HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up DocumentsA RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COUNCIL
("MAEC") APPROVING A BUDGET AND MASTER PLAN FOR THE 2025-2026
FISCAL YEAR PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-1144 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING CITY OF
MIAMI STAFF TO PREPARE LEGISLATION SUBMITTING THE BUDGET AND
MASTER PLAN TO THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AND TO PLACE THE
LEGISLATION ON THE APPROPRIATE CITY COMMISSION AGENDA.
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2022, the Miami City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 14074
which, among other things, established a requirement that the Miami Arts and Entertainment
Council ("MAEC") submit an annual budget and master plan to the City Commission under
Sections 2-1144(a) and 2-1144(c) of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the MAEC wishes to approve the budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 discussed
at its July 30th, 2025 meeting, to be prepared by City of Miami ("City") staff based on the notes
taken by MAEC Liaison Sofia Perez, with said budget to be attached hereto and incorporated as
Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the MAEC wishes to approve the master plan for fiscal year 2025-2026
discussed at its July 30th, 2025 meeting, to be prepared by City staff based on the notes taken by
MAEC Liaison Sofia Perez, with said master plan to be attached hereto and incorporated as
Exhibit B; and
WHEREAS, the MAEC wishes to have City of Miami ("City") staff prepare legislation
submitting the budget and master plan to the City Commission and place the legislation on the
appropriate City Commission agenda;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MIAMI ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
COUNCIL:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The MAEC hereby approves the budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 discussed
at its July 30th ,2025 meeting, to be prepared by City staff based on the notes taken by MAEC
Liaison Sofia Perez, with said budget to be attached hereto and incorporated as Exhibit A.
Section 3. The MAEC hereby approves the master plan for fiscal year 2025-2026
discussed at its July 30th, 2025 meeting, to be prepared by City staff based on the notes taken by
MAEC Liaison Sofia Perez, with said master plan to be attached hereto and incorporated as
Exhibit B.
Section 4. The MAEC hereby authorizes and directs City staff to prepare legislation
submitting the budget and master plan to the City Commission and to place the legislation on the
appropriate City Commission agenda.
Section 5. This Resolution was adopted on July 30th, 2025 and shall become effective
immediately upon its adoption.
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07/30/2025
Wills J. Felin, Chairman Date
To Mayor Francis Suarez and Members of the City Commission
From: Wills J. Felin, Chairman, Miami Arts and Entertainment Council
August 5, 2025
Subject: Miami Arts and Entertainment Council FY 2025 -2026 Budget
Dear Mayor Suarez and Esteemed Members of the City Commission,
My name is Wills J. Felin, Chairman of The Miami Arts and Entertainment Council (the
"Council"). It has been a true honor to serve in this role over the past 10 months. I write to you
today with deep appreciation for your continued support, responsiveness, and belief in the
Council's mission. I also wish to bring to your attention a matter of pressing concern.
As the City Commission is aware, the Council operated with an incomplete board throughout
Fiscal Year 2024 to 2025. This limited participation significantly impacted our ability to fulfill the
Council's purpose and fully activate our programming and resources.
Understanding how essential full participation is to our success, we focused our efforts on board
development and strategic planning. During this time, we placed a temporary pause on budget
expenditures unless they delivered clear and measurable impact. We also developed a refreshed
strategic framework and initiated member recruitment. I am pleased to report that we have added
two new members, bringing the Council to five active participants. We are continuing our efforts
to fill the remaining seats for the Fiscal Year 2025 to 2026.
However, I must express an urgent concern. We were recently informed that the Council's
remaining unused funds, totaling $17,151.66 from Fiscal Year 2024-2025, may be subject to
clawback. In addition, there has been no formal confirmation from the Mayor's Office regarding
the continuation of the $20,000 annual allocation for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Without access to these funds, our ability to move forward with planned initiatives and fulfill our
mission will be significantly limited. These resources are critical to the Council's work in
supporting the City's arts and entertainment programming and in delivering value to residents,
artists, and cultural organizations throughout the City of Miami.
As you know, the Miami Arts and Entertainment Council plays a vital role in enriching the City's
cultural ecosystem by advising the Mayor, City Commission, and City Manager on matters related
to the support and promotion of arts, cultural events, entertainment programming, and special
performances throughout Miami.
The Council's Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget and Master Plan outlines a clear, impact -driven
strategy for maximizing the anticipated funding. We intend to present this plan at the September
Commission Meeting with the goal of securing a resolution that preserves our unused FY 2024-
2025 funds and confirms the continued allocation for FY 2025-2026.
I respectfully request your support and timely action to help preserve these funds. Ensuring that
the Council remains properly resourced is essential for us to carry out our mission and continue
contributing meaningfully to the growth of the City's vibrant cultural landscape.
Sincerely,
Wills J. Felin
Wll0 �[ .
Chairman"
Miami Arts and Entertainment Council