Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2022-09-10 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com �YOp r 1 ' 'Parr +� v * INCORP ORATEO * 1896 Meeting Minutes Saturday, September 10, 2022 10:00 AM First Budget Hearing City Hall City Commission Francis X. Suarez, Mayor Christine King, Chair, District Five Joe Carollo, Vice Chair, District Three Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner, District One Ken Russell, Commissioner, District Two Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 10:00 AM INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CALL TO ORDER ORDER OF THE DAY Present: Chairwoman King, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner Russell and Commissioner Reyes On the 10th day of September, 2022, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular session. The Commission Meeting was called to order by Chairwoman King at 10:23 a.m., and adjourned at 12:38 p.m. Note for the Record: Commissioner Russell entered the Commission chambers at 10:38 a.m., and Vice Chair Carollo entered the Commission chambers at 10:40 a.m. ALSO PRESENT: Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager John Greco, Deputy City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk Chair King: Good morning again, everyone. I now have a quorum, so we are going to begin our meeting with a prayer. I'd like to ask Pastor Robert Jackson to come up and give us a prayer. Invocation delivered. Chair King: Thank you. Commissioner Reyes, would you honor us with the pledge of allegiance? Pledge of allegiance delivered. Chair King: Thank you. You may be seated. Chair King: Thank you again for joining us for our first budget meeting and related budget public hearing for the City of Miami Commission in these historic chambers. At this time, I believe the City Attorney has a statement to read. John Greco (Deputy City Attorney): Thank you, Madam Chair. This morning, the City of Miami is holding its first budget meeting and the related first budget public hearing for the purposes of fixing the proposed millage rate, adopting a tentative budget, and approving various agency budgets. There will be a final budget meeting and final budget public hearing on September 22, 2022 at 5:05 p.m. These hearings were set pursuant to Resolution Number R-22-0286 adopted on July 28, 2022 and in compliance with Chapter 200 and Section 166.241 Florida Statutes and all other applicable rules and regulations. 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 www.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 at the Office of the City Clerk or online at City of Miami Page 1 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 www.municode.com. The City of Miami requires that anyone requesting action by the City Commission must disclose before the hearing any consideration provided or committed to anyone for agreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to City Code Section 2-8. Any documents offered to the City Commission that have not been provided at least seven days before the meeting as part of the agenda materials will be entered into the record at the City Commission's discretion. In accordance with Section 2-33(f) and (g) of the City Code, the agenda and 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 www.miamigov.com. Any person may be heard by the City Commission through the Chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission, unless modified by the chairperson. Public comment will begin at approximately 10 o 'clock a.m. and remain open until public comment is closed by the chairperson. Members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by submitting written comments via the online comment form. Please visit www.miamigov.com/meetinginstructions for detailed instructions on how to provide public comment using the online public comment form. The comments submitted through the comment form have been and will be distributed to the elected officials and City Administration throughout the day so that the elected officials may 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 chairperson closes public comment. Public comment may also be provided live at City Hall, located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, subject to any and all City rules as they may be amended. 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 members of the public must first state their name, their address, and what item will be spoken about. Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids, and services for this meeting may notes the City Clerk. The City has provided different public comment methods to indicate, among other things, the public's support, opposition, or neutrality on the items and topics to be discussed at the City Commission meeting in compliance with Section 286.0114, subsection 4, subsection c, Florida Statutes. The public has been given the opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity and time before the meeting. Please note Commissioners have generally, been briefed by City staff and City Attorney on items on the agenda today. Anyone wishing a verbatim record of an item considered at this meeting may request it at the Office of Communications or view it online at www.miamigov.com. Notwithstanding the foregoing pursuant to Florida Statute Section 200.065 subsection 3 and 286.0105 and Florida Administrative Code Rule 12d-17.005, subsection 2, subsection C22, no verbatim record is required for the appeal of any decisions made during public hearings required by Chapter 200. The meeting can be viewed live on Miami TV, miamigov.com/tv, the City's Facebook page, the City's Twitter page, the City's YouTube channel, and Comcast Channel 77. The broadcast will also have closed captioning. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Chair King: Thank you. City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL BUDGET ITEM(S) 12552 DISCUSSION ITEM Office of the City Clerk PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR THE SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 FIRST BUDGET HEARING. RESULT: PRESENTED Chair King: At this point, let me check with my colleagues. Would you like to open public comment, or would you like --? Okay. So, at this time, we are going to open public comment, and subsequent to public comment, we'11 come back with questions on the budget. So, you may line up, those of you who wish to speak. Good morning. Damian Pardo: Good morning, Chairwoman, Commissioners, guests. My, name is Damian Pardo, 421 Northeast 51st Street. I am the chair of 4Ward Miami or Pa 'Lante Miami. We're a homegrown group of volunteers. We're not promoters. We're non for profit. It's a true labor of love, the work we do. Gay Ocho Festival started in 2016, and today it's the largest diversity and inclusion festival in the nation. We bring over 100,000 people to Little Havana in February and throughout the year. We announce a theme every year to highlight important social issues. In the past, these themes have been about gun violence, climate change, freedom for people in Cuba, immigration, or equality. We highlight these issues at our gala and at the festival. Gay Ocho brings together all parts of South Florida for one day of music, fun, films, food, fashion. Our hashtag is called Live Your Story Here because we welcome everyone to Little Havana to come as they are. We lessen political polarization by reaching out to all kinds of people. We don't care if you voted for Hillary or if you voted for Trump. We're about working together in South Florida on projects as one community to improve us all. We believe Gay Ocho is positioned to really take off as a key City of Miami event, and with your help, we ask that you create a line item in the budget so that the burden doesn 't fall on just one Commission district, but the entire city where it belongs, where it benefits. We have worked with dozens of local groups, granted over $45, 000 in the community, groups like Circle of Brotherhood, Cuba Decide, Vizcaya, WeCount!, RJT Foundation, Rainbow Railroad, and many more. We give a platform for local talent and young artists, and we hire hundreds of local workers. We need your funding and support from City services and flexibility. We ask that you please help us become a larger national and international - scaled event, the kind of unique event that makes Miami proud. We have a brief three- and-a-halfminute presentation. Yeah. Chair King: So, you said two folks are going to do --? Who are the two folks that are donating their time? Two people that are donating their time? Okay. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, if I could have the individuals donating their time for the record. Chair King: Your names, please. Cory McKnight: Cory McKnight. My address is 1951 Northwest 7th Avenue. Chair King: And? Eduardo Juanes: Eduardo Juanes, 2911, 52. Chair King: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE). City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Mr. Juanes: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE). At this time, an audiovisual presentation was made. Chair King: Thank you. Next speaker. Yas Gonzalez: Good morning. Chair King: Good morning. Ms. Gonzalez: I am joining 4Ward Miami and Gay Ocho Festival this morning, speaking on behalf of them as well. 1 am in charge of the fashion show. My name is Yas Gonzalez. I was raised here in the City of Miami, Little Havana to be exact. I went to Miami Senior High. So, in order to give -- you know, it feels great to give back to my own community by helping other up and coming fashion designers, models, little girls that want to employ their time doing something proper, you know, modeling, doing beauty, taking makeup classes. I hosted a casting for this show. My first year with 4Ward Miami and Gay Ocho was last year, and I'm looking forward to joining this year as well. And at the casting, we had parents coming in and thanking us for the amazing work that Damian and 4Ward Miami is doing with Gay Ocho Festival, and saying that they have to take extra work in order fbr the girls to pay for fashion school and in order for them to be taken into consideration to walk at fashion shows. So, with this said, we're trying to establish -- with all of your help and budgeting as well, we're trying to establish an educational forum for these girls with no cost to them with the help of 4Ward Miami and Gay Ocho Festival. And it's a great opportunity for our community, our people here in our neighborhood to join our fashion shows at Gay Ocho Festival. So, thank you very much. Chair King: Morning. Francesco Dubeyli: Morning, my name is Francesco Dubeyli. I am the chief executive officer at Survivors' Pathway Organization. We've been serving victims of crimes for 12 years, and today I'm supporting Gay Ocho because we serve lots of victims from the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and those victims of communism from Cuba and Venezuela. And as a fact, I can tell that Gay Ocho is a festival where all these people got together, got united, and they feel included, and it's a great opportunity for them to celebrate that they are in this country and that they have been able to heal and to move forward from the victimization. And guys, this festival, I always support it because we organize hundreds and hundreds of victims that they go and they celebrate. Not only celebrate Gay Ocho, but they celebrate freedom and they celebrate healing and they celebrate hope. So, I hope that you guys support this festival. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Asiel Babastro (as translated by Irene Orces, official Spanish interpreter): My name is Asiel Babastro, and two years ago, I am a member of the Gay8 Festival. I conducted a video a year ago that's called Patria y Vida, which means Life and Country. And that made me understand the art and the people and how a country is moved, a community and a great part of the world as well. The festival gave me a chance to show my artwork. And I was able to have a few months to show my documentary for this festival. After many hours of f fining, I understood that we have to give youth an opportunity to show their artistic abilities and talents. And it will serve as a documentary in the next upcoming years. for the good of the community that are upcoming. City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Yeney Farinas Ramos: Good morning. I prefer to speak than to read but today I have to read what I say, I wanted to express. Good morning. Good morning, everybody. Hi, friends. Thank you, City of Miami, for allowing us the opportunity to express our needs and aspirations. My name is Genay Farinas Ramos. I am co-owner and vice president of Cubaocho Museum and Performing Arts Center in Little Havana. I have come today not only as a merchant or as part of the board of director for 4Ward Miami, Pa 'Lante Miami, but also as an entrepreneurial woman with a business that have been a fundamental part of the development of the area for the last 15 years. I have come to request the support of the City of Miami in terms of funding and flexibility of the opening and closing hours of Gay Ocho Festival. As a merchant in the heart of Little Havana, I have been able to experience first-hand the development of the area, not only live it, but also be part of it. And one of the goals of 4Ward Miami and Gay Ocho Festival have been that, bring development, food, prosperity to our community. In addition to having as an objective the focus of our community, which we believe, Gay Ocho Miami stands for inclusion, diversity, and economic development. And if you think Gay Ocho is just a street festival or just for gay community, you are completely wrong. Gay Ocho Festival is a platform, an opportunity to connect with part of South Florida you never knew were there, in ways no one knew were possible. Look at the story, see the facts behind through the history of Gay Ocho Festival. They have provide help, development, food for our business, my business, for example, in many -- to so many problems that rise to our community. Bring fashion show to Little Havana. Chair King: Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Farinas Ramos: Just to say this, please support us -- Chair King: Yes. Ms. Farinas Ramos: -- in your belief and you guys. Chair King: Thank you. Ms. Farinas Ramos: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE). Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Alyssa Ramos: Good morning. My, name is Alyssa Ramos. My address is 10875 Southwest 28th Street. I am not only an entrepreneur in events for the last 20 years, I'm a mom of an 18-year-old, a mom of a 9-year-old. I have been producing events for the last 20 years in this community, nationally, and internationally. This event is like none other that I've ever been a part of. I've been a part of small and large events. This is a diversity and inclusion festival. I'm proud to say that not only have I participated in this event and seen this event grow over the years, thanks to some of your support, and hopefully, your continued support and increased support throughout the years. This event makes everyone from all walks of life feel valued, important, like they truly belong to our community. Not only do we pull from our community, within the cast of the fashion show as have been mentioned prior, but we help the communitarians, the business owners in that area continue to grow their businesses, not just in that one day of events. We promote them year-round. We're truly grateful to have your support and continue going forward. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Alberto Sigarroa: Good morning. My name is Alberto Sigarroa. Fin with Miami -Dade College's Department of Cultural Affairs. We run the Miami Film Festival and the Tower Theater Miami. We screen films and invited filmmakers during this program. Every year, Gay Ocho is a huge part of the Tower Theater's programming. All the programming that we've done is completely free to the community. The theater has opened its doors to the festival and provided a space for these type of activities that encourages participation from its festival goers. We believe that the inclusion of arts provides a space for an even more diverse public and encourages artistic expression and freedom. During Gay Ocho there are events and programming all day long at the theater. We begin as early as 11 and go through the evening. And Tower Theater, Miami, in the heart of Calle Ocho, is in the middle of everything that takes place at the festival. We are proud to serve as a dedicated space bringing creatives, young audiences, and those that want to engage in arts with other artists at Gay Ocho. From my experience running the Cultural Affairs Department for Miami Film Festival and the theater and working with the Florida State, I've seen how this 4Ward Miami would be fiscally responsible in any allocation from the City of Miami and any allowance of flexibility on their scheduling. This is a valuable program for Little Havana and its residents and provides diverse opportunities for one engagement and we hope that through your support we can continue hosting events like this at the theater and in Little Havana. We appreciate any support you can lend. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Regina Silas: Good morning. How are you? The City of Miami states the City's desire to ensure a sustainable, enduring future for the City. This should include a place to work, live, and play. I would like to introduce the Golden Era, a work/live/play sustainable development model. Miami has become the most expensive place to live in America right now. Affordable housing is at an all-time low; mass property is at an all-time high. Smart cities are the beginning of our new Golden Age. We are embarking on a new Golden Era. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Through strategic development models, we can use sustainable cities to leverage information and communication technologies to enhance service levels, citizens' well-being, sustainability, and economic development. Sustainable cities technology can make cities more effective and efficient, which is necessary given the projected rapid growth in urban populations over the next few decades. This model will enhance tourism in Miami urban communities as well as enhance the lives of our local residents. Our underlining goal and objective is to tackle food insecurities and food deserts while bringing forth affordable housing and employment opportunities. The goal is to bridge the poverty gap collectively while creating resiliency. This model tackles temporary climate control and food transportation, which countries around the world have set aggressive targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. These are smart urban infrastructures, namely smart urban transportation and smart urban energy systems. In 2011, President Barack Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act, making it the most sufficient food safety laws in over seven decades. This law focused from responding to food contamination incidents to proactively preventing them. Furthermore, during COVID-19, 500 -- Chair King: Thank you. Your time is up. Thank you. Ms. Silas: Thank you. Rita Dever: Good morning. Chair King: Good morning. Ms. Dever: Good morning. My name is Rita Dever and I live at 1155 Brickell Bay Drive and I represent a community of thousands as well as our association as part of City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Brickell Homeowners Association. And we're asking for you to consider allocating funds to increase our police force. We know that they haven't had an increase in numbers for over 10 years and they're spread very thin. We know then and they know us on a first time basis because they have a whole lot more on their plate than they can really handle. And also my background, I've worked as a nurse in mental health for my career and we're also asking for an allocation of funds, if you would please consider it, for two social workers in the area that our most vulnerable souls, men and women that are out on the streets need help and it will make a difference. We can volunteer in shelters, but we need funding. We really need funding. And I thank you Jroall you're doing for our community. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Adolfo Calero: Good morning. Adolfo Calero, 2470 Southwest 11 th Street. Recurrent flooding from sea level rise has become an internationally known characteristic of the City of Miami, which damages homes, disrupts commutes, threatens water quality, and interferes with tourism. I'm speaking in support of the additional $154, 000 in funding for the Office of Resilience to help combat flooding that affects our daily lives. A position that would be funded by this would be a new program manager position that will also help focus on heat prevention and adaptation that will help keep people safe in the face of intensifying climate impacts. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Scarlett Arana: Good morning, everybody. My name is Scarlett Arana, and I am the co-founder of BitBasel. I'm a Miami native, born and raised here, teaching blockchain education for over 10 years. And last year, we did a huge activation to help support the adoption of mass adoption for blockchain education under the framework of the SDGs, the Sustainable Development Goals. We feel that the SDGs are -- makes better global citizens and to learn about how to get the community engaged and learning to see knowledge through art, tech, and impact. So, this year in December for Miami Art Week, we're going to do an event that we invite the City to be part of because this is how we create big, real changes as global citizens. The SDG is our framework to help the masses to educate themselves about blockchain. There's been a lot of questions about Web3, and we're here to support that initiatives. Everything from gender equality to climate change is a big issue in Miami, and we're here to support with that education. So, we -- our call to action for you is really more of an invitation to you yourself to learn about this technology and how you can help support those -- these types of initiatives. As you know, the City has grown dramatically and still is in learning -- becoming a tech city, so we want you to invite you to be part of BitBasel and help support those type of initiatives. And we've been doing this for over three years. Actually, we started back in 2020 during the midst of COVID, just getting the artists to onboard themselves' and to learn about this education, because we knew how Web3 is going to be a very powerful tool. Again, I'm a scientist, a blockchain developer, and an educator. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Marjorie Aguirre: Hi, good morning. Marjorie Aguirre. I would like to forego -- prolong my time to Ms. Katrina Erwin, who 's right here next to me. Chair King: Okay. Katrina Erwin: Hi, everyone. Good morning. Katrina Erwin, 2103 Coral Way. First off,' I wanted to thank you all for allowing public comment to be on a Saturday to allow us to participate more in the budget hearings. As a citizen of Miami, I really, really appreciate you all doing this. Last year, the Commission approved over City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 $300,000 in funding to the Office of Resilience, which has allowed the office to accomplish incredible things. In fact, just last month, they helped to increase the City's FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) flood score, which is extremely important. Just imagine what they could do with funding to add another position that works to protect us from extreme heat. It is time to capitalize on our successes and enable the office to continue its growth. Which is why I am here today to request that you all provide a minimum of $154,000 in funding to the Office of Resilience. At the beginning of the summer, Miami was hit by a tropical storm that flooded our streets and left cars underwater. Miami went viral. Instead of seeing fiinding efforts to increase our resiliency and investing more in smart cities, there have unfortunately been efforts to fund a homeless encampment community in Virginia Key, which, if I may add, contradicts the 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration you all passed by putting frontline community members even more on the frontlines. Miami is sinking, and you all are throwing at -risk members of our community right off the boat if you continue to push for this initiative. As a lifelong Miamian, I find it deeply concerning that at ground zero for sea level rise, we are not investing more money in helping to protect our community. Helping to prepare for the impact of climate change is not an easy feat and is definitely not something a team of five people can accomplish on their own. Due to the recent passing of the bipartisan infrastructure law and the recent innovation reduction law, the City of Miami has more than enough resources to increase funding to the Office of Resilience. Risk management experts estimate that for every dollar invested in building resilient communities and infrastructure, $6 is saved in future costs. So, please, approve the small amount of $154,000. If we continue to ignore resilience efforts, the cost we'll pay in the future will be a lot more than the small amount we are asking for today. With all the funding coming from the federal government, the time to tackle the climate crisis is now. Thank you so much. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Linda Williams: Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners. I'm Linda Williams. I reside at -- my address is 3523 Charles Avenue. I'm temporarily at 3517 Hibiscus Street. I come before you as a layperson, a volunteer, an activist in my community, formerly known as Village West. I commend Commissioner Russell and to my new Commissioners, Reyes and Carollo, I am not a rabble-rouser. I'm not an alarmist. I simply come before you as the voice of my community. We will get to know each other and those people that you don't know, I know very well and will represent them well with you. Concerns about affordable housing is on the rise everywhere and we know that nationwide. We ask that the City invest in our community for affordable housing. I understand in our budget there's a lot allotted for housing, but it appears that it's housing for workforce and/or market rate only. Our low to medium income residents are suffering. We have amongst in our community now a few mobile trailers that have been permitted, have been brought in, and have been built as for two-story homes. They are not affordable. Last but not least, I'm a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) member proud and I hope that you would continue to support the CERT organization for its supplies and materials as well as rebuilding together Miami -Dade, repairing homes, critical repairs like roofs, impact windows, and other things for our seniors, our disabled, and our veterans. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Jeanette Ruiz: Good morning, Chairwoman. Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Jeanette Ruiz. I reside at 7449 Northwest 168th Street and I am here with the Miami Climate Alliance. I was looking through the Budget in Brief and I was reading the mission statement, and it says the City of Miami is committed to elevating the quality of life of its residents by improving public safety, housing, mobility, diverse shared spaces that foster community, and an efficient and transparent government. City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Two things that stood out for me, which 1 want to speak on, is quality of life and the efficient and transparent government. So, first off, thank you for having the budget hearing on a Saturday because it allows residents to participate in the process. However, there is room for improvement. There has been little to no promotion from the City of Miami. And each year, the Miami Climate Alliance makes a great effort to educate the public and encourage participation. And it's challenging when the City doesn't support these efforts by doing more outreach. In order for a government to be efficient and transparent, there needs to be communication and trust. I sincerely hope that for the next budget hearing, there is more of an effort made. And then in regards to quality of life, on my way here, 1 saw so many residents enjoying what makes Miami so great, the water, the weather, the beautiful green spaces. All of these things are at risk if we do not act swiftly on a changing climate. The City of Miami has made great strides with the Office of Resilience and other efforts to address our climate crisis, but we need to do more. Our budget needs to reflect this priority, so we are encouraging further investment in the office of 154,000 to add two more positions. Issues such as extreme heat and flooding need more focus and capacity, and this investment will yield solutions to our growing problems. Thank you. Chair King: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: Ma'am, did you go to the County Commission and express those same feelings? Ms. Ruiz: I did. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, alright because the address that you gave here is an address way out in Unincorporated Dade County. Ms. Ruiz: Yes, but I work in the City. Vice Chair Carollo: Well -- excuse me? Ms. Ruiz: I work in the city of Miami. Vice Chair Carollo: That's fine, but you don't live here when you said residence. And you know, the words were a little kind of harsh, I thought, when you're not a resident and you're coming from outside and making demands of us. Thank you for being here. Ms. Ruiz: But the decisions that you guys make here impact my life as well. It impacts my family that lives in the city of Miami. Vice Chair Carollo: That's all fine but all -- Ms. Ruiz: So, I would appreciate being able to have a say in it for those people. Vice Chair Carollo: Excuse me. All of you people that don't live in the city of Miami, I am sorry, you don't have the same rights to demand of us as residents that live here, pay taxes here, live here, vote for us, vote against us. Ms. Ruiz: I support local businesses. I pay taxes here. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, okay. That's fine, ma'am. Everybody does. But you don't pay the taxes that our local residents do. Ms. Ruiz: But I'm pretty sure that they feel the same way -- Chair King: Thank you. City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Ms. Ruiz: -- and that they want a future with the city of Miami. Vice Chair Carollo: That's fine. Chair King: Thank you. Vice Chair Carollo: But I just wanted to put it on the record -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's not a debate. Vice Chair Carollo: -- that you don't live here. Thank you. Chair King: Good morning. T. L. Coverson: Good morning, Madam Chair, fellow Commissioners, Administration and staff: My name is T. L. Coverson. I'm the board chair of the Liberty City Trust. We're here to humbly ask for an increase in our budget because simply it 's an old saying that the young become the old and mysteries do unfold. We have a great interaction with our elderly as well as our youth in our community. And we're hoping that with an increase, it will allow our seniors and our vehicle as the Liberty City Trust to impart a lot of wisdom to our youth so that they can get an opportunity to pass that along as well. I'll be short because the community has gone through a great transition. And it's through the Liberty City Trust that's been a vessel to enhance that change. So, we ask that you consider the increases that we're considering. And thank you again. Vice Chair Carollo: Excuse me, sir. Mr. Coverson: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Carollo: If you could hang loose for the meeting. Mr. Coverson: Pardon? Vice Chair Carollo: If you could hang -- I'm sorry. Mr. Coverson: Oh, my name? Vice Chair Carollo: No, no, no, that's just fine. I know who you are. If you could hang loose for the meeting, don 't go away, because I might -- Mr. Coverson: Oh, no I won't (INAUDIBLE). Vice Chair Carollo: -- find a way of making some arrangements so that you do get an increase in that budget. Mr. Coverson: Thank you so much. Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. Mr. Coverson: Thank you again. Chair King: Good morning. Karla Aguirre: Good morning. Happy Saturday. You all look really well. My name is Karla. I reside at 4361 Northwest 11 th Street. I was born and raised here in Miami. City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 By grace of God, I am a proud Latina with parents from Nicaragua and Guatemala, and I am here in support of the Office of Resilience in need of $154, 000 to help fund two additional positions. I'd like to start off by saying that Miami is not sustainable. By definition, sustainability is meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. You guys think development, I think destruction. I think that's what's going on here. I think we're thinking beyond our own means, and Miami is in a true state of climate crisis at the moment. I also think that public hearing is a very loosely used term, considering that there are many, people, such as the Latino community, being left in the dark about these budget hearings. And I just encourage you to think beyond development, economy, and see that there is a lack of transparency between these. I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous. But 1 do encourage you to use your divine insight, such as this gentleman said beforehand, to make the right decisions. Thank you. Commissioner Reyes: Excuse me, excuse me. Chair King: Thank you. Commissioner Reyes: You made a statement -- through the Chair, you made a statement that the Latino community is being left in the dark. That's not true. I have been in every single radio station promoting this meeting, so that is not true. Don't make statements like that if you are not very -- I mean, you 're sure that they are true. You can go and to all of the Hispanic radio stations and also TV stations that I personally and the rest of my fellow Commissioners, they have been there promoting this meeting. So, the Hispanic community has not been left in the dark. 1 mean, we don't work like that, ma'am. We don't work like that. Thank you. Ms. Aguirre: Okay, personally -- Vice Chair Carollo: One second. Mr. Clerk, where have you advertised this meeting? Mr. Hannon: With Diario de las Americas, Miami Today, Miami Times. We used the Office of Communications. We used various mediums to get the word out. Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, which some of those are very, Hispanic mediums. Ms. Aguirre: I mean, personally, I -- from dinnertime from 5 to 7, I'm actively watching the Hispanic news with my family. I also read the newspaper. I look at newsletters and I haven't seen it. I see it more from -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: How did you come here then? Ms. Aguirre: Through a friend, through other -- Miami Waterkeeper, to be precise, through other social media outlets. Vice Chair Carollo: Alright, so you did -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, you were informed. Vice Chair Carollo: -- find out about it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You were informed of the meeting? Ms. Aguirre: I'm sorry? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You wereinformed? City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Chair King: Okay, we -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If I may -- mean -- Chair King: Yes, we don't want to -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, no, it's important. Chair King: Okay, but we know that the meetings have been advertised. They're advertised through the regular channels for all of our Commission meetings, as well as each of us have promoted the meetings. It's been in niy newsletter, it's been on my social media, it's been on Miami TV. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All of ours. Chair King: It has been promoted. So, I don't want us to waste any more time on it being promoted more. What we 're trying to do now, like was said, is have it on Saturday so that you will have more of an opportunity to be here. That is the purpose of the meeting being held on Saturday. And I know that staff has made numerous efforts to promote it on Miami TV, in publications, and each Commissioner has promoted it as well. I know I have promoted it a lot. So, thank you for your comments. Thank you for being here. Democracy rocks. Good morning. Cynthia Primous: Good morning. Hi, good morning. Chair King: You can pull that down. Ms. Primous: Okay, thank you. Chair King: Good to see you, Ms. Cynthia. Ms. Primous: Good morning, Chairwoman, and good morning, Vice Chairman, and good morning to the Commissioners. I would like to also, Vice Chairman, thank you in advance because you spoke to the gentleman that came up here. I'm here to support the Liberty City Trust too. It does a great job with our community. We need more funding for the renovation and especially for our youth. I see progress being made. I would like to see it continue being made and thank you again for your support. Chair King: Thank you. Ms. Primous: Have a good day. Chair King: Good morning. Charles Walter: Hi, good morning, Commissioners. My name is Charles. I live at 1901 Brickell Avenue, Brickell Place. And I actually want to thank you for having this on a Saturday. I think that does make it more accessible and I think it's on all of us to be promoting this with our neighbors. So, I think it's an opportunity for us to think about how we're getting the word out. Miami has seen incredible growth over the past few years, and I'm just generally concerned if the budget's keeping up and being prepared for the additional growth that our City is going to continue seeing, particularly with law enforcement. I was at a recent meeting with the Brickell Homeowners Association, and there were a lot of residents who were commenting to Commander Ellington just about their concerns about not seeing enough patrol officers walking the streets. And I think that's something that we would like to see, some dedicated officers who were, again, beat patrol. We 're hearing a lot of noise City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 violation complaints, and we think that having more officers on the streets could be helpful. In addition to some CCTV (Closed-circuit Television) cameras and shot spotter gunshot detection systems, which we haven 't seen allocated for our neighborhood. In addition to law enforcement, the trolley system is something we think is important to continue investing in. Again, the congestion that we could likely see in the core areas of our city are going to increase. And the more we can rely on mass transit, and as far as the city goes, the trolley I think is the only mass transit that the City is responsible for. So, in trying to find ways that we have under 15-minute wait times, covered waiting areas, benches, in some of the more important trolleys. Homelessness is a topic that is important to a lot of the residents. The idea of peer specialists, I thought was very interesting. People have been through the process and now can go back and speak with the community. I understand that there is reluctance from people who are experiencing homelessness to go into the shelters and maybe having people who have been through the process speak with them can help convince them that it's important. And I understand that there are some concerns or the idea of permanent supportive housing. Chair King: Thank you. Thank you for coming. Mr. Walter: Thank you. Chair King: Appreciate you. Good morning, Professor Latimore. Samuel Latimore: Good morning. Good morning, Chairwoman, Vice Chair, and Commission members. My name is Samuel Latimore, 937 Northwest 55 Street, Miami, Florida, a home that my parents have lived in -- were living in since 1959. So, you can say I'm a fixture on IOth Avenue and 55th Street. It is with heavy heart that I come before you this morning because two blocks from my house, a senior, an 85- year-old senior, was shot and killed yesterday. It highlights the need to have a program like the Liberty City Trust to continue with additional funding. I have been volunteering in the Liberty City area for seven years after retiring as a police officer and a director of a police academy. Liberty City Trust is very valuable for right now to help us deal with this issue that affects seniors. So, we need the additional dollars to help out with the housing programs, with senior services for those people who have been here a long time, and our youth. We also are involved in public safety, and I want to share with you the Charles Hadley Neighborhood Association with which I was involved don't seek public funding. Everything we do, we do out of our pockets. But we will support and work with the Liberty City Trust. In fact, they are one of the reasons why we exist. We have developed an operation outreach and it is with a program, the Liberty City Trust and all they do, which help us continue. We will need them now more than ever to help us get through this latest act of just woeful, woeful indifference to life. And so we ask you to fund -- to increase the funding for the Liberty City Trust so that they can continue to do their job and work with people like us. Thank you and have a nice day. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Sarahi Perez: Good morning, Chairwoman and good morning, Commissioners. My name is Sarahi Perez. I reside at 2523 Northwest 9th Street, 33125. And today I came to speak on the City's desire, which is to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for the City and its residents. An essential tool in doing so is the Office of Resilience and Sustainability. The Office has done a lot of great work in the past year. They 've coordinated 11 Climate Resilience Committee meetings and engaged the public. They've completed the Miami Forever Carbon Neutral Plan together with the Commission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2035 and reach net zero by 2050. And just last week, they improved the City's FEMA floods risk and damage score to six, making us one of the best qualified cities in the country. And in City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 order to continue developing a city that strengthens its residents, economy, infrastructure, the Office of Resilience is in need of $154, 000 more in funding to add positions to their office. As we know, the effects of climate change have become an inescapable phenomenon here in the City of Miami. We see it in recurrent flooding that damages homes and impacts our ,families. We see it in the increasingly powerful hurricanes that threaten our lives and infrastructure. We also see it in the intensifying extreme heat that threatens our air quality and health. In fact, the Office of Resilience currently has no position provided to focus on extreme heat, despite it being one of the biggest threats that we face. With this funding, we can ensure that we will have a new program manager position focused on heat prevention and adaptation to keep our residents safe and healthy in the face of this growing heat. The office needs to be equipped with the proper tools and funding to live up to its promises and continue building upon this momentum. It is extremely difficult to leave the task of saving our Miami to an office of five people. We need a team and we require more if we are to thrive as a City of Miami that we are. Please approve this funding to invest in the future that we all want to see. Our economy needs it, our city needs it, the families of Miami need it, and so do you and I. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Cary Johnson: Good morning. Good morning, everyone. My name is Cary Johnson. I live at 29 Northwest 52nd Street. I'm here on behalf of the Liberty City Trust. I'm also on the board of the Charles Hadley Park Neighborhood Association. I'm the public safety officer. And I'm here to -- for the increase of the Liberty City Trust. As everyone knows, the cost of salaries, the cost of running the neighborhood, the cost of things is going up every day all the time. The thing is that with the amount that they need to have increased, it keeps the youth having jobs in the summer, it keeps them off the street, keeps them from shooting, killing. As everybody knows, the Liberty City neighborhood has a big amount of crime that goes on. With these new young kids being out on the street and not having something to do in the summertime, this causes a lot more crime, a lot more people getting shot, a lot more people dying. So, I'm just here for the increase of Libeqv City Trust. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Mariana Orabi: Good morning. I'm Mariam Orabi, 971 -- Mr. Hannon: I'm sorry, ma'am. We can't hear you. Can you get closer to the microphone? Ms. Orabi: Oh, sorry. Mariam Orabi, 971 Northwest 35th Avenue. And I'll be forgoing my time to Nicole Gazo. Nicole Gazo: Hello, I haven 't seen you guys in a while. I hope everything is well. I hope all is great, truly, genuinely. I just wanted to say really quickly, it's kind of nerve-racking coming up here and being young and being in front of respectable individuals who are intelligent. Also, my name is Nicole, 2103 Coral Way. So, it's nerve-racking. And then the feedback that we get from our officials speaks to how they're listening to us and what they're paying attention to. So, the trend that I've observed from the people that have talked is when you -- when we come up to talk about climate, I feel like the climate isn't necessarily taken into consideration. You're just like, you don 't live in the city of Miami. Or the Latin community is part of the movement. But it's like, that's not the point. The point is we need funding and we need action. And we've clone it together. And I know you guys listen. So, that's why we're here, to collaborate and to share ideas. And so we need that $140,000 in funding because we do need to add two more resilience office positions. In the beginning of summer, I know you guys saw that hurricane. And that was a tiny storm. That wasn't City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 even a hurricane. That's the future that we look into. That's the future that we focus on. And really when we come up here, all we're asking for is an open mind and consideration because the actions that we take in this city alone affects the entire state of Florida. And so whether we live in the city of Miami or not, you guys as leaders and respectable individuals, the actions you guys take here secure the future of everyone in the state of Florida. And we've come here many times demanding the same things. Where is the aggressive solar that we need? We care about profits, we care about financial success. Can we imagine the return that we will make from solar here in the city of Miami, here in Florida, if we really pushed for that? And then we wouldn't have to rely on countries like Russia to sell us their oil, and then we're indirectly funding wars. And so it's things like that, economic independence, that will transform this country and will allow young people to enjoy their life and not necessarily have to worry about their future and wake up early and come and annoy you commissioners because we've spoken about the same thing so many times. And so I know the City gets worried because they feel that economically they can only do so much. Remember that this bipartisan infrastructure law that just passed can provide you guys with the funding you need. And so, many words have been said. I've lost the attention of two commissioners. At the end of the day, we really just need action and we want our youth to feel secure in the City of Miami. We want to feel heard and we don 't want to feel like a burden, like an annoyance every time we come up here. That's why Mariam fbrgoed [sic] her time because she didn't know the reaction she was going to get. And I know that you all listen, but we all can agree that more action can be taken. We can prioritize the climate. Many things here in the City of Miami are prioritized at a higher degree than climate is, and I know that you all know that that 's the truth. 1 know that you all know that we can do more. So, truly consider the $140, 000 added to the Office of Resiliency, the two more positions, and just remember that this is a collaborative effort to work together to secure my future, because personally, Ifeel like I'm going to be sitting in those chairs one day. Chair King: I think so too. Thank you so much. Vice Chair Carollo: I'm sorry. First of all, thank you very much for coming. We're very happy that so many of you have come today. But you said you lived at 2103 Coral Way. Is that an office building? Ms. Gazo: That's -- I mean, that's really where we all regroup. That's where we reside. Vice Chair Carollo: But you said you lived at 2103 Coral Way. That's an office building. Ms. Gazo: That's where like we all say. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, made my point. Thank you. Ms. Gazo: Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Ms. Gazo: Thank you. Good morning, Daniel. Daniel Acevedo: Morning, everybody. My name is Daniel Acevedo. I reside in 409 Northwest 33rd Street. I'm from Wynwood. I have a non-profit foundation. It's called We Are Wynwood Foundation. I have a video here. I was unaware that I can have a video. This is my first time so bear with me. I'll play this video and won't take much of your time. City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 At this time, an audiovisual presentation was made. Mr. Acevedo: That's the condition of Roberto Clemente's park. We should feel ashamed because of his legacy and what he represents for the whole world that our condition is like that. It's been going on for years. I'm 35 years old. It's been going on before my time. My parents been there since the 1930s. They still reside there. We used to all live there. We live right there in the heart of Wynwood. So, all I ask is that you guys can consider this video and look forward so we can renovate the entire park (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Chair King: Thank you, Daniel. Mr. Acevedo: Thank you. God bless you guys. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Nicolas Martinez: Good morning. How are you? My name is Nicolas Martinez. I was born in Cuba. I'm raised in Miami. I came when I was nine, and I'm here today to support Gay Ocho. I'm a musician. I just wanted to say the importance of Gay Ocho here in the community. It brings family together as one. I think that's the most important part. Also, it brings food to my kids' table. I love Cuban music. I do Cuban music. 1 live, breathe, eat Cuban music. But 1 feel that the community should support 100 percent this festival. It's a family gathering. At the end of the day, I take my three kids. It's amazing. The treatment is awesome. And at the same time, it's live music. Sometimes we let it go. We don't allow live music. We're losing that. And the good thing about this festival is that you get up to stage and you sing with a full band. We're starting to forget that. And it's awesome. It brings the community together. It's not just about gay. It's not just about -- it's diversity union. So, that's all I wanted to say. And if you guys can please help and support 100 percent Gay Ocho, that was all. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Rivers Lopez Poze: Good morning. My name is Rivers Lopez Poze. I live at 3160 South, oh my god, Le Jeune Road, 33134. I'm here to speak about the climate. Everyone that has spoken about the climate here, and especially the gentleman that came before me that was sitting here, was on point. We have failed Miami big time, okay, with this whole climate thing. I'm speaking on behalf of Extinction Rebellion, the Miami chapter. The City's plan is net zero by 2050. A NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) climate scientist, Peter Kalmus, which you all should look up, says about net zero that by 2050 that it has two deadly flaws. One is net zero, the other one is by 2050. We as a community should be asking for goals that are truly in line with the science and not the City's reading of what science is. This is just -- it's just terrible. We look at the document from the Miami Climate Alliance and we're supposed to believe that it's the community asking for two positions, right? No. It's actually three, so in the amount of $154,000. For anybody who follows a little bit of the events from this summer, the hottest summer on record, the heat waves, wildfires, dried up lakes and rivers, power plants shut down for lack of water, et cetera, and a whole bunch of water things that are going on. It's not Jackson, Mississippi that's going through that water, nor Flint, Michigan. Our entire infrastructure is messed up, and we're giving this water to our children. It's obvious that two more people at the City will not do anything. Shouldn't we look at what the people who are already working in the resilience department are doing? What are they doing? Does anybody know? I don't think anyone knows. Chair King: Thank you. Ms. Lopez Poze: You 're welcome. City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Chair King: Your time is up. Thank you. Good morning. Patricia Salinas: Good morning. Patricia Salinas, 1010 Southwest 2nd Avenue. I'm here as a resident of Brickell. Over the past year or so, we have been experiencing noise violations and traffic violations in our area. It's become more than a residential and just a financial district into a commercial district. And for the investigations we've been doing, a loud car can, in the middle of the night, can wake up to 10,000 people. So, we have been communicating with the Commissioner's office, with the Brickell Homeowners Association and the police, and we were told that if the police doesn't see the violation, they cannot do anything. So, our ask is to please consider in the budget more resources for the police so they can have more units patrolling the area and as well as more resources Jro-- to keeping the cleanliness of the area because the laws are in place, the ordinances are in place for noise, for traffic, Jro cleanliness, but we just need the help for enforcement. So, please consider in your budget more resources for police and for the solid waste management unit jroour area. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Karimah Preston: Good morning. My name is Karimah Preston and I reside at 501 Southwest 6th Court. 1 wanted to be speaking on behalf of myself, but as well as in favor of the resilience and sustainability. I am a Miami resident for about four months now. I moved to Miami directly after graduating university where 1 earned my degree in environmental engineering. I wanted to speak on this issue because it is something that I do have a lot of experience in. One of the things that was mentioned frequently when we talked about climate change was the Inflation Reduction Act. So, for those of you, if you don't know the specifics of that law, some of the key points is that it's going to have 950 million solar panels operating by 2030, 120,000 wind turbines operating by 2030, and that's things that are operated on the federal level and on the state level through companies such as NextEra Energy and Florida Power and Light. I say this to say that while the federal government is doing their part, I believe it 's also partly responsible for the local communities and the local government organizations to ensure that they're also fighting climate change. In addition to energy efficiency, there are also other sustainability issues. And Miami has the opportunity to be a leader in the climate change because of its unique environment that brings a lot of people here. A lot of people come here for the beach. They come here for the palm trees and the nice weather. So, I believe that if Miami allocates more funding to make this sustainable and make the City of Miami incorporated with engineering technologies and environmental friendly technologies, it'll help with tourism and bring in revenue. One example of this is the Brickell City Centre that I'm sure that everyone has been to. There's a couple panels on there that talk about how it's actually beneficial for the community through solar collection and things like that. So, I'm just up here to say that I think that in terms of climate change, yes, it's what's good for the environment, but if you don't want to look at it like that, it's also important to keep Miami as a leader. There's things that we can do to make sure that our City stands out. Chair King: Thank you. Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. Ms. Preston: You 're welcome. Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE). Ma'am, thank you for giving us a good, intelligent, professional overview. I'm glad that we have you as a resident. Where did you come from? City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Ms. Preston: 1 grew up in Chicago and 1 went to school in North Carolina. Vice Chair Carollo: That's great. Ms. Preston: Like I said, this is my passion, so this is what I want to do jbr my life. Vice Chair Carollo: What part of Chicago? I grew up in Chicago. Ms. Preston: Yeah, I'm from the south side. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, well, I grew up in Uptown -- Ms. Preston: Yeah? Vice Chair Carollo: -- by Wrigley Field, and then we moved to Rogers Park. Ms. Preston: That's really cool. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Ms. Preston: No, I'm excited to be out here in Miami. 1 love it so far. I just turned 21, so I've been out here for four months just -- Vice Chair Carollo: That's great. Solar, I agree with you, that's the way to go. In fact, right now as we speak, 1 should have been there, but 1 can 't be in two places at the same time. We have people that are in Maurice Ferre Park, that's where we have the museums, the old museum park, and Bai front Park, giving us estimates for solar lighting. And I'm going to try to do everything I can to go solar. Ms. Preston: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: Because I think that's one of the things that we responsibly could do as a city. At the same time, I don't know if you heard of the tiny homes that we 're looking to do for the homeless. We're also going to power them with solar panels. So, thank you very much for your words here today and coming. Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair, may, I add to what Commissioner Carollo said? I also lived in Chicago. Ms. Preston: Yeah. It's the best. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Ms. Preston: Not the best. Commissioner Reyes: And that weather kicked me out of there. Ms. Preston: It kicked me out of there, too. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. But thank you very much. It was a very smart presentation. And solar we have even included in our city what's called solar trees that we are gathering solar power and using some of that power in our parks. Ms. Preston: Yes, I actually work as a design engineer for a company that designs large solar layouts -- City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Ms. Preston: -- for bigger corporations, like utility scale, like 1 said, Florida Power and Light and NextEra Energy. So, I think that the energv is there, the technology is there, and the federal government really wants to implement it. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Ms. Preston: I think it just needs the support from local and state -level organizations to back it. So, thank you guys for your time today. Chair King: Thank you. Commissioner Reyes: Thank you. Chair King: Good morning. How are you? Heather Glassman: Hi, Commissioner King. Very nice to see you. My name is Heather Glassman. I have been a resident of Miami since 1978, originally from New York. I have been in Commissioner King's district as a tenant of a home since 2017, five years. Unfortunately, I am being forced out because I am one of the victims of a 67 percent increase on my rent, which is a whole other story. 1 am a relentless, determined, and convicted advocate. Normally, I am speaking on spay -neuter topics in the community, raised over $70, 000 for the Humane Society. 1 don 't give up. This is a topic 1 am extremely convicted on and 1 think Ms. King knows. 1 lived at 5040 Northwest 5th Avenue. 1t is a residential community. There's a median in between. From 46th Street to 54th Street, that's eight blocks, there is not one stop sign, not one traffic stop, not one speed bump. They drag race on my street. Somebody is going to be killed and we don't want to wait until that happens. We need traffic calming. There has bene an order since last year -- and I'm going by memory -- SR 2021-007-340 since March of 2021. Please even if I leave that area, it's something that I'm very convicted on and my opinion is no traffic lights, no stop signs, they will run them. All we need is cement speed bumps. That will stop the problem. Please let's do this for that community. Chair King: Thank you. Ms. Glassman: Thank you so much. Chair King: Good seeing you. Good morning. Vivian Perkins: Good morning. I'm Vivian Perkins. I live at 1150 Northwest 49th Street, Miami, Florida, my aunt's home that 1 live in and the family has lived in since 1932. The Liberty City Trust is a very important part of our lives there. They have done their very best as a single place where people can go and get the information and the children can work. Every child that wants to work should be allowed to work. Not only that, please, please, thank you for keeping us as safe as you can. Please remember to keep us safe as you can. The suffrage in my neighborhood needs some relief The relief we need is coming from the groups like ours, the Charles Hadley Neighborhood Association, where I am president. We must have your help for our communities. They all must be saved and one area should not look better than the other. What we're asking for you -- from you, Commissioners, is to increase Liberty City Trust that we can help more, that we can do more. The citizens that I represent have built America. The citizens I represent are young adults, seniors, and most of all, children. I wear a pin here, shoes, to represent the children as they walk in a neighborhood that's not appropriate. I would love to see your help to uplift our City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 families, to decrease crime, and that way we decrease and increase our safety. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Good seeing you. Good morning. Guy Forchion: Good morning Madam Chair, Commissioners. Guy Forchion, executive director of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. I'm here on behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff but especially, my board chairman, Patrick Range, who this meeting being on Saturday, makes him unavailable to be able to be here and speak on behalf of the Trust. He is the funeral director for Range Funeral Horne. 1 do want to say that the meeting on Saturday, I think, is a wonderful idea. It's fresh in the morning to come in to some very important points. This is a first to my knowledge and 1 hope that it continues and that more citizens can come out. We are requesting 300 additional thousand dollars to our budget for 1.630. We need these funds. It represents five additional staff positions, an education and programming individual, a park lead or supervisor, and three additional park attendants. We 're in a situation now where just recently we have lost our last park attendant assistance from the City Parks Department. That is something that has dwindled down from six positions to now zero. And so I hope that you see that these funds are needed for us to expand the staff size so that we can handle and take care of Miami's largest open park. Chair King: Thank you. Mr. Forchion: Any questions? Vice Chair Carollo: Would you prefer for me to ask questions on this particular item when it comes up? Chair King: When it comes up. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Chair King: Okay. Mr. Forchion: Thankyou. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Mike Dever: Hi, good morning. My name is Mike Dever. I'm at 1155 Brickell Bay Drive. So, I'm going to talk about Brickell a bit and homeless. Everybody knows me -- or a lot of people know me in Brickell. The police, City officials, I'm known as the trash guy. I just walk around every day in Brickell and I see a lot of homeless people, talk to them a little bit, and a lot of them need help to get off the streets. So, I'm just asking if we can allocate funds and increase the funds for this year's budget to help these people out because the options are somewhat limited sometimes, and if we can do something from this end, because nobody really speaks for them to a certain level. So, if we can increase the funds, it would be good, because Brickell is a nice area, and the people there are struggling and need help there. So, thank you. Chair King: Thankyou. Good morning. Good to see you. Vincent Delgado: Good morning. Thank you, Commissioners. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to all. I'm here. My name is Vincent Delgado. I'm representing De Hostos Senior Center located at 2902 Northwest 2nd Avenue. De Hostos is being very grateful with this Commission and the City of Miami because it gives us support to continue serving the seniors in our community. De Hostos recently celebrate the 45 anniversary. We have been serving breakfast, lunch, and activities for the seniors in City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 general, not just in Wynwood. We receive seniors that came front Miami Beach, from Little Havana, from all over the City of Miami, and we try to serve when we have available. We unfortunately have limited funds right now because with the increase of price for the food supply, the meals are increasing price too. So -- and this is affecting us to continue serving the homebound meals because with the increase of the gas, the increase of the food, the funding is not available to serve all the needs. So, we asking, please, when you allocate funding, remember, it should not be the same amount like the previous year because the prices is increasing and this is affecting the service. We really ask you to think about it. Those seniors in need, like I say always, the meal that we serve probably is the only hot meal that they have in the day. So, if they don't have a hot lunch, they will be going to bed hungry. And we have to work for our seniors. Thank you very much for your time. Chair King: Thank you. Good morning. Vaso Arsenis: Good morning. How are vou? My name is Vaso Arsenis. I live at 1 000 Brickell Plaza. I'm here representing the Brickell Advocates Group. First of all, thank you for everyone's time on Saturday. We're a group that put together -- is put together by volunteers in the community. So, we're focused on homelessness, cleanliness, safety. These are our basic issues. And we're here to request more support from the standpoint of personnel within Brickell specifically. As an example, we focus on cleanliness. There's a block that just sold for over $400 million that took four months to get two trash cans put in on that corner. Mike, who has cleaned all of Brickell, has done a great job. We do cleanups all the time, but that specific block took four months to get two trash cans. So, that's the pace at which we're working with in terms of being able to get basic needs for a city that's blowing up -- you know, has blown up exponentially in the last couple of years. So, the request is City inspectors. There's two inspectors for all of Brickell and downtown for things like violations and issues that we deal with every day, but they just don 't have the time or the ability to cover everything. So, the request would be more personnel from inspectors, from police, police that observe people littering or dog poop. They're all very basic things, but the community is fed up with that situation that has not been fixed at this point. So, the request would just be a few more personnel, solid waste, we work with them, but they've echoed to us specifically that they don't have enough people to cover, even to pick up trash on a consistent basis. Very basic things that a major city should be able to have on a daily basis that we're not seeing within that community. Thank you. Chair King: Thank you so much. Good morning. Silvio Pupo: Hi, good morning. I'm Silvio Pupo. Thank you for Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla and Chairman Christine King, Vice Chair Joe Carollo, Commissioner Manolo. I'm your constituent, Alex Diaz. How are you doing? Commissioner Ken Russell. I'm here today representing myself and to echo the voice of the Miami Climate Alliance. As you know, a lot of people have already stated the facts of sustainability and resilience, not just the direct cost that will cost us and continue to cost us as taxpayers, but the indirect cost, which will continue to burden the city and our taxpayers. And so I want to echo the request to support the Resilience Office in Miami. I have a couple of other talking points that I think are systematic issues that can enable somebody like myself that is a sustainability financier and a technologist that believes that I can unlock lots -- billions -- you know, millions if not billions of dollars in new funding for a lot of these efforts that don't have to come directly to our taxpayer dollars but they can be led from visitors and tourism in Miami through art walks, through new ways of exhibit. But to be able to do this -- this microphone needs to be a little adjusted -- to be able to do this, we need new policy. We need innovation policy. There's no policy that would enable me to be able to pass, for example, any proposal Jroa public -private partnership for a sustainable smart City of Miami Page 21 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 city. There's no policy that can enable for me to say, hey, I'm willing to finance 100 percent of air quality sensors, water sensors, heat sensors for the City of Miami or for the County. There's no policy that can enable me to be able to pilot new solutions and new technologies with University of Miami, where I sit on the board of the Masters of Sustainable Business Program, with Miami Dade College, where I help teach professors blockchain, to be able to implement solutions that are already here. There's no policy to be able to claim carbon credits. There 's no policy to be able to support other things, for example -- Chair King: Thank you. Mr. Pupo: -- in terms of Chair King: Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Pupo: One last -- Chair King: Thank you. Is there any other persons for public comments, directors who would like to make a presentation before we close public comments? Is there anyone else, any directors that would like to speak on behalf of their departments and/or organizations? Seeing none, public comment period is now closed. BH.1 DISCUSSION ITEM 12455 Office of Management and Budget BH — BUDGET HEARING A DISCUSSION ITEM TO ALLOW DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED FY 2022-23 MILLAGE RATE, TENTATIVE BUDGET, AND ALL OTHER BUDGET ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. RESULT: DISCUSSED Chair King: At this time, we are going to have a presentation from the Budget Director, and after the presentation of the budget, we will have public comments. Good morning. Marie Gouin (Director, Management and Budget): Good morning, Chairwoman, Commissioners. I'm going to do a brief presentation, high level, just to go over through -- go over the budget for next fiscal year, which our fiscal year starts October 1, which ends on September 30. Can you pull up the presentation, please? And also, copies of the presentation was sent out to the Commission. And we also, while I'm waiting, we do have a Budget in Brief which is a summary of the City's budget. Anyone welcome to take a copy. Okay, thank you. Sorry for the delay. The first slide is talking about our millage, the millage and the property taxes for the City. In this fiscal year that we're in, the total millage rate is 7.99 mills, which is our operating general fund millage is 7.6665, and then the general obligation debt that we have is 0.3235. In next year's fiscal year, the Commission, back on July 28th, reduced the millage rate, the reduction of 0.1126, which brings the total millage rate to 7.8774, which is the operating millage that was reduced to 7.5539. Based on the average homestead house in the City of Miami, $275,381, your total taxes for this fiscal year was $2,200. Next fiscal year will be $22,169. Half a million dollar home, 399 -- $3,000,939. And this year that we in, it was $3,000,995. For a million dollar home, you would double that, $7,990. For this fiscal year, next year is going to $7,877. Operating millage and rollback rate. The operating millage, as I just stated, is 7.5539 mills. The rollback rate is 6.8725 mills. The operating millage is 7.5539 or 9.91 percent higher than the City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 stated defined rollback rate of 6.8725. Some of you are wondering what the heck is a rollback rate. A rollback rate is the millage rate which will provide the same property revenues that we had levied this year, exact the same amount, but it also gives us some allowances, which is new construction, addition to any structures, deletions, or any boundary changes. So, that's what your rollback rate is. So, the state does this formula that gets us to this rate, which is 6.8725 for the next fiscal year. So, your property taxes that you pay on your tax hill. Out of your property taxes, out of every dollar that you pay, the City only receives 37 cents. Out of the 37 cents, 35 is for operating and 2 is for debt. The rest is paid to other levied entities in the City, such as the public schools, which is 34 cents, Miami -Dade County, 24 cents, and other taxing authorities, 5 cents. The City of Miami, every year we do two budgets. One is for the operating and the other one is for capital. Your operating budget proposed is $1.5 billion. Your capital is $981 million. And newly appropriated capital is $48.3 million. The budget as a whole, the operating budget, is segmented into four And categories. The general fund, which is your operating fund, which is 965.3 million. You have special revenue fund, which is 376.3 million; internal service fund, 104.9; and debt, 6.5. And then these are the explanations of what these dollars and how they are collected and what they are used for. Where does the money come from? The general fund, we just talked about, was 965 million. Just take note, over 50 percent of the revenues in the general fund are property taxes, which is 490.6 million. You have charges for service of 13.1 percent, which is 126.7 million. Franchise fees and other taxes that we are collecting in the city, state -- that comes from down from the state, 124.2 million. And intergovernmental revenues, could be anything from grants to contracts we have with the County, $96.2 million, licenses and permits. We have other revenues, inflows, money that's coming in, 25.6; transfers from other funds, 14.9; fines and forfeitures, 6.2 million; and interest that we earn on our revenues, 2.5 million. Where does the money go by category? Salary and wages, $455.9 million, which is about 46.5 million out of the general fund. Employee benefits, $269.3 million, which is 27.7 percent. And then you have operating revenues from anywhere that you pay electricity, any other operating expenses to run the city, 15.8 percent, which is $153.4 million. And we have non -operating of 24.1, then we have capital in the general fund of 0.3. Majority of our capital expenditures, these are just equipment, our capital expenditures are in capital funds, not in the general fund. And then we transfer money out from the general fund to capital, you can see 24.8 million; to special revenue funds, 14.3; debt service, 25.9; and cost allocation, 1.8. And then also, Transportation Trust, about 300,000. Where the money goes by function, just to see what categories in the city, the functions that we provide in the city, where did the money go? Public safety is the highest cost in the city, 516.6 million, which is approximately 53.5 percent. And then non -departmental units, 100.9 -- 111.9 million; Resilience and Public Works, 111.5; general government, which is like Finance, Budget, the Commissioner's budgets, 100.5 million, which is 10.4 percent. We have other departments, 83.3 million. And then you have Planning and Housing and Development. Total operating budget, as we said before, public safety is the biggest part. Police is 321.9 million. We have Fire and Rescue, 194.7. And non -departmental, that's where we pay for stuff that doesn't fit into any specific department that we pay as a whole, 111.9 million; Parks and Recreation, 61.6; Solid Waste, 44.4; General Services Administration, 32.6 million, and you see it goes on and on. And they are on the side here. And that information, the same information that I'm sharing with you is in the Budget in Brief Total six year plan for the capital. Based on our six -year plan for the capital, the largest amount is for Resilience and Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and then we have Real Estate and Asset Management and Building, and then you have -- and also be reminded that building fees covers all the operating expenses, and Fire Rescue, 52.8, Police, General Service Administration, Finance, and other departmental agencies, which are listed on the right of that chart. These are highlights that we felt that we needed to highlight and point out for discussion. The Resilience and Sustainability is once again a stand-alone department. It will be -- they are being reported to the Deputy City Manager, Chief of Infrastructure. 33.6 million City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.2 12353 Downtown Development Authority increase for Police and Fire pension, the main increase has to do with past settlement agreements. 13.7 is salaries based on labor negotiations and step increase. That's coming up for next year. 14 million for recurring mandatory transfers that we transfer out to capital. And 6.6 million of it is for Oracle Cloud implementation, which is our City's financial system, which we need to upgrade. And then 2.9 is to other governmental agencies. And those are also -- could be provided more of the list of all of them. But I'm highlighting two in particular because two --Virginia Key Beach proposed budget includes $600, 000 from the City. The City only budgeted $300,000 in next fiscal year for that agency. So, at this point, there's a $300,000 deficit for them. 199,000 for Liberty City, their proposed budget includes 495,000 from the City, but the City only budgeted 199, so there is a difference of 296, 000. 9.6 million for operating -- capital and operating enhancement for the Building Department. Please note again, the Building Department covers the full costs from building fees. $18 million of. direct and indirect costs not covered by solid waste assessment fees. The City assess fees, $380 per year for garbage, but it does not cover the full expense of garbage. So, the general fund is subsidizing it by 18 million. 22 point million of unfunded surtax revenues from the Citizens Independent Transportation Transit to fund trolley operations. The County has stopped funding the trolley service for the City based on some discrepancies that they see. So, we are working with them in trying to justify it and try to clear it out so we can start getting the money back again. But what we've done is put those dollars aside just in case we don't have an agreement by October 1st of 2022. And then fund balance. So, this is how we fund it. We did -- from fund balance, freeing projects, and freezing also vacant positions and also taking $10 million from our Transportation Trust Fund to fund the trolley operations. And the other note that we need to -- we need the Commissioners to know is that $24.9 million of light and heavy fleet replacement is not currently budgeted or funded in next year's budget, and that's a need that's still outstanding. As I stated, we do multiple documents for the budget on an annual basis. The first one is Budget in Brief, which I have a copy here on the -- over there, and then the operating budget, we have a Revenue Manual that we put together once the budget is completed, and then we also have the Capital Budget Book. If you go to www.miamigov.com/budget., you should be able to see these documents and have access to them. I am all done and I'll entertain any questions that the Commission might have. Chair King: If we could hold questions because we have another presentation. BUDGET DISCUSSION ITEM A DISCUSSION OF TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ("MIAMI DDA"). RESULT: DISCUSSED Chair King: The DDA (Downtown Development Authority) must get up and provide their presentation to satisfy legal requirements. So, if we can have that right now Thank you. Good morning. Christina Crespi: Good morning, City Commissioners. Thank you, Ms. Chair. My name is Christina Crespi and I am the executive director of the Miami Downtown Development Authority. I have to read this into the record for BH.3. The Miami Downtown Development Authority's proposed millage is 0.4681 mills, which is the same as the current year rate. The rollback rate is 0.4246 mills, which represented 10.24 percent increase. Thankyou. That's it. Chair King: That's it? Okay. City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.3 12354 Downtown Development Authority RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR AD VALOREM TAXATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 200.065, FLORIDA STATUTES; DEFINING AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ("DISTRICT") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"); LEVYING AN ADDITIONAL AD VALOREM TAX ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICT AT THE RATE OF 0.4681 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF TAXABLE VALUE OF SUCH PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE OPERATION OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("MIAMI DDA") FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023; PROVIDING THAT THE MIAMI DDA TENTATIVE MILLAGE SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THE MILLAGE ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE VII, SECTION 9 OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND SECTION 166.211, FLORIDA STATUTES, AS WELL AS ANY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS IMPOSED BY THE SAME; PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL NOT BE DEEMED AS REPEALING OR AMENDING ANY OTHER RESOLUTION OR ANY ORDINANCE FIXING MILLAGE OR LEVYING TAXES, BUT SHALL BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION THERETO; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0309 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Chair King: At this time, I am going to yield to my colleagues, how would you guys like to proceed? Would you like to make comments? Do you want to have --? Do you have any questions for the Budget Director? Vice Chair Carollo: Well, we're going to go item by item that we have in the agenda, correct? Chair King: For -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Chair King: We can. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Chair King: So, I'm going to turn this over to you for a second. Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you. Yeah, we're going to go item by item like we should instead of doing it the easy way. I think there might be some items here that we want to ask more questions of but let's begin with item one. City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have a procedural question, Mr. Chair. Vice Chair Carollo: Go ahead. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can we in a lump sum take up the items and pull out the ones that we have questions on and -- Vice Chair Carollo: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- make it more efficient so --? Vice Chair Carollo: 1 think that would be the best way of doing it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, we could go and -- Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- you will lead that effort, then just let us know what items you want to -- Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll make the motion, but you can say which ones you want to ask questions. Vice Chair Carollo: But we -- you know, we could each propose any item that we want to take out. I will tell you right off the bat that I would like to take out separately the Virginia Beach Trust. I have a lot of questions there. Commissioner Reyes: Which -- what item is that? Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Clerk, what --? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: BH.14. Vice Chair Carollo: 14. Commissioner Reyes: BH.14? Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Vice Chair Carollo: I would like to take out the Liberty City Trust because I do believe -- Commissioner Reyes: They need more money. Vice Chair Carollo: -- that that's one trust that I want to look to provide additional funding to. Commissioner Reyes: Me too. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's BH. 12, right? Commissioner Reyes: BH.12. City of Miami Page 26 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Vice Chair Carollo: 12. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 12. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Vice Chair Carollo: The rest of it, I leave up to this body. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, then I would like to move every item except BH.12 and BH.14. Commissioner Reyes: And 1 second it. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, there's a motion by Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. John Greco (Deputy City Attorney): Commissioner, I need to read the title of -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Mr. Greco: -- of the ordinance, if1 may. Commissioner Reyes: Second. Vice Chair Carollo: I would appreciate that if you could read all the titles. This way, we will hopefully have enough time for Commissioner King to get back. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Mr. Greco: Okay, there's only one ordinance, so I will read the title. It's BH.17. The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney, John Greco. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Go ahead. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair, I have a question because I -- Vice Chair Carollo: Go ahead, Commissioner. Commissioner Reyes: I -- you see, the final budget, the adoption of the final budget, if we increase or decrease any of the items, I mean, we will not be able to approve the final budget. That will have to be done. Vice Chair Carollo: You will be able to the way that I'm going to do it. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. I'm just bringing that up because -- Vice Chair Carollo: You have a very good point. Commissioner Reyes: -- I don't want to make -- Vice Chair Carollo: You have a very good point, but trust me -- Commissioner Reyes: Yes. City of Miami Page 27 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Vice Chair Carollo: -- the way that I'm going at this -- Commissioner Reyes: Fantastic, great. Vice Chair Carollo: -- you 're either going to have two choices, I think. One, approve what's before us, or two, make the changes where you 're taking from one and putting it to another. Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yes. Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. And we can -- Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- we'll be able to do that in second reading also, right? Commissioner Reyes: In the second reading also. Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, of course. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Commissioner Reyes: And also, in the second reading, we can -- we will be able to increase and decrease also? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, absolutely. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Vice Chair Carollo: The only thing we can't do in the second reading is increase the millage. That's set. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Vice Chair Carollo: But everything else we could change -- Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: -- like we have done in prior years. Mr. Greco: Commissioner, also if I may, respecting that point, the millages have to be adopted before the budgets, so we would have to pull BH.3 and 4, 3 would come first, and then also, 17 and 18, 17 comes first. Those ones have to be done separately. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I would move -- I would amend my motion, we first will move BH.17, correct? Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair -- Commissioner Reyes: No, BH (Budget Hearing) -- City of Miami Page 28 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Mr. Hannon: -- but they're voting on them all at the same time. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It doesn't matter, right. We can vote -- Mr. Hannon: So -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They're simultaneous. Vice Chair Carollo: That's what 1 thought, but if you -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the way -- that's the way it's normally done. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. If you would like for us -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's simultaneous. Vice Chair Carollo: -- to take those two separately, there's no problem there. Commissioner Reyes: Let's do it. Make the motion. Make the motion to take the -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Greco: That would be my preference. I know that we've done -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Greco: -- it that way before and I apologize for that. [Later...] Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Madam Chairwoman, I'd like to move every item remaining on -- Vice Chair Carollo: No, we -- 3. Chair King: I understand we can't move every item. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, we can. Well -- Chair King: The City Clerk just advised that the City Attorney's Office says that we have to take up BH.3 separately and BH.4 separately. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll move BH.3. Commissioner Russell: We can move them together. Vice Chair Carollo: Second. Commissioner Reyes: Second. Chair King: All in favor of BH.3? The Commission (Collectively): Aye. City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.4 12355 Downtown Development Authority RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ("MIAMI DDA") OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $18,725,000, AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AD VALOREM TAX LEVY AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INCOME FOR THE MIAMI DDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023; AUTHORIZING THE MIAMI DDA TO MAKE TRANSFERS BETWEEN ACCOUNTS FOR NECESSARY AND PROPER PURPOSES; AUTHORIZING THE MIAMI DDA TO INVITE AND ADVERTISE REQUIRED BIDS; PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DEEMED SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023, FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0310 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.4, please see Item Number BH.3. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I will move BH.4. Commissioner Reyes: Second. Chair King: All in favor? The Commission (Collectively): Aye. City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.5 RESOLUTION 12303 Off -Street Parking Board/Miami Parking Authority A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OFF STREET PARKING OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023, IN THE OPERATING AMOUNT OF $24,767,248.00, EXCLUDING DEPRECIATION, AND OTHER NON -OPERATING EXPENSES OF $5,270,804.00. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0311 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.5, please see Item Number BH.3. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I move every other remaining item. Vice Chair Carollo: Second. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Except BH.12 and BH.14. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Chair King: Okay, except for BH 12 -- Vice Chair Carollo: Second. Chair King: -- and BH 4 [sic]. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: ExceptBH.12 -- Commissioner Reyes: That's it. Chair King: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and BH.14. Is that okay? Commissioner Reyes: Yes. John Greco (Deputy City Attorney): Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are you okay with that now? Mr. Greco: Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Alright, good. City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Mr. Greco: I appreciate --1 appreciate your indulgence. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Absolutely. Chair King: All in favor of passing -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're the expert. Chair King: -- BH.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 15 and 16. Chair King: -- 15 and 16? All in favor? The Commission (Collectively): Ave. Mr. Hannon: And I'm sorry, Chair, who was the seconder? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner Carollo. Mr. Hannon: Understood, thank you. BH.6 RESOLUTION 12473 Coconut Grove Business Improvement District Board A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE COCONUT GROVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ("BID"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,219,000.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0312 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.6, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH.5. City of Miami Page 32 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.7 12471 Wynwood Business Improvement District Board RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE WYNWOOD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ("BID"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,301,000.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0313 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.7, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH.5. BH.8 RESOLUTION 12357 General Employees' and Sanitation Employees' Retirement Trust A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GENERAL EMPLOYEES' & SANITATION EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT TRUST ("GESE RETIREMENT TRUST FUND"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,053,661, EXCLUDING NORMAL COSTS, AS ACTUARIALLY DETERMINED, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GESE RETIREMENT TRUST FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0314 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.8, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH 5. City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.9 RESOLUTION 12356 General Employees' and Sanitation Employees' Retirement Trust A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GENERAL EMPLOYEES' & SANITATION EMPLOYEES' EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN ("GESE EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $106,363.00, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GESE EXCESS BENEFIT PLAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0315 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.9, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH .5. BH.10 RESOLUTION 12062 Firefighters' and Police Officers' Retirement Trust A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FIRE FIGHTERS' AND POLICE OFFICERS' RETIREMENT TRUST FUND ("FIPO RETIREMENT TRUST FUND"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,244,059.00, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FIPO RETIREMENT TRUST FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0316 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.10, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH 5. City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.11 12359 Civilian Investigative Panel BH.12 12460 Liberty City Community Revitalization Trust RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF MIAMI CIVILIAN INVESTIGATIVE PANEL, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $ 1,389,000.00, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0317 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.II, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH.5. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE LIBERTY CITY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION TRUST ("TRUST"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "B," IN THE AMOUNT OF $625,707.00 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023; FURTHER APPROVING THE TRUSTS MASTER PLAN, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS PART OF COMPOSITE EXHIBIT "A." ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0318 MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s) RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S) MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.12, please see "Public Comments for all Item(s)." Chair King: Okay, so now we have the remainder, BH.12 -- Commissioner Reyes: And 14. Chair King: -- which is the Liberty City Community Revitalization Trust. There is an increase proposed for that organization of which I support. May I have a motion? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll move it. Commissioner Reyes: Second. Vice Chair Carollo. How much are they asking? City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 300,000. Chair King: It's going -- the total budget will now be 495, 000. Vice Chair Carollo: But how much of an increase? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 300, right? Chair King: It's -- Maggie. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is it 300,000 increase? Chair King: It was -- their budget was 199 -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I think -- yeah. Marie Gouin (Director, Budget): Yes. Chair King: -- and now it's going -- so -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 300, 000. Ms. Goin: It's going to 496, 000. It's $295,000 increase. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 295, 000. Chair King: The increase is to -- well -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 295,000. Vice Chair Carollo: The total? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 295,000. Chair King: 295. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 295. Chair King: And the increase is going, from the inception since Ms. Elaine Black, who is the executive director, has been in that position, there has never been an increase. There has been additional staff added. And as we know, the cost of providing services has increased every year, but their budget has remained flat. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I will move -- I will move BH.12 with an increase of $295, 000. Ms. Goin: 296. Chair King: 296. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 296. Commissioner Reyes: 296. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 296, that's why I asked. Vice Chair Carollo: Make it 300, 000. City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Make it 300 even. How about that? Chair King: Right, round it up to -- Commissioner Reyes: 300, 000. Chair King: -- 500. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let's keep it simple. Ms. Gouin: 300, 000. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Vice Chair Carollo: Before we vote, I just want to have this on the record. If I could have -- thank you -- the representative of the Liberty City Trust come up. Chair King: That would be Ms. Elaine Black -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yes. Chair King: -- and her Chair, Mr. T.L. Coverson. Vice Chair Carollo: Yes. Your work has been strictly with the urban community, with a lot of the young people in Liberty City. Can you give this Commission a quicker overview of the work that you're doing with the young people there in Liberty City? Commissioner Reyes: That's been going for a while. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Elaine Black: First of all, good afternoon, Commissioners. Thank you so very much, Chairwoman King. The Liberty City Trust has had a commitment to work with all members of the community, and especially our young people. We have a program, the Youth Employment Program, that provides summer jobs as well as training for those young people in what I call lifestyle skills and working together. We also provide them insights into working with the various operating departments of the City of Miami. And as a result of our activities, it has kept a lot of young people eating, it has kept them off the streets, and we continue to work with them whenever we can throughout the year. We also work with many of the parents and grandparents to get the services that they need within our city, focusing on the housing, housing rehab, quality of life issues so that they can better have -- so they can have a better quality of life. Liberty City is a community working together. And as we've gone forth, we've tried to do as much as we can with volunteers, as well as keeping staff stagnant. But we've reached a point where we really need to get some additional financial support so we can accomplish the goals out there to make and keep Liberty City the best place to live, work and do business. Thank you. Commissioner Reyes: Thank you for your service. Vice Chair Carollo: How many employees do you have, full-time or part-time? Ms. Black: We have three part-time employees and we have three full-time employees. Vice Chair Carollo: And how many volunteers approximately do you have? City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Ms. Black: We look at the -- Vice Chair Carollo: From tinie to time. Ms. Black: I would say about 15 to 20. Vice Chair Carollo: That's a good number. Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. Vice Chair Carollo: And 1 know you also do an excellent job with the seniors there. Chair King: Absolutely. And I believe she has left out some things. They have also spearheaded programs and services for the communities, such as home rehabilitation. Yes. Home rehabilitation. They are also now the fiscal agent for an affordable housing project that will be coming up in Liberty City. I have increasingly given them additional tasks to help get my priorities out for the community. They are such a stronghold in the community and I trust them because they have a reputation of excellence. And I continue to load on additional projects that I want to see happen in Liberty City, and they do it without complain, with little resources, and I am proud to support the increase in their budget because they have not had an increase in over seven years? Ms. Gouin: Yes. Chair King: In over seven years. Commissioner Reyes: That's amazing. Chair King: Nor has she ever gotten a raise since she took on the task of being the executive director. Commissioner Reyes: That's amazing. That's amazing. Vice Chair Carollo: Now, Chair, here's something that I want to see happen through them. I -- and if we have to provide some additional service in the future, I will be very open to it because this is an addition. I would like to see -- and this is going to take some time for you to put it together so that you can be ready by next summer in particularly. Be able to put field trips with young people from Liberty City, even Overtown, to bring to the historic Black Beach in Virginia Key, where they at the same time that they're experiencing nature can be told the history of Virginia Key, the Black Beach, and other history of Miami and African American Miami also. That place is a tremendous location where even the most non -responsive kids from anywhere, when you get them into nature, they start breathing that nice air corning from the water. They see that nature preserve, the beaches, even for the younger ones, the beautiful terrain that goes all around. You even have a merry-go-round that I believe is still there, that's an ideal place. And I have not seen that happening in many years. And that was my dream, my goal, when I was mayor of the city, and together with Arthur Teele, we proposed and we pushed for this trust to have happened in Virginia Key. And so you're a prime organization in our Black community in Liberty City. You deal with our youth there every day, with our schools, and I think that you're the prime organization that should be tasked with that. Ms. Black: Thank you. Chair King: Thank you. Thank you. May I have a motion? I have a motion and a second. All in favor? City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.13 12449 Bayfront Park Management Trust Vice Chair Carollo: The motion. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As amended. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Chair King: As amended. Commissioner Reyes: As amended, okay. Chair King: Thank you. The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Congratulations. Ms. Black: Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And thank you for your work. T. L. Coverson: Thank you again. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $16,575,054.00, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THE MILDRED AND CLAUDE PEPPER BAYFRONT PARK AND MAURICE A. FERRE PARK FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0319 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.13, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH.5. City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.14 RESOLUTION 12466 Virginia Key Beach Park Trust A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST ("TRUST'), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,630,000.00 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TRUST, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. MOTION TO: Defer RESULT: DEFERRED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: Item BK14 was deferred to the September 22, 2022, Second Budget Hearing. Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.14, please see "Public Comments for allltem(s)." Chair King: So, now we will take up BH.14. Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, BH.14. Commissioner Reyes: BH.14. Chair King: The City has proposed to keep their budget flat, but as we heard, the organization has lost its only parks representative. They are now forced to maintain the park on their own without a budget. Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair. Vice Chair Carollo: Madam Chair. Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. Chair King: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: There's a lot that this Commission needs to hear because this is one trust, one organization that, unlike the Liberty City one and many others, has not been run properly. And I'm going to need some time to read because I have in my hands what all of us -- this is before you came on board -- the rest of us, had asked back in 2019, I believe, to have done. We asked for all the CRAs (Community Redevelopment Agencies), all the trusts, to have our independent auditor examine. This is the last one. It began with the Bayfront Park Trust, which I asked that we should have began there. And let me begin by asking Guy some initial questions. Guy, as I believe, you have X amount of employees there, but I want to make sure that what I have is correct. How many employees do you presently have? Guy Forchion (Executive Director, Virginia Key Beach Park Trust): We have 14. Vice Chair Carollo: Well, what I have before me is that you have 17. That 's incorrect? City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Mr. Forchion: We have 14 employees and 3 consultants. Vice Chair Carollo: Well., that's -- outside of the consultants, what I saw was 17 plus 3, unless maybe that's on your proposed budget that they've included the other three positions -- Mr. Forchion: What is being proposed here -- Vice Chair Carollo: -- on top of the 14. Mr. Forchion: -- will bring on additional staff. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Mr. Forchion: Five additional positions. Vice Chair Carollo: So, the bottom line is you 're telling me that with the 3 consultants that you have, you have a total of 17 individuals who work there, correct? Mr. Forchion: Would that be correct? 17. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 14. Mr. Forchion: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: You mentioned that you lost employees from the park services. Mr. Forchion: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: Well, the problem is that this Commission never approved in your budget any additional monies. And these two park service employees were costing the City somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000 or more. So, in essence, without Commission approval, and with side deals that were made, you were receiving even more dollars that we never knew about. Now, I'm going to read a series of statements that, while this is not complete, it's the draft from the draft that the Auditor General has made, because I have a serious problem that you were dealing last year with 17 and 2 park employees that instead of working for the rest of Virginia Key, were working just for one part of Virginia Key. So, in essence, you had 19 employees and -- Mr. Forchion: I'm sorry, Commissioner, you'll need to repeat that for me. It's a little hard for me to hear you but also -- Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, I -- Mr. Forchion:— I want to be sure that I'm understanding what you are saying. Vice Chair Carollo: I certainly will repeat. I said that in last -- or this fiscal year -- Mr. Forchion: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: -- you had 17 people working for you, plus two additional that we didn't know about that were park employees of the City, and that was not approved by the Commission. So, in essence, you had 19 people. City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Mr. Forchion: The park staff that worked at Historic Virginia Key, we had one full- time, to my knowledge, and one sporadic part-time individual from the North Point. Vice Chair Carollo: But I was told -- but I was told by the director that there were two full-time people that were assigned there. Whether this is accurate, or your statements are accurate, I don't know. I'm just telling you what 1 was told. Mr. Forchion: Understood. Vice Chair Carollo: Now, 1 also will tell you that Bayfront Park Trust, with all the activities, not to mention Ultra, that go on in Bayfront Park and in the old museum park, Ferre Park, we don't have anywhere near the 19 people that you had this year. Therefore, what I'm -- Mr. Forchion: I would only say that our duties are quite different, but I'm listening. Vice Chair Carollo: Well, you could tell me whatever you like to, and you could assign duties to whoever you want. But what I'm telling you right out is that you have more employees there than that's required. When I was mayor, and this was one of my ideas that I pushed forward before I left, together with Arthur Teele, that helped implement it, the Virginia Key Trust, the idea was always that this trust, after a short time, would become self-sufficient. It's been now over 20 years, and it's not self- sufficient. I don't believe that you're doing anywhere near the amount of work that should be done to become self-sufficient. For instance, going off into another area. How many kids have you yourself brought in from the inner city over there to the Trust? Mr. Forchion: I'm sorry, you said how many kids? Vice Chair Carollo: How many kids, whether youngsters, teenagers, from the inner city, have you brought to Virginia Key? Mr. Forchion: We have no buses, or if that is what you're referring to, your statement to Elaine Black put a smile on my face as you said it, as you spoke of young people coming from the inner city to the park. That is something I know she and I have talked about us doing independently, but to hear that the City is looking to support something like that gives me great joy. But there are thousands of inner city kids who through different means and different programming and through schools have come to the historic Beach Park. Vice Chair Carollo: Well -- Mr. Forchion: But I'll be happy to give you detailed reports of all that I can. Vice Chair Carollo: Look, in over 20 years, I could believe and understand your statements', if this is just starting year one or two, but in over 20 years that no initiative has been taken, it's just, you know, it's not believable to Inc. Unfortunately, what I wanted to do the City Attorney tells me that since the auditor report is in a draft and it's not finalized, which I think is going to be soon. I can 't read from it. But if I did, I don't think you would be standing too steady for a while because it's not pretty and it's indeed extremely shocking on how this operation -- Chair King: Mr. Vice Chair. Vice Chair Carollo: -- has been run. City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Chair King: Mr. Vice Chair, I'm not sure if you're aware, but there's going to he some legislation coming on the 22nd for -- no, the 13th, the upcoming Commission meeting. As the newest member of this Commission and the only person of color, Black, Guyanese, I would like an opportunity to take more of a leadership role with the Virginia Key Historic Black Beach, the Trust. So, I would ask if we can defer this item jroour next budget hearing that I can have an opportunity to dig into it a little bit more, see what happens on the 13th, and let's see how perhaps we can have a path forward -- Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Chair King: -- because as you're aware, there was quite some controversy with our vote at the last Commission meeting for Virginia Key. And there was some issues with the Virginia Key versus the historic Black Beach. Our item got dragged through and brought racial overtones. And -- Vice Chair Carollo: Which is outrageous because -- Chair King: It was outrageous and it was unfair because -- Vice Chair Carollo: -- one thing had nothing to do with the other. Chair King: -- one thing didn't have anything to do with the other. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Chair King: But I, as the only Black person on this Commission, would like to take a more leadership role in our historic Black Beach. So, I'd like to have an opportunity to take a look at the report that you have, dig more deeply into their budget and see where we come out on that end. Vice Chair Carollo: Chairman -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I move that -- Vice Chair Carollo: -- if I can -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- that we defer BH. 14. Vice Chair Carollo: -- let me speak to the Chair, one at a time. I have no problems in doing that. In fact, once that item comes up, I intend to make it even a little stronger. I think that you should be chairman of that trust and that should be spelled out. However, there have to be major changes and I suggest that every one of us gets from the Auditor General a copy of this draft. I think he's almost ready to finish it so you could start reading it. You know why they don't have money to bring the kids from Liberty City and Overtown over there? Because they're spending it all on salaries and they have no idea what's coming or going, or at least this is what they're claiming. I don't know. Mr. Forchion: That's incorrect. Chair King: So, let's -- let's -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Do we have --? I have a question, though. Commissioner Reyes: No, I have a question. City of Miami Page 43 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Chair King: He had a question first. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, fine. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have a question. Commissioner Reyes: You see, and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Manager, you remember when Ultra was -- took place at Virginia Key? They pay a million dollars, and that million dollars was directed, if] recall. Vice Chair Carollo: I don't know. I don't remember. Commissioner Reyes: You see, ifI recall, they received a million dollars that was -- Mr. Forchion: That is correct. Commissioner Reyes: It is correct., right? Mr. Forchion: Yes. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, and I want to know, do you have any report how the million dollars was expended? Mr. Forchion: One hundred percent reporting. So, I'm -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Mr. Forchion: -- I'm happy if we are deferring this -- Commissioner Reyes: And that was -- that was over two years ago. Mr. Forchion: -- for a moment, and I'll be happy to sit down with each one of you as Commissioners -- Chair King: So, at this time -- Mr. Forchion: -- and go over the item. Chair King: -- nothing will be resolved up here, so we're going to defer that item. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I want -- I have a question. Chair King: You have a question. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. When do we expect the Auditor General's report, the Inspector General's report, to be finalized? Commissioner Reyes: Good luck. Vice Chair Carollo: I do not know. I think it's going to be soon, but I suggest that each one of us speak to him so that we could get it sooner rather than later. Because I think this is something that needs to be put on the record before we take a final vote because the public needs to know why we will vote a certain way. Now, having said that, Madam Chairman, I commit to you that I will work with you, hand in hand, in that trust, to make it self-sufficient. And I will show you where we can immediately go City of Miami Page 44 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 to bring different acts and other stuff that we can bring there, and all kinds of different activities, some permanent, same maybe not, but that would bring sufficient dollars so that this trust can be self -efficient. With the kind of property that is out there, there's no reason in the world why this trust cannot be self -- Chair King: Self-sufficient. I understand. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay? Now, at the same time, I want to make it clear, there 's no way that I am going to approve another $300,000 for more salaries. In fact, the 300,000 that they're getting, in my mind, I gave it to Liberty City Trust. But I am willing to consider a countdown on those 300,000 while you're there and get a hold of it, so that we establish that in the next three years, two years, you'll be weaned out of that until you're self -efficient and sufficient in running that trust. Chair King: Okay, so let's -- let me do a deep dive. Let me take a look at it and we are going to find a path forward that will help the Trust realize the dream of Miss Athalie Range. I want to see that museum built. I know that has been the mission of this organization, correct? And I want to see that happen. Mr. Forchion: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), yes. Chair King: 1 want to see that happen and 1 want to work with you to make that a reality and much more. So, we're going to table this, we're going to defer this item and -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I'll move for that deferral. Chair King: A second? Commissioner Reyes: I second. Vice Chair Carollo: Second. Chair King: All in favor? The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair King: Motion carries, and I believe that was the last business of the day. Meeting is now adjourned. Commissioner Reyes: Thank you. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And yes, just for the record, BH.14 was deferred to the September 22nd second budget hearing. Vice Chair Carollo: Great. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Chair King: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And go Canes. Chair King: And go Canes. Commissioner Reyes: Go Canes. City of Miami Page 45 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Vice Chair Carollo: What's the score? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I don't know. Vice Chair Carollo: No, it just started. What's the score? Mr. Forchion: Thank you, Madam Chair. BH.15 RESOLUTION 12264 Office of Management and Budget A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENTS, AFTER A DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING, RELATING TO THE PROVISION OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); IMPOSING SOLID WASTE ASSESSMENTS AGAINST ASSESSED PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023; APPROVING THE RATE OF ASSESSMENT; APPROVING THE ASSESSMENT ROLL; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0320 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.15, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH.5. City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 BH.16 RESOLUTION 12470 Office of Management and Budget A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN ("PLAN"), AS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE COMMUNITY PLANNING ACT, SPECIFICALLY SECTIONS 163.3161 AND 163.3177, FLORIDA STATUTES (2022), AND CHAPTER 18/ ARTICLE IX/ DIVISIONS 1 AND 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "FINANCIAL/ FINANCIAL POLICIES/ ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT/ FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES," TO SET FORTH THE CITY'S FISCAL NEEDS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, SUBJECT TO AN ANNUAL PLAN REVIEW, TO DETERMINE PROJECT PRIORITIES, TO ADD NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND TO MODIFY FUNDING ALLOCATIONS AS NECESSARY; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION OF SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS TO THE PLAN; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0321 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number BH.16, please see Item Number BH.3 and BH.5. BH.17 ORDINANCE 12394 Office of Management and Budget AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION RELATED TO TAXATION, DEFINING, AND DESIGNATING THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); LEVYING AN AD VALOREM TAX ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY AT A TOTAL TENTATIVE RATE OF 7.8774 MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF SUCH PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSES OF FUNDING THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET AND PAYMENT OF DEBT SERVICE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes ABSENT: King Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I will move BH.17. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Reyes: Second. City of Miami Page 47 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Vice Chair Carollo: Moved by Diaz de la Portilla, second by Reyes. All in favor, signifi, by saying "aye." The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Vice Chair Carollo: It passed unanimously. BH.18 RESOLUTION 12393 Office of Management and Budget A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ADOPTING A TENTATIVE BUDGET AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO OPERATIONAL AND BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023; RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN NECESSARY ACTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER AND DESIGNATED CITY OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE RELEVANT FINANCIAL CONTROLS, COMPLETED PROJECTS, PROJECT CLOSE-OUTS, ACCOUNTING ENTRIES, AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH AND FOR GRANTS IN PROGRESS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0322 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number BH.18, please see "Public Comments for allltem(s)." Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I will then move every item -- every remaining item. Vice Chair Carollo: No, you have one more. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Except -- Vice Chair Carollo: You have one more. You have one more. Millage. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry. I will then move BH.18. John Greco (Deputy City Attorney): Correct. Yes, thank you. Commissioner Reyes: Second. Vice Chair Carollo: Moved by Diaz de la Portilla, second by Reyes. Hearing no further questions, all in favor, signify by saying "aye." Hold on. Commissioner Russell: This is BH.18, the tentative budget for the full city, yeah? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. City of Miami Page 48 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 Commissioner Russell: So, 1 do want to address some of the things that the public brought up, and we don't need to amend them specifically today, but 1'd like to at least address some of the concerns public brought up that we can make amendments on in second reading, if that's all right, Chair. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: Well, but what we're doing here is the millage, I understand. Commissioner Russell: I'm sorry, the -- 17 was the millage -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Russell: -- 18 is the budget itself yes? Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Dial, de la Portilla: But we can come back and change it. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. We can come back and change it. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, we can come back and change it. Commissioner Russell: Yes, and so I just wanted to, while that item is up, I just wanted to address some of the comments that the public brought up, and then we'll vote on it. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, alright. Commissioner Russell: One that we heard a lot about was event requests. And we don't really have a system for deciding what is a citywide event versus a district event. We used to have the MSEA (Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority) budget. We don't have that anymore. And it seems that we seem to agree with each other when something kind of graduates to the level of becoming a citywide event. And I would be open to supporting Gay Ocho as a citywide event to whatever is appropriate there, whether it -- I believe they're in the 20,000 range right now. I don 't know what's appropriate, whether it's 100,000, but I'm happy to study that with their supporters as well as the Administration between first and second reading. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner Russell: There's other events similar, like the Goombav Festival. We had budgeted $40,000 but it ended up costing $100,000 and it's still not the street festival that it used to be and could be, but perhaps, that could qualms as a citywide with a bump from the district office, for example. But that's up to this body. So, I just wanted to sort of feel that out with you all as we look into events coming to the future. The other one is the Office of Resilience. A lot of people came requesting 150,000, and I would imagine that's a reflection from the new Chief Resilience Officer and what they're seeking. It's good news that we have a standalone resilience office now. They can look at all departments and citywide issues for resilience. The downside is they don't have the infrastructure support that they had under Public Works. And so would two additional positions be appropriate there? I'd be inclined to think yes, and it's around $150,000 additional. So, I'd be looking to the Budget Office for how we could fund that between first and second reading. And that's all I've got Ibr now. City of Miami Page 49 Printed on 07/02/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes September 10, 2022 ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Reyes: 1 agree with you that we should have -- I mean, we should support Calle Ocho. And also in the resilience, what you're talking about resilience, 1 think that the Administration is looking into it because any of those positions, they don 't have any administrative positions, they don 't have no (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And that is something that the City Manager and the -- they can bring up later on. But what we're doing here, we're passing this budget and all the different tweaks that we want to add or subtract, we can do it between now and -- because all the time, that's what happens -- between now and the second reading, you see. That's what Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla has brought up and Commissioner Carollo, and that's what I believe. Vice Chair Carollo: Alright. Chair -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Call the roll. Vice Chair Carollo: -- we're ready to vote, unless you have anything. Chair King: On BH. 18? Vice Chair Carollo: Yes. Chair King: I understand we have a motion and a second. All in favor for BH.18? The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Chair King: Motion carries. Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Chair -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Madam Chairwoman, I'd like to move -- Mr. Hannon: Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry, Commissioner. Chair, and that's as is. Mr. Greco: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: As is. Mr. Hannon: As is. Commissioner Reyes: As it is. END OF FIRST BUDGET HEARING The meeting adjourned at 12:38 p.m. City of Miami Page 50 Printed on 07/02/2024