of mine in radio and TV (Television), and I respect him, and I don't understand the hold up, and I don't understand like if that the agency -- him getting a letter saying you can't drive your car to any event; you need to have like a million -dollar insurance in every car of every employee of all of your agency. Do we require that for any contracts in the CRA? Mr. Villacorta: We run our contracts through the City's Department of Risk Management and ask them to hold us to the same standards that they hold City vendors to. These insurances were listed in the RFP (Request for Proposals), and they were initialed off as something that the vendor would provide. The City's Risk Management Department does require not only an automobile policy, but that that policy cover hired and non -owned autos as well. It's a attenuated set of circumstances that could lead to liability, but that's something that they feel is necessary. Chair Spence -Jones: Well, let me ask you this. What do we do with the smaller companies that - Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: -- you know, clearly -- I mean, not just for this particular company, but, you know, one of the purposes of the CRA is to be able to empower smaller companies so that they have the ability to grow and, you know, prosper, and you know, I mean, we're dealing with an area that really needs the attention and support, and I know that there are some smaller businesses here right even in this room. You know, if we start, you know, not allowing for them to participate because it's a million -dollar insurance policy attached to it, you know, we might as well just tell them not even to apply. Mr. Villacorta: Well -- Commissioner Regalado: And that's the point that I wanted to make because the contract originally was 50,000 or something like that. Mr. Villacorta: Correct. Commissioner Regalado: They had to buy a policy of 4,000; now another policy of $8,000, so for a small company, they shouldn't even bother to come -- I mean, big companies, they have the cash to do it, but that's wrong because we are the money that is supposed to redevelop, and like the Chair said empower small business. We might as well give it to the huge advertising agency, City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 you know. You know, you call the Madison Avenue Advertising, and they have all the cash in the world to have insurance by the thousands, but I think that's wrong, and you know, I think that we're missing a huge opportunity with the holidays. These people that create would be able -- would have been able to organize for us different events that we cannot even think about it, and what we're doing is that we're stopping the whole train because Risk Management -- I would like to see if Risk Management request $1 million for each automobile that any contractor of the City has in their company. To me, that's pretty strange because, to my knowledge, they contracted two ad agencies for Miami 21, and they haven't -- not to my knowledge, they don't request that kind of insurance. I saw the contract. Mr. Villacorta: Well, I'm not sure how those two agencies were handled, but I know that the agency that performed the work for the Downtown Development Association -- or Authority had these same requirements in its RFP, and those would have been picked up in the contract. It is something that the City pretty much does across-the-board for its vendors. We address that somewhat by giving grants to the businesses -- some of the businesses we deal with; for instance, Roots in the City. We don't contract with them for work. We give them a grant to beaut 3rd Avenue, but in this case, where it's a vendor providing services to us and they might be traveling to events on our behalf, I think Risk Management is worried that a court could decide they were an agent of the CRA and had they picked up an automobile that wasn't owned, we could be vicariously liable for those -- Chair Spence -Jones: Can we -- Mr. Villacorta: -- events. Chair Spence -Jones: -- please sit down --? I think Commissioner Regalado's making some very valid points about this issue, and I think I know some -- just in reference to some of the individuals that -- or companies that might have been hired that didn't have to go through those loop -- those -- through all of that, so if we can maybe perhaps sit down -- especially when we're talking about businesses that are operating in areas that we're trying to redevelop that truly have issues -- Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and especially if we're trying to include people from the community or products of the community. In order to have them participate in these things, we got to look at, you know, special circumstances, but I want to turn it over to -- first of all, I got a motion and a second, so I'm assuming that this item has already passed, but we do have a further discussion on it from Commiss -- okay. Mr. Villacorta: You must vote. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor -- I'm sorry. Let's handle the business first. All in favor of the item? Commissioner Regalado: Aye. Commissioner Sanchez: Well, on the item on the $6, 000 banner, yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: Absolutely, but -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All in favor, "aye." City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: But -- Chair Spence -Jones: Aye, right? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- this item passes, and then Commissioner Sanchez has a comment. Commissioner Sanchez: On that issue, I just want a point of clarification. We are following the City's procurement standards, right? Mr. Villacorta: We're actually exempt from the City's procurement code, but we attempt to follow their standards as far as risk and generally their purchasing procedures. Commissioner Regalado: So we are -- Chair Spence -Jones: So we're putting -- we're self -imposing that? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: If I could just finish -- Mr. Villacorta: Well, I mean -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- on that. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- we would not have to follow -- I mean, we don't have to send the contracts to Risk at all if we didn't want to, but it's something we do to try and manage our contracts on the same level that the City does. Commissioner Sanchez: What -- you stated it was listed on the RFP? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: All right, so if we were to change this in any way, the RFP would have to go back out; it's my understanding. Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay -- Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- but here's the bottom line. The bottom line is that the liability should not fall within -- for -- on the City nor the CRA. As long as we are protected where these companies go out there and something should happen -- that's why it's required for them to have a million -dollar liability so if something should happen, the burden's on them. I will not expose the CRA nor the City to liability if we were to change this law. City of Miami Pagel Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: But this is not about changing what is done. You know, what is done is done, and they need to -- Chair Spence -Jones: Comply. Commissioner Regalado: -- do whatever is needed. My problem here is that this has taken month and month and month and it hasn't been resolved. It's a back and forth, and you know, the losers are the people of the CRA, nobody else because, you know, the companies, they have their other customers, and you guys in the CRA, you do the business that you do everyday, but the losers are the Gene of the areas and the people in Overtown, and that is sad because we requested help from truly professionals that can tell us what is best for the area and how to do it, and if you tell me that the CRA is designing the holiday banners -- and I -- you know, I love your staff, but I cannot operate on a patient for open-heart surgery because I'm not a professional doctor, and this is why we hired professionals to design banners, to design the jobs that needs to be done, so I'm just hoping that we don't lose this opportunity because, I mean -- you know, time is certainly not in our side. Chair Spence -Jones: Let me just add. I think that both Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez are making very good points on both ends. I do think that we need to really look at the issue, especially -- and I'm going to say -- because I know I have a lot of smaller companies that operate within the CRA Overtown/Park West area, and the reality is, if they're going to go after any of these contracts, they might -- they may as well not do it because by the time the insurance thing kicks in and all these additional things is required of them, they're not going to be able to participate. I would just ask for the executive director to explore additional things that we perhaps can do, not -- and I agree with you, Commissioner Sanchez. We don't want to have a situation where we contract with someone that does not deliver or they do something wrong or leaves us open, but because you did state on the record that this is something that we're actually imposing -- and obviously, there's a reason why it was not put in place in the very beginning from the standpoint of the CRAB not necessarily having to comply to that rule. It's something that we decided to do with Risk itself just to make sure that we cover ourselves; that I think it's important for us to look at other, you know, options, especially if we plan on, you know, utilizing a small sign company from the neighborhood, you know, that, you know, may not have that million -dollar, you know, policy, but they need the business and they need to work, so we don't have to resolve the answer today, but if you can come back with a recommendation -- maybe look at what some other CRAs are doing across the country to address that issue. That might be helpful, but we've already passed this particular item, and I don't want to, you know, beat it to death, so I think it's understood what needs to happen on both ends. Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. We'll take a look at -- you know, it's a balancing act between the potential liability and our desire to promote small businesses. We'll take a look at that and maybe forward this transcript to Risk, and perhaps, on a case -by -case basis, the Board would want to waive the insurance requirements. Chair Spence -Jones: Because, if I'm not mistaken, they've already started working based upon the CRA Board voting on this whole thing and working. Mr. Villacorta: Actually, they haven't done any work. They worked on the jazz event, but that was through the City -- Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- on the City side. We haven't been billed for any work, and we have work that we need them to undertake. City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We got it. 4. 07-01339 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA") AUTHORIZING PAYMENT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $343,387.20, TO FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY, AS FINAL PAYMENT FOR THE OVERHEAD TO UNDERGROUND CONVERSION AND FACILITY UPGRADE FOR THE NORTHWEST 9TH STREET PEDESTRIAN MALL ALTERNATE PHASE 4 PLAN; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.670000.0000.00000. Cover Memo 07-01339.pdf Financial Form 07-01339.pdf Back-up 07-01339.pdf Legislation 07-01339.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0044 Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move on to item number 4. Jim. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 4 is a resolution of the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency authorizing payment, in an amount not to exceed $343, 387.20, to Florida Power & Light, as final payment for the overhead to underground conversion and facility upgrade for the Northwest 9th Street Pedestrian Mall Alternate Phase 4. This has been ongoing for some time. This is the final payment that's due to Florida Power & Light for the conversion as part of the conversion from overhead to underground power along 9th Street Pedestrian Mall. A portion of Northwest 3rd Avenue had to be converted to complete the power loop, and this is the final payment. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair, this work has already been completed by Florida Power & Light. As a matter of fact, it's work that's been done on 9th Street Pedestrian Mall, which connects back to 3rd Avenue, if I'm not mistaken. Mr. Villacorta: Yes, yes. Commissioner Sanchez: This actually is a real good deal for us because Florida Power & Light agreed to maximize the cost years ago, and it did go over like 33 percent, if I'm not mistaken -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Commissioner Sanchez: -- and Florida Power & Light has agreed to eat the overrun, so therefore, I make a motion in favor of this legislation. Chair Spence -Jones: All -- Do I have a second? City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 11/6,2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: I'll second -- Chair Spence -Jones: All in -- Commissioner Regalado: -- the item. Chair Spence -Jones: -- fa -- Commissioner Regalado: I just want to say that -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Regalado: -- you know, underground facilities is the only alternative for South Florida. You know, we can't just avoid hurricanes, so -- but if we want it, we need to pay it; it's very simple, and I think that it's not only nice, but necessary to an area. What you going to see now is that, hoping that any transformer in the area doesn't go out, that area is not going to have a blackout, even though we had hurricane winds, and so it is the right thing, and you know, I wish we can pay for all the City to go underground, but it's a very costly event, so I'm ready to vote. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes. 5. 07-01335 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $400,000, FOR A PROJECT TOTAL OF $500,000, FOR THE PREPARATION OF DESIGN DRAWINGS AND CONSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING SIGNAGE, ALONG NORTH BAYSHORE DRIVE BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY NORTHEAST 15TH STREET AND NORTHEAST 17TH TERRACE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, ALL TO BE PERFORMED THROUGH THE CITY OF MIAMI'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OFFICE; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR SAID PURPOSE; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM OMNI TIF FUND, "CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.670000.0000.00000. Cover Memo 07-01335.pdf Financial Form 07-01335.pdf Back-up 07-01335.pdf Legislation 07-01335.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0045 Chair Spence -Jones: We move on to number 5. City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 5 is a resolution of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency authorizing additional funding, in an amount not to exceed 400, 000, for a project total of 500, 000, for the preparation of design drawings and construction of traffic and roadway improvements, including signage, along North Bayshore Drive, from approximately Northeast 15th Street to Northeast 17th Terrace. Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions on this item? Vice Chairman Sanchez: Madam Chair, this -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Sanchez: -- project, after research that I've gone back and looked at, is in our budget, and it has been in the drawing board for quite some time. Let me just focus on one thing. This is exactly the kind of infrastructure that the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) should be doing. This is an area in the Omni area -- behind the Omni, in front of the Bayshore Drive hotels and condos. Those two blocks used to get flooded and to a point where it was unsafe, and the City had been promising to do it for the longest time. I think this is good legislation to get this done, and I'm sure that this is exactly what the money should be used for to improve the traffic in that area. Mr. Villacorta: This project feeds into that section. The City is continuing designs for 17th Street through 20th, up to the northern end of Margaret Pace Park, and that area suffers severe flooding. The City told us to go ahead with our project first, rather than wait for them to finish the design, with the idea that we'll get -- they won't hold us up. This is south of 17th Terrace and reconfigures the median for -- to adjust for all the traffic that's been generated and is proving to be detrimental to the businesses along Bayshore Drive, between 15th and 17th Terrace. Commissioner Sanchez: Well, here's a perfect example. The City committed to that. The City committed to fix that problem. If they say they don't have the funding now, then the CRA should move forward and get this done because it was a promise made to the residents, and that's what we're here for. If the County -- if the City -- and we're wearing two hats here; I'm wearing the CRA hat -- didn't fulfill its responsibility, the CRA will, so therefore, I'm supporting this legislation. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado, do you have a comment before I open it up for Fred real fast? Commissioner Regalado: Well, I think it was about time. I mean, if we were able to get the money to do the super block in front of the Carnival Center, it's about time that we take care of the residents. They were before there than the Performing Arts Center, so I think it's important that, you know, we move with this as soon as possible, and my only concern is that after we start, then the City comes in and breaks what we do, you know, 'cause it happens, and the second concern is that, you know, we are now at the end of the hurricane season. We have like a five- to six-month window before the rainy season to try to do something, and hopefully, we will do it, and -- so I'm ready to vote. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so I -- did I have a motion and a second on this? Okay. Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Do I have a motion on this item? City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: I moved it. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: And second. Chair Spence -Jones: Second. All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, I'm sorry. Fred, go ahead. Omni Advisory Board. Fred Joseph: Omni Advisory Board, Fred Joseph, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, 3856. I'm the president of the board. We've been trying to get this project off square one for over nine years when we started Margaret Pace Park, and the two Commissioners that are sitting have been helpful. I hope the Chair will follow through. This design is wonderful and we'd like to see it happen, but it has to be tied in with that roadwork, as we spoke about, because like the Commissioner Regalado said, if you start it and have to tear it up, it makes no sense, so if the City -- we don't -- we're happy to fund those monies to the -- for design and fund the rest for going forward out of the TIF (Tax Increment Fund), but you need to hold their foot -- feet to the fire to get the rest of design so we'll get the drainage and the roadwork already done. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Fred. I think the only thing that came up in the last meeting for all of these projects -- capital improvement projects that we do have coming up -- and I don't think you were in the last meeting. Jim, it was communicated that we want to see some strong language put into these agreements about including local participation, so here's another project that we definitely can have some sort of local participation involved in that we'd like to see the same thing happen on this, and we probably just need to pass some sort of resolution or something to that effect that just outright states that as our position so that we don't have to constantly put it in or add it to an item. Okay? Mr. Villacorta: Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on to number 6. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Excuse me, I -- Chair Spence -Jones: I did say "all in favor." Ms. Burns: All in favor, and I didn't hear -- Vice Chairman Sanchez: Aye. Commissioner Regalado: Aye. Ms. Burns: Thank you. Mr. Villacorta: Unanimous. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes. 6. 07-00730 CRA RESOLUTION City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ("CRAS") AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING FIRMS FOR PROVISION OF MISCELLANEOUS ENGINEERING AND RELATED SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH CRA PROJECTS. Memo.pdf Legislation.pdf memo.pdf Legislation.pdf Cover Memo 07-00730.pdf Legislation 07-00730.pdf DEFERRED A motion was made by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, and was passed unanimously, with Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez absent, to defer the item; further, directing the Interim Executive Director to prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) with the proper language regarding the scope and the not -to -exceed dollar amount to be brought back to the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board for approval. Chair Spence -Jones: We move on to number 6. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 6 is a joint resolution that was deferred from the July 30, 2007 board meeting. This resolution authorizes issuance of a Request for Qualifications for the provision of miscellaneous engineering and related services in connection with the projects of the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agencies. If you remember at the July 30 meeting, CIP (Capital Improvements Program) was present and said that they would be moving our projects forward, but subsequent to that meeting, said that they thought perhaps it would be a good idea for us to have an engineering firm that we could reach out to for some of the projects. For instance, Ward Rooming House, it's been since May that we've been asking for a designer for that project, and this would allow us to issue a Request for Qualifications -- Commissioner Regalado: Who do you ask to design? Commissioner Sanchez: No. That's -- this has to be an RFP (Request for Proposals). Mr. Villacorta: Yeah, this would be -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay -- Mr. Villacorta: -- an RFP, yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- not who you have. Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but who have you been asking the design -- for the de --? Mr. Villacorta: We requested CIP -- Chair Spence -Jones: CIP. Mr. Villacorta: -- issue a designer, but they were out -- their contracts had expired. They had to City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 do their own RFP to get people back on board. Chair Spence -Jones: And I think they have already since then put something in place, but I think the reason why -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: -- you're asking for this, Jim -- correct me if I'm wrong -- you want to be able to have somebody that's available if we have projects and we don't have to wait for CIP. Is that the reason why -- Mr. Villacorta: Exactly. Chair Spence -Jones: -- this item is --? Mr. Villacorta: So that we could move forward quickly on those occasions when CIP --- Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized, Commissioner Sanchez. Mr. Villacorta: -- is busy. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you, Madam Chair. As it is right now, we have a lot of projects that are pending, and you know that the CIP Department in the City is very short of staff right now, if you know -- Mr. Villacorta: Exactly. Commissioner Sanchez: -- what I mean -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- so I think this would help us here at the CRA to move forward, and as long as we put out an RFP and we get the best qualified individual -- Mr. Villacorta: Exactly. Commissioner Sanchez: -- I could be supportive of this legislation. Now here's another thing. Do you want to put an amount as to the service of scope, or do you just want to -- how would you want to handle this, Mr. Executive Director? Mr. Villacorta: I would put that this is for miscellaneous projects -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay, let's clearly define it because the more we identdy these legislations the better off we are. Mr. Villacorta: The individual projects, I would put totaling less than $2 million, but -- Commissioner Sanchez: Not to exceed $2 million? Mr. Villacorta: Right, but that would come back before the Board when they -- when the architectural firm was being presented to you or the engineering firm was being -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Couldl make -- Mr. Villacorta: -- presented to you. City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: -- a motion here directing the executive director to prepare the RFP with the proper language as to the scope and not to exceed amount, to be brought back and we could -- Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Commissioner Sanchez: -- vote on it, and that way I can meet with you or my staff could meet with you and we could, you know, clearly go through and see what exactly is going to be the services they're going to provide, the amount, the projects. Mr. Villacorta: Sure. We could definitely have staff draft the RFP and bring that back -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right -- Mr. Villacorta: -- before the Board. Commissioner Sanchez: -- so -- Chair Spence -Jones: So we're asking that this item is deferred, correct? Commissioner Sanchez: No, no, no, no, no. Chair Spence -Jones: No. You want to -- Commissioner Sanchez: We're directing the executive director to prepare the RFP with the language, to be brought back to the CRA for approval, hopefully, with a full CRA Board, or whoever's here. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so are we -- we're amending this --? Commissioner Sanchez: No. We're making a motion. Is there a second to it? Commissioner Regalado: Second Mr. Villacorta: Well -- Chair Spence -Jones: What -- Mr. Villacorta: -- I think we're deferring it to come back with a -- Chair Spence -Jones: That's what it sounds -- Mr. Villacorta: -- with the attached -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- like. Mr. Villacorta: -- RFP at -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- the next meeting. Chair Spence -Jones: So we are deferring --? City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay -- Mr. Villacorta: I think -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- so this item is being deferred until the next meeting? Commissioner Sanchez: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Can -- again, we have a motion and a second. Did we have a vote on the deferral? Commissioner Sanchez: Aye. Commissioner Regalado: I already second it. I already second it. Commissioner Sanchez: And we vote on it. All in favor? Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. 7. 07-01336 CRA RESOLUTION A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AUTHORIZING GRANTS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,000, TO UNDERWRITE EVENTS IN THE CRA REDEVELOPMENT AREAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 2008 ART BASEL EVENT; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION TO DISBURSE SAID GRANT FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO SUB -GRANTEES AND VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; PROVIDED THAT ANY GRANT OVER $4,500, SHALL BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD FOR RATIFICATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL; FUNDS FOR THE GRANTS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $37,500, TO BE ALLOCATED FROM OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.883000.0000.00000 AND, IN THE AMOUNT OF $37,500, FROM SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. Cover Memo 07-01336.pdf Financial Form 07-01336.pdf Legislation 07-01336.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 11/6,2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 CRA-R-07-0046 Commissioner Sanchez: Item number 7, I would move, Madam Chair, without any discussion, unless you want to add that Art Basel is a great event for our city. Chair Spence -Jones: I just want -- I'm not really sure how the process is going to go. You're just going to wait for people to come to you, Jim? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Actually, we're advertising. We'll advertise that these grants are available; that we've made funds available for grants for Art Basel events within the two CRAs (Community Redevelopment Agencies) and -- Commissioner Regalado: And who decides? Mr. Villacorta: -- receive responses. Well, last year the Board empowered the executive director to issue the grants and bring them back for ratification. Commissioner Sanchez: Yeah, but also, I think there was a condition as to reimbursement basis Mr. Villacorta: Right, either -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- which I still would add to this. Mr. Villacorta: -- directly to vendors or on a reimbursement basis for -- upon presentation of invoices, which is actually in the resolution. Commissioner Sanchez: I would -- Mr. Villacorta: That requirement -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- support it -- Mr. Villacorta: -- is there. Commissioner Sanchez: -- as long as it's a reimbursement basis where once they're able to provide with you receipts -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes, paid invoices. Commissioner Sanchez: -- we can reimburse. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Let's be clear on that. It's reimbursement or submitting of the invoices, correct? Mr. Villacorta: Right. The -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- discretion is given to distribute said grant funds on a reimbursement basis or directly to sub -grantees and vendors -- City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Just wanted to make sure we're clear on it. Mr. Villacorta: -- upon presentation of invoices and satisfactory documentation. Commissioner Regalado: So -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: -- when is Art Basel? Chair Spence -Jones: The first week in -- Mr. Villacorta: December 1. Commissioner Regalado: Hmm? Mr. Villacorta: The first week -- Chair Spence -Jones: First week in December. Mr. Villacorta: -- in December. Commissioner Regalado: First week in December. That's very close to organize an event. Chair Spence -Jones: I think that there's a few organizations -- like I know -- I don't know -- I see Black Archives. Are you -- Elizabeth, are you planning on coming back again? I know you did your event last year -- Elizabeth Williams: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- so I think some of the organizations have already been somewhat identified. They just have not sat down with the CRA, but they're already planning, so they will be coming to you to -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. I think they didn't -- they weren't sure whether to come forward since there were no grant funds allocated. Last year, October 30, you passed a resolution authorizing thirty-seven five from each CRA, and it was used by an artist for the Like Minds Project on the Vera building in the Omni and the Good Bread Alley Exhibition at the Lyric Theater. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so I had a motion, and I had a second, correct? Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): No, we do not. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Do I have a motion on this item? I thought I had a motion. Commissioner Sanchez: So move, as -- Was it an amendment for the reimbursement, or has it always been reimbursement? Chair Spence -Jones: No. Mr. Villacorta: No. Chair Spence -Jones: It's -- Mr. Villacorta: It's in the resolution. City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: -- already in there. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. So move. Commissioner Regalado: This is the same thing that we approve -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- last year. I still say that if we want to be in the major leagues -- and Art Basel is in the major leagues -- we need professionals. That's -- it's a no-brainer. I mean, how can -- Okay. Look, I will fund gladly any and all events that has to do with Art Basel. You come here and you say, I'm going to fly a plane with a banner; I'll fund you. You know, Congratulations, Art Basel, but that's not the point. The point is that we need professionals in the marketing, in the advertising. It's the only way that you can get the most of your money. If not, this money will disappear, and you know, we did a good thing, but we never even kept track of what happened, and what you need to do is to build a file of achievement of the CRAs, and that's all that there is to it -- Chair Spence -Jones: He's saying he's -- Commissioner Regalado: -- so that's the problem with not having professionals. Mr. Villacorta: In past years, we've required that the events be Art Basel listed events, so they would have to at least get that level of sanction of the Art Basel -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. I think what he's -- Mr. Villacorta: -- community. Chair Spence -Jones: -- saying, Jim, and -- Mr. Executive Director -- and I don't want to, again, beat another dead horse -- I mean, beat anything to death, not -- we're not going to beat a horse today -- is that he's just simply saying that when you have the marketing agency in place, then it becomes their role and responsibility to let people know kind of what kind of activities, what things are coming on, utilizing their expertise so that, you know, we can really promote the events that we're doing within the district properly. You know, that's what he's -- I'm not putting words in your mouth, but I think that that's the point of why it's important for us -- Commissioner Regalado: That is the point. That is the point, and the point is that the first thing we seek is community participation, you know. I don't know if we can get from this money all the community participation that we wish, and that's my point. I'm ready to vote. Chair Spence -Jones: I had a motion, and I had a second. Commissioner Regalado: All in favor? Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Ms. Burns: We did not receive a second. Chair Spence -Jones: You did -- Commissioner Regalado: Well, I do. I second it. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Mr. Joseph, what I really would like to -- you know, we'll hold all the comments towards the end. The only reason why I did -- had you speak the first time is 'cause you were speaking on behalf of the Omni Advisory Board regarding the water project, but I really want to keep order in the meeting 'cause I want to get through it, so at the end of the CRA meeting, I'll allow for people to step up and make any comments on any of the key issues, okay? Fred Joseph: Yeah. We had no -- we're in direct support, Madam Chair. The only thing was we wanted all items non -charge. We don't want paid events. That's what the Omni -- Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. Mr. Joseph: -- that's what you had before -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Joseph: -- the resolution. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. No problem, sir. 8. 07-01122 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $90,000, TO THE HISTORIC GREATER BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH; PROVIDED THAT THE GRANT IS APPLIED FIRST TO FUND EXTERIOR STUCCO REPAIRS, CAULKING, WATERPROOFING, AND PAINTING; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TIF FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Cover Memo 07-01122.pdf Financial Form 07-01122.pdf Back-up 07-01122.pdf Legislation 07-01122.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0047 Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on to item number 8. Mr. Executive Director. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 8 authorizes -- was deferred from the September 24 board meeting and authorizes a grant, in an amount not to exceed $90, 000, to the Historic Greater Bethel AME (African City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 11/6,2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Methodist Episcopal) Church, to provide assistance with repairs and renovations currently underway for which the church has issued partial payment in the amount of $30, 000. This would be a three to one match of the funding. The resolution requires that it be used first for stucco, painting, caulking, and -- to the exterior of the buildings. My understanding is they also have performed work on the roof and the remainders of the funds could be used there. Chair Spence -Jones: Reverend Broomfield I know that you're here from Bethel AME, and Madam City Attorney, I know that that's -- this was an issue in the last meeting by one of the board members regarding church and state, but I believe the -- not -- if I'm not mistaken, the executive director has cleared up all those issues. As a matter of fact, there's several State grants -- Mr. Villacorta: Right. Chair Spence -Jones: -- that -- Mr. Villacorta: We provided the Commissioner who was concerned about this with a listing of the State grants that have gone to churches for historic preservation. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Clerk [sic]. Chair Spence -Jones: Madam Clerk? You're giving me a new job? Go ahead. You're recognized. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair, the executive director and the attorney did put out an opinion, and that opinion opined that the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) can give public dollars to church for exterior work. As a matter of fact, the Old North Church in Boston receives plenty of funding from the public money for historic preservation and restoration. On this issue, the only thing that I have one concern with is the language, and I would make a friendly amendment to it, and it's -- it says that it provides that the grant is applied first to fund exterior stucco repairs, caulking, waterproofing, and painting language. What I would do is amend it that the first language should be removed so the resolution should mean all the money must be spent only on exterior work, such as stucco and caulking, et cetera. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Are we saying just -- is it just exterior, or is it in and out? Because I actually visit -- this is a church that's in my district, and there's work that needs to be done on the inside. Based upon that roof repair that we did make, there was so much water damage that had already taken place, so I don't want to limit it to exterior, and I just want to add -- and I don't know -- before I add anything, Commissioner Regalado, do you have any comments on this before I make any comments? Commissioner Regalado: I have the same comments that I had before. This is not about church and state. This is -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- about historic preservation -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- period. End of conversation. That is a historic place. I mean, get down on 1-95 on the exit of 8th Street. What does it says? You are entering Historic Overtown, right? Unless somebody took down the sign, so this is about historic preservation. It have nothing to do with separation of church and state, and the only thing I am glad is that we're doing now -- the only thing that I think was wrong is that we delay it because, you know, the City of Miami Page21 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 water that is coming with Noel is going to go through his roof and so the damage will be bigger inside and out, so I'm ready to vote. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Pastor Broomfield do you have anything? And I just want to just simply say this. I'm glad that we were able to address this issue. I appreciate your support, Madam City Attorney, in getting to the bottom of the whole issue, and I'm glad that my colleagues see this as a valuable thing happening for us in Overtown. It is the oldest structure, I would say, in Overtown, and definitely the oldest church in Overtown. It was started the same time of the City -- the birth of the City. I'm a strong believer and supporter that, you know, if we do have historic sites in town, or in our areas, or in Overtown, that are historic, that we need to support them to make sure that they stay alive. The church has clearly put dollars -- their own dollars into restoring that building, you know, from the members. It's only the right thing to do. They have programs, the hospitality institute that we've asked for them to put the hospitality institute to provide jobs and training to people in the community. We have to make sure the building can accommodate the things that we're asking for it to do, so I appreciate my colleagues supporting me on this issue. I think that it's something that needs to happen. I think that we should support all the historically based venues or buildings within our districts, so I don't know, Reverend Broomfield, if you have any comments before we move on to the next item. Milton Broomfield: Yes, Madam Chair, and members of the CRA Board. I -- it would be remiss of me if I did not say a word of thanks to you all for your generous support of Greater Bethel AME Church. We are delighted and really just happy that you have given us the financial support that we need to make sure that Greater Bethel continues to do great things for our community and provide services, so we want to thank you for your great leadership, and we look forward to a great partnership in the future. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Pastor, and you guys are doing an outstanding job there also. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. You're recognized. Commissioner Sanchez: Once again, I'm focused on a policy issue to protect the integrity of the church and the CRA. Any time that you use public funds, whatever organization, you come under scrutiny as to how your money being spent, how your money's going to be utilized so all that I'm doing here, using good judgment to make sure that I protect your integrity, as well as the CRA on this friendly amendment that I think accomplishes what you want to accomplish. Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to be clear on -- I mean, I think that there's an issue on -- Mr. Villacorta: That -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- whether or not it could be used for the inside or the outside of the church. Mr. Villacorta: The -- Chair Spence -Jones: Is there a problem, Madam -- Mr. Broomfield: Madam Chair. Chair Spence -Jones: -- City Attorney, that says that we can't use it on the inside or something? Gail A. Dotson (Assistant General Counsel): I don't -- what is the --? City of Miami Page22 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: Item 8. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. We know it's item 8. Commissioner Sanchez: No. She doesn't know that. Chair Spence -Jones: No. She said she doesn't know what you're -- Ms. Dotson: Now, what is the in -- what was the intent of the resolution? It was the intent for the work to have been done exclusively on the outside? Commissioner Sanchez: On the exterior, yes. Ms. Dotson: The exterior. Is that the intent of the resolution? And if that's the intent of the resolution, then the friendly amendment would be okay. However, if the intent was such that the work would be done on the inside and the outside, then that may be something that may need to come back 'cause it may be changing the material intention of the resolution -- of the proposed resolution. Mr. Broomfield: Madam Chair -- Chair Spence -Jones: So -- Mr. Broomfield: -- if -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Mr. Broomfield: -- I may. Because of the longevity of the damage to the roof there has been severe damage inside of the sanctuary where the interior stucco had -- is in the process of falling down on parishioners' head, so there is some structural damage inside -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Broomfield: -- as well as the -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Mr. Broomfield: -- carpeting. Commissioner Sanchez: I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to remove my friendly amendment and allow it that the money be used for the interior and exterior. Mr. Broomfield: Thank you, sir. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so we have a friendly amendment. Commissioner Regalado: No, we don't. Commissioner Sanchez: Not anymore. Commissioner Regalado: We don't have any amendment. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. Mr. Villacorta: Well, there were certain nonstructural items that were provided for in a cost City of Miami Page23 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 estimate that was provided by the church, for instance, refinishing the pews and carpeting. I think the Commissioner at the last meeting that had concerns was concerned that, one, with giving money to a church, and we showed him where that's been done by the State, but it was always for the structure, the building structure; whether that is the plaster on the interior or -- and I know they've expended more than the amount of this grant between the roof -- probably on just the roof alone, but we want to see that painting, caulking, and waterproofing done so that we don't -- we want to see that done first before some interior work is done that's going to be damaged by further water intrusion, so we tried to say do that work first, and if we wanted to apply the remaining balance towards -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: But I think we -- Mr. Villacorta: -- the payments on the roof -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- just -- he's -- Mr. Villacorta: -- or -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- the Commissioner has -- Commissioner Sanchez has already made the motion on what needs to happen with it. We don't want to delay them any further. I mean, you're going to be working along -- you're expending the dollars directly through the contractors anyway, or you're giving it directly to the --? Mr. Villacorta: My understanding is they've made payments to the contractors -- Chair Spence -Jones: So you're giving it -- Mr. Villacorta: -- and so we will reimburse them, or if they have not paid the contractor, we will make the payment directly to -- Chair Spence -Jones: So, I mean, some of that you can kind of gauge, correct, Mr. Executive -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- Director? Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: What's the total amount? Mr. Villacorta: Ninety thousand dollars. I believe the work that needs to be done is on the order of a hundred and sixty thousand, something like that. Commissioner Sanchez: But -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- this goes to what? How much are we giving on this one, a hundred and sixty or ninety thousand? Mr. Villacorta: No, no. City of Miami Page24 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Ninety. Mr. Villacorta: We're giving 90 against -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- a check that they've already issued for $30, 000. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Call the question. Chair Spence -Jones: All in -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. I just want to say something. I mean, this discussion I don't understand because I never seen a contractor do first the rug and not fix the hole in the roof so I mean, first you have to fix the roof so you don't get water on the rug. Mr. Villacorta: The roof has been repaired -- Commissioner Sanchez: The roof has been fixed. Mr. Villacorta: -- but now there's still water intrusion due to cracks in the stucco -- Commissioner Regalado: But of course, and -- Mr. Villacorta: -- and leaks around -- Commissioner Regalado: -- they need to do it. Mr. Villacorta: -- the stained glass -- Commissioner Regalado: It's -- Mr. Villacorta: -- windows and -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I think we've already -- the Commissioner has passed -- I mean, has Mr. Villacorta: Moved. Chair Spence -Jones: -- moved an item. Did I get a second on the item? Commissioner Regalado: Yes, you did. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All in favor? The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. DISCUSSION ITEMS 9. 07-00784 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING CONVEYANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 City of Miami Page25 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 SQ FT. OF BLOCK 36 TO THE BLACK ARCHIVES, HISTORY AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA INC. FOR EXPANSION OF THE LYRIC THEATER. memo.pdf back-up.pdf Cover Memo 07-00784.pdf Back-up 07-00784.pdf MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Sanchez, and was passed unanimously, with Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez absent, to direct the Interim Executive Director to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) in furtherance of conveying approximately 10,000 square feet of Block 36 to The Black Archives, to be brought back at the next Community Redevelopment Agency Board meeting. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 9 is a discussion that's been placed on the agenda at the request of the Black Archives. They're requesting conveyance of approximately 10,000 square feet of Block 36, the portion immediately behind the Lyric Theater, for the expansion of the theater. They've received a commitment of $10 million for the expansion from Miami -Dade County, and they require this square footage for the construction of the improvements to the theater. The CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) would have to issue an RFP (Request for Proposals) to convey an interest in land. I don't know if anyone from the Black Archives is here to speak on the item. Commissioner Sanchez: And this is just a discussion as to direction for the RFP? Mr. Villacorta: Right, a discussion from which you would direct me to issue an RFP to allow the conveyance of this property. That would come back to you at the next meeting. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Mr. Villacorta: Hi, Ms. Fields -- Dr. Fields. Commissioner Sanchez: Doctor. Dorothy Jenkins Fields: Well, this is an item that we've been working on for at least five years, maybe more, and the time has come. We need the 50 feet in order to make the Lyric more functional. We're talking about a catering kitchen and banquet space. Equal to that, we need to be able to have a loading dock and to expand the stage so that we'll be able to have more complex shows and be able to have more people come, and it's important that we get this. In addition to the first two floors, it will have the catering kitchen and the banquet room and meeting rooms, community rooms, on the first two floors. The third and fourth floors will relocate the Black Archives so that we will have it as a part of a cultural center and have it all in one place, and so we ask that this discussion really move to a resolution as soon as possible because we need to be able to get the permit to begin building. We have the plans; Jim has them, and we are really ready for permitting, and if possible, if it could be a resolution tonight, that would be great because we really need to move on it. We've been working even without the official designation, although, in your RFP that was let two years ago, it was designated -- those 50 feet were designated, and we say 50 feet, and it was designated in the RFP some time ago, and so we would ask that this be done as soon as possible. Commissioner Regalado: Doctor, you have -- the $10 million is from the GOB (General City of Miami Page26 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Obligation Bond)? Ms. Jenkins Fields: Yes -- Commissioner Regalado: You know -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: -- to build on that land and we felt we could go ahead and do that because the City -- or the CRA had already issued a RFP saying that 50 feet would be dedicated to the Lyric Theater understanding that it needs to be functional. Commissioner Regalado: Well, I, personally, Madam Chair, think that the best use that that piece of land can have is by expanding the Lyric. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: There is no question. Everyone that has -- Chair Spence -Jones: Do we have a motion on that? Commissioner Regalado: I will move that we direct the executive director to issue an immediate RFP in order to -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: No, a resolution. Commissioner Sanchez: No, no, no, no, no, no, resolution. Commissioner Regalado: -- a resolution, I'm sorry -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: A resolution. Vice Chairman Sanchez: On an RFP again. Commissioner Regalado: -- to comply with the promises to the Black Archives in order to convey the land so they can start the permitting process and the construction because what's going to happen is that if we do not move in the County, they're going to use their money to switch it to another -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- project, and they going to have to wait for then two years for the issuance of new bonds, so I move that -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay -- Commissioner Regalado: -- we convey the land. Chair Spence -Jones: -- so, yes -- Mr. Villacorta: Commissioner -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- but I know -- you -- Jim, you're looking like you have something that you really have to say. What is it? Mr. Villacorta: Florida Statutes require that prior to conveyance of any interest in land by the CRA, we have to issue a Request for Proposals -- City of Miami Page27 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: Well, that's -- Mr. Villacorta: -- so -- Commissioner Regalado: -- my original -- Mr. Villacorta: -- that would be the resolution; to direct me to issue the Request for Proposals in contemplation of conveying this -- in furtherance of conveying this land to the Black Archives. Commissioner Sanchez: And bringing it back. Mr. Villacorta: The -- that would come back at the next meeting for you to accept the response from the Black Archives or some other proposer. Chair Spence -Jones: So -- Commissioner Sanchez: I would second that. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. That was my first -- Mr. Villacorta: Intent. Commissioner Regalado: -- resolution, so -- Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor on this item? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. This item passes. Mr. Villacorta: Okay. We do -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: Thank you. Mr. Villacorta: -- have this block out for proposals at this time, like we did two years ago, and in this proposal -- Request for Proposals, we do carve out this section as -- Chair Spence -Jones: So this is definitely not included. Mr. Villacorta: Right -- Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Jim. Mr. Villacorta: -- for the -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Unidentified Speaker: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Black Archives. 10. 07-00675 CRA DISCUSSION City of Miami Page28 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 DISCUSSION REGARDING CREATION OF A REDEVELOPMENT AREA AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. Memo.pdf Cover Memo 07-00675.pdf MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, and was passed unanimously, with Vice Chair Sarnoff and Commissioner Gonzalez absent, directing the Interim Executive Director to come back to the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board with resolutions for grant processes regarding the SPi pilot project and the Peacemakers program and schedule the items at a special CRA meeting to be held on November 9, 2007 to coincide with the City Commission meeting currently scheduled for the same date. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Eugene, you want to speak on -- Eugene Rodriguez: Yes, basically -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- item 10? Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Eugene -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Mr. Rodriguez: -- Rodriguez, Ice Palace Film Studios, here on behalf of the Downtown Entertainment Association. In reference to this plan that's been developed, which is supported -- backed up by police officers -- off -duty police officers and does go into the Overtown area, this -- the reason there -- that we are -- we have an urgency here is Art Basel starts the first week of December, and we have 20,000 people that -- just in this facility alone that come through here and we have severe crime problems, as everyone knows. All our cables for the lights are stolen; they're slashing tires on public streets. Karu has to forward their reservation lines to cell phones 'cause the phone lines are down 'cause they steal the trunk lines -- nine times in the last six months, so these things people -- this security program will visually help protect us from the robbery of copper and steel and lights and slashing of tires on public streets, and it will go into the Overtown area to -- because, obviously, we do have to cure the entire region; it's not just about curing the problems in, you know -- by the Performing Arts District. The urgency is that we're running out of time. This is a pilot program for six months only, and we need to start it in the beginning of season when all these tourists and outsiders come into town and get lost in the neighborhoods, and also, there's new businesses opening. There's two new lounges opening right here, and you know, we're trying to cure all these problems. People will have to park on the streets. We don't have enough parking in the area, so they will park at the meters. If you park at the meter, nine out of ten times, your car will be vandalized, so that -- and people will park across -- in the Overtown area too because they just don't know, so this is a life safety issue as well. When you have a lot of people coming in from out of town, don't know the neighborhoods, come to this area for entertainment purposes, either for the Performing Arts or going to dinner at Karu, or going out to a nightclub, we need to secure the streets. The private sector can't do this. We've reached the limit of what we can do, so this program is really to help supplement what the private sector cannot do on its own, and Commissioner Spence -Jones is completely correct. A lot of the problems that occur to the west of us have to be cured -- if we plan on curing the problems of the entire neighborhood, the area to the west has to be cured as well. This specific program is being spearheaded by retired Chief DeLuca from the City of Miami Beach. The reason we have approached him is because of his experience of dealing with nightlife. Miami Beach had all the same problems we have here; residents moving into a neighborhood that has assemblage for entertainment and all the problems that assemblage for entertainment brings, so basically the company -- this company that Mr. DeLuca is with is specializing in this, and has -- they have developed a program that's a trial program for six City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 months that we would like to see happen. If they don't get the results that are needed in six months, then basically it didn't work, but we have to give it a shot because the private sector can't do anything else. We're stuck. We're stuck, and we're actually losing the battle. The businesses are losing the battle, so that's the urgency here, and unfortunately, tonight is our -- the last moment we can do this because we're running out of time in the sense of training and getting the people ready for this. Now they won the bid for the Flagler -- Commissioner Sanchez: DDA (Downtown Development Authority). Mr. Rodriguez: -- Ambassador Program, so they're -- we're going to use the same logos, the same synergy, same graphics, except it's going to say entertainment districts so that the marking of downtown is coherent. We're not marketing two different images. We're just identifying this area as the entertainment districts to help market the entertainment districts, and we really, you know, hope that we can accomplish all the goals. It's a big goal to obtain, but at least we're going to try, so that's basically -- and all the club owners are here and different restaurant owners and stuff like that, and we're just asking for help because we just can't do it on our own. At night we have to put a generator with lights to light the parking lot every night 'cause all our lights are stolen, and if you put them -- the lights up, they steal them two weeks later, and the police can't handle it. They're not going to put police in every corner to watch people stealing copper. Commissioner Sanchez: No. Mr. Rodriguez: Just doesn't make sense. Commissioner Sanchez: Anybody else want to speak on the item? Gil Terem: Yes. I'm a -- I have businesses and property in this area since the year 2000, and ever since, we were waiting very patiently for some funds to come to our area. This is true that we are maybe east of the railroad, but we're still not on Biscayne Boulevard, and every year we've been asked for a bigger project, like Margaret Pace Park and then the Performing Arts Center, and not enough money's spent over here in the neighborhood, and what happened today just prove the fact that we are -- we have a great lack of security here, and because of that, it's dcult to rent spaces, to run businesses here, and this issue have to been taken care of and the sooner the better. Like I said, I'm here for -- this is the seventh or the eighth year that I'm waiting here for something to be happening in the Omni and Park West area, and we're still waiting, so -- Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you. Mr. Terem: -- I think it's -- this is the time to move on that -- on those issues. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Excuse me. Mr. Terem: Thank you. Ms. Burns: Sir, we need your name for the record, please. Mr. Terem: Gil Terem, 780 Northeast 69th Street, Miami, Florida 33138. Christopher Macleod: Christopher Macleod, 1100 North Miami Avenue. I'm a local property owner. I have a handful of properties, and just wanted to express that within the last six months each one of these four properties has been broken into. All the electrical wiring has been stripped, and in trying to better the area and improve the property so that one can lease them out to businesses that can serve to provide jobs for local residents, generally a very common theme City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 seems to be when you -- say you put a good bit of money towards fixing the facade or improving the interior. People come down; they say, oh, we love the space; it's a great space. However, you know, we're really not too -- we don't feel very secure. You know, they'll come in; they think it's great. You know, you sit down and you try and work things out, but at the end, one of the main points that seems to be the final hurdle that kills the majority of these potential businesses is the security, so I just want to express my support for the SPi (Security Parking identity) and say I think it's a great deal -- idea. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you. Luis Fonseca: Hi. Luis Fonseca, 1306 North Miami Avenue. We're opening up a nightclub here down the block, and in less than three months, we've been broken into five times; copper -- all our copper's been ripped off, numerous tools and paintbrushes, whatever they could take. You know, we need something, some support from the City to help us out. I mean, we do want to beaut the area. We want to bring business here. We want to bring money into the area, but we need help, and as a person that does care about the community -- I was born and raised here -- I want to make this area like a South Beach, an area where people want to come -- want to congregate and do business and have fun in, so I do support this SPi, and I hope that we could do something to help the future generations coming here and have this area as a beacon instead of an eyesore, so hopefully we could have your support and get this done. Thank you very much. Gerald Muhammad: Gerald Muhammad, 935 Northwest 3rd Avenue. Commissioner and CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) Board, would you please allow us a few minutes to discuss something that's very important to us in the Overtown area at this time, please? Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Gerald, are you getting ready to do a full proposal now? Mr. G. Muhammad: No, ma'am. No, ma'am, just a -- Chair Spence -Jones: Just -- 'cause at this point, I know that SPi is actually doing their -- if you have any comments on -- I know we already -- you can at least let the Commissioners know what you plan on doing on that -- Mr. G. Muhammad: Yes, ma'am. Chair Spence -Jones: -- side, and that Eugene -- I have to say this, Eugene and -- I don't see Chief DeLuca -- have been working to create some synergies between both sides, so I think that that is already in motion, and we're meeting to make sure that that happens, but I don't want you to get into a full proposal now. I think it's best for you just to at least communicate to them so they understand what you plan on doing to at least partner with it. Mr. G. Muhammad: Yes, ma'am, and thank you, and Board. I think it's vital to the Overtown area that the CRA's position has to be redevelopment, and for the 3rd Avenue business corridor, it's critical that we do have a -- not a resistance to the development, but an aider [sic] to it, and the Peacemakers is going on all over the country. I just want the program developer just to say a few words about the success of -- the success that we have had throughout the country -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. G. Muhammad: -- with our -- with the people in these areas, like the inner cities in America. Brother Lyle. Lyle Muhammad: Lyle Muhammad, 10830 Northeast 2nd Place. First of all, if there's something happening on one side of the street, it only makes sense that those that want to see lives saved and economies grow on the other side of the street work together, and we're City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 interested in doing that, and it seems to me, as I'm listening -- and I understand the pleas from both the political and the human side in terms of the violence and the things that need to be developed, but it sounds like, from my perspective, that everyone's in the desert crying for water and there's a great, big waterfall right in our midst, and we just want to be able to do our part, to do our share. The Peacemakers' initiative in itself is comprised of individuals who specialize in particular arenas and avenues of interest where human beings in our communities have needs; youth development specialists, counseling specialists, methodologies that deal with the proper way of handling people; a bridge over troubled water, if you will, where people can have a buffer in order to get in contact with resources where trust may be limited, so I'm suggesting to everyone who's interested in seeing economies thrive in our communities and seeing people thrive at the same time to look at an opportunity that could be that water in the desert, and hopefully, at another time we'll get an opportunity, as you just said, Madam Chair, to disclose in a more professional manner exactly what some of those things are. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Eugene, you want to come back up? I know this is item -- this item was a discussion item, and Mr. Executive Director, I'm not really sure how we want to handle -- I know that we have activities coming up in December that you're trying to address to make sure that we put in place. The only thing that I would like to appeal to my fellow Commissioners is that I think that it's really important -- and we've talked about this even up until last week -- how important it is -- with the executive director -- that we begin to put some sort of training happening at least on the west side of the tracks for community residents so that at least they begin to have something in place for whatever issues that may take place on the streets in Overtown, and I think Chief DeLuca and his partner have agreed to work along with the police department and with the Peacemakers to provide that necessary training on the streets to at least create some sort of -- what is it, Citizens on Patrol -type concept so that at least we have that going on, andl believe, in Eugene's proposal, that this particular ambassadors program will actually take us to 14th Street and 3rd Avenue -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and make a loop in the heart -- at least on the edge of Overtown, which means we'll have more eyes on the street, so that's going to start immediately. My only question -- I guess at this point -- I know that the suggestion from you, Mr. Executive Director -- because you want to move this -- can you please at least put on the record what you feel needs to happen right now in order for us to accommodate what they need to have ready for December? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Well, the entertainment districts have formed a business association, and I think they are syncing -- seeking a grant ultimately to fund the SPi initiative. Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Mr. Villacorta: That would require a resolution authorizing funding. Commissioner Regalado: And a grant -- Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair. Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized, Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you, Madam Chair. First, please give my condolences to the family. It's a tragedy that's happening too often in our community. Eugene and all those that are here, crime affects us all, whether directly or indirectly, and it's an issue that the only way that we're going to come to get control of the crime situation in our city is going to be by all of us working together using all the resources that exist, but the other issue is that I think that we need City of Miami Page 32 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 to get the judicial system involved in this revolving door that is putting a lot of these career criminals, multi convictions that are out on the street. This is a step in the right direction. The DDA has implemented this ambassador program. I brought that to the DDA. I brought it from Jacksonville. It is a program that works, folks. It's a program that allows people to have that communication with people that are clearly identified as ambassadors for assistance in whatever assistance they may need; whether they're lost or looking for a hotel; they're looking for a store; they're looking for a police department; they're looking for whatever. Now I'm glad to hear, Eugene, that you state that there is cooperation between the DDA and the CRA, which I have been fighting for for the longest time for all of us to work together to resolve this issue, which is crime. I'm glad to see that the uniforms are going to be similar, that way we have a broader aspect and work together. One of the important factors is to get the ambassadors to be a part of the COPS, Citizens on Patrol, and have communication with the police department. Now the only concern that I have -- and it's not even a concern because I'm glad to see that we're heading in a grant process -- it's, once again, the liability to the City and the CRA. Once the grant is issued to an organization, then the liability falls on their side. God forbid an ambassador runs somebody over with a bicycle, or God forbid an ambassador goes beyond the scope of his service and there is legal action against that individual, then they can't turn around and come after the deep pockets in this case, which are the CRA and the City of Miami. I am a hundred percent supportive of any initiative that is going to reduce crime in our community. The thing is that we have to do it through a grant process to minimize the liability to the CRA. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado. Commissioner Regalado: Thank you, Madam Chair. I agree with Gene. The business community cannot do any more. You guys have been in the trench and you have circled the wagons, but it doesn't work. It hasn't work. We've been here for three or four years, and it doesn't work that way, and next door, the people there spend millions and millions, and you know, they have to use a cell for reservations because they -- people take the wiring, so there is a war out there, no question about that. To me, ambassador sounds too nice when there is a war because ambassador is about diplomacy, and this is not about diplomacy. This is about enforcement. This is about getting people arrested. This is about security. I would fully support the grant, and with the grant, I would think that they can hire off -duty because once we give them the grant, they, as an entity, can use the money to hire off -duty police, which, in turn, need to be in control of whatever the program -- Chair Spence -Jones: The operation, yeah. Mr. Rodriguez: If I may. The -- it does include off -duties. Commissioner Regalado: I'm sorry? Chair Spence -Jones: It does include -- Mr. Rodriguez : It does -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- off -duties. Mr. Rodriguez: -- it includes off -duty officers. Commissioner Regalado: Well, I hope it does -- Mr. Rodriguez: No, it does. Commissioner Regalado: -- because, I mean, you need some people with guns. City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Mr. Rodriguez: Yeah, no, no. The -- Commissioner Regalado: That's -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- ambassadors, when they see something happening that's crime -related, they call the backup off -duties, and it's police matter. Commissioner Regalado: But my point that this area is totally different from downtown, although it's a connection that we all want to make. Downtown is more about information. It's more about guidance. It's more about tourist oriented and details about the store. Here is about the people feeling safe. Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: It's totally different, totally and absolutely different, and I would support this only if these people -- that I'm sure they will be trained by Chief DeLuca -- will wear "Security" on the front, "Security" on the back; you know, "Security - CRA Entertainment Area." Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: No nice. You're not nice. I mean, if they wear nice, you know what is going to happen? They going to take away their bicycle and beat them up. They need security. You know, this area needs to show the image of security. They need -- you guys need to blanket the streets. You need the chilling effect of having -- wow, all the cops of the City are here and they have all these helpers that says security. You know, for people, security are security guards, and I think that it's about perception. You say there identity and -- but, of course, security and then parking and then identity and image. I am telling you, I will support this, but I cannot support the logos and all that. I think that you guys need to have security, security, security. This is not about location, location, location. It's about security, security, security, and I would - - if we are going to vote on anything, I would amend that the uniforms of these persons, which will work with off -duty police most of the time -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- will highlight -- Mr. Rodriguez: Security. Commissioner Regalado: -- security officer, security CRA, security entertainment district, security Overtown because this is what people expect. They don't want information. They want to feel safe. They know where they're going. To come here -- I mean, you're not lost. You need to want to come here -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- and then when you're here, you need to want -- to feel safe and to park your car safe so, Madam Chair, that's my thoughts on it, and I'm -- Commissioner Sanchez: In -- Commissioner Regalado: -- ready to support. Commissioner Sanchez: -- this presentation -- City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sanchez, you are recognized. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you. In this presentation that they're going to be making, it's based on the ambassador aspect of it; security guard is not part of this program. Security guards throughout the entire city, the only thing they do is they pick up the phone and call 911. Security guards don't run after people and don't make arrests. Security companies will not allow that because, once again, the word that you have not understood here tonight, which is liability. I just want to put that on the record once again. Commissioner Regalado: But Commissioner -- Chair Spence -Jones: But Commissioner -- Commissioner Regalado: -- I'm not saying -- I have -- I don't know -- well, I guess I didn't explain myself, but I think -- Commissioner Sanchez: No, you did. Commissioner Regalado: -- he understood. Mr. Rodriguez: No, I understood. A lot of -- Commissioner Regalado: There is no talk about security guard. There is no talk about people chasing other people. What I'm saying is that the paramount concern of the people that visit this area and people that are living and going through the Overtown area is security, and what I'm saying is that these persons should have branded security, not information. Mr. Rodriguez: Yeah. No, and they do -- Commissioner Regalado: That's all that I'm saying. I'm not -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- and they have -- Commissioner Regalado: -- saying hire security guards. Mr. Rodriguez: -- patches that are -- imply police, imply -- there's implications that it is security. Remember, a lot of the crimes we have here are just because no one's watching. The stealing of trunk lines for phone lines, which takes hours to hack, you know, that's no one watching. Slashing of tires because if -- if there's people asking for tips to park your car at a meter, if you don't give them the tip, they slash your tire. Well, these guys could not and get rid of those people. When they see them, they run. It's just we need people on the street that people see basically. I think a lot of these petty crimes will disappear, but these are petty crimes that cost thousands and thousands of dollars to correct every time they happen, so -- Chair Spence -Jones: But I think -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- you're both right. Chair Spence -Jones: -- that -- I think we hear Commissioner Regalado's concerns. I mean, he -- Commissioner Sanchez is operating from a DDA program that he knows has been -- Commissioner Sanchez: Eugene -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- working in those areas, so -- City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: -- we're going to -- I could see time -- and I'm -- I got to get going in about 15 minutes. I'm prepared to ask the executive director -- Executive Director -- Chair Spence -Jones: Executive Director. Commissioner Sanchez: -- bring this back, even if we have to have a special meeting. I don't mind coming back, but I'm not going to vote on something today in a rush, okay? And my concern is every time that the CRA has rushed through something, it's come back to bite us, so I'm not going to -- Mr. Rodriguez: No problem. Commissioner Sanchez: -- support something in a rush. Now, if we need to have a special meeting in two weeks, a week, ten days, I will be back. To have the executive director come back with a resolution form, okay, and already an agreement after this presentation as to a grant process -- and it could be done through the grant process -- that's what I recommend. Anything else, I will not recommend. If it's not through a grant process -- that's the only way that we have Mr. Rodriguez: And it's a pilot program -- Commissioner Sanchez: Well, yeah, and -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- for six months. Commissioner Sanchez: -- even better. Six months. If it doesn't work, then -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yeah. Commissioner Sanchez: -- which is great. Chair Spence -Jones: But I -- Commissioner Sanchez? Commissioner Sanchez: All right, but hold it, and let me add another thing. It also has to be a grant process through the other ones that we're looking at, which is the Peacemakers in Overtown, but it has to be through a grant process where we're not held liable. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Can I ask this question because we all know November is going to be really crazy and a lot of us are going to be out? We all -- we couldn't even -- Commissioner Regalado: No, no. What you do, Madam Chair -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: Do it at the Commission. Commissioner Regalado: -- if I may suggest, is that -- Chair Spence -Jones: I was -- Commissioner Regalado: -- on the Commission meeting on the -- Chair Spence -Jones: That's what I was going -- Commissioner Regalado: -- 10th [sic] -- City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Can we just do it on November the -- is it the 10th now? It's not the 8th. Commissioner Regalado: It's a Friday. Commissioner Sanchez: Friday, the 9th. Commissioner Regalado: It's a -- Chair Spence -Jones: The 9th. Commissioner Regalado: -- Friday, the 9th. Chair Spence -Jones: The 9th. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. On Friday, the 9th, you do a special meeting of the CRA and we get this thing done because, otherwise, you know, we're going to miss -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- the better part of the year. November and December are the biggest events, and I am sure that many people would like to have parties at this venue. I'm sure that -- Mr. Rodriguez: No, and there's new businesses trying to open, and that gentleman that had five robberies, that's -- Commissioner Regalado: But -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- very common now. Chair Spence -Jones: So no -- Commissioner Regalado: -- I'm telling you, this is not about security guard. This is about security, and you know what? I will place signs saying this area is patrolled by security -- Mr. Rodriguez: That's part of the program. Commissioner Regalado: -- as part of the program -- Mr. Rodriguez: That's part of the program. Commissioner Regalado: -- and you know, every corner -- Mr. Rodriguez: Even -- Commissioner Regalado: -- every block -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- lit signs. There's lit signs. Commissioner Regalado: -- every corner because it's about perception. Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: It's about perception. The whole thing is about perception, and you know, they going to move on to -- City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Mr. Rodriguez: Yeah. We're going to -- Commissioner Regalado: -- other areas. Mr. Rodriguez: -- you know, I think all the businesses really want this to work, so we're all going to work together to make it happen. Chair Spence -Jones: So at this point, what I'm hearing is that we're going to prepare for some resolution to be brought on November 9 in the City Commission meeting, and it will include both projects, the ambassadors program for the Club District and for the Performing Arts District entertainment -based -- Commissioner Sanchez: And the Peacemakers. Chair Spence -Jones: -- district and the Peacemakers on the Overtown side, correct? So both -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- should be prepared to present on that -- Mr. Villacorta: We'll prepare two resolutions, one with the district patrol and one for the Overtown patrol. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you very much. Mr. Rodriguez: Thank you. Mr. Terem: Thank you. Mr. Rodriguez: Thanks. Commissioner Sanchez: We need -- in the form -- Ms. Burns: We only have -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- I move. Ms. Burns: -- a motion now -- standing right now. Commissioner Sanchez: I move that resolution. Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion. Commissioner Regalado: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: This mo -- this item passes. City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 11. 07-01341 CRA DISCUSSION PRESENTATION BY POINCIANA VILLAGE. Cover Memo 07-01341.pdf DEFERRED Direction by Commissioner Regalado to the Interim Executive Director to schedule the Poinciana Village item for approval at the special Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting on November 9, 2007. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Item number 2 [sic] is just a discussion. It's reference to Poinciana Village. Yes. Stephanie van Vark: Hello. I'm Stephanie van Vark, and I'm the president of Poinciana Village Homeowners Association, located at 269 and 201 Northwest 7th Street. We are asking -- a couple of years ago, you granted us -- awarded us a grant, and we've been able to use those dollars to try to do some repairs around -- and capital improvements on the area. For example, our roof was being replaced right now. We still have some dollars allocated, about $43, 000 that we would like to reallocate. Currently, it is for the awnings, but we would like to reallocate those dollars for lighting around the property. We had Commander Gomez come by and recommend -- make some recommendations of improved lighting for more security, fire safety, security and landscaping. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. You want to -- Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: -- make a motion? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): No. Well, the problem -- Commissioner Regalado: No, I can't. Mr. Villacorta: -- is that you've lost a quorum. Commissioner Regalado: I can't. We lost the quorum -- Commissioner Sanchez: No. Commissioner Regalado: -- but what I was going to suggest, Mr. Chairman, let's ask the executive director to place this request -- after all, this is not controversial. This is reallocation. The money is there. The money's not coming back. The money has been used and accounted for, and you guys in Poinciana decided that the shutters are not longer the priority and the lights are, which I think you're right, by the way, but -- Commissioner Sanchez: So -- Commissioner Regalado: -- so let's place it on the special -- Mr. Villacorta: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: -- Commission -- CRA meeting on the 9th, and then we can get it over with. City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Ms. van Vark: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Thank you so much. Listen -- Ms. van Vark: Okay. REPORT 12. 07-01342 CRA REPORT STATUS OF OMNI AREA WATER LINE PROJECT. Cover Memo 07-01342.pdf DEFERRED Commissioner Sanchez: Item number 12, which is a CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) report on the status of the Omni waterline project, let's go ahead and just also defer -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yeah. Commissioner Sanchez: -- that, or do you want to give us --? Mr. Villacorta: Sure. You want to defer it? Commissioner Sanchez: Let's defer that. NON -AGENDA ITEMS NA.1 07-01364 CRA DISCUSSION MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF FIRE CAPTAIN ROBERT GARCIA. DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: Like to officially call the meeting of Thursday, October 25 to order for the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), and before we do that, Commissioner Regalado is -- would like to bring something to our attention. Commissioner Regalado: Thank you, Madam Chair. Last Saturday morning, there was an accident in District 4, Southwest 16 Street and 24th Avenue, and one of the finest of the Miami Fire Department was killed. This was a horrible tragedy. Actually, it was three blocks from my home, and I went there, and the scene was terrible. Many -- throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, many firefighters went there and a lot of people paid tribute to this brave captain of our Miami Fire Department. Unfortunately, that intersection is a death trap, and actually, today I sent the City Manager a memo reflecting on this tragedy and asking him to analyze all the projects that had been delayed because on that precise intersection there was supposed to be a traffic circle nine month ago, and one wonders if a death could have been prevented if we have that project, and it serves for the City to think that we need to be proactive in the safety, which is the paramount concern of all the people. Actually, ohn that corner there is a resident that his house has been partly destroyed 25 times because of the accident in that intersection, and we should held the County, and the State, and the City accountable for all these kind of accidents, and maybe we have less tragedy to remember, but Madam Chair, thank you for letting me remember this captain. I'm telling you that it was moving to see a parade of firefighters leaving flowers on the same spot where he died and it was a very emotional day for us in the Shenandoah area, so thank you for letting me remember. City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: You want to do a moment of silence for him? Commissioner Regalado, can we do a moment of silence? Commissioner Regalado: Yes, ma'am. Chair Spence -Jones: Can I ask everyone please to bow their heads? Thank you. NA.2 07-01365 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING SHOOTING VICTIM ON NORTHWEST THIRD AVENUE IN OVERTOWN. DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to officially call the meeting to order. Just a quick -- couple of quick things. I may jump around -- if I can ask my fellow colleagues to be patient. Just on my way here, I believe it was a young man that's actually shot in Overtown on 3rd Avenue, and as a matter of fact, it kind of prevented me from even coming down 3rd Avenue to kind of get to this meeting, and I really would like to get through this meeting as quickly as possible, or I may just have to leave in general to go comfort the family of the young man, so I'm asking for those to please be patient with me, as the Chair, as we try to get to the bottom of what's happening in Overtown. [Later...] Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move on to item number 10. I'm just going to say, I'm not going to be here for 11 and 12. As a matter of fact, I just got a call back from the Police Department -- what? Unidentified Speaker: Deceased. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, he -- the sixteen -year -old boy died on 3rd Avenue. We have a real issue with crime in Overtown, and whether or not we're going to face it and address it, you know -- this is outrageous. On -- literally on my way over here, I saw this whole scene unfold; the little boys bicycle outside on the street. This is outrageous, and you keep asking the Police Department over and over again about this issue of crime, this issue of drugs, this issue that's out of control, and we just keep getting the same type of answers. The CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) -- we have to take responsibility. If we plan on building or rebuilding the area over there, I don't care how many buildings I paint, I don't care how many units Ifix up, I don't care how many businesses that I try to invite back in the area, people are not going to go there if the crime is the way that it is. This is ridiculous. This is out of control. I'm glad to see that we have CPi [sic] here to do a presentation on the Ambassadors Program, and I'm glad that that's going to be happening, and I support it 100 percent that's happening over in the Park West area and the Performing Arts District; support it 100 percent because we need to have eyes on the streets, but I'm going to say this on my way leaving to comfort the family at JMH (Jackson Memorial Hospital). You know, it's very dcult for me to continue to support things happening on the east side of the tracks when people are just trying to live and survive in Overtown, and I've asked and I've directed my executive director -- we've had several meetings with SPi (Security Parking identity) and Eugene and trying to come up with something. We invited the Nation to assist us to create a program called Peacemakers because we need to put a positive image on the streets in Overtown. Little girls and little boys need to see another image out there. This makes no sense. This is like the third shooting we've had in less than six months; fatalities. I'm not even talking -- children. I've asked the Police Department over and over again, where are the cameras? Promise me, promising, promising, promising; it hasn't happened yet. Same place where I wanted to put those cameras today on 3rd Avenue so that kids from elementary school, Frederick Douglass, can walk to school in peace and not have to worry about being shot City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 down off of their bicycles, so as we talk about this project, the Ambassadors project -- and I support it, like I said, again -- I really hope -- and here's another perfect example of what we talked about earlier, Commissioner Regalado. When you start trying to get neighborhood groups involved and sending a positive message to kids, to families on the streets, it's not the same kind of operation that would happen with the Ambassadors Program. That's a separate type of program. We need to have somebody on the street saying positive things to young people, positive things to people there; people that are having issues with drugs or mental abuse or mental illness, whatever it is. Somebody has to be sending some other positive messages out, and I can only imagine, if I would have had the Peacemakers out there today walking up and down 3rdAvenue talking to the residents that there -- that live there, referring them to programs, that we might maybe, just maybe would have -- we would have saved a life. Sixteen years old; had nothing to do with anything, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, so I'm going to say this as I leave, to my fellow colleagues, that we're going to hear the presentation tonight on the Ambassadors Program -- and I appreciate that, and I want us to push towards that, but when we start talking about having neighborhood groups roam the streets and work with neighborhood folks to try to send a message, like they're doing in Detroit and Philadelphia by recruiting men to be on the street to take their neighborhoods back, they're not going to have a million -dollar policy. It ain't going to happen. They don't have the resources to do that type of thing. It's just not there, so does that mean that we don't provide a program. Does that mean that we continue to let kids get shot down in the streets because we can't come up with anything innovative to do to stop the crime from getting out of control? I almost feel like sometimes I'm wasting my time. Commissioner Regalado: Madam -- Chair Spence -Jones: I mean, that's -- I really -- at this point, you know, I was hoping and praying that the child did not lose his life in the heart of Overtown on 3rd Avenue today, but obviously -- so I'm asking, whatever we do on Ambassadors that we need -- and Commissioner Sanchez, I agree with you 100 percent that we need to make sure that we follow the procurement rules, but certain things we're going to have to look at on a case -by -case basis because we need to put people out on the streets. It's not working with the Police Department. Love them to death, but it ain't working. They need help, and they need the residents being involved in changing what we see, so I say on that -- say that on that note. Please -- I'm not asking you for your support; I'm begging you for your support. Commissioner Sanchez: You're not going to vote on this? Chair Spence -Jones: I mean, it's a discussion item. We weren't really -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: -- voting on it anyway. I mean -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: -- are we voting on anything, Jim? Commissioner Sanchez: No, no, no, no. Everything's a discussion item. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): It's a discussion item. It doesn't have -- Commissioner Sanchez: Vote on bringing back resolutions. All right. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Before she leaves, Mr. Chairman -- City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: Commissioner Regalado, you're recognized. Commissioner Regalado: Thank you. Look, we all are frustrated. You, I guess, more than all of us. You know, we had a discussion the other day about crime at the City Commission, and I will tell you that everything is about money because the City of Miami Police Department does not have the resources. We have been sleeping at the wheel in the last years while the Police Department had not had a firm direction in terms of recruiting people, giving them more salaries and more -- bringing more people from the area, but now we're facing with this position, and the reason I'm saying this is about money is because last June, you and Commissioner Sanchez all join me in approving a resolution using $10, 000 of the District 4 budget for the Police Department, only earmarked for prostitution detail in the Flagami area. Why? Because I went with them and I saw that they can only -- the prostitution detail, they can only go by one day of the week by Flagler and Southwest 8th Street, where there was an infestation of prostitution from 37 to the Palmetto on both areas, and I figure, well, might as well use the money of our budget for overtime, and since July 1 through September 1, we now can say that the City of Miami Police Department have made 117 arrests. They have seized a large amount of drugs, cash, several cars. Prostitution -- organized prostitution in the Flagler corridor, and I think that the fight that we're fighting now with the criminals in Overtown and Little Haiti and Model City and Allapattah yesterday, it's about guns. It's about the police being outgunned. It's about AK-47, you know. It's -- I mean, the ambassadors, I love them, and they're fine, but we need the big guns on the street, and we need to use the money. I know that we cannot use CRA money to pay the police department, but somehow we need to figure out to say to the Chief look, here's a lot of money. You do overtime. You know, they have to do it. I mean, we don't want you to take the manpower from Little Haiti or downtown or Flagami, for that matter, but here's money for Overtown, and then focus to bring the team -- the special teams that they have, the crime suppression teams that they have to bring it to Overtown for two weeks, 24 hours a day, but for that they need money. I'm telling you, the $10, 000 from my office budget work. We have clean the Flagler corridor and the Southwest 8th Street corridor; 117 arrests. Is the judicial system wrong because --? But we have -- we're doing mapping of the prostitutes. The prostitutes that were arrested in Flagler, for your information -- and this is about organized crime, and Miami is the target -- were brought by plane from Dallas, from Chicago, from Orlando. The police seized several cars with Texas license plates. This is organized, and what you have in your area is also organized gangs that have an enormous firepower. We need to respond with the big guns. Chair Spence -Jones: Let me just add this, Commissioner Regalado. First of all, Regalado, let me -- Commissioner Regalado, let me just say this. You know, in no way am I trying to say that the police department is not doing all that they can with the little bit of resources. I'm simply saying that there are clear things that we can do. While we cannot pay for police through the CRA, there's clear things that we can do to help reduce crime, and what I'm saying is, as we introduce these programs, we need to look at things, innovative things that we can do to reduce crime in the area working hand in hand with police. You -- we can't put ambassadors on the streets or peacemakers on the street and not have the police involved. They have to be involved in it. They have to be participating in it. I wish I had an instance where I just had prostitution in one area. I have an area that has several -- a district that has several different areas like that. Little Haiti, Liberty City, Overtown, Wynwood; the list goes on with all the various issues from drugs to prostitution to guns to -- I mean, I could never finance that all from my district, and I -- from my district office, even though I would love to do that. The reality is I have been asking for cameras for almost two years, Commissioner Regalado. We have approved that twice on -- during the agenda -- during our Commission meeting, and it's not -- haven't seen a camera yet from the police department. It's been promised that it would happen. I do believe that if people felt that there were cameras in key places, at least where kids have to walk back and forth to school, they could feel safe, or the seniors that have to go wash their laundry or walk to the neighborhood store, they're not in fear of their lives because they're going to get shot down in the street. There's certain things that we can do from a City's perspective that has absolutely City of Miami Page 43 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 nothing to do with having big guns. I can't speak for any other community, but I can say this. I think that from my district and its perspective, I think that it needs to come from the community. We have to have other people on the community from the community working along with police, working along with the people that live there to do community policing efforts to send a message to people that it's not okay. You know, that's somebody's child that laid on the street today. IfI had Peacemakers out there today, they would have been speaking to people out there about the injustice, but you know what's -- you know the phenomenon that's happening within my district now? That people don't want to talk because they're going to be considered to be snitches, so now the Police Department has to work overtime to figure out how to get people to communicate about this sixteen year old being shot down in the middle of the streets and why they should tell. That's a whole nother -- that ain't got nothing to do with -- I don't care how many guns I put on the streets with police officers, if the people don't trust police, if the people don't trust that there's somebody that truly is concerned about their well-being, it ain't going to change -- Eugene Rodriguez: If I may interject -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- so every particular -- Mr. Rodriguez: -- Commissioner? Chair Spence -Jones: -- comma? -- excuse me, Eugene. Mr. Rodriguez: It's -- Chair Spence -Jones: Excuse me. Mr. Rodriguez: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Excuse me. Mr. Rodriguez: Yeah, yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Please allow for me to finish my thought. Mr. Rodriguez: Yes, sorry. Chair Spence -Jones: This has nothing to do with the Ambassadors Program. As a matter of fact, I support it. I know December 4 is coming, so we have to vote on this today. That's why I'm going to take -- Mr. Rodriguez: That's -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- a few seconds -- Mr. Rodriguez: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- to at least handle that. I don't have an issue with that -- Mr. Rodriguez: Okay, thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- but you do have to understand why I'm concerned -- Mr. Rodriguez: No, and I -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- about a sixteen year old -- City of Miami Page 44 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- that I need to go see their parents -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yes, I know. Chair Spence -Jones: -- because they're not going to see their son tomorrow. They won't see December 4. Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: That's real for me, so I'm just simply saying, when we start creating stuff that we need to do for neighborhoods, it's important that we think of both areas because I don't want you cleaning up on this side only for it to be pushed to Overtown. That's real to me. NA.3 07-01366 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING ARTS OF FASHION EVENT BEING HOSTED BY MIAMI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY. DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: So we're going to move on to -- one thing that is asked -- been asked by the staff of the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) -- Casa Decor, I'm not sure if you're here. Okay. She's asked -- there's a huge event or activity that's taking place that's coming up pretty soon, and I ask for her to at least take a minute or so to at least -- staff has asked for me to allow her to at least say something to invite the public to this event that's taking place, and I'm taking this out of order, but if she can at least address the CRA Board, we allow for her to do that. Charlene Parsons: Thank you, and it's an honor to be here, and I thank -- I am Charlene Parsons, Miami International University, and it's my pleasure to be here and to tell you very fast about an event that we have brought to Miami. We have brought an event called the Arts of Fashion, and this event we are hosting -- Miami International University is hosting the event. This will be the first time this event has been held outside of Paris. For 24 years, this was only held in Paris, France, a competition amongst countries and designers; actually, almost like the Olympics of fashion, and we are proud to bring it to Miami. We have brought students from 20 countries, from 24 major universities and colleges, and they're all here to partake one week here in the City of Miami, so we're very proud. We will be having workshops here right now at -- starting at our university; going to have things in the Art District, and tomorrow evening, we are going to be at Casa Decor to be one of the first to be able to introduce these students, as well as designers from Paris, Vienna, Brussels, London, and Italy, and so we're very proud to have this, and we thank all of you. We'd like to invite you tomorrow, Casa Decor, 6 p.m., and also the event that's going to take place on Saturday night, which is the actual fashion show itself, will be at the Alfred Dupont building in downtown Miami, so thank you very much, and we're very proud to be here with you. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you for coming, and special thank you to Hilda from the CRA that's been working along with you to make sure those things happen from a City's perspective. NA.4 07-01367 CRA DISCUSSION BRIEF DISCUSSION REGARDING SCHEDULING THE WOMEN'S CLUB AGENDA ITEM FOR THE NEXT REGULAR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) AGENDA. City of Miami Page 45 Printed on 11/6/2007 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes October 29, 2007 DISCUSSED Commissioner Sanchez: And since we can't take any action 'cause we don't have a quorum, Executive Director, you will be receiving, if you have not received, a memo from my office requesting that the Women's Club be placed on the next CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) agenda, not on the special meeting, at your next regular -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- CRA agenda, and also, what we'd like to do is sit down with you and look at the fundings [sic] for the Omni area, if you could meet with my senior policy advisor to reflect the funding in the Omni. Mr. Villacorta: Okay. I received that request, and I will definitely meet with the -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- policy advisor. Commissioner Sanchez: Other than that, this meeting's adjourned. Thank you so much. Have a good night. Be careful driving home. God bless you. City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 11/6/2007