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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2015-09-24 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 24, 2015 5:05 PM SECOND BUDGET HEARING City Hall Commission Chambers City Commission Tomas Regalado, Mayor Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Chair Keon Hardemon, Vice Chair Marc David Sarnoff, Commissioner District Two Frank Carollo, Commissioner District Three Francis Suarez, Commissioner District Four Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 5:05 P.M. SECOND BUDGET HEARING Present: Chair Gort, Commissioner Sarnoff, Commissioner Carollo, Commissioner Suarez and Vice Chair Hardemon On the 24th day of September 2015, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular session, for its second budget hearing session. The meeting was called to order by Chair Gort at 9: 31 p. m., and adjourned at 10: 33 p. m. Note for the Record: Commissioner Carollo entered the Commission chamber at 9:34 p. m. ALSO PRESENT: Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk Chair Gort: Welcome to September 24, 2015 second budget meeting, and related hearing in the City of Miami Commission in these historic chambers. The members of the City Commission are Marc Sarnoff; Frank Carollo; Francis Suarez; Vice Chair Keon Hardemon; and myself Wifredo "Willy" Gort, Chairperson. Also on the dais are Daniel Alfonso, City Manager; Victoria Mendez, the City Attorney; and Todd Hannon, the City Clerk. ORDER OF THE DAY Chair Gort: We now will begin the second budget meeting related to here, and City Attorney, you say the procedures. Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Thank you, Chairman. Any person who is a lobbyist must register with the City Clerk before appearing before the City Commission. A copy of the City Code section about lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's Office. The material for each item on the agenda is available during business hours at the City Clerk's Office, and online 24 hours a day at wwwmiamigov.com [sic]. Any person may be heard by the City Commission through the Chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission unless such time limit is modified by the Chair. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before action is taken. Pursuant to Florida Administrative Code, Rule 12(d) 17.05, anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by the Commission tonight may view the video at wwwmiamigov.com [sic], or request it from the Office of Communications. No cell phones or other noise -making devices; no clapping, heckling, applauding. Any person who is unruly will be barred from the Commission chambers and subject to arrest. No signs, banners, placards in Commission chambers. Anyone with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may notify the City Clerk. The meeting will end at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled budget meeting agenda, or as continued or reschedule by the City Commissioners, and that's it. Thank you. Chair Gort: Thank you, Madam. City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 BH.1 15-01053a Office of Management and Budget DISCUSSION ITEM FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED MILLAGE AND TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015-16. THE PROPOSED GENERAL OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF 7.6465 FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2015 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 IS 15.19 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE STATE -DEFINED ROLLED -BACK RATE OF 6.6379. CITY COMMISSION LISTENS AND RESPONDS TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET. ACTION RELATED TO THIS DISCUSSION ITEM OCCURS BY ENACTMENT OF BH.5 AND BH.6. 15-01053a Summary Form.pdf 15-01053a Budget Discussion.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Gort: Mayor, you're recognized. Mayor Tomas Regalado: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I will be more than brief because we have done a lot of work, but just to recap, we have a modified budget, as the Commission suggested, and this is, we believe, a budget that works. In this budget that the Administration is presenting to you, we have included 60 new police officers; two new Fire Rescue units; the staffing for new parks; traffic control specialist; and, of course, improvement to operations in Solid Waste; Capital Improvement; NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) and the City Attorney's Office and others. What is important about this budget is that it fitlly funds all current commitments, especially those for the AFSCME (American Federation of State, City and Municipal Employees) unions, and include raises for non- bargaining employees that have not seen a raise in many years; enhance the Anti -Poverty Initiative funding by an additional $1 million; includes the conversion of 137 temporary employees to permanent status; and, of course -- and this is important -- we are almost done, if not done with the Fire Union. The timetable is that they're going to get the final documents they need 12 days, and probably the contract will be before you maybe in the first meeting in October; and, of course, next week, there will be more talks with the Police unions and as the will of the Commission, we will try to accelerate the process; all of this with a new reduction in taxes, and this is important, because other governments have left tax flat, but the City of Miami, because of what the Commission has done in five years in a row, is offering a reduction in property taxes to our residents. So with that, Mr. Chairman, we present to you and the Commissioners the budget for the year 2015/2016. I'd like to introduce our City Manager, Daniel Alfonso. Chair Gort: City Manager. Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioners, I'm going to be really brief. We have listened We've put together a budget that addresses many needs. There's an amendment that was part of the agenda for BH.6. We urge and ask for your support. Our Budget director's going to go ahead and read some required statements into the record before we start the public discussion on the various issues. Christopher Rose (Director): Good evening, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of Management City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 & Budget. I have some State -required language. The proposed general operating millage rate is 7.6465 mills for the City of Miami for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2015 and ending September 30, 2016. That operating millage rate is 15.19 percent higher than the State -defined rollback rate of 6.6379 mills. Thank you, Commissioners. Chair Gort: Thank you. B.1 [sic], the final budget hearing discuss the proposed millage tentative budget. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And, Chair, for the record, the public hearing will be open for items BH 1, 5 and 6, all at the same time. Chair Gort: One, 5 and 6. Okay, open the public hearing. Yes, sir, you're recognized. Javier Ortiz: Good evening, Commissioners. Lieutenant Javier Ortiz, Miami Fraternal Police president, 710 Southwest 12th Avenue. The only reason why I'm coming up here is, upon reviewing the budget, I noticed that there is an increase of an additional 60 police officers that have been added to the budget. I am asking for that number to be lowered to 40. The reason why I'm asking for it to be lowered to 40, it's a more realistic, more reasonable number. We have approximately 50 positions that are open right now budgeted. We're going to lose about 50 police officers next year due to the DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Plan), and because of other things that are outside of our control, such as officers that are either terminated, or because of the stock market; there's people that are within their retirement guidelines that are going to leave sooner, so the Chief of Police is going to have to hire just to fill those positions, about 100 police officers, and to be able to fill up another 60 on top of that is an unrealistic goal, and I must say that by looking at the other models and speaking to other agencies as far as how they do their backgrounds, these -- the officers that are working in our backgrounds unit are cranking them faster than I've ever seen, ever; I mean, some are within about two months or even sooner than that, because they've been really expediting the process. And he's also freed up overtime in doing things like the physical agilities on the weekends. So I urge you to lower that number to a more reasonable number, which would be 40; not 60. Thank you. Chair Gort: Thankyou. Anyone else? Anyone else? Albito, let's go. Albio Castillo: My name is Albio Castillo. I lives in 2235 Southwest 16th Terrace. Are the police that are going to be hired by time, are they going to be certified, and is the 300 police cars are going to be from one lot? I have a question that I'd like to know is on the sign and banners that people have complained when they go to the offices that are having a hard time, they're getting the runaround, I'd like to know is this going to be enforced citywide, or is it going to be selective? And it's not in Miami 21. I already did my own investigation in the City Code, and that we transfer the City Code to Miami 21 will make a lot easier on the inspectors, and are they going to hire enough inspector to do the inspection, and if they're qualified to do the sign and banners? Chair Gort: Thankyou. Mr. Castillo: I also like to know is how is the City going to do with -- they're going to continue the aggressive (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to aggressively within facilities? I'd like to thank my Commissioner for that. Now, there's another issue on the Marlins on low attendance, and there's going to be Beckham Project. We're going to have problems there, because it involved the City of Miami, the taxpayers, and eminent domain. Does any of you attorneys want to take that, or do you want me to explain what it is? I could explain it. An eminent domain is any municipality, a state or federal -- Chair Gort: We know, believe me; we know. City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Mr. Castillo: Can I explain it or --? Chair Gort: Sure, go ahead; make you happy. Mr. Castillo: Any municipality state or federal government that needs property, the only way that they could do it in a fair market public, it is with the Dade County Property Appraiser. Chair Gort: Thank you. Mr. Castillo: Any question from the Administration? Any question from Administration or the Commission? Chair Gort: No, thank you. Mr. Castillo: You're welcome. Chair Gort: Anyone else? Anyone else? Close the public hearing. BH.2 DISCUSSION ITEM 15-01054a Downtown DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND FINAL BUDGET FOR Development THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Authority PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN MILLAGE OVER ROLLED -BACK RATE. RESPONSE: 13.83% (0.475 IS THE PROPOSED RATE, 0.4173 IS THE ROLLED -BACK RATE) CITY COMMISSION LISTENS AND RESPONDS TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE AND EXPLAINS THE REASONS FOR THE INCREASE OVER THE ROLLED -BACK RATE. 15-01054a DDA Budget Discussion.pdf 15-01054a-Submittals-Alyce M. Robertson-DDA Resolution No. 19-2015.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Gort: Okay, the millage. Daniell Alfonso (City Manager): DDA (Downtown Development Authority) millage would be the next topic -- I'm sorry; DDA discussion, BH.2. Alyce Robertson: Good evening. Yes, it's evening. I want to read into the record the required statement that this is a discussion of a proposed millage rate and final budget for the Miami Downtown Development Authority. The percentage of increase over the rollback rate is 13.83 percent, at 4.7 -- .475. The rollback rate is .4173. The actions by the City Commission amending the final budget, if necessary; recompute the proposed millage rate, if necessary; adopt the final millage rate and adopt the amended final budget. That's BH.2. Chair Gort: Yes, sir, you're recognized. Alvin West: Yes. My name is Alvin West. I'm the treasurer of the Downtown Development Authority, and I'm here to support the staff and also to ask you, the Commission and Chairman, if you would be so kind as to give consideration to the millage and to the budget. And I speak on behalf of the 13 -- 15 board members, if we would pass the budget and the millage as presented. City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. BH.3 ORDINANCE Second Reading 15-01059 Downtown AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH Development ATTACHMENT(S), RELATED TO TAXATION, DEFINING AND DESIGNATING Authority THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ("DISTRICT") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"); FIXING THE FINAL MILLAGE AND LEVYING AN ADDITIONAL AD VALOREM TAX ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICTATA RATE OF 0.4750 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF SUCH PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE OPERATION OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2015 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016; PROVIDING THAT SAID MILLAGE SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THE MILLAGE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 9, ARTICLE VII, FLORIDA CONSTITUTION, AND SECTION 166.211, FLORIDA STATUTES (2015), AS WELL AS ANY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS IMPOSED BY THE SAME; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL NOT BE DEEMED AS REPEALING OR AMENDING ANY OTHER ORDINANCE FIXING A MILLAGE OR LEVYING TAXES, BUT SHALL BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION THERETO; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 15-01059 DDA Memo SR.pdf 15-01059 Pre -Legislation FR/SR.pdf 15-01059 Back -Up from Law Dept FR/SR.pdf 15-01059 Legislation SR.pdf 15-01059 Exhibit A SR.pdf 15-01059-Submittals-Alyce M. Robertson-DDA Resolution No. 19-2015.pdf ACTIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION: 1. RECOMPUTE THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE, IF NECESSARY 2. ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATE Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be ADOPTED FAILED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon Noes: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo 13559 Note for the Record: The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) millage rate of 0.4750 mills required a 5/5 vote of the City Commission to pass. Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be RECONSIDERED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon Noes: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo (BH.3) ORDINANCE Passed City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 15-01059 Downtown Development Authority AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), RELATED TO TAXATION, DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ("DISTRICT") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"); FIXING THE FINAL MILLAGE AND LEVYING AN ADDITIONAL AD VALOREM TAX ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICTATA RATE OF 0.4681 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF SUCH PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE OPERATION OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2015 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016; PROVIDING THAT SAID MILLAGE SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THE MILLAGE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 9, ARTICLE VII, FLORIDA CONSTITUTION, AND SECTION 166.211, FLORIDA STATUTES (2015), AS WELL AS ANY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS IMPOSED BY THE SAME; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL NOT BE DEEMED AS REPEALING OR AMENDING ANY OTHER ORDINANCE FIXING A MILLAGE OR LEVYING TAXES, BUT SHALL BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION THERETO; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 15-01059 DDA Memo SR.pdf 15-01059 Pre -Legislation FR/SR.pdf 15-01059 Back -Up from Law Dept FR/SR.pdf 15-01059 Legislation SR.pdf 15-01059 Exhibit A SR.pdf 15-01059-Submittals-Alyce M. Robertson-DDA Resolution No. 19-2015.pdf ACTIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION: 1. RECOMPUTE THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE, IF NECESSARY 2. ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATE Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon Noes: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo 13559 Note for the Record: The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) millage rate of 0.4681 mills required a 4/5ths vote of the City Commission to pass. Commissioner Sarnoff. So moved. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff. Ms. Robertson: They have to -- it's an ordinance. Mr. Hannon: One moment. We're going to open up the public hearing first on items BH.2, 3 and City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 4. Chair Gort: Public hearing on item BH 2, 3 and 4. Is anyone in the public would like to address this issue? Seeing none, hearing none, the public hearing is closed. Commissioner Sarnoff So moved on BH 2. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Chair Gort: BH 2 has been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff second -- Mr. Hannon: And it's item -- sorry. For the record, it'll be BH.3. Commissioner Sarnoff You're right. I'm sorry. Chair Gort: BH.3 for the record. Commissioner Suarez: BH 2 There was a discussion, right? BH.3. Chair Gort: Now the discussion, yeah. Commissioner Suarez: I seconded. Chair Gort: No, none? All -- Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): An ordinance -- Chair Gort: Second reading, yes. The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney. Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item BH.3: Vice Chair Hardemon? Vice Chair Hardemon: For. Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Carollo: No. Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Suarez: Yes. Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Sarnoff. Commissioner Sarnoff Yes. Mr. Hannon: Chair Gort. Chair Gort: Yes. Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 4-1. Chair Gort: Thank you. City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Carollo: I don't think -- Alyce Robertson: So we have -- I -- this I'll need a little help from the City Attorney's Office on -- we required a unanimous vote on that, and we did not receive it. Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Right. Chair Gort: Yes, you reduce -- okay, go ahead. Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. So what happens is the police officers now take it out of the budget, so we reduce the police officer by one -- we reduce by $110, 000; and now, we have to go for a 4/5ths vote for the mill rate of .4 -- Ms. Robertson: Four -six -eight -one. Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman. Chair Gort: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: And correction: The police officer does not have to be reduced. You still have plenty of budget there to reduce it from somewhere else and still have -- dedicate 110, 000, and it's going to be less than that for a police officer. You have more than $110, 000 budget, so there's plenty of money there for a police officer if that's only -- if that's -- if you so desire. You don't need to now take out the police officer. Ms. Robertson: If I may, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: You have vacancies there, and just two vacancies is 110, 000. Yeah, you have five vacancies, showing it in your budget. Out of 25 positions, you have five vacancies. Just two of those positions is more than $110, 000, so you could take it out from there; you don't need to reduce it. Commissioner Sarnoff. But still, it's still, nonetheless, Commissioner, with all due respect, a reduction of a police officer that would have been put on the Miami streets by an agency that would have funded it; that, you can't change. Commissioner Carollo: No, you still can change -- you still can -- Commissioner Sarnoff. You can always add a police officer -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Sarnoff. -- under the general fund all you want, but -- Commissioner Carollo: Right. Commissioner Sarnoff. -- we would have added an additional one. Commissioner Carollo: No. You still can have an additional one. Commissioner Sarnoff. Yeah, you -- Commissioner Carollo: You have more than enough funding, that's my point. City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Ms. Robertson: If I may put on the record, the Miami DDA (Downtown Development Authority) voted last Friday to request that they not fitnd the additional police officer should it not pass on a 5-0 vote, so that's the recommendation of the DDA Board. Commissioner Sarnofff. Right, but subject to the City Commission approving by 5-5, so that one police officer, whether we make up for it in the general fund, whether we capitalize a police officer, which you can't do, that police officer's no longer there, so now, we need to go to a new mill rate, so you already -- Ms. Mendez: Point four -- 4681, which you will have to vote again in order to pass that one. Commissioner Sarnofff. So let me make a motion for .48 -- Ms. Mendez: Eight -one. Commissioner Sarnofff. -- eight one. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Carollo: Discussion. Chair Gort: Discussion. Commissioner Carollo: Once again, correction: You have more sufficient monies in your budget to fund a police officer. There is currently, from the information that Ms. Robertson gave me, five vacancies. If you don't fill those vacancies, you have plenty of money to use that; you have plenty of money to use for an additional police officer, or two police officers, three police officers, four police officers, if you want. Mr. West: Through the Chair. Chair Gort: Yes, sir. Mr. West: The board had spoken, and we have constructed a budget that would utilize all of the funds that we have. The positions that you have in the budget are for critical need items that will be used throughout the rest of the budget year, so it would be diverting needs to something that was not anticipated by the board, and the board, I think, as you heard, was very much in favor of moving to .4681 millage, and eliminating that position if we did not get the 5/5th vote. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman. Chair Gort: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: And, listen, Mr. West, I respect you. I respect Ms. Robertson. I don't want to be in this back and forth, but what's the difference between a manager in business development and a senior management in business development? And what's the difference between a manager in marketing and a senior manager in marketing? Because if those are the critical positions, you have a vacancy in the manager, business development, and you have a vacancy in the -- manager, business development; and manager, marketing; yet, you have filled a senior business development position and a senior management in marketing, so what's the difference between the both? City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Ms. Robertson: If I may, with the current position in business development, we just had a recent change in the deputy director position of the DDA, and so the senior manager, business development is now vacant, because that position is being recruited right now, and it's to replace the deputy director, who was promoted from within. One person works on the financial initiative with the industty as far as financial industty with the hedge funds and with the other private equity firms that come in. The second position will be working on the tech industty and other recruitment efforts. We have been very successful on the financial industry in recruiting firms here, but that's a full-time job, really, so the other position is to go to the other industries, which are -- we have identified as tech; as culture and -- arts and culture; and also as tourism. So those -- that other position will be concentrating on those initiatives. Vice Chair Hardemon: Can you be more specific with the -- when you say "that other position," are you talking about the marketing manager? Ms. Robertson: Okay, we're going through -- right now, we're going through a reorganization, because what happened is, is that as the deputy director left to take a job at -- in Coral Gables, so I promoted from within, and we are doing recruitment efforts for those other positions that are vacated throughout the organization. We have a compensation -- human resources firm that's looking at -- to make sure that we have properly classified those positions, so the vacant position I have right now is a business development specialist. Commissioner Carollo: Well, you have more than that vacancy. Ms. Robertson: I also -- if you want me to go through all of my vacancy -- we added three positions this year, and the reason we added three positions is, as we grow as a downtown, also the demands for our services as a DDA are also growing. We -- our tax roll grew this year to $15 billion, and it -- and commensurate, there's other kinds of work to be done. The City doesn't have an economic development arm right now that is robust like -- we're doing the basic economic recruitment for the City of Miami, and it's working, and so -- Commissioner Carollo: The Beacon Council is also in the City of Miami? Ms. Robertson: We work hand in hand with the Beacon Council. Commissioner Carollo: And they're actually located in the City of Miami, too. Ms. Robertson: I'll -- take for example the financial institutions. The Beacon Council doesn't have a dedicated person that's working on the financial institutions, and we're -- we've been drawing people. We have -- this is an initiative that we've been doing for the last two, three years, and having some success because of economics in New York and Connecticut; and we're also drawing from some firms in -- from Brazil, so it's been a very successful initiative; and actually, it was Commissioner Sarnoffs idea to do the financial initiatives -- he calls it "hedge fund row, " and we've had a lot of success. Mr. West: Mr. Chair, Mr. Commissioner, we are also moving in the direction of trying to increase the capacity in IT (information technology), and to do the same thing that we did in the financial arena, we need help at staff level in order to make this happen. I can tell you, the latest publication that was put out by the Downtown Development Authority, as an example, shows that we today have a presence of at least 50 major companies -- a presence of 50 major companies, IT companies in Miami; where in -- three years ago, we didn't have a quarter of that load So what we want to do is to continue to grow that -- but if we do that, we need to have the human resources and the financial resources in order to make that happen. The other thing, too, Mr. Chair, is the board considers that we have a mission statement that says what -- we want to partner with you, the Commission, and the City of Miami, to make Miami great. I think one of the things we cannot lose -- you got it? City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Suarez: I have it. Mr. West -- we cannot lose sight of is the fact that we can't let the good get in -- you know, become the enemy of the great, and what is happening --171 give you an example. I applaud you for the work that the Commission has done with other partners within the City; with the homeless, as an example. I'm flying home yesterday, and I pick up the paper, and I read that LA (Los Angeles) is committing a hundred million dollars to the homeless. We're already there, so we know we're not resting on our laurels; we're moving ahead, and with your help and partnership, but we need help making these things happen. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. West, I'm not saying that you haven't done some great things; and when I mean ` jyou, " I mean you and the DDA. I'm not saying that you all haven't done some great things; however, what I am saying is that the amount of growth, I mean, realistically, you're exceeding the amount of growth as per State law unless you get a 5-5 vote, and I truly believe the legislature did this and they passed it in 2007; and, listen, in Miami -- let's just leave it at Miami -- in Miami, we have short memories. In 2006, do you all remember what was the most important issue in the City of Miami? I'll tell you, without hesitating: Property taxes and insurance rates were through the roof and people were losing their homes. Commissioner Suarez: Yes, '09. Commissioner Carollo: 2006. Anyways, I believe in 2007, that's why this was actually put in place, because what's happening now -- and, unfortunately, we live by the time period; and, unfortunately, I guess, many times, people in government don't visualize the future -- what's happening is that the property taxes are increasing, because the values are increasing of the homes, so more and more, people are paying more taxes, and it's getting to -- like right now, I guess it's in a level that people could still resist, but what happened back in 2006 has got to a level where people were actually losing their homes, and I believe that in 2007, that's why this legislation came into place; and pretty much, what it's saying is you're going to get growth in order to enhance the services that you're providing; and, mind you, this is an independent district. This is an independent organization; this isn't even a municipality or county, but realistically, you're -- the significant growth, you're exceeding the growth. I mean, here in the State legislature, it says a rate of not more than 110 percent of the rollback rate based on the previous year's maximum millage rate. I mean, it's a lot of growth. You're getting that growth; it's just to a level that, when I look at your expenses, your expenditures, I can't justify it; at least I can't justify that vote. Ms. Robertson: If I -- I don't know if you -- Chair Gort: I don't know if he was -- Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman. Chair Gort: Let's hear the motion. Let's hear your motion. Commissioner Sarnoff. So all right. Chair Gort: Did you make the motion? Commissioner Sarnoff. I didn't make the -- I need to make a motion, but if you want to be heard Vice Chair Hardemon: Yeah. City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Sarnoff. -- I don't want to interrupt. Vice Chair Hardemon: No, I thought that a motion was made. I know that the first vote declined so. Chair Gort: That motion failed Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. I need to make a motion to reconsider item BH.3, yeah. Vice Chair Hardemon: I second it. Chair Gort: Been second Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying "aye. Commissioner Sarnoff. Aye. Commissioner Suarez: Aye. Vice Chair Hardemon: Aye. Chair Gort: Aye. Commissioner Carollo: No. Commissioner Sarnoff. Okay. Now, I would certainly debate Commissioner Carollo, but 1 don't think there's any point, because I don't think he has an open mind, and I don't think 1 would waste anyone else's time up here, so with that said, what I'm going to do is make a motion for a mill rate of .4681. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the previous motion so -- Commissioner Carollo: I'm sorry Chair Gort: There's been a motion and second Commissioner Carollo: I'm sorry, hold on. Question: What did we just vote on? Commissioner Sarnoff We just reconsidered the motion for BH.3. But we -- Commissioner Carollo: Understood Commissioner Sarnoff -- didn't -- Commissioner Carollo: Understood Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. I'm now suggesting a motion where Commissioner Carollo can very comfortable vote "no," and we can very comfortable pass it, anyways. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Chair Gort: Okay, moved and second. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor -- Mr. Hannon: Chair, it is an ordinance. City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Chair Gort: It's an ordinance. Go ahead. The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney. Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item BH 3. Vice Chair Hardemon. Vice Chair Hardemon: For. Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Carollo: No. Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Suarez: Yes. Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Sarnoff. Commissioner Sarnoff Yes. Mr. Hannon: Chair Gort. Chair Gort: Yes. Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 4-1. Chair Gort: Thank you. BH.4 RESOLUTION 15-01060a Downtown A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH Development ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE FINAL ANNUAL Authority BUDGET OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ("DDA") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $9,206,756.00, AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AD VALOREM TAX LEVY AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INCOME FOR THE DDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2015 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016; AUTHORIZING THE DDA TO INVITE AND ADVERTISE REQUIRED BIDS; PROVIDING FOR BUDGETARY FLEXIBILITY; PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2015 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. 15-01060a DDA Memo.pdf 15-01060a DDA Resolutions.pdf 15-01060a Back-up from Law Dept..pdf 15-01060a Legislation.pdf 15-01060a Exhibit SUB City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 ACTIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION: 1. AMEND THE BUDGET, IF NECESSARY 2. ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon Noes: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo R-15-0415 Alyce Robertson: BH 4. Chair Gort: BH 4. Ms. Robertson: This is the proposed operating budget for the Miami Downtown Development Authority. Commissioner Sarnoff With the exception of police officers. Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): As amended by the reduction in the -- Commissioner Sarnoff Right. I'll move it. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Chair Gort: Been moved and second Any -- we open up the public hearing for this vote. Any further discussion? An ordinance. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): A resolution, sir. Chair Gort: A resolution; sorry. Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): And just for the record, we don't have the exact amount, based on the -- Mr. Alfonso: Minus $104, 000. Ms. Mendez: Oh, minus -- Mr. Alfonso: Minus $104, 000. Ms. Mendez: Okay. So it's the amount of 9, 311, 000, a hundred and -- 9,311,000 -- I'm having a Mr. Alfonso: Why don't you just -- Ms. Mendez: -- it's minus the amount just stated. Thank you. It's been a long day. Chair Gort: Okay. All in favor, state it by saying "aye." Commissioner Sarnoff Aye. Commissioner Suarez: Aye. City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 BH.5 15-01046 Office of Management and Budget Vice Chair Hardemon: Aye. Chair Gort: Aye. Commissioner Carollo: No. Mr. Hannon: As amended. Chair Gort: As amended. Ms. Robertson: Thank you. ORDINANCE Second Reading AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAXATION; ADOPTING THE FINAL MILLAGE AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2015 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 15-01046 Summary Form SR.pdf 15-01046 Pre -Legislation FR/SR.pdf 15-01046 Legislation SR.pdf 15-01046-Submittal-FOP Javier Ortiz -Proposed funding for Police Department.pdf 15-01046-Submittal-Commissioner Sarnoff-Police Hiring.pdf ACTIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION: 1. RECOMPUTE THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE, IF NECESSARY 2. ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATE Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon 13558 Chair Gort: BH.5. Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): BH.5 is the City of Miami's operating and debt service millage. Chair Gort: An ordinance. The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney. Chair Gort: Thank you. Do we have a motion? Commissioner Sarnoff So move. Commissioner Suarez: Second. Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Commissioner Suarez. Public hearings; we opened the public hearing. Would anyone in the public like to address this one City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 BH.6 15-01014a Office of Management and Budget issue; the millage for the City of Miami? Seeing none, hearing none, we close the public hearings. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item BH 5. A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above. Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 5-0. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), ADOPTING A FINAL BUDGETAND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") OPERATIONALAND BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016, INCLUDING ADOPTION OF THE CITY'S OPERATING BUDGET, FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN, AND STRATEGIC PLAN, AND ALL NECESSARY RELATED REVISIONS TO AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE ADOPTED CAPITAL PLAN, OPERATING BUDGET, FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN, AND STRATEGIC PLAN. 15-01014a Summary Form.pdf 15-01014a Legislation.pdf 15-01014a Exhibit -Change Memo SUB ACTIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION: 1. AMEND THE BUDGET, IF NECESSARY 2. ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon Noes: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo R-15-0416 Chair Gort: BH.6. Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): BH.6 is the City of Miami's budget, as amended by the memorandum that has been distributed and discussed in briefings. I understand that there may be, in addition to that, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) discussions, and I think there are two elected officials that would like to propose some minor changes. Chair Gort: Okay, thank you. Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman. Mr. Alfonso: And the Budget director needs to read something into the record, as well. Vice Chair Hardemon: I have a minor change that has a major effect. The Administration has, I believe, carefully calculated the costs to maintain or enhance Martin Luther King Boulevard so that it's more appealing to our visitors who come to the City of Miami, especially on that major thoroughfare. We want to do some things, along with some requests, if you will, that will be made to Miami -Dade County to further enhance their contribution to MLK (Martin Luther King) Boulevard, and so that number, I believe, is about 170 -- City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Mr. Alfonso: One hundred and sixteen -- $116, 000 is the net number, Commissioner. Vice Chair Hardemon: One one six -- Mr. Alfonso: That's correct. Vice Chair Hardemon: -- thousand, and so I propose that we add that to the budget to be able to do that. Commissioner Carollo: Repeat that. I'm sorry, Commissioner Hardemon, could you repeat that? Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. It's to maintain the boulevard, 62nd Street -- I think it's from -- just tucked under the expressway, just east of the expressway. Commissioner Carollo: And the amount? Vice Chair Hardemon: One hundred sixteen thousand dollars. Mr. Alfonso: One hundred and sixteen thousand, three hundred, to be exact. Vice Chair Hardemon: Three hundred. Mr. Alfonso: And it is to be done with the Greater Miami Service Corps folks. Vice Chair Hardemon: So that -- what that does is it allows -- two fold -- to beautify that part of the intersection of the street first. I think we -- I dedicated some capital dollars to -- not in -- not with this, but to add irrigation to that area, so now you can beautify that area with flowers and things of that nature. My vision is to have taller palm trees, up -lights, make it look a lot nicer; and then in doing that, the people that we're servicing would be children who are in the Greater Miami Service Corps, so these are children who had some issues in school but now are getting training. Commissioner Suarez: How many palm trees do you need? Vice Chair Hardemon: You got some for me? Commissioner Suarez: I do. Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, we'll talk about that. Commissioner Suarez: Well, we got to talk about it in the sunshine. Vice Chair Hardemon: In the sunshine, yeah. Commissioner Suarez: You could set up a sunshine meeting if you want, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) palm trees. Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. And so -- and they'll get training in how to care for plants, and job training and such, and they'll also get paid for doing that service, so it's a win all the way around for the community, and also for the children that will get job training to do that. Chair Gort: Okay. Anyone else? City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Suarez: I'm good with that. Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Chair. Chair Gort: Yes. Commissioner Sarnoff. There are presently five derelict vessels sitting right outside Coconut Grove, right by the cloisters, so right off of Peacock Park. While I strongly urge the City to pursue all avenues that it can for Federal funds for the removal of those five vessels, they still, nonetheless, need to be removed. I figure at about $10, 000 per vessel, I'd like to put $50, 000 to the budget. I think if they're careful, they'll spend no money, but I want to make sure that those vessels are removed. It's right outside of a neighborhood that brings the City of Miami a little under $100 million in property taxes. Commissioner Suarez: A neighborhood (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Sarnoff I'm sorry. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in -- Commissioner Suarez: Oh, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? Commissioner Sarnoff Right, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Commissioner Suarez: That's a hell of a neighborhood. Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. Eighteen million. Commissioner Suarez: Whoa, a hundred million dollars, that's definitely not Coral Gate. Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. I think it's called the downtown. Commissioner Suarez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It's not Coral Gate, that's for sure. Chair Gort: Okay, any further discussion? Commissioner Suarez: That's good. Commissioner Carollo: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Chair Gort: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, I'll be quick with some of this, the items that I have. First of all, around the same time last year when we did the second budget hearing, the general fund revenues was at approximately 559 million; this year, we're at approximately 615 million; that's an increase in one year of $56 million. It's a big increase. As a matter of fact, has the City ever had in its annual general revenues this much money? Mr. Alfonso: I couldn't tell you off the top of my head, sir; it's pretty large. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I don't think it has; let's put it that way. So it's a huge increase just in one year, so I think that we have to be very cautious how we spend monies in the bad times, but also in the good times, because we could be setting up for the future. Unfortunately, when we -- most of us got here, we got very surprised with -- Chair Gort: Big deficit. City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Carollo: -- "big deficit" is a kind way of putting it, but with that said -- so I want to make sure that some of the funds that we're allocating, we're allocating in the priority areas, and -- for instance, at -- Mr. Manager, we spoke a little bit about this; actually, I didn't come through because I was -- told you that I was going to ask the Police Chief and cc (carbon copy) you on some information, and it's just so much information, so convoluted that I didn't get a chance to; however, you have in the budget included the average response time to Priority 3 calls that are life -threatening and/or where serious injury has occurred or is imminent -- or is imminent, and the minutes, in the actuals -- not estimate -- the actuals for 2013/2014, the average 911 phone call, so in other words, you call 911. The average response time was approximately close to six minutes. I don't think that's very good. I don't think that's very good at all. I don't -- I wanted to ask year-to-date, to see where we were and if we've improved. I have a feeling we haven't improved, because you're showing an estimate of 2014/2015 at four minutes, and now you're showing it at five minutes, so my problem is how do we make that response time go down? And I'll go a step further, and this is right in your budget book. I'm pretty comfortable saying that this response time does not include the time that someone picks up the phone, calls the dispatcher, calls 911, and then 911 contacts the police officer; even though I understand sometimes, they're doing it at the same time they're getting information, and then they start; however, there is also a lag time, so this almost six minutes possibly is higher, so I want to know, how do we make that response time go down; and if we don't do it now, when we see what growth we have, when are we going to do it? Chair Gort: Chief. Rodolfo Llanes: I'm sorry, will -- Rodolfo Llanes, Chief of Police. I'm sorry, the question that you're asking is what? Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So my first question is I want to verify, if you know it -- I apologize, I'm not trying to blindside you. I actually told the Manager that I was going to be requesting year-to-date information, and just looking at our agenda today, and then all the budget things we have, so I didn't request the information; however, this information you have provided in our budget, and -- this information you have provided in our budget, and it shows 2013/2014 actuals, average response time to a Priority 3 calls that are life -threatening and/or where serious injury has occurred or is imminent at almost six minutes, so my first question is: Does that include dispatch time, or hold time that -- Chief Llanes: First of all, there's no hold time for Priority 3 calls, so we don't hold Priority 3 calls. Commissioner Carollo: Understood but what 1 mean is the time from when someone picks up the phone -- Chief Llanes: That calcu -- Commissioner Carollo: -- and -- Chief Llanes: -- yes. That calculation is from the time that the call comes in to the time of arrival of an officer, so all of that is included Commissioner Carollo: The time that -- okay. The time that the call is in, the call comes in to the police officer, or the time that a call comes in to the dispatcher? Chief Llanes: I believe it's from the dispatch time. Commissioner Carollo: I don't think so. City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Chief Llanes: Yeah; it's both. I believe it's both. Commissioner Carollo: I don't believe it is. Chief Llanes: Okay. Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, that's what we've been told; for that type of call, this is the total call time. Commissioner Carollo: I don't believe it is, and the reason why is because I pulled a lot of this information last year also with the former Chief and the information he gave me did not include that other lag time, and I requested that additional information, which he showed me so I could see, and it did it by NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) areas so that I could see what was the average call, 911 call in Flagami versus Little Havana versus the Grove versus Upper Eastside and so forth. Chief Llanes: If you give me two minutes, I'll look at what happened yesterday, because I have a dashboard that tells me exactly what happens, and on a daily basis, so I could look at yesterday from the call time till they got dispatched; it's a small sample size, butt can give you an idea of what it is. Commissioner Carollo: But that's a small sample size. Chief Llanes: But that's what I got on my -- in my -- Commissioner Carollo: But I'm getting it from the budget book. Chief Llanes: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: I'm getting it from the budget. Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, the number in the budget book is the entire year of 2014 -- Commissioner Carollo: 'Thirteen/fourteen. Mr. Alfonso: I know, '13/'14 actuals. Commissioner Carollo: Right. Mr. Alfonso: He -- like you just said yourself you didn't have the time, I understand, to ask us, so we didn't come here with that kind of data. Commissioner Carollo: For the current years, but I'm -- Chair Gort: The question -- Commissioner Carollo: I'm -- Chair Gort: -- that he ask, Chief, if it is six minutes, what can be done to reduce that respond time? Mr. Alfonso: Chief what kind of tactics will we employ to try to reduce response time? Chief Llanes: You know, the -- I hate to throw personnel at everything, but -- City of Miami Page 21 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Carollo: Personnel. Chief Llanes: -- if you have more call -takers, you can obviously reduce that. You know, the geographic dimensions of the City are going to be what they're going to be; and then, the officer has to respond from wherever they're at. Commissioner Carollo: Understood Chief Llanes: And so that static time is static time, so it is an emergency call, and everything is dropped, and there is no lag time, so the improvement there, there's a small room for that kind of call. Chair Gort: Chief -- Commissioner Carollo: But the way to improve is additional patrol officers or additional officers. Chair Gort: Let -- Chief Llanes: There's no -- well, you got to look at the entire scope of what happened from the call screener to the officer on the street. Commissioner Carollo: Understood Chief Llanes: There has to be -- you know. Commissioner Carollo: But as to personnel, like you said Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, may I? What we can do, if the Commission wishes to entertain this idea, one thing that we have done as part of our review of a recruitment process, which we have brought in somebody to kind of look at the process and say, "This is where you can make improvements, " and we'll be getting a report on that in the near future. I have been to a number of conferences where there are companies out there that will come into the organization and look at how efficient we deploy resources, and we can take a cop -down approach; look at the entire organization and look at the deployment resources. I mean, one of the things that I read in an article at one point was that the 4-10s, for example, causes a lot of overlap in certain times of the shifts, but a better deployment of resources may be a different shift schedule, and that may get you more folks out there during certain period of times when you get peak calls; and is that something that we're willing to entertain as part of the, you know, recommendations? We could certainly look at that; not only just more resources, but better deployment of the ones that we have -- Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chair. Mr. Alfonso: -- with shift changes. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman. Chair Gort: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'm definitely not advocating to hire more consultants, so I'm definitely not advocating for that, but I could tell you this: If you add more police officers and they're not going call to call to call -- Mr. Alfonso: Right, but -- City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Carollo: -- then, realistically, I think your response time would diminish; not to mention, not to mention -- and I think the Police Chief would attest to this -- that even if you have one police officer per zone, one patrol officer per zone, there are many two -man -unit calls where you don't necessarily need two police officers in one car, but that police officer that is patrolling that one zone needs to go now and meet up with another police officer, because it's a two -man call. Mr. Alfonso: Right, I understand that. What I'm trying to say is that if we analyze when our calls come in, and when our officers are engaged in calls, there are different times of the day when the number of calls, and calls waiting, et cetera, are higher, and there are different times of the day when they're lower, and I think that we would all agree that there are peak times and there are also valleys, so better deployment through shift changes of the officers that we existing -- have on hand could make more officers available for those peak times and reduce the overall response time. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, but we're not just talking overall response time. I'm talking specifically, and it's coming right from our budget book, 911 calls; in other words, emergency -type Priority 3 calls. Mr. Alfonso: Yes, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: Priority 3 calls, so we're talking just those. Mr. Alfonso: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: Regardless of what time it is; whether it's 3 in the morning till 6 o'clock in the evening. Mr. Alfonso: Correct, but if you agree with me, statistically, when you get most of your calls is when your officers are tied up, so you know that if you get another call, the people are already tied up, that's going to push up your response time. If we're able to put more resource during those peak hours that would reduce that response time, and we don't have to do nothing on the other side when there aren't that many calls. Commissioner Carollo: Again, I want the response time to go down, especially 911 calls and Priority 3 calls. Now, I'm just talking about those right now. Now, I think you're talking about regular calls, and then there's in progress calls; and in progress calls, I could tell you, if the actuals were close to six minutes -- and by the way, to be fair, it's 5.81, which I say close to six minutes -- if a 911 call, a Priority 3 call, which usually comes in through a 911 call, is taking close to six minutes, an in -progress call -- for instance, you come home -- you're coming home and you see someone jumping into your house, or they're breaking into your house, and you call 911, and that's an in -progress call. If the emergency Priority 3 call is taking six minutes, average six minutes, I could tell you, the in -progress call is taking a lot longer than that, not to mention a regular call. So, again, with the growth we have, I think we need to put the priority in public safety, and I want to make sure that we start addressing how do we bring these -- especially for 911 calls or Priority 3 calls -- the response time down. Mr. Alfonso: I -- we understand that, Commissioner; and, as I said, we're adding police officers in this proposed budget. Commissioner Carollo: And, by the way -- Mr. Alfonso: We could also look at shift strengths and shift -- City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Carollo: And by the way, Mr. Manager, by the way -- Chair Gort: Give him a chance to finish. Commissioner Carollo: --just by the way, you could get this through -- because, like I said, I did it last year -- through NET areas, so you could see that Flagami, I think you will see that their response time for 911 calls are a lot higher than in other areas, or you can check the Grove, so you could actually see where you need to use more resources of police officers, so I want to make sure that that's being addressed, because I don't think it has, and I don't think our response time is getting any better; and again, if we don't do it now, I don't know when we're going to do it. Unidentified Speaker: Commissioner, may I say something? Chair Gort: No, ma'am; excuse me. The public (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has been closed Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman. Chair Gort: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: I'm going to change the topic a little bit. I want to talk about cost allocation, and I don't want to dive too much into this, because we could be here quite a bit, but with regards to cost allocation -- well, so no one thinks that I'm picking on them, I'll use my Commission office. So we have in the budget the Commissioners as a whole; and then, I received the information or I requested the information, and I think we all have it, for individual offices. Okay, how is it my retirement contributions is showing as a cost allocation of $60, 000? And here's the thing, because that -- obviously, I have no control of that money; I have no control of that amount -- Mr. Alfonso: Right. Commissioner -- Commissioner Carollo: -- but it still shows up as -- Mr. Alfonso: Right. So, Commissioner, we agreed a couple of years ago that we would take those costs that were centralized and didn't show the true cost in the department, for example -- Commissioner Carollo: Understood Mr. Alfonso: -- and we would allocate that cost out. The way the cost is allocated is by salary, by union group. So if your employees are members of GESE (General Employees and Sanitation Employees) -- Commissioner Carollo: Uh-huh. Mr. Alfonso: -- we basically take the $35 million that GESE represents; look at the entire salary for GESE; prorate it out through all the departments, including the elected officials' office. So if you have five employees in your office and they equal $250, 000, pro rata, whatever that amount is, is equal to everybody else's salary, pro rata. Commissioner Carollo: Even though none of them may be in the pension. Mr. Alfonso: Sir, it is by GESE, so if they are in GESE, it is allocated; if they're not GESE -- Commissioner Carollo: No. You could -- at least in Commissioners' office, you could not be part of the retirement. City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Mr. Alfonso: No. Commissioner, what we're trying to tell you is -- I know a temp employee doesn't get pension and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: I don't know. Even a full-time employee doesn't automatically get a pension. They can elect not to receive a pension. Mr. Alfonso: No, no. Commissioner, I'm trying to tell you is that we take the cost of GESE and prorate it out through all the GESE employees, and wherever they are, that allocation gets tied to that office; that's what I've been told Commissioner Carollo: Regardless whether they are in the pension fund or not? So, in other words, if I don't have any of my employees in the pension, I'm still showing a $60, 000 amount attributed to my budget for $60, 000, which I have no control over. Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, do your employees not participate in GESE at all? Commissioner Carollo: No, they're not, so I don't see how you're coming up with the 60,000. Mr. Alfonso: That's interesting. It's interesting -- well, 171 have to look at that. Commissioner Carollo: So it's -- Mr. Alfonso: But it also includes the 20 percent of your salary that goes into the pension. Commissioner Carollo: No. Mr. Alfonso: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: It shouldn't. Mr. Alfonso: You know, elected officials, last year it was approved that 20 percent of their salary goes into a 401-type plan; that is in there. Commissioner Carollo: I haven't done it. Mr. Alfonso: I'm going to have to check with my benefits folks, Commissioner, to understand if that's the case, you know. I guess you've turned it down; is that what you're trying to tell me? Commissioner Carollo: I haven't done it. So, again -- and listen, the only reason -- and I mentioned transparency a little bit earlier today, when we had that IT (Information Technology) equipment that we could look up all the different things, and stuff like that, and I mentioned there, "Hey, listen, 'transparency' is a great word, you know, and I just think it's being used very loosely, " so, I mean, if we're really going to be transparent with our budgets, you know, I mean, I could have stayed quiet and know, you know, hey, it's wrong, whatever, but the bottom line is, how are you attributing $60, 000 to retirement contributions in my office where it's not there? And it's cost -allocates, so, again, listen, we could discuss it later, we could look at it, but the bottom line is you're allocating that amount to my budget where, realistically, I have no control over it; it's just a number. Mr. Alfonso: If you are correct, Commissioner, and it is not part of the budget that you are allowed to spend -- Commissioner Carollo: Right. Mr. Alfonso: -- because we charge it right to you, but we're going to double-check on your City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 employees and make sure that they are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) who are not members of GESE. Commissioner Carollo: Anybody -- but think about it, anybody that looks at that budget would say, "Hey, you know, he's got" -- whatever -- "there's 'X' amount of money, " and realistically, that's not -- Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner -- Commissioner Carollo: -- being transparent. That's not really the truth, because -- Mr. Alfonso: -- if you are correct, we will make the amendment to your budget, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Manager, since we're speaking about benefits, I'm going to ask a question that I've asked before: Why is it that our health insurance is going down when it seems like in all other municipalities, it's going up? Mr. Alfonso: Because we have a great benefits unit, sir, that have done an awesome job of doing a wealth -- well, health and wellness program, and we're getting younger. Commissioner Carollo: That sounds great, but I don't get a warm, fuzzy feeling; it's just -- it seems like when we start looking at other government agencies, their insurance is going up and ours is going down, and I'm just -- and here's my point: It's great that it's going down. I'm just afraid of that surprise in a year or two where, all of a sudden, it blows up, and you know, we didn't budget for it, so that's why I'm asking the question. Mr. Alfonso: Well, in terms of the health, we have been surprised ourselves. This is the third consecutive year where the actual expenses in healthcare in the City of Miami declined, so we could not come back in with another year where we are budgeting higher after three consecutive years of decline. One of the reasons why we have a significant surplus in '14/'15 is because we were non -believers last year, and we said, "There's no way we can go with healthcare in decline, " so we budgeted nearly double-digit growth and cost. Commissioner Carollo: I got it. Mr. Alfonso: And it didn't happen; actually, it went down again. So, you know, I understand what you're saying. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Alfonso: And we'll monitor it closely through this coming year, which, you know, the health plan year begins in January, so as the months pass, we'll keep a close eye on it and see where we're going. By the time we've developed the budget for next year, if we see that trend turn around, we will certainly be requesting increases in healthcare cost for the following year. And, believe me, it's a concern to me, too, because there are a lot of things that we're planning to increase that are recurring expenses. Commissioner Carollo: I'm good Chair Gort: That's it? Anyone else? Chief Llanes: Chair, can I say something? Chair Gort: Yes. Chief Llanes: My crack research team, year-to-date, Priority 3 from created time to arrival time City of Miami Page 26 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 is 4.57 minutes; and the fiscal year, October to -- September to September is 4.75, so that's our response time. Commissioner Carollo: So, Chief my question would be: What has changed? Chief Llanes: I'm sorry? Commissioner Carollo: What has changed? Chief Llanes: That's a fluctuating number. I couldn't tell you what exactly has changed. We have -- Commissioner Carollo: Because it's a big fluctuation. As a matter of fact -- Chief Llanes: It's one minute less. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, you know that a minute could be -- you know -- Chief Llanes: Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: -- if someone's pounding you over the head with a pipe -- Chief Llanes: I wanted -- Commissioner Carollo: -- a minute is a lot of pounding. Chief Llanes: -- to give Commissioner Suarez something to brag about. Commissioner Carollo: I got you, I got you. So, then, let me ask you something: Why are we estimating five minutes, then? Chief Llanes: Well, we don't know what the next year is going to bring, and we have -- Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Chief Llanes: -- more officers -- if I can finish, sir -- this year than we had last year. We also have a lower crime rate than we had last year, so that's less calls for service. We've also had a decline in calls for service, which means more officers are available. We also have more officers deployed to Beat to handle those nuisance or other calls that officers would normally handle, so there's a number of explanations; however, they're all anecdotal. We can assume that some things happen or other things happen, but the facts are that these are the numbers, and so in the research that we did here in the last 30 seconds, the Boston PD (Police Department) is just under seven minutes, and we're still looking at the County. That data is from 2008, so that's a little old; I don't want to use that, so those are the numbers. Commissioner Carollo: So here's my question: Why are we estimating five minutes, then, for this year? If we're at 4.5, 4.6, why are we estimating at five minutes, where last year, we estimated to be at four minutes? Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, let -- Commissioner Carollo: If we're approving -- Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner -- City of Miami Page 27 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Commissioner Carollo: -- why should -- why do we then -- Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner -- Commissioner Carollo: -- limit ourselves instead of -- Mr. Alfonso: -- let me try it -- Commissioner Carollo: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) five minutes? Mr. Alfonso: -- let me try. Commissioner, you're looking at numbers that were put together sometime in April and May, when we had partial information, so the difference between 4.7 and 5, only it's an estimate. We don't put the actual down until we have the actual, so, you know, right now, as the Chief said it's 4.7 minutes, but he -- we're three months from when this budget was created three months ago, so it may have been that it was a little higher then, so the estimate was five. I don't think that that variance is that significant; important to say that it is going down. Commissioner Carollo: And, Chief I'm going to want that per NET district. Chief Llanes: Per NET? Sure. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Chair Gort: Okay, the -- did we have a motion? Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Not yet, sir. Chair Gort: Not yet. Do we have a motion? Commissioner Sarnofff. So move. Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff. Is there a second? Second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. Any further discussion? Mr. Alfonso: I would -- Mr. Chair. Chair Gort: Yes. Mr. Alfonso: IfI can just say, as amended by the two changes and the reduction in DDA (Downtown Development Authority), $110, 000. Chair Gort: Correct. Commissioner Suarez: I'd just like to make two very brief -- Chair Gort: Yes, sir. Commissioner Suarez: -- comments; just a little more. Wanting to commend the City Attorney's Office for an initiative that we started when I got here on collecting liens for properties that have gone into disrepair. Since we started that initiative, we've collected close to 1. -- a little more than $1.6 million, so you were not a City Attorney back then when we started this initiative, but just wanted to congratulate you on that. And I also wanted to, you know, say to the Commission that, obviously, this is a large budget, and there's no way that we're going to agree on every aspect of the budget, but I really want to thank the Commissioner for supporting the City of Miami Page 28 Printed on 10/20/2015 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 Transportation Trust component of this budget, because I think it's something that we absolutely critically need to budget for to preserve our trolley program and the future of the City. Thank you. Chair Gort: All right, let me give you suggestions. Every month -- I don't know if you guys read the reports by the Law Department; I read them every month, and I think it's very important for us to read it. Thank you. Okay. Mr. Alfonso: There is a statement that the Budget director needed to read into the record. Chair Gort: Go ahead. Christopher Rose (Director): Commissioners, two housekeeping items, very briefly. Chris Rose, Office of Management & Budget. The Administration commits to reviewing parks and any other facilities that may come online during the fiscal year, and addressing any necessary staffing in the midyear budget amendment; that's point number one. Point number two is the $260, 000 that was budgeted for the Camillus House Mat Program was mistakenly, by the Budget Office, shown in the special revenue account for Commission District 2. We would respectfully request that we show it in a citywide account instead. Chair Gort: Okay. All right, any -- Commissioner Sarnoff That's it. Commissioner Suarez: Vote. Chair Gort: We need a vote. All in favor, state it by saying "aye. " Commissioner Sarnoff Aye. Commissioner Carollo: No. Commissioner Suarez: Aye. Vice Chair Hardemon: Aye. Chair Gort: Aye. Mr. Hannon: As amended. Chair Gort: As amended. Commissioner Sarnoff Codified, amender, changer, scrutinized. Chair Gort: Thank you all. Mayor Tomas Regalado: Thank you. Chair Gort: Have a good one. END OF SECOND BUDGET HEARING ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10: 33 p. m. City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 10/20/2015