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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2021-10-01 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Meeting Minutes Friday, October 01, 2021 1:00 PM Special Meeting City Hall City Commission Francis X. Suarez, Mayor Ken Russell, Vice Chair, District Two Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner, District One Joe Carollo, Commissioner, District Three Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four Jeffrey Watson, Commissioner, District Five Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 1:00 PM INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Present: Vice Chair Russell, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner Carollo, Commissioner Reyes and Commissioner Watson On the 1st day of October 2021, 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 special session. The Commission Meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Russell at 1:36 p.m., recessed at 4:17 p.m., reconvened at 4:43 p.m., and adjourned at 8:58 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk Vice Chair Russell: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome. Today's special meeting has been called for the purpose of discussing the City of Miami's Chief of Police, the City's budgets and the potential adoption of any resolutions regarding the same. The members of the City Commission participating at this special meeting are Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes, Jeffrey Watson, and me, Ken Russell, your Vice Chair. Also appearing are City Manager Art Noriega,, City Attorney Victoria Mendez, and City Clerk Todd Hannon. This special meeting will be open with a prayer by Commissioner Reyes and the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. Please stand. Commissioner Reyes: I wasn't expecting this. Vice Chair Russell: 1 apologize. Commissioner Reyes: Okay, no. Don't worry about it. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance delivered. Commissioner Reyes: You can do it any time. Vice Chair Russell: You're always ready. Commissioner Reyes: I'm always ready. I was born ready. ORDER OF THE DAY Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, please state the procedures to be followed during this special meeting. Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Thank you. 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 the 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 at 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 appropriate disclosures required by the Code in writing. A copy of this code section is available at the Office of the City Clerk or online at www.municode.com. The City of Miami requires anyone requesting action by the City Commission to disclose before the hearing any consideration provided or committed to anyone Jroagreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to City Code Section 2-8. The material for each item on the agenda is available during business hours City City of Miami Page 1 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 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 Chair. Public comment will begin in approximately a little bit and remain open until the public comment is closed by the Chair. Members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by submitting written comments via online comment form. Please visit www.miamigov.com/meetinginstructions for detailed instructions on how to provide public comment using the online public commentform. The comments submitted through the comment form have been and will be distributed to the elected officials and City Administration throughout the day so the elected officials can consider the comments before taking any action. Additionally, the online comment form will remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute to the elected officials until the Chair closes the public comment period. Public comment may also be provided live at City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, subject to any and all rules, as they may be amended. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such a later date before the City Commission takes action on such proposition. When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public must first state his or her name, his or her address, and what item will be spoken about. Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids, and services for this meeting may notify, the City Clerk. The City has provided different public comment methods to indicate, among other things, a public support, opposition, or neutrality on items and topics to be discussed at the City Commission meeting in compliance with Section 286.0114(4) (c), Florida Statutes. The public has been given the opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity in the meeting -- before the meeting takes place. Please note, Commissioners have been generally briefed by City staff and the City Attorney on items on the agenda today. Anyone — this meeting can be viewed live on Miami TV, miamigov.com, the City's Facebookpage, facebook.com, the City's Twitter page, twitter.com, the City's YouTube channel, youtube.com, and Comcast Channel 77, City of Miami. The broadcast will also have closed captioning. Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. So I'd like to discuss a little bit about how we're going to handle the order of today. I'd like to make a personal statement. I owe an explanation to my fellow Commissioners as well as the public. I chose not to be here on Monday, very consciously. I was not shirking my responsibility. The last time I can recall not being here at a City Commission meeting was when there was a shooting at a school in my district and I chose to leave. I take this job very, seriously. It was not a protest either. It was not a boycott or a judgment of my fellow Commissioners. I believe that once the eight page memo was submitted this now becomes an issue that would be ripe for litigation and that anything we say up here could put the City at risk. While I did support the process by which this Chief was selected, and I do support the efforts for reform on improving our fine City of Miami Police Department every year. Once this memo was issued, my responsibility, and I believe our responsibility as a Commission, is to protect the City, fiscally, legally, and I do understand my fellow Commissioners want to address the allegations that were raised in the memo. My only concern is that this forum would create a potential risk and exposure. But now we have an investigative body established. We have potential budget issues here today. I would like to let the public know how to expect the procedures. We only have discussion items on our agenda today. Public comment is reserved for action items of the City. So 171 be asking for the Order of the Day to include any pocket items that fellow Commissioners would like to bring today as an action. And they can only be limited to the subjects contained within the special meeting notice. So it would have to do with the Police Discussion Item, it would have to do with the Budget Discussion Item. And then if there is an action item to be taken, the public will absolutely have every opportunity to have their two minutes per person to address this body. And so with that, Commissioners, I'd like to move to the Order of the Day. We have two items on our agenda. I believe they are related, Commissioner Carollo? Is there anyone here who would like to add to this agenda with regard to any action items? Seeing none, we will move into -- and I'm going to take these in tandem because I do believe that the discussion of the Chief of Police and adoption of any pertinent resolutions may lead into budget discussions as well. So we're going to open the floor for the Commission to take up either of the items. Commissioner Carollo, how would you prefer? City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: We are going to deal with the first item discussion, Chief of Police, first. And then we will deal with the discussion. When we said Chief of Police, we had stated before that it included any police matter related -- that were related. Vice Chair Russell: Pull the microphone down, please. We'll take up SP.1. Commissioner Carollo: Item 1 is Police Chief an any police matters related. Once we're done with that, we need to take a few minutes of a break so that we can then go to the SP.2 discussion, amendments to the City's budgets. Now 1 will tell you right up front, 1 do not have anything, and 1 would like each one of us to state so if they have anything, that I'm going to bring up on SP. 1 for this body to vote on. This is going to be exercising our rights to do what we're going to do here by Charter. So I will not be bringing up anything whatsoever on SP.1 that will require a vote. Vice Chair Russell: Understood. So SP.2 could lead to resolutions that would change the budget. Commissioner Carollo: SP.2 could lead to some amendments. I don't know if they'll change the budget or not, but it will be at least an amendment to clarify and so that there would not be any possible mistakes on what this Commission is instructing in the budget. Which is our right to do by Charter. Vice Chair Russell: Of course. Commissioner Carollo: Last but not least, while in SP.2, if we're going to take a vote on something, absolutely anyone that would like to address this body will have the opportunity to. They will be limited to whatever we're voting on. And, Mr. Chair, I want to be very, very specific and clear with you. I for one am not going to allow for anyone to come up here and start insulting, yelling, making accusations that have nothing to do with whatever vote we're taking on and for the reasons that we're opening up the budget. And I fully expect from you, if that's the case that you immediately remove them and shut the mic out on them. If not then I respec fully request of you that we immediately then stop the meeting, take a vote to see what the majority, wants to do. Vice Chair Russell: So, thank you for that request, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: We could even vote on it if you like. Vice Chair Russell: There's nothing to vote on at this moment. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. On the procedures I'm saying. Vice Chair Russell: So, I'll be clear on the procedures. Commissioner Carollo: Our procedures. Vice Chair Russell: I'll be very clear on the procedures. We currently do not have a Chairman of this Commission. We have not had one for almost a year. As you see the placard on the front of my lectern here says Vice Chairman. If I'm here, I chair the meeting. If Pin not here, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla chairs the meeting. And that's our procedure. Our actual Chair is the Mayor of the City of Miami and he has the ability to appoint a Chair; he has not done so this year. So I serve as your Chair and I run the decorum that I believe is appropriate under the Charter, under Mason's Rules, under our traditions, under what's been done in the past. And, yes, I may be a little more flexible with letting the public hear us, because God knows we get a little bit heated up here, too. And I do believe if we can dish it out, we can take it. But there will be no inappropriate, inappropriate behavior. That's always, that this body City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 should have decorum on both sides of this dais. And we expect that of our public as well. So, there will not be any shouting from the room. We do not do applause just as we do not do boos. We're here to conduct the business of the City. And I know that my fellow Commissioners will be respectful to the public as well. There's a lot of heat going on right now, a lot of accusations have been thrown, and it's very easy for us to feel threatened or defensive and want to lash out. But I please ask that this Commission stick to the facts of whatever it is that's being alleged or defended. Again, it's my preference that we do not do this up here because it will only potentially lead to exposure as we are airing on the record, things that could potentially used at us if we get at legal odds with this Chief. My hope, because we do not have a Charter ability to remove this Chief and 1 do not believe there is a will of this Commission to remove this Manager, this is going to be something that this Manager needs to work out with this Chief. Because this Chief as much as he wants to be a champion of reform, has failed at navigating this city politically. Unions are complicated, politics are complicated, and if you're going to come in here to have strong reform, you're going to be push -back. And you need to know how to navigate that. And right now this city is having a rough time. I want to see us come out of this better, because this city is better than this. But, Commissioner, I will respect you and I will respect the public. And we are going to conduct this meeting in as efficient a manner as possible and with as much decorum as we can. Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, let me be clear, okay? Maybe I'm not understanding you or you're not understanding me, but let me be as clear as I can. I'm not running for the U.S. Senate, never will. I'm not running for Congress. I'm only running for one more term now, and I will be elected whether some like it or not, and I'm not running for anything else. So, I don't have to cater to a few radicals that have been thrown out of meeting after meeting, not in the City of Miami, but in other places, that want to come to this mans cause because he's used the keywords like you've used now without seeing any of it, reform. Reform. I've been waiting for the last five -and -a -half months to see real reform. I have not seen any reform. You know, the only ones that made the reform has been us up here by actions that we've taken. And he's condemned them and tried to twist them around and make all kinds of false accusations. Now, the memorandum that he wrote, very convenient. Once he found out publicly that we were going to hold a meeting, a Special Commission Meeting, just to air everything that had to do with him, a week or more after that, in fact I think it was almost 12 days after is when the memo popped up. That's really disingenuous. And I will say more to you. I've been around the block a little bit and I've seen everything in my years. Because unlike you I've held just about every position in government, from Commissioner, being elected four times, appointed Vice Mayor when we had one, twice, elected Mayor twice, City Manager. And for someone to come up with an eight page memo without showing proof in throwing that kind of mud at elected officials', that's not how it's done in America. You cannot have the military branch of a government, and in local government the military side is the police department, to some extent, the fire department, because they're the two semi -military organisations within local government. You cannot have the military side of our government threatening the civilian side as to one that's elected and is in charge of the budget and passing ordinance and resolution that they're going to be arrested, because he's upset. That is the equivalent to a coup. And you, sir, voted in the budget that we all voted upon. Every one of us voted together. It was a unanimous vote. But in the memo, it's only the three Cuban -American commissioners that are at fault. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner? Commissioner Carollo: And in the Miami Herald they say that it is the three Cuban -American commissioners that are involved. Now I think that as a progressive you should find that also wrong. It's not correct. We voted unanimously. Vice Chair Russell: I agree. Commissioner Carollo: But you were kept out of it, so was Commissioner Watson, because there's a game here to try to divide our communities by this Police Chief, for his benefit. City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: So let's not get divided, Commissioner. Here's my deal with you. Because this is not about you and I. Commissioner Carollo: No, it's not. Vice Chair Russell: It's not. And I don't want it to become that. Both you and I have earned our place to sit on this dais and I respect you for that. Commissioner Carollo: Well 1 do, too. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But, Mr. Chairman, you can't just make a deal with him. Sony, it doesn't work that way. Vice Chair Russell: Okay, fair enough. Here is the deal with this dais. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With the rest of the body. Vice Chair Russell: Here's my proposal for this body -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a proposal. Vice Chair Russell: -- to handle this meeting with decorum. I will take public comment, and -- when appropriate, and if feel that someone is out of line, I will gavel and do so. But, we have to recognize it's not just because someone disagrees with us that we don't want to hear from them. Or that they get a little bit upset that we don't want to hear from them. Vice Chair Carollo: I -- Vice Chair Russell: Just a moment, just a moment. Let me give it a chance here. If this body feels that 1 am not gaveling out somebody that should, make a motion. Make a motion at that time. Because the way Mason's Rules in this body, the Chair derives power from the body, and if a majority of this Commission prefers to have procedure in a different manner, that's the way it happens. And I'm fully understanding of that. So I'm going to conduct the meeting the best that I know how, to be as respectful of them and us, and if you feel I'm doing it incorrectly, I know you'll let me know. Commissioner Carollo: That's whatI politely, was pointing out to you before. I'm glad you read me. And, look, you take the press out of here, at most, at most you might have 30 people here. You take press and employees out. Not more than that. So, there's' not that many people here, this is not an uproar, that you've got all of Miami here. It wasn't last week either. And if you watched the meeting, I'm sure you did, you, found that we let everyone express themselves to the fullest. Now, unlike what the Miami Herald editorial said, that we did not let one individual speak, but you know who he is. He was not allowed to speak the second time because it's not fair that he would get more time than others and -- but everybody got to say their piece, you know, for, against, in between, or upwards or downwards. But I just want to repeat this again to make sure we're also in line with this, and that is, Commissioner, that people will speak after or before we're going to take an official action. That's when they have the right. When we are discussing between ourselves, that's different, that's between this body. So when we get to the budget side, unless somebody wants to make a motion that they didn't think that they would make it at the time, then absolutely. Once the motion is read and people know what it's about they can speak on that. Vice Chair Russell.: Commissioner, we're on the same page. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: These are the procedures of the City, traditionally, and through chairmanships beyond -- before me. So I am fully in agreeance with that. Commissioner Reyes, you had a comment. Commissioner Reyes: No, I was just -- I just wanted to clarifY that your first statement. Not that I don't, I mean that I'm against public speaking, I think everybody is entitled to their opinion, but in your first statement you said that these are discussion items, since we are not taking any actions that there's no -- nobody's going to -- I mean you're not going to allow public speaking. I wanted you to clarify that. Vice Chair Russell: Yes, the City of Miami Charter and Code is clear. The public has a right to speak on any action of the City -- of this body. And if we're not taking an action, it's not necessary to open public comment to the entire community. This isn't a town hall in this moment, this isn't a round table; we're trying to conduct business of the City. And the only thing on this Special Commission agenda are two discussion items. If they lead to action items, absolutely we must open for public comment. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Vice Chair Russell: That's it. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely, I wanted to clarify that. Vice Chair Russell: All right. So we have an order for the day, we have two items at this time which may or may not lead to resolutions. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR SPECIAL MEETING ITEM(S) SP - SPECIAL MEETING SP.1 DISCUSSION ITEM 10819 Commissioners and Mayor A DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND THE ADOPTION OF ANY PERTINENT RESOLUTION(S). RESULT: DISCUSSED Vice Chair Russell: We'll take up SP.1. You're recognized. Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Mr. Manager, is the Police Chief in the building today? Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Yes, sir, he is. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, well good. I'd like to take maybe five minutes. I hope you all don't mind waiting. It has come to my attention that the Police Chief has made some kind of statements to the fact that three of us up here have somehow committed crimes, have done wrongdoing, and that he has enough probable cause, meaning to arrest. Now the way that it's done in any normal city in a democracy in America is that if a chief feels that he has several ways of going about it. He can go to the State Attorney, present his probable cause for them to look at it and if they agree with him, City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 they'll issue arrest warrants. And it's done through the procedure of law like we do things in America. He's got other options. Another one can he that he goes to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and asks the statewide director to bring in a special grand jury to Miami, which they have them, and usually they work out of Broward is my understanding, and he can present the same set of evidence to them so they can make a determination if there's probable cause. The problem that I'm having is that by law, which is never followed (UNINTELLIGIBLE) something usually, particularly when it's in reference to the majority of your city government. The statements of the Chief could be interpreted that he is threatening us, trying to blackmail or extort us, that if we don't do what he wants he will arrest us himself Now, Mr. Manager, we had a talk two days ago when I first heard this. 1 want to make sure that I'm not going to be stopped somewhere in a quiet street or someone's not going to come knocking on my door in the middle of the night without an arrest warrant of any kind just on his orders. And I'm going to end up, or one of us could, but I'm the main turkey because I'm the guy that he's more upset with because he ain't going to shut me up nor is he going to intimidate me or scare me to shut up, but 1 don't want to end up with a couple of rounds in me and then a throw gun so someone can say I aimed a gun at a police officer, they had no other alternative than to shoot me. So I want to make that clear publicly. Because what I am seeing and hearing from this police chief is scary, very scary in how he's acting. Vice Chair Russell: Did you have a question for the Manager? Commissioner Carollo: No, I have a request of the Manager. And I'm putting this publicly to put him on notice, because I will never, never in my life, no matter what, raise a finger, point a gun at any police officer. Never will. So, Mr. Manager, if you could contact, if he's not hearing, which I'm sure he is, Mr. Acevedo, and if he wants to come and arrest me without going through the State Attorney's Office for any probable cause, going through a grand jury, to stop threatening me, come right down and do it himself I'm not going to provide any resistance. Here I am. I'm sure my colleagues will be happy to do the same. But, he himself to come down and have the guts to do it in a public meeting. If not, to shut his big mouth. And to please quit threatening us because our wives and our families have heard those kind of threats, too. And I'm sorry that I used that statement big mouth, but, if it was appropriate for Mr. Acevedo to use against the President of the United States at one point in time, in this instance I think it was appropriate for me to use it. Now, I'd like to take a five minute recess right here so that if Mr. Acevedo wants to do that, I'm waiting. No resistance. Let's go. And my attorneys are also waiting, which by the way, two out of my team are two former U.S. Attorneys. One Republican and one Democrat because I have never been partisan in my actions. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manager, are you aware of any threat to arrest any commissioner on this dais? Mr. Noriega: So, I heard the -- the alleged comment made. I had a conversation with the chief yesterday, reminded him that there was a resolution passed by this body almost two years ago now that basically identified, very specifically, that if there were an intent )(Or any type of investigation relative to any commissioner or elected official, beyond -- obviously something beyond a traffic stop, I think is what it really references, so any serious allegation or investigation, that that has to be deferred to either the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) or the FBI (Federal Bureau oflnvestigation). He was aware of that memo. And there will be no arrests made by anyone within the Miami Police Department of any sitting elected official or anybody, I think the reso (resolution) actually states or two years prior to them leaving office. So there won't be any -- you don't have to fear that, Commissioner Carollo, we were very clear on what the process as per that reso, and I'll leave it at that. City of Miami Page 7 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Well, Mr. Manager, he was very well aware of that process when he made this alleged statements. And let me get this on the record so we can see from early on what was going on through his mind. On two different occasions, one was within the first month -and -a -half or two that he came on board. I don't know -- remember if it was the first month to the second month, but in there. And then one around the third month that he was on that he came to me, and this was his request of me, and his statements to me, twice, that he wanted us, and wanted me to take the lead on it, to do away with the ordinances, the resolutions that we have, to that effect, because, you know, if anybody puts a false allegation against you or any of you, if we send it to another body, it might take a year plus, two years for it to be closed out and you and others could be under that cloud for all that time. So if you would do away with that, this way I could handle it and I'll resolve it real quick for you. I knew better when I heard it the first time and even more so when I heard it the second time. Imagine if fwe would have taken the bait on that one, how he would be dealing with things today. So, I want to be clear on that, Mr. Manager. None of us up here who are doing their public service, whether it's liked by some or not by others, should have to put up with something of that sort. And I wanted to get this on the record because as we sit here today, I have his right hand, the great Captain Javier Ortiz, who's been sitting here in the front the whole time giving me dirty looks. And, Javi, neither you nor Acevedo are going to intimidate me. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, we've established then that there is no current investigation, especially not internally, of any commissioner on this dais. Mr. Manager, are you aware of any investigation that has been submitted to the outside? Because the menio is rather vague from the Chiefs side as to whether an investigation has been requested. Are you aware of anything? Commissioner Carollo: I'm glad you noticed that, Commissioner, that it was quite vague. And it was done purposely vague. Mr. Noriega: The memo's going to have to speak for itself. I don't have any further information as to -- Vice Chair Russell: Nothing to your knowledge. Mr. Noriega: -- whether information has been passed on, what level of information, what has been passed on. I don't have any additional information on that. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Commissioner Carollo, you're recognized. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Since we mentioned the memo, and some parts of this memo now have been used as a battering ram against us. And has been weaponized, fully, to try to smear some of us. Let's start with the memo. Mr. Manager, in this memo, let me try to go through the parts of it, if can find it, so I can quote it as best as I can. Let me start with the part about Mr. Pichel. Here we go. It's funny that he mentions Mr. Pichel because just a few weeks ago the guy that he was so upset that I was speaking to at the last meeting, the President of the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police), told me that Mr. Pichel had called one of the members of the board of directors to tell them that he had dirt on Francis Suarez and he had dirt on Joe Carollo. If they wanted to meet with him so he could give it to them. Now, let me go into the part on Mr. Pichel. It says here, I understand that Pichel works or has worked as a private investigator gathering dirt for Commissioner Carollo and other elected officials. Now, I don't know if he means you guys, if he means the County, the State, federal elected officials, but, I'm the only one that he named by name. Now there's not one iota, not one, of proof of evidence to back this up. Mr. Manager, has he given you anything to have backed this statement that he put down here? City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Noriega: No, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Now let me be perfectly clear again. I have never, absolutely never, never have hired Mr. Pichel to be a private investigator for me, nor has Mr. Pichel been a private investigator for me, gratis, never. I can't be more clear. Now, besides other reasons that I'm going to talk about here, I know why he put this here. So, Hubert, don't think you're sly because you're not. I've taken on much smarter guys than you and they're not around anymore. In fact, one that thought he could hide behind the badge, too, went to jail. A former police chief that we had. And he said much worse things. Much worse things. So, what I'm seeing from him is not an A - attack but more like a D-minus. Vice Chair Russell: Question, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: This here -- Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, just a question, please. Commissioner Carollo: No, no. Vice Chair Russell: A question of order, if 1 could. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, listen. Vice Chair Russell: I just need to understand -- Commissioner Carollo: Chairman, look, -- Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: -- you're not going to rush me, okay? Vice Chair Russell: Pm not trying to rush you. Commissioner Carollo: If you want to rush me we're going to have a vote right now. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: No, I'm telling you -- Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: -- you're not going to rush me. Vice Chair Russell: I have a question for you, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: You have a question for me? Vice Chair Russell: I do. Commissioner Carollo: Oh, okay, that's fine. Thank you. Go ahead. Vice Chair Russell: There was a resolution passed on Monday by this body to begin an investigative process. And my understanding of that investigative process, it does not involve us as commissioners. That Commissioner Watson is the chair and issued subpoenas, that an external investigator is going to take up everything within that City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 memo. But my question to you is, is the intention here today to actually start that investigation on this dais? And that's my concern. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, sir. Vice Chair Russell: Because my concerns -- Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, no, no. Vice Chair Russell: -- were actually affecting the investigation. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, I am not affecting an investigation. But what I am not going to do is be a punching bag so all this mud that he's thrown, his allies out there are using it to smear me with lies. And this is the only place that 1 can actually be able to answer it from. Okay? And this is what doing. Now, the mayor, and this is where this is going to, knows this is a bunch of baloney. He knows it. But the intent was to see if he could get the mayor and myself into a fight over this. To see if the mayor would believe that 1 was the one behind this whole brouhaha. Nowfurther, he did it so that when Mr. Pichel would be arrested, or the warrant would be put out against him, that I, in the media, would be the one that they would be suspecting, gee, it was Carollo that was behind this. And he even used the editorial board of the Miami Herald. Or should I say the new Miami Herald, because they're different from the old Miami Herald. And in that editorial board, they even went as far as saying that did all this, and said all this, against Hubert Arturo Acevedo because I was trying to get at the mayor. Because 1 had this political fighting with the mayor. That it was political because 1 was trying to go at the mayor. Well, I hate to break this news to them but the mayor in May of this year gave me a very nice fundraiser. The mayor and I have had an extremely good relationship for going on almost two years now. I don't know where these people are at or if this might be what a friend of mine from one of the oldest Anglo-American families of Miami told me the other day when he called after seeing all these false allegations, all one sided, that they won't call us even to comment. And he said, Joe, this new Herald, this is the palace of malice where the truth doesn't matter. And this is why he put this here, to try to cause a division within our government and then to stick the dogs out of hell against me. And I hope the writers at the Herald today, they've got so much wrong with their editorial board in the last meeting, in fact I'll tell you one article that I read that was very balanced, the Houston Chronicle. The Houston Chronicle's article is fairly balanced, but, boys, slow down on that medical marijuana. You get too much you get your head all wound up and you can't get everything that's been said up here. Now, let me go on to one of the other points that I want to make on this memo, and ask the Manager, because if we just do what you're saying, Commissioner, in the next 45 days, 60 days, they're going to repeat and repeat in every story they come up with. It will be the same thing, the same lie repeated again and again. And that's the one about the district or what he was saying, here it is. He was saying that Carollo and Diaz de la Portilla provided the Miami Police Department with target lists of establishments which they claim are engaged in criminal activity and have pointed the finger at establishments in each other's districts. Meaning Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla has pointed to establishments in District 3 where I'm at, and that I have pointed to establishments in District 1 where he is at. And it says causing the Miami Police Department to investigate business establishments based on nothing more than the whims of Commissioners Carollo and Diaz de la Portilla. Mr. Manager, I had asked you to provide to me this list that he claims that I had provided to him to go at establishments in Diaz de la Portilla's District. I think we all remember here that there was a meeting, I believe it was back in April or so, that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, even though I wasn't thrilled in the way he expressed it, and I think he was wrong, I certainly know that he has every right as a commissioner to have brought out what he perceived might be establishments in other districts, in this case it was mine City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 and 1 believe Commissioner Reyes, that had problems. This is right. You know? I expressed my feelings at that meeting hut 1 didn't go writing all these memos and all this stuff. And 1 stated publicly that, you know, begin with my district when we created an additional, form of a task force that has been going out there reviewing, from prostitution to drugs to what have you, illegal bars, et cetera, all through Miami. Those that are working, open without appropriate CUs (Certificate of Uses), that are over the occupancy load, et cetera. And I will tell you publicly, I never, never, gave Chief Acevedo any kind of list of any kind in Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla's District for the simple reason that I don't know his district that well. It was a long time ago that I was mayor and 1 don't go that often over there. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're welcome any time, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: I appreciate it. But 1 don't go that often over there. I've got enough in my district and I don't go that often over there. So I wouldn't know where to even begin giving him the first place. As far as my district, I stated that I wanted to have him begin in my district and the list that I wanted him to start with was the one that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla mentioned. And I think little by little, that has been done in the city. Now my question to you, Mr. Manager, did you request of the Chief of Police to provide you with that list? Mr. Noriega: Yes, sir, 1 did. Commissioner Carollo: Do you have the list? Mr. Noriega: I do not have that list. I have -- the only list that I have in hand is the list that District 1 provided. Commissioner Carollo: Who? Mr. Noriega: District 1 provided immediately after -- Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Who? Mr. Noriega: District 1 -- Commissioner Carollo: Oh, District 1. Okay. Mr. Noriega: -- provided. It came from his office staff. That's the only list have. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But -- Commissioner Carollo: But he said that publicly so -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. But for clarification -- (MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON) Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But for clarification, it's important. The list was emailed from my Chief of Staff to you, -- Mr. Noriega: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- cc'd the Chief. Mr. Noriega: Correct -- City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the way it was done. Mr. Noriega: -- after it went in came through me. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And there was two additional emails, which I'll make public now, it's a public record, I'm waiting for the copies, were follow-ups sent to you, cc the Chief. Is that correct? Mr. Noriega: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So through the proper channels. I noticed -- and it wasn't only in one district, Commissioner, it included others. So, Jro clarification. Commissioner Carollo: And I said that here. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's important because I never had any communication directly with the Chief on any of this. I went through you. Mr. Noriega: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the only thing 1 wanted to clam, Commissioner. That's all want to say for now. Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized, Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Carollo: That's fine, but here, Mr. Acevedo, makes a huge allegation that he knew because there's no doubt in my mind he had talks with certain people before he put this together, and certainly after he's had talks with them. And when you asked him for the list he provided, or the Department, someone that he asked who provided you the list that Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla alluded to, that it was a public record when he stated before. But he can't provide any list from me, can he? Mr. Noriega: He hasn't provided it to me, no. Commissioner Carollo: Well, Mr. Manager, if you asked for that to be provided and you only get his, aren't you beginning to feel that there's a little bit of an insubordination? If they have some mysterious list and they're not providing it to you? Mr. Noriega: Well, it's not insubordination if the list doesn't exist. Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's right. So thank you for putting that on the record. Mr. Noriega: All right. Commissioner Carollo: Let's go the -- to another one of the accusations that he's throwing in here. He -- let's see, this one is the most outrageous one of them all because it's lodged against our whole police department. Especially, he knows that all the baloney he wrote down against any of us, he'd be laughed out of the justice department, the FBI, if they're going to investigate all these ridiculous allegations, because they're local issues and he knows that. But, he did throw a piece of meat to see if somebody would bite and here it is. Furthermore, since my arrival at Miami Police Department in April, I have uncovered a pattern of unlawful use offorce by officers. And in some instances, the chain of command has covered up the unlawful use offorce by some officers. I'm going to get into that a little later as to who this might be, but in the meantime, Mr. Manager, you stated to us on Monday that the only time -- and correct me if I'm wrong in paraphrasing what you stated, paraphrasing, you stated to us on Monday that the only time that Mr. Acevedo had come to you with City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 any such complaints was the week before. In other words, the week that he wrote that memo, I guess on a Friday, and it was very lightly, just passing comment. Is that correct or not? Mr. Noriega: Yes, I haven't received any formal briefing with regards to any detail identifying any of those officers that you're referencing. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Noriega: The reference made to me was in conjunction with another meeting we had on a multitude of topics, so it was just referenced to me as a concern he had in general. Commissioner Carollo: Well, Mr. Manager, don't you think that if indeed any of this is true, and it's so grave he's going to the justice department and the FBI to muddy the reputation of our police department and every officer in that department, that he not only had an obligation but a duty to have come to you before he wrote this? To certainly have come to you now and shown you what is going on? Mr. Noriega: I would absolutely agree with that, yeah. He should have come to me before this memo was written. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Last but not least on the topics that I'm going to talk here, and I'm going to the ones that are -- have been lodged at me particularly, but that includes others in some cases, but also our men and women of the police department in the City of Miami. They might not all be perfect, they might have faults like we all do, and every other police department in America, but they don't deserve this. And particularly from their own chief This one has to do -- that he says that they investigated corruption in Code Enforcement. And as previously stated, the Miami Police Department investigation did not uncover any evidence to support Carollo's claim. Now, Mr. Manager, have you been given -- and you've asked for it, I'm assuming -- did you ask for close-out memos and investigations that were done by Internal Affairs or anybody in our department -- Mr. Noriega: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: -- on any corruption investigation or potential corruption investigation in Code Enforcement? Mr. Noriega: I have asked for that, yes. Commissioner Carollo: Have you gotten any? Mr. Noriega: No, I have not. Commissioner Carollo: Not at all. Here's another example, and I know for a fact that no legitimate investigation could have been conducted because they didn't have the information to know even where to begin an investigation on. Last but not least, I am going to touch upon something in this memo. This will be the last one. Let me -- it says another example of Commissioner Carollo's malfeasance occurred on July 31, 2021, a Patria y Vida event held at Bayfront Park. Excuse me, I heard something there, I want to make sure that Mr. Acevedo is not here wanting to arrest me because I'm not going to, you know, give him any push -back, here are my hands, okay. But it's got to be him. He's got to be brave enough to look me eyeball to eyeball. Okay, I guess it's not him. Thank you. So, going back he says that Commissioner Carollo's malfeasance occurred on July 31, 2021, at a Patria y Vida event held at Bayfront Park. During this event, I worked all day. God almighty, I mean it sounds like, you City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 know, he was working for minimum wage. This guy gets paid slightly over four times, his pay and benefits, slightly over four times what my pay and benefits are and I guarantee you I put a heck of a lot more hours than he does. And you'll soon see what I'm talking about. He says during this event, I worked all day. Commissioner Carollo became upset because according to him there were agitators in the crowd. Carollo told me to arrest those communists and get them the hell out of here. And he puts it as a quote. I immediately directed investigators to keep an eye on the area that Carollo was complaining about. I now understand that Carollo was incensed that Miami Police Department did not immediately made arrests as he directed. In fact, Commissioner Carollo had publicly accused me of being too busy taking selfies with the crowd and spending time in crowds in retaliation for my refusal to arrest and remove his enemies and those who were exercising their First Amendment rights. Boy, that sounds good, don't it? 1 mean let me give you the real facts now. The real facts are that while he's pounding his chest that he worked all day, from the Miami Police Department, the assistant chief that worked the whole week before with our officers, going through the plan that was going to be conducted on that day and helping on security assessments, and that was Assistant Chief Morales, somehow, I don't know where he was at that week but he was not in town, Acevedo, I'm referring to, and when he got in sometime that Friday, he told Morales that he was not needed for Saturday's event, that he was going to handle it. But it's incredible, and the Mayor's a witness to this, Commissioner Reyes was there, he witnessed a lot of what went on, but most of all, the Mayor could attest that in one week's time, we accomplished the impossible. This was put together in one week's time with my wife voluntarily putting all her time, day and night, getting the top Cuban -American, Venezuelan, Nicaraguan stars and community figures of all parties. The only thing that was required for someone to be up on the stage and invited, we didn't care what party, what political philosophy they had, but they had to be there in favor of freedom for Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. I personally got on the phone to contact many elected officials. I made sure that our County Mayor, Levine Cava, would be there. I spoke on the phone personally to Senator Nadelt (phonetic) and she came and she spoke. I personally got on the phone to Congressman Wasserman Schultz from Broward. And so many others. Joe Geller, State Rep, was there. I could go on and on and on. And of course we had Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, Mario Diaz-Balart. We had Congressman Gimenez. And we had numerous U.S. senators that sent clips in support, including probably one of the five top most powerful Senators in Washington, Senator Bob Menendez from New Jersey, that sent a very strong statement. Now Emilio Estefan stated that what was accomplished was next to impossible. He did not understand how we were able to put this together in one week's time. He openly admitted it, that it would have taken him over six months to maybe have put something like that together with so many top notch stars, international stars. And it was done. And that day on that stage, I wish I would have lost more and kept it up, but I'd lost five pounds sweating trying to keep the movement and the flow going as quickly as possible. Now, let me give you the reality from what Mr. Acevedo is claiming here. I never told the police chief nor directed him, nor gave him any orders to do anything. Least of all, I did not say to him arrest those communists and get them the hell out of here. The only person that has used something close to that was Mr. Acevedo when he got up on stage and he wanted to pretend that he was a real Cuban, by Versailles, and hold those communist son -of a -bitches, his words not mine, in uniform to the crowd, referring to those in Cuba. But what happened that day was that there was a very small group, about six, might have been one or two more but it was about six, individuals, that we identified as the same agitators that have previously, in Versailles, if you remember, Commissioner, at a function that you put together, had caused problems. While we respect everyone's First Amendment rights, you don't have First Amendment rights to have two bullhorns to be trying to, one, interrupt the program that we had, and that's what they were trying to do with the two bullhorns. They were trying to, in particularly, when we got up there, some of our Democrat office holders, they were supporting this cause, to start screaming to get the crowd City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 agitated at them so they couldn't speak and be screaming invasion, invasion, invasion. And that happened while Mayor Levine Cava was speaking, among others. The problem was, and this is not what the Chief is mentioning here but I'm going to tell you the truth, because he was so busy trying to give interviews and take selfies with all the stars that we had brought there, he wasn't paying any attention to what he should have been, the protection of everyone there. The officers that were there with him, it's obvious if you have your police chief there, especially one that he'll fire anybody for minor things, nobody was taking any action on anything. You had many of them that were just around him. And the most amazing thing to me was that you would have thought that the first thing he did was to have sufficient officers in the front and in the sides, there were no police officers in the front nor around the sides. Thank God that I knew a little bit about security and 1 had three strings of barricades in different ways. So, it probably would have taken a good seven or eight minutes before crowds could have jumped each barricade to get to the stage. But we didn't have any officers around there to observe, to hear, certainly not him, how they were truing to shut down our program that day with the megaphones. At no time did I say anything to him. In fact, the people with the megaphones eventually disappeared. Towards the end of the event that we had, he told me that there had been three arrests that were made. And that he had made one of them. This is what he told me. That there had been three arrests made. I asked him if he could send me the A (Arrest) forms once they had them so I could see who these people were. To this day I have not received them. From what he wrote here it's obvious that he lied to me. He was trying to make himself important, because that never happened. But at least we were able early on enough to put a stop to these people interfering with the program that we had. Because if you know, Commissioner, those mega speakers, they can be quite loud. And if you have two of them it's even more so. So, on this eight page memo, what other minor stuff he alleges are plain lies. How can three elected officials, or five for that matter, because he doesn't want to include you or Commissioner Watson on it, but you voted for the same budget we did, how can we be trying to do what he claims here that we're trying to do? We're in an open meeting exercising our rights on the budget, et cetera. In fact, frankly, if he had any concerns on anything that we said, he's the professional in law enforcement, he should have said, Commissioners, I'd appreciate it, or he should have gone to the Manager to have said that, I appreciate you don't get into these areas because of this reason or that reason. None of us ever heard that. He had a duty to have done that if he felt so strongly about something. But I never in my life have heard that in a public meeting for everybody, to see, we're trying somehow to interfere with this huge investigation that's the investigation of the century. I'm done with the eight page memo. If anybody else here would like to make a comment on it -- Vice Chair Russell: Commissioners -- Commissioner Carollo: -- before I go on. Vice Chair Russell: -- SP.1, is there anyone else who has any other comment on SP.1 ? Other Commissioners? Commissioner Carollo: Well I have a lot more comments. Vice Chair Russell: I'm not closing SP. 1, I'm just asking the commissioners if they have anything else to add at this point. Commissioner, you're recognized. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Let me -- I'm going to go through a series of events and timelines since Chief Acevedo's been here. And then I'm going to go into specific areas that I have major questions on. And I'd like the Manager to engage with us. Before I proceed, Mr. Manager, I understand there's been some memorandum City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 issued, or written, a report from the Motor Pool, I don't know who runs all that over there, having to do with Mr. Acevedo vehicle. Is that correct or not? Mr. Noriega: Yeah, the Motor Pool did an inspection of his vehicle a couple of days ago, photos were taken, and then a vehicle damage report was sent over from Police yesterday. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, but I'm sorry, I lost you there. You said the vehicle damage report was sent by Police, but did the Motor Pool find damage? Mr. Noriega: Yes. So, they -- as a result of Monday's meeting, requested to be able to inspect the vehicle as, you know, proper protocol requires. The vehicle was delivered to GSA (General Services Administration) for inspection. Some damage was found; photos were taken. Commissioner Carollo: Damage was found? Mr. Noriega: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: But didn't Captain Ortiz say that there was nothing there, just a little scuff mark that he got his handkerchief or I don't know what I was told, and cleaned off? Mr. Noriega: Yeah, so 1 can't speak to what Ortiz said or did not say. 1 will, you know, kind of stick to what GSA uncovered as part of their inspection. Under the bumper there was some damage found. And the bumper was slightly misaligned. There's also a statement from PD (Police Department) that the Chiefs vehicle was taken for the installation of some lights, you know, it's pretty typical for those vehicles. And there is probable, you know, an assumption that that could have been what caused some of the damage, if not all. But the vehicle damage report that have from PD indicates that there's no direct incident that occurred to account for that damage and it's unknown how it occurred. Commissioner Carollo: So, maybe Joe Carollo went there in the middle of the night and damaged his car. What do you think, guys? Maybe it will get a Herald editorial. It's alluding to that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It could be -- Commissioner Carollo: Alluding to that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- some sinister force out there that did it. Remember the Watergate tapes? Nobody identified them. Commissioner Carollo: That's fine. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If I may? Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized, Commissioner. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If I may, just for two seconds, just to follow up on that, Commissioner Carollo. I have a lot of questions regarding all these different incidents. Give me the timeline, Manager, if you may, of when this sinister force damaged the car and when it was reported, when GSA reported it. Specific, please. Mr. Noriega: So, the damage to the bumper was originally discovered as a result of some photos that were taken and posted on social media. City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What date? Mr. Noriega: I think it was September 19th. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You think or are you sure? Mr. Noriega: As far as I can recall, it was just about September 19th. Commissioner Carollo: On or about. Mr. Noriega: Yeah, about September 19th. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Mr. Noriega: And then the vehicle was taken for inspection this week, I believe Wednesday, and then the damage -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Wednesday was September -- Mr. Noriega: 29th. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- 29th. Ten days later. Mr. Noriega: And then the report filed on the 30th. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The day after. Mr. Noriega: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is there -- and one final question. Is there any -- is there any department policy, Police Department policy or City policy, is there any violation of this late filing of this damages report? Mr. Noriega: I'm still looking into that but it's clear that when the damage was uncovered, that damage report probably should have been filed immediately. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, is there a policy in the City of Miami or the Miami Police Department? Mr. Noriega: There is an accident report policy, yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There is? Mr. Noriega: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And it has to be filed -- Mr. Noriega: But it's -- because the policy, in my mind isn't very well written in terms of addressing this particular issue. The -- it doesn't really, it speaks more to a traffic accident or an accident than it does uncovering damage that is unaccounted for. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And one final follow-up. What is your thinking right now in terms of when you're going to make a determination on whether there should be a reprimand or not if it's a violation of department or City policy? What is your timeline for that, for that determination you have not yet made? City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Noriega: I just received the damage report yesterday, so 1 would assume in the next couple of days I'll make a determination. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In the next 48 hours? Mr. Noriega: The next couple of days. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to make sure. I want to be precise. Mr. Noriega: I'm probably not going to get to it today -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Mr. Noriega: -- based on the, you know, the meeting today. And I'm certainly going to probably not work on it over the weekend. I'll probably look at it -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So you're going to take your time? Mr. Noriega: Yeah, I'll look at it on Monday. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Thank you. That's it. Commissioner Carollo: So, the Manager has stated that unlike what we were being told before, the City's Motor Pool, who is the person that looked at his vehicle, and his rank or his name, his rank, serial number? Mr. Noriega: I'd have to get you a copy of the report, Commissioner, I don't know (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Carollo: But it's a higher-up there, right? Mr. Noriega: At GSA? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Noriega: I mean it's a mechanic that inspected it, actually. A mechanic, one of our mechanics. Commissioner Carollo: So, they found that there was damage to the vehicle when we were being told that there was not. And a report that Captain Ortiz made for Acevedo's car stated there was no damage. Now, you know, from the looks of it of what I've seen, the pictures, and we could put them up here if anybody would like to see them at home, it certainly looks like that hit something. I mean it's a fender - bender, but it's not the issue. The issue is the lie. Mr. Acevedo I am told by numerous' police officers since he's been arriving has been stating the following, you lie, you die. And he has gotten rid of and fired police officers based upon his own determination that they have lied. So are we going to keep with the do as I say, not as I do doctrine of Acevedo? I don't know. Maybe the next memo will be that he'll accuse me, maybe somebody else, of this being all a CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) plot. After all, on at least six different occasions this man has come to me since he arrived telling me you're CIA, right? You know you're CIA. I don't know, maybe he thinks all of us Cuban -Americans are either Mafia or CIA. Somebody better tell hire that 99.99999 percent of us are neither. Finally, the last time I had enough of that and, you know, made it clear to him don't come back to me with this baloney. Now let me go through Art Acevedo's time as Miami's chief of police. And if you -- Commissioner Watson: Commissioner, just right quick. City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Yes. Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized, Commissioner Watson. Commissioner Watson: I just want to understand something from the Manager before you move to your next issue. On the car issue, since you're not really clear on the policy, right, is there any sort of discretionary -- any sort of discretionary decisions being made with respect to what happens -- I'm sorry, any sort of discretionary decisions being made with respect to what happens on cars that are damaged that's reported? Mr. Noriega: I don't know that I can answer that until 1 get a chance to really dig deep into the facts. Commissioner Watson: So, on the report that was filed on the 30th, is there any estimate of what that amount was? Mr. Noriega: No, there's no estimate. It's a -- it's intended to be a damage report, an actual disclosure of it. Commissioner Watson: Okay. Mr. Noriega: Not a -- it's done by the Police Department. GSA would have to determine the value of the damage. Commissioner Watson: Okay, okay, okay. Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized, Commissioner. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just thought of something because Commissioner Carollo mentioned that maybe we just put the picture up so we can know, where was the damage? I haven't really seen the pictures. Where was the damage on the vehicle? Mr. Noriega: The bumper. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: On the bumper. Mr. Noriega: Front bumper. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And where do you put the lights? Mr. Noriega: In the front. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: On the bumper? Mr. Noriega: There's slight damage to the bumper and then there's some damage to, I think it's the bracket that holds the bumper in place. Vice Chair Russell: Put your microphone a little closer, Mr. Manager. Mr. Noriega: Sony. It's the bracket that holds the bumper in place. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But it would be in the same location as where the lights would go? Mr. Noriega: Within close proximity, yes. City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. And the explanation from the Police Chief to you was that it happened during the installation of the lights? Mr. Noriega: No. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Who gave you that explanation? Mr. Noriega: The report -- that came through a memo, an internal memo, from somebody in PD to the Chief Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can I -- do you have a copy of that memo? Mr. Noriega: I have it, yes, in my office. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I would like a copy of that, please. Mr. Noriega: Sure. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you. Commissioner Carollo: Well, Commissioner, let me say this publicly. If that's the best he's got, he's got real, real, real problems. And not just him. But 1 think they're going to get the pictures that you want so they can be put up here. But if I could be interrupted once they're here, okay, but I'm going to start reading a little bit, and then we could go to these pictures so you can see them, so we can move on ahead. March 15, 2021, Art Acevedo is announced as Miami's next chief of police. Is that approximately the time that that happened, Mr. Manager? Around March 15th on/or about? Mr. Noriega: I'm sorry, I missed the question. Commissioner Carollo: The time that you announced that Mr. Acevedo was going to be hired, not the time that he got here, the time you announced, it was approximately March 15th of this year, correct? Mr. Noriega: I'll have to take your word on that. I don't remember off the top of my head, but yeah, it sounds right. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So he's announced as Miami's next chief of police on/or about this date. He didn't participate in the selection process. Acevedo met with three different of our top officers, I believe one was the acting chief at the time, Ronald Papier. I believe another one was our assistant police chief Gause. Am I pronouncing her name right? If I'm not I apologize, and there was someone else, from our department, of rank, that met with him. I am told that he expresses concerns in that meeting, early on, regarding the number of complaints against Captain Javier Ortiz, who had been recently assigned to Fleet Liaison. He was informed at the time, upon belief and information, that there was an actionable pending Internal Affairs case at that time against Mr. Ortiz regarding an illegal boarding and search and possible coverup of a complaint he made. Again, March 24th, 2021, Acevedo met with Chief Papier, and others, at his office in Houston. Papier provided with a detailed briefing - - he was asked to provide detailed briefings on major Internal Affairs cases, including the open investigation on Captain Ortiz. And that meeting, March 24th, as I am led to believe happened, there were three, supposedly, allegedly, of our officers from Miami. This was before he got sworn in and started on April 5th, March 24th. He tells our three officers there that he will be changing the Miami Police Department uniforms to Blauer Ripstop. City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To what? Commissioner Carollo: They're called Blauer Ripstop. 1 mean out of everything that was discussed of importance, one of the important things for him was to let us know early on that he was going to change their uniforms. And there will be more on this a little later as I go on. And he also stated in that meeting that he planned on bringing his deputy director, an attorney named M. Spiegel (phonetic), to the Miami Police Department. Before Igo on I think they have the photos that are ready. If they could be shown I would appreciate it. Visual presentation made. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manager, could you ask IT (Information and Technology) to fix our monitors as well? The wrong screen is up. They got it. They fixed it. Thank you. (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: Madam City Attorney or Mr. Clerk, we're showing some there but there's' some more that are here. IfI could pass them through the commissioners so they can see them also? I'll begin -- Vice Chair Russell: And, Commissioner, just so 1 follow, you're establishing that damage was done to a vehicle but improperly reported? Is that correct? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It wasn't reported. Commissioner Carollo: Not that it was improperly reported, it wasn't reported at all. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It wasn't reported. Commissioner Carollo: There was a false, apparently, report made that the vehicle never had any damage. And when it was taken to our Motor Pool, our experts that we have there stated that there was damage to the vehicle. And even if this, you know, story that they came up with after they found out about this was true, it doesn't explain the additional areas that you see of damage and scuffs to the bumper. Vice Chair Russell: So, your point is that an incident happened that the Manager should have known about? Is that — Commissioner Carollo: That this didn't happen. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. The Police Chief. Commissioner Carollo: That the Police Chief had to report and that there's a very high potential here of a coverup for him because he didn't report it. Similar to what he alleges the Papiers did and he fired them for it. You lie, you die. Those are his words, not mine. Every day he walks around the police department saying that, up and down the halls, you lie, you die. Well -- Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Commissioner? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Since I'm looking at these pictures -- Ms. Mendez: I'm sorry. Just quickly can I put them out there so that they can Commissioner Carollo: Yes, absolutely. City of Miami Page 21 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, absolutely. Ms. Mendez: Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If I may? If I may. Vice Chair Russell: Of course. You're recognized. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Manager, you've seen these pictures, right? Mr. Noriega: Yes, I've seen them through social media. Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And in your opinion all those scratches leading all the way to the tire, that's where the police lights go? Like right by that tire, that front tire? Mr. Noriega: Commissioner. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And if that's the place you go to install lights, I recommend a new vendor. Because the bumper's sticking out, there are scratch marks, serious scratch marks running all the way from the front all the way to the tire as you can see there in the picture to my left, to the left of the audience. In your opinion looking at them, you know, if a picture is worth a thousand words, what would you think if you see that and someone told you that that happened during the installation of police lights? What would your opinion be? Mr. Noriega: So, the last I checked I'm not ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified, but I'm certainly not a mechanic -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you have common sense, right? Mr. Noriega: Well, I have common sense but -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Manager, look, don't skirt the question. Mr. Noriega: No, I'm not, I'm not skirting the question. I'll answer it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You look at that -- Mr. Noriega: I'll answer the question. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Please. Mr. Noriega: But you're putting me in a position, right? I never saw these pictures live. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well you're looking at them now, that's why I'm asking now. Mr. Noriega: I am. And I saw pictures post in which all of that got wiped off too, right? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Mr. Noriega: So the damage that's uncovered per GSA, the photos that I've seen, right, the ones that detail, don't show any of that damage. They show separation and City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 they show damage underneath the bumper, hut they don't show any of that superficial damage you see there. That damage doesn't exist (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So hold on. Doesn't exist? It's either doctored, this damage, or that one's doctored or those pictures that GSA -- that were given to GSA was -- Mr. Noriega: Or -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- after -- let me finish. Was after the fact. As Commissioner Carollo points out, you know, Commissioner Carollo, and we all know this, and you know, the coverup is sometimes worse than the crime itself right? Mr. Noriega: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And do you see when you look at that -- those pictures, let's assume, and this is not a trial or anything, this is uncovering of evidence, do you see that that could have been caused, in your opinion, as a layman, because I'm not an expert on any of this either but I have eyes and I have common sense, do you think that that occurred when they were installing police lights? Mr. Noriega: The damage to the right could have been. The damage to the left most likely not. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, you can continue. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Let me see, April 5th, 2021. Vice Chair Russell: Are we done with the car? Commissioner Carollo: Well, for this part. I might bring some other things that they'll come in in what I'm reading, so -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And Mr. Chairman, I would like to, because I know that he -- that Commissioner Carollo's going to do an exposition of different things and I think -- well I know I'm fully aware of it because I've done my research also, and I -- but I believe Carollo's a very well informed commissioner, Commissioner Carollo, I'm sorry, is a well informed commissioner as is Commissioner Reyes. We all are. And I know that everybody understands the very serious issue that requires due diligence and study so we're right on our facts. When you say you closed down a particular part of a debate that we're going to have today, we reserve the right, I think every, commissioner should have the right to reopen it in their particular comments because we have our own comments. Vice Chair Russell .• No one's precluding that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, it's not, you can't do that. Vice Chair Russell: No one's precluding that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, okay, okay, all right. So I just want to make sure that when you say are we done with this part, because I probably have comments on everything Commissioner Carollo has said. I stepped in to avoid having to bring it back on this one, but there will be others, I'm sure. City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: So my goal here is to get a sense, compartmentalize the different issues you're trying to bring up. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: If anyone else would like to mention anything, ask the Manager anything about the car issue, I was going to ask for that. If we're moving on, that's great, you can always come back. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: And that's why I'm asking. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, and I don 't want to interrupt -- Vice Chair Russell: But we're moving on from the car subject? Commissioner Carollo: For right now, yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's all I need to know. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, thank you. Vice Chair Russell: So we can take down the demonstratives. It's not necessary. Commissioner Carollo: April 5th, 2021, Acevedo is sworn in as Miami's 42nd Chief of Police. Chief Papier attempts to speak to Acevedo, I am told, about an email regarding a crash involving his wife, Commander Nerly Papier. I understood that Acevedo was aware of that email already. April 6, 2021, Acevedo's first meeting on his full day in office. That day, as I am told and it is alleged to me, is with Captain Ortiz. It is alleged that Ortiz made a complaint to Chief Acevedo that day against Commander Nerly Papier and direct supervisor Major Keandra Simmons regarding the Papier crash. April 16th, 2021, Captain Ortiz violated a prior direct order from Major Simmons to refrain from engaging in patrol functions by conducting surveillance on a house in Coral Way by himself without alerting dispatch, placing someone who committed a non -criminal traffic infraction at gunpoint and calling for emergency assistance. Chief Papier informed Acevedo of the incident and told him that Ortiz violated policy and should face discipline. It's alleged to me that Acevedo is dismissive, uninterested in pursuing discipline against Captain Ortiz. And it's alleged to me that Papier, he tells Papier, that he will no longer be involved in the potentially investigation of Ortiz. April 23rd, 2021, Ronald and Nerly Papier are relieved of duty based on Captain Ortiz's complaint. Acevedo allegedly told the Papiers that the investigation should be concluded by the following Wednesday. Also on this date I believe Internal Affairs Major Jose Fernandez is removed from the investigation into the Papiers. Assistant Chief of the Administration Division, Cherise Guase, is elected to lead the investigation with assistance from Lieutenant Brandon Lanier. Chief Gause is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) removed from the investigation and Lieutenant Lanier reports to Acevedo directly, regarding this case. April 27th, 2021st, Major Simmons writes a reprimand for Captain Ortiz for the April 16th incident. There's a reprimand that was written to Ortiz. Acevedo orders Simmons not to issue Ortiz the reprimand or any other discipline. Let me repeat Jar those that didn't hear how the great reformer reacted. He ordered Major Simmons not to issue Ortiz the reprimand or any other discipline. The reprimand disappeared. Here is a copy of the reprimand that Mr. City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Acevedo ordered Major Simmons not to give. I mean it speaks for itself I'm not going to go into all of that. It's quite lengthly [sic] in everything that he violated. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, could you give a copy to the Clerk so we can all see it. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Clerk, can you make copies and you can hand it out to the members of the Commission. Vice Chair Russell: Just to make sure it's in the record. Commissioner Carollo: Also, you might as well make a copy of this. Well, let me hold off on that for a second. 1 don't want to confuse people. Now, that's all important because let me go through here for a second, even before Acevedo got here, on March 26th, 2021, the new Miami Herald in their editorial that day had this for a headline, "Get Rid Of This Bullying Miami Cop, Police Chief Acevedo. He's Not Just A Bad Apple, He's Rotten To The Core. " That's the Miami Herald editorial. The one that says that this is the great reformer. Yeah, just like the Talibans are great reformers. And at the end of this editorial, I won't bore you with all of it, it says until he can fire Ortiz, we suggest Acevedo take these measures to hold him down. Work to get Ortiz decertified as a Florida officer. Put a body camera on him. As a Captain, Ortiz has the privilege of not wearing one. He should have one when on duty. And he did do that, he put a camera on Ortiz. The Chief should also ban him from working off -duty details where much of Ortiz abuses have occurred. Now, it's not me saying this, these are his new found protectors, Acevedo's, that were telling him that. So, after that happened, these are some of the statements that Acevedo was making, which goes into, and this is why it was so important of the time that I took on Monday, because the same things that he would do and say in Houston, you're seeing them now. He will say the things that he thinks certain media want to hear from him, but that's not what he does. He does the opposite. That's why he couldn't get elected, you know, dog catcher in Houston. And he left. But he makes all these statements to media of how he's going to rein them in and everything else. But that's not what we're seeing -- that happen. So, let me go on. If I could get my copy back once you hand them out. I don't want to lose that. April 30th, 2021st [sic], Acevedo transfers Captain Ortiz to Field Operations Division and places him in command of the Traffic Enforcement Unit and Motorcycle Patrol. The new assignment comes with a five percent incentive pay bonus and a lot of overtime. June 3rd. Where's Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla? Because I'd like for him to also hear this one. June 3rd, I am told, and it is alleged, that Mr. Acevedo ordered the removal of all GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) devices from the Special Investigations Section. Yeah, let me go again. June 3rd, 2021st [sic], Acevedo orders the removal of all GPS devices from Special Investigative Section and undercover rental vehicles, eliminating an accountability measure that has been in place for more than two years. Were you aware of that, Mr. Manager? Mr. Noriega: No, sir, I wasn't aware of it. Commissioner Carollo: Aren't there steps that had to have been followed in providing you with information that that would have been done? Mr. Noriega: If it's an internal policy decision, I don't know that he could have or could have not made a -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, I believe if you -- Mr. Noriega: -- I'm not aware that that would have been required. City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: -- look into it, 1 believe that you possibly might have had to have been informed of that and some other things that had to have been done. But the departmental order governing GPS devices was never amended, nor is the policy change sent to the CIP (Civilian Investigative Panel) as required by ordinance. Now why would the great reformer have done that? Ifyou want accountability, why do you take GPS away so there would be no evidence where these vehicles that are going to be used by your special investigators and undercover investigators are going to be at? And do it in violation of the ordinance that CIP is required to know that, and I'll leave it up to you to look all that up, but this is what believe had to have been done. Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to get an understanding from the City Attorney, it doesn't have to happen now either, but what the procedural methods are for such a thing. Because there must be, either there is or there isn't, CIP notification. Commissioner Carollo: My understanding is that the departmental order governing GPS devices was never amended. Nor is there a policy change that was sent to the Civilian Investigative Panel as was required by one of our ordinances. Vice Chair Russell: Got it. So Mr. Jones or Mr. Manager, if you could just get the City Attorney to circulate that later amongst the Commissioners so we'll have a better understanding. Thank you. Kevin Jones (Title***): Yes, sir, we'll take a look at it. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: June 22nd, 2021, a sergeant of arms is relieved of duty under suspicion of having leaked photos of the Mayor. The vehicle that protected the Mayor, or something to that effect, whatever it is. That individual, afraid of being fared without due process like the Papiers were, was basically forced to return to his civil service classification, a police officer, to protect himself where he had a pay cut of approximately $ 60,000. July 11 th, 2021, Chief Acevedo curses at a demonstrator at a Cuban freedom protest in front of Versailles. Even a rookie cop would have known better not to have fallen into that kind of situation, to have lost his cool so quickly. But our Police Chief cannot even control himself to the level of a rookie cop. And that brings to fact why our police chief should not have been out at these places even more so than a normal police chief that's supposed to be an administrator. And Acevedo said in responding to something that the demonstrator said to him, he said "... it's because it's my <expletive> job. Get out of here, man, you're a fool." Now I don't think any rookie cop would have lost his cool from what saw in the video, but if they would have, under Acevedo's laws, they would have been punished severely. Severely. July 14th,, three days later but before I jump there, it's my understanding that the person he said that to is supposed to be a veteran ofAfghanistan. I don't know for a fact, but I'm led to believe that. July 14th, 2021st [sic]. Ifyou have the video on that, please roll it, because. Audiovisual presentation made. Commissioner Carollo: Well, it seems when you touch Houston with him, that's like a firecracker. Boom. He not only went up to the demonstrator but then he came back again. The question is, what the heck was our police chief doing out there to begin with? You don't put yourself in that kind of situation because you're a magnet, being a police chief when you're out in these kind of situations. You're supposed to be the administrator running your police department. And furthermore, as I gave the example previously at Bayfi^ont Park of what happened, your officers are not going to take any actions on anything like they normally would because the police chief is there, and they're going to be waiting -Pr him to give the orders. And with a police City of Miami Page 26 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 chief like this, they're all petrified that if they do anything they're going to be fired. Anything that he doesn't like. A few days later, July 14th, 2021 st [sic], at the Versailles event, another one that I had previously mentioned that Commissioner Reyes was putting together, Mr. Acevedo got up in full uniform and he wanted to make sure he grabbed the cameras. So what did he do? What he falsely accused me of, and he was so outraged that he says that said something to the effect in Bayfront Park. In Spanish he says (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) Communist son -of -a -you know what. You were there with me, and the Mayor was there, and we heard it, okay? And it's all fine and dandy, but you know, this is the police chief of Miami in full uniform. And July 27th -- well, let me go back, I'm sorry, to this incident when he said that. Going back in some of his allegations on that eight page memo, I'm surprised he didn't put a couple of these that I'm going to tell you now. I mean I kept figuring, thinking, there might be a ninth page that he would have included those, but they weren't there. But of course it was because it was Javi Ortiz. Well, on this date, July 14th, the Gente de Zona, which, Commissioner Reyes, I think you had spoken to them while they were in the Dominican Republic, their manager had previously been working with ine on doing a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that they had committed to, a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Little Havana event, and they contacted me from the Dominican Republic and said, look, this event is going on in Versailles, I believe they have spoken to you already, and you know, we -- we're coming now, we're going to be there and can you help us get in there because a lot of crowd, they're all going to be coming at us. So, I told him to meet me at my district office. When they got in, to call, and they would fly in, to call me, and we would meet at my district office. I let the Mayor know because earlier that day we were having, the Mayor and 1 and I don't remember what members of the Commission were here, had a press conference with Willy and his wife, Chirino, Willy Chirino and his wife. And the Mayor was aware that Gente de Zona were meeting me at my district office. The Manager should have been aware. Mr. Manager? He's discussing. I spoke to the chief of police and made the request of him of what they had made of me, that they were going to meet me at my district office, if we could get an extra vehicle with a driver so that when they came to my office, we could taken them over. And they were supposed to be coming at a certain time, about an hour before they were -- the original time they were supposed to arrive, I'm told from my office that there are 12 motormen that are at my district office. And it's important that you all hear this because they were led by Captain Ortiz. When I arrived, he was all smiles with me and he said they were there to escort them. Now I never spoke to Captain Ortiz to come. I never said a word for him on this. He could only have found out about this through the chief of police. And it was clear to me that Captain Ortiz was trying to brown -nose ine, on his behalf and on behalf of the chief of police, and try to win brownie points with me. They were there, 12 motormen. And you have the chief of police complaining that we wasted officers' hours and all this stuff when he can't prove any of what he said against us. But he had 12 motormen there for well over an hour, because they were late, waiting in my district office. And they were given motorcycle escort by 12 motorcycles that I did not request. On the day of Patria y Vida, (FOREIGN LANGUAGE), in Bavfront Park, did he complain about Willy Chirino? The only way that he could make it, because he was having a concert that evening at the Four Ambassadors, was that we would pick him up, get him in and get him out quickly so he could get back to his concert before 11:00 p.m., he needed to be there. We requested one police vehicle with one police officer to help in getting him. I was on stage, so I couldn't keep track of everything since I was working that day, together with my wife, on stage. And you saw that, Commissioner, the Mayor saw that, many people saw that, so it's not in question. When I did see that Chirino was arriving, that I was told, there was Captain Ortiz and a dozen motormen. So, I don't understand why if we're being accused of all this stuff the chief of police didn't put incidents like this in his memo of how hours of police time were being wasted by us and how we were demanding all this stuff. He kind of forgot to mention that because that was him and Ortiz trying to. July 27th, 2021, Chief Acevedo is interviewed by what some, fondly call the little sister of the new Miami Herald, the City of Miami Page 27 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 little grandma, a newspaper. He was interviewed regarding Captain Ortiz. During that interview, it says that sooner or later there's going to be something that will stick, Acevedo talking about Ortiz, and his career is going to come to a screeching halt. He says that all the Ortiz's misconduct cases occurred prior to his tenure. That is a lie, as I pointed out before with dates and times, that is a lie. You lie, you die. Well, in fact he had ordered Major Simmons, whom he demoted later, to take no action on obvious potential alleged misconduct against Captain Ortiz which occurred while he was the police chief He was also aware of at least one other actionable or potential actionable case against Ortiz. July 30th, Chief Acevedo demotes MajorKeandra Simmons and Major Jose Fernandez. Surprise, surprise. The Major that wrote the reprimand against Ortiz, that he said nah, nah, nah, nah, take it back, she gets demoted. You see in here the pattern of he tells the media what he thinks they want to hear and then he does something different. When he demotes them, he doesn't provide either of them with any cause for their demotions. Allegedly thereafter, Simmons was targeted by Captain Ortiz and files a complaint. August 16th, 2021, after Major Fernandez was demoted, Lieutenant Brandon Lanier who was in charge then of the Papier and the Camacho cases, was promoted to Commander in Internal Affairs. Sometime after that, by the way, the other position after Major Fernandez that was the highest at Internal Affairs, the Captain, he was also taken out ofInternal Affairs because he was needed so much more somewhere else. August 16th, Heather Morris was brought in from Houston to be the deputy chief because, as it's alleged to me, that Chief Acevedo told the command staff in a meeting he believed the internal candidates were too political and would have torn one another apart. Now it's interesting, August 16th, because this lady was applying to be police chief in the City of Fort Lauderdale at the time. She didn't do too good from what 1 understand. 1 mean I know that what he wrote in his paycheck memo, and it made it appear what we have here are a bunch of misfits in the City of Miami, and since they came from this huge department in Houston, all our guys are Keystone cops and none of them are qualified to do anything. But Ms. Morris or Mrs. Morris, I don't know if she's either because he's never even bothered to give me the courtesy of introducing her to me. I don't know if he did the same to any of you or not, but not to me. She could even make the top tier from what I understand to be the chief of Fort Lauderdale, which is maybe, at best, half the size of the City of Miami's police department. Some have the impression that he parked her here in a job to see how she could get beefed up in her resume and more until she could apply for a police chiefs job somewhere else. And then she could be a police chief somewhere else. I don't know if it's true or not. August 16th, 2021st [sic], two new positions were created. While he was telling us that we had too many majors, too many majors, he gets rid of four majors. One was a position that was not filled' and he creates numerous other positions including this chief of staff position and a new and a fifth assistant police chief position. And I say fifth because I'm including the deputy, traditional deputy position there. Now, please, I don't want anybody to misunderstand this, but we've never, never have had a fifth position at that level. I believe he did this for the sole purpose of thinking that he could get close to one of us up here with that. The person he promoted seems like a nice enough fellow, I don't know him, and he might be extremely qualified, I'm not questioning that whatsoever. I'm only questioning Mr. Acevedo's intent and reasoning if we had too many majors why create an additional assistant chiefs position? August 20, 2021st [sic], well, I think we've heard about this one, right? There's a picture of Officer Ubeda, I don't know him, holding a three finger circle sign that had appeared in social media. Chief Acevedo observed Officer Ubeda on duty -- offduty, rather, accusing him of making a racist sign, a racist sign. Soon after, Acevedo is shown making the same sign in social media, but there he says that it was in Houston, that it was the neighborhood, that that's what they did. And some said it was a gang sign of the neighborhood. Well, the -- do we have the -- (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) City of Miami Page 28 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Huh? Can you put it in? Okay. The -- this one here. Well, l'm concerned now, you know, because it seems that according to Acevedo, we have all kinds of racists that have infiltrated our department, including our sergeant of arms. And, holy cow, can you move on with that, please, to the next one if we have it? Visual presentations made. Commissioner Carollo: It seems that's Officer Ubeda, next to Acevedo, you can see that they're the same sign. I don't know. But there you go, this is June 17th of this year, our police department Olympic team. And I'm counting there eight Anglo or Hispanic racists, according to him, with that sign. And four, four, African -American White supremacists also. Because they're showing the same sign. 1 mean, we even have African -American police officers that according to Acevedo are White supremacists. Now, this is a prime example of what this man has done in his past, and here, in truing to play with certain media so they could say he's their hero. He's their champion. The reformist. My God, I didn't know he was putting me and all of us in the hand of an African -American White supremacist. You know? You recognize one of our sergeant of arms there. And all these officers, I mean there's four African -American officers that have the same sign. Besides eight that are Anglo or Hispanic; I don't know which they are. The same Officer Ubeda is at home, still suspended. Now, let me say this so you can put into perspective a little more what I'm saying. He knew before he suspended him that Ubeda had made one major blunder that he never should have made before, that when he went to vote in uniform, he had in his face mask a Trump face mask. So, when he saw that this is the guy with the three fingers, this was typical Acevedo trying to have certain type of media jump up and say our hero. The vehicle we covered already, but these parts are a little different. September -- well, let me go, the September loth, 2021, after the photographs of the vehicle driven by Mr. Acevedo that you all saw here are made public. The Traffic Homicide Unit, which reports to Captain Ortiz, is assigned the investigation into the damage to the vehicle. Acevedo does not recuse himself from the investigation or even request an outside agency to come in and do it. In fact, what I've heard is he wants all homicides that officers are involved with, or police shootings should I say, that officers are involved in, not to go to an outside agency anymore. He wants to deal with them internally. That doesn't sound too reformist to me. Did you get that, Chuckie, so the Herald can get it right? Thank you. I figured that. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, through the Chair. Commissioner Carollo: You must be checking on your medical stuff to see if it's ready. Okay. Now, the responding investigator observes, as I am told, the marks on the bumper which he describes as residue. Residue on a bumper is deposited usually by an impact which might indicate that the vehicle was involved in some kind of minor hit, small crash to something. Somehow, the investigator did not observe the damage to the bumper which I think you all saw was clear from the photographs. And Captain Ortiz, in some video that he did, scrapes the marks off the vehicle, so he claims. There's a memorandum that is forwarded by Captain Ortiz to an assistant chief via email, stating the investigation is closed. Mr. Manager, was Captain Ortiz the appropriate person to have investigated this if we were going to investigate it internally? Mr. Noriega: It wouldn't seem to be that he would be the appropriate person, correct. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, thank you. September loth, I think this was the day that Acevedo told attendees at a Miami Police Department roll call that Miami is run by the Cuban Mafia. Now -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: A point of clarification, Commissioner. City of Miami Page 29 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Did he say that the Cuban Mafia -- that the City of Miami was run by the Cuban Mafia or did he say the police department was run by the Cuban Mafia? Because this a point of contention in the information I've gotten as to what he actually said. Commissioner Carollo: That is correct. And look, none (Os were there -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Commissioner Carollo: -- but I have had numerous officers tell me that what they heard was that it was Miami, not the police department. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I also heard that from numerous officers, that's why I'm asking. But he then claimed that it was a joke, in front -- talking about the Miami Police Department. What kind of joke is that, number one? And I would like to know what's funny about that? Obviously, but also why would he change his story? There's a big difference between -- saying it to anyone is wrong, but for him to change his story is kind of like another example, I think, Commissioner Carollo, maybe another example of that coverup that you were talking about earlier. Change the facts after the fact. Commissioner Carollo: Look -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I couldn't discuss it with any commissioner earlier so that's why I'm asking it publicly. I wasn't -- I had heard different stories but heard more of the version, the City of Miami version. Commissioner Carollo: That's the one that I also heard the most of But you have to keep in mind, from the time that he said that to the time that supposedly he came out with this apology, a lot of time went by. And I'm going to be very blunt, seeing his history outside of Miami and seeing how he has been acted -- acting in Miami, I think this man knew exactly what he was saying and purposely made that statement so he could become the hero of every Cuban hater not just in Miami but in South Florida and the state of Florida. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Carollo: And let me tell you why I say that. Because at no time have you seen him go out after this got out, like he didn't expect it was going to happen, he figured that that would get out to the Cuban haters. But the rest of those that are Cuban or Hispanic, they would be appalled at that, we wouldn't do anything because he'll claim, hey, I'm Cuban. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Chairman? Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Carollo, did you hear, you know we all listen to Cuban radio, obviously, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Telemundo, Univision, and obviously American television radio stations also, did you hear anywhere in Cuban radio an apology from Chief Acevedo? I didn't. Commissioner Carollo: I have not, no. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Any Spanish medium did you hear any apology? City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Nowhere. Nowhere. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The only thing I saw was on his Twitter account, in English. In other words, to the people that were most offended by the comment he never apologized. Because we all know that Cubans, older Cubans, over 75, most of them don't Tweet. So he apologized to the wrong people. Did he hold -- did he hold one of his famous -- are you aware, did he ever hold one of his famous press conferences with Spanish media there and English media and all media to see and to apologize? If a comment is so offensive shouldn't you broadcast it to as broad a possible audience? Are you aware, Commissioner Carollo, of any time that he did that? Because I never saw any of that. Commissioner Carollo: Look, I'm not going to tell you that I have all that time these days particularly to listen to much radio or TV, but someone close to me or not close to me would have told me about it. And the little bit that I've been able to hear, I certainly haven't heard any apology like the one that you're describing, from him. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Have you heard anything -- did you hear anything, Commissioner Reyes? Commissioner Reyes: No. 1 have to tell you -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Through the Chair, of course. Commissioner Reyes: I have to tell you that I confronted him right here in front of the City Hall after he said that. And after he had said that it was a joke. And I have witness to it. I have witness to it. I -- and I told him that that was very offensive, that he shouldn't call them -- us, Mafia because a Mafia means, has a criminal connotation and Castro, was the -- Fidel Castro, was the one that coined that phrase. And that was very offensive to every single Cuban here. Then he said, well I didn't know that. I said well I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you have to apologize to the whole Cuban community. And he said, oh, okay, okay. But as you stated, his apology came only on Twitter. I -- or I didn't hear any on the Cuban radio or Spanish T. V. And I do hear, I do listen, I do watch the -- the news on Channel 51, Channel 23, (FOREIGN LANGUAGE), I'm always going back and forth. I have -- I've been, I mean, many of times in all Hispanic radios and from what I heard he never; did apologize on Twitter, in English, but he never apologized in Spanish. And now that you mention it, it is true, he apologized to the wrong people. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The wrong people. Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And I thought that I gave him the -- and I'm going to say this because I have made this public, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. And I, personally went, the -- the subject was brought up in appearances that I had on Hispanic radio, I said I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he did not grow up in Miami, blah-blah-blah-blah, that everything that he said. But then he comes with his memo, accuses us of being just as bad as the people that are governing Cuba, you see? And that makes me doubt if he did it on purpose or not, you see? That -- that is my doubt. But that it was offensive? Yes. That is offensive that he compares us with the people that oppresses us? Yes. And as I stated right here, one thing that irks me is that nobody, there is no news station, there's no news station that have been outraged because of this. If he had used the same -- same, I mean, adjective, to any, any, think about any ethnic group, any, and said that this is the whatever Mafia, and they are similar to the people that oppress them? Imagine if he says that about the Jewish community and claim they are acting just like Nazis. City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Or even the Muslim community. Commissioner Reyes: Or even the Muslim community, okay? Or the African - American community. I bet you that by now we had -- we would have seen editorials asking for his resignation. And that hurts and irks me. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He would have been long gone. Commissioner Reyes: Huh? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He would have been long gone. Commissioner Reyes: Oh, hell yes. Commissioner Carollo: I'm thinking to go a little further in this. (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Vice Chair Russell: Please, please, no comments from the audience, please. Commissioner Carollo: What is surprising is for the first time that I know of, ever, the Public Information Office in the City of Miami Police Department, and I don't know who ordered this, violated case law and free speech protection by removing negative comments that were placed on their social media sites. Negative comments against Acevedo for those comments. Now, the statements that he made on the Cuban Mafia, he gave two excuses on why he made them. One, he didn't know that the Cuban government says this about Cuban -Americans in particular, and Cubans as a whole that have left Cuba. I say to you is that he must be the only individual that is of Cuban background, in the world, that doesn't know that. I mean, Los Angeles, Austin, Houston, you're not in the middle of the Amazon. These are civilized cities in America. He could throughout the years get numerous information. Plus, he claims that he would come to Miami every year, that he had all these people here and everything else. And he didn't know this, what they say about us? But then that contradicts his other statement that it was only a joke. It was just a joke. Well, this is the same thing that I found out that he said to protect one of his own in Texas when they caught him saying a racist remark, according to the papers, and he said that too. That it was a joke, it was humorous, something humorous that he said. So apparently he's got a habit of when either he or one of the close ones around him get their foot in their mouth, it's the old joke card that he pulls out. But as you can see it can't be both ways. Either he didn't know or it's a joke. But how can it be a joke if you knew or didn't know? I mean if you didn't know then how can you joke about it? So he must have known to have joked about it. So he contradicted himself Now I submit to you that this man is savvy with the media, that I have to give him credit for. He hasn't done a darn thing positive in moving our police department forward or in being a reformist, a true reformist. But that he's savvy with the media? He certainly is. But he wasn't as savvy as Donald Warshaw and Donald Warshaw ain't here today. And he wasn't around after he came out with all the lies, because if I may use Mr. Acevedo's words that he uses with our police officers every, day, if you lie, you die. Now, let me move on. September 24th. That was what date exactly? Vice Chair Russell: Six days ago. Commissioner Carollo: Six days ago. That's when we had the -- let's see, I want to be sure on this one. Okay, yeah, that was the Friday, late in the day. When did you get that wonderful dear Art memo, Mr. Manager? The eight page memo? It was on a Friday that you got it, on the 24th. Mr. Noriega: The 24th. City of Miami Page 32 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: What hour of the day did you get it? Mr. Noriega: Sometime I think early afternoon. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well, nevertheless, the eight page memorandum came on last Friday, the 24th. We were having our meeting that had been announced some ten days earlier. Unlike it's been reported in some publications that we were holding this meeting on Monday because of the memo. Look how some of our local people when they want to protect one of their own. You know, it reminds me of the old saying, he Haight be an S-O-B but he's my S-O-B. Well, I saw that in the past. And I gave them their S-O-B on a platter, back, I think the year was 2000. And believe me, the threats against me at the time were nothing like this. This is a little cold shower compared to what that other character was threatening me with. And everything will be okay if I kept my, mouth shut and I went on my knees and said yes, sir. Well, I didn't do that. And I'm still here and I'm back. And like I told the Herald's editorial board this week, Pin going to get reelected, I don't need your editorial. Please hear me clearly, I don't want your editorial. Give it to one of the other three guys that were recruited by the same people that are some of Mr. Acevedo's main supporters, and particularly the socialist one that has been the attorney in numerous cases for the government of Venezuela in their Ministry of Defense. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: For those of you don't understand what Ministry of Defense is, that's their Armed Forces. Vice Chair Russell: Can we come back to the Chief? Commissioner Carollo: No, I'm back on the Chief. But you know what, sir? I'm sorry that I'm touching some of these characters but it's my right to do it here. If the majority here wants me not to say it, they have their right, because majority rules in a democracy, but not one individual. Thank you. (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Vice Chair Russell: No, please, please, no comments from the audience. Commissioner, you were getting off on a tangent. I'm trying to bring us back. Commissioner Carollo: Oh, I'm not on a tangent. Vice Chair Russell: I'm going to bring us back to your points on the Chief -- Commissioner Carollo: No, please, please, -- Vice Chair Russell: -- and September 24th. Commissioner Carollo: -- don't give statements for the Senate campaign so that they can -- Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, no one else on this Commission -- Commissioner Carollo: -- make you into the new hero. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, please. No one else on this Commission brings in outside politics. I don't think we need to do that. City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: No one does? Vice Chair Russell: I don't think we need to do that. Commissioner Carollo: Every meeting you're bring something up -- Vice Chair Russell: Not at all. Commissioner Carollo: -- that's totally partisan. Vice Chair Russell: Not at all. Commissioner Carollo: Please. Okay. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, we're trying to run an efficient meeting. I'm just asking if we can stick to the topic of the Chief Commissioner Carollo: I am sticking to the topic, sir. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Commissioner Carollo: Because it hasn't been you that has been taken through the coals. It's been three of us -- Vice Chair Russell: I understand. Commissioner Carollo: -- with the lies by some of these publications. Okay? Now, I think I've been clear enough that that 24th of September memo came some ten days after Mr. Acevedo knew, and was made aware from up here, that we were holding a special meeting to discuss him. That's the poorest attempt that I've ever seen of a military person, a police chief, of trying to intimidate the civilian elected, duly elected body. That memo was not only aimed at trying to intimate the three of us into shutting us up, in particularly me that asked for the meeting, but secondary, as nice as it was and it sounded, directed to the Manager and to the Mayor, it was also to indirectly, without having to say it, intimidate and threaten them with that memo letting them know, hey, either you're going to come and play ball with me or maybe the next memo might be against you, Mr. Mayor or Mr. Manager. This is the real world we live in. Let me go to some additional areas here. Last Monday -- well the Manager just disappeared for a second. Would you greatly mind, Commissioner, I know you want to be very, efficient and quick and so do we, but could I take just a couple of minutes to go to the restroom? I've got a lot of water in me. Vice Chair Russell: We'll recess for 15. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. [Later..] Vice Chair Russell: Good afternoon, calling back to order the Special Commission Meeting of the City of Miami. I was reminded during the break by my wife that I haven't been wearing my, mask. The exciting part of that means she's watching Commission that means we've really arrived. We are really the talk of the town when my wife is watching Commission. So we are on SP.1. Commissioner Carollo, you have the. floor. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, let me -- City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner Carollo, can 1 say before you -- Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely. Go ahead. Commissioner Reyes: I just want to make a little statement that has -- I think that it is kind of offensive to the police department, every time that 1 hear that he came here as a -- I mean we hired, or you guys hired the police to come as a reformer, that he came to reform. It has a very, I mean it gives a wrong message. You see, we were not looking for a reformer. Our police chief, and that -- our previous police chief he was running a very good department. The department was very effective, you see? The crime rate was, 1 mean, being reduced all the time. This gentleman was not hired as a reformer. You're sending a message like the police department was in disarray and I think that is offensive to all the police officers that are part of that department. They were doing a hell of a good job, you see? And we -- we praised them over and over and over again. And now you come and you use the word to reform. Reform what? What do you mean by reform? What was the need for a reform? Was the police department in disarray? No. I think that we should -- I mean stick to the point that we wanted a police chief that could continue the job that Chief Colina was doing and protect our residents. That was the job and that's what this great police department was doing, you see? I mean you -- we're sending a wrong message to the whole nation, that we were looking for a reformer and we have to bring this savior to come and save the police department. 1 think it's offensive. I think that our police officers and the chiefs and the majors and commanders, everybody that works so hard, should take offense on that. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Reyes, I feel like you're talking to me on that because of my statement at the beginning of the day. Is that what you're referring to? Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir. You and the guys and the memo and the press and everybody's talking about reform, reform. Vice Chair Russell: So, please, when the minutes come out read exactly what I said. Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, I'm not -- Vice Chair Russell: No, no, no, because it's very important. Commissioner Reyes: Well, it is -- okay, I -- Vice Chair Russell: Please, let me -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: You stated that what I said was offensive. And if you listen to what I said in total -- Commissioner Reyes: I will read it. Vice Chair Russell: -- I do believe that our police force is very good and that they have grown and improved every year. Chief Colina was a reformer, he did a lot of work, and we are in a good position. Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely. Vice Chair Russell: We are out from under a Department of Justice consent decree because of all the years of reform. City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. Vice Chair Russell: And so our police department is in a good place. Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Russell: So it's -- it's -- when we talk about someone being a reformer it's not because it's in disarray and needs a complete overhaul. That's not my point. Commissioner Reyes: Well point well taken. 1 do, 1 mean, accept what you're saying, but not only you have been refer -- referring to, 1 mean I have seen it in the press, and it says that -- I mean even he claims that we were an impediment for the reforms. 1 mean 1 want to know what kind of reforms we needed. And I know that every, every, every single department, it needs --1 mean you have to take some actions to make it better. But the connotation is that we were in total disarray and we were looking for a savior. And that's not true. The police department was working real good and we were looking for a chief A chief that will continue and will improve the department if -- as needed, you see? Reform means that you are going to overdo it, redo it. Okay? And that's the only thing that I have to say in deference to all the police officers that have worked so hard, so hard, to place our department where it is now. That's all I have to say. Vice Chair Russell: Point taken. Commissioner Carollo, you have the floor. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. And, Commissioner Reyes, I'm very glad you spoke ahead of me. I was going to touch upon that at the end of my presentation, but I feel the same way. Chief Colina did a great job in helping this department. At the same time, we all know we might have had in one meeting a minor difference, but I think Chief Colina realized after that how right I was. And I think if you would speak to them, to him today, he would tell you the same. But I look at last summer and the job that Chief Colina with Assistant or Deputy Chief Papier, Assistant Chief Gause, Aguilar, Morales, did in leading this department during that last summer was an example to many other departments in the country. In fact, many police departments across the country were saying that they had to go and do things the Miami way, as we kept our community safe and protected and gave sufficient room for everybody to express themselves within the law. And with the small exception of what happened on the first day, that some people went into Bayside and looted there, that was the extent of it. Our city was kept safe. And I don't know what went on in Houston, but I don't think it was anywhere near as pleasant as we kept things in Miami. And I don't see our crime rate and homicide rate, in particularly, going through the roof. The homicide rate in Houston is going through the roof: So, you know, at my age I've been around all these false prophets and saviors, so I can't say that I'm surprised at all. But let me go back to something that I touched upon on the last meeting that we had on Monday. Is the Manager around anywhere? I want him, this is really related to him, to address him. Oh well, the Manager has to go to the restroom, too, so that's understandable. Okay, Mr. Manager, I want to go over with you through the schedule for you to confirm. And at the same time ascertain what you as Manager want to give up as having been City related or not. I will tell you that when you go out fir family weddings, or vacations, or watching football games, or other things of the sort including if you're going to conventions, or conference, or meetings and organizations that you belong to that are going to promote you but not the City of Miami, I don't consider them something that our taxpayers should pay for. But, you know, you're the ultimate decision decider on that. That's why I want to bring this over to you. As I believe from the information that I've received, to put it more clearly, upon information and belief I believe that the Police Chief was out of Miami between April the 8th through Wednesday the 14th. I believe he was in Houston at the time. From April 30th, Friday, through Monday, May the 3rd, he was out in Austin, I believe. City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Thursday, May 20th, through Saturday, May the 22nd, Orlando. Friday, May 28th, through Monday, May 31st, Houston. Friday, June 25th, through Sunday, June 27th, San Francisco. I believe it was to the wedding of a family member. I don't know if it was his son or someone else. I really can't confirm. But it was personal as I'm led to believe. Tuesday, July 5th, through Monday, July 12th, Puerto Rico. Friday, July 16th, through Sunday, July 18th, California again. It's another wedding. I believe this might have been a nephew's wedding. Not sure. Thursday, August 19th, through Friday the 20th, New Orleans. Friday, September the 17th, through Monday, September the 20th, Houston. At least 21 working days, working days, that he was out. I believe, also, but 1 don't know, that the week before the 31st of July, when we had the affair at Bayfront Park, this is in addition to this, he might have been out some of those days, I don't know if indeed he was or not. But some of these other dates, they appear that they're more solid, but I'm giving you these days so that you can confirm which of these dates he was actually gone and what you think he should not be paid for. That he would have to take leave time, other time, vacation time or what have you. The total amount on these 21 workable days is ahnost $ 25,442, I believe, approximately, based on his pay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner. Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sony to interrupt. I know you're on a train of thought so sorry to interrupt you, but my figure is $ 24,969.863 [sic], I also counted 21 days, but this is maybe a question to you or maybe to the Manager, does he have working days or does a police chief work on weekends also? So is it -- because I think the number is closer to 30 if you would think that a police officer would work on a Saturday, right? Because crime occurs on weekends, too. Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that's just my only -- Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, for $ 438,000 almost that we pay him -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Commissioner Carollo: -- for salary and benefits, you would hope he'd like to check in and see how things are doing in Miami, and over the weekend. And that doesn't include the 50,000 we gave him -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To move here. Commissioner Carollo: -- to move here. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just want to make sure our numbers match as we move forward on this. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, one of the other rumors been around, which I can believe this one, but just for the heck of it I might as well ask you, he's being paid bi-weekly like most City employees, right? He was not, outside of maybe the 50,000, not given any other lump payment when he came? Mr. Noriega: No, no, he gets paid like every other employee. Commissioner Carollo: I figured that was the case, but I wanted to ask on the record because, you know, maybe I might be surprised by what you answer me. Bottom line City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 is that he has been out a lot of days in the five -and -a -half months that he's been here since we brought this up first. Mr. Manager, he has been a chief of police in two cities, he knows what the routine is. He knows that he is responsible to making sure that all this is reported correctly. And he also knows that if it's not reported correctly, when he leaves here, whenever that be the case, he could have taken all that unused vacation time, sick leave, other leaves, with him. So, in essence some might look at this as a major crime. Certainly, you have to understand and believe that if a regular officer would have pulled this, they would have gotten all hell and probably have been fired. But I'm just bringing this out because it's always someone else's fault, it's a joke, or they're targeting me. Now, this is one, because the amounts that 1 have mentioned here that would never have been corrected in any way, shape or form, and would have never been corrected if had not brought this out. Let me go to the next one. I think we covered the car fairly well. This should be very troublesome because it's not the size of the accident, or damage to the vehicle, whatever you want to call it. We knew from the beginning the damage wasn't anything major. Just like with the Papier vehicle, the damage wasn't major to the extent of thousands of dollars either, I don't believe. But the problem was, was the lying about it, and the falsification, allegedly, of police reports to cover up the damage. Well that's number two that I want you to zero in on. Let me go to number three. And you heard me say before that even before Mr. Acevedo was sworn in as police chief, when he met with several of our key personnel in the police department, he was immediately talking about changing the uniforms to another type from a certain company in specific. Was that consulted with you in any way in the beginning? Mr. Noriega: No, it wasn't. Commissioner Carollo: Right. Now here's a problem that I have. I mean I find it tremendously strange that out of the normal questions and concern that a new police chief is going to have in coming to a new place and discuss with the upper echelon staff that's going to be working with him, that one of the first things he says before he even gets here is that he wants to change the uniforms and go to a different type of uniform. The -- let me go here. Now, here's the problem that I'm having with this because, you know, Pm old fashioned, you know, I add up two and two and when I don't get four I know that something is not right. And in this one, I keep adding two plus two and I get everything but four. But maybe it's a joke, maybe it's like the damage on the vehicle, it came from above. Maybe it's the CIA that wanted it. I don't know. Or that Cuban Mafia. Yes, that's right, I almost forgot that. Now we had a contract for -- well, since approximately February 16th, with a distributor that we were buying pants and shirts in the police department that came from a manufacturer called Flying Cross. We probably were even buying these uniforms before, because this distributor won the contract to be the distributor and that was over five years ago, February -- five -and -a -half years ago, February '16. Before the chief got here, as I stated already, he was moving forward and letting it be known he was going to change whom we were going to buy, the manufacturer of uniforms. And he wanted to buy from this other manufacturer of uniforms called Blauer. I don't know if it's pronounced right or not, but if I mispronounced it I apologize to the firm. Both Flying Cross and Blauer I believe are, you know, two top companies in the U.S. that provide uniforms. The thing that caught my eye though, and I'm going to get all into it, you know, is that we were paying for Flying Cross for uniforms that we were buying for years, $37 for shirts, $34.47 for pants. And on the order that was put, let me get those glasses again, this is small type, on July 30th of this year, order date, it was for a new manufacturer even though we were buying it from the same distributor that we have under contract, but now instead of $37 for shirts, it was going to cost us $69.26 for shirts. Instead of $34.47 for pants, they were going to buy -- they were going to cost us and were going to be bought for $63.73 instead of $34.47. Now this Blauer company, manufacturer rather, is out of Massachusetts. We placed an order on July 30th fir 500 pants, 500 shirts. A total of $66,495. If we would have bought the same City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 from the manufacturer that we've been buying from for years, Flying Cross, it would have costs us just slightly over half And we're paying $30, 760 more for this order. Where am I going with this? Well, before you put out a memo, or should 1 say when you put up -- when you put out a memo like the one that I'm going to read now, before the contract or during the contract at least, not so many months later when you realize that someone has looked into this and you're nervous. This is, mind you the order was placed July 31 st, two months later, September 29th, we get, in an interoffice memorandum to Director of Procurement Department, though channels, from an assistant chief of police the following. Subject: Uniform Justification. Why do they have to be justified after you bought them two months ago? Well, must be that son -of -a -gun Joe Carollo found out about it. And it says, "Upon arriving at Miami Police Department, Chief Acevedo conducted an operation survey of our sworn civilian employees -- of our sworn and civilian employees from April 6, 2021 through April 20, 2021. " Now keep in mind 1 had read before that our chiefs that went up there to meet with him way before this had acknowledged that he wanted to bring this manufacturer with these uniforms into the Miami PD. So, if you are saying you made a decision already why are you doing this survey? Then it says, "One of the most frequent answers to what sworn officers wrote, and it's one of the things that they dislike about the Miami Police Department, is their polyester uniform." Well that sounds, you know, Chief, like it's a lot of people in the department that really wanted changed. I am told by people that know what came in, there was only nine police officers that complained about our uniforms. Only nine. But the way this sounds is that, you know, it's like the 80 percent in the FOP poll that want him out. In an effort to find a more modern, oh, reformist, and comfortable option for our existing patrol uniforms, the Ripstop uniform was identified and procured. In order to identify the more comfortable option for our existing patrol uniforms, the Ripstop uniform was identified and procured. Well, this was identified before any of this happened. Even before he was sworn in, they were identified already. Who are they trying to kid? It says the uniform order was budgeted and within contractual guidelines. The Ripstop uniforms provide the following: cotton material, breathability. Well, let me tell you this, and I've worn these polyester uniforms when I was a deputy sheriff with the County at 18 and 19. And the last thing that a police officer really wants is cotton. We all know what cotton is. The minute you put it on, in a very short time, you know, you're wrinkled everywhere. The polyester stays looking unwrinkled, you know, all the time. And if you want to see the difference of what I'm talking about, go onto Google and Google pictures of Miami police officers and you see how their uniforms look and look at Acevedo in his uniform and you'll see the difference. What he looks like, what our guys look like. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, to be clear, is the concern that the uniforms were procured without coming -- Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, no, no. I'm not done yet. I'm not done yet. Let me finish. It says the durability -- I want to be fair and read everything here. The durability of the material wears better and stands up to daily police wear. Manufactured in the USA. I don't know that the other was not. The pants provide better agility. Additionally, we conducted fittings from August 16th to August 20, and September 26th to September 29. We are also receiving positive remarks from the officers regarding the uniforms as to comfort, breathability, and lit. I understand that they just arrived, so I don't know what they're talking about here. Should you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 305, and the number that was put down. Now this was sent from the Procurement Department, from one of our assistant chiefs to Annie Perez, CPPO, and Art Acevedo, Chief of Police. Like if it's internal, that our people are asking for this and this went through the proper channels. Now let me get where I'm going at on this. Upon information and belief every of the departments that Mr. Acevedo has been police chief in, he's brought this manufacturer. for uniforms. In Austin, in Houston. These are twice as City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 much. Look, as much as 1 want to, you know, give our police officers the best, if somebody wants -- if it's even this, and I'm not sure for the reasons that 1 stated, if this is indeed a Rolls Royce of uniforms, and 1 don't believe it for one minute, you know what, no one said, except nine guys that, you know, had some problems with the polyester, I would suggest that if they didn't like the, you know, Cadillac type that we were providing, they could buy their own and pay the difference. We shouldn't have to pay, you know, a Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz for everything. But the problem here is not that we were looking, necessarily, and this is what concerns me, what is best for our officers, the problem here is that some of the allegations that have come to me that the reason that all this has transpired and this came from the past is that there were allegations that Mr. Acevedo had a personal relationship with the owner, or one of the owners, of this manufacturer out of Massachusetts. What's come to me, and 1 don't know if it's true or not, I have no idea, but if he could lie about me and so many things in that memo, including the Frank Pichel stuff and more, 1 certainly have the right, and furthermore, it's the Commission's obligation to get to the bottom of this if indeed he's pushed these uniforms, these very expensive uniforms, almost twice the cost of what we pay, because he's got a personal relationship with the owner of this manufacturing firm. And if indeed they have vacationed together in the past or at any time, like the allegation that arrived to me stated. Mr. Manager. I'm giving this one also to you, and you can check out everything that I stated here also. How and when was the first time that these uniforms came up, the process that we follow, and everything more. Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner, I -- ifI may. You know that we voted for an investigation. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, well this is going to be part of it, of course. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Let's remind -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but the Manager doesn't have to wait. Commissioner Reyes: -- the City Attorney and the Chairman of this Committee -- Commissioner Carollo: But the Manager doesn't have to wait. Commissioner Reyes: -- that everything has to be investigated. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but the Manager doesn't have to wait for this to begin or finish. He has the authority that we don't to do other things. Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, yes, but I'm just stating -- and reminding everybody that there's going to be an investigation and that investigation is going to touch all bases. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Now let me get this one out of the way here, and -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: While you do that, Commissioner, can I follow up, Mr. Chairman, on what the Commissioner was asking? Commissioner Carollo: Sure. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Manager, can you sort of walk me through what that process is? If a particular when a department head makes a request for a change of vendor and it's clearly a much more expensive vendor. Commissioner Carollo: Manufacturer. The vendor is the same. City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Well it's a City vendor because no matter who it is, but the company can be a retail or whatever, but it's a City vendor, right? So when -- what's the process for that? And when you see -- does that get to you, you don't review that, the police chief makes a decision on his own? A department head could come in and say I'm going to buy a product that is almost twice as expensive and there's no oversight of that? That department head can do that? Mr. Noriega: So, in this particular case, obviously the Commissioner is correct, the distributor or the vendor that we're buying the uniforms for as part of their contract, there was always the option to change out a uniform type within that vendor's inventory, or the uniform vendors they represent. As far as the cost of the uniforms, as long as it didn't stray from the budget, and didn't cost more in terms of a required budget increase, the department director has the right to do that, correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But it cost more. Mr. Noriega: It cost more but as long as he stayed within budget. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Within his own department. Mr. Noriega: Within his own department., correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And are you aware that -- did this police chief ever look at the same existing vendor and say do you have the same kind of products? Mr. Noriega: I don't -- it was not vetted through me, so I -- whatever request was made within the police department went through Procurement, through the proper channels. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Mr. Noriega: But also if it had been a request that would have required a budget amendment, then it would have -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I understand that -- Mr. Noriega: -- obviously been -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: part of it. But internally, they can do -- Mr. Noriega: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- they can move from one vendor to another, even if it costs twice as much? Mr. Noriega: As long as that vendor was -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or three times as much. Mr. Noriega: -- allowed per the procurement process. If it's been procured. In this case it was. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It was, okay. Thank you. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Manager, remember that I requested of you to have the assistant chiefs around in case I needed to get some information? I need on City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 the stuff that happened, the POs (Purchase Orders) had been put on, or that are going to he put on, 1 need to ask one more question of something right now. Mr. Noriega: Well, specifically what's the question, Commissioner, so I know who -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, it has to do with a purchase. Mr. Noriega: With a purchase? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Do we have anybody here that -- Mr. Noriega: We have a couple of assistant chiefs here. Let me find out who is -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, whoever would know about the latest purchases. Mr. Noriega: Okay. I'll find out. Commissioner Carollo: I'm just trying to confirm another purchase. Chuck, Joey, you guys don't seem too attentive. That's why you mess up your stories. Come on, listen up. Just hope the story ain't written already, you know? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They probably wrote it before the meeting, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that's what I was afraid, but you know, I'm trying to be politically correct. Hey, Tommy, don't go to my office, he'll send another memo out. Please. [Later...] Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Chief Morales, Chief Aguilar, and Chief Carol. What type of uniforms do you guys have on now? Manuel Morales (Assistant Police Chief): This is -- well, I'm sorry. Good afternoon, Manny Morales, Assistant Chief Police Department. This is I believe one of the Flying Cross polyester older models that we're wearing. Commissioner Carollo: You guys have the same? Okay, so that's why it looks pressed and sharp and not like cotton would look. If you would have had it on and would have been here all day or even on your first hour. Thank you. But here's my real question. Now I'm not going to put you on the spot and ask you how you like these or not, so I'm not going to go there. Mr. Morales: You could if you like. I'll give you my opinion. Commissioner Carollo: Well, if you don't mind, chief I'd like your opinion on these uniforms. Mr. Morales: Commissioner, these uniforms are -- they look great, they're not the most comfortable. This why the Class A's are long lasting, so they're extremely durable. As you mentioned they're a little cheaper, but they're a bit -- Commissioner Carollo: A little cheaper? Mr. Morales: Well, a lot cheaper. Commissioner Carollo: Half the cost. City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: Twenty bucks a shirt, 1 believe is more or less the cost. Commissioner Carollo: Well, no, no, it's a little more than twenty, but they're half the price almost as the others. Mr. Morales: So, we have shifted before to a different type, like some of our problem solving teams have the polo shirt that's a hybrid, has a little material from a different vendor. Our original vendor, which is the Flying Cross, and those shirts are -- we call them the hybrid because it's like a dry fit material on the bottom and they have a new material on the top that's 37.5. Those were put into place prior to the current administration. Commissioner Carollo: But those still have a percentage of polyester in them? Mr. Morales: Correct, yes. Commissioner Carollo: That's why they fit better? Mr. Morales: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: You need a certain percentage ofpolyester. Mr. Morales: Mh-mm. Commissioner Carollo: To my knowledge and the information 1 have ascertained the only other time in your department's history, at least in the recent history, the last six years, there was only one other order made from this manufacturer, Blotter, and these were three, not police shirts, they were the, you know, t-shirts, that type. Mr. Morales: Mh-mm. Commissioner Carollo: There were only three of them. So it seems that somebody wanted to look at them as samples and apparently didn't think enough of them to further order any more. Maybe it's because of the price, I don't know what, but there were only three. So that's why I get that impression. But here's where I really would like to go. Was there an order placed for 750, or somewhere in that amount, any kind of PR-24 aluminum batons, or was that order going to be placed? Mr. Morales: We did discuss in one of our Chief's meetings, the Chief's desire to go ahead and reissue PR-24s to all our officers. I don't know if the purchase order was put in there. We're having a tough time. finding a vendor that would have the newer style of PR-24s, which are the ones, the little batons that look that have the side stick that you've seen like in T.J. Hooker. But the ones that we had available were the ones that are composite like a plastic, and we were having a difficulty. So I don't know if that purchase order went through or not, but there was an intent to do so. Commissioner Carollo: But my question is on the long fix PR-24 aluminum, I understand that 750 were ordered from Lewis (phonetic) Distributor. Do you have any knowledge of that or the other assistant chiefs? Mr. Morales: I don't, Commissioner, but we could definitely find out. We could go and look in our system and ask our budget manager if that order was processed and we could have that answer within a couple of minutes. City of Miami Page 43 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Okay. You can save it for us when we go into the part of the meeting today that would be the budget side. The reason I'm asking, we already have the type of baton, the expandable batons that, you know, they're small like that. Mr. Morales: Yes, yes. Commissioner Carollo: The long batons, first of all, I probably received more hours of training on those back in the day, PLE-5. I don't think any of you graduated anywhere near that class, and I even did some trainings with them because I had enough hours on them. They're a very antiquated weapon. They're cumbersome for cops to wear and it's a lot easier if someone can pull them out of you know, your side and then here's someone with a billy club coming at you, so it's creating a bigger situation for police officers. In fact, recently, a Houston police officer told my office that Mr. Acevedo, when he was chief in Houston last summer, while he was marching, someone stole from him his billy club and, you know, it -- he didn't notice, never found who did it and there was no report made. That's what we were told. We don't know how accurate it is or not, but we've been getting so many calls from officers in Houston and in Texas that it's -- I might need an operator for it. But the -- this type of billy club, I mean, we already have the type of billy club that's the expandable, that is light, easy. You basically only use billy clubs on riot situation that we get shields to bang on it and all that goes along with that. But we don 't even do training on billy clubs anymore, do we? Mr. Morales: We do for our response platoons, Commissioner. So we had a limited amount that we placed in our rapid response van that we would send out to the field in case there is a civil disturbance. But what the Chief wanted was to make sure that every single officer in the department, to include investigations and administrations had one available in the car. Commissioner Carollo: But whatever training you might do is to a very, very limited group of officers. Mr. Morales: Only mobilizations. Commissioner Carollo: Now, these type of PR-24s that's not a very progressive tool. This is instead of going forward on reform, it's going backwards on reform. I don't know why someone that has come to be a reformer would want to bring these type of aluminum batons that are just not reformist a tool anymore. But maybe we will find out in the future why that happened. But I just wanted to see what you all knew about it. I understand as the Monadnock type, or the manufacturer rather, that we're buying from obviously Lewis (phonetic) Distributor, which is local as to distributors, not the manufacturer, the one that I mentioned, would have to order them because there's nobody that would have that amount of aluminum PR-24s, batons', here in Miami or in South Florida for that matter. So, I just wanted to find out why we were getting this very antiquated type of weapon. Thank you very much. Mr. Morales: We'll get the information on the purchase order for you, Commissioner. We'll send it out. Thank you. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, gentlemen. Let me go to the next, if may. Now, some time in the summer, this was I believe in the very beginning of June, there was a beautiful yacht that came and was parked over by American Airlines Arena, the big slip that we have there off of Biscayne Boulevard. You all know the one I'm talking about by Ferre Park. I'm curious, were any of you here, Chairman, Commissioners, were any of you invited to go on board that ship, that yacht? No? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. City of Miami Page 44 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: No? And this is the first few days in June at the slip next to American Airlines Arena. (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: Well, I don't know, I guess it could he a party boat, but, you know, it's a regular yacht. I mean, that -- I think it even had a helicopter, if I remember. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, it has the helicopter pad. l forget the name, but it was rented -- you could rent it for events and big parties. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, that's not rented as far as I know. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not the one? Commissioner Carollo: This came from Texas. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Are you talking about -- not the one by the Intercontinental Hotel? [input trying to picture. Commissioner Carollo: Oh, no, no, no, no. (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: I'm talking about the slip between the American Airlines Arena and Ferre Park that's part of Ferre Park. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, okay. That's -- yeah. Commissioner Carollo: So none of you guys were invited? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no. Commissioner Carollo: God, I feel bad. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Was it a nice one? Commissioner Reyes: Were you invited? Commissioner Carollo: I feel guilty. Commissioner Reyes: They invited you? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. Commissioner Carollo: Well, I had a call from Mr. Acevedo, that he very much wanted me to join him so he could introduce me a Mr. Tilman. I'm not talking about the sergeant of arms that resigned recently because he had enough of the B-S that he was seeing. A heck of a police officer, by the way, that I have the utmost respect for him. Commissioner Reyes: Me too. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. City of Miami Page 45 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: And I'm sorry that 1 wasn't in a position that could have done more for him and others. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: But this is a different Tilman. A White Tilman, not an African - American Tilman like our sergeant of arms that resigned. And I went, and we went out for I don't know maybe 20 minutes, around the water. I realized that -- I mean, if you're going to go out, you go out a little more, so this is just to talk to me. It was a very pleasant little ride. It was the owner of the -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Houston Rockets. Commissioner Carollo: -- the owner of the yacht is the owner of the Houston Rockets. The same individual that you saw in a photograph in the vacation that Mr. -- or in the trip should I say, I don't know what he was doing in Houston that he took when he left between September l7th and 20th, at a football game, I think, in Houston, with him, on the sidelines. Pleasant chap, you know. Sharp business man. I found out that he owned, I don't know how many hundreds of different restaurants and chains and so on and everything and the captain of the boat for him was ticked off because they had to pay so much because they went through an agent so they could lease from the Bayfront Park Trust, which I'm the chairman of.1 had seen the yacht there before, but I wasn't aware that what arrangements had been made or anything. 1-- in fact, I only saw it that day before or earlier that day because 1 had to be in the park to measure some things out for the dog park that we're soon going to open there. Not the dog sculptures, that's next. The dog park. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The real dogs. Commissioner Carollo: Real dogs. So, in the course of the conversation I, you know, that they wanted to come here, they'd be willing to rent a space, you know, on a permanent level if they need, if they could get it. I said to them, I said, listen it's funny because we recently had a proposal sent to us that I haven't even had the time, I said, to look at, from this firm that's supposed to be the largest in the world for mega yachts like yours, and Marc Anthony is involved with them in some way because he came with them and had spoken to me some weeks back and then they sent a proposal. Well he asked what they had proposed and I told him the amount. He said, well, I'll meet right away and if I could, you know, lease it all and so on. I said, well, you can certainly, you know, make an offer and we could go from there. Then we talked about with all the land we had in Bayfront Park and so on, what were we going to do, plans. So I mentioned to him, I said, look, maybe in the future, we're trying to not have such huge events to bring in money that are loud and have the parks closed for, you know, weeks at a time. We might, lithe board approves and the Commission approves, look at bringing in maybe a couple of restaurants or so, and he was all excited because he's got restaurants. So, he wanted to see the park the next day. This is a Friday. So I said, sure, I'll be happy to, because I think he was leaving on Sunday or something, he wasn't there long. So, the next day we agreed to meet at a certain time. I went and right away I'm getting a call from the Police Chief that he's going to be there and, you know, I can meet him there. I said, no, you know, we can meet right at the park. I told him where. So we were there, we walked around. The gentleman had a lot of different ideas of stuff and everything. He wanted to see if he could get a survey of the park so he could study and see what he could propose to us that he could do there. And he asked for the survey. I said I'll try to get it to you. I don't know if we had a survey or not. And at least on two other occasions I'm being asked by Mr. Acevedo about the survey, about the survey. You know, Mr. Tilman is a business man and I certainly respect that. You know, there's nothing wrong with looking at business. But I find it strange that my police chief was acting like a middle man in this and it's like City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 he wanted to win favor with Mr. Tilman. Twice he's asking me for the survey. I never heard from Tilman. 1 never heard from his boat captain on surveys or anything. But 1 did hear from Art Acevedo, where 's the survey, where's the survey? And 1 'm only bringing this up because of all the crap and lies that he put down in the eight page memo trying to pretend that he's holier than though and such a reformer. A reformer that he didn't show he was in Austin, Texas, nor in Houston Texas, and certainly not in California with the pictures. Yeah, Chuck, the ones you guys don't want to talk about in the Miami Herald, the new Miami Herald. Another instance, and by the way, on this particular case, this is one that's, Mr. Manager, you should, yourself look into it and ask for records and we might even provide you some names of people that were there. But it's my understanding that there were police officers that were assigned, 1 don't know what hours or what, but they were assigned to be in that area there for his friend, Mr. Tilman, to feel safe with a mega yacht there. In the history of the Bayfront Park Trust, I've never heard that that's been done for any of the yachts or mega yachts that have parked there, that have rented space from us. But you know what's worse is, that the residents that are part of Commissioner Russell's District have called me so many times to complain about some of the situation around there, in particular with homeless and others, and about the lack of police presence in Ferre Park and in that area downtown. I myself have complained about it and you heard me here not that long ago, and months ago, and we 've got very limited police presence in our two prime parks, not just for the city ofMiami, butfor all of Miami -Dade County. And if you have a close friend like this, it appears that it's a little different. Now, if anyone of us would have had a friend, and I tell you right now I've got more billionaires [sic] friends, close friends, than Mr. Acevedo could ever count. I've got them in the U.S. and I've got them outside the U.S. But ifI would have had one of my friends that came with one of their mega yachts to park in there and 1 would have called the Chief which I never would for that, and told him to, hey, listen, put some Miami police officers there and make sure that they feel safe, you would have been reading about it in this memo how I'm trying to interfere with the police department. I'm taking retaliation against him because I -- hypocrisy, hypocrisy. Now, Mr. Manager, please make a note of that and if you need more direct names quicker, I'll go to you. I hope that the intimidation, the threats, the state of fear that 1 am being told is happening in the department doesn't go as far as they're going to start going at the officers that were stationed there and put there and they're going to start squeezing them. Now that's not the only case on actions that are not appropriate of a police chief in dealing with an elected official. You all remember the recent program that the Mayor was invited to, and there was a lot of talk about it, a lot of people were excited about it. If they asked him a question, you know, on his future, and so on. Carlos Watson, the syndicated program and, in fact, I believe that there's no relation with Commissioner Watson, by the way, so there's no conflict there with him. But I believe Carlos -- Commissioner Watson: Other than a close friend. Commissioner Carollo: -- I believe Carlos lived in Coconut Grove for a while, years ago. But anyway, I received -- I only mention that in the program because I'm wondering out loud if maybe that's how the invitation came to that program. The fixer, Art Acevedo, you know, got that interview so that he could win some brownie points maybe. I don't know. I haven't spoken to the Mayor about it. I might after this meeting to see. But here's the point, I got a call from Art Acevedo that Carlos Watson had this two-day event that he would do in Central Park in New York every year and he wanted to bring it to Miami. I said, well, great. He wanted to bring it down here to Bayfront Park. So I said, well, look, you know, Bayfront Park is really having so many events and we're supposed to have limitation. I said, I'll be happy to speak to him, but I suggest that we go over to Fern; Park that -- and it doesn't get as much activity. So I said, have him get a hold of me see if he'd come and meet with me. So, a meeting was made for me with Mr. Carlos Watson, and who comes in with him? Our chief of City of Miami Page 47 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 police. He wanted a good deal and he expressed that to me clearly. He wanted a good deal for Carlos Watson because that would be great for Miami and all that, you know. It's part of the reform that he's going to bring. And I gave Mr. Watson a fair deal, good for the Trust and the City and jrohim, but it was a fair deal. Basically what I understood that he was paying in New York, maybe a little more than Central Park. And there are texts and communications, three ways and more, on that. I've gone through three phones recently, so I'll have them, and between the three, but if not that, they could be easily gotten from my telephone carrier. The Chief was acting not the way a police chief should be acting. That if he has someone he knows that want to do something here, okay, here's Commissioner Carollo, sit with him, you work the deal, that's it, he's gone. No, he wanted through -- to be through it and he was through every part of it. The last -- there were other communications in between. The last communication that I got, but before 1 go into that let me tell you what he immediately did. In order to get this to a level that they wanted, the Miami PD Special Event Unit was called and the prices they gave of how many off duty officers were needed. Acevedo made sure that he himself would contact that unit to get it to the level that he felt would be appropriate for Mr. Watson 's pocketbook for the event. The last that I heard was that I got a three-way text of me and Acevedo, from Mr. Watson, Carlos Watson, that the City Attorney 's Office had not signed the contract and this is on a Friday afternoon and they needed that contract signed that day because otherwise they might lose different performers, different people that they were going to get for that two-day event. 1 really got ticked offabout it because number one, what does he think? He's calling late afternoon on a Friday to get me to what, put a gun to the City Attorney and sign something that 1 don't know what state it's in, and he's making sure that 1 know that he's letting his friend be in the three-way text like if it's going to put pressure on me and I certainly feel -- felt that that's what it was, to get it done. Madam City Attorney, did I ever call you on that or any of your staff? Ms. Mendez: I didn't know about it. Commissioner Carollo: Because I didn't call you and I didn't call anybody. Ilet the process run whichever way it had to run. And last I heard was that because of Covid, they ended up deciding not to do it. I don't know if a contract was ever signed or not or what happened, but that's what I heard. But I just want to put this on the record because this man has accused three of us of a lot of lies, trying to pretend that he's the great reformer and he's no reformer. Now, do we have, from my staff, Jose, do we have the video from the interview on suing the governor? If you don't have that, maybe you have the video on where he's threatening Tommy, the head of the union. Is this the one on Channel 6? I'm sorry, this has to do with a relative and it's the doctor calling. If you could bear with me for a minute, please? [Later...] Commissioner Carollo: I apologize. Family s well-being is much more important than this gentleman here. Okay. If you could play the -- Audiovisual presentation made. Commissioner Carollo: The -- Madam City Attorney, who in this government has the right to sue the governor? Ms. Mendez: Any lawsuit -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, yeah. Ms. Mendez: -- that we bring would have to be approved by the City Commission. City of Miami Page 48 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Acevedo was eluding to being able to take one of the steps that belongs to us, the suing part. 1 don 't care about any of the back and forth because look, 1 believe in vaccinations, that's why I started in my district, especially with the seniors before anybody did, and that's why we in the City of Miami are, you know, way ahead of many other areas. This is not about this governor, one party, or the other. When I was mayor, I had the best relationships with Governor Lawton Chiles, a Democrat, a great man. And I had a very good relationship with Jeb Bush afterwards. So this is not about me trying to defend DeSantis or anything else. DeSantis can defend himself I don 't care about that. This is about that a police chief cannot be going out talking about, eluding to suing a governor. That only falls upon this body to make that decision. Furthermore, 1 don't care if they're a good governor or a bad governor, we need to have the best possible relationship with a governor because they're the ones that hold the keys to how much money is going to be allowed for any local government to receive before or after it's approved by the legislature. And this is another example of how this man has taken upon himself to be the City spokesperson in a big way, to be pretending that he can make decisions that fall upon this Commission and take that right from us, something he can't do. And put in jeopardy funding to all of our districts. This fiscal year I received $ 3 million, Commissioner Reyes the same, from Tallahassee that if we would have had a governor that was ticked off at us in any way, I guarantee you we would not have gotten that. So that's why I wanted to bring this out so that we could see the difference. And another issue altogether, can we go to the next one here, six? Audiovisual presentation made. Commissioner Diazde la Portilla: Can we put the volume up on that, Mr. Chair? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, if you could raise it a little bit. Audiovisual presentation made. Commissioner Carollo: I think it's clear to anybody that understands his actions so far and his style that he's throwing, you might call it indirect, I don't think it's that indirect, threat at the head of the FOP that while he might still be the head of the FOP, he's still a sergeant in the Miami Police Department. And, you know, the part about lying, you know, you can't lie. So, I guess that falls into the you lie you die theory of Acevedo except when it comes to him. Let me go into one -- last one, locally, and then I'll just finish it off by going through quick reminder of some of the past stuff There was a sergeant, I don 't know what his name is in our department, that was recently fired. He was fired by Chief Acevedo for saying the word queer. Now while many in the gay community might not consider that a bad word in itself, I do believe from what I heard that the sergeant was using it in an inappropriate way to refer to one of our officers. ChiefAcevedo fired him. Even the officer whom the sergeant was referring to told me, personally, that the sergeant, while being an A, should have never been fired just for saving that. He should have received reprimand, maybe a serious reprimand, but not fired. I believe that this officer was fired for two reasons. One, he wanted to impress the union leadership. Two, he wanted to use it later on so that he could show how much of a progressive reformist chief he was for any future campaign for sheriff of Miami -Dade County, like I believe is what he really came down here to accomplish and use our office of police chief as a trampoline to get to that, with all the publicity that he could receive. We've gone through a lot of stuff today that we've been very clear. We have a department that from the so called reformist, the self proclaimed reformist, frankly, that from everything that I presented on Monday shows that he didn't leave any reforms in Austin, in Texas, and he certainly did not reform any of the trainees, especially a certain female trainee under him when he was in California. There is no crime plan that I know of that he's presented to our City. Do you know of any, Mr. Manager? City of Miami Page 49 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Noriega: Sony. Say it again, Commissioner? Commissioner Carollo: Has he presented any kind of a crime plan, how to combat crime, how to combat the key areas in law enforcement that will reduce crime? Mr. Noriega: He hasn't presented one. Actually, I should have one in very short order though. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Commissioner Carollo: Now -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry. Commissioner Carollo: Go ahead. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You should have a crime plan in very short order? Mr. Noriega: Yeah. 1 asked for one. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Five months after he got here? So why are you going to have a crime plan at this stage of the game? Mr. Noriega: Because I asked -- because I asked for one. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: When did you ask for it? Mr. Noriega: Yesterday. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You asked for a crime plan from the City police -- Mr. Noriega: And in addition to some other things, but yeah, but that was one of the things I asked for. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. That's one of the things you asked for. Mr. Noriega: And a recap of what he's already put in place. Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well -- Commissioner Reyes: Through the Chair? Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE). Commissioner Reyes: Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There's a little bit of an issue here, Mr. Chair, because I want to let Commissioner Carollo say everything he needs to say because I think he's been pretty comprehensive. Look, I have a whole file myself because Commissioner Carollo wasn't the only subject of lies here, outright lies. So was Commissioner Reyes, so was L So of course we all prepared, I guess, individually, obviously, . for our own exposition of what we were going to say, but I know it's late and all that. But I'm going to let Carollo finish, Commissioner Carollo finish his City of Miami Page 50 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 question, but this kind of shocks me. Not that it's a crime plan that you requested yesterday, but it shocks me because that he didn't present one to you when he first got here. 1 mean, that's what it -- hold on, hold on. That's what a police chief does, right? Not do interviews, not do all the things he's done since he's been here, and lies and coverups and everything else. But what he does is he does, this is my plan to fight crime, right? So it's shocking to me that he didn 't come to you or when you -- after he was first hired and said, this is my plan of action for the first -- my first 100 days, my first, you know, six months or whatever. So one of the things I was going to ask you because I don't want to leave here today without going through is what directives you've given this police chief what was the result of the meeting that you had yesterday so that the whole Commission, I'm sure they know, but the public, Herald, the press, and everyone can know where we're headed in terms of what you asked for him that he should have given, probably, from the beginning. 1 don't want to leave here today without that happening. So I'll -- and then we'll talk about maybe having another special meeting that we can discuss, to continue the conversation if we can't finish it today, as a suggestion to the Commission, because I think it's important that we fully vet this issue because this is serious stuff. Not only serious stuff because we have a police chief who has accused three elected officials of criminal activity, but also police chief who has reformed a number of acts that Commissioner Carollo very eloquently outlined, that I have here also and I have additional ones, that it's a subject that's worthy of our attention. So we'll talk about that after, but I just want to make sure that we don't leave here today without -- and sorry for the interruption, but I want to make sure that -- that I'm clear. I don't want to talk about the special commission meeting now. We can do that a little bit later. We can have that conversation, but 1 do want to have it. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If we don't go through what we need to go through. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Reyes? Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I believe that all the -- I mean, all the -- everything that Commissioner Carollo has brought up, lie, should be included in that investigation that we want to do, you see. And I think that we must wait until the investigation takes -- I mean, is completed and because I don't want to make any decision, I don't want to vote on anything right now until the investigation is over. Because that's the only way that we're going to clear the air, you see. I want all -- everything that has been exposed here, all the questions that we have if -- about the chief any questions that he brought up about us or about any other employees to come with -- I mean, should be investigated and -- that report as soon as possible, as soon as possible. And then when that investigation it is completed and it's presented to us then I will agree on -- on a special meeting or -- I mean, that the -- and that is presented to the City Manager, and then the City Manager will act according to what he thinks is best for the city. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: My only concern, if I may, Mr. Chair; is that those investigations take time and -- Commissioner Reyes: Hold -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And while those investigations are taking place, all these doubts and all these lies and innuendos are up there and are out there and no one's answering them. I completely agree, I mean, we all voted for the investigation. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. City of Miami Page 51 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The problem is that we may not even get there the way things are going perhaps, 1 don't know. So the point is that f this ends some other way, who knows, because it could, you know, politics is unpredictable. It may end earlier and maybe all those questions will never be answered and they'll stay there forever, they'll linger and people have some doubt as to whether -- any of that — that eight page memo will always be out there unanswered and uninvestigated. Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And, you know, he'll move to somewhere else maybe. Commissioner Reyes: But you -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But, I mean, I'm not saying I want a special -- I want one, but if the body doesn't want to have one that's fine. I'm just telling you that I think it's important that we answer every allegation, every lie, in that memo -- Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He was a great reformer as Commissioner Carollo calls him. I think he's a great deceiver and a great pretender. Commissioner Reyes: Well -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And at the end of the day 1 want to know and I want the public to know. Commissioner Reyes: They -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I want the media to know. Commissioner Reyes: The only, -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I want everybody -- the people that are still here, no matter how long it takes, but this guy's a liar. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. The only way that that's going to be answered is through this investigation. Madam City Attorney, are you moving into -- I mean., real fast and getting all the investigators and assigning them different -- I mean, parts of the investigation so that we don't have only one person investigating and it would take forever? Ms. Mendez: We have a list ofpeople that my office is looking at and we hope to have someone on board at the beginning of the week. Commissioner Reyes: At the beginning of the week. That is by Monday or Tuesday. Ms. Mendez: Yes. Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay. And I think that it is, in my opinion, it is of the utmost importance to clear the air and to answer everything that has been stated in that memo and also in all the other doubts that we have now, it is through a thorough investigation that will come to the public and that investigation be conducted by people that are totally detached from the City, of Miami. People with experience, prosecutors, investigators, whatever, but people that have no tie to the City of Miami and when they present that, I mean, that is -- that is going to be the only way that we can clear the air and answer all the accusations that have -- I mean, been stated in City of Miami Page 52 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 that -- in that memo. That's my position and I want to see that investigation. Even and I want to go further along this, even if the Chief resigns tomorrow, I want the investigation to continue. Commissioner Carollo: One thing's got nothing to do with the other, Commissioner. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: The -- I think I was very thorough on the different investigations that Mr. Ortiz did for the Chief and in the Chief stopping reprimands of the Police Chief And just to give you a little bit of the sense precisely what the editorial in the Herald instructed him not to do, the Chief they want me to listen to the editorial in the Herald now, but he didn't listen to them then and they forget, you know, when it's convenient. For the pay period of August 20, 2021, Mr. Ortiz, what we have gotten from personnel, is 30 hours of overtime. The September 3, 2021, 36 hours of overtime. The September 17, 2021, 53 hours in overtime. And the October 1st, which is today, pay period that he got from the past couple of weeks, 65 hours in overtime. So you see how it's been going up in the pay periods. I figure the 65 hours is because of the deep extensive investigation on the Chief's car. So, you know, maybe that's what it was. But, you know, this man is no reformer. This man is the last that this City needed, another politician masquerading behind a badge. How can you be a reformer and be protecting someone like Javi Ortiz that has been the one police officer in this City that has had the most complaints out of any, anywhere? 1 mean, 1 think it's at least $600, 000 or so that have had to be paid in lawsuits to settle them because of his actions. Something like 50 plus that I'm reading from different stories here, complaints against him. Now is this a reformer? He, by the former acting chief former chief they had him in a place where he had limited contact with the public. This chief was that one that got him out, got him a five percent raise and look at all the overtime. And in the middle of that still, he manages to break some additional rules and orders. He's going to be reprimanded and who comes to his rescue? The fake reformer, Mr. Acevedo. The fake reformer. The fake reformer. In case the Herald forgets, maybe you guys weren't listening last time. I don 't know what I have to do, I mean, we've got to put the pictures up. If you want me to, maybe, you know, well try to arrange it, you know. But confidential memorandum, at the time, no longer confidential because it was out into the domain from Chief -- Commissioner rather, M.K. Nibbins, Assistant Commissioner from the California Highway Patrol, and it's from Chief Acevedo. It says, indeed you violated a fundamental trust the department placed in you as a field training officer to remain objective and ensure your interaction with a trainee are above reproach. This is a female trainee, Chuck, Joey. It says the preponderance of the evidence demonstrates that you did in fact have in your possession such pictures and that the photographs were shown either purposely or inadvertently to at least one supervisory or managerial employee. This is based on your admissions and/or the statements of the other parties involved. The existence of pictures is not the department's concern, but once other employees had been -- had seen or become aware of them and nexus to your employment was created. Your actions and the resulting consequence have damaged the department's reputation. In addition, your actions indicate a pattern ofpoor judgment with regard to the personal relationships you have engaged in with female departmental personnel. Such behavior is intolerable for any employee, but is even more detrimental and credibility damaging when committed by a supervisory, managerial, and command level personnel. Chuck, in plain English, in case you guys didn't hear last time, when you refused to publish this, but if it would have been me or him or him or any of us Cubans, it would have been front page in the paper and you wouldn't stop. Every day, every day, every day. In plain English, and I quoted from even Supreme Court lawsuits that were even more explicit, this had to do with Mr. Acevedo taking photographs of a female officer that was a trainee under him while she was performing oral sex on him and then he showed it to, as the memo says here, others. City of Miami Page 53 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Now maybe in your MeToo movement and, Nancy Ancrum's, MeToo movement if it's you're S-O-B it doesn't count. But you guys are so hypocritical that when it takes the Houston Chronicle to write a fair story, a balanced story of what happened last meeting, and we can 't even get that from our local newspaper. And then I get an editorial that's accusing me of being the worst thing that's happened to Miami since Attila the Hun rampaged through Asia and Europe, and that this is typical and so on. Well, let me remind the head of the editorial board, Nancy Ancrum, when she was part of the editorial board when we had a fair and objective, more newspaper. Unfortunately we still had some rotten reporters that just got lazy over the years, but it was a different Miami Herald. Not like the new Miami Herald, and Ms. Ancrum was part of the editorial board when they endorsed me when I ran for commissioner back then and got elected. She was part of that same editorial board when they endorsed me when I ran for mayor twice. And she was part of the same editorial board when after 1 was out of office, only that 1 can remember or know of the second time that the Miami Herald has done that for any elected official. The first was former Democrat Governor Reubin Askew, a favor of the Herald, always. And the other was me. They wrote two editorial pieces praising our job. And in mine, it started by saying, thank you Mayor Carollo, and then it went on in talking and giving me a lot of praise, and in one particular paragraph it said when Miami was at its worst, Mayor Carollo was at his best. But now they seem to forget that they were part of that editorial board when it was a balanced newspaper. Now that it's the new Miami Herald, they try to forget they didn't change it. That's why I'm proud to have gone on and I was being scolded already, you're late. 1 said, well am, but had something more important than your editorial meeting for endorsement. I had a groundbreaking for affordable housing in my district, but I won't take long. I'm just here to let you know I do not want your endorsement and 1 want to be clear on that. So, you know, I could go on to many other areas. I could discuss my colleagues how Mr. Acevedo came on at least two occasions to bad mouth some of my colleagues, which I was surprised, I've never seen a police chief do that one either. I can -- I'm sure he's done the same thing to some of you. I remember -- and 1 never spoke to him outside of the dais here, I never have spoken to him about Camacho. But he did come to me to tell me about all the different phone calls that he said were there between Camacho and other people, and how they were going to be arrested and so on. Now, gee, isn't that interfering, giving information out, or whatever he wants to call it? But let me finish with this, okay? The only person that has been interfering with investigations in the City of Miami is Art Acevedo. He took out the Major of Internal Affairs, he took out a Captain out of Internal Affairs, he took out another Major that has sued, an African -American Major that has sued him also because they wouldn't write what he wanted. He didn't want a Major of Internal Affairs or a Captain that were not going to put in their reports what he wanted. That's called interference. I don't care if you're the chief of police or not, these investigations are supposed to be independent. He didn't want them that way. That's why he came to me twice asking me to bring to the Commission and do away with the ordinance and resolutions that we have that does not allow the Miami Police Department to investigate elected officials. They have to send it out to another department because he wanted to be good to us. He didn't want this cloud of anybody would ever falsely accuse us of something to linger for a year plus, two years. He could take care of it quickly. Oh, yeah, he could take care of it quickly. So my colleagues, I -- you know, I could go on into a lot more. In fact, I have additional information that is pretty eve opening, but I want to be absolutely sure before I proceed with it. So I'll spend a few more days seeing if I get the correctness or not of it. Mr. Manager, did we lose you somewhere? (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager? City of Miami Page 54 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: Are there going to he other Commissioners that want to discuss SP.1 ? Commissioner Carollo: I don't know if anybody else wants to discuss. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. I'm going to want to discuss something. Vice Chair Russell: All right. Commissioner Reyes: I have -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I want to wait for Commissioner Carollo to finish. Vice Chair Russell: Of course. Commissioner Carollo: All have to say is -- Vice Chair Russell: I'm just setting -- just let me -- Commissioner Carollo: Mr. -- Vice Chair Russell: Just let me set the evening, please. Because we've gone now -- we're going into our sixth hour and we need to have some predictability of how far we're going to go here tonight. Commissioner Carollo: Well I'm -- I need just a couple more minutes, that's all. On this item. On the budget, I think it would be fairly quick in what I need to do. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. But I got to go. I have a previous engagement. It's a family affair and I thought that it was going to take about two or three hours, four hours, five hours at the most. If you want to continue some other time, but not in special -- I mean, and not on a Friday either. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We could do it on Monday. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I think that everything has to be said about this has been said. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well no. Commissioner Reyes: Everybody -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, I haven't said -- I haven't even had -- I said very little -- Commissioner Reyes: Do you have anything to add to this? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I do, but -- Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Well -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I do, but it's going to take considerable amount of time. Commissioner Reyes: I mean, and I -- City of Miami Page 55 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's not something that's going to happen in five minutes, ten minutes. Commissioner Reyes: I still -- I mean, I'm still totally -- I mean, concentrated in getting that investigation on gear, trying to make it as fast as -- as can be done and I'm looking forward with the result of that investigation that I know that it's going to take every single point that has been brought by Commissioner Carollo and if you have any other points, please -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have many, many, many. Commissioner Reyes: 1 mean, submit it to the City Attorney and that's it. And let's get going. Let's get going and as soon as we have that, then 1 think that the City Manager will have enough, enough evidence to make, I would hope, a smart decision. Okay? But I definitely have to go. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Enjoy your evening, Commissioner. Commissioner Reyes: Yes. In fact, I'm going to try to do that. I'm not dressed for the occasion. I will have to get my -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You look fine to me, Commissioner. Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Okay, but thank you very much to all of you and everybody on the dais. Thank you very much and have a very nice weekend. Bye. Vice Chair Russell: Good night. Commissioner Carollo, you're recognized. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Have a nice weekend. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Watson, did you want to say something? Commissioner Watson: Yeah. While Commissioner Carollo is getting ready again let me say something right quick. I think that the unfortunate irony of where we are at this point is that some of what we've done pretty good has gotten lost and I think that clearly we live -- we, City of Miami, live in an environment that's both political and legislative. So I really do understand from the moment that allegations were made against my colleagues of record that were pretty egregious by anybody's account, a lot of which most people never saw. I do agree in some respect if you have not seen then you will not understand what's going on here. So Ijust want to speak to that right quick because I think it's important. Any time anyone is alleged to have done something, the first thing you want to do is refute what's been done. And so I do understand after reading, in hindsight, Commissioner Russell's decision not to be here on Monday and what that meant because then we were taken to another level of action because of course under some sort -- circumstances that would be standard, those allegations should have been reported, if they exist, to the proper authority. And so it is fair if you talk about democracy you are seeing it at work, it is fair that my colleagues get an opportunity to sit and now respond in the public before any investigation are done to the allegations that were made. I think what was -- what got lost from my perspective was the fact that we did now push ourselves to a level of almost a congressional authority whether you deal with the political implications after the fact or not, if you impound an investigative body in order to look at it and you bring about prosecutorial actions, then that should take its course. However, in a political world, allegations are made and my colleagues want to ensure, fairly, be able to give their recount or refute, however you want to call it, of those things that's City of Miami Page 56 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 been said. And some of it rises to the occasion that they should refute it and some of it becomes the political theater that often happens in any sort of environment like this. And so to all of you who sit, have to or not, it is important to understand and I think some did come out of it because the resolution was not done and designed to target the chief. The resolution was done and designed to give anybody, department director, an opportunity to come towards a panel and have their voices heard without political interference. Because the public safety, guy is always the guy that's in the hot seat for whatever reason, good, bad, or indifferent, reformer or continuation of good things or to get rid of bad, it becomes the sort of thing that becomes real political. And so I just wanted to say that because 1 do believe that that was a good outcome. And although we're going to try to move that investigative body and process fairly quickly, when one now sends out public -- puts things in the public that has not transpired, then of course the first thing you want to do, be it us, we're all human, okay, we're entitled to want to now defend ourselves. Or you, you would want to now speak up and refute whatever things you think are not said properly against you. And so bear in mind be it whoever it is writing or viewing, that's what we're doing. That's all we're doing and that's what you asked for. And so from that perspective I just wanted to say that before we went on to additional comments. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner Watson. You're recognized, Commissioner Carollo, until you're finished. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: Then Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla has the floor. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, I've gone through a series of items today, but in particular there's several thatl think you've acknowledged that you need to review sooner rather than later. Whatever this panel that is going to be put together with the City Attorney finding attorneys does, it should be separate of whatever you do and you have a fiduciary responsibility also to quickly get to the bottom of it. You don't need to be waiting forever, and months and months, for the bottom of something. You know, in life, it's a lot easier to destroy than to build. And this man hasn't built anything here, he just came here to destroy. To try to destroy a good department that, not perfect, not perfect, but a good department with good people that had good leadership. And he's basically told the whole world that none of our leadership is worth its salt, that none of them are capable to even be a deputy police chief in our department. My God. And he's going to build up the morale and be a reformer and doing that. And then when his record is just the opposite. Unfortunately, we did not vet him like we should have. But when his record is just the opposite, he's going to hide behind this baloney that, I'm a reformist and they're interfering with me reforming the department. The only one that has interfered here is him. Mr. Manager, I'll be happy to give you a long list of some of our best police officers from ranking ones to non -ranking ones and anything in the middle that will be willing to talk to you and give you information, if you protect them. He's got a whole department that's in fear of being fired, being -- having their lives destroyed because that's what his history has been and it's shown here. Now I -- just one -- one more item that I want to bring up to you and see if you can send me the information. For years whatever retreat there has been in the police department of the command staff has always been done locally. I think they go to the PBA (Police Benevolent Association) offices, they rent them and they have their retreat there. Might order some food, doesn't cost much. The reformer wanted to start reforming like in the uniforms, the batons, and some of the other things that I've pointed out. He talks about the family and plan. Well I think I pointed it, the family and plan that he really wants. The -- Chief Acevedo took a retreat out not that long ago. It was to the Florida Keys. I don't know. Maybe, you know, Frank Pichel recommended it to him. I don't know. But I'd like to know how much money we spent on hotels, on food, and everything else that was City of Miami Page 57 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 spent there. Because this is the pattern. He thinks his -- he's with his rich buddies and, you know, they're going to be able to spend whatever they want. This is another example of what a fraud this guy is in being a reformist. None of our former chiefs did that, but this guy that makes $438, 000 a year, between salary and benefits, the reformist, that's what he did. Mr. Manager, for -- to finish my part before Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla begins his and then hopefully we can quickly get into the budget amendment part. Againn for the record, has Chief Acevedo come to you with any complaints up until last week with the passing statements that you stated that he said on police officers being abusive in the sense of using force on any of our residents, and higher ups covering it up? Mr. Noriega: No, there's been no briefing and/or information disseminated with regards to any specifics to that regard. No. Commissioner Carollo: And for the all the media that's covering this, please, you have an obligation to put that out there. Because it is not fair to the women and men in the Miami Police Department for this individual, this transplant from out of town that is not a reformer, to come here and put all of them in question just because he's scrambling like a rat that doesn 't know where to jump from a ship in the middle of the ocean. I think -- and some of the other allegations that 1 asked you about you were very clear. So, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, you're on. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. You're recognized, Commissioner. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let me tell you what 1 'in going to do. There is -- wanted a full dais, I wanted Commissioner Reyes here also because he was also a victim of these accusations, these malicious lies. Butt want to make it clear that this is not only a defense of elected -- up here that we're defending ourselves, it's also a defense of all the good men and women that risk their lives every day for us. The men and women of our Miami Police Department. That's very, very clear and very important to know. We're here to say that this department has many, many good officers. Sure in everything in life there's a couple bad here and there. But this guy is no reformer. This guy is an outsider that came here to judge, to be the judge, jury, and executioner. He has no right to do any of this. I think Commissioner Carollo has outlined clearly a lot of the things that I have on my list also. What I'm going to do better is I'm going to do my own memo over the weekend, Mr. Manager. I'm going to do my own memo. But a memo with the truth in it. I'm going to include some of Commissioner Carollo's -- but I'm not going to be repetitive or redundant. I'm going to put it all in a couple of paragraphs. You know what they are. It's been very clear. Instead of -- and I have an entire -- many things we talk about as I think Commissioner Reyes probably will have eventually. I believe that Commissioner Watson is correct that the investigation and what this body does are two different things. Two different things. We have a right to defend ourselves, but more importantly than defending ourselves, we'll be gone eventually from public life. We have a right to defend the integrity and the reputation of the good men and women of this Miami Police Department. And I'll be damned if I allow any outsider with his record from Los Angeles to Austin to Houston and now in just five short months here; his horrible, unethical record of behavior. And all -- his entire career documented. All the things that Commissioner Carollo has spoken about fully documented, factual, to go unanswered by this Commission. Because we're here, as all of us, all five as duly elected officials of the City of Miami. If people don't want us here, they can vote us out of office. No one voted for this guy. Unfortunately he wasn't vetted well enough. But with all due fairness, you know, many times we make choices and we think they're good choices in the beginning and then we find out along the way it was the wrong choice. We find out -- let me use this football analogy Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, what -- you know, that's why coaches have scouting teams because they create a City of Miami Page 58 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 process and we go through that process and then we have finalists and then we pick from the finalists. So then you have a process and if it goes bad, then you blame it on the process because now -- you blame it on the process, it's a fault of the process. But when you don't have a process, you bypass it, we run into these kind of situations. So that's something for future -- for future debate about how we're going to pickfuture police chiefs. But the idea that we can have someone who doesn't understand us, who doesn't even understand the culture because he's not a Cuban American from Miami. The culture or the majority of the citizens of Miami who's offense -- who's been offensive to -- he fired the highest ranking Jewish police officer. He fired the highest ranking African -American female. He fired -- or he demoted, I'm sorry -- he fired the highest ranking -- Commissioner Carollo: Second -- second highest. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second highest. Well 1 think Ms. Gause, Officer Gause is the highest, but she's Haitian American. I'm talking African -American. He fired the highest ranking Hispanic female officer. And the list goes on and on. So this is not about a defense of the Cuban American community. Of course it is, that's part of it. But it goes beyond that. This is about a guy who comes here to try to impose his will in an arbitrary way without due process because -- on a whim. If he doesn 't feel - - doesn't like someone he destroys their careers. Because when you tarnish people and you fire them, when you demote them, when you suspend them without cause, what you're doing is you're tarnishing somebody's career. You're putting a blemish on their record. And that has to be answered. And who is going to answer if not the elected officials of the City of Miami? Of course you have an investigation. An investigation as we all know whether you -- whether the City Attorney does such on Monday, they drag on. This all stays lingering. People are wondering is it true, is it not. The media writes all kind -- whatever they want to write as Commissioner Carollo said, or say whatever they want to say, independent of the facts, independent of the truth. And then we are here left and the police officers that have been blemished and tarnished remain blemished and tarnished for months sometimes. So if we're not going to have a special meeting I will do my own memo and I will submit it to you, Mr. Manager, and you will include it in whatever decision you make over the course of the next four or five days. But before we finish, I would like for the Manager, if you indulge me, Mr. Chairman and Commissioners, to at least tell us what happened yesterday, what directives you gave the police chief what you're expecting from that police chief moving forward in the next three days, 72 hours, so that the public knows that you also recognize there's a problem with this guy, that he has not done -- when you mentioned to me that he submitted a crime plan yesterday at your request, you had to request it. To me that's extremely, concerning. So I want you -- for the public, the press, and I'm sure our colleagues know already because you've spoken to everyone what that -- those directives were, what that plan -- what plan of actions are you going to require from him. And I also want you, when I submit my memo to you, which I'll probably have -- now I've got to put all this together and sort of get it to you by -- maybe by late tomorrow night and you could have that information for any additional things that you can look at as you move forward on your decision making process. We all understand here that you're the guy. You 're the guy that picked him and you're the guy who's got to decide what you're going to do with him. You own this one. Not -- it's not a statement on your competence or lack of competence, it's simply a statement on the fact that that's what our City Charter says. What we're doing here today is simply questioning this gentlemen and what he's done to this police department and what he said about these elected officials and the integrity of that police department, the reputation of that police department. Because the most important thing we do as a government is keep our people safe. They have to have faith in their police officers. And when people don't feel that way or they feel that there's something corrupt about our police department, there's something that needs to be reformed or changed. He had also said there's a culture in the police City of Miami Page 59 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 department. What's he talking about? That's what we want to know. So I'll submit this memo to you maybe as late as Sunday, but I'll try to do it by tomorrow night and if you could please tell me what you did yesterday when you met with the chief yesterday afternoon at 3:15. And thank you, Commissioners, and I appreciate the opportunity to, you know, to be here and to give, you know, to at least have a short time. I know everybody's tired. I know we have to have another part of the meeting, but at least to give an opportunity of what my thinking was and what I'm planning to do so that the public knows where we're going to head. But I'm also very courteous to the fact that it's been a long day and we have other things to do and I respect not only the public, but my colleagues that they, you know, that they're also tired and they want to go home. But 1 think we all understand the importance of this issue. Probably the most important -- no, not probably. The most important department head in our city is our police chief. Above any other. And that's why dedicating the time to this matter and to this Commission. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner. Is there any further discussion on SP.1 ? Commissioner Carollo: Yes, one last. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Iust said that I want the Manager to walk us through -- Vice Chair Russell: Oh, I'm sorry. You're asking for a response from the Manager. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So basically you were -- you had drowned -- tuned me out. You drowned me out or you drew me out. Vice Chair Russell: I apologize. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's all right. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manager, you have the floor. It's been requested what directives you've given to the chief over the last 72 hours. Mr. Noriega: So there was a letter issued to him, right, which covered a number of particular initiatives and strategies of which he is to present a plan to me by Monday, by end of business on Monday. I'm happy to share that memo with you and I will distribute it so you all have it. I'll do it before you leave. But it was vety clear. It requires an action plan, you know, to specifically address items and timing -- the timeliness of those in terms of when they need to be achieved. That's what the plan should address and it has a set of milestones embedded in it. So that -- that memo or it's really in the form of a letter I'll distribute to all of you before the end of the day. Vice Chair Russell: Does that satisfy you, Commissioner? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well you'll distribute all the -- everything you gave me you're going to give to the rest of the Commissioners? Mr. Noriega: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: I would appreciate if he could send it to me tonight. At least by tomorrow morning, Mr. Manager. Mr. Noriega: No, I will make copies and I'll get it to everybody. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And what I want -- if I may through you, Chair? City of Miami Page 60 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: Of course. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What I wanted, Mr. Manager, is for the public to hear, not -- I mean, we're Commissioners and we have -- we're going to get -- we're going to get all the information -- Mr. Noriega: The public's going to hear it because the press is going to ask for it. So Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, yeah. Mr. Noriega: -- I'm sure it will be published in a newspaper early tomorrow -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So it's a directive and -- Mr. Noriega: They'll have access to all of that -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They'll have everything you spoke about -- everything that you -- asked of him in yesterday 's meeting? Mr. Noriega: Yes, yep. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. That's good enough for me then. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, ifI may Chair? It took you asking for something that a real reformer would have had for you in the first week. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, of course. Commissioner Carollo: At worst, because he took quite a bit of time before coming over. What is going to happen, and I know already, that's happening, is that everything you've given him, he's going to be going on the phones so he can be speaking to Billy and the other one and this one and the editorial and everybody that he's calling to come at us and to let us have it because he really doesn't understand Miami. And I'll tell you, he hasn't met someone like me yet, because I'm not putting up with his crap. No matter what threats, no matter what happens. I understand now how he lasted the time that he did in Houston and Austin. I_ f in less than six months he puts a memo like this out, imagine what he had these guys under. Yeah, yeah, Commissioner, do away with the ordinance and resolution that we can't investigate you, that we've got to send it to another department. I'll -- I'll make sure you're okay, I'll protect you and do it quickly. Yeah, my foot he was going to do that. He was basically asking me to give him the bullet to put in my head and the bullets to put in each one of our heads so he could do whatever he wants. Why did he take the GPS out of all these undercover vehicles? Why, Mr. Manager? And look, you know that I could be bringing a lot more things out. You know it. And I'm being polite. But, Mr. Manager, don't think for one minute that if I have to, I'm not going to lay it all out and I will if it comes to that. But I'm not going to be like one of these councilmen or mayors over in Texas that's petrified because what is he going to bring out on me. We can't get rid of him because he knows too much. What is he going to say? What is he going to do? We've given you enough for you to be able to make a decision on yourself with facts. Did you know, for instance, Mr. Manager, what I brought out here on the reprimand that had been written on Ortiz and that he gave an order to do away with it? Did you know that? Mr. Noriega: No, sir. City of Miami Page 61 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Don't you think that you should sit with that major, a good African -American woman, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that he demoted and find out from her what happened and give her the protection she requires? To sit with a former major of SIS (Special Investigations Section) the former captain and many other people and find out what orders he gave them. Why, did he take them out of their positions? What did he want them to do in investigations that they didn't do that cost them their positions and rank? Last but not least, Mr. Manager, the assignment that you gave him that he should have had on the first week, if not the first day, I'm going to tell you what he's going to be doing this weekend. What stated, he's not doing anything because he's going to give it and has given it already to his assistant chiefs and others to do it for him. So, I don't know what you can do as manager, to put an order that if this guy is Mr. Wonderful he could do it himself and see what he comes up with. But that's up to you, you're the manager, you decide, you have that power. But what you're going to get it's not going to be anything he puts down in writing. It's going to be what our people, the ones that he says are not qualified are going to write for him. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner. Is there any further discussion on SP.1 from the dais? Seeing none, I'll close the discussion on SP.1 and well take up SP.2, discussion on amendments to the City's budget. SP.2 DISCUSSION ITEM 10820 Commissioners and Mayor A DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S BUDGET(S). RESULT: DISCUSSED Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number SP.2, please see "Order of the Day." Commissioner Carollo: Yes. Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: Who do we have here that can represent the PD (Police Department) on the budget? Arthur Noriega (City Manager): We have the Budget Department. Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Mr. Noriega: The entire budget department's here. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well can I get whoever can walk me through as of the last budget hearing that we had when I wasn't here because I was taking care ofnot only family medical issues, but I was also in the restroom at the same time. So, I didn't get back before it was voted upon. I thought it wouldn't be that quickly, but it was. So if I could get someone from the PD that can answer some minimal questions Ai, me. City of Miami Page 62 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: While we're waiting for that, I'd like to ask the Manager or City Attorney to help us understand the process by which we would amend the budget at this point if an amendment is proffered? I believe we're starting our new budget cycle today and our budget has already been proffered or sent up to Tallahassee, so I'd just like to understand the procedures through which we would amend the budget. Mr. Casamayor? Fernando Casamayor: Good evening, Commissioners, Fernando Casamayor, Assistant City Manager. Yes, our fiscal year starts today. State statute allows governing bodies to modify their budgets throughout the year. Even though they're typically called mid years they can happen any time during the fiscal year. Vice Chair Russell: So this would be a midyear amendment in a sense? Mr. Casamayor: This could be considered a mid -year amendment. Vice Chair Russell: Very quickly after the initial budget. Mr. Casamavor: Yes. Vice Chair Russell: So I -- Commissioner Watson: But, Mr. Chair, right quick, let me -- if -- Vice Chair Russell: Just a moment, Commissioner Watson, and then Commissioner Carollo. Commissioner Watson: If this is mid year then are we now exempt from mid -year? Commissioner Carollo: No. Vice Chair Russell: No, we can do as many mid -years as -- Commissioner Watson: Okay, okay, okay. All right. Commissioner Carollo: No, this is not a mid -year amendment. I was the City Manager. I know how to do them. Commissioner Watson: All right. Commissioner Carollo: So, don't even go there calling this a mid -year amendment. This is just an amendment to the budget, period. Mr. Casamayor: Correct, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Mid year is mid year. You know, more or less. But this is just a regular amendment. Vice Chair Russell: Right. But what Mr. Casamayor's expressing is that -- Mr. Casamayor: There are no — Vice Chair Russell: -- the budget can be amended at any time. Mr. Casamayor: Yeah, there are no limitations -- Commissioner Carollo: That's correct. Absolutely. City of Miami Page 63 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Casamayor: -- to the number of amendments that can be made to a budget. Commissioner Carollo: Any time, any time. Vice Chair Russell: And you just simply classify all of them as mid -year amendments whatever they are if they're not on the year? Mr. Casamayor: Yeah, we -- that's our internal term. Vice Chair Russell: Understood, Commissioner Carollo. And so the process is the sane as if we were to do it at the mid year, but it's not like we're amending what we passed, we're not bringing that item back. That is passed and sent to Tallahassee. This is a new amendment that would be proffered if Pone is proffered? Mr. Casamayor: That is correct. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. Commissioner Carollo: Commissioners -- Vice Chair Russell: It's all you. Commissioner Carollo: -- so you can understand, Chair. If you would have waited just another minute, I would have gotten here and we wouldn't have had to dealt with that here today. Vice Chair Russell: No, I didn't realize -- Commissioner Carollo: No, I -- I know. I understood you thought that I had left. Vice Chair Russell: Yeah. It was a very quick budget hearing. And so I'm ready to take that up. That's absolutely fine. The only thing I would recommend because normally when we're going to do a budget amendment the backup would be included in the notice through a memo through the administration so that the public would see all of it corning and be able to comment on it. Whatever we suggest tonight will -- will sort of catch the public by surprise. So my recommendation would be a discussion tonight of budget amendments to be brought as an actual item at the following meeting. But 1 understand from the City Attorney we -- we are within our legal rights to pass a budget amendment tonight on the fly. That would just be my preference to give more notice on any backup or any changes that we're planning to make. Mr. Manager, is there someone from the PD to discuss budget? Or the budget office? Mr. Noriega: The budget office is here. Vice Chair Russell: That's fine. Mr. Noriega: So somebody will step up to answer any questions. Leon Michel (Assistant Director): Good afternoon, Leon Michel for Management and Budget. Commissioner Carollo: Is there a reason why we don 't have someone from the PD to go over this budget? Mr. Noriega: We do have somebody here, but I want -- I wanted all of the budget issues to funnel through the budget department so we don't have that confusion we had last time. City of Miami Page 64 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Okay, butt --1 want to he sure though that they don't tell me later it's him and not them. Because if they're, you know, any -- anything's being hidden, I don't want him to be the fall guy for anybody later. Mr. Michel: Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: And this is why I'm saying that. But you're the Manager, you have that right. I certainly respect it. This is not any tricks or anything, Mr. Manager. Mr. Noriega: No, 1 -- you -- you had wanted to ask questions and 1 think we're prepared to answer them. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, I'm going to tell you -- what 1 want to find out. First of all, the additional positions for police officers that we'd agreed upon in the new budget, I'd like to hear how we placed into the budget. Are they patrolmen or not? So that if there's a mistake or there needs to be a correction, we could make the correction in what category they should be in. Secondly, since it was very unclear in the first budget hearing on how many staff positions we were getting. One place said one thing then he showed 42 somewhere else. I want to be able to go so that 1 approve an amendment budget by position and I want a name that's in each position so there 's no mistake. And that I could have publicly known that there weren't any other staff positions that we were led to believe were not there. Unless I've asked the City Attorney to include something that we should have, and she has it I believe, where 1 don't want after we approve this budget for them to be changing. And I'm going to include another department in that. Monies from here to there to create all kinds of things in transferring dollars. There's going to be a need for that. Before it's done they have to come to this body and get approval. And it's simple. I'm not -- Mr. Casamayor: So Commissioners, I have the information here. I will try to answer the -- whatever questions you have. We -- so part of our proposed budget we had additional police positions that were included. That was the 16 additional sworn police officers. Commissioner Carollo: Actually there was more than that if I remember -- Mr. Casamayor: Well, I'm going step by step. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Casamayor: So, we had 16 sworn police officers that were going to certain specialised units and then on top of that we had the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grant match for an additional 15 sworn patrol regular police officers. Commissioner Carollo: 16 and 15. Did that include the 4 that we included? Mr. Casamayor: No, that -- the four that were included were part of the first budget meeting. And in our second change memo, which was adopted at the second Commission meeting, the second budget meeting, we took the deputy police chief position that had been previously funded, we took that out and we put in four additional, new police officers. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So how many additional, new police officer positions are you telling me that we have put in this new budget? Mr. Casamayor: So we have 16 -- Fin sorry. Yeah, 16 sworn police officers, plus 15 that were part of the COPS grant. So that would be 31 additional positions, plus the 4, City of Miami Page 65 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 so that's 35. Now we have another 15 police officers that we're expecting to get through this fiscal year, which is part of another COPS grant application. Commissioner Carollo: In excess of this 15 that you're budgeting here? Mr. Casamayor: That is correct. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. And what did we budget fbr those additional cops positions? Mr. Casamayor: Until -- so we -- until we get the grant, I can't count on those positions coming in. We typically do get the grant. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. But do you have any money hidden there in case you get it -- Mr. Casamayor: We have -- Commissioner Carollo: -- on how you're going to buy uniforms, squad cars and everything else? Mr. Casamayor: Yes, we identify -- Commissioner Carollo: Because you -- Mr. Casamayor: -- an area for a grant match. Commissioner Carollo: For additional grant money for that? Mr. Casamayor: The grant match is a portion of what's not covered, which is the -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay, yeah, but when you say you identified an area for grant match, where's it coming from? Is it coming from the general budget? Mr. Casamayor: Yes, sir, we -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. What I want to know is first of all, I'm going to start and, Fernando, believe me, I know how to do a budget. I know how to get into a budget. The fact that I don't have the time with everything that I have in me, and my colleagues don't have the time, that we don't have anybody assigned to us like the County has, like Chairman Diaz did in the County. Next budget amendment that we do it might not be too far from now, we're going to have that. It might be in the mid- year budget amendment, it might be a lot quicker than that. Because this Commission needs someone to help it also in -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well -- Commissioner Carollo: -- looking at the budget and putting up -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- before he answers though. So that I don't lose the idea. Mr. Chair, ifI may? Vice Chair Russell: You're recognized. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why don't we do that today? Why don't we put -- create a budget office for the City Commission where we have our own budget person that comes in and tells -- gives us advice independent of the -- of the administration. Can we do that? Can we, for example, take -- hold on, let me finish, Vicky. Can we -- I City of Miami Page 66 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 know where you're -- can we allocate dollars to hire our own budget guy or girl? We can do that, right? Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): You can, however, you need an ordinance to change the -- probably the table of organization because this would be a new -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Ms. Mendez: -- and we'd have to figure out where -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we can -- can we park the money now, today, or can we -- because we're discussing the entire budget, right? So we don't delay it any more? Ms. Mendez: Right. You can -- you can, yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. We can park the money and then we can have the ordinance -- Ms. Mendez: But we need -- right, a table of organization and figure out how we place it where we place it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Because 1 think -- thank you. 1 think, if1 may, Mr. Chairman, ifI may? Vice Chair Russell: Yep. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, I think that's a brilliant idea, honestly. I think that that way we get an independent person actually give us the numbers and we have to have this -- these meetings. Not that -- it's not a statement on you. It's just that you're busy doing other things and, you know, we only meet twice a month normally. Now we're meeting like four times a month I think. But -- but, you know, we want to get a straight answer before we make a decision. These are important decisions. And I think Commissioner Carollo is on point here that we have our own budget person at least we have two -- four sets of eyes, or two sets of eyes looking at what's happening. Four eyes looking at what's happening. So maybe we can do -- we can offer that too. I don't know, whatever salary. How much do you make? Mr. Casamayor: Excuse me, sir? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: How much money do you make? Mr. Casamayor: You mean total all in with all benefits? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, all in, all in. Mr. Casamayor: Including car allowance and cellphone allowance -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Everything, sir. What do you make? Mr. Casamayor: I don't know what the insurance -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But more or less. Mr. Casamayor: But, you know, salary is like 220. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The what? City of Miami Page 67 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Casamayor: With salary is about 220. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That sounds right, 220. It's high, but I mean, that's what he makes. Commissioner Carollo: Well -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We want to get somebody of the same caliber, right? Commissioner Carollo: Well you need to put that -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And then we -- Commissioner Carollo: -- one person and assistant. So it's more than that that you've got to look at. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So we could put five -- maybe 350. Commissioner Carollo: We could probably get somebody for less than 220, but you need to put more so you could have an assistant, you could have two people. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Commissioner Carollo: Otherwise it becomes impossible for one. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 300? We just park the money and then we can come back and -- Commissioner Carollo: I would say that's the least you need to put down to be on the safer side and you could go from there. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to do that then. Do you want to do it, Commissioner, the amendment or do you want me to do it? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, you could do it. I have no problem. But what I -- I'd like to do is before we do that one is find out a few things from Fernando. Fernando -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, yeah, that's just the idea. This included your amendment -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: well include it in your overall amendment. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Out of the 35 positions including 15 from grants, there's 20 that we're putting in general And, 15 that are coming from grants, 35, correct? Mr. Casamayor: It's 36 total. So it's 16, plus 15, plus the 4. No, it's 35. It's 35. You're right. Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: Might have to take 20 out of 220, man. Mr. Casamayor: Yeah, you're correct, sir, 35. Commissioner Carollo: You know, okay. Well -- City of Miami Page 68 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Casamayor: Well, someone's yelling at me from over here, so -- Commissioner Carollo: Please, don't get him nervous. The -- out of these positions, the 35, can you break down what -- under what name category we have them in the budget? Mr. Casamayor: You mean type of officer or -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, the type of officers. What are we calling theni? Are we calling them patrolmen or what? Mr. Casamayor: Yeah, I'm going -- Fin going to need help from the Police Department to identify which specific units they're -- Commissioner Carollo: Now you understand why -- Mr. Casamayor: Absolutely. Commissioner Carollo: -- I didn't want to throw you guys in front of the bus here. Mr. Manager, did you hear him that he needs help from the PD? Who -- Vice Chair Russell: Good evening. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Bean counter. Jorge Blanco: Good evening, Commission, Jorge Blanco, City of Miami Police Department,, Budget and Finance Manager. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Blanco: So to answer your question of the 16 positions, 6 are for the HEAT (Homeless Empowerment Assistance Task Force) unit. Commissioner Carollo: How many? Mr. Blanco: Six. Commissioner Carollo: Six are for what unit? Mr. Blanco: HEAT. Commissioner Carollo: HEAT. Mr. Blanco: Which is the Homeless Empowerment Assistance Task Force. Then we have five for marine patrol. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. What do they do in that HEAT? Mr. Blanco: Well that's an operational question. I don 't know exactly. I know that they're doing a homeless program, but it's an operational side. It's not a finance question. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, this is getting worse. Everybody they get up here can't finish answering the full questions I have. Look, I'm not -- Mr. Noriega: What is the HEAT unit do? City of Miami Page 69 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: (INAUDIBLE). Mr. Noriega: They accompany the homeless group when they go out and do cleanups. That's what that group does. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. Commissioner Watson: Yeah. Mr. Noriega: I can answer that question. Commissioner Carollo: That's fine. 1 appreciate it. I'm not coming down on you, Mr. Blanco. You are right, you're a finance person and I understand that. Okay. So six are HEAT. Mr. Blanco: Five are marine patrol. Commissioner Carollo: Five for marine patrol, okay. Mr. Blanco: Three are for the motors unit. Commissioner Carollo: Marine patrol. Three, motors unit. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry. Mr. Blanco: Four are for -- sorry. Two are for the canine. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can you -- I'm sorry. Can you start again? Vicky was talking to me. I missed the beginning. Can you start again? Commissioner Carollo: Six are for the homeless, they call it the HEAT unit. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, okay. Commissioner Carollo: Five are for marine patrol; three are motors unit. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Mr. Blanco: And two are for canine. Commissioner Carollo: Two canine. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Canine, canine. Mr. Blanco: Then the four additional that we added would be to patrol. Commissioner Carollo: Patrol. Mr. Blanco: FOD (Field Operations Division) patrol. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. That's the 20 that we 're putting in paying from general fund. Mr. Blanco: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: How about the 15 -- City of Miami Page 70 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Blanco: That 15 are part -- Commissioner Carollo: -- that we're getting from the grants? Mr. Blanco: Those are part of the COPS grant and that would be going to CID (Criminal Investigation Division). Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. C? Mr. Blanco: CID, Criminal Investigation Division. Commissioner Carollo: Criminal? Mr. Blanco: Investigation Division. Commissioner Carollo: Investigation Division. Those are the guys who are going to be driving the cars that don't have GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) in them anymore? Mr. Blanco: Again that's an operational question, so I don't -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are we budgeting for the GPS, too? Mr. Noriega: Any questions you have relative to operations -- Commissioner Carollo: I -- Mr. Noriega: -- the entire group has walked (UNINTELLIGIBLE) way. Commissioner Carollo: Good. I definitely do. But before, you know, I might get anybody else, I have this -- a few, Mr. Manager. Did -- and I don't believe you did, but I want to see if I missed something, did you approve the request that was being made to us here from the chief's side, more motorcycles, motor units, and a marine patrol boat? Mr. Noriega: Talking about this request? You're talking about the request that was made in the first budget hearing? Commissioner Carollo: Right, but that was -- Mr. Noriega: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: -- the request that was -- Mr. Noriega: No, no, yeah, we had not approved that. Commissioner Carollo: You said no? Mr. Noriega: Yep. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Can anybody tell me if we have motorcycles available for the three motor units that we're putting here since you didn't get any additional motorcycles approved in this budget? And that was the manager that did that before he came to us, so maybe you're, you know, targeting Mr. Acevedo too, or hampering an investigation or interfering. I don 't know. City of Miami Page 71 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Blanco: So, Commissioner, we have six spare motorcycles so we could use some of the spare motorcycles to put those officers in to -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. Mr. Blanco: -- into the vehicles. Commissioner Carollo: Let me get someone from the PD because I'm being told this. I want to be sure how many motorcycles we have and how many people assigned to it. Assistant Chief Caroll. Thomas Caroll (Assistant Chief of Police): Good afternoon. Commissioner Carollo: How many officers do we have right now assigned to motors? Mr. Caroll: 18 officers, 3 sergeants, and the captain. Commissioner Carollo: Three and one, 22, correct? Mr. Caroll: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: And how many motorcycles do we have? (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Mr. Caroll: Commissioner, we currently have 31 motorcycles. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Are they all operational? Mr. Caroll: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 31. Commissioner Carollo: I don't understand. If we only have 22 officers and you have 31 motorcycles, you had 9 leftover. Why did we need more motorcycles? Mr. Caroll.• A spare for every officer. I really get your question, what you're saying. You know, our bikes are -- you know, they do put a lot of miles on those bikes. Commissioner Carollo: Listen, Chief Caroll. Mr. Caroll: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: With all frankness, you know, we're not United Arab Emirates that we could have a spare bike for every cop that we're going to, you know, get uniforms that cost twice as much as here. And then since I have you here, how many uniforms do we usually get for each of these new officers that we buy? When you put a police officer out in the streets how many pair ofpants and how many pair of shirts do you get for them? Mr. Caroll: In your uniform allotment it's six shirts, six pants. Commissioner Carollo: Six and six. Well, I'm way off I'm way off then, to have outfitted our whole department, for six and six, we're talking just go throw around, let's see 560, 80 times 6. It's right around $500,000.for these new uniforms that Mr. City of Miami Page 72 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Acevedo wanted even before he got here, did any surveys or did any questioning, that said that he wanted them. Almost half a million dollars to outfit our department. What would cost maybe 350. Well, no, maybe 300, not even that, less with the other manufacturer, 275 or so, with the other manufacturer. So to have -- to outfit all of our police officers with six and six with these new shirts and pants, it would be half a million bucks. Well, like Gomer Pyle used to say, surprise, surprise. How much do we have in this budget for uniforms? Mr. Blanco: Commissioner, last year's budget was $1.2 million and that was reduced to $900, 000 for this year. Commissioner Carollo: And that's for? Mr. Blanco: For uniforms. That's the uniform line, correct. Commissioner Carollo: Last fiscal year was 1.2? Mr. Blanco: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: It was reduced to nine? Mr. Blanco: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: How much do we have left on that $900,000? Mr. Blanco: Well, 900 is going to be for the new budget starting today. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So that's what you're saying for this new budget? For the new budget? Mr. Blanco: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: So it seems to me that fit was last fiscal year's budget was $1.2 million, how much of that was leftover? You did a PO (Purchase Order) order in last year's fiscal budget for new uniforms in this new brand. How much was that PO total order? Mr. Blanco: I don't have -- I don't have that information with me. Commissioner Carollo: And how much carryover do you have from that $1.2 million that wasn't spent? Mr. Blanco: Again, I don't have that information with me right now. I can get it for you. You 're asking -- you're asking a question that is not going to be something that I have readily available. Commissioner Carollo: Well look, you should have something that tells you, line item, how much you have left over from each of the line item expenditures that you had? Mr. Blanco: But what you're talking about is you're talking an actual versus budget comparison and we're discussing the budget, so we're only going to be talking about the actual numbers for next year or for this fiscal year. Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no. But I'm going in on anything that was hidden from the budget year that just passed yesterday being the last day. Mr. Blanco: Right. So -- City of Miami Page 73 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: So, don't come trying to, you know, put the little ball and move the stuff on me, Mr. bean counter. Mr. Blanco: That's -- that's not what I'm doing. What I'm explaining to you is that what you're asking for is a comparison between actuals and budget and how much of that budget is remaining from last year. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah on -- Mr. Blanco: The year just -- Commissioner Carollo: -- on each -- each line item expense. Mr. Blanco: I can get it for you, but I don't have it right now. I can get it for you, but 1 don 't have it right now. I wasn't expecting that type of a question. Commissioner Carollo: Well, you know, any time that you come before an elected body like this, you don't have to do the whole City. Casamayor and others are responsible for that. You only have to do the Police Department. Granted, while it's not a small department, you only have the Police Department. So I figured that you would have that already to know what was going to be left, approximately, in each one that might change in last minute expenditures so that we could get an idea. But I'll tell you what I really like now before I even finish with decisions. Can you give me a run down or maybe somebody can start doing it, of all the expenses in this new budget on anything the Police Department is buying and what is it that is buying and what we 're putting in the budget for it? I just want to get a real clear idea because everything we're thrown is lump sum so that we can't figure it out. Like for instance, when we ask for Mr. Ortiz's salary. We were given one lump sum instead of the bi- weekly. That didn't happen by chance. Because if it would have been like that, I couldn't figure out so quickly how much overtime every two weeks he was getting. So, what I'm asking is something that is not uncommon, it's not unreasonable for us to get. So if maybe whoever else you have as an assistant there could be looking for that and -- and I'll go back then to the placing of the units. Okay. You got 31 motor bikes, you got 22 people. You're going to put three more. That's fine. You got the -- you got the bikes there, that's fine. Let's go to the marine patrol. You got five officers assigned to marine patrol in this new budget. Do we have a spare marine patrol boat that's going to be used? Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, I believe FIND (Florida Inland Navigation District) has offered to help fund an additional boat if we fund the manpower. Commissioner Carollo: Well look, eventually we're going to get one. I don't know when, front, I believe in the next budget from money, from the State, but, you know, we can't hold our breath on that. Mr. Caroll: Commissioner, we have two safe boats, four center console boats, and two bay boats. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. How many marine patrol personnel do you have in the budget right now for the rest of the boats? Mr. Caroll: One sergeant and eight officers. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. And this crew of nine, how many boats are assigned to them that they presently use? Mr. Caroll: They rotate the boats. They use them all, sir. City of Miami Page 74 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Okay. But the nine people, it gives you crews for how many boats to be out at the same time? Mr. Caroll: We have them ride two officers to a boat, so usually four are operational at all times. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So it's two for a boat. You've got one that will have three unless someone's got a day off or something. So you've got enough there for four boats with nine people. How many boats did you say you had? Mr. Caroll: A total of eight boats. Commissioner Carollo: A total of eight boats, okay. So then why was I led to believe that you didn 't have sufficient boats in you all were coining -- Mr. Caroll: It's the -- Commissioner Carollo: -- for additional dollars for bikes and for boats when you have spare ones? Mr. Caroll: Commissioner, some of our boats are aging. We have five of our vessels are from 2006, two are from 2018 and one is from '19. So there's six that are pretty old. The ones from 2006 are pretty old. Commissioner Carollo: How many are 2006? Mr. Caroll: Five. Commissioner Carollo: Five. Okay. How many from '18? Mr. Caroll: Two. Commissioner Carollo: Two. And then what other year do you have? Mr. Caroll: '19, and that's one. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, you have one from '19. Okay. But what's more important is how are the motors in the boats? Because the boats could be old, but they would hold up real good. Mr. Caroll: The motors are all new. It's a three-year lease program that we have. Commissioner Carollo: So they're all new? Mr. Caroll: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: So then you really don't have to worry about the boats. What you got to worry about are the motors? Mr. Caroll: No, opposite. Worry about the boats, not the motors. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Have the boats been refurbished at all? Mr. Caroll: No, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Are they in bad condition? City of Miami Page 75 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Caroll: Yeah, one for `06, you know, Commissioner, they're pretty worn. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What does that mean? I'm sorry, Commissioner, to interrupt. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just want to try to get to -- I don't want to forget. Mr. Caroll: The hours, just the wear and tear of the boats. We took a -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But it's an objective scale, right, on how long they last and how many miles they have on them? 1 don't know, I'm not a boater, so are they -- if it had a Blue Book -- do they? Is there a boat blue book? Mr. Caroll: I'm sure there is, sir, but don't know if off the top of my head. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: How long -- but seriously, how long do they -- how long do they last? (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Mr. Caroll: I mean, the one's from `06 they're 15 years old. 1 would imagine they're probably coming to the end of their lifeline sooner than later. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. I don't -- I can 't.1 'm not an expert on this, but I'm assuming that you would know or someone in your department would know how long these boats -- how much they have in them. I think know what Commissioner Carollo's trying to get to and I'm truing to -- I understand that you put in a request for dollars that you may not need and we're just trying to, you know, tighten our belts and make sure that if you need it, you need it. But if you put in when you 're looking for spares or you're looking to buy -- for luxuries, like the uniforms for example, that's a luxury, maybe. Maybe not. Again I don 't know about uniforms either. But you guys are supposed to brief us and let us know what all those things are. Because we don't want to spend money for luxuries or spend money for extras or for spares, we want to just, you know, give you what you need, but don't overdo it. Mr. Caroll: Completely understand. Commissioner Carollo: Well the -- we've established you've got eight boats. I'm not an expert in boating either, Commissioner, but believe that the important part is motors being new. The outer part of the boat is not that difficult to be worn out like the motors, but that's my opinion right now. You've got eight boats and we've established you've got enough crews for four. How many boats do you usually have at a time out there? Mr. Caroll: Usually four or three. It depends on the staff and depends on the day. Commissioner Carollo: Depending on the day. Mr. Caroll: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: I would have to say probably three, Assistant Chief. I don't think you would have four, unless it's some special event because you have to rotate with people's times off. Mr. Caroll: Correct. City of Miami Page 76 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Now with three boats, our coastline is reasonable, but not huge. Why can't we have one in the river and two out in the bay part covering from the Grove to Downtown and Downtown to Commissioner Watson 's District, the end of the city? Mr. Caroll: Yeah, as you know, we're -- we're working with Senator Garcia on this as well as you. You know, I love the idea, so that's definitely in the works, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Well, yeah, butt know that you're working with Senator Garcia because I sent him to you -- you all and the -- you really haven't answered my question there. We got three boats per shift that we could use for the most part. I'm not saying that we're going to have the three all the time, but for the most part. You're not going to have the 'bur because you've got to rotate groups. So what I'm trying to ascertain is you have three, why couldn't we have one inside the Miami River already? Because frankly, if you -- if you're not going to use one in the Miami River I will tell you that all you need it two for our coastline. Three, if we want to be putting a luxury, but I'd rather put patrol people patrolling our streets if that's the case where they're needed more. And all of you know that. Vice Chair Russell: I disagree, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: All right. Vice Chair Russell: In my office, 1 get lots of complaints and there is a lot of crime and I know Manny can speak to that. He's been working a lot on that issue where we have a lot of crime around the Sea Isle Marina area and we have a lot of issues in the Marine Stadium Basin area and I think we should really focus where the crime is. Have a regular beat so that we're covering the river, we're covering all the spots, but we need coverage where there's problems. Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, we have the coverage. When you say problems, the problems aren't crime. The problems are other problems. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Commissioner Carollo: With two boats in a small coastline, it's enough for it to be covered. We have three now is what I understand. I don't know if they have all three of them out there like they're saying, but what we're trying to accomplish here by an extra boat, frankly, is to get one of our boats inside the Miami River. I don't know why that can't be done now. If we get some additional dollars approved from the State in this next budget, and I'm certainly hoping that we will, that's another reason. But in the meantime, what I'd like to see is this, five additional officers assigned to marine patrol be assigned to patrol. Once you get another boat that you're going to get out there, then we could -- you could bring it back to us and we'll amend the budget so that you could recruit five individuals that want to be out in the water and hopefully have some experience in being out there in boating. So I'm -- yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well first of all, thank you, Commissioner Carollo for your -- the Miami River suggestion. I think that's very important. You recognize that we have a tremendous need and we've had it for many, many years and I appreciate that, bringing that up. I just got a text from a real boating guy who's, you know, actually he manufactures boats, he's in that business. He says that a good boat, a 2006 boat with a new engine every 3 years can go easily another five years. Common practice in the industry. So find a common -- a guy who knows about boating and ask him what he thinks -- what the life span is 20 years of that kind of a boat. So you -- City of Miami Page 77 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, is that police use or recreational use? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Police use. I asked specifically for that, yeah, not recreation. Commissioner Carollo: This is what I thought, but, you know. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Remember, it snakes sense, right, it makes sense because cruise ships are -- they're -- cruise ships that are 30 years old and have -- get a lot of you know, stuff. But, yeah, it just -- that comes from a guy who's in that business. So, you know, but -- Commissioner Carollo: So -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- to add an additional boat if the State approves it and all that and helps us get there for the Miami River, that's something that will be a priority for our City. I think that's a -- Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manager? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hold on. That's a long neglected need and I think you should really take a look at that. Mr. Caroll: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manager? Mr. Noriega: So the intent with the additional marine officers was to create better coverage. That was the entire intent. And it was to add -- actually add extra capacity to the river. The issue of whether we have enough boats or not has been answered because we do, right? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Mr. Noriega: Whether we feel like we can improve on the condition of the boats, that's -- that's a whole separate topic. We have enough boats, we have enough officers to create additional coverage, right, especially on the river. That was the intent of placing these additional units or positions into the budget. So right now that's what they're trying to address is additional river coverage, which I know has special importance for the three of you in particular because you all have -- you all touch the river. And certainly, the basin was a part of that consideration as well because we've gotten a lot of complaints. We had a heated debate here, multiple Commission meetings, over that basin and -- the conflicts we're having between motor boats,, jet skis, rowers, you know, we have this enormous, you know, conflict that has brewed there over -- over, you know, no wake zones and, you know, and the condition there. So this was specifically to address all of that, to begin to address all of that. So, you know, I think it was well conceived and should stay in the budget as is because I think it really is addressing that issue. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, I appreciate your input. I really do. Understand that my district has got a big chunk, probably -- I don't know if it's more or not than yours, Commissioner, on the Mianii River, but it's a pretty sizeable amount of my district on the river. But the problems that we're having with a lot of crime is not on the properties facing the river. The problem is inland crime. On weekends in particularly, I don't see no patrol people anywhere. It's rare to see it. The only cops you see are the ones working off duty. So, what I was trying to do is if we don 't have anything to put some out ready to go, put more patrol people in the areas that needs them. In Watson's District, in Diaz de la Portilla's District, and in City of Miami Page 78 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 mine in particular. Russell's District is more calm in many areas. Reyes' District is the next one in line that is not in as much need in patrolman. But our three districts in particularly are, and you don't see the police presence out there. Now, 1 know that we're trying to improve the water and I'm just not sure, I thought that we only had two boats out there. That's what I was led to believe. But what I'm seeing that we have enough people for four and even though they were telling me four, you know, I could have taken their answer and, you know, said why, butt knew that you couldn't possibly have four at any given time with people's day off, so that's why I said three. You know, it's very difficult for me to juggle that. I've heard you, I, you know, wish maybe that we could put a few more cops in this budget and maybe this is what we Haight want to do, leave in the five, but putting at least some additional patrolmen in the budget. Because we do need more patrol people. We just don't have them out there. And by bringing the five, I don't know if you're going to get -- if it brings you 10, 14 officers. So you -- you really need four more and you're telling me for an extra boat out there, you really need even less than that for five marine patrol. With five marine patrol, you're going to get two more boats, two more crews out there. Are you telling me that you want to put five boats out at the same time? Mr. Caroll: If possible, I would love to. But, you know, we have 20 miles of waterways. And like the Commissioner said, it's -- the water is busy. The Marine Stadium -- (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Mr. Caroll: So ideally, the more boats would be better, sir. Commissioner Carollo: There's a lot of fighting going out there, Tommy. Manny Morales (Assistant Police Chief): Yeah, so, Commissioner in all fairness to Chief Caroll, he just recently took over special operations. When we reorganized the department he became the chief of that -- Commissioner Carollo: I understand that. Mr. Morales: -- used to be a section, now it's a division. So -- Commissioner Carollo: I understand exactly what -- Mr. Morales: It fell under me for awhile, so just kind of give you a glimpse into it, right. But you're right, at any given time, remember we're working seven days a week, we're splitting up, we work four -- the four days, ten hour shift. So we're truing to have coverage from 8:00 in the morning to depending on the night, weekdays until 8: 00, the weekends until 10:00 to address some of the issues that we're having. So that coverage kind of thins out the total boats out there. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So what you're telling me now is that you have explained it like a senior assistant police chief. Mr. Morales: So where we're going -- Commissioner Carollo: You're telling me now that -- and that I could understand. You're expending -- you're expanding the coverage on hours. Mr. Morales: So, currently now with the allocated manpower which is the one and eight, that's the coverage that we're able to safely conduct. However, with the increased manpower, which is, yes, five, but it's technically a sergeant and 'bur, to provide the span of control we would have more officers to split them into two City of Miami Page 79 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 separate crews and pay attention to what our top three areas would be, which is the river, the Marine Stadium Basin, and then the other one will take from Venetian, Bayfront or Bayside all the way to the other areas which we have, which is Picnic Island adjacent to Margaret Pace Park and a little bit up north into Commissioner Watson's area where we have some issues up by Pelican Harbor. So, those will be the main areas offocus where we're trying to expand our coverage to. Commissioner Carollo: And you're also going -- Vice Chair Russell: Hold on one second. Just a moment. Commissioner Carollo: -- to increase hours from what Fin hearing, correct? Mr. Morales: So we're trying to have that same coverage. So we found that the critical hours to cover it's 8:00 in the morning to around 10:00. So that's what we're truing to do to allocate the personnel to have enough boats for those three areas while we're putting the boats out there to have the personnel seven days a week covering those hours. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: Chief so back in February you and I were working on this issue. It was getting quite heated. Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Russell: There was a lot of crime on the water. The statistics you gave me in the first two months of the year on the water were 22 arrests and 338 infractions. And that was by February 25th. Have you got any idea how bad it's been since then over the following seven months? Mr. Morales: I -- I have not, but I'm looking at my, stats that were sent by the lieutenant, back into -- okay. So -- okay. So 1,500 citations, but that was last year, right? Okay. So last year, '19 to '20, the fiscal year, 1,547 citations. I can't give you the locations, but I would have to research on that. And this year it went up to 2,161. Vice Chair Russell: And the reason -- and the reason I bring it up and it's not just we need to go when a citation is -- when a crime is committed or we get a complaint. We need a presence to deter. Mr. Morales: Absolutely. Vice Chair Russell: Because boating is about bad behavior and bad behavior leads to injuries and death. Mr. Morales: Absolutely. Our focus is on prevention. Vice Chair Russell: And so I -- and I absolutely agree with you on the river being a priority to increase presence, a regular beat. I also do understand we need patrolmen. We do not have good enough coverage on the streets. But I hope it's not binary. I don't want to give up our coverage on the water in order to gain those. I -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but you don't mind ifI find additional dollars to get some additional patrobnen then? Vice Chair Russell: No. And I absolutely am in favor of that. Commissioner Carollo: All right. Okay. City of Miami Page 80 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: But 1 do not want to lose -- Commissioner Carollo: All right. Okay. Let me -- Vice Chair Russell: Or the marine patrol. Commissioner Carollo: Let me leave the five marine patrol people there for the meantime. So let's move forward. Mr. Morales: Thank you. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Chief Morales. Mr. Morales: You're welcome. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, but, Chief let me ask you. Mr. Morales: Sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Do you break it down, incidents and citations, by areas of the water? We have 20 miles, right, of waterfront? Mr. Morales: We could absolutely do it, yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You could do it. So give me that -- I want that breakdown. Mr. Morales: Absolutely. Absolutely, we'll get you what -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. And do you do it by degree of crime or what it is? Mr. Morales: We -- we can tell you the type of citation. The vast majority that we do are the regular boating infraction, whether it be a manatee zone infraction for the wake, for the wake violation. Those are the bulk of our -- but lately we have been focusing on the music corning from the boats, using the new tool of the civil citation that -- that the Commission kind of allowed us -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Those are civil citations, right? Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm talking about crime. So do you have crime statistics? Mr. Morales: We'll get you the arrest ones. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. That's what I want. Mr. Morales: So we can get you all that from year to date. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Mr. Morales: We'll give itfor you breakdown by area. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: By area. City of Miami Page 81 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Canines, how many, dogs do we have in the City? Mr. Morales: Give me two seconds, Commissioner. I will get it for you. Commissioner Carollo: Sure. Mr. Morales: I know we've had some recent transfers out of the unit. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Morales: But I'll get you the actual number. Commissioner Carollo: While you're looking for that, let's move on in canine. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: Are we having to buy two new dogs here and train them? Mr. Morales: Are we having to buy? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Morales: I know that Lieutenant Sodre, which was the commanding officer, sir, of our -- not only our SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), but our canine unit as well was able to find a grant that's going to give us four new dogs this year. So, I know we're getting four new dogs. I want to say that two perhaps are replacement for dogs that are being retired and two new ones to augment the unit. Commissioner Carollo: Right. Okay. So you've answered my question that I wanted to make sure if we're putting two new officers to canine, where we're going to be getting the dogs from. I didn't know if it was in our budget. You answered my question, it's from grants that we're getting them. That's fine. We've got 4 patrol to the 20 that we're funding from the general fund. On the 15 from the grants, are those all patrolmen? Mr. Morales: So the 15 from the COPS grants that were from last year is CGIC (Crime Gun Intelligence Center), which is going to a criminal investigation. It's a new initiative that Chief Aguilar -- Commissioner Carollo: How many? Mr. Morales: 15 is from the COPS grant. So that's when the federal government pays for half their salary for the first -- Commissioner Carollo: Yep, yeah, right. But how -- where are they going to again? Mr. Morales: So I think Chief Aguilar can speak a little more accurately. Armando Aguilar: Good evening. Armando Aguilar, Assistant Chief of Police. So it's 15 officers that the grant will pay to hire and place in patrol, which will give us a surplus of 15 to then send to our Crime Gun Intelligence Center. So, the 15 will be split in half. Half will have a proactive role. They'll be dual designated as ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms) task force officers to target repeat gun violence locations and investigate firearm trafficking and do that type of proactive level work. Whereas the other half will do more outreach. focused work. And if .you're familiar with the cease, fire model, we're looking at pairing people who are not too deep into City of Miami Page 82 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 violent crime, but at risk of going that route with adequate services through the City, or through our other community partners and also making sure that -- that we get the word out as far as telling people what the consequences of engaging in firearm activity are. So -- so getting that message out there and taking more of a prevention role. So one aspect is prevention and the other being enforcement. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So out of the 35 new officers, only four patrolmen, and those are the four that the Commission put in when we made the change? Mr. Morales: I believe so, yes. We concentrated, this year, our priorities in trying to balance the needs with, you know, the available finding or our requests were primarily to augment the units that we felt were short. Yes. Commissioner Carollo: All right. Mr. Morales: So going to the street for patrol, the four that the Commission gave us on the last amendment. Commissioner Carollo: Thank God we put four in. We need to put some more now. Mr. Morales: Sir, ifI could? I did get the numbers for the canine unit. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Mr. Morales: So, we currently have 21 dogs, 18 officers and three of them are assigned to the sergeants. Commissioner Carollo: And three are assigned? Mr. Morales: Three are to the sergeants. So three sergeants have canine partners and 18 officers have canine partners. Commissioner Carollo: It's 21. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: And you've got how many dogs again? Twenty -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Twenty-one. Mr. Morales: Twenty-one and we're getting -- we're working on the grant for four. Commissioner Carollo: That's fine. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you're replacing -- two are replacements. Mr. Morales.: Yes. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So it's 23 total? Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: All right. Mr. Morales: No. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. City of Miami Page 83 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Then -- Mr. Morales: We're adding four and we're replacing two, we're adding two total. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Watson: Can I ask a question right quick? Salary flexibility as it relates to the 31 officers versus 4 patrolmen that you're identifying. So in terms of -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Discrepancies? Commissioner Watson: Yeah. What's the -- Mr. Morales: You mean the pay? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Commissioner Watson: Yeah. Mr. Morales: So regardless of your assignment except, for the specialty pay, like the canines get under the current FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) contract, they get a specialty pay, so they would get paid the same as a patrol officer, except they get 1 believe a five percent extra for being assigned to canine duty. Commissioner Watson: Okay. Mr. Morales: Or motors duty, or SWAT. So the years in service determine the pay and the specialty, whatever that assignment is might carry if it's added to the contract it might carry a bonus on it. Commissioner Watson: So we're only getting the designation of the officers because of the grant match? Mr. Morales: No, so -- Commissioner Watson: Why can't we -- Mr. Morales: So the officers -- Commissioner Watson: Why can't we move within the categories of the 35 whatever we want that you feel is necessary? Mr. Morales: We could, but we have to -- when we put the budget together, Commissioner, we justify where it is that we're putting them. Commissioner Watson: Okay. Mr. Morales: We're making the request so like the five officers that we requested for marine patrol, the five personnel, we make that request and then well just. Commissioner Watson: Okay. Mr. Morales: The reason that we did is because we needed more coverage on the river, we needed more coverage on the basin, so we kind of modify that. Commissioner Watson: All right. City of Miami Page 84 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: And the grant, the officers that assigned to the grant, it's when we put our grant proposal to -- to COPS, then we identify where it is that the need is in the department and where we'd like the assistance from the federal government to kind of give us. In order to be competitive we got to -- have to think outside the box. That's why Chief Aguilar was kind of explaining that it goes a different route. We don 't always ask for the patrol officers. So two years ago I believe we put the grant for the shield officers, or three years ago, where they're going out there and they're doing the security service, they're doing the Homeland Security. They work very closely with the shield network that's out of New York to prevent terrorist attacks and keep our community safe. So we kind of -- yeah, we kind of modify our request based on what the department needs are at that time and to be competitive in receiving the grant. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Let's go through the new budget that we have. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: As was for staff positions that was approved the last and final budget hearing that we had. The budget shows 42 staffpositions that were proposed in the new budget. And what I'd like to do is go over the actual positions for fiscal year '22 corning now, beginning today forward, and give me names for each of those positions that were there last year. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: In other words, from the ending of last year when we approved the second budget hearing. Because, you know, this is confusing to me because it seems to me the budget is showing 42 staffpositions that are proposed, but I'm seeing 40. So, I need to know what is it? Is it 42 or is it 40? And the only way that I could ascertain that is by going down the list of each position with a name. Mr. Morales: Okay. So, Commissioner, you want to go position by position as of what we had as of last week before you guys made the amendment and removed the deputy? Commissioner Carollo: Well, I don't know what you did with what deputy, but the -- what I'm asking for is what positions that -- how many positions and staff positions do you actually have in the budget? Because I read 42, then I'm told 40 and I don't think it's the bean counter that is playing the games. I don't know if it's a typo or I'm going told that or maybe it's a joke. I don't know what I'm going to be told, butt want to be specific with names in each of the positions that we have. Unfortunately, I didn't get to the bathroom in time for the vote on the second reading. So give me, when I was here in the first reading, what did we have -- Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: -- in the positions. How many are they, and which are they, and the names? Mr. Morales: Okay. Fair enough. So going down the list I show 35 -- 36, 31 sworn, and 5 civilians as of the last time that we came before you. Commissioner Carollo: Thirty-six sworn. Mr. Morales: Correct. Vice Chair Russell: No, 31 sworn. City of Miami Page 85 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Thirty-one sworn. Mr. Morales: And that breaks down -- Commissioner Carollo: And how many civilians? Mr. Morales: Five civilians. Commissioner Carollo: These are the staff positions? Mr. Morales: Those are filled staff positions. Commissioner Carollo: You got 36 -- Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: -- that are filled, but how many do you have altogether? Mr. Morales: The 36, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Only 36? Mr. Morales: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: But why did the budget say 42 proposed and then 1 have a count of 40 in another area? Mr. Morales: So the change as it was increasing, but it's included already into the 36, but what changed was we increased one assistant, one civilian chief of staff. We increased one commander -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. One assistant. That should be part of the overall count. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's four. Yeah, it should be part of the -- it's not 36, that's 40. He increased four positions? Commissioner Carollo: But the budget said -- Mr. Morales: Correct, but we reduced -- there was some reductions. So we reduced four majors and two executive officers. Commissioner Carollo: Now you know why I said that, you know -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 44, that's still 42. Commissioner Carollo: They're -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's still -- that's 42. Commissioner Carollo: -- putting the bean there and moving it. Vice Chair Russell: One at a time. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sorry. City of Miami Page 86 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: So -- and the increase is already calculated into the 36, right. So the three that I'm talking about, the chief of -- assistant chief the chief of staff, and the commander are included in the 36. The ones that we reduced would be an additional six -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Morales: -- which is where you're getting the 42, which is the 4 major reductions -- major position reductions and the 2 executive officer reductions. So that's 6, so it will give us 42. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, look -- can we do that, and I don't care which one of you gives it to me -- (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: Can we go on the staff positions, position by position -- Mr. Morales: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: -- and the name attached to it? Mr. Morales: Correct. You want to go -- you want to do it now? Commissioner Carollo: 1 still want from -- yeah -- Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: -- from last year's fiscal year's budget since we're in this one now. Mr. Morales: Okay. So you want to go -- let's go down. Commissioner Carollo: If we can. Mr. Morales: You ready? Commissioner Carollo: If you go slow so I can write and -- Mr. Morales: You got it, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Mr. Morales: Chief of Police, Art Acevedo. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, that's one. Mr. Morales: Deputy Chief Heather Morris. Commissioner Carollo: But you missed what 1 was saying. I was saying you don 't have a deputy chief anymore, Chief Morales. I didn't mean what you actually had -- (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Turn your microphone off please. Manager, Manager, turn your microphone off if you're having a conversation. The Commissioner has the floor, so let -- City of Miami Page 87 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Look, 1 wasn't asking, I think maybe you misunderstood me. I wasn 't asking for last fiscal year's staffing. I 'm asking for the approval for this fiscal year that we did in the first reading before the second was coming that 1 missed, and the names of each person that was assigned already for each position for the approval that we were coming into this fiscal year. If there are positions that are open then tell me they're open. They don 't have someone on them. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Morales [sic]. Mr. Morales: Yeah, so, Commissioner -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chief Morales. Mr. Morales: I apologize for the misunderstanding, right. So I don 't want to give you the impression -- Commissioner Carollo: No, no. Mr. Morales: -- that I was privy, to all the all the conversation of what was said by Chief Gause the last time and Budget Manager Blanco. I can tell you what we currently have before the first amendment, and what we currently have now as we're going into the new fiscal year. Commissioner Carollo: Well what 1 want is what you had in the proposed new budget now that you had names. Mr. Morales: I apologize, Commissioner. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chief do you want to confer with the Manager to make sure you give the Commission the correct answer? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, I don't mind. I'll wait. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, we'll wait. Mr. Morales: Okay. And I'm just trying to verify because my -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sure. Just take a -- take a few minutes -- Mr. Morales: In the numbers -- in the numbers that we had to prepare — Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Take a few minutes, go over with the Manager to make sure you give the Commissioner the right answer. Mr. Morales.: -- the presentation. I appreciate that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We seem to be going back and forth. Just make sure we get it right. Mr. Morales: Correct. I just want to make sure that we kind of highlight that the one in that 36 what we're not including which Chief Acevedo doesn't consider part of the staff right now is the sergeant -at -arms, because they're kind of not in the department working for us -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but that was included before. That was part gin. City of Miami Page 88 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: So those are -- no. So those are the additional positions we're talking about 1 show six. 1 don't know if we augmented that number during the budget to bring it up -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but. Yeah, yeah, but that was approved at the last budget. That six -- Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: -- included. There were five sergeant of arms and it says plus one. So -- Mr. Morales: So, if it's the six sergeant -at -arms, plus the one, it would be 43. Commissioner Carollo: Well, actually, I'm sorry, Chief Fiscal year '21, the one that just passed had five sergeant of arms. There was one new added to fiscal year '22. Mr. Morales: So we added one sergeant -at -arms, so it brings us to seven. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, it would make it six. It would make it six is what I'm -- you know, it's what I see here. So -- Mr. Morales: So, if we did increase it by one from the six, we haven't assigned that one yet. Commissioner Carollo: You don't have that one assigned yet? Mr. Morales: Correct, we haven't. Commissioner Carollo: All right, so -- alright, do we have the names of the sergeant of arms that we have already that came to this new year's fiscal year's budget? Mr. Morales: Okay. Two seconds and, Commissioner, I'll get you that. Commissioner, I apologize -- Commissioner Carollo: See -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, that's okay. Mr. Morales: We didn't come fully prepared with all the -- Commissioner Carollo: You're not -- Mr. Morales: We didn't know what to expect, so we're kind of -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, let give them a minute so they can get the right answer. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, yeah. Take -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let's give them a minute. Commissioner Carollo: Take your time, Chief. Mr. Morales: Appreciate it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: You know -- City of Miami Page 89 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: Thank you. So the sergeant -at -arms, right? We have -- Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me, Mr. Manager, you do understand what we're truing to do here? Because ?flipper staff hasn't been told or explained exactly what the Chief is doing himself how in the heck could we have figured it out? And that's all that I'm trying to do. Get on the record what it is so that the amendment could be clear. That's all. Mr. Noriega: I want us to get it right. Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Mr. Noriega: I want us to get it right. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, we all do. Mr. Morales: So I have -- I have the names of -- shall we start with the sergeant at arms? Let's take it -- let's eat the elephant bite by bite? Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Let's start with the sergeant -at -arms. Mr. Morales: We'11 start with the first bite. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Let's start. Mr. Morales: Okay. So I've got Senior Sergeant -at -Arms Alex Lamprou. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, Lamprou. Mr. Morales: Lamprou. Sergeant -at -Arms Pierre Cazassus. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, Frenchy. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I think I saw him a few times when I was driving. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Before he came up here. Mr. Morales: Sergeant -at -Arms Andrea Preston, and there's' a vacancy that was just - - should be effective I believe today, because Sergeant -at- Arms Tillman retired. Right? Am I -- Commissioner Carollo: Tillman? Mr. Morales: I think he left today. So I believe he's either on his way signing out or he signed out already. I can verify that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And those -- if I may, Commissioner? And those four are assigned upstairs, correct? Mr. Morales: That's the -- yeah, that's the upstairs detail. Second floor detail. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, the -- City of Miami Page 90 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: See I -- Commissioner Carollo: The female officer's name was what again? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Andrea Preston. Mr. Morales: Andrea Preston. Commissioner Carollo: Andrea Preston. And she's very professional. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Those are the four upstairs? Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Then which are the ones down here? Mr. Morales: So we have Sergeant -at -Arms Albert Garcia, Sergeant -at- Arms Abbott, his first name escapes me. Commissioner Carollo: Abbott. Vice Chair Russell: Abbott. Mr. Morales: Abbott, yeah. Edson Abbott. And then the vacancy, one vacancy on the bottom, which we're supplementing with the additional guys, but they don't count as a part -- the SIS's (Special Investigations Section) guys are filling in the role just to have personnel, but they're not promoted to the position. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So it's three downstairs and four upstairs. That's seven total. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, a total of two downstairs because -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, two, because one is vacant. So two downstairs and twice as many upstairs. Commissioner Carollo: But -- Mr. Morales: Well, with the one vacancy it will be three upstairs -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Vacancy -- vacancy is not a human being. Mr. Morales.: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but the vacancy -- Vice Chair Russell: (INAUDIBLE). Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: The vacancy is in the budget as part of the staff positions? Mr. Morales: That's right, yes. It's the seven. City of Miami Page 91 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Well, then this is more confusing because if you remember, Commissioners, the last time -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I do. Commissioner Carollo: -- we were told that there was a fourth one in the budget. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: Which is really a fifth one for there because Mr. Lamprou, I understand, is overworked and he didn't want to work that hard, so he wanted another officer so that he could relax a little bit. So even though we were told the other sergeant of arms was for down here, well we're going to have four even though we had never requested that four. We thought we understood what was going to happen. We were told there was another one in the budget, but that was for us, not for upstairs. Now -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's a hundred percent correct. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that's what we were told. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's what you guys told us before the last Commission meeting. The last special -- regular Commission meeting. Mr. Morales: So -- was -- Commissioner Carollo: No, you -- you weren't here then. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, you weren't here. Now I'm talking -- when I say you guys I meant he police. Mr. Morales: Yeah, but Commissioner -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Whoever conies up here and represents (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Mr. Morales: Yeah, yeah. In all fairness, I'm here now so I'm the one Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know. Mr. Morales: -- who's feet are going to be held to the fire -- Commissioner Carollo: I understand. Mr. Morales: -- and I need to come up with the right answer. Commissioner Carollo: But the problem that I'm having right now is that -- and you guys show me if it's different what it says. Is that I'm seeing, for fiscal year 2022 now, only six sergeant of arras. And already I'm counting seven. And we lost our fourth somewhere. I don 't know where he went. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think he's upstairs. Commissioner Carollo: So, what is the real number of sergeant of arms that we have on staff positions? Because I'm getting six by names and the one vacancy, but supposedly what we have in the budget is six. Commissioner, please help me because I'm really trying to figure this out. City of Miami Page 92 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And let's add, also, that Tillman retired. So there's really only three, right? If an additional -- there's a vacancy up there too. Commissioner Carollo: Well, but that one's got a name. I think Martinez. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, okay. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, he -- he had a lot of experience in the County, I hear, especially when Mrs. Wydell (phonetic) came. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Mr. Morales: So, Commissioner, I know we're here to modem, so ifyou give me direction, I guarantee you that this thne we're going to get -- we're going to get it right. So -- Commissioner Carollo: I -- Mr. Morales: So if it's the will of the Commission, you let us know and we'll accommodate accordingly. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm looking for -- Commissioner Carollo: Chief look, we're not -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Clarification. Commissioner Carollo: -- here to try to give you a hard time, any of Mr. Morales: No, no, I -- I understand there's a need for clarity and we are all about transparency, I assure you. Commissioner Carollo: This is not -- this is not your fault, it's not the fault of any of you. What we're trying to clarify is what we have approved. This is why I'm bringing this back and I think everybody can see now why I brought it back. If supposedly in staff positions there's six sergeant of arms that are -- it's only showing now, then I'm hearing seven -- Mr. Morales: And then one senior sergeant -at -arms, I apologize. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, yeah, I'm including that too. Mr. Morales: I was -- yeah. Commissioner Carollo: Because -- no, no, no, you're correct. Now, now -- okay, now that -- Mr. Morales: Yeah, so right above it on the line there. Commissioner Carollo: That's clears it up. Okay, so senior, okay. Mr. Morales: Yeah, Chief Aguilar just pointed that out to me. I apologize. Commissioner Carollo: I'm glad you -- All right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well what happened to Chavez? Mr. Morales: To who? City of Miami Page 93 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Chavez, Chavez. Mr. Morales: I'm not sure who that -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wasn't he the one that was -- that had been sent down here? Commissioner Carollo: Who? Mr. Morales: Oh, so if you're talking about Executive Officer Chavez -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Mr. Morales: He oversees the detail. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Down here? Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That was what we were told, remember, is it sergeant? Mr. Morales: So -- but he occupies a separate staffposition, he's an executive officer. So that's counted in the 31 that I gave you with the -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, but he's a sergeant, he's a sergeant, right? Or he oversees -- not -- but he'll be here, right, along with the other ones? That's -- that's what was represented to us. Well that's what I understood. Commissioner Carollo: We -- Mr. Morales: So he's not -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Now -- now I'm really confused and it's hard to confuse me. Mr. Morales: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: We got it straightened out now, the seven positions that Chief Morales -- Mr. Morales: Sorry for the confusion. Commissioner Carollo: But I still think that we lost one here, the extra one for us. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think so too. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. But maybe if it can go up higher, it wasn't coming lower. All right. So we got seven sergeant of arms, including the senior. Okay. Let's go by name with the other positions. You had given me before the chief of police, one. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. The deputy position that we took out of the budget. Mr. Morales: Correct. City of Miami Page 94 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Four assistants chief of police. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: When's the last time that we had a -- a fourth chief of police? Mr. Morales: You mean an assistant chief? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, an assistant chief? Mr. Morales: I've been here -- (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Mr. Morales: I've been here 28 years. Since the time when I first got here when Timoney got here, I want to say there was a deputy and three assistants and that is the way that it has remained for the larger part of my career. Commissioner Carollo: Well -- Mr. Morales: So one deputy and three assistants -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. So it wouldn't surprise you if1 would tell you that we never have had more than the three? I started at 24 and all the years that I've been on and off involved with our government, that's all we ever had. Mr. Morales: So, Commissioner, with all due respect and fairness -- Commissioner Carollo: Now I'm a lot older -- Mr. Morales: -- we've -- the department has grown. Commissioner Carollo: -- so -- and I haven 't taken my smart pill today, so, you know, bear with me. But I could have forgotten something, but I don't think so. Now, I know the department has grown, but if it had grown then why did we do away with all the major positions? Five actually, because we had four that were covered and one that was empty. So, look, Chief I understand -- Mr. Morales: I'll -- I'll give you -- Commissioner Carollo: -- the rough position -- you're in, but let's leave it at that because I don't want to get you in a situation that you shouldn't be. You haven't created this and you shouldn't be placed in the middle of it. Now the -- we have the four assistants positions, right? Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: And I think I know all of your names. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So that's -- okay. Then the majors position. How many majors positions do we have now? Mr. Morales: Right now we have ten. Commissioner Carollo: And how many -- well what I'm saying, how many are in the budget? City of Miami Page 95 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: In the budget we have 12, 10 are occupied, 2 are vacant. Commissioner Carollo: That's what 1 thought. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Those are the -- Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Lamprou planning on getting a promotion maybe and not being around for awhile? Okay. Bingo. We found the bean. So, ten have names and two do not. Mr. Morales: Correct. And they were, until the recent shift of the department, those were -- Commissioner Carollo: Wait. No, no, no, no, excuse me, Chief Mr. Morales: Sorry. I apologize. Commissioner Carollo: The police chief the reformer, said he had done away with five major positions because we had five more, in his professional opinion, than we needed. We were only going to get ten. And any one of you that is up here that thinks that I'm wrong in what I'm stating that we all heard, please correct me. I'm an old guy, I forget a lot of things these days except when someone tries to cut my neck off and lies about it. Now we were told that, ten positions. This is why my math wasn't adding up, and this is what I thought was the game. So now all of a sudden there's two more that we needed that we weren't told about. Okay. So we have 12. I'm going to come back -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let me ask one quick question. What's the budget allocation for those two vacant positions? Mr. Morales: The dollar amount to each of them? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Mr. Morales: It depends on time and rank, but -- Commissioner Carollo: Well give me the dollar allocation of the two empty ones. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying, the two vacant ones. What's the budget allocation for those two? Mr. Morales: So I'm looking at -- I can give you the range of what one of the major spots that our current majors are occupying -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, I mean, you have -- Commissioner Carollo: No, no, you -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- there's no range. Commissioner Carollo: You don't do that, so it's not -- Mr. Morales: Yeah, that's -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I know. Let me ask -- City of Miami Page 96 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Morales: Yeah, 1 don't know what the range. Commissioner Carollo: -- Mr. bean counter, give me the line item -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Blanco. Commissioner Carollo: -- one by one on those two positions because you have to have them line item. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right, you have to have the line item. Commissioner Carollo: The two that are not filled in, how much do you have in the budget for them? Mr. Morales: So, Commissioner; we don 't have the entry level for that position, but the individual, I'll just give you an example of one of the individuals without putting a name to it that was occupying that position, the range was $197, 721. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, I'm sorry. IfI may, Commissioner? Commissioner Carollo: For one individual? Mr. Morales: And that was a senior major. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For one. So and the second one? Mr. Morales: $179, 082. That was a junior major. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 179. 197 what? Mr. Morales: $197,721. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 721. And 179? Mr. Morales: 082. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 082. For the two vacant positions? Commissioner Carollo: No, I don't think he's saying. Okay. Look -- Mr. Morales: $179, 082. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Blanco -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: -- what do you have in line item for the two vacancy positions? You have to have an amount -- next to each name of what they're making and then you have to have a line item for each individual vacancy. Now I know what you guys sent to us purposely are lump sums. So this way we're overwhelmed, we can't see it and -- Mr. Blanco: So, Commissioner, as Assistant Chief Morales was explaining, it's based on the years of the person that's been in the department, right? Commissioner Carollo: Come on, come on. Then — City of Miami Page 97 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Blanco: So one individual -- Commissioner Carollo: -- what -- what is the amount that you have of the two vacancies? Mr. Blanco: One individual was $79,082 [sic], the other individual was $197,721. Commissioner Carollo: Are those the two vacancies? Mr. Blanco: Yes, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So one is $179,921 and one is $179,082? Mr. Blanco: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: So those are the two vacancies? Mr. Blanco: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Bingo. 1 just found additional money for patrolmen. We could all be happy, Commissioner, we could all be happy. Okay? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: A total of $376,803. $376,803, total. Commissioner Carollo: 803. Okay. One two -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: $376,803. 197 and 179. Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's seven and a half police officers. Surprise, surprise. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Now, gentlemen, now you understand why I wanted to do this. This is not targeting anybody or playing any games. This is that they weren't being straight with us from the beginning. And I'm not referring to any ofyou, please. Okay? I'm not referring to any ofyou. I don't even believe Mr. Blanco had anything to do with it. He was told what to put down and that's what he does. But -- okay. Let's -- I won't even askyou the names of the other ten majors. Let's go down the list. Mr. Morales: I've got them if you need them. Chief Aguilar gave them to me, so I'm good to go on those. Commissioner Carollo: Let's go down to commanders. Mr. Morales: Okay. So currently -- Commissioner Carollo: Now what is the full title of the commanders? Mr. Morales: As it appears in our -- in out registry is NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) Commander. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, NET Commander. Mr. Morales: Correct. City of Miami Page 98 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: And NET stands for what? Mr. Morales: Neighborhood Enhancement Team. Commissioner Carollo: Right. Okay. Just wanted to be sure that I understood and we all do. Okay. So, it's 14. Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: How many positions do we have open there? Mr. Morales: We have no vacancies. Commissioner Carollo: No vacancies. Mr. Morales: So one of those five major reductions -- Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Mr. Morales: One of the five major reductions that we had, right? We already discussed about the two vacancies. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Morales: So one of those major reductions, and 1 know it was a topic of some discussion, we audited the position and we reclassified it. So we changed that from a major spot and we created -- we shifted it, just changed the name, utilizing the same budgeted money and turned it into a commander spot. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Morales: I know that there was -- that was one that we omitted the last time thatl know that we sent the corrective email letting you know that that had been one of the changes that -- Commissioner Carollo: No, no, I do see that that there's -- were 13 before and I was added. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: I thank you for that. So that's 14 commanders. Mr. Morales: Correct, 13 assigned to our NET areas, our various neighborhoods throughout the City -- Commissioner Carollo: Well that's -- that's fine. Mr. Morales: -- and one to -- Commissioner Carollo: You know, I'll deal with that later. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. I just want to get numbers down, make sure I didn't miss anything else. Mr. Morales: Okay. City of Miami Page 99 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Then after the commanders, we've got one Ex. 0 (Executive Officer) that's one. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: Executive officer? Mr. Morales: Yes. We have one executive officer and one vacant executive officer position. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well, but -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's the -- Commissioner Carollo: But hold on, hold on, hold on. I see only here -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For the vacant one. Commissioner Carollo: Nope. The fiscal year '22, I had in `21, three executive officers. Then he says there was a minus two and only one executive officer for this fiscal year. Mr. Morales: Correct. So there was -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So who's the name -- Mr. Morales: There was three executive officers. Commissioner Carollo: And one is left? Mr. Morales: Correct. There's one — Commissioner Carollo: And what is the name of the executive officer that's left? Mr. Morales: Chavez. So there's one vacancy and the third position we reclassified it and created the civilian chief of staff position. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, yeah, but I'm having a problem. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: I see the civilian chief of -- one chief of staff position. Mr. Morales: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: But I don't see the other position anywhere here in the 40. Okay, what I see here is for this fiscal year, I had the one executive officer, then we have the senior sergeant of arms. Mr. Morales: Mh-nun. Commissioner Carollo: -- then the six sergeant of arms, then the one chief of staff, which is the other position that you said that was reclassified, correct? Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. City of Miami Page 100 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: One chief of staff, okay. Then we have the constitution policing advisor that we have removed. Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: So let me see what we have here, and I'm still trying to count. Mr. Blanco, you want to help me here? Score, 5, 17, 31. Mr. Blanco: So, Commissioner, we had 42 -- Commissioner Carollo: I'm counting 40 now. We took the deputy commander out and we took the constitutional officer out. Mr. Morales: Correct. Commissioner Carollo: So that's two, correct? Mr. Morales: Yes sir. Commissioner Carollo: So, why did you say that there was another executive position? Mr. Morales: We began with the three, the executive officers, right? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but that was in last year's budget. You guys requested only one, that's what it says here, that, you know, 1 was looking at. Mr. Morales: I have two on my summary, Commissioner. I don't know what you -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So, okay, what -- go over that again. Mr. Morales: Okay. So -- Commissioner Carollo: We have one, that's Chavez? Mr. Morales: Correct. One occupied and one vacant. That's it. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So there's actually two because one was -- is the chief of staff. Mr. Morales: Converted into the chief of staff. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah okay. Who's the chief of staff? Mr. Morales: Dr. Lee. Commissioner Carollo: Who? Mr. Morales: Dr. Joel Lee. Commissioner Carollo: Joel Lee, okay. What does Mr. Chavez make? Mr. Morales: Enrique. Oh, you said how much he makes? Commissioner Carollo: Yes. Mr. Morales: I was looking for his -- you want to know how much he makes? City of Miami Page 101 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Yes. Mr. Morales: Give me one second, 1'rn going down the list. Mr. Noriega: Commissioner, the range is 135 to like 169, the Ex. 0 number. I don't know what he -- Commissioner Carollo: I -- I appreciate it, Mr. Manager, but I'd like to be as precise as I can and I think you might see, at the end, why I'm doing this. And, you know, guys, to be honest with you, I'm surprised because even in small cities compared to Miami, and even though Doral's not that small, I had everything line item where you can see right away and I wouldn't take less from any department director. Everything had to be line item. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well it has to be -- Mr. Morales: Commissioner, I have -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Mr. Morales: It's -- and I apologize. I'm not too familiar with navigating the numbers, but 1 have it, $146,104. Commissioner Carollo: One -- Mr. Morales: 46. Commissioner Carollo: 04. Mr. Morales: 104. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. How about the Chief of Staff, Joel Lee, Dr. Joel Lee? Mr. Morales: Dr. Lee makes $140. Commissioner Carollo: Okay, $140 even? Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. And the empty position? Mr. Morales: The one who was previously occupying that position made $153,500, and that's currently vacant. Commissioner Carollo: $153,500. Who was presently occupying that position before who's no longer there? Mr. Morales: The individual? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Morales: Harold Geisse. Commissioner Carollo: Harold Geisse. What happened to him? Mr. Morales: He -- I believe he voluntarily chose to roll back to his civil service rank of sergeant of police. City of Miami Page 102 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's surprising -- Mr. Morales: I'm not certain -- Commissioner Carollo: -- surprising that anybody would do that voluntarily unless they know that they're a goner. So it's $153,500? Mr. Morales: Yes sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So that's the -- boy, then you guys had 43 positions in there, not even 42. They had three more than we really had been told, Commissioners. Mr. Morales: When you count the vacancies, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So -- well, you know, you always count the vacancies unless you're not going to use them. So let me see. I hope Diaz de la Portilla's adding of the two 179 plus is correct. I'm going to trust you on that. Commissioner Watson: So, Commander -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I was pretty good at math. Commissioner Watson: Patrol -- for entry officer is about $56, 700 on an annual basis? How did you get seven of the 378 --from the 378? Commissioner Carollo: All right. Commissioner Watson: On the 378, how do you get seven officers? Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Commissioner Watson: How did you get the seven additional officers? Commissioner Carollo: Well it's going to cost about $50,000 a head for a new officer. Commissioner Watson: Okay, so it's 50. Okay, all right. Commissioner Carollo: Correct? Mr. Morales: I apologize, sir. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Blanco, and here, Casamavor, I want you here too, because you're budget, and they're first and foremost law enforcement officers. They've been throwing at the fire unjustly in this and I want both of you to confirm this, and the budget director that I see up there. Thank you, sir. The cost approximately of hiring a new police officer for the first year is around $50, 000, correct? Mr. Blanco: So in the first Commission meeting -- or in the first budget meeting when Tye were here, I said it was approximately between approximately $52, 000. We went back and based on the contract, it's actually $55, 397 or 387. That's just a salary, that does not include any benefits. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So -- Mr. Casamayor: That's -- City of Miami Page 103 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: -- then you guys didn't give us the accurate information. Mr. Casamayor: That's assuming a full year salary. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that's what -- Mr. Casamayor: So obviously it takes some time, so we would attrit that, you know, by a quarter of the year, typically. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Okay. So with that explanation that 1 was going to give you that, because you're not going to hire these people from day one. They're not hired today. Okay? You have $530,303 with the two majors that were hidden and the executive officer position that didn't add up here. So that was empty. So it's a total of $530,303. I'm going to propose, since we're not going to be hiring these people immediately and it might be a little bit more that we need to bring them on. Just in salary, it might be $20,000 more than what we have here. So I'm going to propose that we put into the new budget ten additional police positions that would be patrolmen to add to the four that we added. So instead of 35 police officers, we will have 45 new police officers in that -- in that 45, it will include 14 patrolmen now. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. So instead offour. Commissioner Carollo: Instead offour. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner -- Commissioner Carollo: And we're getting the dollars again from the two positions of major that were hidden from us and the empty executive assistant position. Vice Chair Russell: Chief Morales, you're recognized. Mr. Morales: Yeah, Commissioner, if I could? Right — Commissioner Carollo: Well -- Mr. Morales: So I think that there's been a little bit of a -- correct, a little bit of a -- so all in, a police officer, I'm sorry. We have to start looking at more than just the salary. Commissioner Carollo: Sure. Mr. Morales: Right. We've got to put that cop, be ready -- when we budget him to put him ready on the streets to serve the citizens of Miami. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, sure. Mr. Morales: So we're looking at uniforms, the training costs, we're looking at the vehicle, we're looking at the weapon. So we're talking about it's 166 to bring a brand new guy in with everything thrown in. Commissioner Carollo: Well, you guys didn't bring it that high anywhere when we brought four more new patrolmen last time. It is no way that it's going to be 166 to bring a new guy in, even with all the additional costs. If you know, it's just -- Mr. Morales: Commissioner, I'm — City of Miami Page 104 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: It's no way that it's going to be that much. Mr. Morales: I'm looking at the breakdown. Commissioner Carollo: Well give me the breakdown. Mr. Morales: I'll give you -- Commissioner Carollo: Have them -- let them not put you in the firing lines. Mr. Morales: 1 --1 got the document right here. Let me -- if it pleases the dais, let me be the representative of the department so we don't have -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 166 to bring -- Mr. Morales: -- the back and forth. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just want to be clear what Commissioner Carollo 's question is. You 're saying it's 166 to bring in a new patrol officer. Mr. Morales: Correct. The hiring costs for one police officer bringing them in at step one, two, and four. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, do the breakdown. 1 want -- Mr. Morales: Correct. So let me give you the breakdown if1 could, right? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Mr. Morales: The salary is $55,826. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Fifty-five? Mr. Morales: $55,826, that's step one. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is the salary, $55,826. Mr. Morales: A step one officer, $55,826. Commissioner Carollo: The starting salary? Mr. Morales: It's a long list. Could I make a copy and hand it -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, if you could so we could read it. But that's the starting salary you're telling me, correct? Vice Chair Russell .• Yes. (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: We have union representatives here. Mr. Morales: Yeah. Commissioner Carollo: Can you, Tommy -- Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Reyes? City of Miami Page 105 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Can you confirm to us if that's the actual starting salary that you guys have now? Tommy Reyes: What's the number that they're giving? Commissioner Carollo: $55,826. Mr. Reyes: I don't have it in front of me, but that sounds about right. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: Could you ident just for the record? Mr. Reyes: I'm sorry? Vice Chair Russell: Identify yourself just for the record. Mr. Reyes: Oh, Sergeant Thomas Reyes our President of the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police). Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And to bring in -- Tommy, if1 may? To bring in a new officer all in it's $166,000? Mr. Reyes: That 1 have no idea. We'd have to -- I'd have to break it down and see what uniform costs and training academy costs and I don't have any idea in front of me what that would be. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. I also want that printout, Mr. Chair. I want the printout of that breakdown. And of course whatever printout -- give us a printout, but you take 25 percent off, right, which you said? You would take a quarter off 25 percent off whatever that total number is, right? Because you're not going to hire him right now, tomorrow morning. Fernando? Mr. Casamayor: Yes, sir. We would attrite the position for at least a quarter -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Mr. Casamayor: -- which is, you know, three months of the fiscal year. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right, 25 percent. Mr. Casamayor: We'll do that at about 25 percent -- Commissioner Carollo: But it's going to be more than a quarter because there's no way, that you're going to be able to hire these officers in three months. Mr. Casamayor: Right. Yeah, especially if it's created today. Absolutely, you're right. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. You -- Mr. Casamayor: So we'd probably do -- Commissioner Carollo: At the very least and maybe more, might be six months. City of Miami Page 106 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Mr. Casamayor: 1 was thinking about five months if they hurry, but yeah, possibly six months. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So you cut it in half Whatever number you come up with, you cut it in half? Mr. Casamayor: Correct. Now also there's the capital cost of the firearm, the -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, he's going to give us that breakdown. Mr. Casamayor: -- the uniform, the equipment, is a one -- is a cost, however, there's a delta because there -- Commissioner Carollo: Well, we can make decisions from up here and I'm going to save a tremendous amount of money in these new Rolls-Royce type of uniforms that Mr. Acevedo wants. We will bring sufficient dollars to cover anything more you need. Okay? So bear with me. Mr. Morales: So, Commissioners, Manager -- Commissioner Carollo: And we are going to get the funding fbr ten more patrolmen. Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, is your intention to bring an amendment this evening or bring an amendment back at the next meeting? Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, right this evening, right this evening. Because this is important. You know, we've been played and that really bothers me. There were positions that were hidden in the budget that had somebody's name that they didn't want to let us know existed so they could put that name later on after we were told we didn't need 15 majors, we only needed ten. And you see that there were 12, 10 assigned, 2 hidden. Vice Chair Russell: I'm following your process. Commissioner Reyes isn't here and we're coming up on 9: 00 p.m., so Ijust wanted to gauge whether we're going to take an action tonight or give direction to bring back an item -- Commissioner Carollo: I'm ready to take an action tonight if need be. Vice Chair Russell: That's the will of the body. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, well it's the will of Commissioner Carollo, but I agree with him. I agree with him. Let me ask you before -- I'm going to go -- I'm going to let Commissioner Carollo finish his question -- line of questioning, but I do want to ask him and, Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry, because I'm tired too. To Chief Morales. There's an equipment cost attached here at the end of -- right before the total of $68,421. Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Fernando, is that in a different line item in the budget, that equipment cost? That $68,421 that you put there, is that a different item in the budget, line item? Mr. Casamayor: Yes, sir, yes, sir, it's different. City of Miami Page 107 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, it is. So why are you putting it here? Mr. Casamayor: I'm sorry. Putting it where? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right here at the bottom. Do you have this sheet in front of you? Mr. Casamayor: Right. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. So you put at the bottom, total equipment hiring and equipment costs, $68,421. Mr. Noriega: Because -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's -- Mr. Noriega: Commissioner, because the way it works -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know the way it works. Mr. Noriega: Let me help you out here, Fernando. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no. Mr. Noriega: No, no. It is -- it is clearly in a different line item. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I know how it works. Mr. Noriega: But to add it to the budget, that's the all in cost. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I -- I understand. Mr. Noriega: But you put it in a line item here with the payroll. You put equipment -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In a different line item. Mr. Noriega: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that wasn 't Commissioner Carollo's question. He asked how much does a patrol officer cost to bring in. But it's already allocated somewhere else, right? Mr. Noriega: No, it's not. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, it's not? Mr. Noriega: In other words -- no. If you onboard a brand new police officer you have to pay a salary and you have to provide all that equipment and training. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Mr. Noriega: They're not in the same line item because payroll's here and equipment is a different iteni. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct, I know that. Okay. I understand. Mr. Noriega: But they're still all adds to the budget. City of Miami Page 108 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. All to one total, one mass total? Okay. Commissioner Carollo: How many patrol vehicles do we have in this budget to buy, new patrol vehicles? Well, Fernando, every time I askfor something you guys shake your head that, you know. Mr. Morales: So -- Commissioner Carollo: And I'm not saying the police officers, I'm saying the budget guys, you guys. You know, this should be something that if you had a line item, and not in ways that we couldn't figure it out, you know, we wouldn't have this problem. Mr. Casamayor: Sir, we're trying to get the vehicle count that you asked for. I was shaking my head at my folks trying to figure out how many vehicles we are budgeting for this year. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well obviously this $42,000 here for one of those vehicles, I think I'm going to have to get involved in helping the Manager find things that are a lot cheaper than what I'm seeing here, but that's notfor tonight. Look, let's get to the point on this here. I don't know and we 're going to be here all night and we have until 10:00 if need be, but I want to be quicker. I don't know how much more monies are hidden, frankly. Neither do any of you. Only the people that did it know in the full budget for equipment.1 have no idea. But 1 would like, Mr. Manager, a line item by Monday of everything that we've included in the police budget. Line item, everything, and especially in the expenditures. Especially in expenditures. Give me line items. Madam City Attorney, she can be around. Okay, can -- okay, thank you. Did we lose Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla? (COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD) Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Yeah, well good. It's dangerous here if you have to go to the restroom, you know. That gavel goes down and this is why we're here tonight. Chair, please don't make us bring, you know, a little baggie or something, you know. Vice Chair Russell: All right, gentlemen. I have a 9: 00 p.m. target. I think we can get it. Commissioner Carollo: We're going to do it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Here's going to be my motion. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner, I'm not as old as you, but I'm not young either, sir. So I do have to go to the bathroom every once in awhile. After 50, it's straight downhill, Commissioner. Commissioner Carollo: Well I sleep like a baby at night, I'd like you all to know. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I do too, sir. Commissioner Carollo: I don't have to get up at all. But just all the coffee and the water here that, I am going to propose that a budget amendment, but I need the City Attorney here so that she could read into the record something that I drafted. Madam City Attorney? I -- we need your services. City of Miami Page 109 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Ms. Mendez: Sony, the speaker in the bathroom isn't working. Commissioner Carollo: That's fine. That's fine, you have to go, you have to go. We understand. As long as Russell don't have that gavel in his hand and ends the meeting. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, he'll call a vote right now. City of Miami Page 110 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 NA.1 10839 City Commission NA - NON -AGENDA ITEM(S) RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING APPROPRIATIONS AND MAKING DE -APPROPRIATIONS AND RE -APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") GENERAL FUND FOR THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. 21-0402 ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2021; AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN AS ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION R-21-0353 ("CAPITAL PLAN"); AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE ANY NECESSARY CHANGES TO ADJUST, AMEND, AND APPROPRIATE THE FISCAL YEAR 2021- 2022 OPERATING BUDGET, FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN, AND MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN REGARDING CITY SERVICES AND RESOURCES AS NECESSARY, LEGALLY ALLOWED, AND APPLICABLE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING: (I) NOTWITHSTANDING THE LANGUAGE IN RESOLUTION NO. 21-0402, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE LANGUAGE IN SECTION 16 IN RESOLUTION NO. 21-0402, IN ORDER FOR THE CREATION OF OR CHANGE IN TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE RESCUE (COLLECTIVELY, "POSITIONS") TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE CITY COMMISSION MUST FIRST CONFIRM THE CREATION OR CHANGE OF SUCH POSITIONS BY AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, (II) REQUIRING THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING IN RESOLUTION NO. 21-0402 OR THE CAPITAL PLAN TO THE CONTRARY, AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS REQUIRED PRIOR TO ANY AND ALL MOVEMENTS OF MONIES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE LINE ITEM -BUDGETS' APPROVED AMOUNTS, AS ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 FOR THE CAPITAL PLAN AND AS ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 FOR RESOLUTION NO. 21- 0402, FOR THE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE RESCUE, PROVIDED THAT SUCH REQUIREMENTS SHALL NOT APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE RESCUE FOR URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE ("USAR") FUNDS, URBAN SECURITY INITIATIVE ("UASI") FUNDS, OR FOR MOVEMENTS OF MONEY PURSUANT TO A CATASTROPHIC EVENT, (III) ELIMINATING THREE (3) CURRENT VACANT POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH ARE TWO (2) MAJOR'S POSITIONS AND ONE (1) EXECUTIVE OFFICER POSITION, AND ADDING TEN (10) NEW POLICE PATROL OFFICER POSITIONS; RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN NECESSARY ACTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER AND DESIGNATED CITY DEPARTMENTS TO UPDATE THE RELEVANT FINANCIAL CONTROLS, PROJECT CLOSE-OUTS, ACCOUNTING ENTRIES, AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-21-0408 City of Miami Page 111 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner AYES: Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Watson ABSENT: Reyes Commissioner Carollo: I had asked you for a resolution to -- not a resolution, to an amendment -- Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Language. Commissioner Carollo: Language that would make it crystal clear for Police and Fire, both, that once we approve this final amendment, that the only way they could shift any monies for anything different than what was approved in the budget, they have to come to the Commission for approval. Ms. Mendez: Okay. So the language could be basically provided however that in order for the creation of temporary or permanent positions in the police department and in the department of fire rescue, collectively created positions to be effective the City Commission must first confirm the creation of such created positions by an affirmative vote. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but furthermore, 1 want to include in there any movements of monies outside of the line item budgeted approved amounts can also not be moved without the respected departments coming back to the Commission and this Commission approving it. Ms. Mendez: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: Chief? Manny Morales (Assistant Police Chief): May I, Commissioner? So perhaps we set a limit on that. Sometimes we shift money from ammunition into -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We could do only personnel. Commissioner Carollo: It's very simple. You bring it up, we approve it. No problem. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's talking about ammunition and other things. Maybe -- Vice Chair Russell: Smaller things. Mr. Morales: Sometimes we'll have -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- just personnel. Personnel. Mr. Morales: Yeah, we'll have it allocated for explosives and we don't need because we haven 't trained or we haven't responded and we shift that into -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: My' question -- well wait -- ifI may? IfI may? Vice Chair Russell: Well -- Mr. Morales: Or overtime. City of Miami Page 112 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The question is does your amendment --1 just want to clarify the amendment, Commissioner Corolla. If -- what your intent is. I want to see what your intent is. If we can limit it to personnel, the movement of people. Commissioner Carollo: Well that's one. But, Commissioner, I'm concerned. You know, from the presentation that 1 made earlier, out of all these movements and all these companies. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're talking about the uniform? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Fin concerned about us being taken for fools when positions were hidden and we didn't know about it. None of you knew that there were extra positions there. Vice Chair Russell: All right. Commissioner Carollo: I didn't know either, but like I said, I know how to read budgets and I was smelling some stuff here that did not add up to me. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I did too. Okay. Commissioner Carollo: So that's why I'm doing it. Look, anything legitimate like this, there's no problem. We bring it right up, you know, and it will be approved, you know.l mean, my God, we always have been here to support our police and fire departments. Mr. Morales: Yes, sir. Commissioner Carollo: But we're living in strange times when a governmental body is being lied to and positions are being hidden. That's not nice. [Later...] Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner, I'd recommend two separate motions. One on your resolution regarding budget and positions and the other as direction for the Manager. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So the resolution on not changing any dollars, either for new positions, change in positions, or any movements within the line items for buying anything, that it cannot be done unless it comes to this Commission for approval both for PD (Police Department) and Fire. And in addition, that we will do away with the three empty positions that 1 was told up here were empty. Two majors position and one executive officer position, I think it was. And that we, with the savings that we have from these positions and the additional savings that we're going to have in uniforms, we fund ten new police officer's positions. And as far as cars goes, we don't have to spend the $42, 000 plus on new cars. I am sure we have extra cars. Maybe not as new, not as bright and shiny within the fleet that could be used in the meantime. If not, I will make sure that we get the money from other sources until - - and I have six months for that because we're not going to be having officers at any time before that and maybe even later. Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, are you clear on the motion -- on the resolution? Ms. Mendez: Yes. The only thing I wanted to clarify, Commissioner, and I would have to ask Fire more than Police, but maybe they can help me. When there's, you know, these urban search and rescue monies or when there's a catastrophic event or City of Miami Page 113 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 whatever supposedly they move around money. I don't know if you want to make a little -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. With the exception of that, the urban and fire rescue dollars (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Ms. Mendez: Right. Or for some catastrophic event I could put -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Ms. Mendez: -- I could put that caveat. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. Vice Chair Russell: Under states of emergency. Commissioner Carollo: With that exception for fire, okay. Vice Chair Russell: All right. So this is both resolutions. The uniform resolution as well as this budget resolution, correct? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But that exception is only fbr Fire? Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. They're the ones that get sent out in search and rescue. Ms. Mendez: I don 't -- Right. I don 't know if Police has that same thing. That's the only reason why 1 brought it up because I don 't want it to be -- Commissioner Carollo: No. They're not part of the search and rescue. It's Fire. Mr. Morales: We -- well ifI may? We do use those funds for emergency mobilizations like we did for the protest this summer. Vice Chair Russell: It's -- Mr. Morales: I don't know if we need to change it around, we will -- Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but those you could wait later. Fire, she's concerned if they have to go, something happens in one of our other cities in the country and they're called out, okay fine. Vice Chair Russell: Under our states of emergency, the Manager is able to move things quickly and we can do retro anyway. Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sure. Vice Chair Russell: So I think we're already covered there. All right. Commissioner Carollo: And separately, we're including a resolution that will request of the Manager, Madam City Attorney, you tell us how you want us to word the resolution that they buy the uniforms from the firm that -- from the manufacturer that we previously were buying that is much cheaper than the new proposed one. Ms. Mendez: So that could be a separate stand alone resolution. It doesn't have to be City of Miami Page 114 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Vice Chair Russell: We're just going to move them at the same time. Ms. Mendez: Okay, you can. Vice Chair Russell: They're separate resolutions -- Ms. Mendez: But separate. Vice Chair Russell: Separate resolutions, well move at the same time. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: One is the budget resolution, the other is the polyester resolution. Ms. Mendez: Thankyou. Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Vice Chair Russell: All right. There's a motion. Is there a second? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well -- well, I'll second it. Now but read it to me how you wrote it. Ms. Mendez: It was pretty clear based on the minutes, and 1 was going to go from 8:46p.m. to 8:52 p.m. and write it down if there was any discrepancy, but -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Now -- Ms. Mendez: -- it was provided however that in order for the creation of temporary or permanent -- temporary or permanent positions in the Police Department and the Department of Fire Rescue, collectively, created positions to be effective, the City Commission must first affirm the creation of such created positions by an affirmative vote and any movements of -- this is the one that I have to crystalize better because the Commissioner read it into the record, for any movements of money without respective positions, and then do away with the empty positions in order to fund the ten new police, and then the catastrophic exemption. It will be more articulate when it's drafted, but those were the main -- Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Motion is seconded by -- Vice Chair Russell: There is the motion, there is the second. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I second. Commissioner Carollo: Before -- before we vote you have to open it up -- Vice Chair Russell.• Of course. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: For public comment. Vice Chair Russell: Thankyou. There's been a motion, there's been a second. We're going to open for public comment. Is there anyone here who would like to comment on these two resolutions? Good evening, you're recognized, Sergeant Reyes. Tommy Reyes: Sorry, a lot of stuff going on; Sergeant Reyes, Tommy Reyes, President of FOP (Fraternal Order of Police). A couple of things you guys were talking about. I'm not sure if it's exactly part of this, but we're talking uniforms. I will say the City of Miami Page 115 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 uniforms are twice as expensive, hut our officers do like them as far as comfort. So that's, just one thing. I'm getting lots of text messages from home, so they wanted you guys to know that. Commissioner Carollo: Well, then I think that if we're going to be buying some that expensive, those that want it should be able to pay for the extra themselves. We'll pay up to the Cadillac. If he wants the Rolls-Royce, they can pay for it. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or the union can. The union has a good amount of money, 1 think. Mr. Reyes: 1 wish. 1 wish. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or at least it has to be the same vendor, right, also? Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It has to be the same vendor? Commissioner Carollo: Well, the same vendor. Mr. Reyes: 1 think if we look hard enough we can probably find something similar. Commissioner Carollo: They can buy whatever. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The same vendor -- Mr. Reyes: At a cheaper price. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The same vendor may have something that's a little bit better and the price range. Commissioner Carollo: No, the vendor is the one that's got the contract. We were buying from a nianufacturer that the vendor was getting for us. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. Commissioner Carollo: When Acevedo came, he wanted that vendor to buy from another manufacturer. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right, as long as it's the same manufacturer is what I'm saying. Commissioner Carollo: No, no. It's got to be the same vendor. What I'm talking about is that we buy from the nianufacturer that we had before. That's the lower price. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. But -- Commissioner Carollo: Now if police officers, and I'll be happy to include that, want to pay the difference on anything higher of any other manufacturer -- Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, of the same manufacturer is what I'm saying. Because I'm sure the same manufacturer may have the -- a higher quality uniform. Mr. Reyes: Our current manufacturer. City of Miami Page 116 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Our current manufacturer may have a better -- not the new one. Commissioner Carollo: I don 't know. I can't answer that. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Not the one Acevedo brought. Mr. Reyes: Or may have a comparable product with a cheaper price. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That the police officer may like better, but the one you have, not the one Art Acevedo brought from Houston, right? Mr. Reyes: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The one you have now. Mr. Reyes: Correct. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And they should pay the difference, but I'm sure you could see that they may have a better product that may make our officers more comfortable. Mr. Reyes: I'm sure there are plenty of better product out there that make our officers more comfortable. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Commissioner Carollo: My concern is pricing, and it just -- Mr. Reyes: Understandable. Commissioner Carollo: -- not acceptable to me if there were only nine people that I'm told that complain about the previous uniform, that we're going to pay almost twice as much -- Mr. Reyes: It was a lot more than nine people. Commissioner Carollo: Not what I was told. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But, Tommy -- Commissioner Carollo: But that's easy to get the paperwork from, on who said what. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: IfI may? Tommy, look, in two weeks things may be different around here. So, you know, you could always come back to us. There's always budget allocations. We can have that conversation later. Mr. Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We don't need to have it now. Mr. Reyes: Absolutely. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Things change here. Mr. Reyes: Absolutely. Thank you, sir. Vice Chair Russell: Thank you for your comments. City of Miami Page 117 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Vice Chair Russell: Is there anyone else who would like to speak at public comment on these two resolutions? Seeing none, we'll close public comment. Any further discussion from the dais? All in favor of the item say aye. The Commission (Collectively): Aye. Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes on both items. Is there anything else? Commissioner Carollo: Not at all. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Dinner. Vice Chair Russell: Gentlemen, thank you very much. We got done before 9: 00 p.m. Commissioner Carollo: To all three assistant police chiefs, thank you for your help tonight and your information. Mr. Blanco, thank you. And the budget director and the assistant city manager overseeing budget, thank you also. And all our employees that have stayed late tonight, including the Manager and the City Attorney, thank you very much. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And thank you all for the work you do. We really appreciate it. We're very grateful to the work you do. And back there also, guys. Thank you for all you do. Okay? Vice Chair Russell: We are adjourned. Good evening. City of Miami Page 118 Printed on 07/03/2024 City Commission Meeting Minutes October 1, 2021 NA.2 10840 City Commission ADJOURNMENT RESOLUTION RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE PURCHASING FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT ("PROCUREMENT") UNIFORMS CONTRACT ("CONTRACTS") THE STANDARD UNIFORMS CURRENTLY PURCHASED FOR THE CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT ("POLICE") PERSONNEL PURSUANT TO THE CONTRACT'S EXISTING LINE ITEMS AND PRICING FOR THE CORRESPONDING BRAND NAMES AND MODELS FOR THE SAME; FURTHER AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO REQUIRE AND COLLECT REIMBURSEMENTS FOR PRICE DIFFERENTIALS FROM ALL POLICE PERSONNEL SELECTING BRAND NAMES AND MODELS OTHER THAN THOSE FOR SAID STANDARD UNIFORMS CURRENTLY PURCHASED FOR POLICE, BY SUCH MEANS DEEMED NECESSARY. ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-21-0409 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner AYES: Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Carollo, Watson ABSENT: Reyes Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number NA.2, please see Item Number NA.1. Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, is that a motion? Commissioner Carollo: Well, I'm going to make a motion on what I stated, but the additional motion is within that motion, Madam City Attorney, please hear me out. That outside of the previous contract that was made that you can't cancel because those uniforms are coming, that this department keeps buying from the same manufacturer that we were buying our uniforms from before. Ms. Mendez: Commissioner, that doesn't have to be in this ordinance. That's just a directive to the Manager that he has to follow the procured -- the company that we procured. Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Manager, do you understand that or how do you want us to do it? Because I don't want any games being played. We're being asked to pay for uniforms that are going to cost almost twice as much of what we have been paying before and we had no problems until Mr. Acevedo was told he was going to be hired and he wanted to change them right away. The meeting adjourned at 8: 58 p.m. City of Miami Page 119 Printed on 07/03/2024