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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1977-09-24 Minutesiiiii 111111 11111111111111111111111111111111101lineniiii1I1110umun YNUTES OF•SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF MIAIII FL,ORIDA On the 24th day of September; 1977; the City Commission of Miain l Florida Met at its regular meeting place in said City in Special Session to consider business of public import. The meeting was called to order at 9:26 A.M. by Mayor Maurice A. Ferre with the following members of. the Commission present: Commissioner Hanolo Reboso Commissioner J. L. Plummer; Jr. Commissioner Rose Gordon Vice Mayor (Rev.) Theodore R. Gibson Mayor Maurice A. Ferre Joseph R. Grassie, City Manager R, L. Fosmcen, Assistant City Manager George F. Knox, City Attorney Ralph G. Ongie, City Clerk Natty Hirai, Assistant City Clerk An invocation was delivered by Reverend Theodore R. Gibson those present in a pledge of allegiance to the flag. Mayor Ferre: Three, four, five, six, seven. All right, that eight. That doesn't preclude others who want -to speak later on from speaking. I'm not going to play any games with you today. We are going to play this rule straight so, -I see eight over hands --if after those speakers have spoken,you feel the urge or the need to speak of what your position is not represented, I'll recognize you at that time)that's the purpose of this meeting. Now, one last thing.When you come up to the microphone we want your name and the address of where you live, please. And that is just a requirement for the Clerk's Office so we have this for the record. All right, are there any questions on the Commission's part, on procedures or any problems? All right, if not, at this time,I'll recognize I•ir. Ernie Fannotto. Mr. Fannotto: Honorable Mayor.... (UNKNOWN SPEAKER COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD) Mayor Ferre: Excuse me,Ernie. Yes, Ma'am...well, I think that's....thank you for reminding me. Under the Charter we have a provision which says that people can be limitted to five minutes and I'm sure that wasn't intended for you, Ernie, we know that.... Mr. Fannotto: Here, I may need a couple of extra minutes,you know, I'm president of two taxpayers' league' in Dade County. Mayor Ferre: Well, we might give you a little extra for the extra league that you preside1so you go ahead. Mr. Fannotto: Honorable Mayor, members of the Commission, City Manager and the interested citizens and I'm glad to see a lot of them out here today. Ernie Fannotto is my name and I'm president of the Taxpayers' League Miami and Dade County and the Homestead Tax Exemption League of Dade County. I'm not running for public office but)again.,I want the people of the City of Miami and all over to know that I was the one that got the extra $5,000 homestead tax exemption bill passed in the State of Florida with the help of many outstanding people —by Senator Pope, Jerry Thomas, our Dade delegation who voted a 100% for it and many other outstanding people. And I did that because I want to see the sehior citizens who are helpless get a break 01 SEP 241977 end they do save most every year 70 to 80 thousand dollars, I mean 70, 80 dollars in tax. However, I will start my presentation by saying, you know, I've been hearing a lot of talk from the big power structure in the City of Miami that they want to abolish Miami. But let me tell you,I for one,I'm not for the abolishing of the City of Miami because I don't want to see it to enter Metrc,it is the costliest government we ever had, 18% increased in taxes and that isn't all, wait till next year. I am going to start to say that the City Budget is not as good as I would like to see it but when you compare the City Budget with Metro,it's a cakewalk because Metro Budget has been the most extravagant budget in the history of Dade County, it's the largest, they've got some departmental heads who get enormous salaries, they're incompetent. And I am going to coach a couple of them, Supervisor of elections, and also Mr. Dyer who heads the Transportation)our bus system is paralyzed.... Mayor Ferre: Ernie, with all due respects, you have to keep your subject to the City of Miami. This is not a Metro hearing, this is a City.... Mr, Fannotto: Well, this is until... this is going to....they are going to be affected with the taxes and that sure is not going to bring some of these things up. Now, I want to start my presentation by saying,I spoke in Miami Beach --budget committee, I spoke to the Metro Commission and here is what I said I want to see the priorities given as much as possible without hurting the taxnayersito the Fire and the Police Departments. When a fireman and a policeman leaves his home in the morning he is not sure whether he will be back and I say this here the policeman must have...we must have ample police- men to protect our streets, they must go around sometimes too at night time in dangerous areas. I think our Police Department showed the decline in crime in the City of Miami and I commend them for it. You, as Mayor, and City Commission I think the new equipment has something to do with it and the Chief of Police --was a good Chief of police I think he worked hard. Now, I say this here about the Fire Department. I'm very, very much interested that you don't cut the Fire Denartment in equipment, I'll tell you why. They've got to have speedy, speedy men on when they leave, they've got to act in masses pending on equipment in order to put out fires. And if they don't do it I'll tell you what's going to happen. The premiums of the homeowners are going up because the more fires that they can't combat then the insurance companies are going to have to get higher primiums and we don't want that. So, these are my priorities and I'm going to tell you, City Manager, Mayor and members of the Commission I want you to do everything you can and I understand--Iwill say this here I've checked this budget as much as I could. I understand that most of the increase is salaries --there are exemptions and pensions which is all right as far as I'm concerned. I like to see working people getting a fairly Good salary but I don't agree to some of these high salaries that Metro is paying and we don't get anything in return. That's what I'm against. Now, I want to say this here that these employees --there are some questions of whether they're going to get their increase or not and I've been told that they've been offered 2% instead of 5% and if that's accurate I don't think that's fair but I am going to say this here. If you fell, City Manager and Mayor and Commissioners that you don't want to spend as much as you can and want to hold the line for the homeowners and taxpayers give them their increase but paying next year but make it retro-active with interest. Mr. Ongie: Five minutes, Mr. Mayor. Mr, Fannotto: They should be given that money back with interest, they've got to get their increase like everybody else. I'm going to say again that Metro has increased they payroll $67 million and that's whether I say that the City of Miami budget is a cakewalk. Now I'm going to say how we've got to save money for the taxpayers in the coming year, there've got to be a minimum of projects, they've got to be less appraisals and consultant fees , the department heads have got to do most of that work and save these consultant fees and if there is an ecept...there are few exceptions --State law requires con- sultants but the most of the time the don't. Now, if the department heads are not qualified to make their own appraisals they're not qualified to be the departmental head and I think that our departmental head in the City of Miami are qualified. That's what I want to do I want to save that money, Now, in addition to that I just want to conclude this presentation by saying G2 $EP 241977 that Dade County is out to ruin this City and they're going to try the big Power structure as ; don't give in and the City -I think the City voters and taxpayers, Mayor and councilmen and City Manager, they're going to be behind you. We don't want to give up the City. It's Metro that's got to go if anybodys' got to go and as I said beforerthe City taxpayers are going to have to pay for this $1,500,000 of new voting machines. Should they bought these machines in the face of the conditions that the taxpayers are facing? They could have use their machines for 3 or 4 more years and the taxpayers would have got a better break. Oh, no, they want to buy and I've got news for you they bought them before they even try them and they are going to try them in a little election, like Miami Beach with 15 candidates. The average election is a 180 to 200 candidates. I want you to know that,because the taxpayers in the City are going to have to put 18 to 20% of that bill. I'm going to conclude my presentation by saying "save our City, give the policemen and firemen priority and you'll be performing a good civic gesture to all the people of the City of Miami" Thank you. Mayor Ferre: A11 right, now, the next speaker will be.... Mrs.Eisenberg: Good morning, I am here representing three groups, the Little River Commerce Association the Biscayne Boulevard Association and Annette Eisenberg --I'm an association. Mayor Ferre: Excuse me, Annette, 1180 N. E. 86 Street for the record. Ms. Eisenberg: I'm sorry..I'm proud of being a City of Miami resident. I am here and the abolition of some of the others. First I would like to read two resolutions which I trust were handed to you. One by the Biscayne Boulevard Association. It was resolved by the Biscayne Boulevard Association that the replied of Adam klimkowski to firs. Annette Eisenberg representing the Biscayne Boulevard Assn. is wholly unsatisfactory. There was no mention in her letter about protecting homes, businesses, etc. only the use of mounted police. Adam Klimkowski is not running the City of Miami and we look to the Commission's good inside to use what systems are available at hand for the trained personnel to handle them. We reaffirm of the list that the Mounted Police officers and the school unit are essential for the safety of our citizens and chores and hope that can be found in the budget to allow this. Now, I bring this up to you only because that is one of the departments that has never been used within the Police Department and one that Mr. Klimkowski wants to do away with. I bring you another resolution from the Little River - Commerce Assn. Please take notice of the following resolution duly passed by the Little River Commerce Assn. at its meeting of Directors and members held September 21, 1977...resolved that the officers of this Assn. and Annette Eisenberg as Director of Community Affairs take every affirmative action neces- sary to have the City of Miami and its Chief of Police maintain and support its Mounted Police Division and Special Police Units. The presence of such officers does much to advance the cause of law enforcement among the citizens of this community in the most fairly and possitive manner. Now let me speak as Annette Eisenberg. I have been involved in high crime areas as all of you know. I know what the Special Units mean to us in the midst of crime, in the midst of what we're involved in. I ask that you look into the budget and that you don't eliminate these departments. The mounted has been completed ignored, the horses are sitting there, there are not additional charge. The charges that the Assistant Chief Klimkowski brings forth are so unfair, so untrue, he will not let those horses out of the stable, why? we are paying for them, we are feeding them, we have the men who would ride them, we have even asked for the Mounted Police to work at special events and the officers are willing to do it at their own time, but no,there is some kind of hate up there and he will not let them out. Now, I say this we have those Police Chief right now, we have an Assistant Police Chief that are laying off, they are leaving us, that nice salaries, that nice pensions and it's about time that the Com- mission took a stand and consider those of us in the City of Miami that are going to be living and looking in the City long after they are gone. They are ways of saving money and I will be back at 1:00 o'clock to speak on Revenue Sharing and show you where to find the funds. But even within the City of Miami I came to you last year and I said take the cars away from the Department heads why are we providing them with extra cars. Can they not bring their own vehicles to come to work? I drive my own when I come to these meetings. When I serve as a volunteer to our committees nobody drives me around. I also say if you are going to eliminate any vehicles going home, please, do not do it 03 SEP 241977 ffoih the K-9, a door cannot be locked in a cage. 1 do object any K-9 cars or any cars leaving Dade County. I don't care if it's a major or if it's an officer, no City of Miami vehicle should leave Dade County. If you can't live in Dade County don't expect the extra privilages evolved with them. Also the motors which,of course, you know that's my big thing, I'll probably get killed.... the motors...I'll probably get slaughtered on my way out. It has been proven, statistically, that motors are not the most essential part of our Police Department. Surely they're used for funerals and they're used to enforce traffic. However, they can take their owri cars and come to work, they don't have to give their motors if they are called in for an off -duty job, try you car out the garage and pick up your motor don't expect to take it on specially to Broward County. I ask you not to cut the City of Miami policemen and firemen, if you cut our essential services we will not have a city, we're strugglinh to maintain the city where we within these various associations are doing whatever we can to make Miami beautiful, we are seeking out Federal funds to come into the City to help do that but,please, support the police, eliminate what you think it's spare and completely innecessary but if we have a department like the mounted don't do way with it, Biscayne Boulevard Assn., Little River Commerce Assn.I'm sure there will be other groups here today to speak on behalf of them. Thank you very much. Mayor Ferre: Thank you. Mrs. Grace Rockefeller. Your address, please. Mrs. Rockefeller: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission. I'm Grace Rockefeller I live at 814 N.E 71 Street, Miami. I'm president of the Northeast Miami Improvement Assn. and president of the Northeast Taxpayers Assn. Now, when I'm here today speaking as a private citizen I think you all know that I'm fully aware about the citizens of the City of Miami feel about their city and about the services and that is what I'm here today to express. Now, I am a housewife, as most housewives, as most homes in the City of Miami, we live on a budget. We have priorities, our first priorities are food, shelter, medical expenses and taxes, those we have to pay. If we have any money left- over we want to buy a new car, if we want to take a trip, if we want new clothes, those things are luxuries depending on what coundn't come out of what we have to live on but,the necessities most come first. Now, we feel that necessities for a city to be viable, to be a viable city, the first priorities most come first-- the Police Department, the Fire Department and the Sanitation Department-- those are the three things and while we are sup- porting the Sanitation Department we in noway condone the actions by Sanitation Department the last two months. They are here for the support of the citizens that they take care of , that they pick up their trash for. have done a beautiful job up until they left every home with high stags of trash. I know each of you have received many calls, I've received from 10 to 40 calls a day-- people telling me that rats are running out of these trash piles. And when we reported this we were told that there was a morale problem. Well I don't doubt that there was but what they've done has created the morale problem among the very people that are here to support them today and I think they made a drastic mistake but, nevertheless, we do support the Sanitation workers,we think that up until this time they've done a marvelous job in pick- ing up our trash, picking up our garbage, handling our parks. Now, we think it's nice if the City have enough money for all the extra things that the City wants to do-- and we commend you such as building Watson Island, there is many, many more things -- if the budget will stand for these things we would love to have them and we but when we need a policeman, if somebody has been mugged,robbed, beaten or raped --we had five unsolved murders in our area in the last six months --we want a policeman,we want a policeman now we don't want to wait and have the Police Department say, but gee, we don't know, we've been cut back here, we don't have a policeman for that area. We want it now, if our houses are on fire, if a fire starts. and we all know how fast fires go through. We want a fireman that can be there right now and we don't want our backyards stinks up with garbage that is not picked up. We want that taken care off. Now, also, I'd like to put a word in for the Police Chief. We think Chief Watkins has been an outstanding Chief at the Police Department had done an outstanding job and I know that this Com- mission knows that if the Police Department work on a budget they have some much money but did you know that in the dedication of the Police Department in the effort by I'iami, Northeast area, in trying to cut down crime that many, many of those policemen they are so dedicated they have worked overtime Without pay and I think it should be commended for it because when we want 04 SEP 241977 tm, they come and if they have something that is going to happen, a special thing that have to be taken care of in the line of crime they stay and do iti and 1 think they should be commended for it. So, we hope that when you figure this budget that you leave three things intact, if you have to cut some place else we the citizens will put up with it. Don't cut the Fire Department, don't cut the Police Department and don't cut the Sanitation Department because they.::: If we have those three essentials --we know what your budget problems are --we're all aware of the inflation, but if you really want to make the citizens of the City of Miami happy you will keep those three divisions intact, and I thank you very much. Mayor Ferre: Thank you, Mrs. Rockefeller. At this point I would like to introduce, so that we all have a sense of who is here, for all of the people who are either employees of the City of Miami, their families or their associ- ates or people that are in programs, would you raise your hands?.. the employees of the City of Miami and their families and associates. All right, thank you very much.... All right, now, those of you that are not in anyway involved with the governmental operation in the City of Miami. Would you raise your hands? ...those that are not involved....Now, w©uld those of you that live within the boundaries of the City of Miami raise your hands?.Thank you very much. Now, we have...Mr. Slater is the next speaker, I'm going to recognize the UTD people first. Mr. Slater..I beg your pardon, Ma'am...Mrs.Lane, let's hear from Mr. Lane and then we'll hear from Mrs. Slater, Excuse Mrs. Slater. (INAUDIBLE UNKNOWN SPEAKER). Mayor Ferre: All right, Ma'am, you take her place and your name and address. Mrs. Floyd: I'm Evelyn F1oyd.Honorable Mayor and Commissioners, I just want to say that I'm Evelyn Meeks Floyd,4740 Bay Point Road, Bay Point, Miami, Florida and I want to say that my family came to the corner of Miami Avenue and Flagler Street in 1896. I feel that if anybody has the right to speak, I do. First I want to speak on the firemen and I'll make it brief. For many years we had the #1 Fire Department in the country, many, many years. We still have fine dedicated firemen, we really need more firemen not cut off firemen and for the last 16 years they had really have a job --they've had arsons, they've had bombs, they've had everything else and they've done a good job. I happen to be in an office for 40 years that I know they've done a good job and it happened that until a few years ago those boys worked for Jimmy Carter's peanuts. On August 19 my husband felt in the patio, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor are you listening? I don't mean to be rude...I don't mean to be, Mr. Mayor... Mayor Ferre:,You're perfectly all right, Mrs. Floyd, you have that right. Mrs. Floyd: I don't mean to be rude, Mr. Mayor, but I left a nurse in charge, a nurse's aide in charge of my husband to come down here at $5.00 an hour and I'm on a retire pension. on August 19 my husband felt on the patio about the backyard. Now, the only thing I know to do was to call the Rescue Squad. I called them, I don't know how in the world they got there so quick. They immediately start to cut the clothes out for my husband and got him to Victoria Hospital so quick. I don't know how they did it. And when the doctor, one of the best Orthopedics man in Dade County said to me, Mrs. Floyd how did your husband arrive at the Hospital; and I said the Rescue Squad brought him here. He said 'my those boys do a good job, they're fine, they know what they are doing'. I beg of you not..never to cut one man off of the Fire Department, please. And now I want to speak for the Police Department. And Mr. Plummer can back me at what I'm going to say, he was there, he saw. On 8/16; 8 months, 16 days, 77, at 12:11 --that's awful late for you to be out, Mr. Plummer-- an off duty policeman by the name of Riggs was driving at Biscayne boulevard, he saw this man come over the wall at my gate, my house, he turned around and went back to gate house,cailed the Squad Guards, they got the man in my yard, he was heavily armed --I don't know the caliber pistol he had but the report shows that he had plenty of bullets and a gun.. your were there, you saw it, weren't you, Mr. Plummer? You own a job there -- Now, I want to ask you something how could a 77 years old man and a 70 years old woman protect theirselves against a 22 years old boy that is a non -criminal I checked it out he has a wrapped sheet a half of block along --we wouldn't of stood a chance and it happens to be, first he went in the yard of Mayor Ferre's best friend, a boy that he went to school with and he saw lights in SEP 241977 th, house he turned around because Pars. Soralla saw him turn around and ''walk out of her driveway and come into my yard: Please, I ask you not to cut one policeman of, I beg you,...not one. I speak as a private citizen and a taxpayer, and a long-time taxpayer. I never had a child that went to public school, my children went to private school. I worked two jobs sometimes to keep them in private schools. I'm proud to be from Miami, I'm proud to say I'm from Miami but if it gets much worse I'm not going to be very proud, I'm going to pick up what I've got and go somewhere else. I know, Mr. Plummer, you won't mind, you wouldn't mind if I went tomorrow and I could go tomorrow with the smile you just gave. Are you speaking about physically or from a Funeral Home point? Well, I'm want to tell you, I just put in a plug to his Funeral Funeral Home is buried every member of my family. And last but Mr. Plummer: Mrs. Floyd: Home, in his not least I want to speak for the Sanitary Department. We have a good Sanitary Department. The men who come in our section are very dedicated men. Since I retired the 1st of July, may mornings to see my garbage men, they always says'good morning', he takes my garbage, he does a good job. I beg of you not lay-off not one of these men, they have and inpires the morale being low, you can be hurt sometimes so bad that you morale will be low and I hope this today will be a good meeting. I hope that I haven't said anything that I shouldn't but kidding Mr. Plummer. He'll still get the bodies that of the rest of us go. And Tir. Ferre, when you ran for office the first time I was proud to be on your team, putting bumper sticker on out in front of Publix, everywhere else. You can do a good job, why don't you do it and find the money... you can find the money, I know you can, if you can't, you know, I'm not a woman liber but you call on about six good business women, I say business women in Dade County I bet you they'd help you find that money and charge you a penny for the work. Thank you. Mrs. Rockefeller: Mr. Mayor, I forgot one very important message that I was supposed to give this Commission.... Mayor Ferre: Mrs. Grace Rockefeller for the record. Mrs. Rockefeller: and I'd be glad to make it at this time. The citizens say please let's don't get into that old angle up curb side garbage again. I don't think any of us want to go through that again. We want the garbage to remain as it is. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. Mrs. Slater now. Your ful name and address, Mrs. Slater. Mrs. Slater: My name is Irene Slater and I'm on of the tenants living at United Teachers of Dade building at 1809 Brickell Avenue. Thank you. In order to meet the growing needs of the industrial and residential City of Miami, services to the public should be increased not decreased. The life keeping work at the Paramedics and the Fire Department Rescue Squad is known nationwide as an example of the highest professional skill. When you need #1 is out on emergency calls to preserve life and the another call for services comes in the back up unit #8 is vital as a support unit. Many tourists as well as residents of Miami owe their lives to the immediate response of these Rescue Units. In a City where the medical profession is already overburdened it is both a blessing and an absolute necessity to continue the maintenance of the efficient and the much needed Rescue Squads at their full strength. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. Mrs. Lichtman. Lichtman... I don't know, it doesn't say here... it just says Lichtman and after that Sydner, is it Mr. Sydner or Mrs. Sydner? Mr... Mr. Snyder: Snyder Mayor Ferre: And then Joe Weitzell will be the next speaker. I mean, I'm announcing the speakers so that you can get ready and we could move along. Mr.Lirhtman: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission. I am here, this morning, primarily, with reference to the City comtemplating the lay-off of Rescue Unit #8 which is the back up team for Unit #1 and the UTD Towers area. The lay-off of any employee is sad but when it comes to the loss of life how can we replace it. I am a cardiac and I stand here before you grateful to tri SEP 241977 these men who kept the spark of life to my heart alive until I reached the hospital at three different times. Far more important than my personal physician were these competent men with compasion who saw to it that there Was no brain damage -which could happen in 7 minutes. I grant you the City of Miami is trying its best to control its budget but when it comes to the lay-off of experienced and dedicated police, firemen, it is really a sad situation. We hear, we read on the media of the violence and destruction to our beautiful city. The citizens of Miami want our community safe and free of crimes and to remain as such, Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, this is a very serious matter and we the citizens plead with you to use your wisest judgment and not allow these layoffs to materialize. I have every confidence you will consider this matter. Thank you for allow me this opportunity. Mayor Ferre: Thank you, Mr. Lichtman.... Mr. Lichtman: I want to add just one word. I have a list here of how many times Rescue #1 and #8 in the last two years have centered in our area. Now, I'd like to turn that over to you,gentlemen, and also with a picture of Rescue Squad at UTD Towers. One more matter I would like to say and that is,we the resi- dents of the UTD Towers recommend and honor these men of Rescue #1 and #8 every year and I plead some of the Commissioners that are sitting before me at this time attend it at the time when we honor, and we are grateful to our Rescue Squad. So, please, again use your judge. Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you. Mr. Snyder from UTD Towers. Thank you very much, Mr. Lichtman. Mr. Snyder: t•ly name is Jack Snyder, I live with my wife at 1809 Brickell Avenue and we have been living there for the past 10 years. During that period of time our lives have been made much more comfortable by the feeling we had that should disaster strikes us any time the Rescue Squad would not be far behind. We have noticed this and watched this over the period of time. Now I know whether you Commission have money problems and you know what you have to do and I know you consider very carefully but this is a matter or priorities. Somewhere along the line you recently found money to yo on and make better our Bayfront Park and I like that. I would like to see children on swings and many -go -rounds having a nice time, I would like to look at trees, some of the bushes, flowers, walk at the green grass, but gentlemen and lady, we have to consider one thing, what is the value of a human life. Is it a three swings, is it a five trees, is it a four bushes, what is it? We must realize the fact that the matter of delay of just two minutes in responding to this call in an e- mergency might be a difference between life and death. I would like very much for you to consider this as a persona] plea. I want you to feel, and you specially, Mr. Mayor, who is the next door neighbor of ours, and we are glad you are there, we help put you there and we want to do it again, I want to say to you that should you in the middle of the night hear that sirene going and feel that Squad is responding to a call at UTD Towers I want you to turn over and go right back to sleep knowing that you have not felled them up for any additional time. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. Mr. Joe Weitzell.Mr. Weitzell, and after that is Dr.... it looks like Farrolle, is that correct, Mr. Lichtman? You're going to have to help me with your handwriting. Farrolle, all right, you'll be next. Excuse, Mr. Weitzell. Mr. Weitzell:. by name is Joseph L. Weitzell, I live at 1809 Brickell Avenue, UTD Towers. I feel somewhat as if I'm among old friends, having been with you at two civic zoning meetings. My plea this morning is for not only myself but for all of those who are tenants at UTD. My purpose, my main purpose, in moving in UTD was this --safety, safety and the quick care that I would receive in case of illness because I live alone. Twice the Rescue Squad has come to my rescue and they're most affective.I heartily support their efforts,they are capable men, they do their job well, they act as if they are effusive and humane. Mr. Grassie, my business in life was mostly as a controller of financial institutions ,and hotels. The question for con- trollers is always what are you going to do and where are you going to get the money from. This, I think, is what you must answer where is the money coming from and then I trust)having seing you and read about you, Sir, that you have the ability to find the money to continue this section 8 which we feel is so necessary as a back up unit. We need security at UTD, that's why we are there. I hope youagentlemenigive us careful consideration, and I thank you, 07 SEP 241977 Wyok Ferre: Dr& Ferrolle,and after that looks like its D&Meitzet& Good tothing dear Doctor& br. Ferrolle: Honorable Senor Alcalde de la Ciudad de Miami. senores Comi- sionados y otros senores de la Mesa, senores y senoras. Tengo a mucha honra el haber sido designedo para que sea escuchada hoy aqui mi humilde voz que va a expresar brevement pero con toda intensidad no solo lo que dictan los latidos de mi corazon sino tambien los profundos sentimientos de admiracion y de agra- decimiento de todos los presentee de hable hispanica. Si se le pregunta a cualquiera persona decente lo que considera mas importante en la conducta humans respondera de inmediato que es la bondad. Y yo sin embargo me atrevo a afirmarauea este Bello impulso del alma va unido otro que es la fuerza que ha transformado al mundo que ha abolido la esclavitud y que ha puesto fin a muchos de los extravios del hombre. Y este otro impulso es la compasion. He aqui pues por que nos encontramos reunidos aqui pars elogiar la conducta de una noble institucion que pone y tiene su solida y firme base precisamente en la bondad y la compasion. Su mismo nombre -Rescue_ que nosotros decimos en castellano socorro y por ende rescate indica la bondad y la compacion a la que cada uno de sus miembros responde para socorrer y rescatar una vida que en la desesperada lucha que esta ha emprendido contra la muerte. Y un elevado porcentage de ellos va coronado su esfuerzo con la victoria ya que logran devolver a la vida una persona que sin su intervencion subita eficaz y amorosa ya hubiera desaparecido de este mundo. Persemos un momento en el aporte magnanime que casi milagroso de estos hombres en el caso de que el paciente sea un querido familiar nuestro y consideremos toda la gratitud que le debemos a 1a patrulla de rescate que ha sabido devolvernos a nuestro ser querido quien sin ellos como ya dije hace un momento hubiera estado durmien- do el sueno eterno. Con estos hombres magnanimos y beneficos asocio a los policias y asocio tambien a todas las demas instituciones beneficas de la Ciudad. Los inquilinos del UTD Towers donde hemos podido observar amenudo la eficiente y magnifica labor del cuerpo de Rescate y de la policia que cuida nuestro edificio dejamos aqui solemne constancia de nuestro profundo respeto para que todos y cada uno de sus componentes reciban la reverencia que nos impone el sentido de la mas cordial solidaridad humana. He dicho. Mayor Ferrel Muchas gracias, Doctor. Now, Mr. D. Meltzer. Mr. Meltzer: Good morning. My name is David Meltzer. I live at the UTD Towers for 10 years. I live in the City of Miami for 40 years. Now, I am very glad to have this opportunity to say a few words in behalf of our Police and Fire Departments. I have worked in the UTD office for about two years in that time very often I got calls from tenants who needed emergency treatment. I would call the emergency Squad and it seems the soon as I hung up the phone there they were. They have saved many, many a life in our building, thank God. Now, from what we read about fire and from arson and what and the big increase in crimes in our City it would be criminal to cut down on this important factor in the preservation of our lives and property. I know the City is behind in this budget but I am sure there must be other means to make up this deficit. I repeat, to cut down on this most important protection of our lives and property will be deplorable. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Mrs.Lichtman from the UTD Towers. Good morning to you, Mrs. Lichtman. Mrs. Lichtman: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission. My name is Ida Lichtman I am a resident of UTD Towers for the past ten years. I am a mother, grandmother, a great grandmother. You heard my husband speak here a few moments ago who has had three heart attacks and if not for this Rescue Squad let me tell you and this wonderful people to the Commission members and to these wonderful people out here, what we hope and pray, please God, because of this service of the Rescue Squad we have recently celebrated our 50th wedding aniversary and I hope for them too these very young people we have been there and we pray to the Almighty because this is what life all about to be able to live to see our children educated when all our means, with some with ourselves, for instance, we never had the opportunity, thank God that they have today. We hope them Godspeed so that they too can celebrate What we've done. I feel to look back, right now, I would never want to change it a minute and not for these men, wonderful men that came in help. Not only the Rescue Squad , we need the police, we need the sanitation, we are not a building that has incinerators we have to depend on that because this is SEP 241977 additiohal to our health. And right here I have several letters, if you -Please spare with me and they ask that they were unable , some of them unable to come up here and they would like to be heard too by these letters."As a tenant in the UTD Towers I was hurrying in the hallway and made a misstep Which it took me down with a thumb. The Fire Department Rescue Squad was called and was here in minutes. They rushed me to the hospital where help Was summoned and found a broken hip bone which kept me in the hospital for days. I consider that the attitude and the action of the Rescue Squad are heeded in all sections of the commmunity",Nina Fowler who was a president of the Teachers' Assn., I have another here if time would allow...."As a tenant of UTD Towers I wish to express my deep appreciation for the exellent service I had personal received from the Rescue Squad Service Unite #8. Several times I had the occasion to need emergency which they promptly re- sponded. I was quickly taken to the hospital where I had received treatment for a heart condition. It has come to my attention that there is a possi- bility that Unit #8 is to be discontinued which I regret. I feel there is a definite need for it living in this neighborhood. I know that many tenants of UTD has benefited from this service because of this Unit. It is my hope that there will be no change made regarding to Unit #8."... And I have another one, since time is at it essence..."to the City of Miami Commissioners, with regards to the discontinuance of Rescue Squad #8 of the Miami Rescue Department, I ge of you to observe and take into your consideration the number of persons that Unit #8 has served and benefited in the area in which it is assigned. Surely, the record would substantiate its need for serving an area that has increased in population. As a resident of UTD Towers I have even made aware of the light saving expertise in the Miami Fire Department Rescue Squad. As you know UTD at 1809 Brickell Avenue is a 17-floor high-rise apartment. Senior citizens and the prospect of being deprived of the prompt response now provided is given to inconcern to the tenants of UTD Towers. Already rightly claimed and aknoledged as one of the best should be reduced the potential quantity of the Rescue Squad service. Success depends on the speed arrival to the emergency. Distance makes the difference,hold on to Rescue Squad #8." And thank...I'll give someelse the chance and I thank you, gentlemen, and to everyone here today. I may we all succeed in what we are here for. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Thank you very much. The next speaker is Barbara Spurrier, I think, 2940 N. W. 18; and the following speaker will be Emma Alden Rothblatt. All right, Mr. Spurrier. Mrs. Spurrier: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Commissioners. Good morning. This is strictly on the spur of the moment. I'm awfully umprepaired to come and speak in front of you but if I hear all the speakers are from certain spot in the City I feel obliged also to say a few words about a notoriously crime - ridden district which is the Allapattah region, unfortunately,and specially the surroundings of Malcolm Ross Senior Center where we senior citizens reside. I am a member of Malcolm Ross Senior Center and no anyway that is the real crime area and we do need so very badly the protection and continued protection of our beautiful horse ridding police- men all the rest of the policemen who give us good protection and at least lately better than before because there always is a preference for people to flock to a more the where people who had been ditizens before and try to keep up their activities and not to let themselves down into the slumps which just is so easely to do. We do need the police, we do need very much the Rescue Squad and we do need the sanitation which is a terrible threat also if not provided adquately. And please do not take away from us the other thing that can be done which have been very well mintioned before. Thank you very much. Mayor Ferre: All right. Thank you. The next speaker will be Emma Aldet Rothblatt. Now ladies and gentlemen form UTD, I think most of the UTD speakers have spoken but I want to make sure, because the bus is waiting for you to leave. Is any body else from UTD who would like to speak before the bus leaves? Yes, of course... Will you forgive us for a moment, Mrs, Rothblatt? ; Mr. Mayor,the bus stays there as long as it is necessary,, Mayo 'Ferre; Oh., I'm sorry I misunderstood that. It is there for whenever they want to live, P SEP 241917 Mayor Perret Whenever everyone for UTD4,. let isle read it exactly so it. Wheh everyone from UTD Towers has spoken and would like to leave the bus is Wating and it's up to you. All right? Lichtman: Thank you, your honor. I just want to ask one question before our residents of UTD Towers leave. Is that vote going to be taken today? Will Mayor Ferre: No, Sir. It will not be take because the way the procedures go we have three public hearings. This is the second, is it Mr. Grassie? We will have one more public hearing which is Monday evening, this coming Monday evening at City Hall. Mr. Lichtman: At City Hall. Mayor Ferre: That's correct, so the vote will not be take here today. Mr. Lichtman: Thank you very for my time. Mayor Ferre: All right... anything...all right, at this time let me call for Mrs. Rothblatt. Mrs. Rothblatt: I think the wonderfull people who were just about to leave but whom we will remember in our hearts and for their messages, love is living in the City. I've lived in cities, big cities all my life and I want to be able to continue living in a city but I find this one thing that we have as a blot. coming and leaving cities,and I'm ashame that is in this city that I've chosen to live,in Miami. It's that we are afraid, we are afraid to leave our doors unlocked just to put out the garbage. We look if we see an open closet -- even though is the cat or the dog that's opened the closet when we come home We think there are such things as good and bad areas, they aren't and they shouldn't be anymore. I should be able to walk the streets anytime during the reasonable hours of the day and perhaps even at the night if there is an emergency. We are afraid. I tried getting signatures as the people complain that they wanted more police, more firemen, better sanitation conditions and they were afraid to sign the petition because they didn't know that it was O.K. We've been taught to watch carefully what we put our names to and where we speak in at this the great democracy. Well, I'm proud to being an American I'm proud to being in Miami and I wanted to continue that way. I thought I was a pretty strong woman. I was a cop in New York City, and I lived in a pre -fireplace building but I found that I needed the firemen very badly when I fell of a ladder and became unconscious and when in the hospital they said the medics have done a great job --Rescue Squad had them that if it hadn't been for artificial respiration that they'd never realized that one of my lungs had collapsed when the ladder fell. I thank you for your consideration and I hope that you'll remember that we need our sanitation workers, we need the police, and we need the firemen. Don't think of cutting back, think of advancing. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Now, we are going to hear from other members of UTD--Mr.Roland Rolle who is the Excutive Staff Director of UTD. And after that we will hear from Janet Woods and Aaron Bethel. Mr. Rolle, it's good to see you. Mr. Rolle: Thank you very much. Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission. I'm here on behalf of my constituents of UTD who live in the Miami area, I'm also hear on behalf of my relatives and friends who live in the Miami area. I have to say to you that we're a little nervous at this point in terms of what seems to be shanina up. I'll admit that can fully understand and empa- thize in terms of the deliberations that you have to go through here, in terms of deciding how to shape un this budget, and how to spend the money. But I just want to point out that in my view government,whether that's the Federal government or the City government particularly the City of Miami, you exist to serve the people. I'm becoming more and more concerned when with respect to direct services to the people we have to come down and plead to maintain those services. I think it is time to consider a re -direction in terms of the approach to budgeting. The people need the services, the circunstances of today require that we provided these services and there should be absolutely no question about maintaining these essential services as supposed cutting thoses services back. We've talked about the perm -rate. There isn't a po- litician around who doesn't mention that I'm going to do something about crime, _1LP SEP 241977 l't going to reduce crime. How can you do it if you are going to fire and cut of the budget the people who can do that job. We've talked about the need to maintain a beautiful city, the city beautiful, we want to attract more people into the city. Well, I wonder about that at a time when you are cutting back on sanitation services and I have an idea about where that cut- back will impact most heavily and I will urge you, please, don't cutback services, we need more, if anything in terms of trying to....we need more, if anything in terms of trying to meet the needs of the citizens in this community. With the Fire Department, I've lived in Miami all of my life, I've pleaded heads of some these stations of going out as a youngster and look in all at the equipment. I've watched the men practicing and I know what kind of service is provided. I know what kind of secure feelings you'll have when you dial that number when you need it. I've personally involved in a situation that could've resulted in tragedy have we not had the quick response, both in terms of fire, both in terms of cardiac arrest. And I would urge you to consider all of these factors as you make your deliberations with respect to this budget. It's a matter of priorities, it's a matter of priorities and I would urge you to examine the proposed budget very carefully. I don't really know what's in your budget, I haven't seen it but I will say this, generally, if you approach it on a priority basis the money is always there. Look at those funds, look for the carry -forward funds, talk to the Manager about re-budgets,re-budgets of appropriations in the budget. Do we need them? Examine the level of staffing in you administrative departments, how many people do you have sitting at desks as opposed as the people out I don't project myself as some budget expert but I've had enough experience at looking at budgets to know that if you want to do it and you look at priorities it can be done. And I will conclude by urging you to restore these proposed cuts, don't reduce the services to the people.We pay the taxes because we can't afford to provide it for our- selves on an individual basis and we need these services and the only way we can get them is if this Commission maintains them through budgeting the neces- sary funds to get the job done. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right, now, we'll hear from Janet Woods and after Ms. Janet Woods we'll hear from Aaron Bethel. Ms. Woods: To the Mayor and to all Commissioners I'm Janet B. Woods, Dade County Committee woman from District Court 14. Vice President of UTD and my address is 257 N. W. 7 Street. I'm also representing myself as a resident of Miami and a property owner. I'm most concerned about the proposed cutbacks in our policemen, firefighters an6 sanitorial workers. It is most unfortu- nately that the proposal was ever considered taking into account the necessary services these records provide. There is a density of the City of Miami spe- cifically the downtown area both residential and businesses where to cutback in it these services at the three agencies provide would not only create a most serious atmosphere that would endanger not only lives End property but there will be the inevitable increase in insurance which we all can ill afford. I'm of the opinion we've already shown all of the necessary services considered still high the rate of crime,the excess garbage and trash that you'll find practically all over the city and the firefighters, please, don't bother them they're doing excellent service, as the Rescue Sauad and to the City I hate to say in terms of what would happen0 if we did not have our fire- fighters. I understand we have a #1 Fire Department in the United States let's keep it that way. I'm hoping you would look to the budget again and the seriousness of the proposals and cutbacks and just think how it will affect us, citizens of Miami, re-examine it with the idea to increase the services for the citizens of Miami instead of the inevitable decrease that would occur as a result of the cutback that you are nronosincr. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: And now. Aaron Bethel. Mr. Bethel. Mr. Bethel: Good morning, Mr. Mayor, fellow Commissioners. I'm Aaron Bethel, I live in the City of Miami, 3321 Frow Avenue, Coconut Grove. I also am the Second Vice President of the United Teachers of Dade. I'm here speaking in behalf of my colleagues and hopeful that we can do something about the budget cut. When you make a budget it cuts people...it's safe to say if you have a deficit in the budget, budgets can read anyway you wish them to read when it comes to deficit. You're cutting the services out that we need. I know, say 11. SEP 241977 4 o% 5 years ago in the area where I live here, we had to go down to the Cotttthissioners and fight for trash pick ups. It wouldn't come into the black community to pick up trash at all unless you want it, three times a year. So, we fought. We got these services every other Monday. They are now already not picking up trash. T read in the newspaper last week where you had 8 cranes that were broken down; :Jo that mean the service is broken down. You want to cut the budget but you ought to upgrade the working conditions. You need to be operating the working conditions with this people instead of cutting the budget. You should be trying to find some ways in the budget to increase the services for the people in this community. You talk about raising the taxes, increasing the taxes, but you want to decrease the service. What's the purpose of raising the taxes if you are going to decrease the services? Another thing, I've noticed...I don't think you really realize when you set up a budget in the people involved in the budget. Everytime there's a cut it's always the low men on the totem pole and these are the people that performing the services. Who needs the guy behind the desk over to tell someone out there to pick up that trash, how to tote that trash, he don't need you. Another thing,the people that are making this decision haven't even gone to try and do that type of work. So, I'm asking as a taxpayer and a citizen, consider that budget because there must be some ways and means in that budget that you can keep these people on the job because we need them. I thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. The next speaker is Mr. Richard M. Santos, 750 N.W. 13th Avenue. Is Mr. Santos here? And after Mr. Santos I have Mr. Rafael Gonzalez, the president of the Highland Parks Tenants Assn. Mr. Santos. Mr. Santos: Good morning Mr. Mayor, City Commission. My name is Richard Santos I live in 750 N.W. 13th Avenue, in Miami. I am here today to try to persuade the City Commission not to cutback on police, fire or sanitation services. As time passes the present compliment to all these departments and more will be needed because the City of Miami is continuallylarid the population is con- tinually growing. There is one new area in particularly that is very much concerned about the elimination of police, fire and sanitation, particularly, fire and I've been asked today to speak in that particular subject. The area I'm speaking of is hound by N.W. 20th Street and N.W.loth Avenue, N.W.South River Drive on the East, N.W. 3rd Street on the South, and N.W. 27th Avenue on the North. In this area there are 2 fire stations that are a vital neces- sity for the protection of the people in this area. Two stations are I'm referrina to, Station located at N.W. 7th Street at loth Avenue. The other station is Station #14, station at N.W 27th Avenue and 3rd Street. These stations are needed where they are now because any area they serve, there is the Orange Bowl, the hospital, the Civic Center and the largest high-rise elderly complex in the city,if not in the county. In this complex, at the Present time, there:is a heavy towers which has 475 units housing 750 persons. There is a Robert King High that has 432 units that houses approxi- mately 484 people and on top of that on the later part of 1977 or easly part of 1978 another development will be constructed in that same complex which will house approximately 50 units and will add another 100 or so people to that complex which totalling all in addition to the other thousands of people in the area this one complex alone will have over 1,200 people and everyone of those people in that complex are elderly, handicapped or in funds. Elimi- nating Station #3 and 14 will be disastrous for these people because it will be taken away their nearby protection. A shut-off fire or a medical emergen- cy arrives, these two departments arrive in approximately 3 or 4 minutes. If these two departments are eliminated help will have to come from distant stations and this could comprise much more time and time in a case of a fire or a medical emergency is of the essence. If the records of these two stations that I mentioned would of be checked you will find that they may frequently... they answer frequent calls to this complex and the are itself. On a basis of 2 or 3 times a week and sometimes in a given day more than once. Taking this nearby station away from them would be tantamount to taking away their safety and life light. Perhaps you might say that if these stations are eliminated that help will come in approximate 6 or 8 minutes from other stations. Now this may or may not be the truth but the factual means that 2 stations are up there now , they arrive in 3 to 4 minutes, These 3 to 4 minutes differ- ence can mean a difference in a serious fire or could mean the difference between life and death. Therefore, in behalf of the people of the area, and specially the people in the complex, I respectfully ask that you do not cut- back any of the services for this area. Thank you. Mayor terre: Mr. Rafael Gonzalez: Mr Gonzalez: My name is Rafael Gonzalez, 66 years old, United States citi= ten. I am president of Highland Park Tenants Assn.,representing 102 disabled senior citizens. We know that there is not money to pay the salaries of all police officers and firemen but we know also that many of us are alike because when we need the service or the police or the firemen, they came immediately wihtout delay and assist us. In Highland Park with more than a 100 of disabled, poor, old people we are calling the police and firemen daily and they came without interruption and gave us a nice and able service. In my own experience I know how fine are the police and firemen. One day in the street I felt sick, I saw a police officer and when I tried to talk to him I fainted without telling him a word He knew immediately that it was a heart failure and called the firemen that arrived immediately. They returned me to life and called the ambulance that rushed me to the hospital. I am here now because I am a grateful old man and want to tell to everybody what fine police and firemen he have. How can we accept the reduction of the number of police and firemen? If there is not enough money to pay them,I am sure that our dear Mayor, our City Manager and our nice Commissioners ...we refuse to accept any salary if this means that a police officer or a firemen will lose his job. I beg here, I demand here that our dear Mayor, our nice Commissioners and also our City Manager must offer their salaries to cover the salaries of police officers and firemen that we need so much. Thank you in advance, and God bless you. Mayor Ferre: The next speaker is Mr. Harold Hein from 750 N.W. 13th Avenue and after that we will hear from Mr. Albert Troiani of Robert King High Towers. Mr. Hein: Good morning Mr. Mayor, Mrs... and gentlemen of the Commission. Will Rogers once said that he never met a man he didn't like. I wonder, if he was alive today and here in the City of Miami, whether he could say that about our Commissioners and our Mayor. Mayor Ferre: I think,that is what you call 'positive thinking', right, Mr. Hein? Mr. Hein: Well, I don't know whether is positive or negative thinking but I sort of wonder. I'm here today only because the Fire Department saved my life more than once because I have congestive heart failure, without their help I would have died before they could get me to the hospital. That's why I say don't cutback the Police Department or the Fire Department or the Sanitation Department because they are essential needed servicesf we cannot do without them. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Thank you, Mr. Hein, and the best tradition of Will Rogers and now we'll hear from Mr. Albert Troiani... Don't tell me that we got another Will Rogers. 'Ir. Hein: Hold on, let me oet my breath. If you excuse me, please. I am one of theindividuals to wear the Rescue Squad saving 'I wear a nacemaker.'• anfl if it hadn't been for them to be at King High Towers within 3 minutes, I wouldn't be here talking to you, gentlemen. I am a former department Com- mander of one of the American Legion departments. I have belonged to the American Legion for 60 consecutive years and I've got the cat in my pocket from Headquarters in Indianapolis last week. I am a bit nervous, you'll have to excuse me,gentlemen, but I thank that we need the Fire Rescue Unit also the Police Department because both answer the calls on an emergency. Now, why are we building up so many dispatches here and spreading our Police Department to cover places to protect the people. Now you have the because you have no police protection, now I know that you have 2 officers patrolling around there. We need those offi- cers at havey places that are heavily populated. In that area we have approxi- mately 1,200 tenants in the three buildings --that's King High Towers and Sofge..and we need protection there and we need the Rescue Squad one hundred percent. Thank you, gentlemen. I'm sorry,and Iwas on the seas for the Air Forces and this hell here that I have here now comes from one of the bases that we closed up that served southern Europe. We were to supply Force Base in Casablanca, Morocco. When we closed the base up I had one of my errand boys go to the chapel and take the bell down, that's where this bell comes from. SEP 241577 f 2yof Ferre: Ring it again. All right, the nest speaker is going to be Mts Leonard Batz, the president of the Senior Centers of Dade County. Mr. Babz. Mr. Batz: Good morning, Mr. Mayor, members of distinguished Commission, and welcome to Miami from another Michigander, Mr. Grassie. My name is Leonard E.A. Batz, P.E. I'm president of the Board of Directors of Senior Centers of Dade County Incorporated, 1407 N.W. 7th Street, ?Miami. As president of the Board of Directors, I'm responsible for some 6,000 senior citizens--60 years of age and older. Consideration for their health, safety and welfare is paramount. The Senior Centers Coorporation consist of 8 cen:.:'rs located in the City of Miami; 5 of them north of the Miami River and 3 south, serving 12Z black, 35% white and 537 Latin elderly. Some 4,000 of these elderly are housed in high-rise or ground level apartments. Three centers are located in Rescue 14, three centers in Rescue 9 and one each in Rescue 1 and Rescue 6. Apparantely, no consideration has been given for the density factor in the urban areas in relation to the 4-minutes health,safety hazard. The approval of zoning changes permitting to increase apartment buildings, condominiums and public housing has increased the density factor and population in these Rescue areas. Therefore, there must be an increase in rescue and fire facilities not a reduction. The elimination of Rescue 8 in Coconut Grove will not only jeopardize the elderly in the Grove area but will affect the Smathers Center and the Metropolitan Center, this is a total of 5 high-rise housing. Now, that will affect the time factor of 4-minutes due to traffic problems. The removal of Engine 3 at the Orange Bowl and Little Havana area will also add to this complicated problem. In closing,T must remind you that as a register professional engineer I accepted the obligation to " promote the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state in which I reside". This obligation extends to all public officials elected or hired who are required to uphold the laws of the State of Florida . And Mr. Grassie, you and I took that obligation in the State of Michigan and it's 4;oingto stay with us as long as we are in the State of Florida because it complies with the laws of the State of Florida. Therefore, I recommend that further consideration be given to the safety of the people of the City of Miami. Thank you for the privilege of being heard. Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Batz, thank you. The next speaker will be Mr. Evaristo Marina. Mr. Marina: My name is E.L. Marina and I am coming here today on behalf of the Inter -American Chamber of Commerce. ?Ir. Mayor, Commissioners Gordon, Gibson, Reboso and Plummer, I want to emphasize not only the priority that you have --the Departments of Fire, Police and Sanitation-- but also I want to remind you people that the Fire Department in Miami is number 1 in the United States of America, that it is classified A-1 and if we have to lose one Rescue unit and if we are going to have instead of 15 fire stations only 11 as a result of this, the insurance rates in the City of Miami are going to be increased and everybody,including you and me, your are going to pay for the consequences of this action. I want to emphasize in reference to the Police Department that in the City of Miami we now have a rough figure around 366,000 people and in the budget of 76-77 we had 807 officers. After this we lost 31 officers and now in the proposed budget we are going to lose 50 more. So, if we lose 81 positions when the preparation is we are going to see as a result that with 807 officers we roughly have 2.2% policeman of the total population and now in the future with 726 we are going to have only 1.8%. I feel that the Sanitation Department is also an important thing because it means health for this community and we do not want to see that from point of view we are going to save pennis and to lose dollars. I think that it's something that should have been in consideration for benefit for all of the people. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right, now we will hear from Mr. Gene Naples. Mr. Naples: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission,as you see by some of the people who've testified here, there is a great concern in the City as to what's been proposed in the City Manager's budget. Many people have stood here and spoke, and of course, is no secret to you that Miami does have a class 1 Fire Department, second to none. While we are concerned, of course, with the lay offs of our people as it relates to their ability to provide an income for their families, we are still very, very concerned about the quality of service and the curtailment of that quality of service should be faced with the cutbacks. We are not just concerned with the lay offs as such eithet, but the current vacancies that we now have in the Fite Department ate d1teady having a very serious effect on the service that we are able to rendet the community as of this moment. We have put hose to our service which I'm sure you are familiar with it if you look every budget message, we've taken 12 chief aides and had to put them back on the floor where they are now riding apparatus and we are within 7 positions of putting Engine 3 out of services as of at this very moment which simply means that as we have more retirements as we go through the attritional process that we may have other people who are injured and put off because of retirements and so forth that in the very near future and because of a lot old timers like me that will be going very shortly it won't take long before we have an additional 7 vacancies which will require in order to maintain proper to put Engine 3 out of service. And , of course, you know by looking at the budget,that then we would go to some of the other apparatuses ,including ladder, eleven, Rescue 8 and so forth. We most hardly agree with the Commission's instructions to the Itanager for review the budget as to the essential service priorities, namely Fire, Police and Sanitation. We have not yet been convinced of the City's financial conditional, - as its gloomy has been presented by the City Manager in his budget message. I will beg your indulgence that now that we have the information that it's been available through the budget,to hear from Dr. Marshall Barry -the Economist - that Police and Fire have retained to give to you an updated report as Dr. Barry sees the City's financial condition. Mayor Ferre: All right, Dr. Barry. Dr. Barry: Thank, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, members of the public. I have, as many of you are aware, been reviewing the budgetary process and finances of the City of Miami since 1971 when I first consulted for the Firefighters of the City at that time an(' :he conclusion that I reached which will be evident from the report that it's been handed to you is that in my opinion that while it's been made to look as if employee cost are the cause of a "crisis" in the City of Miami financial condition. A close inspection of the data and specially the budgetary decissions and manipulations of statistics by past City management in the past shows quite otherwise. For example, if you look at this fiscal year 1976, last year, --and this is from the audited financial records and final ledgers of the City of Miami. The last year, in February 2, endorsed again in April and again on September 3 by Mr. Grassie's Finance Director at that time, Mr.Supinski--it was stated that there were plans in the City to implement the budget to the extend that an excess of ',3,000,000 budgeted transfer from the Florida Power and hight franchise piece into the general fund will be accomplished. There was -- between September 3 and the end of the month, less than 30 days later-- an excess of $800,000 of unauthorized non -salary expenditures made which was not anticipated by city management at the beginning of the month and further more wind down funds from Federal Revenue Sharing which had been set aside to cover the operation of projects after the discontinuance of that program were not voted on for use during that fiscal year but rather in the first year of October for other uses. Now, these actions by city management give you an idea as to the extent of manipulation as possible because had these planned expenditures that were stated as being slatted for September 3, had they been not taken during the month of September then these actions would have permitted the excesive salary -save generated to fall out as a visible surplus realized in the bottom line of your general fund because last year, if you look at the financial redords, the salary surplus is generated by the employees exceeded the amount budgeted in your so called balanced budget. But these were obscured by the fact of the failure to transfer large sums of money into the budget and the expenditures above authorized levels by city management. Now, if moving into fiscal year 76-77 or the current year we see a further striking evidence of the employee contribution to the solution of the financial difficulties of the City of Miami. For example, on using the vacancy report of the City and the City Manager's stated staffing levels at various time during the year, the adopted budget level of physicians at the beginning of the current fiscal year in the general fund was $3,394; in the revised budget of January 27, 1977 it was reduced to $3,230 in order to sweat out of the various departments sufficient funds which was stated as being needed to grant the employees across the board 34% raise. Now, statistically, this shows that giving me actual vacancies that have been recorded by the paymaster of the City of Miami and using the staffing level set forth at these various times in the current budget document that there was from the January 27, there is currently from the January w7 budgeted level a 9.8% vacancy rate among SEP 241977 • iTi eoyees in the general fund. And from the original budget last fall there is a drop of over 14% in terms of filled positions in relation to those that were authorized by you at that time. And next year further costs are authorized, even though in the past year , as I pointed out, it was not'employees'that led to any financial problem it was a failure to operate as intended even as lay offs at the beginning of September. However, next year in addition to further budget cuts for personnel which are proposed, already they are down 14 and 1.1% during this current fiscal year in less than 10 months, there is an automatic scalation on non -payroll items in that budget according to the 3rd status report of a plus 6% with no comment attached. On the second page; if you will, T have outlined exactly the historical trend of the employee contributions in terms of salary savings to leading to an under expenditure funds in this current fiscal year. At the top you can see the salary appropri- ations that is just salary wages part of salary appropriations in the general and special mileage funds in the current fiscal year and the reason why I use 'generalandspecial mileage funds'is to conform to next years' definition of 'general fund' which includes those funds. And as you can see,the current salary appropriation is slightly more than $51,000,000 projected salary surplus by the paymaster of the City of Miami as of the 9/10 payroll is $2,978,000. And the projected fiscal year salary expenditure --just assuming that that's the amount and no more that would be realized in terms of salary savings --is the $48,000,000 figure which I call your attention to because it's important. It's important also because it's been an scalating size in terms of salary appropriation savings in the City of Miami and the extreme statistics which I won't go through,show you exactly how much the payroll by payroll surplus generated has been increasing with the increased attrition rate in reduction of employees in the City during this current fiscal year. The surplus, originallv,was projected at $2,000,000. That surplus has gone up by over $100,000 in every subsequent pay period since June. To bring it to a total currently for the last payroll in attempt of over $2.900,000 and just assuming conservatively that in the remaining pay period of 9/24 there is an increase of only $100,000 in the surplus projection which will he lowest increase since June in terms of payroll projection for services. That will push over $3,000,000 in salary savings when in fact the City originally planned only to save $2,000,000 from the salary line items in the General Fund. In the Gary-Grassie memo of 8/24,a so called response to my report at that time, it stated that the City was aware of the salary surplus and the exact amount they put in parenthesis was to be $2,530,000 at that time. But giving the date of 8/24, you can see that on 8/13,or the previous payroll,they've already exceeded the figure in terms of a salary projected surplus that was dated at 8/24 to be the full year salary savings. Is important to know also that these salary savings are in addition to the $2,600,000 which was sweated out of the various departmental budgets last January at the request of the City Manager in order to fund the cost of the salary increases to the employees. So in fact, this salary surplus has been generated in addition to the salary savings that was set aside in the salary adjustment account last January for the raises. Now, that money has been re -appropriated ,I'll swear I'll get later in my report how, that again is an attempt to obscure from visual perception the fact that salaries are not the problem in the budget because giving the expenditure rate projected for this year other funds could have been re -allocated within the General Fund without going into the salary savings items --to sweat money from the various department and making it disappear into other items in the budget. If you will then turn to the 3rd page of my report--skeap if you would down to #4 because the Mayor Ferre: Dr. Barry, excuse the interruption. Well, I think since you testimony is , perhaps, the most important this morning I want to make sure that, you know, I begin to see people moving around and shifting and sometimes people get tire after 2 hours. Whenever you feel that is appropriate to take a break, you go ahead and tell me I rather leave it in you hands so that you... and then I would recognize you again. We are not going to put a time limit on Dr. Barry's testimony this morning. Dr. Barry: I appreciate that. I also appreciate your generosity in the presumed assumption that people wouldn't get bored after the break when I spoke also, I appreciate that kindness. Mayor Ferre: Well, sometimes , you know, people who listen but they listen for 10 or 15 minutes and they get a little restless and I thought, perhaps, whenever you want we can break and then come back and then you might _ 6 SEP 24377 tint Obte attention Rote everybody. Dt Batty: Well, actually I only have about aiiot1et 5 sit, and if I could finish,maybe I should. Mayor Ferre: You do it your way, do it your way. Dr. Barry: Basically, the first three sections of this last page are an outline of my statistics which I used for your edification and review. I'd like to point out that there are several problems in the budget, as probably written for you next year which I evidence by the statistics and one is that, relates back to the first page of the evidence which I presented you with, and that is that you find , there is an over projection of salaries again this year in your current budget. And the reason for this over projection of salaries is that they are building it of an outdated salary level which is an accumulation of salaries earned earlier in the year. Now, if you go back to page 1 of these exhibits, you can see that there is a 14.1% drop in terms of filled positions during the 11 months of the current year's budget. So the amount of salaries generated during this current year will not be repeated next year if you keep your salary level unchanged, or your salary cost unchanged for individual because of the attrition which contributed to this ever increasing pay period after pay period surplus projection. What is a proper figure to use for salary projection in the current budget, although it's not given to you in that kind of detail, we had to go into the work papers for each individual deaprtment and call out the salary figure because that's the big item. What is projected in my analysis is the most recent pay period level of salaries,that is,everybody on board currently being continued into next year. No lay offs whatsoever: and no cost included in that figure for employees who earned salaries previously in the year who are no longer here. But just taking the existing personing in the City of Miami budget --the General fund and the Special Revenue funds -- and projecting that salary plan with the proposed increases of the retroactivity today one, even though negotiations are on the way of the compound of 31/2 and 5 raise to general employees assuming they want 5% raise to the existing staffingand the uniformed employees in your city and projecting out, what is that projected cost to summing again too; no further turn over, not further reduction and attrition, replacement of people even though the figure will be high because when people leave for retirements or other purposes it's a period of unfilled position where there is an accretion upon utilize salary appropriation but ignoring that,just leaving that in there, and counting on,*hat is, everybody who is here today, works every day of the next fiscal year and gets hes merit along staff which I've calculated using these figures of the City of 12% of payroll to 31/2, 53;% compounding and the 5% comp. of figure for the police officers and firefighters for next year. Assuming all of the assumptions that are in the budget what you find is that Mr. Grassie's budget has budgeted,in a new definition of General fund, $51,147,436 for salaries during the coming year and this includes the severe cuts on staffing which he recommends --that figure doesn't cover the people that he is recommending laying off-- and it also includes a $1,500,000 pro- jected salary savings for next year. Now, at current employment,counting all these increases that I mentioned, the projected cost of your current 100% of the current level of employees for the next 12 months with all the raises due them with the $49,785,091 in short is a day one built in savings in this budget in salaries alone of over $1,300,000 nearly $1,400,000. Now, what the budget calls for is salary savings during the whole 12 months of $1,500,000. And these figures show that on day one at the current levels without any lay offs and with everything again giving us currently agreed to --and the figures are all here if you are correct, you check, there will be a day -one $1,360,000 savings. Now, one other thing I'd like to point out is that this is without a single lay off and this is without any vacancies at any time during the year then if there is a two -week vacancy in a fire position due to retirement that two -week salary money will be represented accrued under expended salaries. The person coming in at the first step in the pay plan will be earning at lower rate than a person who retired. The difference between their salaries during the year will be an additional accrued under expended salary moneys, but that is not counted in that $1,360,000 projection. And also that without a lay off policy you must realize --I'm sure you do-- that you are saving substantial funds in terms of which is in the run an increasing figure in this particular City, as budgeted next year$2,300,000 , and much of that will be generated from lay offs and from in effect where all factors will us lead to early retirement. Every person that isn't laid 17 SEP 241977 ## that doesn't have an early retirement you save the severance pay which s due to him and you under utilize that figure which it's been increased bubstantially in the forth coming budget. Now, there are some other things lid like you to look at, as this year we are transferring proposed transfer of funds $699,000 to the Enterprise funds out of the General fund -the new expanded definition of the General fund --there are over $600,000. Now, the important thing is to look at the Enterprise fund budget,on page 21, which has listed above the total on Allocated funds in the Appropriation Codes. Our Allocated funds are $506,000.... Mayor Ferre: Is this in the book, sir? Dr. Barry: Yes, yes, sir, in the book section of the budget. Now, out Allocated funds in budget jargon means that there is no specific purpose for those funds. Now, why I take $600,000 out of the General funds where there these tremendous lay offs had have been called for and shift them into the Enterprise funds for non -Allocated purpose if this had specific use they will be entitled under specific use category but the Enterprise funds more sig- nificantly suggest that you ask your City Management to refer you to or refer to themselves famous report #8--the Revenue run which was runned on the 15th of this month for the end of August, 1977. Now,when these figures which I received from Management Services which were the basis for projection of the current year revenues to he achieved in the Enterprise funds which were made last June and have not been up -dated according to Management Services these are the basis for the current projection in your budget. They projected on twice-7th of June document that the Enterprise funds will achieve revenues this year of $2,709,488. Now, at the end of August with one month left to go in the Enterprise funds which are going to he a major drain in the proposed bud;;et on the Ceneral fund next year, that fund is achieved $2,927,000 in effect is achieved nearly $220,000 more than in the full 12-month fiscal year projection used in the budget document with still one month left in revenues to come in. Now, 1 suggest to you that in addition to the non -Allocated funds that indicates that the need for transfer and the possibility of building up a surplus in the Enterprise fund definitely af- fecting the accuracy of the Enterprise funds budget in the General fund budget document. But other fact that impressed me and surprised me is that the City currently estimates that there will be a $1,300,000 surplus in the General fund this year; and further more from interviewing in the Manager's office that this $1,300,000 surplus is generated strictly from, in their opinion, excess revenues to be received this year that there will be no surplus, in their opinion, generated from the expenditure side of your budget. There was no analysis that I could get my hands on all those expenditures out of your budget. In my opinion because there was no document itemizing line item by line item as it was on the revenue side is my opinion that there was not an analysis done of the expenditures out of your budget because had there been one to come up with a 0 figure it would have available for me out of the public information Act. I would like to refer the Management to, although I don't,particularly,like to use the famous runs because the famous system is not,in my opinion,of the greatest, but famous run 4i24--on expenditures and encumbrances by fund-- that as of the 8th day of September, that is one week into the last month of the fiscal year, the General showed an unencumbered and unexpended figure in that revenue run or that expenditure run of$9,990,000. Now, that's 1 month or 1/12 of the fiscal year left to go. Now, 1126 General fund revenue items --many of them significant-- have already achieved their full or exceeded their full estimate in the projection used for that fund balance of $1,300,000 figure that came out of the Manager's office at the end of August. To expend $9,000,000 in the month of September would be an impossibility or nearly $10,000,000 even estimating --because there is two -pay periods left to be paid out there --a high figure for payrolls, a high figure for severance pay and other items --we are talking about a conservative projection for the end of the year level of revenues between revenues and expenditures, in my opinion, on $3,100,000. The $1,300,000 figure estimated in revenues 1 think will be exceeded and the $1,000,000...$74,000,000 plus figure in expenditures that they assume to be co -expend at the end of the year will be under -expended. I say to you in sumary that the employees have generated last year and this year for an excess of the amount of money that was allocated to them in the Balance budget. Now, I don't know the purpose in a functional sense of keying on employees when employees have generated in 1975-76 more than was allocated to them for salary savings. Employees generated this year $900,000 more than,perhaps, a $1,000,000 more than was 1 SEP 241977 RF ga a11ocated to them ih the current year's budget for salary savings not counting the money that was taken out of the departments in order to generate the salary reserve for raises. I don't know the purpose of ceroing in with only 4 alter- natives given to the Commission each of those 4 dealing with a change in existing contract of relationship with collective bargaining groups and the relantionship with the employees and the citizens reducing the services to them. I don't know the purpose of not having a document which analyzes expenditures and encumberances when there is a very detailed revenue by reve- nue line item analysis and projection on the revenue side, and as 1 said, 27 of those have already been achieved at the end of August. But all I can say to you is, again, I don't understand the purpose of having a transfer from the General fund ,in a nearly equivel.ent size, on an appropriated sum in the Enterprise funds. I understand the purpose of not having a budgetary up -date which tells you that the Enterprise funds have already over achieved the esti- mates that were used in the current budget document. But I can tell these are facts, in my opinion, and I appreciate you listening to me and your consi- deration. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Dr. Barry, will you be available later on today to answer questions? Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, I Mayor Ferre: I'll be here to the rest of the day. Dr. Barry: .... My wife is on duty tomorrow In the hospital, I have to'be bakc tomorrow, but I'll be .... Mayor Ferre: But you all be here, today. Will you be here Monday night? Dr. Barry: I can be back if you wish, yes, sir. Mayor Ferre: break, right now, Gene after you talk. Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Mayor, could you ask the Clerk if they would transcribe the report we just heard for our use as quickly as possible? This portion that we just heard, okay? Mayor Ferre: All right. Now, Dr. Barry, I'm going to ask later on for, Mr. Grassie, if you would like later on in the day and Mr. Garry might want to respond, I think there are about 5 or 6 basic questions which I think you brought up. I wrote down or remember some of them, I'm sure you've got the rest and, perhaps, you might want to answer later on,today. I think it will be appropriate first toward Gene to let everybody who wants to speak to, you know, and then we'll come back to this portion of it. Gene. Mr. Naple: Mr. Mayor, I'd like to come back later but I would like to ask at this time is,Dr. Arostegui would like to speak before your break and if yor let him speak, it'll just take a few minutes, I'm sure and then I'd like to come back a little later. All right, well, let's do it this way. We are going Mayor Ferre: All right, all right. You really want to put us throught it, eh? Okay, Dr. Arostegui. Dr. Arostegui: Thank you. My name is Marty Arostegui, I'm a Chief for Emergency Medicine at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital. This morning I'm here representing all the Emergency °'edicine physicians in the Miami area. As Emergency physicians we work very closely with the City of Miami Fire Department paramedics. We work as a team in trying to save the lives of those people who have critical injuries and life trending illnesses in this community. At the present time there are 5 units in the City of Miami -- Fire Rescue Divisions. The men that man these units can be directly credited with saving thousands of lives over the past few years in the City of Miami.Their ability to perform this tremendous job is directly related to probably 3 factors: ##1 is a high level training; #2 is a tremendous dedication to this community; and #3, in a practical sense,is their ability to respond in a very few minutes, usually within 5 minutes, to a critical situation. At the present time you are considering cutting the budget and this will he directly affecting the Rescue Division by cutting one Rescue unit. This will result directly in the other four units having to take the workload of the one unit that is SEP 24.1977 tieing cut which is approximately 300 runs pet month,ot 10 runs pet day. This will result in a marked increase in the response time or the Rescue Unit to a critical situation, this increase can mean a difference between life and death. As an Emergency physician in this community I feel very strongly that you should not cut one Rescue unit; that anything that may be reflected in the budget will be more than half way by a tremendous loss in human life. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. Thank you. Let's try to take this break as quickly as possible. I'd like to see we can get going in five minutes; so let's see if we can get all hack to our seats in five minutes. Mr. Goldberg I got you on, no, I've got one more person in front of you and then you are next. All right, Mr. Goldberg and senior citizens have to leave I'll be most greatful in the interest of hearing everybody if you would take seats so that we can move along. The senior citizens, they have to go back to respective centers by noon, that leaves us 20 minutes. ( BRIEF RECESS). Mayor Ferre: We lost everybody. of Highland Center and then I'm going to recognize Ms.Edith Abley and Mr. Joseph Sadick in that order. Mr. Villa- verde, Mr. Rafael Villaverde, Director of Little Havana Activity Center. All right, sir. Mr. Villaverde: My name is Rafael Villaverde and I live at 67 Ponce S.W. 19th Road. Honorable members of the Commission, the reason for my presence here to explain our position in reference to the cutbacks or possible cutbacks in Police and Fire Departments. My profession is social services, agency director and we deal with, primariy, the elderly and almost every week we have the Rescue Squad coming in and taking care of a client of ours who has a heart attack. The service has been outstanding. It is of our greatest concern that the service should be maintain and also take this opportunity to congratulate the City of Miami for such an outstanding department. In reference to the Police Department, it looks to us that is a lack of planning that two years and a half year ago, the City of Miami spent around $300,000 including minorities and now we find that we are starting to or the possibility of firing the same people that we spent so much money in hiring and training. I under- stand and I do believe that is not the fault of the City Manager. The City Manager is trying to strain out problems that his hasn't heard it. I think that the City of Miami is not. a unique problem; is a problem all over the nation where cities are finding a top financial situation. Re -arrangement of priorities has to be done; selective cuts have to be done,but I think the citizenship will be greatly served if Fire and Police Departments are maintained at the same level. I hope that some new money will come or new arragements be made that the services will be maintained. I congratulate the Commission and the Manager for taking care of our problems because if we do not do it now, the problems in the next years are going to be even bigger than the ones that we are facing now and I hope that a lot of people or most of the people will understand what the people are going through. Thank very much. Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you, sir. The next speaker will be Mr Harry Goldberg of the Highland Park Center, Mr. Goldberg. Mr. Goldberg: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, my name is Harry Goldberg, I live at the Highland Park Cond. at the gate house. At this place we have above 15 residents in wheel chairs, about a dozen with walkers and most of the balance of the people who live there on canes. Their ages run, anyway, from 65 up into the high 90's. I'm maybe to young, 82 years young,and I want to tell you how essential the police and the firemen are to all of the elderly and handicapped citizens. I came to make this appeal because there is no week that goes by that we haven't call the police and the firemen, two or three times during the week and give terrific help to us. However, after I heard Mr. Barry talk and if his facts are correct instead of making you to keep these people on, let's say... let's increase the firemen and police. Please, as one of the elderly citizens where our need is great, no put us on jeopardy anymore than we are are at the present time. Please, help us. Mayor Ferre: All right, the next speaker will be Mrs. Edith Abley, and thank you very much, Mr. Goldberg, Mrs. Abley, president of the Malcom Ross Senior Center, is Mrs. Abley in the audience? You see this is what 20 SEP 241977 16 afraid of, that softie of the senior citizens would have td leave► All tight the next is Mrs 3oseph Sadick of Smathers Senior Center, Mr, Sadick. Excuse me, Ur. Sadick, are there any other senior citizens that have to leave by noon and wish to speak other than Mr. Sadick? Are there any other senior citizens that have to speak? if there is anybody else that must leave at... who?... UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Mayor Ferre: Art Green? All right, then I'll tell you we'll go with Mr. Sadick and then with Art Green then we'll break for lunch, or you want to speak after. Art Green? UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: After midnight....(INAUDIBLE). Mayor Ferre: Well, what do you want me to do? UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I'd like to go ahead....(INAUDIBLE). Mayor Ferre; You'd like to go before lunch. Well, we have a lt00 0 meeting and we have to eat between.... and it's 10 minutes to 1t00, mind giving up lunch if.... Mrs. Gordon: We can eat right here. Mayor Ferre: Yes, we can eat right here. All right. Mr. Sadick: Besides being a member of Smathers Senior Center, I'm a retired City employee. I worked for the City for 16 years and I've lived in the City for about 22 years. I've seen much changes going on. The police are very, very necessity in our section. i live between 27 and 37 Avenue and between 8 Street and Flagler and there are many hoodlums around there that nobody pays attention to,and the streets are dark. Someone around here don't give a damn for, excuse my language, they don't give a damn for the section at all. There is no City sewers, they're skipping that section, putting sewer way out and skipping that section. Now, my problem is.whv are we a forgotten section. The firefighters, I've noticed, when you call them they're there in 2 or 3 seconds, I've got nothing against them. The police, I've got nothing against them,when you call them they're there in a few seconds. The garbage and rubbish collectors are there regularly, they pick up the rubbish, they pick up the garbage, I have nothing against them; but we are a forgotten section, there is no sanitary sewers, no sanitary sewers, and no clean up on the streets. Anybody can do anything they want there,as they scratch up the cars, they put paints on the cars, they have B-B guns, they shoot through the windows, all that can be proven. The young man of 80,is all before me,told the good story;7'm only 67 but I go to a different senior center,I don't stay in one senior center. I belong to Smathers but I go to Malcom Ross, I go to Myers, I go all around and I find out what their problem is and it's not very, a very nice problem. Someone should look into the problem and see that that is corrected. I could go on for hours and hours talking about the problems there but I don't want to take up any time. Today is my Sabbath, I gave up my Sabbath to come here, I brought here, at least, 500 names on a petition -- Spanish and American --that they want to continue these police on their jobs and firemen and sanitation workers, they don't want anyone dropped, in fact, they want to double the amount. The senior centers have no protection at all. The kids around there do anything they want and the plenty of robberies going on, murders;you name it, we got it. It's the section that's forgotten, someone should look into it. I could talk more and more but I want to give up my time to somebody more important, maybe, but I don't want to see the firemen, policemen,or sanitation workers reduced. I want to see them doubled, if possible. Mayor Ferre: I thank you, Mr. Sadick. Would you...I'll tell you...Mr. Sadick, if you would step over and talk to Mr. Grassie, who can you talk to about the sewage problem and they'll explain to you when that part of the City is going to be sewered. Mr, Sadick; Thank you very much. Thank you all very much. Mayor Ferre; All right, Mr. Sadick, thank you, sir, And we appreciate you 21_ SEP 241977 giViiig up your Sabbath to edthe here All tight, Mr Art Gidei goitig to speak. Mr. Green: Mr. Mayor, members fo the Council, let me met the Commission rather§ When you said you were going to stay here and have lunch here, I thought of the City of Miami Beach, City Council. and I'm glad you took me before your lunch if your lunch is anything like theirs I would rather be outside in a nice, clean, undiluted atmosphere. Let me make upon.... Mayor Ferre: I'm not going to answer that years. Mr. Green: I hope you won't...you're wiser than I was. Let me make it a- bundantly clear, Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, I reside at 1500 N.W. 12th Avenue in Miami, because of my health,completely surrounded by hospitals; thus prolonging the day when I will have to seek Commissioner's Plummer services. Let me say that I speak only for myself as a citizen of the City of Miami. There comes a time when economy becomes emasculation and let me say that in dealing with the Fire Department and the Police Department and the Sanitation Department you are not dealing with money, you are dealing with the lives, the safety, the security and the health of the people of the City of Miami. We have heard about Rescue Squad 8 takes in an area on the North by S.W.16 St. and then 8 Street, on the East by 23rd Road and the Bay up to the City limits, on the South by the City limits and on the West by the City limits. It includes within its boundaries the City of Miami offices, Mercy Hospital., the Dinner Dey docks and repair facilities, the Coconut Grove Hotel and the high-rises on S. Bayshore Drive and on Tiger Tail. We are talking also of the emasculation of Hose 113 which as you can see is bounded on the North by N.W. 26th Street, on the South by N.W. 13th Street, on the East by the Bay and the City of Miami limits, and on the West by 7th Avenue. It takes in on among other things the Omni International, the Florida Gas hulk plant, Jordan Marsh, Sears, Jefferson Stores, Booker T. Washington High School, Dunbar Elementary, Miramar,Phillis Wheatly Elementary, private schools such as R E T 5, the International School of Fashions, Lindsey Hopkins, the garment district, and the proposed Venetia Miramar --a 28-story building with 12,000 units of apartments and some 12,00 sq. ft. of commercial shops and stores. We are talking also about Ladder #11, Ladder 41 11 , as you can see here, bounded on the South by S.W. 8 Street, on the West by LeJeune Road, and on the East and the North by that irregular hypotenuse. You are also talking here about Engine #3, Engine #3 is bounded on the East, air district,by N.W. 12th Avenue, on the South by S.W. 2nd or 3rd Streets and on the North and the West by the hypotenuse which you see here. Whithin that area, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Veterans Administration Hospital, Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Day County Jail and the Civic Center and also my own residence. Now, gentlemen and Commissioner Gordon, let me direct myself, if I may, to the Fire Department, specifically, because I do not have the figure with respect with the Police and the Sanitation Department. There are presently 34 unfilled positions under this proposed budget you will eliminate 36 more. It is estimated by attrition during the fiscal year of 1977-78 some 22 to 25, let us say 23 positions will vacated, a total of 93 which will bring down the complement of the Fire Department to a point where it not only risks the lives and property of the citizens but is likely to lose its ac- creditation as one of the 4 Fire Departments in the country, the City of Miami is one of the 4 cities in the nation,i_ts Fire Department has a class 1 rating. I have no figures with respect to the Police and the Fire Department but I dare say in keeping with this tradition of high quality their record will equal that of the Fire Department. We have many things to be proud of in the City of Miami, many things that we don't talk about. If you speak about unspoken heros, I think the Fire, the Police and the Sanitation Departments are departmens we might well be proud of and I started in the beginning by saying that 'there is a time when economy leads off and there is a time when insecurity begins'and if we make these cuts,the people will be insecured. I represent, as you know, many times before this Commission as I do before the County Commission, of why variety of landlords. I won't refer to them as penny pension, but let us say they do not spend their money unwisely nor do they give it up without a protest but I have nver known any citizen who owns any amount of property to complain about taxes, he complains about what he has to pay because he doesn't feel he is getting his money's worth and he surely won't if these cuts are made. As I say, jobs are important, jobs in the Fire Department, the Police Department and the Sanitation Department are not so important as what we are most importantly engaged in doing, the safety and the security and the health of the people of the City of Miami which these three Departments represent, 22 SEP 241971 yor VetLCt A i fight, thank you, 1r, Greene Lt► Donald Marshc I saw that, in r ht. Marshall; My name is Don Marsh, I represent the Internal Order Police, apptoximately,740 police officers but I'm not sure if that is an adequate number; I haven't been by the station today. I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to speak early in appreciation and behalf of the members of the mid* night shift who have been working all night and who've lastest this long, I appreciate their support. Calling your attention in my presentation to the brochure that we distributed, if you are south of the door, make sure that anybody want to see it can have access to them. You can follow along and I'll skip over some of the highlights. I've learned a few things since I got the job as president of the Internal Order Police. One of the things that's been brought home to me, constantly, is to be very_ brief, they remind me daily and I was reminded just before I walked up here; so, I shall be brief. Another thing that I learned, in my capacity, is president of the Internal Order Police is an appreciation for the process we have in our government that allows us to examine all that it is with very few restriction, all that it is that our government does and all that it is that eleceted officials and our employees do. I'm referring to the Sunshine Law. I was not here when that Law was comtempleted, I didn't have anything to do with passing it but no more than in its exercise the last 6 weeks have I developed an appreciation largerly through the observing efforts of Dr.Marshal Barry in the extent to which the information was available to him, important information, and I appreciate that. I want to bring home to the citizenry, many of us in the Police Department are aware of the consequences of the proposed lay offs, but hear to often only the fact that 19 police officers are going to be without jobs coming October 1. It is a very significant event in their lives but more important to us and more important to the community and intended no -hire policy it's been implemented as part of the current budget as of December 1976 as is projected to continue through the budget 1977 to 1978. By no -hire policy we mean that should a police officer leave for whatever reason, should retire, be dismissed, be killed in the line of duty, whatever vacancy is created is not filled. Our personnel people currently project that by September 1978 we'll be reduced to 689 police officers. 689 police officers from a 5 year average is 796 from 1971 to 1977 represents a decrease of 107 police officers --a reduction of 13.4%. I have an additional chart it's in your package for the Commissioners but I'll draw the attention of the community that the last time that the City of Miami Police Departmnet was represented by 689 police officers was 1968-- 9 years ago-- I think this a very important consequence of the no -hire policy -- one that is not widely known. I'd like to familiarize you with some of the consenquences of reducing our force and I call your attention to the fact that some of the presentations that were made in the budget hearings that you at- tended --you just _ in members of the Commission-- a lot of these pro- jections were based upon an anticipated officer employment level and they would go to 725. If you comtemplate additional reductions through natural attrition and you get down to a neighborhood of 689, you have serious conse- quences for the ability to provide adequate police service to the members of the community you represent. Radio patrol is currently the area that will suffer the largest cutback. In your package you'll see references to response signs, references to the ability of officers to involve themselves in prevent a patrol, the ability of the Police Department to respond in disaster situations. By disaster situation we can easely find that because any real significant event involving the immediate recall of large amount of police officers or assigment of large amount of police officers. The City of Miami is no stranger to disaster, is no stranger to hurricanes, to civil disorder; we are no stranger to involve terrorist type investigations, plane crashes or whatever. It seri- ously reduce your ability to handle this kind of situations. With regards to re -organization, should we suffer under this, and under the continuation of the no -hire policy we are looking at theelimination of what we call our Ven units, Vice- Intelligence Narcotics units, Plain clothes patroll officers, small teams in the neighborhood of 4 or 5 police officers, we've been responsible in this community for making in a neighbordood of 85 to 90% of the street vice related to us. We are talking about prostitution and you are aware from the comments of Ms. Rockefeller and other citizens that the extent of which prostitution is a concern in the Boulevard area and we want to receive the support and can't really recall the kinds of support that we receive from the people in the Biscayne Boulevard area and it's welcome by everyone the topic of discussion around the Police Department that for once we had the following behind us in an effort to clean up what was an attrocious situation in the City of Miami. A 9 el r.etJ SEP 241977 teiaiit with prostitution is a recognized narcotics problem. If you are talking about narcotics problem, then you are talking about property crime --the pay for the narcotics. If you're talking about wrecking into people's house, it's that they are nothing other than working for a living in going to work every day and they have to suffer the consequences. I fyou eliminate these units, you eliminate these units on a round park basis that are responsible for such a significant in the area of vice narcotics. The entire community is going to suffer through a personal property loss immediately; it will be, resolutely, of spell. With regards to our 3-wheelers, this is a form of person- alized patroll that we offer in high crim areas supported by --generally from my experiences --is being supported by statistics sycndicates of crime against persons or ramped in certain areas as if a comes up in the community then we put police officers and they are on these 3-wheelers. You've heard mention to somedody oustanding the efforts by some of our police officers --to my knowledge all the people that have been mentioned so far are with these officers involved in these 3-wheelers programs. With the reduction in the old roll patrol force, this is a luxury , a luxury item that the citi- zenry is asked to believe they can no longer afford. We have additional con- sequences the citizenry will suffer in the area of community relations. Com- munity relations is something that we in law enforcement have developed an ap- preciation in the last 5 years as a crime preventive measure. We had a letter from a woman involved in a court bserver program and she reflected on the service that the officers are provided in speaking to large groups of high school kids. I'll quote from her letter, she says " How do you put a dollar value on the emotional and social aspect of the effect of police contact. Are you going to be one to deny future students personal grow, good citizen- ships well models, and the opportunity to observe professional and humanistic law enforces. If it is necessary to eliminate personnel, it may be well to look at positions that are not directly involved in the delivery of services to the public". I had a sketch here which I follow the police call officer service down from the very moment that the crime occurs to the summons of aide to give you an idea of how on every respect we're affected by the lay offs and'how in every turning point in the averaee call for service these lay offs are going to slow down the procedure. But it will be time consuming and I'll appreciate the fact that the day is going on. But in doing that I'm not threatening you with any form of slow down, what I'm telling you is that it is a very real aspect of reduced number of employees. You are just not going to be able to answer the calls, we are going to have calls stacked up, you are not going to be able to give the quality service, you are not going to be able to give the identification technician service, you are not going to be able to have as many detectives follow up and look at the bad guys and the whole investigative level is going to suffer what tha means that whoever it is that did what he did is going to be out there doing more. If you ask me if this argument is realistic,I callyour attention of the fact -according to the FB1 inform crime reports- in 1968 we were looking a per capita rate of serious crimes for a 100,000 population of 4,018. In 1975 we are looking at a rate of 9482, this represents an increase of 136% of serious crimes in the standard metropolitan statistical area for the Miami area in less than 7 years. I find that hard to reconcile in light effect that all statistices show that we're witnessing ever increasing number of crimes that we have to reduce the number of police officers in the community. In reducing the number of police officers in the community we have witnessed very predictable be- havior patterns around the station. One obvious one is the lowing of the job sex faction level, reductions in the work force, increase of workload for each individual, it lessens the ability of each officer to sense if he's accomplished anything. Officer's safety becomes a real problem, you have co-workers a- round to help you out of jam and loss of life is one ever present possibility as we begin each turn of duty. To what extent is this job a satisfaction level to our concern, well, I'll inform you that in the last month we've had 6 able bodied, young plice officers under no pressure, and no difficulty with the department, leave at their own decision and seek employment elsewhere,some to go with police departments where they would pay less because our job satis- faction level is so low. They've been told they cannot expect to be promoted and been told there is not going to be as many of them the next around and now they are been told that is reasonable for them to expect to return a pay raise that was negotiated for and was given to these officers on a good faith collective bargaining a year ago. It doesn't make for for happy people. 0ne other thought concern the the no -hire policy, we have an excellent program known as our public service A program. As envisioned, this would recruit -- now, while 1 was director to a minority recruiting, very successful minority 24 SEP 24 977 i;ectuiting, incidentally,= -were getting some really highly qualified kids we are looking forward to day could enter into the work force. They are given the opportunity to go to school, they learn some of the basic police functions and they participated in forma training programs for police standards. We have 37 of these people leave from October 1975 to August 1977 because the City wasn't hiring police officers. 17, at least, are now police officers with other police departments and I'm surprised that the chiefs of those de- partments haven't called and thank the City of Miami for training such capa- ble people. What is particularly distressing with regards to the PSA's is a very strong orientation in the public service mold by bringing these kids in getting them involved in the report writing area, getting them involved in just the basic service element. We're finding that they have a refreshing orientation towards police works and we're loosing these people. I run into them around the community. I ask them how things are, and why they left. They say, man, I really wanted to stay with Miami, there are such a good department. They told me weren't going to hire them. I'd like to shift, just briefly from the discussions of the department and give you and idea of what we are looking at in the community and you refer, the Commission would refer to that sheet I gave you and all refer to it --if I can find it, well, I don't have to refer to it, I made it-- you'll see on there that from 1967 all the way through 1975, the City of Miami was no less than 12, no better than 12 in the country as far as serious crime and that was an oddball year; most generally we can be expected to be 4th or 5th in the United States, that's compared to all other cities. Now you're going to computerize all their cities it's just a rate of serious crimes for a 100,000 people in your population and we are..., the average, being fit. Again, 1'11 recall in light of that, you're now asking us to believe that is acceptable that we have to reduce our police service level to a level 1968. If you look on your chart and see that very soon after that level we hit number 1 and number 2 in rapid succession in the country. There is another alarming trend on the last 3 years, there has been a promi- nence of Florida cities in the top 10--in the FBI you see our reports-- par- ticularly gold cost cities --Daytona, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdaly, and Holywood. Also prominent to the years, have been the tourist in our growth areas. I think we, in South Florida, have a little of all of that and there is no reason to believe that we are going to improve as far as our status in the country we are going to continue as long as we attract transiences, as long as we attract tourists we are going to continue to be a high crime area. I believe that the thoughts I've shared give strong indications that we should have no lay offs, we should not have a no -hire policy, we should restore the department to its past strength and we should give some thoughts, additionally, to some of the item's emission-- some of the equipment items. There is a reference in the budget to the elimination of the 24-hour vehicle for the K-9 units. I could have brought here a K-9 and hid an amount of C-4 brief case, a quantity of C-4 in a brief case in this room --the dog having no idea and never seen a brief case before-- bringing it at the back of the auditorium and that dog would find it. Now, if you don't think it does of concern, ask the owners of 4 hotels around the Dade County area. There is a projection that the K-9 effort will be heard, you will get a separate presentation we are waiting for I)r. Knowles, there is a package that I will encorage you to review before that presentation on Monday night in the event that you want to ask him any questions. Thank you very much for your time. Thanks to everyone for their time. Mayor Ferre,we have a retired police officer here, Harry Lenchner, senior citizen, he just wants to say one minute. Mayor Ferre: All right, but before you begin... we'll he listen to you in a second --after you we are going to hear Kit Pancoast and then after that we are going to... is Mrs. Edith Abley here? She left, eh? How about Mrs. Janet Leitch? Is Mrs. Dottie; Gentry here? Is Mrs. Gentry here? Is Father Engbers here? Father? Okay. Are the members of the Sunset Villas here? Anybody from Sunset Villas? All right, rirs. Frankie Lane? She spoke. Mr. Luis Lopez? Mr. Jim Corchran? Is he here? And, of course, Charlie Hall. All right, then, after you we'd go to Kit Pancoast and then ,perhaps, we can hear Father Engbers, Charlie, do you want to he heard? Okay,or could we break to have something to eat? All right, sir... I'm talking about Mr. Hall, now, I'm talking about Mr. Hadley. Now, there is two Hadleys... now, you want to be heard with regards to the budget, Mr. Hadley, or regard to Revenue Sharing? All right,sir, Now, will you proceed? Mr, Letchner: My name is Harry Letchner, retired City of Miami employee. Mr, Mayor, City Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen and fellow City employees. SEP 241871 • i retired after 25 years working for the greatest city in the country. In my 24 years we went through many crisis and never had to lay off many employees4 if any. In 1974, 1975 and 76 the country and specially the City of Miami went through a dramatic experience. Unemployment was at its highest level in Dade County, a 40% in the country. Construction kind of stand still. Air lines, hotels, tourists, banking and almost every other business with at its lowest average. With a hard working City Commission and City Manager Paul Andrews, we all worked together and gave the City the service without cutting back any employees. Mr. Crassie came to Miami, approximately a year ago,and since then the economy has improved over the last 3 years tremendously. If the City, at that time, didn't have to cutback any personnel, then, why now? This is not my personal observation, this is the record that reflects. The City of Miami's Fire Department, in the country --as it's been mentioned so many numer- ous times --is one of the best. Our city is one of the cleanest and finest thanks to the Sanitation Department;and crime is down showing we are doing our job. Evidently, Mr. Grassie isn't doing his job or we wouldn't be in the position we are in, and it's a damned shame that I've got to come here and beg for men's job that are doing their jobs and if anybody should cutback for not doing their job is should be Mr. Grassie and not the City employees. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak in the men's behalf and God bless you all. Mayor Ferre: All right. At this time we'll hear Ms. Kit Pancoast. Ms. Kit Pencoast. Ms. Pancoast: I don't quite see how I can follow that kind of statement. But what I'm here to say is something on different matter. You all know about the mounted patrol and you haven't seen me for 6 years because this hasn't come up for 6 years and I'm surprised to see it up again. Since we've already decided that public relationships are important in crime prevention, it seens to me that the mounted patrol ought to be on the top of that list. If any of you had been through Coconut Grove and never had a chance to see any of the mounted patrol work there, then you'll understand what I'm saying. The child- ren of Coconut Grove as well as the dogs of Coconut Grove which need contact with policemen because they don't understand what they jobs are about ofte, get contact with the policemen on the horses. If you put a policeman on foot on one side of the road and a policeman on a horse on the other side of the road I and guarantee you that the crowd is going to go to the policeman on the horse. Now, what we are talking about,once again,is not money. It's contact, it'shuman contact and it's crime prevention, and that's what's important. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right, now. All right, go ahead. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, let me put this into the record. I will submit to the Clerk one packet of letters written by the students of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove. They total a number of 159 with all kinds of assorted reasons of why Officer Gaylord and Magic should stay in the mounted patrol.... Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Ongie.... Mr. Plummer: reasons run the gambit from the fact that the horses don't use gas to the point that they don't get flat tires and I want to tell you that this was done as a conflict of interest because my daughter who's a student at that school delivered all of this to me yesterday before breakfast. Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Magic, now we are going to hear from Father Engbers and from and from Pat Shubish and then we are going to take a break. You don't want us to take a break? Mrs. Gordon: Why can't we eat here? Mayor Ferre: We can here, Mrs. Gordon, but I think,,.unless somebody wants to bring me the food and you're perfect welcome to bring me some sandwiches, I think it takes us about to get up and go get the food and sit back here, and that's all I'm talking about... Father.... Father Engbers: I'm Father Thomas Engbers and I served in the City of Miami for 10 years; a little bit in St. Hughs,in Coconut Grove, I was administrator 96 SEP 241977 in tho itibeCiiiatta LaSalle High School, in the Mercy Hospital , I have resided at 8 Street and North Miami Avenue, I think I'm familiar there; high in the =night watching the news had two citizens murdered next door. The merchant across the street was shot and killed over a quarter of milk and Officer Roland Lane gave his life at half a block from there a few years back. Most recently, I've been principal at Archbishop Curley High School and I'm current- ly residing at 740 N.W. 46 Street and in that time I served some 6 years on weekends at St. Francis Xavier Church at 17 Street and 4th Avenue and, perhaps, you'll remember the girl that was raped and killed there on several days ago while the City and the County argue about who is going to cut the grass. it seems to me I had prepared a statement and I'm going to dispatch with it because I'm sure everybody is tired. Looking around as principal of a school of the City of Miami I can simply recall, yesterday we had a bomb threat I think in Mr. Kelly's car at the Boulevard bank less than a block from the school I have 600 youngsters in that school I think that certainly the police are important it need only to travel behind the school around 4th Avenue, in the FEC right-of-way, to see certainly the need the sanitation workers not to mention the area immediately in the neighborhood between Miami Avenue and N.E. 2nd Avenue and so on as I go back from school to home and I've been chaplain for the Fire Department for 10 years so I have a little bias there. But it seems ridiculous that I should he here today talking to the Commission and the Manager when the citizens of Miami had already had their say and I think they've said it very clearly, the government is for the people. The people __ they are very essential services I don't think that that lecture should he wasted on anythings. The central services dealing not with quality and statictics and numbers is the quality of the lives that they live. I think we ought to consider the quality of life when we consider the budget. Cutting police, fire or sanitation workers not only damages the deliverance of their but it also affects, specifically, the spirit of the people who'd serve in that capacity. I was stationed too the day they had the meeting that talked about Hose 2 and it certainly demands. That station was a very spirited station it's like someone in dying. I've been down at the station to a number of time since then and I ain't seen any recovery from that temporary loss, I see gloom 1 would say that morale in the Fire Department is ebbing at a very little time. This concerns me and I don't think we did even considered cutbacks, lay offs, we ought to be talking about vacancies because affects the quality. The men see that they are riding short and I know it's popular to commit compare the City with Metro but I don't want to see the day when the City fire trucks arrive at the scene with 3 men on it -- the driver,engineer and officer and one man to do the work. They can't ac- complish anything with that kind of men. T could go on ,and on,and on, but it seems to me that these ought to be concerns of this Commission, the quality of the life, the citizens' concern for that and I think they've spoken elo- quently enough that I don't hive to speak to that. But some 5 or 6 years ago, maybe not quite that long ago, I was in the stand here --the Fire Depart- ment-- where the subject for Affirmative Action came up and I spoke to the Chief Fire Officer and L've spoken to the firemen and it's not necessaryly a popular subject with them that I tried to convince them the importance of qualified minorities obtaining positions in the Fire Department. The cooperation of the men, to my knowledge, has been outstanding and yet speaking of cut offs that very people to be hurt or the very people who would come on and --I'm sure I can't speak for police and sanitation but I'm sure as to some extend --but in fire is going to affect any progress made in that area in recent years. It seems to me that we need to, seriously,consider what we are doing when talk about budget. I'm no financial expert, I have a hard enough time with my school budget but I do know from the school that I can't go out and seek out unqualified personnel and hope to maintain the quality of that school that there are other things that I have to cut -- electricity, whatever it may be; however, I might he able to conserve- equip- ment, may be do without a few things that we would like to have-- and to that point 1 would say that there are many graduates,in the 25 years of Curley High School serve the City in the area of fire, police and sanitation. I for one have been anxious to convince these young people as they come through of the importance of serving your fellowman in the community. It's very hard to do that, they all want to be lawyers when they see the fees that the City pays for combinationses. What are we going to get dedicated to public service? They can't be toyed with like yo-yos going up and down and I think it's important that we recognize that. I know of three graduates of my school at the present time all interested in fire, police and sanitation and I'm sure there are many more, but there are three that are aware of, they are not SEP 241977 going to hang around Miami looking for a job and these ate young men that I feel would make fine public service but they are not going to stay here, as 1 pointed out, else they're going to other cities. It's Miami's loss and the citizens's loss and it will affect the quality of the life. Thank you very much for your attention. Mayor Ferre: Pat Skubish. Ms. Skubish: Thank you for hearing me, Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission. My name is Pat Skubish and I wish to go on record as supporting to retain the police and fire and sanitation because let's face it , Commissioners,no matter how you guys are I can't see you strap a '38 to your waist or picking up a garbage can or carrying a hook and ladder. You too, Plummer. But I'm also concerned that the public is not fully aware that there are other employees that are threatened with lay offs --policemen, firemen, sanitation and what T, affectionally, call them as the 'other employee' for lack of a better name. They are dedicated to the taxpayers of Miami, they need their jobs, they have families, they're the backbone of the City's work force. I just hope, I don't how Mr. Grassie and how the budget people can do it- but I hope to avoid the last of all these employees. We had the problem with the other general employees because we don't have one classification. We're not known just as typists and police dispatchers, we're a very classification throughout the City. The Police Department, Fire Department. Sanitation Department, they need us just like we need them. The taxpayers need us col- lectively as we need you. Please, don't just make policemen, fire- men and sanitation. There are other employees that need their jobs just as badly and are just as dedicated to the taxpapyers of this city as those people are. Mr. Marsh read a letter and this seems to be...we have a problem because the taxpayers don't see the typist clerks, the police dispatchers, we are not visible. Mr. Marsh read a letter where the woman said it would be wise to lay off those employees who are not dealing with the public; well, we all deal with the public, you just don't see us; we're there. That's all I have to say. Mayor Ferre:, Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we are now going take a 5-minutes break and we'll be back in 5 minutes. (5-MINUTES RECESS) Mayor Ferre: Mr. Steve Dolnick of the Sanitation employees. All right Mr. Dolnick: Commissioner Gordon, Commissioner Gibson.... Mayor Ferre: All right, I think we have a full Commission quorum now, Steve, so you can proceed. Mr. Dolnick: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, City Manager. Thank you very much. You know, I'm very proud to be an employee. I just threw me out the stage. Mayor Ferre: Steve, you'll be enough stage but you keep on... go out, you keep on... Mr. Dolnick: I think they are saying more than I can say. They said to 'go in there out the world',looks that they 're doing it. Mayor Ferre: All right, go ahead. Mr, Dolnich: I'm very proud to be a City employee,of the City of Miami. I've been for 12 years and T enjoy my work, I enjoy the people I work with. I wish the foreman that was on my truck was here today but they have to have other things because I wanted to congratulate him for the work that they do. I want to start off since I am a resident of Dade County. I am not proud of our Police Department there and I am not proud of part of Fire Department there because they do not, the people do not get the assistance that they really they should get. I'm not saying it's because of the men that are on the Police Department or the firemen that are on the Fire Department. I'm saying because it is so spread out that they cannot get the service that is required. I think the City of Miami has got the finest Police Department, Fire Department, there is. If a light is out of traffic, all is out. 9Q SEP 241971. A policeman in the City of Miami never hesitates to stop and direct the traffic. He is always there some place. I know the residents of my area Where I pick up, in Bay Point, are happy that they have City of Miami police- man there now. The Fire Department, I've never heard anybody that has anything but praise for this department, mostly in the elderly people because of the way they respond to any kind of a situation. But I'm a sanitation worker and I want to tell you we have a terrific Sanitation Department. There has been many things going out in the paper lately about slow down, stopage, trash pile and up. I would like to make it clear in a sense that this is not a slow down in the men's part. This is a slow down, probably, because of equipment; probably, because of the changes in the department, this is not due to the men. The men are there every day. In the garbage,you can see them coming in with sweaded shirts on,sticking to their body. There was one young man --I wish he was here right now because his shoulder is full of worms that's been creeping up on him. They have all kinds of situations but I am very proud to be working with these men because they go out in the morning early. The section that I am in, the people know I get there real early, they have never said one word about me getting there early because that the men go out that early so that they don't have to go through his heat. In my cabin in my truck it gets up to 115° in a day in the alleys. These men are right behind there toting those cans, picking up these bags that they say that say never bust but bust all over. They don't leave the stuff laying on the ground, they pick it up with their hands. Sometimes when we don't have gloves,they pick it up with their bare hands and believe me, gentlemen, it's not a nice thing to see, specially, when there is fish in there for two days. There is lot of things going on in this City, a lot of things that you'd appropriated as far as projects and building up the City but let me tell you don't tear down what you need. You need these three agencies to carry out the work that's going on; if it's cut to any degree the City taxpayers will suffer. We had curve -side in the County, it's good. So, the County laid off a couple of hundred people but they found that mistaken, it was a couple of weeks later they hired them all hack and had to put on new equipment because they couldn't take care of it. It's not something that you can run through a machine and say that this is the area that the men will pick up, this is the area will carry this much that machine does not tote that garbage. These men are not machines, they get out there and use they use their bodies and then bodies break down too, believe me. But when they know that there is job to do, they do it; and they do it for the people that they work for, the people in the City of Miami, the taxpayers. And I'm glad that one woman was here today from Bay Point because she knows exactly how those men run through the City. Centelmen, think twice, think a lot before you do anything to reduction of these three agencies because they are needed very much. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Mr. T. J. Duggar is the next speaker. Mr. Duggar: Commission, City Manager, Mr. Mayor. My name is T. J. Duggar and I'm president of the Sanitation Employees Association and every time a budget came out here we asked them for more and now getting lesser. But I'm here to speak of some of the problems that we are having in our department. We used to call the City beautiful but if you run on down the streets now and all of Ms. Gordon's trees are cover by trash and behind the houses are full or garbage. There's been articles written in the paper by Mr. Medera stating that the Sanitation Department status is low down and we are literally dragging our butts but if you remember when they close the incinerator,we came and we told the administrators who were plannig to do this that the equipment we had was not made to make the trip that they are having to make but we don't seem to know nothing back in the back there, they seem like the administration they don't know more than what we knew --we were here when they bought the equipment, we told that the equipment was no good when they bought it. But, again, the administration didn't listen to us. We don't have the equipment to make that long trip to the County dump. We have had quite a few break downs with our cranes and our trucks because the equipment isn't updated like is supposed to, they seem to be about hire administrators but they can't buy equipment to do the work with. Some of the reasons that there is lot of trash on the street --it's a morale problem. The morale is down because of lay offs. Whenever a man doesn't know if he is going to have a job tomorrow not his is going to make the best of what he's got now in that function of produce like he is supposed to. Another reason is the attitude SO 241917 that we have, our administration gives us in our department+ We have a vety bad and lack of communication in our department without department head and I think if you'll ask half of the people here in the Sanitation Department who Mr. Medera is, and if he stoop up, they would know, he has come back I think one time and spoke to the garbage men in our department and that was early in the morning he has never been hack yet to say good morning to the rubbish people. Mayor Ferre: Why don't we do it this way? Why don't all the member of the Sanitation Department stand up? All right. Mr. Duggar: Could we have Mr. Medera stand up? Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Madera, you stand up. Okay. All right, now, let's proceed orderly. Mr. Duggar: Yes, now, that we have met Mr. Medera...but there is a bad attitude and I've spoken to people about this in our department of their atti- tude that's been given to men as fas as performnig, how the work is being assigned. He's made drastric changes and the men don't understand why he was making these changes because 5 years ago the City was just as clean, you couldn't find a big trash pile, there was no complaints about garbage, now they would give between 4 to 5, maybe 6 hundred complaints a week, people complaining about rascals coming out of the trash pile, people complaining about over filled garbage cans but he says that his way is going to work. We, constantly, ask for better equipment. Out of about 22 cranes, we have, approximately, 8 to 10 cranes running a day. The crane situation for get- ting the trash of streets is very, very critical shape, it's taking 22 cranes, or approximately 21 cranes to keep the City clean. We have always try to give the people of the City of Miami a personalized service. When you go to the grocery store you buy a loaf of bread or something and the man who's making the bread is there, you feel better about it because you know you won't get a better make of bread. Now, if people feel that they can call in and if right away they see a crane or a truck comes on almost right away and take care of their garbage or their problem now that makes them fell good and it also does something for the Commission because they run for election those people are going to say'those people are doing a good job we want them back up there again'. There is only one thing, nothing has ever been said about sanitation because the garbage is always gone, the trash is always off the street until people look out their front door and see that big trash pile then right away all the Commissioners want to know why that trash pile is on the street but they forget all year along that we have been the Commission what is going to happen if we don't do something about it now, but they always wait for it becomes too late. And now we've discussed them with Mr. Grassie and tried to straighten some of our problems out that we were having in our department but nothing is been straightened out yet, we're still having the same problems. It seems that when you are a department head and you have to deal with people, you know you're going to have to eet the job done, von need all vrnir nennle. When von start gtreamlinina your force but not streamlining your administration then there is no sense of streamlining your force, you can continuously build your administration. He is proposing to lay off men, he is still proposing for 5 administration jobs in the fron office. Now, those administration jobs, we can keep 4,maybe 5,maybe 6 toters and a few drivers; the men don't understand this and he hasn't to explain it --we have asked but he hasn't try to explain it. We are using more extra men in these last few months than we have used on over a year. We are putting out,4e were really putting out,approximately,20 to 15 and some- times only 10 extra men a day. We are putting now,approximately 40 men -- extra men-- a day. It's costing us money, it's costing the City money. That money could be for raise but because the morale problems and these lay offs, which is approximately 166 men walking out of the Sanitation Department with lay off slips in their pockets --I understand now is going up to 196, next month it may be 296, it's constantly going up. Now,this is in no way to get these men to come to work. We are working overtime now, we are working Wednesdays, we are working moneys, we worked the holiday Monday: some of them even work till Saturdays to try to get the stuff off the street. Now, 1 can't see where the City is saving money when you are having to work overtime, double time for Monday, time and a half for Wednesday, time and a half for Saturday -- there is no moany being saved. So, how are you going to streamline your budget when you're having to work these people overtime in order to get the 30 SEP 241977 trash and the garbage off the street but again I remind you, We've tried to talk about this problem, we've tried to tell you what was happening in the Sanitation Department but nobody wants to listen. They say, and this man says is going to cover the City of Miami with 10 cranes, I don't know how he is going to do it if it takes 22 cranes to do it and we only got 9 running now that can even do it. But I'm urging the Commission to reconsider this budget, we need the people on the Sanitation Department, we need the people on the Police Department, we neee the people on the Fire Department and I think the public have major our word today of the problems and how the people feel about Sanitation, Fire and police. So, I ask you to go back to the City Manager and ask him again to go over his budget again because they...I think that it was proven today that the money can be found if they want to do it and I thank you. Mayor Ferre: Thank you T. J.A11 right, William R. Smith. Mr. Smith: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, my name is Bill Smith, Executive Vice President, Employees Association and recent once,I read in the newspaper in recent weeks, we have been accused of slowing down the work force. We had to tell you today of that not true. Our main problem had been lack of equipment. This is our second lay off in the Department of Sanitation and you cann't go to work if you don't have the manpower, if you don't have the equip- ment to do it with. You had once promised that the older incinarator would remain open until the transfer station was built. Last year the administration told the Commission that they would save money by closing the old incinarator and sending our trucks out to the county land field. But if you have to add dollars for the amount of break downs and the amount of City garbage trucks we have scattered all over the county due to the fact that we had to go to this county land field it's no way that it would show that the City is saving money. We are approximately running now about 35 to 36 positions not being filled. You cann'tdue to work unless all the trucks are properly manned.and we are not having them. We have 35 vacants which we need and in order to do the work we need a full crew. In the budget there is 196 people who will be laid off, 86 from the General fund to 33 vacancies: 74 Manpower,plus 16 Manpower vacancies that have not been filled. It's no way you can this work in the City of Miami and keep Miami beautiful and lay off 196 people, even if you bring back 86, you're still going to lose over 125 people and you can't do the work with the work force down that low. Our main problem is equipment. In the last two months we haven't had a day when we've had a full strength of equipment,as Mr. Duggar said before, we are down 12 to 14 cranes a day. I get the phone calls from the public that wants to know why the trash isn't picked up. Now, you can't pick up the trash if you don't have the equipment. And without the equipment you can't pick up the garbage. Going to the county land field has cost the City more money than they intend to save and the last two months we've been working all the time. We never worked overtime on over a year but now every Wednesday we have 15 to 20 garbage outes going to work that's due to the fact that the equipment is breaking down. People in the bottom there on the Grove, truck break down three times a week sometime 4 times a week, three times a day. And the reason these trucks are breaking down is because they are going out to the county land field. The trucks are not built to run out there and off the road surface and they can't stand up that work that they have to do out there. They are getting bugged down, we are loosing trans- missions, we are having universal joints pop and it's just same builts to do that type of work. The City has to get better equipment and more manpower to do it with. We feel that in order for the Department of Sanitation to provide the services that we have been providing for the public,we most remain in a full strength --that is no lay offs, that the 36 vacancies should be filled. Duggar, probably,covered of its . That's all I have to say. Thank you for the opportunity. Mayor Ferre: All right, sir. The next speaker is Charlie Hadley and then Gene, we'll get back to you... we've gotColleen Westmoreland and then, we'll get to you. Mr. Hadley: Mr. Mayor, members of this Commission and my friend, Mrs. Rose Gordon, Mr, Knox, Mr. Gary, Mr. Grassie, and I want to say, friends of the City of the beautiful Miami --the paradise of the paradise. This is what Miami is known as throughout the country. It is known, my friends, to get to heaven the first thing you do when you knock on a door, the door master wants to know where you've been to the paradise looking for paradise. If you have been to the City of Miami there is no room up here for you. What they're saying here, what you hear today- I'm glad to say to you that I'm happy to know that we are 31 CEP 241917 living in such a country as this where the people as you have here, today, ate tespectful to you. We don't have dictators, we don't have Gains, we don t have hooks. These people that you see here, you elected --some of the best in this country. one of the finest Commission that we ever had. You see, I'm today right here. L'm not one informer nor I'm being paid --as a lobbyist to stay here, today --by Mr. Duggar or Mr. Smith or anyone else, I'm here because, my friend, of what I've seen. I'm here because of the com- munity, I'm here because I want to he here,as a citizen of Dade County, the City of Miami. The only thing I'm sorry, my friend, is that I have to pay two taxes when I should he paying one. That's in the City of Miami where I'm living and the service that you're giving me here in the City of Miami and the service that I am not getting from the County, I want you to know that. I want you to know, my friend, also I'm not here to critize any department, I think every department you have here --they are good, we're with you for everything that they want. But I do want to say, my friend, to you when you talking about people, you don't have to have the title degrees to work for the Wast Department. You are not trained in there to go to school, they are not training their children to beat toters but they are afraid to be cut. The other people, my friend, here, today the closest, the closest friend that you have in any department that you have to the people of this great City of Miami --I'm talking about the Sanitation Department and the Police Department. You can send a message that almost my friend like --the Eastern Airlines - they are there. When you look same days, twice a week --they're there; holi- days --they are there. I've had a lot of pictures as I intended to bring down here to this Honorable Commission but I thought several times, and after discussing this with the Mayor and Father Gibson, the Vice Mayor, that they thought there was no need going hack to my house, bringing pictures down here to show you something that you already know. You already know about this, so now is no need... let me tell you this, but I want one thing you to find out that's all my mind, maybe some of these fellows don't know Mr Wheeler, but he was a cousin of mine. He worked all his life for the City of Miami in the Sanitation Department. Anyone who shows in here know.. have to know Mr. Wheeler. Mayor Ferre: Will Rogers? Mr. Hadley: Mr. Wheeler,J.M. Wheeler use to work for the Sanitation Depart- ment down,.. he worked for them. You know what he did? He schooled 6 child- ren, you know, out of those 6 children he sent to school, one is a lawyer, one is a doctor, one is a teacher in Dade County, one is a teacher here in Dade County. I'm trying to tell you...1'm trying to give you some background of the people that depend on you, and on you, your budget --that will work for you. These people got families, they got homes, they got children and when I saw what I happened to see a few minutes ago, I couldn't go and donothing but to thank Mr. Wheeler --the number of years that he worked for the City of Miami. I wonder whether anyone in here happened to know Mr. Wheeler, whether anyone in here happened to know the family that he had and what he did with the money made from the City of Miami. Father, you know Mr. Wheeler. He sent those children to school and they got education and now they are in the world. I'm sorry every time I look around to know that the people of Miami, the City of paradise, the City of beauty..that we as taxpayers spend all our money to get them an education from the elementary school to the Junior High school to the high school, then on into college and come back there is nothing here for them to do, they have to go whether New York, Philadelphia and get a job. Now, this is been to much when we need these people back here. We don't need criticism, my friend, you've found here morale problems, you've found to have it. It's easy to be misquoted. You know, I don't know whether the man said this thing...what he said in the newspaper, I'm not and I'm not here to discuss it because I don't own the newspaper but I am a taxpayer, I am a man that believes in the community, I am a man that believe in the people that work.... Mayor Ferre: Okay.... Mr. Hadley: .... for the City of Miami. 1 am a man that believes in the Waste Department because 1 can depend on you, if this man that are here today got ready to send a message or Mr. Mayor and this Commission got ready to send a message to this community.Within 24 hours thiq community could receive it and you wouldn't have to send out one stamp einvelope because ups the Waste Department towards everybody and see that the City of Miami popu- 32 S P 241917. latidi declining...it's increasing, its' increasing, My friend. We want to tee people here in Dade County; I am not here to talk about revolution, I am here to talk about one thing --the Waste Department, the people that are the closest friends in this community to the people not just my community, but throughout Dade County. I am interested in the Fire Department, I am inter- ested in the Police Department, but I'm more interested in all the way up there, of all workers. But my interest most of all is seemed to he here, today, to talk to You as friends not as a man to man, hut as a friend to the working men that work for you, that sweat for you, that have tears in their eyes for you, that about home and the first to be cut. The first to be cut. I'm not been paid to say this, I am not a lobbyist but these are my friends. I see them all over Dade County, every day in the City of Miami and I want to say this and stop, Mr. Mayor, because I want to thank you for allowing me to say what I've said for the working people of the City of Miami, for the goodwill ambassador of the City of Miami, of the people that have been dedicated to Miami, and not dedicated to Miami and to talk with you also about Mr. Wheeler, to mention to you the different services that you render here to the community. I know, and you know, as well as T do, that it takes millions and billions of dollars to render the service that the City of Miami is render- ing to the community, and T'm hoping, Mr. Mayor, with the trouble that you're having with money, I know, I'm having money trouble too trying to pay my bills, but I'm hoping that with the money trouble that we have with the City of Miami, that we will work out some means. You and your staff and the administrators will work out some means to realize that these people that are here, today, they have families, they're buying homes and they're... the only thing they want is a good job and they want to meet the payroll every two weeks-- I'm sure of that-- they want to he sure to meeti the payroll every two weeks, not to go down to the employment office to look for jobs and I want to let you know that I've got a cousing that worked with you all his life, he's gone on to Heaven and two days ago when I came and stop, hes daughter cared a son who went for the first time on a plane trip to New York. So when they got way up in the clouds, the little boy say to Dorothy, he said"Mama, now while we look here, say, I want to say just one word while we are up here to grand- father". She says "What do you want to say? She says "You can't say..." "Well, you told me Heaven was up here, and I'm sure... Father, you see, I don't intend for him to follow us all the way to New York. I just want to say Hello to him". Mayor Ferre: Okay, uncle Charlie... Mr. Hadley: Another thing I want to say is let's keep everybody working. Mayor Ferre: That, ladies and gentlemen, was the great Charlie Hadley. All right, now we are going to hear from Colleen Westmoreland. Mrs. Westmoreland? Mrs. Westmoreland: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I'm here on behalf of 2,200 General City Employees, I work in the Police Department as a secretary. Non - sworn employees in the Police Department are called support personnel. This title would fit all 2,200 employees.Without us, police cars, garbage trucks, rubbish vehicles would not run. Fire trucks would not get to the fires, letters and reports would not he typed and the budget that you are reading was typed by us and that gets to two extra weekends with support personnel from the Police Department and other departments to do it to get it ready. Telephones would not he answered, we would not be able to tell the people calling that the department heads were busy at other places and would be back in the office in a few moments. Correct information would not be availa- ble, parks would not be kept clean, classes to keep all people --young and old active-- would not be held. 'There are vacancies in the Police Department now that are not been filled and I understand that they are not going to be filled which means there is twice as much...three times as much work for the people that are left. There is already no overtime. We, support personnel, are just as important as the police, the firemen and the sanitation and last but least you really can forget us because without payroll checks would not be produced or distributed. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Gene Naples. Now, Gene, before you get started, is there anybody else, now, who wishes to be heard at this particular budget hearing after Gene Naples? you, I mean, I'm talking about you and Charlie, you're going to wind it up. Anybody else who wants to be heard? 33 SEP 241977. mi WA oh Revenue Sharing now. We aten't on Revenue Sharing yet, i►m talking Strictly about this City of Miami budget that is before us tight now. Ahy= body else? All right, you two will wind up today. Mt. Naples: Mr. Mayor, first of all, I'd like to gibe to you some petitions that have been signed. I have in my hand here some 7,472 signatures of people who had signed the petition, and I want to make it clear that these people are all supporting the 3 so called central services which are Fire, Police, and Sanitation. I'd like to give this to you at this time. I'm sure some of the other people.... give them to Mr. Crassie7 okay,... sure that some of the other people here also have some and we have many, many that are out in the field that haven't been collected as yet and as you could tell by this morning's proceedings we have the support of very various people on this side. I also would like to have you have a packet that we prepared and T won't he redundant with some of the things that have already been discussed but I would like to picture this thing and to let you... make you aware of some other things that we are talking about. Mr. Charles Pierce: Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners, I'm a business man, as entity in the Allapattah area for about 40 years and I've lived out there since 19 Mayor Ferre: Excuse, sir, Mr. Naples is right smack in the middle of a presen- tation. If Mr. Naples wants to yield the microphone to you it's perfectly all right with me. Have you got a brief statement to make...or what? Mr. Pierce: Yes, he is... I only have a brief statement.... Mayor Ferre: All right, sir. Mr. Pierce: .... it don't take me a minute. I won't belabor it. Mayor Ferre: That's all right, sir. Mr. Pierce: My name is Charles years and what I'm concerned with is your Police Department out there, the Mounted Police, and the 3-Wheel vehicles that you have there. Let me say this, I think budget and money is the name of the game and so,I. have just finished about $65,000 addition in the area and if you,men,know the area you know it is a high -crime area. I have two or three things that I'd like to bring up that I would like for you to consider for your own edification. Number 1 is that I know of several other people that are considering building out there business buildings as well as a few residences. Now this, of course, is going to generate additional revenues and I don't believe that you are going to find if we are bondable to all the tags or hazards of crime that we have out there that this is going to take place if the police are removed from the bid which that is exactly what will happen, we will have no men on the bid out there. We have also a problem, you have a Social Security office --two doors from me --at which I rent a part of the parking lot for my employees from. Now, the Mounted Police and the 3-Wheelers are not there on Saturday, I cannot let my employees park there because of the robbery that takes place in their automobiles, they take the hubcaps off, the radios or anything else in there, they even jacked them up at take wheels off. So, I can't have anything there Saturday that I cannot keep my eye on, it has to be that closed, it has to be under that kind of scrutiny. And be- lieve me they know out there when those policemen are off, and so I would deceit you, prayed with you to keep them on if it all possible and then with your Social Security office we used to have one to three as we termed them runners. They are purse snatchers, they go and have the purses from these elderly people that have to come to that Social Security office, they knocked them down, we brought them into out place, and 1 think some of them have been crippled for life, of course, we don't know what happens to them once the ambulance and the Rescue Squad take them away. But I do say that there is a bad situation and then you have another situation with your Robert King High Towers there and the elderly people which they have continually been harassed and will continue being harassed. So, I think thay if you consider the fact that if the police protection is furnished to us out there, I believe you'll see that area will beging to grow again which it has begun to grow already and you will find that you will generate more taxes but if the area continues to go down nobody basically can build anything or feel safe in the area,the property values within themselves are going to decrease which they 34 $EP 241977. have already and your tax dollar is going to go down. I don't belive, if you will examine your budget, and I have no way of knowing only by hearsay, I think you've got some $37,000 or $39,000 but if you consider the fact that you have no supervision so to speak, a major, a lieutenant or somebody there that's in there for $12,000 or $13,000 you take that out and if you add the miscellaneous things that they do not have in there now that is charged in that budget you will find that it's around $18,000 or $19,000 a year and I don't think that's to much to ask for an area of that size for police protection. I thank you, gentlemen, for your time; I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you and I'll be grate- ful for your consideration. Mayor Ferre: All right, Mr. Naples. Mr. Naples: Mr. Mayor, I've also been informed that there is a Mr. Vogel here that would like to be heard that.... Mayor Ferre: Mr. who? Mr. Naples: Mr. Vogel from Wynwood Park that was scheduled to be heard and it wasn't heard, I didn't see his name on the list. Mr. Mayor, in the packet that I've passed up to you and I have to apologize with Dr. Barry, I meant to really give you a brief background of his Vita but as it is in that packet --the first thing on there -- but of course, I think you all heard well Dr. Barry before. The second item in there is a report from Warren Kimball. I won't go through that because much of this has already been spoken to, but you'll see that what Mr. Kimbal has to say, and by the way, Mr. Kimbal biographical data -which is on the second page -gives you an idea what his credentials are. Mr. Kimbal,of course, if I may, is a member of the staff of the National Fire Protection Association, he was with them for many years, he has written most books on fire tactics and science and so forth and is well known by anyone whose had any dealings with the fire service at all. As a matter of fact, he is the co-author of the Municipal Fire Administration Book published by the International City Management Association and it goes on and on. But I think the thing that I would like to speak to on that particular report and it speaks to the same things we've mentioned before where the chief's aides are been taken out of service and put back on fire and so forth and his com- ments and all those things but I think his conclusions and specifically the con- clusion that he has made on the back page --the last page of that report-- I think it says pretty much... I think that's really at the bottom line-- and I quote Mr. Kimbal where it says "the budget gamble..." --at the about center of the last paragraph --"...the budget gamble may be compared with Russian roulette and that it cannot be determned,definitely, before hand who is likely to die or when;but the odds agains survival when fires and health emergencies occur are being increased significantly to allow such reductions when the facts have been made clear will • not reflect favorably upon Municipal Management Administration. Fire Department officials can only furnished the level service provided for in the departmental budget as approved by the City officials". Mr. Mayor, and members of the Com- mission I think the message here by Mr. Kimball and by all of those who has spoken to the problem is simply that in order for us to maintain the level service which we had in the past that not only are we faced with very, very serious problem as to the proposed budget cuts and the lay offs but I think we really must look to these vacancies. Again, I'd like to reiterate what I said earlier that when seven norf' penr.l e Cl»le to ri,-c. 11nr1rtmn.,t anA hpr r..r i r ? ♦jor7 119a.r eiltur', that it will be necessary then even before this budget cuts the prevention through- out of service. I think it is a very serious thing that we are really looking at. Some of the other information in there speaks to how those apparatuses would af- fect certain areas and I think that Art Green spoke to you earlier reflected on some of those apparatuses that we speak to. The last thing that it's in that packet speaks to some Federal legislation which is currently been considered. I furnished to you 3 proposals, three bills that are being proposed in the House, namely House Resolution 182, House Resolution 1202, and House Resolution 3016. All through those proposals I made this information available to the City several months ago. Those things are still alive and under consideration. I've contacted our local congressmen, the senators from this area and we are keeping a brace of that. The reason i bring this to your attention is that I think there is some real hope in the event that there are lay offs because of any financial condition that the City might be in that there is help available through the Federal government, I feel very confident that these bills will be passed and will be something that will not be under the control over any governmental agency inasmuch as the money will be given to the City to the use for those purposes without the usual requi- ments that we are comtemplating under one of the alternatives for CETA funds and tJ J S ,P 241977, thifigs of that nature, I think it's very important that all of us support that legislation, Just to sum up what I had to say,I'm very optimistic that this City Commission will take into very serious consideration all the things that's been said here today. Also I want to make it very clear that we're very, very dedicated to the community to provide the quality of service that we had in the past. I think it's something that we would all very seriously concerned about. I'm confident this Commission will do the right thing and that we will be able to maintain that service and thank you very much and I think Charlie would like to say a few words to you. Mr. Dick Danziger: My name is Dick Danziger, 3036 Grand Avenue. Mayor Ferre: Dick, are you here to talk about the budget perse? Mr. Danziger: Perse, yes, the budget concerning the Mounted Police which is part.,.. Mayor Ferret All right, all right, we have a letter here for the record which we all received from Loraine Prince. All right. Mr. Danziger: Yes. I can expand a little bit further.,,. Mayor Ferre: Yes, go ahead, go ahead. Mr. Danziger: And I can give an introduction at the same time. I think that the City of Miami in the last 3 years has received good reports about crime because crime is coming down and I think that in the face of many, many cities throughout the country shows a great trend at whatever the City is doing,is doing right because Law Enforcement Agency within the City is becoming more efficient as the population increases itself more efficient --that's why the percentage of crime has gone down. And I think that it is not to be understated that in order to have crime go down that you have to maintain a particular force and possibly expanded in a near future. I think in order to have people while live in Miami, visit Miami we are now in the process of putting a Convention Center in downtown Miami which is going to cost well over $10,000,000. We are expanding our park facility what without a continue down trend of crime, the facility is not going to be worth very much because people will not to a facility or a geographical area where there is high crime. I think New Your City faces a great deal of this problem today --the big apple --I think that Washington, D.C. is another faces a big problem of people being afrais to go to those cities even the great, great things that they have to offer because of crime. So, I feel that to actually shrink your budget when it comes to cities like Miami,as compared Gran Rapids, Michigan, we are not in the same league. A couple years ago the Mayor had sent a letter to the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce stating that he thought that it will be an excellent idea and he was all for keeping the Mounted Patrol in Coconut Grove and Allapattah and he had sent out many, many letters to that fact. I think J. L. at one time had agreed with that particular thought but the Mayor did it by means of a letter. We are now in the process of eliminating the Mounted Patrol because, supposedly, is about $35,000 to maintain the Mounted Patrol. The Mounted patrol, according to the new '77-'78 budget --according to the figures submitted by the department, the Police Department -- is $17,557. This figure could be easily cut and still maintain the Mounted Patrol. Number 1, the big cost is the truck which is $7,200 in which when the truck is out of service they use a 2-horses van which is provided by the Park Department. So, if this budget of $17,000 could be cut by $10,000, $7,000 we get into a figure of $10,000. We are also having that same facility only 2 men using horses where you could get 6 men using horses. There is room for a stable of 10 horses in that particular facility, all those horses are darned needed. We will submit to you later on,as the day progresses,signatures well over 2,000 of people who feel that that force is a good, good, spot for the City of Miami not just a good spot, a good location, but the best public relations the City of Miami has in its Police Department. There was a recent call on the survey from the Police Department into 4 cities. The 4 cities I would mention were the following: Washington, D.C., Boston, Atlanta and Chicago. All these cities had, are going to increase their Mounted Patrol. I would say that would speak for a good cross section of different geographical locations of cities throughout the country. So, I think to expand it to the facility that we have, just using... bring it up to six si extremely important, Incidently, this survery taken by the Police Department with 24 other cities and I could list them but 1 think that will be a little bit... time is of the essence. 85% of the people thought the Mounted Patrol were necessary and the greater portions of the city of those cities out of the 24 which your 5% so we are expanding those departments SEP 241977 in the Mounted Patrol area; so I feel that's very important. Public relations for the Police Department is an extremely important facet for citizens and tourists that come into this area. What means do we have to create good public relations for the Police Department? There are very, very few. We ought to hear the complaints here, the complaints from merchants, you hear the complaint from the cities, but I don't think anybody complaints about the Mounted Patrol, everybody is very happy about that. And I think that's an area that we have to consider because public relations get the citizens on the side of the Police Department and I feel that really before you consider cutting down anything in order to maitain a good city you 've got to keep that crime going down and you can't keep it down any other way but by keeping the same force on..yes, maybe working a little more efficiently, but that's not with the cut. Cut off on a few more parks, possibly that might be a temporary stop gat but keep that Police Department, keep that Fire Department because they are a basis of a good city and a good city for progress --a new World City of South America.... Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you. Now, at this time we are going to hear from... all right, Loraine, and then after that Mr. Hall, and then Mr.Woods, and then Mr. Vogel and then I think we'll wind up. Mrs. Loraine Prince: I'll be very... can you hear me all right? Mayor Ferre: Yes, we can hear you. Mr. Prince: I'll be brief. I've already turned over a letter to you but for those up here who did not get the letter, it's a great concern to the Coconut Grove area the fact that you are considering doing away with the Mounted Patrol. As you know, he does see the children back and forth across the streets and many other things and as I've stated in the letter, he commends the respect and attention of young and older like. The patrolmen and Mounted, of course, can be seen above and beyond the motorized scope of the public and I think that's very important. The horses were donated --we understand-- so they were no charge to the City and cannot really be included in the cost; however, we only have one there and we would dearly love him remain. The Mounted officer is also able to investigate areas where the cars not get in and a lot of this has happened in the Grove and it has been well worth every penny you ever spent, believe me, from the facts that we have been told. So, my pleade to you is, please, keep the Mounted Police and even expanded, if you can, because it's very, very valuable to us. And it is a... this is an appeal from the hearts of all the people who havi signed the petition and I have petitions to turn over to you, today, signed by 867 people which is quite a lot to get in just a few days and I think it's very representative of the feelings of the Grove. So, just do everything in you power to leave the Mounted patrolman in the Grove, we just feel we can't do without him. And I thank you very much and I'd like to give you this. Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you very much, Loraine. All right, Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mrs. Prince. Mr. Hall. Mr. Cahrles Hall: Your Honor, Honorable Mayor and members of the City Commission, I'll try to be very brief, I'm sure by this time of day it rather be somewhere else. For the record, my name is Charles Hall and I'm vice president of the Inter- national Association of Firefighters which is the parent organization of the local firefighters and we represent 175,000 firefighters in the United States and about 98% of all the Canadian firefighters. Coming in here, today, your Honor, brought back a lot of memories of how budget system used to work in the past and I'm sure you know what I'm talking about when I talk about how the budget system used to work fire collecitve bargain. I've thought we've grown out of that but, perhaps, we haven't. Maybe governing by crisis is still with us and will be for a while. What my main concern, today, as a course is, is the problem with what I consider a not so gradual reduction of the total fire service in the City and I did a little research to come up the figures I'm going to give you this afternoon. In January of 1973 we had under the fire force of a 153 firefighters --that's combat fire- fighters --by June of this year we were down to 130 or decrease at approximately 18% Now, that's before you consider any of the cuts we're talking about now, since 1973 the combat fire forces already decrease by 18%. The 35 positions contemplated being cut from the budget increases that total decrease in the combat fire service to 28% and I submit to you that the Fire Department can no longer deliver the service they've been delivering if those kinds come about. Now, those are figures taken off by actual rosters --daily rosters of the Fire Department and I believe they 're accurate. I think the point is that somebody, somewhere has to make a decision in terms of what the priorities are. You have a responsibility tpl SEP 241971 and we, the firefighters have a responsibility and I promise you, your Honor and members of the Commission, that if you meet your responsibility that we'll meet our responsibility and we'll deliver the kind of service we have delivering in the past. And in closing, I'd just like to thank you for the patience you've shown to being sitting through very long a tedious kind of hearing and I'd like to thank the Manager and particularly Mr.Mielke for helping us form a coalition of public employees that I didn't think was possible and we found out that Police, Fire and Sanitation have a sort of inter -dependence that we failed to recognize before , we certainly thank them for that. Thank you very much. Mayor Ferre: All right. Mr. Marion Vogel: Sure, they've got to stretch it from there. Mr. Mayor..., Mayor Ferre: Why don't you just lower it, that'll do it. Okay? Mr, Vogel: Okay. Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen of the Commission, my name is Marion Vogel and I represent the Wynwood area. Our biggest complaint in the Wynwood area is that we have large piles of trash in our area and we have not any trash pick up in the past 5 weeks. Stating to the point now that we were here for, a few rats that are nesting and then we are afraid that the children are going to be bitten by them and if that just happens to go on we are going to have quite a bit of white plague desease. fire stations, they're just putting a pair into Wynwood area which we're pretty proud of. That seems kind of foolish to have brand new streets which we haven't had in sometime and then to have 6' of...6' piles of trash littering the whole lot. It's all I have to say, Thank you, sir. Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you, Mr. Vogel. All right, is Mr. Woods... does Mr. Woods still want to speak or not? And then I assume there is no more speakers as far as today's budget as to... You do want to speak, yes, sir. Don, you want to say something here? All right. Mr. Nelson E. Mc Nair: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, my name is Mc Nair, Nelson E., I'm no longer a resident of Miami, I'm now a resident of Hialeah. I am an employee, and have been for the last 23 years. This gentleman that just spoke to you, I spoke to him heartedly because he was within my district. Now, speaking of that situation that we suffered throughout the City of Miami is one that is not uncom- mon when you pull behind in forces. This is one of the reasons I would speak up and say no cuts should he made in Sanitation. We had a morale problem which you have heard, this morale problem came about for this particular reason that every- body works within districts,everybody was given and every taxpayer in the City of Miami was given,a 5-day service. This was eliminated,I must say the truth,in my opinion some special treatments like Bay Points, Coconut Grove. We were pulled out of areas,sent down to particular work these areas. This, I think, is unfair to all taxpayers. I think an area should be completed for the taxpayers by the Sanitation Department without having any special service to anyone particular person or anyone particular group. Now, you have heard, today, and I have heard, today, people speaking of this morale. We have our employees here, you have our crane operators, you have . This morale problem is that thick, we have heard...and now I have talked to Mr. Grassie; out there over in the corner, and along with these wonderful people about the situation that we work on, when employee was putting in, maybe 20, 30 hours a week for their 40-hour work week. They're taking facts and figures, I think, on a garbage situation more than on a rubbish situation. You take a rubbish crew and you send them out, you give them an 8-hour job to do. They say our job is being done in 6 hours, if they can do it in 6 hous, then they have put in extra work to do it where we are paying them an 8-hour basic day. When this is taken away from them, this is where I say, morale drops. You have areas like Wynwood, you have areas like Allapattah, you have areas in Coconut Gorve and you have what we call central district. They are a very high densitive areas as far as trash goes. These are the kind of services that we give to the people, we try to eliminate what we call bulky item pick up and if it's out there on the street, not mere down, we try to take it up to save all of this problems. We got back to the... now we are going to talk about Dog, Jr.,and talk about Bell Smith who are more or less association leaders. They can back me up 100% and I like said as a supervisor myself these things 1 say would work beautiful but 1 don't think cutting our force to where you have to rearrange your whole pick up system on garbage, rubbish or anything else, will work out sufficient. It may, I won't take a negative answer on it, all I say is I'll take the positive answer on it and maybe I would have to prove to you or to my director that it doesn't work. Thank you. $ P 2411171, Mayor F'erte: All tight, sit and thank you. All right, Lt. Don March> Lt. March: It's only to deliver out 2,937 petitions signed by citizens taxpayets and people doing business in the City of Miami protesting those lay offs. Mayor Ferre: All right, sir, Lieutenant. Now, at this time, ladies and gentlemen we'll wind up the budget estimate , I mean, the budget hearings and there will be another budget session Manday night, at 7:00 P.M. at City Hall for those of you that wish to be heard at that time and now we're going to get, we're going to go into the Revenue Sharing hearing which is 1 hour late. I'm going to take a 5-minute break so that those of you who are not interested, who were here just for the budget portion can leave quitely and those that are interested in Revenu Sharing will stay, please. (BRIEF RECESS) Mayor Ferre: At this time we are going to listen to Mr. Rob Parkins. Do you all take your seat, those of you that interested in Revenue Sharing? All right, sir. Mr. Parkins, if you proceed. Mr. Parkins: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners. We'll try to fairly brief in this presentation. You may recall that the Office of Community Affairs together with its funding recommendations for the FY74-75, urged the Commission to adopt the calender year funding cycle for social services allocations. We will be this year taking one step toward this calender year cycle. In addition, we will be describing for you, today, our recommendation for categorical funding for social services programs. This recommendation addresses concerns expressed about the previous individual agency funding system and moves it closer to insuring that the City of Miami social services general revenue funds actually fill gaps or addressed needed services are not currently being provided. We, of course, continue to review program proposals for appropriateness and client service impact for cost effectiveness, quality service and client satisfaction. Today we will review a little of our process for categorical funding review with the target aid for actual categorical allocation . The actual categorical allocation recommendations is being November 24. Funds required to maintain current levels of service have been identified so that should not be a short fall in service delivery while we moved toward a calender year system. Today, then, for the purposes...will be for the purpose of incorporating Federal Revenue Sharing, social services funding in the amount of $1,043,053 in the budget process. Responding to appropriate public com- ment and describing our process so that it is understandable and one within which you might have confidence. I would like to introduce now Mr. Donnie Horne who will describe our process. Mr. Horne: Mayor Ferre, Vice Mayor Gibson, Commissioners, as Mr. Parkins briefly pointed out,we are here today to mainly discuss categories of service and not indi- vidual programs at this time and in that context we are going to be discussing procedures that we used this year as far as evaluating and monitoring Federal Revenue Sharing agency applicants with also an overview of past allocation procedures and processes. Briefly,we'll discuss today categorical funding history, the scien- tifical process that we are now employing in evaluating and monitoring the programs, other sources of funding and their are responsibility, funds that have already been allocated to agencies,and priorities of categories of service with, of course, final- ly the recommendations by the staff.... Briefly, over the last 3 fiscal years the evaluation, monitoring, and process of Federal Revenue Sharing has moved from an approach of a consortion base evaluation team which is made up of Dade County United Way and members of the City ?tanager's office to a more specialized team with program analysts who would train in analyzing programs due to their fiscal structure, their adminitrator capabilities, and also their budgetary processes. The process that we employ this year is a much more specialized process in that we added several thing due to federal guidelines and other procedures and talking with the Manager and having heard some voiced opinion from the Commission itself. We've included greatly citizen participation in the process this year to a degree that we take the information that we get for agencies to the communities and ask them to prior- itize the catogories of service that they feel are needed in their particular com- munity so that we may have a better insight as to their feelings and their direct needs that are needed in the particular communities. We are right now in Phase III of the process which entails accumulating all the data that we have from the agen- cies,getting the citizens recommendations and compiling these in such a manner so that we may make recommendations to Mr. Grassie who will in turn make recommendations to you. 39 S EP .2419n Mayor ferret What does HR stand for? 1r. Horne: Health Rehabilitative Services. As I said,*this year we're geating tote toward a scientifical approach in evaluating the programs and in doing this we re using socio-economic data, a general market analysis survey which is used to strat- ify cluster exampling of individuals throughtout the city and individuals house- holds to give us a better feel as to the socio-economic conditions in the City of Miami and what's needed as far as social services are concerned. Briefly we will discuss with you the past 3 categorical allocations that we've had from FY74-75 through the last FY76-77. As you can see by looking at the chart and the figures therein that looking at from a categorical stand point as far as particular dollars amount or percentages of the totals funds that we have to allocate for Federal Revenue Sharing social service programs there is been no more than a 6% change up or down in either category that we funded over the last 3 fiscal years. This will indicate to us that although there was not a very formalize procedure in the be- ginning,that the procedure that wasn't still was adequate and that we've given towards formalizing that process and making it more equitable. Other funding sources --the issue also is a part of the process. We're looking at the agencies that applied to us, we.'d be intent that if there are no funds available to fund all of the programs that have applied to us we would be knowledgeable as to other sources of funds are where the procedures are for applying for these other sources of funds and also in lending technical assistance to those agencies that might meet the criteria for those funding sources. As we've noticed several of the agencies that have applied to us for funds have alreagy receive funds through several of other funding sources that we basic listed there. We can see that under Community Development funds where the 77-78 year a total of $406,396 was allocated to agencies to provide social services. The Dade County Department of Human Resources also provides funds to agencies and this year through their proposed budget they're pro- posing to allocate $887,260.62 to social services agencies to provide social service programs. Mayor Ferre: Is that in the City of Miami? Mr. Horne: That's in the City and the County. They fund some programs that have applied to the City for funding and do service City residents. United Way which is always a funding source aid throughout the City is providing $449,633 to social service agencies for social service programs. Mayor Ferre: That's, that again Dade County. Mr. Horne: Yes. The South Florida CETA Consortium, of course, though they provide Manpower positions they're still allocating funds and positions to agencies for the operation of their programs. This year the Consortium has allocated,approximately, $89,775 and 11 positions under Title I for social service programs. Health Reha- bilitative Services which is mainly concerned with health problems of exceptional citizens also provide funds to the City of Miami and Dade County for operation of social service programs to the amount of $771,341. Briefly, right now we'd like to discuss with you the priorities of the categorities of service as the staff views them and also citizen recommendations. As you can see as you glance at the charter there are some discrepancies between staff recommendations and citizens recommendations. This is attributed to the fact that citizens as we proceed, it gives us absolute needs. We take this information and temper it with the other information that we come up with --such other areas of funding and how much is being provided in certain categories and make recommnndations from that stand point. And finally, we'd like to discuss with you our recommendations. First of all, we've recommended the Commission inprove of the categorical funding process, as it has been outlined and has been used such to a great deal of degree of success in the past with the priority categorities receiving priority ranking for the type of services needed. We'll also be able to rank agencies within these categories so as to make recommendations to you to those agencies that would be able to best pro- vide services in a particular category. Secondly, we recommend that existing programs be funded for 1/12 because the review cycle is still in process due to the fact that we're receiving late applications and in order to be fair to every one who applies have to evaluate every program as such. We also will at that time --at such time as being, we will proceed the recommendations by categories of service with agencies rank within those categories. Thirdly, the staff would like to be allowed to solicit agencies to provide services where services are needed. We've run across an occasion whereas, if only accept applications from agencies that would like to provide services in a certain area when there is a well established need for a particular service in another area that has not been applied for us for a 40 so k0971 staff that likes to leeway to set up some sort of bid process whereas we can have bids come in to the Clerk's office to make sure that where necessary services are heeded that they also be given an opportunity to he provided with Federal Revenue Sharing dollars. And next, we would like the staff with be allowed to make recom- mendations to the City task forces regarding social service projects funded by Com- munity Development funds. This will provide a coordinated effort of all Federal dollars that would be allocated towards social service programs and cut out unneces- sary dupplication and overlapping of services in particular areas. That as you have it, Commissioners, is our preliminary report and recommnedations for process, Mrs. Gordon: Can you reduce that to a form that we could each have a copy of it? Mr. Horne: Certainly. Mayor Ferre: All right, Thank you very much. The first speaker that I have... for those of you that want to be, that want to speak today, if you will come and give your name to the Clerks' office, here, and we will take you accordingly. A11 right, at this time we'll recognize....oh, I've got to learn in school.... Rose, did you get those roses?... Mrs. Gordon: Oh, that's beautiful, isn't it? Mayor Ferre: All right, now at this time we'll hear from Marietta Fandino. MRS. FANDINO MADE HER PRESENTATION TN SPANISH.(See later translation). Mayor Ferre: All right, Parkins. Mr. Parkins: If I could briefly... my understanding is that she has rather serious allegation and charges as it would relate to.... Mayor Ferre: I would say that's an understatement. Mr. Parkins: Yes, sir....Little Havana Activity Center and I would mission, of course, and the speaker that we will take those and.... Mrs. Gordon: I would appreciate an interpretation. Mr. Parkins: We shall. Mrs. Gordon: Now. Mayor Ferre: We do have... I think she has an English translation, so it to Mr. Parking... would somebody read the translation? Translator: It's addressed to the Miami Mayor, City Commissioners Joseph Grassie. It is your responsibility, as public officials, at the people.... Mr. Plummer: and what she, Mayor Ferre: denounce a.... Mr. Plummer: anybody. and City Manager, the service of Excuse, Mr. Parkins, I would like to know who the speaker is, first, if any,represents;is a group. She is a citizen and she is representing herself. She is here to Okay, I just want to know who she is and if she is representing Mayor Ferre: ... and her newspaper,"La Verdad",she is here in representation of herself and her newspaper, Marietta Fandino, and this is her statement in English,now. Mrs. Gordon: Mayor Ferre: Mr. Parkins; Mayor Ferre; Mr, Plummer: What newspaper, sir? "La Verdad" "La Verdad" "La Verdad", it' Thank you, S P 241977, Translators It is your "responsibility, as public officials, of the service of the people to make sure that our taxes be supervided and the public funds coming from our taxes not bein misused. It is your responsibility to make sure of fraud, and justices and irregularities not be commited with these funds and that they be adquately supervised. Therefore, is to you that we addressed our demand. Before you approve even a penny more for the Little Havana Activity Center, directed by Rafael Villaverde, we demand that a complete investigation he conducted by the City of Miami or by independent investigators, hired by you, into the following very serious charges: At the center,since 1974, several Board members like Mr.For- mentin and Perez Manriquez and other have been collecting paychecks as staff. This is a conflict of interest since these men cannot he expected to supervise the center director who has the power of fire them as staff. The food serve at that center for the Latin elderly --the daily hot meals-- are unbalanced and inadequate. Re- ports about the quality of the food served critizing it seriously are available at the State Health and Rehabilitative Services office. However, the same cater has been retained year after year, Construction Caterers, because the owner, Mr. Ben - come happens to be a friend of Mr. Villaverde. The first year the hot meals contract was laid out, bids were not sought in contrary to the law which requires bids, the contract was handed out to Construction Catering. The next year bids were saw. The one who won was Yeyo, to offer better service, better more varied food at lest cost but the contract still went to Construction Catering. The bidding procedure, therefore, was only a cover up from a favoritism at the expense of the Latin elderly. Last year, 1976, bids again were sought because the number of hot meals was again increased, the contractor whoever wants more went to the same friendly caterer. the additional cost of those hot meals funded by our taxes is divided into the center director and the caterer. The situation benefits only those who get richer economically while the elderly goes on poorly. I don't want my taxes misused in that manner. I demand, therefore, that the hot meals contract of Little Havana Center he transfered to some other reputable institution like the Senior Centers, Inc. who have more experience. 'There are various centers that have 3 years to correct the hot meal and it has done nothing about it. (3) The public funds are also mis- used for parties hosted by the director for his friend at the center which must be kept open longer at our expense. It also used for a meeting place for terrorists. Members of various terrorist organizations meet there frequently with the director. Cubam exiles who are now in jail in the United States on convictions of placing bombs in this country, used to visit the center constantly; the director, therefor has been subpoenaed formarly and he's had to appear before the Federal Grand Jury investigating the bombing death of Chilean diplomat,Orlando Lctelier, in Washington and before the investigating the bombing of Miami Cuban Newsman who lost both legs in the incident last April. After all of the above is completed documented, I would be happy to cooperate with you in this investigation telling you where and how this documentation can be obtained. I trust the duty,the seriourness of the situation, and the charges that you will conduct yourselves responsibly initiate at their own investigation of all of these charges before granting this center director any more public funds to Messers. In my newspaper, "La Verdad", published weekly, I had exposed some of the centers directors misdoings; this, however, has not stopped him for continued violations to the law and continued fraud of the Federal State and Local govern.:ants which furnishes programs with funds. The situation has become intolerable for us taxpayers and we demand effective and immediate action on your part. Thank you very much for your attention, Marietta Fandino, owner, editor, "La Verdad". Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I don't know who this lady is nor do I know of her news- paper. I do want to say that these accusations are now on the public record and it is my hope and desire that a copy of this letter immediately be given to States Attorney in which hands I believe it belongs because at best the questions raised must be answered; and I would hope through you as Mayor of this City, that I have the assurances that Monday morning a copy of this letter will be made available to the States Attorney to investigate if he sees fit and before I live here, today, I want a copy for my personal. records. Mayor Ferre: All right. Any other statements? Mr. Manager, would you have copies made for all members of the Commission, would you make sure that Monday morning a copy is delivered to the States Attorney office? Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Mayor, I would like to ask the Manager, since the Department that is in charge of the funding that is being referred to, has not brought this kind of information yet to our attention. Is it so that you didn't know anything about it, if in fact there are maybe some validity in what we heard? Mr. Parkins: This is the first that I've had this kind of allegation brought to 12 SEP 241977 my attention, Commissionet. Its. Gordon: There has been no othet indication to you whatsoelet du "it* years that have just passsed that they might be a problem,,,? Mayor Ferre; Oh, we have to be careful not to try.... Mrs. Gordon: Ism just asking a question, Mr. Mayor, simply one for infotmatiot. We are not trying, we are not condemming, we are not accusing, we are just asking whether or not there has been any indication delivered to our department that tight have revealed some problems, what they are I don't know. Mr. Parkins: (INAUDIBLE RESPONSE) Mrs. Gordon: Okay, thank you for your information. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, let me continue, if I may. Mayor Ferre: You may. Mr. Plummer: By just saying that I know Mr. Villaverde for some time, that I'm sure as I know him that he would want this matter not to rest as it is, that to be in- vestigated an let the ships forward if they may. Since wewill not be today allocating any funds directly or indirectly to a particular program, I would prefer that any futher conversation in this particular matter be discontinued at this time so that we would not in anyway jeopardize any proper investigation. Mayor Ferre: All right, sir, I think your request is appropriate. At this time I would like to ask Annette Eisenberg who is the next speaker who has sumitted her name. Mrs. Eisenberg: I'm sure I come...my name is Annette Eisenberg, 1180 N.E. 86 Street, and I'm sure that what I'm going to say to you,today, is so remotely different from what I have come to you and asked for all these years than too you may question why. As a member of the first Revenue Sharing Board, 4 years ago, I sat on the floor with Dan Paul and we begged. Now, at that time not to use any of the money for salaries for to use it for social service and programs. I have to agree for the first time with J. L. to say "you are right, you said that the City of Miami was not in the social service business" and that's exactly true. We aren't in the social service business. I come to you here,today,to ask you not to fund any new social service programs that will take years to get off the ground with many, many wasted dollars again. I'm going to ask you, and I know it's difficult and don't be concerned about that phantom out there because all it is is a phantom, I need to inform you of a lot of these programs that you've given all these years to and don't continue to fund them, please, don't continue to fund many of these programs. Continue only the programs that have been proven successful,those that also receiving other federal dollars such as the day care, such as the senior citizens day care. Stop allocationg money for planning, planning, planning, planning that never becomes a reality. This Revenue Sharing moneys is sent into a community to alleviate the taxpayers burdens. For once, please, thind about taxpayers. Use the money for the improvements that would alleviate the tax burden on us. We asked at that time, as I said before --I don't remember if I did-- not to use any money for salaries, re- member? We begged Mel Reese from 5:30 at night before your tenure, Mayor Ferre,when Dave Kennedy was the Mayor. We sat and we spoke to him from 5:30 to about 7:00 o'clock and said "Mr. Manager, are you going to use the money for salaries", he said "I didn't know", but the next day he came out and used them for salaries. Well, after 3 years we are at the point of no return. You can't out any longer so if it is necessary to you some of these Revenue Sharing money to maintain our Police, Fire, and Sanitation so the citizen of Miami will have something out of that Revenue Sharing money other than just a lot programs that are not successful; well, then, use it for that and give us a break. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right, the next speaker is Jose Molina from Wynwood and after Mr. Molina, Veter Juste. Mr. Mr. Mayor and City fathers and mother. I am here to speak up on behalf of the Wynwood community, in fact I have with me residents of Wynwood, staff and clients of Wynwood Legal Services. Wynwood Community Social Agencies, Resolution: Whereas,Legal Services of Greater Miami Incorporated has been extended paraprofes- sional to Wynwood in Allapattah communities since November 15, 1976 and whereas, Legal Services of Greater Miami Incorporated in Wynwood is compossed of a single SEP 24191 n Paraprofessional and whereas4 the single paraprofessional can only extend limited services to both communities and whereas, the gather data concerning the legal needs of Wynwood in Allapattah areas indicate a dire need for professional legal services in addition to paraprofessional representation and whereas, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Incorporated has requested funds in the amount of $50,000 from the City of Miami and whereas, this funds will he used for the fraying cost of opening a full staff Legal Service office to serve Wynwood in Allapattah community and whereas, the tentative plan is for this newest Legal Service office to open its doors by January 1978 and whereas, granting legal services the requested funds will alleviate the legal problems encountered by residents of Wynwood and Allapattah communities be it, therefore, result by unanimous decision of the directors of the belong name Social Agencies in the Wynwood community that: #1, we strongly urge that Legal Services of Greater Miami Incorporated be granted the requested funds as soon as practicable to allow time for the planning and coordination of this office planned opening in .January 1978. We sincerely thank you for the prompt at- tention to this matter. Borinquen Health Center, Puertorican Opportunity Center, Community Action Agency, Employment Manpower, Community Mental Health, Christian Community Service, Crime Prevention Program, Ancianos del Encanto, Legal Services of Greater Miami Incorporated, Wynwood Community Development and to finish my presen- tation I want to say that this morning we brought a very large representation from Wynwood, unfortunately, we have been losing members, you know, as long as this hearing has been going on but we were here, this morning, because we are very, very concerned about cuts in the Fire Department, cuts in the Police Department, and our people,in Wynwood also are horrified, are really getting mad and angry because of the problem the trash and garbage collection. And now, also, we want to say as tors. Eisenberg pointed out that we need some basic programs in this community and we need, of course, day care and we need more day cares in our poor neighborhood and we would like to see more money going into day cares hut also we strongly believe that poor people have also legal problems and we need Legal Services in our poor neighborhood. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right, the next speaker is Mr. Veter Juste. Mr. Juste: Thank you, Mr. Mayor; thank you, Commissioners. I wish to start by reading a letter that we from the Haitian community and addressed to the City Com- missioners asking them to take into consideration 2 proposals that they have right now in relationship with Revenue Sharing. This letter reads as follows: Dear, Mayor, the Haitian -American Assn. of Dade County has presented to the City of Miami Revenue Sharing 2 proposals --one for a day care center, one for an outreach clinic. Those proposals respond to an urgent need of this community. It would be time consuming to tell you all the reasons that should we demane yuu to vote for them. However, we are ready to go on the podium to explain the facts that are well sustained by the suvey being conducted in the Haitian community. We hope that your best consideration will he given to those proposals and one of the reasons that we awards is the willingness of the Haitian community to cooperate in many ways and contribute to the betterment of the Greater Miami area. Looking for a better chance to explain of use, Yours truly, Veter Juste, Chairman of . Mr. Mayor, Mr. Commissioners, the public. We do not want as a member of the City Community Action Agency in our last meeting, the outreach they brought on Edison Little River food among other things as its first priority and I asked... I really on Mrs. Eisenberg and Mrs. there, the first priority we need in the Edison Little River section area must be the day care center. The day care center is very, very great need for the Haitian community and I will just recall to the Mayor and the Commissioners one single fact about 3 or 4 months ago, a lady for whom the Haitian community has a very great consideration. Had a little day care center. This day care center taking into consideration the kind of services as it was rendered to the Haitian community was great. But the same day care center compared with the American standard was a disgrace. So, un- fortunately, one day a little kid brought to that day care center died, we didn't know until 2 hours he was been brought there for the first time. And believe all of a sudden, all the news media, all the televisions, never Haitian had so more call reach to show that Haitian are all right living with with the kids. That got deeply in our hearts and since then we our being doing effort to put on our own a day care center for the Haitian children. The main reason we want a day care center for our children is not because we don't want our children to go in a day care center run by American, white or black or Spanish. Two of my grand, grandchildren are in a day care center run by American but we all understand that Miami is becoming a melting pot for every type of community and we, Haitians, who most of the time have been depicted as people trying to swimm their way in the Haitian... in America, we are proud people and we don't want to lose our identity. Myself, my son, got disabled from Vietnam, I never claimed nothing for him because it was our duty. In that melting pot, if we let our grandchildren lose their 44 SEP 241977 ldeiitity4 lose their proud of being Haitian, one day we will get a lot of people here and we'll be looking for a Haitian among maybe 2,000 people -young people out -from Haitians in the streets , we can't find one because we haven't got talk them to be proud about identity. And the only way we can keep that identity is by sending children play to American children is no right and ask American children to come and out our own children. In this capacity we understand that any effort you will do to provide us, as a token of culture, a token of ethnic, a chill given to us,to show our ethnic back- ground, how beautiful it is, will he a great, great, great favor to us and don't forget, gentlement, that is no way a community can survive, that is no way that ethnic group conceit is at at ease if one its community, one of its member is suffering because of its ethnic background. I hope you will take this into consideration and I hope we will act accordingly. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: Monsieur Juste, je vous remercier por votre presentation et vous ^etes bien sur que vous avez la plus haute consideration de la Commission. Now, see, so maybe some day we'll have a day care center where you could learn French. Okay. Mr. Nick Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez: Gentlemen, Maurice Ferre, Rose Gordon and the rest of the member of the Chairman, it impressed me Mr. Ferre speaks French. I will ask, we need one office in the Wynwood area --a Legal Service-- because we got a lot of cases in Wynwood area which it can't be resolved like it is supposed to be, at least, give it the service like a community. The only one we have is a but not legal service --not the lawyer in there -- which can resolve the case to our community. Thank you very much. Mayor Ferre: All right, thank you. Mr. Alvarez. Now, I have no more slips, does that mean that we have no more speakers? Who else wishes to...? Yes, sir. Would you step forward?... Your name for the record. Mr. Edward Taylor: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Vice Mayor, Honorable Commissioners. It gives me a great pleasure to have this opportunity to speak on the behalf of Miami Dade 'Tenants Security Assn. Mayor Ferre: We need your name and address. Mr. Taylor: My name is Edward Taylor, I'm very sorry, ny name is Edward Taylor, Administrator Director. I took note from a former speaker that was here when she said that funding our organizations or agencies that was not successful. Well, I have been in the existence since 1971 and very few funds that I received from Revenue Sharing or anything else and from 1971 until this present date I must say we're still in existence on the behalf of tenants that have problems, we have been successful, such much success that we are referred by citizens and practically other area, other agency in Miami. I have to say this because if being successful with the people problems, this I don't have to worry. I would like to have Mr. Light- foot that has walked with me in trying to solve the people problems. I don't want to take up to much of your time, you ladies and gentlemen, but in the mean time Mr. Lightfoot havewalked with me and we have solved some other problems for the people-- the poor and moderate income. Mr. Lightfoot: Mayor, Commissioners, staff. My past experience with the Miami Dade Tenants Security Assn. have been someone limited; however, I am asking this Commission to reconsider the Miami Dade Tenants Security as one of the tenant association programs to be reconsidered under Revenue Sharing. Mr. Taylor have to an extent provided you with the information of his past experience of funding,which has been a problem, I'm asking this Commission to investigate and reconsider the Miami Dade Tenants Security Assn. as one of the social service programs of the City of Miami. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. Mr. Taylor: Thank you very much. Mayor Ferre: Mr. Taylor. All right, ladies and gentlemen,are there any other speakers at this time? Yes, sir,do you want to be heard? Anybody else? If not, excuse me, if not, then Mr. Grassie, Dr. had made a presentation earlier in the day and was your opinion that, perhaps, Mr, Gary would... should answer on the record. You have the floor. 45 SEP 241917 ■ daty: moot and Commissioners; in "`response to Dt,Batty's aiialysisrg11 tAyot 1~ette: Your name for the record. tiro Gary: Oh, Howard Gary, Director of Management and Services, Management Services for the City of Miami. In response to Dr. Barry's analysis of 1978 budget that's where I'd like to make the following comments: First, Dr. Barry's ananlysis projects a $10,000,000 surplus for the FY ending 1977. Our analysis reveals that the City will receive approximately $75,000,000 in revenues and will expend -approximately $74,000,000 in appropriations leaving approximately $1,000,000 in fund balance. This fund balance is included in the 1978 budget estimate for inclusion...for use as if it...all set to appropriations for the 1978 budget estimate. Secondly, Dr. Barry projects that we have approximately $1,300,000 in budgeted... all budgeted in salaries and wages. Assuming that Dr. Barry's figures are correct, I would hope that we do have the $1,300,000 because as you know we have approximately $1,500,000 the salary savings of FY1977. I'd like to also bring your attention to the fact that-- because we've been going over this two or three times now-- that last year Dr. Barry projected that we have an excess of $2,000,000 as fund dollars for FY1977, in effect we had approximately $571,000 deficit. I'd also like to respond to Dr. Barry's analysis that we have approximately $406,000 on unallocated balance in Enterprise fund. I'd like to read to you the workings of the Enter- prise fund as stated in the Governmental Accounting Auditing and Finance re- porting book. Positively, it says that Enterprise funds are established ac- counts for the financing of self-supporting activities of governmental units which render services on a use of chart basis to the general public. And ac- cordingly the funds that are generated by those particular funds are to be maintained as those funds and use for the purposes of which fund was established. In essence what I'm saying is that even though we have a $406,000 unallocated balance we have to maintain that fund, those funds in those particular accounts. Now, State law or State or Dade County rules which is law states that we must maintain in a prior face, in the face that are generated by those funds but those funds must remain in those faces and use only for the purpose for which those funds were established. I think the problem with Dr. Barry's report it that when you review those accounting records Dr. Barry did not take into consideration that there are some outstanding liabilities which are mandatory, for example, the accrue salary savings; for example, the Consent Decree that we have not pay for, that in the pipeline between departments and... departments and the Finance Department. These expenditures have not been paid for and have not been logged in our records. Thank you. Mayor Ferre: All right. Dr.... Mr. Plummer: before he leaves. Mr. Gary a question. Mr. Gary: Yes. Mr. Plummer: You have briefly going over a great deal of a report. Do I understand your comments at this time that all of the reported thing that Dr. said, this morning, are incorrect? Mr. Gary: Those that I mentioned. The key one being that we do not have $10,000,000 in surplus. Mr. Plummer: I am asking you,what about the rest? Mr. Gary: I respond to those,inequity Mr. Plummer: In all of the things that he said today that are now stating for the record that he is wrong, Okay? Mr. Gary: Yes, I am. Mr. Plummer: Okay, that what I am.,, I just want it on the record. Mayor Ferre: All right. Dr, Barry. Dr. Barry: I appreciate the opportunity to respond, One point I wish you would look up because I can contradict Mr, Gary and argue with him but when you get your copy that Mrs, Gordon askedfor of the transcript to what I said th b morning, I Would like very much for you to search that very carefully oiiit because it's an indication of the accuracy, perhaps,the listening power of City Management for any statement by me that I was projecting in this current fiscal year a $10,000,000 surplus. I you remember correctly I pro- jected a --the numbers are not with me but I think it was a $3,100.000 surplus this year T never mentioned the word $10,000,000. It's not in those 3 pages, Mrs. Gordon, it was on a subsequent material I may have written in down but I talked about projected revenues and projected expenditures. About in the $9,900,000 which might had confused Mr. Gary, when I mentioned the $9,900,000 as the September 8th expenditure statement unencumbered balance left over in the General fund as of 8 of September with 3 weeks left to go and I said that in order to his figure of a 0 or a 100% expenditure of budget funds that the City would have to expend the $9,990,000 in the next 3 weeks --that's where the figure $9,990,000 came in. But I was saying that was the September 8 figure on unemcumbered and unexpended funds left in the original budget. Now, that was not the statement that there was going to be a $10,000,000 surplus at the end of the year, in no way sav that I ask you, please, just for your own edification on the credibility of the two cases that have been presented, please see is the interpretation is mine or Mr. Gary's on that point. The other things is that Mr. Gary sais that last year I said there was going to be over $2,000,000 fund balance, I've already talked to that today which Mr. Gary did not mention orcared to mention, it's that, you know, when you talk to a finance director of the City and he says yes we are going to implement the current plans and particular they owe already $3,000,000 in Florida Power and Light funds. Then, the personal services savings --last year would of follow out as unencumber balance because it would have bother that more than $3,000,000 from Florida Power & Light revenues into the General fund as was in the budget approved last year by you and also approved by your legal counsel before it came before you last year. Now, that money was not transferred. in addition, there was an additional $800,000 more than $800,000 of unauthorized expenditures by this body that were incurred which were not anticipated in the beginning of September by City Management. Now, I say any time you take $3,000,000 out of the budget that you are planning to put in there that it's been authorized by you to be put in there and all that falls out the bottom is about a $500,000 deficit T say the estimate that I make of the $2,300,000 surplus carry over was pretty done accurate because that would have been what it fall not have the transfer been made as was budgeted and as was intended by the Finance Department under the current City Manager at the beginning of September last year, that's exactly what would had fallen up. And that's why I talked about the manipulation of figures to give evidence to support a particular a case -- beginning in talk on page 1. T talked about of the case being that the attention is attempted to be rivetedon the employees as the cause of the problem in the City of Miami and it led into discussion of how they manipulated last years books the last minute; now, they didn't transfer anymore than $3,000,000 which have been appropriated from Florida Power & Light franchise revenues at the last minute. How that led to your minus $500,000 some deficit in the General fund balance, and any time you do that kind of failure to transfer a budget revenues at the last minute you are going to end up with a tremendous drop in your fund balance. But have that transfer was approved by you then the salary savings would have fallen out as non-encomber balance and I suggest you take a look at my testimony, this morning, to see if I'm not completely repeating it to you again. Further more, the purpose of the testimony on by Mr. Gary in relation to the franchise revenues as you pointed out, I believe, Mr. Plummer, it's been a lot to I said this morning that has not been responded to and in a way shave of form by that short scrip against and look forward to hearing more from Mr. Gary on Monday but the $560,000 unallocated balance figure -- in the franchise revenue fund -- he state it had to be left there on the lodge to be used for the purposes of the franchise funds and what I said this earlier today was to help fund the franchise funds out of current revenues which is what we're talking about --the Police and Fire positions and the Sanitation positions-- why transfer that $600,000 out of the General fund into the franchise fund.... Mr. Plummer: Enterprise Dr, Barry: when you have this unallocated balance, Mr, Plummer: Enterprise, SEP 241977 s Dt, Batty: Enterprises* excuse fet ftoin the General.. , , Mr, Plummer: (INAUDIBLE), Dr, Barry: Sir? Mr, Plummer: You said franchise: Dr, Barry: Oh...let me start all Mr, Plummer: Please, do. Dr, Barry: They quite transfer more than $O00,000 Franchise fund. Mr, Plummer: Enterprise. Dr, Barry: Excuse me, you're right. I want thinking...the first word. right. Why transfer the $600,000 to the Enterprise fund when you have an unallocated balance which as Mr. Gary said legally must be used only for the purposes of the Enterprise fund, when are used that much of the unappropriated balance and use it for the activities of the Enterprise fund which he states is the legal requirement for the utilization of that money. Rev. Gibson: May I ask a question also may succeed? It seems to me that we have to make a decision. I would be very interested, sir, and please, if you would enumerate --one, two, three, four, five, six-- and ask Mr. Gary to answer them by this on Monday. Dr. Barry: All right, sir. Rev. Gibson: You know, let me tell you what's happening, what I think it's happening. I heard what you said and I wan kind of convinced, you know, Mr. Gary got up and said that isn't so but I want to vote for the issuance for budget but I want to make sure thatyou're telling me the truth and I want to make sure he is telling the truth because I'm going to vote in the best inter- ests of the people of the City of Miami and make sure by all undertanded; and as we've talking hack and forth I'm not so sure I can be intelligent. You made some allegati... well, you made some statements this morning and maybe be the 8, or 9, or 10, that sounded might doggone convincing to me and I'd like for Mr. Gary to refute them. If he can't refute them.... Mayor Ferre: 0r vice versa. Rev. Gibson: .... or if you can't refute them...you see, if you can't...if Mr. Gary can't say that you ain't right and prove it to me, I have to vote one way. If Mr. Gary can say that he is right and you're wrong, I have to vote another way, you see what I mean? Dr. Barry: Yes, sir, Father Gibson. Rev. Gibson: Wrong or right I'm concerned more than I'm telling you. Dr. Barry: What I thought, Father Gibson, would it suffice since the transcript as Mrs. Gordon asked for the transpeript to be prepared by morning for Mr. Gary would that suffices the list of the...? Rev. Gibson: It'll be all right with me as long as somebody is charged with the responsibility and I pressume the Manager to pick those allegations or those charges and give them to Mr. Gary and be sure to asnwer them at the night's meeting --Monday night meeting-- and I'd like for you to be there so you know... that's like being in the ministry, man that guides you 10,000 ways how to state it, you know, you know , I want to make sure. Dr, Barry: All right, sir, I'll ask..,. Mr, Plummer: Well, just a minute, Doctor, SEP 241977 arty: yes, 1'til sorry. Mr, Plummer: Mr. Mayor; 1 would further Father's request because, you know; We're under a dead line -called the 29th of September -to get our budget certi- fled not that we will but hopefully as soon there to that date as we can. And,you know, these papers, Father, can go back and forth infinitum, and a little comma here, or a little period there can make a difference in the way that the inference is made. We all know that figures don't lie and I'm not going to repeat the other part of the statement but I'm going to say that I feel rather that doing this shuffler with the papers I would feel a lot better if Dr. and Mr. Gary would get together on Monday and sit down and thrash these things out --eyeball to eyeball --and then come Monday night with answers rather than ?Ir.Gary coming back with another paper which says he is wrong and him getting up stating in another paper that he is wrong, I would prefer the two of them to get together conveniently on Monday, sit down, thrash these things out, and then reduce it to a writing where we can have it for Monday night. Rev. Gibson: J. L., I have no problem with what you said, all I want is the truth and if I could best get the truth by eyeball to eyeball, writing it and bring it on Monday, that's what I want because I want to be intelligent when T vote and I want to promise everybody if I had any doubt in my mind, the weigh always goes to the taxpayer, to the public, you know what I mean, in their best interests. Dr. Barry: May I ask a favor of.... Rev. Gibson: Yes, sir. Dr. Barry: ....would it be possible for me to receive a copy not only of my own statement I have transcribe but also early Monday morning at the same: time a copy of Mr. Gary's utterances. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Ongie would love to do it over the weekend. Dr. Barry: I'm sorry, I'll be get overtime. Mr. Plummer: We'll sent you a bill understand. Mrs. Gordon: Because a pay raise is coming. Mayor Ferre: All right, is there anything else to come before this aghast body at this time. Mrs. Gordon: This is a simple question for information, Mr. Mayor, if I can ask Mr. Gary to direct me to the portion of this budget that I could find the Capital Improvement funds and the balances that are in there now, if it isn't here. Is it in here, is it in the Capital Improvement budget... analysis that we received? Do you know...? I looked to try to locate it quickly and didn't. Mr. Gary: We don't have an analysis of Capital Improvement fund here, we only have that portion that we anticipated receiving from the Capital Improve- ment fund as to resolve to help with owed money. Mrs. Gordon: Well, I would like to have answered is the funds set arrive in- to that... the moneys that arrive into that fund, specifically, of where there obtained. Are they only Franchise moneys, are the Bond moneys? (INAUDIBLE UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER) . Mrs. Gordon: Well, that's what I want...it's a breakdown of how much money is in there and where they came from, okay? Mr. Grassie: it's in the report, Mrs.... Mrs, Gordon: Well, that's why I want you to direct me to the page so I don 't have to read all 500 pages, okay. Thank you, Okay. Mayor Ferre; Okay. Anything else? SEP 241977 Mt► plummet: Yes, Mt. Mayor, it hurts me to say this but I have to con- gratulate you --and that hurts me tremendously-- the Administration, the em- ployees and the public. As you know, this is my 7th year that I've been at- tending budget meetings and as Rose and I spoke at lunch,today, probably one of the most difficult budgets we've ever encountered. Some maybe ,in some intances,in one segment might have been a little more difficult. Mr. Mayor, I have to tell you that without question this has been the most orderly, well attended, well run meeting that I have ever had the pleasure of being repre- sented with and it speaks highly of you and everybody. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the City Coininissiof, the tneeting was adjourned at 3:45 O'Clock P.M. ATTEST: Ralph G. Ongie City Clerk Matty Hirai Assistant City Clerk. Maurice A. Ferre MAYOR SEP 24197 7