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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNuisance Abatement Board1Sy��I t1 If att..1 .A� January 2, 2017 Daniel Alfonso, City Manager City of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 RE: Nuisance Abatement Board Annual Report (2016) Dear Mr. Alfonso: As chairperson of the Nuisance Abatement Board (NAB), and pursuant to City Code Sec. 2-890 regarding the annual report requirement of City boards and committees, I am pleased to provide you this annual report by answering the following questions listed below. As you may know, each commissioner may make one appointment of a regular member, two at -large, regular -member appointments and two alternate -member appointments. All members are appointed on a volunteer basis and are not compensated in any manner. The NAB is both ethnically and gender balanced, reflecting the make-up of the City of Miami (COM). In 2016, the NAB met usually on the last Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm at Miami City Hall. Is the board serving the purpose for which it was created? Yes, the NAB serves the purpose for which it was created. The purpose of the NAB is to promote, improve and protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this municipality by authorizing its creation with the authority to impose administrative fines and other non -criminal penalties to provide an equitable, expeditious, effective and inexpensive method of enforcing any codes and ordinances where a pending or repeated violation continues to exist. The NAB's actions have continued to serve the above -described purpose. Is the board serving current community needs? Yes, the NAB acts in a professional and honorable manner in proceeding to meet present community needs in its pursuit to promote, protect, and improve the health, safety and welfare of the COM's citizens and has made sure that no violation presents a serious threat to said community. A list of the board's major accomplishments: The NAB met nine times and heard eight cases; 15-001- closed 15-002- closed 15-003- closed 15-004- closed 15-005- closed 16-001- continuing 16-002- continuing 16-003- continuing 16-004- continuing - An Ethics workshop was also held in 2016. The Nuisance Abatement officers scheduled 8 cases, and as a result, Hearing Boards created 25 Nuisance Abatement Orders Is there any other board, either public or private, which would better serve the function of the board? No, there is no other board, either public or private, which would better serve the COM. The NAB is a statutorily -created body under Sections 162.01-162.13 as the "Local Government Code Enforcement Boards Act." The work the NAB conducts is distinctive and a valuable resource for the COM and its constituents. Should the ordinance creating the board be amended to better enable the board to serve the purpose for which it was created? No. Should the board's membership requirements be modified? No, the current board members meet the requirements. The NAB members must be residents of the City and shall be responsible to enforce technical codes of the City of Miami. Appointments shall be made in accordance with the City Code on the basis of experience or interest in the subject matter jurisdiction of the NAB. Lastly, it's important to note how the board has seen improvement in the way staff presents items. It is disappointing, however, that no improvement has been made in terms of the physical delivery of printed packages and associated material. The board receives electronic materials and it would be cost efficient to the City to halt physical production of agendas and implement the use of loaner tablets at the meeting, in a similar fashion to the Unsafe Structures Board. We must move away from binders of material that are usually discarded after the meeting. Should you need further information, please contact me through the Planning and Zoning Department, Hearing Boards Division at 305-416-2030. Sincerely, Charles H. McEwan Chairperson Respectfully submitted this Z day of January 201 f8:1'bA 14 r.') O5