HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2020-10-08 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
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Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 08, 2020
9:00 AM
City Commission Meeting
City Hall
City Commission
Francis X. Suarez, Mayor
Keon Hardemon, Chair, District Five
Ken Russell, Vice Chair, District Two
Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner, District One
Joe Carollo, Commissioner, District Three
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
9:00 AM INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Chair Hardemon, Vice Chair Russell, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
Commissioner Carollo and Commissioner Reyes.
On the 8th day of October 2020, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida,
conducted and broadcasted a virtual meeting from its regular meeting place in City Hall,
3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular session. The Commission Meeting
was called to order by Chair Hardemon at 9:14 a.m., recessed at 12:44 p.m., reconvened at
3:20 p.m., and adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Carollo joined the virtual meeting at 11:20 a.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
PART A - NON -PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair Hardemon: Good morning, everyone. Just give me one second. I'm trying to find my
script. I had it open. I don't know where it went.
Commissioner Reyes: Good morning, boys. How you doing?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good morning, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: You're looking good. Looks like (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So what? I think we're live now on television. Be careful.
Commissioner Reyes: How's everybody doing?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good, everybody's good.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, that's good, that's good. Hey, I haven't asked you for a while. How
is your mom and your dad?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They're doing well. Thank you for asking, Commissioner.
Doing well.
Commissioner Reyes: He still goes to the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Every, day. Every, day at 7. He just called me 7:30 this
morning. He was there already, every day. He goes -- he comes home a little bit earlier now,
around 3 o'clock. But he -- you know, he doesn't stay until 5, but he's -- every day.
Commissioner Reyes: I have to go visit.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, you do, absolutely.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I have to go visit.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 83 and -- both of them are 83 and they're going strong.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yeah, they're going strong.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 62 years of marriage and --
Commissioner Reyes: It is an amazing, amazing couple.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a beautiful thing, you know?
Commissioner Reyes: It's a beautiful thing.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They fight every day. It's so beautiful to watch them.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yes, man. And they're always fighting and telling you about one --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But they can't be without each other for more -- you know,
they can't be without each other.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: She won't have lunch without him. "Well, I got to wait for
your dad to come home to have lunch. "He goes home every day to have lunch and then
returns.
Commissioner Reyes: You know, that is beautiful, man. That's a beautiful, beautiful marriage.
Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Madam City --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Doesn't happen anymore these days, you know?
Chair Hardemon: Can you e-mail me the script?
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Mr. Chairman, I sent it to you again.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It came from M -- Marta Gomez, if you haven't --
Mr. Min: Send it again.
Chair Hardemon: That's the reason I can't find it. But you can send it again if you want. Okay,
I found Maita's. All right, there it is. Here we go.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Chair Hardemon: Pursuant to Executive Order Number 20-246, issued by the Office of
Governor Ron DeSantis on September 30, 2020, municipalities may conduct meetings of their
governing boards without having a quorum of its members present physically or at any specific
location, and utilizing communications media technology, such as telephonic or
videoconferencing, as provided by Section 120.545(b)(2) Florida Statutes. Procedures for
public comment will be explained by the City Attorney shortly. Procedures for the swearing in
of all parties for the Planning and Zoning and/or quasi-judicial items will be explained by the
City Clerk. The members of the City Commission are appearing remotely for this meeting, and
they are Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes; Ken Russell, the Vice Chair; and
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
me, Keon Hardemon, the Chairman. Also appearing remotely are City Manager Art Noriega;
City Attorney Victoria Mendez; and City Clerk Todd Hannon. Madam City Attorney, please
state the procedures to be followed during this meeting.
Mr. Min: Mr. Chairman, any person who is a lobbyist, pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 6 of the
City Code, must register with the City Clerk and comply with related City requirements for
lobbyists before appearing before the City Commission. A person may not lobby a City official,
board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the Code section about lobbyists is
available in the City Clerk's office, or online at municode.com. Any person making a
presentation, formal request, or petition to the City Commission concerning real property must
make the disclosures required by the City Code in writing. A copy of the City Code section is
available in the Office of the City Clerk or online at municode.cona. Pursuant to Section 2-33(f)
and (g) of the City Code, the agenda and the material for each item on the agenda for this
virtual meeting was published and made available to the Mayor, members of the City
Commission, and to the public at least five lira business days in advance of the meeting. 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 miarnigov.com. Any person may be heard by the City
Commission through the Chair and upon registering, pursuant to the published notice for not
more than two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission, unless modified by the
Chair. Since this is a virtual meeting, as authorized by the Governor of the State of Florida,
members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by visiting
miamigov.comlvirtualmeeting to upload their two -minute video comments to be played during
the virtual Commission meeting, or to submit their written comments via the online comment
form. The comments submitted through the comment form have been distributed to the elected
officials and the City Administration throughout the day so that the elected officials can
consider the comments prior to taking any action. Additionally, the online comment form will
remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute to the elected officials up
until the time the Chairperson closes the public comment. Members of the public may also call
305-250-5340 to provide comments via the dedicated City of Miami public comment voicemail,
where the individuals will be able to leave a two -minute message that will be played during the
virtual Commission meeting. Members of the public may also pre -register to provide live
public comment by phone during the meeting. You may pre -register by phone by calling 305-
250-5341, or online at miamigov.comlgovernmentllivepublic-comment. All comments
submitted will be included as part of the public record for this virtual meeting and will be
considered by the City Commission prior to taking any action. The City will accommodate any
speakers desiring to appear in person, subject to all applicable emergency measures in place
to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The City has set up a terminal in the event
members of the public travel to City Hall to provide public comment. Speakers who appear in
person will be subject to screening for symptoms of COVID-19. Any persons exhibiting any
symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to enter City Hall. All interested parties are
required to abide by all State, County, and local emergency orders, and are urged to remain at
home and practice social distancing. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the
opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before the City Commission takes action on
such proposition. When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public must first
state his or her name, his or her address, and what item will be spoken about. Any person with
a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may notify the
City Clerk. Section 286.0114(4)(c) of Florida Statutes authorizes the City to prescribe
procedures or forums for an individual to use in order to inform the board or Commission of
the desire to be heard, to indicate his or her support, opposition, or neutrality on a
proposition. The City, through its multiple comment options has provided five different
methods to indicate, among other things, the public's support, opposition, or neutrality on the
items and topics to be discussed at today's Commission meeting. The public has been given the
opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity in
time before the meeting. These public comment options are established and provided for, for
the virtual City Commission meeting comply with Section 286.014 and Section 120.54 of
Florida Statutes. The City has also created a simple set of instructions explaining how the
public may submit their comments with either option. Those instructions were provided in the
notice to the public via the City's social media channels and published online at
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
miamigov.comlvirtualmeeting. Please note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by
City staff and the City Attorney on items on the agenda today. PZ (Planning and Zoning) items
shall proceed according to Section 7.1.4 of the Miami 21 Zoning Ordinance as temporarily
modified by Emergency Ordinance Numbers 13902, 13903, and 13914. Pursuant to
Emergency Ordinance Numbers 13903 and 13914, the parties for any PZ items, including any
applicant, appellant, appellee, City staff and any person recognized by the decision -making
body as a qualified intervenor, as well as the applicant's representatives and any experts
testifying on behalf of the applicant, appellant, or appellee may either be physically present at
City Hall to he sworn in by oath or affirmation by the City Clerk, or may appear virtually and
make arrangements to be sworn in by oath or affirmation in person at their location by an
individual qualified to perform such duty. Pursuant to Emergency. Ordinance Number 13903,
members of the general public who are not parties to an action pending before the City
Commission are not required to be sworn in by oath or affirmation. The members of the City
Commission shall disclose any ex parte communications to remove the presumption of
prejudice pursuant to Florida Statute Section 286.015 and Section 7.1.4.5 of the Miami 21
Code. Staff will then briefly present each item to be heard. For applications requiring City
Commission approval, the applicant will then present its application or request to the City
Commission. If the applicant agrees with City's -- with staffs recommendation, the City
Commission may proceed to its deliberation and decision. The applicant may also waive the
right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. The order of presentation shall be as set forth in
Miami 21 and the City Code providing that the appellant shall present first. For appeals, the
appellant will present its appeal to the City Commission, followed by the appellee. Staff will be
allowed to make any recommendation they may have. The City of Miami requires that anyone
requesting actions by the City Commission must disclose before the hearing anything provided
to anyone for agreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to
Section 2-8 of the City Code. Any documents offered to the City Commissioners that have not
been provided seven days before the meeting as part of the agenda materials will be entered
into the record at the City Commission's discretion. If any Commissioner thinks that the
documents supplied to the Commission less than seven days before merit a continuance of the
item, the item may' be continued by the City Commission. When the City Commission takes
action or votes on any proposition before it, it shall do so by a roll call vote, which shall be
recorded by the Clerk and included in the record. Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made
by the City Commission for any matter considered at this meeting may need a verbatim record
of the item. A video of this meeting may be requested at the Office of Communications or
viewed online at miamigov.com. The City of Miami is using Zoom to hold its October 8, 2020
virtual regular City Commission meeting. Zoom is a cloud platform for video and audio
conferencing, collaboration, chat, and webinars across mobile devices, desktops, telephones
and room systems. In order to ensure that the public has the ability to view the meeting, the
City's Communications Department will broadcast the meeting through all usual avenues that
are provided when a City Commission meeting is held fully in Commission chambers at City
Hall. (INAUDIBLE) viewed live on miamigov.comlty, through the City's Facebookpage, on the
City's Periscope channel, on the City's YouTube channel, and on Comcast Channel 77. The
broadcast will also have closed captioning. Additionally, the City has not selected a virtual
platform that requires the public to purchase or download any additional software or
equipment to watch this meeting. Aside from the Zoom platform and that the participants will
be appearing remotely, the public will have no discernable difference in their ability to watch
the meeting. Commissioners, please confirm you are comfortable with these notice provisions
as set forth in these uniform rules and procedures for this meeting.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Mr. Min: Thank you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Confirmed -- yes .
Chair Hardemon: Mr. City Clerk, can you read your procedures that should be followed, the
swearing in ceremony?
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Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Thank you, Chair. The procedures for individuals who will be
providing testimony, to be sworn in for Planning and Zoning items and any quasi-judicial items
on today's City Commission agenda will be as follows: The members of the City staff or any
other individuals required to be sworn in who are currently present at City Hall will be sworn
in by me, the City Clerk, immediately after I finish explaining these procedures. Those
individuals who are appearing remotely may be sworn in now or at any time prior to the
individual providing testimony for Planning and Zoning items and/or quasi-judicial items.
Pursuant to Emergency Ordinance Number 13903, those individuals appearing remotely may
be sworn in at their location by an individual qualified to administer the oath. After you are
sworn in, please be sure to complete, sign, and notarize the affidavit provided to you by the
City Attorney's Office. Each individual who will provide testimony must be sworn in and
execute an affidavit. Please email a scanned version of the signed affidavit to the City Clerk at
thannon@miamigov.com prior to providing testimony on the Planning and Zoning item and/or
quasi-judicial item. The affidavit shall be included in the record for the relevant item for which
you will be providing testimony. Chair, there is one individual in the Chambers that I need to
administer the oath. Is it okay ifI do so now?
Chair Hardemon: Please.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair. Just a moment. Let me have you raise your right hand.
The City Clerk administered oath required under City Code Section 62-1 to those persons
giving testimony on zoning items.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, sir. Thank you, Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Okay. Are there any items that are going to be
withdrawn, continued, or deferred by the Administration?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're muted, Mr. --
Chair Hardemon: You're muted, Art.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): I'm muted. Sorry about that. Good morning, Mr. Chair Mr.
Vice Chair, Commissioners, Madam City Attorney, Mr. City Clerk. At this time, the
Administration would like to defer and/or withdraw the following items: On the regular
agenda, defer to November 19th, RE.1; to defer to the November 19 meeting, RE.2; to be
withdrawn, RE.6; and to be indefinitely deferred. DI.3. On the PZ (Planning and Zoning)
agenda: To be withdrawn, PZ.1; to be withdrawn, PZ.2; to be withdrawn, PZ.3; and to be
withdrawn, PZ.4. And that concludes the items that we wish to withdraw or defer.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Are there any items that the Commissioners wish to withdraw, defer
or continue?
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Good morning. I'd just like to be listed as a sponsor on PZ.7. And I have a
pocket item to add when appropriate.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Just a quick --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, you're recognized, Senator.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I wanted to object to what -- with deferring RE.1 and RE.2.
1 want to have a debate on those two items.
Chair Hardemon: 1 would agree with you there because I'm one of those persons that want to
talk about those items. They have been continued enough. So, basically then, Senator, would
you like to remove RE.1 and RE.2 from consideration in the motion for continuance -- or
deferral?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. RE.1 and RE.2, I want to have a conversation a little bit
later today, if I may, Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: Got it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 think that we need --
Chair Hardemon: So you want to remove it from --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to remove it from Mr. Noriega's motion -- Mr.
Noriega's deferral list.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So, at this point is there a motion to approve the deferral of El -- I did
hear El, right? Or DI (Discussion), I'm sorry. DI3, RE. 6, and PZ. I, 2, 3, and 4.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Move it.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved.
Vice Chair Russell: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Second by the Chairman. Yes? Did someone interrupt? Okay, it's properly
moved and seconded. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
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PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL ITEM(S)
8007 DISCUSSION ITEM
Office of the City
Clerk
PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC FOR THE OCTOBER 8, 2020 VIRTUAL CITY COMMISSION
MEETING.
RESULT: PRESENTED
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So what I would like to do now then is to open the floor for
public comment. The members of the public have two minutes to address this body.
You may state your first name, your last name, and you also may state your address
and what item it is that you're speaking of. So at this time, we'll go to the live public
comment. I hear that we have someone that is live, maybe at City Hall?
Manuel Otero (Innovation and Technology Web Administrator): They're not speaking
now. I think they're going to connect through Zoom later for the PZ (Planning and
Zoning) items.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So you're going to go to recorded statements now?
Mr. Otero: Yes. We're going to go to recorded. We don't have any live call backs
either, so we're going to go straight to recorded public comment.
Brian Alonso: My name is Brian Alonso at 1581 Brickell Avenue, Apartment 2207,
Miami Florida 33129. I strongly support your approval of PH4, long-term lease for
Dade Heritage Trust at 190 Southeast 12th Terrace. As president of Dade Heritage
Trust from 2013 to 2015, I worked hard with the City of Miami to secure a long-term
lease for Dr. Jackson's office. DHT (Dade Heritage Trust) saved this property in the
1970's and worked tirelessly to improve the building and the surrounding
neighborhood for years. We needed a long-term lease on the property to give us
surety of our continued investment in the property and the ability to apply for grants.
We collaborated with Mayor Regalado extensively on this with his support. The final
hurdle was to get voter approval which we accomplished in 2016. After the
referendum, I was told by City of Miami Attorney's Office that they were preparing
the long-term lease for us to sign shortly. Unfortunately, this is four years later. We're
very happy that this is getting completed. As part of a family that has invested in
Miami since 1965 and continues to invest in downtown, preserving our history and
giving our citizens a sense of community is vital. Dr. Jackson's' office serves as an
anchor for Brickell residents, and I look forward to seeing it there for many more
years to come.
Megan D.: My name is Megan (UNINTELLIGIBLE). My address is 3057 Day Avenue,
Coconut Grove, Florida 33133. I'm speaking on Public Hearing Number 4 agenda
item. This is related to the Dade Heritage Trust lease of their Brickell office location.
Dade Heritage Trust is an important organization providing meaningful services to
the Miami community. They've called Dr. Jackson's office in Brickell home for 44
years, and this Commission is voting on whether to renew their lease. I encourage the
Commission to renew the lease and allow them to stay in their Brickell location.
Miami Waterkeeper offers free educational programming in partnership with Dade
Heritage Trust to schoolchildren across Miami -Dade County at this unique location.
This Historic Places Green Spaces Program has reached hundreds of the students. It
includes an introduction to Biscayne Bay, along the Miami bay walk, where students
learn about the importance of the bay and participate in water quality monitoring
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exercises. And for some, this is their first experience with the bay. This is made
possible by the physical location where Dade Heritage Trust has their office on
Brickell Bayfront. So 1 urge you to please renew the lease so students can continue to
have access to the bay and benefit from the experience of learning activities that are
relevant to their environmental education. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Lisa Poachman: Hi. My name is Lisa Poachman. My address is 186 Southeast 12th
Terrace, Apartment 1503, calling in regards to renewal of the lease for the Dade
Heritage Trust, in the former Jackson House belonging to the physician, Dr. Jackson,
who was our first -- Miami's first physician. I want to say that am for renewal of the
lease for multiple reasons. I understand the City is looking to sell the small piece of
land to developers for a bigger return on investment. I feel like it's a relatively small
piece of land, and perhaps there can be a larger return to investment to the City over
time (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this small piece of cultural history to remain in the City.
When we think about Brickell sort of being overdeveloped already, there's lots of
property that's being developed at this point in time. That maybe keeping one cultural
institution can allow the properties that are currently in the City to retain their value,
you know. And you know, when I think about things that are special about this City --
or this neighborhood is that there is a connection also to the hospitals and Civic
Center. And I think also knowing that there's a civic connection of the former Jackson
House, I think that keeps --helps Brickell just be a desirable neighborhood to live in.
And knowing that there is actually even a museum here -- the only museum in this
neighborhood -- a small cultural institution. The building itself is beautiful with there
being, you know, lots of different like plants surrounding it. You know and I think that
just for general beautification of the City, maintaining value of the property
surrounding the building, I think it's --there may be a better return investment for the
City just keeping the building where it is and allowing the Miami -Dade Heritage
Trust to renew their lease and keep this building which also provides tours, of
Brickell, information about Brickell to tourists and things like that so it can be an
attraction.
John Snyder: This is John Snyder. I live at 3980 Hardy Avenue. I'm calling in regard
to PH4. I would like you to give the lease to the Dade Heritage Trust. I'm calling to
request that you grant the long-term lease for this --for the building and for the site
where Dr. James L. Jackson practiced from 1914 until his death in 1924. Dr. Jackson
initially came to Miami in 1896 as a newly licensed physician and surgeon and the
first doctor in the County. He became a trusted and loyal friend of the first state
health officer and organized the fight against epidemics, like yellow fever, dengue,
smallpox, and measles. He advised the City Managers and Commission on public
health and organized the Miami City Board of Health in 1914. Dr. Jackson was a
founding member of the Dade County Medical Association and its president in 1905,
1912 and 1923. He was the president of the Florida Medical Association in 1905 and
was an early advocate of continuing education for physicians. As an early member of
the Southern Medical Association, he was elected to its presidency in 1911.
Pro_fessionally,, he was not only the first physician in Miami, but clearly the leader of
the medical profession. Dr. Jackson was a graduate of Emory University and received
his medical training at Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York. The office
which sits on the site was constructed about 1905 and was moved to its present site in
1914 when Dr. Jackson was given a free lease on the property for life. An outbreak of
yellow fever resulted in an emergency hospital being constructed on first
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Cindy Snyder: This is Cindy Snyder, 3980 Hardy Road. I'm calling regarding the
Commission hearing October the 8th, 2020, Item PH.4. Great cities are places that
honor their histories and their historic figures. The reverence for pride of place is at
the heart of everything Dade Heritage Trust does, its mission. Today, our agenda --
on agenda is an item concerning Dade Heritage Trust continuance of its place in our
city. Our city is not brand new nor is it especially old. Our modern beginnings only
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
date back to the end of the 19th Century, when the Mathesons, Ralph Munroe, Julia
Tuttle, Henry Flagler, Dr. Jackson -- for wham Jackson Memorial Hospital is named
-- and many others forged the early settlements, the foundations of our present city.
These courageous pioneering people selected on this area of natural wonders and
accepted its challenges. In today's world, many of the top towns in the fields of
science, medicine, business, the humanities and the arts may still wish to make Miami
their home. These well-educated, highly regarded leaders in their fields are typically
cognizant of the concepts of pride of place and reverence for one's history. Likewise,
history demonstrates we must be suitably respectful of our history, both manmade and
natural. Dade Heritage Trust has been and is an important leader in Miami. In that
regard, our government has the opportunity to make a positive step in the continuance
of that positive leadership by ensuring Dade Heritage Trust continued and sustained
presence where Dr. Jackson had his office and where it has done its important work
for Miami toward a positive image and its reputation. It would seem an ill-conceived
and tragic misstep to do otherwise. History is important. Please --
Melissa Meyer: Hello, Commissioners. This is Melissa Meyer, of 3161 Ohio Street.
The office of Dr. Jaynes Jackson -- in its current location in the heart of Brickell
where it houses the Dade Heritage Trust -- is a living historic record that is
representative of the dynamic contrast and rapid change in the scale and character of
urban Miami. The voters of Miami understand that this building is what makes this
Brickell neighborhood special. And I know that you will respect their will by
approving the long-term lease of the Dade Heritage Trust in this location. Because
you always do the right thing. Well, you often do do the right thing. 1 mean, 1 know
you will do the right thing this time. Thank you.
Alexa Novakoski: Hi. My name is Alexa Novakoski. 1 live at 1155 Brickell Bay Drive.
And I am calling about Dr. James Jackson's historical building and the preservation
of it. I just wanted to say that it's a beautiful building and I think that it brings so
much to the community. I know personally for me it's been really beautiful. It's like
part of my daily walk that I do twice a day. I always stop by that small book box. And
I just think it bring its the community together. And it's so beautiful and it really
matters, and especially in times like this, when people are separated and there's quite
a bit going on. I know that that's something that's at the heart of Brickell and really
brings people together. And I know us who live in Brickell really appreciate the
building. And it's such a beautiful building with so much history. And I think it's
something that is really important that you keep -- preserve and (INAUDIBLE)
together. So that's my commentary on that. I hope you would consider preserving the
building. We definitely don't need another cold, high-rise, and I think we do need --
allow things that add character and heart to Brickell. Thank you. .
Michael Dever: Hello, everyone. My name is Michael Dever, and I live here in
Brickell. For the past six months during the pandemic, I'm out almost every day
picking up trash and a lot of people know me for that reason of trash picking up in the
area. Behind me there's a building -- historical building that has been here a very
long time and it's a 115-year-old building. But there's a motion out there to sell or to
move this building and to sell the land to a developer. We don't need another condo or
building in this area. As you can see, there's a lot of trees, vegetation here, a lot of
people enjoy being around this area here. So please, Commissioners, do your job and
make sure that this building stays where it is. Sign a long-term lease and stop any
thoughts of trying to move this building. Thank you very much.
Rita Dever: Hi. My name is Rita Dever, and I've had the privilege of living in Brickell
for a little over four years now. I came from the Midwest; love the area and love this
Brickell community. Here's my view from my very, own balcony. We have a lot of
water, especially at the -- on the roads during certain times because there's a lot of
concrete, but there's also a lot of tremendous charm and resources here at Brickell.
And the one that I am hoping you will see as an investment is this historical building
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
that is such a great resource. My visitors from the Midwest have a mindset of enjoying
a destination with a piece of history and place that tells a story. They really enjoyed
the museums. They've enjoyed walking tours, the displays. It's a really wonderful
addition to our aesthetic and the character of this community. So I hope that you'll
consider that. Also, as condo owners, we're concerned about adding any more
concrete right here. Obviously, we're going to have another high-rise right here, but
we're real concerned about our property values. And we're asking you to keep this
little green space, a little garden where you could go and actually see a butterfly, and
not sell out, but instead, promote this little gem and the visitor's center. And hopefully,
more tourists will come, and they'll linger at our restaurants, and they'll spend time
here. And it makes more of a rich experience of corning to this great community.
Thank you.
Carlos E. Zapata: Hello. My name is Carlos E. Zapata. I live at 1155 Brickell Bay
Drive, Apartment 303, Miami, Florida 33131. 1 am a taxpayer. I'm a voter and I'm
resident of Brickell for many years now. I urge you to lease the land that now -- 190
Southeast 12th Terrace to the Dade Heritage Trust. The building itself is a historic
building that adds a lot of life and color, and it adds almost an experience to that
area. It's an area that's been overdeveloped. There's too many gray, lifeless apartment
-- empty apartment buildings in all of Brickell. This building adds a little bit of life to
that area. Regardless of what it adds, it seems a little weird that even though we
passed Resolution R-16-0348 to give DHT a long-term lease of the land, it has been
ignored. 1 don't think that's right. We're voters. We did our due process as voters. We
made our vote count and its being ignored from what 1 see. I think that's not very
good at all. And overall, honestly, DHT is a nonprofit. It's trying to add something
positive to the community. It's trying to better the area, inform people, give them
ideas, give them information, show them the history of the place where we're living.
Understand that a lot of people in Brickell don't come from Miami or from Florida,
and being able to learn about their area, that's something that should be valued, not
just here, but everywhere in this country of ours. If there's anything this area does not
need is more empty luxury apartment buildings. It does not need -- it's going to create
too much problems. It's not necessary. We should be focusing on trying to add history
and experience to our areas, not useless buildings. Thank you for your time. Please
consider leasing the land to DHT. Have a good one.
Cynthia Moore: Hello. My name is Cynthia Moore. I live in 186 Southeast 12th
Terrace, Miami, Florida 33133. I'm calling regarding the building Miami -Dade
Heritage Trust. Yeah, I'm against to remove that lease from that property. That's the
only location in the historic bay that we have around the community. And it will be a
shame to lose it. So I'm against not renewing the lease. Thank you.
Christina Aguilar: Hello. My name is Christina Aguilar. I live in 1155 Brickell Bay
Drive, Unit 1108. I'm calling in regards to a petition to move the historic building in
order to put in another high-rise. I oppose this. I think this will just lead to more
traffic and more construction and making -- it's going to make our property values go
lower. Thank you.
Sean Ray: Hi. My name is Sean Ray. I am the owner of an apartment located at 186
Southwest 12th Terrace, right next to the Heritage Trust historical building. I wanted
to leave a comment that I believe that the building should not be moved, that it is a
landmark that has been part of our community for many years that we all enjoy
looking at. I think moving it to a different location would take away the historical
value of that building. And I don't agree with a -- another building taking its place
going up to 48 floors would absolutely destroy the property values of the residents in
Solaris, who have, at the moment, an unobstructed view to the Biscayne Bay. So I am
opposed to this relocation of the historical landmark. And I appreciate if my
comments can be heard in today's meeting. Thank you. If you need to contact me, my
phone number is (305) 431-5001. Thank you. Bye-bye.
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Mary Monroe Seabrook: Hi. My name is Mary Monroe Seabrook, at 3564 St.
Gaudens Road in Coconut Grove, 33133. I'm calling about the vote for Dade
Heritage Trust to keep its location in Brickell. 1 believe that it's very important that
they keep the same location they've have had for many years and continue doing the
good work and preserving Miami's historic places. It's so important that we preserve
our historic places for future generations. I can't imagine Dade Heritage Trust
moving to some office building out of the city center, where the history all began. So,
please -- I support Dade Heritage Trust, our local history, and allow them to stay at
their location in the Brickell area. Thank you very much.
Joyce Nelson: This is Joyce Nelson, Coconut Grove resident. I'm calling about Item
PH.4, Dade Heritage Trust. Dr. Jackson's office is an iconic symbol of Miami's
history and the Brickell neighborhood and deserves to be preserved. First get a quote
for what the land is worth and then a quote for moving the house and any repairs that
will be needed. The land is only 600 square feet in size. What can be built on it? The
visitor's center that Dade Heritage Trust operates at the building is accessible to the
thousands of residents and workers on Brickell and to tourists staying in the area.
Moving it would cripple its value as a visitor's center. Dade Heritage Trust has been
an invaluable steward of the building and its history. They lovingly take care of the
maintenance costs of about $30, 000 a year and provide all maintenance, upkeep,
assistance and insurance. City -owned historic properties require proper upkeep and
vision for consistent programming and use. Dade Heritage Trust is an excellent
custodian. Selling the land to a private developer may provide a short-term gain, but
the substantial cost for the relocation and fixing any damage of the 115-year-old
building would sustain in the move, providing utilities at the new site, and future of
ongoing maintenance would negatively impact the gain. The office is one of the very
few low-rise buildings in the area and providesd much -needed alternative to the high-
rise towers surrounding it with its historic architecture and green space. The voters
spoke in 2016 approving a long-term lease for Dade Heritage Trust at 190 Southeast
12th Terrace. The will of the voters must be followed. Thank: you.
Ricardo Roberts: Hello, my name is Ricardo Roberts. I live on 1155 Brickell Bay
Drive. And I am very concerned that you are taking away a historic place like Dade
Heritage. Please don't do it. It's the only thing historic that we have on Brickell. And
well, I'm going to keep pushing with my Congress or my -- or whatever I have to do
until we have a notice that this won't happen. So, thank you very much. Bye.
Lucia Castillo: My name is Lucia Castillo. I live at Solaris Brickell Bay, Apartment
2102. I live next door to the Dade Heritage Trust, the only museum in Brickell. The
address is' 186 Southeast 12th Terrace, Apartment 2102. I'm calling because I'm
against taking away -- moving away that museum and building a 48-story there. If
that happens, traffic will get worse in Brickell. If that happens, the view of my
building will lose everything. And the units of Solaris at Brickell Bay will -- the price
will go down. I didn't think it's appropriate for our neighbors to be in that process, a
lot of negative things. I don't see nothing positive on building -- taking that museum
away, and building something there of 80 -- 48 feet high. It is not good for our
community, for our neighbors, traffic, too many negative stuff. Please don't take away
the museum and put a building there. Help us. Thank you.
Zulema Rivero: Hello. My name is Zulema Rivero. My address is 2121 Southwest 13th
Avenue. My property is directly across from the subject address. The item I'm
discussing here is PZ (Planning & Zoning) 6528, which is regards to the appeal filed
by the Village Montessori School. Despite the owners of such said property saying
that they have withdrawn this appeal indefinitely, therefore, this Item PZ 6528 should
not be heard in front of the Commissioners at the October 8 meeting. Just in case, I
would like to say the following: This entire process should not even be considered
since the covenant executed in 2007 specifically states only original structure
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Luminaire can go on these lots of land and must have been built by 2009, which has
not happened. Other -- all -- otherwise all reverts to these properties becoming
residential, back to residential, as opposed to restricted residential -- restricted
commercial, I apologize. The other subject item is how can a daycare be considered --
how can this daycare be considered on these two lots -- and a certificate of use is
pending -- when there is no realistic drop-off/pickup plan for the 186 students, when
there is no realistic parking plan for the 186 students, parents, and staff and there's
no realistic waste plan in place for the 186 students? Therefore, under no
circumstances should PZ 6528's appeal be approved by our Commissioners, not only
tomorrow, October 8, but ever. See records for the property's executed covenant of
2007. Thank you again and 1 wish you the best.
Lorena Arnold: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Lorena Arnold, and I
have worked and lived in Brickell for over 14 years. And Summer Barbie and I, well,
we plan to stay here for the rest of our lives. And we understand that you're voting
today -- or actually proposing to move this beautiful Heritage cultural location to
another venue, and I'm here to oppose this. We know that all great cities, they not
only have a robust financial district, but they also have shops, and restaurants, green
space, parks, and of course, some culture. So while I understand that we have some
short-term deficit right now, I oppose moving this location because in the long-term
our City, our neighborhood, still needs to celebrate our culture and make sure that we
keep our City and neighborhood vibrant and interesting and beautiful. Thank you for
voting no to the removal of this property. Thank you so much.
Dimitri K.: Hi. My name is Dimitri (UNINTELLIGIBLE). 1 live at 1155 Brickell Bay
Drive in Brickell. And 1 just wanted to send a little video to talk about the Dade Trust
that you are discussing today. I know -- I look out my window right now and I see the
tiny little plot of land that you are proposing to sell to a developer who says he's
going to -- he or she is going to put up a 48 floor building. The first thing I'll say is,
"A, it'll be the thinnest building on Earth. " It will be a complete eyesore for the other
buildings surrounding it. Traffic will increase exponentially. But probably the most
important thing is the Dade Trust is a beautiful oasis among a City of high-rises. It is
a beautiful little home with beautiful trees around it. And amongst all the concrete
and pavement, it is just a beautifid thing to walk by every single day ,which is what I
do with my family. I think that tearing it down for a little bit of money is wrong. There
is plenty of condo space in the City of Miami. As we know, everyone is moving down
from the northeast and the north is going to single-family' homes. So the last thing we
need in Brickell is another high-rise, where most of the new high-rises are half empty
if not more. I love the high-rise living, but we have plenty of capacity for the people
that are moving down here. I think it would be a huge mistake. It reminds me of the
mistake that the town created just south of the Jade here at Brickell where they
replaced the grass with AstroTurf, which was quickly replaced with real grass again.
Sometimes when you try to do something to produce some good, it can have
disastrous effects. I hope you change your minds and leave the Dade Trust where it
belongs -- here in Brickell.
Debbie Dolson: My name is Debbie Dolson. My address is 4205 Lennox Drive,
Coconut Grove. And I would like to comment on PH.4. There are two possible
outcomes for the property located at 190 Southeast 12th Terrace. Number one, to sell
the property to developers for financial gain. Or number two, support the will of :your
constituents, who voted in 2016 to enter into a long-term lease with Dade Heritage
Trust. The short-term gain: sell out to hungry private developers eager to displace
this historic building and its current tenants who represent the rich history of our
City. The long-term loss: Dade Heritage Trust provides an important service to our
City and its history. The hidden cost in securing a new location and the expense of
moving this historically designated building would substantially lower the profit from
selling this property. Selling this small, 6,000 square .foot lot would cripple Dade
Heritage Trust's current operation on the site, eliminate a visitor's center and
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endanger the very existence of a tangible piece of Miami's history. In 2016, Miami
voters approved a Charter amendment for the City of Miami to enter into a long-term
lease which would provide a stationary place for Dade Heritage Trust to accomplish
its mission. The choice is clear. This is not about a short-term money grab. It is about
representing the voters in Miami and preserving our heritage. Please support the will
of your constituents who voted to enter into a long-term lease just four years ago.
Vote no on PH.4.
Nathaniel Parker: My name is Nathaniel Parker. I live at 6225 Southwest 123rd
Terrace, Miami, Florida 33156. I would like to comment on Public Hearing Item 4
with relation to Dade Heritage Trust's Brickell office location. Dade Heritage Trust is
an important organization providing valuable services to the Miami community. We
encourage the Commission to renew the lease and allow Dade Heritage Trust to stay
in their Brickell location. Renewing this lease ensures that students will continue to
have access to important environmental education related to the Biscayne Bay. For
many students, this the first or only time that they get to interact with Biscayne Bay.
This would not be possible without the Dade Heritage Trust's physical location along
the Brickell bayfront. I urge you to renew the lease and I thank you for the
opportunity to comment.
Emil M Barrera: My name is Emil M Barrera. And I'm a homeowner and reside at
1252 Southwest 21st Street. Thank you for the opportunity to express my strong
opposition to Village Montessori being granted a reversal of the Planning and Zoning
Board's decision not to grant them a zoning exception for a preschool/childcare
facility. When 1 attended the previous meeting in which the Montessori request was
denied, they were less than forthcoming with realistic answers. For example, when
asked about staff parking, their response was off-street parking. Specifically where
this off-street parking can be found has remained unanswered. Quite a number of
years ago, Southwest 21st Terrace between 12th and 13th Avenue was made one way
going east. This was to address traffic -- this was to address complaints of heavy
traffic which occurred because motorists did not want to wait for the traffic light
where southbound 12th Avenue meets Coral Way. When school is in session at Coral
Way Middle School, Southwest 13th Avenue is gridlocked before school starts and
again at dismissal. Just ask the residents in the area. Don't forget the traffic
generated by the United Way at Coral Way and 12th Avenue. At present, we on
Southwest 21st Terrace and Southwest 21st Street are contending with plenty of
unwanted traffic cutting through our streets to bypass the traffic light at 12th Avenue
and Coral Way. When is enough enough? Can you imagine what dropping off 186
preschool children in inclement weather would be like? Even the families with small
children in our neighborhood think granting Montessori this exception is a bad idea. I
sincerely hope you agree.
Maritza Barrios Pereira: Yes, my name is Maritza Barrios Pereira. I live at 1271
Southwest 21st Terrace, Miami, Florida 33145. And I am speaking on Item 6528, the
Montessori school of which I am totally against this. We have a covenant that covers
that corner there that states that if they did not build a -- the Luminaire building, that
it will automatically, revert back to residential. Not only that, this school will impact
negatively on the neighborhood and on the neighbors because of the traffic, the
parking spaces. The project is too big for that corner, and I am totally, totally against
it, not only I, but also, all the people around this area. We have complained, and we
feel that this is an abuse to the citizens that live here. I bought a house in a residential
area, and I want to keep my street a residential street. Thank you very much. Have a
good day.
Dolly McIntyre: My name is Dolly McIntyre. I have property at 2624 Taluga Drive in
Coconut Grove. I'm calling to speak in favor of the lease for Dade Heritage Trust
under Item PH4. Dade Heritage Trust has occupied and cared for this building for
44 years. And it's the highest and best use of that particular location. So please
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support what your voters told you to do four years ago and that is to provide a long-
term lease to Dade Heritage Trust. Thank you.
Daniel Burnhold: Hi. My name is Daniel Burnhold. And 1 live at 145 Southwest 13th
Street in Brickell. First of all, thank you so much for the opportunity to give a public
comment. I would like to discuss Public Hearing Item 4 because I strongly urge you to
renew Dade Heritage Trust lease of the Brickell office location at Dr. Jackson's
once. Dade Heritage Trust has called the office home for 44 years now, and Dr.
Jackson's office is an iconic symbol of Miami's history. The Brickell neighborhood
deserves to be preserved. The visitor's center that Dade Heritage Trust operates at the
building is accessible to the thousands of residents and workers on Brickell and the
tourists staying in the area. Moving it would cripple its value as a visitor's center.
Dade Heritage Trust has done an incredible job with the building, providing all
maintenance, upkeep, systems and insurance, totaling $30,000 per year. Selling this
land to a private developer might provide a short-term cash gain, but the substantial
cost for the relocation, for fixing any damage the 115-year-old building would sustain
in the move, providing utilities at a new site and future ongoing maintenance would
negatively impact that gain. The office is also one of the very few low-rise buildings in
the areas and provides a much -needed alternative to the high-rise towers around it
with its historic architecture and green space. Miami Waterkeeper offers free
educational programming in partnership with DHT to schoolchildren across Miami -
Dade County. In this program, students learn about the importance of the bay, and
they even participate in a water quality monitoring exercise. For many of these
students, this is the first time they've ever interacted with Biscayne Bay. This would
not be possible without Dade Heritage Trust's physical location along the Brickell
bayfront. Renewing this lease ensures that students will continue to have access to
important hands-on environmental education related to Biscayne Bay. Thank you so
much again for the opportunity to comment. I strongly urge you to renew this lease.
Have a nice day.
Katherine Arty: Hello. My name is Katherine Arty. And I live at 186 Southeast 12th
Terrace, Apartment 1009. I am leaving a message about the renewal of the Dade
Heritage Trust lease. I'm asking that the Dade Heritage Trust have their lease
renewed at their current location on Brickell Bay Drive and not for the -- and to not
sell the land. Selling this land is a short-sighted move. Brickell has more than enough
condos but very few historic cultural buildings. It is very sad to see that we are willing
to damage this treasured building and potentially risk its listing in the National
Register of Historical Places. We should be protecting these institutions, not tearing
them down. Adding another building will add more traffic and pollution to an already
congested area and a fragile ecosystem. Lastly, in 2016, the people voted to provide a
long-term lease for the Dade Heritage Trust in that building and at that site. It's
disheartening to see that in an election year when we are tiying to get more people to
participate that our politicians are not listening and respecting the voice of the
people. Thank you.
Sarah Cody Adelman: Hello, Commissioners. This is Sarah Cody Adelman; address,
1505 Northeast 105th Street, in Miami Shores. I'm speaking on Item PH.4. As I
mentioned, I live in Miami Shores, but in 2016, I was a resident of the City of Miami
and I personally voted to allow the City to extend the lease agreement for Dade
Heritage Trust and allow them to stay in the historic building that has served as their
headquarters for the last 44 years. I respectfully urge you to please approve what
your residents voted for. Dade Heritage Trust is a huge asset, not just to the City of
Miami, but to the Brickell community. They serve as a visitor's center. They offer
tours. They're the only museum in Brickell. They're also Miami's only designated bike -
friendly business. They have an award winning free educational program, and they're
a hugely important partner for many agencies, such as Miami -Dade County, the City
of Miami, and the Visitor Convention Bureau. And from a historic preservation
perspective -- because I'm the historic preservation chief for Miami -Dade County,
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though Pm providing comments on my own behalf, not on behalf of the County --
moving a historic building is not as simple as it may sound. There's a lot of questions
about who would finance that? Who would pay for the move? Who would pay for any
damage done to the building during the move? Who owns the parcel where they move
to? Does the parcel need to be purchased? Who's going to pay to lay a new
foundation, to set up utility connections? I truly believe that the long-term gain of
keeping Dade Heritage Trust in their Brickell community greatly outweighs the short-
term benefits of selling the lot to a developer. Please respect what the residents voted
for and approve the lease for Dade Heritage Trust. Thank you.
Iris Guzman Kolaya: Good morning. My name is Iris Guzman Kolaya. I'm a proud
lifelong resident of the City of Miami. I currently work as a writer and researcher
looking into the history that we have here in South Florida and the stories and the
people that make up our incredible past. I'm sending this video to you today on behalf
of the Dade Heritage Trust in connection with their efforts to keep their lease at their
current location. I think what we all need to recognize is the home of Dade Heritage
Trust is not only architecturally and historically significant because of the structure,
but it also has everything to do with its location. The two go part and parcel -- if you
excuse the pun -- together. And that's a really important piece that I think we need to
remember that that location, that site is such a great reminder. It's a physical
testament to how far we've come as a community. And unfortunately, we don't have
enough of those physical reminders here in South Florida, which makes what we have
with the Dade Heritage Trust all that much more remarkable and special. So 1 would
urge Commissioners, as you make decisions about our future, please don't forget
about our past. Thank you so much.
Christine Rupp: Christine Rupp, 190 Southeast 12th Terrace, Miami, 33131. Good
morning, Commissioners. As executive director of Dade Heritage Trust, I'm speaking
on Item PH.4, the approval of the Dade Heritage Trust long-term lease with the City
of historic building here at 190 Southeast 12th Terrace, where we've operated for the
last 44 years. In 2016, the voters of Miami approved a long-term lease for Dade
Heritage Trust in this location, and it's just coming to you now for final approval. The
building is the last piece of real history of Miami in the Brickell neighborhood and
should remain in its current location. For 44 years, we have lovingly cared for your
historic asset, our office, the original 1905 office of Dr. James Jackson. Our caring
costs inwards of about $30,000 a year here. We pay for insurance, exterior and
interior maintenance, all systems, the systems upgrades, landscaping improvements,
and of course, hurricane protection. The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors
Bureau and the Miami Downtown Development Authority -- of which you are the
current chairman, Commissioner Reyes -- partner with us on many initiatives,
including Dade Heritage Trust operation and this building as an official visitor's
center. Open seven days a week, we welcome residents and visitors from around the
globe who are attracted to our lovely wood frame historic building and our beautiful
botanical native garden right here in the middle of Brickell. We provide information
about tourism, tours, transit options, and cultural destinations around Miami. We
present wonderful exhibits, and we also currently have a wonderful K through 12 free
educational program that introduces students to our building, the Miami baywalk,
and the area City parks. Everything we do at this building promotes the City of Miami
and educates residents, visitors, and students about the importance of preserving the
cultural, environmental, and architectural heritage of our diverse and dynamic city.
We are very proud to call this building our home and wish to remain here. Please
follow the will of the voters and approve our lease. Support our good works that
benefit the City, and its residents and allow us to continue to care for and promote this
beautiful historic asset where it sits today. Thank you.
Leah Shadel: Hi. My name is Leah Shadel (phonetic). I am calling in regards to
Agenda ATumber PH4, 7611, regarding the bid waiver .for Dade Heritage Trust. I am
a resident of Brickell. My address is 1153 Brickell Bay Drive, Miami, Florida 33131.
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My building where we own our condominium is across the street from the Dade
Heritage Trust. And I'm writing to ask you -- or I'm calling to ask you to please extend
the lease to the Dade Heritage Trust. This is a really important piece of our Miami
history. And the last thing we need in our neighborhood is another high-rise building.
To sell this land to a developer would only contribute to the overcrowding traffic,
environmental degradation, and congestion in the area. So I would please urge you to
extend the lease with the Dade Heritage Trust in accordance with what Miami
residents voted for a few years ago. Thank you.
Holly Baker: Hello. My name is Holly Baker. I live at Solaris at Brickell Bay, 186
Southeast 12th Terrace. I am calling in regards to the Dade Heritage Trust. I am
wanting just to share that I think it would be a huge mistake to sell or move the Trust
building, sell the property to a developer, and develop a high-rise. 1 read that it could
go up 48 floors. This little, tiny area is already so congested with so many people.
You've got the club adjacent to us. There's a parking lot which apparently is going to
be developed within the next couple years, we hear through the grapevine. The Trust
is a really -- it's just a really endearing spot to have a little piece of history in
Brickell. I couldn't even imagine a high-rise going up on that small little plot of land.
It would just be so cumbersome, such a mess. I think it would be a huge disservice to
this area, not to mention obstructing the views of the residents that have been living in
Solaris for many years. Thank you. So I'm opposed to this idea. Thanks.
Kevin Marshburn: Hi. My name's Kevin Marshburn. 1 live at 1155 Brickell Bay Drive.
And 1 am calling in support of the Dade Heritage Trust. 1 think it would be very
shortsighted for the City to sell that historical piece of property for financial gain on
an already crowded street and neighborhood and lose a real piece of neighborhood
character there. And 1 think it also would go against the wishes of all of the immediate
residents in that area that I've talked to. So I would strongly oppose the idea of selling
that historic site and building another high-rise, which we definitely don't need in the
Brickell Bay area. Thank you.
Emily Yaeger: My name is Emily Yaeger. And my address is 285 Sunrise Drive, Key
Biscayne. I would like to speak on Item 4, related to the Dade Heritage Trust lease of
their Brickell office location. Today I would encourage the Commission to renew the
lease and allow the Dade Heritage Trust to stay in their Brickell home. Dade
Heritage Trust is an important organization, providing valuable services to the Miami
community, including free educational programming in partnership with the Miami
Waterkeeper. Through this programming, students learn about the importance of the
bay and protecting it. Renewing the Dade Heritage Trust lease ensures that students
will continue to have access to important hands-on environmental education related
to Biscayne Bay and also ensure that the historical site will not be torn down in favor
of a newer building, which in being built could itself contaminate the bay. I urge you
to renew the lease to ensure the longevity of this organization which has so positively
impacted our community. Thank you so much for the opportunity to comment today.
Kelly Cox: Hello. My name is Kelly Cox; address is 2103 Coral Way, second floor,
Miami Florida 33145. I'm calling today on behalf of Miami Waterkeeper to speak on
Public Hearing Item 4, related to the Dade Heritage Trust lease at 190 Southeast 12th
Terrace. Miami Waterkeeper is an educational programming partner of Dade
Heritage Trust. And their location in the Brickell area, their historic headquarters is
really critical for us to be able to enact educational programming. We work with
Dade Heritage Trust to provide field experiences to students from all across Miami -
Dade County for free to -- near Biscayne Bay along the Miami baywalk. Through this
program, the students learn about the bay's environmental significance. They preform
water quality, exercises, and they get experiential field learning. For many of these
students, this is their first interaction with Biscayne Bay. And it's so important to have
the access to the water in this Brickell location to allow .for this educational
programming to move forward. I'd like to urge this Commission to approve Dade
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Heritage Trust's lease at the building they've occupied, for 44 years. They're truly a
pillar of our community, and it has been Miami Waterkeeper's great pleasure to work
with this incredible organization. We encourage you therefore to renew the lease and
support Dade Heritage Trust in the services that they provide to our community.
Thank you very much.
Ashley Campbell: I am Ashley Campbell, and I live at 6630 Southwest 57th Avenue in
South Miami. I'm speaking on Public Hearing Item Number 4. I encourage the
Commission to renew the lease for Dade Heritage Trust. They are not only beneficial
for tourists, but also residents. Dade Heritage Trust provides free educational
programming and green space programs that introduce students to Biscayne Bay.
Renewing this lease will ensure that students continue to have access to
environmental education, which can inspire careers to help further the fight for better
water quality and climate change in the bay. The substantial cost for relocation and
short -terra cash gain from a private developer are not worth more than the benefits of
inspiring future generations. So I again urge you to renew the lease. Thank you for
your time.
Rachel Silverstein: Hello. My name is Rachel Silverstein, and I'm the executive
director in Waterkeeper, a local nonprofit. Miami Waterkeeper -- our address is at
2103 Coral Way. I want to speak you today about an issue that is not a typical Miami
Waterkeeper issue but is extremely important nonetheless and directly affects one of
our partner organizations, the Dade Heritage Trust. The Dade Heritage Trust has
called the Dr. Jackson office in Brickell home for 44 years. And they run extremely
important programming and community partnerships out of that office. And it's not
only a place to host programming, but it is an educational experience just to visit
itself We have -- in particular with Miami Waterkeeper -- our historic places green
spaces program, where we have introduced hundreds of students to Biscayne Bay and
the Miami baywalk by visiting the Dr. Jackson office with Dade Heritage Trust. We
hope that they can continue to have this important hands-on educational experience
in this very important historical location. And please renew their lease to ensure the
continuation of this wonderful community focused organization. Thank you so much.
Natalie Bryce: My name is Natalie Bryce. I live at 6566 Southwest 52nd Terrace. I
would like to speak on Public Hearing Iteni 4 regarding the Dade Heritage Trust
lease of their Brickell office location. The Dade Heritage Trust has occupied this
location for 44 years, and they have been directly involved with Miami Waterkeeper
to promote environmental awareness and education to students in Miami -Dade
County. A lease renewal would allow these students to have continued access to
important hands-on education opportunities related to Biscayne Bay. Such
opportunities allow the students to get directly involved and invested with water
quality monitoring and learn about the important body of water that is right in their
backyard. This is an incredibly important way to foster a sense of environmental
awareness and to educate the next generation of climate informed students. I strongly
encourage a renewal of the lease in Brickell. Thank you for your leadership and for
giving me the opportunity to speak today.
Nikosi Muse: Hi. My name is Nikosi Muse. I am a doctoral student. My address is 50
Biscayne Boulevard. I'm making this public comment today because I have some
genuine concern about the dilemma that the Dade Heritage Trust currently faces. I
genuinely believe that the Dade Heritage Trust is a gem to the Miami community
because it provides essential services and important services to those within the
Miami community and those outside of the Miami community. Now, I could
understand -- or it would be one thing if the Dade Heritage Trust was just a landmark
building. But besides the fact that it is the former office of Dr. James Jackson, it also
provides important services to the City of Miami. Some of these services align with
missions that organizations such as the Miami Waterkeeper have, which are
essentially to protect the best interests of the people of Miami and its resources for
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over 20 years now. So with, I genuinely do not understand why uprooting the Dade
Heritage Trust would be a good thing when it educates people on topic that have been
largely a part of public hearings, such as Biscayne Bay, for some time now. I
ultimately believe that in the long run ensuring that the Dade Heritage Trust remains
in the City of Miami or in Brickell would ultimately save the City of Miami money in
the long run and he more beneficial. I believe that uprooting the Miami -Dade
Heritage Trust would be more harmful than beneficial, and I believe that extending
the lease would be essential and important to the people of Miami. So with that,
again, I strongly urge you to renew the lease because I believe that it would be more
beneficial to the City of Miami and its people than harmful. Thankyou.
Donna Shelley: This is Donna Shelley. My address is 7000 Southwest 80th Street,
Apartment 102, Miami, 33143. And I'm calling regarding Dade Heritage Trust and
the land beneath this historic building. 1 am requesting that you leave the building
right where it is, as the public has intended. Again, it's Donna Shelley, from 33143.
Thank you.
Maria Ruiz: Good morning. My name is Maria Ruiz. I'm a resident of the Brickell
area in the City of Miami, and I'm president of the Board of Directors at The Mark on
Brickell Bay condo, on Brickell Bay Drive. As I understand it, in 2016, the Miami
voters spoke and amended the City Charter for the City to enter into a long-term lease
so that the historic Jackson office on the corner of 12th Terrace and Brickell Bay
Drive could remain right where it's been for over a hundred years. It's been four years
with no lease. 1 understand the City met two weeks ago to discuss this issue and that
the Commission is considering not renewing the lease, and instead, moving the house,
selling the land, and making way for new development in that space. Speaking for
myself 1 oppose such a move. A new development in this area would create more
traffic congestion in an already congested area. Moreover, the people of the City of
Miami have spoken on this issue. They want the Jackson office to stay right where it
is. As of this video, more than 85 residents in my building have signed a petition that
asks the Commission to follow the will of the people and renew this lease. As of this
meeting, we will have submitted that petition to you, and shortly, there will be even
more signatures on it. We ask that you renew the lease and follow the will of the
people. Thankyou.
Susanne Doblecki Lewis: Greetings, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners. My
name is Dr. Susanne Doblecki Lewis. I'm Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine for
the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine at 1120 Northwest 14th Street, in
Miami, 33136. I am the University of Miami lead for the NIH (National Institutes of
Health) Coronavirus Prevention Network and the site principal investigator for the
Moderna COVID-I9 vaccine trial. I am speaking today in favor of Item RE.8. As you
know, the COVID-19 vaccine effort requires setup and execution of large clinical
trials in an unprecedented timeframe. Practically speaking, this means that we are
pushing the physical limits of available space in our clinical research units. The
Federal Government, through Operation Warp Speed, has provided the trailer to
allow additional space for enrollment and follow-up of COVID-19 vaccine
participants. The University of Miami has been very, successful in bringing in
participants representative of the diversity of Miami and in preforming high -quality
clinical research in this important area. This resolution will allow us to use the
government provided trailer located at 1950 Northwest 7th Avenue to have additional
space that is critical to our ability to carry out these trials and to ensure that the
people of Miami are well represented in these important studies. Thank you for your
consideration of this request. I am happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Please do not hesitate to reach out for discussion. Thank you.
Sabrina Velarde: Hello, Commissioners. My name is Sabrina Velarde. I'm speaking
on behalf of Miami Homes for All. Our address is 1951 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami,
Florida 33136. I'm speaking today in support of Item PH.4, (INAUDIBLE) our
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partners at Dade Heritage Trust Miami. Miami Homes for All is a proud partner of
Dade Heritage Trust. We believe that they provide an immeasurable value to Miami
and specifically to the Brickell area. Moreover, their home is an iconic symbol of
Miami's history and is representative of the small-scale buildings we continue to see
in Miami's neighborhoods today. We ask that this Commission approve this resolution
so that this excellent organization could continue its work on behalf of our
community. Thankyou.
Alejandro Abreu: Hello. My name is Alejandro Abreu (phonetic). I live in 186 12th
Terrace, Miami, Florida 33131. And I'm calling regarding the renewal of the lease of
the Dr. Jackson museum, or now that Dade Heritage Trust has their offices. I found
out that the lease of this building is not going to be renewed. In 2016, I voted in order
to make a longer lease for this facility, and 1 would like to support that it keeps that
way. This is the only museum we have in the Brickell area. And if this is moved, it can
create a lot of damages. 1 don't believe it will stay the same. And also, the space over
there is very small to create another building, high tower, so this is something that we
must preserve. (INAUDIBLE) what the voters wanted in the 2016 election regarding
this topic. So I hope you guys honor us as voters and to renew the lease for the Dade
Heritage Trust for long term, as agreed in the election. Thank you very much.
Terence Tennant: Hello. This is Terrence Tennant. I live at 186 Southeast 12th
Terrace, in Miami, Florida 33131. I wanted to comment on the Dade Heritage Trust
and the doctor's house, which was the first doctor in Miami. 1 would really appreciate
keeping this house located where it is with the heritage that it has. And please renew
its lease for a long time to come so that other Miami -Dade and Brickell residents may
enjoy this beautiful scenic historical place. Thank you. Bye.
Charles Loredo: Hello. This is Charles Loredo. I reside at 1004 Southwest 16th
Avenue. I am speaking on behalf of the Dade Heritage Trust lease issue. I am in favor
of the City finally finalizing a lease. This was approved by the voters by referendum
on -- in a Charter amendment back in 2016. I don't understand why it hasn't been
done yet. This is an association that protects all of us here in Dade County; protects
our heritage, protects our history, of which we have very little. So, again, I'm
speaking in favor of finally executing the lease for the Dade Heritage Trust building
in the Brickell area. Thankyou. Where it exists now.
Luis Herrera: My name is Luis Herrera, president of Vizcaya Homeowners
Association, 1181 Southwest 22nd Terrace. I'm calling respect to PZ
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) for the Montessori school. I'm against it because the Montessori
school, they don't have no parking for the customer, no parking for the employees. I
don't know why they going to give a permit to open the school when they don't have
the right thing to have a school in that particular corner. Thank you. And again, that
school in that particular area where the quality life of the people is in danger. Thank
you.
Vittorio Parravano: Hi. My name is Vittorio Parravano. I am a student at Florida
International University. And I have a project on -- I have to report on a newsworthy
event, and I have chosen the City Commission meeting taking place on October 8. I
stay at 8518 Northwest 114th Court, in Doral. And I was wondering if you could call
me -- if anyone can reach out back to me at this number, which is 786-329-0622, or at
my email, vittorio20011@hotmail.com, in correspondence to (INAUDIBLE) have to
set up with two board members as part of my project. I will be watching the meeting
tomorrow to identify and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) contact information on the City
website. So I was wondering if I could get maybe like a phone number or an e-mail so
I could set up a couple questions that I have for any members that are willing to
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) me. Thank you. Have a good day. Goodbye.
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Vittoria Tallarico: Hi. It's Vittoria Tallarico, and my address is 1155 Brickell Bay
Drive. It's Miami, Florida, Unit 1504. And I am calling regarding tearing -- or
relocating the historical site in Brickell. I think it's a terrible call. And 1 think that our
City has already lost everything that was historical about it. The traffic will be a
nightmare. And we really don't need to see any more high-rises built on such a small
piece of property. Thank you.
Claudia De Rosario: Hello. This is Claudia De Rosario. I live in 1155 Brickell Bay
Drive. And I'm calling opposing the removal of the monuments. We have already so
much traffic in Brickell, so we don't need another building. Thank you.
Rodrigo Padron: Hi. My name is Rodrigo Padron. I live in 1155 Brickell Bay Drive.
I'm calling because I don't think that the monumental building here, the medical one,
should be destroyed. You know, I would like to preserve that part of history; wouldn't
want it, you know, demolished. Also, besides from that, the traffic it'll cause, and also,
it's such a small space that you really can't -- you know? -- work with that. But yeah,
definitely, I really hope you guys don't destroy it and really preserve it because it is
obviously history. All right. Thank you. Hope you respect what I say.
Sydney Gangiss: Good morning, Mayor and Commission. My name is Sydney Gangiss
(phonetic). My address is 2263 Southwest 37th Avenue, in Miami. And the item
number I would be talking about is 4. I just think this is really important because I'm
a student at RSMAS (Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science). And
students learn about the importance of the bay, and they even participate in a lot of
the water quality monitoring. And to me and my students, this is a very important and
eye-opening opportunity. I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Thank you. Have a good one.
Sarah Taylor: My name is Sarah Taylor. I reside at 601 Northeast 23rd Street, in
Miami Florida 33137. I would like to make a public comment for Public Hearing Item
4 regarding Dade Heritage Trust's lease of their Brickell office location. The Dade
Heritage Trust is an important organization providing valuable services to the Miami
community. Miami Waterkeeper offers free educational programming in partnership
with the Dade Heritage Trust to schoolchildren across Miami -Dade County. Students
here have the opportunity to learn about the importance of the bay and participate in
water quality monitoring. This could not be possible without Dade Heritage Trust's
physical location along the Brickell bay front. Renewing this lease ensures that the
students will continue to have access to important hands-on environmental education
related to Biscayne Bay. I encourage the Commission to renew the lease and allow
Dade Heritage Trust to stay in their Brickell location. And I thank you for the
opportunity for this public comment.
Erica Mullen: Hi. My name is Erica Mullen (phonetic), and my address is 628
Zamora Avenue, Coral Gables. I am providing this testimony in support of Dade
Heritage Trust maintaining their long-term lease on the Dr. James Jackson House at
190 Southeast 12th Terrace, in Brickell. Dade Heritage Trust provides a vital service
for Miami -Dade by advocating for cultural preservation and educating the public on
tangible and intangible history of the area. This service allows Miami to retain those
parts of its past that make it unique, which in turn spurs tourism to the area. The
house they occupy furthers that mission and allows them to provide educational
outreach, as well as acting as a resource for visitors. In addition to the house
providing a working space for Dade Heritage Trust, as well as a visitors' center, the
history and architecture of the building make it a rare early survivor that reflects
Miami's past. As the house of Miami's first doctor, the house provides a link to the
earliest days in Miami and provides an educational opportunity for people and
groups to learn about that past. Additionally, the house retains a high degree of
integrity, with the (INAUDIBLE) roof triangular (INAUDIBLE) entry, and simple
supporting columns. The house is a rare surviving example of this style in the area,
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
and as such, needs to be maintained (INAUDIBLE). The citizens of Miami have
already given their support for Dade Heritage Trust maintaining a long-term lease on
the house. To break with that decision would be a violation of the trust the citizens
placed in their government. Thank you for your time.
Alexandria Blake: Hello. My name is Alexandria Blake, and I am a resident of Miami.
Today, I'm calling in relation to Item 4. I'm making this phone call today to ask the
Commission to vote to renew the lease and grant Dade Heritage Trust to stay in the
Brickell location. This organization does many valuable sources to the community.
One such issue is the -- is that educational programs would be lost if the lease was not
renewed. I have worked as a teacher for children through substituting for many years
and believe that it's highly important to take part in educating the public and those
around us. Again, 1 ask the Commission today to please vote to renew the lease.
Thank you for your time.
Vera Hochberg: Hi. My name is Vera Hochberg. I live at The Mark, 1155 Brickell
Bay Drive, Apartment 1911. And I'm making this video to save the Miami -Dade
Heritage Trust. I am making this video from rnv balcony of The Mark. And I'm going
to show you the Miami -Dade Heritage Trust (INAUDIBLE) little house surrounded by
(INAUDIBLE). (INAUDIBLE). And that's the only oasis among all these high-rises.
So, please, let's save Miami-Dade's architectural, cultural heritage and beauty from
the past. Thank you very much.
Maria Batista (As translated by Mariana Campos, Official Spanish Interpreter):
Good morning. I'm the Spanish interpreter. I'm Maria Batista. 1 live at 35th Street,
Miami, Florida 33127. 1 would like to express my opinion and say that I don't agree
with building the expressway because I don't want to sell. I'm old. 15n 75 -- I'm 76
years old, and I would like to stay in my house. That's my opinion. Okay, thank you.
Chair Hardemon: All right. Thank you very much. There isn't any more public
comment, correct?
Mr. Otero: Yes, there's one person that's -- would like to speak from the attendee list.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Otero: Okay, Ms. Cox, you're live.
Ms. Cox: Good morning, Commissioners. Can you hear me okay? My name is Kelly
Cox. I'm the general counsel with Miami Waterkeeper. We're a local nonprofit that's
dedicated to protecting South Florida's watershed. Today, I'd like to speak in favor of
Commissioner Ken Russell's pocket item related to increased enforcement on
construction sites for excess sedimentation that's entering our bay. Biscayne Bay is
experiencing a decline right now, and that decline is being made worse by a variety of
different pollution inputs. Sedimentation and runoff from construction sites is just one
pollution input. And we are hoping that this additional measure that would allow the
building manager -- the Building Director and the Building Department to issue stop
work orders and to issue fines and things like that would really help with increased
enforcement when we do see pollution occurring in real time and would allow us to
swiftly intervene to curtail that pollution. So, today, I'd like to voice Miami
Waterkeeper's support of this item, and we encourage you to help it move forward.
Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. All right, everyone.
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MV - MAYORAL VETO(ES)
NO MAYORAL VETOES
There were no mayoral vetoes associated with legislation that is subject to veto by the Mayor.
Chair Hardemon: Are there any mayoral vetoes?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, there are no mayoral vetoes.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
END OF MAYORAL VETO(ES)
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
CA - CONSENT AGENDA
The following item(s) was Adopted on the Consent Agenda
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla
ABSENT: Carollo, Reyes
CA.1 RESOLUTION
7785
Department of
General Services
Administration
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING
THE BID RECEIVED ON JANUARY 27, 2020 PURSUANT TO
INVITATION FOR BID ("IFB") NO. 1141381 FOR THE PROVISION
OF PAINT ON AN AS -NEEDED BASIS FROM LANCO & HARRIS
CORP., A FLORIDA PROFIT CORPORATION ("LANCO"), THE
LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, FOR THE
CITY OF MIAMI'S GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
("GSA") FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS WITH
THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO (2) ADDITIONAL ONE (1)
YEAR PERIODS; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM GSA GENERAL
ACCOUNT NO. 05001.242030.546000 AND SUCH OTHER
FUNDING SOURCES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF
FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY
AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO
ALL ALLOCATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY
APPROVALS, COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
PROVISIONS OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), INCLUDING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN
CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY CODE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL
APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE
DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0308
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.l, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
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CA.2 RESOLUTION
7845
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), VACATING, DISCONTINUING, AND
ABANDONING A PORTION OF THE NORTHERN SIDE OF
NORTHWEST 28TH STREET WEST OF NORTH MIAMI AVENUE,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN
EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, CONTAINING
APPROXIMATELY 500 SQUARE FEET; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A QUIT CLAIM DEED, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, PURSUANT TO
SECTION 255.22, FLORIDA STATUTES, IN FAVOR OF PRH NW
28, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE
SUCCESSOR -IN -INTEREST OF THE ORIGINAL DEDICATOR.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0309
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.2, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
CA.3 RESOLUTION
7939
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DECLARING
NO OBJECTION AND SUPPORTING THE CO -DESIGNATION BY
THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2020-
185, FOR THAT PORTION WITHIN THE CITY OF MIAMI'S LIMITS
OF SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY/STATE ROAD ("SR") 5/UNITED
STATES ROUTE 1 ("U.S. 1") FROM BROOKER STREET TO SR
9A/INTERSTATE 95 ("1-95") NORTHBOUND AS "HARRIET
TUBMAN HIGHWAY", MIAMI, FLORIDA; FURTHER DIRECTING
THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS STATED HEREIN.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0310
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.3, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
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CA.4 RESOLUTION
7818
Department of Risk
Management
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY TO AND
ON BEHALF OF BEN BOBILLO, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS
IMPOSED BY CHAPTER 440, FLORIDA STATUTES, THE TOTAL
SUM OF $34,000.00, INCLUSIVE OF COSTS AND ATTORNEYS'
FEES, AS FULL SETTLEMENT OF ALL CLAIMS AND DATES OF
ACCIDENT ALLEGED AGAINST THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"), ITS
OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES, WITHOUT ADMISSION
OF LIABILITY, UPON EXECUTING A SETTLEMENT, HOLD
HARMLESS, AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AS WELL AS
A GENERAL RELEASE OF THE CITY, ITS PRESENT AND
FORMER OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM ANY
AND ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM
THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, INDEX CODE NO.
50001.301001.524000.0000.00000 AND OF INDEX CODE NO.
00001.980000.531010.0000.00000.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0311
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.4, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
Chair Hardemon: Do we have quorum? Yes, we do, okay. All right. So let's start to
move some agendas then. Is there a motion to approve the CA (consent agenda)
agenda?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: One second.
Vice Chair Russell: So moved.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Chair Hardemon: Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor,
say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes.
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PH - PUBLIC HEARINGS
PH.1 RESOLUTION
7805
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), TRANSFERRING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT ("CDBG") FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF
$1,574,636.20 AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF $99,820.80 FROM
THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S PROGRAM INCOME, FOR A TOTAL
AMOUNT OF $1,674,457.00, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ("DEPARTMENT")
TO THE AGENCIES SPECIFIED IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO AMENDMENTS, EXTENSIONS, AND
MODIFICATIONS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, SUBJECT TO ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
LAWS THAT REGULATE THE USE OF SUCH FUNDS, FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0312
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Chair Hardemon: Okay, in regard to PH.1, the CDBG (Community Development
Block Grant), has the dollar amounts been clarified? I know that there was a mistake
that was entered on the record.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Which was a mistake?
Chair Hardemon: Well, it was within my allocation of that. So, I need someone from
the City Manager's office or -- to clam whether or not they made those amendments
or (UNINTELLIGIBLE) do that on the floor. Is George here? If not --
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): We're going to get George or Sandy on in two
minutes. Yeah, give us a quick second.
Chair Hardemon: Because I'm going to move --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I also -- Mr. Chair?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I also had a question I asked yesterday in my,
briefing. There were two new agencies in the organization that were being funded,
and I wanted to know the names of those organizations. I asked the City Manager
yesterday. They were going to get back to me with that; they haven't.
Mr. Noriega: There was an e-mail sent out.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We had a very, late briefing last night, so we -- I
know they probably had (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Noriega: There was an e-mail sent to you, Commissioner. Let me see if 1 can get
access to it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Where, today?
Mr. Noriega: Let me see. Yes, yes, yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just have all these e-mails from the Dade
Heritage Trust on the issue that I can't get to it. Did you find it?
Mr. Noriega: Looking for it. There we go. .
Manuel Otero (Innovation and Technology Web Administrator): Someone has
feedback. You might want to check.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah. So, it was sent last night, I think at seven.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have it.
Mr. Noriega: (INAUDIBLE) allocation, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have it.
Mr. Noriega: Okay. Making sure your answer got -- question got answered.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, yeah, okay. Okay, that's fine.
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Mensah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (INAUDIBLE) pending ---
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Yes.
Chair Hardemon: Have you substituted the changes that were supposed to have been
made? Because there were some things that were not correct when I last saw it.
Mr. Mensah: Yes. We -- good morning. George Mensah. I'm director of Housing and
Community Development. Yes, I did speak to James. The changes we were asked to
make, we did make them. However, when we did the initial allocation, there was an
error in the Excel calculations. And so James wanted me to ensure that the agencies
are getting a lot more money than they got last year, and that those ones that you
have asked that we move were already moved out. And so you have -- yeah.
Chair Hardemon: You're speaking really low. So clarify then, where can I find the
changes that were made?
Mr. Mensah: If you look at -- because of the fact that we are not able to break them
out in districts, you cannot see. But if you look at the original one that we sent you,
Liberty City Optimist already had 67,000, and then you had Multiethnic, 37,000. You
asked us to provide the Multiethnic 37,000 and give it to De Hostos -- no, the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- to put the FANM (Family Action Network Movement)
Network, 32,000 (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And give that to De Hostos. And then you
asked that the 37,000 from Multiethnic goes to the Liberty City Optimist. However, we
had already had your allocation higher than what it should be. So what we did was
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we were up by more than $30,000, so we took that off from the Liberty Optimist so
that they now have 70,000.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm not -- I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I can't hear him.
Chair Hardemon: Well, I have problems hearing.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of money being moved. So
I'm hearing parts of it, and I really want to hear this. It's very important. So, Mr.
Mensah, if you could speak up.
Mr. Noriega: Is there any way --? George.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Mr. Noriega: Is there any way you can put something on the screen to create a visual
for them to augment your verbal presentation?
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Mr. Noriega: Because it would help them see it.
Mr. Mensah: Let me see.
Mr. Noriega: 1 think it might just make things easier for you guys to understand it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because -- yeah, I agree, Manager. Mr. Chair, if
we're going to move any money from one place to another, let's make sure we take it
out of Commissioner -- District 2, Commissioner Russell's budget and shift it to us.
But make sure that Allapattah -- poor Allapattah doesn't get anything. And for the
first time since I've been here -- for the first time, Mr. Chair, this list that I have in
front of me, in first place is the name Allapattah. For the first time, Allapattah is in
first place. Grant number one in funding for our senior centers, and to me that makes
me very happy.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I think if we're going to go anywhere, let's go to
Russell's district, get it out of there and put it over here, but please leave poor
Allapattah alone if we can. And now De Hostos is a different story because it serves
both your district and mine. They do great work there. So, but just remember, just
remember the poor kids in my neighborhood too. They need -- and our poor seniors
also need to have good resources.
Chair Hardemon: So clam --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I always worry -- because you're a very clever
man, and you're a very smart man, and you're about to leave. I just want to make sure
-- you know? -- that you don't take anything with you when you leave.
Commissioner Reyes: As a matter of fact, if I might add, send something back. Send
some of the funds that you have at the County, send it back.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I thought you could (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Just
give it to us.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know what I'm saying?
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Guys, you can keep this.
Chair Hardemon: I would not intentionally harm any of you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know that.
Chair Hardemon: All of this junding is actually within my district, so 1 was moving it
around within --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know. I'm -- this is just a little levity, that's all. I
know.
Chair Hardemon: And the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But De Hostos matters because Vincent called me
too, and they do great work there.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I went there a lot during -- when I was
campaigning. And you know, 1 see the work that they do there. It's in your district, but
a lot of people that he serves are in my district also. So it's kind of like 60/40, so that's
-- it really serves both of our constituents, so it's an important area for us. So I'm glad
that you're doing the effort to put the dollars for him.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair, if I may add. That senior center has been serving
that community for a long time.
Mr. Mensah: So --
Commissioner Reyes: And it needs to be properly funded because there is a lot of
senior residents that they -- that's the only place they have to go and have a good
meal, and also socially, they have a good time there. And it's been there forever, you
see.
Chair Hardemon: I completely agree with you. And Miami -Dade County is actually --
has their foot on their neck right now, so it's very interesting what's happening.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely, exactly.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, that's why I'rn trying to get them some more resources and
Pm moving it around within my budget at least to get them there in a number of
different ways. So you better believe you have a partner in me with that (INAUDIBLE)
move forward with that. Okay, so George --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: -- we're ready for you.
Mr. Mensah: Okay. Commissioner, Mr. Chair, we have -- the Multiethnic is 37,000,
and you requested that we move that to Liberty Optimist. And then the Family --
FANM, 32, and you requested that we move it to De Hostos.
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Chair Hardemon: Right.
Mr. Mensah: Now, what 1 was saying was that we overestimated the allocation for D5
(District 5), and so what we did was at the -- we removed -- we reduced the
overestimation from the Liberty City Optimist Club. And so the actual amount that
came to is 70 -- I believe it's 72,524. Now, in the past few years, in the last jive years
that we've been funding them, they never spent anything less than -- more than
60,000. They've always left money on the table. So this 72,000 that we're giving them,
we doubt that they'll be able to spend it, but you know, we think that at least that gives
the ability to spend over the 60,000 that they've normally got.
Chair Hardemon: So let me tell you, that's something very interesting, gentlemen.
When 1 first came in -- right? -- I was encouraged -- discouraged rather to give the
Liberty City Optimist Club any money because, apparently, they had some issues with
how they were -- how the money was being managed. That was the way that it was
described to me.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: At the time, there was Coach Sam Johnson, who's legendary at that
place, who was one of my former coaches. His name is on the building that has the
new gymnasium there. He had just recently passed, and they were trying to keep
everything together. His wife was stepping in as a volunteer role to be -- to run the
organization, but it just was a very, very hard time. And so they couldn't properly
manage themselves. And so, of course, like any good Miamian from that community
would do, I fought against that, and we ensured that they had funding. Now, one of
the problems that organizations like this have is the ability, to spend money that they
don't already have, so a lot of this works by reimbursement. And so, if you don't have
any money, then you can't spend it in the first place. You know, if you're an
organization that does very, very well for yourself, you could take a credit card, spend
the money, and move on. But for many of our organizations and places where they're
fighting poverty, they don't have that ability. And so you'll have -- or people -- like
people who volunteer their -- will float the money. They will -- you know, they'll pay it
up front, and then hopefully get reimbursed sometime later. That's why the
reimbursement process, it's very, very important for the City as far as getting it timely
reimbursed and not really, you know, jerking people around. So, in Liberty City
Optimist, when he says they leave money on the table, he very well describes an
organization that's very conscious of its spending and has a -- you know? -- more
difficult time than many other organizations in trying to ensure that the money is
spent and that they get reimbursed because they don't have anyone that's on the --
they don't have access to a $100,000 limit credit line. And so that's part of the issues
that organizations like this have. I just kind of wanted to clarify that on the record
before we move any further. Second, what I'd like to do is because the Liberty City
Optimist serves so many kids, I wouldn't want you to take the money away from them.
That's precisely why I'nr trying to increase the amount. And so instead, take that
difference that you overcalculated from World Literacy Crusade of Florida. And then
when you take it from that, restore Liberty City Optimist back to where it was, plus
the additional funds that you were giving them to be able to service the -- all the kids
that they're getting, especially moving forward now that this COVID-19 stuff is going
to be (INAUDIBLE).
Mr. Mensah: Okay, so move them to 104, 000, which is what it was?
Chair Hardemon: What it was with the correct allocations that I gave, yes.
Mr. Mensah: Okay.
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Chair Hardemon: All right. And so if there are --- I don't know if there are any other
corrections that need to be made on the record in any other districts?
Mr. Mensah: Mr. Chair, I wanted to tell you something. Because typically, when
organizations have a similar situation that you just outlined, what we do is that we
pay directly to the providers. So, for example, if they have food supply -- it's about
them paying and us paying. We will pay directly to the food, so they just have to give
us the invoice, and we'll pay directly to them. So that should help them. And I'm sure
there's some technical assistance that we can provide to them so they can be able to
do that.
Chair Hardemon: Well, we need to make that very plain to all the organizations.
Mr. Mensah: Yes, yes, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yes, you're recognized, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: To that effect, I -- we have to do it every organization. But 1 had
a lot of complaints -- and De Hostos was one -- that it took a long time for them to get
their food providers reimbursed and paid. What we have to do, we have to expedite
those payments so the services cannot be cut, they cannot be interrupted, you see,
particularly in those organizations that they serve the elders and the youth and
everybody that needs it. And they have contractors that they provide the services, and
then they are paid. And we cannot, I mean, take so long for those contractors because
1 mean, they have expenses also, you see. And if we take a month or two months, three
months before they get a check -- you see? -- that goes against the people that are
providing our services and also makes the people that are -- those organizations
nervous, you see. And I received many, many calls from them. I mean, and not only
from the district, but other -- De Hostos is one of them.
Mr. Mensah: Yes, Commissioner. I was going to tell you that the only agency that we
had an issue with was De Hostos.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mr. Mensah: It always happens in the beginning of the year based on the contracting
-- the signing of the contract. However, we have a 14-day turnaround, and it is part of
our performance measure that is reported on a monthly basis. And we do better than
the 14-day turnaround. As a matter of fact, most of our performance measures is 10
days turnaround. De Hostos, we have some problems with them in which we always
try to -- and that's the reason why they have more Poverty Initiative funds than CDBG
(Community Development Block Grant) funds because they have some .financial
issues to deal with. But we're working with them to make sure that --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Mr. Mensah: -- the contractors are paid, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: And also, you well know that from my office we also give De
Hostos about 3 or $4,000.
Mr. Mensah: Yes, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: We always do because that is very important, as Commissioner
Diaz de la Portilla stated. I mean, they are serving not only people from
Commissioner Hardemon, but they're also serving people from Commissioner Diaz de
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la Portilla. And that is a very, very, very low-income area, and they need to be taken
care of.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Commissioner.
Chair Hardemon: All right, wonderful. So here we are.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Should I move it?
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, with all the amendments that were made on the record.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: I second it.
Chair Hardemon: Any further discussion on the item? Hearing none, all in favor, say
"aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? That motion --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): As amended.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As amended.
Commissioner Reyes: As amended.
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PH.2 RESOLUTION
7921
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION,
AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF AN ADDITIONAL
ALLOCATION OF CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND ("CRF") FUNDS
FROM THE UNITED STATES TREASURY DEPARTMENT
THROUGH FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION
("FHFC") IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $787,500.00 AND
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF SUCH FUNDS FOR
MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE WHEREBY THE CITY IS ALLOCATING
AN AMOUNT OF $78,750.00 FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
AND ALLOCATING AN AMOUNT OF $708,750.00 FOR MORTGAGE
ASSISTANCE, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE LOCAL HOUSING
ASSISTANCE PLAN ("LHAP"); FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS INCLUDING AMENDMENTS,
EXTENSIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS, ALL IN FORMS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, SUBJECT TO ALL
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS THAT REGULATE THE USE
OF SUCH FUNDS, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0313
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Chair Hardemon: Is there --? Let me see, one second. Is there a motion on PH.2 and
3?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved. PH.2 and 3?
Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly --
Commissioner Reyes: Second, second.
Chair Hardemon: Seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
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PH.3 RESOLUTION
7830
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE PLAT TITLED "CORPUS
CHRISTI", A REPLAT IN THE CITY OF MIAMI OF THE PROPERTY
DESCRIBED IN ATTACHMENT "1", SUBJECT TO SATISFACTION
OF ALL CONDITIONS REQUIRED BY THE PLAT AND STREET
COMMITTEE AS SET FORTH IN EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, AND THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN
SECTION 55-8 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED; ACCEPTING THE DEDICATIONS SHOWN ON THE
PLAT; AND AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER
AND THE CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE THE PLAT AND CAUSE THE
RECORDATION OF THE PLAT IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0314
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.3, please see Item
Number PH.2.
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PH.4 RESOLUTION
7611
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING,
CONFIRMING, AND APPROVING THE CITY MANAGER'S
RECOMMENDATION AND WRITTEN FINDING, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," PURSUANT TO SECTION 29-
B(C) OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED ("CITY CHARTER"); WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING PURSUANT TO SECTION
18-85(A) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, BASED UPON RESOLUTION NOS. R-16-0347 AND R-
16-0348 ADOPTED JULY 29, 2016 AND SUBSEQUENT SPECIAL
ELECTION RESULTS OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016 WHICH
AUTHORIZED THE RELATED AMENDMENT OF THE CITY
CHARTER AS CERTIFIED BY RESOLUTION NO. R-16-0618
ADOPTED DECEMBER 8, 2016 (COLLECTIVELY, "APPROVALS"),
AS NOT BEING PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE
CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BETWEEN THE CITY
AND DADE HERITAGE TRUST, INC., A NOT -FOR -PROFIT
CORPORATION ORGANIZED UNDER STATE OF FLORIDA LAWS,
FOR THE CITY -OWNED BUILDING LOCATED AT 190 SOUTHEAST
12TH TERRACE, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33131 FOR A TERM OF THIRTY
(30) YEARS WITH TWO (2) THIRTY (30) YEAR RENEWALS, FOR
MINIMUM ANNUAL RENT OF SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS ($600.00)
IN MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS OF FIFTY DOLLARS ($50.00), WITH
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ADJUSTMENTS, AND WITH
RESTRICTIONS, REVERSIONS, AND RETENTION BY THE CITY
OF ALL OTHER RIGHTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO AIR
RIGHTS, MINERAL RIGHTS, AND RIPARIAN RIGHTS, TO THE
PROPERTY, WITH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS MORE
SPECIFICALLY TO BE SET FORTH IN SAID AGREEMENT IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVALS, AND ALL IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record: Item PH.4 was deferred to the January 14, 2021, City
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number PH.4, please
see "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Chair Hardemon: All right. Let's move backwards. Let's go to PH.4, the Dade
Heritage Trust item.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll move it.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved. Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Chair Hardemon: It's been seconded. Any discussion?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Wait. I'm sorry, Chair. Who was the seconder?
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner Carollo.
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Carollo. Any discuss --?
Commissioner Carollo: I'm sorry. We're talking about the Heritage Trust?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. The --I've asked for information that I haven't gotten it
Ally yet, and still going through it, what I've gotten late last night after my briefing.
Because I -- some of you might know what this organization's all about. I don't know
as much on it. I don't know how many of the people that are involved with it live in the
City of Miami. I don't know what projects they've gotten involved in, where's a lot of
their funding coming from. What I do know is that they seem to be a general
countywide organization. Therefore, I think the County should be the one that puts the
monies out for whatever this organization needs. And now I know that we've been
gracious, and we've been letting them use this house here and be part of it, but the
question is, is that the best use that we can make of that property? Is that the best and
highest use? Now, there were questions on what we could build there. 1 met through
my briefings with staff when we went through this item yesterday late in the afternoon,
and we could build something there. It's limited because the lot is going to be smaller,
considerably, than I was originally told because of setbacks. But even with those
setbacks, since we are the ones that can control that, we don't have to make it as strict
as we have, and then you could build something that's more reasonable, an eight -
story building that towards the front would be 20, towards the middle of the building
it would be 50 wide, if that's what we want to do. But I -- you know, on the other hand,
if we don't want to build anything there, if there's one area of Miami that is in need of
a pocket park, it's that area. I can tell you that every other person that lives in an
apartment there has a dog and that can certainly become the most used dog park in
the whole city. So I have questions on what the best use of it is, and this has come up
particularly when we've been requested to give this property up for I don't know how
many, years it is. It's, you know, some 90 years or 99 years or something to the effect
for what is practically for free. Now if you look at Miami, 70 percent of all the
nonprofits in the County, they're in the City of Miami. We are losing a tremendous
amount of revenue every year that people don't pay in taxes because we're taking all
the nonprofits that provide service for the whole county, and the County doesn't
reimburse us for that. We don't spread them around proportionately where then we
would only have to have 18 percent instead of that 70 percent of all the nonprofits.
And imagine if we had all that money that the nonprofits don't pay in additional taxes.
We wouldn't be -- even with COVID-19 -- in the situation we are today. So what I'm
saying is that more than ever now we have to look at the properties that we own
differently. Stop giving everything away to every so-called nonprofit or others just
because they're connected. There's a lot of use -- a lot better use that we could have in
this property. And I'm not saying that we want to keep the house. On the contrary, as I
said before, they can keep the house. We could try to help them with the County, find
another location for it. But that location is a very valuable location any which way
you cut it. And this is my opinion anyway.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner. And I certainly understand where
you're coming from trying to look out for the bottom line of the City. It is important. I
am listening to my residents as the Commissioner of the district, and they are saying
loud and clear that they'd love us to keep this as a historic structure. They do have a
lot of landscaping around it, and they do -- they are a dog friendly, welcome butterfly
garden in the front, and it is well used. But nobody, in the hours of advocacy we just
listened to was asking us to sell it or create something different. Every single call that
was brought in was asking us to keep it as it is, the original office of Dr. James
Jackson after which Jackson Health System was named. It's one of the last retraining
small quaint charming structures in Brickell, and that says something. It is important.
As 1 said before, I'm open to assessing the value of what can be built there. I've been
told with its current setbacks, you couldn't even build the building that's there. It's
grandfathered nonconforming. The cost to move it and the risk to the structure have
not yet been told to me. I don't know that. But beyond that, 1 do believe it's worth
leaving there. Dade Heritage Trust does a lot of work, mostly, in the City of Miami.
And recognizing our needs, they've combined their mission not only for historic
preservation, but also affordable housing. And one of their projects is in your district,
where they used grant funds to purchase a 1920s art deco building -- or 1930s. And
they're renovating and remodeling and preserving the entire thing for affordable
housing. And everyone who lives there will pay 800 to 1,000 bucks a month to stay
there. And so that was their goal, not only preserve housing, but preserve a
community as well.
Commissioner Carollo: What does that have to do with that location?
Vice Chair Russell: You asked about what their mission is and --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: Not being sure about exactly what they do or whether it's in the
County or the City.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Well, you're telling me one area that they're doing
something in.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: What I'm saying, look, is that -- and you know, I know that
you're telling me that people spoke. The vast majority of those people don't live in the
City of Miami. I'd be happy to put this up for a referendum in the next election if you'd
like (INAUDIBLE) and see what the real Miamians think, those that don't have
anybody to lobby for them, those that don't live in Coral Gables or Pinecrest or
Aventura, or you know, some other part of Miami -Dade County, the real Miamians,
the ones that don't know where their next paycheck is coming from to pay their rent,
or they're behind on their mortgage because they lost their job in COVID-19. So what
-- all that I'm asking is that this not be approved. Why all of a sudden did they come,
and they want this grab bag, 90 plus years for them to have this at $600 a month,
every month Pr the rest of the 90 plus years that they're asking for?
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to ask the Clerk if he could walk us
through the timeline of when this originally came to the Commission, who voted to put
this on the ballot, when it was placed on a municipal ballot, and what the vote
percentage was of what the voters decided with regard to whether or not we should
offer a lease of 99 years to the Dade Heritage Trust for this address.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, I'll need a few minutes to find that information. I
do not have it readily available.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I think it is crucial because that's exactly what
Commissioner Carollo's asking: What would the voters say if they were asked? And I
believe they have been, and I think we should listen to them.
Commissioner Carollo: Anyway, I'd like to have this item deferred. Commissioner, I'm
not ready to give more property away.
Vice Chair Russell: I understand.
Commissioner Carollo: If it was up to you, we'd give the whole City away and I'm fed
up with this.
Vice Chair Russell: You don't need to speak for me. I'm not trying to give anything
away.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, you are, you are.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm doing (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: You are, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) together to put this on the ballot, and then
the ballot --
Commissioner Carollo: Even on this piece of property in your own district for your
voters, your residents in District 2, you can't tell me that we don't need a dog park
tremendously in that area. We do. Now, I don't know what is so great that they have to
be there in that house, and that house can't be moved somewhere else. You want to
find out? Well, let's find out what it costs to move it somewhere else. But it certainly
could be moved. Why does it have to be there?
Commissioner Reyes: That's a good question.
Commissioner Carollo: Why can't it be opened up all the time so that residents of
Miami could go through, be part of the museum. Maybe we could put it up next to the
museum row. Put it between the two big museums. They got land that we gave them
left.
Vice Chair Russell: I understand. And we may agree or may disagree on this. But
once the Clerk has the information for us, I've got the information I need to vote
(INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: You might. I'm asking for a deferral on this until we can get
additional information on the cost and possible locations where this could be moved
at.
Commissioner Reyes: Through the Chair.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: I think that's -- it is, I mean, a reasonable request from
Commissioner Carollo because this is the first time that the City of Miami have tnoved
a historic building from one place to the other. I remember years back, we moved first
Miami High, a little shack, moved it to a park. And the land was used for something
else. And the shack -- I mean, it still is standing. And we are not -- from what I gather
-- Commissioner Carollo is not asking for demolishing of this property -- I mean, this
building. It's just to move it to another place and this land could be -- find out. I mean,
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we don't know yet if this could have -- this land where the building is now could have
a better use. And at the same time, we keep the structure in another place, which is
logical what he proposed. I mean, it is not illogical that it be around the museums that
we have now in the museum row. I mean, it makes sense. I would like to further
investigate this, too.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Yeah, I'm very interested in where you are on it,
Commissioner Reyes. The DDA (Downtown Development Authority) has a visitor's
center there, and the DDA invests $25, 000 a year in that center. Even though it's a
lease to the Dade Heritage Trust, it's a City of Miami asset. It's ours and it will
remain ours. It's a Miami historic structure. It's designated and it's ours. But we --
you know, they've worked with all the different ferent groups, including the City, the DDA,
to invest in it. So I am interested in where you are on this as well, as the chair of the
DDA.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, as the Chair -- listen, I'm the chair of the DDA and I'm
also a City of Miami Commissioner. And I don't (INAUDIBLE), okay? What I'm
saying is if we have -- DDA has -- I mean, contributes with the Heritage Trust, that is
fine. It's not going to stop, you see? It's not going to stop. I mean, what -- why cannot
we analyze if we can do it or not? I mean, why not? Why not, if it's a better use? But
you're trying to now -- you're trying to corner me into -- by being chairman of the
DDA, that -- as ifl was going to go against the DDA. No, sir. No, sir. I'm not going --
1 mean, I'm not doing anything to harm or to curtail any of the good things that the
DDA is doing -- you see? -- and the partnership that we have with Dade Heritage
Trust, no, no. What I'm saying is it is a very logical question, you see. Commissioner
Carollo is -- I mean, he mentioned something that I had never thought about it. Why
this cannot be a park. There is a lot -- I mean, you know that that area is full of
residents, and there is not a single park around there, you see. And we are not
destroying the building or the Trust. It's just a matter of just moving it and have better
use. Why don't we analyze that? It's just an analysis. And if we decide that it should
stay there, it will stay there, you see, all the pros and all the cons. I mean, what I'm
trying to -- I'm trying to be reasonable and I'm being pragmatic about it, you see. I
mean, it's not that we going to be affecting Dade Heritage Trust and we are going to
be eliminating it or anything, or we are going to be demolishing this building. I just
remind Commissioner Carollo because he must remember that -- I would say about
20 years or more, that the same argument took place about the little shack that was
the first high school in Miami, which was Miami High -- that's what they call it -- and
it was moved from one place to the other. I mean, never lost its integrity, never lost
the historic designation, and never lost its importance.
Commissioner Carollo: And it's in Southside Park right now.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, it is in Southside Park. You remember that?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, and we had the same argument. We are not destroying it.
As a matter of fact, when we moved it -- the City moved it -- when the City moved it,
Tye -- I was co-chair of the neighborhood bond -- defense bonds, that board, and we
provided funds to refurbish the whole shack, you see. And we had the same argument
before. And the land was used for something else, and the shack's still there, and it's
still a historic (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you see. That's the only thing
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). Why don't we analyze that? I mean, why --
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Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, you're absolutely. correct. We're not kicking
them out tomorrow. We're not setting the building on fire. All that we're saying is
we're not ready to give this away for 90 plus years, and we're going to leave the status
quo until we look into it further.
Chair Hardemon: Is there any possibility that the amount of years could be reduced
so that we give true adequate attention to how much we should research that the
property should be? So, say for instance if they had a five-year lease and then we
continue that discussion -- because the only thing that I'm fearful of is if -- because I
thought from last meeting to this meeting, we were supposed to be looking into
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). And so ifthis thing gets continued to be pushed on and on and
on and on, and it kind of puts them in a limbo. And so I'd rather them have some
defined message from us about how much time they have, at least until we talk about
other options.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: And an option could be to remain there, you know, but at least --
Commissioner Carollo: It could.
Chair Hardemon: -- they know for a certain number of years that they can engage in
this conversation with the City Commission.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, 1 don't see why we have to give any long lease at all. It's
our land. They should be perfectly content if they're allowed to stay there in a year-
to-year lease. 1 don't know what they have now, or you know, when this lease is up if
it's not up already. But I think it's pretty outrageous for them to want 90 plus years
and the same $600, whether it's today -- which is a joke -- but it's going to be even
more of a joke 90 plus years from now when none of us will be around, none of our
kids will be around.
Commissioner Reyes: Talk about yourself, you know. I might be around.
Chair Hardemon: With the new medicine that Donald Trump (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: I might be around.
Chair Hardemon: It might be medicine that will really keep us alive for a very long
time. So, you know, Ilook forward (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Well, it's done good for him so you better, you know, look at it
closer. Chair.
Commissioner Reyes: You know --
Commissioner Carollo: If you get the big C, you might want to give him a call.
Chair Hardemon: You mean cash?
Commissioner Carollo: You might think of cash all the time. I'm thinking of the
coronavirus.
Chair Hardemon: Oh, okay. See, the C that I normally think about that wakes me up -
Commissioner Carollo: You're in the campaign mood now, I know.
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Chair Hardemon: The C that wakes me up in the middle of the night is Carollo. It's
always --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The big C.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, that's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The big C is Carollo.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, the big C. Commissioner, I mean, I'm going to
address your last comment on the year to year. I don't think it's fair either. If we're
going to let them stay there, not let them stay on a year to year basis because that
creates an uncertainty -- you see? -- that is not necessary. If we are going to -- if we
agree on shortening their lease terms, but not year to year because that creates
uncertainty. People need time if we decide -- or the future Commissioners decide that
they have to move, then they will have enough time to find a place or whatever, you
see. But year to year, I won't agree with.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, Commissioner, what I am tired of seeing is that some of
us talk all the time about the people, the people, the people, and any bunch of elitists
that come around, boy, we can't help but just to pucker up, you know, and see where
we kiss them. And this is what I'm seeing here again. There's no reason in the world
why we should enter with them -- or for that reason, anybody -- for $600 a month for
the next 90 plus years. Someone just contacted me right now. I got to laugh. And
another nonprofit that we have in the community -- very well known -- and they're
willing to come in and pay more for -- if it's $600 a year, so they'll do better than that
and come in and preserve the house. So I mean, look, what I've asked is something
that I think is extremely reasonable. They're not going to be affected. We're not
throwing them out the door. The house is going to be there. We need to look more into
this, how much it would cost to move it, possibly look at locations'. And the Countv's
got to get involved with money. I'm tired that the City is the dumping ground for every
nonprofit, for every wonderful pillar idea of the community that someone came up
with. And we keep losing and losing and losing our most valuable lands. And our
neighborhoods -- the vast majority of neighborhoods and people in the City of Miami
keep getting poorer and they have no voice.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner -- and if I might suggest, I think that if we are
going to defer this and do an analysis, I would like to also include in the analysis the
potential uses, and I mean, what would be the best use for this land and --
Commissioner Carollo: That's (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: -- if it doesn't make any sense moving it or anything because we
don't have any alternatives -- it's too small for a park or the analysis of nobody wants
to use this land, we don't have any takers -- well, then we take this. And we -- what we
do is we renegotiate, okay? Renegotiate the time. We can renegotiate the time, the
rent, and all of that, you see.
Commissioner Carollo: We can make it into a museum. We -- you know, whether you
know it or not or realize it, the City of Miami has some very, very valuable pieces of
art that were given to us --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that they're in storage right now. And I'm talking about
paintings that could be worth to the hundreds of thousands. So that could be a
museum where it could be opened up to everybody, not just to the few people in the
Heritage Trust that come in there. and why does that have to be their office or
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anybody else's office or any 501(c)(3) could have it as their office? What right do they
have to be the only ones that can be there? But what you stated, Commissioner,
absolutely, should be part of the analysis that we do.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: What is the best use that we can do? And there's many uses
that we can come up with. I mentioned at one extreme, even a dog park, but it could
also be a playground. Unfortunately, it's too small to have a playground and a dog
park, I think, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe someone could figure that one out. But one
thing I think we all can agree on, that that whole area there, with all the huge
buildings that we have and no parks, there's a tremendous need for parks --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- whether for dogs, whether for kids having a playground. Or
if we could find another way that might make more sense and it might bring some real
dollars to the City of Miami. I don't know.
Commissioner Reyes: There is no green area around that area.
Commissioner Carollo: None, none.
Commissioner Reyes: There's no green area. So?
Commissioner Carollo: So my motion is that we defer this for the next meeting in
January and have the Administration have this time to look into the areas that I
mentioned and you suggested, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right and --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll second that.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved and seconded. Vice Chairman, you're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, thank you. Just a question for the City Attorney with regard
to the Charter amendment that was voted on by the electorate. How would a change
affect that Charter amendment, and what needs to be done there?
Ms. Mendez: When you say a change to be able to move it? Is that what you're
asking?
Vice Chair Russell: No. And I'm still waiting for the answer from the Clerk on exactly
what was voted on and when and what that changed. So maybe you can help us. This
was a Charter amendment, correct?
Ms. Mendez: Okay, so -- right. So the language reads, "Shall the Miami Charter be
amended to authorize the City Commission by a /bur f fths affirmative vote to waive
competitive bidding and execute a lease with Dade Heritage Trust for the City -owned
building --" so not necessarily it says the City -owned building on the land and the --
"for the City -owned building located at 190 Southeast 12th Terrace for a term of 30
years with two 30 year renewals," and all that. So what's contemplated for it to be
moved elsewhere is a possibility based on -- as long as you enter into -- obviously,
you have to approve it. But for it to enter into a lease because it's a City -owned
building. So that's a possibility. You can move it elsewhere. And then you're asking --
I received a copy of all the votes, but the yes -- which I'm sure the Clerk has already,
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hut it's 57,068 votes for and 46,886 votes against. Is that what you were asking? I'm
sorry.
Vice Chair Russell: Basically. So 55 percent of the voters said yes that we should do
this. And it did amend the Charter though, correct? This is now in our Charter?
Ms. Mendez: Right. So it is a Charter carve out, but it's permissive.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it. So I'm just trying to understand the motivation because we
did go through a very thorough process. This carve to the Commission. We voted it,
the terns and everything, and then to put it on the ballot. The voters said yes. At the
last Commission meeting, the idea was that we have a financial crisis right now, so
we need to sell this land and make money. And then we did an analysis, and
obviously, it's not very developable based on setbacks, et cetera. And so now we're
talking about making it a dog park or even a museum. It does have park elements to it.
I think we -- if we wanted to, we could even rezone it CS (Civic Space). People can
enter the garden. They can bring their dogs. That exists already. It is a museum.
People can come in. It's a DDA welcome center•, but we're still saying no. So I'm just
not fully sure -- because if its not about the money at this point, it's about not giving
them the long-term rights to this. And even the voters said yes, so I feel like that's been
covered as well. So I'm just not fully understanding --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner.
Vice Chair Russell: -- what the motivation is.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you. There's a motion by Commissioner
Carollo -- right? -- and I seconded the motion to defer this item. So I need to ask --
before we do this, I need to ask the City Attorney what happens if we just defeat this
today?
Ms. Mendez: Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Defeat it today as in just not enter into a lease, not
allow it?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: That is -- that's your prerogative as well. But it's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But vis-a-vis' the referendum and (INAUDIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: Oh, I'm sorry.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, I'm sorry.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a legal question. It's not --
Ms. Mendez: Got it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's not your analysis of our powers.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a legal question as to --
Ms. Mendez: 1 thought you were asking if that is -- if that could be done. Yes, it could
be done today. With respect to -- it's still -- the Charter is still amended, so let's say
this Commission says no today, tomorrow, or next month, the next Commission can
say yes. So unless you reamend the Charter, it's still there.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right because this Commission never said yes.
This Commission didn't do any of this.
Ms. Mendez: No. I'm saying about your -- obviously --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry. When was this -- when did this go before
the voters?
Ms. Mendez: 2016.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. This Commission --
Ms. Mendez: November 2016.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So Commissioner Carollo wasn't here.
Commissioner Reyes wasn't here. I wasn't here. City Manager wasn't here. 1 think
only Chairman Hardemon and Commissioner Russell were here. So we -- the majority
of this Commission didn't do any of this -- right? -- the referendum, placing it on the
ballot, and all that stuff. And 2016 is very different than 2020. We know what 2020
has brought us -- right? -- different economic circumstances, a reshuffling of our
priorities -- right? -- a rightful reshuffling. And so we have to deal with what existing
circumstances are today. And if we have to take it back to the voters and do all -- go
through that process -- and I don't know if we have to -- so a legal question is what
happens if we say we don't -- we're not -- we vote this down today instead of deferring
it? Just for argument's sake. I'm not saying --
Ms. Mendez: But I -- that's why I was --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I seconded Commissioner Carollo's motion.
Ms. Mendez: I was just claming.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Ms. Mendez.: Voted down today, it's voted down. But the Charter amendment is still
there so a future Commission can award the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If we vote it down today, what can we do next
Commission meeting? Not a future Commission, this Commission.
Ms. Mendez: If this Commission votes it down -- if the Charter language is still there
and it's still permissive, in the future it could be done.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Permissive.
Ms. Mendez: Right, the lease could be done unless you vote to change the Charter
again. Then it's, you know --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I'm not understanding -- is the lease for that
location or is the lease for the company or the entity?
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Ms. Mendez: It is a lease for Dade Heritage Trust for the City -owned building at the
location.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For the building.
Ms. Mendez: So you can --
Commissioner Reyes: The building at that location.
Ms. Mendez: You could --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So we take that building and put it in Allapattah.
Ms. Mendez: Correct, correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right?
Ms. Mendez: That could happen. You could do that.
Commissioner Carollo: Did the Charter amendment specify the amount of money in
the lease?
Ms. Mendez: It said for a minimum, minimum annual rent of $600 --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So it's the floor.
Ms. Mendez: -- with a consumer price index adjustment.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a floor, not a ceiling.
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So we could say it's $20,000, right?
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right?
Ms. Mendez.: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Within the --
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- parameters of the Charter amendment.
Ms. Mendez: Yes.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Can I get some clarity too, Madam City Attorney?
Because in the reso, it does list the address. Are you sure that the address isn't
relevant? I need -- it needs to be clear.
Ms. Mendez: Right, so --
Chair Hardemon: I mean, that's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Ms. Mendez: Again, I --
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Chair Hardemon: The address is like the location. It's not like it's the folio number.
Ms. Mendez: Right. It didn't say -- to he abundantly clear --
Mr. Noriega: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: -- it doesn't say City -owned building and land. It doesn't say that. It says
Mr. Noriega: So the address is just referencing the location of the building.
Ms. Mendez: Of the City -owned building. You can take -- right. You could take that --
if that is the will of this Commission to do that, to -- that could be done to put it
somewhere else.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Mr. Noriega: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: We been through this. And there is a motion and there is a
second. And I would like to include in all the analysis that is going to be made that the
legality of us going against the -- I paean, the voters or the question that was placed
on the ballot, if we have any -- we are opening ourselves into any legal action. I
mean, just look into every single possibility and the best use for it. If there is not a
best use of the amount of rent that if we could increase the amount of rent -- as Mr.
Diaz de la Portilla said -- and if it is feasible to move it and create a park there or
whatever. Let's defer and analyze on every single aspect of it so we cover all the
bases, you see.
Mr. Noriega: So for purposes of the resolution -- if I may -- can -- when we're done
with the discussion, can somebody sort of sum it all up for me so that I know exactly
what our charge is when we -- as we move away from this item, so I know exactly
what the Administration's been requested to do so we're prepared to come back to the
Commission?
Commissioner Reyes: And if we find in our analysis that the best thing that we can do
is leave it there and require that that be a park -- you see? -- then that be it, you see. I
want to -- I mean, analyze it -- thoroughly analyze all the possibilities that we have.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: On Commissioner Carollo's motion,
Commissioner, you wanted to defer it until January. Is there a reason that you have
for that day instead of November 19th or --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, the reason I'm saying January is so there's plenty of
time for the Administration to deal with that. I mean, this is not -- I don't think -- a
priority out of all the events that we have to deal with. In fact, even January might be
too soon. But January, it gives the Administration some 90, 100 days at least to be
able to sort out all the things that we put on the record, that I put down,
Commissioner Reyes put down. For instance, I'd like to see exactly based on what we
could build there -- and I don't want to hear all these setbacks because we decide
what setbacks we're going to have. We could cut all the setbacks because of the
particulars of the location to half of what they should be. Then I want to see from
Planning what is the total square footage that we could build there. It's going to be at
least eight stories. It'll be an irregular building because it's an irregular lot. I want to
see what other uses can we have including park, or a dog park, or a playground; if
somehow, we could combine both, which I think will be hard, but maybe I'm wrong.
They could show me something that there'll be a way of putting both. What
Commissioner Reyes said, leaving the building there, making a park, other uses for
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that building that will be best that would hring more people to it. That whole area
doesn't have any prime community gathering area either for the City or the residents,
like we have in Shenandoah, Commissioner, in your district, like 1 have in mine on
12th Avenue. There's none. Last but not least, we want to see the cost of moving that
building, what potential sites do we have that it could he moved to. So these are all
the things that we want to see, Mr. Manager. I think that gives you a lot. And you
could sit with each of the members of the Commission that they could give you
additional impact maybe of what they would like to see done. But you know, you've
been around a long time. I think you've heard enough from all of us in what we want
the Administration to do to come back with information for us. And I have no problem
in putting this up if we need to in November of next year again. And I'll put my face to
it, and I'll campaign for whatever I put in the ballot. 1 don't know how this could have
gotten passed in the ballot back in '16; how it was sold, what people were told. But
this is '20. And 1 mean, aren't you one of the guys -- the same Commissioner, that we
should wait for the next election before the Supreme Court nominee is named? Well,
we should wait for the next election too before we decide what to do with this maybe.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Just for clarification. Commissioner Russell, if I
remember correctly -- unfortunately, I'm cursed and blessed with a good memory --
the -- wasn't this building moved from somewhere else here in the 1990's?
Vice Chair Russell: Sorry, about 75 years ago it was moved.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So it wasn't the 1990's?
Vice Chair Russell: It might have been in the -- 1914 or 1910.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are you sure?
Vice Chair Russell: We can get an answer on that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, because I believe that building was moved
during my lifetime, and I wasn't -- I was born a little bit after 1914. But I think
Commissioner Reyes may remember better than I can.
Commissioner Reyes: I saw it coming. I saw it coming.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You saw it coming. I telegraphed it.
Commissioner Reyes: I saw, I saw.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I telegraphed it. But I do know it was moved, so
this wouldn't be the first time we move a building, right?
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That that land -- because, obviously, downtown
Mianii is not what it was in 1914 -- if it was in fact in 1914. There's a place and a time
for everything in life. And move the building, as long as we preserve its history and
the role that it plays, it's not the end of the world. But I want the Manager to look at
the history, of the building and actually look at other buildings that have been moved.
Because we get so tied to an idea and we think that it has to be this idea and has to be
there, but it wasn't there before. So, you know, what's historical about it if we move it.
The history is what's in the building, right? It's not in the area. I understand the
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neighbors may not want it because they don't want their views blocked and all that.
But we need -- you know, if the land can be developed and -- or it could be a doggy
park or whatever this Commission decides -- because I'm a big fan of dogs, as is
Commissioner Reyes too, 1 believe.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And you know, I would love to have a doggy park
in there. I think the neighbors would love to have a doggy park. But if it can be
developed, it can be developed. And so those options are what we have to have. And I
agree with Commissioner Carollo. We have to look at all possibilities. We can't look
at what happened in 2016, how was it sold. You know what happens with
referendums. The people with money or the people with interests in the outcome pour
more money into the race. It's a different time. 2020 is not 2016. We have different
needs, dramatically different needs now, and we have to reprioritize things. So 1 agree
with Commissioner Carollo, you know. We'll take it 'til next year, in the beginning of
next year, because that gives the Manager an opportunity to look at the research and
see all the options that are available for us. It does require a four -fifths vote anyway,
so we are going to have to -- whether we like it or not -- we're going to have to find
common ground.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And unfortunately, Commissioner Hardemon won't
be here, but maybe someone else will that we can find common ground there, and
maybe Commissioner Russell can be more flexible. It is your district, but it is
something that belongs to all of us in Miami, not only to your district. So it's
important, you know, that we preserve it, I think, not necessarily there.
Vice Chair Russell: Understood. And to answer your question, it was moved 103
years ago.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: And it was in the location of where --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is that true, Commissioner Reyes?
Commissioner Reyes: No, I don't think that's right. I don't remember that move.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think you were born right after that.
Commissioner Reyes: No, I don't remember that.
Commissioner Carollo: I think Commissioner Russell answered one of our questions.
If it was moved and it didn't fall apart 103 years ago, today with all the technology we
have, it's a breeze.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: I mean, look at Lummus Park. In Lummus Park, we got Fort
Dallas and all these other buildings. You know they've been moved. They were put
there. So it's not the first time --
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a request to the City Manager with regard
to the analysis that you're doing. So if this isn't for a sale or for development, but
rather for the building of a park ourselves, obviously, the relocation of this building
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will he on our dime at this turn of financial crisis. So I would like an analysis of
exactly what it would cost to move it within a mile radius of its current location.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, not necessarily, Commissioner. Because if they're doing
all the work for the County -- they're the ones that are wanting it -- then the County
should step up. Maybe the County would want to put it in one of their sites. And I
would have no problem in doing that if that's what they would like to do. They have a
lot of land; a lot more than we do. But if in the analysis, if the City Manager can
provide to us, how rnanv times has this building been moved? Has it been once? Has
it been twice? And you know, what were the years when it was moved?
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair. And let me correct this. If we decide -- because I
said probably the best use would be to make it a park, open it up, or leave the
building there and open it up to everybody -- you see? -- so people can come and meet
and we add some amenities to it, fine. That'll be -- and let it be it. But if we decide to
move it, it doesn't mean that we have to do it next month, you see? It doesn't mean that
we have to do it even next year, you see? When the City of Miami -- I mean, the
finances come whole, and also, people that want to preserve this building, they could
also -- I think that they will contribute -- you see? -- because there are some funds
from historical organizations. They should provide some funds so that we can move it
also if that is the decision -- you see? -- if that is that we decide. And in order to know
-- for us to know what we could do with that building, we have to make an analysis, a
thorough analysis of things that we could do and how we're going to benefit. We need
to take into consideration the fact that there is no green space in that area. There is a
lot of residents there. There's a lot of children in that area now, and there is no green
space whatsoever, you see. There is no green space. My -- I mean, I'm inclined into
saving that green space -- you see? -- saving that as a park or as a place that could be
used by that community that has -- that's growing in Brickell Avenue.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, within a quarter mile of that is Simpson Park,
Southside Park, Brickell 18th --
Commissioner Reyes: It's a quarter mile, sir, but it's not across the street.
Vice Chair Russell: Biscayne Park.
Commissioner Reyes: It's not across the street from all those --
Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE) parks within a quarter mile of this spot.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Then we're not going to build any more parks in your
district because I have -- for example, I'm building a dog park on 22nd Avenue.
Vice Chair Russell: I'd love to help you.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to build one too. I'm surprised that
Commissioner Russell doesn't want more parks in his district.
Commissioner Reyes: He doesn't want more parks, more green space.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That shocked nie.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm surprised (INAUDIBLE) telling me I have too many parks in
my district, and now you want to knock down a historic structure to build another one.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, no.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: We don't want to knock down that structure. We want to move it
if it's possible.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You could never have too many parks.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But if you think you have too many parks in your
district, then 1 understand. But 1 think the idea of a doggy park is a good thing. I think
a lot of residents in that area -- I know the area as well -- have dogs, and they would
love to have a little doggy park there. If you think that maybe a historic building that
can be moved is more important than a doggy park, that's -- obviously, it's your
district, it's your priority.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And your constituents (INAUDIBLE) --
Vice Chair Russell: It acts as a doggy park now. I'll bring my dog; you bring your
dog. Well come and hang out, and we can actually walk through there because
anyone's (INAUDIBLE) --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: My dog is a republican though.
Commissioner Reyes: He won't get along with yours.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And he's big.
Vice Chair Russell: My dog would --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (INAUDIBLE) your dog. You have a little dog,
right, Commissioner Russell? You have a big dog?
Vice Chair Russell: Big, two of them. I'll bring them. both.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, my god. You're going to gang up on yours.
Vice Chair Russell: I think we figured out a way to settle this.
Commissioner Reyes: He's going to gang up on yours. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: I've been thinking about getting me a new one, a new dog.
Ask -- I had one before. His name was Cachasa (phonetic).
Commissioner Reyes: Cachasa.
Commissioner Carollo: (INAUDIBLE) particular breed.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Tell me what you're going to name
Commissioner, tell me what you're going to name your new dog.
Commissioner Carollo: Cachasa 2. You might ask your wife about this breed,
Commissioner, since it's from Brazil. They're called Fila Brasileiro.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes, that's a huge --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, they're huge.
Commissioner Carollo: Not too big; they're small.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yes, they are big and strong, and mean too.
Commissioner Carollo: My first Cachasa was six foot tall when you lifted him up.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: 225 pounds.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wow.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Yes, they are huge.
Commissioner Carollo: Beautiful red dog.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 always picture you, Commissioner Carollo, with
like a little dog, you know.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, like a poodle.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Like a little poodle (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I always
imagine it that way. I don't know why.
Commissioner Carollo: You're right. You're right, but you know --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because you're a softie. I know that deep down
inside, you're a softie. I know.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, I outgrew them. I outgrew them. But I do have a rat
terrier. They're small.
Commissioner Reyes: The rat terriers are -- they are vet., smart, and they are very
good dogs. I had one back when I was a kid in Cuba.
Commissioner Carollo: Right, you know, if you guys would let me, I'll bring him to
City Hall. I think, you know --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: -- he'd do quite well here.
Commissioner Reyes: No problem with me, man.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely.
Commissioner Reyes: No problem with it.
Commissioner Carollo: It's an American breed by the way.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (INAUDIBLE).
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Chair Hardemon: To clam, there's a motion on the floor. It's a motion for a
continuance to the January meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I second that motion.
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: That was the motion, right?
Commissioner Reyes: It's a motion, and that was second by --
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Mr. Hannon: And that will be the January 14, 2021 City Commission meeting.
Commissioner Carollo: That'll be fine.
Chair Hardemon: And just for -- just to solve this unreadiness that I have, how --
what's their current agreement, Madam City Attorney? Do we know their current
lease agreement?
Ms. Mendez: A revocable license agreement.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So how -- is it in a time period? Is it expired, or is it --?
Ms. Mendez: It's a revocable license that we can revoke at any time, or it goes month
to month.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So right now it is -- we're on month to month, or is it just this
open --?
Ms. Mendez: No. It's a revocable license agreement until it's revoked.
Chair Hardemon: Exactly.
Ms. Mendez: So you could just go --
Chair Hardemon: They have a license to be there. Nothing's different; this is status
quo.
Ms. Mendez.: Right, correct.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) what I said before. And they haven't had
all these years any problems being in their revocable license. I don't know what the --
you know, what's the itch now that they got.
Chair Hardemon: All right. So any -- all in favor of the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, I just want to make sure. Is that 5-0?
Chair Hardemon: It appears to be, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
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PH.5
7798
Department of
Finance
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENTS, BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, AFTER A DULY ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING,
RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE CITY
MANAGER'S WRITTEN RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", PURSUANT
TO SECTION 18-85(A) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"); WAIVING THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL COMPETITIVE SEALED
BIDDING METHODS AND PROCEDURES AS NOT BEING
PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY"); AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS
OF RESOLUTION NO. R-19-0207 ADOPTED MAY 23, 2019,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS PART OF COMPOSITE
EXHIBIT "A" ("MASTER RESOLUTION"), FOR THE CITY OF
MIAMI'S ("CITY") TAX-EXEMPT MASTER VEHICLE LEASE
PURCHASE AGREEMENT, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS
PART OF COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A" ("MASTER AGREEMENT"),
WITH SANTANDER BANK FOR THE PROVISION OF CAPITAL
FINANCING FOR THE ACQUISITION OF POLICE VEHICLES,
GENERAL LIGHT FLEET VEHICLES, GENERAL HEAVY FLEET
VEHICLES, AND FIRE APPARATUS VEHICLES AND FOR
PAYMENT OF THE FINANCING COSTS OF THE SAME IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THIRTY-SIX MILLION DOLLARS
($36,000,000.00), WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY ADVERTISED
PURSUANT TO THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ISSUED APRIL
22, 2019 BY THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR PUBLIC FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT, INC. ("PFM") WITH THE ORIGINAL SELECTION
OF THE PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY SANTANDER
BANK; APPROVING THE CHANGES OF MAXIMUM INTEREST
RATE AND INTEREST RATE CALCULATION FORMULA AS
DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "B," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED,
FOR THE SECOND DRAW NOT TO EXCEED SIXTEEN MILLION,
THREE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED
SEVENTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND NINETY-EIGHT CENTS
("SECOND DRAW') AND ANY FUTURE DRAWS THEREAFTER
UNDER THE MASTER AGREEMENT THROUGH MARCH 30, 2021
FOR THE REMAINING TOTAL AMOUNT UNDER THE MASTER
RESOLUTION AND MASTER AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED
TWENTY-SIX MILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-THREE
THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS AND
FORTY-FOUR CENTS ($26,743,721.44); AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENT AND
AMENDMENT TO THE MASTER AGREEMENT FOR SAID
CHANGES IN THE MAXIMUM INTEREST RATE AND INTEREST
RATE CALCULATION FORMULA FOR THE SECOND DRAW AND
ANY FUTURE DRAWS THEREAFTER, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND TAX-EXEMPT LEASE/PURCHASE
COUNSEL, AND ANY AND ALL OTHER AMENDMENTS AND
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SAID MASTER AGREEMENT
PROVIDED THAT THE TERMS ARE CONSISTENT AND IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND TAX-
EXEMPT LEASE/PURCHASE COUNSEL; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE ANY AND ALL
ACTIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SAID
LEASE/PURCHASE ACQUISITIONS OF THE CAPITAL
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
EQUIPMENT TO BE FUNDED BY THE SECOND DRAW AND ANY
FUTURE DRAWS UNDER THE MASTER AGREEMENT, AS
AMENDED, THROUGH MARCH 30, 2021, SUBJECT TO THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE
TIME OF NEED; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0315
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion on PH.5?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Moved and seconded. Any discussion?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: Just briefly, I'm very happy to note that we are including the
purchase of hybrid vehicles in this lease extension. So my understanding is we've
already, purchased about 234 hybrid vehicles in changing out our fleet, and our goal
is to get up to 500 of our total 2,200 vehicles to be hybrid. So that's a good move on
our part, not only financially with this lease program, but also in the vehicles that
they're purchasing.
Chair Hardemon: Wonderful.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Very good.
Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further discussion, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: The motion carries.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Russell, I'm curious. You have other
people in the room there with you?
Vice Chair Russell: There was a briefing in here a little while ago with about six
people, so I'm just letting the air clear a little bit.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, but you will take off that mask, right? I
mean, even Kamala Harris yesterday wasn't wearing a mask.
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Chair Hardemon: No, it goes with the superhero look.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1-- you know, since we have the Sunshine Law, we
can't really talk to each other. But I can tell by facial expressions -- you know? --
some of us have more of a poker face than others. You don't have a good one,
Commissioner Russell, so I can -- I need to see your whole face to figure out which
way you're going.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. I know that the Clerk informed me that -- this is a body,
right? The Clerk informed me that PH.4, that Commissioner Carollo wants to discuss
-- be a part of the discussion on PH.4. And so, 1 mean, it's up to us if we want to do
some more business before we go back to it.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: Okay, so I just want to --
Commissioner Reyes: Let's keep on going and go back when he's present.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
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RE - RESOLUTIONS
RE.1 RESOLUTION
2525
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE CITY MANAGER'S
RECOMMENDATION APPROVING THE FINDINGS OF THE
SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT VIRGINIA KEY, LLC,
("PROPOSER") IS THE TOP RANKED PROPOSER FOR
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NO. 16-17-011, LEASE OF CITY OF
MIAMI-OWNED WATERFRONT PROPERTY FOR
MARINAS/RESTAURANT/STORE USES LOCATED AT
APPROXIMATELY 3301, 3605, 3501, 3311, & 3511
RICKENBACKER CAUSEWAY, MIAMI, FLORIDA ("RFP");
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE A LEASE ("LEASE"), SUBJECT TO THE REVIEW AND
APPROVAL OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AS TO FORM AND
CORRECTNESS, FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF FORTY-FIVE (45)
YEARS, WITH TWO FIFTEEN (15) YEAR RENEWAL TERMS AND
PAYMENT OF A MINIMUM GUARANTEED ANNUAL RENT EQUAL
TO TWO MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
($2,200,000) INCREASED ANNUALLY BY THE GREATER OF 3%
OR CPI ("BASE RENT"); TOTALING APPROXIMATELY TWO
HUNDRED THREE MILLION NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR
THOUSAND SIXTY DOLLARS ($203,984,060.00) OVER THE
INITIAL TERM; SIX PERCENT (6%) OF GROSS REVENUES;
APPROXIMATELY EIGHTY MILLION DOLLARS ($80,000,000.00)
PRIVATELY FUNDED INVESTMENT TO REDEVELOP THE
MARINA IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE MANNER,
INCLUDING BOAT STORAGE, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, AND
PUBLIC PARKING; FURTHER PROVIDING THAT THE
EXECUTION OF THE LEASE IS SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF
A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST BY THE ELECTORATE AT A
REFERENDUM SPECIAL ELECTION; FURTHER CLARIFYING
THAT SUCH AWARD OF THE RFP DOES NOT CONFER ANY
CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS UPON PROPOSER UNTIL SAID
FAVORABLE REFERENDUM HAS OCCURRED AND A
CONTRACT IS ENTERED INTO, AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY
CHARTER.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record: Item RE.1 was deferred to the November 16, 2020, Special City
Commission Meeting.
Chair Hardemon: Let's go back to RE.1, RE.2. That's the Virginia Key Marina item.
Commissioner Reyes: This was deferred? A deferment was proposed by the
Administration, right?
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Chair Hardemon: That's correct.
Commissioner Reyes: And Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla wanted to comment on it.
Chair Hardemon: That's correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, what I'm contemplating -- and I don't know if
the Chairman will acquiesce or not -- is that this is an issue -- this is like the
posterchild for lack of finality. This is six years of this bull, right? Six years. And
Miami -- Miami of all cities -- doesn't have a world -class marina. And to me that's
shocking. Lawsuits and more lawsuits and, you know, throw out this bid, bring
somebody else, different presentations. You know, I've had countless meetings on this
with the different parties, different entities that want to build a marina. And this
argument and somebody gives a counterargument. And 1 thought -- and maybe I'm
being silly, but I thought that instead of deferring and deferring it for another six
years, that we begin a process of having a conversation, having them come before us
and present both sides, not two minutes -- because you can't explain something like
this in two minutes -- but whatever the Chairman thinks is proper. And say this is
what we're proposing. This is what we're going -- the capital improvements we're
going to make to this property, the marina. We're going to pump 115 million, 120
million, whatever the amount is. This is what we're going to pay the City, and this --
it's going to take us three years to build it out, or four, or five years, whatever it is.
And then have the other side come and say, "Hey, this is what we're going to do.
These are the capital improvements." The same thing. And then we can make an
intelligent decision how we -- and then have our lawyer come in, our City Attorney
come in and say, "Well, if we do this, these are the legal consequences. If you don't do
that, these are the legal consequences. " And then in the Sunshine, in the open, we all
understand. We can all ask the questions that we need to ask. Maybe a little bit
tedious, maybe a little bit long, hut that's what we're here for. And I know that
Commissioner Hardemon has -- and Commissioner Russell have been here when this
all started. We -- one of them is moving up to the upper body, and I think he wants to
have this conversation before he leaves. And I think that the other Commissioner --
it's in his district, and he wants to have this conversation. And the three of us that
came after, we think -- I guess I think that this is a City-wide issue as are other
projects that we're doing. That it's not about districts; it's about what Miami looks like
to the world. Are we going to have a world -class marina? Are we going to have
world -class landmarks, sites that people look at Miami and say, well, we have -- you
know, whether it's an administration building, whether it's a marina, or whether it's a
stadium, Commissioner Reyes, or not. What it is, it is a question of whether we're
going to have these conversations sooner rather than later. And in the kind of
economic situation we're in right now, in the downturn that we have right now, the
holes that we have to fill, I think sooner is better than later. So what I wanted to do
today -- and I propose to do today if the Commissioners agree, or the body agrees --
is that we have these presentations. They come, they give their arguments. What's in it
for the City? What's in it for Miami? What -- how much can we get from them? What
revenue we can generate? And can we, in fact, at the end of the dav, build a world -
class marina for a world -class city with the proper capital improvements, with the
proper financial wherewithal? What do they offer? What each of these two sides -- it's
really two sides that (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, really, what's before us is not
two sides. It's accepting a recommended proposal from a recommended bidder. That's
what's before us today. But let's not fool ourselves. That's not the debate we're having.
The debate we're having is with two fighters -- an incumbent that's there now that is
not leaving, and we have a winning bidder that's before us today. But I think both
sides have valuable arguments. I've heard both sides. I've heard some accusations.
You know, it's gotten a bit personal, I get it. you know, it's a lot of money involved. It's
a lot of interests involved. It's a lot of issues to discuss. What better -- isn't it better
that we do it in the open and start it today, and maybe. finish it on the 22nd, or finish it
today maybe so we can come to an agreement? And get with the City Manager -- we
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have a new City Manager -- what his perspective is on this. And that's my thinking.
And Mr. Chair, I don't know what your thinking is. I hope it's in line with mine that we
kind of say let's talk about it.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And let everybody hear what our opinions are and
(INAUDIBLE) our opinions because we're the elected body. We make the ultimate
decision. But what each side has to offer to our city.
Chair Ha 'demon: I want to recognize Commissioner Reyes, and then the Vice
Chairman, and then I'll speak.
Commissioner Reyes: I know that this -- we have to finalize this problem that we
encountered when we first got here --1 myself when 1 was elected. And to that effect --
and I think that Commissioner Carollo and myself, we asked for an audit of the
marina and to look into the possibility of instead of granting it to an outside
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) outside manager, that we could take possession of the marina
and do the improvements as we can do -- or maybe we can be -- I mean, it would be
more benefit to the City of Miami to have the marina and to also -- instead of having
this huge, big project that they have -- that it was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that it is the
marina plus all the stores and restaurants that's surrounding the area that we are --
what we're doing is we're commissioning this to a group of people that they don't have
expertise in those areas; to separate them and have two separate bids, you see? And
that what 1 am proposing, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, is that we wait until that
-- it's almost finished -- audit report comes in. And we will have a base by which we
can make a decision and analyzing everything that you have mentioned, and also, the
possibility of us taking over the marina. And I think that's going to be -- I mean, I
think at the beginning of next month, we will have it. Our Commissioner is going to be
here until the -- I think in the first meeting of November, and maybe we can have that
report. And then we can sit down and have some numbers, some information, and we
can make a very educated decision.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, Commissioner, I'm amenable -- by the way,
I'm open to the idea that the City takes over the marina. I want to hear from our
attorney whether we can do that or what the settlement agreement that we have with
the existing operator allows us to do that. But not yet, Vicky, hold on. Just I want to
ask at the right time. I'm getting there. So there's a settlement agreement that we have,
and I want to make sure that we could actually take over -- immediately take over that
marina and run it, so I'm open to that idea. My understanding is that -- and I was
going to introduce the pocket item, which I made a mistake earlier this morning. I
didn't introduce a pocket item about continuity of government that I wanted to talk
about, about who's going to replace -- although it hurts me, it pains me, we're going
to have to eventually replace our chairman with a new Commissioner. So I want to
talk a little bit about that a little bit later, so I'm going to introduce a pocket item a
little bit later and maybe give some opportunity for public input, perhaps. But he's not
going to he here on the 19th. I think he leaves effective the 17th, Commissioner, or the
18th?
Commissioner Reyes: 17th.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I think that we may have a special meeting or
I may request -- or another Commissioner may request --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- a special meeting to name his replacement
because we have to have continuity of government. And I want him to have a say in
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what happens with this project. So the November 19th meeting may be too late if we
took that into account. Now it could he another duly -named or elected and duly -
named representative of that district. But 1 think all five -- because it's a City-wide
project -- Commissioners, all five constituencies should be represented in that
decision. It's a big deal.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, it is.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: This marina is a big deal. And so every citizen
should have a say, should have a representative -- their Commissioner -- duly -elected
Commissioner to come and say this is what we think should happen or not. So my
thinking was to try to -- that's why I wanted to do it today, to have the con -- to begin
the conversation --
Commissioner Reyes: Begin the conversation.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and then continue it on the 22nd if we have to.
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And maybe who knows, sometimes miracles
happen and we -- maybe at the end of the night, at 3 or 4 in the morning, we -- at 3 or
4 in the morning, we decide that we -- you know, after some Red Bull or some coffee
and some wine or whatever, we decide that we want to vote it out at 3 in the morning
and we get something done. And we find -- we get some finality with this issue
because 1 think -- look, 1'll repeat it. I know it's like a broken record, but six years --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- of this. It's absurd. We have to find a solution.
There's politics involved. There are relationships involved. I get all that. I'm involved
in that too. But at the end of the day, we're -- I know we're all going to do what's best
for the City of Miami.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We have local issues. You know, we want local
participants. We want real capital improvements. We want real serious money to
City's specifics, how much money to the City every year over the 75 year period. How
much --? What's the difference between one bidder and the other bidder? So that we
can make an intelligent decision. Because I get different opinions from -- every time --
obviously, every time one side comes to me and gives me a whole presentation, then
the other side comes and rebuts that presentation and it's back and forth. And no,
that's not true, and then there's some personal stuff that we can throw away. There's
some issues because it's just personal stuff that I don't think really matters. Then
there's, you know, the Cuba issue that I know was discussed before I was elected, and
we go back and forth and all this. But we don't muddy the waters and we just have an
opportunity for the respective representatives -- I think it's Mr. Dotson on one side
and Mr. De Grandy on the other side -- and say this is what we're offering, this is why
we're better than the other. And then we can make a decision as to what's in the best
interest of the City of Miami irrespective of anything else. So I just want to start the
conversation. I don't want -- I'm not saying we end it today. I'm saying let's start it so
at least we make some progress, we move forward, and we get some questions
answered.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm glad you (INAUDIBLE) --
Chair Harden -ion: I want to rec --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's my thinking.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm glad you did. But the only thing that I'm offering is -- and
I'm glad that we start this conversation. What I'm trying to offer is that we are -- we
can even call a special meeting at the beginning of November -- you see? -- after the
election in order to solve this problem. And we will have some information that 1 think
that it will be extremely helpful for us because -- particularly for (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
because you want to know how much are we going to receive, what is the potential of
how much we can receive in order to make an intelligent decision. So with this report,
what I'm trying to find out is the potential of that marina and what will be the best
course of action according to the information that we receive.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I had the DREAM (Department of Real Estate
and Asset Management) folks yesterday in my briefing. We stayed over after the
briefing and talked a little bit about the details. I'm sorry. Through you, Mr. Chair, I
apologize. The -- talked to me, and I think Jackie Lorenzo and some of the other
members of the DREAM team came to me and tried to give me some specifics on how
many dollars. And the most interesting thing that I found about that conversation was
that they -- that DREAM argues that these numbers are floors, not ceiling. That's the
way it is in Tallahassee, and we did that with the gaming compact with the Seminoles.
We negotiated a contract after we approved the settlement agreement. And we came
back and said, "Well, you know what, 220 million wasn't enough. We want 280
million." So what DREAM explained to me yesterday, the representatives of DREAM,
Dan and others, they said, "You know, this is a floor. Maybe we can negotiate 3
million or 3.2 million." My understanding is that the current marina -- from what I
hear, not from any particular vendor, just 1 hear from marina -- because I also go
outside the people that have a vested interest, and I asked two marina operators,
independent of -- they're not bidding for this. They have no interest in this -- that that
marina they estimate is probably making about 8 million bucks a year, all right? So,
one of the contracts has 6 percent of gross sales; the other one has no gross sales is
my understanding. And then they're paying us 2 million, 2.1 or 2.5, whatever the
difference is. That's what I want to know. Because they're making 8 million and
there's a lot of operating costs. The guy told me that. He also told me -- you know? --
yeah, let's say that each side is making 2 million, and you know, it's 8 million total,
and then two and two; two for the City, two for the operator. If we operate it ourselves
-- as Commissioner Reyes suggests -- well, you know, hey, we could make a heck of a
lot more money -- right? -- for the City. Not that I'm a big believer in government -- as
I've said many times -- operating anything, but at least in the interim before we maybe
perhaps do a new RFP (Request for Proposals) -- because I would love -- I'm new to
this (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I've been reading about it for six years. I was reading
about it when I -- you know, when I wasn't even thinking about running for City
Commission. And it's always, you know, a front page local news article about it falls
apart; there's a lawsuit. There's' an appeal; they lose the appeal, or they throw out the
bid. It's over and over and over again. So what I want to do is I want to have the
information in an open forum where --
Commissioner Reyes: Fantastic.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- people can't lie, or people can't deceive, or
people can't, you know, fudge the numbers. And not that I'm saying any of this has
happened, butt prefer to do it openly so that people -- so that everybody -- so that our
City Manager and our DREAM members can come and say, "No, that's not true. This
is actually a floor, and we could actually get 3 million from them. Or this is how much
they're really generating." We tabulate all those things. And we have to make sure
that we have every detail before we make the decision. So I figured -- Commissioner
Reyes -- we're going to have a conversation today maybe, another conversation on the
22nd. And I agree, a special meeting maybe on the 6th or the 7th -- it can't be the 4th
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because Commissioner Hardemon is going to he celebrating, or recovering from a
celebration, or maybe still celebrating, so it can't be the 4th -- right? -- but it's got to
he at least the 5th. And maybe we have a meeting on that Thursday, and we come in
and we have a meeting just for that, so we settle this problem, and we move on to the
next big deal.
Commissioner Reyes: Once jbr all.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But for us to have all the questions that are asked,
as many as can be answered can be answered, and then we continue, and then we get
-- we make an intelligent decision. Because 1 don't want it to be my bad that I don't
have enough information. I wasn't here when this RFP was drafted.
Commissioner Reyes: I wasn't here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I wasn't here when it was given. I wasn't here when
all this happened, butt have to vote on it. So it's on me thatI vote on something that is
a good vote, is a right vote based on all the information I can have. I can't change
what the RFP said. I can't change all the legal maneuvering that took place before,
but I can sure as heck make a good decision based on good information now. So then
ifI make a bad decision and I vote the wrong way, my constituents will punish me. But
at least I can't blame it on anybody else but myself And I want to make sure -- and if7
make the right decision, they'll reward me, and that's what I want. 1 want to represent
the people who elected me, and 1 want to make every decision, especially when it
conies to big -ticket items like this one, with all the information in the world, even if it's
conflicting information. At least it's out there, and we can talk about it, and we can
debate it, and we can go back and forth. And that's just the way I'm thinking about
this issue. The same way I'm going to do this, I'm going to try to do it at least on every
big -ticket item that we have.
Commissioner Reyes: I agree with you 100 percent, and that's why we need all the
information we can get. The -- an audit is being performed, and I think that is going to
be finished -- it's going to be before November. And I'm going to try to get the Auditor
General to -- I mean, my information that I have it's almost finished, and that will be
an additional information that we will have, and how it is operating, and the potential
that that marina has of additional revenues and so on. And I think it would be helpful
just to help a little bit. And then just as you stated, we have a special meeting, and we
analyze all the -- every one of the different possibilities, including taking over it, and
we vote. And we make a decision based on that information that we receive. And I
agree with you, we have to finalize this. I agree.
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Russell.
Commissioner Carollo: Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Well, I called on Commissioner Russell. He's been waiting
patiently. You're recognized, Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
I felt exactly the way you do right now when I came in and inherited this -- the first
RFP, the first version, which we ended up throwing out after giving it good review
and understanding the scoring. And the challenges that came from that were so
difficult amongst us and the applicants, and it consumed so much time we created a
special master system simply just because of that, to deal with the challenges to the
RFP so that we wouldn't have to put ourselves in that same situation again. But I
agree with you. We should be the ones making the decision, and we should do it as
promptly as possible, and we should do it with the right information. But what we
want to make sure of and be most -- what we want to have most important is that the
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decision we make is binding and solid to challenge. And I think that's where we really
need to rely on our Procurement Director, to rely on our City Attorney. There's
another person here that's new in this decision in addition to yourself and that's the
City Manager. The recommendation that is before us on this agenda is from a
previous City Manager after their analysis of the scoring. And so I believe the correct
process is for that Manager to put forth what his recommendation is. Right now, we're
dealing with a stale recommendation. And we all have our reasons. We've hashed out
a lot of things we like and don't like about the different applications and problems,
and we don't need to go through those now. But I believe once we get -- you know,
and that's what I've been waiting to hear from -- where does this Manager stand on
the recommendation to the Commission? Because the process is the scoring happens,
he makes the recommendation, we accept or deny the recommendation. And my worry
is if we create our own procurement process where we are interviewing and basically
doing our own scoring, that they may be able to -- whoever loses, may be able to
come back and say we violated our own process. And I don't know that that's the case.
I just want to make sure that this is all blessed by the City Attorney and Procurement
and the City Manager. But I'm with you; the sooner the decision the better.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But where does this Manager stand? That's a
legitimate question.
Chair Hardemon: Before we bring the Manager in on that, are you finished, Vice
Chairman?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, thank you.
Chair Hardemon: 1 want to call on Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: You thought I was going to forget about you? I can't --
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, no. I know you'll never forget about me because
I'll remind you.
Chair Hardemon: Exactly.
Commissioner Reyes: That's a fact.
Commissioner Carollo: Look, I'm going to tell you all right now the one idea that has
been proffered that I'm not going to bite into is for the City to run it and let me explain
to you why. If we were the private sector, the private sector would have fired
everybody that we've had running the dry dock marina next to this marina. The dry
dock marina there is part of what they're supposed to take over in the bid process. It's
a shame, a real shame how that marina has been run with no caring how much money
it brings. I mean, even during this whole ordeal where we all knew we were going to
lose so much money, someone made the decision that, oh, they were going to give 15
percent -- or was it 25? -- I don't know, one or the other. I think it was 25 -- to -- back
to the people that were putting the dry dock there. Now, we have the lowest prices
compared to the private sector. We're like -- about 50 percent or more below them. So
on top of that, without counting on us and not contemplating the financial problems
we are going to have because of COVID-19, someone took a decision upon
themselves that it wasn't enough that for the dry docks they pay 50 percent or more
below market value, but they were going to give them 25 percent back. That marina is
one of the biggest examples that I could point to you why the City of Miami -- at least
in the marina business -- has no business getting involved in running anything itself
Now, let me go further. Let me go back, yes, to the time that I was Mayor. There was a
group of people that had bought the lease where we have the dry docks that we run
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today. Next door to it, the place called the Hud, or I don't know what it's called now.
And they were going to make an offer for that portion of the marina there that we're
running today, and apparently, they were making a big offer to the father of the
individual that's running the marina today to buy that lease from them. And they
wanted to combine it and ask for an extension for all those properties. They were
offering up a pretty reasonable amount of dollars, but I made a mistake -- and I say it
sadly, -- to have listened to the marina manager that we had at the time, Ms. Abrams,
that convinced me that if we run it ourselves, we could make much more money. Let's
not give them anything. And the outcome has been the failure of having the City run it
fir all these years and the loss of revenue that we've had versus the private sector
running it making their profit and we made more than by running it ourselves. I don't
know what's going on in there, but you know, I'm amazed that there's an audit on this
marina, but there's no audit on the dry dock marina that we're doing. Who knows
what you're going to find there? And I mean who knows what you're going to find
there?
Commissioner Reyes: Let's do it.
Commissioner Carollo: Maybe that's one that we ourselves should do an investigation
on and see how many people are putting boats there that are not paying, if we are
getting all the money that's being paid by boats that are put there or not. Because I
can't believe that throughout the years, we've gotten so little money out of there. And
like everything else in the City, there's no accountability, nobody has to worry about
losing their job, or even getting hit in the hand here for once. So for all those reasons
-- and 1 might add that those nice (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that wanted to combine all
these dry dock marinas and the actual boat slip marinas and do that whole project,
when I had listened to the marina director, they went after me like, you know, the
revenge of -- well, I mean, I'll say that I'm not going to be politically correct, but with
major revenge in the next election that I had. So gentlemen, there's no way that you're
going to convince me -- and certainly with the lack of accountability in the people that
we have running the marina operation -- that I'm going to go and vote to let the City
run this marina. Because I know what's going to happen. It's going to be run down.
We're going to get less money than ever before in a short time, and it's going to be the
same thing as the present marina where the dry docks are at. I actually feel
responsible not to have gotten the City more money, which I did, but this should've
never have gotten to this point that we waited so long to take this on. When I asked the
present marina operator to provide $100,000 more -- which he has -- and even though
he had no guarantees and he guarantee -- he never guaranteed us that he was going
to be -- do it every month, he's been paying the 100,000 every month. And in fact, has
paid us more already on a yearly basis than the other group would've paid us. But the
difference is that he didn't have the benefit of having the extra income that he was
supposed to have in the lease of the dry dock marina that we're not making anything
from. Then on top of that, if we were to add the amount of money that we're making in
that marina, besides him taking us more than whole, we were making a lot more now.
So I think it's right for us to decide this one way or another. We've been kicking
around this can for a long time. More than ever, we need to bring the most amount of
income to the City and the stability of that income. And yes, it's very clear that with
either one of these two firms, we don't have to agree to the amount that they've
offered. We could ask for more and negotiate but for more. The question is which of
the two do we think deserves that shot to be able to negotiate for more from the City
of Miami. But the bottom line is going to the route of us running it ourselves for all
the reasons that stated here, there's no way that could go that route.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. And I --
Chair Hardemon: Before you -- (INAUDIBLE) go back to Commissioner Russell
because I know you were going back and forth with the Senator so I'm going to
recognize him. You're recognized, sir.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Commissioner Carollo, it doesn't happen every day,
hut Pm going to agree with you with at least two, maybe even three things of what you
just said, which is very true. One --
Commissioner Carollo: A lot more than you disagree.
Vice Chair Russell: -- you absolutely negotiated a better deal for us that what we had
sitting there, and you pulled that out of your back pocket. You negotiated it, and over
$1 million a year is coming to the City because of that, plus it bought us the time to
decide this properly without losing money and without kicking anyone out, and
without -- while still providing a service, so thank you. That was really good. The
other thing I completely agree with you about is about us running our own marina. I
wish we could have nice things. I really want us to be better stewards of the assets
that we have. And for me, it's not about the manpower because 1 really think Mari
(phonetic) does a great job at Dinner Key Marina. Anthony does a great job around
the -- all of them. We may disagree on that, but I think the bigger problem is about
deferred maintenance, upkeep, and investment. If you look right out the window at
Dinner Key, after Hurricane Irma, all the other marinas got up and running. They all
got their FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) money. They all got their
insurance money. We are still not able to ribbon -cut those piers. And for whatever
those reasons are, it may be just the inherent problems with bureaucracy and the
public sector. But also the investments that can come when someone has a longer
term lease and they invest -- if you really want a state-of-the-art modern marina, you
know, 1 think we need to find the right partners for that, so I agree with you on that
too. And 1 agree with you we need to do it soon and pick of the two. I've been clear
about where my position was on the previous Manager's recommendation. The
winning bidder was not only the creation of Biscayne Bay's largest contaminated spill
in its history, they withheld that information from their first bid. And you know,
whether you're going to punish them forever about the spill is one thing, but for them
to have withhold it from the bid and not entered that as -- you know? -- relevant
information, I felt that was deceptive. And for Commissioner Reyes and the other
issues you brought up, where they may or may not have built marinas around the
world and things like that, I -- you know, I have a feeling where the basic temperature
of this dais was before we shut down for COVID and haven't talked about this. But
like Alex said, I would really like to see where the Manager is on this, and I haven't
heard that yet, and I think that's the right process for us to really do it.
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner --
Commissioner Carollo: Before --
Chair Hardemon: I'll let you respond, Commissioner Carollo. Go ahead.
Commissioner Carollo: Before the Manager will speak, Mr. Manager, through you,
even though I'm not sure if he works for us directly and we don't have to go through
you, but still, I'd rather go through you so it could be friendly. Could you ask the
Auditor General that did this report to come online now please? Because today is the
first that I've heard that there was an audit being done here.
Commissioner Reyes: We asked for it.
Commissioner Carollo: And I'd like to get a little more information.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Reyes, I want to recognize you.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes. And Commissioner Carollo, you might not remember, but
we asked for it. We did direct the Auditor General -- you and I -- that -- to bring a
report, and we've been waiting for it. And I also want to know --1 mean, 1 don't want
to get into a discussion. 1 know the inefficiency of government is something that it is
refutable, that government is very inefficient. And a couple of times, I've stated that on
the dais. But I want to know what are the alternatives that we have, Victoria, in
getting either probably a new RFP or what it is -- how can we make a decision that it
won't land us in court and try to get -- if we decide on an alternative route, I mean,
what do we have to do? I disagree that we cannot run a marina because I think that
we -- we, as government -- because in other time -- and because we have departments
that they would be inefficient, it doesn't mean that that have to be in perpetuity. It is
from us, elected officials, to demand efficiency in government and efficiency when
they are administering our assets. And the example of the marina that is right behind
what happened after the hurricane, it is because the previous Administration was
sitting on you know their what, and they were waiting for FEMA instead of starting
the construction and getting the money from FEMA later, you see. That's the problem
there. And that is only inefficiency. That is all it is, inefficiency. And probably we can
do it. Probably we can take it and run it for a couple of years or one year. Probably
we can really, be -- I mean, learn that there is great possibility to tremendously
increase our revenues because we are charging less -- a lot less than private marinas
doesn't mean that we have to keep the same rates on it. I mean, what I want to know
is, I don't want to tie our hands. I want to know all the alternatives that we have, and
how -- what can we get a deal or a future deal that will be more beneficial for the City
of Miami. That is what we all want, you see? That is all -- what we all want. And I'm
going to tell you, 1 don't have no preference in this, you see? And 1 wasn't here, just
like Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla and yourself We were not here when this
happened. And 1 don't have preference. And 1 have informed both parties that I don't
have no preference. I have my doubts about both parties too, that I have stated
publicly, you see? I have stated publicly, and that's why I said maybe we can look at a
third alternative. And I want Victoria to let us know what possibilities we have into
looking into another alternative. I mean, how legally (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: If -- look, if we're going to have a special meeting about this, let's
not waste time today talking.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. But --
Chair Hardemon: Set it to the next -- the -- I mean, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
he had a date that he had in mind, considering some different dates. I would suggest
that we set it so that we can get through this agenda --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay then.
Chair Hardemon: -- address this, readdress this, and just tackle it that way. We can
let -- it was lost upon me that many of you weren't there when this thing first started,
and this thing -- I mean, it started, came to an end --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: -- it started again, extended itself So, you know, I'm seeing the
item, but I really didn't realize that so many of you weren't there when this thing
initially came up. So it's a monster of an item to inherit, and I think it is fair if you
want to -- if you're asking to have a meeting dedicated to it, because it's such a big
issue, I mean, I don't mind. It's just that -- well, I just want to then move all of the
discussion about it to that. Okay?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, Mr. Chair --
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Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Fonda. I'll defer to you, to your ruling, but 1 want --1'm
the new kid on the block.
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm old, but I'm the new kid on the block -- in this
block, at least in this block.
Commissioner Reyes: What are you talking about, man?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I feel young in this block I'm in right now, right?
Okay. So I'm at a disadvantage. I don't know the issue as well as other Commissioners
who've been here a long time. And all I wanted was at least to get some sort of
presentation. If you limit the amount --
Chair Hardemon: Right. And I do --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- five minutes.
Chair Hardemon: That's what I'm saying; that we've had a --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because the problem that 1 have is that 1 want to
see where our Manager stands -- he's a new Manager -- what our City Attorney
thinks, and we're not going to allow the bidders to present -- I understand that;
probably could do that in the meeting, the special meeting. But at least 1 want to know
on the record what our Manager thinks -- our new Manager --
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- what our City Attorney thinks so that at least I
know where we're moving and what direction we're -- what options are available to
us, so I could give it some thought between now and our special meeting.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I fear that if we only -- if we take everything to one
meeting, then we're not going to have resolution. It's just the experience --
Chair Hardemon: And I understand that. I certainly want to get this thing resolved
myself, so if --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know; that's why you agreed when I pulled it off
the agenda -- right? -- to be considered individually. I know. I got that. But if our
Manager wants to go in a certain direction with what he's going to recommend --
because we have -- you blow -- we need to know. I can have a conversation with him,
and he'll tell every Commissioner the same thing, but -- you know -- it depends what
questions are asked -- right? -- at the end of the day, because -- you know -- I sort of
want to have a sense of where he's moving, and what direction he wants. And more
importantly than what the Manager thinks -- I could call him tomorrow and ask him --
is what our City Attorney thinks about the legal consequences. How free are we to act
the way we wish to act? Can we do the things we want to do? Are we fooling
ourselves? Are we forced, really, legally? Are we -- our hands -- are our hands tied to
vote for the item that's before us? Because there'll be a lawsuit in a lot of likelihood,
maybe -- and most likely -- that we lose. I don't want to fall into that trap of getting
sued and be in the hold for 20 -- and the Flagstone issue is not over again. So our
City Attorney has an opinion of where we need to go. Our City Manager is going to
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have -- he doesn't have to give it now if he doesn't want to. I'm trying to put him on the
spot, but 1 don't have to put him on the spot and close him off. But 1'd rather he would
say it publicly. But if he doesn't want to say it publicly, I'll do it on the phone and then
I'll keep it to myself until the next meeting. But our City Attorney is more valuable
now for her legal opinion as to what options are available to us. Can we -- if we pick
somebody else, can we then -- are -- can -- is the person that's there now going to
leave? Does he have the right to stay, a settlement agreement? Does he get to stay,
and we don't pick anybody, and we say nothing. You know, we're not doing anything,
does he get to stay in perpetuity? How long does he get to stay? We pick the
recommended bidder, do they start paying immediately to the City? I want any -- I
want it to be seamless. The money needs to continue to come to the City, because I
can't afford -- we can't afford that money not corning to the City. But perhaps if you
indulge me, Mr. Chair, and just let our City Attorney to give us some of the legal --
kind of the lay of the land, the legal lay of the land --
Chair Hardemon: Madam City Attorney?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- for a few minutes, and then we can take it from
there.
Chair Hardemon: Do you have a comment? Madam City Attorney, you're recognized.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Thank you, Chairman and Commissioners. Your
options are you can award to the number -one bidder; that's one option. Your next
option could be to --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is that the safest route --
Ms. Mendez: It's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- legal issue?
Ms. Mendez: -- based on everything that you -- whether you feel that this is the best
decision for the City, so that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. We can negotiate the best decision for the
City, because we already said that's the floor. But we can go to the winning bidder
and say, "Hey, we want three million," right?
Ms. Mendez.: Right. So we talked to the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So that's the details that we can work out. The
question is, legally, is that the safest route?
Ms. Mendez: I would not like to opine on the -- on that; it just whether you would
like to award to the first. You're able to award, okay? Then the second --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And you don't want to opine, because you don't
want to ruin your chances in court?
Ms. Mendez: I -- so my -- I like to say as little as possible, because at the end of the
day, this will end up in some sort of lawsuit.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Ms. Mendez: So I ju,st say your options --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because -- if I may, Mr. Chairman -- because it'll
end up in court in some sort of lawsuit, we need to know.
Ms. Mendez: Correct. And that's why we brief individually, right?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's why you're a lawyer. You're our City
Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: And that's why we brief individually. And I gave you some of -- some
discussion with regard to this. But the options are -- just because we've talked a lot
about negotiating between one and two, that is not an option.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: So the options are: Option 1, award to the winning bidder; Option 2,
throw out all bids; Option 3, throw out --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All right, City -- Hold on, City Attorney. So we
throw out all bids, City Manager. What's that -- and we do a new RFP (Request for
Proposals). What's -- can it be an expedited RFP? How quickly do you think that
process will -- how long do you think that process will take, and what happens in the
interim? You bring the new RFP being issued and granted and everything else
awarded. How -- it's -- do we still -- does the current operator stay there and pay us
what he :s paying us now during that process?
Art Noriega (City Manager): You're asking me or you're asking Vicky?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're City Manager. That's the City Attorney.
Mr. Noriega: Right. So if we -- if you throw the whole process out and you issue an
RFP, I guarantee you, nothing about this RFP will be expedited. The processes prior
to this haven't been expedited. It's a very detailed project, and I think if you reissue
the RFP, it will run its normal course. And then there's -- you know -- as has been the
case with all the prior versions of this RFP solicitation process -- there have been
challenges, there have been bid protests -- nothing about this process, if you redo it,
will be quick. I can pretty much guarantee that. As for --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And what happens during that period?
Mr. Noriega: The existing operator stays.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So the existing operator stays.
Mr. Noriega: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And can we -- as Commissioner Reyes said, can we
take over that marina if we decide to take over it, or the existing operator stays, can
we demand that he pay more during that process, or ask him to pay more, him
voluntarily pay more is the better way to say it?
Mr. Noriega: So the first question is, I think you're asking, if we throw it all out, can
we take over; is that the first question?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir.
Mr. Noriega: Okay. That's a legal question. I'll let Vicky opine on that.
Ms. Mendez: Yes. If you throw it out, you could take it over.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Immediately?
Ms. Mendez: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: And then can we go into an RFP?
Ms. Mendez: The -- I mean, based on what you've said on the dais, eventually, you
would like to maybe enter into an RFP, but it doesn't -- you don't have to. You can
take it over and decide with -- you know -- what you want to do. Maybe when you take
it over for a month, you decide that it's the best money you've ever made and you want
to continue doing it, or you may say you can't do it and you want to issue an RFP. You
have the opportunity to take it over.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, there's a balance. There's a balance between
what Commissioner Reyes and Commissioner Carollo are saying, right? We throw it
out, hypothetically; we take over immediately; we test -- we work with the RFP
process that now our new Manager is saying will take forever. It'll take forever. It
can't be expedited, even though my hope was that with a new system of government
and new Manager that things were being faster, but I guess it's that, right? So it'll last
three years.
Mr. Noriega: I'm a realist, so --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Well, that's why I'm asking. Well, it's a real -
Mr. Noriega: I'm a realist in terms of -- I'm a student of history, so I've seen history --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, but you -- but sometimes change is good to
expedite matters, right?
Mr. Noriega: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So the idea that it'll take forever -- let's say it'll
take a long time. But if the City runs it during that long time, however you define that
long time -- right? -- we test Commissioner Reyes' theory. Can we run a marina? Are
we doing well? Are we making more money? Maybe he sees that we are, and maybe
Commissioner Carollo says, "Hey, we are. Let's keep on doing this, " or maybe it
doesn't work, and Commissioner Reyes says, "You know what? No, let's do" -- "let's
move forward with the RFP," and then we could decide later on whether we keep
running it or we grant -- we award it to somebody else. That gives us kind of a testing
period to see if we could -- you know -- whether we could run it ourselves, whether we
-- you know -- the new RFP or new bidders are better people, that would give us more
money. But as long as -- "Seamless" is the wrong word, but as long as it's -- there's
continuous payments corning to the City of Miami, there's continuous profit corning to
the City of Miami, I don't care who's running it as long as the money is corning in
every month, right? So what happens legally, even according to out settlement
agreement, if we can -- if we decide we're going to throw everything out and start
from scratch, the next day we can kick out the current guy that's there, right? Right,
Vicky?
Ms. Mendez: Yes. You could take it over. You are the owner of the property. You can
always take it over. You can throw out all bids, take it over. There is your prerogative.
It doesn't matter -- the settlement agreement was at a time when we were in the first
RFP, and we complied with that settlement agreement, and then some, because we
went into a second RFP. We could have taken it over at that time.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. So you're saying that that settlement
agreement no longer applies?
Ms. Mendez: That settlement agreement is done.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. That's what I wanted to ask.
Ms. Mendez: We have complied with that settlement agreement.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: We have complied.
Commissioner Reyes: So -- excuse me. So there is no danger of -- by us taking over
and going into an RFP --
Mr. Noriega: What he just said --
Commissioner Reyes: -- that we are going to land up in court, you see? That --
Ms. Mendez: We're always going to end up in court. That's not -- I mean, we will end
up in court.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, no, that's not true. That's not true. There are
certain avenues we can take --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- that there's less of a chance that we end up in
court. For example --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- we award to the current -- to the winning bidder
and they indemnf us, right? That's the best legal avenue we can take, because that's
less risk for us. I mean, not all risks are created equal, so there are options and
choices that we can make that make it -- you know -- legally better for us, right?
Ms. Mendez.: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: But I'm not -- unfortunately --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's not that we'll always end up in court; it's
whether we end up in court and win or lose, right?
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Ms. Mendez: But we always end up in court. It's whether we --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, because --
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- this is a big -money item and --
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Ms. Mendez: Exactly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- there's money, and people are going to fight for
money --
Ms. Mendez: Exactly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and I get that. I get that. But I don't care if we
end up in court, because that's what happens with these things, but we want to win.
Ms. Mendez: Correct,
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We don't want to have a Flagstone situation,
right?
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We want to win. So you have -- your responsibility,
I think, is to advise us if we want the best legal -- that's what I'm asking. I'm not
asking about the political decision, the policy decision; that's ours. I'm asking the
legal -- your legal opinion on what the consequences of those policies may be.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's all Pm asking.
Ms. Mendez: You first asked me for the options, so I gave you the options.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. You gave me the options.
Ms. Mendez: Option 1: Award; Option 2, throw out. And --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But any -- well -- okay. And Option "B"?
Ms. Mendez: -- Option 2 was throw out. Option 3 could be throw out and take over.
But at the end of the day, it's either award to Number 1 or throw out, based on your
decision.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And awarding it to Number 2, what happens?
Ms. Mendez.: That is not something that's contemplated in our Code, and it was not
part of this RFP.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because --
Ms. Mendez: So awarding to Number 2 is not an option.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Because I -- that's what I don't understand,
because --
Mr. Noriega: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and I asked it different ways yesterday, and I'm
not understanding maybe because --
Ms. Mendez: Right.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I'm kind of -brainwashed by Tallahassee, right?
Ms. Mendez: Right. And you are, because --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We had this happen all the time in Tallahassee.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We'd throw out Number 1 and Number 2 works.
Ms. Mendez: Because it's allowed. In Tallahassee, it's flexible. Your State statute is
much more flexible in that regard --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Ms. Mendez: -- and you can negotiate between the first and second. Your -- a lot of
your bid and procurement documents are drafted that way.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Ms. Mendez: In this case, it was not drafted that way, and we don't have that then
backup provision in our Code that says, "You can always negotiate between 1 and 2."
You either have to draft it that way or you have to have to have a Code provision for
that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Have you ever thought about maybe --
Ms. Mendez: -- and we don't have that in this one.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- have you thought about moving forward,
emulating the procurement process in Tallahassee so we have more flexibility on how
we make our choices?
Ms. Mendez: Because of your adamant discussions on this issue and how flexible it is,
we should look at that so that you have increased flexibility, but our Code is not
drafted that way.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well I --
Ms. Mendez:: But we can.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- think that we should start looking at -- figuring
out a way to draft it that way so that we could -- so that as a public policy body we
have options available to us, because everything cannot end up in a lawsuit, because
we are setting ourselves up for failure by having a procurement process that doesn't
allow us to pick Number 2 or Number 3 and -- because all of a sudden, Number 1
says, "No, you have no other option. This is the way it was set up. You have to pick
us," even if they have a whole bunch of flaws and you think, well, you know, they're
not local in many ways, they're not this, they're not that. We can't do that, because our
procurement process doesn't allow us to do it. But maybe that's something, Mr. Chair,
that we can look at, Mr. -- whoever the future Chair is going to be -- to look at that,
figure out a way of how we can get to change --
Commissioner Reyes: You have to change the Code.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- some of these processes so that we --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- have more flexibility in our ability to make
decisions --
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Vice Chair.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- because to me, the logical -- the common sense
approach would be two guys, two entities that want to run something, let's back up to
one, talk to the other, and see who gives us the best deal.
Commissioner Reyes: Negotiate, negotiate.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And negotiate. And I'm sure that what's happened
is that what they were going to give us here, all of a sudden it starts going up like this,
right? And all of a sudden, the capital improvements go from 80 million to 120 to 150.
Now, all of a sudden, we have two restaurants and four restaurants, and all of a
sudden, the City's making money, and all of a sudden, we're operating like a business
-- or at least closer to a business than we're operating right now. But for us -- for you
to tell us that the only option available to approve Number 1 or throw everything out
and then begin -- our Manager's telling us then begin an RFP process is going to take
years and years and years, there's no way to expedite this, because nothing's changed.
And then --
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- what option to we have? 1 mean, it's just
ridiculous. So now we're talking now about six years -- about nine years here.
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, so I'd like to explore this a little furtherr,
because if -- unless it's expressly forbidden within the Code, I feel like we do have a
few more options before us, so help me walk through this. If the Manager --
Ms. Mendez: Ifprocurement -- go on.
Vice Chair Russell: Right. -- through the procurement rules, if the scoring conies in
that the Manager moves the first place bidder within the scoring as non -responsible
or nonresponsive, then he can recommend the one that caught the Number 2 score,
correct? And that recommendation, even though that's the Number 2 bidder, would
come to the Commission as the Manager's recommendation. That's legal, correct?
Ms. Mendez: But that's not what's before us.
Vice Chair Russell: That's not what's before us in this moment, but this Manager has -
Ms. Mendez: The recommendation -- right -- is to award the Number 1.
Vice Chair Russell: Through this Manager -- right? -- is to award it Number 1. This
Manager is --
Ms. Mendez: Well, I don't know. That -- we haven't gotten there.
Vice Chair Russell: So my question: Is there anything that precludes this Manager
from analyzing the scoring, analyzing the tapes, and making a recommendation that
he feels? And it may be Number 1, but isn't he legally allowed to choose the one as --
that came second in the scoring for whatever reasons he deems it, he then presents to
the Commission as his recommendation, and it may not be the one with the top score?
Isn't that legal?
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Ms. Mendez: Right. So you would have to deem Number 1 unresponsive and not
responsible, and I don't believe that that's (INAUDIBLE)
Vice Chair Russell: We put what the Manager wanted.
Commissioner Reyes: But that's absurd.
Vice Chair Russell: Wait, wait --
Ms. Mendez: I'm just telling you how --
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Vice Chair Russell: Let me answer the question.
Ms. Mendez: That's how the Code is drafted.
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, what do you mean by "you would have to
deem"?
Ms. Mendez: The Manager.
Vice Chair Russell: The Manager would deem it not responsive?
Ms. Mendez: Right. The recommendation -- that is not the recommendation that is
before you today.
Vice Chair Russell: I understand that. I'm not saying that. But the Manager has the
wherewithal to deem any given bidder non -responsible, nonresponsive, correct?
Ms. Mendez: His -- my understanding is that the recommendation has been -- why
don't we ask the Manager what his recommendation is?
Vice Chair Russell: Madam -- okay. This is a hypothetical question. This is out of --
Ms. Mendez: Right. So this is -- these are hypothetical questions that are best left not
on the dais.
Vice Chair Russell: But they're very similar questions --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, no. Oh, no, no. Vicky -- no, I'm sorry. You're
looking --
Vice Chair Russell: This is our only chance to talk with each other here, and --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, this is exactly what led to the
frustrations of before, because we end up going in circles and we feel like our hands
are tied by a Code. Our hands are tied, but that Code -- we're not explicit in terms of
denying the ability to do something -- should have some flexibility. But even within
what is explicitly allowed, I do believe -- and I'm trying to get to the bottom of this --
that a Manager can deem a top-ranking bidder as nonresponsive and non -
responsible, and can recommend the Number 2 to this Commission. Is that -- without
thinking of the facts of this issue, Madam City Attorney, isn't that true?
Ms. Mendez: You have to deem them that way.
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Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: It has to be, right.
Vice Chair Russell: But it's -- "you," being the Manager?
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. And then we could vote on that recommendation. What
you're saying is we can't pick amongst the various -- as a Commission, we can't pick.
Ms. Mendez: That's what -- right. That's what's been asked.
Vice Chair Russell.• (UNINTELLIGIBLE) comes down to the Manager's
recommendation.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But this is not this Manager's recommendation.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. If the --
Vice Chair Russell: And -- I'm sorry. I had one last question for you Madam City
Attorney, because you had said earlier that the settlement agreement is now over. And
if I -- it's been a while now, but my recollection the last tinge we brought this up, the
wording of the settlement agreement is that it's only over once we award to the next
tenant; is that not correct?
Ms. Mendez: We're not -- so if -- when this settlement came into being, we were in the
middle of the first RFP, right? Yes; you remember that?
Vice Chair Russell: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. So we were in the middle of the first RFP, and that was the
settlement agreement that was drawn up, which is, until it's awarded, they get to stay.
Well, that one wasn't awarded, because it was tossed out. Then a new one came
along, which is the one that we're in right now. It was -- they've stayed into the second
one. It was never contemplated for them to stay forever. You either award or you take
it over. They don't have to stay as the holdover tenant forever.
Vice Chair Russell: I thought that was the settlement.
Ms. Mendez: The settlement was done during one RFP. That RFP --
Vice Chair Russell: The settlement said it's limited to the RFP.
Ms. Mendez: It doesn't say it's limited, but that was the time and place where we were
in. We were in an RFP, and it was an award. The settlement is not meant to tie our
hands in perpetuity that we cannot do anything with our own property. Now, we
haven't taken it over, so they have stayed. And they have benefited from the fact that
Tye are in a second RFP, based on their protests, based on everything that happened,
so they have benefited from that. If you decide to throw out this RFP, you can award
it, then there's no issue. If you throw out the RFP, you could take it over.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam City Attorney?
Ms. Mendez: Yes.
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Commissioner Reyes: Can the City Manager review both -- 1 mean both answers to
the RFP for both of them? And he can decide at this time and make a
recommendation, and that recommendation could be also to throw out both of them
and start the whole process. And with different -- because I think that we should be a
little bit more demanding -- with different requirements, different demand, and
different con -- demand; particularly in contributions to the City of Miami, how much
we're going to get. I mean, like a floor, that we can raise the floor, you see? We can
raise the floor and we can also include additional revenues or additional percentages
of sales, or whatever. He can review that and then we throw out this RFP and we form
a new one and with different requirements. The Manager is the Manager -- I mean,
it's under his purview of doing this, right? Can he do that?
Ms. Mendez: I -- this Commission can throw out based on your own reasons to throw
out, so you don't need the Manager for that.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, we don't need the Manager for that. And if -- what 1 don't
understand is why can we not go through an RFP process in a way that it is -- I'm not
going to say "expedited," but where it is a speed that will -- I mean, instead of having
a whole year in this process, we can expedite it and we can require that the RFP -- I
mean all the participants bring an answer, give them a certain date, and we have 60
days to review and make a decision, and that's it. I mean, I don't know why, I mean --
Ms. Mendez: We would have to change the Code to make -- for an expedited process.
And obviously, this is all complicated, because it's waterfront property, and you have
to go through a --
Commissioner Reyes: Then what is the hest course of action if we don't want to -- just
assuming that we don't want to assign this to any one of the participants? What is the
best course of action? Taking over and throwing away everything, taking it over and
then start the process. Meanwhile, we are receiving the revenues of those people that
are -- now that they are using our docks, you see, and the ones that are using the
marina, we are receiving that, so there is a flow of income to the City of Miami, a flow
of revenue. We are not losing the flow of revenue, and we will be in a process where
we can really -- I mean, we can start the RFP process with probably different
requirements or being more specific about certain things, or maybe by dividing the
project into two sections and that one is for restaurants and the other one is for
marinas, et cetera, et cetera, and we can do that, and meanwhile, we are receiving
money.
Ms. Mendez: So based -- you definitely can throw it out; that is within your purview.
And if ,you are not comfortable, because you weren't here when this all started, and a
lot of that has gone to the fact that you didn't have to -- you didn't give the input with
regard to how you would have liked to see this RFP. The original one was thrown out,
because there was a lot of ambiguities with regard to the area of the RFP and the
environmental issues that it could cause. So if you have reasons -- which you've stated
all the reasons why you can throw this out, take it over, and decide what you're going
to do next. Decide if you are -- see it again -- decide if you are seeing it when -- what
you're going to do, how you're going to do it, et cetera. Those are all things that you
can do within your purview, because you are the -- this is in your proprietary
functions as the Commission.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can I hear --?
Commissioner Reyes: Sure, yes, Commissioner.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Who are we listening to?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can I hear from DREAM (Department of Real
Estate and Asset Management), what their thoughts are? And I really want to hear
from our City Manager.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I -- you know, Commissioner, I really don't care about
hearing from DREAM.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: 1 think DREAM has been very biased in this whole process.
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: So the farthest I get DREAM from the picture right now --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Forget DREAM I will forget DREAM We'll forget
about DREAM. I -- there's no argument there.
Commissioner Carollo: DREAM --
Commissioner Reyes: Wake up, wake up.
Commissioner Carollo: -- has been a nightmare.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All right. So forget about the nightmare. But let's
hear from --
Commissioner Carollo: Now, what 1 do want to hear, because --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I want to hear from our City Manager.
Commissioner Carollo: That's who I want to hear from --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- because I want to cut to the chase. I want to cut to the
chase. I don't want any more game playing. I want to bring this to a head one way or
another.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Very good.
Commissioner Carollo: And Mr. Manager, you know, this is one that -- you know --
it's like when you go -- and I was taught this by a good old boy in quail hunting. You
flush the quail out. By doing that, you know where you're heading.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you get the pointers to point at the quail, and
then you stalk the quail and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: But my point is that I want to know -- first of all, I'm very
concerned that what we have before us was the opinion by a guy that should have
never been our City Manager, ever. And if you thought that he should have been, you
should see how quickly -- look back and remember how quickly he put his tail between
his legs and ran out when he knew he got caught. And by the way, you know, when is
our Inspector General going to come with our report? Because that's a real report.
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Ms. Mendez: He's on. He's on if you want to talk to him.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. 1 see him, but let me get done with the Manager, please.
So why in the world didn't we get somebody else that's no longer here with us, his --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To recommend.
Commissioner Carollo: -- recommendation before us instead of yours, whatever it
was?
Theodore Guba (Auditor General): My turn?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're on.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, it's yours, I guess.
Mr. Guba: All right. So --
Commissioner Carollo: My question, again, is why didn't we get a previous City
Manager's recommendation, the former part-time City Manager we had, why didn't
we get his recommendation instead of getting whatever your recommendation was?
Mr. Noriega: So 1 asked for a deferral for a reason. I didn't just sort of do it because 1
felt like it was -- I wanted to kind of kick the can on this at all. 1 have a heightened
sense of urgency to bring this to a head as all of you do. I think it's actually a travesty
that this has gone on as long as it has --
Commissioner Carollo: It is.
Mr. Noriega: -- and no decision has been made, and we have -- you know -- years and
years' worth of lost revenue on this project, because it can't -- we can't quite get to the
finish line. The reason why you have the prior Manager's recommendation is because
this was just an item that came back before the Commission as a regular -- as many of
these do, right when they get deferred. They come back before the Commission. So it
just got scheduled on an agenda, not because I was necessarily ready to make a
recommendation, but because that was the timing of it, which is why I asked for it to
be withdrawn or deferred to November. I'll be honest. The audit issue, I wanted to
bring to a head more because I wanted to make sure there were no loose ends relative
to the process and/or the current vendor, because I felt it was important for them as
the existing vendor to not have this hanging over their head. And quite frankly, you
know, having seen the draft report, it -- they deserve an opportunity to respond to it,
put forth whatever contradictions or disagreements they have with the findings, and
then this comes out as a final report. At that point, it gets disseminated as a public
record.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Let me stop you there ifI can --
Mr. Noriega: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and then you can proceed. I think you made a mistake in
letting this even get in the agenda without you putting something down from you;
that's one. Two, this is where I'm going to be heading: I'm going to agree with your
deferment, because I know what to do in "A," "B," or "C," and I'm ready to go. But I
want to defer this to give you that opportunity to come up with whatever opinion you
have up front. I want Mr. Guba, that I want to speak to in a minute to finish his report,
because if indeed -- you know -- frankly, I thank you, Commissioner Reyes, that you
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remembered what I didn't, but then again, even though you're a little older than me,
(INAUDIBLE) that 1 have since I've been back.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're getting hit from all sides today,
Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: And since neither one of you can be recalled till the year's up
-- How was the turkey? Seems I'm a lot tougher (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're the guineapig, not the turkey.
Commissioner Carollo: They can have fun conies November.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, but we know we aren't lying.
Commissioner Carollo: Playing little rookie. Playing little rookie.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're right, but we're very comfortable, as you
are, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're very comfortable where we are, because --
Commissioner Carollo: Don't worry. I'll still run the campaigns. No problem. But I
am going to -- after I speak to Mr. Guba, I am going to ask for a deferral, because I
see that this is really premature right now from what you're telling me; that you're not
ready to give us an opinion. You want to have all the facts. And I want to make sure
Mr. Guba doesn't take another 10 months.
Mr. Noriega: So if I may, also, I think it would have been important -- which is why
I'd asked for the deferral -- for me to be able to sit with each of you individually --
Commissioner Carollo: That'd be nice.
Mr. Noriega: -- and giving my sense of it before this comes before the Commission as
part of that discussion item. That's just the proper way to process this, and I think it's
the only fair way to do it for each of you and, quite frankly, for me, because then I'm
meeting with each of you individually, and it's an informational exchange versus me
on a platform like this, and I think it's unfair to the respondents and it's unfair to you
individually, as well. I think we need to have those one-on-one briefings ahead of this
item, and be able to socialize it amongst each other individually.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I agree with you. So having heard from you, if Mr.
Guba could come up, please. Ted?
Mr. Guba: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Where are you at; if we could see you somewhere?
Mr. Guba: Good to see you. I'm at home.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, so is everybody else except me and Russell. See, you
know --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I love the fact that Russell --
Commissioner Carollo: -- we keep bonding.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- Commissioner Carollo and Commissioner
Russell are getting along today. It's so beautiful.
Commissioner Carollo: We keep bonding, Ken. Like I said before, we're together a lot
more than -- and now you're noticing.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Guba.
Mr. Guba: You want to know about the report.
Commissioner Carollo: Yes; if you could refresh my memory. I apologize.
Mr. Guba: This is the Rickenbacker report, about when it'll be out?
Commissioner Carollo: Which one?
Mr. Guba: Rickenbacker. They're vetting the findings.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Mr. Guba: Right now they're vetting the findings. They used an outside CPA
(Certified Public Accountant) firm as their accountants, and they are tax people, and
they have commitments until October 15; people who get delays in filing until then. So
sometime after October 15, they're supposed to be finished vetting our numbers, and
then we'll get the report out after that. We finalized another issue with them more
recently, so all there is, is we feel they owe some monies, and those are being vetted
right now.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What issue?
Commissioner Carollo: Start again if you could; go a little slower.
Commissioner Reyes: I think we're talking about different things here.
Commissioner Carollo: You said that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) busy until October 15?
Mr. Guba: Yeah. The Rickenbacker draft report, which I had previously given to Mr.
Noriega, is being vetted.
Commissioner Carollo: You got any problem in us seeing it?
Mr. Guba: Pardon me?
Commissioner Carollo: Do you have any problems in any of us seeing it?
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Mr. Guba: No, no. I could issue it to you.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Guba: It's just -- I can give you it in the same. form he got it, but a couple of
things came out in the meantime since you had -- it was some sales taxes.
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Commissioner Carollo: There's always something that comes out, in an audit. The
question is if it's something serious or it's something minute; just like with election
campaigns.
Mr. Guba: The only
Commissioner Carollo: When you -- you know -- raise that kind of money, there's
always a little minute mistake somewhere.
Mr. Guba: Well, I can get you a copy --
Commissioner Reyes: To all of us.
Mr. Guba: Okay. -- a copy of the draft report as it was issued to Mr. Noriega, but that
is not going to reflect the final report.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, we understand that, because they haven't had a chance
Mr. Guba: Okay. I'll get that to you right away.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wait, wait, wait.
Commissioner Carollo: -- from what you're saying -- to respond to it to you and
explain some things that maybe need explaining. Maybe they can explain it. I don't
know. All right?
Commissioner Reyes: Then we will -- we should have -- we're going to get a report
from you, and then we have to go over it, and we will make our own conclusions or
you -- because you're not going to give us any questions.
Mr. Guba: Right. Tomorrow -- you see, there's one issue, which we're having a
meeting with one of the City Assistant Attorneys on a tax issue, and we have to get --
they had one opinion and then other information came in from the tax accountants for
Rickenbacker, which has to be resolved, and we have to get the City's Attorneys to buy
-- to agree with us. That's one issue, but there's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that's ridiculous. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. This is
ridiculous.
Mr. Guba: Well, I had a briefing --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry, Mr. Guba,, this is ridiculous. We had a
briefing -- I had a briefing yesterday, and I asked for that report. And I was told --
even though I know it was given to the City Manager; a public record, right?
Commissioner Carollo: No, not necessarily.
Mr. Guba: It's not a public record. I can give you a draft.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you just said, Mr. Guba, you -- okay, it's not a
public record. Are you saying you're going to give it to the Commission tomorrow?
Right? Did you say that?
Mr. Guba: The draft report, which is not --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You said that -- Mr. Guba, let me finish. You said
you're going to give your draft report to the City Commission tomorrow.
Mr. Guba: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What I want to know is why you didn't give it to the
City Commission at the same time you gave it to the City Manager. That's what want
to know.
Mr. Guba: They were -- specifically wanted to know the status of it --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Guba, maybe you mentioned it and then --
Mr. Guba: -- and on a need -to -know basis, I gave it to them. But 1 normally give it to
the rest --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What do you mean, "need -to -know basis"? We're
the policy makers here. It's not a need -to -know basis. If you're doing an audit on a
major issue, that impacts the City of Miami, it's not a need -to -know basis. You don't
determine what the need -to -know basis is; we do. So if you have information that's
relevant and important to us making a decision like this, you release it to us
immediately. It's not a need -to -know basis. You'll determine what's need to know.
You're not a CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) agent, and you determine that.
Mr. Guba: Okay. But --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay? Number 1. Number 2, you mentioned a tax
issue that have heard about, but what's the tax issue?
Mr. Guba: I really can't talk about it. That shouldn't --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh. You can't talk about it?
Mr. Guba: -- talk with her. That shouldn't --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So basically, what we have, you can't talk about it.
So what we have is we have policy makers that will take -- ultimately take the hit for a
bad decision or good decision, right?
Chair Hardemon: Mm-hmm.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) credit for a good decision.
And you're telling us -- You work for us; right, Mr. Guba?
Mr. Guba: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're telling us that you decide what information
you share with us or you don't share with us; that's where your thought is?
Mr. Guba: What I normally -- I shared information with those -- be_fore it's a final
draft report. I've shared it as Commissioners have asked for it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh. Okay.
Mr. Guba: I have clone that in the past.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, you have.
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Mr. Guba: And -- but I -- at the same time, another Commissioner has not asked for
the same thing, I have not given. I -- if they ask for it, I give it. All Commissioners get
a final report, a final draft report before it becomes a public record.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So some Commissioners, if they ask for it, get the
information --
Mr. Guba: Or if you want --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and if they don't ask for it, they don't get the
information. So some Commissioners have more information to make a decision than
others. Does that make sense to you?
Commissioner Reyes: It shouldn't be like that.
Mr. Guba: No, no, no. If it --
Commissioner Reyes: It shouldn't be like that.
Mr. Guba: -- if somebody calls me in, I -- they know what audits I'm working on. You
know it, and you have a particular question. I come in and I discuss it with them --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, we're going to have to change that.
Mr. Guba: -- while the audit is ongoing. That's what I've done. 1 work for the five --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no.
Mr. Guba: -- for all of you, and I'm doing an audit, and a question was brought up
before about the Midtown CRA (Community RedevelopmentAgencv).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, I know that.
Mr. Guba: That's ongoing. Now, I have not briefed anyone on that, but I'm assuming
that I will have to. But the audit is not final. The numbers are not final, and it's been
changing as we go on. But --
Commissioner Reyes: Can you expedite --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So we're going to have to change it. We're going to
have to change that practice.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay? If you, Mr. Guba -- and maybe we can vote
on it, bring it as an item before the Commission as far as what your responsibilities
are to this Commission, because you work for us. If you give any Commissioner or a
City Manager information, you need to share it with the rest of the Commission --
Mr. Guba: All right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- whether they ask for it or not.
Mr. Guba: Sure. I'll do that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And when you give certain information to a City
Commissioner, because he asked for it -- or the City Manager -- as long as the law
allows it, you release it to the rest of us.
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Mr. Guba: Right. Okay. Sure.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's a level playing field. How can you say
that you're only giving information if somebody asks for it? What if a Commissioner
doesn't ask the right question, he doesn't have all the information?
Mr. Guba: Right. I might --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You'd be -- would you --?
Mr. Guba: -- in the past, I've been asked on issues --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Forget the past.
Mr. Guba: -- directly involved and had a special interest. But I will --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The past is over. The past is over.
Mr. Guba: -- disseminate to everybody, yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The past is over.
Mr. Guba: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a new day in Miami.
Mr. Guba: Sure.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The past is over. Right now, I mean, if
Commissioner Carollo knows something, I want to know it. If I know something, I
want Commissioner Carollo to know it and Commissioner Reyes to know it and our
City Manager to know it --
Commissioner Reyes: The same here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and Commissioner Russell.
Commissioner Reyes: Same here.
Mr. Guba: Yes. Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is that okay?
Commissioner Carollo: No matter with Hardemon, but he's leaving, so.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, forget Hardemon. Chairman Hardemon is
irrelevant, because he's going to the upper body. He's going to be -- he's not going to
be giving any of his CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security) dollars or
any of that stuff I know what he's doing, but he's not.
Chair Hardemon: That's cold-blooded. That's cold-blooded.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we still love you though. But seriously --
Commissioner Carollo: I know he might think by now he's the king, but, you know.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, he's the top dog right now, but when he gets
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, I'm playing on words. I'm playing on words.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Be careful what you ask for, Commissioner.
Mr. Guba: I'm going to give you that draft all -- issue that draft report --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Guba: -- to all of you. It's not a public record, but it's not going to look like the
final report.
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Commissioner Carollo: Could I ask a simple question of Mr. Guba? When can we
have the final version?
Mr. Guba: Of the Rickenbacker? Of this particular audit we're discussing?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, yes.
Mr. Guba: Pm -- hopefully, by the end of the month. Hopefully. It depends on their
analysis of monies that we believe they owe.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Guba given -- 1 mean, the fact that Commissioner
Hardemon is not going to be here until -- I mean, for the first meeting in November,
can you please make an effort that we can get this before Commissioner Hardemon
leaves?
Mr. Guba: Before when?
Commissioner Reyes: Before Keon Hardemon -- Commissioner Hardemon leaves to
see --
Mr. Guba: What's that date?
Commissioner Carollo: By November 18 you need to bring it. November 18.
Mr. Guba: Okay, okay. Yeah, definitely.
Commissioner Reyes: So we can meet. We'll have a special meeting, and then
Commissioner Hardemon, which has been laboring with this for close to six -- over
six years -- he will have an opportunity to vote in favor or against, or make a decision
on this, okay?
Mr. Guba: Right, right. So the drop -dead date you want for the report is --
Commissioner Reyes: Before. Before, because at least we need three or four days --
Mr. Guba: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: -- to read it.
Mr. Guba: Right.
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Commissioner Reyes: And we have to set a date for a special meeting. Once we set a
date for the special meeting, we're going to need about five days, four or five days
before that in order for us to be able to analyze it, you see.
Mr. Guba: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: How about November 1?
Mr. Guba: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: November 1. Is that fine?
Mr. Guba: Okay. I'll do my best. Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Try to.
Mr. Noriega: I need you guys to -- if I can, I want to put this into perspective. The
vendor has an opportunity -- needs to have an opportunity to respond, and then
there's going to be an exchange between Ted and their accountants. You know, that
may take some time. I'm just -- you know, he -- it's not entirely in his -- within his
control. He can push it, but the existing vendor who is being audited deserves an
opportunity for a proper period of time to respond. I'm just kind of telling you, you're
kind of boxing them into a corner, too.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's the -- if I may ask, what's the time frame?
In other words if the report is given -- I'm sure there's a statutory time frame, right?
Mr. Guba: They have all the information. They told us, because we -- he employs
some outside CPAs to do his accounting, and their tax CPAs. They have commitments
up until October 15, so they said they wouldn't be able to vet the numbers until after
then. And I'm assuming it's all going to go fairly smoothly, so ifI can --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But if you're doing an audit with them, they get to
pick when they return, when they respond to that audit, or is there a statutory time
frame? Hey, you have 30 days to -- like with most things, right? You have 30 days to
respond, like in courts, in civil courts. Criminal court, you have 30 days to respond to
this motion, to this accusation. Now, so you basically give them free reign to respond
whenever the heck they want, or is there a set --?
Mr. Guba: Well, no. I mean, it's -- I thought that was reasonable, that -- you know.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that's not my question.
Mr. Noriega: Would you just --?
Mr. Guba: Pardon?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Do you get -- you pick and choose, 30 days, 20
days, 100 days, or is there a wayfor us to codify what that process would look like?
Mr. Guba: It's not an issue, but if they dispute some stuff then I go back to them --
you know -- if I don't agree with them. So it's a give -- you know -- you can go back
and forth sometimes. Sometimes they agree to the whole history that you present to
them, so it's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So there's no limit? You don't put a limit on them?
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair; through you. You don't put a limit on them? They have 30 days
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to respond to this or 20 days or 15 days? You simply say, "Whenever you have a
chance, get back with us"?
Mr. Guba: Yeah. We usually tell them, "We want it by next week, "you know. That's --
and sometimes --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not my question. There has to be a uniform
process for the auditing. There has to be a uniform way of doing audits in our City.
It's not a question of "Hey, get back to us when you can." It's on a case -by -case basis.
You submit some findings. You give it to them. You have 20 days to respond, you have
10 days to respond, they have 10 days to respond to that. Assuming the way it works,
why is it that -- so random? Like, hey, we'll give them all -- because that way, it makes
our own timelines random. Oh, we don't have the result of an audit, we don't have the
result of this. Let's wait till next month or next year. 1 mean, if you bring an audit,
which I think is something serious -- By the way, let me ask you something, Mr. Guba,
because I was told by one of the vendors today for the bidders that the audit -- this
audit is something that's normal.
Mr. Guba: It's what?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That it happens every three years; that it's not
something that is out of the ordinary. It's not that because any reason to audit; just
that it's a normal course of -- you know -- par for the course. Is that true?
Mr. Guba: I didn't follow what you said. I'm sorry.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. I was told by one of the bidders today that
this audit is something that's normal; that it's something that happens every three
years; that it's just done that way. It's not because any irregularities were found or
anything; it's just that it's done. Is that true?
Mr. Guba: Yeah. I mean, for these lease agreements, we have been -- that's' one of the
directives from the Commissioners that I'm to audit all significant leases, and we do
Grove Harbor, we do Rickenbacker, we do Monty's. We do them all and we do them
periodically, yeah; just like we --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So this particular audit was done because
it's something you do as par for the course, something you do normally, or because
you --?
Mr. Guba: Wait, wait. The last one we did was, I believe, in 2013 or 2014, so --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So it's now six years. But --
Mr. Guba: They got on the list. I mean, we didn't have many findings last time, so, I
mean (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So this particular audit was -- you did it because it
was time to do it?
Mr. Guba: It was time to do it. It was time to do it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It wasn't because something -- somebody --
something caught your attention, somebody called and said, "This is going on"?
Mr. Guba: No.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You simply did it because it was time to do it?
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Mr. Guba: It was time to do it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. And your memory wasn't
that good, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: No, we asked for it.
Commissioner Carollo: Did we askfor it, Mr. Guba? I don't remember.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, we did.
Mr. Guba: You asked for all -- all of the leases need to be audited. That was my
directive, and that's what I did.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not what you're saying.
Commissioner Carollo: No, no.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Did they ask you --?
Commissioner Reyes: They asked specifically for this one, to audit one, and it was a
directive to him; that this -- I mean, all leases have to be audited, but we want an
audit of this lease in order for us to be able to make a decision. And at the time, I was
contemplating the idea of us taking over it since that time, and that's why I wanted to
see an audit. And Commissioner Carollo was in it with me. And we said, "Yes, we
need an audit."
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Clerk, can you find those minutes for us? I just don't
remember. I don't doubt what Commissioner Reyes is saying, but now Mr. Guba
might have a bad memory like me, and I'd just like to figure out what we said or not. I
mean, I'll be the first to admit that I could forget.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's a disadvantage that I have -- right? --
because I can't -- I'm a new guy. I'm a new kid on the block, right?
Commissioner Carollo: Not so.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If Commissioner Reyes asks for an audit --
Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and Mr. Guba -- Mr. Guba --
Commissioner Carollo: You know, you keep saying this "new kid on the block" stuff
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You like that? That's a song. It's a song.
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no. Let me tell you the appropriate wording.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What is it?
Commissioner Carollo: This is using Cuban slang. "El nuevo sangro" on the block.
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Commissioner Reyes: That's not fair.
Commissioner Carollo: That's Cuban slang for your guys.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm going to refresh your memory a little bit, Commissioner
Carollo. This was -- I asked for that, for the audits that -- during the meeting in which
the Cuba issue was being discussed.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. So the issue is that's not what Mr. Guba
said right now. He said that we normally do these audits for all our leases, and we did
it because we hadn't done one in a year. But you didn't do it fbr that reason, Mr.
Guba. You did it because you were asked to do it.
Mr. Guba: Well, we would have done it anyway, because they --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no. That's not what I asked you. That's not
what I asked you.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Mr. Guba: The thing is, with these leases, if they involve percentage rent --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Mr. Guba: -- and it's -- again, it's important to be audited, because that's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know that.
Mr. Guba: -- they might not report all the revenue which the percentage rent is based
On.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. And you can't talk about the sales tax
issue -- right? -- but you can talk about the fact that you were going to do this audit
anyway, but you didn't do it until Mr. -- until Commissioner Reyes asked you to do it.
Mr. Guba: Well, it depends if they -- it would have eventually gotten done, because --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, okay, okay, okay.
Mr. Guba: -- we have the directive (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not what happened. That's not what
happened. What happened was that Commissioner Reyes asked you to do it.
Mr. Guba: I don't remember. The why -- we have a list of -- I forget how many. There
are maybe 100 different leases, and we have them prioritized according to -- froni
which derives the most rent, and those which drive the most rent that involve
percentage rent are your highest -risk leases. And so --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let me ask you -- if I may, Mr. Chair -- a different
way.
Mr. Guba: Min-hmm.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You do understand this is a very, very important
issue for the City Commission for the City of Miami; right, Mr. Guba?
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Mr. Guba: Sure.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that the answers to the questions, they're not
meant -- they're not aggressive towards you, it's not personal, but these are important
answers that we need. And when you're evasive in those answers, perhaps -- Pr
whatever reason -- the sales tax issue -- you don't want to answer, you say that you
were going to do it anyway, the 100 leases. It's not one of 100 leases. This is a big
deal for the City of Miami.
Mr. Guba: Mm-hrnrn.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And people elect us to make intelligent and the
right decisions for them. So when you work for us and we ask you some questions that
are important for us to make better decisions, we need you to be forthcoming and
straightforward in your answers. "But we would have done it anyway. Well, it was on
the list of 100 leases. " No. You were asked to do it, and you were asked to do it for a
specific reason.
Mr. Guba: Mm-hmm.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So there was a conversation back then -- because I
remember reading about it, about one of the people had business in Cuba, and
Commissioner Reyes asked that question. One of the partners suspected of having
business with Cuba was also, by the way, Mr. Guba, a big deal here in Miami. 1 don't
know if you know that, but it's a big deal here. And we're just simply asking you
questions for you to answer. And when you say to us -- so we can make better
decisions for the people we represent. We're not being aggressive with you. We're not
cornering you or any of that. We just want to know the -- and when you tell me, "1
can't answer that question," but we have a sales tax issue that impacts one of the
particular bidders of this. Now we'll be making a decision of whether we grant this
entity a contract to run a marina for 75 years. If you can't answer that question, how
can I make an intelligent decision? Are they not paying sales tax? Did they evade
taxes; did they not? If I don't have the answer to that question, how can I make -- how
can I possibly contemplate supporting them? Or if I have all the information on both
bidders and we have a debate about this in a special meeting, then I have all the
information. Every Commissioner has all the information in front of him, and then we
can make an intelligent decision. And then if we make the wrong decision when we
have all the information, then it's on us, right?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, and we could vote it out.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: On us.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But it can't be on us if you're not giving us the
information.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's on you. So if you tell us, "Oh, it's a matter of' -
- or if they come back, they respond, we give them some time, 15 days, 20 days, they
come back, you know, that's kind of -- that's a limbo situation, right? Everything is up
in the air. And then -- when? -- November, December or January, you come back. It's
been now six years; not seven years, not eight years. So I would like to know if you
can answer today, or at least in the next couple of days, maybe contact my office and
contact the rest of the Commissioners -- because we share information with every
Commissioner equally -- and the Manager -- and you say, "Look, by October 15, I'm.
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going to have this. By October 27, I'm going to have that. By November 4, I'm going
to have that. And your special meeting of November 18 -- 17 -- that is going to
happen." So then we come to that special meeting that Commissioner Reyes is going
to call for, we have all the information, and we don't have to go through this again.
And that's why I wanted to have this conversation today, because I knew that what
was happening today was going to happen in a special meeting. We go, "No, it's
pending. We're thinking about it. They haven't responded." I knew it was going to
happen.
Commissioner Reyes: "We're not ready. "
Mr. Guba: Okay. I'll make sure it gets done.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's all 1 need to know so that when you come
back, we can make the -- you know -- you're not elected; we are. And we're
responsible to our constituents to do the right thing. But if we do the wrong thing
because we don't have information, it's not on us. It's on you. But if you're voted out of
office. You say, "That's not right." So come back to us, give us a time frame. Make
sure it gets done. And then when Commissioner Reyes calls a special meeting, then we
have all the information we need, and then when we ask a question, there's no answer
for that question, "Oh, oh, we'll defer it till next year." No. And that's why
Commissioners and Chairman Hardemon and I wanted to have a conversation today,
because something like this, 1 knew it was going to happen. I didn't know if it was
going to come from Mr. Guba or it was going to come from our City Attorney, or from
our City Manager; not answering -- being able to answer specific questions, and now
they know what the questions are -- at least some of them or most of them, hopefully.
And then they can do the work and do the research. Manager said, "What do you want
from me? What do you need? Now we can tell him. And then when he comes back, he
tells them what we need, and if we don't ask, then it's clearly, our bad, right? But if we
ask it and we get the answers, then we've been making the right decisions on who we
pick.
Mr. Guba: Okay. I'll make sure you get it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Mr. Guba.
[Later... ]
Chair Hardemon: Now, just to clarify, Mr. Hannon, we did continue RE.1 and RE.2,
right; the actual items?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): RE.1 and RE.2 are still in play.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Is there a motion to continue those items? Because I know
we -- you guys were having a --
Commissioner Reyes: Are they going to be continued, or they're going to be --?
Chair Hardemon: You set a --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is it going to be the first at the special meeting that
Tye called for?
Chair Hardemon: You set a special meeting, right?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: They're both deferred.
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Commissioner Reyes: They're both deferred.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I move they be deferred to the special meeting --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- to offer them --
Commissioner Reyes: Both of them deferred.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So it's been properly moved and seconded that we defer
those items to the special meeting here today.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And that's November 16, 2020, at 10 a.m.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Now I just wanted to clarify, Chairman, and when
we did talk about this is any and all action, so to the extent that there may be a
different title or all that can happen, so even though you defer these items --
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Ms. Mendez: -- it's any and all actions, so I just wanted to clarify that for the record.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Seeing no further discussion on that, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? The motion carries.
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RE.2 RESOLUTION
2526
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), MAKING PROVISIONS FOR A REFERENDUM
SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD CONCURRENTLY
ON FOR THE PURPOSES OF
SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI ("CITY") FOR THEIR APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF
THE FOLLOWING REFERENDUM BALLOT QUESTION: "SHALL
THE CITY BE AUTHORIZED TO LEASE APPROXIMATELY 27.5
ACRES OF LAND ON VIRGINIA KEY TO VIRGINIA KEY, LLC FOR
A 45-YEAR INITIAL TERM WITH TWO 15 YEAR RENEWALS;
MINIMUM ANNUAL GUARANTEED RENT OF $2,200,000.00 (WITH
ESCALATIONS) TOTALING APPROXIMATELY $203,984,060
OVER THE INITIAL TERM; 6% OF GROSS REVENUES;
APPROXIMATELY $80,000,000.00 PRIVATELY FUNDED
INVESTMENT TO REDEVELOP THE MARINAS IN AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE MANNER, INCLUDING BOAT
STORAGE, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, AND PUBLIC PARKING?";
DESIGNATING AND APPOINTING THE CITY CLERK AS THE
OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY COMMISSION WITH
RESPECT TO THE USE OF VOTER REGISTRATION BOOKS AND
RECORDS; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO
CAUSE A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE HEREIN RESOLUTION TO
BE DELIVERED TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OF
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record: Item RE.2 was deferred to the November 16, 2020, Special City
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.2, please see Item
Number RE.1.
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RE.3 RESOLUTION
7822
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CO -
DESIGNATING THAT PORTION WITHIN THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
LIMITS OF NORTHWEST 14TH AVENUE FROM NORTHWEST
62ND STREET TO NORTHWEST 67TH STREET AS "BETTY
WRIGHT LANE", MIAMI, FLORIDA; FURTHER DIRECTING THE
CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICES.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0316
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Chair Hardemon: So let's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can I move the RE (resolution) items?
Chair Hardemon: Yes, we can (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is there any dispute? Without -- obviously, without
RE.] and RE.2.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, and I think RE.6 was already deferred.
Chair Hardemon: I don't think RE --
Commissioner Reyes: It was withdrawn.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Pm sorry, withdrawn. I'm sorry.
Commissioner Reyes: Withdrawn. I have just a comment on RE.4, and I want to make
sure that the official seal and the official logo is the one that we have now, that this
does not change our official logo. I mean, this only, provides -- I mean, either a
Commissioner or the Mayor to use a temporary seal -- you see? -- but our official
seal, it is not changed.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that was -- Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: So let's do this. I want to -- we want to have that discussion, but we
can't have RE.4 in this motion because SR (second reading) -- the SR item
(INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, but Chair -- I think he's just asking whether
the official -- because I had the same concern.
Chair Hardemon: Fair enough. (INAUDIBLE).
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That the official seal is the official seal. And if
that's the answer to the question, then we can move the whole thing.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And we could pull whatever we want to pull.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): The answer to that question is yes. The seal is the
official seal. And any temporary seals or alternate seals would have to come before
the City Commission for approval.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: And it will be for temporary use?
Mr. Noriega: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I move all of them, except RE. 1 and RE.2. And
Chair Hardemon: And RE --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the rest of the -- I move all the RE items,
including the --
Chair Hardemon: And RE.4 -- for some reason -- has to come out because the SR item
needs to come before. So the motion will be everything, except RE.1, RE.2, and 4.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You want to pull 4 out?
Chair Hardemon: Right. It just has to be voted on after.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, okay, okay, okay, all right.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved. So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE) was withdrawn as well.
Chair Hardemon: Any discussion?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Chair, just for the record, RE.9 is being amended.
Chair Hardemon: Noted for the record.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah, as amended.
Commissioner Reyes: As amended, okay.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Ave.
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Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries.
RE.4 RESOLUTION
7933
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), PURSUANT TO SECTION 1-16(C) OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY
CODE"), TITLED "CITY SEAL", ALLOWING THE USE OF
ALTERNATE CITY SEALS AND LOGOS AS DEPICTED IN EXHIBIT
"A", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; ADDITIONALLY
IMPOSING THE CONDITIONS OF SECTION 1-16(B) OF THE CITY
CODE TO ANY UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE ALTERNATE
SEALS AND LOGOS AUTHORIZED HEREIN.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0321
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Okay. And just before we close for the lunch break, RE.4 -- can I
have a motion to approve RE.4? Is there a motion to approve RE.4?
Commissioner Diazde la Portilla: So moved.
Chair Hardemon: So moved by the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: Hold on. RE.4?
Chair Hardemon: We've already passed the SR.4 that goes with --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Right, but what -- you're talking about RE.4?
Chair Hardemon: RE.4, correct.
Commissioner Carollo: Let me go to this. I got to --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): The alternate seals, the alternate seals resolution.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, RE.4. Okay, let -- Commissioner Reyes, you had some
concerns that you --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I did.
Commissioner Carollo: -- expressed the last time. And look --
Commissioner Reyes: I did.
Commissioner Carollo: -- let me say this. The Mayor has been -- certainly with me --
extremely upfront, transparent this whole (UNINTELLIGIBLE), when he first came to
me and explained it. Frankly, it's my fault that I should have paid more attention to
what he was telling me at the time and looked at the seals. I don't have any problems
with different color schemes, that we approve or different times and different projects.
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But where I started getting a little shaky in this was when I saw one of the seals that 1
was shown yesterday by staff, and that's when I, you know, started getting concerned.
It was a total different palm tree than the one we have and the look. In fact, I kind of
joked -- but you know 1 was halfWay serious -- that it looked like a marijuana plant
because of the way the palm tree was made. But you know, the shape of that seal,
that's what we sold about Miami, you know, since we became a city. My concern is
that if we start changing the looks of it, we're going to lose our identity. I mean, who
are we going to be then? It's one thing on the color scheme. We could play with that
from time to time.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: But when we start changing the actual seal, I do have some
concern with that. And 1 spoke to the Mayor about it. We spoke this morning. And I
think he will be okay with just approving the color scheme. But you know, this is not
one of those that I'm going to draw the line in the sand. I'm just expressing my
opinion, and I expressed it to the Mayor, who again, I repeat, was upfront and
transparent on this from day one.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner, you're lucky, very lucky, and you're privileged
that the Mayor came to you and explained it. I don't know ifI am in the doghouse with
the Mayor because he never had the courtesy of calling me and explaining that we are
not going to change -- that my concern is -- and I've made my concern very clear now
before you came in that the original seal will be our seal. You can change the color,
but the original palm tree, the original seal, will be -- and in all of --1 mean, every
one of our -- 1 mean, as it is now, it is painted in all our vehicles. It is in all -- our
stationary has that seal. That shouldn't be changed. Now, for special event and all of
that, you want to use it, you want to give it a little change, but basically, the seal is
going to be the same, and that's what 1 want -- you see? -- because that is our identity.
It is branding. You never see Chevrolet change their logo. You never see -- I mean,
have you ever watched any of the huge companies change their logo? No. This is what
we are known for. And we are not going to -- I mean, I am concerned about it. And I
mean -- Mayor didn't come and talk to me because I would have told him straight to
his face -- you see? -- I don't mind if you want to make it, I mean, a darker color or
whatever. But I don't -- and this is my concern. And I stated that -- before you came in
and I was assured that the seal is the same. We are not going to change the seal in
our official stationaries, or in our -- and neither on our vehicles and all of that.
Besides, that would be an expense that at this time we cannot incur. Now, if you -- as
a Commissioner -- I mean, that this allows you to have a different seal for -- this is
Commissioner Carollo's, I mean, I don't agree with it, but I might go along with it
because I think that we should be known -- I mean, we have only one logo and then
there is one seal, you see? That's what I -- but I can go as far as that. And I repeat,
you are privileged because I never -- and I never could understand the intent and the
reason behind this, never.
Commissioner Carollo: Let me just say something else too. We have a lot of cities, not
just in Miami -Dade County, but in other parts of the state that use different forms of
coconut trees or palm trees in their seal. So that's another concern that I would have
that people are used to seeing the seal that we have now. And if we start changing it,
that could become confusing. They might not even know if this is the City of Miami or
somewhere else.
Commissioner Reyes: Or somewhere else. You're absolutely right.
Commissioner Carollo: That's, you know, my opinion. If a majority thinks different,
this is one I'nt not going to draw the line in the sand. But I'm going to just express my
opinion. I, you know, would prefer if we just approved the color scheme; that it could
come before us and we approve --
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Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: -- different color schemes but keep it within the seal that we
have now.
Commissioner Reyes: Keep it within the shape of our palm tree.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: Our palm tree. That's the official seal.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that with the name and everything else that we have it.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For clarification, this does not change our official
seal, correct, Manager? This simply gives an alternative -- creates an alternative seal.
Any one of us can do that -- right? -- if we choose to down the line?
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Correct --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Create an alternative seal --
Mr. Noriega: -- with City Commission approval.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- that may fit a particular occasion or a particular
moment, you know, an art festival or something that maybe we want to change our
seal just to fit into that scheme.
Mr. Noriega: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But our official seal does not change in any cars,
in any of our official correspondence, in any of the official City buildings, none of
that. That doesn't happen, correct?
Mr. Noriega: The City's official seal is the City's official seal. And any future seal
alterations or modifications for events or special purposes would need to come to the
Commission for --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Like a football team that changes -- go back to
1972 colors or uses old uniforms. It's just an alternative just for -- to fit the occasion
or anniversaries or things like -- of that nature. That gives us more flexibility.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I'm not opposed to it for that reason. I mean, it
would be a totally different conversation if we're talking about our official seal.
Commissioner Reyes: That's my problem.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But it's not our official seal. It's just an alternative
seal that we could use for -- you know? -- a festival that we have, a film fest or
something that maybe -- you know? -- it could fit that occasion and make it more
contemporary. I like, you know, modern things, things that fit the occasion, so I don't
see a problem with it from my perspective.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah --
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Commissioner Reyes: The only problem that I see is -- excuse me, Commissioner --
when we change the shape of our palm tree, we change it completely, and that doesn't
look like our -- it looks like a marijuana plant, as Commissioner said, or --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, my dad --
Commissioner Reyes: -- a mango tree.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- has a nursery business. And we have like 17
different kind of palm trees.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Which palm tree dominates (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. But we have one that it is our official seal. And
within that constraint, you can paint it any color you want. But you know, that's what
I'm saying.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner Diaz is dancing around the subject.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes.
Commissioner Carollo: He mentioned the different palm trees the father has, but what
he doesn't say to you is the one that he's got a real conflict of interest with that he
wants to --1 see. I can see it through his eyes. I see it. The one that he wants to use.
He wants to put mamey tree.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, that's right. That's why --
Commissioner Carollo: He wants to put a mamey tree in the seal.
Commissioner Reyes: That is why he agrees with changing it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have the right. I have the right, like every
Commissioner on this dais (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: No mameys in the seal.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have the right to have my own seal. So I want -- if
I want a mamey tree, I put a mamey tree.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I need your votes for it. That's the only thing. I
think Commissioner Reyes would vote for a mamey tree seal.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. They're delicious.
Chair Hardemon: Would the Mayor like to add anything to the conversation?
Mayor Suarez: No, I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But seriously, I have no issue with an alternative
seal.
Commissioner Reyes: As long as we --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Fonda- As long as it's clear, crystal clear that we're not
changing our official seal.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That our official seal remains our official seal.
Commissioner Reyes: That was my, question and my concern.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have no problem with that to be honest with you.
Commissioner Reyes: That was my question and my concern. 1 have no problem with
it as long as our seal, official seal, is not touched. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- and like I said, this is not one of those
issues that I'm going to draw the line in the sand so --
Commissioner Reyes: No, me either.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank God.
Commissioner Reyes: Thank God.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a seal.
Commissioner Carollo: Except for mameys.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're hungry.
Commissioner Carollo: I don't want to see a mamey there.
Mayor Suarez: Draw the line at the mamey.
Commissioner Reyes: How about a mamoncillo tree?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I commit to you, Commissioner Carollo and Reyes,
there will not be a mamey seal, at least during my first term. Let me get reelected and
then we'll figure it out.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And keep the color blue. It's what we are known
for. See and --
Commissioner Carollo: I have to admit to you guys. I'm a little traumatized from
mameys.
Mayor Suarez: Why? Are you allergic?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why?
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, no. When the Pope came here to Miami many
years ago --
Commissioner Reyes: You gave him a mamey?
Commissioner Carollo: No.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He gave you a mamey.
Commissioner Carollo: After we left the meet and greet with the Pope, I went and
bought a mamey tree, and I planted it that same day. And that tree became the tallest
mamey tree within the City of Miami. It would give mameys that in some cases were
as big as five pounds, which is huge. In fact, I remember Marta Flores -- bless her
heart -- that once she got some of those, she'd be bragging about it in the radio all the
time. And then something happened to the mamey tree, and that's why I'm -- you
know, was left a little traumatized with maineys.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What happened to the mamey tree?
Commissioner Reyes: What happened?
Commissioner Carollo: That's the part I'm not going to talk about.
Commissioner Reyes: Now we're all curious.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Now we really want to hear the story.
Commissioner Reyes: We want to hear the story, man.
Chair Hardemon: All right. Seeing no further discussion on the issue, all in favor of
the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: That motion carries.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, there's just one amendment, to include
Ordinance Number 13930.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Noted for the record. Gentlemen, this is our
lunch hour. So 171 see everyone back at 3 o'clock
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's lunch, three hours.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Our -- it's almost 1 o'clock.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, wow. It's almost 1? Oh, wow. Time flies when
you're having fun.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to find out what happened to that mamey
tree.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, that's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I'm sorry.
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Commissioner Reyes: I mean --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Vicky, is it okay if I call Commissioner Carollo
and ask him just that question? Is that okay? Is that allowed?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It's fine.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Where was it planted? Maybe we go and interview --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, yeah. We track it down.
Commissioner Reyes: -- the neighbors. What was the address?
Commissioner Carollo: Gentlemen, I have to have lunch.
RE.5 RESOLUTION
7820
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CO -
DESIGNATING THAT PORTION WITHIN THE CITY OF MIAMI
LIMITS OF NORTHWEST 16TH STREET FROM NORTHWEST
11TH AVENUE TO NORTHWEST 14TH AVENUE AS "DR.
EUGENE J. SAYFIE WAY"; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY
CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICIALS.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0317
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.5, please see Item
Number RE.3.
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RE.6 RESOLUTION
7327 MAY BE WITHDRAWN
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION EXTENDING
THE MOTORIZED SCOOTER PILOT PROGRAM FOR AN
ADDITIONAL TWO (2) MONTHS FROM APRIL 15, 2020 TO JUNE
15, 2020.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.6, please see
"Order of the Day."
RE.7 RESOLUTION
7649
Department of
Procurement
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE ASSIGNMENT AND
ASSUMPTION OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CONTRACT NO.
348322 FOR THE PROVISION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI'S PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION PROCESSES
FOR THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF POLICE CAPTAIN AND POLICE
SERGEANT FROM EB JACOBS, LLC TO PSI SERVICES LLC, A
FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AUTHORIZED TO
CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA ("PSI");
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
ACCEPTANCE OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF
CONTRACT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY,
WITH PSI; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS,
INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, AND
EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO ALL ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY APPROVALS,
COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY
CODE"), INCLUDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE,
ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY
CODE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND
IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND
REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0318
City of Miami
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RE.8
7903
City Manager's
Office
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.7, please see Item
Number RE.3.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT
TO CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE XIII/DIVISION 1/SECTION 62-521(B) OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
TITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING/PLANNING AND ZONING
APPROVAL FOR TEMPORARY USES AND OCCUPANCIES;
PERMIT REQUIRED/TEMPORARY EVENT
PERMITS/TEMPORARY EVENTS IN GENERAL," WAIVING THE
TWO (2) TEMPORARY EVENT LIMITATION PER YEAR PER
PROPERTY TO ALLOW THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI TO PLACE A
TEMPORARY TRAILER AT 1851 NORTHWEST 7 AVENUE, MIAMI,
FLORIDA TO CONDUCT NOVEL CORONAVIRUS VACCINATION
TRIALS BEGINNING OCTOBER 2, 2020 AND ENDING OCTOBER
2, 2022.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0319
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.8, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number RE.3.
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RE.9 RESOLUTION
7958
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
ESTABLISHING A MIAMI 21 REPORT AD HOC TASK FORCE
("TASK FORCE") TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
ADMINISTRATION FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON POSSIBLE
CHANGES TO ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED
("MIAMI 21 CODE"); STATING THE TASK FORCE'S PURPOSE,
POWERS, DUTIES, COMPOSITION, MEMBERSHIP
APPOINTMENT QUALIFICATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR
MEMBERSHIP; PROVIDING FOR OFFICERS, MEETINGS,
QUORUM, LEGAL AND STAFF SUPPORT, ASSIGNMENT OF
PERSONNEL, PUBLIC NOTICE, AND SUNSET; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0320
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Fortilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.9, please see Item
Number RE.3.
END OF RESOLUTIONS
City of Miami
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SR - SECOND READING ORDINANCES
SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
7294 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Department of CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE VI OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
Planning FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "ZONING AND
PLANNING FEES"; MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING
SECTION 62-22 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED "SCHEDULE OF
FEES", SECTION 62-23 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED "REQUEST
FOR REVIEW AND APPEAL", AND SECTION 62-25 OF THE CITY
CODE, TITLED "WAIVER OF FEES", TO PROVIDE
CLARIFICATION AND UPDATES ON CERTAIN PLANNING AND
ZONING FEES, TO CAP CERTAIN PLANNING AND ZONING
FEES, AND TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION FOR REFUND OF
APPEAL FEES; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13927
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Madam City Attorney, can you read into the record the SR (second
reading) items please?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair, I'm sorry. Are we going to do RE.4 and
get that out of the way or --?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair Hardemon: We're going to do the -- we have to do the SR first.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, I'm sorry, that's correct. The SR.4 -- that's
correct, sorry. I stand corrected. That's why you're the Chair. You're on the ball.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): SR.1.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: SR.2.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: SR.3.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: SR.4.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
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Ms. Mendez: So those are all the second reading ordinances. I believe that there may
he -- that you received a -- one second on --1 have notes here on -- there may he a
possible amendment to SR.2 just to clar language. 1 need the -- I -- with regard to
community effects where I believe that Vice Chairman Russell wanted to add that little
amendment. And then I believe that's the change, since he had asked between first and
second reading to talk about the negative effects language and all that, but it's
community effrcts is what we're going to be placing. Is that fine, Vice Chairman? Is
that what it was?
Vice Chair Russell: That works.
Commissioner Reyes: Nobody -- just one second. Nobody came to us. We didn't hear
anything about it. And we have not received -- what does it mean by "community
effects"?
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman. If the Chairman's not there, I'll --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: The changes were specifically what was stated on the dais in the
last meeting. I haven't specified any specific changes with the City Attorney since then
or in my briefings.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: So it probably should've showed up in the second reading, but she
wants a clarification which just says, "community impacts," which is actually even
softer than the negative impacts that we had discussed last time.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, okay, okay, okay.
Vice Chair Russell: It certainly doesn't cross the threshold of disparate impact, which
triggers the federal requirements.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. And I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But what does that mean? What's community
impacts?
Vice Chair Russell: Well, it's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I mean, that's a broad term.
Commissioner Reyes: How do you quantify that?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, what does that mean?
Vice Chair Russell: It is broad, and that's why I had originally wanted the disparate
impact because it gives a very set criteria that gives us a very specific feedback. But it
triggers a lot of responsibilities as well. This is broad and it can be vague, but at least
it gives us a picture of how a development will affect the community, and we can
decide, as a Commission, if that's a negative or a positive.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well --
Vice Chair Russell: But it's really meant to look at the potential (INAUDIBLE) --
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Commissioner Reyes: But that's included.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that's so broad that that can have the effect of
creating -- you know? -- additional legal impediments --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- to development. And -- because it could capture
a whole bunch of things. Community impacts could capture almost anything. And
anyone could make the argument that, "Well, this is a community impact," because
everything that we do has a community impact, everything. So these legal
impediments -- we need to create jobs. We need to stimulate our economy.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We need to develop responsibly and thoughtfully,
but we need to develop. And we can't continue to --
Commissioner Carollo: (INAUDIBLE) too. Find out.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) these impediments --
Commissioner Carollo: The Clerk.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- on development. So maybe the question is to our
City Attorney who came up with that term. What does that mean?
Ms. Mendez: It is whatever you think it means basically.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. It's what anybody thinks it means.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Ms. Mendez: Right. But that's why you sit there as the policymakers and you
determine when you look at this if it does affect the community at all. It's a very --
Commissioner Reyes: But --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Everything affects the community. Everything we
do --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- affects the community.
Commissioner Reyes: If I may, Commissioner.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, when you say community, you have to really, really, I
mean, set boundaries because if there is a development that is taking place in your
district, then Pm going to analyze how it is going to affect Flagami. And what we're
doing, we're opening up the door that a group from Flagami says, "Well, this will
have a negative impact on us." And then we do exactly what Commissioner Diaz de la
Portilla said, it will hold back and it will, I mean, impede the development to go
forward, and that is not the intention of this. The intention of this is that we get, I
mean, a clear and true picture on how the area is going to be economically impacted
and how it's going to affect existing businesses in the area -- in the near area. For
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example, if -- and only applies to those big projects. I mean, it's not that I'm going to
build a 10-, 12-story building, and I'm going to need this study. It is in order for us to
have a real, real -- to have information that it is real. Because if this is -- if all of you
remember, we had had instances like the Marlins Park, for example, that there was an
economic study that -- I mean, convinced everybody that that was going to be the
eighth wonder of the world because it was going to develop that area like no place
ever had experienced any economic development like that, based on
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). And it was -- the one that presented this was the economist
from the developer, you see? What I want is an independent analysis that we can
make a decision based on factual information. That's all I want. But it doesn't -- I
mean, and I think that we cannot look at this beyond what it is, you see? Is that clear?
1 will not accept that change of community just like that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And 1 -- Mr. Chair, 1 wouldn't either. I know you
have a motion, or you want a motion for the whole set of SRs, but 1 won't accept that
amendment either. I wouldn't vote for that amendment.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, me either. It's too broad, and it's too limiting.
Chair Hardemon: It's broad, right. Say for instance, the statement says "community,"
as he's proposed. And I believe the language -- we talked about that last time on the
record. We were very disturbed as a board necessarily about the language that was
being proposed because we were talking about the language was too strict and it
would cause concerns and limit the development because you would then have to meet
that standard. And if you didn't meet that standard, then you're going to find yourself
being challenged. And so here, it's -- I don't read it as it being challenged, but more
so stating what the community benefits are or what the community effects are, and
once you fulfill that, then essentially you continue to move forward. But I think it's just
more of an acknowledgement, you know, that those effects can be positive and those
effects could be negative. It's like saying when you implement a new law that we may
propose, the good things could be that whatever reason that we've written this law
for, those issues are solved. And the bad things could be that someone could be
possibly arrested, or punished, or fined for those laws that we created. You know, it's
kind of like (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I might clarify that. The -- as it is, it
measures community impact because it would measure the amount of jobs that is
going to be created, you see? It measures the amount of -- it measures the real -- or
the good numbers -- not to use any other word -- that we can project the amount of
taxes and contributions to the City and to the community. And as it is, it's measuring
the community impact. What I don't want to open up is a Pandora's box that then
somebody says, "Well how this affects socially?" And when you say community
impact, it means everything, social, you see. How many elders are going to be living
here? And how this going to affect --? I mean, you can take -- I mean,
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) and whatever, you see? I mean, when you have a term so broad,
what you do is you create constraints, you see? And I don't want to create any
constraints. I don't want legislation that it is -- is going to be used as a tool for us to
determine if the project is feasible, if it is going to create jobs, if it is going to help the
development of the area, and if it's going to be beneficial fbr the City of Miami and is
going to get revenues for the City of Miami, real revenues. And then that we are going
to expand it in a way that is going to be a constraint for development. I mean, that's
not my intention. My intention is to get real numbers and to be clear when we vote
that what we voting for we know because we are being properly advised of the
benefits that that development -- and I repeat, it's not small development. That huge
development, the benefits that it's going to bring to the City of Miami or the lack of it,
you see?
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman.
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Commissioner Reyes: That's all.
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I personally would like to know if there is affordable
housing on that site at the moment, and by allowing the redevelopment, it's going to
displace so many residents. These are types of things I'd want to know before making
a decision, but we won't know that from economic impact or how many jobs are
created. We're closing our eyes to the potential negative impacts on that community,
which we should care about before making a decision. But my bigger question here is
why we are discussing this in this moment because this is not an amendment being
placed today. This is an amendment that we voted on in the last meeting, and that
amendment was accepted, and so the wording should already be contained in this
legislation and not in the way that was mentioned by the City Attorney. She changed
the wording to community (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: No, I need to clarify that. I need to clan fv that.
Vice Chair Russell: I would like clarification on that.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. So --
Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to understand why the amendment wasn't captured in the
writing of this --
Commissioner Reyes: We said --
Ms. Mendez: So --
Commissioner Reyes: -- cost benefit analysis was the word that was used. And as I
recall -- don't start shaking your heard.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: The word that was used was cost benefit analysis. I'm glad you
took off your mask, man. I mean -- and that analysis, it also takes into consideration
the effect, both positive or negative effect that it's going to have in housing, cost of
benefit, but in the surrounding areas -- you see? -- in the study area, not so broad as
community, you see? In the study area, there's going to be defined the study area that
the effect that it's going to have of existing businesses, how much we're going to get,
and other things that could be positive and negative, but it's within the boundaries of
the study area, not the community.
Ms. Mendez: If I may. Based on the request that was done at the last Commission
meeting, the language which is in the second paragraph of this ordinance says, "The
City requires the applicant to provide an independent economic impact analysis that
examines both positive and negative impacts as described herein." That was placed.
When we briefed, and you advised, Vice Chairman, that you weren't totally
comfortable with the language. So then we sent to you this additional language of
community effects, and that's why I brought up that you wanted an amendment based
on that. So if the original language between first and second that was described
before about positive and negative impacts as described herein, if that is fine with
you, then we don't have to add anything else. But then, obviously; it's all up to the
body.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman.
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Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I think there's a bit of miscommunication there. And
so it sounds like what is in our agenda today is different than what was there on the
first reading based on the amendment that was accepted; is that correct?
Ms. Mendez: Yes. The language --
Commissioner Reyes: Changed by you, not was changed by us.
Vice Chair Russell: Right, right.
Commissioner Reyes: Nobody came to us. Nobody came --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We have to vote for it, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Vice Chair Russell: Right, and you did.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No.
Vice Chair Russell: And you did it the first time.
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We voted for the language -- no, we didn't. No, we
didn't.
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Vice Chair Russell: So Madam Attorney, was an amendment made in first reading
which changed the language which is now reflected in this here today?
Ms. Mendez: Based on the discussion by the Commission about adding the negative --
you know, the whole disparate language discussion that we had that I said, "No,
please, not disparate impact," based on that whole discussion that we had, the word
negative impacts was the one that was described. And between first and second, it's
added based on that discussion -- that's what we added and that's what's here before
you today.
Vice Chair Russell: You're calling it a discussion. It was a technical amendment I
added.
Ms. Mendez: I would have to defer Todd, the City Clerk, to see if it --
Vice Chair Russell.• We voted.
Ms. Mendez: -- was amended or if it was a first and second reading change.
Vice Chair Russell: So, my understanding --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It wasn't technical. Number one, it wasn't
technical.
Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE) disparate impact, and that was rejected. I had a
friendly amendment based on disparate impact and that was rejected.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Vice Chair Russell: And then we settled on a negative impact wording because I
remember --
Commissioner Reyes: That's it. That is what --
Vice Chair Russell: -- (INAUDIBLE) what does negative impact mean.
Commissioner Reyes: But that is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No community benefits.
Commissioner Reyes: No community benefits.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No community impact.
Commissioner Reyes: No community impact.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That was never mentioned.
Vice Chair Russell: As long as what I had said, which was amended, which was voted
on in the last meeting is contained in this reading, I'm ,fine with that.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Let's vote on it if that's what you said.
Vice Chair Russell: But you're clear that it is different than what was in the first
reading.
Commissioner Reyes: Sir, yes. And what makes it different is when you come up with -
- now try to make it more populous -- you see? -- community impact --
Vice Chair Russell: That's not what's happening.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and other -- okay. I mean, I feel for the community as much
as you do, you see. But I mean, what we're dealing with here is -- with the legislation
that is going to protect -- the people that live there, the people that have business
there and the City and everybody, okay?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That was sneaky Tallahassee technical amendment
language. We used to do that --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- up there all the time. You try to squeeze it in
there at the last minute --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, that's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and call it a technical amendment.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's okay. Sometimes you get caught when you
do it.
Commissioner Reyes: That's fine, that's fine. That is ,fine. I do understand that,
Commissioner. Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: As long as the original amendment is captured, I'm fine. Thank
you.
Commissioner Reyes: It is.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chair?
Chair Hardemon: Yes, you're recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have a question. I know I discussed it a little bit
last time on SR.3. I know its Commissioner Reyes' issue. And I asked yesterday in the
briefing who pays fbr the lighting. And I was told by Ms. Crespi -- well, I wasn't told.
Alex Barrera was told by Ms. Crespi that the landlord pays for it, not the tenant. But
in my briefing yesterday, 1 was told that it could be -- that it's the person who has the
lease, which normally is the tenant. And I still -- because of the answer that I got
yesterday, 1 want some sort of clarification. It doesn't only impact the 65 businesses in
downtown that Ms. Crespi referenced. In fact, it's citywide, so it impacts businesses in
all our districts. And that undue burden that I spoke about last time on tenants and
small businessowners and small cafeteria owners concerns me because of the difficult
economic times we're going through right now. It may not be -- I never got an answer
because it was a late briefing last night, so maybe they didn't have time to get back to
me. Or maybe they did,• I haven't read all my emails. I had like a hundred emails on
the Dade Heritage house and all that, so I haven't been able to go through all that.
But that's an important part of this conversation I think, Commissioner Reyes,
because I don't want to have --
Commissioner Reyes: It is, it is.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The husband and wife owned cafeteria --
Commissioner Reyes: It is.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the little cafeteria where, all of a sudden, they
have to dish out, you know, a thousand bucks or 800 bucks. For them, that could be
the difference between staying open and closing. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: I agree with you, 100 percent. And the intention is that the
property owner is the one that is responsible to maintain the proper conditions for
safety -- you see? -- around that area. And in order to do that, I mean, try to help the
property owner, we have waived all permit costs, you see. The only thing is that the
installation of a couple of light bulbs or whatever it is, so that it is -- the area, it is
more illuminated. You know that well -lit areas, they have -- the -- I ,'nean, the crime
rate is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And you know that people -- I mean, criminals, they
don't like to be where well -lit areas are and people feel more safe. And I have seen
this and have witnessed this, and I don't know if you have also. Now that Florida
Power & Light is changing the lighting of the streets from the old ones -- you know,
that yellow light? -- to the LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights, I have a lot of
neighbors from different areas in my district that they are walking now, and they're
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telling me and say "Thank you for changing it." I said, "Well, I wasn't the one that
changed it." But thank you for changing all the lights. Now 1 have a neighbor that
said -- she said -- she lives in Auburndale, and she walks all the way to exercise -- all
the way to Coral Gate because the area is so well lit that she's not afraid anymore,
you see. And the intent behind this ordinance is to provide more illumination and to
provide more safety. I agree with you the mom -and -pops, they are not responsible ,for
the lighting. They are paving rent. And the business own -- tenant does not have to
pay. It is the landlord, the landlord. And I think that what we should do is -- also when
we pass this -- give them time -- you see? -- within a certain time, not that they have to
do it and comply, but they will get -- I mean, six months, within the next year or
whatever, you see. Work with them in order not to burden them that much and try to
help them as much as we can. In Downtown Miami, what we're going to do is we're
going to also -- we are working on providing -- you see? -- funds to the owners so
they can --1 mean, they will expedite the change of illumination in that area. That's it.
And 1 agree with you. It is not the tenants. And that concern is very well taken, and I
have it -- and I really -- I mean, if you want, can we --? I mean, we have to include in
the ordinance that responsibility falls on the landowners -- I mean, the landlord? That
would clay f v it more, in my opinion. What do you think?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I would like to have that if you don't mind,
Commissioner, just to make sure.
Commissioner Reyes: No,1 don't mind. Just propose it and I'll accept it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll propose that amendment for SR.3 --
Commissioner Reyes: And it's accepted.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- that the responsibility falls on the landlord, not
on the tenant.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So is there a motion to approve the SR agenda with
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) ?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the SR
agenda? Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): For the record, SR.3 was amended.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
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SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
7186
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING/IN
GENERAL;" MORE SPECIFICALLY, BY ADDING SECTION 62-2.2,
TITLED "INDEPENDENT FEASIBILITY AND ECONOMIC IMPACT
STUDIES," TO REQUIRE INDEPENDENT FEASIBILITY AND
ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDIES BY THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR
CERTAIN NEW DEVELOPMENTS; CREATING A POOL OF
QUALIFIED, INDEPENDENT PROVIDERS TO CONDUCT SAID
STUDIES THAT ARE SELECTED ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS AS
PROVIDED HEREIN; PROVIDING THAT THE COST OF THE
INDEPENDENT FEASIBILITY AND ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY
BE BORNE BY THE APPLICANT REQUIRING SAID STUDY;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13928
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.2, please see Item
Number SR.1.
SR.3 ORDINANCE Second Reading
7553
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 10 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED, TITLED "BUILDINGS;" MORE PARTICULARLY BY
CREATING A NEW ARTICLE XI, TITLED "CITYWIDE
ILLUMINATION STANDARDS", TO EXTEND THE PROVISIONS OF
SECTION 8C-3 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY,
FLORIDA ("COUNTY CODE"), APPLICABLE WITHIN
MUNICIPALITIES AND RELATED TO PROVIDING LIGHTING OF
OPEN PARKING LOTS, AREAS UNDERNEATH BUILDINGS, AND
ALLEYS TO PUBLIC RIGHTS -OF -WAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI AS
DEFINED HEREIN; PROVIDING FOR THE BUILDING OFFICIAL'S
ENFORCEMENT OF THIS ARTICLE AS REQUIRED BY THE
COUNTY CODE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE BUILDING
OFFICIAL'S DESIGNEE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CODE
COMPLIANCE INSPECTORS; PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATION AND WAIVER OF APPLICABLE PERMIT FEES FOR
CERTAIN EXISTING STRUCTURES AND EXPEDITED REVIEW IN
CONNECTION WITH COMPLIANCE WITH THESE
REQUIREMENTS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13929
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
MOTION TO:
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
Note for the Record:
Number SR.1.
Adopt with Modification(s)
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
For minutes referencing Item Number SR.3, please see Item
SR.4 ORDINANCE Second Reading
7821
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 1 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "GENERAL PROVISIONS;"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 1-16 OF THE
CITY CODE TO ALLOW ALTERNATE SEALS ON LIMITED
OCCASIONS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13930
MOTION TO:
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
Note for the Record:
Number SR.1.
Adopt
ADOPTED
Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
For minutes referencing Item Number SR.4, please see Item
END OF SECOND READING ORDINANCES
City, of Miami
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FR - FIRST READING ORDINANCE
FR.1 ORDINANCE First Reading
7632
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 39/ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "PEDDLERS
AND ITINERANT VENDORS/SIDEWALK AND STREET VENDORS",
BY DELETING REQUIREMENTS AND DEFINITIONS RELATED TO
THE OBSOLETE COCONUT GROVE, MIAMI ARENA, BISCAYNE
BOULEVARD, AND RESTAURANT ARCADE SPECIAL VENDING
DISTRICTS; PROVIDING FOR PROHIBITIONS AGAINST VENDING
IN THE WYNWOOD AND COCONUT GROVE BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND ON ANY RIGHT-OF-WAY
ABUTTING A T3 TRANSECT ZONE; FURTHER PROVIDING FOR A
MODIFIED MAXIMUM WIDTH FOR VENDING STANDS IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Chair Hardemon: I'm calling the October 8, 2020 virtual City Commission meeting
back to order. Madam City Attorney, can we read the first reading ordinance into the
record, please?
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): I'm having a problem opening the attachment.
Give me one second, sir. Sony.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the Deputy City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: And this item actually contains all of the changes that I wanted to
make, correct -- or the one change? It reflects it already?
Mr. Min: It does not. I believe what you're proposing is for the ordinance to be
modified to indicate that peddling may continue if they have the appropriate licenses
and any vending districts that may be abolished. That is not in the attachment, but we
can include that in second reading if that is the desire of the body.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Then the Chair will accept a motion on the item with that
language being included.
Vice Chair Russell: So moved.
Chair Hardemon: Seconded by the Chair. Any discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: What item is it again, Chair?
Chair Hardemon: This is FR.1.
Commissioner Carollo: FR.1?
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Chair Hardemon: Yes. Commissioner Reyes, are you speaking to us, or are you
speaking to someone else?
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, I was trying to speak to you.
Chair Hardemon: Oh, okay, okay.
Commissioner Reyes: And I was talking to myself I know that you addressed the
problem of peddling, you see. I mean, it doesn't prohibit them as long as they have a
license. But it also address the people that they earn their living selling flowers and
selling water in some intersections. And I think that if they have the proper license,
they shouldn't be valid.
Chair Hardemon: You say it should be valid?
Commissioner Reyes: It should be valid.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: I want -- Mr. City Attorney --
Chair Hardemon: That's what I want to make sure, that people --
Commissioner Reyes: But those people, they're not peddling. What they're doing is
they are earning a living by selling different items, like water, flowers -- you see? --
lemons. Some people sell lemons and fruits and all of that. And they are making an
honest living.
Chair Hardemon: That's exactly what I was (INAUDIBLE). I wanted to make sure
that those people who are doing those things weren't pushed in these areas --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: -- under the guise of vending (INAUDIBLE) --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay.
Chair Hardemon: -- that it's explicit that they're allowed --
Commissioner Reyes: I'm glad that that is clear; that it's been clarified.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Seeing no further discussion, all in favor of the item, say
"aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? The motion passes. All right.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): As amended.
Chair Hardemon: As amended, correct.
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCE
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DI.1
7255
City Manager's
Office
DI - DISCUSSION ITEMS
DISCUSSION ITEM
A DISCUSSION REGARDING A PRESENTATION BY THE
CHAIRPERSON OF THE FOLLOWING BOARDS/COMMITTEES
CONCERNING THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS:
1. STARS OF CALLE OCHO WALK OF FAME CELEBRITY
AND COMMUNITY RECOGNITION ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
2. VIRGINIA KEY ADVISORY BOARD
3. VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair Hardemon: Alright ladies and gentlemen, I think that's all --
Vice Chair Russell: Discussion items.
Chair Hardemon: Besides the discussion items, if we'd like to talk about those things.
So we have our discussion items.
Vice Chair Russell: I believe it's DI.1.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) later date?
Commissioner Carollo: What do we have?
Vice Chair Russell: DI. 1 and 2.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, because DI.3 was withdrawn, right? (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
which one was it?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Indefinitely deferred, Chair.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh my gosh.
Chair Hardemon: Are there any -- there's any reports that someone's prepared to
give?DI1?
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): I believe Mr. Tinnie needs to be promoted.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Mr. Tinnie, wonderful to have you. You can take your
computer or phone off of mute. There you are. That's it. He can hear you, James. Yes.
Gene Tinnie: Okay. Can you hear me?
Chair Hardemon: I can hear you very well. We can see you too.
Mr. Tinnie: Okay. Good evening, Mr. Chair and Commissioners. Okay, I have the
honor of presenting our annual report that was originally scheduled to be given in
March for the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. And what I can simply do is just read
this into the oral record, if you guys aren't too hungfy to hear that. And I'll begin
simply to acquaint all parties with our mission and why we're doing what we do. And
this is what, of course, guides all our discussions and decisions. Mission of the
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Virginia Key Beach Park Trust is to carry forward the community's vision for the
development and use of Virginia Key Beach Park, promoting and -- I'm sorry,
maintaining absolute public ownership and access, fostering its perpetuation as a
passive open green space that includes nature trails, recreational facilities, and
museum structures, appropriate to and compatible with the nature of Virginia Key,
presenting it as a valuable resource to be enjoyed by posterity and to honor the rich
historical legacy of the social and civil rights history of South Florida. Okay, and then
as you know, these annual reports have a kind of a standard template of seven
questions. And I'll just read the questions and our answers to those. Some of this will
seem -- I'm sorry, seem a little bit outdated because this was done in the spring, so
some of these issues have already been dealt with, particularly the budget ones. So
question number one, whether the board is serving the purpose for which it was
created. 2019 was a critical and successful year for the Virginia Key Beach Park
Trust. The Trust was able to continue to fulfill its mission, preserving historic Virginia
Key Beach Park as a valuable cultural and environmental resource by increasing
historic park tours, record -breaking volunteer participation, hosting the world-
renowned Ultra Musical Festival, and gaining the City of Miami Commission's
unanimous support for operational funding jbr the Historic Virginia Key Beach
Museum Park Project. And we thank you again for your vision and leadership on that.
The historic beach park continues to maintain listings on the United States National
Register of Historic Places, the Florida Heritage Trail, and City of Miami Historic
and Environmental Preservation list. Question number two, whether the board is
serving current community needs. The Trust has proven its success in serving the
community's need for public park space by its increasing number of families and
community -based organizations that have partnered with the Trust and use the
historic beach park facilities. Annual visitation has consistently surpassed 100,000
visitors, and the historic beach park continues to be the home of three summer camps
in fiscal year 2018-2019, an award -winning youth soccer practice team was also
invited and was voted the New York New Times 2018 Best Live Music Venue.
Question number three, you know, Pm not playing in a symphony, turning these
pages. Okay. A list of the board's major accomplishments. These are mainly in the
form of partnerships. So I'll just list those. The partnership between the Virginia Key
Beach Park Trust and Black Archives/Lyric Theater, Black Police Precinct and
Courthouse Museum and Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau was
successful in attracting the African American Association of Museums annual
conference to Miami in 2020. And just for, you know, the point of information, that's a
well -established nationwide organization that brings together all the major African
American museums from cities around the country and some from the Caribbean.
Another partnership was a growing list of agency and event partners, Barry
University, Zen Village, Florida International University, Sea Level Rise Center,
Florida International University History and Library Digital Archives Partners,
University of Miami CAD, that's also a community archive, Loveburn Festival, House
of Creatives Festival, Grassroots Music and Dance Festival, Greater Miami
Convention and Visitors Bureau, Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce, Miami -Dade
Chamber of Commerce, and the completion of the 10th annual YMCA (Young Men's
Christian Association) Junior Marine Biology Summer Camp. Our third partnership
was Seagrass Adventures Environmental Education Programming partnership with
Biscayne Nature Center and Dade County Public Schools. Number four, partnerships
with TREEmendous Miami, International Coastal Cleanup, Bonanza, and this was
involved with debris removal, Debris Free Oceans, Big Blue and You, and Historic
Site Restoration. And of course, TREEmendous gets a special shout out because they
have been awesome in contributing and planting almost countless trees. Cultural and
historic educational programming partnerships include the aforementioned The Black
Archives, historic Hampton House, historic Black Police Precinct and Courthouse
Museum and others, and historic and environmental programs and tours. Partners
include History Miami Museum, the Frost Museum, the Miami Convention and
Visitors Bureau, and Dade County Public Schools. And .finally, in the partnerships,
Shoreline and Upland Ecosystem Restoration and Environmental Maintenance has
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
attracted over 2,175 volunteers, over 6,580 volunteer hours at a value of more than
$165,000 of in -kind support from community partners in 2019. Volunteer
participation totals have more than doubled since 2017. The fourth question in the
template is whether there is any other board, either public or private, which would
better serve the function of the board. Well, of course not, but the Virginia Key Beach
Park Trust has continued to gather support, partners and praise from community
members, private and public sector leadership. The Trust draws on the extensive
knowledge and expertise of board members representing pioneer families,
environmental awareness groups, and a range of professional fields which have been
assessed -- which have been assets, I'm sorry, to its continuing progress and
successful leadership. Future success will require a government's model that will
include the support of a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that will focus on
fundraising, public private partnerships, and marshaling increased community
expertise. And that will of course be in line with, as we extend more and more into --
my goodness. Did I lose my -- I hit something here. 1 don't know if I'm -- Pm not
seeing you, but you might be still seeing me as I fold over the last page here. And let's
see if we can get me back here. Okay, I'll just go on into question number five.
Whether the, hold on -- sorry for the delay. Whether the ordinance -- okay, I was
truing to get back on camera. Whether the ordinance creating the board should be
amended to better enable the board to serve the purpose for which it was created. Our
answer to that question is, the criteria set forth by the ordinance that created the
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust have served the Trust well. However, following the
unique financial difficulties that struck the nation during the `global economic
meltdown, " also known as the Great Recession, resulting in the City of Miami's
withdrawal of all direct operational funding to the Trust from 2009 to 2016, has
caused many aspects of operating the historic beach park properly and in a
sustainable and progressive manner to be compromised. However; we've been dealing
with that. The City of Miami's annual funding contribution to the Virginia Key Beach
Trust should be restored to a steadily increasing level. And of course that has already
been done for which we express our appreciation. This is just a little awkward
because Pin kind of talking to a blank screen here but I'll trust that this is --
Vice Chair Russell: We can see you, Mr. Tinnie, you look amazing.
Mr. Tinnie: Great, thank you. Is my hair all right? I hope. The Trust's ordinance
should be amended if that's what is required to provide trust employees full
participation in the City of Miami retirement and pension system. With the issuance of
purchasing cards, known as P-cards, that's also needed, and assurance of workers'
compensation coverage at all times. So that's an Administrative matter that we'll
probably need to discuss, I imagine, with the City Manager's Office. And our staff are
boots on the ground and have a lot more clear idea of the details involved, what
number of full-time employees as opposed to consultants we have and so forth. So we
look forward to having that discussion. Our next to last question is whether the
board's' membership requirements should be modified. The existing memberships
eligibility requirements for trustees should explore the inclusion of at -large trustees
who may not reside, work or own property in the city of Miami, but reside in Miami -
Dade County and have a strong bond with the historic beach park. This would allow
the board to reach further into the South Florida regional area and take advantage of
community expertise for board development. Otherwise, the criteria set forth by the
ordinance that created the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust have served the Trust well.
We've had some challenges over the years of finding board members. We actually
have three vacancies on the board. And we did in fact find that, you know, there are
folks who have intimate knowledge and love of the beach, but they live outside the city
limits who are willing to serve and they don't work in the city or own property. So,
we'll be essentially bringing that to your attention, particularly those districts that
don't presently have an appointee. And the last question on our annual report, the
cost both direct and indirect of maintaining the board. It's more of a statement than a
question, but anyway. The Trust's purpose, powers, and duties comprise a great
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responsibility, to the community, which the Trust continues to fulfill with great
dedication. I definitely have to commend our staff We are very fortunate to have folks
that just routinely go the extra mile and that's just a rare blessing. But we also have
the extreme difficulty due to the aforementioned financial crisis which resulted in the
City of Miami's withdrawal of direct operational funds in the time that was
mentioned. The Trust requires an annual City of Miami contribution for community
outreach, security, fundraising, special educational programming, advertising and
promotional materials, cultural and historic collections, management and volunteer
coordination to effectively provide service to the community. Clearly defined capital
improvements fund should be allocated to the Trust to guarantee needed property
improvements and maintenance to fulfill a 10 year historic Virginia Key Beach Park
improvement and sea level rise capital plan. And many of those things have already
been addressed in our budget negotiations with the various line items. In closing, I'll
just mention a few things. Because of COVID, we did not have the huge public
celebration that we would have had this year, but this year does mark the 75th
anniversary year of the park opening in 1945, a very meaningful landmark and
certainly one that we were able to celebrate in a limited way in online fashion. And on
my notes here, I think I have just two sort of just points of clarification, minor points.
I think there was a recent -- we saw some recent correspondence with City staff. It
seems that some folks were referring to the Trust as an advisory board and it's not
that, so we want to make sure of that. And I think there have been some references to
the whole museum project as being a civil rights museum. It is that, but it's far from
being only that, because it also incorporates environmental awareness and social
history that goes well beyond the Civil Rights era, which is generally considered to be
1955 to 1965. You know Miami was not Birmingham or one of these places that had
all sorts of you know hateful actions going on that needed to be remembered. In fact,
Miami's response to Jim Crow segregation is so different, so special, that that's all the
more reason why the story has to be told. So, that's essentially it on that. And I thank
you very much for providing the time and your attention for sharing this. And I'm still
messing around trying to get on.
Chair Hardemon: No problem, we can see you very well. Mr. Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Tinnie, thank you for
everything, everything, everything you do. And congratulations on your 75th
anniversary and thank you for inviting me to that gala. I would love for the video that
was produced for that gala to be circulated to every single one of these
commissioners. Because it --
Mr. Tinnie Yes, okay. Will do. Will do. It took a while for us to kind of work out all the
little bugs with it, but we'll absolutely do that, yes.
Vice Chair Russell: It moves you to tears, and it tells the story of a place that is so
much more than just Miami's only blue water beach. It's so special, and the way
you've preserved it, and the story you're trying to tell, and its future is so important. If
there's anything that should be a citywide asset that all of us try to spend time at and
go to events at and bring our residents to, it's the Virginia Key Beach Park. And so
thank you for everything you do.
Mr. Tinnie: Thank you Pr that recognition. I'll certainly share that with my fellow
trustees and the staff
Chair Hardemon: Very much. We appreciate you, sir.
Mr. Tinnie: Thank you. That's mutual. Keep up the good.
Chair Hardemon: There are no further annual reports.
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DI.2 DISCUSSION ITEM
7231
Department of
Finance
A DISCUSSION REGARDING UNREIMBURSED GRANT
EXPENDITURES FOR QUARTER ENDING 12/31/2019
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair Hardemon: So then we move on to D1.2, which is a discussion on reimbursed
grant expenditures. I'm sure that's probably very brief. Is there anyone from the City
Manager's Office that's reporting the unreimbursed grant expenditures?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think the Manager's having conch. Our Mayor's
gone, Barnaby's gone.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) had dinner already.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Barnaby's there.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I don't see Barnaby anywhere.
Ms. Mendez: He's there. He's there.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hi, Barnaby. Welcome back. The Manager's back.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) Mayor.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, we're back to the discussion on reimbursed grant
expenditures.
Erica Paschal: Good afternoon, or good evening, Commissioners. Erica Paschal for
the Finance Department. For our financial integrity ordinance, we are required to
report all non -reimbursable grants on a quarterly basis. For the quarter ending
December 31st, 2019, we are to report that $43,275.97 was disallowed by the Florida
Inland Navigation District due to -- for the project by Miami Marine Stadium, due to
the fact that the project never did proceed into the construction phase of the project. It
will not reimburse us if the project does not move into construction. Are there any
questions?
Chair Hardemon: Is demolition considered construction?
Ms. Paschal: No.
Chair Hardemon: No?
Ms. Paschal: No.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Not in this situation, right? Okay. Any other questions,
anyone? And just a major congratulations to Erica and her university that she
graduated from, her alma matey; they were named, Florida Agricultural Mechanical
University was named the top public HBCU in the nation. Right? It was a college, oh
I'm sorry, top public college in the nation.
Ms. Paschal: That would be our alma mater.
Chair Hardemon: That's correct. No, I'm shining the light on you right now, you
know? So, I wanted to clean up the record.
Ms. Paschal: Thank you.
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DI.3
7285
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Is there anyone else?
Ms. Mendez: So, Chairman, the Commission is going to miss you so much that they
added a few more meetings while you were gone.
Chair Hardemon: No, I saw everything that they added. I don't know if I'm going to
be there, but you know, cause you never know, things could get really bad and I don't
want to have any issues with the big C, Corona.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The big C.
Chair Hardemon: The big C, yeah. Alright, so is there anything else? I think we've
done everything. All hearts and minds are clear?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir.
Chair Hardemon: Yes? Okay. This meeting is concluded. Thank you very much.
DISCUSSION ITEM
A DISCUSSION REGARDING TRANSIT ALLIANCE BETTER BUS
PROJECT
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number DL3, please see "Order
of the Day."
END OF DISCUSSION ITEMS
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
BC.1
7003
Office of the City
Clerk
BC - BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION REMOVING JOE MILTON AS A
MEMBER OF THE AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP LOAN PROGRAM TASK
FORCE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0328
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Clerk, if we could do the rest of the appointments,
please?
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): Yes, Vice Chair. BC.1, the Affordable
Homeownership Loan Program Task Force: Commissioner Reyes is requesting
removal of his appointee, Joe Milton.
Vice Chair Russell: You need a motion for a removal?
Ms. Ewan: Yes, Vice Chairman, we do.
Commissioner Reyes: I move it.
Vice Chair Russell: It's been moved by Commissioner Reyes. Is there a second?
Commissioner Dias de la Portilla: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: Seconded by Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. Any further
discussion? All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Ave.
Vice Chair Russell: Motion passes.
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BC.2
7361
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES BOARD FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
(Alternate At -Large)
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.2, Arts and Entertainment Council.:
Pursuant to Code Section 2-1142, Chair Hardemon will be appointing Marvin Weeks
as the Council's chairperson.
Commissioner Carollo: For what position?
Ms. Ewan: This is for the chair -- the Council chairperson for the Arts and
Entertainment Counsel, pursuant to Code 2-1142.
Commissioner Carollo: Second. It's been moved by Commissioner Hardemon. I'll
second it.
Vice Chair Russell.: Who is the mover, please?
Ms. Ewan: Commissioner Hardemon is not present.
Vice Chair Russell: He's not present.
Commissioner Reyes: I move it. I move it and he seconded.
Commissioner Carollo: Right, and I seconded it.
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Vice Chair Russell: You're the mover; Commissioner Carollo, you're the second. Any
further discussion? All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Motion passes.
BC.3 RESOLUTION
5544 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
Office of the City INDIVIDUAL AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COUNCIL.
Clerk
BC.4
6672
Office of the City
Clerk
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Marvin Weeks Commissioner Keon Hardemon
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0329
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
BC.5
7596
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.6
6956
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commission -At -Large
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CONFIRMING THE
APPOINTMENT OF A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE CIVILIAN
INVESTIGATIVE PANEL FORA TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Gabriel Paez Civilian Investigative Panel
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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BC.8
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Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commission -At -Large
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CODE COMPLIANCE TASK FORCE FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
City of Miami
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD FOR A TERM AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE:
Maritza Vasquez
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0330
NOMINATED BY:
Commission -At -Large
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Russell --
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman, could I take up one real quick; BC.9, an
appointment?
Chair Hardemon: Sure. Commissioner Russell, I want you to take --
Vice Chair Russell: Could we take all the appointments then?
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. This is for BC.9; an appointment of Marina Vasquez to
the Code Enforcement Board; my appointment.
Commissioner Reyes: Second it.
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Vice Chairman, I want you to handle it and I'm going to step
away one second, okay?
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: There's' a motion, there's a second.
Vice Chair Russell: Let's -- I'm sorry, Mr. Commissioner. There's a motion. Is there a
second?
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner Reyes seconded it.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Reyes, there's a second.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Any discussion? All in favor, say "aye."
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Motion passes.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
AND QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City Manager Arthur Noriega, V
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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Office of the City
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RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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Office of the City
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RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
IAFF
FOP
AFSCME 1907
AFSCME 871
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
BC.13
6959
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.14
7963
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR A TERM AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Erica Paschal City Manager Arthur Noriega, V
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0331
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.13, Finance Committee: City Manager
Noriega will be reappointing Erica Paschal to the Finance Committee.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Is there a motion, please?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Vice Chair Russell: Moved by Commissioner Reyes; seconded by the Chair. All in
favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH FACILITIES AUTHORITY BOARD FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
City of Miami
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RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PRESERVATION BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES/CATEGORIES:
(Architect/Architectural Historian -
Category 4)
(Real Estate Broker — Category 5)
(Citizen — Category 7)
(Historian/Architectural Historian -
Category 3)
(Business and Finance or Law —
Category 6)
(Architect — Category 1)
(Alternate in Business and Finance
or Law —
Category 8)
(Citizen — Category 7)
(Landscape Architect — Category
2)
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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7964
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBERS OF THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER,
QUEER ("LGBTQ") ADVISORY BOARD FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Nicole Alvarez Mayor Francis Suarez
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0332
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.16, LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
Transgender, Queer) Advisory Board: Mayor Suarez will be appointing Nicole
Alvarez.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a motion, please?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, IZl make the motion.
Commissioner Reyes: I second.
Vice Chair Russell: Moved by Commissioner Carollo; seconded by Commissioner
Reyes. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Motion passes.
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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Office of the City
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RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR'S COUNCIL ON GLOBAL
COMPETITIVENESS FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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6960
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE MIAMI COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE FOR A
TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE:
Jacqui Colyer
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0333
NOMINATED BY:
City Manager Arthur Noriega, V
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.18, Miami Complete Count Committee:
City Manager Noriega will be reappointing Jackie Colyer.
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: Moved by Commissioner Carollo; seconded by Commissioner
Reyes. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes.
Ms. Ewan: Thank you.
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE MIAMI FOREVER BOND PROGRAM CITIZENS'
OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE:
Ralph Rosado
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0334
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Note for the Record: A motion was made by Commissioner Reyes, seconded by Vice
Chair Russell, and was passed unanimously, with Chair Hardemon absent, to
appoint Ralph Rosado as a member of the Miami Forever Bond Program Citizens'
Oversight Board; ,further waiving the employment prohibition contained in Section
2-884(e) of the Code of the City of Miami, as amended, is hereby waived by a four
fifths (4/5ths) vote of the members of the City Commission, as said requirement
relates to the appointment of Ralph Rosado as a member of the Miami Forever
Bond Program Citizens' Oversight Board.
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): And BC.19, Miami Forever Bond Program
Citizens Oversight Board: Commissioner Reyes will be reappointing Ralph Rosado,
who requires a four -fifth employment waiver pursuant to Code Section 2-884(e).
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hold on a second. Let me see.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a second for the motion, please? I'll second it for
discussion. Go ahead, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why are we naming Ralph Rosado? He's not a -- is
he a City -- he's not a City of Miami resident.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, he is.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's a City -- Isn't he a City of Miami -- City
Manager somewhere else?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, he is a City Manager and -- but he's a resident of Coral
Park.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So why does he need a waiver?
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
Ms. Ewan: He needs a waiver because the Code prohibits an employee --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry; excuse me, one second. Yes?
Ms. Ewan: He needs a waiver because the Code prohibits an employee of another
municipality to serve on a board unless they obtain a waiver from the City
Commission by a 4/5ths vote.
Commissioner Reyes: That's an -- he's a reappointment.
Ms. Ewan: He's currently sitting on the board.
Commissioner Reyes: He's sitting on the board already.
Vice Chair Russell: Well, if anyone would oppose it, it would be you, Commissioner
Reyes, and if you're making the motion --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. Well, I know; that's why I'm asking --
Commissioner Reyes: Listen, listen --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- if it's their --
Vice Chair Russell: Peace, peace.
Commissioner Diaz de 1a Portilla: Well, no, no, no.
Commissioner Reyes: No, peace. He deserve it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Look, peace is overrated.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. But he is --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Peace is overrated.
Commissioner Reyes: He's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: War is more fun. Well, you know what happens.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes, right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If Commissioner Reyes, as he's becoming a little
bit older and wiser and -- you know -- more peaceful now, and he's willing to be a
good man and reward somebody who was not very, good to him during that campaign
cycle, then that says a lot about you, Commissioner Reyes. It says a lot about what
kind of man you are.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, you see, you have to be magnanimous in victory and very
-- how do you say it? -- proud in defeat. You see what I mean? In victories, you have
to be magnanimous.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, I commend you on that. I could never do that
with -- Commissioner Russell's pick for my district was Eleazar Melendez. I could
never do that with him.
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Commissioner Reyes: But he was different. The attacks that they directed to you were
more than personal, and it was also -- not only you; your family and everything that
has been forgiven.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. And it was pretty ugly. It was pretty ugly
when (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: It was pretty ugly. The only thing -- that Rosado accused me of
being old.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, but that's not an accusation; that's a fact.
Commissioner Reyes: That's a fact.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know. But, yeah, but that's very magnanimous
of you, and I really, really, really commend you for that.
Commissioner Reyes: Thank you, sir. Thank you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, you know, obviously, it's your pick, and I will
support you with that.
Commissioner Reyes: Thank you, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. There's a motion and there's a second. This is a
4/5ths. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION FOR A TERM AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
BC.21
5039
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.22
7966
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE OVERTOWN ADVISORY BOARD/OVERTOWN
COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
(Youth Member)
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD
FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
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3693
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE STARS OF CALLE OCHO WALK OF FAME
COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
BC.24
5453
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.25
5844
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
(UDRB) FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING AND CONFIRMING
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA KEY ADVISORY BOARD
FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
Lynn Lewis
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commission -At -Large
National Trust for Historic Preservation
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
BC.26
7246
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Keon Hardemon
City of Miami
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
PZ.1
6931
Office of Zoning
PZ.2
6983
Office of Zoning
PART B: PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
RESOLUTION
MAY BE WITHDRAWN
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
GRANTING/DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY BECKER BOARDS
MIAMI, LLC AND REVERSING/AFFIRMING THE DECISION OF THE
CITY MANAGER'S DESIGNEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 62-609(B)
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
FOR THE LOCATION CHANGE OF MURAL PERMIT NO. 19-0012 TO
THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 78 NORTHWEST 37TH STREET,
MIAMI, FLORIDA BY NTWW, LLC.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.1, please see "Order
of the Day."
RESOLUTION
MAY BE WITHDRAWN
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
GRANTING/DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY SET MIDTOWN, LLC
AND REVERSING/AFFIRMING THE DECISION OF THE CITY
MANAGER'S DESIGNEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 62-603 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, OF THE
APPROVAL OF BECKER BOARDS MIAMI, LLC AS A QUALIFIED
APPLICANT.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.2, please see "Order
of the Day."
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
PZ.3
7022
Office of Zoning
RESOLUTION
MAY BE WITHDRAWN
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
GRANTING/DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY SET MIDTOWN, LLC
AND REVERSING/AFFIRMING THE DECISION OF THE CITY
MANAGER'S DESIGNEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 62-609(B) OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, FOR
THE LOCATION CHANGE OF MURAL PERMIT NO. 18-0041 TO THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 70 NORTHWEST 37 STREET, MIAMI,
FLORIDA BY BECKER BOARDS MIAMI, LLC.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.3, please see "Order
of the Day."
PZ.4 RESOLUTION
6528 MAY BE WITHDRAWN
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Planning ATTACHMENTS, GRANTING OR DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY
VILLAGE MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF A PLANNING, ZONING AND
APPEALS BOARD ("PZAB") DECISION AND AFFIRMING OR
REVERSING PZAB'S DENIAL OF AN EXCEPTION PURSUANT TO
ARTICLE 4, TABLE 3 AND ARTICLE 7, SECTION 7.1.2.6 OF
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TO ALLOW A PRE-
SCHOOL/CHILD CARE FACILITY FOR A MAXIMUM OF 186
CHILDREN ON THREE (3) PARCELS LOCATED WITHIN A "T4-R,"
GENERAL URBAN TRANSECT ZONE - RESTRICTED, AND "T6-8-O,"
URBAN CORE TRANSECT ZONE - OPEN, FOR THE PROPERTIES
LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1267 SOUTHWEST 22 STREET,
1292 SOUTHWEST 21 TERRACE, AND 2149 SOUTHWEST 13
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED
IN EXHIBIT "A"; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Carollo
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.4, please see "Order
of the Day."
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes October 8, 2020
PZ.5 ORDINANCE Second Reading
6796
Commissioners
and Mayor - PZ
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; MORE SPECIFICALLY BY
AMENDING ARTICLE 6, TABLE 13, TITLED "SUPPLEMENTAL
REGULATIONS," TO ADD A SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATION FOR
"PUBLIC STORAGE FACILITIES" BY REQUIRING ON -SITE BULK
WASTE DISPOSAL, PROVIDING FOR ALLOWANCE BY WARRANT,
DESIGN REVIEW, SEPARATION/DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS, AND
REGULATIONS WITHIN CERTAIN TRANSECT ZONES, AND
PROVIDING AN EXCEPTION IN LIMITED INSTANCES; CONTAINING
A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13931
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
NAYS: Russell
ABSENT: Hardemon
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Clerk, what's PL 5?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): You are good to go when it comes to non- agenda
items. We may, now move to DI.1 and DI.2 or the PZ (Planning and Zoning) items.
Vice Chair Russell: We've covered all of the pocket items?
Mr. Hannon: Good to go sir.
Vice Chair Russell: All right, I'd like to do the PZ items before we go to the discussion
items please. So, the remaining PZ items, the next one is --
Commissioner Reyes: We have PZ.5 --
Vice Chair Russell: PZ.6 and 7, is that all we have?
Commissioner Reyes: 5, 6 and 7.
Vice Chair Russell: I believe we -- oh yes 5, 6 and 7. Let's take PZ.5 zoning text
public storage facilities.
Commissioner Reyes: I move it.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a motion on PZ.5?
Commissioner Reyes: I move it.
Vice Chair Russell: Moved by Commissioner Reyes. Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: What is the recommendation for the Administration?
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Francisco Garcia: To approve, sir; Francisco Garcia for the record, Planning
Director.
Vice Chair Russell: This has to do with public storage and their disposal of waste.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: I will second it. I will second it.
Vice Chair Russell: Seconded by Commissioner Carollo. So we have a motion, we
have a second. Open for discussion.
Commissioner Carollo: You did hear me, Commissioner Reyes, right? I seconded it.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, 1 did. I did hear you. Thank you very much, sir. You are the
gentleman and the scholar.
Commissioner Carollo: I don't know about a scholar.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, call the question because I am hungry.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there any fitrther discussion? Alright.
Mr. Hannon: Chair. Just a friendly reminder, the title needs to be read into the
record.
Vice Chair Russell: Go ahead, Madam City Attorney.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam City Attorney?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney) Which one?
Commissioner Reyes: PZ.5.
Vice Chair Russell: PZ.5 please.
Commissioner Reyes: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) are you sleepy?
Ms. Mendez.: I am not sleepy, but you went into the PZs.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner Reyes, can we ask the Administration to give
us a report on how this has worked out?
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: And how much time do you want to put to it before we get a
report?
Commissioner Reyes: Six, six months.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, six months.
Commissioner Reyes: Six months probably this is working out. If it's working or if it's
not working.
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Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Go ahead.
Ms. Mendez: PZ.5.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. There is a motion, there is a second. Any
fiirther discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: Just, Mr. Manager?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have a question.
Commissioner Carollo: You've heard that we would like for you to come back in six
months --
Commissioner Reyes: Six months.
Commissioner Carollo: -- from the date that this is implemented to get a report.
Commissioner Reyes: For how it's working.
Commissioner Carollo: How it's working out. Cause the only thing I don't want to see
is that we're putting financial burden on any business if it's not working out.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, you're recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What happens in six months Commissioner
Carollo, Commissioner Reyes?
Commissioner Reyes: If we see that it's not working, because we're still getting all the
I mean, all the trash and all of that, then we will have to take action or then we will
have to modify it. You see, I was waiting for the industry to modify it because as I
recall, Commissioner Joe Carollo got asked for this to be deferred because there was,
I mean, some questions from the industry and I was open to it and I said, well, I'm
open to any suggestions or any discussions. Nobody came in, nobody talked to me, I
didn't talk to anybody. And so let's see what happens six months from now.
Vice Chair Russell: Understood. Commissioner, I apologize, I'm in favor of this item.
I recognize what you're trying to accomplish with the dumping in your district. My
worry, is that there is no real legal way to identify that that pile of garbage belonged
to that -- a tenant of that -- of that public storage facility. And I'm afraid they're going
to start getting hit with citations for all the illegal dumping that's going on around
them.
Commissioner Reyes: Most of them, most of them, they have cameras, you see, most of
them that they have cameras, they can very well prove that which one is them, this
and that. As a matter of fact, I think that after, and I've seen it, after this started going
around and that there was going to be an ordinance, I mean, citing this -- their
business with illegal dumping, I have seen a great improvement. And I mean it. You
see, because in my district, we have so many -- so many types of this type of business
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that it is, I mean, we have seven. And that we have -- and all over the district, all over
the district. So, I have seen quite an improvement. And if it is not needed, and people
start, 1 mean, they are -- start enforcing the dumping, 1 mean, no dumping ordinance
on their tenants or providing them with a place where they can throw the trash. I
mean, there'll be no need for this.
Vice Chair Russell: Understood.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chair.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Diaz de la Portilla you are recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 remain concerned, Commissioner Reyes, about
the off -site liability, that people that are dumping outside a site are -- and they get
blamed, they're liable for what happens outside. That's a major concern for me. 1 just
don't know how to address it, to be honest with you. I really don't, I mean.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, that could be very well solved, I mean -- and I was ready
to talk to the industry, and I said, okay, if we expect that you are providing a
dumpster, you see, if you are providing a dumpster where people can go and dump the
bulk trash, and you have it outside, I see, we do an inspection, there's only six, seven
of them in my district, we do an inspection. I mean, if somebody comes and dump next
to you, 1 mean, we cannot cite you for it, but what (INAUDIBLE) is for you to provide
the dumpster for people that want to clean their space, that they will not dump it in
the streets, my streets, you see?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, Mr. Chair, if I may, the idea that they have to
provide a dumpster, I buy into that, I got that.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm with you there. The idea that it's dumped
within -- how many feet is it?
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, I mean, that was more to scare them than anything else.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: You know, it was close to it. But I'll go for it and I do
understand your concern. I do understand your concern. And let's do it this way. Let's
amend this that they must provide a dumpster and that we will -- they will decide if
our inspectors don't find a dumpster in there, in the premises.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, I buy that. But I'll even buy your -- I can
into your off -site regulation if for six months, I can buy into that too, by the way.
Commissioner Reyes: Well let's do it for six months. If it happens, it doesn't happen.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm good with that.
Commissioner Reyes: What we do, we take, we do a plan with the outside.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If six months is not working or people are being
unfairly cited, we come back and say, you know what, let's get rid of that offsite
requirement and do the other part. Okay, I'm good.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Okay.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: So does that require an amendment?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, as is.
Commissioner Carollo: As is.
Commissioner Reyes: As is.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Don't you want it to come back? Don't you want it to
sunset or come back?
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The amendment is that it comes back in six months
Jroreview --
Commissioner Reyes: The amendment is six months we will revisit.
Vice Chair Russell: It's not a sunset though, Madam City Attorney. It's just a revisit.
So we (INAUDIBLE) a discussion item it six months with an evaluation.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. And then we take into consideration if some people have
been cited and any complaints and all of that. Okay?
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, my apologies, that's the only amendment?
Commissioner Reyes: That's the only amendment.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Did we read this one into the record? We did. Alright.
Ready for the discussion.
Mr. Garcia: If I may, please.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Mr. Garcia: It's the second amendment to the ordinance. It's the ordinance as written
plus a directive to the Administration. Is that right?
Commissioner Carollo: That is correct. That is correct.
Commissioner Reyes: A directive to the Administration, you're absolutely right.
Ms. Mendez: It could be amended to say that there's a whereas that it comes back in
six months, but whatever you want, we will do.
Commissioner Reyes: Whatever it is, I mean, easier for you, that makes it clear that
we want it six months from now. And if we are going to revisit this and see if further
action should be taken or we can do away with the onsite.
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Commissioner Carollo: You know what, do make it the whereas in the ordinance
itself this way it is 100 percent in the record.
Commissioner Reyes: In the record.
Commissioner Carollo: And it'll be less likely that they will forget and I hope
Francisco assigns someone in his office to really stay on top of this so that he can
provide us good numbers when we meet six months from now.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it. There's a move, there's a motion, a second, there is an
amendment. Mover and seconder agrees. I think we're clear. Any further discussion?
Commissioner Reyes: No sir.
Vice Chair Russell: All in favor say, "aye."
Commissioner Carollo: Aye.
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: All opposed? Just myself I'm a no. Motion passed, thank you.
PZ. 6.
Commissioner Carollo: Did you vote for it?
Vice Chair Russell: I didn't. I'm trying to respect the illegal dumping, but I cannot
blame a local business for someone else's dumping offsite. I just really -- that one is
really, I don't see how we can control it, I don't see how we can monitor it, and I think
the business is going to get hit for all the illegal dumping.
Commissioner Reyes: That's why we have six months trial.
Commissioner Carollo: But how about saving the planet?
Vice Chair Russell: You guys are the eco-warriors tonight. I'm with business.
Commissioner Carollo: You know, you were all gun-ho in the morning --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's like the parallel universe. It's like the evils
Spock --
Commissioner Carollo: -- on the water pollution.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: I'm trying to get out of here because after 7: 00 pm, it all flips.
Commissioner Carollo: I don't know.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know, but Commissioner Russell --
Commissioner Carollo: He's starting -- he started to turn republican --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- a 3-1 vote.
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Commissioner Carollo: You know what? We might have to check out his registration.
The two of us or (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, a 3-1 vote?
Commissioner Carollo: -- do something to you, that got you all worked up. I don't
know.
Vice Chair Russell: It's 3-1, so it still passed, it still passed easily. It still passed
easily, we'll move on.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, but if it's 3-1, then maybe there's a lot to be
said for a four -member commission.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: You could do this all day long. You could do this all day long.
Commissioner Carollo: He might have left us already. He might have come back. I
don't know.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's gone. He already left. He's nowhere to be
found.
Vice Chair Russell: Alright. Alright. We're going to move on. By the way, before I
pass the gavel, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla , this is a baby gavel. This is --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's a gavel.
Commissioner Reyes: That's a gavel.
Vice Chair Russell: It's not a Tallahassee speaker's gavel, but this will knock someone
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Absolutely. I see it. I see it.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman, I gladly hand it back over to you. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: No, you were doing very, very good.
Vice Chair Russell: You're off eating pizza. We're all here suffering. I need you here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But Chair, we want to see you.
Commissioner Carollo: You seem to be getting aggressive, you know.
Vice Chair Russell: I want to see your video. I want to see what you're wearing right
now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, we want to see you, Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Why do you want to see my pajamas?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We want to see you.
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
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Chair Hardemon: Why do you want to see my shorts?
Commissioner Reyes: Look at him.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Always dressed (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but not with
a little bit of --
Commissioner Reyes: -- he's licking his fingers, man. He was having some ribs. He's
going, licking the fingers. He was having some ribs. You didn't share, you should
have shared those ribs.
Chair Hardemon: James' ribs.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, alright.
Commissioner Carollo: Hardemon, you better get the -- Hardemon, you better get the
gavel back.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hardemon look, this is my dinner. Look.
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) getting aggressive. 1 don't know what's
come over him.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Before you know it, he'll be wearing a MAGA (Make America
Great Again) hat.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: November 4th.
Chair Hardemon: Coldblooded. Make America green again. That's what it is. Captain
Planet, right?
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PZ.6 ORDINANCE Second Reading
7579
Department of
Planning
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; MORE SPECIFICALLY, BY
AMENDING ARTICLE 3, SECTION 3.14, TITLED "PUBLIC BENEFITS
PROGRAM", TO DISTINGUISH THE APPROPRIATE ABUTTING
CONDITION FOR "T6-8-O", URBAN CORE TRANSECT ZONE - OPEN,
AND "CS", CIVIC SPACE TRANSECT ZONE, ZONED PROPERTIES
AND TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL BONUS AND BY -RIGHT
FLOOR LOT RATIO AND FLEXIBILITY IN STORIES FOR
PROPERTIES ZONED "T6-8-O", URBAN CORE TRANSECT ZONE -
OPEN, IN TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AREAS ONLY IN
EXCHANGE FOR THE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE/WORKFORCE
HOUSING AT OR BELOW ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) AREA
MEDIAN INCOME; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13932
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Chair Hardemon: So, Madam City Attorney, is PZ.6, is that an ordinance?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Victoria Mendez: Yes, and I think we're done with that one, right?
Chair Hardemon: I thought you did this because -- the public storage facilities.
Commissioner Reyes: That, we did that, that passed.
Chair Hardemon: Right, we did that, but did we go out of order or something?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Next item up the bat is PZ.6.
Ms. Mendez: Sony, sorry, PZ.6.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Commissioner Reyes: I move it.
Vice Chair Russell: Hardemon leave again? There he is.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved, is there a second?
Vice Chair Russell: I'll second it. Can't hear you, Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: No, I was trying to whisper to James that he can be heard on
television.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, he should do more rihs.
Chair Hardemon: I'm trying not to punish him, you know.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm going to punish him when I see him because I mean, he's
feeding you.
Chair Hardemon: Is there any discussion about the item?
Vice Chair Russell: Just briefly, Mr. Garcia, was there any amendment needed to
address the concerns of the residents who came forward with regard to abutting civic
space and specifically the Bayside development?
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): Thank you for the question. We, 1 think, made
it clear to the concerned residents that their concerns had been addressed already in
the ordinance as it was already formatted. We did forward a whereas clause that
makes it abundantly clear for inclusion in the present ordinance. So maybe that is an
amendment that would be appropriate.
Vice Chair Russell: So an amendment would be appropriate?
Mr. Garcia: An amendment by virtue of including a whereas clause to make the
ordinance abundantly clear. And the clarity here is that if the property abuts or
shares a property line with a CS (Civic Space) zone property, then they are not
eligible for the bonus.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it, and that would not affect the original purpose and intent of
this legislation and why it was brought. Alright, I'd like to proffer that amendment if
there's support for that, please.
Commissioner Reyes: I accept it.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Mendez: Can I clam, because I don't -- if it's the one -- did you mention the T3
zone as well, Francisco? But could I read it just to be clear? Okay. The whereas, as I
understand it is, whereas the proposed text amendment limits property zone T6-80
from seeking public benefit bonuses when they share a property line with civic space
zoned property.
Mr. Garcia: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: Was it supposed to also say T3 or just?
Mr. Garcia: There is already in the ordinance.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, that's right.
Mr. Garcia: Language that says that any property that is within 500 feet of a T3
zoned property is not eligible. And that was not clarity that we felt we needed to put
forth since it's already abundantly clear in the ordinance. The whereas clause -- the
concern was about the CS property line sharing, and that's what the whereas clause
clarifies.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, and then the actual text change you mentioned, or?
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Mr. Garcia: There is no text change.
Ms. Mendez: Just the whereas.
Mr. Garcia: Correct.
Chair Hardemon: Any further questions?
Commissioner Reyes: No questions.
Chair Hardemon: Hearing none, all in favor say, "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm an ave.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
PZ.7 ORDINANCE Second Reading
7842
Commissioners
and Mayor - PZ
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, BY AMENDING ARTICLE 1,
SECTION 1.2, TITLED "DEFINITIONS OF TERMS", ARTICLE 7,
SECTION 7.1.7.3, TITLED "APPROVAL", SECTION 7.1.7.4, TITLED
"RELEASE", AND SECTION 7.1.1.6, TITLED "COVENANT IN LIEU OF
UNITY OF TITLE", TO REQUIRE APPROVAL BY ADDITIONAL
ENUMERATED OFFICIALS FOR ANY RELEASE OF A UNITY OF
TITLE, COVENANT IN LIEU OF UNITY OF TITLE, AND OTHER
RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS IN ADDITION TO APPROVAL BY THE
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR; IMPOSING ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNITIES OF TITLE AND COVENANTS IN LIEU
OF UNITY OF TITLE RELATING TO SURVEYS AND LEGAL
DESCRIPTION SKETCHES; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE;
AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: PZ.7.
Commissioner Reyes: I mean, it is -- you shouldn't be talking with your mouth full.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chairman, what are you eating? Be honest.
Commissioner Reyes: I mean, it's driving me nuts. It's driving me nuts.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Be open, be open we won't hold it against you.
What are you eating?
Chair Hardemon: There's a great Bahamian restaurant in the district off of 55th
Street and Northwest 7th Avenue.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Conch?
Commissioner Reyes: Best conch, conch fritters?
Chair Hardemon: Conch, shrimp, french fries, it's called Chantels Lounge.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chanteys.
Chair Hardemon: It's renovated, there's a beautiful space on the inside. They have a
bar. It's a neighborhood spot.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Really, Chanteys.
Commissioner Reyes: Chanteys.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are you going to buy me dinner anytime soon?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. When are you buying?
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) share with the class.
Chair Hardemon: Listen, any time you want me to romance you, I will.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't know what's going on, you know the Mayor --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just want him to buy me dinner.
Commissioner Reyes: Alex, what's going on, man, the Mayor and yourself.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because my dinner is this.
Chair Hardemon: That's not fair. Yeah, that's not fair. They shouldn't treat you like
that, you know?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know, I just have horrible staff they bring me
Lays potato chips and you get conch.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. PZ.7.
Chair Hardemon: PZ.7.
Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to move PZ.7 and it should have had me as a sponsor on
here.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I second.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved and seconded. Go ahead.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chair?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: So, you all know why we have this ordinance.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
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Vice Chair Russell: It is simply as a response reaction to the Day Avenue debacle. 1
hate that we have to write an ordinance simply to get the Administration to do what's
already in the Code. But the way we're going to try to do this in this one is by creating
a mini coalition to release or amend any covenant in lieu of unity of title. There is
now a release review committee and it's not just the zoning administrator, it's also the
Planning Department, the Building Department, the Public Works Department, and
anyone else the Manager deems necessary before those things can be released, so
they're not released in error, causing a problem like this one has. So, I thank you for
your support.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, and I --
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner That was no error.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, that was no error.
Commissioner Carollo: Don't kid yourself. Don't kid yourself.
Commissioner Reyes: And my question to Francisco was -- is that this will avoid what
happened in your district will happen again. And as a matter of fact, I want to be a
co-sponsor of this.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) response Commissioner
Reyes is we believe it certainly does. It brings (UNINTELLIGIBLE) process all the
expertise in all these departments and we'll certainly keep an eye out for any potential
defects.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: And we shouldn't have settled.
Commissioner Reyes: No, I agree. Turn it down. Turn it down.
Vice Chair Russell: Call the question.
Chair Hardemon: Unless he has $10 million in his pocket that he can give us, then --
Commissioner Reyes: That's peanuts for him. Don't you know?
Chair Hardemon: Do me a solid, then --
Commissioner Reyes: That's pocket change for him.
Chair Hardemon: I don 't think --
Vice Chair Russell: I can sell you a yo-yo.
Commissioner Reyes: A yo-yo. You know how much money those yo-yos give you?
Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: Hey, Russell, why don't you get up and show us how you
really do it? Some people are saying you don't have the. fast draw anymore.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes, that's what I heard.
Vice Chair Russell: Coffee first.
Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further discussion all in favor on the motion, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
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FL - FUTURE LEGISLATION
FL.1 ORDINANCE
7969
Department of
Planning
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE VI OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "ZONING AND PLANNING
FEES," MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 62-12
ENTITLED "FEE FOR INSPECTIONS AND EXAMINATIONS OF
PLANS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY
ZONING ORDINANCE AND MISCELLANEOUS ZONING FEES"
AND SECTION 62-22 ENTITLED "SCHEDULE OF FEES", TO
PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THE PLANNING AND
ZONING FEES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF FUTURE LEGISLATION
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NA.1
8024
Commissioners and
Mayor
NA - NON -AGENDA ITEM(S)
ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, AMENDING
CHAPTER 10/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "BUILDINGS/IN
GENERAL," TO ESTABLISH SECTION 10.9 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "FAILURE TO ACQUIRE REQUIRED PERMIT(S);
SECURING OF CONSTRUCTIONS SITES WHEN UNDER
EMERGENCY WEATHER WARNING(S) OR WATCH(ES);
ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS; STOP WORK ORDER;
PENALTIES," PROVIDING FOR THE FAILURE TO OBTAIN
REQUIRED PERMITS; PROVIDING THAT COMPLIANCE WITH
THE CITY CODE, IN GENERAL, IS A REQUIREMENT OF ANY
CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") ISSUED BUILDING PERMIT; PROVIDING
FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF ALL CONSTRUCTION SITES TO
COMPLY WITH PRE -NATURAL DISASTER SITE SECURE
MANDATES, STORMWATER POLLUTION DISCHARGE
ELIMINATION, AND EROSION CONTROL; PROVIDING FOR
ENFORCEMENT PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE X AND
OTHER EXISTING SECTIONS OF THE CITY CODE; CONTAINING
A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number NA.1, please
see "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Chair Hardemon: Okay. What we can do really quickly is to read the heading of the
pocket item that the Vice Chairman has. Let's read it into the record.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is an ordinance of the Miami City
Commission amending Chapter 10/Article 1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida,
as amended, "City Code," entitled "Buildings/In General," to establish Section 10.9 of
the City Code, titled "Failure to Acquire Required Permit(s); Securing of
Construction Sites When Under Emergency Weather Warning(s) or Watch(es);
Environmental Violations; Stop Work Order; Penalties, " providing for the failure to
obtain required permits; providing that compliance with the City Code, in general, is
a requirement of any City of Miami issued building permit; providing for the
requirement of all construction sites to comply with pre -natural disaster site secure
mandates, stormwater pollution discharge elimination, and erosion control; providing
fir enforcement pursuant to Chapter 2/Article 10 -- (X) and other existing sections of
the City Code; further restricting the ability to seek permits or perform work within
the City when violations exist or violations are repeated; providing for a severability
clause and providing for immediate effective date.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, just for the record, Mayor Suarez would like to
co-sponsor Commissioner Russell's pocket item.
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Chair Hardemon: Noted for the record. And we will label that one as PI.1.
[Later...]
Vice Chair Russell: We will move on. I'd like to knock out the pocket items until the
Chair gets back, and then we'll take up the PZ (Planning and Zoning) items after that
while he's here. The first pocket item, PI. I --
Commissioner Reyes: It's yours.
Vice Chair Russell: -- is mine. It's the one with regard to the stop work order on
dumping into the bay. I believe there are some co-sponsors that have requested it; is
that correct?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir. I requested to --
Commissioner Carollo: I was asked before to co-sponsor it, but also do want to add
something back on that was taken out, and we could discuss it.
Vice Chair Russell: Absolutely. Let's get it on the floor with a motion and a second,
and then we can make any --
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Commissioner Carollo: That's a second.
Commissioner Reyes: 1 will -- you will second? I mean --
Vice Chair Russell: Reyes, you're the mover; Carollo, you're the second.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. And I would like to co-sponsor it, and I want to be -- this
is the first reading, right?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, it is.
Commissioner Reyes: And --
Vice Chair Russell: And I believe we should try to bring it back in the next meeting
this month if we can.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And I -- what I want to do is, if there is any way
that we feel that we can tweak it and any other Commissioner have any suggestions so
that the -- we have some complaints or something, we will ask -- I mean, discuss that -
- I mean, we will take care of that between both readings, you see?
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. And Mr. Clerk, I believe the Mayor was a co-sponsor,
as well.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, sir. And the title was also already read into the
record by you at 9:31 a.m.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Yes, the title has been read into the record. There is a
motion, there's a second, and I'll open it for discussion. So I'm happy to start, just to
introduce some of the background on how this piece of legislation has evolved. We
passed a resolution as a body a few weeks ago, directing the Manager to come back
with legislative options to increase penalties for those who dump into the bay. I'm
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thankful that they moved very quickly. Not only did they have this legislation, but now
they have an entire process in place through which residents can report visible
dumping into the bay. That report goes by email to an address called
discharge@miamigov.com. A member of the Building Department as well as the
Public Works Department have to go out and inspect within one hour, the two
departments, because Building will deal with the site, itself. Public Works will deal
with the actual right-of-way and the outfall. They'll work together to create a report
that'll go directly to the Building official, who can issue a stop work order in the
moment in real time. We're also activating our Police Force with their Environmental
Crimes Unit, who can not only enforce that stop work order through the threat of
arrest; they can also work during the hours that are normal; Public Works and
Building officials do not. So 1 think this is really comprehensive legislation and action
by the Administration. I'm very thankful to Art and Zerry for putting this together so
quickly. The legislation evolved, and some of it was redundant to what is already
available, to my understanding, to some of the -- to the Administration as it stands.
There was an entire section on Chapter 2, but the legislation was meant to deal with
Chapter 10. And so, I asked our Zoning Director Joe Ruiz whether that Chapter 2
part was necessary. It is my understanding from him that he already currently has the
ability to take on that action that was recommended or suggested by the
Administration for the Chapter 2 piece in this, so I ask for that piece to be removed,
because it's -- I'm trying to amend Chapter 10, not Chapter 2, and he says he already
has the power, and that was the power to revoke Certificates of Use. So unless Mr.
Ruiz is on hand and would like to talk to anyone about that --1 don't know if that's the
section you're talking about, Commissioner Carollo, but that was a major piece that
was removed, and 1 just wanted it explained.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. That's the one that I want to go in there, and maybe we
could get through the Manager, Mr. Ruiz, as you asked for him to come up. But since
Mr. Ruiz, you're telling me, has that power already and so on, then it wouldn't hurt to
have it in another place again. For instance, the -- you know, if we're going to put
some real teeth in this, then we need to leave some of that language that we had
before; the part that says, "Will issue stop work order" versus "may' issue." We in the
City of Miami have been having tremendous problems from one district to the other,
and people are doing whatever they please. And I'm talking about on the commercial
side, on major properties. And the bigger they are, the more they think they could get
away, with it. And the ones that are being hurt are our residents. So I say to you, either
we are going truly be representing the residents or we're going to be representing the
big developers and those that have the power and the money. So I don't see why we
need to take out the "will issue stop order" instead of changing it to "may issue stop
work order."
Vice Chair Russell: Understood, Commissioner. I'll take that as a friendly amendment
to Section 10-9 --
Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- 81, where it says, "A stop work order may be issued." You
would like to change that to, "A stop work order will be issued"; is that correct?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, yeah. Well, exactly.
Vice Chair Russell: And move on from there.
Commissioner Carollo: "Will be issued."
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner --
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Commissioner Carollo: Secondly, the language pertaining to revocation of CU
(Certificate of Use) and the 40-year certification has been removed. 1'd like to have
that back on, but at least I'm willing to negotiate on the 40-year certification and find
out from the City Attorney what it entitles and how difficult it would be to get it back
on. But the CU is something that should be here. Now, Madam City Attorney, on the
40-year certification, if we catch people that are in violation and we revoke it, how
difficult a process would it be for that to be able to come back and re -get it to be
issued?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Well, we have a -- right. We have a CU and BTR
(Business Tax Receipt) revocation process already in our City Code, so it's a -- you
have to give due process, you have to give a hearing and all that, but we already have
it in our City Code at this tine.
Commissioner Carollo: How about for the 40-year certification?
Ms. Mendez: I think so, but give me a second to double check.
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Ms. Mendez: I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Russell: I've been briefed with Mr. Ruiz, specifically on this issue, so if the
Manager has him available, that would be helpful, as well.
Commissioner Carollo: He's there.
Art Noriega (City Manager): He's here.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. Mr. Ruiz, could you address the issues of Chapter 2
versus Chapter 10 and whether or not you have the ability currently, without new
legislation, to revoke a CU, based on noncompliance with the 40-year certification?
Joe Ruiz (Director): Good evening, Commissioners. Joe Ruiz, Office of Zoning. Vice
Chairman, to answer your question, I currently do have the power to revoke a CU for
failure to obtain the 40/50-year certification.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, is that satisfactory to you, or do you need
separate legislation?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, again, going back to the City Attorney, and what we're
looking for is to put something with more of a bite that he has the power to. I don't
think that Mr. Ruiz isn't a big developer that he won't back offfrom, so I want to put
teeth; that we're going to have to take action, and on this one, I defer to the City
Attorney and what she was saying before. I want to make sure that I understand, that
we all understand it on the CU and the 40-year certification, Madam City Attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, you're recognized.
Ms. Mendez: If .vou -- if'Mr. Ruiz is saying that he has the ability to, that is fine. I just
didn't -- I didn't remember that he did. Is that your question; if he truly has it,
Commissioner Carollo?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, if he has the power, why hasn't he done it ever before?
Ms. Mendez: So I will let him answer that.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Ruiz, you're recognized.
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Mr. Ruiz: Commissioner, that's just one of the many tools available to the City. Our
goal is to always drive compliance. If a referral is made to me, I'm happy --
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Ruiz, I apologize for interrupting you, but I'm tired
hearing this bunch of crap; that our goal is always to get people to comply. That's
okay to say that for the regular City residents, but when you have the big boys that
don't live in the City that are coming here for projects, and part of their business plan
is to not get permits, do whatever they please, and then all they get is a little slap in
the hand, if that, I'm not buying this stuff anymore, nor should any of us that our goal
is to get them to comply. So that's where I'm having the problem with, because, Jro
instance, you're telling me that, but can you tell me, what are the qualifications that
were there just before you got your position? Do you remember what they were?
Vice Chair Russell: Could you clarify your question, Commissioner? What was --?
Commissioner Carollo: My direct question is, do you remember, for the job that you
have as Zoning Director; just before you were given the position, do you remember
what qualifications were required for that job?
Mr. Ruiz: No, sir, I don't.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I believe that you should go back and read it to refresh
your memory, because if they would not have been done away with just before you
came onboard, you never; never could have been appointed, because you didn't
qualify for them. Right now, the way that they are, anybody could basically qualms for
the job that you have, because you didn't have the experience that was required of
previous Zoning Directors. And Tin not saying that -- you know -- the past Zoning
Directors were all gems, but this is the problem that I'm having; that you're being
given the power of God, and you didn't even qualify for the position, and the former
City Manager had to do away with all these qualifications so you could qualms. And
then I asked a simple question, and the answer that I get is that, "Oh, our intentions
are to get people to qualify." So people can lie to us, cheat us out of hundreds of
thousands of dollars that they've done work for, and they haven't paid us a penny for
permit fees, and worse, and all that you're going to do is you're going to make sure
that now they're caught, and there's no other way that we could fix it for them if they
comply and do what they're supposed to. Now, there has to be more of a punishment
so that individuals that do this understand that if they go ahead and do something like
this and they get caught, there's going to be some real teeth to it and all that they have
to worry about is now going to a Zoning Director that is going to take care of them.
So this is why I want, Commissioner, some teeth into this; so that what happened in
Coconut Grove -- and by the way, I'm seriously thinking of being in the side that
prevails. I have the right to bring this back. Those two houses that are right on top of
each other, Commissioner Russell, I'm seriously considering doing that. So Madam
City Attorney, before the next meeting, I strongly suggest that you don't finalize
anything, because --
Ms. Mendez: It's already done, Commissioner. It's -- everything's signed off already.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's not what you told me yesterday.
Ms. Mendez: It's already done. I could send you the settlement agreement. I mean, you
have --
Commissioner Carollo: When was it signed off?
Ms. Mendez: I will let you know; not today. It was signed off a couple weeks ago, I
believe. I'll give you the date. Give me one second.
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Commissioner Carollo: Give me that.
Vice Chair Russell: A little late, but I do appreciate the change of heart, and I'd love a
briefing on that, too, Madam City Attorney.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, what I'm trying to do is to stop this from happening time
and time again.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: Can 1--?
Commissioner Carollo: And this is why we need to put some teeth in the ordinance
that we have so they know that no matter who is holding what position into the future,
they can't get around what the law says is going to happen if they get caught.
Vice Chair Russell: Absolutely. Commissioner, I agree with you; 40 years
certification is a serious thing, and a CU is a serious repercussion, and it's been at
the discretion of the Zoning Director. Can I recommend that you make a direction to
the Manager to enforce this with that repercussion? And then that will be all that's
needed at this moment to actually amend the --
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager --
Mr. Noriega: Mr. Chair, can I jump in on this? So, look, 1 -- we proposed that
language, and 1-- quite frankly, I think as much as the Zoning Administrator is trying
to do the right thing, I think that the language referenced in that section is vague, and
I think it has a little too much wiggle room to it, so I would prefer as an option to have
the teeth that Commissioner Carollo really is wanting to put back in there, and I
would like that original language in there just to provide some certainty for us, and a
very clear set of language in terms of how we enforce that. I think it puts a little too
much in the hands of judgment. This isn't an indictment of Joe Ruiz. This is an issue of
just actual real proper practice and process, and I think putting it at the discretion of
the Zoning Administrator -- right? -- gives us way too much opportunity for --
Vice Chair Russell: That's why I recommended a direction to you right now that you
mandate that your Zoning Director carry out the revocation of CUs for 40-year
certification issues.
Mr. Noriega: I got it, but I may not be the City Manager forever, and the Zoning
Administrator may not be the same Zoning Administrator, and your -- I think -- you
know, if you want to really, really enforce this and you want to do it the right way, you
need --
Vice Chair Russell: Sorry. Just a moment, Mr. Manager. Enforce what? Because what
you are proposing has nothing to do with the environmental dumping that I am trying
to address with this legislation.
Mr. Noriega: Well --
Vice Chair Russell: There are so many problems with the Code that we can fix, but --
and right now, what I have right now is the support of the entire building industry of
South Florida to support this legislation, because they, too, want to have bad actors
eliminated from the system, have stop work orders issued for dumping into the bay.
Now, if we go off scope, if we tackling other issues, which are very important -- and I
do not want to try to stop you fromdoing that -- I would recommend parallel
legislation right now, in pocket, that is brought by Commissioner Carollo to do
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exactly that; a Chapter 2 amendment, giving the Zoning Director exact -- not
discretion -- but mandate to do exactly what you're talking about. We can move it,
second it, put it on first reading, the sane as I'm doing with this environmental
legislation. My worry is that we're conflating separate issues.
Mr. Noriega: Okay. I thought we were, just kind of addressing two issues at one time. I
mean, it's the same end result, so if that's kind of where you want to go, I don't have
an issue with that. I --
Vice Chair Russell: If that's for certification of CU, I'm looking for stop work orders
on environmental dumping.
Commissioner Carollo: Now, Madam City Attorney, can it be done -- which I don't
think so, but maybe I'm wrong -- in the way Commissioner Russell suggested now in
this meeting?
Ms. Mendez: So it would be first -- a first reading pocket, but unfortunately, I don't
totally grasp what the -- what you want on the second pocket, so if we can address
other matters, maybe get the information and then bring it back after we address
those. We still have a few more items.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Ruiz has an exact draft that he can share with you offline,
Madam City Attorney, of the Chapter 2 amendment.
Ms. Mendez: Who? I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Ruiz has an exact draft of the Chapter 2 amendment that
Commissioner Carollo is referencing, which could be placed as a separate pocket
item right now that we could pass on first reading.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: All of these are very urgent and timely, and I think it fully
warrants a pocket item to be brought, the same as mine is being brought.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: But that would just separate the issue, but it would still be clean. I
would be a little cleaner legislation, I think, and both will be very effective.
Ms. Mendez: That's fine if Mr. Ruiz can share that legislation with Mr. Min and
myself so that we can review it and then we can hear a couple more items, and then
we can address it -- and we can address it.
Mr. Noriega: You should have the legislation already, but if that's --
Ms. Mendez: Well, I'm in the middle -- right. I'm in the middle of a Commission
meeting, so if you --
Mr. Noriega: It's going to go --
Ms. Mendez: -- somebody could put it at the top.
Mr. Noriega: We're going to go get it over to you so you can re -look at it.
Ms. Mendez: All right.
Mr. Noriega: But it was already reviewed.
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Vice Chair Russell: Just needs to be separated and placed into its own.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: Vice Chairman --
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- or former Vice Chairman -- but Vice Chairman Russell, I
don't see if you're trying to accomplish something positive what's the big deal of
separating them, which 1 don't know if we could even do it now. You know, at the end
of the day, we're not here to cater to any industry. We're here to protect our residents.
And what this addition is doing, just like everything else that you've agreed to so far,
is protecting our residents so that, again, what happened in Coconut Grove won't
happen again. I mean, I frankly was surprised that the City Attorney expressed that
that was done. I -- maybe I misunderstood what she told me -- but I will say this to
you: One of the things that I'm considering right now is impaneling the Commission
as a special investigative body, and bring in and hire our own investigators or
whatever we have to do to get to the bottom of what happened there in the Grove,
those two houses, because I'm telling you, what happened there, in the bottom line --
yes, there might have been incompetency, but I also believe there was corruption that
happened there, and it didn't happen just in that one location. It's been happening
throughout our City in different parts. This is before you came to this Commission.
There was quite a few arrests that were made in Building. They were called "the
firm." Throughout the years there have been other arrests that have happened,
because people have had their hands on. And I could understand incompetency up to
a point, but when you're seeing the things that you showed us that happened there in
your district in the Grove and I'm seeing other things that have happened in my
district and throughout the City, and some of the things that I'm hearing from people,
this is beyond incompetence. This is corruption. And we have an obligation to get to
the bottom of it, because I'm tired of seeing that all this kind of stuff happens and no
one is accountable. No one is accountable. No one gets fired. No one even gets
demoted. Now, you tell me, what private corporation would allow the kind of stuff that
we're allowing? You know well that people are going to be fired. There are going to
be referrals to investigative agencies if there has to be, but not here. Not here. And
then who gets the blame? A sign that went up -- first of all, private citizens shouldn't
have to resort to that, because of what someone in their government have done to
them. But beyond that, who are they blaming? Us, the elected officials. And I know
that none of us had anything to do with any of that. So I'm tired of letting bureaucrats
that are either incompetent or corrupt, or both keep getting away with stuff like this.
And they just laugh, because they figure, hey, they'll survive until we're term -limited
out, and the next guy comes along -- or gal comes along -- and they keep playing the
same game. So what I am asking all of you is to help put a stop to it, because if not,
I'm going to tell you, I am going to be asking for --
Ms. Mendez: I just --
Commissioner Carollo: -- under the Charter for us to implement the Commission to
become an investigative body and we bring in people that we hire to do that, and get
to the bottom line of what went on there and in other places.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner. PZ.8 that I'm bringing later does
address a fix to the Code with regard to what happened on Day Avenue and the
settlement we ended up making to try and keep that from happening again. It puts
more eyes on the case. It puts more check points before a revocation of a unity of title
is allowed. Your issue also is a very good catch. My only ask is that we separate them.
I know it can be done legally. It's just a courtesy ask that we bring them parallel.
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Ms. Mendez: So --
Vice Chair Russell: And the reason --
Ms. Mendez: That's fine. It's fine. I have the ordinance now. I see what you're saying.
I just didn't know what the substance of it was. So we can -- Commissioner Carollo, if
you want me to read you the title, you can have this -- these extra Chapter 2 changes
for first reading today and second reading for October 22.
Commissioner Carollo: All right. Then I'll accept it. And --
Ms. Mendez: May I read the title? Because 1 have to read the title.
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, yes.
Vice Chair Russell: We'll need a motion and a second on another
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) now.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, before you do --
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- Commissioner, the part on the well -issued stop work order,
that was saying --
Vice Chair Russell: Let me ask. Does the mover accept that amendment,
Commissioner Reyes? Yes. And the second I assume --
Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- agrees, as well.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there any further discussion on the item, and has any further
public comment come in on this item since it was introduced this morning? Mr. Clerk.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): My apologies, sir. Say again?
Vice Chair Russell: Has there been any public comment offered on this item since it
was introduced this morning?
Mr. Hannon: We would need to ask IT (Innovation Technology). IT, has there been
any additional public comment?
Manuel Otero (Innovation and Technology Web Administrator): There's 39 public
comments. I would have to send you the list, and it's hard to tell which ones came in,
at what time, to be honest.
Vice Chair Russell: But they've all come in since our meeting started?
Mr. Otero: There have been possibly two that came in. I will send you the report now
so you can all take a look.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm sorry. You're saying there's two that's come in since the
meeting started, or 39 that's come in since --
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Mr. Otero: There are 39 total responses from the web forum, which is still open. I
believe there were 36. I sent a report around 10 o'clock. 1 can send you the latest,
which is the 39 responses.
Vice Chair Russell: If that's written -- if those are the written reports, we have that on
record. I'm looking for any recorded video or audio messages to this Commission
with regard to this item.
Mr. Otero: No; only the 39 written responses.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. Is there any further discussion from the
dais? Hearing none, all in favor of the item, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes, as amended. Thank you very much,
gentlemen.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, BY A FOUR -
FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, CO -DESIGNATING
NORTHWEST 16 TERRACE BETWEEN NORTHWEST 17 AVENUE
AND NORTHWEST 15 STREET ROAD, MIAMI, FLORIDA AS
"WILLIAM `BILLY' W. RILEY WAY" PURSUANT TO SECTION 54-
137 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO
TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN
DESIGNATED OFFICIALS.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0322
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Chair Hardemon: Are there any other pocket items that need to be considered?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yes, you're recognized.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have a road designation. that I'm introducing as a
pocket item.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Can you read it into the record, please?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It is -- it designates -- it's a resolution of the Miami
City Commission -- it requires a 4/5ths vote because the gentleman is still alive. He's
still with us. It designates Northwest 16th Street to Northwest 17th Avenue and
Northwest 15th Street Road -- which is my district -- as William "Billy" W. Riley Way,
to honor one of the great labor leaders. You know Mr. Bill Riley of International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has been at the head of that labor organization for
over 30 years. And he's getting up there in age and I wanted to honor him while he
can appreciate it and feel the respect that he rightly deserves.
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Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair, I would like to co-sponsor that.
Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) say that. Okay. It'll be noted for the record. I
identify that one as P12, Bill Riley.
Commissioner Reyes: Bill Riley. Yes, sir.
[Later...]
Vice Chair Russell: So we'll go back now to P12. And Mr. Clerk, if you could help me
on the order of these items as they were written down.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, sir. PL2, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla's
pocket item regarding William B. Riley.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes; about the naming co -designation.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a motion on --?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. I am going to co-sponsor it, and I'm also -- I move it.
Vice Chair Russell: You'll move it and co-sponsor it. It's been moved and co-
sponsored by --
Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hold on, hold on, hold on. I think Commissioner
Carollo wants to co-sponsor it, too.
Vice Chair Russell: That's fine.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, 1'll co-sponsor it, but my only question is, when did Mr.
Riley die?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He hasn't died; no, no.
Commissioner Carollo: No?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: God, no. We want to honor him --
Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- while he's still alive so he can --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, look, I'm sorry. Maybe I'm still in the old days. Didn't
we have some ordinance that --
Chair Hardemon: Yes, we did.
Commissioner Carollo: -- people who were alive, we could put -- name streets after
them, or did that get --?
Vice Chair Russell: Let me direct this to the City Manager.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You are in the old days. You are in the old days,
but, yeah; now we have a 4/5`h vote on this.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: Now it's just 4/5ths?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If I remember correctly, I was in Tallahassee back
then, Commissioner Carollo.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. Fine.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So -- but I was watching you guys naming those
streets after Jose Canseco; Raul Martinez, guy was a drug dealer.
Commissioner Carollo: It wasn't me. That was the County.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You guys were doing all kinds of --
Commissioner Carollo: That was your friends at the County; it wasn't us here.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, that was the County.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But -- as you know, because you know Bill Riley --
Commissioner Carollo: We still have a few streets named by some real bad hombres,
like somebody we call him, but, you know --
Vice Chair Russell: That's what makes us Miami. Madam City Attorney, could you
clarify the rules for naming --
Commissioner Carollo: I don't want to make any more friends, so I'll let you guys find
out who they are.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We --
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, are you online?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: She's online.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes, I'm online, but you want me to clar what,
exactly?
Vice Chair Russell: What do you use to clarify the rules for naming a street after a
person who's still alive?
Ms. Mendez: It's 4/5ths.
Vice Chair Russell .• Thank you very much.
Commissioner Reyes: We just did it with J.L. Plummer.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's still alive.
Commissioner Carollo: Is he alive?
Commissioner Reyes: He's still alive.
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Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE) on this item. Commissioner Reyes, you're the
mover. Who is the second on this item, please?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Me. I'm sponsoring it, no?
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla is the second, and I'm happy to
sponsor --
Commissioner Carollo: Where is the street at?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's off -- it's in my district, Commissioner. It's on
16th Terrace. It's between 17th Avenue and --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. That's one of the electrical --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, where the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers or their office is, right there on 16`h Terrace in Allapattah.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Between 17`h Avenue and 15th Street Road. And
you know Mr. Riley, right? He's an --
Commissioner Carollo: I certainly do. 1've known Bill for many, many, many years.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: One of the greatest leaders.
Commissioner Carollo: Before you were a Senator.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And before I was born, I think, too. I don't know.
I've been doing this a long time.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, don't go that far.
Commissioner Reyes: They got you now. That's your turn.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's your turn, Commissioner Carollo. But I'm
telling you -- And I will name a street after you, Commissioner Carollo, before you
die, too, so don't worry about that.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: I would second that motion.
Commissioner Carollo: -- make it a real big one and wide one.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely, sir. Absolutely, sir. It's going to be
Southwest 8`h Street, sir, between 17th Avenue and --
Commissioner Reyes: La Pequena Habana.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. Any further discussion on Bill Riley Street?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. But in all seriousness, before we continue -- I
know you're in a hurry, Mr. Chairman, because I know you're probably hungry and
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want to go home. I think it's important that we take just a couple seconds to recognize
Mr. Riley. He has really truly been an icon of the labor movement here in our
community. And whenever you talk about Mr. Bill Riley, everyone knows who he is.
From Hurricane Andrew till now, he's still working, helping this community and
helping his workers get fair wages; something you're very, very proud about,
Commissioner Russell.
Vice Chair Russell: He's the one who pushed me to it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. And he's the one that pushed you to it. I know.
He talked about you and a number of Commissioners. He's always been on our side,
and more important than that, on the side of the people. And I think that he deserves
his honor more than anyone. I'm not big on street -naming, but this matters to me; and
so, it's very personal to me. And I appreciate the Commissioners' support on this.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Vice Chair Russell: It is a good one.
Commissioner Carollo: -- Bill Riley, the father, is truly one of the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The father, yeah; forget the son. The son will never
get a street named after him.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Bill is one of the few legends left in Miami. But tell me,
Commissioner, just between you and I, who do you speak nicer of -- me or Russell --
when our names cone up?
Vice Chair Russell: He's only known me four years now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He --
Commissioner Carollo: Oh, okay. He gave up. You don't have to answer. He gave up.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, I will answer. I will answer. Commissioner
Russell is ideologically more in tune with him, but you were the Mayor, and he talked
very highly -- he spoke very highly of you when you did a lot of things when you were
the Mayor of Miami, Commissioner, seriously. I've had a lot of conversations with
him. I think Bill is now 75, 76.
Commissioner Carollo: You saw me. I voted for him twice.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. He's --
Commissioner Carollo: Like, you can make it wider if you want it longer.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- yeah. Well, we're only going to be doing two
streets now. But I'm going to Tallahassee. Actually, I'm doing a 17th Avenue
designation, but we can't do it with the State road here, so we're going to do like --
kind of like 17h Avenue and 16'h Terrace, so it connects the --
Commissioner Carollo: Good, good.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- union hall was a gathering place for a lot of
labor leaders over the years; a lot of history there --
Commissioner Reyes: A lot of history there.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- way before I was ever involved in politics.
Commissioner Carollo: And I'll tell you, it's nice that someone that is already up there
in age -- Bill's not a whipper snapper anymore -- to be able to do something that's
nice for them.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: That's it, more or less.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. He's your age, Commissioner Reyes, isn't
he?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes.
Commissioner Carollo: It's good to be able to do something that's nice for them while
they're still here with us, so they could -- you know -- enjoy it and feel good about it,
so.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. And, of course, he will be providing all the
lighting for this section of the street where it's named after him, correct?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, of course; free of charge to the City
every time they (INAUDIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: All right. There is a motion and there is a second; several
sponsors, including myself
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Put me as a sponsor, too, please.
Vice Chair Russell: All in favor of the item, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Ave.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you very much,
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, for bringing it. That was very, --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Chairman.
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NA.3
8027
City Commission
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO PERMIT RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY
OF MIAMI TO OPERATE AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%)
CAPACITY, WITHOUT LIMITATIONS, IN ACCORDANCE TO
EMERGENCY ORDER 20-244 ISSUED BY GOVERNOR RON
DESANTIS ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2020, AND TO FURTHER CEASE
ALL ENFORCEMENT OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LOCAL
EMERGENCY ORDER 30-20.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0323
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We haven't released a number of other pocket
items that deal with some of the COVID-19 restrictions that have been placed, such as
the curfew and the 50 percent occupancy. So I have -- we're still working through --
think we're only going to be doing two today. Can I introduce them a little bit later, or
you want me to do that now?
Chair Hardemon: The best way is to always introduce it now so that public comment
will be on all of the items, including those items.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So, Ms. Mendez, do you have copies of those
pocket items? Have you released it to the other Commissioners?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): No, but they're pretty self-explanatory. I can read
them and then send them out right away.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, please do so.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. So the first one is a resolution of the Miami City Commission
directing the City Manager to permit restaurants in the City of Miami to operate at
100 percent capacity without limitations, in accordance to Emergency Order 20-244
issued by the Governor Ron DeSantis on September 25, 2020, and to further cease all
enforcement of the Local Emergency Order 30-20. So that would be Pocket Item
Number 3, Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
[Later...]
Vice Chair Russell: PL3 is the (INAUDIBLE) without restriction. I believe that's your
pocket item, as well, Commissioner.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Here we go. So most of the State of Florida,
after the Governor's order, Emergency Order 244, is operating -- most restaurants
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are operating at a hundred percent capacity. And in Dade County, because of the
political wind of a particular Mayor of Miami -Dade County, we're limited to 50
percent. 1 think we're doing tremendous harm to our restaurants; to our mom and pop
restaurants in particular, because the big restaurants and the big chains have
survived, because they have the cash flow to survive. And we're truly, truly hurting
our mom and pop businesses and restaurants when we limit them to 50 percent
capacity, because we all know that they can't -- they still haven't hired the same
number of personnel to cook and to serve; and so, they can't turn enough tables to
make a buck, which is -- doesn't make sense. But this, coupled with another item thatl
have after this one, which is our next pocket item, this deals with the curfew issue. It is
a complete absurdity in my mind that people say -- or anyone can argue that you're
more likely to get COVID-19 at 10:59 than you are at 11:08. It's stupid.
Vice Chair Russell: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a silly argument. Curfew, though, was put in
place -- and I'm going to speak about both quickly. You know --
Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to take them separately, though, if we could.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. We're going to vote on them separately; but
they're related, because they both impact the ability for our small business owners to
survive. A lot of them have declared bankruptcy; they're shutting their doors. We are
hurting our businesses and we're hurting our business owners, and we're hurting our
economy when other parts, other counties are allowing. So what happens? People are
still going out to restaurants; they're just not going to restaurants in Dade County --
or in Miami. They're going to restaurants in Broward and other parts. So all that
business that should be going to our residents, to our citizens is going somewhere
else. The curfew -- and I was with the Senate President a couple of days ago, and he's
from Sarasota. We had dinner and we went to Komodo to have dinner. It's in your
district, Commissioner Russell, as you know. I normally don't go to those fancy
restaurants, because they're all in your district. I try to stick to my district, but when I
do, I find that there's a big space restaurant. Investors have spent a lot of their
resources in building this restaurant. And at 11 o'clock, the lights go on and
everybody has to go home, and they can't turn the number of tables. So if they could
survive, because they have the dollars to survive, but the small mom and pop
restaurants cannot survive. So this item for the restaurants takes it to a hundred
percent capacity. We obviously respect the social distancing guidelines imposed by
the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and everything else that's required -- you know
-- masking and -- the masks and everything else. And the restaurants perhaps cannot
get to a hundred percent capacity because of the social distancing requirements.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right? So, they'll either be at 75 --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's the thinking here. All the CDC
guidelines that are important to protect people's health are in place, remain in place.
All this does is tell these restaurants, besides giving you the opportunity to put -- and I
got -- when I got my briefing yesterday, on a side note, sidewalk tables, well, yeah,
you know, you have the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements, it's 48
inches, but a lot of sidewalks are not -- are less than that, right, or about there. So
that doesn't really help them. The parking lot helps them a little bit so they can fill
some seats outside, but -- and you have a lot of that in your district, Commissioner
Russell. But the indoor dining, with it living up to and abiding by the CDC
requirements of six feet or more, we still have -- we allow them to go to the max that
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they can go in their particular establishments and try to maximize and turn as many
tables as they can, and have as many occupants as they can within the guidelines. So
it says 100 percent. In reality, it'll end up being 75 percent, something like that, or it's
a number I'm coming up with, it could be 80, whatever. But it's -- once you put the six
feet requirement, the social distancing requirements, it'll be at 75 or 80 percent. And
so, this allows us to piggyback on the Governor's order, emergency order, Executive
Order 244, that says that restaurants can open at 100 percent and we don't have to
rely on our county mayor's whim of limiting it for whatever reason he wants to do it,
and why he wants to put Miami -Dade County, and particularly not in Miami -Dade
County because suburban districts that he's running for doesn't have that many
restaurants like we do in Downtown Miami, in your area, like I do in my area. The
restaurants are here in the eastern part of the county, and it's really killing our
business. I'm sure you've heard, Commissioner Russell, from your constituents about
how this 50 percent occupancy is destroying these restaurants. You have higher end
restaurants in your district, but you also have some mom and pops there. And you
know that this is not working for them. So I think it's time, respecting the protocols --
the health protocols that we have in place, the social distancing protocols, the
wearing of the mask, the understanding of the seriousness of COVID-19 and how it's
impacting and killing our residents. But within those parameters, we want to be able
to have our businesses survive and succeed and thrive. And right now, they're hurting,
and this is a measure to help them remain economically, viable. And that's what this
does (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you Commissioner. It is a motion on P1.3.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- not enforceable. I'm sorry, yes?
Vice Chair Russell: I'll take that as a motion on P13.
Commissioner Reyes: And I second it, and I want to co-sponsor it.
Vice Chair Russell: Open -- motion's been seconded, let me open it for discussion.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I agree 100 percent with you, Commissioner. And I've been
criticizing -- publicly criticizing these -- I mean, these restrictions, because if we are -
- most of the restaurants that we have, I have in my district, they are a bunch of little
cafeterias. They cannot survive if you impose the -- a 50 percent rule. I mean, what we
have to do, and I think that Broward, Broward, they are 100 percent capacity as long
as they keep social distancing. And they use masks. And as long as we -- we comply
with the protocols, you see, I think that we should allow them to feed as many people
as they can in the restaurants, because that's the only way that we are going to help
these people, and otherwise, they will have to go bankrupt, they will have to close,
and their dream will be shattered, of having their own business and all of that. And
I'm totally in agreement with that, as I am, as I am in agreement with the curfew. We
have a curfew that is not imposed. I mean, it's not enforced, you see? And if you drive
down 8th Street, anv street in the city of Miami, I mean, Dade County, and I mean, the
streets are full of people, full of cars, and then who is suffering? Restaurants, for
example. You see, come 10 o'clock, they have to go home. When they could at least, if
they're open until 12 or 11 or the regular hours, maybe they could serve 10, 15 more
patrons. And that these people have suffered for too long. And the businesses are
going down the drain. I think it's about time that we start taking action and try to help
them survive, survive these hard times that we are living in. And I wholeheartedly
would support that.
Commissioner Reyes: Very good. Before we vote, I have a couple legal questions for
the City Attorney, please. First of all, the mayor's -- the county mayor's new order, is
it 50 percent or is it 100 percent with six foot distancing, Madam City Attorney?
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Commissioner Reyes: It's 50, right?
Ms. Mendez: I believe it is at 50 with six -- at 50 percent with the distancing, unless
you are able to prove that you comply with what the County has requested. But if
you'll give me a second, I'll clarify that.
Vice Chair Russell: That's fine because we can still pass this because it's -- it makes
sense. But my other question is if we are, from a jurisdictional perspective, that we
have some things were preempted from and some things we have more powers on, the
Governor has said one thing, the County Mayor has gone more restrictive, and we,
under the County, would like to go with the Governor versus the County Mayor. What
is our ability to challenge or defy or alter from what the County position is if the State
has already made a blanket order.
Ms. Mendez: Right, so for purposes of this one, and just to clarify, Commissioner
Diaz de la Portilla, we're just talking about the restaurants one, correct?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I understand.
Ms. Mendez: No, I'm asking, I'm asking.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, we are just dealing with PL3 right now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. I lumped them together because there's a
reason for that. And I know the next argument is coming for the curfew, but we can
have that argument later. Now we're talking about restaurants only, correct?
Ms. Mendez: Okay, I just wanted to clarify. For purposes of the restaurant, because
there has to be a finding that they cannot open at capacity that the County's giving,
what this resolution is saying is that the County's finding is not adequate or
appropriate or good enough to comply with the Governor's Order. It's very nuanced,
but that's -- that's what is being said.
Vice Chair Russell: Now --
Commissioner Reyes: Question. If --
Vice Chair Russell: -- my -- go ahead, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and -- by us taking this action, could be a reaction from Dade
County that would -- what would be the reaction? Not that I'm afraid of it, but, I
mean, they are according to, I think, the State, the County, the City. The State dictated
a set of rules. The County said, no, I'm not going to adopt those rules because
whatever reason. And then I'm going to impose that on the cities that go -- that are
under the State. Now, there's one city under that state that said, no, this is not right.
We are going to allow, I mean, we're going to follow the State directives. So what are
the -- I mean, can there be consequences? What can happen?
Ms. Mendez: The County can potentially come in to the City to enforce themselves.
Commissioner Reyes: So that is -- the County could come with the county police and
close those restaurants and fine them?
Ms. Mendez: Potentially. Potentially that's what could happen.
Vice Chair Russell: So they have jurisdiction even where our Miami PD (Police
Department) operate. My other legal question has to do with the description that
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla gave in the introduction of the item. He said he's
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looking, for 100 percent, but with honoring the CDC guidelines of mask usage and the
six-foot rule. But in the written item, 1 don't see any reference to the six-foot rule. It
just says 100 percent without limitation. So if your intention was to honor the six-foot
rule, could we keep that in the language as well?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Not a problem with that. Absolutely.
Vice Chair Russell: That would be a friendly amendment.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely. I would have no problem with that, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: 1-- I -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Can I ask another request also? Because there are some
restaurants that have been able to use a lot of sidewalk space, some that don't have
any. Others are using areas of parking. So in essence, these restaurants, they're going
to be way over the 100 percent. So, how can we word it, tweak it, so that we say that
whether the seating, inside or outside, but it could never be over 100 percent.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let me ask you.
Vice Chair Russell: I don't know, I'd like to give it to them. They've had such a rough
time, if they can get through it I don't mind.
Commissioner Reyes: Just give it to them.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, 1 mean, look, from my perspective,
Commissioner, I think when it gets back to normal times. I agree.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) normal.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 100 percent is 100 percent, it should be that, the
occupancy is the occupancy. But now, if they can make a little bit of extra bucks by
having 110 percent, 120 percent and make up some of the money they've lost. I'm okay
with that for now.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, my concern -- my concern is that they keep the social
distance.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: The tables have to be at least six feet, preferably more, in the
bigger restaurants, from each other. Cause look guys, we need to help our small
businesses move forward, if we're ever going to get out of this. But at the same time,
we need to be very careful that we're not going to be just setting up ourselves now
with winter coming.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Today, we had another day that we had close to 500 more
people that were infected. The day before was the same. We're gradually going up.
Now I know that it looks small compared to the thousands that we were having before.
But close to 500 a day, 400 plus a day, is nothing to, you know, be lax about. That's a
lot of people that are getting COVID-19 every day. And if you take into consideration
that we're not doing as many testing as before -- as much testing as before, it -- you
know, it's alarming. So, but that's all that I want to say on that.
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Commissioner Reyes: I agree with you 100 percent. As long -- and Commissioner
Diaz de la Portilla made it very explicit, very clear, as long as we keep the protocol,
six -- I mean, social distance, plus you have to wear a mask. And that's it.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that's it.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah. So just to be clear, that was the friendly amendment,
including the distancing and the masks.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Add it to the language that we have which
was nay intention, but thank you, Commissioner Russell, because that's exactly what
we want to do. We want to make sure that the CDC health protocols are abided by
and are respected. So, but maybe those restaurants can get to 60 percent or 70
percent of actual occupancy. Maybe some outdoor seating gets to the 90 percent
whatever.
Commissioner Reyes: Or 110. Or 110.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 110.
Commissioner Reyes: They deserve it. They deserve it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Whatever we can do, always health being the most
important thing. But look, economic health matters.
Commissioner Reyes: It does.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's beginning to matter more and more every
month that passes. People are hurting, people are shutting down, people can't pay
their rent. We cannot ignore that. We have to reopen responsibly, carefully, following
CDC guidelines, but we have to reopen. So if we can push the envelope as much as we
can, stay with those CDC guideline parameters, that's what I want to do.
Commissioner Reyes: And besides that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I think it works as long as -- and I'll accept
that friendly amendment from Commissioner Russell that says as long as we abide --
as long as these establishments abide by CDC health protocol requirements, six feet
distancing, mask -- wearing a mask, then we're okay.
Commissioner Reyes: And if I may ask, I may ask what --
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Commissioner Reyes I'll recognize you,
absolutely. Madam City Attorney, you and I had spoken about the six foot issue.
Under Gimenez's rule, it was six feet between tables. And I would like it to say six feet
between patrons that are not in the same group.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: Right, and remember that I --
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To bring them closer together, of course, of
course.
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Vice Chair Russell: And I don't -- I don't usually want to editorialize and I don't like
knocking other folks, but we should have a uniform policy between the City and the
County. And 1 know Art has been trying to do that. But we must take action where we
see the County acting improperly, either for the health and safety or business vitality.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Russell, don't be afraid. Hit him if
you have to hit him.
Vice Chair Russell: Mayor Gimenez has failed us in terms of creating a blanket policy
that we could follow uniformly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) health safety and business vitality of our
community. So we've had to make some unique policies. And I support you in this.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Commissioner.
Vice Chair Russell: Not at all. Commissioner Reyes, you're recognized.
Commissioner Reyes: I want to add -- I mean, I want to stress once again the
importance of the small businesses. You see, small businesses are the greatest creator
of jobs. And what we're doing now by keeping them from -- I mean keeping them with
the ability to survive, what we're doing is we're hurting a very important part of our
economy. You see, besides not being -- I mean, 1 think that it is not logical or just. You
see, we're hurting our economy. And as Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla said, you
see, maybe by giving them an extra number of people that they can serve, that that
could be an extra waiter, an extra server, that it is taking -- I mean, some -- a salary
and that person, he will contribute to the economic recovery of our city. I mean, we
have to look into all those little things that help our economy, and this is one of them.
Mr. Noriega: Mr. Chair?
Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized.
Mr. Noriega: Can I -- can I ask George a quick question? George, you look like a
Supreme Court justice, by the way.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, he does.
George Wysong (Assistant City Attorney, Supervisor): Thank you, sir.
Mr. Noriega: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I want to address one particular aspect of this and
get some clarity on it. Can you read, sort of for informational purpose, reread the
section that deals with table occupancy and the limitations'? Because I want to put
that on the radar to see if they want to address that as well.
Mr. Wysong: Yeah.
Mr. Noriega: I think that's an important issue, too, in terms of the number of people
you have on a table. I think we ought to at least discuss it.
Vice Chair Russell: Just to clam, Mr. Wysong, you're going to read from the new
normal orders or from Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla's legislation?
Mr. Wysong: The distance between tables was in the County Order --
Vice Chair Russell: In the County Order.
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Mr. Wysong: 30-20. And essentially, it says ensure six feet of distance between tables.
And we reached out to the County Attorney's Office to try and clarify that and
requested actually that they amend the new normal guide, because it's recognized that
if you have two tables six feet apart with people sitting at those tables you don't have
six foot separation between --
Vice Chair Russell: Back to back.
Mr. Wysong: Yeah, so that's what the plain meaning of it is, is that it's between tables
not persons.
Vice Chair Russell: And did they amend?
Mr. Wysong: They did not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, but -- but I don't think that's what Mr.
Noriega was asking. Is that what you were asking, Mr. Noriega?
Mr. Noriega: I wasn 't. I was asking about --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Six people per table
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Mr. Noriega: Yeah -- people per table versus 10 versus --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or 10 or 12 -- that issue.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah. I want you to read what the order says now, what the newly
imposed order, because there were changes made. It was originally four, and it's been
modified.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Six --
Mr. Noriega: Can you read that? Yeah, and make sure that they're comfortable with
that, and maybe they want to address that as well, because I think that needs to be at
least discussed.
Mr. Wysong.• Okay, so -- hold on one second. And you're talking about the County
Order, right, Mr. Manager?
Mr. Noriega: Yes.
Mr. Wysong: Okay. So it says that -- all right, the first paragraph that talks about it is
-- just talks about restaurants and other food service establishments with seating for
more than eight people shall close for on premises dining. That's the curfew
language. Alright. Then the next section says, notwithstanding any -- this is E of the
30-20, notwithstanding any controlling -- notwithstanding and controlling over
anything in the guidebook to the contrary, restaurants and other food service
establishments shall be permitted to have a minimum occupancy of 50 percent and
shall otherwise comply with social distancing requirements to the maximum extent
possible. A restaurant or other food service establishment shall be allowed to operate
at up to 100 percent capacity if the restaurant, 1) ensures six feet of distance between
tables, 2) ensures that no more than six persons or 10 persons within the same
household sit at a table, and 3) ensure that persons not actively eating or drinking are
wearing facial coverings. Is that the language?
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Mr. Noriega: That's it. So on the seating capacity, this reference in there, do you want
to adhere to that same language? Or does -- is the will of the Commission to not even
address that at all and pose no limits on table sizes and seating capacity by table.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Diaz --
Mr. Noriega: That's important for us to understand from an important --
Vice Chair Russell: Do you have a recommendation as the manager?
Mr. Noriega: Yeah, I would at least at a minimum adhere to what's in the County
Order, I would.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, but hold on, hold on, hold on. So maybe we
can amend this. So the County's' saying how many per table?
Mr. Wysong: 6 per table or 10 persons if they're all members of the same household.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, so -- so we expand it. So it's happened to me
like three times already and I'm sure it's happened to a whole bunch of people. You
have a big family, you go take your family, and three of them have to sit in one table
and six sit at another table. That's the first.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Noriega: Yeah, but this has 10. This would have 10.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So how much, can we take it to 8 per table, or 9
per table, or 10 per table? How much can we do?
Mr. Noriega: Well, the actual order right now reads you can have 10 per table if
you're all in the same household. Otherwise it's six --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, so I want to amend -- so I want to amend --
by the way, when I went to the restaurant, we had seven. And they came and they gave
me a form, and I was with the President of the Senate and other people, and I had to
fall out all the names of the seven people on the table and sign a waiver at that
Komodo restaurant that I went to on Tuesday. So they allowed me, they allowed, we
called, we made a reservation for seven, they allowed us to sit. But we got there, they
gave us the form and we had to kind of fill it out by names. So they were corning up
with their own way of you know --
Unidentified Speaker: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- this is a sophisticated restaurant that knows how
to do these things, right? But imagine the people that don't have that sophistication
and get confused by six people or 'bur people. Some restaurants, I also had an
experience where I went with jive people and they were like, oh, only four per table.
And I had to explain to them, no, I'm sot -ay, that's no longer the case. That confusion,
because of what the County Mayor has done, that confusion is just driving people
crazy. So, if you're together, you know each other, you have dinner together, you're
members of the same household, the more we can do, the better per table, so that way
people can actually share a nice dinner together. So 10, and we make it like that, we
make it 10 per table, and then it's okay, and then people can attest to whatever they
want to attest to along the way, right?
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Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mr. Noriega: So are we going to stick with what the County --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mr. Noriega: -- 10 per table if you're the same household, otherwise it's a maximum
of 6.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Six, now we don't have the ability to go around
what the County does, because the -- in other words, this is a question I have for our
City Manager -- for our City Attorney, yesterday, and it's a question that
Commissioner Russell talked about, asked earlier. If we have an executive, like
executive -- Governor's Executive Order 244 -- 22-44, talking about you can do this,
this and that, can we piggyback on that and bypass the County regulations? If the
Governor's Order specifically addresses that issue.
Ms. Mendez: So, that's why I wanted to -- the answer I gave you covered the
restaurants. In general, in general, remember that the County is taking the position of
interpreting what the Governor was saying. And remember that I told you there was a
little bit of a gray area with regard to the Governor's Order.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: So with respect to the County -- what the County is saying is that they
can pass orders because the Governor's Order says they can't pass ordinances. So
they're just saying that they're able to pass orders because that's not precluded. That's
the Countv's take on it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. But the Governor's -- you're talking about
22-44, right? The last order the governor issued. That one addresses certain things,
doesn't address others.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But in terms of the issue that we're talking about,
about the 6 and 10, 6 for table or 10 if you're part of the same household, can we go
beyond that? Because of the Governor's Order?
Ms. Mendez: Well, that's why you were saying in your resolution that you don't agree
with what the County gave for a reason to issue the order.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What the County's criteria is for --
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So then we can say 10 per group, right? Up to 10
per group. We don't have to worry about 6 and 10. In other words, the 10 per
household thing, we don't have to abide by that.
Commissioner Reyes: Maximum of 10, period.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Maximum of 10, period. We don't have to say 10
because it's the same household. Because first of all --
Commissioner Reyes: Maximum of 10.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- we all live in the same household. I don't know
why 10 people live in the same household. Let's say that's the case, unless you have
kids or whatever. But -- so people can say that. So that's kind of absurd. The thing is,
can we say 10 total?
Ms. Mendez: Now I understand what you're saying. Mr. Wysong, correct me if I'm
wrong, by all means, I believe that if you are saying that the County's criteria is not
correct, then you can give them more capacity based on what the Governor's Order
says. But Wysong, clarifY that a little if I'm being inarticulate.
Mr. Wysong: Right, right. So the Governor's Order 22-44 didn't have any of that
social distancing stuff. It basically said, if you're going to go lower than 100 percent
capacity, you have to find that the reasoning for going lower than the 100 percent,
you're going to have to quantify the economic impact of each limitation or
requirement on those restaurants, make a finding when you do it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Per restaurant, right?
Mr. Wysong: Right, just restaurants. And then two --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no, I'm sorry. No, no, Mr. Wysong.
Mr. Wysong: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Per restaurant.
Mr. Wysong: Well, it says quanta the economic impact of each limitation or
requirement on those restaurants. The County has interpreted on those restaurants to
mean every restaurant.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All restaurants.
Mr. Wysong: Yeah. And then the second limitation was explain why each limitation or
requirement is necessary for public health. So in 30-20, the County said that
essentially these are necessary, like a general public health safety statement. And as
far as the impact, they said the impact is 54 percent impact to sales compared to prior
years. So, they -- that's how they quantified it in their whereas clauses. So -- and the
issue is really whether or not the 30-20 -- there's no issue with the Governor's Order,
the issue is with the County's Order --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Mr. Wysong: -- as you're no doubt recognize.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I would like to amend, it's my resolution, I
would like to amend to then say up to 10 people per table.
Vice Chair Russell: Before you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that amendment, though, I have
a question for you on that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes sir.
Vice Chair Russell: -- because it's currently 10 for family household and 6, according
to the County. If we make this change removing the 6 part, so it's just 10 for anybody,
isn't that being less restrictive than the County? And wouldn't we be preempted from
that specifically, Madam City Attorney or George?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No.
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Unidentified Speaker: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: And you're usually -- 1 see what you're saying, Commissioner Russell,
because we've told you so much about preemption. In this case, though, based on the
order, you are saying that you don't agree with the County's findings. And --
Vice Chair Russell: Challenge (INAUDIBLE) --
Ms. Mendez: Wait, no, no. But this is why --
Vice Chair Russell: Go ahead, please. 1 think 1 get you.
Ms. Mendez: The thing is that you are saying that you don't agree with the County's
Order, so that's why you could go more. It's not a preemption thing. It's a, you don't
agree with the criteria that they have set based on the Governor's Order. I'm sorry if
I'm not --
Vice Chair Russell: No, you make perfect sense now. I do completely understand that.
I am a little concerned about 10 person tables of people who are not from the same
household. And I'm also a little worried about being too different from jurisdiction to
jurisdiction. I like where Art is going, that we're trying to match as much as possible.
And it sounds like his recommendation here for this at least part of it is to try to come
in line with that County's 6 and 10, but then go further in what you're offering.
Commissioner Reyes: How do you know that they are from the same household? Have
you checked the driver's license or something like that? I mean, if I go -- I mean, if I
go, let's say that we all go to a restaurant and I say, oh, we all live in the same house -
Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: I mean, you see, don't you see the family resemblance? I mean,
we all -- we are all the same family. And whatever, well, pick a last name, we are all
Noriegas or Russells, you see. I mean, it's something that cannot be proven.
Vice Chair Russell: It's true. I mean, they could lie, but I --
Commissioner Reyes: They can lie. I mean, if we are going to do it being so restrictive
Vice Chair Russell: I'm trying to find that balance, and I know we all are. I know we
are all trying to find that balance to encourage business, but keep the health. I am so
worried about this spike.
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE) --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But Commissioner Russell, Commissioner Russell,
if it's 6 people or 10 people, is there a difference in the spread of coronavirus if'it's 6
or 10 people? If one person has it.
Vice Chair Russell: They're all from the same house, there's going to be no spread.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But if they say they're from the same household
and they're not. I mean, really, in practical terms, does it really matter? Is it really
inconveniencing patrons because you create a situation where, 6 is better than 10?
Really, it's arbitrary. Who came up with that number? Carlos Gimenez? Come on, 6,
10, 8, 7. I mean, really? What's the difference? Same thing with the curfew, right?
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10:59, 11:01. The curfew was put in place and these restrictions were put in place six
months ago because we had a crisis. We still have a crisis, hut we had an emergency.
The cases were rising and we had to be aggressive in telling people, hey, government
says you need to stay at home, stay at home order. Curfew, you know, masks. We had
to really change the way people behave. So, we had to really pound it into them, hey,
you got to do this, you got to do that, you got to do that. We have to begin to relax, to
allow our businesses to flourish now. It doesn't make a difference in terms of health if
it's six or seven people, it's an arbitrary number. It really. is.
Mr. Noriega: Commissioner, my argument on that is not from a standpoint of whether
1 think it really makes a huge difference. It's more for consistency and, you know --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Consistency with who, with Mayor of Miami -
Dade?
Mr. Noriega: Yeah, whether you agree with the number or not, honestly, everything
we do that's different from the County creates confusion. It does.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well no, no, no, first of all, we're piggybacking on
the State Order.
Mr. Noriega: I know -- people don't differentiate, from that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So everything we do that's different from 66 other
counties creates problems.
Mr. Noriega: I know.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right? Now everything we do, 66 other counties
are doing something different. So, when I drive from here to Sarasota, like I did two
weeks ago, I stopped in three or four counties, and I had lunch, I had dinner, on the
way back I had breakfast, and there wasn't an issue. So the only county in the whole
state that's doing a difference is Miami -Dade County. it's arbitrary, it's wrong, it's not
based on any data, there's no difference between the possibility of getting --
Mr. Noriega: I'm not disagreeing with you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- COVID-19 at 10:59 versus 11:01; there's no
difference between having six people at a table or seven, it's stupid.
Commissioner Reyes: You know, the thing is that we have --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, let's stop following stupid guidelines, and let's
start doing things --
Commissioner Reyes: The thing is that that is illogical to have guidelines and that are
-- I mean, if you cross the street, you're going to -- where they have different
guidelines.
Mr. Noriega: I know. Across the street, the City of Coral Gables, you're going to have
a different criteria now.
Commissioner Reyes: -- different criteria --
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Commissioner Reyes: -- that is illogical.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: This Mayor never decided to sit down with our
mayor, the mayor of our city, the Mayor of Coral Gables, or Miami Beach, on many
things, of course, beginning with the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic
Security) dollars to the uniformity of the rules so that people don't cross 37th Avenue
from Miami to Coral Gables, and say, oh, I got to wear a mask now. It's stupid.
There's no other word for it, stupid. Because there's no criteria, there's no health
basis. It's not based on health requirements or CDC requirements. It's based on an
arbitrary, number that he came up with. Our restaurants are hurting. They're hurting.
Families go out. There's seven members in the family. Okay. One of them has to sit at
a different table six feet apart. That's stupid.
Mr. Noriega: No, they wouldn't under this rule.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well or 10 --
Mr. Noriega: They don't have to sit at a different table.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Under this rule, because they're members of the
same household, but maybe their neighbors or maybe they just family don't live in the
same house, or maybe they're -- maybe the City -- Mayor Suarez wants to go out with
his dad. Do you live in the same household, Mayor Suarez, with your dad? No. But
you come out with your kids and you go out with your dad and your mom and your --
and Gloria and the kids and all of a sudden it's seven people. Oh, they don't live in
the same household, they live in two different households. But they're family. They --
Commissioner Reyes: That is illogical. I mean, listen.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absurd.
Commissioner Reyes: Listen, and let's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let's try making policy -- let's try and make policy
that makes sense --
Mr. Noriega: I'm not making the argument -- but Commissioner, I'm not making the
argument based on logic. All I'm -- the only --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Obviously not, cause if you're following
you're following policy --
-- if
Mr. Noriega: Let me finish. Let me finish. The only reason I recommended it was for
consistency purposes. That ultimately is the only reason I'm recommending it. Logic
has nothing to do with it clearly, right?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Obviously.
Mr. Noriega: So all I'm saying is my recommendation, you asked for, was to be
consistent. That's it. That's it. Ultimately, you know what, you as a body are going to
make a decision relative to how you feel is best suited. I don't honestly think that
making a total unit, you know, occupancy of a table from 6 to 10 just in general,
honestly will probably move the business community in terms of restaurant owners.
And it's not going to move the needle too much. I just don't. From a business
perspective. But that's my opinion. You asked me for it and I gave it. It's as simple as
that.
Commissioner Reyes: How about if we say it up to 10? Period.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I agree. That's what I want to do.
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Commissioner Reyes: I mean, if we're going to do it, we'll do it. If not, 1 think that we
are going in circles. You see, and either we do it and we face the consequences if
there are any, you see, or we don't do it and we keep 6 and 10. And if we are not
going to be enforcing it, you see, our police is not going to be enforcing it.
Vice Chair Russell: All right, I'll stick with --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can I get Mayor Suarez's opinion on this? Because
Isee him --
Vice Chair Russell: Is he online?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's on Zoom now.
Mayor Suarez: I'm here. Thank you, Commissioner. So I agree with you and I agree
with Commissioner Reyes on a variety of different points. First, I've never been a fan
of the curfew. I never saw anything in the contact tracing data that I look at on a
regular basis that indicates to me that the curfew, per se, is what stems the tide of the
spread of COVID. Obviously, there's a variety of other things, but the curfew was
never one that I ever was a big fan of. And I've, you know, said that publicly. I think
the other problem that you have with a curfew is its enforcement, right? So what's
happening in the city is we are enforcing it very, very vigorously, right? 10:02 when it
was 10, now, you know, we're very, very strict on enforcement. But other cities in
Dade County are not strict on enforcement. So, it's creating an enormous competitive
disadvantage for our businesses against businesses in other cities. I've talked to other
mayors from other cities about it. Some mayors feel that we don't even have the ability
to enforce it, that it can only be enforced by the county because it's a county
ordinance. Frankly, it should be enforced by the county because the county is the one
that took all those CARES dollars that they never gave us and have the ability to
enforce it at that level. I don't think it's fair to ask the city, which hasn't gotten any
CARES dollars yet, to enforce a curfew with our own resources. So, I think that's like
the third issue. And then of course, as you and Commissioner Reyes said, there's a lot
of inconsistencies between us and other parts of South Florida. In terms of a curfew in
Palm Beach County, there's no curfew, et cetera. And they have lower rates of
COVID-19. Our COVID-19 rates have been going down. Obviously, we're monitoring
them closely because the real issue has been, for us, I think, the mask in public, which
I think has been very helpful, and maintaining a fine structure there. And I also think,
you know, the schools, the fact that the schools open is something we have to carefully
watch because you're talking about 400,000 people, 350,000 students and 40,000
teachers. So, that's something that is something we need to monitor. In terms of the
restaurants, what I was trying to find, and this is the part where I have not seen this,
and maybe the City Attorney can opine on this. because I haven't seen it in the
County's Order, but it could be that l just haven't looked at it carefully enough. I know
that the Governor's Order requires, if you're going to go less than 100 percent on the
occupancy, it requires, and I'm reading from the Governor's Order, it must -- you
must quantify the economic impact of each limitation or requirement on those
restaurants. I'm not sure that the County Order has done that. Are you under the
impression that it has?
Ms. Mendez: Well, that is what the resolution, the pocket that Commissioner Diaz de
la Portilla has set forth, that it does not properly quantify; it does not have the proper
information, and therefore you can go higher.
Mayor Suarez: So what I'm saying is that I don't believe that the County's Order
complies with the Governor's Executive Order because it does not -- you know, it
literally does not follow what the County -- I mean, that's my -- I didn't see anything
in the County Order that did that, I could -- again, it could be that I didn't read it
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carefully enough. It's a very difficult threshold to meet, by the way. I think the
Governor did that purposefully. You know, it's very difficult to quantify what the
economic impact is of reducing an occupancy rate from 100 to 50. You'd have to
know what every single -- how that's going to affect every single restaurant in your
jurisdiction, right? The 50 percent diminishment, that's an economic study. You would
know it, right?
Commissioner Reyes: 50 percent reduction in income. That's it.
Mayor Suarez: Right --
Commissioner Reyes: In revenues. That's it.
Mayor Suarez: -- but you would have to know the income of every single restaurant.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I mean, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- I mean, you would do it by
average income or by historical data and all of that.
Mayor Suarez: But don't think it's been done. I don't think it's been done.
Commissioner Reyes: It hasn't been done. You need to go to historical data and say --
Mayor Suarez: Sure. So it can be done, it can be done. But it hasn't been done.
Commissioner Reyes: But it hasn 't. It hasn't been done.
Mayor Suarez: It can be done, but it hasn't been done. So, 1 don't think the County's
complied with the Governor's Order. So, I think that's the issue on the 100 percent.
So, on the curfew, again, I've never been a fan of it. And I do -- I have been getting a
lot of complaints about selective enforcement of the curfew. So, you know, I think the
Commission has the right to tell the Manager not to enforce the curfew. And then the
County can enforce the curfew pursuant to its County Order. They can use the CARES
money that they are -- that they have, that they have not given vet to the cities to do
that, to create an enforcement team. We, who have a $30 million deficit and are
struggling to balance our budget on behalf of layoffs and things that we have to do, I
don't think it's fair for us to have the burden, the additional burden of enforcement
when, you know, when we don't have the resources for it.
Vice Chair Russell: All right, thank you, Mayor. I'd like to bring this to a vote. We
have a motion, we have a second.
Commissioner Carollo: Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I've been very quiet
listening to --
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Commissioner Carollo, go ahead.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that doesn't mean that I have my two cents to put into this.
Vice Chair Russell: And we're not we're not talking curfew, just the restaurant
capacity.
Commissioner Carollo: I -- I understand. What I'd like to add is the following,
whatever your motion is for the amendments, to add this amendment at the end, that
notwithstanding all of the above, bars, taverns, beer houses, nightclubs, strip clubs,
and other adult entertainment establishments are not included in this resolution is it?
Or ordinance that you're puttingforward?
Vice Chair Russell: It's a resolution.
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Ms. Mendez: Resolution.
Commissioner Carollo: In this resolution?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Resolution, yeah. Resolution.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Do you need for me to repeat that?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. The -- there was a -- I have no intention of
including places that have close proximity, people are in close proximity to each
other, like bars, strip clubs, places like that. 1 believe, I've been told by our City
Manager that there may be the arts and entertainment district, in Commissioner
Russell's District, may want to have an exemption for that. 1 don't know if that's the
case for Commissioner Russell. Only for that area, the arts and entertainment district
may want to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: Look, you can't do it for one area like that and not the other.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, that was the legal question that 1 had.
Vice Chair Russell: Are we talking about curfew or capacity now?
Commissioner Carollo: Capacity.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're talking about both. But again, we mix the
conversations, right? But let's get to the point. The legal question, which I had with
our City Attorney yesterday was, can we -- if we do scooters for one particular
district, can we do this -- can we do something for a particular district and not do it
for another?
Ms. Mendez: So --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We have programs like that, let's say District 2 can
allow because of the nature of where District 2 is.
Commissioner Carollo: You can have them in certain things, but I don't think this is
one of those, necessarily.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know, but I'm asking, I just want to know what
the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, you're recognized.
Ms. Mendez: Generally, it should be citywide things unless you can clearly explain
why one area is different than the other. So, for instance, for the scooter program, we
clearly said that it was in the densest part of the city.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: We said all the reasons why all the other districts were different so that
we can have this pilot program and then see if the rest of the city would join in. So,
technically, you're not supposed to, unless you can clearly specify why a certain area
is different or should be treated differently, these type of things should not be, you
know, per district. It should be of a citywide import.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. So, my question was, the arts and
entertainment district is clearly different than Allapattah. For example, I would never
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want to have it in Allapattah because it's a different kind of area, right? But the area
where the tourists go and where people, you know, in the area that Commissioner
Russell represents, that, to me, the same way that the scooters don't work in District 1,
maybe in the health district, maybe, that's a little bit of a stretch. I did it because 1 was
being nice that day. I don 't know, I woke up in a good mood. But I'm not a big fan of
scooters. But I thought that the health district, it may work a little bit there. I know it
definitely works in downtown, in some parts of downtown. So there are unique areas
in our city that you could do some things and you can't do it in other areas, right? So
Ms. Mendez: You clearly have to state the uniqueness just so that we, you know, that's
all.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But again, I'm not intruding into Commissioner
Russell's District. I'm just asking if that's something that he wanted to do in the arts
and entertainment district.
Vice Chair Russell: I can expressly identify the sections of my district where this
would be warranted. And that would be those business centers, those activities of, you
know, music and nightlife and recreation. That's the -- it's basically the downtown
boundaries, the arts and entertainment district, and even the BID (Business
Improvement District). There's a lot of restaurants there that suffer at that curfew
point, simply because they're missing a whole last seating that they could get in. And
there's no difference, as the Mayor said, and as the Manager and yourself said,
there's no difference in transmission between that minute and 20 minutes later. So,
we're just restricting them. So, I think in those business districts, those high -activity
districts, I'm open, but 1 want to be clear about what we're talking about, because
we've started talking about table capacity and occupancy numbers, and in your item,
Commissioner Carollo's requested amendment would like to exclude bars, nightclubs,
and all those other venues.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's fine because we're talking about
restaurants. That's fine. That part's fine, but we're mixing the conversations, right?
We're going to have a conversation about curfew now.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah, but let me capture that amendment.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: So, that amendment for PI3 is accepted, the mover and the
seconder accept, correct?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. That's accepted and that's fine because
we're talking about restaurants only.
Vice Chair Russell: Right. So, now if we're going to go into the bar and nightclub
discussion, that one is more about curfew or capacity as well?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's about both. That's the issue. That's the issue,
right?
Vice Chair Russell: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that one is -- I'm more concerned about --
well, once we pass, well, this is limited to restaurants, let me take a step back.
Capacity doesn't really impact those businesses that much, that's more about curfew,
because those are late night venues, right?
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Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Those are places that 11 o'clock does not work
under any circumstance. People don't go to these places at 7 o'clock at night. They go
at 10, 11, 12 o'clock at night. So that's the curfew conversation. So I would like to
pass this.
Vice Chair Russell: That's what I'm trying to get to.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Respecting Commissioner Carollo's amendment
that says, hey, we're not here, we're talking about only restaurants and this is a
standalone item for restaurants that could do 10 members per table plus the 100
percent capacity.
Vice Chair Russell: Right. With respect to the mask --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Respecting the health protocols of CDC, six feet
distancing and the mask.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, I believe that's all we've added.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's that, that's one issue. Let's get rid of that.,
let's get that --
Vice Chair Russell: Is there any further discussion on that item in the amendment?
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I move that.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Mayor, you'd like to say something?
Mayor Suarez: I would just say that I totally agree that I think that that's proper
under the Governor's Executive Order. In other words -- and I think that's what the
Governor's Executive Order contemplates in precisely that fashion. I think the
County's deviation from that, without complying with the order, I think violates the
order, and that's why I think this is proper.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, let's vote.
Vice Chair Russell: All in favor of the item, say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes.
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NA.4
8031
City Commission
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO CEASE AND DESIST THE CITY OF
MIAMI'S ENFORCEMENT OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S
("COUNTY") EMERGENCY ORDER 27-20, AS AMENDED,
PROMULGATED BY COUNTY MAYOR GIMENEZ FOR
PURPOSES OF IMPLEMENTING A CURFEW LIMITING THE
MOVEMENT OF PERSONS INSIDE THE COUNTY AND
OPERATING HOURS OF ALL ESTABLISHMENTS, INCLUDING
WITHIN THE CITY OF MIAMI, PRIOR TO 12:00 A.M. (MIDNIGHT)
DAILY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0326
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Note, for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number NA.4, please
see Item Number NA.3.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): And then Pocket Item Number 4 has to do with the
parks. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, that one's still active, correct?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. I spoke to the Manager. I think his assurances
are enough for me to know that they're going to -- you know, I'm comfortable with the
answer he gave me yesterday during our briefing so we don't need to do that here.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, thank you. And then the next pocket has to do with a discussion of
the curfew in general.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. We're introducing that one.
Ms. Mendez: Which that one I don't have a copy right now, but I'll send to everyone.
But it's mainly a discussion of the curfew and its enforcement. So it's pretty self-
explanatory as well upon when we send it. And then the last one is also a discussion,
but I don't know -- it was going to be mainly a discussion. I don't know if you want to
mention that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The discussion on the mask? Is that the mask one?
Ms. Mendez: The mask one.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're going to withdraw that one for now.
Ms. Mendez: Right. And then the last one just with governance, the governance item. I
don't know if that one you're bringing up now or it's just going to be a discussion
later.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I don't know yet.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we're not going to vote on it, so I don't think,
Mr. Chair, that it requires public input. It's just a discussion item.
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Chair Hardemon: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct?
Ms. Mendez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: So Madam City Attorney, is there a PI.4 that you've named?
Because I know you read a few different things but --
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Chair Hardemon: I have 2 and 3. The last one that 1 have is the restaurant,
permission to operate without restrictions.
Ms. Mendez: Right. That one is PI3. And then the other substantive one is PI4, which
has to do with curfews in gen -- with the curfew.
Chair Hardemon: And that is the item. It's not a (INAUDIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: That one's an item, yeah. The other ones we've resolved.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we haven't resolved them. We're just not
going to discussing them today. We'll come back to them, I'm sure, before you leave,
Commissioner Hardemon, before you go to the upper body.
Chair Hardemon: Upstairs, huh?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Upstairs.
[Later...]
Vice Chair Russell: Let's take PL4 with regard to the curfew situation. Mr.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, you have the floor.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Here we go, curfew. We've sort of made the
argument already. We've had the conversation. A 11 o'clock curfew is -- most of these
restaurants and -- operate on turning three tables every night, right? That's kind of
the formula to be successful as a restaurant. A 11 o'clock, people, you know, normally
it's 6.•00, 8:30, 10 o'clock; 11 o'clock is killing these restaurants because they can't
turn that third table. And to me, the curfew is an absurdity because there's no
scientific evidence, no health evidence from any expert that you're more likely to get
COVID at 11.01 than you are at 10:59. I was the one that pushed for the curfew
initially. You remember, Mayor Suarez, when we had these conversations early on,
that you had COVID-19, and you were holed up and we were quarantined because we
were hanging out together, and, you know, and Carollo was quarantining. And we're -
- those were good times because we were kind of learning, and learning how to
formulate policy and deal with this very serious situation the city's dealing with, that
the world is dealing with. But now that we're here, that we've already learned, we
know what's happening, that there's a vaccine being developed, that we're -- we've
had, I think, three weeks now, according to the Department of Health here in Miami,
a downward slide in our cases, that maybe now we need to begin to reevaluate those
policies. So the curfew no longer makes sense, in my opinion. The governor, when he
issued his 22-44 Order•, he didn't specifically address curfews. I've asked President
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Galvano the other night -- in the morning, when I saw him in the morning, I said, can
you get the governor to issue an order specifically dealing with this? He's working on
that. But I asked our legal department, our City Attorney, whether we can still do it,
sort of do it from an enforcement perspective, that we're not going to enforce curfew.
That we're going to say, hey, the city of Miami, you can stay open as late as you want
to, say no curfew. I don't want to move to 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, I think it's absurd, just
no curfew. Because there's no higher risk at a later time than an earlier time. It's just
a stupid argument. And that's what this does. It says we eliminate the curfew.
Commissioner Carollo: I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Within this -- within this pocket item, we want to
include some of the bars that Commissioner Carollo was talking about when he
addressed that he didn't want bars addressed, but some of the bars that Commissioner
Russell was talking about, that are geographic specific, certain areas like the arts and
entertainment district that are -- that are venues that are hurting now, that cannot
open, that our tourists go to them or young people go to them, but they are people that
go out later that are also hurting economically. We need to figure out a way to
revitalize our economy. And if any commissioner thinks that it shouldn't happen in
their particular district, because like I said, I don't think it should happen in District
1, there's nothing there that needs to be open past 11 o'clock, in my opinion. There's
no bars, there's no venue, there's nothing that people flock to. But we do have that in
your district, Commissioner Russell.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So I think those businesses are hurting, and they're
taxpayers and people that contribute to our economy and perhaps that's something, if
you want to, only if you want to, obviously, it's your district, the district you represent,
that I would be amenable to allowing, to say okay I will vote to help you revitalize
some of those businesses in your district.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I'll take that as a motion on your item, PI4.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes sir.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll second it as the chair and open for discussion. Commissioner
Carollo, you'd like to say something?
Commissioner Carollo: The problem that we're having is everybody's hurting. Trying
to help as many people as we can. But we're not going to be able to help everybody.
Not unless you want to be back in another month or so to where we were a month
back. And it's going to happen if we have people gathering on top of each other. It's
going to happen again. It's not correct that the norm -- the numbers have been going
down they've went down but they're creeping up again. We're over five percent again.
I don't know what we're at to, we're six or so, Mayor, but --
Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to know. Mr. Manager?
Mayor Suarez: I would say that they are creeping up a little bit.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The last three days.
Mayor Suarez: No, I'd say so the seven day average is slightly higher than the last
seven day average in terms of number of new cases. We actually, on the percent
positive, I believe we're still under five percent. I think the two concerns that I had,
which I think echo some of what you're saying, Commissioner Carollo, is the schools
opening, right? You have 400,000 people, that's the whole size of the city of Miami,
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all of a sudden getting put into. And then whether we like it or not, the Governor's
Order, which obviously opened bars and nightclubs and things that we're not -- we
were not yet -- we were not yet there, we're trying to do things a little more
methodically and measuring things. On the curfew issue, you know one of the big
concerns that I have is, for example, the County Mayor allowed the curfew to be
extended for a football game, right? So, you know, it's hard to say to businesses, you
know, that you have to have a curfew at 11, but if you're going to a football game, it's
okay for it to be later, right? And that creates, you know, potential, not just confusion,
but some legal challenges, because what you're saying is for the health and safety of
our residents, the curfew has to be 11, except if you're going to go watch a football
game, you know? And 1 think that, you know, by the way, 1 have already spoken to the
County Mayor and told him that I thought the curfew should be, I mean, obviously,
I've been a proponent jor lifting the curfew. But 1 thought that at the very minimum it
should be increased by an hour minimum because of the Miami Heat being in the
finals. You know, the Heat are in the finals, the game started at nine, almost all of
them, it means they end at 11:30, assuming they don't go into overtime. So, if people
are just going to somebody's house, right, to watch the game, technically they'd have
to leave in like middle of the third quarter to make it home on time. So, you know, I
discussed that with him. He told me he was going to consider it, I guess because of the
Governor's Order or for some other reason, he decided not to do it. But, you know,
that was the last conversation that 1 had with him about it.
Commissioner Reyes: You know, I think that the curfew should be extended. I mean, if
we are going to, 1 mean, it cannot be 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock. And I'm going to refer --
I'm going to refer to what Alex --1 mean Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla said, that
third seating in the restaurants, it's very important you see, and we are impeding
people, 1 mean restaurants, to obtain additional revenue by serving additional
patrons. And at 12 o'clock, it's -- I mean, if you extend it to 12 o'clock, it's nothing
that's going to give you anymore, I mean, so much leverage. And there are certain
restaurants that they work until late, and why don't we extend it to 1 o'clock at night?
Because I do agree --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm amenable to that.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, I do agree -- I do agree that there is no difference
between 11 o'clock and 12 o'clock.
Mayor Suarez: If I could just jump in real quick and say, because I do think this is
important. I do think you can do it if there's a rational basis, by districts, in other
words, or by areas, right? Like if you say there's a particular area, Downtown,
Wvnwood --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Mayor Suarez: -- entertainment district, those are areas where you can, you know, do
that. Just like you -- just like if the County Mayor's Order on the curfew was legal vis-
a-vis the Miami Hurricanes game, right? If they could -- if it could be 11 o'clock, but
oh, well, during a Hurricanes game, it could be later, then I think the same applies.
We can create a rational basis for saying, look, there are certain areas where we
think the curfew should be extended.
Commissioner Reyes: Even within areas, Mayor, with all due respect, you see I have
restaurants, you see like, for example, 27th and 8th, which is mainly that it's a little
Dominican restaurant, that they have some -- I mean, some performers there, they go
and --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They have music, they go till one in the morning.
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Commissioner Reyes: They go to one in the morning.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And what I'm going to do, I'm just going to carve
them, you see, carve them and say, well then if you pass 20 -- 37th avenue, then you --
Mayor Suarez: Listen. I get it. And I'm just saying that if the will of the Commission
was to do it in a segmented way, I still think that that could be considered a rational
basis, particularly in the fact that --
Commissioner Reyes: You can extend it by saying that they have --
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Look, for example, for example.
Vice Chair Russell: One at a time, please.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want the city of Miami to, I don't want people to
go to restaurants in Broward County.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want them to go -- 1 want them to go into
Coconut Grove, I want them to go to the arts and entertainment district in Downtown
Miami. They don't have to go to Allapattah. They don't have to go to my district. I will
not -- I don't want it in my district. I think we don't need to have it there. But that we
have people stay in our city to generate revenue for our city and people that can, you
know, I'm okay with that. And so if the commissioner that was duly elected from that
district decides that this is what I want, what I think is good for my community, and
you say, I want it in District 2, and I want it in District 4, I want it in District 1, or
not, we have that option, and we have -- there's a rational basis for, I think, at least in
District 2, there's a rational basis. Because you know, Commissioner Russell, you
have the best parks, the best restaurants, the best clubs, the best everything. Your
district is everything, right? It's the beauty of Miami, right, where all the wealth is.
That's why earlier today we were talking about the CDBG (Community Development
Block Grant) funding, I said, no, you should give some of that money to us for the
poor kids in our parks. But -- so you have all good things happening in your district
that generate dollars. And what happens in your district, the tax base that increase,
that the monies that are generated in your district help the rest of the city of Miami.
So, the more we can do there, the more I would want to do if you're amenable to it. I
want your restaurants and your bars to be open in Coconut Grove, and in Downtown
Miami, and in the arts and entertainment district and in Wynwood and areas like that
so that we can generate more dollars or more tax revenue for the rest of the city, the
poor area -- parts of Miami. I don't think we need to have it everywhere because there
is a health concern, but I do think that in your district, it's just a natural thing for it to
happen there.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I appreciate it. I must disagree a little bit though,
because when I won my race in November, I had my celebration party in your district
at Mianii Smokers.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, wow. You know, we do have -- we have some
hidden gems. You're not supposed to know about that place, by the way. They let you
in there?
Vice Chair Russell: It was amazing.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Did you bring your passport?
Vice Chair Russell: I said you sent me.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Did you bring your passport?
Vice Chair Russell: I gave your name. I said you sent me there.
Commissioner Carollo: That's why they charge you double, right?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Vice Chair Russell: Place isn't cheap. All right, so we have a motion. Now, are there
any specific amendments that are being placed on this? Because we've talked about a
couple of things, and I am certainly open to carving out D2 (District 2). And, Madam
City Attorney, I would justify that by the natural borders of D2 are the roads that
actually have the most densest activity on them, you know, whether it's Miami Avenue
and US -I, it goes right up to the MiMo (Miami Modern) District. So, the Coconut
Grove Business Improvement District up to the MiMo district, very active businesses
that rely on nighttime business. So, if that's amenable to the Commission, I'm happy to
carve this portion out, allowing fbr the no curfew. Because I simply don't believe in
the curfew to start with. But 1 want to be cooperative with other commissioners so
they protect their districts in the best way possible. So what is the will of this
commission?
Commissioner Reyes: I am going to be very honest with you (INAUDIBLE) more
confusion about what it is if we start carving.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: I couldn't hear.
Commissioner Reyes: Either we do it or we don't do it. Either --
Commissioner Carollo: If I may, look --
Commissioner Reyes: -- I mean --
Commissioner Carollo: -- this conversation started that we were talking about
midnight.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: I think we're getting ahead of ourselves by jumping right into
one -- one in the morning.
Commissioner Reyes: Again, I just --
Commissioner Carollo: Wait --
Commissioner Reyes: -- (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: -- maybe until the next Commission meeting.
Commissioner Reyes: Maybe (INAUDIBLE) --
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Commissioner Carollo: Put it up to midnight. Wait until the next Commission meeting
before we bring it up until one or whatever other time.
Commissioner Reyes: That's fine.
Commissioner Carollo: Because my concern is that you know where everybody's
going to come to if they get COVID? It's not Broward, Monroe, it's going to be our
hospitals in the city of Miami.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Jackson.
Commissioner Carollo: And gentlemen, this is serious. We're not over this hump yet,
by far, by far, and 1 know we want to try to help the community open up as much as
we can but if we're going to do so much, you know, we might be hurting the
community more than helping them because we're going to give them a little air,
additional air, for a few more weeks, and then we're going to have to come right back
and close that off So, I --
Commissioner Reyes: Let's extend it --
Vice Chair Russell: So I agree with that, butt disagree that a curfew is what's causing
the higher numbers.
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Vice Chair Russell: And the legislation currently has not been amended. So right now
the legislation as it stands is to simply not enforce any curfew at all.
Unidentified Speaker: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: Right? So, I'd like to know the direction of this body. If there's a
reason your district should not be included in this carve out -- in this lifting of the
curfew, we want to respect that.
Commissioner Carollo: What are we voting on?
Vice Chair Russell: We're voting on --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: My proposal, it's my proposal. If I may, Mr. Chair.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, PI.4 has been moved and seconded. It is basically directing
the Manager not to enforce the curfew in the city. So basically to lift the curfew in the
city of Miami.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. There's no time.
Vice Chair Russell .• Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We never talked about 12 or 1. We had a debate
about it, but the actual item was only about lifting it. The amendment, I think that you
-- I don't know if you're going to proffer it, Commissioner Russell.
Vice Chair Russell: I don't need an amendment if it's citywide so.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, that's the problem.
Vice Chair Russell: Your current legislation is citywide and I'm fine with it.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no, but we want to be careful, because we
are not talking about bars, ling the curfew for bars.
Commissioner Reyes: I thought you were.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Only for --
Vice Chair Russell: That's not our --
Commissioner Carollo: Bars, taverns, beerhouses, nightclubs, strip clubs, and other
adult entertainment establishments.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct, Commissioner --
Vice Chair Russell: You brought that amendment on a separate item. So, if you'd like
to bring that amendment on this item as well, we need to add it as an amendment.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right, so the carve out for all the things that
Commissioner Carollo listed right now, they're okay in your district, in District 2, but
the other commissioners don't want it, including me, don't want it in their districts. So
it only applies to District 2.
Vice Chair Russell: Alright, so it would be a lifting of the curfew citywide except for
bars, nightclubs, et cetera, other than District 2.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's it.
Vice Chair Russell: Does the mover and seconder accept those amendments?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: And the seconder. Mr. Manor, you have a question.
Mayor Suarez: I just want to make sure that I understand because I'm sure I know
that I can see Art's face and I think he's struggling to make sure that we understand it.
I just want to make, i f you could just repeat it just so that --
Vice Chair Russell: I'll make it, I'll make it very simple. So in District 2, there will be
just no curfew whatsoever, period.
Mayor Suarez: Okay, got it.
Vice Chair Russell: In the remainder of the city, there will be no curfew except for
bars, nightclubs, and strip clubs.
Mayor Suarez: Got it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And the list -- everything that Commissioner
Carollo --
Vice Chair Russell: Expressly listed under Commissioner Carollo's amendment.
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Commissioner Reyes: But with all due respect, we are creating more confusion. If we
are not going to allow, 1 mean, lift of the curfew for bars, nightclubs, and strip joints
and all that, then 1 don't think that we should lift it -- to the curfew, and we have to do
it citywide. 1 mean --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But -- but -- hut --
Commissioner Reyes: -- we are doing it specifically, but we are criticizing -- we are
criticizing that there is some set of rules in Broward County. There's another set of
rules for Miami -- I mean for Dade County, there's a set of rules for Coral Gables.
There's another set of rules. Our population is being totally confused, you see?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But every commissioner has a right because
they're doing their --
Commissioner Reyes: I do understand, sir, but what I'm saying is --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Do you want to include District 4?
Commissioner Reyes: No. Listen, I don't want to include District 4. But what I'm
saying is that by having -- I mean by totally lifting the curfew in this one of the
districts, we are creating a lot of confusion.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, we're lifting the curfew everywhere.
Commissioner Reyes: Everywhere.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Except for bars --
Commissioner Reyes: Bars and all of that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In District 2 --
Commissioner Reyes: The restriction.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- in other districts.
Commissioner Reyes: What I'm saying is, if we are going to -- I mean the -- it's not
going to be enforced in District 2, it shouldn't be enforced in any other place. Or it
should be -- it should bee also applied to District 2. That's what I'm saying. I'm saying
that -- I mean --
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well I want to respect -- I want to respect every
individual commissioner's right to make a determination of what's good for his district
because they're duly elected to their particular districts.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Yes --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And they're all different. I know my district is
dramatically different than Commissioner --
Commissioner Reyes: And mine too.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There are no clubs and bars in my district that
should be operating at one in the morning. If they're operating, they're probably
operating illegally. That's a different conversation. There are no -- there are no -- I
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don't need to he doing that in my district, but I understand how our tax revenue could
he increased if in a district where all the clubs and all the bars open at 11 o'clock at
night --
Commissioner Reyes: And how about Wynwood?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- with dollars coming for our city. Look, I want to
generate dollars for our city. People are not going to spend money, people are not
going to go at 1 o'clock in the morning to Allapattah, Don Toston, to spend money.
They're going to go to Komodo, they're going to go to other clubs in Downtown
Miami, and they're going to spend a lot of money, and it's going to generate a lot of
money and jobs for our citizens. I get that. I know that there are venues that people go
to at 12 or 1 o'clock in the morning, there are venues you go to at 6 o'clock at night.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I do understand.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Miami is very diverse, very different. Different
parts of Miami are different. I think the same --
Commissioner Reyes: How about Wynwood?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- with kind of the rationale that I use for scooters
Commissioner Carollo: Have we --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: One at a time please. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla.
Commissioner Carollo: Have we gotten --
Vice Chair Russell: Just -- just --
Commissioner Carollo: -- any advice from any of the experts that we've gone to, to
see what they tell us?
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: Who are you asking, Commissioner Carollo?
Commissioner Carollo: I'm asking everybody.
Mr. Noriega: The mayor, I believe.
Commissioner Carollo: The mayor, because I'm a realist --
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Vice Chair Russell: We're all talking over each other, please.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm extremely non partisan in this issue. I want to hear from
the experts, because what I've seen already is not pretty. By Sunday, if not Monday at
the latest, we're going to be hitting 175,000 confirmed COVID cases. I guarantee you
there's probably twice that many of people that got it and didn't report it, or didn't
even know they had it. We're going to be hitting, maybe by Monday, but certainly
sometime next week, 3,500 deaths in Miami -Dade County. I don't want to contribute
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any more to that. Yes, I want to open up, the restaurants are a little different even
though --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: -- still very dangerous, but it's different. But all the alcohol
establishments that I've described, these are places that people are going to go just to
drink. No matter if they tell you they serve croquetas or whatever they want to say
they serve, they're going to be going to drink, being on top of each other. And the
minute you have that much alcohol, no real food in your stomach, you forget about
everything. You see a pretty girl, there's a girl who sees a nice -looking guy, they want
to get closer. And the more you drink --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And what's wrong with that?
Commissioner Carollo: That's all fine. But you know what? If we're going to have our
hospitals full of people that are sick because of that just so that a very few can make
money, I'm sorry.
Commissioner Reyes: What are we doing?
Commissioner Carollo: One thing, when you look at something that is going to be a
lot of people that are going to be able to make dollars, I'll throw the dice at that. But,
you know, what we're talking about all these kinds of establishments, these are the
most dangerous establishments and if we're going to let it go all night, you know I
suggest we get, you know, some advice from the experts that we've been going
through in the past.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Mr. Mayor, you're recognized.
Mayor Suarez: Thank you, yeah. And look, I would agree with a few things that
Commissioner Carollo has said. First, I would agree, and he and I spoke about this
afier the last meeting that I had with the Coronavirus Task Force and also with our
experts. We're definitely not out of the woods. That is 100 percent correct. We are --
you know, we are obviously two to three weeks from knowing exactly what the
governor's order and what the opening of schools, how that's going to impact us. So
that is true. Trying to reconcile what everybody's saying. I think, you know, what
Commissioner Reyes is saying makes a lot of sense. It would be great to be able to
just do it in a uniform fashion, right? Maybe the way to do it then is to go back to
Commissioner Carollo's suggestion and just say, let's do it to midnight for two weeks.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, okay.
Mayor Suarez: Right?
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mayor Suarez: And then in two weeks, in the next Commission meeting, or even in a
week, we can even say, look, in a week, ifthe cases have not gone up significantly, we
can do it to one, so we can do it on a week by week basis. You know, and I think that -
- but I personally, personally do not believe in the curfew. I agree with Commissioner
Russell and Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla in that I haven't seen any evidence that
the curfew per se is what's contributing to the number of cases. I think what could
happen is that ifthe cases do go up in the next two weeks, someone could try to blame
us even though we're not the contributing factor, right? In other words, a contributing
factor is probably the schools and the order, the governor's order, and of course, the
inability or what appeared to be the inability to fine .for masks, which has sort of been
reimposed, but not exactly. And I think there's been a diminishment on that. So listen,
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I'm just trying to reconcile what everybody's saying here to try to find some coherent
way out of this so that the Manager has direction and can do whatever it is that you
all want him to do.
Vice Chair Russell: Well, that is an option and I don't believe it's the hours that cause
the greater infection. I think it's the behavior of those who are out at those later hours
that could cause the infection.
Mayor Suarez: Of course.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well -- well -- well --
Mayor Suarez. Let me just add one thing before Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla.
The Governor's Order, while it opens all bars and nightclubs and all of the
establishments that Commissioner Carollo referenced, it does not prohibit the County
from regulating those -- those organizations or those businesses. So for example, if
you're in a nightclub and you want to dance, you have to be wearing a mask. That is
part of the County Order and I think that complies with the State.
Vice Chair Russell: But the State led the curfew statewide though, correct? There is
no curfew.
Mayor Suarez: Correct.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There is no curfew.
Mayor Suarez: Correct.
Vice Chair Russell: The county implemented this curfew.
Mayor Suarez: But -- that's right --
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mayor Suarez: But the point I'm trying to make is that the County did implement some
rules that are legitimate rules in bars, nightclubs. So there are table rules, there are
distancing rules, there's mask rules if you're dancing. So that theoretical couple that
meets in one of these places, they're both going to be wearing a mask, presumably. So
Vice Chair Russell: Wait, let me finish. The curfew as the State has led the curfew
completely, the County's kept it in, and in addition, they've kept these rules. I do not
believe it's the curfew that creates the additional infection. It's whether or not the
rules are enforced that creates the additional infection.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, of course.
Vice Chair Russell: And so my point is, and the reason I'm trying to find some comfort
in this, I've been reaching out to some of those clubs that I know where it can get bad
if they do not enforce rules. And I've been provided from one, a 30 page document,
which is their set of rules for behavior on how their customers and their staff must act
throughout, whether it's 11 p.m. or 2 a.m. And if they enforce those rules, I have
comfort in it, but it's all about enforcement. And so we are going to have to -- if we're
going to allow for this later curfew, Art, I'm going to need your help, and with Code,
I'm going to need your help. There's going to need to be inspections with regard to the
rules. And it'll be up to those establishments, just like we've asked the restaurants and
we've cracked down on when they did not comply, we have to be willing to hold to
that or exactly what Commissioner Carollo was saying is going to happen. We are
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going to have an incredible spike and it will he based on had behavior, not on ours,
hut had behavior. And so 1 -- I'm open to this. I'm open to lifting the curfew
completely, or whether you want to step it up over the weeks, either one. 1 just need
help with enforcement.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Noriega: Can I talk (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Reyes, you're recognized, and then Art.
Commissioner Reyes: Why don't we do one thing? You see, let's -- let's be logical
about this. Why don't we give it a try? A try, just as Commissioner Carollo said, and
the Mayor. Well, let's give it a try. Let's lift it, I mean, raise it to midnight. And two
weeks from now, we come back in the next Commission meeting, and we'll look at all
the data and see what happened. And then maybe we take it from there. We'll do it for
three weeks. My main concern when we first -- and that's why I support Commissioner
Diaz de la Portilla wholeheartedly was because we were helping those restaurants
and small restaurants. Now, I believe that the mayor -- I mean, the culprit of the
increase in new cases is because people are not following the protocol. And we don't
have to go to a bar at 4 o'clock in the morning or 3 o'clock in the morning or 2 o'clock
in the morning. I'm going to tell you, just come here to places where people, they used
to walk and to jog and you're going to see that nobody is wearing a mask. You see
people that they -- and I've witnessed that, people that are in bicycles, there are four
or five people that they are bicycling together, none of them has a mask. And there
has been, I think, a COVID fatigue and people are saying that they are -- what they're
doing is they're saying, okay, I'm not going to get this, you see? And 1 don't want to
wear a mask because I don't want to. And that is the biggest problem, more than -- 10
more people going to a restaurant, or having a curfew until 12 at night, you see.
That's the biggest problem right now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are you willing to do 1 o'clock, Commissioner? 1
o'clock for starters? 1 in the morning?
Commissioner Reyes: Let's go to 12 o'clock at night. I mean --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: How about 12:30?
Commissioner Reyes: Let's go to 12:30. I mean, let's do it, and let's do it gradually.
And you know what we could do? We could see how it goes and test the waters. Test
the waters.
Vice Chair Russell: All right, before we go to the amendment though, I just want to
get the last comments out of the way, Mr. Mayor. and then definitely Art is --
Mayor Suarez: Just one thing, and maybe this is a way to make this a science -based
decision, is we could do one, we can go to one, and if at any point now in the next
commission meeting the percent positive exceeds 5 percent, we can go back to 12 or
to 11, whatever this body decides. We can start at one which gives restaurants the
ability to serve food later. And then if we meet a threshold, right, if the percent
positive goes above five percent, at any point, that triggers going back down to
midnight until the next Commission meeting.
Commissioner Reyes: And we let --
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Mayor Suarez: Is that fair?
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Commissioner Carollo: Gentlemen, I'm going to be very, very straightforward. 1 will
go to 12 with a lot of concerns. I'm not going to one. Not until we see what happens. I
spoke to Dr. Marty, you know, not that long ago. And she was in shock in seeing some
of the things that were going on. I know if I call her today and discuss this with her, I
know what her answer is going to be. You can call any of the other experts. We're
doing this, you know, throwing it out like we're, you know, doing something totally
different than what we're really doing. We're playing with people's lives.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: You know, this is what we're doing. We're playing with
people's lives.
Commissioner Reyes: Well.
Commissioner Carollo: Maybe you're immune to this, Commissioner. Maybe other
people are. But some, some are not --
Commissioner Reyes: No, I'm not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no, no --
Commissioner Carollo: -- some are not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- but I'm worried, about I'm worried about the
economic health of our city.
Vice Chair Russell: Everybody --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm worried about the economic health of our city.
Commissioner Carollo: But this isn't going to solve the economic health.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's going to help.
Commissioner Carollo: We've accomplished with the restaurants --
Vice Chair Russell: Stop, everybody --
Commissioner Carollo: -- what you were looking for.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, please.
Commissioner Carollo: -- we've given the restaurants a big boost.
Vice Chair Russell .• Please.
Commissioner Carollo: But beyond that, we're going into dangerous territory that the
city is not going to cave in if we wait two more weeks, bring it to midnight and take it
from there.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: And this is what I'm seeing here. We're just making decisions
without --
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Vice Chair Russell: We're hanging on hours. I'd like to break, for a second. I'd like to
hear from our Manager, and then we will settle on whatever amendment has
consensus amongst this group. 1 know that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla did not
bring this to split us up and cause us to have disagreement on this. 1 think we're going
to find --
Commissioner Reyes: I'm okay with 12.
Commissioner Reyes: Me too.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chairman, I'm okay with 12. I'm okay with 12.
Vice Chair Russell: Let's just, we'll get to that. 1'd like to hear from the City Manager
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, but we're there already and I'm okay with 12,
and Commissioner Carollo is okay with 12, and Commissioner Reyes is okay with 12.
Commissioner Carollo: I would vote for 12.
Vice Chair Russell: I would like to hear from the City Manager before we vote.
Mayor Suarez: Listen, listen, guys, I'm okay with 12.1 think -- I think.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, it's easy, Commissioner Russell. We're okay
with 12.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm trying to conduct the meeting in an orderly fashion.
Everyone's talking around each other like a knitting circle.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, we're not, no, we're not. We're having a
friendly conversation amongst friends. We're all okay with 12:00.
Vice Chair Russell: And the Manager has not gotten a word in for the last half hour,
and he's waiting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not entirely a bad thing though. Sorry.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Noriega, you have the floor, uninterrupted.
Commissioner Carollo: The manager is being a smart manager right now.
Mr. Noriega: Wow, man, that was --
Vice Chair Russell: Art, Art, give us your best Kamala Harris face and go.
Mr. Noriega: No, look, Pm going to be short and sweet just for clarity purposes,
right? So if you raise the curfew to 12, it still creates an exemption for bars,
nightclubs, strip clubs and all that. Like they don't get that same curfew in every other
district but district --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In District Two.
Mayor Suarez: It's going to be 12 across the board I think is what Commissioner
Carollo is saying.
Mr. Noriega: No.
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Mayor Suarez: 12 across the board.
Commissioner Carollo: The same thing Commissioner Reyes said.
Mayor Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: And I don't think Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla would
disagree with that. Look, it is very difficult --
Mr. Noriega: Across the board, no exception.
Commissioner Carollo: -- one city.
Mayor Suarez: Correct.
Commissioner Carollo: And if it's not enough, you try to figure between one city or
another (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Noriega: I just wanted clarity. I wanted to understand that we weren't creating a
carve out with those businesses under a separate set of rules, right? It's a 12 o'clock
across the city.
Commissioner Carollo: That's right. All businesses.
Mayor Suarez: And let me just say this because 1 want to support something that
Commissioner Carollo has said, and 1 want to reiterate it if may, Mr. Chair. One of
them is, we're not out of the woods yet. Absolutely, he's absolutely correct.
Commissioner Reyes: No we're not.
Mayor Suarez: And the second thing that I would say is, if you ask the experts, they
probably would prefer the more prudent path, which is what he's suggesting, which is
to go to 12 as opposed to something more.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mayor Suarez: So, I would agree with that too. I think, if you ask the experts, they
don't want any movement, obviously on anything, because their job, and this is what I
always say about the difficulty with this is there's a delicate balance between what an
- - you know, what an epidemiologist is going to tell you, which is the most
conservative thing always, because their job is to prevent any spread versus, you
know, the issues related to our economy and how that's impacted by all these
decisions, which also affects lives. You know, it affects people's livelihoods. So I think
- - I think doing it this way, it's certainly now during the Heat playoffs as well, which
begin at 9:00, don't end until 11:30. I think that gives some relief And then we can
study it over the next couple of weeks, Commissioner, and we'll see where we're at in
two weeks.
Mr. Noriega: Wait, wait, wait, wait, I just got thrown a curveball here. So, George,
can you reiterate to the group what you just said to me because this is --
George Wysong (Assistant City Attorney, Supervisor): So, here's -- I have a question
actually. Since the City doesn't have a curfew, right?
Mayor Suarez: Correct.
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Mr. Wysong: We -- this motion was to not enforce the County's curfew. So, there's
really no way to extend or delete from the time of the curfew because we don't have a
curfew.
Vice Chair Russell: Unless we're creating one.
Mr. Wysong: Right, exactly. So, I don't know if you guys want to go into the adventure
of creating a new curfew just for the city would be my question.
Mayor Suarez: Can I just say, George, can't the City Commission direct the Manager
not to enforce until a certain time? I mean, it's a directive.
Mr. Wysong: Yeah, I guess you could say that --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): You could, you can.
Mayor Suarez: Of course, it's a directive to the --
Ms. Mendez: That's what -- right. That's -- he just wanted to clam that you
understood that we're basically --
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) curfew.
Mayor Suarez: By the way, 1 also want to say, to be clear, that the County still has a
right, if they think the curfew is legal, which there's some doubt as to whether the
curfew is legal under the Governor's Executive Order, but the County theoretically
has a right to enforce the curfew, which is why I've always said that, you know, they
should be using their resources, not us using ours, with the CARES (Coronavirus Aid,
Relief and Economic Security) money that they got from the federal government that
they've never given us.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: They'll probably use at least a million of that CARES money
to look for Diaz de la Portilla if he violated it.
Mayor Suarez: Probably.
Commissioner Carollo: Carlito will be the one leading the charge. I'll use the next
million for you and then another million for me.
Commissioner Reyes: Let -- let's give the directive to the Manager to enforce the -- at
12 o'clock, start enforcing the curfew. I mean, look the other way until up to 12
o'clock at night, if we are going to enforce the curfew.
Vice Chair Russell: All right, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, that's a requested
amendment to change your resolution.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's fine. Absolutely. I want to come back in two
weeks and see what the data shows --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the health data shows. I want to get rid of the
curfew. I think --
Commissioner Carollo: We all do, we all want to get rid of it.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because --
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I mean, I strongly believe that our economic
health matters.
Commissioner Reyes: It does.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I'm telling you that you're right. Two weeks is
not going to natter, but then that was six months, it's been seven months. It continues.
We have to reopen. We have to do it carefully, but we have to reopen. There's no
difference. I'll give you a good example. All the criticism of the Donald Trump event
at the Rose Garden, that was at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It doesn't matter what time
you're out and about. It could be one in the morning, it could be two in the afternoon.
You can still get COVID-19 no matter where you are and what time.
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So to me, the hours is an arbitrary, number that
was put there and limitations put there that makes no scientific, intellectual sense to
me.
Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Well no, you're right in what you're saying. However --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Mayor, Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Carollo: What it does do is --
Vice Chair Russell: Mayor you're recognized, and then Commissioner Carollo.
Mayor Suarez: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: -- right now in this situation --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Mayor, you're recognized.
Mayor Suarez: I yield, I yield.
Commissioner Carollo: -- we're still having 400 plus, 500 people still each day in
Miami -Dade reporting. What it does is that if the places that are the most dangerous,
we're going to keep them open much more longer than we have, then we're increasing
that possibility of more people getting it, but you're right, scientifically, you could get
it at any hour of the day or night.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It could be at a family --
Commissioner Carollo: -- reducing the possibilities.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It could be at a -- No, we're not. No, we're not. It
could be at a family barbecue, Commissioner Russell, if I may. It could be at a family
barbecue at 12 o'clock in the afternoon. There is no scientific evidence.
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely. Absolutely. All you need is one person --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There's no scientific evidence that it happened at
two in the morning.
Vice Chair Russell: Alright.
Commissioner Reyes: Two weeks.
Commissioner Carollo: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that was infected and nobody cleaned
it when it got to the house.
Commissioner Reyes: Two weeks, two weeks, two weeks we'll come back and look at
it.
Vice Chair Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I'm going to hit my computer. I'm going to
hit my computer and it's going to break it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let me tell you something, Commissioner Russell,
you are not good with power, okay?
Vice Chair Russell: I'm not trying to --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You are, you're raising your little gavel.
Vice Chair Russell: No, no, no, no.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We're having a normal friendly conversation,
come on.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner. Commissioner. Commissioner. We could have
been out of here by noon today if we ran this meeting orderly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no, no. We're having an important
conversation.
Vice Chair Russell: I believe I'm a very orderly person who likes to get things done.
We've been talking so much over each other and repeating it so many times.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that's good, but that's good. You're hungry.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm just, oh my God, I'm hangry. I'm just trying to recognize one
person at a time, get some amendments, get a vote, and get out of here.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Let's do it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Fair enough.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manor, you're recognized.
Mayor Suarez: Listen, I just want you to call the question, but I'll tell you that this is
not being -- the other cities in Dade County, I know this from businesses that are
calling me throughout the county, they're not enforcing the curfew. There are people
that are open until 5 o'clock in the morning and later. And so I just wanted to put that
on the record because I personally called --
Unidentified Speaker: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Mayor Suarez: -- yeah, I personally called the mayor of Doral, I personally called the
mayor of Miami Gardens asking them --
Commissioner Reyes: Hialeah.
Mayor Suarez: -- yeah, asking them to please, either we all enforce the curfew or
none of us enforce the curfew. Because the other part is that it's also unfair, you
know, if businesses in other parts of even Dade County are not enforcing it. So, I just
wanted to put that on the record. Please call the question and take the vote.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, this is your item. Which
amendment are you willing to accept?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1 think we we've agreed to the 12 o'clock. There's
no -- across the board, across the city, we're not doing any carve -outs for any
particular district now. We may do it in two weeks, or we may do a complete
elimination of the curfew in two weeks when we come back. But right now, it's only to
extend the curfew or limit the curfew till midnight. So it gives bars, it gives our
restaurants and other establishments at least till 1 o'clock -- till 12 o'clock to operate.
Vice Chair Russell: Understood. So seconder agrees. Mr. Manager please place the
discussion item on the agenda for two weeks from now to assess and look at this
again. Because 1 — the businesses in my district do not need a curfew. I just need
enforcement of the rules. And this is the thumping heartbeat of this economic city. So
we have a motion, we have a second, we have an amendment. Is there any further
discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes —
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, you're recognized.
Commissioner Carollo: -- you're sounding more and more like Vice President Pence.
Congratulations.
Mr. Noriega: Can I make a point, Mr. Chair? I just want to kind of put on the record
that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla now has made it impossible for me to have
dinner two nights in a row. I just want to point that out.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's true.
Mr. Noriega: Since he made the comment about — since we addressed the issue of
being hangry, which I'm not yet, but —
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I didn't know you had an internal curfew. You
have an internal curfew?
Mr. Noriega: I have an internal hunger, yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) —
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- I'm sorry —
Mr. Noriega: -- the curfew by the way.
Mayor Suarez: Is this the last item?
Mr. Noriega: No.
Vice Chair Russell: We got a ways to go, we have —
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Mr. Noriega: That's not the last item by the way.
Commissioner Reyes: Come on. Let's get it over with.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mayor, you're not going to go away. You're
sticking with us the whole night okay.
Mayor Suarez: I have to leave right now in about five minutes.
Commissioner Reyes: Hey, listen, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor stay, you know, and Diaz de
la Portilla is going to buy you dinner.
Mayor Suarez: Now we're talking.
Mr. Noriega: Wow.
Vice Chair Russell: There's only two hours until everything closes.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, he told me. He told me he was going to buy you dinner.
Mayor Suarez: I'm not going to eat —
Ms. Mendez: From Komodo.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Komodo.
Commissioner Reyes: You can pick the restaurant. You pick the restaurant.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We have — look, look, the mayor and I have Paris,
and now we're going to have Komodo next week. That's a private thing between he
and I. It does not involve anybody else in this conversation, okay? All right, Mayor?
Mayor Suarez: Listen, but according to Commissioner Reyes, Commissioner Carollo
is my favorite, and he's in the doghouse.
Commissioner Reyes: No, I'm in the doghouse —
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I heard that, yeah. What's going on with Manny?
Commissioner Reyes: Hev, I don't get calls. Commissioner Reyes, what do you think
about this? I learn either by the press or at the Commission meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're way too sensitive, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: The only thing Tin going to tell you —
Commissioner Reyes: You know, I cannot go to sleep thinking about that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know, I know.
Commissioner Carollo: The only thing I will tell all of you is I don't kiss and tell.
Vice Chair Russell: What happens in Shangri-La stays in Shangri-La.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Exactly.
Vice Chair Russell: All right, all in favor of the item, say "aye."
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The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: All opposed? Motion passes as amended. Thank you very much.
That's PI.4.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
SCHEDULING A SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING ON
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2020 AT 10:00 A.M. TO TAKE ANY
AND ALL ACTIONS IN RELATION TO VIRGINIA KEY MARINA.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0324
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioners, I'm looking at the November -- I mean, all the
dates in November, and information that we have received from the City Clerk has to
be, if we're going to meet, it has to be before the 18'h, and so Mr. Hardemon could
participate. And we have all dates, I mean, from November 2 all the way to
November 16, all those days are taken away -- Th and 14th, which are holidays -- I
mean that they are Sundays. And which date will you all agree on being -- I mean,
that you know that you're going to be here and you will be available?
Commissioner Carollo: November 17.
Commissioner Reyes: November 17 is --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can we do it November 3rd?
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Commissioner Reyes: No, no. I'm going to be too nice.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to see if Commissioner Hardemon comes
on screen now.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. November 3, that day, Commissioner Hardemon,
we have a special meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: November 3, Commissioner Hardemon, at 7 a.m.
Are you ready?
Chair Hardemon: That might work for me.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. November 17, Todd, is that a good date?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Commissioner Reyes, that is actually --
Commissioner Reyes: 16rh
Mr. Hannon: -- the day the vacancy occurs, so --
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Commissioner Reyes: The 161"'.
Mr. Hannon: -- the special meeting would need to be before November 17.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: November 16.
Commissioner Reyes: November 16? 16, okay? Everybody agrees with it?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: 16, okay. At what time; morning?
Commissioner Carollo: What date are we talking about?
Commissioner Reyes: Monday, November 16, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I agree with that.
Commissioner Reyes: So we deal with this once and for all, that's it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But 10 a.m. 10 a.m.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, 10 a.m., yes. 1 know. 1-- you and 1, we are --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 10 a.m.
Commissioner Reyes: 1 can understand. I feel the same way.
Vice Chair Russell: I have to pick up my girls at 3 from school.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, then you better make a decision by 2:30.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah, we should. Let's start earlier.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think so.
Commissioner Reyes: You know, if you don't extend yourself that much, you see, and
you talk a little bit less, we'll be here -- about 12 o'clock out already.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, Russell, I don't know. You and Hardemon, I figure you
would jump in and I would support you, but how can we not let the new Commissioner
decide, you know, whoever is going to be elected next? Isn't that what is being asked
for?
Commissioner Reyes: There's a certain contradiction there.
Commissioner Carollo: I don't know.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, there's some contradiction there, yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm teasing. Everybody stand down.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Stand down. We can name -- we can -- well, I can
nominate and we can name somebody to replace Commissioner Hardemon that day,
too.
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Commissioner Reyes: That's right. That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Kill two birds with one stone.
Commissioner Reyes: But before that, Commissioner, don't --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, it's going to be the 18'h, right, Vicky? It's
going to be the 18'h?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: But -- excuse me; meaning before that -- correct me if I'm
wrong -- we should start the process to give time to people. 1 mean, we have to decide
what we're going to do and if we're going to have special elections or if we are going
to appoint somebody.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: This is a great Segway into my pocket item
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) for 5 o'clock, the pocket item.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, I truly
apologize. I'm very sorry, sir. Is there a motion for the special meeting? Can I get a
-- can I have a motion?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. So Commissioner Reyes moves a motion for
a special meeting, right?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: On November 16, 10 a.m. I second it.
Chair Hardemon: So it's been moved and seconded.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, Chair -- Madam City Attorney, the special meeting is being
called to take any and all actions associated with this particular item?
Ms. Mendez: With the -- awarding -- with the Virginia Key RFP (Request for
Proposals).
Commissioner Reyes: Final decision.
Commissioner Carollo: Any and all actions.
Ms. Mendez: Any and all actions.
Commissioner Reyes: Any and all.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor of the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? That motion carries.
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DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION BY CITY COMMISSION REGARDING CONTINUITY
OF GOVERNMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE UPCOMING
ANTICIPATED VACANCY FOR THE DISTRICT 5 COMMISSION
SEAT.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, now going back to the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The Segway, the great Segway. And I don't want to
talk -- I had a pocket item and I think I5n going to need to introduce it, and then get
some -- do some of the rest of the days business, and then come back to it for public
input, I think, because I made a mistake in the morning. I didn't introduce it, so I
apologize for that, but it's a continuity of government pocket item that kind of begins
to address the naming, 1 would think, of a City Commissioner fir District 5. We're
going to unfortunately lose our current Commissioner, our Chairman to the upper
body, and we need to name someone. My belief is that -- my thinking is -- at least for
now -- we need to name someone instead of doing a special election, because a
special election is costly. We're in dire economic times. And that person would need
to run for re-election anyway at the end of --
Commissioner Reyes: In November.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- in November, like Commissioner Carollo is up
on the ballot, and so is Mayor Suarez --
Commissioner Carollo: We're not running --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- during that time, during a regular election. But
if we can make -- but because we have so many important issues coming up and the
hundred thousand or so people that live in City Commission District 5, we need to
have representation in the decision -making process. We can't have a lack of
continuity in government. We can't have four Commissioners, you know, where we
can end up with a whole bunch of 2-2 votes, and that happens. And on top of that, at
the -- that constituency is not represented. Part of my thinking --
Commissioner Carollo: Isn't that the excuse that I'm hearing for the Supreme Court
nomination now --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we would have to wait --
Commissioner Carollo: -- that it would end up in a tie, 4-4?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly.
Commissioner Reyes: Exactly, exactly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But, you know, it could very well be that we never
have a tie here; it could actually 3-1 here in many cases, so actually, it doesn't -- it's
not fir our benefit; it's for the collective benefit, right?
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And really, for the representation of the people
that live in District 5 that need to have a voice, whoever that person is. And so, I
would like to have -- you know -- a time from our City Attorney what the time frame is
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for that, whether -- I don't -- I have a list here in ,front of me on how it's been done in
the past. It's been a little bit chaotic --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- in the past, and contentious. Obviously, it's an
important thing. It's only five members in this legislative body and -- you know -- one
makes a big difference, and I get that. But because we are in different times in 2020
with COVID-19 and the economic crisis that we have is that we need to have a full
Commission to address important issues that are going to allow our City to move
forward and gain the revenues it needs to gain and make up -- you know -- fill that
gap that we have right now. So my thinking was whether we're going to take
applications. If we don't have to, 1 ask for the City Attorney -- we don't have to take
applications of people, but we do have to give people, 1 think --
Commissioner Reyes: A chance.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- an opportunity --
Commissioner Reyes: An opportunity.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- to say, "Hey, I want to run for this. I'm
interested in this. These are my qualifications," kind of like a qualifying -- our own set
-- our own qualifying process, so people not -- they say, "Hey, this is what 1 offer," so
we can all review it and make the best choice --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- as an interim Commissioner for a year, who
will, by the way, will be making really important decisions over the next year;
probably some of the most important decisions ever made in our City in a long time.
So I think it should be a deliberate and thoughtful process, but I also think it should
be a process that is done quickly, deliberatively, and thoughtfully, but quickly.
Commissioner Reyes: And transparent. And transparent.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So if we're going to initiate that process of maybe
telling the public that, "Hey, if you want to" -- 'you think that you could be a good
Commissioner for this district, send us your qualifications so we can look at them,"
and then we can begin that process, and maybe come back, and maybe hold a special
meeting, so we'll probably be having three meetings in a row: The one that
Commissioner Reyes called for, for the Virginia Key Marina; the selection of a new
Commissioner for District 5, if we decide to go that route; and then our regular
meeting on November 19. So we're going to have those three meetings, one after the
other. So we enter November 19, we have a Commissioner for the 5th District sitting
already. If we leave it to the 19th, it could be that we have a debate and there's a
stalemate, possibly, and we don't have a sitting Commissioner, and we really can't do
a lot of business. So that continuity of government for me is important. I would like to,
between now and then, open it up for people to apply, to qualify, or whatever the
members think we should be doing to kind of get a list of people that we think -- you
know -- should be -- that they think are eligible and should be considered to represent
District 5.
Commissioner Reyes: Let me ask you a question.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's my thinking on it.
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes. And I agree with you. We need to solve this problem and
move fast. But Mr. City Clerk, can we pick the person that is going to be appointed to
that seat before the City Commissioner ends his term, or do we have to wait until that
-- I mean that it -- the -- his term has been ended and we pick? Can we pick the same
day that ends his term, or -- and that would --?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): No, sir. The vacancy occurs on the 17xh. The 10-day
period begins the day after, so you can call a special meeting on the 18`I'. I'm just
going through a hypothetical. You could call a special meeting on the 18`h to -- for the
sole purpose of appointing someone if that is the will of the Commission to the
District 5 seat.
Commissioner Reyes: If --
Commissioner Carollo: Can we --?
Commissioner Reyes: -- we appoint that -- can we appoint that person on the 19`E
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: -- in the regular meeting?
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: First order of the day.
Commissioner Carollo: It's too much for all that in one meeting. 1--
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. Well --
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
SCHEDULING A SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING ON
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2020 AT 10:00 A.M. FOR THE
PURPOSE OF TAKING ANY AND ALL ACTIONS IN RELATION TO
FILLING THE UPCOMING VACANCY IN THE DISTRICT 5
COMMISSION SEAT BY APPOINTMENT OR, IF NECESSARY, BY
SPECIAL ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 12 OF
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0325
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Commissioner Carollo: I would like to make a resolution now that we hold a special
meeting --
Commissioner Reyes: The 18`h.
Commissioner Carollo: -- on the 18" at 10 a.m. for the purpose of choosing someone
for the District 5 seat and/or we get through an election if there's no consensus.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved. Is there a second?
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Commissioner Reyes: I second it.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Any further discussion?
Vice Chair Russell: Could you clarify it again? I'm sorry. We're a little bit out of
order on the agenda, so I'm not following exactly here. What is the motion?
Commissioner Carollo: The motion is for a special meeting at 10 a.m., November 18,
for the sole purpose of either choosing a replacement for the District 5 Commissioner,
or putting it up to a special election --
Commissioner Reyes: To a special election. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: -- if we can't come to a consensus.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah, that's fine.
Commissioner Reyes: And I second it.
Chair Hardemon: Been properly moved and seconded. Seeing no fiirther discussion,
all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion carries.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, Commissioners, this is an opportunity for me to
request a little more direction as to how you would like me to approach this qualifying
process.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, it's coming. I was going to do that next, because --
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir.
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Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING
THE CITY CLERK TO, ON OR BEFORE TUESDAY OCTOBER 13,
2020, ADVERTISE THE UPCOMING VACANCY IN THE DISTRICT
5 CITY COMMISSION SEAT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
BE CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT BY THE CITY
COMMISSION AND FURTHER PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR ANY SUCH PERSON TO SEND A RESUME TO THE CITY
CLERK BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER
13, 2020.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0327
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Commissioner Carollo: I'd like to place a resolution for the Clerk to advertise --
Commissioner Reyes: Advertise.
Commissioner Carollo: -- beginning on Monday so that people know there is going to
be an opening beginning on the 18th, and for those that would like to be considered to
be appointed by the City Commission that they send their resume to the City Clerk
before the 18th. In fact, we should put a cutoff date --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- to the 15`h -- it's a Friday -- 15th of November.
Chair Hardemon: That's a Sunday.
Commissioner Reyes: Chair, that's a Sunday.
Commissioner Carollo: And as the Clerk gets the resumes, he forwards them to each
of us.
Mr. Hannon: If we could make that November 13, that's a Friday, sir?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mr. Hannon: November 13.
Commissioner Carollo: Right, yeah.
Mr. Hannon: By close of business --
Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Mr. Hannon: -- and that means whether it's received physically, electronically, if an
email comes in after 5 o'clock --
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Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Mr. Hannon: -- if it doesn't make it by 5 o'clock, that is the cutoff.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'd prefer that they come personally so you can get to
greet them and say hello, and -- you know. No, I'm serious. Yeah, they could do it
electronically.
Mr. Hannon: But 5 p.m. is the cutoff.
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner, I can tell you we don't have enough time.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. This process is excellent, because it's going to put it
out there and people can enter in. But is there a legal requirement for someone to
send in this application? Because if --
Commissioner Carollo: No.
Vice Chair Russell: -- one of us wants to --
Commissioner Carollo: No.
Vice Chair Russell: -- proffer a random name on that day, we could, correct?
Commissioner Carollo: You're correct. That's correct.
Vice Chair Russell: Just wanted to clarifY. Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: So is there a motion?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, but the thing is, what I'm afraid of is that if we receive, let's
say, 10, 15 resumes, do we have enough time to vet them between the 13`h and the 15'
-- and the 18`h?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, you would hope that you would, but if not, I'm sure that
each of them is going to come to that meeting and we could vet them publicly, too.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay, okay. I move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I second it.
Commissioner Carollo: Fine.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner -- I'm sorry, Mr. Hannon. Do you
have a -- you want to say something or --?
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir, and I apologize, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. So another
component that we've done in the past -- this was in 2010 -- where I understand that
the -- a nominee could submit their resume -- not required, but could -- by November
13, before 5 p.m. But there's another component, too, because any nominee who is
going to be appointed needs to comply with Section 4 of the City Charter, meaning
that they need to have lived within the district for a year, need to be an elector. So in
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the past, we've used the Affidavit of Candidate that you all are very familiar with that
you filled out when you ran for elected office. In 2010, we used that for the nominees
to ensure -- go ahead, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Whenever there's a special election -- I don't know
about an appointment, because again -- what am I, Commissioner Carollo? I'm the
new kid on the block. What am I? Am I --?
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (Comment made in Spanish.)
Commissioner Carollo: (Comment made in Spanish.)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: When there's a special election -- right? -- it's --
the residency requirement doesn't apply, right?
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yes, it does.
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, it does.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It does?
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It does? Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely, yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All right. So the one-year residency requirement
would apply.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The same qualifying requirements apply to this
appointment.
Chair Hardemon: It all applies. I think what Mr. Hannon is describing is a statement
that the -- the statement that he's referring to would basically be the candidate
swearing that they fit the qualifications.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: And so, if you do not fit the qualifications, you've sworn to that. It's
actually -- it's perjury. So it basically says, "Look, I'm not just getting a bunch of
resumes. I'm getting resumes that swear that they fit the qualifications."
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: So therefore, it's actionable.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Hannon: So what -- I'm just inquiring and requesting direction on. So a potential
nominee could submit this Affidavit of Candidate; not electronically. That is a sworn
document, as the Chair mentioned, so that would need to be submitted physically.
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Now, they could submit that. They could come down to the Clerk's Office and,
quote/unquote, qualify before the special meeting on the 18`" if they desire, or they
could wait till the day of that meeting to fill out the Candidate of Affidavit [sic] and --
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely. I mean, we're not going to name someone that
doesn't live in the City of Miami, so --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: -- I'm not worried about that.
Mr. Hannon: I just wanted to make sure there's flexibility. Thank you. Thank you,
Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: But coming to the City of Miami and qualifying is the standard
procedure.
Mr. Hannon: Yes; for our elections, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: And so, they have to follow the standard procedure.
Mr. Hannon: And that is in the Charter for an appointment; yes, sir --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Mr. Hannon: -- that they need to adhere to the qualifications outlined in the Charter.
Commissioner Carollo: Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Is your opponent living inside the City of Miami presently in
District 5?
Chair Hardemon: Well, that is the question that all of us wonder from time to time.
No. My current opponent does not live in the City of Miami, no.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Do you have an opponent?
Chair Hardemon: Yeah. I heard that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, the rumor.
Chair Hardemon: -- someone is running against me.
Commissioner Carollo: The Miami Herald.
Chair Hardemon: Aren't they all of our opponents?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, of course. They hate democracy, don't
they?
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Chair Hardemon: Mr. Hannon.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair. Commissioner Carollo, could 1 get a little flexibility
when it comes to the notice? Next Monday is Columbus Day, and I'm not exactly sure
how many publications are actually publishing, but if I could just have that week, a
little flexibility to get a notice out and to start also sending out electronically and
through Communications and so forth; is that okay, sir?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, why don't you do it -- yeah, do it today. It's Thursday.
Why don't you send it out tomorrow, Friday?
Mr. Hannon: I'm just going to need a little time to craft it, to make sure I run it past
the City Attorneys' Office, so I would just like a little time, sir, to do it right.
Chair Hardemon: Just use the same (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: If you must, but I would hope it could go live then tomorrow;
send out a "Happy Columbus Day" when you do.
Mr. Hannon: I'll do my best, but I may need a little flexibility.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, I just gave it to you.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: And 1 think the Commission would support it.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: You have until Tuesday to do it.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: But hopefully, you or the City Attorney could handle
something so simple by tomorrow's date so it could be out early.
Mr. Hannon: Right. The deadline for publications, though, is very early tomorrow
morning; and so, we just need a little time --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Hannon: -- beyond -- you know -- just --
Commissioner Carollo: I stand corrected. You're correct. It's early in the morning,
the time for sending it out to The Herald --
Mr. Hannon: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: -- or whoever you want to send it out to.
Mr. Hannon: We'll do multiple publications.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Just be careful to send it out to the New Times, because
if not, we'll get all kinds of weirdos applying.
Mr. Hannon: Understood, sir.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All the porn shop operators -- right? -- the
advertisers. I'm not even --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that, and all the -- you know -- clubs and marijuana
clubs and what have you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The massage parlors and all that.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, yeah; oh, yeah; particularly the massage parlors.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: As long as it's legal, but --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can we advertise with Mr. Crespo and Politico
Cortadito? Are those legitimate papers, or blogs, or --? Can we advertise there, too,
or --?
Chair Hardemon: I don't think they have a BTR (Business Tax Receipt).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or maybe David Winker can tweet it or -- I don't
know -- something like that.
Chair Hardemon: They may not (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Does anybody even read that stuff? Does anybody
read that?
Commissioner Carollo: You can't in the first one you mentioned, because he's not a
journalist. He's an award -winning photographer.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh. Have you seen the awards?
Chair Hardemon: So to clarify the motion on the floor, the motion on the floor is by
Commissioner Carollo to give direction to the City Clerk to advertise, starting --
hopefully, by tomorrow -- but by the latest, Tuesday for this role, and to -- for the
vacancy. That's what the motion is, correct?
Mr. Hannon: And just for clarification, Chair, it won't most likely appear in the paper
by Tuesday, but at the very least, maybe we can start getting it out electronically and
throughout the week, because some publications that we're going to be using only
publish once per week; and so, that's why I was just asking for flexibility.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Okay. Now, the question that you had, Mr. Clerk, regarding
the Statement of Candidacy, do you need any direction on that, or are you perfectly
fine with what you received?
Mr. Hannon: No, sir. It's my understanding that beginning next week, nominees
interested can submit a resume. They can also at the same time fill out the Affidavit of
Candidate and all the documents that accompany that Affidavit of Candidate, as if
we're going through the process of qualdying someone for an elected office; and so, I
understand that. I also understand the fact that resumes will be due by November 13,
by 5 p.m., but they're not required, and that someone could come on the day of the
special meeting to qualib, and be considered for the appointment.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Seeing no further questions, all in favor of the motion, say
"aye"
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The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes. Madam City Attorney?
Ms. Mendez: I just wanted to make sure that the public comment period has still been
rolling in for the comments on --
Chair Hardemon: This is mostly direction, so this is not -- you know -- we haven't
done anything substantive here.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Madam City Attorney, some additional guidance. If all the
polls would be wrong and comes election day and we have a surprise and we have a
different Commissioner elected to the County, can we rename Commissioner
Hardemon --
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: -- back to the Commission?
Ms. Mendez: Absolutely.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Ms. Mendez: Absolutely. But we don't want that; right, Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Well, I don't know.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to keep him. I want to keep him.
Commissioner Reyes: I want to keep him, too.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know he wants to move up in the world, but I
want to keep him.
Commissioner Reyes: I want to keep him.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I want to keep him, but he's moving -- he
wants to move up, you know? He's --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm looking out for you, Hardemon.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's outgrown us. He's outgrown us.
Commissioner Carollo: You make sure you look outfor the City once you're there.
Chair Hardemon: Listen, I know something's going on when everybody's being nice to
me. Even the City Attorney, the Clerk, you know?
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We need a couple more of your votes before you
leave, and we'll be okay.
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Commissioner Carollo: Look, come to our Columbus Day celebration and barbecue,
and we'll tell you what's going on.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Sounds like a trap; all these traps.
Mr. Hannon: Chair and Commissioners, would you like to talk about the procedures
that will be used for this special meeting, or is that something that you want to wait to
decide on --?
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no,no.
Chair Hardemon: Have you ever heard of --? Well, it's different procedures that are
out there, but the particular ones that we use is Mason's Rules of Order.
Mr. Hannon: Oh, no, no; understood, sir. It's just that in 2010, there was a certain
series of steps that were taken, as well as when it came to voting by ballot and so
forth, so I could share that with you all individually if that's what you'd prefer.
Commissioner Carollo: You could do that --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- Clerk, if you'd like, but 1 think we can handle it from here
on -- you know -- on the meeting.
Commissioner Reyes: We could decide on the meeting.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Hannon: Understood. Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. We can decide on it.
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NA.9
8045
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI 21 REPORT AD HOC TASK FORCE
FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Nathanial Robinson Commissioner Ken Russell
Adam Old Commissioner Ken Russell
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0335
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Vice Chair Russell: Are we able to reappoint our members to the Miami 21 Task
Force at this point?
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): I believe so; yes, Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Russell: In that case, I'd like to proffer my two original appointees, which
were Pastor Nathaniel Robinson and Mr. Adam Old if there is a motion and a second
for that.
Commissioner Carollo: There's a motion.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: Second.
Commissioner Carollo: Those are your two appointments?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. They're the original same two that I had.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Do we need to allocate them to other categories, or do you all do
that automatically, based on their criteria?
Ms. Ewan: We would have to look at the criteria, Vice Chair, to make sure that they
meet the applicable criteria as set forth in the new resolution that was passed today.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah. It's my understanding that they do. All right. Thank you
very much. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes.
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NA.10
8046
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI 21 REPORT AD HOC TASK FORCE
FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
Melissa Tapanes Llahues
Vicky Leiva
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-20-0336
MOTION TO:
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
ABSENT:
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Adopt
ADOPTED
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
Hardemon
Commissioner Reyes: 1 would like to -- Mr. Chairman?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to reappoint my two original appointees, Melissa
Tapanes and Vicky Leiva.
Vice Chair Russell: What was the second one?
Commissioner Reyes: Victoria; Victoria Leiva.
Vice Chair Russell: Okay. Would you like them in one motion?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, in one motion.
Vice Chair Russell: That's fine. There's been a motion. Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: There's a second.
Vice Chair Russell: Second by Commissioner Carollo. Any further discussion? All in
favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Opposed? Motion passes.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Commissioners, just to clarify, if you're able to state
what they're for, that would be even better, just so that there isn't a question. So I
believe the two that you appointed, Commissioner Reyes, they're for the attorney
spots, and I believe your two, Vice Chairman Russell, were for the community --
Vice Chair Russell: Community leader.
Ms. Mendez: -- leader spots.
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NA.11
8025
Commissioners and
Mayor
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: Just to make it easier for the Clerk's Office, as well.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Are there any further motions on appointments?
Ms. Ewan: No, Vice Chair; not from our office.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/PLANNING, BUILDING AND
ZONING DEPARTMENT," TO PROVIDE FOR INCLUSION OF
BUILDING VIOLATIONS AS PART OF CAUSE FOR REVOCATION
OF CERTIFICATES OF USE; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Vice Chair Russell: I'll move to PL2.
Commissioner Carollo: Hold on a minute.
Vice Chair Russell: Oh, I'm sorry. We'll read Commissioner Carollo's item into the
record, please, and we'll list that as PLS, I want to say.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): My apologies. This is the new item. This will be PI. 11.
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Vice Chair Russell: Okay, PL11. Now let's see if you could read it into the record,
please.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It's not PL5?
Vice Chair Russell: It's PL 11, apparently.
Mr. Hannon: No, no, no. P15 was calling of the special meeting on November --
Would you like me to go down the list.
Commissioner Carollo: No, no.
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Vice Chair Russell: No. I trust you.
Commissioner Carollo: We believe you. We believe you.
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, please read it into the record.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): So there is the addition then for -- under Section of
Denial or Revocation of Certificate of Use. It adds violations of Chapter 10 of the
City Code, which would include, I believe, the 40-year certifications and all that. And
then --
Commissioner Carollo: Well 1 -- do you believe, or are you sure?
Ms. Mendez: I believe that that's what Chapter 10 has the --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, then why don't you spell it out? 40-year certification so
that --
Ms. Mendez: Remember, this is just first reading, Commissioner, so we can tweak this
perfectly just like you like it before second reading.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right.
Ms. Mendez: And then the penalties section that we're adding is: Stop work orders
may be issued by the Building official until such time the violation is remedied.
Commissioner Carollo: "Will"; "will be issued." We included that before in the other
ordinance that we passed.
Ms. Mendez: All right. So: "Will be issued by the Building official until such time as
the violation has been remedied"; enforcement, pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 10 of
the City Code, and the sum of $500 violation. No permit applications will be approved
unless with open cases or pending fines. Enforcement by one method doesn't preclude
enforcement by others, and it exempts government departments. So that's generally
what this does, and we'll tweak anything between first and second.
Commissioner Carollo: And the second one, okay?
Ms. Mendez.: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, does that satisfy you with what you had put
down before?
Art Noriega (City, Manager): Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. I make the motion.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Commissioner Carollo makes a motion on PI11.
Commissioner Reyes: I second it.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a second?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I second it.
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ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Reyes: I second it.
Vice Chair Russell: Seconded by Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. I'll open for
public comment if there are any. 1 know I'm not really giving much time or ability for
that, but this is first reading, so we can still allow that for second reading, as well.
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Closing public comment. Any further discussion on the dais?
Hearing none, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes. That's PI. 11.
The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
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