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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW OMNI CRA 2008-01-28 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com CPI • IN Q9P 99 1i? ▪ I1JYD Meeting Minutes Monday, January 28, 2008 5:00 PM DOUBLE TREE GRAND HOTEL 1717 NORTH BAY SHORE DRIVE MIAMI, FLORIDA 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 January 28, 2008 ORDER OF THE DAY 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, Chair Spence -Jones and Vice Chair Sarnoff Absent: Commissioner Gonzalez On the 28th day of January 2008, 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 Doubletree Grand Hotel, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Michelle Spence -Jones at 5:13 p.m. and was adjourned at 7: 27 p.m. Note for the Record: Vice Chair Sarnoff entered the meeting at 5:16 p.m. Commissioner Sanchez entered the meeting at 5:32 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: James H. Villacorta, Interim Executive Director, CRA Clarence Woods, Assistant Executive Director, CRA Gail A. Dotson, Assistant General Counsel, CRA Priscilla A. Thompson, Clerk of the Board Pamela E. Burns, Assistant Clerk of the Board Chair Spence -Jones: (INAUDIBLE) to order. Recognizing that we don't have a full dais, but our Commissioners are -- other Commissioners are on their way, but we're going to go ahead and get started anyway with the items that do not require a vote, but -- so -- they should be here in about five or ten minutes, but I do recognize that -- and we all recognize it's a pretty long Commission [sic] agenda. All right, so Madam Clerk just stepped out for a minute, but we're going to go ahead and get started. Jim, you ready? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yep. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We'd like to officially call the meeting to order for January 28 for the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move on to discussion items. Before Commissioner Sanchez and Sarnoff came, we talked about item number 8. We're actually going to defer that to the next CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting, and item number 10, so we won't be addressing those today. Commissioner Sanchez: Which is item 10? Vice Chair Sarnoff DDA (Downtown Development Authority). Chair Spence -Jones: DDA. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): DDA's presentation. Commissioner Sanchez: Oh, yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: The presentation, so we're -- City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: -- dealing with those later in the -- Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you so much. Chair Spence -Jones: -- next CRA -- no problem. As far as the other two items, item number 7, we're going to deal with that with item number -- when we deal with item number 12, based upon Commissioner Regalado feeling more comfortable about 11 [sic] -- item number 11 [sic] first -- item -- excuse me, item number 12 first before we go into that. FINANCIALS 1. 08-00063 CRA REPORT FINANCIAL SUMMARY THROUGH MONTH ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007. Financial Summary.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to start with number 1. Miguel, are you here? The financial summary, item number 1. Miguel Valentin: Good evening. Miguel Valentin, CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) financial officer. On the combined statement of financial position, as of December 31, 2007, we are disclosing, as cash unrestricted for Southeast Overtown/Park West, the amount of 115, 000, and for Omni, we are disclosing the amount of 92,414. Regarding the rehabilitation and construction low-income/affordable workforce housing, we are -- still, we are disclosing the same amount, 746, 744. Also, I wanted to state on record that we're going to add $2 million for this fiscal year, 2008. The amount that we have expended as of today is the same, 80,185, and for the month of December, there is no reportable condition to report to the Board. Also, we have the external auditors here; that they are going to present the financial audit, and if you have any question, I will be happy to answer it. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Miguel. Do we have any questions on item number I? Commissioner Regalado: No. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Thank you. CONSULTANT REPORTS 2. 08-00064 CRA PRESENTATION PRESENTATION BY RICHIE TANDOC, PARTNER AT SANSON, KLINE, AND JACOMINO & COMPANY, LLP, OF EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007. Cover Memo.pdf Backup.pdf PRESENTED Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move to item number 2. We have a presentation by the auditors. Richie Tandoc: Good afternoon, Chairman -- Chairwoman and Board members. My name is Richie Tandoc. I'm a partner with Sanson Kline Jacomino & Company, in charge of the CRA's City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 (Community Redevelopment Agency) audit for September 30, 2007. Before I get into the presentation, I'd just like to thank Jim again this year and his staff for their cooperation getting this audit done in a timely manner. I just gave you a copy of the report that -- on the required communications. As your auditor, in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and government auditing standards -- and I'll just briefly touch on each of those requirements, starting on page one, after my letter. With regards to our responsibilities under GAP -- GAS, excuse me, and Government Auditing Standards, we have issued our unqualified opinions, which are clean opinions, on the agency's basic financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2007. We also issued the reports on the agency's internal control over financial reporting and on compliance and other matters for the year ended September 30, '07. We noted no material weaknesses or material noncompliance issues. All reports were dated December 13, 2007. With regards to your significant accounting policies, the agency's significant accounting policies are described in note one to your financial statements. The accounting principles used by management are consistent with those prescribed by government accounting standards, and the agency's financial statements and related disclosures are clearly presented in a complete manner. With regards to accounting estimates for the fiscal year ended '07, management's judgment was called upon to establish useful lives of fixed assets -- I'm sorry, capital assets. We determined that those estimates are reasonable. With regards to methods of accounting for significant unusual transactions or for controversial emerging issues, we did not identffir any such issues. With regards to your significant and/or unadjusted audit adjustments, we only came up with one audit adjustment this year, and that was related to an accrual for $296, 000 of revenue that was received immediately after the year end but was earned during 2007; therefore, we booked it. With regards to fraud and illegal acts, we were not aware of any fraud or illegal acts that occurred during the fiscal year involving senior management or any fraud or illegal acts involving any employees that could -- would cause a material misstatement of the financial statements. With regards to disagreements or difficulties with management, we did not encounter any such difficulties or disagreements. With regards to major issues discussed with management prior to retention, we did not discuss any major issues with management prior to retaining us as your auditors. With regards to independence, there are no relationships between us and the agencies and its related entities that, in our professional judgment, may reasonably be thought to impede our independence. With regards to our audit of the agencies as of September 30, '07, we are independent with respect to the agencies in accordance with Rule 101 of the AICPA's (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) Code of Professional Conduct, its interpretations and rulings, and as well as government auditing standards, and lastly, we have not performed any non -audit services for the agencies during the fiscal year ended September 30, '07 or thereafter; and lastly, with regards to your management letter, we issued a management letter in accordance to the rules of the auditor general of the State of Florida, dated December 13, '07, and we had no new observations for the current year. Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Chair, before you go on, may I ask that you make an announcement that individuals please turn off their cell phones? It's interfering with the recording. Thank you. Commissioner Regalado: That's mine. It's mine. Chair Spence -Jones: That goes for you. Commissioner Regalado: I know. Mr. Tandoc: If there are any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions by our fellow Commissioners? Unidentified Speaker: I'm done. City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Vice Chair Sarnoff.. No. Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions? Okay. Commissioner Regalado: No. I'm done. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item -- Thank you so much. Mr. Tandoc: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to say to the staff I'd like to commend Jim, Clarence, and the whole entire staff for doing an outstanding job making sure that we -- and also Miguel -- where did Miguel go? -- for his outstanding work in making sure that we, you know, stay on target, have no issues. We definitely want to have clean audits, and I just want to be able to acknowledge you guys for your hard work in making sure that we stay in compliance. James H Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): I just want to -- this is directly as a result of the efforts of staff and to monitor the expenditures and the grants that we give out, and some of those grants were selected for auditing, and you know, it's their attention to detail and the -- their fine work that's allowed you to have this clean audit. Chair Spence -Jones: Congratulations, Jim. Mr. Villacorta: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. RESOLUTIONS 3. 08-00092 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA") DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO HIRE ALL CONSULTANTS NECESSARY TO PREPARE A FINDING OF NECESSITY STUDY FOR EXPANSION OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT AREA; AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000, FOR PREPARATION OF THE STUDY; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, ENTITLED "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000. cover memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Vice Chair Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Sanchez, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sanchez Noes: 1 - Commissioner Regalado Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-08-0001 City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 2/7, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 you, Jini, to take us through the resolution. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 3 is a resolution authorizing the expenditure of up to $25, 000 for the preparation of a finding of necessity study necessary for the expansion of the boundaries of the Omni redevelopment area. As part of the global agreement, the expansion of the Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) is contemplated and this would allow us to start that process. Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions on that? I know that the district Commissioner is here for that particular area. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- I don't have any questions. Chair Spence -Jones: You are fine with it? Vice Chair Sarnoff Um -hum. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Any questions, Commissioner Regalado? Commissioner Regalado: Why do we have to pay for it? Mr. Villacorta: Why do we have to pay for it? Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: As opposed to the City paying for it or --? Commissioner Regalado: As opposed to the County paying for. Mr. Villacorta: The County agreed to review the finding of necessity that we presented to them as part of the global agreement. They did not agree to prepare it. We could ask -- go back to them and ask for that. Commissioner Regalado: Well, I'm all for going back and ask -- not asking. I mean, all the money's going to them, so -- all the projects are County projects, so they need to pay. I mean, if we don't do the study, if they don't approve it, they're not going to get their money, so the question is, why should we pay? Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, I -- Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- don't know that that's -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- Sarnoff you're recognized. Vice Chair Sarnoff Commissioner Regalado, I don't know that they're getting all the money. They're getting some of the money, and the TIF (Tax Increment Func) money's going to stay in the Omni CRA for a longer length of time. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. They are getting some of the money, so they need to pay 20 out of the 25,000. Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, I -- City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Villacorta: There are deadlines contemplated in the global agreement for -- Chair Spence -Jones: The study, correct? Mr. Villacorta: -- expansion of the boundaries, and I think they contemplated -- Chair Spence -Jones: Can I --? Mr. Villacorta: -- that we -- Chair Spence -Jones: I'm sorry, Jim. Mr. Villacorta: -- would move forward within nine months. Chair Spence -Jones: Can I ask this question? In the Overtown area, this is already -- Mr. Villacorta: In the Overtown area, this has already been authorized, the same amount for the Chair Spence -Jones: So it was already paid from the Overtown -- Mr. Villacorta: We haven't expended the funds yet. Chair Spence -Jones: But we have already -- Mr. Villacorta: We've authorized -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- done the same -- Mr. Villacorta: -- that -- yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- thing for Overtown -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- correct? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so technically, we're doing really the same thing that we did with the other CRA. Mr. Villacorta: We're -- Commissioner Regalado: Right, but that -- I remember that there was an item that the CRA would hire Florida International University and Dario Moreno -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes, yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- for the necessity study, right? Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Regalado: But that was a long time ago. City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. That was -- Mr. Villacorta: Right. Chair Spence -Jones: -- before the global, of course. Mr. Villacorta: Right, before the global agreement. We had actually performed a finding of necessity study to expand the Overtown CRA's boundary and sent that plan to the County in -- Commissioner Regalado: Right. Mr. Villacorta: -- 2004, 5 -- Commissioner Regalado: Right. I remember. Mr. Villacorta: -- and the County came back to us recently and said they'd like us to update those findings of necessity, and we were also interested in further expanding the Overtown boundaries, so that's what that 25,000 at that point was authorized and I expect the cost to come in significantly under that. Commissioner Regalado: No, but my point is this one. We did the study, a very prestigious agency, Florida International University, did the study. We paid for the study. The study was done; they sent it to the County, and the County sat on it. Mr. Villacorta: Exactly. Well, we had used a different firm, but the study was at the County for close to two years -- Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- over two years. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Let me just ask this question. At this -- I just wanted to ver fy that we did do the same thing in the Overtown CRA. Commissioner Regalado: No, but we did it before -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, the global. Commissioner Regalado: -- the global agreement -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. No, I agree. Commissioner Regalado: -- and before the global agreement -- this is my point. Before the global agreement, the County didn't show any interest in expanding the boundaries. Now after the global agreement, the County is ready and willing to expand the boundaries, and yet, we have to pay for it, so that's my whole point. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so are we saying --? Okay, do --? Commissioner Regalado: Are we saying --? I'm voting no. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: That's what I'm saying. City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: So do I have a motion on this item? Vice Chair Sarnoff So moved. Chair Spence -Jones: Do I have a --? Commissioner Sarnoff You got to tender the -- just move your gavel, if you're going to second. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Well, I want to get -- at this point, now I have another colleague, so Commissioner Regalado: Okay, good. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Welcome, Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: My pleasure to be here. A little late, but I'm here. Chair Spence -Jones: We are on item number -- Mr. Villacorta: 3. Chair Spence -Jones: -- 3, and we're basically discussing the study for the Omni area, $25,000. I don't know, Commissioner Regalado, if you want to -- I think it's a good point for you to at least bring it up so he hears what your concern is regarding the 25,000 -- Commissioner Regalado: No. He knows -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- being spent. Commissioner Regalado: -- my concern. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, he -- you knew his concern already, Commissioner Sanchez? Mr. Villacorta: The resolution authorizes up to -- Commissioner Sanchez: I know his concern. Mr. Villacorta: -- 25, 000 for a finding -- Commissioner Regalado: I told you. Mr. Villacorta: -- of necessity study. Commissioner Regalado: I told you. Commissioner Sanchez: I think everybody knows his concern. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay -- Commissioner Regalado: I told you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- so do I have a motion on this item, since you don't really need --? Vice Chair Sarnoff So move. City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: I would second this item -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: -- Madam Chair. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Vice Chair Sarnoff Aye. Commissioner Sanchez: Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Aye. Commissioner Regalado: One "no." Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: And one "no." Let the record reflect there was a "no." Mr. Villacorta: If I can just say, in the global agreement -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I think you have somebody that wanted to speak. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. Stanley Krieger: Yeah. You're not going to allow any public input into this before you vote? Commissioner Sanchez: I would -- for the sake of allowing the public to speak -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem. Commissioner Sanchez: -- I would -- I think I was a -- I made -- I second the motion. I would withdraw my motion at this time to be able to listen to the public. Chair Spence -Jones: No problem. Sir, you're recognized. Can you state your name and address for the record. Mr. Krieger: My name is Stanley Krieger, and I live right here at 1717 North Bayshore Drive. Commissioner Sanchez, I wanted to thank you once again for picking up my cash clip -- Commissioner Sanchez: See. Mr. Krieger: -- on the golf course. Commissioner Sanchez: They're not going to believe it, so forget it; don't even say it, but I found his money clip with a lot of money and gave it back to him. Mr. Krieger: That, he did. Vice Chair Sarnoff Bless the ten percent finder's fee. Commissioner Sanchez: No, no, no. City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Krieger: Look, I'm not a CRA expert by any means, but didn't you guys already vote the -- and isn't the interlocal signed? Isn't this somewhat backwards? I know the interlocal says you got to have a finding of necessity, but if you take a look at Watson Island in particular, you got Jungle Island, you got the Potamkin Children's Museum, and you have a international entity that's going to build a $600 million marina starting this summer on this place, so I would suggest that you save your money because I don't know practically how you're going to find Watson Island as slum and blight anymore. The other thing is Commissioner Sarnoff was quoted in the Miami Today of last Thursday as saying that he had asked the Department of Transportation to respond to the former tunnel project manager's letter to the Miami Herald about problems that they would suggest -- that he thinks might -- they're going to come up against in digging the tunnel. I would suggest that this study is premature until you get to that because, as I understood -- and Commissioner Sarnoff, you might have been quoted incorrectly -- as I -- Vice Chair Sarnoff.- No, no. I was -- Mr. Krieger: -- understood -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- quoted -- Mr. Krieger: -- she said you were -- people ought to know this before you vote on this again -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I was -- Mr. Krieger: -- so I would suggest that you just do that. Vice Chair Sarnoff Stanley, let me say something. I sent that to, I think, the right parties. I sent it to Florida Department of Transportation. I received a response back last Thursday, and I sent that response on to the Miami Herald, and it was written by the person -- the geologist, which is more important versus the engineer, who has done the 2004 study, versus the person -- Mr. Pitsky (phonetic) -- Pozitsky (phonetic), I think, was the -- Mr. Krieger: Yeah. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- person who did the 1992 study, and I think what I was -- what I read in that letter and I -- by the way, I transmitted the letter I received last Thursday to the Miami Herald, and to my surprise, although maybe not to my surprise, they decided not to write that letter in the Herald, and choosing as if we -- it's been disregarded. It has not been disregarded. Florida Department of Transportation actually sent their geologist, and their geologist responded to that letter with a two page letter. I'd be more than glad to share it with anyone in this room, and again, in my surprise, the Miami Herald only decided to write what the 1992 engineer wrote, and as you know, an engineer is not a geologist -- Mr. Krieger: No. He's the project -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- so -- Mr. Krieger: -- manager, I think he was, not just -- Vice Chair Sarnoff But he's not a geologist -- Mr. Krieger: -- an engineer, yeah. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- and if you think about it, what they said in the letter to me was that if you look at the span of I think, 14 years that technology has gone so much further and they've done so many more drill tests, that it is completely feasible and practical to tunnel the way they're City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 speaking of tunneling, so I did get, from a geologist -- and one of my areas of expertise as a lawyer is geology because I do that kind of work. Mr. Krieger: And you're maritime geology. Yeah, I understand. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right, so I was satisfied that they responded. I mean, I couldn't tell you his facts are right or wrong, but I was satisfied enough that they at least responded to me, and again, in my surprise, the Herald chose not to report that. Mr. Krieger: Well, if you can, I'd like to see a copy of that letter. Vice Chair Sarnoff I absolutely will share it with you. Mr. Krieger: Thank you very much. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Madam Clerk, we had a -- Commissioner Sanchez actually withdrew. Mr. Villacorta: You need a second. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- I'll make the -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- motion to approve the finding of -- to approve $25, 000 for the finding of necessity study for the expansion of the boundaries of the Omni CRA. Commissioner Sanchez: I would -- Chair Spence -Jones: Got a motion. Commissioner Sanchez: -- second that, and just to put on the record, this -- there needs to be a finding of necessity by Florida Statute 163 pertaining to the Community Redevelopment Agencies, and this study is necessary to comply with that statute, so that's the reason why I'm supporting it. Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Vice Chair Sarnoff Aye. Commissioner Sanchez: Aye. Commissioner Regalado: One "no," and the reason I voted no is not because it's not necessary, but my argument is the County should pay for it; after all, those are the people driving the train on all the mega plan, so that's -- Chair Spence -Jones: That's your position. Commissioner Regalado: -- my position. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. 4. 08-00095 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $165,000,TO JINT HOLDINGS, LLC TO REHABILITATE NINE (9) RESIDENTIAL RENTAL UNITS AT 1201 N.W. 2ND AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE GRANT FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, ENTITLED "CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.670000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Backup.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-08-0002 Chair Spence -Jones: So we're going to move on to item number 4. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 4 is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, authorizing the issuance of a grant, in an amount not to exceed $165, 000, to Jint Holdings, LLC (Limited Liability Company) to rehabilitate nine residential rental units at 1201 Northwest 2nd Avenue, in Overtown; authorizing the executive director, at his discretion, to disburse the grant funds on a reimbursement basis or directly to vendors. This resolution carries out the Board's directive to spend up to $5 million on rehabilitation of rental housing. Jint Holdings owns 64 apartments in the area. These -- this particular -- Morris Vahnish: I'm sorry, 66. Mr. Villacorta: Sixty-six. These particular apartments in the first building are in the City's Section 8 Program, and they are required to keep the rents at a certain level. We have had them issue a restrictive covenant that we will record if the grant goes through. Should they not keep the rents at that affordable level under the Section 8 Program, they will be required to repay the grant. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Again, Jim mentioned earlier this was a part -- I think, almost two years ago, we, along with Community Development, started to identify key projects in the Overtown area that fall in the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) area that we wanted to rehab. This will be the first official building that we will actually do a full gut rehab on, and -- Mr. Villacorta: Correct. Chair Spence -Jones: -- as a matter of fact, I think we're starting with the senior building first to take care of the seniors in the area. The building really needed a lot of work. I understand Jint City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 2/7, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 actually purchased the building in that condition a few years ago, and they've done their best to try to at least hold it together, but this will allow for the current residents that are living in Overtown, and especially our seniors -- we're going to start with the smaller building first so that they can live in clean -- in a clean, decent environment, so I don't know. Jint is here, and I see my NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) Administrator here. This is a very troubled building in that particular area, and for us to do anything to clean up the area will definitely help the folks on that block. Jint, do you want to put anything on the record --? And I don't -- Loren, I see you're here. Is there something you want to also put on the record, too? Loren Daniel (Overtown NET Administrator): Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Mr. Daniel: Good afternoon. I just want to just point out -- Chair Spence -Jones: Just put your -- state your name and -- Mr. Daniel: I'm Loren Daniel, the City of Miami Overtown NET. Just a question, Jim. What's going to happen to the residents who are there while the rehab is going on? Mr. Villacorta: At first, we thought we'd have to relocate them, but I believe the building owner has decided that he can undertake the reconstruction of some of the apartments while leaving the tenants in place, and then move them to the rehabbed units and rehabilitate theirs. Mr. Daniel: So no one will have to leave while they begin the rehab? Mr. Villacorta: That's my understanding. I guess we can ask -- Mr. Vahnish: You want me to clar? Mr. Daniel: Please. Mr. Vahnish: Yeah, sure. We're maintaining -- Commissioner Sanchez: Name. Mr. Vahnish: -- six vacant units. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, name for the record, please. Mr. Vahnish: I'm sorry. Morris Vahnish, managing member of Jint Holdings. We're maintaining six vacant units that are in market condition for a person to occupy. We only need to vacate a top and a bottom apartment, and we're going to relocate the tenant to another vacant unit in the building; go into these two apartments; renovate it completely, and once it's ready, the tenant will move back in -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Vahnish: -- so we don't have to -- Chair Spence -Jones: The only thing I want to suggest -- and I'm glad to hear -- see that you're here, Mr. Daniels [sic] -- if you could work along closely not only with the CRA staff but also with Loren, Mr. Daniels [sic], to make sure that that coordination happens properly to make sure that people are not so inconvenienced. I know that they're much -- I have talked to many of the residents in both of your buildings, and they definitely -- they're looking forward to the City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 renovation, so I'm sure that they're going to be happy about that, but I do want to take in mind -- or take into consideration what our NET director is communicating 'cause I'm sure this has been a problem in the past, so ifI can at least direct you to work closely along with the NET office in doing that and that would be great; and just so that I have some clarification, Jim, before I turn it over to my colleagues, the covenant, just so that we're clear on that, can you say -- tell -- put a little -- put something on the record about the covenant so we're clear? Mr. Villacorta: In exchange for the grant, Jint Holdings, LLC has agreed to execute a restrictive covenant, requiring compliance with the Department of Community Development's rent restrictions, which allow them to receive Section 8 funding, for a period of five years. If they fail that, they have to repay the grant. Vice Chair Sarnoff Can I --? Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized, Commissioner Sarnoff Vice Chair Sarnoff Yeah. Jim, if this was a bank, or if this was a more standard -type loan, I'm just curious why only five years. That's $165, 000. I mean, why wouldn't it be seven, ten years? Why wouldn't it be a more substantial number for the covenant? Mr. Villacorta: We worked with the Department of Community Redevelopment [sic). We thought that was a -- Chair Spence -Jones: Is that normally what they do? I mean -- I think that's -- is that something -- is that a standard that they --? Mr. Villacorta: I mean, it's a policy decision. We could demand ten years, if the owner (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Vice Chair Sarnoff It's the quantity of dollars is what I'm suggesting. You're receiving $165, 000, which is a substantial amount from, you know, the CRA. Why wouldn't we be at seven, and more likely, ten? Mr. Villacorta: Again, it's a policy decision. Are you willing to commit to seven? Commissioner Sanchez: It's not a matter of if he's willing to commit. Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Well -- Commissioner Sanchez: I mean, we're the policymakers -- Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sanchez, you're -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- here. Chair Spence -Jones: -- recognized. Go 'head [sic]. Commissioner Sanchez: I mean, we're the policymakers here. Mr. Villacorta: No, no. I mean, if that's your policy, then either he commits to seven or we don't do the grant. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado, you're recognized. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Suppose that he doesn't accept the seven, so what happen to City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 the tenants and the building? He doesn't get the grant. Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Regalado: The people will continue to live under -- Mr. Villacorta: In the substandard housing. Commissioner Regalado: -- substandard condition. Maybe the real estate market will come back and some people will go after his property because they want to build a commercial building or a condo whatever, if the market is back, and all these people are going to be displaced. The five-year -- Mr. Villacorta: Well -- Commissioner Regalado: I mean, it's a policy decision. My -- number one, there is an issue with HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development). The City of Miami does not have the quantity of Section 8 money to support his project, so it would have to be the County, right? The County, everything is stop because HUD is -- Mr. Villacorta: Taken over. Commissioner Regalado: -- was taken over by the feds. Just today we saw that all the directors were like -- were gone, and the feds are taking over. Section 8 application will not happen -- supposed to be happening every year by January; it's not happening now, so my question to you is, do you have assurances of Section 8 soon or --? Mr. Vahnish: The current building is not a regular Section 8; it's a HUD building -- Chair Spence -Jones: No, it's HUD. Mr. Vahnish: -- so they're not individual vouchers. The building is under a HUD -- it's a -- if the tenant vacates the building, they lose the assistance -- Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Mr. Vahnish: -- unlike the voucher, where it follows with the tenant. Commissioner Regalado: Oh, okay. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Vahnish: Okay, so it is -- Commissioner Regalado: I under -- that -- Mr. Vahnish: -- a different -- Commissioner Regalado: -- that's worse. That's worse now because it's HUD, and if you lose your apartment in HUD, you got to go back to the list to get -- that's the standard procedure, so - -I -- Mr. Vahnish: But I'm okay with -- Commissioner Regalado: -- just want to -- City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Vahnish: -- seven years -- Commissioner Regalado: -- understand -- Mr. Vahnish: -- five or seven years. I have a contract with HUD alongside with this to keep that affordable housing rate. Commissioner Regalado: No. My point was that seems to me it's very convenient for the residents to stay in the same building because even if you have a landlord that is willing to pay for relocation, the displacement to three blocks or four blocks or five blocks or ten blocks is traumatic for some people that are used to -- on the same building, I think it would -- it could be the conditions that we set in the future because that way people stay within the framework of their lives, you know, and so I am very happy that this is happening. Chair Spence -Jones: And I just want to add -- and then I'm going to turn it over to Commissioner Sanchez because I believe you have a comment, but -- and Commissioner Regalado, this is one of the buildings, I believe, we toured, and this is one of your initiatives that we're -- Commissioner Regalado: I remember. Chair Spence -Jones: -- working on -- Commissioner Regalado: I remember. Chair Spence -Jones: -- together, and this was -- one of your suggestions is to let's look at the existing units that we have in the area to begin to rehab those units 'cause people are living there now. Instead of focusing all of our energies on building brand-new buildings, let's try to clean up the ones that we have, so this is one of the first projects that really -- that we're going to be doing in the area in order for us to do that. I think that he has proffered seven years for this, so we can address that, or Commissioner Sanchez, you have a --? Commissioner Sanchez: Yes. I was going to make a friendly amendment to change it from five years to seven years, but I have -- the question was addressed as to the restricted covenant, but the rehab, it requires you to have three competitive bids, which you've done, correct? Mr. Vahnish: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: All right, and the other question thatl have -- which I think it's important to ask -- this resolution complies with the objectives of the CRA, correct? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. It meets the stated objective of the redevelopment plan of rehabilitation of existing housing, replacing dilapidated housing, and providing opportunities for residents to continue to live in Overtown. Commissioner Sanchez: All right, and one final question is that the City would administer this, not the County? Chair Spence -Jones: The CRA. Mr. Villacorta: The CRA -- Commissioner Sanchez: Yes. City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Villacorta: -- yes. We would review the invoices as they come in and release the grant -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- funds. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Mr. Villacorta: As it -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- was -- the grant was, in effect, being forgiven $3, 000 per apartment per year, but you've stretched that at seven years; it'll be something like 2,500, $2,200 a year of the grant per apartment -- Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Mr. Villacorta: -- that'll be forgiven. Chair Spence -Jones: The only thing I want to just add on that, Jim, and to my colleagues, I think it's important -- we've been trying to at least push this -- the importance of making sure that local contractors or local laborers from the communities are actually hired. Even though Commissioner Sanchez has mentioned the three bids, we really want to make sure that people from the surrounding Overtown community have the opportunity to work on rehabbing those buildings, so that's the one thing that I would also like to make sure that we include it so that individuals from the community can also work, and that, of course, to make sure that you coordinate along with Loren from the Overtown NET office to make sure that they're engaged with that process, so on that note, we -- do we have a motion? Commissioner Sanchez: Yes, as amended. Chair Spence -Jones: We have -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: -- a second? Vice Chair Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes, and thank you very much. Mr. Vahnish: Thank you. 5. 08-00093 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), WITH ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, IN THE CASE OF SOUTHEAST City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY V. GREATER MIAMI NEIGHBORHOODS, INC., CASE NO. 07-39455 CA (22), IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL COURT OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, SETTLING ALL CLAIMS AND TRANSFERRING TITLE TO THE PROPERTY AT 1163 N.W. 3rd AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, TO THE CRA. Cover Memo.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-08-0003 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, Jim. Going to -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- item number 5. Mr. Villacorta: -- 5 is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, authorizing the executive director to execute a settlement agreement, in substantially the attached form, in the case of Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency versus Greater Miami Neighborhoods, and this settlement would settle all claims of the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) and transfer title to the property at 1163 Northwest 3rd Avenue to the CRA. Chair Spence -Jones: Are there any questions on this item? Commissioner Sanchez: Jim, elaborate a little bit more on that -- Mr. Villacorta: In -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- please. Mr. Villacorta: -- 2001, the CRA gave a grant to Greater Miami Neighborhoods to purchase the property at 1163 Northwest 3rd Avenue, the old WMBM Radio building. Greater Miami Neighborhoods was to use their efforts to obtain a fast-food franchise at the site and redevelop the property in that manner. A number of years have gone by. They were unable to do that. I know there were three RFPs (Requests for Proposals) put out for interest in placing a fast-food franchise at the site; none of them ever came to fruition. We filed suit -- the CRA filed suit saying that they had breached the grant agreement. This settlement allows us to take the property back. Commissioner Sanchez: So we're in possession of the deed? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. We have the deeds executed -- Commissioner Sanchez: And they're -- Mr. Villacorta: -- now. City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: -- willing to buy it from us? Mr. Villacorta: No. They're willing to -- they're -- even though we gave them the grant, they took the property in their name. When they weren't able to redevelop it in a timely manner, we sued them, asking for the property back, and they have agreed -- they've entered into a settlement agreement, transferring the property back to us. Commissioner Sanchez: Oh. Chair Spence -Jones: So -- Vice Chair Sarnoff So they're -- I'm sorry -- paying us back the money? Mr. Villacorta: They're giving us the land back. We purchased -- we gave them $102,000. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Commissioner Sanchez: And they're giving us the land. Mr. Villacorta: They purchased the property. They were to redevelop it as a fast-food franchise. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Mr. Villacorta: Six years have passed -- seven years -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Mr. Villacorta: -- they haven't done that -- or haven't been able to do that. We sued saying give us the property back or give us damages. Commissioner Sanchez: Here's the question that I have. When we sell it, would we -- Mr. Villacorta: We would -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- make the money back? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. We would turn it back to cash. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Vice Chair Sarnoff Do you know the value of the land? Mr. Villacorta: It's appraised at, I think, $120,000. Chair Spence -Jones: That's with the building on it now. Mr. Villacorta: With the building. The building is in decrepit -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: -- condition. We have not knocked it -- that's across from Frederick Douglass Elementary, but it's actually more valuable to leave that building because you can remodel it. It doesn't comply with the setbacks. If you knocked it down, you would have to comply with the existing setbacks and -- City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: But Mr. Executive Director, though, it is your recommendation that that building -- I mean, is that not correct? Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. The building needs to come down. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so I just want to make sure 'cause it's almost sounding like you're saying, on one note that we need to rehab it, when I want to make it very clear to -- at least want our Commissioners to be very clear that your recommendation is that that building be -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. If we own it after March -- there's a further twist to this. The person that we bought the building from, or GMN (Greater Miami Neighborhoods) bought the building from, has a right to purchase the building back before March 31, so if they don't do it, then I would knock the building down. If they -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- want to purchase -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Wait, wait. I'm not sure I understood that. Mr. Villacorta: It's confusing. Vice Chair Sarnoff They have a reverter? Mr. Villacorta: They have a right to repurchase. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, I'm -- the City Attorneys here. I'm sorry, Kevin. I don't know if you wanted to chime in 'cause you're standing there for -- Kevin R. Jones (Assistant City Attorney): I don't necessarily need to chime in, unless you all have -- Commissioner Sanchez: No. Mr. Jones: -- questions. I'm the one who filed the lawsuit, but Jim is doing an excellent job. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: Thank -- Mr. Jones: It's up to you all. Chair Spence -Jones: He -- we just don't want him to get his hats confused. That's all. Mr. Jones: Right. I can -- Chair Spence -Jones: But -- Mr. Jones: -- chime in, if you'd like. Mr. Villacorta: When GMN purchased the property, it was subject to a right of repurchase that expires March 31. Should the person want to re -- should the seller want to repurchase the property, they would repurchase -- had there been a fast-food franchise, they would have repurchased it subject to any lease then in place. They have to pay the higher of the sales price City of Miami Page 21 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 that we purchased at or the then -appraised value -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Mr. Villacorta: -- so we don't want to knock the building down -- Commissioner Sanchez: I move the item. Mr. Villacorta: -- and diminish its value. Commissioner Sanchez: I move the -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: -- item. Chair Spence -Jones: All -- I have a motion. Vice Chair Sarnoff. Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Kevin. Sorry, though. Mr. Jones: Thank you. 6. 08-00094 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $10,000, FOR THE PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAXES ON THE PROPERTY AT 1163 N.W. 3rd AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, ENTITLED "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.88300.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Backup.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-08-0004 Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on to the next item, which is item number 6, and I just want to say, as I -- we address item number 6, our NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) office, we know that that building has been -- on that corner has been a source of a lot of troubles, a lot of needles, and a whole bunch of other things that are going on in that building, City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 2/7, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 so as soon as we -- I'm glad to see that we're getting it resolved so that that doesn't become a further sore -- eyesore in -- on 3rd Avenue, so item number 6. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 6 is a related item. While the property was in GMN's (Greater Miami Neighborhoods) hands, they did not pay the property taxes the last two years. That's approximately $9, 400. This resolution would authorize the expenditure of funds, in an amount not to exceed $10,000, for payment of outstanding real estate taxes. Again, if the property is sold in March, we'll recover funds that would cover this. Commissioner Sanchez: To include covering of the $9,400 of taxes. Mr. Villacorta: Right. That would be a deduct to our net income in the purchase price. Commissioner Regalado: And you should do it because, in April, they sell the tax liens -- Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Regalado: -- at the County court. Mr. Villacorta: We would have the third tax certificate out on this property. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Do we have a motion on this item? Mr. Villacorta: No. Chair Spence -Jones: No? Commissioner Regalado: Move it. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Mr. Villacorta: No, a second. Vice Chair Sarnoff Second. Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): I need a second. Vice Chair Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: This item -- All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. This item passes. Thank you, Jim. Mr. Villacorta: Okay. DISCUSSION ITEMS 7. 08-00083 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING WAIVER FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL. Cover memo.pdf City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 DEFERRED Note for the Record: The item was deferred to the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting currently scheduled for February 25, 2008. For minutes related to the deferral of Item 7, see Item 12. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so that leaves us -- we're going to start with -- let's start with item number -- discussion item number 7, and I'm going to turn it over to our executive director, Jim, to give us an update as to where we are with the waiver. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): This was a waiver for the CRA's (Community Redevelopment Agency) law firm, Holland & Knight, and Commissioner Sarnoff had asked that it be brought back at the next agenda. In the meantime, the Board directed me to hire an attorney to assist with the litigation on the revertered [sic] blocks -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- so I retained Holland & Knight, and as part of that retainer agreement, issued the waiver that they required to do the CRA's work. It's a conflict of interest waiver. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, and my understanding, Ms. City Attorney -- Commissioner Sarnoff is joining us. And Ms. City Attorney, this is something that you're already aware of correct? Gail A. Dotson (Assistant General Counsel): With respect -- I guess. With respect to the reverter, I'm not sure. I think it's the City that's representing the CRA. Chair Spence -Jones: But I think this is regarding the last meeting that we had, and I remember there was a discussion about -- and I don't know if it was Commissioner Regalado or Commissioner Sarnoff. I do remember you stating that we do needed -- or at least executive director, said we needed to have the outside help to assist with this matter, and I think, during that particular -- and Commissioner Regalado, you can correct me if I'm wrong -- I think that we directed or you directed, or someone directed Jim to -- Mr. Villacorta: Retain counsel. Chair Spence -Jones: Right, so this is -- Ms. Dotson: That's correct. Chair Spence -Jones: -- just to -- Commissioner Regalado: It wasn't me. Chair Spence -Jones: -- solid it, right? Ms. Dotson: Right. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: Well, I did retain them, and they have assisted. While the City Attorneys Office is on the pleadings, Holland & Knight drafted the lien documents and assisted in preparing some of the background for the lawsuit in the statement offacts -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Villacorta: -- and the Board also authorized the expenditure of $20, 000. Previously, the Board had authorized the expenditure of $25, 000 -- well, actually, a little bit more for the negotiations on Block 36, and I was hoping that I could get a resolution today authorizing that 25 and the 20, just to be spent with Holland & Knight for legal -- general legal services, which would include the reverter because I think there's some other items coming up. To remove the restriction that the balance of the previous authorization, the 25 for Block 36, and this 20 for the reverter; that restrictions be lifted, and that the funds could be spent for general legal services since Crosswinds is going to have some legal work coming up that's going to need the assistance of outside counsel. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado, you have something you want to add? Commissioner Regalado: I -- just a question. So number 7 should be discussed with number 12 because it's the same thing, right? Chair Spence -Jones: Well, he's -- what he's now asking -- Commissioner Regalado: No, no. I understand that, but -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- he's asking to add it. Commissioner Regalado: -- what I would like to understand is the City Attorneys Office is going to give us a report on the litigation, right, with the County? And I want to understand whether or not we really need more support for Jim because we may and we may not, depends on the status. I don't know anything about the status -- Chair Spence -Jones: Right -- Commissioner Regalado: -- so that's what I'm -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- so you'd rather, at this point, Commissioner Regalado, just wait until we actually take up item number 12 first, which the City Attorneys Office is here, before we address item number -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- 7? Commissioner Regalado: -- because it makes sense to do it. You know, the other day, the City Attorney needed help with -- he said the stadium and the legal cases that have been filed, and the City Commission -- well, a small part of the City Commission approve a authorization for him to hire some firms, so this is why I want to understand, you know. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so what I'm going to ask now then, Jim, 'cause -- Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: -- again, in explaining it in the beginning, you didn't see that this -- as being an item that really was attached to the other one, so now you're mentioning that it is, so I would ask that we just hold off on it and deal with -- Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: -- item number 12 first, but now that we have at least three Commissioners City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 here -- and I see that the Women's Club is also here. It's a bunch of people that came out to support that, so I want to be mindful of the guests that we do have in the house, but we're going to come back to that, if you don't mind, Commissioner Regalado, and we'll deal with number -- item number 12 first. Okay? Let's move on. We have Commissioner Sarnoff joining us now. 8. 08-00056 CRA DISCUSSION REPORT ON STATUS OF $30 MILLION COMMITMENT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Cover Memo.pdf DEFERRED Note for the Record. The item was deferred to the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting currently scheduled for February 25, 2008. Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to wait to do the financial reports 'cause I think it's important for the other Commissioners to be a part of item discussion number 1 and 2, but in the meantime, what we're going to do is we're going to skip on the agenda to handle some of the other issues. First of all, I'd like to say that item number -- discussion item number 8, we're deferring it to the next CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting, which is a report on the commitment that we made for $30 million for affordable housing. We're going to defer that to the next CRA meeting. I'm sorry. 9. 08-00057 CRA DISCUSSION REPORT ON STATUS OF CHILDREN'S TRUST TIF CONTRIBUTION. Cover Memo.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: So we're going to deal with item number 9 now, which is the status of the Children's Trust TIF (Tax Increment Fund) contribution. I believe Commissioner Regalado had some questions regarding this item; has been asking for staff to give us a briefing on that, so hopefully we can get a clear understanding. I believe the Children's Trust is here with us today, Modesto. I don't know if you want to at least stand to the mike, and we will address it. Commissioner Regalado, I know you had a lot of questions on this too, so hopefully we can get to the bottom of it tonight. Commissioner Regalado: No. I -- no. The only question I had -- no -- actually was the Children's Trust getting part of the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) money, and it was explained to me, and it's like the money from the School Board, so the CRA exempt School Board and Children [sic] Trust. Is that more or less a general idea? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): The Children's -- the School Board's exempted by statute. Commissioner Regalado: Right. Mr. Villacorta: The -- we entered into an agreement with the Children's Trust whereby they would pay us the TIF that they are generating within the Omni and Overtown CRAs. They are exempted when the Midtown CRA was formed. Since the Omni and Midtown [sic] were agencies that were formed prior to the Children's Trust being created, and since they -- the Overtown CRA has bonds outstanding and the Omni CRA has a pledge to pay 1.43 million to the PAC (Performing Arts Center) at that time, we felt we could not just relinquish that TIF. We had to collect it to keep the bond covenants in place. We collect that -- those funds, which this year was 440, 000, approximately, in Omni, and 215,000 in Overtown. If we do not need those funds to City of Miami Page 26 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 make our bond commitments and debt commitments, we will return those funds to the Children's Trust, and they will spend them on programs within the Omni and Overtown CRA. Commissioner Regalado: Olay. Oh, yeah, it makes sense. However, we cannot decide how and where. It's up for the board of the Children's Trust, which is a trust -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- which is independent of any government entity, so that's -- but they made a commitment of spending the money on the area -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- and my question is, on the actual area or, if we expand, in the whole area? Mr. Villacorta: I'm not sure the expansion was contemplated. The -- I think if the boundaries were expanded, they could spend the TIF within the expanded boundaries. It'll probably -- by the time those boundaries get expanded, I think this money will probably have already been spent in -- within the original boundaries, at least, this year. Next year, the funds that are generated from the new -- if they pass -- boundaries would then be spent within the new -- within those boundaries as well. Chair Spence -Jones: Are there any other questions on this? I do have a question -- Commissioner Regalado: One -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- but I wanted to -- Commissioner Regalado: -- question to -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Sanchez: I do. Commissioner Regalado: -- Mode -- Mr. Villacorta: And we have the director of the Children's Trust -- Commissioner Regalado: You're going -- Mr. Villacorta: -- Modesto. Commissioner Regalado: -- to election this year or next year? Modesto Abety: We go to election August 26 of this year. Commissioner Regalado: Of this year, okay. Mr. Villacorta: I think we need -- yeah. Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): I'm sorry. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner -- City of Miami Page 27 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Vice Chair Sarnoff Name and address. Chair Spence -Jones: Modesto, can you please put your name and address -- Mr. Abety: Modesto -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- on the record. Mr. Abety: -- Abety, the Children's Trust. We're at 3150 Southwest 3rd Avenue, in the City of Miami. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez, you're recognized. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you, Madam Chair. Have we identified who's going to be benefiting from this, the different -- the optimist club, maybe 501(c) [sic] organizations that provide programs in our parks, Margaret Pace Park, parks all over Overtown? Have we even -- have we worked with these organizations to try to see if they could benefit from these funds, which is 450,000 going to the Omni and 215 to Overtown? Mr. Abety: Your executive director is right in terms of how the process works. We can also do it another way. That is, we can pay you the 660-plus thousand, issue RFPs (Requests for Proposals) in that amount, and then receive that amount back at the end of the year from the City to cover those programs. This is how we've worked it with the City of Miami Beach. The other eight or nine CRAB that have been in place prior to creation of the Children's Trust has simply exempted us from collection of the TIF. Commissioner Sanchez: Right. Mr. Abety: We will work with you in order to structure the RFPs as you would like. The City of Miami Beach, for example, while we're collecting funding for the South Point area, has expanded the area in which Children's Trust monies will be used to include that area of north Miami Beach, where they felt the programs were more needed, as that's where their concentration of low-income children and families are. We can work with you to structure the RFPs for after school and summer camp. We can structure it to work around issues related to violence prevention, the broad range of programs that are covered in our annual report, which I've provided to you. I've also provided a listing of programs and a map which shows where in the City we are currently funding programs, so we're very flexible in terms of how you would like these fund -- these programs to be used. They will need to be competitively bid. They will need to meet our standards of quality, and we look forward to working with you to serve children and families in the area. Commissioner Sanchez: Modesto, I have the outmost [sic] respect for the Children's Trust. Mr. Abety: Thank you, sir. Commissioner Sanchez: They do an incredible job. I know they're often criticized, but I could tell you that, in my district, in my community, I know many organizations that have worked with you, and they are benefiting from the Children's Trust. The only issue that I have is that we need to work on finding organizations that can meet the requirements and benchmark, and I know that's been a problem. It's been a problem because your organization is strict on the requirements and paper -- which you should be because it's taxpayers' dollars and that money should not be going to waste; it should be going exactly what it's set forth, to help the children in our community, but that's an issue that we need to address. Once again -- and I make it very clear. These 501(c)s [sic] and all these organizations must meet the requirement and benchmarks and performance to receive those money, but I could see that there're options now City of Miami Page 28 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 where the CRA could either go that route or we could bring it into the CRA and then we could, you know, set requirements because we're just not going to be giving money out to organizations. They need to meet some type of requirements, based on performance, for them to receive that money, so -- Mr. Abety: Commissioner, if you look on page 17 of our annual report, you'll see that we have a program which provides seed money to small organizations, agencies; organizations with budgets of $300, 000 or less, which has been developed in order to ensure that small agencies, faith -based organizations can compete in a pool with other organizations that are small. We work with these agencies to provide technical assistance and support to ensure their success. Chair Spence -Jones: Modesto -- Commissioner Sanchez, you have any other -- Commissioner Sanchez: No. Modesto -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- comments on that? Commissioner Sanchez: -- thank you very much. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sarnoff, you have any comments? Vice Chair Sarnoff No. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. The only thing that I want to add -- and Commissioner Sanchez really summed up, you know, my concerns, and you know, again, I know, Mo, that you've -- you guys have done an outstanding job, at least throughout my district, with many of the programs, but it is a challenge for many of the organizations because of some of the requirements or some of the things that that -- while we understand it's important for those things to be put in place, but these smaller organizations, sometimes they need a little bit more help, and Commissioner Sanchez touched one of them earlier, which was the optimist club, and at least in the Overtown area, the Overtown Rattlers, and it's about 500 kids that are actually participating in that program in one of our parks, and clearly, they've been trying and trying and trying and have been having, you know, somewhat of a difficult time, but it's 500 kids that are actually participating in that program on a consistent basis, so if we can look at, you know, what you're doing in Miami Beach, maybe we can just model something very similar to it. I would like to work with you personally because I know -- Mr. Abety: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- the kids of Overtown truly need as many resources as possible to create programs or ideas or RFPs that could really target some of the kids that are in those areas. I'm glad to at least get a clear understanding that it is $450,000 that's in the -- Mr. Villacorta: Omni. Chair Spence -Jones: -- Omni area and $250, 000, at this point, that's in the Overtown area, and I'm sure those dollars can be put to great use. The Women's Club is here. I know that they're partnering up to help some of the young women based organization or children organizations that maybe there's some creative things that we can do along with these ladies to help young girls, so there's clearly some things that we can work on together to really better serve -- service the CRA's youth and their families, so -- but I do want to commend you 'cause you're an outstanding -- Mr. Abety: Thank you. City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: -- person. Any time I call you to do anything that we need to have done, you're there, but I'd like to at least let you know we'd like to work along with you to -- Mr. Abety: At your earliest -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- put together a program similar to what Miami Beach is doing. Mr. Abety: -- convenience. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Mr. Villacorta: I wanted to thank the director for showing up. I know it was short notice and he was traveling, and he made an extra effort to meet with us today and be here tonight. Mr. Abety: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Mo. All right. That was just a discussion item. Out of that discussion item, we just, again, want to make sure that he works along with staff to create an RFP process that makes sense for us. 10. 08-00061 CRA DISCUSSION PRESENTATION BY DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THEIR DRAFT MASTER PLAN. Cover Memo.pdf DEFERRED Note for the Record: The item was deferred to the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting currently scheduled for February 25, 2008. Chair Spence -Jones: Discussion item number 10, which is a presentation by DDA (Downtown Development Authority) for their draft master plan, we are also deferring that to the next CRA meeting also. Correct, Jim? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yes. 11. 07-01502 CRA DISCUSSION PRESENTATION BY MIAMI'S WOMEN'S CLUB. Cover Memo.pdf Cover Memo.pdf MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, and was passed, with Vice Chair Sarnoff voting no, and Commissioner Gonzalez absent, to direct the Interim Executive Director to allocate $1.5 million from the bay walk project and ident an additional $300, 000 to be used for the Miami Women's Club renovation project, to be brought back to the Board for approval. Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move on to the next item, which is item number 11, because number 10, we're not addressing today, and that is the Women's Club, and we have a special presentation, and I'm actually going to turn it over to Commissioner Sarnoff -- or actually, Commissioner Sanchez. I think either one of you guys or both of you have taken the leadership on -- is it Sanchez? Okay, Commissioner Sanchez. I know that this is one of the items that you were pushing hard on. City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: I want to hear the presentation. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Noreen Timoney: Sounds good. Good evening, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioners, City officials, CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) staff. We're just setting up a PowerPoint presentation for you. I'm Noreen Timoney, and I'm the president of the Miami Women's Club, and we're happy to be with you tonight to present this request. You have each received a packet with our master plan, and you can review that at your leisure. We will go through the PowerPoint, which will ident the issues and the numbers addressed in that packet. Commissioner Regalado: And it's not a plastic bag, right? Ms. Timoney: No, it's not plastic. Chair Spence -Jones: It's not over $25 either, right? Ms. Timoney: And it's not over -- Commissioner Regalado: It's a -- Chair Spence -Jones: Please. Commissioner Regalado: -- Louis Vuitton. Chair Spence -Jones: Please. Ms. Timoney: Listen, we -- when we talk about grassroots fundraising, we mean basic grassroots fundraising. These bags were -- are part of our own little fundraising project by our archives committee, so it's -- they're embroidered, and it's all part of a green restoration and green citizenship, so -- Again, I'm Noreen Timoney, president of the Miami Women's Club, located at 1737 North Bayshore Drive, in Miami, and we're embarking on a historical restoration of our building, which is going to be -- cost $12.6 million. It is going to be one of the first historical restorations done green in South Florida. We're very committed to this, both from a preservation perspective and environmental perspective. What we're seeking assistance with is not that large figure of almost $13 million, but more the recertification figure of 3.75 million. Our whole restoration of 12.6, under 13 million, really represents .0005 of a percent of the now new global plan that you have recently approved, so we're not looking for anywhere near that, just a small -- Commissioner Regalado: Like .000000? Ms. Timoney: Point zero zero zero five -- Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Ms. Timoney: -- of a percent. Vice Chair Sarnoff I forgot one of my zeros. Ms. Timoney: Three zeros; so -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Our new high watermark. City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Ms. Timoney: -- we're just trying to put things in perspective here, and out of that 3.75 recertification dollars, we're going to look for that commitment from the CRA for assistance, as previously discussed with CRA, to break it out over two years, so look for 1.8 for -- in year one and 1.8 in year two, and again, that will then get us legally back in the building, up to Code, and get permits for us so that I can have our people authorize events that will then get us the restoration of the building and then sustain the building for future use, but before I go further, I really have to thank my board and I'd like that board to stand up, those members who are here tonight. Board and committee members. Thank you, and I have to also thank -- we have many supporters, and we asked that not all of them come tonight and inundate you with their presence, so -- but we do have many supporters in the room, and I'd like those people to stand as well. Thank you; so you can see that there is a huge commitment level here, not just to this restoration, but to the organization itself, andl don't think you can discuss the history of Miami without looking at both the Miami Women's Club building and the Miami Women's Club organization. We have partnered with the City of Miami since our inception, and in fact, the family members of our founding members are so integrated with the founding of the City of Miami that you cannot look at one without looking at the other. That historical context is important because we are now looking to retain a carbon footprint that has been retained for 82 years, and in that building is embedded energy that will continue, and as we restore our building green, we will not be taking away from the earth's energy. We will not be contributing to landfills. We will be doing it in such a way that protects the environment and manifests what the City of Miami is looking for in its future. That future represents not just restoring that building, but taking this organization to continuing the founding mission of our club, which is not for ourselves alone, and historically, throughout the years, we have done that. We have provided the first library system for the City of Miami. We founded organizations, such as the Family Counseling Services, Human Services Coalition, all -- both of those organizations are 90 years old. We founded those organizations, all, again, to service our community. We have worked with Carrfour. We have worked with Camillus House. We have worked with the Girl Scout troops of Little Haiti to provide different projects. We have worked with the Village. We have worked with the Women's Fund. We hold anti -domestic violence workshops. We hold financial empowerment workshops for the City. Our building is not just, in a sense, for the Omni community. It is for the Miami community. This -- besides the community outreach, we are looking for this building to be a forum, a venue for other things, such as an economic roundtable forum that is being planned;; cultural resources, community center. Originally, the City had approached us, almost two years ago, and asked us to consider if they could possibly utilize our building and our facility for an ambassador's reception, a dignitary reception hall and for continuing their river walk/bay walk access. We would, you know, continue our partnership with the City on all of these things, and again, I think that what you can see today, we've maintained that community service involvement, but we've also reached out to embark on new partnerships, such as Embrace Girl Power, other entities that are now coming to us, hearing about our organization, and looking to work with us when they cannot partner or project something on their own, so we've been working with all of these things. In terms of the building, this once was the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of Miami. It's part of, if you will, two structures that sit in a nearly developed area that represent historical significance. The preservation of history is important. It's significant because it means where Miami came from. Using the building for our future use is where Miami's going. We're looking to be part of Miami's vision to make this a destination location for people coming to this area, to make this a place where we will have this building be used for community service. We will also restore the building so that we can do fundraising and events to get us the rest of the restoration and get us to sustain our property, and unlike some other historical preservation projects, this building is lucky enough to have an organization behind it that will not only make sure it is restored and restored properly, but it will have an organization that will support that maintenance and our mission, so I'm going to turn this over now into the PowerPoint on the restoration itself and the first part, again, will be that recertification piece, and I think you see the breakout there, again, of the 3.75 broken out 1.8 first year, 1.8 second year, and that's what we're looking to do, again, to get back -- to make this building, once again, a key part of Miami's landscape. Thank you. City of Miami Page 32 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Applause. Ms. Timoney: Behind me is Ivan Rodriguez, who some of you know. He's with Richard Heisenbottle Architects, and he's going to make the PowerPoint presentation. Thank you. Ivan Rodriguez: Good evening, everyone. My name is Ivan Rodriguez, as Noreen said. I am director of historic preservation services for R. J. Heisenbottle Architects, and we were commissioned by the Miami Women's Club to prepare a master plan for the Miami Women's Club, and I have titled the PowerPoint presentation "Yesterday's Legacy and Tomorrow's Vision" because precisely what we're trying to do is to be able to continue the legacy -- the ongoing legacy of the Miami Women's Club from the early days of the twentieth century into the twenty-first century and on. This is a precious gem, as far as the physical building itself, but the same can be said as far as the legacy and the civic contribution that the Miami Women's Club has made to this community over the years, over the course of the twentieth century and will continue well into the twenty-first century. A little bit on the history, if I may, and Noreen covered a lot of this. I'm going to be very brief on some of these notes, but the City of Miami was established or founded in 1896. From the very beginning, in 1900 there was already a Miami Women's Club. In 1909 Flagler actually deeded a piece of land to the Miami Women's Club, and by 1913 they had a building on land donated by Henry and [sic] Flagler, the founder of the City of Miami. The Miami Women's Club soon had outgrown its facility, which was originally on East Flagler Street, and by 1925 they purchased land and constructed the current facility, which is located adjacent -- just to the north of where we are today, at 1737 North Bayshore Drive. The building -- they had -- the Miami Women's Club had the foresight of commissioning probably one of the most prominent architects in the early history of Miami, August Geiger, who did many of the very significant buildings in the early history of Miami. The building was a singularly beautiful piece of architecture. Before I get into that, let's get a little bit into the civic importance of the actual club, and then I'll get into the actual architectural history. Some of the civic contributions of the Miami Women's Club -- and I start getting carried away with the architecture because that's the one thing that I'm impassioned about, but as you can see on the slide on the screen and on your package, many of the early contributions and ongoing contributions as far as -- for one thing, the Miami Women's Club founded the library system, the Miami -Dade public library system, the Miami -Dade County Blood Bank, Miami City (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Market; the Lighthouse for the Blind was one of the early contributions of the Miami Women's Club, contributing -- contributed to the food kitchens during the Great Depression, to the Miami Red Cross during World War II, on and on, to the Miami Cancer Society, so again, it goes on as far as what the legacy of this organization has been over the years and continues to be in this great community. A little bit on the architecture. Again, 1925, designed by August Geiger, and it's one of the great monuments of this community, designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, and if you look at this early historical photograph of the building, you can see something that is no longer with us, and that is the beautiful metal or iron details, the metal cresting that was used at the very top of the building and the stone balcony grills. All of those were removed in 1951 due to deterioration, and this is the current appearance of the building. It was built 3,500 square feet, so it's quite a sizeable building; four full stories in height. The architecture, as well as the historical significance, have been well recognized. In 1974 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1983 was locally designated as a historical site by the City of Miami. However, the years have taken its toll on the building, and as you can see on the photographs before you, there's a significant amount of interior deterioration of the building, which are -- you know, have been brought about -- 30 years of occupancy and deferred maintenance after occupancy by the International Fine Arts College. There're broken windows, missing moldings, cracked walls. There's re -- a building recertification that needs to be done, and the building was not -- failed building recertification right now. Structural stabilization needs to be done. Right now there's - - as you see, all the air conditioning load on the roof of the building will not be certifiable because of that, and a lot of other items that need to be brought up to Code, and that is what one of the primary issues that we are requesting the funding for the building is to be able to bring it City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 up to Code, and now we get a little bit into what the master plan that we prepared is all about. If you look at -- a little bit on the slides and what is contained in the report that I gave you, if you look at the site plan that is on the slide right now, this is the existing condition of the site plan, and you see that parking is taking place all over the place, and it's very -- it's scattered; there's no landscape, per se, anywhere; and this is the proposed site plan, and you see that the parking now is concentrated on the front, facing North Bayshore Drive, and then the area facing the bay is landscaped. It's utilized as one of the beautiful amenities of the City. It has, possibly, seating, maybe an outdoor cafe or restaurant. There is a proposed bay walk uning the idea of the river walk and the bay walk, the possibility of a marina. The parking at the front, you know, the west side of the property, is heavily landscaped. There are pavers used. Likewise, this is existing elevation of the building in, again, its current condition. You'll notice, again, all the decoration that has been removed, and if you look at the next slide -- okay, I can't see from here, but the next slide actually shows all the original details of the cresting on the balconies being replaced. The same thing with the next slide, which is the one showing the courtyard elevation. In other words, the west and the north elevation, where the existing and then the proposed. The proposed, again, showing all the restored elements. Of course, all the windows would be impact -resistant windows, and according to -- going back to the original ones. A little bit on the floor plans -- and you can see utilization of the building, where what the building -- or what we are proposing is actually maximum utilization for the civic organization, for public activities, for private events, as well. It's events -- or facilities that can be used by the City of Miami, by CRA, by the civic club, as well as rental facilities as well; possibility of a restaurant as -- just tossing that out. It's not a certainty, but it's an option that the Miami Women's Club has, and that can happen on the first and second floors, and then, as you go into the third floor, shows you the possibility of auditorium seating, which is the one that has the stage, and then, if you move to the next one -- and here's another one that is possible rental, private rentals or, again, it could be for civic use. You could have weddings. You could have parties. You could have rental events that can certainly be income producing for the Miami Women's Club, and this is one of the important things, that this is not going to be a museum, a static -- stagnant museum. The idea is to be able to have a facility that can be revenue generating for the Women's Club, so it would, in a couple of years, be able to sustain itself. The other thing is, when you go to the proposed roof plan -- and Noreen mentioned the green building idea, and it's to be able to have landscaping and using the roof plan in a way that it's eco-friendly, an environmentally friendly type of approach to the design. Likewise with the design, I mentioned earlier being able to incorporate the idea of the bay walk. As you see, again, taking advantage of the location of the building, integrating it with Margaret Pace Park next door, as well as with the rooftop -- the idea of a rooftop garden and the pavers and the heavily landscaped areas for the parking lot, and the possibility of having a marina that could be, again, a major revenue generator for the facility. The next couple of slides actually give you construction cost, and what we have done is we have broken it down. The left column -- and this is in your presentation report. We have broken it down into -- the left column actually shows you itemized construction costs, and then the following column is structural repairs needed for recertification, and then in yellow, you will see what we are requesting for the first year from CRA, which, in essence, is window and door replacement, asbestos removal, and electrical upgrades for -- and it totals $1,821, 000. The last column, in green, is the request for year two, and in essence, it's for roofing, restoring iron details, painting, and fire and alarm systems. That one totals approximately $1, 854, 000, bringing the total to approximately three million point seventy-five -- $3, 750, 000. I will entertain any questions that you may have. Commissioner Regalado: I have a question -- Mr. Rodriguez: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- either for you or Noreen. Now -- who really owns the building now? City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Ms. Timoney: The Miami Women's Club owns the building. Commissioner Regalado: So -- Ms. Timoney: Yeah, so -- there was a question a couple of years ago; we addressed that. We rescued the building, and again, we don't undertake this lightly. We don't undertake preservation lightly, just as we don't take our community obligations lightly, and when we came to you to seek this assistance, we need it for two reasons. The whole restoration, as I said earlier, is almost 13 million; we don't come to you for that. We come to you because we need to get back in the building to get that. I have no doubt that these women, who are so committed to doing good, can get that money. However, in order to get to that step where we can get back in the building to raise that money, we have to get recertified That's number one, so that's the first step in terms of restoring our building and getting back in the building to do good things for the community and do good things to restore it; but number two, we've sought -- we've actively sought applications on other grants and other funding sources. We need that initial infusion of assistance from the CRA in order to provide that for grants for matching funds, so we come to you for that request for those two reasons, and in terms of what we plan to do, as I said before, we will do the fundraising necessary. We'll do other matching grants. We're looking at all possibilities, and any income that comes back into this club, basically either supports the building, the restoration of the building, or supports our mission of not for ourselves alone, and we mean that quite seriously, and I think, in terms of our own skin in the game, we are out there shoveling. We're moving parking stanchions. We're doing bags. We're doing hats. Each board member has contributed money to this club for the restoration or for a project -- a community project. We have actually borrowed money from our trustee endowment fund. We have borrowed money to take care of some initial repairs. We've got in -kind services. We donated our building to an organization that did in -kind services to the tune of $200, 000. We had to leave our building to get that done, but that demolition and that initial cleanup came up to $200, 000, so we've got board infusion, we've got board of trustees endowment fund money. We've got in -kind services, not to mention that all of these women are volunteers. All of these women have jobs, have careers, have lives other than the Miami Women's Club, and if you were to take the amount of time that each woman has seriously and with integrity committed to getting this done, you could not even fathom the number that that would equate to, so we come to you. We give you what we're asking for. We tell you the reason why the building is important, why the reason the organization is coming to you; what we mean to the history of Miami, but even more so, what we mean to its future, and I thank you, so we'll entertain any other questions. Commissioner Regalado: I -- if I may. I think that if there is a mission that belongs to the CRA is to help in the future of this building. I will tell you, though, that I think your idea of renting for events is much better than the restaurant because when you bet on a restaurant, you need not only the view, but the food and the angle, the ambience -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Regalado: -- and all that, and one of the major income of former Parrot Jungle, Jungle Gardens now, is the rental -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Regalado: -- of their facilities because of the spectacular view, so I would think that you already believe that that's one of the issues there. I would like to hear from my colleagues, but I'm -- I think, you know, the CRA should make a commitment to you, and it may be on a sort of a grant or loan that you don't have -- that you only have to repay if you sell the building because that would be the first, you know, concern -- Ms. Timoney: Right. City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Regalado: -- that anybody will have and say, oh, okay. The building worth millions of dollars and the site worth -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Regalado: -- billions of dollars, so to me, it's only two ways to go; save the building or build a condo, and -- Ms. Timoney: We already went that route, and we -- we actually -- yes. There would have been, perhaps -- there was a possibility that a 66-story condo would have been there, and I think you would have lost so much, not just this building, but what this represents, and all you would have is more development that doesn't have the historical context, and I really appreciate your speaking about the preservation issue because that's exactly why we thought this was a perfect match for the CRA because of their grant objectives, and I think we fall squarely within the confines of that definition, so that's number one; and to address your issue about the restaurant versus events, we -- I think when Ivan brought up restaurant, he mentioned that was just one thing that had been considered. We had various membership meetings and actually public meetings to seek from people what they would like in terms of something for this community, and people threw out different things, so we've addressed that as possibilities in a plan, knowing that we feel, as well, that this is something that should be event -oriented, and we've separated that -- those events out into income producing events for certain things, as well as community events, which are certainly part of our mission, so thank you very much. Vice Chair Sarnoff Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: Mr. Vice Chairman. Ms. Timoney: I think -- Commissioner Sanchez: To me -- yes? Ms. Timoney: Go ahead. Commissioner Sanchez: -- it's not about who owns the building or what's around the building. To me, it's about the building in itself. The building has a long history in this community, and not too long ago, I had an opportunity to attend one of the luncheons, and Dr. Paul George, who is a historian, was there, and I was amazed the history of that building. That building was established four years after this great city was incorporated. It served as the first public library. It also was, at one time, the Red Cross. It served as the house -- Lighthouse for the Blind; world war service during the war; the Red Cross, so there's a lot of things in that building, so I look at it in two angles here. I look at it from the historic preservation aspect of it, that we have an opportunity -- and this falls within the goals and objectives of the CRA -- to assist you in working with you to get you to get that hurdle that's preventing you from advancing, and you're -- you stated it very clearly. You're not here asking for the whole enchilada. You're here asking for us to ident the funding and give you an opportunity to get that recertification because once you're able to get that recertification, it gives you an opportunity to start as an organization, as a club, to generate funds to continue to improve it, to continue to make improvements, and I think that's what the goal here. Now the other issue that's very important that we need to address is the community outreach. We have also a great opportunity not only to preserve history for the next generation to come and many, many others, but also to put great outreach programs in that. Now you've heard, the bay walk, to us, is very important, as we try to link the entire bay walk so people can enjoy. That's an important factor that we need to work to try to get that bay walk open so people can have an opportunity from -- walk from the mouth of the river all the way to Margaret Pace Park and enjoy the bay, which really belongs to the people, so I think today you City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 engage the public and propel [sic] to ask that, you know, we work together and try to help you out to get to that point, which I think you're asking -- what, is it 3.5 in two years? Ms. Timoney: Three point seven five over two years. Commissioner Sanchez: Over two years, and that -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- would get you, one, to start -- Ms. Timoney: That would get -- Commissioner Sanchez: Look, it's this simple. Ms. Timoney: -- emergency life and limb. Commissioner Sanchez: It's simple. Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: If we do nothing about it, conditions are only going to get worse, and then we're not going to be here a year from now asking for that 3.7. Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: We're going to be asking for 4.2 and -- Ms. Timoney: Five point -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- 5.1 -- Ms. Timoney: -- seven, right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- and that's going to be a problem, so I think that we need to work with you to get you to a point where you could start helping yourself, and once again, the opportunities are many for your club, for the City, for the CRA to have one place that community centers could participate, community meetings. You know, people, when they come out now -- and I'm going to be very honest. Today I had guests from out of the country, and when they come to City Hall, they come to City Hall, and they're impressed with City Hall because it served a -- you know, a historical site, but really, they -- I would like to take them to other historical sites and show them the beauty of our city, and beauty -- because when they come here and we talk about historic preservation, they laugh at me. When I say historic preservation, they laugh. They honestly laugh. You go to these countries, they really -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- try to take care of history and preserve it, so we have an opportunity here -- I think if we're able to maybe direct the executive director to -- not today, but come back - - and that'll be my motion, which I will proffer -- to have the executive director identify the fundings [sic], or if there isn't -- or there isn't -- but to come back at the next CRA meeting, in a resolution form, to see if we could identifir funds to start this process as quickly as possible to allow you an opportunity to get your certificate -- 40-year certification and start having events there. I remember, when I was a state trooper, we used to have great dances out there, and it was a great place to go out and socialize. Parking is there. The place, at that time, was -- I City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 remember being, you know, nice. I mean, it -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- at least -- that's when it was a school. It used to be the school. Ms. Timoney: Right. Once the school came in -- the school was there for over 30 years. The deterioration started at that point, but yes, we'd love to get back into dancing under the stars, but Commissioner Sanchez: But it -- Ms. Timoney: -- we're not there -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- but let me -- Ms. Timoney: -- yet. Commissioner Sanchez: -- add one thing, and I want to make it very clear. There's a saying that says, you know, help yourself and we will help you. Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: I think that we should be committed to helping you out -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- but you, as an organization, will have to go out and seek every avenue of funding, whether it's grant, whether it's city, county, state, federal -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- grants, historic preservation. You qual for all that. I mean, there's Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- plenty of arguments there for you to seek -- but you can't do anything now -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- because you don't have -- Ms. Timoney: Well -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- the building is -- Ms. Timoney: -- we have taken that first step. We have identified organizations, and we've listed some funding sources in your packets. We've gone out and identified the grants. We cannot -- we've applied for the CBIR (Community Budget Issue Request), and they very much request matching funds. We've applied -- we're in the process of submitting an application for several others; all of them require matching funds. We have done a lot in the year and a half since we've come into office. We've finally received our 501(c)3 status, which didn't even -- we were precluded from even doing active high -end fundraising because people don't tend to want to City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 donate unless they can get a tax deduction. Commissioner Sanchez: Well, Noreen, nobody's going to donate now -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- because they don't know the future of the building. Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: They don't know -- I mean, it's -- people are going to hold back and -- Ms. Timoney: Well -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- see what's going to happen. I'm sure that when things get moving along, you'll -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- start getting contributions -- Ms. Timoney: Exactly. Commissioner Sanchez: -- and people that want to participate. Now let me ask you something. You did take -- you did clear the 501(c) [sicJ? Ms. Timoney: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: So you're okay with that? Ms. Timoney: We've cleared the 501(c)3 and -- last week, so we're all set. Finally, a year and a half after trying to get it, we finally got it, and -- Commissioner Sanchez: And one last question. You come in front of this Board asking for assistance. I think the question is, what have you done? Ms. Timoney: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: What has your organization done to get to a point where you're in here asking for assistance? You do have -- you raise money. You're very -- Ms. Timoney: We've -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- yourself and all the members are very active in -- Ms. Timoney: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- raising money? Ms. Timoney: We have actually -- well, we've raised commitments for money. Nobody has been able to give us money because we -- Commissioner Sanchez: What is your commitment right now, just ballpark figure? Ms. Timoney: From the board members, we've received a commitment of over $3, 000; from City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 other members, 2,000, and again, the board of trustees took a leap of faith with us and gave us a loan of $135, 000. The other thing, as I said, we, as an organization, left our building so that we would get in -kind services of $200, 000. We are out there doing a lot of the dirty work, for lack of a better term, ourselves, so we're not asking people to come in and do something that we're not doing. I'm a firm believer -- I grew up in the streets, so I'm a firm believer in get out there and get down and get dirty, and that's what we have done because we are committed to this. Commissioner Sanchez: Well, I made the motion to direct the executive director to come back at the next meeting, in a resolution form, identing funds to assist you in recertification, the 40-year recertification -- Ms. Timoney: Thank you. Commissioner Sanchez: -- for the purpose of discussion. Need a second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Commissioner Sanchez: No. We need a second. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- No. I have -- Commissioner Sanchez: Need a second. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- not spoken. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: But you need a second for discussion. Vice Chair Sarnoff You've been doing a pretty good job of discussing without a motion. Commissioner Regalado: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: Help yourself. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Vice Chair Sarnoff Yeah. I'd like to say a couple things. You know, H. L. Mencken said if someone says to you it's not about the money, it's about the money, and what I'm going to say to you right now it's all about the money because you're asking us to use our discretion and balance competing interests, and those competing interests are profound in CRA areas. You're asking us to balance the interests of creation of jobs, creation of affordable housing versus the preservation of historic buildings and versus the preservation of a women's club, and are you prepared --? You say we're only asking for $3.75 million. We're not asking, as Commissioner Sanchez says, for the whole enchilada. You're only asking for your partial enchilada. Are you ready to tell this Board right now that you will not be pursuing us for the additional $12.6 million? Ms. Timoney: We, as a board, have discussed this, and we will not be pursuing additional funds past the recertification. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- So we could take your word that you will never come to the CRA again for $12.6 million -- Ms. Timoney: Well, unless a -- City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Vice Chair Sarnoff -- or any combination thereto? Ms. Timoney: Right, unless a hurricane knocks the building over or something, but we were not coming for the restoration. We are coming for assistance for the recertification and for emergency life and limb repairs. Vice Chair Sarnoff I know why you're coming. I'm asking if you're making a representation that you will not come to this Board again? Ms. Timoney: I think I said that. We will not come for further dollars -- Vice Chair Sarnoff All right, so let's -- Ms. Timoney: -- past the recertification dollars. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- so you have been able to raise $137, 000, correct -- 135,000? Ms. Timoney: Probably closer to 140, but around that ballpark figure, yes. Vice Chair Sarnoff What's the public purpose behind this? Ms. Timoney: The public purpose is -- first of all, this is historic preservation, which, again, falls under the definition of grants for the CRA. That is one of the purposes for the CRA, to award grant money for historical preservation of buildings that have historical significance for the City. This building was designated a national landmark in 1974 and a City of Miami landmark in 1983, and I don't believe there are too many City of Miami landmarks, so that's number one. Number two, we're not asking for money for the organization because the organization is funding itself. We're asking for the sustaining of the recertification process. That's what we're looking for. We will sustain the building. Unlike some historical buildings, we are not a museum. We have an organization that will carry the torch and move forward to the next step and will sustain the building and use it. The purpose of this building -- the purpose of the organization is community outreach. Again, that's in all our charters, all our bylaws. It's not for ourselves alone, and that's clearly on everything we say, everything we do, and everything that's written about us, and I think there's people here today who could test fy. We've partnered with people in this community recently. Throughout the history of this organization, throughout the history of that building, there were partnerships made, again, with community service organizations. We partner with Camillus House. We partner with the Village, the Women's Fund. We represent Educate Tomorrow, juvenile court assistance programs. That's what we're about. The building is going to be a venue to further that. The building can be a venue for a community center. This can be, in my mind, an area where you can convene a mini think tank, something that South Florida could be proud of, and you may not know what I mean by that. I'm not talking about the Manhattan Institute or something like that, but we certainly can address issues that are of import to this community; hold cultural forums, hold lectures. We're plan -- in the process right now of planning an economic roundtable forum, so this is not something that we take lightly, and when we speak words, they mean something because I have said to our board, unless we can mean it, unless we're genuine, I'm not going to say it 'cause my integrity means too much to me, so that's what I can project to you and present to you tonight. Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, I still -- Ms. Timoney: And in fact, the women of this organization -- Henry Flagler donated the land. The women who founded this organization actually raised the money to build the building; they did it, so that's what they did with a gift then, and we're looking for you to trust in us to give us this -- City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Vice Chair Sarnoff Here's -- Ms. Timoney: -- so we can take it further. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- the problem. For a building to go out of 40 year certification, it means that the people who were the good stewards of that building did no maintenance and upkeep for that building. What they did instead was either ignore the building, extract the money and not put it back into the building, thus, not being good stewards with their property, and then they come to taxpayers, whether it's CRA, whether it's City of Miami -- and certainly, a CRA being much more restricted -- and they're saying the people whose shoulders upon which we stood here before were not good stewards with this land, were not good property owners with their property, and we promise we're going to change that, but on the other hand, to lose your 40-year certification takes years and years and years of neglect, and I fail to see the public purpose for us to spend $3.7 million -- and I suspect you to come back to us and say, Commissioners, I've got a commitment for $3 million, and it'll only take 9 million to finish this building. I strongly suspect that will be it, and yet, we, as Commissioners, as good stewards of the people's money, have got to use our discretion and fair it out and suss out and consider what is the competing interest. There's only so much money in the CRA. That money is to be used for the redevelopment of the area. To me, that comes in terms of jobs or that comes in terms of housing, and I just don't see jobs here, and I don't see housing here. Ms. Timoney: Well, no. You won't -- I'm not going to tell you that you're going to see jobs and housing, unless it's jobs in the hospitality field, but I will answer your other point, and that is that there was a tenant in there for over 30 years, and I think Fred Joseph from the Omni Advisory Board will further that explanation, but he act -- that entity acted as owner's rep, and it was unfortunate that we were not notified at the time that the recertification had not been completed. I'm going to let Fred explain that further. Fred Joseph: Commissioners, approximately 40 years ago, that building was in high style, as the Commissioner that was a state trooper knew, but also -- Vice Chair Sarnoff He's only 39, you know. Mr. Joseph: -- and that -- I'm sorry? Yeah, correct. Commissioner Sanchez: I won't answer that. Mr. Joseph: And also, that building was leased to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for a school for one dollar and full maintenance. They would take care of it, and the ladies that had the club were stewards of the rest of the club, but he was supposed to take care of it. Then what happened was he sold it to a multinational company and a big billion -dollar company, and they just walked away. That certification should have been in place repeatedly, as you said. The ladies that were in the club at that time were getting a little older, and what happened was they dwindled away. When these -- when that property had come up for sale -- and it was sold very quickly because it's a jewel -- what happened was the -- a lot of ladies in this building, who were going to overlook that new high-rise 60, decided they would all get back together with a lot of good people and get the club back up to in excess of 200 from -- at the time, it was only about 40 to 50 existing, living members, so what happened was it was -- had dwindled without anybody knowing it. These ladies behind me and a lot of the previous members -- I'm sorry, the present members that had been there for many years in support of this all got back again together to bring this building back up to standard When they had the in -kind of $250,000 infusion is when they found out about the certification wasn't there, and that company came in and did a lot of wonderful work for like -kind [sic] services, but that's the history. These people behind me right now did not cause the demise of the 40 year -- it was a bad decision or a decision that City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 entrepreneurs took advantage of and that was why it -- and I don't believe -- these ladies could stand here right now and certify that will not happen again on their watch, so that -- I'd like to just -- wanted to put -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I -- Mr. Joseph: -- and I am a resident here also. Vice Chair Sarnoff.. -- understand everything you're saying, Mr. Joseph, and I should make a disclosure. My wife happens to be a Women's Club member, and I'll also make a disclosure. I have never talked to her about this, but -- Mr. Joseph: I'll make a disclosure. My wife is director of the house, and I have to hear it nightly Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay. Mr. Joseph: -- so I'll -- that's a full disclosure. Since she became director of the house, I've leased out my kitchen. Vice Chair Sarnoff My sympathies are with you. What I -- the only thing that you brought up, though, Mr. Joseph, only enforces what I'm saying. Because if you're about to spend approximately $4 million -- I mean, it's always about the faces that are in front of us are always good faces; they always will be good faces, but it -- the public has a short memory, and as these women interest change and move on and do other things, it rests upon the shoulders of others, and it's the skin in the game that keeps a person interested, and it's true of anything, when -- you know, Ronald Reagan once said something -- most profound I ever heard him say; nobody ever washes a rental car. It's true. If -- nobody takes care of what's not theirs, and that is always the concern, I think, as a Commissioner, when you give out money; is that people who don't really have the skin in the game, when they don't put their own financial backing behind it, when they don't raise, you know, five million of their own money, four million, three million of their own money, those people don't really have the skin in the game and the wherewithal to pass it on -- not to themselves 'cause I know the people up there. You know, Mrs. Timoney's a fine woman. I know the people standing next to her. I know your wife, but in five years, six years, seven years, ten years, it may not be them standing behind that microphone. They may not be those same like-minded, goodwill persons, and that's why I always wonder, when you give something to somebody, how good a steward will they be? Not the people in front of you, but the people upon whose shoulders they will stand and historically, I'll bear out to be right. Because, historically, I will suggest to you -- and I did my research -- these people also came from money from the City of Miami many, many years ago, and let's all be clear about something. There's a limited amount of money, especially in a CRA, and ask yourself -- and I ask each one of my fellow Commissioners. You have got to use your discretion and balance the competing interests of what a CRA is about, and I will at least state to this [sic] members that I believe it's about the creation of jobs, infrastructure, and affordable housing, and I don't think this meets those objectives. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Regalado, you have a --7 Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Just an observation to my very intelligent colleague, Commissioner -- Board Member Marc Sarnoff. It is true that, you know -- and we keep saying I wasn't here when that happened because that's -- you know, the many mistakes that have been made -- Miami Arena; we weren't there. None of us were there when they goof. We weren't there when Bicentennial Park was abandoned. We weren't there when things were done in the City or downtown that causes what we have today, and -- so you know, it's a risk -taking event, but the only thing that I don't understand -- the only thing is -- that I really don't understand, and maybe some of you can clarify this, is okay, there is limited amount of money in the CRA, that's City of Miami Page 43 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 true. The reason that there is limited amount of money in the CRA is because 43 percent of the money generated by the Omni CRA is going to the Performing Arts Center, and I want to know whether the Performing Arts Center, if you compare to the Women's Club and all the activities that they could do if they have the $13 million right away, will serve the public benefit of jobs and housing that you say it should when you expend money of the CRA, so my point is, we have - - we, as a agency -- dedicated almost half of the Omni CRA money to support and keep the Performing Arts Center because it's something that is important for the area; it's a catalyst for development, and yet, we seem to have a problem supporting a historic building that, if we were to expand the CRA, all the money, we could have it up and running as a community center, new jewel because it's on the waterfront area, so I just want to understand what is the public purpose of the Performing Arts Center, and why are we spending 43 percent of the -- Applause. Commissioner Regalado: -- CRA -- Omni CRA? I understand your position. Do you -- you have a vision of the future, but I think that we should try because if we don't, the building eventually is going to be sold. They are going to move somewhere with the Women's Club. Maybe they could rent a whole suite in the Grand or the Doubletree here and have their permanent office and sell the place, so I just don't understand why we are reluctant to enter in a risk taking. It is a risk taking. Performing Arts is a risk taking because we don't know if it going to succeed because it all depends in the attendance, not in public functions or community functions, so that's my comment, but I just want to ask one question to the executive director. I heard that -- Commissioner Sanchez propose a motion. It's either to find the money or to look if you can find the money. My question is, do we have the money in the CRA right now? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): At this moment, we have a million and a half dollars that we had set aside, but as -- there's no resolution that's been passed, but it's been budgeted for continuation of the bay walk behind the Women's Club. Currently, we have not received the City's TIF (Tax Increment Fund) payment, so the accountant is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to say we have the money until it's actually in our accounts. We -- Chair Spence -Jones: So what is it that we do have, Jim? That's what I -- just a very straight answer. What do we have? Mr. Villacorta: We have -- Chair Spence -Jones: Or Miguel can -- Does Miguel need to tell us? Mr. Villacorta: -- $350,000 that we were holding either -- some of it's been allocated to the Women's Club and was unspent on the design fees and the elevator renovations, and then that's approximately 113,000. We had another 250 that hasn't had a resolution allocated, but we were holding that for the Women's Club, so right now we have 330 -- 363 that we could allocate to the Women's Club on the assumption that we'll eventually get the TIF payment. Once we get that payment, we'd like to look at what we had. If you wanted to reallocate the million and a half that we're holding for the bay walk, that could be done as well. Chair Spence -Jones: So, Jim, when the new TIF payment comes in, how -- what is -- what are we expecting to get from that, and when does that -- when is that coming in, Miguel? Mr. Villacorta: It's in the nature of $11 million, but we've allocated some of it. We have -- Chair Spence -Jones: I know. I just -- can I --? Miguel Valentin (Financial Officer, Community Redevelopment Agency): Well -- City of Miami Page 44 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: I'm asking Miguel. Mr. Valentin: -- honestly -- Chair Spence -Jones: Miguel, state your name for the record. Right, Madam Clerk? Mr. Valentin: Miguel Valentin, CRA financial officer. Honestly, we were supposed to have received those funds early in January 2008. Commissioner Sanchez: How much? Chair Spence -Jones: How much? Mr. Valentin: We're talking 11 million. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. You have -- Mr. Valentin: Eleven million. Chair Spence -Jones: -- 11 million that we're -- that has not gotten to us yet, but it's to be expected, and -- Mr. Valentin: We haven't got it yet. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, and out of that 11 million, Jim just mentioned that there are some things that have been identified for that. Mr. Valentin: Yes, some resolutions that we passed and adopted, and they haven't exhausted them. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so do you have any sense of what that is? Mr. Valentin: It's -- Chair Spence -Jones: I'm asking -- Vice Chair Sarnoff What's the unallocated? Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. I'm just trying -- What's the -- Mr. Valentin: Is what -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- unallocated amount? Mr. Valentin: Unallocated amount, 250, 000. Chair Spence -Jones: Out of 11 million? Mr. Valentin: Well, what happened is when I was preparing the budget, remember, I had to take into consideration the global agreement payment that we need to make. We're talking $5.6 million, and that was contemplated in my budget. Mr. Villacorta: Right now we're spending $4 million for the firehouse; 5 million for -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. City of Miami Page 45 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Villacorta: -- North Bayshore Drive. Chair Spence -Jones: Can I just --? Here's a perfect example. Now I had that written down on my notes to close out, but here's a perfect example. We're setting aside $4 million for the firehouse -- just using this as an example. Mr. Villacorta: Exactly. Chair Spence -Jones: Nobody's occupying it. There's no organization -- clearly, these people that are here -- the women that are part of this organization have been longstanding supporters of the organization, and $4 million we're going to spend to a building that we don't know what we're going to do with it as of yet. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: Come on, guys. I mean -- and I don't think we have to make a decision today on that. I mean, I just think that we need to really look at this $11 million. We need to look at this $11 million, and -- Commissioner Sanchez: Michelle. Chair Spence -Jones: -- the fire -- Commissioner San -- I let everybody -- let me just finish my thought. And I am a strong supporter of two things that we've discussed today; definitely historic preservation, and definitely women, so no matter what, the Women's Club is always going to have my support on what they're trying to do, so that's not even an issue. I think that it's obvious that we have very few historic buildings that are left in both of the CRAs. I mean, we see a whole bunch of new buildings coming up and a whole bunch of different things happening on both sides of the CRA. We need to save and preserve the only jewels that we have, and I've always been a strong pusher for that. Commissioner Regalado has always been a strong pusher for historic preservation, and many of these buildings, that's the character of our neighborhoods, so I -- I'm not really understanding why there is any confusion about us trying -- and I do under - - I understand Commissioner Sarnoffs point. You know, I'm not making light on what he's trying to say, but clearly, I mean, this build -- this -- in the Omni CRA, you could just walk out the door and see all the new buildings that are there. Here's the one little jewel that we do have left in the Omni area that we can preserve and protect, and we should do whatever it takes to make sure that that happens, and you know, that's officially my position on it. I do agree that, at least from the CRA side, from Overtown, a big push for us is housing, and I'm going to push very hard on that, but I think that in the Omni area, I mean, clearly -- I mean, the opportunities for housing is so limited, so we must look at things of preservation and how we're deciding to actually use our dollars for buildings that are in that area, and look at how many women are -- the people that are supporting this organization, can you please stand up so I can physically see you in the building? And they've been sitting here all night, and I wish I had this for the firehouse. I wish I had this for the other buildings that we have restored. You can sit down now. So I'm not really sure what the issue is on this whole item. I agree with Commissioner Regalado regarding the fact that we're spending these dollars on the Performing Art [sic] Center, and you know, we can't even -- when it's time to actually rent the facility to do something, neighborhood folks can't even utilize it. At least when we call the Women's Club, when it's time to utilize the space, they're always open and available to the public and to the community, you know, so it's very difficult for me to not understand why we would not be supporting them. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: So on that note -- and I don't want to take any more discussion on the item. I think that -- I think we have a pretty good gauge from the public. City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: I'm prepared to make a motion. Chair Spence -Jones: I'm going to pass it over to Commissioner Sanchez. Sanchez, you want to - -? Commissioner Sanchez: Yes. I'm prepared to make a motion. Before -- I just have -- we don't -- Eleanor Kluger: I've been waiting here. Commissioner Sanchez: Executive director, just one -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- question for you. Under the scope and objectives of the CRA, could we use money for historic preservation? Ms. Kluger: Yes. Mr. Villacorta: Yes -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- under the Omni Redevelopment Plan, yes. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. I would not be here -- and I know at least three of the other -- two of the other Commissioners would not be here if they didn't believe that we could use that money for historical preservation. I would not be here if I didn't think this was a historical landmark, which serves a good public purpose, and to me -- and I say it again -- it is a shame if we don't do anything to preserve that building and nothing gets done, and we will regret it. The next generations will regret it that we have lost another jewel in the City, okay, and we just spent the $4 million on the firehouse, which I supported 'cause I support historic preservation, and that's a perfect example of something that sits there, has not been done, and there's $4 million sitting in an account. The purpose here is to make sure that those funds are used and not sitting around and not sitting in some bank account, so my motion is a simple motion. My motion is to direct the executive director to find and see if there is any available funding, and also to include unallocated funding that has not been used to come up with the two-year, totaling 3.7 allocated to the Women's Club, so they could get the 40-year recertification done. If you come back to me and you say there's no money, I'm perfectly okay with it, but if you come back and say, look, we have 500,000 here, 1 million here; they've been sitting in that account for five years, six years, seven years or whatever, and we could total it up, it's got my support. Chair Spence -Jones: So we have a motion on the floor. Do we have a second? Commissioner Regalado: Before I second -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Regalado: -- didn't just we realize that we have the money? Mr. Villacorta: We have a million five we were -- Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- going to use for the bay walk that could be reallocated with the 300,000 that City of Miami Page 47 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 they have unspent. Commissioner Regalado: The plan that we saw there has the bay walk component, correct? Ms. Timoney: Correct. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: Correct -- Dorothy Jenkins Fields: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- so the bay walk is 1.5, which is what they're seeking for the first year, and besides, there will be no sense -- it would not make sense at all to start a boardwalk and expend $1.5 million if we have a building that could be demolished over the bay walk, so it's better to fix the building first and do the bay walk later. I mean, you know, since we do -- Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we have a motion, so what -- are you seconding and adding something to that second? Commissioner Regalado: I'm seconding the motion, if the maker allows that we can immediately allocate 1.5 for the recertification of the building. Commissioner Sanchez: I think the proper thing to do -- and executive director, you should put it on the record -- is to -- that money to get unallocated first. Mr. Villacorta: Right. I imagine that there'll be -- Commissioner Sanchez: You can't just make a motion here to take that money. You have to bring it back to us in the next meeting. We unallocate that money, and then we pass a resolution directing those funds to go towards that project. That's the -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- proper procedure. Now if you want to do something else -- Mr. Villacorta: No -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but the motion -- Mr. Villacorta: -- the money would -- Commissioner Regalado: -- is very simple. The motion is to commit 1.5. Commissioner Sanchez: No, no. Commissioner Regalado: The whole process is after that -- Commissioner Sanchez: You're not committing anything right now. Commissioner Regalado: One point eight. Commissioner Sanchez: But you see, that's the whole thing. He's coming back -- it could be one City of Miami Page 48 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 - - you know, he's got to come back and say, look, there's 1.5 here; there's two here, one here, and that makes it 1.8, and then from there, we pass the proper resolution directing that money in Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- towards the project. Chair Spence -Jones: -- Commissioner Sanchez and Mr. Executive Director, can you come back - - will you come back with us -- Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: -- to the next meeting with that information ready to go? And if there is some dollars that can be reallocated, perhaps you can bring back a resolution to reallocate those dollars so that we can immediately begin to help the Women's Club. Mr. Villacorta: Let me just be clear on the million five. We budgeted it -- we included it in our budget as a line item. There hasn't been a resolution committing it to -- Commissioner Sanchez: You have to defund -- Mr. Villacorta: -- the bay walk -- Chair Spence -Jones: Oh. Mr. Villacorta: -- yet. Commissioner Sanchez: -- it. Mr. Villacorta: Right, so it doesn't have to be defunded. The -- Commissioner Regalado: So it's there. Mr. Villacorta: -- but you're going to want -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- a grant agreement worked out, and that's going to have specific terms. There's things you're going to want to see -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so do -- Mr. Villacorta: -- in that grant agreement -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- you want -- so since we do have -- Mr. Villacorta: -- so -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- the money that is in the budget -- Commissioner Regalado: Well, it could -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- can you --? City of Miami Page 49 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Regalado: -- be a loan. It could be a loan that you don't -- that they don't have to pay unless they sell the building. Commissioner Sanchez: Well, let me make it simple. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez, you're recognized. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Allocate the $1.5 million -- Commissioner Regalado: One point eight. Commissioner Sanchez: -- find 300 -- Chair Spence -Jones: One -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- 1.5 and 3 is 1.8; 1.5, ident 3 more, and bring it back to this legislative body, a total of 1.8 directed towards the Women's Club recertification. Chair Spence -Jones: So we have a motion on the floor. Commissioner Regalado: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: Do we have to now --? Madam -- Commissioner Regalado: I'll second the motion. Chair Spence -Jones: Wait, wait. I think we have to -- Madam Clerk, what do we need to do? Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Okay. Vice Chair Sarnoff Withdraw the original motion. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Withdraw the original motion. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Because you had -- Commissioner Sanchez: I withdraw -- Ms. Thompson: -- a motion on -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- the original motion, and stands the motion that was proffered. Commissioner Regalado: And I second the -- Chair Spence -Jones: Withdrawal. Commissioner Regalado: -- motion that was modified. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: Call the question. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? City of Miami Page 50 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: Aye. Commissioner Regalado: Aye. Commissioner Sarnoff No. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, one opposition. Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: Yeah. I'm fine with it. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: Three to one. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Ms. Thompson: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: So do we now have -- Commissioner Regalado: It's better than 2/1. Chair Spence -Jones: Right, so do we need to bring back another motion or no for the new --? Commissioner Sanchez: No, no, no. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I -- Commissioner Regalado: No -- yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: -- just want to be clear. Ms. Thompson: It's all done. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so, Women's Club, you -- we're moving on to the next level, so give yourself a hand for coming out -- Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and because we do have like three or four items left to go, ma'am, at this point, we would rather keep the agenda moving. Ms. Kluger: I just wanted to say something to Commissioner Sarnoff -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Ms. Kluger: -- so he'll feel a little bit -- Chair Spence -Jones: Two seconds. Ms. Kluger: -- better. Ms. Thompson: Chair, if -- City of Miami Page 51 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Vice Chair Sarnoff What's that? Ms. Kluger: I have with me all the interlocal agreements, and in them -- from the Omni in -- from 1997. You all were not here -- Chair Spence -Jones: Right. Ms. Kluger: -- but it does talk -- Vice Chair Sarnok Joe Sanchez -- Ms. Kluger: -- a lot about -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- wasn't even born. Ms. Kluger: -- the preservation and money to be allotted to preservation, and I'll be happy to give you copies of these so that -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Thanks. Ms. Kluger: -- you can be updated on what was here in 1997 -- Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, ma'am. Ms. Kluger: -- and this is Omni CRA money that goes for preservation. You've done the tower -- the Sears Tower, not occupied. Vice Chair Sarnok I wasn't here for that, but -- Ms. Kluger: Okay, over $10 million went there. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- you can blame me on that. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, ma'am. Ms. Kluger: Also, the -- Ms. Thompson: Excuse me. Chair Spence -Jones: We're very clear. Ms. Kluger: -- okay, and the fire -- Chair Spence -Jones: I want to bring the meeting back into order, please. Ms. Kluger: This jewel is going to go and do great. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you very much. Ms. Thompson: Excuse me. Vice Chair Sarnoff Thanks, Eleanor. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Women's Club, for coming out. City of Miami Page 52 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Ms. Thompson: Excuse me, Chair. I need -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes? Ms. Thompson: -- a name for that speaker. Chair Spence -Jones: Can you put your name --? Ma'am, can you put your name on --? Ms. Kluger: Eleanor Kluger, president of the Omni Advisory Board -- Chair Spence -Jones: Thank -- Ms. Kluger: -- in those years, okay. Chair Spence -Jones: -- you. 12. 08-00058 CRA DISCUSSION REPORT ON STATUS OF REVERTER OF BLOCKS 36, 45, AND 56. Cover Memo.pdf DEFERRED Note for the Record. The item was deferred to the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting currently scheduled for February 25, 2008. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We're actually losing Commissioner Regalado at this point, so we're going to move on to item number 12, and actually, you know what? I'm -- because we're losing him and he really wanted to have some information on this issue, Commissioner Regalado, I'm going to ask for us to defer this until the next meeting, along with item number 7 at this point because that also falls in line with the additional things that he needed information on, so -- Mr. Villacorta: Well, item 7 was requested by Commissioner Sarnoff, and really, it was a status on the waiver, and at the last meeting, they directed me to hire counsel. I went ahead and did that; hired Holland & Knight. I gave them the waiver that they needed to do the work. Chair Spence -Jones: Right, but what I want -- I just want to be very clear because Commissioner Regalado did want to weigh in on this issue, and now that he has left -- he wanted to weigh in on 7 and 12 together, that's why he -- you know, we went on beyond number 7, so I want to respect Commissioner Regalado since he's not here now, to address this when he's available. Mr. Villacorta: Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. 13. 07-01504 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING BUILD -OUT OF THE WARD ROOMING HOUSE. Cover Memo.pdf Cover Memo.pdf DISCUSSED (13.) 07-01504a CRA RESOLUTION City of Miami Page 53 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY RESCINDING RESOLUTION (subject matter: rescinding previous resolution regarding using Ward Rooming House as an office building and other criteria set by the Board.) Motion by Vice Chair Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Sanchez, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-08-0005 (13.) 07-01504b CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (subject matter: authorizing the build out of Ward Rooming House as an art gallery.) Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 2 - Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-08-0006 Chair Spence -Jones: Let's move on to item number 13, the Ward Rooming House, another historic preservation project. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): As you're aware, the Board of Commissioners authorized the build -out of the Ward Rooming House, but requested that it be built out as office space. Chair Spence -Jones: The Board of Commissioners? Mr. Villacorta: The Board -- Chair Spence -Jones: I'm sorry. Mr. Villacorta: -- the CRA Board of Commissioners. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: The issue is that we've now -- CIP (Capital Improvements Program) has identified an architect for the building and is ready to begin and tell them the scope of work. The Ward Rooming House, under the redevelopment plan, is -- an office use for the CRA, especially, would be inappropriate there. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: What I'm asking is that the Board pass a motion modfing its original authorization to allow it to be built out as an art gallery -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. City of Miami Page 54 Printed on 2/7, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Mr. Villacorta: -- or a meeting space. Chair Spence -Jones: Did you guys hear this, the Ward Rooming House issue? Vice Chair Sarnoff.- Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Are you guys listening? Vice Chair Sarnoff Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Okay, so basically, in a nutshell, I'm sure -- Commissioner Sanchez: It's too small. Chair Spence -Jones: Right, too small -- Mr. Villacorta: It's too small. Chair Spence -Jones: -- for offices, so Jim doesn't want to be on top of each other. Vice Chair Sarnoff But Jim, as a result of -- Mr. Villacorta: I would move there. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- losing the firehouse, I strongly urge that you put that size 11 foot into that size 7 shoe, 'cause it's the only thing you're going to see. Mr. Villacorta: I would sleep there with my feet out the door, but you haven't -- Vice Chair Sarnof (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Mr. Villacorta: -- lost the firehouse. Commissioner Sanchez: You guys won't need phones. Mr. Villacorta: The firehouse is still moving. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so at this point, we're saying -- you just need us to mod the original --? Mr. Villacorta: The resolution -- the funding resolution, to remove the restriction that it be built out as ozces. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Do I have a motion? Madam Clerk, please. Madam Clerk. Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Just a question for the City Attorney. Is it proper to modify a resolution that's already been adopted or would you need to rescind that resolution and then issue a new one? Gail A. Dotson (Assistant General Counsel): Good question. I think you need a new resolution. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Ms. Thompson: Thank you. City of Miami Page 55 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: So we need to bring -- come back -- bring back to us -- Mr. Villacorta: We can style this as a resolution then, and -- because you're going to lose another month of architectural -- Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, I see. Mr. Villacorta: -- you know, the architects are idling, waiting to be told -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: I'm prepared to move it. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so do I have a motion? Commissioner Sanchez: Pass the gavel. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh. Vice Chair Sarnoff I'll give you a second. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, thanks. Vice Chair Sarnoff Jim owes me, big time. Chair Spence -Jones: All in fav --? I have a motion -- Ms. Dotson: You have -- you're going to have to rescind the -- that part of the motion or either modify that motion into a new resolution -- not motion -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Ms. Dotson: -- but into a new resolution. Commissioner Sanchez: Why? Why can't we just do away with that motion? Ms. Doston: No. It was a resolution. It was a resolution -- Vice Chair Sarnoff All right. Can I make a motion to rescind the previous resolution that the -- Ms. Dotson: With the restriction. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- Ward Rooming House be only deemed to be an office building and the other criteria that we set? Do I have a second? Commissioner Sanchez: Second. Vice Chair Sarnoff All in -- Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Mr. Villacorta: And then just pass that -- City of Miami Page 56 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Vice Chair Sarnoff Now need a mo -- Mr. Villacorta: -- resolution as originally proffered. Vice Chair Sarnoff Yes. Joe Sanchez does that; Marc Sarnoff seconds it. All in favor. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes. Okay. We're -- 14. 08-00059 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING ADDITIONAL ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS IN SEOPW CRA. Cover Memo.pdf DISCUSSED Direction by Chair Spence -Jones to the Interim Executive Director to provide the Board with recommendations for street improvement projects for Northwest 8th Street and Northwest 2nd Avenue in the Overtown area, to be brought back at the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting currently scheduled for February 25, 2008. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we're going to move on to the last two items, item 14 and 15, and basically, this is just a discussion, and I don't want to take a lot of time. We can all come back and discuss it further at the next meeting, but as you know, 3rd Avenue is finally moving. I don't know if you've had a chance to ride down it in the Overtown area, and it's really, really looking good. I just wanted to at least direct the staff or the executive director to begin looking at 8th Street because I think 8th Street is a very important street. It's the only exit, really, off into the Overtown area, and with all of the development stuff that's happening off 8th Street, I think it's important for us to start looking at that area. Also, we -- I wanted him to also take a look at 1st Ave. (Avenue) and North -- excuse me -- Northwest 2nd Ave., which is in front of the Lyric Theater, looking at some sort of streetscape project, so not necessarily in any particular order, but I'd like for you to come back and give -- bring us some -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: -- recommendations on that. All right? Mr. Villacorta: Okay. Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: For the next meeting. Mr. Villacorta: Be my pleasure. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Any items on -- questions on number 4 [sicJ? Commissioner Sanchez: No. On that item -- all the streets -- you'll be specific on what streets are going to be -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- right when it -- okay. City of Miami Page 57 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: And then -- okay, so we're finished? Any questions, Commissioners -- Vice Chair Sarnoff 14. Chair Spence -Jones: -- on 14? Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay, yeah. I thought you said number 4. Chair Spence -Jones: You have any questions on 14? Vice Chair Sarnoff No. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. 15. 08-00060 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING DATE OF BET'S JAZZ EVENT AT THE LYRIC THEATER. Cover Memo.pdf Backup.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on to number 15, and number 15 really is just a -- I guess, a modification regarding the BET (Black Entertainment Television) Jazz event that we have at the Lyric Theater. We're looking at moving this to March -- or leaving the door - - the date open, correct? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Correct. Chair Spence -Jones: Mr. Executive Director. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. The resolution that was passed Resolution CRA-R-07-0049 stated that this event would take place during the month of February. I guess under the recent ruling, you'll rescind that resolution and then pass it modified to say -- without a specific date because -- Commissioner Sanchez: I thought this was a discussion item. Mr. Villacorta: Well, it was a discussion item that they aren't going to be able to have the item -- the event in February. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. The most important thing is to let you know that we're not going to have it for Black History Month. We're going to have to have it somewhere -- Dorothy Jenkins Fields: I would suggest -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Ms. Jenkins Fields: -- Dorothy Jenkins Fields. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Ms. Jenkins Fields: I would suggest Black Music Month, in June, probably. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. City of Miami Page 58 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Ms. Jenkins Fields: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Well, we want to leave it open 'cause we're not really -- Ms. Jenkins Fields: But certainly, not -- March is not -- Chair Spence -Jones: A good month. Ms. Jenkins Fields: -- a good month for us. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Well, I'm going to ask for you to give recommendations to staff on - Ms. Jenkins Fields: Very good. Chair Spence -Jones: -- what we should do. Ms. Jenkins Fields: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, and with that all being said, I -- Madam Clerk, we can officially adjourn? Commissioner Sanchez: Always in order. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Thank you. Vice Chair Sarnoff All right. Let's go. NON -AGENDA ITEMS NA.1 08-00127 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING EXTENSION OF EXISTING LEASE FOR OFFICE SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA). MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, and was passed unanimously, with Commissioners Gonzalez and Regalado absent, to authorize the Interim Executive Director to begin negotiations for a one-year extension of the existing lease for office space for the Community Redevelopment Agency. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): There's one other issue. Chair Spence -Jones: Jim. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, Jim. Mr. Villacorta: The lease is up on our building in August. Since neither the Fire Depart -- the fire station or the Ward Rooming House would be available -- City of Miami Page 59 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Commissioner Sanchez: Let me just make -- Mr. Villacorta: -- I'd like to -- Chair Spence -Jones: By August, Jim? That would -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- a prediction here. I see the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) and the CRA -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: -- one day -- Mr. Villacorta: I have space. Commissioner Sanchez: No, no, no, no, no. Vice Chair Sarnoff You guys should rent something together. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so Jim -- I mean -- Mr. Villacorta: Could I get a motion authorizing me to begin negotiations for extension of our existing lease? Commissioner Sanchez: How long? A year? Mr. Villacorta: A year, until these -- either one of these buildings is built out. Commissioner Sanchez: I'll give you a year. Mr. Villacorta: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we have a motion for -- Commissioner Sanchez: So move. Chair Spence -Jones: -- a year? Commissioner Sanchez: But listen, all -- Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): No, no. Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, wait, wait, wait because I want to make sure what we're doing is prudent because are you going to be able to get about the same lease rate, or do you know -- you don't know? Mr. Villacorta: We've talked to him preliminarily. He's willing to do something similar. The lease would come back to you for approval. Just -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay. That's -- I second. The lease comes back to us. I second. Commissioner Sanchez: But -- Okay. Just -- let's vote on it. City of Miami Page 60 Printed on 2/7/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes January 28, 2008 Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Commissioner Sanchez: But all -- Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. Commissioner Sanchez: Can I just elaborate a little bit on that? Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, sir. Commissioner Sanchez: All kidding aside, I -- there is -- the DDA is going to explore now moving down to story level, okay, and one of the things that we're looking at -- we're reviewing the lease and we're looking at the options that we may have. One of the things that I suggested as the chair to the board is to find a place in downtown where we could be -- 'cause we're both right next to each other -- possibly, in the near future, is to have like a one -stop shop for downtown, where you would have the DDA, and the CRA, not mixed together; you would have your area, our area, but it would also have -- and listen to this. This is where it gets good -- the NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) office, Planning & Zoning, Code Enforcement, working out of the same area, both for the DDA and the CRA. Cost efficient. It'll save us a lot of money, and it'll allow us to provide a better service, which will, one, engage the public, both from the CRA and from the DDA, to participate with us in our servicing -- you know, service our constituents. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: I think Department of -- Commissioner Sanchez: So that's why I -- Mr. Villacorta: -- Off -Street -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- supported a one year. Mr. Villacorta: -- Parking is building a building across from the federal courthouse, which is -- Commissioner Sanchez: Well -- Mr. Villacorta: -- within the CRA, a block off Flagler, and -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- let me tell you. Real estate in the next year, hopefully, will be at an opportunity where we could get a good deal. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, Commissioner Sanchez. Anything else, Jim? Commissioner Sanchez: No. Mr. Villacorta: No, no. That's it. City of Miami Page 61 Printed on 2/7/2008