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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW CRA 2017-01-30 MinutesCity of Miami 819NW2ndAve 3rd Floor Miami, FL 33136 http://miamicra.com Meeting Minutes Monday, January 30, 2017 5:00 PM Underneath the 1-395 Overpass Between N.W. 13th and 14th Street Miami, FL 33136 SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agency Keon Hardemon, Chair Wifredo Gort, Vice Chair Ken Russell, Board Member, District Two Frank Carollo, Board Member, District Three Francis Suarez, Board Member, District Four SEOPW CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 819 NW 2ND AVE, 3RD FLOOR MIAMI FL 33136 Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax (305) 679-6835 www.miamicra.com Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Roll CaII On the 30th day of January 2017, the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in regular session underneath the 1-395 Overpass between Northwest 13th and 14th Street, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Hardemon at 5:11 p.m., and was adjourned at 6:25p.m. Note for the Record: Commissioner Russell entered the meeting at 5:12 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Clarence E. Woods, Executive Director, CRA William Bloom, Special Counsel, CRA Renee A. Jadusingh, Staff Counsel, CRA Rafael Suarez -Rivas, Assistant City Attorney, Supervisor Todd B. Hannon, Clerk of the Board APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS 1. MINUTES OF OCT 31, 2016 AT 5:00 PM MOTION TO: Approve RESULT: APPROVED MOVER: Francis Suarez, Commissioner SECONDER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Russell, Carollo, Suarez Chair Hardemon: I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the regular meeting minutes of October 31, 2016. Board Member Suarez: So moved. Chair Hardemon: It's been -- Board Member Suarez: So moved. Chair Hardemon: -- properly moved -- Board Member Russell: Second. Chair Hardemon: -- and seconded by the -- I almost said, "the Vice Chairman" -- but by Commissioner Russell. All in favor, say "aye." The Board (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Motion passes. SEOPW CRA Page 2 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 PRESENTATIONS 1. CRA PRESENTATION 1708 PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A PRESENTATION BY FDOT ON THE 1-395 RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY. MOTION TO: RESULT: No Action NO ACTION TAKEN 2. CRA PRESENTATION 1709 PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A PRESENTATION OF THE 2016 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BY SKJT & G HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY. LRESULT: PRESENTED Chair Hardemon: I have a -- one of the presentations that we had for the I-395 reconstruction presentation has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. That would have been a good time to actually hear it, seeing that we're under it, but nevertheless, it may happen another time. I'd like to go to the presentation with the 2016 audited financial statements. Clarence Woods, III (Executive Director, Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency): I believe you've got Richie -- Chair Hardemon: I will, next. Board Member Carollo: I think you have Mr. Richie Tandoc. Mr. Tandoc. Richie Tandoc: Good evening, Chair, Board Members. My name is Richie Tandoc. I'm with Sanson Kline Jacomino Tandoc and Gamarra. I am the partner in charge of the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. Before I get into my brief presentation, once again, I want to thank Clarence and Miguel, and their staff for the continued cooperation in assisting us in cleaning this year's audit of the agency -- Chair Hardemon: Can you get closer to the microphone, please? Mr. Tandoc: I'm sorry. -- in cooperation with the City's Finance staff. Board Member Gort: Pull it up. Mr. Woods: Yeah, there you go. There you go. SEOPW CRA Page 3 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 PUBLIC COMMENTS Mr. Tandoc: I provided you with a report of the results of the 2016 audit, as well as the required communications. I just want to go over a couple of the points there real quick, if I could. Starting on Page 1, after the letter, with regards to our responsibility as your auditors, under generally accepted auditing standards and government auditing standards, we have issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements, which is a clean opinion -- oh, thank you -- and we also issued our report on the agency's internal control over financial reporting, and on compliance in other matters for the year ended September 30, 2016. We noted no material weaknesses or material noncompliance issues, and both of those reports were dated November 30, 2016. With regards to significant and/or unadjusted audit adjustments, we had no significant audit adjustments during our current year's audit. With regards to any fraud and illegal acts, we are not aware of any fraud or illegal acts that occurred during the fiscal year involving senior management, or any fraud or illegal acts involving any employees that would cause a material misstatement of the financial statements. With regards to independence, there are no relationships between us and the agency or the City that would impede our independence; so, therefore, we are independent. And lastly, with regards to the management letter, we have issued our management letter, in accordance with rules of the Auditor General of the State of Florida, also dated November 30, 2016, and we did not report any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses therein. If you have any specific questions about the financial statements, I'd be happy to address those. Chair Hardemon: Do any of the Board Members have any questions? Well, thank you very much, sir. I don't see that we have any questions. Mr. Tandoc: Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Appreciate it. Chair Hardemon: Now is the part of the meeting where we're going to open up the floor for public comment. I understand a lot of people are especially here because we have the item on the agenda for $750, 000 to the City of Miami to supplement the policing efforts in this area to ensure that the community is safe. So if you are here to speak on any of the items on the agenda, items 1 through 4, this is your opportunity to be heard. When you come before the microphone, please state your name, your address, and which item it is that you're speaking about, and you have two minutes to address the body. You're recognized, ma'am. Shoshana Lincoln: Commissioner Keon Hardemon and more -- the Board in general, I mean, I think you just spoke on cleaning up this area here, but the things that -- Chair Hardemon: Can you state your name for the record, please? Ms. Lincoln: Oh. Reverend Lincoln, from Overtown here, 210 Northwest 16th Street, People Helping People to be Self -Reliant. I spoke with your police just now, and they says that they would arrest these people, and the State Attorney will just let loose them again, or your jury -- the jurisdictious [sic] system does not cooperate with the police. How will they help the situation? If the judicial system and the State Attorney does not cooperate with your police, how will you clean up here? Chair Hardemon: I -- you know, typically, this is the time where you say your two minutes, but I'll answer that question for you. This morning, I sat on a committee called the Opiate Task Force Committee, which has a number of different entities from across SEOPW CRA Page 4 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 the State, in the County, in the City, and some other important entities as it pertains to opiate overdoses, et cetera. One of the entities that is a part of that committee is the State Attorneys Office. So from what you heard, that's not the position of the State Attorney's Office. We fully expect the State Attorney's Office to fully cooperate with the individuals who not only are being arrested, who are seeking treatment, but the law enforcement agencies that are trying to enforce the laws in this area. So if you can get that police officer to come to the microphone to say that the State Attorney's Office isn't going to help with the situation, that'd be the best thing, because then we can really get to the root cause of what the concern is. Ms. Lincoln: Commissioner, you don't know that? Don't you know that the -- your jurisdiction system and the State Attorney don't cooperate with the City of Miami Police or the Chief of Police? I'll have the police come anyhow, all right? I'll go and get him. But I think that the police are trying to do their job, and you, as an elected Commissioner, should take more of an -- a cautious look on this situation, because this is pathetic, and it is not happening in different demographic -- like Omni and Brickell, and whatever is happening in this demographic -- geographical area, and I am blaming you heavily on that. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. I appreciate the blame. I -- my shoulders are broad; I can take it. But I can tell you that all over the nation, people are suffering from opiate overdoses; it's not just happening in Overtown. How you doing, sir? Robert Lee Brunson, Jr.: Hello. My name is Robert Lee Brunson, Jr., and I'm a 'Towner for Life, respectful of everybody in positions and everything, but drugs is a epidemic. It not just happening here, in Florida; it's all around the world. In New York, they have the same epidemic with the drugs that it's selling -- heroin, everything. Now, it's okay that you say you seen somebody passed out, but it's the first time I ever seen that you able to come over here and have the Governor here, and have every -- the Mayor here. This the first time I seen this. So you saying about the police supposed to be here, doing what they supposed to do. No. This supposed to happen every day. I see a agenda up here, say you going fix and maintain streetlights. They bust it on thel4th. So why y'all shouldn't already had the lights fixed already? You got to make it safer for us. We -- what we supposed to do? Because I'm a 'Towner for Life -- 'Towner, Life -- I'm born right here on these streets. Right there, I used to play, have picnics right there. So if the drugs coming through, so what? The prescriptions, they buying them, they selling them. So it ain't a part of Overtown; it's a part of the doctors, the pharmacies who doing them type of things. So I want to ask -- really, I'm not going to ask. I'm just going to say one thing: If y'all want to do better, y'all need to think better. And I'll leave it just like that. Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir. I appreciate your comments. Frederick Bryant: Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, Honorable Commissioners and other Board Members here. I would like to thank you for being here today, and I would just like to say that I just wish that we could have more of these opportunities for you to be here in the community, and to have an association with us, as community members. Well, first of all, my name is Frederick Bryant, 1431 Northwest 2nd Avenue. Maybe sometimes you could have a meeting over there. But anyway, I appreciate you being here today and, hopefully, we could have more of these. As you know, I have been concerned with the area, and there is one thing -- and I'm going to say that, from my perspective, things have gotten better. I appreciate that, but we still got work to do. And one thing I would like -- I heard that -- I heard about the Pottinger's Law, and I was wondering, is there any way that I could get a copy of the Pottinger's Law, just to go over it and know what's going on, to help better my understanding and have a better point of communication with the City of Miami officials and the community? So I'd like a copy of the Pottinger's Law, if I could get that. SEOPW CRA Page 5 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Chair Hardemon: If you send me an email, I'll send you a link -- I mean, I'll send you an email that has all the Pottinger information, so the case law, as well as the law itself or the agreement that was written up. Mr. Bryant: Okay. Chair Hardemon: Because you owe me some pictures, anyway, from the overdose in front of your house, so -- Mr. Bryant: Oh, if you still want those, I -- it's no problem. I didn't know you still wanted them. Chair Hardemon: -- email it to me, and then I'll email you the Pottinger information. Mr. Bryant: Oh, it's like that? All right. But thank you, and we'd like to have more meetings, sir; come back more often. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Catrenia Banks: Good afternoon, official officers. My name is Catrenia Banks. Chair Hardemon: Can you pick up the microphone, please? Ms. Banks: Hello, hi, good evening. My name is Catrenia Banks. I'm glad that I have this opportunity to speak. I met Mr. Keon Hardemon, and also, Mr. Nathaniel Joseph, right up under the expressway. I thank you. You're a great man in my eyes. I see a lot of change. I thank you for helping a young man over there when he was overdosing, when he was shaking. You act immediately; you called the ambulance. He was saved. They worked on him and took him to Jackson. And I feel like I could be a great help in employing some of these people and getting them off of the street by introducing my business. It's called "You Dirty it, We Clean it," and I feel like -- and I know that if granted me the opportunity that, with my help, I can help employ a lot of these people that's on the street that's not doing things with their time at this time. Again, I would like to thank y'all again for giving me this opportunity to thank Mr. Keon Hardemon, all his great dedication to cleaning up Overtown, and I really appreciate your help, and your time and effort, sir. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Shaneetha Omaka: Good afternoon. My name is Shaneetha Omaka. I'm with the Blue Shirts. My concern is, we clean up Overtown all day, and we're thankful. There is a lot of needles that we pick up, especially over on 10th, especially in the parks. Now we're picking up more needles over here; that is a concern of ours. Due to the fact that we pick up so many needles, we have to be very cautious on how we sweep up trash and how we do everything. Also, my other concern is, we've seen so many people during the summer, of course, fall out, knocked out. We were thankful -- we were very thankful that none of them died; two almost died, but they got there on time. So my concern is for the people. What can we do, as the Blue Shirts -- thank you, thank you -- to help more? Because we would like to do everything we can. Unidentified Speaker: (INAUDIBLE). Ms. Omaka: Keep going? SEOPW CRA Page 6 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Board Member Russell: I can hear you. Ms. Omaka: Okay, cool. We would like to do everything that we can to help; that's our main concern, especially when you see them falling out, especially when you see them not being able to respond. That's a scary moment for -- a couple of my men had a scary moment and didn't want to come back because of it. So that's our main concern, and I'm here to help. Chair Hardemon: One thing you can do: Make sure you speak with the commander, Commander Davis in the area, because what we can do is, we can establish a relationship between the Blue Shirts and also, Officer Bernat, so if there are individuals that want to find themselves in a better situation, you can identify the police officers who can give them some resources to get where they need to be, because, I mean, you guys are -- you know, you're "all hands on deck." Ms. Omaka: Right. Chair Hardemon: So, you know, I appreciate all that you do, because without you, Overtown wouldn't look as good as it does look, I mean, because you spend all day cleaning this area, so we appreciate the work that you do. Ms. Omaka: Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Ms. Omaka: Oh, and hello to everybody. My bad. Cecilia Stewart: Good evening. I'm Cecilia Stewart, and I want to pass out some information prior to my presentation. This is concerning the police officers enforcing the laws of the "no thru trucks" in our area. We have a lot of industrial trucks that are coming through our Overtown area that have been designated as "no thru trucks." Now, this has been going on since the year 2013. We see the signs that are posted. Even if you look right here on 14th Street and 1st Court, you can see it in your eye view. My concern is that we would also like to have the police to enforce those signs. The added police services that you're requesting, I'm all for that, but I want them to do justice by other violations in Overtown. We need tickets to be written to deter the commercial trucks from riding up and down our residential areas. It is a environmental hazard to us who live in this area. We breathe in the cement that these trucks deposit on our streets on a daily basis. So, Commissioner Hardemon, sir, I ask you, please, to step up with the enforcement of traffic violations, because the signs are there, and I appreciate it very much, and I thank you for your time. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Keon Williams: Keon Williams, 1975 Northwest 3rd Court, Miami, Florida 33136. I'm here today on behalf of the Overtown Optimist Club. I'm the president of the Overtown Optimist Club. We serve about 500 kids here in this Overtown community, and I must say, the fact that we're underneath this bridge, where there's no one out here using drugs, it's a beautiful thing, and I hope that we continue to do things like this that'll support that. I'm here in particular talking about item 1715 [sic] on the agenda, because I support what the developers that are coming in the meeting, trying to do, with organizations already on the ground; in particular, with the Miami World Center. One of the things that we've noticed as the Optimist Club is that in order for our kids to not find themselves in a position like this, we have to have opportunities for them. We have about four to 500 SEOPW CRA Page 7 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 kids that enter the Gibson Park doors every single day. That's a safe zone for them. That's a safe space for them, and we have to continue to do that, because if not, then we're going to be having our kids, you know, potentially find themselves in a position that's not supportive of them. And so, today, what I want to make sure that is being known is that we support the events that are going on in this community. At the end of the day, I recognize that someone like myself who grew up just off 16th and 1st Court, I know how important it is to be able to have opportunities to come back to your community and serve. And so, if we can't make that opportunity available for our kids with Optimist Club, then we're going to be -- all we're simply doing is doing ourselves a disservice. And so, to the Commissioners that are here, I thank you all for all of your support for what you continue to do. Commissioner Hardemon, thank you for what you do. Commissioner Suarez, in particular, thank you for what you do. We're grateful and we just look forward to continue doing that. But make no mistake, we got to be supportive in this community, because at the end of the day, these same kids that we're talking about we have a bright future for them, we can't sell them short on that dream. We can't sell them short on that promise, because if we do, then we're going to be again in this space 15 years from now, and it's going to be those same kids, and we're trying to prevent that every day; that's why the Optimist Club was started. It's all volunteer; no one gets paid over there, and this is what we do. Thank you for the time. Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir. Mae Christian: Good evening to the Commissioners. My name is Dr. Mae Christian. I live at 4824 Northwest 15th Court. I'm a member of the Overtown Advisory Board. What I want to say to you, Commissioner, thank you. Remember, in the last meeting, I told you about this bridge; how I ride through here, in terms of all these homeless people that were living up under this bridge. I want to also say that, as far as drugs, you know, I had the Methadone clinic right there, called Central Cities. I got the land for the Culmer Center. Now, I think the problem with the drugs is also on our backs, because we had Class "A" narcotic Methadone clinics -- we got people that the government addicted on some of these drugs. You all don't have the 21-day detox programs. It's not about just police officers. Where are the programs for these addicts? Where are the programs to get them off the street and help them? A lot of these drug addiction is a product -- these people are on substance abuse and they're addicted. They need medical help, some of them; not just jail and incarceration. And I think you all need to come up with some type of program to help these people that are on drugs, plus our children on Ritalin in school. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Lyle Muhammad: Good evening. Name is Lyle Muhammad. Home address is 7514 Northwest 14th Court; representing the Circle of Brotherhood, and we service many youth and families in the Overtown community. Please help me with some formalities. I know you opened up the floor at this time for comments on any of the items. Chair Hardemon: That's correct, sir. Mr. Muhammad: Kind of feel at a disadvantage, so what I would like to do is really not take much time, but some time. Chair Hardemon: You want to speak enough for the group. Mr. Muhammad: Yes, indeed. Chair Hardemon: That's no problem. SEOPW CRA Page 8 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Mr. Muhammad: So if you want to add up the minutes -- Chair Hardemon: You don't have to add them up; just speak. Mr. Muhammad: Excellent. The first questions: Could we get some kind of insight on exactly what is the $750, 000 proposed to go to the Police Department for? For example, is it for personnel; is it for special programming; is it for weaponry; is it for a particular program that's specific; is it an add -on; is it an adjunct? Because we kind of feel at a disadvantage to speak on such a vital issue without having that information. Chair Hardemon: So the information is provided in the backup, but then, also, we'll have the Police -- they'll make a presentation about that particular item, so you'll have an opportunity to hear what's in the item. Mr. Muhammad: So they're going to make a presentation today? Chair Hardemon: Yes. Mr. Muhammad: Okay. Could we defer to comment till after we hear that presentation? Chair Hardemon: Absolutely, I ask you do that. Mr. Muhammad: Thank you, sir. Thanks, ma'am. James Delancy: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is James Delancy. I am Bahamian. My grandma used to say, "Mind you, child. Just sit your tail down before I eat you alive." Bahamian. Y'all are destroying the Bahamian heritage, as well as Flagler's [sic]. Where is Historic Overtown? You're tearing Historic Overtown down. These high-rises, they are not original Overtown. These buildings were built by islanders -- that's historic -- that could withstand Andrew. Huh? You hear me now. Okay. Now, there is a lot of violations here. Pottinger -- one man mentioned that -- Pottinger versus City of Miami. It is illegal to punish homeless people for what they can't do if they're homeless. Pottinger versus City of Miami. Huh? How can it be illegal -- how could it be legal for a homeless person -- I got arrested eight consecutive times, open container. How could it be legal for me to go into the store, being homeless, and live in the public, and then when I come out the store, I get arrested for open container? How? There is a Federal court ruling. You cannot do that. Pottinger versus City of Miami. Somebody got the City of Miami police doing that, and I'm going at City Hall, and it's district representatives. And second of all, how could you attack Arthur Teele and then put it on TV that he was messing with a homosexual when that same time, your ruling is that any hate crime against a homosexual is illegal? I don't know why Arthur Teele turned. I thought he was stronger than that. He should have attacked, sued the hell out of them. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate your comments. I know you got a lot of stories, too, brother, and I could sit and listen to you for a long time. Mr. Delancy: I know you going to cut me off. Baby, I got something for the City of Miami. Chair Hardemon: I like your hat, too. SEOPW CRA Page 9 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Mr. Delancy: I'm a U.S. (United States) veteran, and this is a shame, to sign a will to go to war for this country and then come back and see the mistreatment of the people on this street. Chair Hardemon: Yes, sir. Mr. Delancy: They say that I -- they say I'm promoting crime. No, I'm not. I'm promoting survival. Unfair in hiring practices. Look in the Miami Herald. You will see jobs that English-speaking people are qualified for and Spanish people are qualified for but it's going to say, "You must be bilingual." Come on, now. You cannot do what Castro did to you, and you come over here and do it to us. Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir. Thank you. Andrea Rogers: Good afternoon, Commissioners and Mayor and CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) workers, and Mr. City Clerk. My name is Andrea Rogers. My address is 1600 Northwest 3rd Avenue. I'm with New Washington Heights. I want to thank you all for your support for Folklife. I really thank you for that. And what I want to speak on, also, is that on my mall, on 9th Street Mall, we also have a conglomerate of needles, syringes that's used and dropped on the ground, so I wanted to just speak on that. If I could possibly get some help with that, also, then that would be great. All right, thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Ms. Rogers: Thank you so much. Ana Birch: Good evening, sir. My name is Ana Beatriz Santos Birch. I'm part of the business center. Andre Williams: Good day. My name is Andre Williams. We're part of the Overtown Business Resource Center, located at 1490 Northwest 3rd Avenue. Ana is one of the participants and one of the walk-in businesses that come into the business center and utilize the facility, and she wanted to express her gratitude. Ms. Birch: Thank you very much for the opportunit [sic]. My business is property management. I hope I can help the communit [sic], bringing jobs and putting my expertise. I speak five language. Maybe I can communicate with most of the communit [sic]. Thank you very much for the CRA give me this opportunit [sic]. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Mr. Williams: Thank you for your time. Renita Holmes: Madam Renita D.C. Holmes. I'm a community resident, local, and I'm very happy today to see that this is a neighborhood meeting and that you can see the environment here. It's like this; always got a lot of folks up in here, but this time, you're listening, you're seeing 12 o'clock at night. And for those of us who leave our homes and we see the bodies, we mark, we videotape the number of women's bodies that are found around here, the number of children that play. You don't see them now in the middle of the street, while occupied -- the lack of traffic, the lack of having officers on point, but I'm concerned that we spend a lot of money on policing, but when we talk about community - oriented policing, it's not necessarily the way that we want it, and we can really enhance it, because a community should be able to police itself. I mean, I'm sitting here and I'm SEOPW CRA Page 10 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 standing afraid, because when I tell the truth about what I've seen in the past, it's just been a lot of injury. And now, you could see that women should not have to be fearful to say things; they should not be fearful to walk the streets, and mothers should not have to let their children play out here with no real green spaces. But I want to ask this question, because I found out the other day -- well, my mama had 13 children -- I'm number 11 -- and a single mom, and grew up right down the street, and my auntie stayed there, and so on and son on. But how is it that Little Havana, a neighborhood so rich and historic, with the same amount of buildings can be designated historical, but West Grove can't? How is it that we can have so much heritage here and be overlayed by FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation), but I can't even get the FDOT office to open? I see everybody benefiting from the quality of life intent for my folks and for me, but it's not happening that way. We give the appearance of having a fair opportunity to speak, but do we really have the fair access to the resources we need? Can we really plan without having a conversation with Planning & Zoning? Is it really comprehensive; and thus far, is it holistic? When I look at the difference and who gets the money to develop versus those of us who need the monies -- the small groups we have, the task force, the planning councils -- I know the CRA can't do it. Do we need lawyers? Do we need architects? Do we need people so that we can plan a vision that's a little bit more than each project at a time? I want to thank you for coming back to point zero -- ground zero. One more concern that's coming through alive, because I'm living this on Facebook and Tweeter and Twit, and let people know that couldn't be here in time. There are people down at the County, some of them dropped me off, because they had nowhere to park. You know, I get that every day. I just live down the street. But they want to know -- I want to know how comprehensive, how holistic it is when we're just getting back to ground zero. Oh, and one more: Nobody here that I see down there about ground zero on HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), and we know we have the highest population here of women and mothers, and that's who I'm sitting with in hospice now, since all I could hardly do is sit. But we have the highest count of HIV, and there was nobody at ground zero throughout the year. And I'm asking you at the CRA, did there -- because we have upcoming a grant on HIV housing. How do you serve a population of African American and inner city women who have the highest count, and we have no representation on those boards, and there's over 23 million? How do we plan HIV housing, and not one women looks like me? So can — I've got more transgender and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) programs for white Hispanic dudes than I do for gays, and these women here are taking care — LGBT women are taking care of some of the households where mens [sic] are missing. That's easy math. That's easy questions. That's some more resources that we can use. And I think, with all the women laying around here on this car-pheynl and, you know, trading needles and trading their bodies with men that are carriers, and we talking about lack of housing, that's the first place we can start when we talk about having more holistic, comprehensive and responsive planning to improve the quality of life and redevelopment in Overtown. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Irby McKnight: Good evening. I'm Irby McKnight, 1600 Northwest 3rd Avenue. Since this is an open forum on the agenda items and it's going to get a little chilly, I would like to cover all those items here that are on the agenda. Actually, I do not oppose any of them. I'm in support of all of them. However, on addressing the issue of drug overdose, I am representing Reverend Cook from the Greater Bethel AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church, 245 Northwest 8th Street. We have been tolerating this kind of epidemic for a period of 49 years. Thank you so much for not letting us reach 50 years of this. I remember, right out of college in 1968, 2nd Avenue and 8th Street, a restaurant called Sugar Hill, and I am sure Commissioner Gort knows what I'm talking about, because at that time, he was taking photographs at the Sir John Hotel and Lounge, and this was a common sight that you saw. We saw it all the time. So thank you so much for addressing an issue that a whole generation of children have grown up and become SEOPW CRA Page 11 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 hardened, and have adjusted to. They have seen these bodies; you're just now knowing about them. Oh, boy, can we tell you some stories. We can tell you why some of this land is vacant; because they were crack houses, and dope dens, and people overdosed in them. When the right person overdosed in one of them, they were bulldozed that same day. And the people here from the community, they know what I'm talking about. Hey, so thank you so much for focusing on something that we take for granted; something that has become a part of the fabric of the community. Now, Harlem has a nice way of handling this with their heroin zones they set up, where they pass out the needles and the drugs, so they don't have bodies all around the corner and everywhere, because they can regulate the strength. Dr. Christian spoke here tonight, and she did set up a Methadone clinic that we later learned Methadone was even worse than the heroin they were being treated with -- or for. However, jail is really not the way. This is a health issue. This is not a police matter. This is a health matter. This drug is addictive. These people are really strung out. They have to be strung out to die here, to die there, to die there. I mean, who wouldn't? I wouldn't want to be caught dead there. So they -- there's something really more than what you see happening here. This is an epidemic of un -- If it was the plague, we'd be doing something about it. Well, it's just as bad. The reason it's so bad, we -- I saw children that I said, "Ooh, they'll never grow up and use drugs, because they step over people overdosing on the sidewalk every day." I was dead ass wrong. They became so immune to it until they thought, "That's what you do." And I'm so happy to see this. I could die in peace. This is really something. I never thought this would be addressed in this neighborhood. Thank you. Thank -- even if you don't get anything done. However, a few years ago, the State Attorney did put into place some codes about being arrested multiple times in Overtown for drugs, so maybe they need to revisit that and that'll cut out some of these people -- I don't agree that the police put them in the front door and the State Attorney turn them out the back door; it really doesn't work like that at all. However, they do have a decree. They say, "If you are arrested more than twice in Overtown on drugs -- and they identified the area -- you won't get bail. See, they do have that, so go back and revisit that. I don't know that it worked when they put it in, but at least it is a tool that can now be used if there is attention to this. And at our church, it's - - We can't believe it. We can't believe it. We've had people disrupt our service. You know, I'm the type that'll beat your ass and go to the alter, and pray. So I have had to actually drag people out. I don't mind doing it. I'll do what I need to do. So -- but my point is, maybe this is the start of what will put an end to this, but you need to work with these people who are in the treatment program, because this really is not a police matter. This is really a health matter. It destroys the kidneys, it destroys the lungs, it destroys the heart, it destroys the bladder, and you don't have a brain once you stop. Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir. Mr. McKnight: That go first. So this is a health matter. Team with the Health Department. Mike Wilson picked up five gallons of -- five -gallon bottles of syringes every day in a program with the Health Department from these streets. Our children run through the streets and step on them. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and everything else -- if this needle has been freshly used and is left and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with blood in it, and it's contaminated, woe be the child that steps on it. Thank you very much. Next issue: The Folklife Festival. Why are they having so much problems? Chair Hardemon: Sir, your time has expired. Mr. McKnight: Yeah, right. I know -- Chair Hardemon: You've gone way beyond the time. I want to give people behind you an opportunity to speak. SEOPW CRA Page 12 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Mr. McKnight: I want them to have an opportunity, as well. But we must fund the Folklife Festival. That's a "must." If you want this heroin epidemic to get worse, don't fund it. Chair Hardemon: Yes, sir. Mr. McKnight: Then that'll be another area they can use. They stole -- Mr. Woods can tell you. We had some copper plaques there. They're gone. Somebody stole them and sell them, trade them for heroin. I think y'all was able to secure one or two of them? Yeah, well, we'd like to have that back. Thank you very much. Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir. Jackie Bell: Jackie Bell, 1600 3rd Avenue. I was not going to speak, but Mr. McKnight brought up something. The jails, when they let people out that are from down south or anywhere else, they drop them in Overtown. When they bring them home from the prisons -- If you come along here 3, 4 o'clock in the morning, busloads of people are dropped off in this area. They wind up being homeless and on drugs. So those are two things that maybe we need to look at, as well. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Is there any other person that'd like to speak on public comment? Deidria Davis: Hello, Commissioner. Thank you for everything you've done for my community. I'd just like to say I live here. I'm a homeowner here. My name is Deidria Davis. I live at 1950 Northwest 3rd Avenue. And I'm having to -- it's a lot going on here at night, when none of these people are here, none of the headlights are here. People come through here at night. They're driving Maseratis, Mercedes, limos; it's supply and demand. And as far as people -- the drug problem here, it's supply and demand. People are coming through here that are way above the pay scale, and they come through late at night, when the music in Wynwood is going on, you know. And it's so many issues here that affect us, as homeowners and taxpayers. I have to send my grandson down south to his mother, because just last week, he was -- hit-and-run in Overtown, in an area that's a dope hole, but he was coming from playing basketball, and he got hit. There was nothing I could even tell the police. So I'm concerned about the young people. I'm concerned about the drugs here and the concern — it depends on who dies, who overdoses, whether or not the importance gets elevated. And because my son is 15 and I don't want him to be lost to the system or another statistic, I'm just going to send him down to Homestead, because I can't even work in peace, because I'm afraid of what's going to happen when I'm at work, and I have to work. And I'm afraid of being charged, because if something happens while I'm at work -- he's 15. At the same time, as far as people wanting help with drugs, I work at Camillus House. There's a huge drug program there. For people that want help, there is help; you have to want it. If everybody that needed it was at Camillus House, the doors would be swollen, but it's just for people who want it. If you want to get help getting clean, you can get help. So I don't agree with that, either. We also have human trafficking. So I work with ladies in human trafficking right now, and those that want to get out of the street life, there are avenues for them to take. And the justice system is a difficult, complicated thing, but if we work together -- it's called "It Takes a Village"; it's community policing. We do need more police. We would like to see them on the streets more, out of the cars, walking, on horses, whatever; knowing my name, knowing my neighbor's name. You know, all of that works together. So you're doing a wonderful job, even though there's a lot of criticism. Not many people can do your job, so I do thank you for what you have done, and at least recognize that, because you have made a difference since you've been in Overtown as our Commissioner. Thank you. SEOPW CRA Page 13 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Akua Scott: Thank you. My name is Akua Scott. I had not planned to speak. I have an office here in Overtown, 511 Northwest 4th Street. My question is, what about the children? These children grow up seeing so much tragedy in their lives. All of you who are sitting around, you don't wake up and walk over bodies, but our children have seen that. What about the children? Where is the hope for our children? What examples are we setting for our children? What about the children? They want to be police officers; they want to grow up and be productive citizens. So what are we doing about the children? That's my comment. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Is there any other person that'd like to speak on the public comment section? Natrinia Stubbs: Hello, hi, good evening. My name is Natrinia Stubbs. I'm 21 years old. Back in December 19, 2014, I was shot in the stomach with an AK-47, right in Lincoln Field. As in youth, as being concerned about the youth, we are going to see things like, you know, this these days, because it says that in the Bible; we're going to see them. But my thing is, if we don't include Jesus in these things, everything is going to fall. So my thing is, we need to include Jesus in everything for the youth so that they grow up in a like manner that they need to grow up in, because they're not growing up how they're supposed to grow up. They're growing up killing each other; they're growing up selling drugs; they're growing up doing all kind of things that we're not supposed to be doing. So my concern is the youth. I don't know how I would start it, but I would like to start after -school prayer for the youth, the children that's in high school, middle school, elementary, even the toddlers, so like, I could tell them some things. You know, we have to respect our parents and that's why our days are getting shorter. These are the things that we need to speak on, because without Jesus, everything is going to fall. That's all I have to say. You all have a blessed day. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Karen Cartwright: Good afternoon. Board Member Suarez: Good afternoon. Ms. Cartwright: I have one question. Everybody is talking about the drug problem and about the children, and about the homeless. The one question I have is, in all of this, is where are the parents, the grandparents, and all the people who're supposed to care about these children? Where are they? You want the police to fix something, but you don't help. You talk about the drug problem. Nobody in Overtown that I know of has a boat; nobody has a helicopter; nobody has a plane. So how is it that nobody can find suppliers? How? As a rocket science -- this is no rocket science. So all of you gentlemen sitting up there, figure out how I can walk down the street and not see what -- somebody naked and writhing, because they're overdosing. How about that? Your children don't see it, but the children in Overtown do. Where are the parents? Parents are supposed to be the guardians of their children. You're supposed to look out for them, take care of them until they are able to take care of themselves, and that's not happening, not in Overtown. Now I -- that is not to say that they don't have good parents in Overtown, but everybody needs help. Everybody needs somebody to hold their hand and stand in back of them in case they fall. So I'd appreciate if everybody would become a team player and not worry about who's snitching on who and why we have drug problems, when nobody's trying to catch the supplier. Nobody. SEOPW CRA Page 14 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Chair Hardemon: Is there any other person that'd like to speak on public comment? Seeing none, I'm going to close the public comment section of the agenda. Ms. Cartwright: Everybody wants to know my name. My name is Karen Cartwright. I live at 1770 Northwest 5th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136. Is there anything else you want to know about me? CRA RESOLUTION 1. CRA RESOLUTION 1715 A RESOLUTION THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, WITH ATTACHMENTS, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE MIAMI WORLDCENTER ECONOMIC INCENTIVE AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MIAMI WORLDCENTER MIXED -USE PROJECT. File #1715 Exhibit SUB ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-17-0001 MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s) RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S) MOVER: Francis Suarez, Commissioner SECONDER: Frank Carollo, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Russell, Carollo, Suarez Chair Hardemon: Commissioners, are there any other -- are there any concerns or questions about items RE.1 through 3? Board Member Suarez: Move them. Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, Commissioner. No? Vice Chair Gort: Move them. Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved by Commissioner Gort. Board Member Carollo: Second. Chair Hardemon: Seconded by Commissioner Carollo to pass items RE.1, 2, and 3. Any further discussion? Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. Chair Hardemon: Yes. Mr. Hannon: Just for the record, item number 1 needs to be amended. I believe there are some minor changes to the exhibit. SEOPW CRA Page 15 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 William Bloom (CRA Special Counsel): On matter 1, there are some minor cleanup changes to Section -- Commissioner Suarez: As amended. Mr. Bloom: -- 3.1.7, which is the -- Chair Hardemon: Can you speak directly into the microphone? Put the microphone to your lips. Mr. Bloom: Yes. For -- in Section 1.1.7, there are clarifications requested by the union representatives, to make it consistent with the Responsible Wage Ordinance. We're also adding as -- Chair Hardemon: Let me say this before you do this: You can't give us a packet -- a packet -- and then say, "Oh, by the way, we have minor changes," because it doesn't look like minor changes. You may tell me, "Commissioner, there are two, three words, there are just a few phrases that are changed," but effectively, you passed out a packet, and said, "There are a few minor changes on the item." Board Member Suarez: Pretty big project. Mr. Bloom: That's correct. Clarence Woods, III (Executive Director, Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency): The majority of that -- the majority -- the big piece of -- the larger part is a exhibit, which is the first source hiring exhibit. That's not the actual agreement. It's an exhibit, which was a part of the initial one, and it only has minor tweaks or changes, but the grant -- I mean, the agreement itself the TIF (Tax Increment Fund) Agreement itself has not changed in any substantial way. That's not the actual agreement; it's just an exhibit. Chair Hardemon: So the document that we all have before this -- meaning the document that's passed out in the public -- Mr. Woods: Uh-huh. Chair Hardemon: -- it's the item that is in our folder that we've been reading? Mr. Woods: Yes, yes. And that document -- Chair Hardemon: Clarify for me what this is. Mr. Woods: That is an exhibit, the First Source Hiring Agreement, that exhibit. Chair Hardemon: Can you explain what the first source hiring exhibit is? Mr. Woods: Yes. It -- go ahead. Mr. Bloom: It requires residents of Miami -Dade County to be given preference, and at least 15 percent of the employees in these businesses on an ongoing basis be residents of Miami -Dade County, with preference being given to Overtown -- to the redevelopment SEOPW CRA Page 16 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 area, to the five zip codes in the City -- five -- that are the poorest zip codes -- the same for the County -- as we've done in the past. Mr. Woods: And that's the permanent jobs. Board Member Russell: Where are the changes? Mr. Woods: That's on the permanent jobs. Mr. Bloom: Right. The exhibit just wasn't attached to the ex -- Mr. Woods: It's just putting it in there. Mr. Bloom: -- the document that was circulated. Unidentified Speaker: So item Exhibit "H" -- Exhibit "G," you want to make amendments. Mr. Bloom: Right. Chair Hardemon: This document that we have before us, the Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler -- Mr. Woods: Yeah. Chair Hardemon: -- et cetera, some of your changes to the words in the Economic Incentive Agreement, dated January 25, 2017, under "Payment of Incremental TIF, "you have "Extra Incentive Payment." I thought that the extra incentive payment was stricken from the last agreement. Mr. Woods: That's what it's -- that's what that document is saying; is that it's stricken. That's just a cheat sheet of the changes that we already -- that are a part of this. It's just giving you -- Chair Hardemon: So this is not changes -- Mr. Woods: No. Chair Hardemon: -- from what we've already had? Mr. Woods: No, no; that's just giving you a cheat sheet of what the changes are. Chair Hardemon: You can ask a question if you want to. Board Member Russell: What are the new changes that we're seeing today, right now, that were not in our briefing from earlier this week? That's what I need to understand. Mr. Bloom: I think they were all in your briefing. Board Member Russell: Okay. So this is not "on -the -floor -right -now" changes? Chair Hardemon: Right. SEOPW CRA Page 17 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Board Member Russell: Because that's what it sounded like when you first brought it up. Mr. Bloom: There's some very minor words that were cleanup items that, as a precaution, we're letting you know. When you were briefed, you weren't provided a copy of the Workforce Hiring Agreement, which is Exhibit "G, " which was omitted, so that was -- that's being circulated now; it's minor changes from -- was approved in 2015 by the Board; just to update, so now it includes offices, which it didn't include before. Board Member Russell: So "minor changes" are grammatical changes? Mr. Woods: Yeah. Board Member Russell: Nothing that changes the intent or substance? Mr. Bloom: Nothing that changes the substance. Board Member Russell: "Should" to "shall"? Mr. Woods: That's basically an executive summary of what was changed in the actual TIFAgreement, what you have; that two page document. Nothing else has changed. Chair Hardemon: I just want you -- I want to make this very clear; we've made it clear before. Don't do this. Don't do this. You've had opportunities to brief the Commissioners. You've had opportunities to brief me. You've had opportunities to meet and discuss this issue -- these issues. So when you pass things out on the dais, it does not look good; doesn't matter if nothing changed. The word, "to" or 'you" could have changed. Most likely, you usual -- you normally say, "We keep it in the attached" -- "or substantially in the attached form," but that's not what you did here. You understand what I'm saying? So it just doesn't look good. It makes me uncomfortable as the Chair; it makes the Board Members uncomfortable, which is why you get questions; and then, we spend too much time on an item that didn't necessarily need the type of comment that we spent it on. Mr. Woods: You're absolutely correct, Commissioner. Chair Hardemon: You want to be recognized, sir? Javier Fernandez: Commissioner, I just wanted to clarify -- for the record, Javier Fernandez, with Stearns Weaver. The item that's -- the item that was changed was to expand the uses that were included in the original agreement. As you know, the program was modified to include office uses that previously were not reflected in that original agreement, so we were approached by counsel this morning. We agreed with the modification to include the residential hiring requirements for those two new uses, so it, in fact, expands the application of that requirement, and we're in agreement with it. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Is there any other question or unreadiness about -- Right now, I'll take that motion and second to be -- to encompass the changes that were -- Board Member Suarez: As amended, yeah; as amended. Chair Hardemon: -- stated. Is there any other concern or question? Hearing none, all in favor of the motion, say "aye." SEOPW CRA Page 18 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 The Board (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Motion passes. 2. CRA RESOLUTION 1705 A RESOLUTION THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA") AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CRA AND HORSEPOWER ELECTRIC, INC. TO PROVIDE STREETLIGHT MAINTENANCE SERVICES ON CRA MAINTAINED STREETLIGHTS FOR A ONE (1) YEAR PERIOD WITH THE OPTION FOR FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL ONE (1) YEAR PERIODS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $14,227.20 PER YEAR; FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW, "OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.534000.0000.00000. File # 1705 - Backup ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-17-0002 rMOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Francis Suarez, Commissioner SECONDER: Frank Carollo, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Russell, Carollo, Suarez Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number 2, please see Item Number 1. 3. CRA RESOLUTION 1706 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $120,000, TO NEW WASHINGTON HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE, INC. ("NEW WASHINGTON HEIGHTS") TO UNDERWRITE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF "FOLKLIFE FRIDAYS", A MONTHLY OPEN- AIR MARKET TO BE HELD ON THE 9TH STREET PEDESTRIAN MALL DURING THE 2017 CALENDAR YEAR; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DISBURSE FUNDS, AT HIS DISCRETION, ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, ENTITLED "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. File # 1706 - Backup ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-17-0003 SEOPW CRA Page 19 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Francis Suarez, Commissioner SECONDER: Frank Carollo, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Russell, Carollo, Suarez Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number 3, please see Item Number I. 4. CRA RESOLUTION 1714 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $750,000 TO THE CITY OF MIAMI TO UNDERWRITE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENHANCED POLICING SERVICES WITHIN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DISBURSE FUNDS, AT HIS DISCRETION, ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM SEOPW, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. File #1714 Backup ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-17-0004 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Francis Suarez, Commissioner SECONDER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Russell, Carollo, Suarez Chair Hardemon: At this time, I'd like the introduction of the Southeast Over -- RE.4. Clarence Woods, III (Executive Director, Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency): Commissioners, Resolution Number 4 is a resolution of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, authorizing a grant in an amount not to exceed $750,000, to the City of Miami, to underwrite cost associated with the enhanced policing services within the redevelopment area; further authorizing the executive director to disburse funds at his discretion, on a reimbursement basis, or directly to vendors, upon presentation of invoices and satisfactory documentation; further authorizing the executive director to execute all documents necessary for said purpose. Chair Hardemon: Is there anyone from the Police Force that is here -- Mr. Woods: Yes. SEOPW CRA Page 20 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Chair Hardemon: -- to make a presentation? Unidentified Speaker: Thank you. Mr. Woods: This is Commander Davis. Commander Nicole Davis: Good afternoon, everyone. Here, it's right here. Good afternoon. Chair Hardemon: Good afternoon. Mr. Woods: This particular item is a part of our Enhanced Policing Initiative, where we have not just the regular beat patrol, but we paid to have additional -- five officers and -- I think it's five officers and one sergeant -- to patrol the redevelopment area. This would be the third year, based upon the directors of our Board, to make sure that the police not just answer calls for service, but to be proactive in some of the issues that we're talking about here today. As you can see, this budget basically accounts for salary. There's a small amount for equipment repair and replacement, which is about $25,000; and then there is an additional $69, 000 for overtime, but the majority of the budget is for salaries. We purchased in the past equipment. You can see the cars that bear the logo of the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). If you look right behind you, you see the T3s, which are -- well, it serves a different modality and gets our officers around so that they can get out and do more community policing. That's pretty much it, unless Commander wants to say something. Commander Davis: No, thank you. Chair Hardemon: So what I fully expected to hear was at least an opportunity for the community to hear about this program, how it's been utilized here in Overtown, what your successes have been, because, you know, I'm going to speak frankly. Like, the three machines, the vehicles, I've never seen them in Overtown, and so, I don't know if any of the Overtown people have ever seen them before, but I know I've never seen them; they certainly aren't over here. And so, I think these are some of the concerns that -- We all want to know about how our money is being utilized to enhance the safety of the people that live in the area, because that's what the grant is for; as a component to address some of the issues that are going on here, besides what we do in investing into the people, the buildings, the residences, and the businesses. So we want to know how -- what do you do with this $750,000 grant that's a benefit to this neighborhood? Commander Davis: Okay. The CRA team consists of a sergeant -- Chair Hardemon: Can you state your name, what are --? Commander Davis: I'm Commander Nicole Davis. I'm in charge of the Overtown NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team). The CRA team consists of a sergeant and five officers. That team focuses specifically on dealing with involvement, as well as enforcement. They do an array of different events. They're responsible for directly handling these specific types of issues. They have conducted approximately 104 cleanup outreach details in this particular area, where we provide referrals, assistance. We assist the homeless with placement, shelter, and we take whatever law enforcement is necessary, depending on what is going on at the time. These officers are -- they've made a total of 100 -- I'm sorry -- they have encountered at least a thousand homeless individuals. They were able to provide shelter, placement, referrals, mental health assistance for those individuals. The majority of the money that's allocated from the CRA SEOPW CRA Page 21 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 goes towards salaries; a small portion goes towards equipment; and then we also try to coordinate additional details, where we provide additional outreach and assistance for our residents in a variety of areas, such as back -to -school events, resource fairs, where we provide health assistance. They coordinate all those types of events in the Overtown area, in the CRA boundaries. Chair Hardemon: Before you continue, are any of the CRA police here with us today? Commander Davis: Yes. Chair Hardemon: Can you have them identifr themselves by raising their hands, so people know who they are, and you can identify them by name? Commander Davis: Sergeant Lewis, let me have you -- Chair Hardemon: Can you step forward in the light so people can see you? Commander Davis: -- step forward and bring your team. Chair Hardemon: I think that's a part of the community policing that we spoke about earlier. People want to know who the individuals are, and -- so that they can have a relationship with them. Can you bring them -- Commander Davis: This is the -- Chair Hardemon: -- this way so the people can see them? Commander Davis: Come on out, come on out in front. Introduce your team. Sergeant Weslyne Lewis: Evening, everyone. My name is Sergeant Weslyne Lewis. I'm the supervisor of the Overtown CRA Unit. Officer Martina Laurent: Good evening. I'm Officer Martina Laurent. I'm part of the Overtown CRA Unit. Officer Carla Gonzalez: Good evening. I'm Officer Carla Gonzalez; also part of the CRA Unit. Officer Hector Gonzalez: Good evening. Officer Hector Gonzalez, a CRA police officer. Commander Davis: And we also have Officer Refuse and Officer Flanders, who are roving the area at this time. Now, in addition to that, the -- just this team alone has made 460 arrests, so they are involved with the community, as well as taking enforcement efforts. Chair Hardemon: Board Members, are there any other questions that you may have for them at this time? Board Member Russell: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, sir. SEOPW CRA Page 22 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Board Member Russell: Thank you. Commander, just to answer the question of one of the residents -- Ms. Stewart, I believe -- was asking about the through trucks in the "no thru truck" areas. Does the enhanced unit have the ability to do the citations necessary and the stops necessary; and do you do that, in fact, in the area? Commander Davis: Yes, we have. As a matter of fact, I've personally met with Ms. Stewart. I'm in communications with her via email. As a matter of fact, I received an email from her today. When I became aware of her issue, the motor officers, as well as some of my CRA team members and additional patrol units set up details on those particular thoroughfares to try to catch those individuals that are driving through illegally. Additionally, we have responded to several of those locations. We've contacted the management to also inform them as to what is going on there, and that we're having issues with them, and that we will be taking enforcement. We've taken pictures and we are enforcing the through trucks -- Board Member Russell: Thank you. Commander Davis: -- in her street. Chair Hardemon: Everyone knows that Ms. Stewart is one of your best friends when it comes to documenting things like that, that are occurring, because she -- Commander Davis: And that's what we need. Chair Hardemon: -- so we really would appreciate you assisting her. Commander Davis: Yes, sir. Chair Hardemon: Are there any other questions? There's no questions? Board Member Suarez: Move it. Chair Hardemon: I know I promised the Circle of Brotherhood an opportunity to ask a few questions for public comment on this section, so if you could pass them the microphone, so if they had a question they want to identify, they can speak on it? Lyle Muhammad: Thank you so much, Chair, but more so than a question is a comment, now that we've heard the statements, so we just want to make sure that their presentation is finished before we -- We don't want to interrupt your flow, my good brother. You good? Chair Hardemon: Finished? Okay. Commander Davis: Do you have any other --? Chair Hardemon: They're finished. Commander Davis: Are there any other questions for police? Yes? No? Okay. Mr. Muhammad: Again, first of all, definitely, Chairman Hardemon, we want to thank you. I feel so much more informed, having heard that, and knowing what the monies are being used for, but we have some grave concerns. Concern number one: We definitely know we need our police to do what they do, and we're thankful to God for every single policeman and policewoman that puts their life on the line to service our community and SEOPW CRA Page 23 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 our peoples [sic]; make no mistake about that. The grave concern starts with listening to the report that was given as to what the officers who receive the monies will be doing, and it sounded like what's already being done, but what's already being done -- until you, dear sir, had this area cleaned up; until your initiative allowed it to happen -- was a lot of the status quo. For $750,000, we could employ 30 Overtown residents to experience some of the most exquisite life skills training on the planet to clean this neighborhood and the citizens up, for the same amount. We already know that our Police Departments are under funded and need support, but before this very Board, over the years, since 2009, there have been community policing initiatives, like the Peacemakers Program, that have come before this council. As a matter of fact, in 2009, we did a pilot program, funded by the CRA. But I think when you begin to look at those kind of numbers, and critically look at how we can best utilize dollars -- Now, they need what they need, and we support it. I know, at the very least, when -- out of this CRA, under a different Chairperson, told us in the community and the police to come together and start an organization called the Alliance Against Violence. And I remember Chief Orosa at that time getting a report; one of the larges arrests that took place in Overtown. As a matter of fact, it was on the front page of the Miami Times. 50 arrests were made, and each of the mugshots -- some of you may remember that -- each of those 50 mugshots were on that page. And when we were being debriefed about it, we asked two questions. And the first question was, "How much did that operation cost to arrest those 50 individuals?" And after the calculation was done, we were told, "Nearly $5 million." $5 million. And then the other -- this was about three days after this took place -- the second question was asked, "How is that area and that community now?" And it was right back into the same condition again, $5 million later. All we're saying is, if we have a proven track record, even based upon pilot programs that come from the CRA, and those pilot programs prove to turn the lives of individuals who are stuck in the muck in Miami with unemployment, and we can employ Overtown residents, certainly, for that same amount, and clean the community up, then we say we deserve an opportunity to look critically into it. Now, we're not against our officers receiving what they need to do what they do, but we are against committed individuals who want to work in our community, and who know how to do what needs to be done to clean it up, not having the same opportunity, so their job would be 10 times easier, as well. So I don't know what process or procedure you would recommend. Chair Hardemon: You did it. Mr. Muhammad: Okay. Chair Hardemon: You've done it. Mr. Muhammad: Yes, sir. Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Mr. Muhammad: Thank you. Chair Hardemon: You got it. Mr. Muhammad: All right. Chair Hardemon: Are there any other questions or concerns? I heard a motion from Commissioner Suarez. Is there a second to the motion to adopt RE.4? Vice Chair Gort: Second. SEOPW CRA Page 24 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 Chair Hardemon: It's been seconded by Commissioner Gort. Yes, ma'am. Jackie Bell: Commissioner and all of you sitting there know me. I walk these streets every day; been walking them for the past 45 years. I have never seen these police officers. And I am always in the NET Office, and always up and down the street. So ask them do they know me. Okay? Chair Hardemon: Yes, ma'am. I know I appreciate the comment, because I think that's telling. We have our City Manager here and we have our Mayor here. I don't know if they want to make any comments before we pass this resolution, but I thought that our Police Chief would be here, but the City Manager, I think, is -- he sits above him, but that's something that has to be addressed; is that the people who are employed in this area need to be known by the individuals who are in this area. Everybody knows Clarence Woods; everybody knows Martha; everybody knows the individuals who are here working every single day, and I think we should know our police, just the same way, so we need an effort. If it takes getting on these little things to ride around, then let's get on them, because I don't know how they got here. Did anybody see anybody ride them over here? Mr. Woods: Yeah. Chair Hardemon: I think they just put them out there. So I challenge all those others to get on it -- Mr. Woods: Commissioner. Chair Hardemon: -- and ride it. Yes, sir. Mr. Woods: One of the reasons why you haven't seen them on the street yet is because we were ordering the decals to identify them as CRA -- Chair Hardemon: Oh. Okay. Mr. Woods: -- T3s. That's -- Chair Hardemon: Did you do that with the police car? Mr. Woods: Same -- no. They had to ride those, but you see the stickers -- I mean, the new CRA logos are on the police cars. Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Mr. Woods: But we're wait -- we're going to get the stickers for the T3s. Chair Hardemon: I'll give you a moment to say -- yes. Mr. Muhammad: Just for clarity sake, to our brothers and sisters that work in the Blue Shirt Program -- Chair Hardemon: Yeah. Mr. Muhammad: -- because they was (UNINTELLIGIBLE), we were in no way talking about trying to do what you're doing, and the excellent work that you have. We're talking SEOPW CRA Page 25 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 about cleaning up the minds and the lives, and the trauma that has happened to the human beings that find them self in the scourge of unemployment and the scourge of violence and drug addiction. Chair Hardemon: Understood. Mr. Muhammad: We love what they do, and we love what our police do. Thank you. Chair Hardemon: If there are no further comments from the Board Members, from the Mayor, from the Manager, all in favor of the motion, say "aye." The Board (Collectively): Aye. Chair Hardemon: Motion passes. All right, this meeting has come to an end. Thank you all so very much for being here. I appreciate you giving us your time right here in the streets of Overtown. Thank you. NA - NON -AGENDA ITEM(S) 1. CRA DISCUSSION 1762 CHAIR KEON HARDEMON WELCOMED THE PUBLIC AND MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST CRA BOARD TO HISTORIC OVERTOWN AND DISCUSSED CHALLENGES INCLUDING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC FACED BY THE OVERTOWN COMMUNITY. RESULT: DISCUSSED Chair Hardemon: Welcome to the January 30, 2017 meeting of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency. I first want to say I appreciate you all being here. I know this is an unconventional meeting site for this location, but those of you who live and work in Overtown know exactly where -- what this place represents to this neighborhood. This area is an area that is "ground zero," as the Miami Herald put it, for opiate overdoses for individuals who don't live in Overtown, but typically come to Overtown. They come to Overtown because word in the nation is that you could find the best drugs in Overtown. And, of course, where we have a neighborhood that we've put so much energy and so many resources into the people, into the buildings, into the businesses, this is something that we, in the Community Redevelopment Agency and the City of Miami believe has to change, and I think the only way that we can begin to recognize the issue is by seeing it firsthand. And because we're all here, this area doesn't look like it typically looks. Up and down these different avenues don't look like it always looks, but I can assure you, just like last week, when I personally videotaped an individual overdosing on the other avenue just beside us, and watched a guy shoot drugs on this sidewalk right here, I know that this area is having a major issue. And so, we thought it'd be appropriate in the Community Redevelopment Agency to bring all of us to this place and take back our community, and the way that we do that is by ensuring that we have our public meetings to let people know in this neighborhood that our eyes are on this community. And so, although there are a number of issues that compound this type of community, this area, we must not turn away from what's actually causing a lot of despair in this area. There are individuals who may find themselves here that are not abusing drugs; however, for the vast majority of the people that are here, and for the residents that are walking to and from in the middle of the SEOPW CRA Page 26 Printed on 3/16/2017 Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA Meeting Minutes January 30, 2017 ADJOURNMENT street, because they can't use the sidewalks, they recognize that this is an issue. And so, I appreciate all of my Board Members for being here on this day. I think this is a monumental day in the community of Overtown, because it lets the people know that we are not afraid to be here with our feet on the ground. And before we actually get into the business, if any of you all want to say something, I think now would be an appropriate time. Commissioner Gort. Vice Chair Gort: Well, I can tell you my experience, going way back over 20 years. We have made some improvement, but we still got a lot to go; we need to do a lot more. A lot of time, it used to be a place for homeless to come in and live in, but right now, they changed from the homeless to the drug addicts, which is -- make it worse. And then we have -- the park that we have coming to this area is going to improve all this. And the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) has done a wonderful job, and we have created a lot of affordable housing, which it was very important; it was the number -one goal. And I think this is going to be a great park; and then, I understand the Omni CRA is going to continue the park east of here. Chair Hardemon: Anybody else? The Miami -- there's a Miami Herald article that said that the -- that there are opiate overdoses that are going on all over this nation, but while -- in Overtown and the surrounding areas of the City of Miami, we've seen the most deaths. Virtually every corner of the country -- of the County has recorded overdoses; however, Miami -Dade Fire Rescue has a much larger department; also saw a dramatic increase in the first nine months of 2016. In the County, they went from -- 966 times -- and they were up 634 from the year before. And so, in an area like Overtown, they've said that 90 percent of the individuals that are passing away in this area from overdoses of car phenyl (carboxylic acid-5-phenylpentanoic acid), and as well as phenyl, happen to be people that are what -- the statistic was 2.5 percent of the people were actually from the Overtown community. So that means that the people that you've seen die on the streets of Overtown are representative of the people who actually live in Overtown. And so, I thought it would be fitting that we have this meeting here, once again, to show that we're not ignoring the facts. We're not ignoring what's happening in this community; that we want to see positive things happen in this community; and that we won't confine ourselves to 3rd Avenue, and we'll look to 2nd Court, 1st Court, where people who live -- and they want better housing, they want standard housing, and they want to be a part of the renaissance of Overtown, and they don't want their streets to be flooded with drugs and drug sales. What makes this time special right now is that this is probably the longest time that you've had where there was not a drug sale occurring right now; where there was not an overdose occurring right now; where there was not a woman being beaten right now. All of those things happen right here, where we are. It's as if the rules of engagement are suspended underneath the I-395, and I think that it's about time that that comes to an end. So thank you all again for being here, and if I ask -- I just -- I want to give you all a round of applause for having the courage to be here with us today. Thank you. Applause Chair Hardemon: So if there aren't any further comments, I'd like to go ahead and start the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p. m. SEOPW CRA Page 27 Printed on 3/16/2017